April 2015 (Volume 31, No 7)

NOT REALLY 90’s KIDS

HERE’S A TIP

BOYS BREAK RELAY RECORD

Full House, the Backstreet Boys, and AOL instant messaging. Can Townsend students correctly identify 90’s icons?

Apparently not.

Townsend seniors can get straight A’s, score high on the SAT’s and get into top colleges. But there’s one thing they can’t do: tip properly.

The THHS boys 4x800m relay team managed to break the school record for the relay and in the process qualified for several elite meets.

> SPECIAL FEATURE PAGE 4

> OPINION PAGE 9

> SPORTS PAGE 10

CLASSIC Townsend Harris High School at Queens College

April 2015 - Volume 31 No. 7

the

THE CLASSIC

Legally Blonde’s Delta Nu sorority girls line up for the beginning of the play.

www.thhsclassic.com

PHOTO BY MELISSA WONG

Favorable verdict reached on Legally Blonde Ashley Zhao STAFF WRITER

Adorned in pink, senior Nina Leeds sang and danced her way through Harvard Law School as Elle Woods in Townsend Harris’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical on April 17 and 18. This year’s school play reproduced the popular Broadway musical from 2007, which in turn was based on the 2001 comedy film of the same name.

The plot centers on Elle Woods, a preppy, seemingly airheaded college sorority girl who follows her ex-boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (senior

Ross Cimagala), to Harvard Law School in the hopes of winning him back. With her vivid pink clothing and bubbly personality, she is initially a fish out of water among the uptight, snobby Harvard students. However, by continuing to be herself, she eventually lands a coveted internship and befriends a few students. She even falls in love with teaching assistant Emmett Forrest (freshman Noah Sadik), who helps her overcome academic and emotional obstacles at Harvard. In the end, she surprises everyone when she successfully uses her “bend and snap” tactic and knowledge of hair care to dramatically ex-

pose a criminal on trial and save the innocent Brooke Wyndham (junior Rebecca West) from prison.

The scenes ranged from a comedic number about whether a lying witness was “gay or European” (he turned out to be both), to the more mellow “Chip on My Shoulder,” in which Elle learns about Emmett’s unexpected backstory and realizes the amount of effort she must invest to succeed.

Scenes were strung together with musical numbers and were often accompanied by the lively dancing and singing of Elle’s fellow sorority girls. These numbers

included the well-known “Bend and Snap,” “Omigod You Guys!” and “Whipped Into Shape.”

Noah Sadik, who played Emmett, said, “The music is phenomenal, the story is charming, and the plot is comical.”

Assistant Director and English teacher Joseph Canzoneri explained why he and Director Richard Louis-Pierre made this less conventional choice. As always, they needed to choose a play with a lot of female characters, since THHS is predominantly female. The second reason was that they hadn’t performed a dance-heavy show in a while, and there were a lot of talented

dancers he wanted to feature. “[Mr. Louis-Pierre] threw out some titles of shows we had done before, like 42nd Street and Thoroughly Modern Millie and I kinda said, ‘We’ve done these already and kinda recently, let’s pick something different,’” he said.

Mr. Louis-Pierre said Legally Blonde was “a very large show” that he felt was rightfully challenging but also a good learning experience.

Mr. Canzoneri added, “The best part is seeing the ideas materialize. It goes from nothing to an idea. It’s also really a family

> NEWS PAGE 2

Japanese Consul General, Shimoda students visit Hye Mi Jeon, Rebecca Kwon and Sherin Shibu STAFF WRITERS The strong relationship between Townsend Harris and its Japanese sister school Shimoda High School was especially evident within the THHS community over the past month.

On April 16, THHS hosted the Consul General of Japan in New York in honor of the school’s connection with Shimoda High School, and students from Shimoda visited last March.

Ambassador Reiichiro Takahashi, the Consul General of Japan in New York and Deputy Director-General of the International Peace Cooperation, sought to pay homage to Townsend Harris, the first American ambassador to Japan. Assemblywoman

Nily Rozic initiated the visit and coordinated the agenda with Principal Anthony Barbetta.

Japanese and Music teacher Mariko Sato-Berger and some of her students held performances for the ambassador in the school library. Mr. Barbetta, Ms. Rozic, and the president of Queens College, Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, attended the event. The performances included scenes from a skit on the history of THHS’ namesake, an Indian musical performance, a solo iaido performance (a form of Japanese swordsmanship), and classical violin and piano pieces. Afterwards, Dr. Sato opened up the floor to the audience for a Q&A session with Mr. Takahashi.

During this time, Mr. Takahashi spoke about the polio outbreak in Afghanistan and his ex-

perience as a former ambassador to Afghanistan. He also discussed the tense relationship between China and Japan and what attracted him to THHS. “I have a very high respect for Harris. [The] name of the school attracted me the most,” he said.

Mr. Takahashi also cited imagination as the most important trait a diplomat should have, as it is crucial to understanding different people.

“I was impressed with Ambassador Takahashi’s willingness to understand differences among people and his honesty and compassion towards others,” said Dr. Sato.

The ambassador’s visit proved to be an educational experience for the audience. “I learned Townsend Harris is still alive and well in Japan, that the govern-

PHOTO BY YASH SHARMA

Japanese Ambassador Reiichiro Takashi speaks with Nily Rozic

ment still thinks very highly of Townsend Harris and he holds a place in their heart and I learned

> NEWS PAGE 3

2 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

NEWS

Spring musical draws from recent film favorite > CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 bonding experience with people from so many different cliques, social circles, and grades.”

Despite the anxiety that often accompanies large productions, the cast still managed to put together and form what Director Richard Louis-Pierre called, “The best that crazy has to offer.”

Some play members felt the stress of living up to a wellknown musical. “I was worried that we weren’t going to be big enough or as appealing,” said senior Kevin Schneider, who performed a rapping sequence as part of his role of frat boy Grandmaster Kev. He added, “I thought many people would compare us to the incredibly funded and professional Broadway show.”

However, he mentioned that “all of [his] worries vanished as the final few dress rehearsals took place.”

“The audience really seemed to like it,” said Mr. Canzoneri.

“We were pleased with how we were able to take a show that really requires a heavy budget.”

