Issue 4 the Standard 12-13

FEATURES

FEATURES Safety: Looking into ASL’s security procedures, in light of recent events. Page 10

Life after Richards: Principal Paul Richards’ time at ASL and the future following his tenure. Pages 14-15 standard.asl.org

standard.asl.org

THE STANDARD

February 2013 November-December 2011 | Volume XXXVIII XXXVII, Issue IV III

The American School in London | 1 Waverley Place | London NW8 0NP U.K.

SFDB meets record FARES CHEHABI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Student-Faculty Disciplinary Board (SFDB) has dealt with a record number of cases this school year.

With this year’s first semester being shorter than in previous years, more than four months of school still remain. Thus, the SFDB can expect to face more than 25 cases before the year’s end.

Of the 15 cases administered so far, nine concern violations of academic integrity. SFDB Co-President Leland Swift (’13) attributed the cases concerning academic integrity

“If the student feels they can’t meet the expectations ... they feel the need to call upon other means.”

Alfie Astor (’13), Co-President, Student-Faculty Disciplinary Board to ASL’s competitive climate. “Pressure is a big thing because ASL is so grade-focused, and everyone’s talking about college all the time, and everyone’s talking about the grades they got on tests,” he said. “It’s so competitive academically that people are pushed to resort to cheating.”

Additionally, SFDB Co-President Alfie Astor (’13) cited parental pressure as a major reason behind the tendency to cheat. “Parents play a big role, especially with college,” he said. “If the student feels like they can’t meet the expectations of their parents with their skill set or the work they’re able to do, they feel the need to call upon other means.”

Astor continued, “Cheating is a big problem at ASL, and if you know that others are cheating, you also feel disadvantaged because you know that other people in the room with you taking the test at that time have seen or heard about the test before, and that they will do better.

SFDB continued on page 3

Coming out The Standard provides an insight into ASL’s homosexual community MINA OMAR | FEATURES EDITOR See pages 12-13 Photo by jessica haghani (Please recycle after reading)

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2/4/13 4:31 PM

News

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVIII ISSUE IV FEBRUARY 2013

Alum expands website ANNA YOUNG DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASL Alum Josh Haghani (’12) is expanding his website, Textbook Friend, from selling to four universities in the Philadelphia area to more than 100 schools in the U.S. in the next year.

Haghani founded the website with his roommate Karan Parekh, at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), which he is currently attending. The website serves as a forum for students at UPenn, Drexel University, Temple University and University of Sciences, all in Philadelphia, to sell their used textbooks to other students.

“You need to encourage people to take the leap of faith.”

Josh Haghani (’12), Website Creator and ASL Alum

Haghani started work on the website in October 2012 when he realized that buying school books secondhand was much cheaper than buying new copies. The first version of their website went live in late November 2012 and already has more than 1,000 accounts created and 600 books posted from students at the four schools Textbook Friend currently distributes to.

The site is split up into different subjects. When you find a book you want, there is a description at the bottom de-

currently distributed to:

WEBSITE VIEWS:

Drexel University 15,000 Page University of Pennsylvania Views Per University of Sciences Week Temple University scribing the condition of the book and the contact information of the owner, from whom you can buy the book.

Haghani and Parekh decided to provide their services without tax for a year to get more traffic on the website. Social media has been key in the creation of their website, but they also use ground marketing such as fliers and concerts to attract attention to the website. Orchestrating all of their marketing requires a large team, though. The pair have 110 people working for them between the four schools whose sole job is to market the website. The website is run completely by students, for students. “We finance the deal from future revenues in the company,” Haghani said.

“It’s also great experience for the kids that are programming for us.”

These revenues will come when they start to put a tax on their products with the expansion of the site next year.

Though Haghani said they initially encountered challenges in organizing their team and getting buyers interested in the

Books sold:

1,024 ACCOUNTS:

1,489

website, the success of the website comes from people’s desire to save money. “You need to encourage people to take the leap of faith that there will be buyers on the site,” Haghani said.

Haghani partially credits the supportive and encouraging nature of UPenn to the website’s success. The resources that the school has provided to him and Parekh were, he said, invaluable to their work.

Haghani and Parekh used student programmers from UPenn for the remodel of the Textbook Friend site, which was launched on January 28. Students at schools outside of UPenn will also be instrumental in the growth of the company.

Haghani and Parekh plan on expanding the website to 120 different schools across the U.S. by the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. They hope to be operating in 1,000 universities across the country, and serving close to 10 million students. “There is a very low barrier to entry until we capture the market so we are going to drive the idea quickly to schools,” Haghani said.

Flash

NEWS | briefs PHONE CHARGERS AVAILABLE In a new program put forward by the Student Council, iPhone, Blackberry and other smartphone chargers are now available for checkout from the library.

This addition came after Student Council received multiple requests from students. “[StuCo] discussed the suggestion in a meeting of ours and agreed that, like laptop chargers, phone chargers would be very convenient and broaden the wide range of utilities the Mellon Library offers to students,”Student Council Vice-President Tarek Masri (’13) said.

ALTERNATIVES RETURN Alternatives are returning to the High School for the 2013-2014 school year. Alternatives were canceled for the 2012-13 school year after the previous years spring alternatives conflicted with the schedule.

The dates for Alternatives are assigned to Monday, September 30 until Thursday, October 3 2013. “Alternatives have moved back into the fall because there is already too much going on in the Spring months,” Dean of Students Joe Chodl said.

STUCO ELECTIONS AHEAD Student Council will hold its officer elections on March 1.

The current officers of Student Council are Secretary Millie Goldrup (’14), Treasurer Hayden Nadler (’14), Public Relations Officer Chris D’Angelo (’13), Vice President Tarek Masri (’13) and President Julian Nebreda (’13).

Adam Koren (’14) and Issy Kelly (’14) are the two StuCo Presidential candidates for the 2013-2014 school year.

No campaigning is allowed before the election.

STUDENT PLAY COMING The Advanced Acting class is currently working on a production of The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In the play the character of Dorian Gray attempts to regain his youth. The play is scheduled to run from April 24 to 27.

The leading role of Dorian Gray will be performed by Reed Campbell (’14). The two other leading roles of Henry Wotton and Bassel Hallword will be performed by Matthew Bentley (’13) and David Cress (’13) respectively.

TALLY RETURNS

Debate: Mina Omar (’14) speaks against a resolution at the The Hague International Model United Nations: Qatar.

The Conference was based in Doha, Qatar and was attended by more than 2,000 students.

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After leaving school more than two months ago due to hip dysplasia, English Department Head Meghan Tally is back at ASL. Tally had periacetabular osteotomy on November 14 in order to fix this problem in her hips and spent the last two months recovering. It typically takes about a year to fully recover from this type of surgery.

In her absence, her classes were covered by English Department colleagues and Head of School Coreen Hester, who taught a section of the Women’s Literature Elective offered to juniors and seniors.

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 3

Outside the Bubble Gun Control

Newsddd

-out of the ordinary news-

Thomas Risinger

Fast Facts

News Editor

Adam Lanza changed the face of the debate on gun control in America on December 14 by murdering 20 children and seven adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This incident reopened a debate that had been quiet since President Bill Clinton’s administration passed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which effectively banned assault and semi-automatic rifles.

The Act, however, expired in 2004, making it once again legal for American citizens to own assault weapons, including the AR-15 used in the Sandy Hook shooting.

On January 16, 33 days after the Sandy Hook shooting, U.S. President Barack Obama announced his proposed gun policies, which included limiting all magazines to 10 rounds, universal background checks on all prospective gun owners, and a ban on all “military style assault weapons.”

The National Rifle Association (NRA), which acts as the self-appointed political defender of the Second Amendment, has begun advertising and lobbying against any type of gun control legislation. The organization has suggested placing armed guards in all schools in the U.S. as an alternative.

U.K. gun laws are much stricter than those in the U.S. It takes multiple interviews with the police

SFDB from page 1 “People feel it’s an accomplishment if they can pull [cheating] off because cheating the system is, in some ways, attractive. It has its benefits. So, if people can pull it off, they feel clever about themselves. They feel like they’re getting ahead, which they are.”

Nonetheless, Dean of Students Joe Chodl downplayed the severity of the trend. “Nine academic integrity violations, halfway through a school year, for 482 students taking, on average, seven classes... Those numbers are really quite low in terms of how many cases we’ve had,” he said.

Chodl has, unlike in previous years, discussed the SFDB and its cases alongside SFDB Moderators Peggy Elhadj and Greg Cole at every board meeting this year in a bid to reach a finer consistency with the consequences for each violation.

Moving forward, Astor and Swift are set to discuss the SFDB’s

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1. 32,163

deaths in the U.S. from firearms

2. 270 million guns were estimated to be privately owned in the U.S.

3. 61 percent of all mur-

ders in the U.S. were caused by guns.

Sam Evans (’15) is a strong gun advocate and shoots both skeet and rifles outside of London. photo courtesty of sam evans

and thorough background checks to obtain a weapon of any kind. According to a recent study conducted by The Guardian, these strict gun control laws have led to a low level of gun homicides. In fact, the rate of gun homicides in the U.K. is 0.07 per 100,000 citizens. The rate in the U.S., on the other hand, is 2.97 per 100,000 citizens.

Although the U.K. gun laws are much stricter, gun enthusiast Sam Evans (’15) has still found ways to pursue his passion of shooting.

Evans regularly shoots both skeet and rifle in London, and has done so for many years.

A long experience with guns has shaped Evan’s opinion and he believes that guns keep people safe rather than causing harm. “Guns

are an equalizer. It is the only way a small woman could fight back against a large assailant. [Guns] have the ability to level the odds,” he said. “Creating a 10-round maximum on magazines is useless. When firing, the reloading time doesn’t make an actual difference.”

record-equalizing work with parent grade representatives. Additionally, the pair plan to hold open forums, in which students interested in the work of the SFDB may attend voluntarily. Astor clarified the purposes of holding open fo-

nity to make changes or suggestions, or just discuss how the disciplinary program is run,” he said.

Also, considering the abundance of work done among the ASL community in establishing core values this year, Swift envisions the Code of Conduct including more of an emphasis on the established values in the future.

“The Code of Conduct isn’t a set of rules, it’s more guidelines. It’s very general rather than being, ‘this specifically is not allowed, this specifically is not allowed.’ I think we could stand to incorporate core values more,” he said.

In an email sent to High School students on December 7, Principal Paul Richards shared the results of High School students’ core values work, in which respect was ranked the highest of all values. Chodl highlighted how most cases deal with respect, or indeed the lack of it. “We almost always talk about respect, because by breaking the code of conduct you’re showing a

“People feel it’s an accomplishment if they can pull [it] off because cheating the system is, in some ways, attractive”

Alfie Astor (’13), Co-President, Student-Faculty Disciplinary Board rums: “The open forum has two objectives. One is to raise awareness toward the SFDB and to keep people thinking about how they should conduct themselves, but also to give students the opportu-

“Guns are an equalizer ... they have the ability to level the odds.”

Sam Evans (’15)

Evans cited two additional reasons why he is opposed to gun control. He sees the police as “sec-

ond responders” and that the only way to truly stop a shooting is for there to be armed citizens close by who can control the situation.

This view is supported by the recent shooting at a showing of the movie The Hobbit in San Antonio, Texas. A man opened fire in the parking lot of the movie theater and was gunned down by a pedestrian armed with a pistol.

The second reason behind Evans’s strong opposition is that the majority of gun-related crimes in the U.S. are caused by handguns, not assault rifles. “Rifles are typically three and a half percent of all gun murders,” he said. “Why don’t politicians look to ban hand rifles?

Because they know they can’t do that.”

little bit of a disrespect. By trying to pass off somebody else’s work as your own, you’re disrespecting the process and your teacher, so almost everything is kind of a disrespect [issue],” he said.

In terms of further changes to the Code of Conduct, Astor mentioned the possibility of imple-

4.

Texas was the state with the highest number of gun-related murders with 699.

5.

If the U.K. had the same population as the US, the number of gun related deaths would be 290.

6. In the U.K. there were 550 homicides.

All statistics from 2011

menting suggestions from the open forums.. “If the open forums work… the secondary role of the SFDB is to edit the Code of Conduct. So, if we can edit with the students’ suggestions, then surely it will be a document of the student body rather than to the student body,” he said.

“Cheating may involve giving or receiving unauthorized assistance or using unauthorized materials during a test or assignment; receiving assistance from another student or an adult without acknowledgment of the assistance; copying parts of or an entire assignment; and collaboration with another student, unless authorized to do so by the teacher. It is subject to a teacher’s discretion whether a student’s work violates the guidelines set forth for the class.”

Excerpt from the Code of Conduct

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Newsddd

The competition for top universities leads many students to work many hours outside of school. PHOTO BY JESSICA HAGHANI

Homework Debate The International Debate Education Association (idebate.org) held an online debate about the idea of eliminating all homework. The main points for both sides were as follows:

YES TO A HOMEWORK BAN: -Homework has little educational worth, and therefore it is a waste of students’ time.

-Marking homework reduces the amount of time teachers have to prepare good lessons.

-Homework reduces the amount of time for students to do other activities.

-Homework puts students off learning.

NO TO A HOMEWORK BAN: -Homework encourages students to work independently.

-Homework ensures that students practice what they are taught in school.

-Homework provides a link between child, school and home.

-Homework is an essential part of education, allowing students to learn information beyond that which they are taught in school.

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Homework load under review

For High School students, the challenging homework load follows school day doesn’t necessarily end suit with the academic atmosphere at at 3:05. For many, homework occuASL. “I think it’s a hard issue to talk about regulating since it all really depies the rest of the day. According to pends on what classes you’re taking,” school guidelines, each class should he said. “Graduates I know personally assign about 45 minutes of homework, resulting in a maximum of have told me the workload does make three hours per night. However, stuASL students more ready than others to get used to what’s expected of them dents often find themselves working more than that. In a recent poll conin college.” ducted by The Standard, 46.2 percent The current guidelines state that, of students reported having more in addition to assigning no more than than the designated three hours of 45 minutes of work per class, teachers homework on an average night. Of must post the homework on Haiku on those responding, 4.1 percent said the day of the class, and that if there Staff Writer James Malin examines the they regularly worked for more than are any changes to the homework, the five hours on homework. school’s homework policy to see if students teachers should email their students about the change. It is left to the inAccording to the survey, 19.2 perare spending too much time on studies dividual teacher’s discretion to assign cent of students said they have exoutside of school actly three hours of homework per appropriate amount of homework afnight. When asked how much hometer the class. work they feel is appropriate each night, the most common answer Students often find that the current guidelines are not followed. was two hours, with 29.5 percent of students identifying that num- “You’ll have a night where you have a lot of homework that takes hours and hours and it can become very frustrating,” Maalik Mbatch (’14) said. ber as fair.

