THE THECLASSIC CLASSIC
January/February 2017
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TOWNSEND HARRIS HIGH SCHOOL AT QUEENS COLLEGE
THE CLASSIC
January 2017 - Volume 33 No. 4
THE CLASSIC
w w w.thhsclassic.com
School community in turmoil over principal hiring controversy by Mehrose Ahmad and Sumaita Hasan, Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief FOR THE past two months, the Townsend Harris High School community has been embroiled in a brewing controversy over the possible permanent appointment of Interim Acting Principal Rosemarie Jahoda. The controversy began when a number of teachers expressed frustrations with changes to procedures involving collateral assignments, field trip procedures, uniform grading policies, and contest submission procedures. Following this, a student led sit-in occurred on December 8. A live-stream of the sit-in accrued over 30,000 views. Deputy Superintendent Leticia Pineiro’s interactions with
Photo By renanenia pangan
students became the source of further controversy, as many students and parents believe she was disparaging to student protestors. In the video, Ms. Pineiro asked for evidence to support student claims that Ms. Jahoda had harassed members of her staff. The Classic soon obtained audio recordings of Ms. Jahoda speaking about her colleagues. Since then, both the PTA and the Alumni Association have called for Ms. Jahoda to be removed from her position immediately. In mid-January the DOE announced that it would be reopening the hiring process for the position of principal at Townsend Harris.
Ms. Jahoda remains in the applicant pool, but others may now apply. In this issue, we have collected and summarized some of the most significant stories surrounding this controversy.
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NEWS
THE CLASSIC
Photo By renanenia pangan
Students arranged in protest.
C-30 process resumes following ongoing controversey by Ilyssa Delos Reyes, Editor-in-Chief THE NEXT C-30 Level 1 Committee meeting posting for a principal vacancy position at THHS will be posted on February 1, allowing for other principals to apply for an opportunity to receive a permanent position at THHS. DOE deputy press secretary Will Mantell said, “We are reposting the position, and will hire a Townsend Harris principal in accordance with the C-30 regulation. We continue to listen to feedback from this school community. The C-30 investigation was delayed pending an investigation that has been closed.” President of the Parent Teacher Association Susan Karlic was happy to hear from the DOE that the process will be restarted. In December, the PTA passed multiple resolutions that demanded Ms. Jahoda be removed immediately as Interim Acting Principal. For the next C-30, Ms. Jahoda, along with all other previous applicants from the previous pool, will still be a part of the applicant pool. Ms. Karlic said that even now, “The PTA does not want her [Ms. Jahoda] to be considered [for a] permanent principal position” and that the PTA “will remain strong
and tenacious in having parents contact the DOE and elected officials….in support of our resolutions unanimously voted on December 15.” Co-president of the Townsend Harris Alumni Association Craig Slutzkin also received word that the C-30 process would resume. He was contacted by Superintendent Lindsey, who informed him that when a permanent principal is appointed, he or she will immediately begin working at the school. Regarding the resuming of the C-30 process, Ms. Jahoda declined to comment. With the resumption of the C-30 process, current Assistant Principal of Organization, Health, and Physical Education Ellen Fee has confirmed that she will be applying for the position. Ms. Fee said, “At this time, when our school community needs healing and a vision for moving forward, I believe that I can contribute to our school.” The school has been attempting to get the C-30 process restarted as it was delayed on December 8, following a student led sit-in which occurred on the same day during sixth band to protest against the permanent implemen-
tation of Rosemarie Jahoda as the new principal. Organized by SU President Alex Chen with the help
“ At this time, when our school community needs healing and a vision for moving forward, I believe that I can contribute to our school. ” of Senior SLT Caitlin Cassidy and senior Sabrina Cheng after a suggestion from senior Jin Hua Lin, the protest took place the same day Deputy Superintendent Leticia Pineiro visited the school. A live video was taken of the December 8 event by The Classic and has since been watched over 31,000 times on the THHS Classic Facebook page, with over 300 shares and comments. SU President Alex Chen explained, “We wanted to voice our
concerns for the school and the recent changes that have occurred in its atmosphere to the deputy superintendent.” Overall, Class of 2015 alum Frankie Nicolazzi thought, “It’s admirable that the student body decided to voice their opinion in a clear way. I think the superintendent was dismissive and not very understanding of the culture here at Townsend; she seemed to be shielding Ms. Jahoda.” A topic of heated discussion revolved around alumni rights. Co-president Craig Slutzkin said, “I have been an officer of the Alumni Association for 20 years working with every principal since Malcolm Largmann. We have done a considerable amount of fundraising for the school, supporting scholarships and programs such as the Hebrew class, Robotics, Founders Day and professional development for the faculty. I am confident that Superintendent Lindsey, Deputy Superintendent Pineiro, and the Department of Education recognize our value in this process.” Another issue related to students’ claims of Principal Jahoda intimidating and harassing teachers. Many feel that Deputy Pineiro dismissed these concerns, explain-
ing that she is a “factual person” and that the students do not provide sufficient proof to substantiate these statements. Sabrina said, “I went into this protest expecting it to be a quiet, civilized one; [I thought that Ms.Pineiro] would go through more mannerful procedures. However, it was very difficult to get her attention to talk to me in the first place, and by that time my train of thought was partially lost. Ms. Jahoda was also right there, and we can’t give any details because others might get in trouble.” At one point, Ms. Pineiro ordered Alex to step away from her even though he had his arms to his side and was a body’s distance away. Alex responded, “I was shocked that my own principal didn’t interact with me at all except for that moment. I wasn’t being or feeling intimidating, and yet she spoke for no one other than Ms. Pineiro.” Overall, Alex said, “The sit-in was successful. Whether the DOE heard our concerns or neglected them, we still spread our message if not to them, to the parents, and to people who are concerned about this issue or THHS.”
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2017
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articles by Mehrose Ahmad and Sumaita Hasan, Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief
NEWS
Visually impaired bronx science alumna alleges Ms. Jahoda withheld mandated services from her EVA HANGARTNER, a 2016 alumna from The Bronx High School of Science, has alleged that last year Rosemarie Jahoda denied her services for her visual impairment. Eva’s mother, Anna Schuchmann, said that Ms. Jahoda, who was then the Bronx Science Mathematics Assistant Principal, was “purposely sabotaging” her daughter’s performance in her Calculus BC class. Ms. Jahoda did not return requests for comment on these allegations, but Will Mantell, Deputy Press Secretary at NYC Department of Education, said that his office will be looking into what happened and added, “We are dedicated to meeting the needs of all students.” Eva has an eye disorder called cone dystrophy, which makes it difficult for her to read from a chalkboard. Eva has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as a result. She said that before senior year, “in all math classes, [she] received copies of the notes.” However, she was not provided class notes in her Calculus BC class.
Anna made repeated requests, but was denied by her Calculus BC teacher, who cited Ms. Jahoda, his supervisor, as the reason. Ultimately, Eva dropped Calculus BC for Calculus AB and received notes from her new teacher. The Classic reviewed several emails provided by Anna from the time period under question. The emails are between Anna and those at the school involved in responding to the situation, whose identities Anna has asked to keep anonymous. In one email, an individual described speaking to Ms. Jahoda and reports that Ms. Jahoda believes parts of Eva’s IEP “were written poorly because they were not specific and ‘open to interpretation.’” The email further says that “[Ms. Jahoda] had been worried about giving [Eva] lecture notes with answers on it.” On the possibility of the IEP being unclear, Anna said that Ms. Jahoda thought Eva required the teacher’s lesson plan rather than the class notes, something Ms. Jahoda could not require a teacher to provide. Anna says that no
Pictured above: the Bronx High School of Science. other teacher or administrator at the school interpreted the IEP any other way. Fearful that Ms. Jahoda might retaliate and impact Eva’s college application process, Anna waited to involve the school’s principal. When Eva earned admission to Stanford, Anna then contacted the principal, who called a meeting with her, Ms. Jahoda, the math teacher, and Eva.