The packed auditorium on both nights thoroughly enjoyed the performances.

“Picking something so popular definitely drew a bigger crowd,” junior Sarah DeFilippo explained.

She added, “Since Legally Blonde is such a popular movie, the audience has a connection and can see the creative ways the crew went about doing things that are easy to do in a film with a huge budget, but prove problematic for a smallscale production.”

“I think my favorite part has to be the trial, when they were examining the cabana boy and

couldn’t figure out if he was gay or European...and then he was both,” she added. “That scene was just great humor.” “[The play] made me love the movie even more,” said junior Ashley Sealy.

To prepare for the two performances, the cast stayed late almost every day after school perfecting their roles.

This was a very demanding job for most of them, but as Mr. Canzoneri put it: “It is a labor of love.”

Mr. Louis-Pierre summed up the ideas and motivation behind the play, saying, “It’s a chance for students to express themselves creatively and become someone else, someone not in their character. It’s also a wonderful venue

A few of Legally Blonde’s diverse scenes

for true teamwork.”

The show opened the same way it closed: to a spirited burst of music. Cast and crew members specifically enjoyed the liveliness of the music.

Noah commented on the show’s music and style, saying, “You get to be really creative and you get to build your character. And the songs are really fun and spirited and catchy.”

Sophomore Daniell Morales, who played the villainous Professor Callahan (who kisses Elle only to get slapped), agreed, saying,“I found [Legally Blonde] to be a difficult yet enticing play, a more modern twist than last year. It was fun with a modern, everyday-type of character.

There are people like this out

there somewhere. And overall, it’s more vibrant and realistic.”

Kevin especially enjoyed learning the dance to “Bend and Snap,” saying it “was so much fun to learn, and it’s so catchy.”

However, there were some bumps along the way.

“We casted a lot of dancers and for the most part the dances were strong; they could have used a little cleaning up,” said Mr. Canzoneri.

He added, “I think the script is a little funnier than perhaps we were able to bring out, but... when you’re doing a musical there’s always a list of priorities.

The first is the vocals...the second thing is the dances, and the last thing is the script.”

He added that he would’ve

PHOTOS BY MELISSA WONG

liked a few more rehearsals to “bring out the comedy in the script.”

Despite the time constraints, newer theatrical terrain and having to coordinate a total of 33 cast members, he was pleased with the results.

“This was the first time since I’ve been here [that we’ve ever] had the entire cast together for one rehearsal…there was always someone who had a commitment,” he explained.

“That gets really frustrating.

Considering all of those obstacles, I’m thrilled with the way things turned out.”

“This Is It” puts talents of P.S. 255 on display Drushanie Sayroo STAFF WRITER

THE STUDENTS of P.S. 225 put on their annual musical performance titled “This is It” in the Townsend Harris High School auditorium. On April 24, 16 students worked together with a few THHS students to create the event seen by a mixture of parents, families, students, and faculty.

P.S. 255, a District 75 school located at eight different sites in Queens, teaches autistic children from Pre-Kindergarten to 11th grade. Its goal is for students to achieve maximum independence in several areas of skill.

Kenneth Henderson (known as Mr. Kenny) is a paraprofessional and has lead the students in performances like these at THHS for the past 3-4 years.

At the show’s start, Mr.

Kenny gave a speech saying the show was all about “empowering their students” and “pushing their boundaries.” Thirteen students performed, with two working as ushers and one controlling the curtains.

This year’s performance included songs such as “Material Girl” by Madonna, “Billie Jean”

by Michael Jackson, “All of Me”

by John Legend, a duet of the Beatles’ “Imagine,” and a guitar solo accompanied by THHS junior Julian De La Rosa. These musical performances ranged from dancing, singing, and even lip-syncing.

“I really didn’t expect it to be so good,” remarked senior Yougeeta Singh. “I was so surprised by the dance moves.”

A video showcasing the students played between performances. The video consisted of a montage of photographs show-

Students of P.S. 255 showcase their dance moves.

ing the students playing instruments and participating in an Aerobics class.

“I love doing it because you

expect the unexpected,” stated Mr. Kenny. “Typically, this is out of [the kids’] element.”

The students started rehears-

PHOTO BY KARI IOCOLANO

ing for the show on the first day after school, and Mr. Kenny said he “already has ideas for next year.”

THE CLASSIC

April 2015

3

NEWS

Series of visits reinforces Japanese connections > CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

On left, Ambassador Takahashi with Principal Barbetta. On right, a Shimoda student takes a picture with a THHS student.

a lot about the ambassador himself,” said Mr. Barbetta. “I was very surprised that he actually served in Afghanistan, which is a very dangerous country.”

“In my 12 years with THHS, we have not had any ambassador or consuls visiting us,” recalled Dr. Sato. “But during [Founding Principal Malcolm Largmann’s] time, THHS did have a visit by the Japanese Ambassador.”

Senior Cienah Gray-Cowans, who is currently taking AP Japanese, was nervous about her iaido performance but overall enjoyed the experience. “The ambassador is really friendly and has a sense of humor,” she remarked.

Last March, students from Shimoda High School also visited THHS, as they do annually.

Unlike the Okinawa students who visited in the Fall semester, the Shimoda students were not as exposed to the American lifestyle.

Okinawa is located on the southernmost islands of Japan where there is a large U.S. military base that serves as a bridge

between American and Japanese culture. However, the small fishing town of Shimoda is secluded from such exposure. Thus, the sister school relationship between Shimoda and THHS allows for a unique exchange.

“This year was very special for THHS kids and Shimoda kids because we joined in the

[were] only English teachers [that chaperone the Shimoda HS students],” said Dr. Sato. “This year was interesting, we had one English teacher and one math teacher. [The math teacher] was very interested in observing the classes here and had some very interesting things to say.”

Senior and AP Japanese stu-

classes in Japanese high schools in comparison to American high schools, and at the end we had free time to take pictures with the Shimoda students and some of our students even danced a few dances from FON,” said Mary.

“I was quite amazed that we were able to share so many

“Having a face-to-face interaction between the Harrisites and the Shimoda students helps us continue the relationship that was once created.”