Students may disagree about the value of homework, but teachers beThere is no clear consensus regarding the amount of homework assigned, but as of late the homework load has been a concern for lieve it serves a purpose.

High School administrators. In fact, a schedule consultant who vis“I like to think homework is to demonstrate understanding of a conited ASL in December, recommended an overall reduction in home- cept,” Science Teacher Eileen Cancella said. “I would imagine students work. Roxanne Higgins, a consultant from Independent School Man- think ‘that homework wasn’t on the test, why did we do that?’ I don’t agement, reviewed the current schedule and recommended changes, think that homework has to be on the test for it to be useful.” including that ASL should “reduce the amount of homework in the Cancella said she assigns about 45 minutes of homework for every Middle and High Schools.” The administration is currently taking class period. “I think that homework gives students accountability and provides immediate opportunity for students to practice their skills rathher recommendation under advisement.

Principal Paul Richards said he agrees with Higgins and hopes er than procrastinating and cramming before a test or quiz,” she said. for a 50 percent decrease in students’ workload. “If you have 15 math Those reasons may be counterproductive, according to American problems and prove you know [the material] after five problems, author and lecturer on education and parenting Alfie Kohn, who listed then why shouldn’t you be able to stop?” Richards said. “frustration, exhaustion, lack of time for other activities and possible Richards teaches the Race, Culture and Human Rights course in loss in interest for learning” as consequences of homework. He also beaddition to his responsibilities as principal. In his course Richards lieves that the positive effects of homework are “largely mythical.” tries to assign only useful homework; consequently, there are days Health Teacher Joy Marchese said that excessive homework “can cause when his students have no homework for his class. Richards said an increase in lack of sleep. I believe that many students are sleep dethat teachers need to ask themselves, “Do students really need to do prived,” she said. this?” before assigning homework, and that in some cases, the anHowever, she noted that she does assign about 30 minutes of homework per night. “[Homework] is not about the time, but about the purswer to that question may be “no.”

For some, however, the heavy homework load contributes to later pose,” she said. “If a student can show they can do [the work] well in class, success. Student Council President Julian Nebreda (’13) said that a then is there a need for more homework?”

2/4/13 11:03 AM

Opinions

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVIII ISSUE IV February 2013

THE STANDARD FARES CHEHABI Editor-in-Chief ANNA YOUNG Deputy Editor-in-Chief THOMAS RISINGER News Editor PATRICK COLLINS Opinions Editor CLAYTON MARSH Lead Features Editor MINA OMAR Features Editor IAN SCOVILLE Features Editor MATTHEW BENTLEY Culture Editor SHAHID MAHDI Culture Editor Patrick Mayr Sports Editor HAMISH STEPHENSON Design Editor SVENA BHASIN Copy Editor TYLER ZSCHACH Online Editor JESSICA HAGHANI Photo Editor EMILY MARK Photo Editor Charlotte Young Assistant News Editor Rebecca Ellis Assistant Opinions Editor Gabriel Ruimy Assistant Features Editor Kate Kennedy Assistant Culture Editor NIKOLAI BIRCH Assistant Sports Editor Will MuOio Assistant Sports Editor Alex Pabarcius Assistant Design Editor Katie Dillon Assistant Copy Editor Sayer Devlin Assistant Online Editor STAFF WRITERS Alec Ashley, Zack Ashley, Annabel Kronfeld, Zack Longboy, Paul Ryan, Dariush Yazdanpanah Andrew Plonka Adviser

Cartoon by Daniela Al-Saleh

Defining integrity Lance Armstrong was a true American hero. A cancersurvivor and a record-setter who won seven straight Tour De France titles, he literally epitomized the term, “to get back on the bike.” Yet when it was disclosed that he had used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his cycling career, Armstrong was unceremoniously kicked off of his throne and the topic of integrity in sports once again resurfaced.

Just as the baseball stars of the 90’s and early 00’s were made an example of for their rampant steroid use, Armstrong has, and undoubtedly will in the future, feel the wrath of the public, mass media and sports governing bodies because of his cheating. A common thread also connects Armstrong’s cheating and the cheating in baseball with most other situations that lack integrity: They are only discussed when integrity is violated. We seem to avoid the topic of integrity completely, acting as though it is nonexistent until someone violates it.

Only then do we address it.

The resurfacing of the topic of integrity cannot stay within the sporting environment. It needs to be raised in all aspects of our lives: In the government, in the economy and, most importantly for students, in academics. We must face up to the topic of integrity now or run the risk of having it blow up in our faces later, just as it has in baseball and in cycling.

During the first day of school, every High School student is required to sign a card affirming their agreement to the content of the Code of Conduct, which includes a section on integrity. However, following that day, the Code of Conduct and that agreement to stay within the boundaries of integrity are put on the back burner, only taken out during the disciplinary process.

As a school, we wait for students to violate the boundaries of integrity before allowing the subject of integrity to resurface. But even then, only the students who have broken the rules are involved in the discussion of integrity. The rest of the

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community is kept out, blocked from this discussion despite the vast relevance it holds to everyone.

Discipline cases are kept closed; exact violations or punishments are never released. Instead, the Student-Faculty Disciplinary Board (SFDB) only states that they addressed a matter of academic dishonesty. More information must be released.

We are not asking for perpetrators to be publically shamed, as their names should still be concealed, but when the topic of integrity is brought up, it holds pertinence to the whole school. The community needs to have a better understanding of what the academic dishonesty consisted of and how it was punished. This would allow a better definition to be given to academic dishonesty and integrity as a whole. With a better definition comes a better understanding. A decrease in issues involving integrity would follow suit, in all likelihood.

However, the definition shouldn’t rely on individual cases of discipline. Instead, as a community, we should constantly be discussing the issue of integrity. Both teachers and students should have equal input in defining the term. It shouldn’t keep a set definition but should change as a reflection of the environment at the school and the thoughts of the community.

Without a better understanding of exactly how we see integrity and the place it has in our community, problems concerning integrity will continue to increase. At this point in the year, the SFDB has already seen nine cases of academic dishonesty. To avoid the issues that have plagued the sporting world, we as a community must take the opposite path the athletes have taken. Instead of waiting to address the issue once it is upon us, we must nip it in the bud. Problems will still arise, outliers will still cheat and get caught, but the severity of the issue will fall. We wouldn’t have to define any academic era at ASL by its cheating. No one would have to feel the need to cheat in order to compete. We would do things fairly, do things by the book; a book that our community created.

MISSION STATEMENT The Standard staff and adviser are dedicated to creating an open forum that strives to promote productive dialogue among the student body, and witin the greater school cumminity, by publishing exemplary student news media according to the strictest standards of journalistic integrity in writing, editing, coverage and production.

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 O-329, 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.

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

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

Contact the appropriate section editor(s) for submissions.

ONLINE VIEWING The Standard can be viewed online at standard.asl.org.The Standard can also be viewed in PDF format on the high school page of the ASL website, www.asl.org.

Printed by Mortons Print Limited, 01507 523456

2/4/13 4:25 PM

THE STANDARD | February 2013 THE STANDARD | Se

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Opinions

My religious backbone Patrick Collins patrick_collins@asl.org

“

There was no flick of a switch that instantaneously improved my mentality, but the more time I spent thinking upon my relationship and experiences with God, the better I seemed to get.

Photo from bdoublet/Flickr

The lack of Peer Advising - They may not know it, but the High School’s youngest students, are in desperate need of guidance. When a scheduling change was made two years ago that implemented the Foundations class, it eliminated what was possibly the single most useful course in ASL, Peer Advising.

The class was simple, yet brilliant. A group of two or three upperclassmen taught a class of freshman, once every eight day cycle. The classes was based around the concepts of good values and decision making, but generally expanded into interactive information sessions. The student teachers gave tips to the younglings of the High School, helping to guide them through the difficult transition into High School and integrate the class in the High School community.

Freshmen would be given advice about classes, teachers, athletics and social lives, giving them a better understand of each piece of the weird and complex web of ASL life.

If you were to look deep into the eyes of a freshman, you would be able to see a sense of longing and a desire for information, information they currently have no way to access. This must change. We cannot continue to foster classes of unknowing students. The solution is

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I believe in God. I believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. I believe in life after death. I credit all the good that has occurred in my life to this point to these basic, yet infinitely complex beliefs. I accept that God has a plan for all of us in life, but think that without the grounding and teaching that my systems of beliefs as a member of the Roman Catholic Church has given me, I would either currently be in a perpetual downward spiral, unable to pull up, or would have already crashed into rock bottom. It is what God continually teaches me through His word and His voices on earth that keeps me afloat, allows my relationships to stay intact and helps me safely pass through the obstacles placed in front of me.

The first moment I truly recognized the power of belief was during one of the lowest points of my life. It would be fair to say that I was mentally skidding into a dark place. My parents were divorced and I had been coping with it poorly for an extended period of time.

Although from the outside I may have appeared relatively stable, my insides were torn up.

I looked for a place to release my emotions, but every option I turned to was more and more unhealthy than the last and, as anger, sadness and confusion stacked up on top of each other and multiplied inside of me, I sunk deeper into a depression. But slowly I recognized a potential fix within the Mass I have been attending every Sunday since I can remember. The words of the Bible and the messages priests preached took on a new meaning for me and diminished the problems that had kept me down.

I suddenly began to interpret what I heard differently. I was no longer just hearing passages from the Bible and a priest’s interpretation of them. I was hearing lessons that I could apply

in my own life. There were lessons of improvement, lessons of love and lessons of forgiveness towards others and towards myself. I began to see things less for my own betterment and more for the betterment of others, especially my loved ones.

Like a plane pulling out of a nosedive, I felt myself get better inside. There was no sudden flick of a switch that instantaneously improved my mentality, but the more time I spent thinking upon my relationship and experiences with God, the better I seemed to get. I am in no means “fixed.” I still struggle to align my morals with those I learn every Sunday. I constantly slip up. I constantly fall. But I no longer have as much of a fear in doing so because of the support I know God has to offer me.

Although I have failed thus far in applying the lessons I learned to every part of my life, the support given to me by a belief in a higher being and a deeper meaning of life constantly gives me a revival. I have felt the need to recognize my wrongdoings, admit to them, and I now know I have a trustworthy figure in God in whom I can confide. I have led a life that is the furthest thing from perfect, yet my belief in God has given me a reason to work on it. It has shed light upon the relationships I must hold dear and keep from ruin. It has exposed and forced me to recognize aspects of my life that need improvement. Most importantly, it has kept me from falling off and going completely downhill.

It is due to the importance that religion holds in my life and the support it has given me me, that it bothers me when people attempt to discredit religion and strip away its importance. Certain political opinions that are derived from religious beliefs have allowed a level

Opinions Editor Patrick Collins and Editor-in-Chief Fares Chehabi break down recent key investments simple: Reinstitute Peer Advising. Give upperclassmen the opportunity to be leaders in the community. Like the wisemen in a village, they are a wealth of information. Freshmen should be able to reap the benefits. - PC McBites - McDonalds is a wonderful place. Sure their food isn’t the greatest in the world, but come on, are we still on that 2008 health kick? Next time you pass one, do your tastebuds the courtesy of stopping in. They will adore you for it. While in Ronald McDonald’s home, do yourself the favor of feasting on his newest creation, the McBite.

A carbon copy of KFC’s popcorn chicken, these bite size spheres of fried chicken glory are exactly what McDonalds needed to further elevate its already skyhigh menu. They taste better than the revered McNugget and have a flavor and succulence that will eliminate any feeling of hunger. At £1.49, they can stand on their own as a munchie to tide you over, or as a compliment to any other selection on McDonalds’ glorious menu. Now all McDonalds has to do to completely satisfy my needs is to open up a franchise in the Wood and serve all day breakfast. 10:30 is way too early to stop breakfast. Let my McMuffin see the night! - PC

2013’s music - Talk about a revival of the glory days. Destiny’s Child is back together and Justin Timberlake is making pants drop with his music again. Now lets hope music stays on this upwards trend for the rest of the year. This is music as it should be.

As much as I love overpowering drum beats and robotic sounds, a return to vocal dominance would be beautiful, and there is no one better to lead this charge than Bey, Kelly, Michelle and JT. Destiny’s Child’s Love Songs came out on January 25, and I have no problem sharing the fact that I spent the entire night in awe of its brilliance as I repeatedly listened to the album. I am currently looking for a venue to hold a listening party for the release of JT’s The 20/20 Experience on March 19, so if you know of any availabilities, hit me up on Twitter: @fattypatty9 - PC Django Unchained - My mouth watered when I first heard the plot of Quentin Tarantino’s latest masterpiece Django Unchained. I conjured horrifically beautiful images of how Tarantino, notorious for his use of blood and violence, would recreate one the darkest periods in American history.

However, my imagination was far from accurate, as Django Unchained not only met my ex-

of bashing of religion to take place. Cheap shots are taken at a variety of religions due to extremists’ strict interpretation of religious texts or the connections made between criminals’ actions and their religion. Muslims are viewed in a different light by many because of those who perform violent Jihad in the form of terrorism.

Christians feel the negative effects of those who quote the Bible saying homosexuality is immoral. However, these direct connections between individuals and religions as a whole should never be made. It is simply ignorant to connect messages and actions of hatred to spiritual beliefs that were founded on a bases of love, tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness.

It is not right to force religion upon people and I by no means think that a spiritual element in life is necessary for every individual, but it is certainly still an extremely relevant aspect of our society for many people, including myself.

It cannot be blocked from certain areas of our lives or have power taken away from it because people feel threatened by it. This has already occurred in a variety of workplaces and schools when people attempt to outwardly express their religious beliefs and must be stopped. A spiritual life may not fit into the lives of every single person but those teachers, workers and students who do hold it as an important part of their lives should not be forced to suppress their beliefs while at work or in school.

The religious beliefs instilled in me aided in reviving my outlook and are constantly redirecting me and showing me what is right.

I have personal interest in keeping religion relevant in our lives, and it is an interest that will benefit all. The positive messages religion preaches and the aid it offers can only benefit us as people.

photo from INFACINATORINC/Flickr

pectations, but blew them out of the water in a similar fashion to how Django blows the heads off countless victims in Tarantino’s three-hour tour de force. - PC Due to the film’s 18 rating in the U.K., The Standard deemed it unfit to to print an official review of the film. But, if you’re 18-years-old or older, you owe it to yourself to watch Quentin Tarantino’s latest piece of cinematic beauty. Despite the length, the time just flies by while you watch Christoph Waltz simply steal the show (give the man his second Oscar. I just want to hear another acceptance speech in his perfectly enunciated English). Leonardo DiCaprio was also brilliant as the narcissistic plantation owner Calvin Candie. In fact, additional praise should be heaped upon DiCaprio for his bravery in taking on such a polemic character and going all the way with it – there was just something so refreshing and satisfying in seeing him nail a performance as a fiendish villain. Perhaps it’s because he used to be such an innocent teen heartthrob. Those who fell in love with him in Titanic and/or Romeo + Juliet should really just stay as far away from screenings of Django Unchained as humanly possible. - FC Post Scriptum: I’m Sweatin’ (Whoop!)

