The Tide - February 2023

Painting layers of identity

Born and raised in Washington D.C., artist Lory Ivey Alexander creates vibrant abstract pieces of art through mixed media and explores the stories at the intersection between Black and Indigenous cultures.

Ivey Alexander has been surrounded by art her whole life, as her parents were both graphic designers. Growing up around various advertisements and magazines developed her affinity for paper collage, a medium she used to create her 2020 series on Black masculinity, “it’s hard being a black man in America.”

Public reacts to ChatGPT

by Crystal Li SCIENCE WRITER

ChatGPT, the latest natural language processing model developed by the artificial intelligence research corporation OpenAI, has taken the digital world by storm. Within five days of its release on Nov. 30, 2022, it amassed one million users, a level of demand that caused the site to overload and temporarily freeze. Users have consistently been amazed by the chatbot’s human-like dialogue style, breadth of knowledge and ability to closely follow instructions.

“It thinks in a lot of angles,” sophomore Andy Deng said. “Your perspective is set—but when you [use] ChatGPT, you’re

like ‘oh wow, there are so many more perspectives on this that I haven’t even considered.’”

Other defining features of the model, according to OpenAI, include its ability to write computer code, remember what was previously said in a conversation, answer follow-up questions, admit its own mistakes and reject inappropriate requests. “I really love it overall,” sophomore Kevin Si said.

Some users have noticed limitations of the program, however, particularly in its ability to think abstractly and make connections. “My dad tried making it [...] analyze a Michael Jackson song and how it pertained to modern societal problems,” junior Sofia Eisenberg said. “And it said ‘the song does not relate to modern societal problems.’”

CHATGPT cont. page 2

The artist often uses cutouts from magazines in her collag es and preserves the pictures’ unique origins in advertisements through her designs. As a wom an of color, there were times where she could not see herself represented by models on pages. Now, she highlights Black wom en in her collages. She presents her own perspective through her art and usage of commercial cutouts. “I want to make that story personal,” Ivey Alexander said, “And to try to tell the story of… the person that I see when I see that photograph.”

Ivey Alexander utilizes other mediums and techniques to create her work as well, including painting and stitching. “I really will pick up any sort of object that I think is beautiful,” she said.

Her work features a variety of colors, with her 2018 collection “foremothers” composed almost exclusively of geometric shapes in contrasting hues. “I love color, and I think that especially against the white wall, I want to bring something that’s gonna make you stop in your tracks,” she said.

Ivey Alexander loves to collect and create work that has many possibilities and a variety of perspectives. “Every time you look at it, you see something different,” she said. “That’s part of why I like to paint with circles, like on round canvases or round wood. Because I think that you always can change the orientation and see something new.”

LORY IVEY cont. page 12

IDs required for entry

Beginning Monday, Feb. 13, all RM students will be required to wear student ID cards while entering the school building. This is one of the school’s first new

self,” senior Ruth Laforest said.

In the second case, security staff identified a 15-year-old former student trespassing in the school building shortly before dismissal. As the staff escorted the student off campus, they suspected that he possessed a weapon.

Upon search, the police found that the individual possessed a gun and arrested him. He will be charged accordingly.

security measures in response to incidents involving a gun on campus on Jan. 13 and Jan. 24.

During the first event, an altercation occurred between RM students and Gaithersburg High School students they had let into the building. A student reported that they saw someone with what appeared to be a handgun near the school, and the school transitioned into a lockdown, and then a shelter-in-place.

“I just panicked and went into a corner and tried to distract my-

This time, no emergency procedures were implemented. “This situation was so quick that there wasn’t the need for the lockdown in the way that we went into [on Jan. 13],” RM principal Alicia Deeny said. “[Security] was doing the right thing by getting the person out of the building.”

Many students were surprised to learn of the inc ident afterwards. “It’s really alarming knowing we were in school at the same time as someone with a gun,” sophomore Lilliana Katz-Hollander said.

ID CARDS cont. page 2

Rockville may lower voting age

by Aisosa Ojo-Adjase, Claire Yu and Hannah Lee NEWS WRITER AND NEWS EDITORS

Rockville’s Board of Supervisors of Elections (BSOE) have forwarded a proposal to lower the city’s voting age from 18 to 16 years.

“I don’t think most high school age people have the awareness of [city] issues.”

If the proposal is approved, Rockville would be the second city nationwide to lower its voting age to 16, after Takoma Park. Eligible teens could register to vote while they get their driver’s license. The Commission also aims for potentially increasing voter turnout with the lower age.

Schools are often used as voting centers. cilmember Mark Pierzchala, disagree. “I don’t think most high school age people have the awareness of [city] issues and knowledge of the impacts of various positions on how people live their lives in Rockville,” he said. “An election year is not the year to implement any other changes… [as they will] likely to favor one group of people or another.”

This idea has been in the works since last year, after Rockville city officials examined the effects of Takoma Park’s 2013 decision to drop the voting age. The Commission’s official 2022 report describes their reasons for lowering the voting age. It states that “[p] eople who are 16 and 17 years of age are a part of our community [and] are impacted by policies in which they have no voice.”

Some, like Rockville Coun-

VOTING cont. page 3

“I just panicked and went into a corner.”

- Ruth Laforest

GRAPHIC BY JULIANNE CRUZ

- Mark Pierzchala

PHOTO BY AVERY WANG

GPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer,” which indicates that the model generates new content rather than simply processing existing data. It was trained using Internet data prior to its launch and therefore only has accurate knowledge about the world up to September 2021.

writing differs from human writing in complexity and variability (AI-generated text tends to have less of both), two characteristics which Princeton University senior Edward Tian has leveraged in order to create GPTZero, a program that detects ChatGPT writing.

Since GPTZero was trained on ChatGPT output, the more familiar a text appears to GPTZero, the more likely it was written by AI.

In addition to ethical concerns, ChatGPT raises identity and existential issues. “The question is, ‘do we still need to write?’” RM English teacher Robin Strickler said. “Until now, writing has been a human skill. Is it going to become a machine skill?””

- Ms. Robin Strickler

Additionally, ChatGPT’s neural network architecture is called a “transformer” because it has learned the relationships between the words in natural human dialogue and can thus “transform” its input into output. The model was trained using Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback, which works in three stages.

First, human trainers demonstrated desired out puts in response to a multi tude of human-written prompts. They then randomly selected model-written messages from conversations between hu man trainers and the chat bot, ranked them by quality and then fed that information to the model, allowing the chatbot to learn the most ap propriate responses for a par ticular input. Finally, the model improved and taught itself via trial and error, adapting its own rules as to what out put to produce and when.

Educators fear that ChatGPT encourages aca demic dishonesty because it can, for example, ‘write an essay in the style of a high school student’ in a way that is fully original and difficult for tools like TurnItIn to flag as plagiarism. The website has already been banned on MCPS WiFi. Even so, ChatGPT

According to Mrs. Strickler, it goes beyond the writing itself: relying on ChatGPT also means out-sourcing thinking and self-expression. “If you don’t write—if you’re constantly medicating that with a machine—do you learn to reflect?” she said. “Writing is a big means of thinking. And if we forget how to think, we’re screwed.”

As stated in the community email that Ms. Deeny sent later that day, the two incidents were not connected. “They are not related at all. It just happened to be an unfortunate situation where we were hit in a short period of time,” RM security assistant Matt Schwartzback said.

According to RM assistant principal Veena Roberson, the decision to implement the new ID policy came about following an evaluation of processes, in addition to feedback from students and staff in the community.

“We decided that this was an important step to address student safety and security concerns,” Ms. Roberson said. Some RM students feel that the heightened security requirements are inconvenient and unnecessary. “I don’t think it’s going to do too much to help, just because of the sheer amount of students that we have,” senior Nick Nash said. There are also those who are impartial. “I’m not sure if it’ll work out as planned,” freshman Darya Sakhi said. “I’ve never seen anything like it, so I don’t really have an opinion on it.”

Earlier this year, Walter John-

February

son High School took comparable measures in response to the shooting at Magruder High School in January 2022. Similarly to RM, students at Walter Johnson must wear ID badges in the building and the doors are kept locked to limit entry. According to Walter Johnson’s student newspaper, The Pitch, their students must also display their IDs when they return from open lunch.

February 13

February 17

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February 23

Palentine’s Day

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the gals and pals <3

Random Acts of Kindness Day

We’ll start with a compliment: “You have a great smile.“

Pass it on :)

Presidents’ Day

Can you name the 27th president? Me neither.

During the advisory lesson in fifth period on Wednesday, Feb. 1, students were also reminded of RM’s safety expectations, including the fact that security will send persistent hallway walkers to in-school isolation, or potentially home.

Starting Thursday, Feb. 2, RM also enforced a clarified attendance policy: students who enter the building between 7:45-50 a.m. are sent to class without a pass; students who enter between 7:50 a.m. and the start of lunch or between the start of fifth period and 2:30 p.m. must sign

in at the main office or attendance office. Students will then receive a pass to return to class.

The school held a virtual parent meeting on Jan. 31 to discuss these new policies. “We are going to be having [late students] sign in at a computer in the main office and if students are re-entering from a program like Edison, they will also need to be signing into the main office,” principal Alicia Deeny said during the meeting.

For now, the RM administration is still working on certain aspects of the updated safety rule, such as potentially creating a system for temporary IDs.

“Anytime there’s a new policy, there’s going to be a learning curve,” Ms. Roberson said. “There’s going to be parts…that we haven’t worked out until we actually go through the process.”

Currently, RM has hired one new security assistant who has been in the building since Monday, Feb. 6. She is the first and only female security assistant to join the staff.

Other future security measures could include “alarming multiple exterior doors so that security staff can focus their attention on a smaller set of entryways in focused locations” and schoolwide “retraining,” according to a community email sent out by Ms. Deeny on Jan. 26.

RTC Regal will close

By Hannah Lee and Claire Yu NEWS EDITORS

Regal Cinemas is shutting down 39 of its movie theaters across the U.S., including the Rockville Center Stadium 13 location. Cineworld, the parent company of Regal Cinemas, stated that it will begin rejecting leases for closing theaters on Feb. 15. The Rockville theater has not yet announced a closing date.

This decision came after Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last September due to the rising popularity of viewing movies at home during the pandemic, which decreased public screening profits.

The cinema closing means one less option for entertainment with friends. “During exam sea-

son many people with afternoon exams would stay [at Rockville Town Center] and either study or do fun activities while they wait,” senior Katherine Beza said.

“If you don’t write—if you’re constantly mediating that with a machine—do you learn to reflect?”

PHOTO BY HANNAH LEE

ID cards will be necessary for all students to enter the school building from Feb. 13 and onwards.

ID CARDS, cont. from page 1

“I don’t think it’s going to do too much to help.”

- Nick Nash

CHATGPT, cont. from page 1

MCPS faces surge of fentanyl overdoses

By Akshya Mahadevan NEWS WRITER

Death by fentanyl overdose has increased significantly in both Montgomery County and the rest of the United States.

According to an urgent message from the MCPS school sys tem’s medical officers, in 2021, over 70 percent of all overdoses in Montgomery County were fen tanyl-related, including substanc es laced with fentanyl or sub stances that look like something else (e.g., Xanax, Adderall, Perco cet or oxycodone) but had fentan yl in them, oftentimes without the knowledge of the user.

In December 2022 alone, there were three fentanyl-re lated overdoses in MCPS schools, which prompted the school board to treat it as a severe situation. The drug, often used by drug traffickers to increase the potency of their products, is lethal in low doses and very addictive.