Spring Fair at the United Nations International School,” said Dr. Sato. “We were able to join at the same event. That was very special and worked out since Shimoda happened to be having Spring Break.”

Other activities included classroom visits and a gathering in the library. “[In] previous years, there

dent Mary Ji said that the most notable aspect of the visit was when the students gathered in a circle and had a joint discussion in the library. THHS students learned much about Japanese culture, and were often surprised by the contrast with American culture.

“We talked about bullying, college entrance, the math

cultural and in-depth stories in such a short time.”

“If the Shimoda High School students never came, I would’ve never known that they never use calculator in math classes (not even Calculus), and I would have never been able to make so many Japanese friends in one day,” said Mary.

Students and teachers from

PHOTOS BY YASH SHARMA

Shimoda also noticed the differences. Shimoda English teacher Mika Kon stated that she was more familiar with a quieter classroom environment.

Ms. Kon remarked, “The students [here] are so active and aggressive. In Japan, students are shy so they don’t want to speak out loud. They don’t speak out their opinion. I want them to learn [from THHS students].”

Dr. Sato agreed that the exchange of culture between any two parties is beneficial. She said that it is even more so “for the kids who are learning Japanese to meet people from Japan. It is just an indescribable experience to be able to really feel their culture face to face.”

For senior Joice Im, the visit reinforced the history between the two schools.

She said, “Having a faceto-face interaction between the Harrisites and the Shimoda students helps us continue the relationship that was once created.”

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH STUDENTS SWEEP CITY COMPETITION, GO TO STATES

By Jeffrey Huang Fifteen sophomores from Social Studies teacher Franco Scardino’s Social Science Research (SSR) class traveled to Cooperstown, New York on April 27 for the New York State History Day competition, where they competed for a spot at the national competition in June.

In order to progress to states, the student’s project had to place first or second in a category at the city competition, which occurred in March.

The sophomores swept the city wide SSR competition, with 20 out of

33 entrants placing either first, second, or third. Townsend Harris placed more than any other public or private NYC high school at the contest. The state qualifiers were Nicholas DossHom and Pamela Pajares for the Individual Website category, Arianna Dookhu, Mark Zurita and Suzanna Balkissoon for the Group Website category, Benjamin Pulatov and Samantha Jaloza for the Individual Performance category, Michelle Illescas for the Individual Exhibit category, Brianna Manginelli and Mariana Molina for the Group Exhibit category, and Mithila Hossain, Matthew Mandel,

Georja Fotiou, Mya Allen and Patrycja Komaniecki for the Group Documentary category.

The third place winners at the city competition were Genova Brown for the Individual Website category, Omar Daoud and Christian Foronda for the Group Website category, and Boluwatife Oloruntoba and Agastya Vaidya for the Group Performance category.

The projects centered on historical research, with topics ranging from the Civil Rights March, film and dance, and the impact of the cutter knife on a garment workers’ union.

Mr. Scardino explained the structure of the six semester course, saying, “[The] sophomore part...is the historical aspect of research where students learn basic research skills such as finding and annotating sources.”

Regarding the win, on the school website Mr. Scardino stated, “Our students are truly the best in the city.”

Agastya, who won third for a group performance about THHS alumnus Jonas Salk, said, “no one could deny [the class] created projects which were thoroughly researched.”

4 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

FEATURES

With class of 2018, Harrisites leave the nineties behind Ilyssa Delos Reyes STAFF WRITER SOCIAL MEDIA sites like Buzzfeed and Facebook suggest there are “only things that true ‘90s kids would know.”

This year’s freshmen are currently the only students in the school who were not born in the ‘90s. Although the students from the three other classes were born in the ‘90s, even these students find it difficult to identify with that decade.

When asked about their thoughts on the ‘90s, many students had trouble commenting, as they were too young to remember anything significant about this era. The associations that students made with the ‘90s often corresponded with different decades.

Senior Kevin Jiang said, “There were a lot of shows like Pokémon, Digimon and Scooby Doo and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Although most of these TV shows were broadcasted in the late ‘90s, shows like Pokémon and Digimon only peaked in the 2000s. Scooby Doo first aired in the ‘70s.

Similarly, freshman Jane Kim named a beloved childhood TV show as a ‘90s show that invovled “the grandma and the pink dog.” The show

she was referring to was Courage the Cowardly Dog, which first aired at the end of 1999.

Jane added that her true expertise on ‘90s pop culture is relevant to the Korean world.

“I remember [watching] Seo Taeji, H.O.T, and Reply 1997,” she said. Seo Taeji and H.O.T are recognized as music icons of the ‘90s but Reply 1997 was a 2000s drama recounting a love story that was set in the ‘90s.

Some correctly associated TV shows with the right decade. Although Sophomore Patrick Hernandez initially joked that all he knew about the ‘90s was his birth, he correctly recalled popular ‘90s shows such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Power Rangers. Though he was born in the late ‘90s, he said that, “if it is about TV shows, I remember most of them and they make me feel nostalgic of my childhood.”

Even students’ historical understanding of the ‘90s is often off. Two students associated the ‘90s with the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union. The Cold War began long before the 90s and the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, so the late ‘80s would be the accurate era to link with the fall of the Soviet Union.

Two students associated the lifestyle of the ‘90s with manu

MOVIES

ARTWORK BY JAMIE FUNG

ally opening a car window with a crank. However, the automated window was invented before the ‘90s, which would make the automated windows accessible and common in the cars of the ‘90s.

Jane added, “There were also beepers and AIM, Hotmail, AOL, and Myspace.”

AOL and its instant messaging counterpart AIM were big in the ‘90s, but Myspace was

TV SHOWS

Lion King (1994) Home Alone (1990) Titanic (1997) Clueless (1995) Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Matrix (1991) Saving Private Ryan (1998) Toy Story (1995)

Friends (1994-2004) Full House (1987-1995) Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire (1989-1996) Seinfeld (1989-1998) Saved By the Bell (1989-1993) Rugrats (1991-2004) Family Matters (1989-1998)

90'S THROWBACK

SONGS MC Hammer Can’t Touch This (1990) Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way (1999) Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991) Madonna Vogue (1990) Britney Spears Baby One More Time (1999)

TOYS Tamagotchi (1996) Nintendo 64 (1996) Bop It (1996) Gameboy Color (1998) Pokemon cards (1996 in Japan; 1998 in US)

launched in 2003.