2/4/13 4:28 PM

THE STANDARD | February 2013

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Page 7

Opinionsddd

Our (not so) global perspective Rebecca Ellis

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rebecca_ellis@asl.org

We live in a mini-America. The academic framework at ASL is modeled after an American one, so it’s no surprise that it’s the same as that of most schools in the United States. However, it’s not just our education that is distinctly American. It’s the slang we use in the halls, the way we dress and the obsession we have with every aspect of the college process. In search of an American education overseas, incoming ASL students have brought with them distinctly American customs and culture, creating a microcosm of the U.S. in the middle of London.

When I first entered ASL this year, I was terrified I wouldn’t fit in. After growing up in a very stable environment in New York, I was moving 3,470 miles away to a school I assumed would contain an international mesh of cultures: The polar opposite of my previous high school. However, I had nothing to fear. Although there is undeniably more diversity in terms of nationalities than at my old school, everything else

“

Parents send their children to ASL to give their children an American education and, as a byproduct, total Americanization.

It seems you cannot have one without the other. But what about the global perspective also promised in the mission statement, alongside the “outstanding American education”?

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a b o u t ASL is the same. The parties, the style of dress and almost every other aspect of American teenage life seems to have followed me across the ocean.

The American School in London could not have been named more appropriately. It truly is a distinctly American school in the heart of London.

Perhaps I was naïve. Parents send their children to ASL to give their children an American education and, as a byproduct, total Americanization. It seems you cannot have one without the other. But what about the “global perspective” also promised in the mission statement, alongside the “outstanding American education”? After all, that is part of the deal. You come to ASL not only to receive an American style of learning, but also to expand your horizons outside of the American bubble by achieving a socalled “global perspective.”

But what is a global perspective? Although slapped on the homepage of the school website and stenciled on the walls, you’d be hardpressed to find a student who can actually define it. Is it an equal appreciation for all cultures? An understanding of other customs? Or is it an American outlook simply tinged with an awareness that there are other cultures out there?

The global perspective is present at ASL, but remains ignored by most, forced to the back of many people’s minds. There are approximately 1350 students and 50 nationalities represented

at the school. Clearly, on such a large scale, a jumbling of nationalities occurs. In that way, the school has done well bringing in students from ethnic groups from all over the world. However, instead of all these different groups coming together to create an exemplary combination of culture, they seem to have become distinctly American. Cultural differences from the American norm are understood and accepted, but not delved into and explored. The 50 or so different types of passports we are so proud of are simply sitting in lockboxes at home, doing nothing to expand the mindset of the community. Even Hester is doubtful of whether our students are getting what is promised to them in the mission statement. “We have the ingredients,” she affirmed, but stated it’s unclear how much students actually want the global perspective they might develop in the ideal ASL. Why are we so wary of stepping outside our red, white and blue bubble? Social Studies Teacher Michelle Gerken, who is currently teaching the Global Issues course that focuses partly on the global perspective at ASL, offered a possible answer. “It’s almost as if when students are

abroad and out of their country of origin, which many of them are, their reflex is actually to be as American as possible, so they can hold on to something” she said. So, to many students, not taking in everything ASL and London have to offer is actually a way of protecting their American identity.

“They’re just homesick,” she

concluded.

I completely understand this. Because I’m only going to be at ASL for a year, I’ve been trying to take in as much of the non-American lifestyle as possible, as I know I’ll be returning to the U.S. in a matter of months and the opportunity will have vanished. But if I weren’t certain I’d be returning, I’m sure I’d be much more hesitant to embrace a sphere outside my own. I would be holding on to my American side with as much fondness as so many here do, not getting nearly as much out of living in London as I am now.

Another roadblock on that path to a global perspective is the limit presented by the wealth inside the school. We may have citizens from around 50 countries, but if they’re all in the top few percentages of wealth is it really a global perspective? I accept that a person’s affluent background does not make him or her a less viable canidate through which to learn about the world, but part of what makes up our global perspective should be variety – not just of traditions, ethnicity, race, and culture but also of socioeconomic status. A uniformity of wealth, such as that at ASL, brings about a common experience, rather than a diverse perspective, on the global community. It’s as if the wealth creates a sort of haze over the school, clouding our view of the real world and preventing a deeper

global understanding. I don’t want my global perspective to be a view of how the one percent of the world lives, I want it to include the other 99 percent, too.

As a school, we are in a privileged position to give students a unique view of the diversity of the world, but this is something that needs to be choreographed carefully. Five months after entering the school, I have yet to see this mindset at ASL. A true global outlook needs to be nurtured and fostered. Simply shoving an amount of students from several different nationalities into one classroom is not enough. You can’t assume that if there are enough nationalities represented, the multicultural environment will simply seep into students’ inner consciousness – particularly when many of the students affiliate with their American side as much, if not more, than they do with whatever other culture they represent.

London is quite possibly the most multicultural city in the world. We are going to school in a city that encompasses more than 270 nationalities and 300 languages. If a global perspective is too difficult to convey to students amidst tough AP courses, meetings with teachers and lunch time study sessions, I think the school should focus its efforts on allowing students to receive a more worldly view outside the classroom. Although I didn’t have the pleasure of attending ASL when Alternatives were being offered, descriptions given to me about them paints a picture of a program with the primary goal of enhancing student’s views of a world, helping them connect to a world outside of the small and sometimes stifling ASL bubble. Reinstituting the Alternatives program is the largest step towards providing the global perspective promised, as it reignites the opportunities for truly understanding the diverse world around us.

However, even this won’t provide the lasting change the mission statement promises.

After all, fours days of traveling, no matter how mind-broadening, would not be enough to instill a permanent change in a student’s mindset. Instead, a change needs to occur within the classrooms. To truly provide a global perspective, ASL needs to constantly surround its students with such a thing. Although a global perspective may be possible to achieve at the school currently, it requires students to go out of their way. You have to enroll yourself in a class tailored to providing a global outlook and there are very few of these classes available. Most of the classes offered at ASL are ones in which an American perspective reigns supreme. Offering more classes, or simply revamping the old classes with a more international point of view, would enable ASL to stick closer to its mission statement.

To some extent, how much of a global perspective we get out of ASL is dependent on us and the degree to which we pursue it. Left to our own devices, the truth is that most of us at ASL put 100 percent of our efforts into receiving the ‘outstanding American education’ promised in the mission statement, causing the global perspective to fall by the wayside. It’s something we hope will be a byproduct of going to ASL, but a true global perspective requires active effort - not passive diffusion. The school must take it upon itslef to institute the global perspective they constantly preach, otherwise it will remain floating in the background, present inside the school, but almost completely ignored.

2/4/13 3:12 PM

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Page 8

THE STANDARD |February 2013

Discussing the beauty of Harkness Shahid Mahdi shahid_mahdi@asl.org

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When one raises his or her voice to speak at a Harkness table, it’s him against what may feel like the world – his train of thought the only form of both defense and advancement.

The Harkness method is undoubtedly one of the most effective, enriching and allencompassing learning tools available at this school. Although the system may take some adjusting to, English classes have been enhanced by the quality of discussion that motifs, a page or even a simple word may package for a class. When synthesized with the undying passion of our English teachers, the ovular table that students sit around provides an environment that has the potential to leave all attendees enlightened.

True, speaking in public, or merely participation in class, is not an easy shift for many students. Although I’m a passionate fan of the art of public speaking, I recall almost shaking with nerves when addressing the entire table in my ninth grade English class. Our class was doing its utmost to dig into the subliminal, pious messages that the array of characters in The Odyssey provided.

We had just arrived at the end of the book, and a thought about how the whole tale “comes full circle” flew into my head.

I knew exactly what I was going to say and how I would say it, but I started shaking and my face grew bright red. I had accustomed myself to this class and knew everyone, so why was it so incredibly difficult to just get a thought out? My pulse sped as I waited to dive into the conversation.

Miraculously, besides a barely noticeable trip-up, I got my little inkling of thought out loud and clear, saying, “Maybe the … story came full circle, as we witnessed Athena commencing the journey by talking to Odysseus in the very first scene, and in … the last ... the final part, we have Athena with her divine intervention and stopping what could’ve been a battle, so maybe it just sort of … speaks to how the gods are always pre-

sent throughout.”

I see that moment as the starting point of my journey in my favorite class. From that moment onwards, I shrugged off any anxiety and the class that had once been a nervous trial felt like an amazing gift.

Throughout my English classes and electives, my classmates have learned immeasurable amounts about not only the content at hand, but about each other. We’ve found tendencies, discovered traits we have in common and watched each other express our ideas. When one raises his or her voice to speak at a Harkness table, it’s him against what may feel like the world – his train of thought the only form of both defense and advancement.

Due to the students themselves, no learning technique will ever be flawless. There will be those who didn’t read, those who read but didn’t really read, those who read but are just too shy, those who read but, unfortunately, as with any class, have their eyes darting to the clock, those who might have the most meaningful point of the day, but don’t know how to articulate it. We’ll also have the sparring warriors, the valiant leaders, the inquisitive children, the extremely logical, the deadpan, the comedic, the inspiring, the heartening, the comforting, the the-author-included-a-feather-because-it’sa-feather-not-because-it’s-a-metaphor-forinnocence type and the silent sage. What’s most remarkable is that there’s one of these characters in all of us, and it’s only when we’re sitting communally, looking each other in the eye, that these typecasts really shine.

To insert the Harkness table dynamic into social studies, science, math and language classes is not a huge ask. For decades,

rote memorization and regurgitation have been the meat of the school sandwich, and rightly so – it’s a proven way to get students to learn effectively. But it’s not the only path.

These tables of wonder equip students with confidence, public speaking skills, and, most importantly, the ability to convert their thoughts into effective speech. This skill is crucial and isn’t prioritized as much as it should be. A significant chunk of my academic inclination over the past three and a half years – and I’m sure I’m not alone – has been based not off of exhausting multiple choice tests but off of the animated intimacy of a simple discussion, when I was able to let my talking do the talking.

We obviously can’t confine physics, calculus and history courses to a Harkness table 100 percent of the time. But encouraging more Harkness-esque discussions in all classes certainly can’t be doing damage.

Perhaps once or twice a cycle, students and teachers can convene for a discussion based on the past week’s topics. Sitting in a militarized, single-file format is only acceptable for testing.

There’s no reason why every last drop of what your peers thought about a historical document, professional scientific theory, or real-world application of a math problem shouldn’t be squeezed out. We’re in a world where thoughts are compressed to 140 characters, and where walls and forums are now more synonymous with internet than they are with architecture. To support, but not permanently enforce, the Harkness method in subjects other than English is a must for us to learn how to articulate, share, appreciate and challenge each other’s thoughts. The value of a group of students’ minds outranks that of any test grade.

Instituting a democratic Student Council Tyler ZSchach tyler_zschach@asl.org

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A governing body that was not put in place by the will of the people is one that is illegitimate.

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Last issue I professed my support for Student Council (StuCo), and called upon the administration to grant the council a stronger voice. I have been consistently taking up President Julian Nebreda’s (’13) open invitation to attend the meetings as a guest, familiarizing myself with the student government. I do still hold true to my convictions that I outlined in my previous piece: That the school would thrive if StuCo coupled with the administration as a partially equal decision maker. But StuCo needs to make some major reforms to its election system if it wants to establish themselves as a body who has the confidence of the students and the mutual respect of the administration. The position of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer need to be directly elected by the students they represent.

The sentiment currently expressed by the majority of StuCo is that the officer positions should be rewarded based on merit and should go to those who work the hardest and are most passionate about their place in StuCo. The prospective candidates make speeches to the council and the council subsequently votes for the new officers for the next calendar year.

Despite this being a valid election process to elect a hardworking and dedicated candidate, it doesn’t allow StuCo to per-

form its primary duty. We cannot lose focus on what the StuCo is assembled to do, which is to accurately represent the vision and views of the student body. The merit of their work should still be a criteria for election, but the student body should be the ones distinguishing who best embodies the characteristics of a leader and who can best represent their interests. Current council members could back candidates they support. I have little doubt that the opinions of council members would be highly regarded when students go to check the ballot.

The simple truth is that although the election format may work and may suffice for a portion of the student body, the council does not have the confidence of a unified student body, and I fear it is because we are deprived of our voice in officer elections. I want StuCo to be great, and it can be, but a governing body that was not put in place by the will of the people is one that is illegitimate.

I think that the current officer body, headed by Nebreda, is doing a fantastic job with the foundation they have in leading and representing the student body. The election process would not be implemented because they are inadequate, but to act as safeguard for us in the future. My goal would be to turn StuCo into a true democratic society in which each student voice

truly mattered. I am in no means suggesting we act in a violent rebellion against our current student government, but we should have the right to fair election and we must do something to obtain it.

Candidates for officer positions should be able to run on their record and ideas against anyone. If the student body feels that someone is the best candidate for the job, it can elect that member. Or, if they feel StuCo was largely ineffective in the previous calendar year, they can elect an outside candidate and go in another direction. Although it is a simple democracy, it will adequately fulfill the needs of the students to institute their own elected body.

I firmly believe that the only way to truly legitimize ASL’s StuCo is to make it a pure democracy. Currently our system resembles something not unlike the European Union’s bureaucracy, which is largely illegitimate in the sense that the European Commission President is not elected. The difference between the E.U. and ASL is that countries are threatening to leave the E.U., whereas we seem dead set on complacency. If we want a StuCo that is responsible, one that can be a major factor in decision making and can protect the interests of the students, we have to elect them democratically. The ball is in your court, outgoing President Nebreda.

2/4/13 3:12 PM

Features

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVIII ISSUE IV FEBRUARY 2013

‘The world turns on its axis’

Lunch With The Standard: Sarah Baxter, ASL Parent and Editor of the Sunday Times Magazine, sat down with Lead Features Editor Clayton Marsh to discuss the past, present and future of journalism

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inding a suitable place for an interview and lunch in St. John’s Wood is surprisingly onerous. Our original meeting place, Carluccio’s, is far noisier than either Sarah Baxter or I had hoped for our quiet Sunday afternoon conversation. Per the request of Mrs. Baxter, we make our way down St. John’s Wood High Street to Harry Morgan’s, where we settle into our seats at a table in a more tranquil atmosphere. From the outset, she controls the conversation, and I begin to hear the story of Mrs. Baxter’s rise to become Editor-In-Chief of the Sunday Times Magazine.