Anna wanted Ms. Jahoda to take responsibility for what happened, but she found Ms. Jahoda “rude and defensive” at the meeting. She said, “The principal actually had to ask Ms. Jahoda to go into the neighboring room. We sat there for a good ten minutes until she [Ms. Jahoda] came back out and...[apologized] to me. She still never apologized to Eva.” Anna considers the Calculus
Photo courtesy of inside schools
BC situation to be retaliation for the interactions between her and Ms. Jahoda prior to Eva’s senior year. She said, “From our point of view, Ms. Jahoda [was] absolutely purposefully sabotaging Eva.” Eva and Anna stress that they were extremely content with Bronx Science as a whole. They believe their negative experience with Ms. Jahoda was an anomaly.
New visitation procedures for alumni
Photo By adam sosnicki
Interim Acting Principal Rosemarie Jahoda.
Audio recordings shed light on IAP IN THE sit-in that occurred in mid-December at Townsend Harris High School, Deputy Superintendent Leticia Pineiro asked for evidence to support the claim that Interim Acting Principal Rosemarie Jahoda had harassed members of her staff. We obtained irrefutable evidence of a conversation in which the principal spoke in the following manner in response to a suggestion from a colleague that she be more present in the school’s halls: “Standing in the hallway is not gonna make a difference... I’m not [Former Principal] Anthony [Barbetta] and I’m not standing in the f*****g hallway. I’m not gonna do what Anthony did... I’m not gonna stand and hold the door open.” In reference to this statement,
Ms. Jahoda had responded, “Let me explain something to you: I don’t talk like that. I don’t speak to people in that manner.” The Classic had also obtained audio recordings of Ms. Jahoda speaking about UFT Chapter Leader Franco Scardino in which she says, “I have cut off access to him. I no longer will meet with him weekly.” She went on to state, “He really…he’s rendering himself useless to me.” Commenting on the words the principal used to describe him in this meeting, Mr. Scardino remarked, “Hostility towards me as the chapter leader is reflective of her philosophical position, which is anti-union. This is an aspiring school leader who lacks the collaborative and cooperative skills to work with the chapter leaders,
to respect us as teachers, to respect our input.” Mr. Scardino also described one instance of perceived “hostility” at the grievance hearing on December 21 involving his reasoning for not being at the School Leadership Team meeting. He stated, “ I wasn’t [at the meeting] because my mom has been in the ICU and in the hospital, and she said, ‘That was your choice.’ For me, the choice of caring for my mother is not a choice, that’s my responsibility as her son.” Mr. Scardino explained that Ms. Jahoda testified at the hearing that she never knew his mother was sick. He continued, “That’s a lie because I told her and she signed forms where I had to take personal business days.”
TOWNSEND HARRIS High School has a new policy regarding alumni visitors. Now, when an alumnus arrives a teacher will receive a call and is told to accept “responsibility” of the visitor until the teacher has given the responsibility to another staff member. Alumni are required to sign in and present valid photo identification. Teachers are informed beforehand of the visit and alumni are not allowed to visit any students. The changes have yet to be codified and distributed to the school community. At the School Leadership Team (SLT) meeting held on January 19, the recent changes regarding alumni visits were addressed. At the meeting, Ms. Jahoda said that if a teacher agrees to accept an alum who is visiting, he or she is “vouching for the character of that” alum and “therefore is responsible” for the person. She said you cannot “release a person into the building” without any communication between the staff. Ms. Jahoda further clarified that the rules were different for special events, such as SING or FON. She added that they were in the process of codifying a written procedure and were “negotiating the wording” of it because “it has to be just right.” As of today, no written policy has been issued. Ms. Jahoda explained that the new procedure was an issue of safety and was created to consider “the welfare of every person in the building.” The first incident involving
this new change occurred on January 11 and involved Class of 2015 alumnus Aayush Beri, who came to visit the school and was told to be escorted throughout the building. Both Aayush and school aide Paul Sforza, who was required to escort Aayush, expressed confusion and frustration at the procedure, which had not been previously implemented for alumni visitations. Mr. Sforza felt said that escorting a student was “demeaning” and “offensive.” Co-president of the Townsend Harris Alumni Association Craig Slutzkin felt that these changes convey a strong message to the alumni: “Once you’re out of the building, you’re not part of the [THHS] family any longer.” Similar to Aayush, Class of 2016 alumnus Joshua Cordero was a victim of this new policy. However, his experience ended before it started, since Joshua was unable to even enter the building. The reason for this can be traced back to United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Chapter Leader Franco Scardino, who sent out an email to faculty members, urging them to “resist conforming” to the new visitor policy until Interim Acting Principal Rosemarie Jahoda clarifies it. Social studies teacher Adam Stonehill felt “the policy [was] counterintuitive to the culture of the Townsend Harris High School family,” Ms. Jahoda declined to comment for this article.
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THE CLASSIC
SAT CRASH COURSE! 4 Days- Spring Break – No School Prep for the May 5, 2017 New SAT Course Format: 2 Diagnostic Tests plus 2 Detailed Reviews Monday April 10, 2017 – Thursday April 13, 2017 Morning Session 1: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Afternoon Session 2: 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm Evening Session 3: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm Class size 8-12 Students
Register for classes at www.KwellerPrep.com Class 1: Monday, April 10, 2017 – Test 1 Class 2: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 – Review 1 Class 3: Wednesday, April 12, 2017 – Test 2 Class 4: Thursday, April 13, 2017 – Review 2 Locations in Queens and Manhattan
For those observing, please be mindful of holidays: * Passover: Monday April 10, 2017 – Tuesday April 18, 2017 * Good Friday: April 14, 2017 * Easter Sunday: April 16, 2017
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2017
PSAT/SAT/ACT 2017 2017 Weekend Schedule (7 weekends) Saturday, July 8, 2017 – Sunday, August 20, 2017 Class 1: Test 1 (*Wed* July 5) Class 2: Review 1 (*Thurs* July 6) Class 3: Test 2 (Mon, July 10) Class 4: Reading (Tues, July 11) Class 5: Math (Wed, July 12) Class 6: Grammar (Thurs, July 13) Class 7: Test 3 (Mon, July 17) Class 8: Reading (Tues, July 18) Class 9: Math (Wed, July 19) Class 10: Grammar (Thurs, July 20) Class 11: Test 4 (Mon, July 24) Class 12: Reading (Tues, July 25) Class 13: Math (Wed, July 26) Class 14: Grammar (Thurs, July 27)
Class 15: Test 5 (Mon, August 1) Class 16: Reading (Tues, August 2) Class 17: Math (Wed, Aug 3) Class 18: Grammar (Thurs, Aug 4) Class 19: Test 6 (Mon, August 7) Class 20: Reading (Tues, Aug 8) Class 21: Math (Wed, Aug 9) Class 22: Grammar (Thurs, Aug 10) Class 23: Test 7 (Mon, Aug 14) Class 24: Reading (Tues, Aug 15) Class 25: Math (Wed, Aug 16) Class 26: Grammar (Thurs, Aug 17) * Class 1 will start on Wed, July 5, 2017
Summer Camp Weekday Schedule Wednesday, July 5, 2017 – Thursday, August 17, 2017 Queens Location: Parker Towers Building 104-40 Queens Blvd Suite 1C; Forest Hills NY 11375 Manhattan: 370 Lexington Avenue Suite 800; New York 10017 (41st and Lexington) Register and Pay Online: www.KwellerPrep.com. Please Register Early. Space is limited.
