Spartan Voice: Issue 3 February 2023

Spartan Voice

Model Citizens

by Emma Mantovani

This past January 20th, 24 Spartans traveled to the WSU Campus to participate in the annual Model UN conference At each conference, two topics are discussed; this year, they were nuclear disarmament and climate change In Model UN, three people band together to represent a country within the United Nations The weeks before are spent researching and writing position papers that outline their respective country’s stances on the issues being discussed. The conference itself is split into two different sections, and this year, the morning was spent discussing nuclear disarmament while the afternoon focused on climate change In the end, delegates are given awards based on the speeches they presented, the questions they asked, and their involvement in the writing of resolutions Aden Meyers, who won an outstanding delegate award, outlined a portion of his position paper discussing the stance of Ghana in terms of nuclear disarmament:

Fair) on the team and only a handful of juniors

When it comes to the typical high school sports team, the leadership comes from the seniors and juniors, but that’s the thing they aren’t a typical high school basketball team

I asked a few of our key players about how they have handled the leadership and what is the mold of this team Starting point guard Asa Ahmad said, “[Coach Fiegel] always questions our leadership and sometimes if we are bought in the program and willing to listen to what he has to ‘sell ’ So with a great coach it can sprinkle down leadership to all of us ” Coach Fiegel is a figure that everybody in our community knows for his exceptional leadership of this team and this program has brought people to know of Collegiate basketball highly. The three freshmen (Jaden, Sebas, and AJ) all had one common answer when

huge role for me and the team because I feed off the energy around and the crowds have been amazing for us this year” With how this season has gone many people wonder how far this team can go Outside voices have high expectations for the rest of the season and so does freshman AJ Batiste When asked, “Looking forward after the El Dorado tournament, what are the hopes for the rest of the season and the future?”, he responded by saying, “To be the best team we can be and reach that championship caliber If we do that things will fall in line and only time will tell how far we go But I believe we have a chance this year at state.” Just like he said, only time will tell how well our young team does, but if there’s anything that is for certain, it’s that they are hungry for greatness and hungry for a state title

“The country of Ghana is in favor of nuclear armament in order to protect national security and the best interests of its people Countries that have been armed with nuclear weapons and recklessly tested nuclear weapons, such as Russia, are Ghana’s primary concern when considering this act Being a Third World Country with significantly lesser military force in comparison to the country concerned, Ghana’s interests are extremely susceptible to being undermined by countries armed with nuclear weapons Therefore, Ghana’s people require nuclear protection rather than an increase in militaristic development because nuclear armament does not require solutions to or exacerbate problems currently affecting Ghana, such as food shortages and forest encroachment which prevent the development of a military force With these factors considered to the fullest extent, additionally, Ghana proposes the enactment of a no-first-use policy Therefore, by aligning with nuclear armament, third-world and oppressed countries will have the facilities to defend themselves against the overpowering countries of the world ”

Congrats to the following students:

Outstanding Delegate:

Katherine Grace, Ayaan Parikh, Emma Mantovani, Joyita Dev, Aden Meyers

Outstanding Delegate Honorable Mention: Charlie Gentile, Gerald Albert

Position Paper Award:

Aubrey Collignon, Chiara Ramdani, Yumino Kada, Emma Mantovani, Lara deCarvalho, Madeline Kavalauskas

Time to Tune In

by Wambui Ngunjiri

The sports scene at Collegiate has gotten an upgrade with the introduction of the Collegiate Sports Programming Network, or CSPN The program is currently broadcasting a live report on our basketball games for both varsity girls and boys They’ve only done home games so far, but plan to follow our varsity boys team through the post-season tournament This is one of those things that could definitely go far and grow into a great opportunity for many Collegiate kids, but first how did it start? The idea came from Mrs King who, after hearing the radio show in Labette County, brought the idea to Conner Schupbach With the help of Mr Ashbrook, Aden Meyers, and Carson Phelps, the idea made its way to becoming a reality Schupbach has found himself at the epicenter of the whole program due to his interest in sports and experience in sports journalism from our very own Spartan Voice He’s put a lot of effort into the show and plans to make every improvement on the way to perfection For any Spartans out there who are interested, you may be in luck because CSPN has future plans to become a club and be left behind for other students. The hope is that the program will grow and be improved with each student who gets involved Until then, enjoy the show