In fact, users may need to use the drug as frequently as every 2-3 hours to avoid with-

drawal symptoms like extreme nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, sweating or chills.

“That’s insane. That’s more often than you eat food,” ju nior Sannidhi Korisepati said.

MCPS had first attempted to spread awareness of this topic through repeated mes sages to the community.

However, these attempts may not be as successful as expected, as junior Abby Adissu was unaware of the crisis.

“It sounds silly, but I thought the opioid epidemic was getting bet ter because I hadn’t heard any thing in a few years,” she said.

MCPS has also made Nar can, a medicine that can counteract opioid overdos es, available to all school levels, including elementary schools. Not only this, the school board has made general training available to all adults, with more specialized training for nurses and administrators, on how to administer the Narcan.

“The rise in overdoses is not unique to Montgomery Coun ty and is happening in school

districts regionally and nationwide,” MCPS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patricia Kapunan said in an interview with Montgomery Community Media.

To take further precautionary measures, access to Narcan and Narcan training has been made available to all county residents for free. Kapunan recommends that families have Narcan at home. However, it is important to note that it is a temporary measure,

more impactful than slideshows) but it is good that Narcan is available to everyone,” Korisepati said.

On the other hand, Adissu appreciates the school system’s attempts and sees it as a larger issue. “The real issue is bigger industries, specifically pharmacies and doctors who intentionally overprescribe and addict patients for consistent “customers”, even to high schoolers” she said.

For more information on Narcan access, call Harm Reduc-

Rockville’s voting age could become 16

been a lot of grassroots organizing and honestly just a lot of helping to spread the word that this is even happening,” Ms. Valeri said.

According to Ms. Valeri, the policy change is a complex process. “The Mayor and Council received our recommendations, and they get to decide which changes will be made,” she said.

“If the community feels strongly about an issue that the Mayor and Council support, they can vote to implement it. If the community feels strongly about an issue but the Mayor and Council do not, then it could be put on the next city ballot as a referendum.”

Many RM students appear to support the possible change.

“I know through my son and the children of friends of mine who go to RM that there is anecdotal support for lowering the voting age,” Ms. Valeri said.

“I think it will be good to decrease [the] voting age because it opens up the floor for new ideas from young people,” sophomore D’Angelo Reyes said.

INT’L NEWS:

West sends more arms to Ukraine

Germany and the U.S. announced on Jan. 25 that they would provide Ukraine with battle tanks.

On Feb. 1, the Pentagon confirmed that it would send an additional $2 billion in aid, which includes long-range rockets.

At first, both countries resisted Ukraine’s requests for weapons. Following inconclusive discussions, Germany announced that it would send 14 Leopard 2 tanks, and the US announced subsequently that it would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks.

Marissa Valeri, mother of an RM freshman and a member of the Commission, has been close-

ly involved in the approval procedure for lowering the city’s voting age since 2020. She thinks that many Rockville residents are currently unaware of discussions regarding the potential shift. “It’s

Freshman Makayla Risso shares similar sentiments. “What we’re voting for is for someone who can take care of the city, and most of the things that need to be taken care of in the city are things to do

with younger people,” she said. “We should be able to choose who we think would [do the best] in helping make us more successful.”

However, Risso believes that 16 year olds should only be allowed to vote for political candidates, and not other aspects like legislation. “With what has been going on with the guns, I don’t think it would be good if we let 16 year olds decide what is right and wrong for policy specifically,” she said.

“Younger residents will see the impact of the policies well into the future, when folks my age are no longer around,” Ms. Valeri said. “So I believe strongly that they should have a voice and a vote.”

New recreational passes grant free access

By Nirav Akkanapragada

NEWS WRITER

The Montgomery County Department of Recreation announced that starting on Jan. 3, fitness passes at all 22 of the county’s recreation centers will be free. The free passes will provide those ages 16 or older with access to fully equipped fitness rooms, open gym activities and game rooms during regular hours. The youth passes are also free and give youth ages 14 to 15 access to fitness rooms under parent or guardian supervision. This pass does not include access to aquatic centers and will still be regularly priced for out-

of-county members. To apply for these passes, a valid photo ID with an address or a current utility bill must be provided to establish proof of residency. For the youth pass, teens must have a parent fill out the ap plication and provide proof of residency.

Many RM students hold positive opin ions of the decision to offer free passes.

“For what the rec centers are, I think that as a resource to the communi ty, they should be free, and in the long run, they’ll be better for the commu nity,” sopho

more Aaron Logsdon said. In the Rockville area, there are two recreation centers that students can visit: the Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center and the Nancy

berships, they now have free resources and will realize and appreciate the impact of these centers,” sophomore Nethaka Jayatilake said.

The free passes indeed have led to a boost in membership, starting 2023 with around one thousand passes, compared to 40 in 2022.

The decision to promote free passes has increased Montgomery County’s focus on the physical health of its residents. However, some believe that there is still work to be done. “I feel like all rec centers should have a bus stop from a school to them because it provides students access to rec centers when school ends,” Jayatilake said.

“As of [Jan. 27], numerous countries have officially confirmed their agreement to deliver 321 heavy tanks to Ukraine,” Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to France, said on the French TV station BFM. Unlike the more easily usable, diesel-fueled Leopard 2, the M1 Abrams relies on high amounts of jet fuel. The BBC reports that they can cost over $10 million each. The rockets, or the Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), travel up 150 kilometers (93 miles) with a GPS system, which now brings all of Russia’s eastern supply lines into attacking range. “The tanks will absolutely help Ukraine in their goal to recapture and defend territory,” RM Model UN captain and senior Saahil Rao said. “But this move only serves to lengthen the war... Russia doesn’t seem keen to negotiate and Ukraine insists on the return of annexed territories. These tanks will only make an already devastating war more deadly.”

In response to the decision, North Korea issued a statement on its state news source KCNA that the U.S. “is now further crossing the red line,” and that “the U.S. is the arch-criminal which poses a serious threat and challenge to the strategic security of Russia.” The statement ended by affirming that North Korea will “always stand in the same trench” with Russia.

DEC. CORRECTIONS

On page 3, the speaker of the pull quote in the Twitter article should be Anurag Nambiar and the cloud graphic is by Selena Li.

On page 4, the article about China’s zero-COVID policy should have referred to President Xi, not “President Jinping.”

On page 6, the Ticketmaster article was written by Gabrielle Orringer, not Ria Maheshwary.

On page 9, the graphic representing food from the Rockville Town Center is by Christiana Vucea.

On page 16, the graphic for the NBA article is by Christiana Vucea.

“I know through my son and the children of friends... who go to RM that there is anecdotal support for lowering the voting age.”

- Marissa Valeri

PHOTO BY HANNAH LEE

Many RM students who were at least 18 years old voted in the gubernatorial elections during November of last year.

GRAPHIC BY JULIANNE CRUZ

VOTING, cont. from page 1

OPINIONS

VA schools wrong to withhold awards

by Livia Venditti

OPINIONS WRITER

A scandal involving at least three Virginia high schools has brought to light the rampant hypocrisy of the so-called “Equity Agenda” in play across three counties in Virginia. These counties were found to have withheld the notification of National Merit commendations from various high school students. The involved schools and their superintendents are now under fire by parents, students and even the governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin.

National Merit honors are only awarded to 50,000 students from the top 1.5 million PSAT scores, making it one of the most prestigious awards a high school student can receive. For some, a National Merit honor can make a big difference in their acceptance to a prestigious university, bolstering their application, in addition to opening up financial scholarship opportunities. The news was broken on December 21, 2022, by Asra Q. Nomani in the City Journal, revealing over five years of National Merit awards being withheld from students,

a majority Asian, at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Since the news broke, the Virginia Attorney General has broadened the investigation from the original pool of high schools to include three counties and a total of 16 Virginia public schools that have hidden the successes of hard-working students.

In an interview with The Washington Post, governor Glenn Youngkin claimed that the events, affecting at least 1,200 students, began with an “Equity-centered

er be achieved through the purposeful ne glect of deserving students. While this effort to ensure eq uity has positive intentions, it has been a drastic fail ure, even sparking conversations that these students’ civil rights have been breached. This investigation has prompted the question: When does the pursuit of equity become unjust?

mandatory for schools to notify students and parents of awards as soon as they know.

Strategic Plan” in Fairfax County. This idea, according to Youngkin, came from a consultant for a Fairfax County superintendent who set a goal of “equal outcomes for every student, without exception.” While equal opportunity is important, it should nev-

Equity in our school systems should be a positive thing, enhancing equal opportunities, fair funding to counties, and public school curricula that encourage all students to pursue higher level courses. Although it is widely agreed that equity is something that should be pursued in the public education system, the type of “equity” that these Virginia schools offer has fallen short. “There’s clearly been an effort to bring down the standards for our students in Virginia to stop celebrating excellence,” Youngkin said. Thankfully, Youngkin, who has made it clear education is a priority, has proposed a bill that would make it

Diminishing student achievement is unacceptable in every circumstance - especially considering the hours of studying, prep, and stress that go into student test scores. “No student deserves to be deprived of their well-earned achievements due to some initiative,” said junior Udy Mbanaso. Despite having good intentions, it is obvious that it has caused more damage than relief. This attitude, lowering standards and diminishing excellence in order to push an impossible equity agenda, is a dam aging mindset for growing, am bitious students. “When you were younger, most kids probably received a trophy whether they won or lost some thing. It seems as if the schools are trying to do the same thing to not hurt people’s feelings,” said

Mbanaso. Realistically, not everyone receives these National Merit awards. To give them out to everyone diminishes the importance of hard work and ultimately higher education in general; without those that try to reach higher, society would never improve. “I think that competitiveness is important because it makes, overall, for a better system than if everyone were the same, because no one is motivated to do anything better,” junior Sarah Eliason said. In an unjust and unethical manner, the true definition of diversity was dangerously twisted. The goal of education is not to make every student a carbon copy of one another, but to celebrate their various strengths and differences, allowing them to learn the value of hard work and succeed regardless of race, gender and individual academic level. Our public education systems must do better to protect academic integrity, and teach students to do the same.

97-year-old Nazi receives well-deserved incarceration

by Lydia Seo OPINIONS WRITER

In what may be one of the last trials of its kind, a German court found a 97-year-old former Nazi-concentration camp secretary guilty of being an accessory to the murders of over 10,000 people during the Holocaust. Irmgard Furchner was given a two-year suspended sentence for the crimes she committed as a 19-year-old, working in the Stutthof concentration camp. As a secretary and stenographer, she helped complete paperwork that was “necessary for the organization of the camp and the execution of the cruel, systematic acts of killing,” according to AP News. Although Furchner’s current old age was a factor to be considered throughout the trial, the German government was undoubtedly justified in trying and convicting her of these murders, as the positive impacts of doing so, for both the victims of oppression and the general public, vastly outweigh any of the potential negative effects on Furchner as an individual.

was integral to the functioning of the camp, and therefore in the brutal systematic murder of thousands of innocent people. The Stutthof concentration camp, like many others, committed these murders through gassings, death marches and executions. A world of inhumane terror existed just outside of Furchner’s office as she turned a blind eye, preparing paperwork that made it all happen. The lives that Fuchner helped end and the suffering that she helped inflict upon the victims of these atrocities deserve to see justice for what they had to endure, even if the accused happens to be 97 years old. No matter how much time has passed, Furchner must still take accountability for her actions.