( 1) 8:00 am to 12:00 pm OR (2) 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm OR (3) 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Class 1: Test 1 (July 8) Class 2: Review 1 (July 9) Class 3: Test 2 (July 15) Class 4: Review 2 (July 16) Class 5: Test 3 (July 22) Class 6: Review 3 (July 23) Class 7: Test 4 (July 29)
Class 8: Review 4 (July 30) Class 9: Test 5 (August 5) Class 10: Review 5 (August 6) Class 11: Test 6 (August 12) Class 12: Review 6 (August 13) Class 13: Test 7 (August 19) Class 14: Review 7 (August 20)
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THE CLASSIC
FEATURES
The next generation: cultural dissociation by Ashley Zhao, Copy Editor DESPITE LIVING in a city that contains a great variety of culture, many feel that there seems to be a lack of cultural awareness, especially among the younger generation. In certain cases, children born into families of a certain culture celebrate many aspects of their culture at home, yet they grow up with limited knowledge of their cultural background. It is not uncommon to come across students who cannot read or write in languages that they grew up hearing, nor is it rare to find others who are unable to name any major cities within their country. Although many are quick to label this gradual fading of individual culture as “whitewashing,” some say that this is not a matter of one culture attempting to overpower another, but rather of there being an overwhelming number of different cultures intermingling with one another. Junior Bea Tolentino explained, “Since Townsend Harris is a New York school, it’s hard to keep your own cultural identity because you’re constantly being influenced by so many other cultures.” Bea, who is of Filipino descent, claims that her family does not discuss culture often, which points out another possible reason for the decline in cultural knowledge. Sophomore Laura Kramer supported this idea, stating, “My family has just never been really
traditional, so I haven’t been very exposed to a lot of my culture.” In spite of being of both Chinese and French/Jewish descent, Laura only celebrates a few Chinese holidays with her family and knows little to nothing about her French/Jewish background. As with all discussions about culture, stereotypes often play a big role in influencing how people see things. In this case, the perpetuation of ideas of how people from certain cultures should behave can cause others to feel embarrassed about the labels attached to their culture. People, especially young people, are much more likely to feel a need to distance themselves from their culture if they are under the impression that others will always have a set idea of what they should be like based solely on their culture and ethnicity. Junior Pauline Liu expressed one common Asian stereotype that has been applied to her numerous times before, stating, “When I get high grades on my math tests, people say it’s because I’m Chinese.” This assumption that people of Asian descent are naturally talented in math creates a false model of Asian culture, which only serves to encourage those who do not fit into this model to disassociate themselves from the culture itself. Pauline reflected, “It makes me feel pressured that people have expectations of me just because I’m Asian.” Even when these cultural stereotypes are not openly voiced,
they are felt by those who fear being judged as different from the rest of their peers. Senior Pamela Pajares stated, “No one has ever made fun of me, but I’ve always had a fear of being different because of my culture. I would always be afraid of bringing in cultural food or wearing cultural clothing because I didn’t want to seem different.” Although cultural dissociation is generally thought of in a negative context, a surprising number of students did not see it as a social issue, but rather as a personal matter. Bea expressed her belief that “it’s up to you to ultimately find out about your own culture. It’s a per-
sonal thing, and you have to decide whether or not you want to find out more about your culture.” Freshman Kelvin Yip agreed with Bea’s point, stating, “This is something that can’t be forced, so you just have to hope that people decide to take some time themselves to appreciate the background that they came from.” Others, such as senior Leo Rodriguez, believe that it is important to take steps to end cultural dissociation. “End it. Talk to the people around you, talk to your family, and just learn about your culture,” Leo advised.
art by kathy chang
Harrisites harmonize in new club, Hawkappella by Ilma Aamir, Staff Writer ACA-SCUSE ME? Aca-believe it! Townsend Harris High School now has its very own a cappella group known as “Hawkappella.” A cappella is a form of music which involves group or solo singing unaccompanied by any instruments. The club was started by junior Jamie Rosen, who stated, “Starting an a cappella group at THHS has
been a dream ever since I arrived at the school.” In order to create a new “musical community outside of chorus and productions,” Jamie decided to begin Hawkappella. Jamie asked physics teacher David Stern to be the club advisor, as he sings and plays multiple instruments. Mr. Stern said the entire thing was a “huge coincidence” because he had actually participated in a cappella all his life. In high school, he, too, started an a cappel-
PHOTO courtesy of Jamie rosen
Hawkappella performing at the ARISTA ceremony.
la group that met in his house and performed in school. Then, when he attended Binghamton University, he performed in a competitive a cappella group, and after graduating, he has been in a barbershop quartet and performed in Carnegie Hall. Currently, he continues to sing with an a cappella group here in New York City. Membership to this new club was granted based on a series of auditions, primarily conducted by Mr. Stern. About 29 students auditioned, and 26 made it to the team. The audition process included “singing part of a prepared song of choice, testing bottom and top of vocal range, playing a series of tones back to remember melody and sing on their own, and singing a vowel song.” The whole process was to determine who was qualified to be a part of the group and what position that person would hold depending on the ability of their voice. For students who were interested in participating in Hawkappella but were unable to, both Jamie and Mr. Stern urged them to not
be discouraged. Jamie remarked, “A cappella requires skills that you need to learn before working in this group.” Jamie also added that she believes everyone has the ability and can be taught the skill. Mr. Stern stated that “voices need to mature” and students need to “practice before they’re ready.” Once students develop their skills more to get to this level, they are welcomed to audition again next year. In the future, Mr. Stern hopes to “ultimately get to point where they perform and compete in competitions such as ICHSA (The Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A Capella).” He added that they hope to do “birthday grams” in the future, which would allow students to order members of the club to sing for their friends’ birthdays. Although the idea is still in works, the thought is wellreceived by the student body. Jamie revealed that the club would like to host open mics and have collaborations with a cappella groups from other high schools.
New nations added to FON
by Nabiha Zaman and Maliha Jeba, Staff Writers EVERY YEAR, Festival of Nations (FON) captures the cultural diversity present in the halls of Townsend Harris High School, celebrating it on stage for everyone to see. With the arrival of several new FONs, the list of regions and cultures featured in the school’s biggest festival continues to grow. Middle Eastern FON is one of the newest FONs the audience can expect to see this year. Junior Cleopatra Elshiekh and sophomore Nefertari Elshiekh are not only sisters, but also leaders of the new addition, along with sophomore Alexa Barisano. Cleopatra identified that the lack of Middle Eastern representation and her own Egyptian background pushed her to advocate for the FON’s creation. Junior Tamanna Saidi shares that same goal, adding that there is a “lack of knowledge about [Afghan] culture” and hopes the FON can allow more “people to know about a culture that is rarely talked about.” Junior Isabel Yagerman shared that she started Israeli FON because she wanted to represent her cultural heritage, even though she hadn’t participated in FON before. She says, “I’m Jewish, and Israel is the Jewish homeland, so I wanted to take the opportunity to represent it.” When it comes down to actually leading a new FON, Tamanna shared how she was able to overcome her initial fear in taking the position: “When I was a freshman, there was a senior who made Afghan FON… [I] thought, ‘If she could do it, why can’t I?’” Defeating the challenges of starting a new FON can extend farther than having leadership skills. Isabel explained, “I was worried that I wouldn’t get enough people, considering the fact that it’s a new FON.” Isabel also commented on her new leadership role, stating that despite the fact that she has “never been in FON” and has “never choreographed a dance…everything is working out really well.” Isabel also has the support of seniors Liana Weitzman and Nicole Moshel as co-leaders. Despite all of the hardships, the new FONs are still expected to put on a great show. Tamanna ended with a final message about what the audience should look forward to from the newest groups: “Expect very enthusiastic dancers that have become a sort of unit.” Isabel added on to this by saying how excited she is for the event. “The audience can expect some surprises, a lot of fun, and a new cultural experience from FON at this year’s event.”