Scholars Bowl Sovereignty

by Ajitesh Srivastava

Collegiate Scholars Bowl this season was absolutely fantastic! Playing some of the best we have throughout Collegiate’s history, our team of talented players went undefeated in many of their tournaments even where some of the strongest teams statewide competed for the first place spot As Coach DeVries puts it, the group of hardworking students “quietly made history” this season, with all players exceeding expectations set on them

This season we competed in 24 tournaments, going completely undefeated in 11 of them and additionally winning in several other tournaments Scholars Bowl tournaments are some of the most intense and fierce activities ever, with talented player Hannah Ternes even stating that “my heart rate ended up being higher during a Scholars Bowl match more than anything I’ve ever done ” It really goes to show that the players who are able to perform at such a high level under so much pressure are truly remarkable

Although a big part of Scholars Bowl is competing and performing remarkably, this season we made a monumental effort in hosting tournaments A largely motivating factor for this is by hosting tournaments we are opening more playing opportunities for players, but also opening opportunities for new coaches to gain experience When we host competitions, we set a standard for tournaments and create valuable playing opportunities for competitors spanning a plethora of schools

This year the team and both Coaches DeVries and London have worked to their maximum capacity, doing all the players and teams a great service with the time and effort they put into making this season absolutely wonderful For seasons to come, Coach DeVries has planned to work with the seniors for “Legacy Projects,” in which the experienced competitors will work together to write premium quality questions for tournaments we host to supply an exceptional playing experience.

Speaking of an exceptional playing experience, Collegiate hosted one of the most successful Regional Scholars Bowl Tournaments ever, and during it, we performed absolutely phenomenally Against us, our opponents collectively scored a measly 235 points, while we absolutely demolished the other teams by scoring 1230 points! As the team prepares for their State Tournament, let’s wish them the best of luck Overall, this season has been fantastic, so let’s give it up to the amazing players!

The Bowling Team Spares No Competitor

by Natalie Reece

Bowling this year has started with the introduction of a new coach, some busy weeks, and a large team As a co-captain for the girls’ team along with Hyemin Choe and AJ Nagabhushan, I can say that while we lost some valuable bowlers last year, we gained back just about the amount of talent that we lost When asked how the season has gone so far, Mr Stewart responded, “The season is off to a solid start ” At the time of our print deadline, the boys had a 4-3 record, while the girls had a 3-4 record Some highlights include amazing scores from Nasseem Eldika, Colton Wells, and Sam Cline. Regarding the expectations for the rest of the season, Mr Stewart said, “I hope we continue to build team chemistry and just have a great time bowling well” Our team is comprised of 40 bowlers this year, which is no small feat As for future meets, we have our league meet on February 15

What's Your Source for That?

by Peter Todorov

State debate Not all debaters receive the honor of participating in this challenging speech and argument competition It entails hard work, speaking under pressure, and trying not to crave Chipotle for the next four to eight hours competing There are many memorable moments from this honorable challenge, from the aggressiveness of cross-examination question asking, which involves inquiries on what you said in your speech, to the anticipation of whether you won the round Katherine Grace, a devoted debater and student of Mr Egan said the most memorable moment she had was being able to debate with Emma Mantovani for the last time before their graduation Emma Mantovani said she enjoyed debating with Katherine and using the information she received over the years of her debate pursuit Both said that state debate showed, and still shows, exactly what the class is all about, and a specific example from Emma is, “As topics become more and more broad, research and being able to understand the nuances of the topics are super important ” In debate there are many opportunities to research and use critical thinking in preparing for competitions like these Mr Egan definitely prepared us for it, and I think every competing team Collegiate had did great Hearing that all of our two-speaker debaters made it to the finals was exhilarating, and that was Katherine’s favorite moment from the debate. Finding out that our very own freshmen Charlie Gentile and Hayan Raffi got third place in varsity state was thrilling This competition is a great representation of the skills needed to succeed in speech or writing papers, to editing documents in college in the future I think that next year can bring new challenges to face, and new people to work with, and I am excited to see what our future debate students will bring

Photo by Amy Cunningham

Girls Basketball

By Ovi Davis

For the girls’ basketball team, this is “the building year” Every coach, teacher, and administrator says it “The girls are building a team from the ground up,” they say “They’ve come such a long way” While there’s no doubt the girls’ basketball team has come a long way, and no doubt the WCS community should be proud of them for their tremendous effort, with so high to climb, it can sometimes be tricky to see the next step