“You have to acknowledge that when someone does a crime, they must face punishment,” freshman Chloe Brown said. Nearing the end of her trial, the former Nazi secretary unexpectedly apologized to the victims present, saying that she regretted being in Stutthof at the time. In order for Furchner to take accountability for her actions and the suffering she caused, a guilty verdict was necessary; she lived her entire life unscathed while thousands of people lost their lives and loved ones because of her. “She’s already gotten the opportunity to live such a long life…obviously people in like concentration camps, you know, didn’t get that,” freshman Sophie Zheng said.

verdict necessary and fitting. The kind of punishment that Fuchner received, in comparison to the kind of suffering she perpetuated and the severity of murdering thousands of people, was, if anything, not severe enough. Her sentence, howev-

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A fact that will remain unchanged, no matter how many years pass, is that Fuchner’s role

According to VOA News, there were multiple survivors of the camp that came forward with accounts of their excruciating experiences during Furchner’s trial. Above all, justice for these victims is what needed to be prioritized, making a guilty

er, was shortened to two-year probation due to her old age: the co-plaintiffs did not want to see her serve real prison time. Not only was this trial a way to provide some closure for the Holocaust victims’ families and the systematic oppression that came about with it but the guilty verdict and sentencing sends an important message surrounding the lack of tolerance we should have for Nazism and Nazi ideologies. Nazism is especially dangerous, and hateful views are completely intolerable in any form. The German government’s choice to go through with the trial and conviction emphasizes the fact that Nazism of any kind is unacceptable, no matter who, or how old, you are.

The Tide is the student newspaper of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. The Tide is dedicated to keeping the Richard Montgomery school community accurately informed and to providing a forum for student expression. 700 copies of the newspaper are printed and distributed among students. Any corrections are printed in the following issue on page 2.

The opinions presented in The Tide do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and administration at Richard Montgomery.

The Tide is affliated with ASPA, CSPA, and NSPA.

Questions, concerns, and suggestions on articles, advertisements, and photos can be submitted to thetideeditors@gmail.com.

Editors-in-Chief.......................................................Samantha Wu, Avery Wang, Davi Jacobs

News.....................................................................Claire Yu, Hannah Lee, Avani Ambardekar

Opinions................................................................Maria Alba, Riona Sheikh, Max Belyantsev

Centerspread...........................................................Tara Amin, Shuxin Dai, Mayah Nachman

Features.............................................................................Ellie Noh, Niki Esmaili, Elena Parisi

Arts................................................................................Claire Xu, Raha Murtuza, Claire Chen

Sports...............................................................................Ari Fine, Shelby Roth, Maggie Orcev

Social Justice.........................................Helina Tamiru, Samiksha Mahashetty, Charlyn Chu

Photo....................................................................................Ella Koenig, Kobina Asafu-Adjaye

Graphics...........................................................................................Julianne Cruz, Evelyn Shue

Multimedia...................................................Uma Patnaik, Jessica Wang, Carter Zembrzuski

Crossword....................................................................................................................Annie Guo

Sponsors..........................................................................Ms. Jennifer Kidd, Ms. Bonnie Peyer

“She’s already gotten the opportunity to live such a long life… people in like concentration camps, you know, didn’t get that.”

- Sophie Zheng

“No student deserves to be deprived of their well-earned achievements due to some initiative.”

- Udy Mbanaso

“You have to acknowledge that when someone does a crime, they must face punishment.”

- Chloe Brown

GRAPHIC BY EVELYN SHUE

GRAPHIC BY JULIANNE CRUZ

Salary secrecy a strange practice that should be stopped

by Max Belyantsev ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

Labor laws have been a longstanding point of interest for the hundreds of millions of Americans in the workforce. In the midst of what seems like one mass layoff after another, large companies must now juggle the daunting task of regaining employee trust and maintaining a culture that will attract new talent. States such as Colorado, Washington, New York and California have signed new legislation that requires companies to post salary ranges in job advertisements to increase transparency between employers and applicants. However, companies such as Netflix and Tesla have posted outrageously wide compensation ranges that will confuse and even turn away some otherwise-qualified candidates.

gives them a competitive edge and helps avoid potential conflict among current employees who see they’re being paid less than what is offered to outsiders. Unsurprisingly, this tiring mystery turns some potential candidates away.

Once an offer is accepted, some corporations even force new employees to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to pre vent the circulation of salary info. In some cases, this helps create a more friendly work environment among co workers by discouraging conflict and decreasing the company’s liabil ity. However, keep ing workers in the dark does more harm than good.

Being paid open ly and fairly is a criti cal factor in employee well-being and happiness, which boosts productivity.

According to Forbes, a study revealed that “happy employees are up to 20 percent more productive than unhappy employees.” Meanwhile, higher turnover rates force companies to spend time and resources training newer employees, slowing down the regular flow of work and thus profit.

at other companies. To counteract this and retain talent, managers and HR departments must design satisfactory packages.

Before coming to a job interview or salary negotiation, it is important for applicants to prepare themselves by researching median salary ranges for similar positions at other companies, considering their qualifications, education, and anything else that can be used to their advantage. Companies should respect qualified applicants’ time by being more transparent about pay during the interview stage. “Certainly, I think that if both the candidate and the employer are serious about working together, salary should definitely be brought up,” social studies teacher Noah Grosfeld-Katz said.

but at least [display] what most employees get, and where that line is,” sophomore Kevin Si said.

Most people have responsibilities involving payments that need to be made to support themselves and their families. Currently, according to US News, 64 percent of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck—an astonishingly high figure—further reiterating the importance of salary transparency. Especially for applicants with larger families, or for those who are their family’s sole provider, money is important. “If the person has responsibilities, such as childcare or others, you know, housing, things like that, then the salary is extremely important. Probably less so for a typical, let’s say, 15 year old who is looking for a job because work experience has value as well,” Mr. Grosfeld-Katz said.

munication and diplomacy, and efficiency. These questions must be addressed in a way that prevents arbitrary—or worse, discriminatory—hiring and compensation practices from becoming a

The root of this issue lies in the common practice of salary secrecy. Companies are generally slow to disclose salary information for new job openings because that

Income is a taboo subject, and it shouldn’t be; employees should be able to discuss salary with their coworkers and keep managers and Human Resources (HR) departments accountable. Managers should be upfront about skill or budget issues that result in a weak compensation package. If employees believe they should earn more based on their concrete skills, efficiency or quality of work, they should respectfully argue for a raise or browse higher-paying positions

According to Business Insider, Adobe’s Future Workforce Study—which surveyed 1,000 Gen-Z post-secondary and recent graduates—found that 85 percent were “less likely to apply for a job if the company does not dis close the salary range in the job posting.” Transparency is a clear priority in today’s applicant pool, especially related to compensation, reflecting a generational shift that increasingly values hon esty and authenticity. “I think it should just be what the company has to offer. Like if the company says, like, this is a deadend job, you won’t really go anywhere, then yeah, that’s fine,

Honesty and transparency are critical for productivity in the modern workplace. Managers and HR departments must clearly show employees and prospective applicants why they are or will be paid a certain amount. Differenc

part of a company’s culture. Staffing HR departments with ethical and competent employees will help alleviate these concerns and deal with them effectively if any arise. Overall, applicants are less willing to play the old salary game, valuing the direct approach when it comes to something as central as salary.

National STEM program paves way for scientific innovations

by Balmore Ruiz

OPINIONS WRITER

plan on removing any systemic bias and discrimination that may exist and ensure sufficient funding for groups that have historically been deprived of certain

standably, many have highlighted that no immediate change will take place and that this will be a slow process. “I am not sure we will see an effect, positive or negative, initially. There is going to be room for error, but…give it a number of years to be perfected,” math teacher Heidi Neto said.

The intent to give students the ability to succeed in their academic careers will positively impact students. This initiative will aid ambitious RM students in pursuing careers that are crucial in constructing our future societies. That said, the education system is facing various difficulties that will undermine the success of this program. Despite proposed solutions, such as increasing salaries, the teacher shortage remains a dire problem.

“I think the teacher shortage can definitely hurt it because, not only is there a lack of teachers, but there is a lack of people that are qualified to teach these subjects,” senior Arun Crispino said. However, this emphasis on STEMM fields brings up the question of whether other fields lack the same attention.Although it is good that the Biden administration took action to improve the STEMM system and enhance the quality of our education, this same attention should also be given to other educational fields outside of STEMM, as they are equally important. “There are definitely some important fields that we are missing a lot of people in… more emphasis on these will help increase the amount of

education that we can add to other areas,” Crispino said. While STEMM has incredibly popular career paths, the reality is that not all students can benefit from the opportunities provided in the program, because not all students are passionate about these fields.

Nevertheless, with an increase in educated students and students with academic resources, there would surely be an increase in American scientific discoveries and innovation. The steps Biden and his administration are taking to ensure that all students from all backgrounds can have the privilege to exercise their intelligence should be something that is already taking place. The U.S. cannot assert its position of global power without expanding access to educational programs that will create the country’s next leaders in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine.

The Biden-Harris Administration has planned on expanding

“I am not sure we will see an effect, positive

“I think that if both the candidate and employer are serious about working together... salary should definitely be brought up.”

-

Mr. Noah Grosfeld-Katz

GRAPHIC BY JULIANNE CRUZ

“Not only is there a lack of teachers, but there is a lack of people that are qualified to teach these subjects.”

- Arun Crispino

“If a company says, like, this is a dead-end job, you won’t really go anywhere, then yeah, that’s fine, but at least put what most people get, and where that line is.”

- Kevin Si

ChatGPT hinders the future of education

by Gabrielle Orringer OPINIONS WRITER

In a world marked by drastic increases in technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the invention and obsession with the platform ChatGPT comes as no surprise. This platform allows users to enter prompts in order to obtain AI-generated, human-like responses. Increasingly popular, it is used frequently by students to write stories, essays, complete homework as signments, explain con voluted concepts, and more. Its popularity skyrocketed after it was initially launched in No vember 2022, and it is now calculated to have over 1 mil lion users. There are certainly positive uses of ChatGPT. For example, users can take advantage of the software’s seemingly all-knowing nature and have it explain a difficult concept that they would like to understand. This exemplifies its positive role in creating a world in which information is highly accessible. On the other hand, that same user could type in a homework question and co py-paste ChatGPT’s response into the as signment that they later submit, claiming the work as their own. While most stu dents focus on its abili ty to make life easier by cutting down the time spent on homework, ChatGPT could have foreseen consequences. Fresh man Jordyn Folkart said, “It’s also kind of terrifying because it could take away creative jobs, which are people’s livelihood.”

It is extremely detrimental for students to take whatever ChatGPT says and use it in their homework, as it diminishes genuine learning and student growth. While ChatGPT can be a lifesaver for students with too much work and little time, in the long run it hurts students more than it helps. If students simply copy and paste their way through assignments, they will suffer during tests and AP exams as they have failed to retain any information. ChatGPT, the easy way out, ruins student motivation and work ethic, setting them up for failure in their

later, more difficult, academic years. Government teacher Mr. William Vicari said, “By saying

Evolving AI is crucial progress

by Kidus Walelign

OPINIONS WRITER

Education has recently banned the use of ChatGPT for all public school devices and networks, preserving the integrity of New York City public schools. Thankfully, Montgomery County Public Schools has recently followed suit, blocking access to ChatGPT on Jan. 3. While this only applies to one county, it is an important first step in maintaining academic vitality. Johnson said, “I think all schools should ban it because it’s quite hard for teachers to be able to distinguish between student-written or AI-written work, so it just opens up a path for cheating.” Unfortunately, just because ChatGPT is banned in schools doesn’t mean that students will not use it at home, highlighting a larger problem with the popularity of such to-use and helpful nology.