THE CLASSIC
OPINION
On roles in the kitchen by Laura Marsico, Multimedia Editor MY HANDS travelled across the rack of spices as I watched my mother and grandmother hover over the oven. The sound of their laughter added warmth to the kitchen, masking the coldness that was the embodiment of female domesticity. They continued what was estabilished in past generations, passing on female domesticity through the whisking and preparation. My mind snapped through the veil of serenity, and the dimly lit kitchen was no longer the safe haven it always was as I began to realize the inequality between genders. Pushing my thoughts aside, I skimmed through the recipe and began to follow the procedure. Beat the butter. Add the sugar. Crack the eggs. Sift the flour. Following the steps ad nauseam every time. Complying to the rules not only in baking, but also in life—an endless cycle. It is easy to believe society’s promises change, so we sit passively, and turn a blind eye towards the mistreatment of women to conjure up the illusion of change. Despite the numerous female empowering movements fighting for women’s rights—the suffragettes, second wave feminists, and the present day fight for equal pay— there is still the subconscious belief that women are inferior. We live in a time in which neither outright nor subtle oppression of women is acceptable. In order for us to rebuild ourselves and achieve
complete equality as a society, we must first redefine itself and destroy stereotypes. The domestic pastime that I used to consider a bonding experience with my family is now a reminder of the suffering of my female ancestors. Women in my family often occupied themselves with cooking and baking, activities we enjoyed as we watched
“ Despite the numerous female empowering movements fighting for women’s rights...there is still the subconscious belief that women are inferior.
January/February 2017
the slow but steady hum of the refrigerator. Yet, this was merely a continuation of the facade that had been held up by past generations. I can still witness this oppression and stereotyping in my own home. After being called to the kitchen with my mother and aunt, my sister decided to stay behind. She said that she
but he said it again. Embarrassed, she got up and trudged towards the kitchen, her burning red face contrasting with her boyfriend’s cocky grin. Injustice and inequality still exists today for women, even though women have expanded into politi-
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name for themselves. There is still the implication that a woman’s first and foremost role belongs in the home, specifically in the kitchen. The fact that this idea still exists in a tacit form is dangerous as it upholds the illusion that females do have perfect equality, and lulls many into a sense of complacency about their present conditions.
cal
” my little cousins play out the kitchen window. There were brief years when I, too, played outside with my cousins, innocently running through the grass, unaware of how I would soon join the women in the kitchen. Once I came of age, I was taken from the sunny outdoors into the dimly lit kitchen. I hid behind memorized recipes and measuring cups, trying to comfort myself with the warmth rising from the oven and
didn’t feel like helping out today. I shrugged it off, but her b o y fr ie nd ’s face began to contort. He looked at my sister and said that it was “her role” to work in the kitchen because she was a woman. She at first laughed it off,
and corporate spheres in an attempt to make a
art by Leslie huang
A lesson for textbooks: bias in history curricula by Nada Osman, Staff Writer
I WAS sitting in my Introductory Political Science class when my professor mentioned the names Mladic and Karadzic. I did not know what they meant or what they were associated with, and I would have never guessed their involvement in the Bosnian Genocide. We trust the school system to provide us with a holistic understanding of the world around us. However, bias cannot be avoided, whether it exists in the media or within our textbooks and curriculum. The United States preaches the idea of freedom and accessibility, which prompts people to believe in their ability to receive unbiased news and sources of education. Although the United States might experience certain liberties other countries are not as lucky to possess, we cannot ignore the fact that slight partialities still exist in the material we are fed. Perhaps the Bosnian Genocide never made it to any of our history classes because of the time con-
straint set by Advanced Placement exams and the Regents, as well as having to primarily learn what-
“ We cannot ignore the fact that slight partialities still exist in the material we are fed. ” ever material is most prevalent in such exams. While we may have briefly learned about the Bosnian Genocide, many of my classmates and I do not recall it happening— certainly not to the extent I was expected to know for my introductory college class. Perhaps the reasoning behind the lingering absence of historical material lies upon differences in
religion. Not only does this play a major role in what is t au gh t , b u t also in our inab i l it y to pay attention to history that h a s nothing to do with our American identity. The negligence with which we treat other subjects may be one of the reasons as to why some countries deem Americans ignorant. A common occurrence throughout many textbooks and curricula is the focus on events that directly affect the United States. The precedent for missing information regarding events such as the Bosnian Genocide include the
who is telling i t .
W e should
art by bailey chan
naming of it as “low scale.” The Armenian Genocide can also be labeled “low scale.” However, after witnessing a teacher’s emotional shift when discussing the responsibility of such an event, it is evident that these events are not so insignificant. Moving forward, we must be aware that accounts of history will appear differently based on
al s o be open to looking at other sources—whether it be information obtained in the classroom or news heard from the media—in order to have the most comprehensive understanding of world history.
8 January/February 2017
THE CLASSIC
OPINION
The Classic From the editors
Ms. Jahoda, it’s time to stop being “unavailable”
D
ear Ms. Jahoda,
As you might be aware, recently, Donald J. Trump’s advisor Stephen K. Bannon declared that “The media here is the opposition party,” just days after Mr. Trump said that there is a “running war” with the media. With the recent events that have been happening here at Townsend Harris High School, we feel as if you too have come to view The Classic as “the opposition.” The Classic is aware that for the past months, we have been reporting incessantly on news involving you. Though it is unfortunate that almost all of this news depicts you negatively and has had detrimental consequences on the relationship between you and the community, we stand by our reporting. The question of your qualifications and actions as an interim principal and as a former assistant principal have become issues of public interest. Thousands of people apply to Townsend Harris and the public wants to know just who is going to run the school. It is our job to find the truth and we will continue to follow up on issues concerning our school. One thing that also seems to come out of the Trump administration is the idea that “negative” reporting is “biased” reporting. Here is why it is dangerous to conflate the two: those who fear the consequences of a negative report try to attack the truth as biased in order to help themselves. Sometimes the truth is not that pleasant. Biased reporting distorts the truth by focusing on an unrelated angle or by blatantly printing things that are false. This has not been and never will be our intention. The timeline of our reporting is clear, and while it is negative, we do not believe it shows bias. We are simply following the events that occurred during and after the student sit-in, in which Deputy Superintendent Leticia Pineiro demanded evidence when students cited claims of teacher harrassment as the reason for their protesting. The day after Ms. Pineiro asked the student body for evidence, it was then brought to us by people whose identities we will not disclose. Afterward, you held a series of Town Halls, which we livestreamed, providing you unfiltered coverage to explain your side of the story. However, many felt that the Town Halls did not resolve the issues at hand. In fact, they led to more stories