Mrs. Baxter dives right into the industry she has remained in since entering it at the “ripe old age of 27,” where she began as a news reporter for Time Out magazine before moving to the New Statesman as the magazine’s Political Editor. “I was fairly rare those days. It was the 1990s and there were very few women writing about politics,” she says.

Despite her calm demeanour, it is clear that the topic of women in the workplace is one Mrs. Baxter feels strongly about. “I haven’t found it difficult,” she pauses. “What I have found frustrating is that more women haven’t joined me.

By now, I thought things would have changed and there would be more women at the top.”

In spite of her annoyance, or confusion perhaps, at the dearth of female political writers, Mrs. Baxter was able to shed light on the positives. “I think I benefited in my career from the fact that newspapers and broadcasters suddenly felt embarrassed by their lack of women at the top,” she says, half-jokingly. “But once there are a few women at the top, the tendency is to think ‘job done.’ But it isn’t job done. There aren’t enough of us. There is no real impetus once you’ve gotten a few women around to make it 50-50 or to change the kind of culture we have.”

In 1996, Mrs. Baxter moved to the Sunday Times. Still living in Britain at the time, she assumed the role of editor of the news review section. That’s where Mrs. Baxter’s first real roadblock in her career came about. “Then I had a couple of kids,” she remarks frankly. “I had two very young children and a very demanding job and I was thinking, what should I do?”

Her solution was to return to the U.S., where she would remain for the next eight years. This way, she could work from home and write her stories in the middle of the night before sending them over to London. By 9:00 a.m. GMT, her colleagues would be at the office waiting for her stories. “It gave me a lot of freedom as a mother of young children. It was a really great way to get around the problem of how to keep your career going while having kids,” she tells me.

Our food arrives, but that doesn’t stop Mrs. Baxter from continuing her story. She begins to tell me about one of the most memorable days of her life, and delves into where she was on September 11, 2001. I know I’ve hit upon a sensitive chord. I put my utensils down and pause for a moment. What she hadn’t anticipated about her move to New York was that six weeks after her arrival, on the day she was supposed to begin work on her new radio show, two planes would crash into the Twin Towers.

“I was down at Battery Park waiting for the ferry to Ellis Island when the plane hit the World Trade Center,” she recalls. “I heard the boom of the first plane. Surrounded by skyscrapers, I

LWTS.indd 9

couldn’t see it, but I could hear it. I thought a massive bomb had gone off. In the end, I was there watching it all happen, and a tower fell and I had to run for it.”

Like so many others in the country at the time, Mrs. Baxter struggled to come to grips with the tragedies of the day, both as a journalist and a human being. But unlike so many citizens at the time, she had an outlet to her emotions. “I felt I was lucky to survive it. When you’re there, you never really knew which way the towers were going to fall,” she says. “There was a lot of talk about whether or not New Yorkers needed therapy. I never felt I needed it because I was always talking about it. I had an outlet, which was in my work and in my writing.

“As a journalist, you could tell it was one of those important moments in history when the world turns on its axis,” she adds.

After her time in New York, Mrs. Baxter moved to Washington, where she covered the campaign between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The race, which was between potentially the first African-American president or the first woman president, felt very personal to Mrs. Baxter. Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 1960s, she witnessed the beginning of desegregation. “When Obama, in his 2008 victory speech, referred to ‘the arc of history’ and ‘the buses of Montgomery,’ it was a little electrifying moment for me personally because Alabama had been such a troubled place,” she says. “I’m not particularly partisan politically. But just the fact that something could have changed that much in my lifetime meant a lot to me.”

Following the race, Mrs. Baxter returned to London after being offered the position of Editor at the Sunday Times Magazine. “The purpose of the magazine is pretty much the same as the purpose of the Times Newspaper; to inform, and to entertain,” she explains.

Mrs. Baxter stresses the importance of re-

Sarah Baxter joined The Sunday Times in 1996 as editor of the News Review Section. In 2008, Baxter was appointed Editor of the Sunday Times Magazine, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2012.

Illustration by caroline tisdale

maining objective in reporting, but not in all facets of journalism. “Your personal enthusiasm shouldn’t let you lose sight of the actual story. Tell it as it is. But the voice of the newspaper should not be objective. The opinion columns should have attitude and so should the leaders,” she says firmly.

In fact, she was originally hired by the Sunday Times because, at a time when Tony Blair was about to come in, she had been at a left-ofcenter political magazine (the New Statesman) writing about the rise of new labor.

While Mrs. Baxter had nothing but praise for the newspaper scene in Britain, she was eager to express her thoughts on the current media situation in America. “Here in Britain, you have a wonderful array of newspapers; it’s a much more competitive market. You have conservative newspapers, you have liberal newspapers. In America, newspapers have gained a much more liberal consensus,” she remarks.

She commended Fox News because it “gets up the mainstream media’s nose by pointing out that loads of people in America feel unrepresented by the media. Thats why it calls itself, with that wonderful slogan, ‘fair and balanced,’ because it feels it has provided a fair balance to the rest of the media.”

In regards to the future of journalism, Mrs. Baxter believes it is imperative that we refrain from any statutory regulation of the press. “I’d far rather have the First Amendment protecting freedom of the press than an ‘independent’ committee made up of the ‘great and the good’ members of the British establishment deciding what news is fit to print,” she says. “A robust competitive press preserves the integrity of newspapers, reduces the risk of corruption in public life and is one of the foundations of Britain’s much vaunted liberty.”

With the newspaper industry moving away from the print-medium, Mrs. Baxter believes that all newspapers are in transition and that the current “explosion” of online journalism is fantastic. “People have never been more interested in what’s happening in the world. That’s the lesson I take away from the proliferation and all the different outlets of reporting,” she says.

She recalls, with a chuckle, when Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual) live tweeted from his house in Pakistan about a “heclicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1AM.” This was, of course, a casual play-by-play of the U.S.’s capture of Osama Bin Laden, provided by his neighbor, a member of the public.

Mrs. Baxter believes that the current generation who thinks that news is free needs to face a reality check. “Journalism took a wrong turn when a lot of the media fell in love with letting everyone have their stuff for free but, in the end, journalists have to get paid. It costs money to send a reporter to Syria or Egypt,” she pauses.

“Right now, no one has quite figured out how to pay for it all. But they will, because the advertising is there,” she says optimistically.

After a full hour of conversation, we’ve both finished our food. We settle the check, and I revisit the question: Why journalism? “I was in South Africa for the election of Nelson Mandela. I went to Berlin when the wall fell. Journalists have a chance to cover the world’s great events, and it’s a privilege,” she says. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself.”

2/4/13 1:15 PM

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Page 10

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Features

How safe are we?

Assistant Copy Editor Katie Dillon and Photo Editor Jessica Haghani sat down with Head of Security Barak Fave to find out how safe we really are at ASL and how incidents miles away affect the school

Security guards surveying the school outside Waverley Place.

Photo by jessica haghani

M

inutes after the helicopter crash in Vauxhall, on January 16, Head of Security Barak Fave received a call from the London Metropolitan Police Department about the incident. “Every day, every minute something can happen,” Fave said.

It is difficult for Fave to provide for longterm goals because specific events that affect security are always spontaneous. Events in different parts of the world are always relevant to the ASL security team, which is why Fave is constantly aware of the different threats and warnings around the globe. He and his team work closely with the U.S. Embassy and the London Metropolitan Police Department in order to stay up to date with possible threats to the school.

The warnings the team are notified about are very general, and can expand from local threats to specific threats to Europe, the U.K. and the western world. Worldwide events, such as the death of Osama Bin Laden and the U.S. presidential elections, call for an increase of security in and around the school. This increase in security includes additional patrols, both in uniform and undercover. However, increased security completely depends on the level of threat. “I’m meeting with people from the Embassy and the

F

Metropolitan police and they advise me, but the decision isn’t up to them entirely,” Fave said.

Fave works with the administration and the Crisis Management Team to make sure he has accurate information and different opinions.

Fave works with his team to teach and refresh the ways in which security is executed in relation to these events. Fave does not foresee a drastic episode happening and his team having to react, “but I want my team to be ready in case we have to,” he said.

After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, Fave revised the current security procedure. “It is a tragic story, but also a lesson for us,” Fave said.

At the Sandy Hook Elementary School the classrooms were open, allowing the shooter to easily navigate through the school. One of the things the security team has been revising is the “shelter-in-place” technique, which is used for situations similar to the one that occurred at Sandy Hook. At ASL, using internal locks, staying low and quiet and moving out of the line of sight are all techniques used for the ‘shelter-inplace’ procedure. “We are currently working on ways to make [the procedure] more efficient, by creating more compartments, making it harder

for [the shooter] to move from class to class,” Fave said.

Making classroom layouts more complicated to have more hidden spaces is one technique used to make an attack more difficult and is something Fave is working on to implement in the coming years.

Along with being prepared for a variety of situations, the security team is briefed on what they should be looking out for every day.

Their job doesn’t only pertain to guarding the entrances and exits of the school from possible threats. Patrols walk around the perimeter of the playground to protect students against any unexpected happenings. “Students are exposed, and theoretically anyone could drive by with some kind of explosive or a gun. By implementing patrols, we are trying to prevent that as much as possible,” Fave said.

However, the security team’s job extends further than just protecting the school from external threats. “Dangerous neighborhood situations are prevented by education. The High School and seventh and eighth grade are now being taught how to be streetwise.” he said.

Yet even so, Fave believes there is a high level of complacency among students. “I watch [stu-

dents] become more alert after one of the talks we have with a police officer, or after an incident occurs, but that only lasts a few days,” he said.

Even basic, daily things like crossing the road can be fatal, and yet he witnesses hundreds of students coming close to having accidents as pedestrians. “This has nothing to do with terror or criminals, this is just personal safety,” Fave said.

While some aspects of the security team’s job may seem unexplained, in particular the insistence of using ID cards to enter and exit the school, there is important reasoning. Using ID cards is vital because, “If people are looking at us, and noticing we are letting you in without checking anything, they might think that everything is very lenient here, and that ASL is an open institution, which it is not,” Fave said.

The security team works hard to monitor the school, and a lot of the time what they do goes unnoticed. They are vigilant about keeping ASL safe, and work to protect the larger community as well. While at any second anything can happen, Fave keeps a close eye on his team to make sure they are up to date on situations around the world, and in London, so they can execute their job accurately and efficiently.

Driving the dream Staff Writer Zack Longboy investigates the life of London’s taxi drivers, the men and women who undergo years of training to work on London’s roads our years of studies. Countless facts to memorize. All ending in a comprehensive assessment, and for a few, the pride and distinction of graduation. The reward? Not a high school diploma, but a license to drive a black cab.

This intensive and thorough exam, officially called “The Knowledge,” is one of the reasons that London’s cabbies are considered the best in the world. “It’s the overall effort we put into it,” said Andrew McCarthy, who has been driving for 48 years. “That’s what makes us the best. The Knowledge? It’s very, very hard, but you take pride in doing it.”

Quality comes with a hefty price. Black cabs are among the most expensive in the world and the average fare in London costs more than double the average fare of cab rides elsewhere in the U.K., according to

Transport for London.

The Knowledge consists of studying over 320 routes in the revered handbook of cabbies called The Blue Book. Prospective drivers must learn all of the 25,000 streets, riding on a moped, that are scattered

“It’s the overall effort we put into it. That’s what makes us the best.”

Andrew McCarthy, London Taxi Driver within these routes. In addition they must learn approximately 20,000 landmarks and places of public interest such as pubs, police stations, Underground stations and tourist attractions. All of this must be completed before they are allowed to even

touch the steering wheel of a cab.

“Taxis are an essential part of London’s transport network, filling the gaps between other forms of public transport with a door-to-door service,” said politician Peter Hulme-Cross in a report by his organization the London Assembly, a regulator group, to the mayor. “[They] get people home safely late at night, reaching parts of London not well served by bus, train or tube.”

Taxis are also the only part of the transport network fully accessible to wheelchair users making them invaluable for physically disabled tourists and residents of London.

The ability to drive is an important qualification for a taxi driver, yet a large percentage of their working days is spent waiting for a job. Though some cabbies

work for eight hours, those who rent from a private company have to work for longer to pay for their cab.

With today’s smartphones and the mobile application industry that can help find taxis close by, cabbies are taking back business otherwise going to hire cars and minicabs. Competition and lower prices, as well as the fact that minicab and hire car drivers are not required to pass “The Knowledge,” has led to frosty relations between the two. “This new technology is fabulous,” McCarthy said. “It’s a god-send that has saved us cabbies from being wiped out by [companies] such as Addison Lee.” The life of a taxi driver, although tough, has its benefits. “We have a kind of freedom.” McCarthy said with a smile. “I’ll never be a millionaire, but I do love my job.”

•••

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 11

Featuresddd

Hamish Stephenson Design Editor

Photos courtesy of Tim Hans

NEW Page 11 (tim hans).indd 11

For ASL alumnus Tim Hans (’08) (pictured left), who is now working full-time as a professional photographer, the journey began early on. “In the second grade my aunt took me to Ireland where I began to take panoramic pictures with a camera she had got me,” he said.

Following his time at ASL, Hans attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, from which he has recently graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Photography and Imaging. Now, working as a professional freelance photographer for magazines and other clients full-time, Hans said, “It’s a great lifestyle.”

Hans has high expectations for his work and, in 10 years’ time, hopes to be exhibiting his photographs in various museums and galleries in the world.

Hans describes the process of getting the perfect photograph as lengthy. “The perfect photo has many aspects, all essential. Something unexpected must happen in a location I am unfamiliar with,” he said. “Light and expression must play off of each other. The work must be created for historical existence, not ego.”

Tim Hans A look at an ASL alumnus’ photographic work See more at timhans.com

2/4/13 1:12 PM

•••

Page 12

THE STANDARD | February 2013

•••

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 13

Featuresddd

Features

Nurturing the seed of

tolerance Mina Omar | FEATURES EDITOR

M

ath Teacher Doug Poggioli grew up in an environment where use of the word “gay” was uncommon. He attended high school in a small suburban neighborhood in Virginia where being “out” was almost unheard of. “People didn’t know of boys at school who were gay since no one would have admitted it,” he said. “But still, students always picked on the boys who seemed effeminate.”

Poggioli recalls that boys at his school who seemed “girlie” or “weak” were always bullied by their peers. “If [they] had been out in the modern sense of being openly homosexual, [they] probably would have been treated pretty horribly,” he said.

Now, in 2013, the gay community has achieved gains in society that would not have been thinkable let alone possible two dec-

pretty safe place to be out. It’s pretty diverse and we’re in Europe, not America. Not many people in England really care if [someone’s] gay.”

Bailey feels extremely lucky to be an “out” teacher at a school like ASL since it has been accepting of all sexual orientations since its founding. “They put the sexuality nondiscrimination clause in during the ’90s and it’s in the policy for everyone, students and teachers,” she said. “The school has always been a great place for out adults.”