The rapid progression of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the modern world marks a milestone in our progression as a species. We have reached a point where we can invest money and time into creating sentience. Its impact on our society will undoubtedly be powerful, but it is unknown whether it will be largely beneficial or detrimen tal in the long run. Although many people are afraid of this new age of technology, AI could serve as a pow erful tool that helps us progress as a species in the future.

People have various fears when it comes to this new technology. In recent years, the advancements in AI have been startling, with the development of various tools, such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, demonstrating the ability to create eerily human-like writing and art. These advancements have left many authors and artists fearing for their jobs—if AI can reach the point where it can replicate human writing or art, they may no longer be needed. While it may seem real, these replications are entirely artificial, taking away the central beauty and purpose of art: the authentic representation of the human experience.

However, these fears extend past literature and the arts. According to Bulletin.com, since 2000, over 1.7 million manufacturing jobs have been taken over by AI and automation. “We have already seen a sharp decline in workers who are employed because they are being replaced by AI,” sophomore Andy Deng said. However, this idea that AI will steal our jobs is shortsighted. While AI may replace many jobs, it will also create many more. According to Bulletin.com, AI is predicted to create 97 million new jobs by 2025.

History is rife with examples of technology making jobs obsolete—it’s a necessary part of our scientific and technological advancement. For example, telephonists and telegraph operators had prospering

net, cell phones, and automated switchboards, the market shrunk significantly. Now there are less than 20,000 operators. Clearly, the internet and cell phone have done much more for our society than these jobs would have. The same logic can be applied to AI.

There is significant concern that AI will somehow destroy our society. Movies like “M3GAN” or “Blade Runner” depict AI as creatures that bring endless destruction, failing to serve as tools that can benefit society, inciting deep fear in many people.

Junior Ahan Palanisamy said, “After seeing the versatility of AI, how they can play chess at a high level or write complete movie scripts, it made me fear that it is a potent tool that could eventually destroy humanity.” However, there is no evidence that AI will do that. These movies are simply based on imagination and have no bearing on reality. To oppose the progression of AI based on movies like these is not justified, because AI could serve humanity in so many ways.

company behind ChatGPT itself, admitted that it “sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers.”

Proponents of the software cling to the justification that it is an educational tool are dangerously incorrect. Freshman Brynn Johnson said, “I was testing it out with my dad once and we asked it to write a blog [post] about going on vacation. It started making stuff up.” As ChatGPT is often used to answer people’s questions, perpetuating the notion that it is an endless fountain of factual information simply facilitates the spread of misinformation.

In light of all the controversy surrounding the platform, the New York City Department of

While banning ChatGPT at school minimizes its use, it does not guarantee that all students will stop using it. ChatGPT poses a dismal fu ture for the academic progress of students. While its high ac cessibility and ability to facilitate cheating and the spread of misinfor mation will certainly give teachers plenty of headaches, the larger problems are going to be felt by students them selves. Students may love how ChatGPT helps them spend minimal time on homework, but the re ality is that if they learn to depend on robots for homework, they’re not going to benefit from their education.

AI could be used to our benefit, allowing us to avoid dangerous or menial tasks. For example, in hospitals, AI can be used to speed up diagnoses and take pressure off of overworked professionals. This would improve the efficiency of healthcare, which would save thousands of lives, especially when considering the current shortage of medical professionals. Additionally, AI can be used to complete dangerous tasks such as bomb defusals or deep sea explorations, reducing the risk of human injury. “AI may allow us to unlock the knowledge needed to advance our society while working for goals like national security, climate research, and biomedical research,” junior Advika Agarwal said.

Many people resent the onset of AI because they are scared of how it could change the future and the ways of life we have grown accustomed to. However, fear is an obstacle that humans must overcome in order to facilitate societal advancement. All change has benefits and detriments, but what’s important is that we find a way to mitigate the disadvantages in order to maximize all possible advantages. In the end, we cannot stay entrenched in stagnation because we fear change. AI will be an important step in the advancement of our species, so it is important that we accept it and the positive change it will bring.

“AI may allow us to unlock the knowledge needed to advance our society while working for goals like national security, climate research, and biomedical research.”

- Advika Agarwal

GRAPHIC BY EVELYN SHUE

GRAPHIC BY CHRISTIANA VUCEA

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF PIXABAY

Biden’s immigration policy sparks up border controversy

by Anshi Purohit SOCIAL JUSTICE WRITER

In January 2023, President Biden implemented new immigration policies and border control measures in response to the persistent issues regarding immigration in the United States, such as unlawful border crossings and intensive backlog in the system.

The policies expand legal pathways in countries such as Nicaragua, Haiti, Venezuela, and Cuba, permitting up to 30,000 migrants from these countries who have familial ties to the US to enter legally.

The new border strategy entails granting humanitarian parole for migrants as well. Humanitarian parole permits people to enter the United States in cases of emergency, such as seeking medical treatment, visiting sick family members, or attending the funeral of a deceased family member. Humanitarian parole programs protect people from harm and address national security and health concerns, though they are not a permanent situation.

Issues such as deportation without review of an asylum application, however, still persist. This is due to the shortage of asylum officers and judges to evaluate who qualifies for asylum and whether those applying meet legal requirements.

“I have many friends who crossed the US-Mexico border seeking asylum from a Central American country, in many cases leaving violence or gangs,” sophomore Ella Van Der Walde said.

“I think about what would’ve happened if they weren’t allowed to seek asylum at all, and how different their lives would be.”

Under the new plan, the use of expedited removal will be increased, in which migrants entering the US “without permission” will be banned from reentering for five years.

A central goal of these policies is to expand upon current policy and ensure they are “safe, orderly, and humane,” according to the White House briefing.

These policies have been met with fierce debate and criticism after their reformation. Many have raised questions on whether the policy is ethical and whether it would be viable in the long run.

“The policy does work on the level that if you prohibit people from coming to the border, they simply can’t get in the country,” Van Der Walde said.

“As Biden himself said, this is a temporary solution. When you know someone in real life who could’ve been affected negatively or even indirectly killed by [these policies] it’s hard to agree and say they do work.”

Some advocate that the president’s situation is com-

plicated, and any action taken to combat the issues is a step in the right direction.

“Biden is in a really tough place right now,” freshman Alessandro Lisa said. “Either way, a lot of people are going to be unhappy… but you can’t just let everyone in and that’s understandable.”

In addition to creating new policies, the Biden administration expressed discontent with Title 42, former president Donald Trump’s immigration policy enforced during COVID-19 that prohibits migrants from entering the United States if the CDC believes they might introduce communicable diseases in the country.

According to CBS news, between March 2020 and January 2021, 83% of migrant apprehensions resulted in expulsions. Despite the president’s views, however, when the Supreme Court required officials to maintain Title 42 in November, Biden expanded certain aspects of the policy.

While some support the enforcement of Title 42 because it prevents an overwhelming number of migrants from entering the country, a majority of public health experts and immigrants rights advocates claim the policy is not justifiable and that it denies migrants’ entry by warping the concept of public health to an extreme degree.

“I think Title 42 is a lame excuse to keep people out. It is inhu-

mane. I think borders in general hinder our ability to think glob ally and improve our planet,” French teacher Florence Falloux said. “I also understand the sit uation is extremely complex.”

and the joint establishment of patrols to combat human smug gling operations, the White House is preparing for the end of Title 42 restrictions. The ad ministration does not have a concrete plan addressing the in flux of people seeking asylum. viewed by some as lacking and insufficient to deal with such a broken system. “If I were Biden, I would let in more immigrants,” Lisa said. “I get that he wants to get reelected. I get that Republicans will get mad and that overpopula tion in the US is a thing, but these people are in need and it’s not re ally great to turn them away.” immigration system is unques tionable and cannot be left broken without an appropriate system that benefits all involved parties.

as long as America is the land of freedom and opportunity, people are going to try to come here,” President Biden told NPR report ers. “We can’t stop people from making the journey but we can require them to come here and they—that they come here in an orderly way under U.S. law.”

What McCarthy’s speakership could mean for future laws

by Samiksha Mahashetty and Niya Bansal SOCIAL JUSTICE ASSITANT EDITOR AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WRITER

After 15 rounds of voting, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on Jan. 7, 2023. Representative McCarthy’s delayed victory came after he made concessions with more hardline Republicans, in order to garner enough votes to win a majority.

The Republicans in the House of Representatives have a 10-person majority, however, this majority consists of a diverse set of ideologies.

“While ideologically, they’re very similar [viewpoints], they have different ideas over how the House should work and what the rules should be,” sophomore Vihaan Rathi said. This difference in opinion within the Republican majority may cause some difficulty in passing legislation.

Adding to the division within the Republican majority in the House, the Senate currently has a Democratic majority. Therefore, if a bill manages to pass the House, it might face opposition in the House.

“Just like the Democrats in 2018, Republicans are gonna start passing a lot of messaging bills, like high in the sky stuff that the, you know, the Senate will never pass, but messaging so you’re probably gonna see stuff on taxes, abortion, maybe kids in

schools,” senior Saahil Rao said. The few bills that may pass the house will most likely not be beneficial.

“Republican bills will maybe get through the house and then just fail the Senate, and the only

cans want to, McCarthy has said that he will not accept cuts to Social Security and Medicaid.

“A lot of these more hardline Republicans are trying to pass cuts to welfare programs that will help everyday Americans, and Democrats are not trying to cave on that. But then if there can’t be a compromised view, or any sort of debt ceiling increase, it will cause an economic catastrophe and that’s not really an understatement in any way. It would be pretty, pretty bad,” Rathi said.

This show of moderation in his conservatism may test his leadership as the Speaker of the House.

right Republican dissidents.”

The group of far-right Republicans in the House is commonly referred to as the Freedom Caucus. This caucus felt that they could not trust McCarthy, so for many of the first 14 rounds, they put their vote for Speaker of the House in other candidates.

Additionally, if the House of Representatives is not able to get funding legislation passed through the democrat-controlled Senate, the government would shut down.

real bipartisan things will be measures directed towards capitalistic subsidies for oil and gas companies, you know, helping pharmaceutical companies out-things that usually work against the common people and for larger corporations that both parties tend to support as well as you know, aid for Ukraine and these very uniting issues, “ Rathi said.

With the arrival of a new speaker, a pressing issue comes to the forefront of Congress’ agenda: the debt limit. The debt limit is the limit on the amount of money that the United States government is allowed to borrow.

With a split Congress, it will be difficult for both parties to pass a deal. Although many Republi-

“You need to just raise the debt ceiling to be able to even pay back like, interest on your existing debts on about new spending. So what I’m going to say is if Kevin McCarthy controls the caucus there, can you get the moderate votes to deliver this debt ceiling increase? Because he doesn’t want to see the United States default? So I’d say that’s going to be the biggest test of his leadership in this Congress,” Rao said.

“I think that’s just a diversion from how dysfunctional our system is in general, McCarthy or not, or speakership or not. Congress itself does not do the work of the people it does not. It gives concessions, sometimes, to the working class, but it will never truly help us out as much as it is supposed to,” Rathi said.