coming into the light, such as the one involving two girls from the Muslim Student Association who felt that you were more concerned with protecting the image of our school than addressing their concerns. This publicity led to more people approaching us with information on Facebook, which led to more reporting. Though we recognize that no principal has come under such scrutiny at THHS, it is also true that no hiring process has become so public or so ugly. Certainly none produced the sit-in video that has now been watched more than thirty thousand times. And yet, when previous principals have done things the school community has questioned and has brought it to our attention, we have reported on it. Last year, there were claims that a bulletin board was censored by former principal Anthony Barbetta because of its political content. We reported on this incident, found the artwork in question, published images of it, and spoke to all involved. Mr. Barbetta never hesitated to meet with us and provided his perspective on the controversy. We didn’t hesitate to publish it. Yet, following this year’s set of negative articles, your relationship with us changed. It went from you discussing the issues that concern the school with us to you respectfully telling us that you were unavailable. Then, your descriptions of being unavailable every day soon turned into hostile interactions. After our repeated inquiries, the tone of your descriptions of being unavailable went from being polite to being angry and even aggressive, with you speaking over us and repeating “not available, not available, not available” until we walk away. At a Consultative Council meeting, we were given time to speak, but you refused to answer our questions and interrupted one of us in the middle of a “thank you.” This hostility is unprofessional and uncalled for as we are trying to be fair to you when we ask for your comments. The current president’s relationship in the press is not something that should be replicated at Townsend Harris. It is bad for democracy and it is bad for our school. It is crucial that we as journalists are given the opportunity to report every angle of a story; your input is necessary. At the Town Hall, after we had released an audio recording in which you said, “I’m not gonna stand in the f*****g hallway,” you not only apologized for the language that
you used, but you also said that you would make an attempt to be more engaged with the student body. You also said at the Town Hall for sophomores, “I invite you, if you have more questions. Just come and see me.” Yet, this open door policy appears to exclude us. If you are available to students, how can you be unavailable to speak with us for more than an entire month? You said that you made “an effort” to reach out to students at the Town Hall, but this effort is not enough. It has not catalyzed change, and you make students like us feel uncomfortable when we attempt to approach you. Providing the school newspaper with your input would be the best way to reach out to the student body and demonstrate that you are aware of the atmosphere at THHS, one characterized by an unprecedented toxicity. We hope that instead of treating us with resentment, you treat us like all other students. We hope that when we approach you, you provide us with time and speak to us courteously. We are not your enemies and we are not “the opposition.” We want to maintain a truthful and honest relationship with you. If you still refuse to speak to us, we only ask that you provide us with a reason. Sincerely, Sumaita Hasan, Editor-in-Chief Mehrose Ahmad, Managing Editor Ilyssa Delos Reyes, Editor-in-Chief Arifa Baksh, Managing Editor Tara Jackson, Layout Editor Rabia Hasan, News EditorAly Tantawy, News EditorJillissa Drayton, Features Editor Sarah Gafur, Features Editor Mohima Sattar, Opinion Editor Diego Ramos, Opinion Editor Kristiana Deur, Arts & Entertainment Editor Francesca Filiberti, Arts & Entertainment Editor Agastya Vaidya, Sports Editor Alexander T. Velaoras, Sports Editor Sarah Yu, Science & Technology Editor Laura Marsico, Multimedia Editor Mahira Raihan, Multimedia Editor Adam Sosnicki, Photography Editor Renaenia Pangan, Photography Editor Ashley An, Copy Editor Ashley Zhao, Copy Editor
EST. 1984
The Classic is an open forum for the expression of student views. The opinions expressed therein should not be taken to represent those of the administration or faculty, or of the student body as a whole.
EDITORIAL STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ilyssa Delos Reyes Sumaita Hasan NEWS EDITORS Rabia Hasan Aly Tantawy
SPORTS EDITORS Agastya Vaidya Alexander T. Velaoras
FEATURES EDITORS Jillissa Drayton Sarah Gafur
SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Sarah Yu
OPINION EDITORS Mohima Sattar Diego Ramos
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Renaenia Pangan Adam Sosnicki
A&E EDITORS Francesca Filiberti Kristiana Deur
LAYOUT EDITOR Tara Jackson
COPY EDITORS Ashley An Ashley Zhao
MANAGING EDITORS Mehrose Ahmad Arifa Baksh
MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Laura Marsico Mahira Raihan ADVISOR Brian Sweeney
We welcome letters to the editor. Townsend Harris High School 149-11 Melbourne Avenue Flushing, NY 11367 thhsclassic@gmail.com
The Classic reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and concision.
FROM THE EDITORS
Introducing the Class of 2017: Find our page on Facebook, which profiles the senior class as they prepare to graduate. FROM THE EDITORS
Have an opinion on an article published in The Classic? Want to have your thoughts on a topic published? Write a “Letter to the Editor” and email it to thhsclassic@ gmail.com.
THE CLASSIC
photo courtesy of JSwift Sports
Senior Alex Lebeau during the game. by Hritamber Chakraborty & Agastya Vaidya, Staff Writer & Sports Editor THE TOWNSEND Harris Boys Varsity Basketball team has been dominating the court this season and leading the league with a stellar 10-1 record. Their record is tied with their long-time rival, Maspeth High School. The team is tenaciously working to build a stronger bond, develop their skills, and implement new strategies in the game setting. Sophomore Ryan Yavinsky is optimistic that the team can keep its tempo and momentum as they approach the playoffs. He com-
mented, “I think we have improved greatly since last season as we had a losing record. We have bonded together as a team and understood what we can achieve if we work hard as we definitely have the potential to go far.” The team is hoping to uphold their record in the playoffs and attempt to win the championship. So far, they can accredit their success to exceptional plays from seniors Andi Rustani, Alex LeBeau, Justin Miller, and junior Jonathan Mea. Each player has averaged over 10 points per game (PPG) and has scored efficiently on the floor. Mea has led the way with his impressive passing, av-
Hawks get new baseball coach by Daniel Singh and Agastya Vaidya, Staff Writer and Sports Editor THE TOWNSEND Harris High School baseball season is right around the corner, and the team finally has its coach: former professional baseball player and new Physical Education teacher Matt Lemanczyk. Coach Lemanczyk will succeed Coach Edgar Morales, who retired after six brilliant years with the Hawks baseball team. Coach Lemanczyk will bring many years of experience, having played for the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system for four seasons. He also has experience coaching high school students from his time at Great Neck South High School. Upon being named as the team’s coach, Coach Lemanczyk commented, “I feel excited for this opportunity. It’s a passion of mine, so any time I’m dealing with a passion, it’s a good thing. I can’t wait to get started, as a matter of fact, and I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of the guys and trying to improve on what was already a good program in our league.” Coach Lemancyzk will be welcomed by a Hawks team which will feature nearly the entirety of the previous season’s players. He has already spoken with some of these players in order to familiarize with how the team has been run in past years, and he hopes
PHOTO Courtesy of burbank sports cards
Mr. Lemancyzk’s baseball card. to begin preparation for the season soon, although baseball season does not begin until spring. When asked to elaborate on these preparations, Coach Lemancyzk explained that he hopes to hold the first team meeting next week. He added that he just wants to meet the players and “lay out some things that could be done on their own.” Furthermore, the coach expressed a desire to help students who aspire to continue baseball in college with their transition from
high school baseball. He believes that his experience with college recruitment will be valuable to many of the scholarathletes on the team. Members of the team have indicated their excitement with Coach Lemanczyk’s arrival. Senior captain Alex Lebeau said, “I can’t wait for the season to start. I know that Coach Lemanczyk is a really experienced guy and will be able to help all of us out a lot. I’m looking forward to having him as my head coach.”
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SPORTS
Boys Basketball starts strong eraging over 9 assists per game (APG), while Alex’s combination of scoring and rebounding 14 PPG with 10 rebounds per game (RPG) has contributed greatly to their winning. Senior Andi Rustani explained, “I think everyone is just embracing their roles, and we’ve all matured as players individually. Also, we had a lot of non-league games in the beginning of the seasons against Division A teams, which exposed us to better competition.” Senior Alex LeBeau added, “Our chemistry as a unit is unbelievable, as we are with each other all day, every day. Our team became one family and best friends on and off the court. This is the best I have seen this team in my four years, and we have the opportunity to do something really special. We are all completely dedicated, and we hope to continue our winning streak long into the playoffs. The Hawks will finish their season in early February against the East-West School of International Studies—a team they blew out by nearly 30 points the last time that they played. They are headed to the playoffs with much needed momentum, as they hope to capitalize on their regular season achievements.