It’s difficult to build a program with only one senior on the team or so coach Dylan Heath told the Voice. “[It’s] a lot of hard work,” he said “A lot of patience ” It’s especially hard when the bulk of the girls on the team are underclassmen “Even those sophomore girls,” he explained, “they have maybe 80 practices after combining this year and last year”

When asked about being the only remaining upperclassman on the team, senior Erihana Vincent told the Spartan Voice, “I will say, first and foremost, it gets a little lonely. In the beginning of the year, I thought there would be more upperclassmen It was definitely overwhelming going into senior year knowing that not only is it going to be

hard with a new coach, but I don't actually know [who's going to be there] "

There's no doubt that these new and often uncomfortable situations allow the members of the team to get close to one another “I try to be a leader,” Erihana told the Voice “I definitely want to give other girls a chance to do so, but I try to do things not because I’m the bossy senior, but because they know me, and going through a season like last year’s together really gets you pretty close with one another because no one really gets it except for the people you went through it with This year we're doing a good job of not letting it be as much of a mental battle "

Both Erihana and Coach Heath are very proud of everything the team has accomplished this year “We’re totally at the bottom of this huge mountain, and we’ve come so far already since the beginning of the season,” said Erihana Coach Heath told the Voice, “From where we were once to where we are now, we've made leaps and bounds " The girls' basketball team really has come a long way At the beginning of the year, the team averaged close to 30 turnovers a

game--now, they've halved that Their points per game have also shot way up since the beginning of the season.

Looking ahead, Erihana is ready for substate, but she is particularly excited about Senior Night on February 17 when the girls play El Dorado. "I think we can look forward to playing teams like Rose Hill and El Dorado again because El Dorado was a really close game but we just barely lost," she said "El Dorado will be fun to play at home, and Rose Hill-we'll see if we can beat them again That would be a huge momentum boost "

Collegiate Students...In the Black Box...With an Awesome Script?

by Julia Longsworth

In case you haven’t heard by now, the Upper School recently put on the play Clue! I was lucky enough to see it on the show’s closing night, and, let me just say, the show was amazing It starred Andrew Porter, Arman Issa, AJ Nagabhushan, Erihana Vincent, Cooper Winters, Cooper Ryan, Maddie Carpenter, and Price Johnson as the main cast The combination of the play being performed in the Black Box theater and the expertise of the technical crew truly made me feel like I was in the Boddy Manor along with the characters It was clear that each and every single person involved with the production put their all into creating a wonderful show!

I had never seen Clue the movie or played the boardgame, so it was

very exciting to guess who had murdered who and to find out what had actually been afoot on that cold, dark, evening. I mean, what’s a great play without some homicide? Moving on, the comedic timing was incredible as well The performance was often punctuated by laughter, mostly due to the semi-alcoholic tendencies of Mrs Peacock (played by senior Erihana Vincent) However, I will say that the homophones of Mr Boddy being killed in the Boddy Manor by the real Mr Boddy, which turned Mr Boddy into an actual body, certainly made my brain short-circuit for a bit.

Of course, the entire production wouldn’t be possible without director Ashley Winters Overall, the play was incredibly well done,

and it was truly a joy to be able to go and see it It was no surprise to hear the roaring applause and raving reviews after the show. It’s only natural to give a hats-off (not heads!) to the humorously homicidal production that was Clue!

However, as exciting as the rest of the season may be, what's most exciting is the next one. Erihana told the Voice, "I think they are going to be awesomecoming off of this season of a lot of progression " Coach Heath add, "i'm most excited to seee how this grows from year to year. In my short coaching career, this is the most fun I've had coaching a team, which makes it really easy to come to work each day"

Photos by Amy Cunningham

Europe News Report, Late Winter 2022-23

by Hannah Ternes

Pope Benedict’s death

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, born with the name Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, who made history as the first German pope in a thousand years and the first pope to resign in six hundred, died on New Year’s Eve in 2022 Benedict’s eight-year papacy ended in 2013, when he resigned and was replaced by the current pope, Francis Pope Benedict XVI was buried on January 5, 2023, in a Vatican crypt in St Peter’s Basilica His funeral Mass was led by Pope Francis

North Kosovo crisis

Tensions have flared in the northern region of Kosovo

Kosovo, whose population comprised of over 90% Albanians and 6% Serbs, was a territory of the former Yugoslavia and sought independence after the latter broke up in the 1990s. The Kosovan War ensued between Kosovo and the country who claimed governance over it, Serbia. Despite declaring independence in 2008, only half of the countries around the world recognize it as an independent country; the other half consider it a province of Serbia