According to the New York Times, “McCarthy of California won his job by bowing to the demands of a group of far-

Eventually, McCarthy was able to convince enough members of the Freedom Caucus by compromising his views and promising them what they asked for. One of the requests included guaranteed appointments to the Rules committee. This committee controls floor debate on legislation and is essential to the functions of the House.

A recent congressional issue that could be affected by the appointment of Kevin McCarthy is the United States government reaching the debt limit. This limit is set by Congress. This issue of the debt limit is one that will be on the agenda of the House.

“Biden and McCarthy have to come to a deal on the debt ceiling. And if the United States defaults on its debt, it would basically be cat-

astrophic for the economy, billions of dollars and jobs would be lost.” Rao said.

Due to political splits, Congress may have trouble determining what to do with the debt limit. Should they increase the limit or suspend it again? In order to keep the economy and government stable, Kevin McCarthy must find a way to pass successful legislation.

Regardless of what path Congress chooses, many economists are predicting that throughout 2023 Congress will be focusing on expenditures and the debt limit.

“Kevin McCarthy becoming speaker of the house? It’s going to be interesting,” Rao said.

“You’re probably gonna see stuff on taxes, abortion, maybe kids in schools.”

- Saahil Rao

GRAPHIC

GRAPHIC BY EVELYN SHUE

Are you Ritchie the Rocket? Because you’re out of this world.

Are you Roy Lester Stadium? Because you light up my night.

Are you made of copper? Because I can Cu in a relationship with me.

Are you AP Lit? Because you light my heart on fire.

Are you an “A” on a test? Because I can not wait to show you to my parents.

The Tide Centerspread Team Presents

Pickup Lines

This Februrary, The Tide Centerspread provides you with the best RM and school-related pickup lines that are bound to swoon anyone into being your valentine. We wish you the best of luck!

Are you Main Street? Because you’re the main thing I see.

Are you the walk from the portables to the third floor? Because you took my breath away.

Are you AP Chemistry? Because you can’t deny our bond.

Are you the International Baccalaureate Program? Because “I” want to “B” with you.

Are you an angle? Because“acute”-ie.you’re

Graphics by Evelyn Shue

Layout by Tara Amin, Mayah Nachman and Shuxin Dai

Hopping into the Year of the Rabbit

by Jocelyn Yuan SENIOR FEATUfRES WRITER

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, happened to fall on Jan. 22 this year. Usually celebrated for 15 days in a row, this holiday occurs on the first day of the first month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Ranging from lion and dragon dances to red envelopes filled with money, these celebrations are embraced by students and staff alike at RM, who all have something to share about this important holiday.

“The origin of these celebrations can be traced back to the legend of the Nian beast,” freshman Jessica Yao said.

Revealing the inside scoops of RM couples

by Elli Jacobs SENIOR FEATURES WRITER

Is high school a time to explore your feelings or find your true soulmate?

Students engage in different relationships throughout their high school careers, both romantically and platonically.

Relationships form through mutual friendships, random interactions or simply connections between classmates.

On Feb. 14, students will have the opportunity to express their love for another special person.

“Nian comes every New Year’s Eve and causes havoc by eating people and animals. But one New Year’s Eve, an old man came into the village full of fleeing people and asked to stay at his granny’s house.

“He decorated the house in red papers and couplets and readied some firecrackers. When Nian came that night, it was scared by the abundance of red and loud noises of the firecrackers and fled. The villagers rejoiced the next day, and this tale soon spread throughout all the villages.”

Since then, it has been a custom to dress in traditional red Chinese clothing such as qipaos and hang up spring couplets that express good fortune.

Another aspect of the Chinese New Year is the 12—year zodiac cycle, where each year is repre-

sented by a different animal. “Each animal has their own personality, which can predict how the year is going to go,” RM Chinese teacher Ms. Margaret Poo said.

The Year of the Tiger in 2022 symbolized strength and perseverance through rough times, as tigers embody courage and bravery.

tions are common throughout the community as well.

“Growing up, I watched festival galas with cool performances, like dragon dances and martial arts. They bring prosperity and good fortune to all,” sophomore Daniel Yi said.

He shared his experience with the tradition of older people giving red envelopes to children.

“Older relatives give young children red envelopes full of money to wish them good luck in the new year, and in return, children wish them longevity and prosperity,” Yi said.

Food is also an important part of celebrating the Chinese New Year, although it varies depending on local customs.

Valentine’s Day originated in Ancient Rome with the celebration of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. This festival celebrated the coming of spring and used a lottery system to pair women with men.

However, at the end of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I forbade the holiday. Some believe it was replaced with St. Valentine’s Day, which was not celebrated through romance until the fourteenth century.

A common legend states that St. Valentine, a Roman Saint, defied the emperor’s rulings and secretly married couples to spare men from joining the army.

Zoom breakout room…he added me on Instagram, I added him on Snapchat and we just started talking,” Phillips said.

Freshmen couples can also be seen throughout the halls that can often be stigmatized by others.

“You can’t really do that much. You can’t hang out. Parents get in the way a lot,“ freshman Alisa Yonter said.

Communication between partners is a crucial factor in keeping relationships alive and ensuring that each partner gets to voice their thoughts and opinions.

“A big argument blows up and then we talk to each other about it,” an RM junior said.

Once a relationship becomes official, traditions are created that create special bonds between partners.

“Our first date was at a pottery place. For Valentine’s day, we’re doing a pottery class,” Phillips said.

When couples go to college, they can choose to attend colleges in close proximity or engage in long-distance relationships.

But long-distance relationships do not work for everyone. They require a great amount of trust and communication between partners.

“There are a lot of people out there and many potential relationships,” Phillips said.

This year, 2023, is represented by the rabbit, expected to bring hope and prosperity.

RM holds a Lunar New Year banquet each year, where students gather and celebrate Chinese culture. Such celebra-

“At home, my family gathers together at dinner and we eat foods like rice cakes, dumplings, oranges and fish,” freshman Jackson Lou said. The Chinese New Year symbolizes a fresh start of the new year.

With the holiday approaching, RM students are starting to create their valentines and prepare presents for close friends and teachers.

Juniors Lilly Phillips and Devin Day have been dating for 18 months.

“We were in the same math

Seeking a partner can be an interesting roller coaster and rejection can also be a positive sign for some couples.

“Work on yourself. It’s an opportunity to better yourself,” Day said.

GRAPHIC BY CHRISTIANA VUCEA

Exploring the backstories of Richard Montgomery’s Dr.s

by Mayah Nachman ASSISTANT CENTERSPREAD EDITOR

Following high school graduation, many students have plans to go to university to earn a degree. A PhD is the highest level degree one can achieve and requires scholars to research and write about topics that relate to their field of study.

At RM, many teachers have earned this degree along with other work experience.

RM’s Media Specialist Dr. Michelle Alexander originally wanted to be a veterinarian. She earned her first bachelors degree at Tuskegee University in animal science. While in vet school, she realized it wasn’t her passion. She transferred to Howard University where she received her bachelor’s in broadcast journalism.

She worked as a journalist and performed public relations for Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery for the SCLC, the civil rights organization founded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Eventually, she began substituting and earned her masters in education from the University of Maryland.

Attending law school was on her bucket list, so she decided to pursue family law and has been practicing full time for 18 years.

In addition to her small law practice, Dr. Alexander works in the media center, helping students find sources and books to read. “Students should be able to see themselves in a book that’s in this library,” Dr. Alexander said.

Dr. Peter Perry teaches instrumental music and is RM’s band director.

His aspiration to become a band director started in seventh grade at an overnight band camp.

He admired teachers who helped improve his trumpet skills. “I was inspired by watching them devote themselves to somebody else’s improvement,” Dr. Perry said.

He worked in high school to perfect his music skills and received a full scholarship to the University of Maryland, earning his bachelor’s in music education.

At UMD, he played in the band, was the instrument manager and took conducting classes.

Later, he worked towards his masters in music education with a concentration in conducting— teaching during the day and taking classes at night. He acquired his doctorate in musical arts at Shenandoah University.

He believes that having a doc-

torate helped him find opportunities, including teaching at the Catholic University of America and writing a book published by Oxford University Press.

In addition, forensics and biology teacher Dr. Karl Kovacs has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of South Florida.

He obtained his bachelors in chemistry from Gannon University, originally planning to become a doctor. As he studied, he became more interested in the laboratory aspect of science. “I had a passion for research and gaining information using inquiry and experimentation,” Dr. Kovacs said.

This led him to work towards his masters and research doctorate in a laboratory. He worked at OriGene for 17 years and helped discover genes with proteins linked to diseases and cancer.

He was involved in finding the largest collection of full length human genes in the world. “To look back and say I was part of that and the discovery makes me smile,” Dr. Kovacs said.

As time went on, he worked in a managerial role and became less involved in laboratory research. He began missing his previous involvement in science, leading to his career switch to education. “I enjoyed [teaching], and

[students] enjoyed what I did. I was able to relate science to virtually anyone,” Dr. Kovacs said. Obtaining a high degree allows teachers to further develop their interest, while teaching allows them to inspire and pass down their knowledge to students.

“I still find the values that I searched for at the beginning [through teaching] when sharing stories about science and being at the forefront of creativity,” Dr. Kovacs said.

PERRY

Dr. Perry poses for the camera at his PhD graduation at Shenandoah University.

PHOTO BY NATHAN RAMIREZ Dr. Kovacs poses with a skeleton in his classroom.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. MICHELLE ALEXANDER Dr. Alexander protests in a boycott of Winn Dixie stores for selling goods from South Africa during the Anti-Apartheid movement.

PHOTO BY JOCELYN YUAN

A table of traditional Chinese dishes specifically for Chinese New Year—fried tofu, dumplings and chow mein noodles.

“Older relatives give children envelopes full of money to wish them good luck in the new year.”

- Daniel Yi

“Each animal has a personality that predicts how the year will go.”

- Ms. Poo

happy birthday to evelyn, mr. mcdermott and my grandma.

Raha Murtuza, junior

Hi SALADFAM! i love y’all so much ;)

Annyee

Foo, senior

to my dearest playbulls, thanks for being my favorite fearless heroes. love u all Isabel Mao, junior

To my friend group, I promise I still love you even though I’m not really around any more. Sorry to go all absent parent on you. Appreciate ya always. Love, S Saahil Rao, senior

To Clarity Xu, You are my favorite and best fan!!! Beijing 2020 Olympics FTW!! Love, Yuzuru Hanyu <3 AbbyAdissu, junior

To Helina, Happy Valentine’s Day to my fav editor, Valentine’s wouldn’t have been the same without you.

Love, Maria Maria Alba, senior

To Maria, happy valentines to the best editor ever!! Thanks for doing valentides with me :)) Helina Tamiru, senior

I love you Allie, Anjara, Teagan and Natalie and maybe Dora. Marry me?

Menuli Uswatta, freshman

February

dor • bell

1. [noun] mine Hannah Lee, senior

Ellie and Mary, I love you both so much. You are both such good friends to me. I love randomly going to 7/11 with you and laughing the whole time.