January/February 2017
Fantasy sports in Townsend by Aleksandra Hubczak, Staff Writer IT’S FOURTH down and the game is on the line. There’s only enough time left for one play to score a touchdown and win. No, he’s not playing in the game— rather, he’s sitting on his couch, intensely staring at his TV screen and awaiting the outcome of the play- money at stake. In these past few months at Townsend Harris High School, many students have taken part in fantasy sports, specifically football and basketball. Fantasy sports are competitions in which participants select imaginary teams from the players in a professional league, and score points based on their actual performance. In these fantasy leagues, students have the option to manage their teams and interact with other “managers,” by drafting, trading, and cutting or adding players from their team. Senior Alex LeBeau, who has been playing fantasy football, baseball, and basketball for seven years, said, “Playing fantasy sports is great because it makes the games so much more entertaining to watch.” Instead of just sitting down to watch TV, fantasy sports allow one to become involved with everything happening on the screen. Alex further explained, “[Playing fantasy sports] gives me a personal connection to the game. I feel a deep satisfaction every time I check up on my team and see my team’s players [in comparison to] those of my opponent.” Players can participate in a league to gain monetary benefits rather than just personal satisfaction. In most fantasy contests, participants submit $5 to $25 to play, but highly competitive leagues can be valued at over $500 per player. Junior Anmol Singh, who plays fantasy basketball in a league with his friends, said that “each person puts in $10, then at the end of the basketball season whoever has the most wins, gets all the money.” Junior Neeram Lekha only started playing this year by deciding to make a league with his friend group. He added, “We were thinking of playing for money but ended up not doing so because it was the first time playing for most of us and we were inexperienced.” Although betting money is
an option, not everyone does it, as Neeram explained. In fact, a lot of students at THHS play fantasy sports simply for the thrill. Fantasy soccer player Nick Skaliotis says the activity, “helped me connect with my friends and has gotten me closer to the sport.” Neeram added, “It’s very entertaining to partake in [a league] as it makes you competitive against your friends which is always fun. It’s actually brought out the competitive spirit in all of us because we always talk about who we think is going to win the championship and it’s just really a fun [and positive] experience overall.” Many students shared the desire to play fantasy sports for the thrill of playing with friends. Senior Joshua Singavarapu further stated, “My friends and I don’t even bet money in our fantasy league. Since a lot of us agree that money complicates things, instead, the incentive to play is to claim bragging rights over each other. The bottom two players in the league end up having to bear the responsibility of having to fulfill a challenge that the higher seeded players come up with. Our league gets highly competitive and we’ve even had a number of players drop out.” As surprising as it may seem, students claim that fantasy sports are not much of a distraction, but rather a great way to apply their knowledge of the sports that they actively follow. Students rejoice at the opportunity to create a virtual team in which they can compete with their friends and see who can best utilize their players. Anmol says, “At the beginning it can be very addicting and I remember that I was always glued to my phone. However, it really tests how well you know the game and how well you are at strategizing.” Fantasy baseball and football player junior Pascal Marcktell added, “It’s very fun, it’s another way to talk to people I used to see more who I played baseball with.”
“ [Playing fantasy sports] gives me a personal connection to the game. I feel a deep satisfaction every time I check up on my team and my team’s players. ”
10 January/February 2017
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SCIENCE & TECH
The cue to success by Niyati Neupane and Phyllis Alinsao, Staff Writers ALTHOUGH IT seems like a simple billiards-themed game of pool at first glance, 8-Ball Pool has reached new heights of popularity with its enticing competitive play and real-to-life simulation. Its operator, Miniclip, has managed other renowned sports platforms such as “Soccer Stars” and “Archery King” and saw potential in a game based on pool. The company sought to create a forum that retained the feelings and images evoked from the real game on a mobile device and computer. The game requires players to pot as many balls as possible in individual matches before time runs out. The player uses a pool cue to strike a cue ball, which in turn, strikes object balls. The goal is to drive object balls into one of six pockets located at the cushion boundary. Junior Valerie Mui commented, “The game is fun and easy to understand because the rules of the are simple, but the competitiveness makes it interesting.” While many people are familiar with the rules of 8-Ball Pool, few recognize the physics behind
the game. The game is consistent with the workings of real 8-Ball Pool because it follows the laws of general physics. In real life, the collisions between the balls are
“ 8-Ball Pool has spent the last year experiencing unpredecented growth. ” nearly elastic, which means the kinetic energy of the system is maintained before and after impact. However, the collisions in the game are perfectly elastic due to the virtual nature of the game. A common situation is when the cue ball strikes the object ball with no top spin or bottom spin and the two balls separate at 90-degree
The mesentery: a new organ by Stephanie Chain, Staff Writer The mesentery is an organ that you may have never known was in your body. It is considered a “new organ,” as it has been misunderstand as not being a real organ in the past. This structure has always existed, but it had been classified as a series of different parts rather than as a single organ. The mesentery was first identified as a contiguous organ by Leonardo da Vinci around 1510. However, in 1885, Sir Frederick Treves, the surgeon of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, began identifying it as separated parts located among the sigmoid colon, transverse colon, and small intestine. In 1878, Carl Toldt gave a correct description of the organ’s presence. However, his research was considered irrelevant because around that time, Treves’ work supported what was stated in the 1858 first edition of “Gray’s Anatomy,” a widely used medical text written by Henry Gray. Dr. J. Calvin Coffey, a researcher and the foundation chair of surgery of Limerick University Hospital, has in November 2016 published a request in the British journal Lancet of Gastroenterology and Hepatology for this structure to be reclassified as a contiguous organ and to be augmented to “Gray’s Anatomy.”
The mesentery is a double fold of the peritoneum, the membrane that covers the lining of the pelvic and abdominal cavities. It is the connection between the intestines and the abdomen, and works so that it retains the same position of the intestine while maintaining this connection with the abdomen without using direct contact. The mesentery has several other significant purposes, including working as a “shock-absorber” for the intestines in order to prevent them from being affected by gravity. It also acts as a transporter of lymphatic fluid and blood from the intestine to the rest of the human body. Furthermore, it can act as a receptor of signals from the environment and a stimulator of the body to coordinate responses to these signals. Nevertheless, more research is needed to be done on the mesentery organ. Its other functions, its effects when not functioning normally, as well as factors that can cause it to become diseased or abnormal, are all still unknown. Because its length is from the duodenum to the rectum, it can serve as a factor in health issues such as colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and many more. Now that the anatomy and structure of the mesentery are established, discovering its other main functions is the next step.
art by kathy chang
angles; this arises because friction is nonexistent in the game. Known as the normal reaction force, the only significant force on the two balls is the one perpendicular to the two contacting surfaces. The stationary ball therefore accelerates in the direction of the normal reaction force and continues in that direction after the two balls lose contact. The case is quite different when the cue strikes a stationary ball because the ball heads in a direction almost parallel to the initial direction of the cue. Players use the law of reflection when making a hit, in which the angle the ball is struck at is equal to the angle at which it bounces off. Users also integrate
geometry into their strategy when aiming a cue ball off the wall to hit another ball. Players tend to look at the distance of the wall from their target ball as two equidistant triangles. They then aim for the midpoint in order to result in a perfect hit. No matter the science behind the game, the appeal of the game platform rests in its simplicity and user-friendliness, which has led to its immense popularity across mobile and online platforms. Junior Amy Lin remarked, “I never really liked pool, but I am definitely addicted to 8-Ball. Whenever I have any spare time, or even when I don’t, I always
whip out my phone.” 8 Ball Pool has spent the last year experiencing unprecedented growth. It is currently ranked as the eighth top free game for iPhone users in the United States and seventh in the United Kingdom, taking over one billion downloads worldwide. The game appeals to users and has proven so through its remarkable achievements. Sophomore Amisha Saha commented, “I think it got really popular since it got introduced to all types of social media such as Facebook. It’s also a good way to keep in touch with people you don’t really talk to.”