Because of this, Kosovo is neither a member of the United Nations nor the European Union (Serbia has been a member of the UN since 2000, and applied for membership in the EU in 2009, though accession negotiations are still ongoing )

Kosovo’s government is dominated by Albanians, leaving the Serbs, who largely live in the north, feeling unrepresented Tensions came to a head when the government requested that many Serbs use Kosovan-issued license plates rather than Serbian, and 50,000 Kosovan Serbs refused, citing that they do not recognize Kosovo’s independence. In the summer of 2022, Kosovan Serbs formed a barricade and shots were fired On January 8, 2023, NATO denied Serbia’s request to station 1,000 troops in North Kosovo

Czech elections

On January 28, 2023, Petr Pavel was elected president of the Czech Republic with 58% of votes He formerly served as the chair of NATO’s Military Committee and defeated Andrej Babiš, who was the Czech prime minister from 2017 to 2021

Pavel will take office on March 9 He succeeds Miloš Zeman in the presidential position

EU Sues Facebook’s Parent Company

Meta Platforms, Inc , which is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus, was sued for 390 million euros (over 410 million USD) by the European Union on January 4 The EU argues that the company’s policy of using online activity to target users with ads violates the EU’s privacy rules This fine comes after the news that the EU had opened an investigation into Meta’s possible antitrust violations due to it owning both the social media platform Facebook and the online shopping program Facebook Marketplace, on the grounds that Facebook’s ad data could give Facebook Marketplace an unfair advantage over other competition in the online shopping market The US Federal Trade Commission has filed two similar antitrust lawsuits

South America Report

by Satvik Kolla

The country of Brazil was shocked in December when Pelé, widely considered to be the greatest European football player in history, died at the age of 82 in Rio

The only player in history to win three World Cups, Pelé made his debut for the Brazilian team at the age of seventeen He scored twice in the 1958 World Cup Final and still remains the youngest ever goalscorer in a World Cup final In his storied 22-year career with FC Santos, the Brazilian national team, and the New York Cosmos, Pelé scored a Guinness World Record 1,281 goals in over 1300 games

Pelé was the first global superstar of the game of European football, and was a pioneering force in how the game was played His athleticism and technique were unmatched, and his style of play influenced many of the greats of the game who followed him He was a Brazilian icon, dubbed “The King” for his influence on the country and its visibility to the world Thanks to Pelé, Brazil became known for the game of European football. The team played with a vibrant, cohesive style that was aesthetically pleasing and effective in getting wins and scoring goals In times of political crises and hard times for the people of Brazil, Pelé transcended politics with his play, bringing joy to every man, woman, and child who enjoyed the game, regardless of their race or class

His impact on the black population in Brazil was also tremendous He was the one of the first black men to rise to prominence in Brazil, and won the World Cup in 1958 only 70 years after slavery had been abolished there He gave the black community hope, that it was possible for them to have visibility despite the poverty and racism they faced and continue to face today

The legend was given a send-off worthy of a king, as his coffin was taken through the streets of Santos, with thousands showing up to pay their respects Pelé was an icon of sport, and a reminder of the power of entertainment

Argentina Triumphs in Thrilling World Cup Final

by Satvik Kolla

Every four years, the world (well, most of it) gathers to witness the grandest sporting spectacle on the planet The World Cup El Mundial Copa do Mundo Weltmeisterschaft Whether the title be in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or German, the joy and excitement the World Cup brings remains the same Living in America, we fail to grasp the significance of this event, or of European football in general For the rest of the world, however, this World Cup was like every other before it: a massive festival, a celebration of the beautiful game And what a celebration it was

I could talk about a lot After all, it’s the World Cup But I want to focus on Argentina La Albiceleste fought incessantly throughout the tournament and reached the summit, winning the World Cup for the first time in 36 years And this win was more special than anything Because Lionel Andrés Messi finally got his hands on the Jules Rimet Trophy