The accepting nature of the High School plays a large role in the number of students who feel comfortable coming out to more people than just their closest friends and family.

Eli Spies (’15) came out to the Gay-Straight Alliance during his freshman year. It was the first time he felt safe enough to tell a large group of

Ian Ware (’15) had a similar experience. He also grew up with an extremely accepting family and, because of this, coming to terms with his sexuality was easier for him than it is for most. “I always knew I was different, I just didn’t like girls in that way,” Ware said.

Ware’s parents encouraged him to only tell his close friends while he was in middle school.

“I understand why they wanted me to do this.

The attitude towards homosexuals [in middle schools] is really bad. If anyone even thought you were gay, they tried to bully,” he said. “[The kids] weren’t necessarily homophobic but if they found something that meant you were different they made sure you weren’t accepted.”

Fortunately, Ware’s experience in high school has been much easier. “It’s much better now. I know that there are a few people who are against it but we go to a school that’s

“There was a lot of rude name-calling, shoving into lockers and a couple of instances where I was ganged up and pushed around by a group of people. It’s not that I couldn’t fight back, I just didn’t want to.”

- Jacque Davis (’14) ades ago. According to one poll, 49 percent of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage. It has been legalized in 9 out of 50 states. In addition, the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has been dropped by the U.S. military, meaning that members of the LGBT community can serve openly.

However, the experience of coming out in high school varies for teens depending on the type of school they attend. ASL is at the forefront of being accepting while many schools in America still lag behind.

Grade 10 Dean Meg Bailey agrees that the number of openly gay students in high school has increased. She said that no high school is a comfortable place to come out, but, as high schools go, ASL is a good one to attend. “I think being different from what anyone perceives as normality, whether it has to do with race or clothing or sexuality, is difficult in high school,” she said. “However, I think ASL is a

Page 12-13.indd 12-13

people and have his sexuality be known publicly. “It was a great environment,” Spies said.

“I think that there are a lot of social issues in the High School but homophobia is not one of them. I’ve never been made to feel uncomfortable because of it.”

Spies said he felt safe coming out to his peers because of the way his family had wholly supported him when he first came out to them. At age 13, he decided to tell his older brother about his sexuality because Spies had finally “realized that it was something that was not going to go away.”

The understanding shown when Spies told his brother encouraged him to tell his parents as well. “I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem but it was something that was hard to put into words,” he said. “I told them and they just reassured me that they loved and supported me. It was the perfect way you’d want your parents to respond.”

liberal enough that [those people] would be shut down if they tried to say anything,” Ware said. “I’m all for freedom of speech, but if what you’re saying is hurting someone then you probably shouldn’t say it.”

Bailey agrees that ASL’s tolerant attitude decreases the amount of expressed homophobia that is shown at many other schools. “Homophobia is almost always going to exist, but if you can get people to think the stuff but refrain from saying it, that’s progress,” she said.

Soft homophobia, however, does occur both inside and outside the school. “People tell themselves that they are not homophobic because they do not use the word fag to describe people who they know are gay,” an anonymous student said. “However, you can never know who is or isn’t gay unless they’ve come out.

There will be people in the closet around you, and using homophobic slurs will make us feel marginalized and dehumanized.”

T

his progress that has become evident at ASL is not necessarily seen in many parts of America. In the past year, there has been a rise in the number of newspaper articles that focus on gay teens committing suicide because of bullying at school.

For Jacque Davis (’14), a new student this year, life at her school in Iowa was a struggle similar to the ones written about in these articles. “People were sectioned off based on sexuality. Not just the homosexuals on one side and the straight people on the other side but instead all the gay people had their own group and the lesbian people had their own group,” she said. “Bisexuals weren’t accepted by any group. The gays and lesbians grouped [them] with the straight people and the straight people grouped [them] with the

She hasn’t told many people at the school because it doesn’t seem necessary. However, she still sees that the people who are out in the High School are not treated differently because of their sexuality. “I don’t feel like anything bad is going to happen to me and I know that I’m not going to have to worry about being picked on,” she said.

Though attitudes toward homosexuality at ASL are positive, Davis’s experience suggests that attitudes in the U.S. have not changed much from the time that Poggioli was in high school. In his neighborhood, homosexuality was not discussed except when referring to stereotypes. “When people referred to homosexual men, they tended to mean flamboyantly camp queens because these were virtually the only images portrayed in the media,” he said.

parents, Poggioli had told his older sister about his sexuality years before that. “She had gay friends and encouraged me to go out with them,” Poggioli said.

He decided it was time to tell the rest of his family after he started dating seriously.

His father visited Miami – where Poggioli was living at the time – and met his boyfriend. After telling his father, he went back home to Virginia to tell his mother. “I just said, ‘Well you know I’m gay, don’t you?’” said Poggioli. “My mother pretended she didn’t know and my father immediately said, ‘Well, you know that we love you no matter what.’”

Poggioli recalls that the family didn’t talk about the matter in detail and that it was accepted without any tears and arguments. “I think I worried about it more than

“I think that there are a lot of social issues in the High School but homophobia is not one of them.”

- Eli Spies (’15)

lesbians and gays.”

Davis’s coming out as bisexual during her sophomore year did not go the way she had hoped it would. “It was really difficult and I lost a lot of friends,” she said. “I thought that it wasn’t going to change anything, but if I tried to communicate with them or tried to get together with them, they pretty much ignored me.”

She found that the school environment became increasingly difficult when she started a relationship with another girl at school. Her peers were not accepting of out couples and went out of their way to make the couples’ lives difficult. “There was a lot of rude name-calling, shoving into lockers and a couple of instances where I was ganged up and pushed around by a group of people,” Davis said. “It’s not that I couldn’t fight back, I just didn’t want to.”

Davis said she was surprised by how different ASL is compared to her previous one.

Since homosexuality was a topic best not spoken about, Poggioli grew up with few images and ideas of what is now considered to be “gay behavior.” Most of his early impressions of homosexuality came from television and movies that he had seen. “There were a few times when gay men were shown on TV but they were always portrayed as camp and outrageous,” he said. “People laughed at them which certainly didn’t make me want to talk about the feelings I was having.”

The attitude shown by the people around him towards homosexuality meant that Poggioli grew up without positive role models for young adults who were questioning their sexuality. Because of this, he delayed coming out to his parents until after he had graduated both high school and college. “Coming out [to them] was very difficult,” he said. “I didn’t really face the issue until I was around 30.”

Although he refrained from telling his

I should have,” he said. “In the end, it was easier for my family to handle it than I had thought.”

Looking back at his experiences, Poggioli said that coming out would have been easier for him had he been at a school like at ASL. “[Here], we have several out, gay teachers who do their best to be role models for students who are gay and straight. We are academics, intellectuals, coaches, advisors, [and] leaders. Just like anyone else,” he said. “I can only hope that a student who is gay and thinking of coming out will be reassured by our examples that they can lead productive, happy lives and that they will still be loved by their friends and families.”

(Culture Editor Matthew Bentley contributed to reporting)

2/4/13 1:12 PM

•••

Page 12

THE STANDARD | February 2013

•••

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 13

Featuresddd

Features

Nurturing the seed of

tolerance Mina Omar | FEATURES EDITOR

M

ath Teacher Doug Poggioli grew up in an environment where use of the word “gay” was uncommon. He attended high school in a small suburban neighborhood in Virginia where being “out” was almost unheard of. “People didn’t know of boys at school who were gay since no one would have admitted it,” he said. “But still, students always picked on the boys who seemed effeminate.”

Poggioli recalls that boys at his school who seemed “girlie” or “weak” were always bullied by their peers. “If [they] had been out in the modern sense of being openly homosexual, [they] probably would have been treated pretty horribly,” he said.

Now, in 2013, the gay community has achieved gains in society that would not have been thinkable let alone possible two dec-

pretty safe place to be out. It’s pretty diverse and we’re in Europe, not America. Not many people in England really care if [someone’s] gay.”

Bailey feels extremely lucky to be an “out” teacher at a school like ASL since it has been accepting of all sexual orientations since its founding. “They put the sexuality nondiscrimination clause in during the ’90s and it’s in the policy for everyone, students and teachers,” she said. “The school has always been a great place for out adults.”

The accepting nature of the High School plays a large role in the number of students who feel comfortable coming out to more people than just their closest friends and family.

Eli Spies (’15) came out to the Gay-Straight Alliance during his freshman year. It was the first time he felt safe enough to tell a large group of

Ian Ware (’15) had a similar experience. He also grew up with an extremely accepting family and, because of this, coming to terms with his sexuality was easier for him than it is for most. “I always knew I was different, I just didn’t like girls in that way,” Ware said.

Ware’s parents encouraged him to only tell his close friends while he was in middle school.

“I understand why they wanted me to do this.

The attitude towards homosexuals [in middle schools] is really bad. If anyone even thought you were gay, they tried to bully,” he said. “[The kids] weren’t necessarily homophobic but if they found something that meant you were different they made sure you weren’t accepted.”

Fortunately, Ware’s experience in high school has been much easier. “It’s much better now. I know that there are a few people who are against it but we go to a school that’s

“There was a lot of rude name-calling, shoving into lockers and a couple of instances where I was ganged up and pushed around by a group of people. It’s not that I couldn’t fight back, I just didn’t want to.”

- Jacque Davis (’14) ades ago. According to one poll, 49 percent of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriage. It has been legalized in 9 out of 50 states. In addition, the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy has been dropped by the U.S. military, meaning that members of the LGBT community can serve openly.

However, the experience of coming out in high school varies for teens depending on the type of school they attend. ASL is at the forefront of being accepting while many schools in America still lag behind.

Grade 10 Dean Meg Bailey agrees that the number of openly gay students in high school has increased. She said that no high school is a comfortable place to come out, but, as high schools go, ASL is a good one to attend. “I think being different from what anyone perceives as normality, whether it has to do with race or clothing or sexuality, is difficult in high school,” she said. “However, I think ASL is a

Page 12-13.indd 12-13

people and have his sexuality be known publicly. “It was a great environment,” Spies said.

“I think that there are a lot of social issues in the High School but homophobia is not one of them. I’ve never been made to feel uncomfortable because of it.”

Spies said he felt safe coming out to his peers because of the way his family had wholly supported him when he first came out to them. At age 13, he decided to tell his older brother about his sexuality because Spies had finally “realized that it was something that was not going to go away.”

The understanding shown when Spies told his brother encouraged him to tell his parents as well. “I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem but it was something that was hard to put into words,” he said. “I told them and they just reassured me that they loved and supported me. It was the perfect way you’d want your parents to respond.”

liberal enough that [those people] would be shut down if they tried to say anything,” Ware said. “I’m all for freedom of speech, but if what you’re saying is hurting someone then you probably shouldn’t say it.”

Bailey agrees that ASL’s tolerant attitude decreases the amount of expressed homophobia that is shown at many other schools. “Homophobia is almost always going to exist, but if you can get people to think the stuff but refrain from saying it, that’s progress,” she said.

Soft homophobia, however, does occur both inside and outside the school. “People tell themselves that they are not homophobic because they do not use the word fag to describe people who they know are gay,” an anonymous student said. “However, you can never know who is or isn’t gay unless they’ve come out.

There will be people in the closet around you, and using homophobic slurs will make us feel marginalized and dehumanized.”

T

his progress that has become evident at ASL is not necessarily seen in many parts of America. In the past year, there has been a rise in the number of newspaper articles that focus on gay teens committing suicide because of bullying at school.

For Jacque Davis (’14), a new student this year, life at her school in Iowa was a struggle similar to the ones written about in these articles. “People were sectioned off based on sexuality. Not just the homosexuals on one side and the straight people on the other side but instead all the gay people had their own group and the lesbian people had their own group,” she said. “Bisexuals weren’t accepted by any group. The gays and lesbians grouped [them] with the straight people and the straight people grouped [them] with the

She hasn’t told many people at the school because it doesn’t seem necessary. However, she still sees that the people who are out in the High School are not treated differently because of their sexuality. “I don’t feel like anything bad is going to happen to me and I know that I’m not going to have to worry about being picked on,” she said.

Though attitudes toward homosexuality at ASL are positive, Davis’s experience suggests that attitudes in the U.S. have not changed much from the time that Poggioli was in high school. In his neighborhood, homosexuality was not discussed except when referring to stereotypes. “When people referred to homosexual men, they tended to mean flamboyantly camp queens because these were virtually the only images portrayed in the media,” he said.

parents, Poggioli had told his older sister about his sexuality years before that. “She had gay friends and encouraged me to go out with them,” Poggioli said.

He decided it was time to tell the rest of his family after he started dating seriously.

His father visited Miami – where Poggioli was living at the time – and met his boyfriend. After telling his father, he went back home to Virginia to tell his mother. “I just said, ‘Well you know I’m gay, don’t you?’” said Poggioli. “My mother pretended she didn’t know and my father immediately said, ‘Well, you know that we love you no matter what.’”

Poggioli recalls that the family didn’t talk about the matter in detail and that it was accepted without any tears and arguments. “I think I worried about it more than

“I think that there are a lot of social issues in the High School but homophobia is not one of them.”

- Eli Spies (’15)

lesbians and gays.”

Davis’s coming out as bisexual during her sophomore year did not go the way she had hoped it would. “It was really difficult and I lost a lot of friends,” she said. “I thought that it wasn’t going to change anything, but if I tried to communicate with them or tried to get together with them, they pretty much ignored me.”

She found that the school environment became increasingly difficult when she started a relationship with another girl at school. Her peers were not accepting of out couples and went out of their way to make the couples’ lives difficult. “There was a lot of rude name-calling, shoving into lockers and a couple of instances where I was ganged up and pushed around by a group of people,” Davis said. “It’s not that I couldn’t fight back, I just didn’t want to.”

Davis said she was surprised by how different ASL is compared to her previous one.

Since homosexuality was a topic best not spoken about, Poggioli grew up with few images and ideas of what is now considered to be “gay behavior.” Most of his early impressions of homosexuality came from television and movies that he had seen. “There were a few times when gay men were shown on TV but they were always portrayed as camp and outrageous,” he said. “People laughed at them which certainly didn’t make me want to talk about the feelings I was having.”

The attitude shown by the people around him towards homosexuality meant that Poggioli grew up without positive role models for young adults who were questioning their sexuality. Because of this, he delayed coming out to his parents until after he had graduated both high school and college. “Coming out [to them] was very difficult,” he said. “I didn’t really face the issue until I was around 30.”

Although he refrained from telling his

I should have,” he said. “In the end, it was easier for my family to handle it than I had thought.”