The one category students knew well was the ‘90s music scene. Freshman Deepshikha Kewlani remembers, “I was into N’Sync, the Backstreet Boys, and the Spice Girls.”

Junior Teresa Kan explained why it may be difficult for students to accurately describe

‘90s culture: “Although technically we are considered ‘90s kids, we were born at the tail end of it, so we don’t have the memories of living in the ‘90s. It’s hard to identify ourselves as ‘90s kids when we only have memories from the 2000s.”

GRAPHIC BY KATHY HUANG

THE CLASSIC

April 2015

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6 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

FEATURES

Lifenet text service offers its support to teens Raya Kazdan, Katherine Chan STAFF WRITERS

THIS SEMESTER, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Education collaborated to introduce “NYC Teen Text,” a program allowing teenagers to send text messages for emotional support.

Out of the thirty schools in Children First Network 201, a network that schools use to manage everything outside teaching, ten schools are part of this pilot program. Among those schools are Townsend Harris High School, Stuyvesant High School, Bronx High School of Science, and

Frank Sinatra School of the Arts.

“What we wanted to do is normalize mental health and provide an avenue for young people to connect,” said Denise Arieli-Barufka, Director of Development and Coordinated Services at the DOHMH. “Young people were not picking up the phone and calling,” she said. Thus, NYC Teen Text was born.

THHS’s Student Union has been recently handing out teen text cards throughout the school in order to spread the word about it. Sarah Oberlander, the Coordinator of Student Activities, explained the numbers behind the initiative: “According to recent survey data, 27% of high school students feel sad or hopeless, yet only 18% get

help from a counselor.”

Running from 2:30 PM to 9:30 PM during the school week, and 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM on weekends, NYC Teen Text allows students in emotional distress, including those with depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety, to send a text message and receive prompt support on a range of issues.

The responders are all mental health counselors at Lifenet who have received additional training to be able to respond to text messages specifically.

“This program is a supportive, free, easy, and realistic way to help because students can let go of concerns and stresses, and also get a point of view from someone who’s seen this before,” said Ms. Oberlander.

“This is the way that teens communicate more oft en [than over] t e l -

ephones,” said Scott Bloom, Director of School Mental Health Services at the DOE. The number of students contemplating and actually committing suicide has recently increased, warranting more services for teens.

“The chancellor is very concerned over the last school years,” Mr. Bloom said. “We worked with the Chancellor’s Office and the Office of Safety and Youth Development to present a number of trainings for teachers and staff. We wanted to give the teens the greatest access to get the help they need.”

“Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege of feeling comfortable with or having someone they trust to confide in,” Student Union President and senior Karen Su added. “ A l though t h ere wi l l b e

someone on the other side of the line, there will always be a sense of anonymity, which can provide some degree of comfort.” Not all students had the same reactions. Senior Austin Jaross felt differently, saying that he “wouldn’t [use NYC Teen Text] because [he has] friends who know how to handle these kinds of situations, and [he feels] more confidential talking with them.”

Similarly, junior Olivia Comer stated, “Right now I can’t see myself using this.

But if something came up where I couldn’t talk to people, I would probably use it.”

Whether students often feel overwhelmed or can handle stress with ease, they now have another outlet with which to express themselves. As Junior Class President Sherin Shibu says, “Sometimes we just need someone to talk to about the challenges we face.”

ARTWORK BY KATHY CHANG

Student advice: handling May testing Jilissa Drayton STAFF WRITER WITH THE end of the school year steadily approaching comes the loads of finals and standardized tests that all students dread.

However, on top of that burden, most students at Townsend Harris take on the added stress of Advanced Placement exams and SAT subject tests.

SAT subject tests are in-depth tests administered by The College Board on individual topics multiple times throughout the year. Many students choose to take their subject tests at the end of the year, especially if the test coincides with one of the classes they are taking that semester. The College Board also creates Advanced Placement exams, giving students the chance to earn college credits while still in high school, which looks good on college applications.

Students choose to study in different ways, with independent studying serving as one of the more popular methods. The plethora of available review books allow students to take their own time to thoroughly peruse information and take practice tests to assess their knowledge.

Among surveyed students, Kaplan, Barron’s and Princeton Review are the most popular review books. Students insist that taking time aside to review class notes and outlines help as well.

The thick review books with a year or more’s worth of course material can be overwhelming, but junior Abdoulaye Diallo has his own accommodating system.

He explained, “Typically I look at the syllabus for a course and may begin supplementing what we learn in class with a Review Book geared towards that AP Class or Honors Class. So its studying cumulatively. Although, one can manage to cram for a test. Review books are even organized in that manner; they have a guide of how to use and divide the book depending on the amount of time you have left until the exam.”

Senior Gabriela

ARTWORK BY LESLIE HUANG

Kluzinski chimed in with her own advice: “For studying you have to know under what circumstances you perform the best. Everyone responds to different types of pressures but personally, the stress of a deadline has always pushed me to work harder.”

Some students believe that their teachers make taking the exams easy through the use of AP-style questions.

Sophomore Noreen Mohsin adds, “My teacher...has really thoroughly covered the m a t e r i a l we need to know and has been giving us practice questions and essays to prepare for the real test, as well as helpful tips and other information.”

A common idea seems to be practicing old exams and familiarizing yourself with the format and timing of the test.

Junior Patrick Nian reinforces the importance of practice and says, “Take plenty of practice tests to know the format and timing of the test like the palm of your hand.”

In agreement with his peers

about self-studying, senior Kevin Schneider stated, “The teachers did as much as they could, but I feel I relied more on myself than anyone else while taking these courses.”

Senior Minhaj Rahman favors a very strategic preparation for these exams and urges, “AP courses are college courses so they do contain a lot of information...break down chapters into weeks and you get closer to the test day and that will help you stay organized and avoid late night cram sessions before the test.”