Natalie Morrison, freshman Happy Valentine’s Day to our wonderful writers! We appreciate you and your hard work <3 The Tide Arts Editors

To Emma and Genevieve, thank you for everything. you both deserve all the love in the world. To Michelle, thank you for being the best partner anyone could ask for, there’s no one I’d rather work with <3

Love, Ella Ella Koenig, senior

Hey Devin Cammack. for so many years, I’ve loved every bit of you. You have always struck my eye. So this is my confession. H-haaa-haa! What do you say? <3

YOU GUYS

To everyone who put up with my chaos during college app season, thank you :) KobinaAsafu-Adjaye, senior Roses are red, cars make loud noise, I dedicate this Valen tine’s Day to the boys. Chloe Choi, junior Jarrett <3 James Lemery, freshman

Ivad Ibab, I have enjoyed our riveting conversations and your companionship throughout these past months. When I see your smile, all my troubles melt away. Here’s to many, many, more.

Much love, Samuel

Samuel Desai, senior

To: Emilia Murphy, Happy Valentine’s Day, you look pretty as always, and I hope you’re having an amazing day!!

Love you <3

Love, your favorite Colombian

Vee Cordero, freshman

Claire X. you are my favorite Lamar Jackson fan.

Nitya Donthi, junior

To Claire, Chloe, Liz, Katherine, Phoebe, and Krishna: Happy Valentine’s Day!! I love you guys <3 Ruth Taddesse, senior Ryan Bloom is so hot Rachel Levine, freshman

To Vihaan, Anand, Jessica, Jinwoo, Shuchi, Ria, and Elani, Happy Valentine’s Day! Love, Samiksha Samiksha Mahashetty, sophomore

Shoutout to the best EIC (not Sam) Kyle Nguyen, senior

Sienna is so funny and nice:)

Aparna Ganesh, junior

To: Alyssa, Happy Valentine’s Day. Wishing that you have better luck this time around :) So much love, Lianna Lianna Meklir, junior

To Elon Musk, I love you my darling won’t you be my Valentine?

Innu Lee, freshman

I love you so much Liam kisses

Hannah K, freshman

To Sofia: Thank you for your energy and bright personality that always cheers me up.

To Katherine: Thank you for inspiring me to stop procrastinating and for having so much com mon sense.

To Grace: Thank you for the random hilarous stuff you say and your amazing comebacks. Love you guys!

Elena Parisi, junior

though we may not see each other as often. Next year, I’m excited to see what the future holds.

To my friends and family and The Tide, Happy Valentine’s Day. Davi Jacobs, senior

To Kidus, I love you Ryan Crothers, junior

I love James Lemery he is so nice looking Thaddeus Cleveland, freshman

To Hannah and Sayeda, Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Dewa Dewa Hazrat, junior

Love you Hannah Liam Recklaus, freshman

To Cindy, Happy Valentine’s Day. I have encoded an aristocrat: “gq’e ngbj zglnlat zrq plc ketdle xmv kjlknj sdl xcj gmexmj.” From, Selena. Selena Li, freshman

To Samsntha,

Whenever I think of the word resilient, I think of the way in which you still stand up strong against the odds. Despite the liars and the manipulators abound, despite the darkest hour resting upon the halls of RM, despite the gargoyles roaming the streets, you remain a pillar of strength. For these reasons and more, you are truly my valentine <33 Te amo, Angelina Xuj

Angelina Xu, junior

To Jordyn, Happy Valentine’s Day! Love, Brynn Brynn Johnson, freshman

Aspa Gairis, junior

To Kim: thanks for being my friend :) Taiwo Balogun, freshman

To Taiwo: thanks for being a good friend :) Kimberly Lee, freshman

To my yoga group, Happy Valentine’s day. Love and appreciate you all!

NasipaAbdyraiymova, sophomore

Shout out to The Tide’s Starbucks Run Driver (totally an official position), who also happens to be much, much more :) Avery Wang, senior

To Heather, Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Sophia Sophia Fang, junior

To Sophia, Happy Valentines Day. Love, Heather Heather Wang, junior Ellie is a really good friend! Gabby Mendelsohn, junior Gabby is the best person ever!

Ellie Noh, junior

To Phoebe (and dubby the duck), thanks for the robots and yellow jeep rides. Love, Claire Claire Chen, senior

To KJU of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), Roses are red, Violets are blue, You’re the hottest world leader, And I love you. Innu Lee, freshman

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine’s Day. AshleeArgueta, junior Love you Bella

He’s such a W tbh :) Candice Dondon, freshman Happy Valentine’s Day to our lovely news writers!! Tide News Editors

GRAPHIC BY JASMINE CHEN

To Menuli, Allie, Teagan, Poly, Natalie, and Dora

LOVE

Anjara Ratsirarson, freshman

GRAPHIC BY CHLOE CHOI

Exploring our love for romance novels

by Heather Wang ARTS WRITER

Despite the staggering number of people who openly profess hatred for romance novels, they maintain their status as one of the most popular genres. Far outshining any other book genre in terms of revenue, these books raise the question: what makes them so alluring to so many people?

Perhaps the most obvious reason is the lighthearted nature of many of these books. In their perfect world, the two protagonists fall head-over-heels in love and go on to lead lives where their beloved dogs live forever and no disaster ever strikes their white picket fenced home. If they encounter any problems, they are resolved quickly.

The blissfulness is contagious and leaves a pleasant feeling once the story concludes. Many readers of romance novels are not looking to understand the meaning of life or delve into the intricacies of societal problems–they want something that can provide simple, relaxing entertainment. For those purposes, these books are perfect.

People also love romance novels that have an optimistic outlook on life because they make a near impossible ideal into reality for the book’s characters. Readers get invested in the lives of characters from books and apply

their situations to their own lives.

This is a reason why romance novels are so popular–according to psychologist Maryanne Fisher, readers love romance novels because they can “live vicariously through the [characters] without any of the consequence[s].”

But romance novels that take place in mysterious and fantastical worlds, or do not perpetuate happy feelings, also exist and have a large fanbase.

Referred to as “paranormal” or “dark romance,” these books include themes of love and relationships while also featuring supernatural elements such as werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. They also may explore more serious themes. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, with over 150 million copies sold, is an example of this subgenre.

These books appeal to human desire for emotional connection and love, a reason for their growing popularity in recent years.

A Lory Ivey reshapes history through art

Romance novels can be written for young adults, adults, history enthusiasts, mystery lovers, and overall a very wide range of readers. There is something out there for everyone.

An evader of romance novels may have to give it another go before giving up on this versatile genre. Most likely, they just haven’t found a romance novel that speaks to them–this sweet filled, lovey-dovey holiday is a fitting time to try.

‘Glass Onion’ is a thrilling watch

by Marlene Orantes ARTS WRITER

“Glass Onion” follows a summer weekend in Europe full of eclectic characters, and an unpredictable chain of events—or was it really unpredictable? Rian Johnson, writer and director of “Knives Out,” released the intriguing mystery on Sept. 10. The film is set in May 2020, during the pandemic, and throughout it the audience can identify clues to solve the murder mystery. The well crafted direction and writing from Johnson, along with great performances by Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe, made the film engaging and suspenseful.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” follows Benoit Blanc, everyone’s favorite detective, and an un conventional group of friends who go on a trip to a private island in Greece. The island is owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Blanc ac companies a scientist, gover nor, supermodel and fashion de signer, and men’s rights activist.

From the start we see a clear three-act structure, and with the brilliant and metaphorical writing from Johnson, it layers like an onion. The first act introduc-

es the mystery and conflict between characters. The second act goes back in time to reveal more of the mystery, and act returns to the original timeline.

Johnson reiterates the motif of “dis ruptors” throughout film, as that is what the group calls themselves, and in the end we see who the real disruptor is. Besides exceptional writing and direction, another amazing feature was the costume design. The outfits physically show who the characters are. The extravagant, high-spirited supermodel, Birdie Jay, is contrasted with the governor, Claire Debella, who dresses in beige and formal clothing. Also, in one scene, the scientist, Lionel, wore a KN-94 mask, while Birdie had a Lana Del Rey-style mask, and Duke had no mask on. These costume decisions effectively display the characters’ personalities. Though it was engaging, the movie’s title did not fit. “Knives Out” made it seem like it was going to be similar to the original, but the only similar aspect was Benoit Blanc. Furthermore, it was an easy guess as to who the bad guy is in the beginning. Nevertheless, the change from the New England fall to a sunny private island in Greece was entertaining and an excellent watch.

turns those shared stories into something visual, focusing on translating the numerous components of their experiences into different layers in her art.

Some of her more reflective work strives to emphasize the complexity and numerous layers in her family history and Black culture. Her paper collage style is representative of this. “I didn’t really realize until later in the practice that I was literally trying to represent those layers,” she said. Those layers not only serve to show the depth of her identity, but also the relationships between people. “I’m showing the way that we function and the way that we interact with ourselves and with one another, sort of symbolically through the layers,” Ivey Alexander said.

Ivey Alexander is also the founder of Abstract Sisterhood, a platform that consists of both an in-person collective and an online photo blog, showcasing the work of female abstract and conceptual artists, especially those of Black and Indigenous dsecent. “I know that there are many, many wom en of color… and a very select few get press. But it doesn’t mean that there aren’t millions of us out there mak ing work. And so I just wanted to give a platform for that,” she said.

During the height of the pandemic and protests against police brutality, she began another project called

therapeutic devices, whether it be through art or yoga, and finding strength in the resilience and love among the Black community.

her website, loryivey.com and For those looking to improve ed. “Just paint, do it,” she said. “Art is a practice. And that word is used intentionally, I think, because you just gotta keep doing it.”

Currently, Ivey Alexander is preparing for an exhibit at the Caton Merchant Family Gallery in Manassas, Va., titled “Stories That End in Freedom.”

According to the show’s website, it was inspired by “the fluidity and power of water” and how it has transported people all around over the centuries.

The exhibit is scheduled to take place from the beginning of February to mid-March, and will feature her recent collages and paintings centered around the theme of Black and Indigenous perseverance and healing. She can be found through

She also recommends learning to really notice the details in a piece of work, from shades of color to shape. “I think that learning to see is more important than making art,” she said. “What are we really seeing?” Ivey Alexander prompted. “If we look at a piece of furniture, we can say a table is the shape of a box, but is it? Or is it a bunch of triangles?”

GRAPHICS BY JULIANNE CRUZ

“Untitled,” 22 inches x 30 inches

LORY IVEY cont. from pg. 1

“Alma’s Garden,” round acrylic and paper collage on wood, 36 inches

Lory Ivey Alexander pictured in her studio in Washington D.C. Her next exhibit is being held in Manassas, Va.

Jennifer Wan draws from life

by Adi Bala ARTS WRITER

Whether it be extracurriculars, studying for the next big math test, or writing an English essay on Ada Limon, sophomore Jennifer Wan has little time to spend on other activities. During precious, in-between moments of respite, she immediately turns her energy to the drawing board, where she begins yet another illustrative piece. Wan did not start with the hyper-realistic skills she possesses today; like many, a simple passion jumpstarted this adventure. “I began scribbling on walls, tables, picture books, everything ever since I could hold a pen,” she said. “As I grew older, I began understanding and appreciating this capacity for imagination.”

a wider audience and garner feedback I could improve with.”

During this period, she did not have to worry about the direct influences of school life, and instead diverted her attention to the nature around her. She observed specific ambient elements before rendering a piece: color, lighting, and details, for instance. “My subjects often include animals, scenery, and the objects close to me,” Wan said.