Even if you’ve never watched a minute of European football in your life, you know who Lionel Messi is That in itself is indicative of the level of player he is Genius Maestro Sent from the stars to play the beautiful game, to enchant and enthrall millions around the world Yet despite his storied career, there was one thing that he was missing, until this tournament He’d had four European cups, ten Spanish League titles, and seven Ballon D’Ors (the award for the best player in the world for that season) The World Cup And that’s what made Argentina stand out in this tournament It was Messi’s last dance, his last chance to lead his country to the apex, to repeat what the great Diego Maradona did all those years ago, and to tie a bow on the greatest career of all time Tie the bow he did In what is possibly the greatest World Cup final in history, Argentina overcame France in a six-goal thriller Going 20 up in the first half, Argentina seemed to be in total control, until one man single handedly carried France back into the game: Kylian Mbappe Lottin, considered by many to be the frontrunner for the title of greatest player in the world. He scored two goals in 90 seconds, the second of which was a beautiful volley, one of the greatest goals ever in a World cup final The game then went to extra time, when Argentina came back and Messi added a third Then France was awarded a penalty, which Kylian Mbappe converted into a goal to tie the game again and become only the second player ever to score a hat trick in a World Cup final The game then went to a penalty shootout, where Argentina was able to finally settle the match, beating France Lionel Messi had finally achieved the most important victory of his career.

Why did so many want to see Lionel Messi win on December 18th? I believe that it’s because of the same reason why we watch sports Because our favorite players captivate us with their skills When they captivate us, we become attached to them, following their victories and their losses We see them at the peaks of success and the pits of despair When Messi and Argentina lost to Germany in the World Cup Final eight years ago, the world watched as a heartbroken Messi walked past the trophy In the eight years since, the world has seen Messi retire from the Argentinian team, win another European cup, and score goals outside of our wildest dreams He worked, and toiled, to get another shot at winning the World Cup In a sense, those who watched the tournament and followed the sport were all with Lionel Messi that day 798 goals and 388 assists in his career, each one of them capturing the heart of another fan passionate about the game All of those fans, including me, were with him that day And when he finally lifted that coveted Jules Rimet trophy, all of us either smiled, laughed, or cried in joy, as we saw the man who had given us so many amazing memories complete the beautiful game

World News Asia

by Caroline Kuglich

China: According to a Peking University study, COVID cases in China have risen to an astounding 900 million, with 64% of the population contracting the virus at least once International health experts estimate about 1 million COVID-related deaths this year in China Last month, China abruptly disregarded its Zero COVID initiative and opened its borders, leading to protests breaking out across the nation

With Chinese Lunar New Year (CNY) celebrations commencing from January 22 to February 1st, tens of millions of people are returning home to ring in the New Year Traditions from a reunion dinner with extended family on CNY Eve, to watching Lion and Dragon dances and giving red envelopes or 红包 to children create the meaning of CNY

Iran: Over a hundred days since they began, the longest running antigovernment protests since 1979, have shaken the country, killing more than 500 protesters since its start in mid-September The protestors started after the death of twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death from Iranian police brutality One resounding slogan of the protest has become “Jin, jiyan, azadi!” or "Woman, life, freedom!”, which represents a woman’s universal struggle These solidarity protests reverberated from Berlin to New York, with fashion brands of Gucci and Balenciaga posting the slogan on their Instagram feeds

Afghanistan: In August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, restricting basic human rights, including those of women They took away the right to attend secondary school, and dismissed any women in leadership positions, now requiring them to wear facial coverings and be accompanied by a male relative when traveling outside After the Taliban banned female aid workers from its workforce, the UN Security Council urged the lifting of its oppressive measures, as these women are essential in Afghanistan Adding on, the climate crisis strains communities already debarred by the conflict and humanitarian crisis

Cooking for Two; Sanity for...None

by Vivian Baughman

Hot stuff coming through!

Expectation: Aw, babe, you so are <3

Reality: What? Aaaaah! It burns!!

Pass the honey, please.

Expectation: You’re my honey <3

Reality: Pass the freaking honey already

Waiting for food to cook/bake

Expectation: *Romantically dancing throughout kitchen*

Reality: Dishes Cleanup Catastrophe

Final product.

Expectation: Beautiful Delicious Pinterest worthy

Reality: Burnt Ugly Tastes like cardboard

Eating product.

Expectation: Cuddling and feeding each other

Reality: ... we should order takeout.