Abdoulaye offers advice to every student who is contemplating taking any AP classes, but is fearful of the exams. He expressed, “If a student wants to be challenged, I don’t see any reason to let an AP exam or SAT II be a deciding factor. If a student truly wants to learn and master a subject, the AP exam or SAT II they take at the end of the year should be an indicator of how well they mastered a particular subject.”

Sophomore Rifat Ahmed voiced, “It’s important to take courses and tests that interest you...do what will ultimately make you happy.”

PHOTO BY YASH SHARMA

THE CLASSIC

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8 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

OPINION Asian Americans: not just doctors and nerds

Tiffany Huang STAFF WRITER

FOR TOO long, Asian American actors have been confined to the caricatures of tiger parents and doctors with thick accents. Although we’ve departed slightly from using the characters’ culture as a recurring plot device or punchline, there is still much work to be done.

You may have seen Modern Family, Everybody Loves Raymond, or even Black-ish, but what about Fresh Off the Boat?

The show’s pilot premiered on February 4, with the main cast featuring mostly Asian Americans. Although the sitcom thrives on humor from stereotypes, it effectively depicts the clash between cultures that occurs realistically.

The show gives the audience a view of what it means to be an actual Asian American. Moreover, it is the first show in twenty years to feature an Asian American family, following Margaret Cho’s All American Girl.

This waiting period hints at a scarcity of roles for Asian Amer-

ican actors, making it harder for those actors to find roles that escape stereotypical proportions.

Evidence of this scarcity is all over popular media. Take for instances the sitcom Glee: the characters Mike Chang and Tina CohenChang are constantly labelled and distinguished as Asians.

For such characters, a grade lower than an A is considered an “Asian F.” A regular kiss is an “Asian kiss” for them.

I n 21 & Over, Jeff Chang has an overbe a r i n g and austere father who pushes him into a medical career.

Jamie Chung, a Korean-American who speaks fluent English, in her role of Nima in Premium

ARTWORK BY CLAUDIA CHANG

Rush speaks broken English.

These roles all exemplify Hol-

lywood’s innate bias in viewing and thinking of Asian Americans in a limited way: as dictatorial doctors or as nerds who live for their grades.

But Asian Americans are capable of far more versatile roles than the stereotypical ones. On ABC’s Selfie, John Cho effortlessly portrays a charismatic and well-accomplished marketer in a pharmaceutical company.

The focus of his presence on the show was centered on his work and personal life, not his ethnicity.

Maggie Q stars in Stalker, a police drama series, where she excels in her role as Lieutenant Beth Davis. Q por-

trayed her character’s range of emotions and actions clearly, from being fearless towards criminals to avoiding her own past.

The significance of these roles is that they do not revolve around the characters’ looks or heritage, and they most certainly do not play to the stereotypes that normally denote Hollywood’s perverse use of Asian American actors.

Instead, Cho and Maggie were cast as normal human beings. This further shows that Asian Americans are capable of acting out any role and that they can present the stories of their characters brilliantly, rather than confining themselves to the misrepresentation of their culture.

Asian Americans can play the hero, the lover, the boss, and the rest of the archetypes.

The entertainment industry must realize that they can rely on Asian Americans to portray all sorts of characters, rather than the racist and stereotypical ones that society has created.

Comparisons help bring out the best in us

Mohima Sattar STAFF WRITER

NOWADAYS, WE’RE constantly told that “no one does you better than you,” and that we need to stop complaining and be completely content with who we are. “Don’t compare yourself to others,” they say. Although we try to promote egalitarianism as an ideal, rankings are an inherent part of society wherever you go. No two persons are alike, and by the same token, some people are better in some respects than others. Comparing ourselves to others, especially our betters, not only brings us into reality, but also allows us to pursue the best version of ourselves.

Of course, I don’t encourage finding someone and transforming yourself into a carbon copy of that person, but rather using the accomplishments of others to motivate yourself towards greater goals. For example, moving from a middle-class neighborhood to an upper-class one may make your accomplishments seem lackluster. But rather than be intimidated by the accomplishments of those around you, you should use them to fuel your desire to

succeed. Use your environment and the people around you to figure out what your next goal should be in life.

In the case that you feel superior to those around you because of what accomplishments you have received, you need to realize that you can’t just stop working hard. There may be someone performing at a higher level than you, and when you see that you realize you can’t slack off. Comparisons aren’t just for motivating, they can also be humbling.

What would an example of a beneficial comparison look like?

Imagine yourself as a student who just received a 94 on your test. Initially, you might be pleased with yourself, content to rest on your 94. But after asking around, you find that many of your peers have scored higher. Perhaps because of this, you may be motivated to study more to reach the same level as your peers, or if you’re a competitive student, score even higher. On top of enticing you to perform better, the comparison might also serve as a humbling factor, showing you that there is room for improvement.

Comparisons can be nega-

tive, though. They can inflate egos via comparisons to those beneath you, or make you regret your lack of achievement through comparis on s to your better peers. But both effects are counterable. The ego inflation can be solved by making sure the comparisons are always upwards. By making sure that the comparisons are to those above you, you are inspired to aim higher and progress, rather than remain stagnant or content.

Then there is the possibility of feeling down after seeing the accomplishments o f

more successful peers. This is more of an attitude problem than one with comparisons.

Rather than dwell on your own supposed inferiority, use the accomplishments of your peers as a goal to reach and maybe even surpass.

Comparisons aren’t as immoral as peop l e

make them out to be; they’re about living in reality. Remaining in a mindset of either an inflated ego or self-pity is illogical.

Such an existence bars the doors to self-improvement. When you see someone who knows what they want to do and how to achieve it, it should motivate you to improve your own situation.

ARTWORK BY VALERIE SHUM AND CHRISTINA WANG

THE CLASSIC

April 2015

The Classic

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.

EST. 1984

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL STAFF

A “tip” for Townsend’s seniors DESPITE CONSTANTLY being the subjects of praise by teachers, journalists, and politi cians, students at Townsend Harris High School fall short of one group’s expectations: delivery people.

In the past, teachers have claimed that seniors are poor tippers, and after speaking with a few delivery people, we’ve come to the conclusion that they may be right (about seniors in general, and some of us at The Classic as well). Some stories recounted by the interviewed deliverers include receiving a tip of $4 for a $90 order and being ridiculed for complaining about a $1 tip.