Looking back at his experiences, Poggioli said that coming out would have been easier for him had he been at a school like at ASL. “[Here], we have several out, gay teachers who do their best to be role models for students who are gay and straight. We are academics, intellectuals, coaches, advisors, [and] leaders. Just like anyone else,” he said. “I can only hope that a student who is gay and thinking of coming out will be reassured by our examples that they can lead productive, happy lives and that they will still be loved by their friends and families.”

(Culture Editor Matthew Bentley contributed to reporting)

2/4/13 1:12 PM

•••

Page 14

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Features

Choosing the future

As ASL prepares to welcome a new principal, The Standard participates in the application process and evaluates Principal Paul Richards’ time with the school

Selecting the new principal Matthew Bentley | culture editor

A

thought popped into my head while I was doodling in class: Why couldn’t I be principal? The obvious answer, that I have not graduated from High School, silenced the little voice in my head, and I moved on. But, as I went back through that thought, I decided to test the waters and find out what this process would be like.

“I am always looking, first and foremost, for deep intelligence and expertise. I am interested in someone who has content knowledge, and also someone who has very thoughtful practices around teaching… at least a master’s degree and a doctorate if possible … loads of high school teaching experience. In equal measure, someone who is a team player, very collaborative … and understands how to bring a group together,” Head of School Coreen Hester said regarding her search for a principal. Smarts, people skills, teaching experience, leadership experience. This is what I had to fake.

I had my official interview for High School principal on Tuesday, January 22. I had built a skeleton resume to give to Hester, as well as looked over the job description, and tried to fit a character who was exactly what Hester would want, while speaking truly as myself.

We begin with a question about teaching.

“What is important to have in the classroom?”

I summon four years of High School experience, and little else, and begin to improvise. I talk about experiential learning; how helpful going to the British Museum can be, how great movies, etc. are. Hester sits kindly, nodding and agreeing. I do not know if she is going easy on me, but it feels natural and kind. She asks me to expand on my experience, and I start to ramble off qualifications I have made up. Head of History at a school for five years, why not?

Doctorate in education, sure.

I talk about communication in a classroom, quoting Up the Down Staircase, I talk about the importance of the teacher walking around the classroom. Thinking back to old classes I have taken, the things that teachers did well stick in my mind, and I share them with Hester.

We talk about hiring and firing, I make up a story about firing a bad member of staff.

I try and picture the person who I had to fire.

Someone had complained, no improvement

had been made so “he had to go,” I half-laugh. I try to convey as much sadness in this as I could.

“The students come first, because without them, why are we here?” I say stoically.

She asks me what adjectives my colleagues would use to describe my management style, and I reply with the classic, “hands-on!” “smart!”, “hardworking,” adjectives classically used in job interviews. This is when she starts to fade, so I quickly make up stories to justify these adjectives. I try and extrapolate my experiences in High School to the real world. I want this job, and I am going to fight for it.

One of her last questions involves developing curriculum. I talk about setting up a history class for the ninth grade, trying to remember things that I enjoyed. I stutter more than I have before. I go through a bit of nonsense here and there before I am stopped. For the first time in the interview, she corrects me, and informs me that it is a much more technical piece. How to guide discussions on developing units is mentioned. Words like “backwards design”, “assessment” and “unit template planning” are expected. This is the first real hole in my knowledge that Hester has been able to exploit.

The topic of assessment is brought up. She feels that ASL is “irresponsible” because we “think students have done successfully because they get into good colleges” even though “socio-economic status” is more closely linked to those results. I pause to collect my thoughts and mention “backwards design” as if I am the authority figure on the subject. She laughs, and I continue more seriously. I talk about putting in assessments that focus on other aspects of subjects, and not just the practical test. Hester begins agreeing excitedly, and we have a nice discussion over these possible activities in order to come to a real understanding. She mentions “Project Zero,” a program out of Harvard university, apparently.

Conversation peters out, and I get up to leave. I ask her if I have the job, and she says that with the added technical knowledge that would come out of more education, I would be a serious candidate. I laugh, and leave, but as I get to the door, she reaffirms that I should consider going into education, that I could make an excellent administrator.

Photos by Emily Mark

Features Pages 14 & 15 NEW.indd 14

2/4/13 4:34 PM

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 15

Featuresddd

“Improving the quality and consistency of the learning experience.”

Reflecting on the past Alec ashley | staff writer

Features Pages 14 & 15 NEW.indd 15

fore he leaves. He said he was excited to announce the one-to-one program initiative which means every student must bring a MacBook to school every day and he hopes to help incorporate technology into the curriculum. Richards also wishes to win gold at ISSTs for tennis before he leaves. Finally, he wishes to create a smooth transition for the interim principal.

Coming into ASL, Richards envisioned that, “It would be a fantastic personal and professional experience.” He had very high expectations throughout his experience, which led to some disappointments. He wished he had spent more time with students rather than being caught up with the administration. He said, “It’s hard to make time when I have so many meetings and emails to respond to.”

Nevertheless, he has no regrets from his time at ASL and said, “I think the High School is in a better place than it was four years ago, and that is a credit to the teachers and administrators who have joined me in the improvement projects,” he said.

“I’m happy that it has fulfilled my dreams.

I thought the community would be warm and accepting, and I was correct. We’ve loved our time in London and at ASL, and we’ll deeply miss everyone.”

In a similar reflection, Head of School Coreen Hester described Richards as a “student of school culture, always listening and really watching at how we are doing.”

After listening for a while he set a path and followed it, Hester said. This path was one concerned with the student experience, leadership and raising the expectations of the learning experience. He accomplished this, Hester said, by “making sure every student has an adult who they can talk to.”

He put up every student’s name on a wall and told teachers to put their name underneath every student they could have a conversation with.” This set the standard for what Richards truly cared about. Hester said Richards was good at “being visible and caring about students.” A standard which he hoped all teachers would emulate. He tried to push a strong sense of leadership in the High School by setting high expectations for all department heads.

Citing an inter-staff survey, Hester said, “Ninety percent of the school faculty trusts [Richards] and feels as if they can collaborate with him,” proving that his high expectations have paid off.

Course feedback survey (along with Student Council).

“Bringing stability to the high school.”

Richards’Accomplishments and Quotes

W

hen students think of Principal Paul Richards’ four-year tenure at ASL they might complain about Alternatives being canceled and the lack of snow days. They might be surprised that he similarly mentioned “the kerfuffle with Alternatives, lack of snow days and too many emails” as some of his low points while reflecting on his time at ASL. Richards also discussed the highlights that he hopes to be remembered by. According to him, his biggest impact was “improving the quality and consistency of the learning experience and bringing new topics to the forefront of conversations, such as stress, diversity and mindfulness.”

These were issues personal to him and ones he thought needed to be brought to the attention of the High School.

Richards said he enjoyed a very successful teem as principal. In four years, he mixed his passions with what he thought would be the best way of improving the quality and consistency of the learning experience.

He emphasized the importance of the individual student, on the sports team, in the classroom and outside. He taught a class on race and culture and coached varsity tennis, enjoying both experiences. He reiterated his zeal for sharing a powerful bond with students when he said, “Whenever I visit Student Council, it’s been a real highlight of my week.”

Richards may be viewed as an introverted leader, but has a sense of humor under his more serious facade, which contributed to his bond with the community. Asked about his relationship with the rest of the administration, he said, “I hate ‘em! Does that mean I hate myself ? Just kidding, I feel the same way about them as I do the teachers.”

On a more serious note, Richards said he and teachers have had a mutual respect for each other. Teachers see him as honest and having his heart in the right place. This mutual respect comes from changes he has made that students might not recognize, but teachers appreciate. This includes his hiring of new teachers and his initiative to increase writing expectations throughout all departments.

Still, Richards sometimes felt friction between himself and the teachers because, he said, “of what I ask them to do and because sometimes they feel I am asking too much of the wrong things from them”.

Richards still has some items on his agenda that he would like to complete be-

Bringing new topics to the forefront of conversations, such as stress, diversity, and mindfulness.

(Culture Editor Matthew Bentley contributed to reporting).

2/4/13 4:34 PM

Culture

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVIII ISSUE IV FEBRUARY 2013

STARVE to death trying to do what I LOVE than SETTLE for doing something I’m NOT completely CRAZY about.

I’d much rather

Eli Spies

Photo by Emily Mark

IAN SCOVILLE

FEATURES EDITOR Though many students enjoy listening to and playing music, few have taken their passion for music as far as Eli Spies (’15) has. Spies has attended the AMIS Honor Orchestra five times, regularly attends the Royal College of Music Junior Program and now has plans to become a professional musician.

Spies’s love for music and, more specifically, his love for the viola started in the Middle School Orchestra Program. “There immediately was just something I really liked about making the viola’s deep, rich and romantic sound, which I really wanted to make more of,” he said.

Numerous characteristics of playing the viola interest Spies, ranging from its role in chamber music to its dark, romantic sound. “In chamber music, the viola takes an extremely wide range of roles. Especially in the string quartet, as quartet writing has continued, from romantic composers

Culture Page 16.indd 16

such as Ravel, Dvorak, and Smetana, they give the viola these beautiful rich, solo, lines that sail above the other three players,” he said.

“The music world is so competitive, so this at times seems like an unrealistic goal, but music’s by far what I’m passionate about; more than anything else.”

Eli Spies (’15) Spies’s advancement in music can be attributed to natural talent, but his teachers have noticed something more: Motivation. “[Spies] has a natural inclination. But again, lots of people have natural ability, but he has decided to do something with it,” Performing Arts Teacher Anna Salmi said. Spies practices for five hours a day,

waking up as early as 4:30 a.m. to practice before school.

Viola has never been a chore to Spies.

“I enjoy practicing and when I’m being productive, the time actually goes by very quickly and doesn’t feel like I’ve just spent two hours with my viola and metronome, working on the same passage,” he said. “To actually get anywhere in any field, putting in hours of hard work is completely vital, and in music, that concentration of hard work in a day needs to start at perhaps an earlier age than other fields. I like feeling that I’m working hard at improving and getting closer to becoming a true musician.”

Spies’s friends and family have also contributed to his musical development.

His parents wanted him to be involved in music, encouraging him to pursue it at an early stage. “My parents have always just been extremely supportive of me and music, and right from the beginning I started taking private lessons, so I could be the best player that I could be, even though it

wasn’t a huge interest to me at that stage,” Spies said.

Spies’s ultimate ambition is to become a professional musician, something he’s gotten closer to accomplishing through his work at the Royal College of Music Junior Program, a highly prestigious program at the world-renowned music school.

“I’ve learned so much through my private lessons on viola and piano, musicianship classes and my orchestral and chamber music rehearsals. I’ve been given a wealth of opportunities from being at the College, and feel that I’ve grown from all of them,” he said.

Though Spies’s ultimate ambitions may be hard to attain, he is willing to go to any lengths to accomplish them. “The music world is so competitive, so this at times seems like an unrealistic goal, but music’s by far what I’m passionate about; more than anything else,” he said. “I’d much rather starve to death trying to do what I love the most than settle for doing something I’m not completely crazy about.”

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 17

Cultureddd

Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi are Vicious-ly funny Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi are set to star in ITV’s new show, Vicious, centered around an older gay couple, set to air in April. Culture Editor Matthew Bentley attended the taping of the pilot episode Written by Gary Janetti, director of episodes of Will and Grace and writer on Family Guy, Vicious centers on Freddy (Ian McKellan) and Stuart (Derek Jacobi), an older gay couple.

Freddy is an actor and Stuart is a stay-at- home husband. The pilot episode centers on the aftermath of Freddy’s ex-lover,Clive’s, death.

Add into the mix the arrival of Ash, played

by Iwan Rheon, a good-looking younger man moving into the apartment upstairs, and comedy is supposed to ensue.

I managed to get tickets to the pilot taping, and while the comedy on the whole was hilarious, the entire experience opened my eyes to the process by which TV shows are made.

In a truly London experience, I had to wait out in the wet drizzle for an hour to get in.

While it was never really raining, I was just damp enough to be uncomfortable by the time I arrived in the studio. The studio looked like a long train station. We sat in 15 ascending rows.

Littered in front of us were a series of TV cameras with the red and black logo for Vicious on screen. Music, starting in the ’80s and travelling forward in time to 2012, blared on the big screen. A red curtain hung across the entire set.

After half an hour of filing in, we were greeted by a comedian, who called himself the “comedy fluffer,” as he had to tell jokes in order to keep the mood up while we were waiting between takes. He was fairly forgettable.

Then, we were introduced to the head writer before the show began. We mostly watched on the screens, occasionally glancing at the actors. It was difficult to see, as boom microphones, cameras, people and bounce sheets were in our way most of the time.

There is something incredibly gratifying, as a young actor, watching these old professionals – pinnacles of their profession – flub a line. Or to watch McKellan drop a piece of paper, whisper, “Oh bloody s***,” and start the scene over again. These people, as talented as they are, are human. On top of that, the banter

between the two was fantastic. The best moment was Jacobi forgetting a line, McKellan assuring him it was okay because it was “past his bedtime.” Jacobi responded, “Not when I’m with you,” to the raucous applause of the audience.

There is a progression to each taping. The first time a scene is performed is hilarious. The second is funny because you notice things you had not noticed the first time around. But, by the third and fourth takes, it becomes progressively less funny until it drags on a bit. I often felt like I needed to laugh for the sake of the take, and not because it was funny. My hats off to the entire cast for finding the humor every time, and performing brilliantly despite the audience not being too into it.

Jacobi is funny, but McKellan is hilarious.

He can say nothing, merely make the slighest gesture, and still be fabulous. Their fantastic chemistry was electric. Their ability to play off of each other even when off-camera was very funny. I realized that it was not canned laughter on all the sitcoms I had seen, as, in a crowd, you really laugh hard.

Francis de la Tour, co-starring as their friend Violet, also shone. Her one or two witty quips were just excellent, and the way she held herself on screen was very funny.

The writing was fantastic. From only a 20-minute episode, the relationship between the two men was so well articulated that every line made total sense. These two people clearly knew everything about each other. The fact that Stuart had not told his mother about the two of them added to the hilarity.

This was a marrying of my two loves, theater and TV. It was like watching rehearsals for a comedy play starring McKellan and Jacobi, which had always been a dream of mine. It was great to see the two stand off-screen, preparing to re-enter.

I am excited to see the rest of the show, premiering in April, which will feature a six episode season.

What else?

On January 29, the U.S. national debt stood at:

Derek Jacobi (above) and Ian McKellan (Below) star as gay couple Freddy and Stuart on ITV’s new show, Vicious. Photo

of Jacobi from guardian.co.uk.