Editor's Note:

Expectation: Love means never having to say you're sorry

Reality: Love means laughing with the one you're with even when plans fall apart

World News Africa

by Caroline Kuglich

Nigeria: With an upcoming presidential election set for February, pressure is put on young voters eager for a more effective government, with a record number of voters registered for the election The president, Muhummadu Buhari, had a long list of crises to manage, including rising unemployment, violence from armed groups, and corruption, but led the country to economic turmoil and heightened insecurity

Ethiopia: In November 2022, Ethiopia’s federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front signed a declaration to cease fire in Pretoria, South Africa The fighting has stopped, but roadblocks remain in Ethiopia’s way to achieving peace and the end of the country’s two-year civil war However, there are positive signs of reconciliation as Ethiopia addresses the humanitarian crisis in Tigray

Somalia: It’s no surprise Somalia tops the International Rescue Committee’s 2023 emergency watchlist, because more than 40% of its population currently or will soon require food assistance, after a two-year drought beginning in 2020 However, Somalia’s food situation has not been classified as a famine A failed rainy season is expected to push 8 3 million people (half of Somalia’s population) toward extreme poverty and hunger by mid-2023 Multiple facets, including rising violence from terrorist groups, combined with the droughts and little rainfall, will lead to further hunger and conflict

Tunisia: Tunisian president Kais Saied has ruled the country as a one-man show He dissolved Parliament, forced out independent judges, and wrote/adopted a new constitution limiting Parliament’s power to increase his own Opponents of Saied called his actions a constitutional coup, but there’s a silence among world leaders about his power grab. The country is on the verge of bankruptcy, leading citizens to migrate to Europe Furthermore, with rising food costs in Tunisia, it’s likely Tunisians will take to the street and protest his rule

Wedding Crashers Review by

Johnny Abromeit

Oh February, a month you either love or hate; there is no in between, the reason being it all comes from the famous holiday of Valentine’s Day for the ones who aren’t in a relationship or just don’t like Valentine’s Day find this month rather cold and repetitive. As February is known for Valentine’s Day, couples around the nation and world come together to celebrate their love and sacrifice that they have made for each other To some it may look like a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant or maybe a special event, but to the typical high school relationship it’s a box of chocolates, a blanket, a teddy bear and a rom-com Although when you think of romantic comedies, you think of the normal lovey dovey sob stories that are heartfelt and sweet, but I can tell you that even if you are in a relationship, situationship, “complicated”, or just single, I can assure you that you will get a good laugh out of watching Wedding Crashers

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn portray two divorce mediators (John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey) who have an extreme hobby in crashing weddings in hopes of having a good time and to advance their romantic agenda One day as they are working Jeremy comes to John in hope of going to US senator Cleary’s daughter’s wedding To them this is the holy grail of weddings, until John meets Claire Cleary, senator Cleary’s other daughter, and from there the rest unwinds and unfolds

Crazy Rich Asians Review

By Satvik Kolla

The genre of a rom-com is a tricky one, because it’s really easy for a rom-com to blend in, to be clumped together with the wide swath of movies already existing in its genre. Most of them, you can’t really tell the difference between any two They’re turn-your-brain-off, silly, cheesy, corny movies But that’s exactly what makes Crazy Rich Asians all the more special It’s more than a rom-com

Crazy Rich Asians came out in 2018 and was the first Hollywood production to feature a majority Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club in 1993 It follows the story of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American professor at NYU who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nicholas Young’s parents and is surprised to discover that the Young family are one of the richest families in all of Asia and the world Beneath a relatively simple plotline, what makes Crazy Rich Asians stand out is its exquisite combination of fun, laughter, culture, and messages You can simultaneously turn your brain off at this movie and keep it turned on at the exact same time The movie talks about the importance of family, tradition, and duty, addressing both the positives and the negatives Along with showcasing the glitz and glamor of modern Asia, Crazy Rich Asians also showcases the simple, everyday cultural aspects that are wondrous to see, from the hawker markets in Singapore, where every cuisine from Asia can be found, to a simple mahjong parlor where Rachel has an important conversation with Nick’s mom

Oh, and let’s talk about Henry Golding, who plays Nicholas Young. A brilliant performance in his very first film; he showcases Nick’s suave, debonair style, with a calm, cool confidence and caring heart all the same While the characters of Nick Young and James Bond are nothing alike, I have a gut feeling that he’ll make an excellent 007 Cast him already, MGM

So yeah, if you’re looking for a special rom-com this Valentine’s Day, Crazy Rich Asians is for you.

10 Things I Hate About You Review

By Julia Longsworth

In my humble opinion, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of the most quintessential rom-coms ever made I will admit that it is not the best movie ever but created,

Why Do You Watch Rom-Coms?