The practice of tipping is not petty and exists for a reason.

It shows appreciation to those who are willing to bring us the food that we are unwilling or unable to pick up ourselves.

Furthermore, it serves as

compensation for the resources expended during delivery-time: gas, energy. Instead of bringing your food, workers could have been delivering someone else’s or working at the restaurant.

In other cases, transportation requires fees, and this situation is no different. Matthew, a Gino’s delivery man, said, “If you take a taxi from Gino’s to here, they’re going to charge you at least $5. I’m bringing food, so I should get a tip.”

Also, when employers decide the salary of their delivery persons and waiters, they keep in mind that those employees will receive a supplemental tip. Due to that assumption, the salaries of such employees are often below minimum wage. Thus, tipping properly is not just an act of gratitude, but a responsibility to delivery persons to ensure that they can live comfortably,

9

despite a poor salary.

Tipping may be a premium, but it is a premium that is both justified and necessary. When delivery people arrive, they shouldn’t be standing around watching you assemble a lessthan-stellar tip. A bad tip is both indicative of a failure to understand proper etiquette regarding the restaurant business and a sign of disrespect to those who are responsible for bringing the food to us. However you look at it, unless we seek to acquire a negative image, the attitude of THHS seniors needs to change.

Tip correctly, and if you don’t know how much to tip, use 15% as the de facto option.

But if you don’t want to pay extra for having someone bring your food to you, be prepared to order and pick up the food yourself. Don’t ask for delivery if you can’t pay for delivery.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Stephanie Geier Amanda Yan NEWS EDITORS Sarah Iqbal Ann Kochupurackal

SPORTS EDITORS Eleni Sardina Noah Silversmith

FEATURES EDITORS Rachel Chabin Hallie Wolff

LAYOUT & DESIGN Christina Wang

OPINION EDITORS Zion Kim Zachariah Ooi

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Kari Iocolano Yash Sharma

A&E EDITORS Jason Lalljee Jennifer Walsh

MANAGING EDITORS Nina Leeds Harry Petsios

COPY EDITORS Evan Mancini Jane Tekin Simrankaur Wahan

ONLINE EDITOR Frankie Nicolazzi

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.

Cell phones should be allowed to be out

Mehrose Ahmad and Sumaita Hasan STAFF WRITERS

RECENTLY, THE New York City Department of Education allowed the possession of cell phones in school. However, prior to this new policy, the original policy of “banning” the possession of cell phones was never truly enforced at Townsend Harris High School. Staff had already accepted the fact that students would have their cell phones.

While rules discouraging cell phone use certainly existed, it was at the teacher’s discretion to enforce them. Consequently, there has been an inconsistency in the enforcement of the cell phone policy, with some teachers giving a demerit upon seeing a phone, others giving demerits when they hear one, and some not giving any at all. Hence, the original cell phone policy had always been unofficial in application.

The revised rules seem to offer more freedom and mitigate the anxiety associated with carrying a phone, but in reality, restrictions still apply. If phones are now allowed in class at the discretion of the teacher, why should we be penalized when our phones are seen elsewhere? Having them in our pockets does not constitute its misuse.

The new policy states: “If a cell phone rings, vibrates or is visible, any staff member may

confiscate the cell phone. [Then] a referral will be issued using the accepted referral process.” The administration applies a cryptic double standard to cell phone use—it is considered a positive, supplemental learning tool in classrooms, but a threat to learning anywhere outside the classroom. The real dilemma that occurs due to this ambiguous policy lies in the fact that we do not know what is characterized as blatant misuse.

Just as the Wi-Fi policy clearly defines the misuse of the internet, it is necessary for administration to implement a policy like this for cell phones because in the case of the cell phone policy, many questions remain unanswered even after its publication.

This lack of clarity demonstrates fear on the part of administrators and educators.

The prospect of integrating a device that can alter the future of education and also the way students behave in an academic environment overwhelms the administration due to the unfamiliarity. Cell phone use in school is somewhat foreign and unconventional. It’s not necessarily “wrong” or “bad”—it’s just a culture the administration does not want to permit here at THHS. THHS students are deemed to be mature and intelligent. If so, is it not safe to assume most of us would not abuse the rules established? The school should

have faith in its teachers and its discipline system so that students won’t pull out their phones at inappropriate times.

Even so, individual misbehavior will not cease. Cell phones will not cause an increase in improper conduct by any means, but rather an increase in their positive application. Instead of implementing a “ban” that’s ringing with obscurity, we should instead focus on reaching a compromise between students and administrators.

ARTWORK BY MARIE KESSAL

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10 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

SPORTS Boys track makes strides at New York Relays Kristine Guillaume STAFF WRITER

AT THE New York Relays, held at Ichan Stadium, the boys outdoor track team competed against teams from both in and around New York State. Despite the fierce competition, they placed in the top fifteen in many events. Furthermore, the 4 X 800 meter relay team, comprised of sophomores Muhamed Bicic and Justice Williams and juniors Abdoulaye Diallo and Dysron Marshall, clenched second place by breaking the previous Townsend Harris school record in their event. In doing so, they successfully qualified for not one, but three national elite meets: Penn Relays, New Balance Nationals, and the Adidas Grand Prix.

In the 4 X 800 meter run, Justice shaved six seconds off his previous personal best in the first leg, running with a time of 2:01. Muhamed continued upon with the strong start by setting a personal record of 2:00 to complete the second leg. He handed the baton to Dysron, who ran the third leg with a time of 2:03, beating his previous personal record by four seconds. Abdoulaye ran the anchor leg to close the race, sealing second place for the boys with an 800 meter

SPRING RECAP Girls Badminton

Record: 4-6 4th in Division 4/25/15 - THHS (5) vs. Flushing International HS (0)

Girls Fencing

Record: 4-0 1st in Division 4/23/15 - THHS (90) vs. Queens H.S. of Teaching (17)

Girls Flag Football

Record: 0-5 5th in Division 4/23/15 - THHS (0) vs. Springfield Gardens H.S. (6)

Girls Tennis

Record: 3-6 4th in Division 4/24/15 - THHS (3) vs. Bayside H.S (2)

Girls Outdoor Track

Girls place 4th at Bob Zifchack Classic meet at Bayside HS

Girls Wrestling

Record: 1-2 4th in Division 4/23/15 - THHS (28) vs.