Photo of McKellan from mirror.co.uk

thousand 34 thousand 67 thousand 34 hours of Super Livestrong charities

Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Bowl advertisements

1 billion

issues of The Standard

6 thousand

iPad Minis for every Londoner

$16,446,525,530,207 Culture Editor Matthew Bentley looks at what else you could buy for the amount of money that America owes

Photo of Livestrong band from livestrong.org. Photo of Dreamliner from beoing.org. Photo of Old Spice from migrantsoul.net. Photo of The Standard from the archives. photo of Ipad Mini from Mac.com

Culture Page 17.indd 17

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Page 18

THE STANDARD | February 2013

Culture

The Box Office or Money a nd Back aga in

Hollywood’s mantra of ‘quantity over quality’ has gone too far – Culture Editor Matthew Bentley says, and The Hobbit is the perfect example The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a well–acted film with brilliant cinematography and special effects. But it is bad. Not only was it a boring movie, but also it represents the dark side of Hollywood: “Quantity over quality.”

Emotional and beautiful moments are exchanged for cheap references to The Lord of the Rings films, similar to the notorious Star Wars prequels. If anyone couldn’t tell Saruman (Christopher Lee) was going to turn evil, they are a moron. Gandalf ’s look, music swelling and Saruman’s “smile” left no subtlety in the film.

Originally published in the 1950s, The Hobbit was a children’s book. It was the simple story of an adventure undertaken by Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who lives in a hole in the ground. He is taken by 13 dwarves off to retake their ancient home, Erebor. Gandalf the Grey wizard joins them. It was a funny, tragic and brilliant story.

Following its success, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a sequel series, The Lord of the Rings. In order to do this, he amended aspects of his original book in a second edition to better reflect the dark tones of the later books.

The Lord of the Rings film series was great. The films were not as good as the books, but they were brilliantly acted, the cinematography was beautiful, and they were well–directed. Spanning roughly 2,400 pages, The Lord of the Rings is a long story. With so many details, battles, places and characters, director Peter Jackson and writer Fran Walsh had to cut quite a bit of detail from the films.

These movies garnered a number of Academy Awards, were box office successes and set the benchmark for fantasy films.

Then, Jackson decided to try his hand at The Hobbit. I was initially thrilled – it had been my favorite book as a kid, and I love The Lord of the Rings. When I learned that The Hobbit would be split in two, I thought it was fantastic. This would allow for Jackson to include all of the brilliant story, and not have to cut out any characters.

It would also give me six hours of The Hobbit to enjoy. The cast list excited me to no end: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Stephen Fry – I mean, come on! Is there anything better

Culture Page 18.indd 18

than that? But then, things started to go a bit off. I realized that The Hobbit was shorter than any individual Lord of the Rings book, so how would Jackson fill two movies?

When I heard there would be three movies, I nearly vomited.

I realized what was wrong with these movies. It was a blatant attempt to make more money. The fact that Jackson was not only splitting the film in three parts, but also was releasing them each a year apart is appalling. In an interview with Stephen Colbert before the movie was released, Jackson revealed that the second film was cut and finished, saying, “[My editor and I] are the only people who have seen the second film … I managed to get most of it cut before I came [to the Premiere].” This is the greatest abuse of power on the part of Hollywood.

I shall not fault Peter Jackson for this blatant abuse of power.

Perhaps it is due to a problem within the system that he is a part of. For years now, the possibility for making money has ruined the movie industry. It started with a couple Katherine Heigl “movies,” which I could endure. Then it became all those films à la Big Mama and Scary Movie: Mindless comedies. I was fine with all of these, because I could ignore them, pretend they did not exist. In fact, I appreciated these films because they helped make studios money in order to fund the projects that I loved. But then the corruption began to spread into areas I cared about. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was divided into two films. The series of Marvel films took two years to produce, even though they were done earlier.

Whatever Green Lantern was was produced. Star Wars was re–released in 3D. Throughout all of this I was getting more and more uncomfortable – what lines could be crossed?

But, I could still almost ignore it. I haven’t seen Star Wars in 3D, and I regret seeing Green Lantern.

Then, The Hobbit became three movies. I knew that the tumor had metastasized, and even the most sacred of nerdy pastimes had been corrupted.

The problems just continues to get worse. Remember Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs? Not the lovable children’s picture book,

but the forgettable film? That is getting a sequel. 300, the “historical” film which depicts “real” events gets a sequel about Athens because you can money. Jurassic Park is being re–released. We have to watch Hayden Christensen’s brutal performance as Anakin again.

Star Wars is getting three more movies, because apparently, one can never exploit a franchise too much. I was happy with the franchises end, a beautiful song, a dance and Anakin’s (not Christensen’s) ghost waiting with Obi Wan and Yoda was a beautiful finale. It was over and done with, but now they have gone and added on to it to ruin it even further. Harrison Ford’s famous Jack Ryan is being remade. Practically every film coming out is a re–release or an adaptation, done solely for more money.

This expense does not, however, mean the movies have gotten any better. The average budgets of the ten Oscar–nominated Best Picture films is $46 million dollars. Each Hobbit movie cost $150 Million.

While The Hobbit may have made more money, it has been widely criticized by critics and mostly ignored by the Academy.

There was no justice either.

Peter Jackson works with Ian McKellan on a Rivendell set. The Hobbit was released December 17 in the U.K. where it set box office records for a fantasy film. Above Photo From wired.com., Parchment from from layoutsparks.com

WHAT MAKES A BEST PICTURE?

Average budget of Oscar-Nominated films 2012: $46 million 2011: $50.8 million 2010: $60.15 million 2009: $48.4 million Budgets of 2012’s biggest action movies The Avengers: $240 million Skyfall: $200 million The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: $150 million Prometheus: $130 million The Hobbit is breaking box office records left and right and set to break $1 billion in gross. If this was Pavlovian training, the dog would have just destroyed the house and still have gotten the cookie. Studios have learned that if you take a beloved children’s book, and stretch it out, you will make a lot of money. Good for you.

I am saddened that kids are now going to know The Hobbit as three movies, or that next year I will have to specify between An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug (tied for worst title with Snakes on a Plane) and There and Back Again. The Hobbit was not just bad, it was awful. Let’s hope this is rock bottom.

2/4/13 1:23 PM

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 19

Cultureddd

Calming the nerves throughout the entire acting process. “I just dance all the time, it keeps up my energy. Whenever I’m not acting, I dance. It helps,” he said.

Playing and leaping from scene to scene, he masterfully navigates a demanding character.

Music and dancing play an integral role in sports as well. As ISSTs approach, players begin to feel a sense of nervous apprehension, and

Tanya Bhalla

Staff writer

Kate kennedy

Assisstant Culture Editor

photo courtesy of Colin bridgewater

Students’ superstitions:

Dancing isn’t the only way to forget everyday worries or help someone to feel confident and relaxed going into a high-pressure situation. Here are students’ essential pre-performance traditions: - Maria Blesie (’15): Puts on left shin guard first - Emma Nealis (’14): “My pink Under Armour is good luck, and I always where the same uniform whenever I test. I also always wear headbands when I row.”

-Paige Norris (’15): “It helps to put my hair in a braid,” and for track season: “always wear a shirt over your singlet, because it’s bad luck to show it before you get on the line.”

-Nicole Adams (’14) “Matching spandex and sports bra for me if I’m nervous.”

Backstage on the set of Up the Down Staircase, the nervous apprehension regarding an upcoming performance was interrupted by the blare of loud music, continually beating right up until the opening scene, as Lucia Proctor-Bonbright (’14) and Maddie Briggs (’14) prepared for their performances. “My main problem is keeping up my energy during the play after a long day of work, study, along sleep deprivation,” says Proctor-Bonbright, who is playing the lead, and is a formidable presence for most of the play. “I wasn’t sure how to stay energized, but then Maddie turned on some music and we just started dancing. It really helped me to prepare for the play.”

According to WebMD, stage fright is reported to be the number one fear of American adults, , beating out both death and spiders. Not only can dancing help with this, but also athletic performances, depression, decision making and de-stressing.

Among students, performers, and athletes in particular, dancing has proven to have a significant effect.

Another actor, Reed Campbell (’14), can attest to the beneficial effects of dancing, not just when it comes to opening night, but

“I just dance all the time, it keeps up my energy. Whenever I act, I dance.”

Reed Campbell (‘14) they need to learn how to constructively use that energy to help their play, not hinder it. Mia Hamm, one of America’s greatest soccer players, was even reported to have vomited before many of her games due to the overwhelming amounts of stress.

When everyone is watching, there’s no room for mistakes. How does one prepare for perfection, while maintaining morale and energy in such demanding tasks?

The answer comes easily if you ask the girls soccer team. Erica Rawald (’14) advises that a “dance party is necessary before a game.” Whenever the the team pulls into the parking lot at Canons Park, a deafening

tune emanating from the bus signals their arrival. A soccer match is an exhausting test of skill and endurance.

To prepare to exert the kind of energy needed in soccer, static stretching simply can’t compete with an upbeat song and accompanying dancing.

The endorphins released when dancing help to cheer up and pump up people when they dance, but dancing goes beyond even that.

Studies from Time Out London show that learning choreographed routines can help convergent thinking, coming up with a single “correct” answer, and improvisation dancing can help with creativity and “divergent” thinking, coming up with a lot of ideas. If you improvise with your body through dancing, your mind will follow. To de-stress, an active, cognitive dance can help release us from our worries.

So when teachers say that the best way to keep an active mind during finals is to take breaks by exercising but snacking always seems like a better option, try dancing. When pressure builds up so much it threatens to crush, dancing is a good way to forget anything from college applications to extra-curricular activities.

Sometimes everyone needs a reminder that in the grand scheme of things, every game, every performance and every test will eventually fade into the past, just like your dance moves.

Alternate lunch locations hit the spot Assistant Features Editor Gabriel Ruimy takes a look at places to eat off the beaten path Carluccio’s for Bruno’s

Thai Food at Swiss Cottage for Bhan Thai

photo credit

Time to Get There: Nine minutes walking Location: End of the St. John’s Wood High Street Rating: 9/10 Recommended Dish: Their lemonade is the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Also, the mozzarella tomato panini is great.

Culture Page 19.indd 19

Take-away: Yes, but you cannot order from the full menu when you take away.

Review: Although many don’t know about it, the food here is some of the best I’ve come across. The ingredients in their sandwiches are fresh and tasty and it is all reasonably priced. You can sit down and eat at the restaurant, or you can grab a sandwich, pasta or a salad from

the deli section. Another perk is that Carluccio’s provides a delicious gluten-free menu on request.

The atmosphere of the restaurant itself is very welcoming, with a variety of foods visible at the entrance and friendly servers. The only downside, though, is that you can only walk there. photos by emily mark

Time to Get There: Eight minutes by bus Location: Swiss Cottage Tube stop Rating: 8/10 Recommended Dish: Chicken pad thai Take-away: Yes Review: Not the traditional restaurant, the Thai place at

the Swiss Cottage Farmer’s Market serves unique dishes that come for incredibly low prices for quantity and quality. Though the food is great, the restaurant is nothing more than a stand, giving you the food but no chair or shelter. If you’re tired of the fast foods of Finchley but want to go in that direction, or want a change of scene from Bhan Thai Restaurant, this is your place.

For more alternative lunch destinations and suggestions visit standard.asl.org

2/4/13 1:23 PM

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Sports

Ski season in session With February Break on the horizon, many families are preparing to embark on their skiing adventures.

Assistant Sports Editor Will Muoio looks at five ski locations where some students are going for the upcoming break

Photo courtesy of Flickr/U.S. National Archives

Val d’Isere France “French Connection” Along with other French ski resorts, Val d’Isere is a ski resort that is quite common for ASL families to visit. While it is not a hot spot, some families travel there in small groups. Maddie Schwinn (’15) is going there for the first time this February, and she is very excited to go with her family, but also to know other families that are going as well. “My family used to ski in the U.S., and I have never skied in Europe. I am very excited to go and be able to spend time with my family but also with my friends,” she said.

Val d’Isere has a combination of off-piste and high difficulty slopes with easy slopes for those who are beginning or intermediate skiers.

In Val d’Isere you can also do ice climbing, ice carting, snowmobiling and even snowshoe walking. Val d’Isere offers a unique experience for close friends and their families.

Photo from Flickr/Dom Edwards

WGM .indd 20

Cortina D’Ampezzo Italy

St. Anton am Arlberg Austria

“Dark Horse”

“Seniors”

Photo courtesy of Flickr/ NiceBastard

Lech am Arlberg Austria “Fan Favorite” Being the hot spot for ASL families, Lech and the hovering Oberlech are places in which a majority of families choose to stay.

Henry LeMaire (’14) has been going to Lech for the past three years but he “has never stayed in the same place twice.” While he travels with his family, many of his friends go too, and this adds on to LeMaire’s overall experience. A typical day in Oberlech could consist of skiing in the morning with a meal of wiener schnitzel and ski wasser followed by a toboggan run closer to sunset.

Oberlech and Lech are definitely locations to be interested in if you enjoy being with a lot of familiar faces on February break.

St. Anton is the destination of Senior Ski Trip, where seniors interact with their friends and reflect over the past months where they have been stressed with college applications and other senior problems. Jake Byman (’13) is definitely looking forward to the social aspect of the trip, mainly due to the fact that he does not consider himself much of a skier. “I am excited to be able to celebrate my last February break with my awesome fellow classmates, ” he said.

Many seniors take part in this experience, staying in different chalets and hotels. This is a continued tradition within ASL. St. Anton offers fewer off-slope experiences, but there is a place where you can curl.

While it is slightly less popular than Lech, it still provides an exquisite Austrian experience similar to Lech.

Photo from Flickr/Cup’oCofi

Photo courtesy of Flickr/thisisemily

Aspen, Colorado U.S. “American Dream” Audrey Leland (’14) looks forward to a variety of skiing experiences when she travels to Aspen.

“There are four different mountains to ski on with all different types of runs,” Leland said. Her family has a chalet outside of Aspen in Little Woody Creek. Aspen, known for its black-diamond terrain, is extremely popular for those living in the U.S. An American experience in Aspen includes outdoor concerts, classic American food and drinks, and even yoga sessions all throughout the day. While it is quite a trek from London, if an American skiing experience is what you are after then Aspen is definitely a location to consider.

Cortina is a place in which one can go and experience separation from the ASL community. Nico Albanese (’14) has been going to Cortina for 14 consecutive years and has fallen in love with it. While he doesn’t go with other ASL families, it is not a problem for him as there are families that he travels with who are not part of the community. “Cortina is perfect because it is a small community, an excellent place to ski and has a great nightlife,” Albanese said.

The destination is very popular with Italians and other families within the London community.

Throughout the varied mountains surrounding Cortina there are many restaurants and you can stop by for small snacks up the mountain. If you are looking for some quality lasagna or an overall skiing experience, Cortina would be appropriate.