The abstraction she sees in galleries and complex emotions associated with the art making process became very important to her as time went on. “I’m already thinking about experimenting with increasingly conceptual designs in the future, and I think I’ve started to do that in some capacity,” Wan said. She cited this as the reason her desire for expression through art is so deep.

by Claire Xu ARTS

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is an enchanting flurry of glowing seas, soaring skies, and amber eyes. Thirteen years after the original “Avatar” made waves across the world, director James Cameron invites viewers to explore the depths of Pandora, the fictional planet on which the films take place. The spellbinding visuals and portrayal of emotion during the three-hour-long epic transcends the expectations set by its predecessor. However, its plot is sluggish at times and,left me questioning its direction.

screen. They have four children to show for it, and a new seaside home where they settle after fleeing the RDA, the human militants. Jake has clearly shedded his characteristic daringness from the first film. He takes on the role of a family man, which showcases a sterner side of his character, but diminishes his ability to strike back at the militants. Neytiri is still the same fierce and loving character from the original, since unlike Jake, family has always been a great force for her.

Despite shortcomings in its story, “The Way of Water” goes all out in terms of visual detail. The characters’ faces are crafted meticulously. They convey emotion

During COVID—when time seemed to drag on endlessly and Wan was busy practicing her draftsmanship—she created an Instagram account dedicated to this artwork, @jennuinely.art, and has amassed over 400 followers. “I was getting bored of putting it in another sketchbook or my room,” she said. “I decided to create an account to share [my pieces] with

The main inspiration? Galleries. Though art museums have taken a huge hit from the pandemic, Wan makes a point to absorb and learn from the works of established painters. Contemporary and modern artists, though they present a different style than what she works in, are a main focus of study. “Potential for abstraction and metaphors is extremely important to me,” she said. “That way, I can draw inspiration from both the environment and my emotions.”

Equally important as the final product is the process. “I can grow as a human through the development of a piece, along with the incorporated ideas themselves,” she explained. “It can be hard to have so many concepts and scrap them for the next one all the time, but each one— finished or not—affects me.”

“Though my work is mostly realistic, the beauty of art and its elements allow anyone to take any interpretation from it—when I come across people who see my art with a different lens than I intended when creating the image, it just makes me happy,” Wan said.

Old grievances resurface between the Na’vi, the blue-skinned indigenous people of Pandora, and the humans determined to exploit the planet’s natural resources, no matter what—a premise identical to that of the first film, but with a few tweaks. They fight over the seas of Pandora, not the forests, and Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), the leads of the previous “Avatar,” are sixteen years older than when they were last seen on

across the barrier of animation, as they smile, cry and soften their eyes in the same way that we do.

“The Way of Water” sets up for new protagonists to take over in the next film, with Jake and Neytiri’s kids displaying bravery and faith when their parents could not. The next “Avatar” film will likely be just as enthralling as “The Way of Water,” which was a truly magical experience, even if only for its visual aesthetic and captivating world.

How artists have used their mediums to protest

by Ronya Sen ARTS WRITER

Many mediums of art have been used to protest causes. Whether it be dance, music, literature, film or visual arts, it has been used time and time again. Activism through art is important because it is a long-standing approach for many to communicate what they feel.

In 1998, Portugal’s vote towards abortion rights failed. In response, Paula Rego, a Portuguese artist, created a 10 piece series to highlight the psychological pain and dangers that come with outlawing abortions. She centered her work around how restricting abortions only leads to an increase in unsafe abortions, rather than eliminating them. (National Art Galleries)

believe that Rego contributed to this massive achievement.

Yilmaz Güney, a Kurdish filmmaker from Turkey, started his protest journey in 1961 by writing a “communist” novel that detailed some of the injustices facing the Kurds. This landed him in jail for 18 months.

Güney eventually broke away

tinued to write his scripts behind bars. Güney’s works caused so much commotion within Turkey that the government began to outlaw his movies and would burn copies when they found them. Güney’s works helped spread the feelings and circumstances of the Kurdish people further than ever hoped for.

of the National Medal of Arts, voiced her beliefs through dance. Her influence developed due to her focus on inner emotions. She aimed to hit different topics and introduce their emotional impact to the world, such as the Great Depression, the Spanish Civil War, and injustices in America and facism. She choreographed “Chronicle” in response to facism in Europe. She refused to participate in the 1936 Olympics in Germany due to many of the artists who she respected being persecuted and deprived of the right to work due to being Jewish.

She choreographed “Deep Song” and “Immediate Tragedy” in response to the Spanish Civil War, and American Document to highlight American history, injustices, and democracy. It looked into the hardships that faced America including Native-American heritage and slavery. Graham soon realized that this piece could also be used to protest facism due to its focus on rights and freedom.

routines about her learnings. They communicate the hardships of racial oppression and discrimination. Her first work, “African Ceremonial,” came out in 1944. Since then, she has gone on to produce many more.

In 2007, Portugal had another vote towards legalizing abortion and it passed. Many

from Turkey and its film industry and started producing his own films that highlighted the true feelings of Kurdish people.

He released three films, “Hope,” “Agit,” and “Umutsuzlar,” meaning “they are desperate,” from 1970 to 1972.

After that, however, he spent a total of 12 years in jail and con-

Activism does not just have to be something tangible such as art or film. It is something a person experiences and witnesses. The goal of activism is to leave a mark and alter someone’s brain chemistry. Activism through dance had a major increase in popularity during the 1900s.

Martha Graham, a recipient

Pearl Primus, born in Trinidad, was an American dancer, choreographer and anthropologist. Her family immigrated to America when she was two years old. In 1948, she received a Rosenwald Foundation Scholarship, which allowed her to travel to Africa. She documented the way of life of the people living there and their dance. She also studied the diaspora of African American dance, visiting the Caribbean to gather research as well. Once back in the US, she created many

One of her more famous choreographies, “Strange Fruit,” took on a very different approach towards protesting racial discrimination. Primus danced through the emotions of a white woman who had just witnessed a lynching. She emphasized the disgust and sadness coming from the bystander. For her works she received many awards, including the National Medal of Arts and the Distinguished Service Award. Activism through art is important, as it allows us as humans to reach deep into our spiritual and emotional realm and share part of our mind with the rest of the world.

‘The Way of Water’ is strikingly shallow

“Making abortions illegal is forcing women to the backstreet solution.”

-Paula Rego

“If anything, art is...about morals, about our belief in humanity.

Without that, there simply is no art.”

-Ai Weiwei

EDITOR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNIFER WAN

GRAPHIC BY JULIANNE CRUZ

GRAPHIC BY CHRISTIANA VUCEA

A common art piece throughout the Black Lives Matter Movement was the symbol of a raised fist.

by Naomi Scissors ARTS COLUMNIST

“M3GAN”

The plot follows Gemma, a toy company employee played by Allison Williams, who is devel oping a prototype for a robot doll that can act as a friend and care taker to a child. When her niece Cady, played by Violet McGraw, is orphaned in a car accident and moves in with Gemma, Gemma decides to gift the first Megan pro totype to Cady in order to prove the toy’s potential to her boss and ensure that Cady is supervised while Gemma works long hours.

When Megan starts to defy The star of the show is, of

far surpasses the expectation of a revamped “Annabelle” put forth by its trailer. Director Gerard Johnstone has filled the film with snarky comedy, heartfelt moments, and enjoyable musical numbers to create an 102-minute experience that can only be described as camp.

film that sometimes feels formulaic, are where she shines most. They have even garnered her a following on TikTok, where users post themselves copying her dance moves. These scenes stand out because they are completely useless to the film overall. They are not scary, they do not develop Megan’s character, and they do not even help move the plot along. They are just fun, and they nicely sum up the existence of the film as a whole. The commitment to fun and entertainment above all else is what gives the film its soul—a youthful attitude suitable for the child at the center of the story. It has already been announced that “M3GAN 2.0” is in the works and is set to release in 2025. With Megan herself already developing a following of loyal fans, it is safe to assume that the sequel will have an audience. Whether or not the already precarious plot of the original can be stretched into another film remains to be seen. If there is anyone who can pull it off, though, it is Johnstone, who is confirmed to be returning to direct the next film. If it is packed with as much stupid humor, melodramatic action sequences, and weirdly impressive robot dancing as the first, “M3GAN 2.0” is likely to be a success.

GRAPHIC BY EVELYN SHUE

THE TIDE CROSSWORD: VALENTINE’S DAY

Note from the Editor:

“Happy

~ Annie Guo, Crossword Editor

‘M3GAN’ is all fun, no horror

Valentine’s Day! Our wonderful writer Chloe Choi has put together a fun, love-filled crossword for this issue. Happy puzzling!”

“She’s less Chucky and more Frankenstein’s monster.”

Naomi Scissors.

RM welcomes new athletic trainer

by Julia Fine SPORTS WRITER

The importance of having an athletic trainer behind the bench, on the sidelines and around campus is often overlooked. Injuries at sports games are not a rare occurrence in high school, and happen frequently. Athletic trainers put in a lot of work every day behind the scenes as they help keep student-athletes healthy and safe. In the past few years, there have been various different trainers who have helped support MCPS student-athletes at their respective competitions. Recently, RM has been very lucky to have a new athletic trainer on campus that is with our school full-time. In the past few years, there have been various different

trainers rotating to help fill the role of athletic trainer, but none were fully assigned to the school. Across the country and specifical ly Montgomery County, the short age of athletic trainers has been an ongoing issue. MCPS has worked with third-party vendors to hire trainers for high schools, and now most schools have trainers. But, according to a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2019, 34 percent of high schools do not have an athletic trainer.

Dahlia Dyson, the new athletic trainer for RM, has already

lege. “Originally, when I went to school I thought I was going to do medicine,” Dyson said.

As a college athlete, Dyson struggled with many injuries and turned to her school’s trainers for help. “No one believed that I was really injured,” Dyson said. “Then one trainer came in and finally believed me.” After discovering how important the

Taking gambles with sports

by Danny Martella SENIOR SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER

On New Year’s Eve, the University of Georgia took on Ohio State University in the College Football Championship semi-final. Ohio State kicker Noah Ruggles lined up for a game winning field goal that would send them to the National Championship. The clock struck midnight as he hooked the ball way left of the uprights, leading to bettors starting 2023 with a financial loss.

Sports betting has increased in popularity exponentially over the past couple years to the point where an estimated $100 billion were bet on the NFL, and hundreds of millions of dollars on college football last season alone.

PASPA, or the Bradley Act, was a nationwide law that banned sports betting in 1992, until it was overturned in 2018, opening the door for a once-shady industry to launch into mainstream status. Since the lifting of PASPA, it has come down to individual states to decide if they want to allow sports betting. So far 36 states have legalized sports betting, including D.C., while the other 15 states have yet to join the party. Maryland legalized sports betting in 2021 but online sports books did not launch in Maryland until November of just last year due to complications in Maryland law that required extensive research into making the sports betting market equitable for

smaller, minority-owned businesses. There are various types of sports bets you can make. Most sports betting falls into one of three categories: Pari-mutuel wagering, fixed odds wagering, and exchange wagering. Pari-mutuel wagering is where all the money from a bet gets placed into a pool. The total is reduced for taxes and fees, while the remaining pot

proposition bets and in-game betting

trainers could be, she realized the job was a great fit for her because of her love for sports and medicine. “All day I get to watch sports and help people,” Dyson said.

Dyson moved to Maryland from St. Louis, Missouri after wanting a change. She saw the job offering at RM and realized her spouse went to the school, so she thought it would be a perfect opportunity. “I didn’t want anyone else to have it…it was perfect timing,” Dyson said. Dyson also shared how important she thinks having an athletic trainer at a school is. “When it is in-house, it saves you and your parent’s money, you can get to know me, and you will see me all the time,” Dyson said. In her opinion, having a more familiar face can help athletes feel more comfortable asking for help and getting treatment.