William C. Bryant (14) For additional coverage of Townsend Harris athletics, visit www. thhsclassic.com

The 4 x 800 team after placing second in their race.

split time of 1:57. Overall, they finished with a time of 8:03, smashing the previous school record by 17 seconds. Their performance ranks them second in all of New York State.

“We performed exceptionally well in the relay,” Abdoulaye said.

“We were seeded tenth with a time of 8:20 and, with our collaborative effort, finished second with a time

of 8:03. I was blown away by every athlete in the relay performance.

Watching Justice PR, then Muhamed PR, and then Dysron PR, gave me immense motivation to try my hardest as anchor leg. The relay went from only being competitive on a city level to being competitive on a state level.”

In other events, the team set nu-

PHOTO BY YASH SHARMA

merous personal records and placed well. Justice placed 14th out of 54 runners in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 1:00. Furthermore, Abdoulaye, Dysron, Justice, and junior Aidan Moran placed ninth of out of 29 teams with a time of 3:54 in the varsity speed medley relay. In the 2000 meter steeplechase, senior captain Yash Sharma placed 14th

out of 28 runners by setting a new school record of 6:56. He beat the previous record, which had not been surpassed for six years, by 15 seconds.

“I went into that race with the goal of breaking the record, but I wasn’t expecting to do so well.

That was my only chance to break it, since this is the only meet where varsity athletes run the 2000 meter steeplechase; it’s usually 3000 meter,” Yash said. “The race itself went a lot better than I had expected. It was pretty awesome to break that record.

I had one chance to do it, and I’m glad everything went well.”

To prepare for the upcoming elite meets, the boys of the 4 X 800 meter relay team intend to push themselves harder than ever before in order to do well.

Muhamed concluded, “It’s an honor to be running at such meets because it gives us a chance to run out of our comfort zones and really get our names out there to college scouts. We will go back to training harder and really sharpening our weak points in order to run faster.

This performance was a great confidence booster for all of us which goes to show that fighting through adversity on the track will help reach your future endeavors.”

Another win served to boys tennis Catherine Ng STAFF WRITER AFTER A restful spring break, the boys varsity tennis team returned to their season with eagerness. On April 14, the boys defeated Forest Hills High School, winning 4-0. Despite the absence of certain key senior players, the underclassmen succeeded in bringing home the win.

The singles players, sophomores Mitchell Mu, Max Prohorov, and junior Daniel Corona each beat their opponents 10-0.

Second double players, junior Jeremy Hirsh and freshman Derrick Mu, also beat their opponents, 10-1.

Even with this success, the boys tennis coach, Stuart Raphael, believed the doubles players lacked aggressiveness. Max and Daniel offered them advice during the after-game group huddle.

Max explained, “We gave one of our doubles teams advice on how to improve, and that’s by going to the net and taking control of the point, because keeping the other team on the defensive will give you a huge advantage.”

Derrick confessed that he was not used to playing doubles. “I… do not really like volleying, and that is why I stay at the base line a

lot,” he remarked. He elaborated by saying that he struggled with his serves and hit easy shots out of bounds.

The singles players also felt they could improve on certain aspects of the game. Daniel committed a couple of double faults that cost him a few points. Max noticed some errors in his own play as well.

He explained, “I plan on improving [my] fitness because [it] is a large part of tennis aside [from] knowing how to hit a ball, because you have to have the speed to get to the ball as well as keep it up for a long time.”

This victory comes on top of a record breaking season for the team. For the first time in 15 years, the boys beat Benjamin Cardozo High School with a score of 4-1 last month. Last year, THHS ranked second in Queens and tenth in the city; this season, they have the potential to grab first in Queens if they can defeat Bayside High School and Cardozo again. Currently, THHS holds first in Queens with a record of 7-2.

A number of factors have contributed to their rise in performance, such as the addition of new players this year and senior Ethan Nitollo’s increased investment with the team. Ethan, who

PHOTO BY YASH SHARMA

Senior Ethan Nittolo readies a serve.

trains with a private coach, has taken time off to play the first singles position.

THE CLASSIC

April 2015

11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Tune in to THHS TV

Every month, The Classic provides you with four clues. Can you guess the identity of the staff member who matches these clues? We will reveal the identity of the staff member in the next issue.

PHOTO BY ADAM SOSNICKI

The THHS TV Club shoots a video.

Marie Kessel & Leo Rodriguez STAFF WRITERS TOWNSEND HARRIS prides itself not only on its academics, but on its thriving extracurriculars. THHS’s TV Club relies on a variety of factors to distinguish it from the school’s host of clubs, primarily in the role it plays in appealing to those who aren’t involved with the club itself.

Up until now, the club has maintained an unassuming presence within the school; however, now in its second year the THHS TV Club is beginning to yield more exciting projects.

As sophomore Camila Realpe says, “Club members work to help each other with projects, whether it’s to help with camera work, editing, or to be an extra in the project...we even come in during our lunch bands. Some people go every day.”

The projects that the members of TV Club work on vary in type. Some projects are informative pieces such as documentaries, while others are comedic works meant to entertain THHS students. There projects aren’t strictly managed; Mr. Wood said that they work on “pretty much any idea that students have.”

According to sophomore Martin Charles, the club is working on their second episode of an ongoing television series. “There’s skits, a challenge, a short film, [and more].”

In the long run, Mr. Wood concluded, “The goal of the club is to create a regular TV show.”

With THHS TV club’s extensive video production and teamwork skills, the visions of the club, as well as any future ones, should prove exciting to the THHS student body.

April’s Mystery Staff Member

1

I have played in accordion band in high school.

2

I knit and needlepoint.

3

I am the seventh of eight children.

4

I have marched several times in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

March’s Mystery Revealed

Last issue’s Mystery Teacher was Dr. Mazza. The clues were: 1. I have skied on the Chacaltaya glacier, a glacier that has since disappeared, 17,700 feet above sea level in the Andes. 2.I have hiked to the summits of five of the high points of the United States: Mount Mansfield, Mount Washington, Mount Katahdin, Mount Elbert, and Humphrey’s Peak.3.