Photy from Flickr/ FrancescoFederico

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Page 21

Sportsddd

The Sports Roundtable In light of recent doping scandals, the Manti Te’o affair and Eden Hazard’s conduct during a soccer game, Online Editor Tyler Zschach sat down with student sports fans to discuss the current moral climate in the sporting world

Lance Armstrong’s doping

Eden Hazard‘s tussle with a ball boy

Baseball Hall of Fame’s lack of new inductees

Manti Te’o’s fake girlfriend

sports roundtable.indd 21

Megan Stracener (’15)

David Cress (’13)

Avi Agarwal (’15)

Maddie Schwinn (’15)

Tyler Zschach (’13)

I think it has a negative impact on the industry and the legacy of his cancer research. I don’t feel that he should have done that. It is not an honorable thing to do as an athlete or a cyclist.

I saw him as this American hero, so to find out that it was some lie was really disappointing. The fact that a lot of other cyclists were doing similar PEDs can alleviate some of the blame.

All the other athletes because of all of these cyclists won’t go down in history as champions because they cheated. Even though you can take away his titles, you can’t delegate it elsewhere.

It was bad because he had cancer and he came back and he encouraged people to come back. He encouraged people to try things, and it’s not a good thing to do, and he’s not a good role model.

If he came clean, then I would have empathized with him, but the fact that it took years of lies to get to this point makes me lose all respect for Armstrong as an individual and as an athlete.

It doesn’t sound like a very sportsmanlike thing to do.

As a professional athlete, you shouldn’t behave in that manner, no matter how upset you are. It doesn’t matter if Eden Hazard meant to hurt the ball boy or not. He’s performing on an international stage.

People are watching what he is doing.

I actually do think that it was the ball boy’s fault and that he deserved to get kicked. It didn’t look like he was aiming towards the ball boy... Hazard looked like he was going for the ball. It was in an unsportsmanlike way, but it didn’t look like he intentionally tried to hurt the boy.

I think first of all that it was definitely unsportsmanlike because a player has no reason to do that no matter how frustrated you are. And I think that if it had been Luis Suarez it would have been [a worse punishment] because of his history calling people things and whatever he had done.

It’s unsportsmanlike, that is all there is to it. You can’t just kick a kid. It’s not fair. It’s wrong on a basic moral level.

If he was once a role model, he won’t be one now because his action was uncalled for.

I’ve found that in sports right now role models in general are getting worse and becoming bad people.

I hardly think it is out of line to use a little bit of force to get the ball from a boy who was protecting it like it was an unborn fetus. He was obviously stalling from playing and wasting time. I personally don’t even think it warranted a red card, let alone an additional suspension.

No, they shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame, because it’s hard to look up to an athlete who dopes. I don’t think doping is a very honorable thing to do, and baseball players should be role models. I think it’s hard to be supportive of an athlete who abuses substances. If you’re in the MLB you shouldn’t have to use drugs to stay at that level.

I think that they should be put into the Hall of Fame.

They accomplished lots of feats, even with the steroids, but they should have asterisks. These include some incredible players such as ARod, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. It’s a steroid sport, and people think even Babe Ruth took some sort of PEDs, so let them in.

I think that they should definitely be in the Hall of Fame if they are good enough, but I agree they should have an asterisk. It’s definitely an advantage compared to players that havent taken it. and I don’t think the public can be in a position to accuse anyone who’s hit a lot of home runs, based on the body shape or whatever it is.

They shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame, because it’s unfair, but if they were really good enough to begin with they shouldn’t really be taking steroids anyways. I think that it’s hard to look up to them now because they were once revered as super humans of sorts. It proves that people aren’t what you expect them to be, even at this level of play.

I can’t help but think people like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, though I dislike both of them, and the other steroids guys should be inducted with an asterisk, without first ballot honors. They represent a generation in baseball and have massive career statistics that would warrant induction sans the steroids.

I felt very bad for him.

Whoever made that up is very cruel, especially because it was the day his grandmother died. I don’t think he’s part of the fraud, though some suspect that. Why would he publically humiliate himself ?

It makes no sense.

It’s clear from the evidence that he played no part.

It’s important to note that he’s 21 and he doesn’t have a lot of experience with girls, so he doesn’t know whats going on.

It happens to a bunch of NFL players as well, but they didn’t get in as much trouble.

His draft stock has lowered.

I think it lowered anyways because of his performance in the national championship game. Unless he does something significant in the NFL, people will always remember him for this.

It’s very horrible. Manti Te’o didn’t deserve this. I don’t think he played a role in it at all. He got completely thrown into everything. I would feel bad if his place in the draft is lowered as a result of this scandal because he doesn’t deserve it.

This story just continues to get juicier, and I can’t help but think that Te’o is the most oblivious linebacker in college football and that this was really a sick scheme. This is so astounding that I find it difficult to fathom that he played any role in this.

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

Sports

From Canons Park to New York PATRICK MAYR | SPORTS EDITOR

W

hen Lloyd Sam (’02) joined ASL’s football program with his brother Andrew (’00) during his freshman year, the then boys varsity football coaches Martin Hackett and Robert Carter were impressed by the technically gifted yet physically unassuming player. “His pace, touch and movement were different class,” Hackett said. “Yet, when he joined us at 14, he was still pretty small.”

During his freshman season, Sam insisted on playing with the junior varsity team in order stay with his friends, despite his coaches’ inclination to play him on the varsity team.

After a few injuries to key varsity players, however, Sam was called up to the varsity team and played an integral part at the ISST tournament, in which he was nominated as a candidate for the All-Tournament team.

dribble past the opposition players and score a goal. I decided to take him to the Arsenal [Football Club] because he had the technical qualities to succeed there.”

After training at the Arsenal Youth Academy for a couple of months, however, Sam was let go by the club’s Youth Academy director Liam Brady. Following a trial with Wimbledon F.C., Sam settled in at Charlton Athletic F.C. and progressed through the ranks there.

Balancing school work and extensive footballing commitments would have seemed like a daunting task, yet Sam managed to pull through and said that he always had the school’s support. “ASL was with me the entire time. They had an understanding about what I had to do soccer-wise. And even in my last year they let me leave school two classes early each Wednesday so I could train at Charlton,” he

tute in the 76th minute against Crystal Palace to make his firstteam debut.

“I remember being nervous on the bench before coming on and then they called me on and my nerves were running high,” he said. “Once I got on the pitch I was fine though. You work so hard to play at the level you want to get to and once it happens you just have to stay calm and do your best.”

For Sam, it was the accumulation of years of hard work that had finally resulted in the fulfillment of his ultimate dream.

“I played in a lot of big stadiums against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and against some great players,” he said.

“Playing at that level was something I had always dreamed of doing and, when I finally did, the feeling was unbelievable.”

Yet Sam’s career has at times been marred by injuries that have kept him out of action at

“I played in a lot of big stadiums against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham and against some great players. Playing at the [Barclays Premier League] level was something I had always dreamed of doing and when I finally did, the feeling was unbelievable. ” Photo courtesy of New York REd Bulls Page 22-23.indd 22

- Lloyd Sam (’02) During the following years, Sam became a key fixture in the varsity team’s starting 11 players and was the team’s top playmaker, operating as an attacking midfielder. His influence was such that ASL last won an ISST Football tournament when Sam played during his sophomore year.

Sam’s performances with the school team prompted Hackett to introduce him to professional clubs in London. “Sam’s ability at school level was dramatic in the sense that he was that much better than everyone else,” Hackett said. “He would pick the ball up in his own half,

said. “If ASL weren’t so accommodating to my soccer needs it would have been a lot more difficult.”

After Sam graduated from ASL in 2002, he continued to feature for the Charlton youth team until 2003 when, at the age of 18, he signed his first professional contract, officially committing to the club.

When Sam returned to Charlton following a brief loan spell with fellow London team Leyton Orient, Sam experienced one of the proudest moments of his career during the last match of the 2004-2005 Premier League season, coming on as a substi-

crucial times. Hackett, who still keeps in touch with his former protegée, said that many of Sam’s injuries are hamstringrelated, which are often “associated with pacy players.” Hackett also said that many of Sam’s injuries came at unlucky times because they occurred when he was starting to play regularly for a first-team.

Following several more loan spells away from Charlton, Sam returned to the club before it experienced a perpetual decline in form. Formerly the epitome of a stable mid-tier team in the Premier League, Charlton suffered a period of managerial instabil-

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THE STANDARD | February 2013

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ity which saw them slide down the footballing divisions. After two relegations in three years, Charlton was no longer lining up against the best teams in the country, but playing in the third tier of English football.

When Charlton failed to gain promotion back to the Championship (the second tier) in 2010, Sam was not offered a renewed contract because the club could not afford to pay him.

Sam had no difficulty finding another team, and after interest from several clubs ended up joining his hometown team, Leeds United.

Leeds had just gained a promotion to the Championship and were reshuffling their squad to stage a competitive fight in the higher division. The team signed Sam on a two-year contract.

Another injury put a shadow over Sam’s promising start at Leeds and ruled him out of large parts of the team’s campaign for the season.The following year, Sam was loaned out to Notts County in the middle of the season by new Leeds manager Neil Warnock.

After his brief yet successful spell with Notts County came to an end, Sam was told by War-

Marquez and ex-Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was too good to turn down, and Sam signed a one-year contract with the team.

As a passionate Arsenal supporter, Sam was enticed by the reality of playing next to club legend Henry. “It’s unbelievable because I’m an Arsenal fan as well, so it’s a big deal for me,” he said. “He’s one of my all-time idols and somebody you can learn a lot from. He’s an intense character and he wants to win every single game he’s in.”

Sam has enjoyed a bright start to his Red Bulls career, though he suffered an injury after the first few games of the season which kept him out for the remainder of the season. Sam’s performances prior to the injury did enough to impress coach Mike Petke, though, and he was rewarded with a contract extension at the

end of last season. “I’m really happy having signed the extension,” Sam said. “Now I can just concentrate on playing soccer and doing my best for the team.”

Going forward, Sam said that the team can build on last year’s narrow elimination in the MLS semi-finals at the hands of D.C. United and could go on to win the MLS championship. “I think this is our year,” he said. “There has been a lot of energy around from us not winning the league last year, and I think this year we can do it.”

With the Red Bulls continuing to exert their financial prowess by signing players who have formerly plied their trade in the top leagues of Europe, such as Lyon’s former free-kick specialist Juninho Pernambucano, the MLS trophy remains a very realistic possibility for Sam and his team.

Top: Sam (Bottom row, 3rd from right) with the ASL varsity boys football gold winning team, 2000. Photo Courtesy of The Sojourner Left: Lloyd Sam in a one-on-one situation with Toronto FC left-back Ashtone Morgan. Photo from Flickr.com/Matt Kremkau Bottom: Lloyd Sam celebrates with teammate Thierry Henry.

Photo From Flickr.com/Matt Kremkau

nock that his contract would not be renewed and that he would be released come the end of the season.

Sam did not go long without a club, however. The New York Red Bulls came calling and invited him over to their training ground for a trial in the summer of 2012.“I got a call from the Red Bulls saying they wanted a player like me and that they wanted me to come over to see what sort of condition I was in,” he said.

After impressing during the trial, the prospect of playing alongside players such as former F.C. Barcelona defender Rafael

SAm’s CAREER TIMELINE

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Sports

THE STANDARD VOLUME XXXVIII ISSUE IV FEBRUARY 2013

Lloyd SAM ASL Alumn and current New York Red Bulls player Lloyd Sam talks to Sports Editor Patrick Mayr about his footballing journey See PAGeS 22-23

Photo from Flickr.com/Julian Gaviria

Mustafa takes up scouting position at Norwich City Zack Ashley Staff Writer

Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Akay Mustafa has been working as a regional scout and centre of excellence coach for Norwich City Football Club since September 2012.

Assistant Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Jay Marshall, who has been working with the Norwich youth set-up as well, referred Mustafa to the club. Marshall is currently the Centre of Excellence manager and head scout in the London area for Norwich. “I applied for the job at Norwich at the end of last season as the challenge they offered excited me. After a successful application process I began work at the start of this season”, Marshall said. “I’ve been working with Akay for four years now and I find him to be very professional, organized and positive.”

In order to execute a self-sustainable business model, Norwich City has recently invested heavily in a state-of-the art youth program in order to produce and develop its Sports 24.indd 24

own players.

Every weekend, Mustafa travels to watch soccer matches across London to scout players between the ages of 11 and 21 for the club.

Then, on Mondays, he spends his time coaching the players he has scouted at the Centre of Excellence for Norwich in West London.

“There is also a more subjective interpretation of traits which is when scouts use our own personal judgement to determine the potential of a player.”

Akay Mustafa,Boys Varsity Soccer Coach

Despite have only worked there for a few months, Mustafa has already impressed officials at the club with the job he has been doing with

his work thus far. “Akay has only been working at Norwich since September but in a very short space of time he has made an impact,” Norwich City Head of Recruitment Gregg Broughton said. “He is a very hardworking and diligent coach, and has done very well identifying talented young footballers for Norwich City FC.” The group in which Mustafa works consists of five scouts and three coaches. The players have six weeks to prove their potential to the coaches who then decide if the club should keep the player. The aim is to develop a player and observe if the player has enough potential to move on to the academy.

When scouting for potential players, Mustafa follows two different school of thought pertaining to talent identification.“As I scout for players I take two different approaches. The first approach is to look for more tangible and quantitative characteristics in players such as their pace, height, strength.

But then there is also a more subjective interpretation of traits which is

when scouts use our own personal judgement to determine the potential of a player.”

Mustafa admits it is difficult to tell if a player is going to be talented enough to eventually play for the club. “When you work with potential you don’t know what will happen,” he said.

The Centre of Excellence‘s team plays matches against other Centre of Excellence teams from different clubs as well as the Norwich City Academy. Since Mustafa has started his job he has seen three players from his area handed academy contracts. “The likelihood of making it as a pro is very small so we do the best we can to prepare them,” Mustafa said.

This is not Mustafa’s first time working in a talent-identifying capacity. In the past, he has referred players to other professional clubs such as Charlton and Fulham in an unofficial capacity. For example he gave an opportunity for Parker Gilbert (’11) to train with Fulham when Gilbert was a freshman.

Recently, Mustafa also gave an

opportunity to Nick Muoio (’16) to play as a guest in one of the matches for Norwich City Centre of Excellence under-15 team However, Mustafa said that it is unlikely that he would be officially scouting any players from ASL for Norwich.

“Nick did really well [when with Norwich] but I don’t think I will be scouting many students from ASL,” Mustafa said. “The level of Premier League players is obviously much higher than for the players playing at a High School level, and there’s a difference between club and school football.”

Mustafa is looking forward to continuing his job as a scout with Norwich City and aiding the club in producing tomorrow’s footballers.

“I’m very happy here [at Norwich] scouting because there seems to be a lot of support from within,” Mustafa said. He also said that he was not looking to move up to a higher position at the club at the moment. “I need to finish my masters in sports management before I would think about doing anything else.”

2/4/13 1:44 PM