Sophomore Ari Harder-Krehbiel recently hurt her shoulder and went to Dyson for help. “She always provides me with the resources I need to perform my best at practice and it’s nice that we can see her every day,” Harder-Krehbiel said.

On a daily basis, Dyson helps athletes with a large variety of issues. “I examine a lot of injuries. I do a lot of wellness promotion, sending people rehab plans, stretching, foam rolling, body recovery, taping elbows and wrists, and providing ice,” Dyson said.

Athletic trainers are educated in many different areas such as nutrition, kinesiology, biology, etc., so they are able to deal with

various problems. If an athlete feels they need medical treatment or gets injured during practice, Dyson is ready to help however she can. During practice time and after school, Dyson can be found in the training room or walking throughout the school to different practice locations such as the gym or track. “Sometimes things overlap, so right now I’m providing all coaches with walkie-talkies so they can call me if someone needs me,” Dyson said. This is just one of many new precautions Dyson is implementing to ensure student-athlete safety. Having Dyson at RM will help countless injuries from going untreated and unnoticed. From small problems like taping fingers to larger and more serious injuries, Dyson will be a familiar face to help. “I do it all but I love it so I don’t complain,” Dyson said.

Managers: secret to teams success

by Emma Tyser SPORTS WRITER

agers are chosen and given SSL hours for their time and work.

is split up based on the result of the bet, and how much each individual contributed. Exchange wagering is when players bet against each other rather than a sportsbook. This can be a more affordable method as the house fees are usually lower than mainstream sportsbooks. Fixed odds wagering is the most common type of betting. Within this category, there are various subcategories including: fractional odds, point spread, parlays,

Some bets are not about results of the games but outcomes of plays or other unrelated events. This is called proposition betting, also sometimes called “prop bets,” which is another common form of betting. Some common ones include; who scores first, what the coin toss will be, what color the gatorade that the winning team pours on the coach will be, and how long the national anthem will be. Finally in-game betting, or live betting, is betting throughout the duration of a game, for example, on specific plays. In Maryland, sports betting has exploded as an economic asset. Retail betting had been live for a year before mobile betting finally reached Maryland. This later release created more demand that burst when it hit people’s phones. Playmaryland.com predicts that Maryland could collect $481 million from sports betting in 2023, while also becoming a top 15 sports betting market in the U.S. $704,000 reportedly went towards the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which prioritizes equity in Maryland school systems. Sports betting can be used as a source of income for someone, with winnings coming out to be hundreds of dollars. “Since it’s not the summer and I’m not working currently, I do it to make money,” a RM student said.

Most would argue that a good team is founded on the five C’s; communication,camaraderie, commitment, confidence, and coachability. Or, that a team only runs from coach leadership. But at RM, the sports teams have team managers; the hidden ingredient in the recipe for a quality and hardworking team. In the winter season, the managers of the basketball team have been shown to present the most dedi cation and allegiance in making sure this season runs smoothly.

In order for the team to work, our managers work to do things ranging from filling up athletes’ water bottles to working the scoreboard at practices or running the camera during games.

“We help out with their laundry as well as the stat book to and be there for the team,” sophomore boys JV and varsity bas ketball man ager Ari Harder-Kreihbel said.

At RM, the selection process for becoming a team manager is particular, beginning with talking with the coaches. Students explain their reasons for wanting to be a manager along with reasons they are a good fit. The amount of students looking for the job makes it a competitive application. Once coaches have considered their options, team man-

“About six or seven girls ‘applied’ to be a manager. Four of them were chosen and then all given different duties that rotate every game,” Harder-Kreihbel said. Although the teams work from within, managers are there to collaborate in order to make that setting a more comfortable place that athletes feel welcome.

It is most important that the athletes feel that they can be themselves, and are surrounded by trusting people to make that possible.

“We attempt to stay behind the scenes and let the season run its course,” junior JV and varsity manager Buma Jah said. In doing this the coaches don’t have to think about logistics, and are able to give their full coaching commitment to the players.

In high school a team needs open transparency, and that managers. As als, team managers strive for honesty and integrity which allows for trust within the team. Separately, RM’s managers strive for adaptivity and willingness. In order to accomplish this, managers need a level of ambition that allows them to work quickly on their feet. “They have been working hard to make sure the team is prepared to play and perform to the best of their ability,” JV boys basketball coach Jamaal Schools said.

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF JULIANNE CRUZ

“Sometimes things overlap so right now I am providing coaches with walkie-talkies so they can call me if someone needs me.”

- Dahlia Dyson

PHOTO COURTESY OF RM ATHLETICS

Dahlia Dyson, RM’s newest athletic trainer, smiles for the camera.

“She always provides me with the resources I need to perform my best at practice and it’s nice that we can see her every day.”

- Ari Harder-Krehbiel

Athlete of the Issue Mayo elevates RM

by Maggie Orcev ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Junior and starting shooting guard Dante Mayo Jr. began playing basketball at just 5 years old. “I started getting serious with it around 12,” Mayo said. He was put on varsity as a soph omore, his first year with the team. Now as a junior, he has been named captain, and has been a leading scorer all season.

Mayo has helped lead the team to nine victories so far this season, scoring a game high 36 points against Wootton High School, where the Rockets end ed in a close loss, 78-75. “But, it’s really not what’s important,” Mayo said, on his personal re cord this season. “The team win is what I focus on.” He feels that the most rewarding success es are those where all the boys thrive and work fluidly together.

Of all the games played this season, Mayo is most proud of the victory against Bethes da-Chevy Chase. “It was a good quality win…we did a great job moving the ball and that was our best shooting game of the season for sure,” Mayo said. “I had 20 points and I also was pret ty efficient with my shooting.”

Some of the major attributes Mayo brings to the team as one of three captains are his lead ership skills and driven per sonality. “Without a doubt, he is always the first one to speak

up and encourage his teammates,” senior captain and point guard Sammy Mushagasha said.

According to Mayo, keeping

to new heights

Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is his main inspi ration for the sport, as he lives by his infamous “Mamba Mentality.”

“Dante has a great mentality. He understands that a win is great but that doesn’t mean the job is finished, ” junior and center/ power forward Max Meringoff said. “He knows that he still needs to work on things, as does the team, and he shows that by continuing to work hard.”

Mayo is not only a disciplined, stand-out player, but is notably one of the most humble student athletes. “Dante plays because he loves the game, not for the praise or recognition that comes with it,” Mushagasha said.

“He always makes sure our heads are up and reminds us to stay positive…while giving everything he has,” Meringoff said.

In addition to Mayo’s fierce commitment to varsity level basketball and his shining record on the court, his academic record has remained pristine. He has been a part of the IB Program at RM since his freshman year. “Dante is a dynamic and energetic student who has the ability to see multiple perspectives at one time, so I can imagine some of his academic skills transfer well on the basketball court,” IB English Literature teacher Susan Leckie said.

In addition to RM’s winter season, Mayo plays for Inspire

Elite, an Adidas Gold Circuit AAU team during the spring and summer. “Basketball is a huge time commitment…I pretty much play year round,” Mayo said.

As a busy student-athlete, he’s grateful for the support of the team, as he feels it operates like a

family. “We have a great culture on the team…you know we are always there for each other. I just really like the environment we have built here,” Mayo said.“With this chemistry, I think we can definitely make a really deep run in the playoffs…we have the pieces and we have the right mentality.”

Still blazing through his junior season, Mayo has lots of time to continue proving his skill, building an even stronger team community, and paving the way for future Rocket athletes. “My advice to younger players is to keep pushing yourself to be better everyday, even when it feels like all eyes are on you…continue to work hard because in the end it’s just such a great experience,” Mayo said.

Rockets represent in Fall 2022 All-Met Honors

by Amanda Gershoni SPORTS WRITER

The honor to receive an All State, Met and/or Region award not only means a lot to Richard Montgomery athletes, but it displays the effort, persistence and desire student-athletes contribute to their teams. As they achieve

goals throughout the whole season, and I’m really proud and honored to be named to them. It really does mean a lot,” Heaven said. Heaven got a second-team nod, but as just a sophomore, there’s no doubt Heaven has a chance to compete for player of the year over the next two years.

As a second-year starter on varsity, Heaven spent her freshman year beating the freshman goal

the future is to play soccer in college and make an impact at whatever school I end up at,”she said. “I hope to receive more of these honors in the future.”

Junior Cabell Faulkner has proved himself again and again like no other. As a captain of the golf team this year, Faulkner helped lead his team to states for only the second year in Richard Montgomery history. “It feels good to receive the honor and it’s just a reminder to keep working hard to achieve more goals in the future, “ Faulkner said.

Within an extremely competitive division of amazing golfers, Faulkner received an honorable mention as he continued to impress many coaches and players along the golf course at each tournament. “My goal is definitely to play golf at the collegiate level and hopefully extend my career after,” Faulkner said , prior to receiving this honor.

team’s record. Bradley was also named second-team all-county.

Senior Noah Fisher and Junior Grace Finnegan both received first-team All-Met for Cross Country. Fisher won the county championship, earned second place in the regional championship and third place in states. Finnegan placed fifth place in states, second in regionals and fourth in counties. Over the course of the regular season, both of these runners placed high in many invitationals such as Bull Run and MDXC.

All six athletes proved again and again how they impact their teams and continue to improve their game.

Sophomore Mckinley Heaven dribbles down the sideline looking for a cross across the field. their goals to the highest level, winning one of these awards is extremely honorable, as very few players throughout Montgomery County receive these awards each season. For the 2022 Fall All-Met Players of the Year, six Richard Mongomery student athletes were awarded.

Sophomore Mckinley Heaven surpassed every expectation and record when it came to girls soccer this fall. “Making All-State, All-Met and All-Region were some of my

record at Richard Montgomery as she went on to score 14 goals. Throughout this past season, she beat the sophomore record by scoring 26 goals. “Every game was a show stoppable performance. Mckinley is capable of doing just about everything on the soccer field,” freshman teammate Izzy Trandifilou said. This isn’t quite the end for Heaven as she prepares for next season and a chance to perform at the collegiate level. “One of my biggest goals for

Sophomore Ema Djordjevic made her mark within the Richard Montgomery girl’s volleyball program. As she impressed many people last season as a starter on varsity and ranked top 100 in the country, Djordjevic took

her game to the next level in her sophomore season. Winning the honorable mention award wasn’t surprising to many people as they watched Djordevic dominate all season long. “To me, I can’t ex press enough gratitude to be giv en this honor, especially being mentioned with some amazing players I know and love. It gives me a drive to aim for even big ger things in the future- the best is yet to come,” Djordjevic said.

She is only one of 30 girls in all of Maryland who received this honor, and additionally was also named first team all-county. The sky’s the limit for Djordjevic as she continues to help lead her team to more and more wins.

Junior Casey Bradley received second team All-Met as she worked with Djordjevic to improve her skill as well as the volleyball

Sophomore Ema Djordjevic jumps up ready for a spike.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK AGUSTIN

his motivation high is the key to his success. Los

Junior Cabell Faulkner watches as he drives soars down the green.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CABELL FAULKNER

“It gives me a drive to aim for even bigger things in the future- the best is yet to come”

- Ema Djordjevic

PHOTO COURTESY OF NARAYAN IYER

GRAPHICS COURTESY OF TIDE GRAPHIC SECTION

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN GRIMES