I have eaten the Prehensile-Tailed Skink, boiled in water with coconut milk, in the country in which it is endemic. 4. I attended three games of the 1996 WorldSeries.

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12 April 2015

THE CLASSIC

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

The Phoenix ignites on the awards trail Hailey Lam STAFF WRITER

THIS YEAR, The Phoenix added a few more awards to its plumage. The thirty-year-old publication won four awards, making the most recent edition the holder of the most awards yet.

All of the awards are open to publications from schools across the United States, and three of the four accept entries from international publications, making the awards very competitive.

The 2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown (awarded to only 8 out of 1200 applications), the “Superior” rating from The National Council of Teachers of English (the highest distinction offered by the Council), The Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Medal, and The National Scholastic Press Association All-American Ranking are all given to student-run magazines that demonstrate literary merit and creativity.

Senior Yelena Dzhanova, co-Editor-in-Chief of the magazine, said that the publication “keeps getting better with each passing year.”

However, the issues aren’t simply improved versions of one another, as she clarifies-- “Every issue we produce is different from any other.”

However, “It’s not about the

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PHOENIX

Senior Eial Kestelman and junior Max Lacoma perform at a recent Phoenix reading. awards,” says Assistant Principal of Humanities and Phoenix advisor Rafal Olechowski. “It’s about the magazine and the students who make it happen; it’s about space for creative types to exist in this highly stressful and school-based world.”

Sophomore Devjani Paul also sees the progress. The Phoenix is trying to accommodate all types of talents and its effort to make its presence a bigger part of student life. “There are mini ‘zines’ now,” she said. “We’re also more [focus

on] social networking.”

“There was a time when The Phoenix was just for poetry, but now we’ve shifted to all types of creative talents,” Mr. Olechowski said, sharing the sentiment.

The club’s shift from “poetry only” to an eclectic collection of talented people was reflected by the club’s annual Barnes and Noble reading on Lexington Avenue, which featured readings, musical performances, and, in the case of senior Austin Jaross, a light show.

Several musical groups made use of the stage, performing both modern and classical pieces.

The Threetones, an in-school band comprised of seniors Chloe Mok and Minhaj Rahman, and sophomore Maria Silaban, performed covers of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down,” along with a mashup of Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” and John Mayer’s “Free Falling.”

The reading even attracted students from other schools, featuring

a performance from Bronx Science students Vanessa Lim on the violin and Kelvin Ma on the piano; the duo played an excerpt from Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen.”

Thomas Fucaloro, author of poetry compilations such as Inheriting Craziness is like a Soft Halo of Light, made a guest appearance.

Well-known in the poetry community for his comedic spoken word poems, his work, featuring wild gesticulations and humorous commentaries on society, was one of the most prominently featured of the afternoon.

The Phoenix made sure to stick to its roots, with the reading comprising mainly of student poets, including award-winning senior Sarah Iqbal, who read her poem, “You’re Not Crying Over Spilled Milk, You’re Lactose Intolerant.”

Senior Ashton Santo moved many audience members with his emotional poem “Love is not a bottle of Xanax.”

Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Phoenix, junior Kristine Guillaume, concluded the event by offering that the goal of the editors was “to make The Phoenix a more prevalent force in Townsend Harris, to make [them] better known, [and] to expand.”

Prince Tea House serves drinks fit for royal-tea

The decor and food add to the atmosphere of the Prince Tea House.

Sabrina Yu FOOD CRITIC TEA PARTIES are usually associated with children’s playtime, or relegated to the United Kingdom. However, now everyone can have an authentic tea experience at the Prince Tea House.

This regal cafe is located on Prince Street, Flushing, where the menu tries to emulate a tea party as much as possible, serving not only tea, but also delectable desserts and petite finger sandwiches.

I had to order their Rose Lover Milk Tea, which stands out because of its vibrant pastel pink tint. This tea has a pleas-

ant, aromatic rose fragrance. It is rich and creamy, but not overly sweet. This is certainly a musttry drink.

The Lavender Green Milk Tea is just as colorful as the Rose Lover Milk Tea, but not nearly as enjoyable. Although there is a balance of sugar and creaminess, it lacks a strong lavender flavor.

This was a satisfying tea, but it fell short of my expectations.

Thé Des Alizés, a lighter green tea infused with white peach, kiwi, watermelon, and flower petals is a fantastic fruity alternative to the heavier milk teas. Although the kiwi, watermelon, and floral flavors are not distinguishable, the tea is still re-

freshing.

The Fleur de Geisha is a green tea with cherry blossom and sakura flavor in tribute to Kyoto women. This was quite literally not my cup of tea, as it had an overwhelming cherry scent and taste.

As for desserts, the Tofu Cheesecake tastes like a typical cheesecake with a hint of tofu or soybean flavor. It is not as heavy, thick, and velvety as a normal cheesecake. The fresh berry assortment brings color, and the strawberry jam used to garnish the platter adds a sweet compliment to the cake.

The Green Tea Mille Crepe Cake, a slice of cake made of

many layers of green tea crepe and whipped cream, is coated with green tea powder on top, which adds more flavor to the cake without making it bitter.

The whipped cream makes the cake creamy and smooth. The crepes themselves have a spongy texture.

Another luxurious pastry was the Mille Feuille, which is a pastry sandwich tower with cream and fresh fruit in the middle, adorned with whipped cream, fresh fruit slices on the side, and a drizzle of strawberry jam on the plate for decoration. With the combination of the sweet cream and savory pastry, this dessert makes for an interesting dish.

PHOTOS BY SABRINA YU

In the Green Tea Creme Brulee, the custard is quite bitter due to the green tea. A layer of crunchy, torch-blown caramelized sugar on top and toasted candied sesame seeds on the side give it a roasted flavor. Despite the lack of sweetness, this was still a decent dessert.

The ambience of this cafe is romantic and elegant. With soft chandeliers and fairy lights, regal purple couches, and cute decor all around, the serene environment is perfect for going on a date or catching up with an old friend.

Prince Tea House is a wonderful cafe to visit if you have the time.

“The food is scrumptious, resulting in a marvelous experience.”