Facebook’s instant games instantly capture users by Ishabul Haque, Staff Writer IN AN initiative to to popularize its Messenger app and online messaging system, Facebook has incorporated Instant Games to its interface. Initially launched with 17 games in November 2016, the selection of games has expanded to 34, consisting of fan favorites, like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Words With Friends Frenzy, and EverWing. Facebook’s Instant Games do not require users to download any extra apps as they are completely accessible on the Messenger app. Moreover, the features are available on computer devices, in conversations with one or more people. It only requires that players connect to WiFi or cellular data. Compared to games such as Clash of Clans or 8 Ball Pool, in which competing with friends requires both players to be online, Instant Games does not have that requirement. This feature attracted freshman Shane Werther, who noted that “the ability to play games with friends and not require it to be live” is what made the games so appealing. These games are available via message chats and are built on the HTML5 mobile web standard, leading to quick loading times and less storage consumption compared to other games from the app store. HTML5 is a new version of HTML, which is essentially
a markup language that displays data and content on the internet. Through the HTML5 built inside the Messenger platform, games are not as graphically powerful as those like Game of War, but they are still engaging. Sophomore Arbid Yusuf stated that he plays the Instant Games on his phone for on average about 30 minutes when he is bored. However, for senior Fatema Haidery, her motivation lies in “beating the group’s high score and [getting] the glory.” Whatever the motivation, Facebook has made sure that people are kept hooked on Instant Games as more games are currently being developed. The initial idea for being able to play competitive games in the Messenger app can be traced back to March 2016, with the release of the basketball game. The game is instantly available to play by clicking the basketball emoji on the messenger app and has had over 1.2 billion games played since then. Soon afterward, Facebook released the soccer game in July 2016 with over 250 million games played. The idea of competing with your friends online in order to get the highest score transitioned into Instant Games. The games include the same local leaderboard and a new community leaderboard composed of all your friends’ high scores. This community lea-
derboard shows the highest score achieved by all of your friends, even if you did not play against them directly. “The fact that you can compete with other Facebook friends” interested junior Angelina Huang, who would find herself playing for an hour in an effort to hold the highest score amongst her friends. The cost of playing these games is virtually nothing right now. Instant Games does not aim at earning ad revenue from any developers trying to promote their games, and there are no in-game purchases allowed yet, even in games such as Everwing, which would make upgrades less time-consuming. As of right now, developers are not offered any forms of payment for building games for the Instant Games platform, and to keep their support, Facebook will eventually need to find a way for developers to monetize from this. Whether it’s by placing ads or by incorporating in-game purchases, the developer ecosystem for Instant Games will continue to grow. Senior Brandon LuShing believes that Instant Games is a better alternative to games such as Galaga, which has been a classic in arcades, yet costs 25 cents per game to play. These games allow him to enjoy such classics without having to pay for them.
THE CLASSIC
January/February 2017
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTT Blog feature: Leah Harrigan by Sarah Mafroud, Staff Writer FROM INSTAGRAM to YouTube, bloggers have been taking the world by storm. One individual who has recently become a part of the blogging community is one of Townsend Harris High School’s very own, junior Leah Harrigan. Creating your own platform isn’t easy, and Leah admits to putting off the process for quite some time. “I had this idea that it needed to be perfect, and if it wasn’t perfect I wasn’t going to launch it,” she said. This all changed when she came to terms with the fact that in the beginning, her platform would not be like that of more experienced and famous bloggers. She would have to work and build on it. With that, Leah started leahharrigan.com and allowed herself to get inspired. Leah gets some of her inspiration from other bloggers and social media influencers. Their fashion, food, travel and product posts had her think, if they could do it why couldn’t she? The people around her have also prompted her to think of making a blog. Seeing as other people took an interest in her clothes and other stylistic choices, she decided to share. “My inspiration has also been my environment,” Leah continued. “By living in NYC, I’ve totally
vibed with the can’t-stop-won’tstop work ethic which keeps me constantly wanting to be better, do better, and post new and better content.” Leah’s blog covers fashion, beauty, travel, health, and her overall lifestyle. Each post is paired with striking pictures that are usually taken by her with either a DSLR or iPhone. Whenever Leah isn’t behind the lens, her brother or her friends are. From styling leopard print coats to making acai bowls, Leah’s posts are reflective of the life that she lives. She attempts to steer away from superficial content because she believes that it is easy to see through. “It’s important it is to build an organic platform and create genuine content that showcases who you truly are and how you truly live,” she said. Although Leah’s blog is not large enough for a sponsorship, recently she has partnered with multiple brands. She has a 20% coupon code with the brand Barbas & Zacari, and she has a giveaway open with the food and beverages company, GoMacro. The difference between sponsorships and partnerships is that sponsorships come with money. Partnerships, on the other hand,
allow the blogger to receive products for free, so that way he or she can post about the product. Often times these posts will be reposted by larger companies. So essentially, it is a win-win. The blogger is promoting the company’s products, and in return the company promotes the blogger by tagging them in the pictures the company has reposted. One may think that scoring a partnership would be extremely difficult, but it’s all about networking. “It all starts with a simple email,” Leah explained. “In that email I introduce myself, my blog and other social media platforms, and express to them how they can use my platform to promote their brand. In return I get to share with my followers products that I love.” One thing that is very important is that you need to be able to explain to the company why your blog is different. It’s not a matter of making yourself look better than the other, but a matter of differentiating yourself. Leah has sometimes been able to skip this process, seeing as there are times when the brands are the ones to approach her. This still comes as somewhat of a surprise to her to see that some of these people would like to work with
PHOTO Courtesy of leah harrigan
Pictured: a sample of Leah Harrigan’s blog her. Leah, however, does not accept all of the offers that she is given. “It’s important to learn to say no sometimes, which can be difficult because partnership offers are always enticing,” she advised. “If I genuinely don’t like a brand, there’s no point in working with them.” In the future, Leah would like to partner with a charity in order to raise awareness through her blog. She also plans to expand on the health and the style sections
of her platform seeing as they are her favorite. Leah would like to be more consistent with her posts and maybe even film videos to go along with them. For those of you who have always wanted to have a blog, Leah strongly advises that you go for it. It’s important to know that there will always be room for improvement. She concluded, “Beautiful things take time. But also with a little bit of hard work, visions can come to life.”
Coloring away the stress at the library by Sasha Balkaran and Ciara Burke, Staff Writers AFTER A morning filled with test and quizzes, all students want to do during their one period of rest is to eat lunch and relax. An easy way to do this is to take advantage of the stacks of designs and cups of colored pencils in the library. This may seem out of place in a high school, especially one like Townsend Harris High School where there seems to be no room for breaks, but the coloring books you used as a child can also bring benefits to your life now. Whether it was by word of mouth, social media, or simply stumbling upon it, for weeks people have been coloring images in the school library as a method of relieving stress. This activity was devised by the school librarian Arlene Laverde on a shopping trip to Target, where Ms. Laverde laid her eyes on a $15 coloring kit. Initially, Ms. Laverde was skeptical about implementing such an activity. She thought the students would believe that she viewed them “as babies” or that they would draw “inappropriate things.” The results of this “experiment” were both expected and unexpected. As Ms. Laverde intended, coloring served as a stress
reliever. Junior Navpreet Kaur says, “I think it’s really effective. It calms you down and it’s something everyone loves to do.” Junior Jasmyne Jean-Remy agrees, saying, “It really helped me get school-related things off my mind.” The importance is not the time spent coloring, but the time taken to do something other than worrying about day-today life. Freshman Savannah Sclafani attests to the activity’s usefulness. “It’s certainly very relaxing even if you just take a few minutes out of your day to sit down and take a break,” she says. Ms. Laverde originally expected boys to be less involved in coloring. However, as time progressed, it became apparent that some of the boys were heavily involved in the activity. Senior Vasili Papa was concerned about what he was going to “do during his free [periods].” He found that
coloring was not only a way to “pass time” but was an “extremely useful way to get rid of stress,” since “you’re only concerned about staying within the lines, and you’re free to use whatever colors you want.” Despite a seeming uniformity as students colored with “a group of friends,” Vasili noted a disparity existing between girls and boys. “The senior boys that color use darker colors and the girls use lighter colors.” There even existed a difference in the colors assigned to each clothing type. If there is a princess with a dress on the sheet, her dress is usually colored in pink or purple while clothing for guys is usually “darker colored.” The approach the students took to coloring a poster was unique as well. According to Ms. Laverde, “The students take the coloring just as seriously as they take everything else. They want it to look nice.” The THHS students’ usual
“ The importance is not the time spent coloring, but the time taken to do something other than worrying about day-to-day life. ”
PHOTO by renanenia Pangan
Coloring page in senior lounge. approach to their work has manifested itself in the form of coloring posters, in which students keep each other from producing unsatisfactory work and give suggestions for “coloring” improvement. Ms. Laverde is currently funding the posters by herself. To support her program, people can search “Ms. Laverde” on
Donorschoose.org and provide donations. She is also looking for a place to display the work the students created. As Ms. Laverde states, “Every poster is a team project that should be valued.” Students who feel stressed and have a few minutes to spare during lunch should take a seat and spend some time coloring their stress away.
12 January/February 2017
THE CLASSIC
A&E
New Museum lights up the city By Jasmine Mahabir, Staff Writer
Museum. st at New e r o F l e x Pi ahabir Jasmine M y b o t o h P
WALKING INTO the unknown, you find yourself transfixed on the dangling display of hues. As the music intensifies, so do your senses. You venture further and discover oddly satisfying visuals that add on to your experience. You think to yourself, am I hallucinating? This captivating event is none other than the New Museum’s latest exhibition, “Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest.” The New Museum, located on 235 Bowery in NYC, was founded in 1977 with the intentions of exhibiting contemporary art and innovative ideas. Rist’s work falls under this category as she describes her art as a “glorification of the wonder of evolution.” Pipilotti Rist is a video artist from Switzerland who works with film and moving images, which are usually displayed as projections in her exhibits. She studied graphic design, illustration, and photography at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, and then pursued audiovisual communications and video at the Basel School of Design. Her works often explore issues related to gender, sexuality, and the human body. “Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest” is a masterpiece that imbues her observations of physical and psychological encounters, thus creating a sense of intrigue among her audience and allowing us to explore different tex-
tures, forms, and functions in our environment. As Rist notices, “Today, with computers, TVs, and mobile phones, everything is flat and put behind glass - our feelings, histories, longings. We’re all separated from each other, for the human being that we are in contact with is always behind glass… But with art, we can jump out of our loneliness.” Her exhibition occupies three floors of the museum, which include video installations that can transform structured spaces into vast realms amplified with soothing and mesmerizing music. Each area has a section where you can rest on plush pillows and comfy beds to view her artwork. People discovered the new exhibition at the New Museum through social media, particularly Instagram. Senior Eileen Jimenez mentioned that “everyone would post pictures [on Instagram] of a certain exhibit and would include the geolocation in their post,” which is how she found the Pixel Forest. When asked about the experience, Eileen expressed that it was truly breathtaking. “I really enjoyed it because everything was so abstract and beautiful. Certain art pieces would magnify the beauty of everyday objects that would usually go unnoticed, which I found to be pretty cool. I found myself interacting with the art
rather than staying a foot away from it.” Though many are mainly attracted to the peculiarity of exhibitions at the New Museum, the best part about visiting here is that you can experience it with others, as junior Cerissa Huggins describes it as “good place to relax with friends and family as well as to just explore some contemporary art and gain inspiration.” While you’re wandering through the Pixel Forest, which you can until January 15, don’t forget to catch a glimpse of the other exhibitions at the New Museum, such as “Cheng Ran: Diary of a Madman” and “Screens Series: Heather Phillipson.” Upcoming exhibitions include “A.K. Burns” and “Jonathas de Andrade: O Peixe.” These exhibits share a common theme; they are all video art installations.
Bringing back the polaroid By Rachel Gaugler, Staff Writer THE SCENE is set: the sun setting in the background and your friend posing for the shot. You hold your breath as you press down the button and see the flash go off. You only have one shot to get it right because each film comes at a cost and it has to be worth it. Polaroid cameras are the new trend among many students, as they are brought to various events and are commonly used to decorate rooms and lockers. They were left behind as the digital era unfolded, but are being brought back now for their aesthetic appeal. Sophomore Jacqui Valenti uses her Fujifilm mini to capture “one perfect shot” with each film. To her, the appeal accompanies the authenticity of each picture, feeling as though “having physical copies of photos is so much more authentic than having a digital picture on your phone.” Pictures are meant to capture special moments as they unfold, but some believe that digital cameras often lose that effect. With polaroids there’s a sense of magic
in every shot, since it develops in your hand. They create one image that cannot be replaced or duplicated. As Junior Carmela Lopez says, “Polaroids are often unique in a way that the picture you take is the only version of that picture; that one copy is different from all the others.” It’s often said that what makes a picture good is the person behind the lens capturing the story. The idea of a photograph printing within seconds encmopasses this idea as each film “tells a different story and shows a different perspective.” Polaroids were popular in generations before us. However, as the digital world expanded, more people leaned towards the newer cameras and longer lenses. They found that electronic images are more accessible and convenient, since multiple pictures of one event could be taken. Digital cameras also take higher quality photos as opposed to the antique look of polaroids. But to Senior Teresa Ng, the vintage aspect of polaroids is what makes them so special as it resembles the printed images her parents would buy from the store. Polaroids create a way to both give
off that trendy new vibe while also retaining their physical characteristic. She finds that the instant pictures create a more homey vibe because they enable “friends and family [to] spend quality time together reminiscing on the past instead of staring at an iPhone or computer screen.” Junior Karolina Grodski uses polaroids to decorate her locker, even buying cute magnets to match her favorite images. At a school where students often feel the burden of many tests and projects, she finds that this one simple act of displaying her polaroids brightens her day. And when Karolina sits at her desk at the end of a long day, her notes scattered on her bed, books piled next to her, and her laptop charging on her lap, she looks at the polaroid frame sitting on her desk holding a single memory of her friends. She describes it perfectly, “whenever I’m doing my homework, stressed out, I look at the picture and smile.” That’s what polaroids are all about—the good memories captured in that one perfect shot.
Artsy Polaroid Camera PHOTO BY RACHEL GAUGLER
Polaroid
camera a nd New M useum ar exhibit. t
Photos b y Rachel Gau mine Mah gler and Jasabir