By Wambui Ngunjiri

Known as cinematic comfort food, the romantic comedy is the combination of everything that makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside: love, laughs, and an extremely hot cast The genre takes many forms, but at the same time, it’s so familiar to all of us The tropes, the characters, and even the setting (but for the record: fancy New York apartment that is well above a journalist’s means >>> John Hughes-type High School) As Valentine’s Day comes closer, you have so many options, but which will you choose? Well, that all depends on why you watch romantic comedies Do you want to feel butterflies or fall over with laughter? Do you like the adorable pining or the chemistry-filled banter? Do you want your main character to be an absolute boss or a hot mess? Look deep inside yourself, find your reason, and let me tell you exactly which rom-com you should watch for the romantic season

To Feel the Warmth

You’re probably sensitive or lonely or both No shame in any of it You like the feeling of being loved and appreciated You may adore deep pining one is in love with the other, but they’re separated by things like insecurity, circumstances, hatred, or the socially accepted cafeteria seating chart You believe a movie can never go wrong with a solid and supportive friendship Sometimes it’s the quirky best friend, but sometimes the movie may be about the friendship with romance on the side You’re here for the love It can be cheesy, it can be heartfelt, it can be romantic, it can be platonic, but it’s all love You’re looking for a rom-com that tugs at the heartstrings Where the main characters are platonic/romantic soulmates, and, from the second you meet them, you are ready to die for them You prefer your rom-coms to be quirky and predictable They have the familiar character types, they follow the tropes, and there better be a ridiculous misunderstanding resolved by a gentle love confession at the end or SO HELP ME! I’d recommend:

Notting Hill- Julia Roberts dates peasant Hugh Grant and it’s cute

To All the Boys I Loved Before- HEAR ME OUT, the first one is cute and it has the fake dating trope, so I see it as a win

The Half of It- bring tissues, either for the jock-nerd friendship or for doomed love

Romeo + Juliet (1996)- ROMEO AND FREAKING JULIET

13 Going on 30- Jennifer Garner falls in love with her best friend, and if that’s not

enough, there's time travel

To Feel the Tension

You might be a die-hard enemies-to-lovers fan who has sarcasm infused with their soul, or maybe you’re someone who just wants to feel something Either way, the feeling of being short of breath is something you crave from your rom-com You enjoy the way two actors can simply look at each other across the room onscreen and suddenly even your heart is racing and you’re not even relevant to them You cannot get enough of the comedic banter, the random deep talks, the heavy breathing, and the passionate kiss scenes Let’s face it: THEY’RE LIVING OUR DREAM! There’s a thin line between love and hate, and these guys are doing their gymnastics routine on it These movies are definitely ones that play with your heart, but they’re also ones that feel the most real There’s anger, added layers of complexity, and an exploration of human emotion as the characters go from hate to love You’re looking for a story with all these things and more to keep you glued to your seat while screaming: “KISS KISS KISS!” I’d recommend 10 Things I Hate About You- if you’ve seen it, watch it again, I’m doing you a favor

Catch and Release- Jennifer Garner falls for her dead fiance’s best friend (it’s not as bad as it sounds, come back to me after the cabin kiss scene)

The Wedding Season- Set in the JerseyIndian-Wedding scene, this movie had me STRESSED for our lovers

The DUFF- You can pry this movie from my cold dead hands

To Judge and Eye-Roll

You and I are on the same wavelength We also probably have some deep-seated issues that contribute to our cynicism and apathy, but that’s neither here nor there You’re a cynic who can only extend your imagination so far Characters will sit there, make the most annoying decisions, and make their lives even harder, leaving you sitting there wondering if they’re rooting for their own relationship Because when you love someone, doing your utmost to push them away and wreck their life is clearly a top priority There are only so many times one can watch a main character go through hell and high water just to NOT be honest with their feelings, and then have the movie basically tell you that it is a completely normal course of action I have fallen in love with my best

that’s something that I can appreciate about it The film doesn’t try to be anything that it’s not However, it does try (and succeed) to be one of the best romantic comedies of our time

First off, the fashion is incredible Having been produced in 1999, the movie is chock full of all those perfectly iconic nineties trends Yes, I’m talking about platform flip flops and cargo pants Then, it’s clear that this movie has some talented actors Just looking at the cast list, it has Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger starring as the main characters Now, both of them are great on their own, but together? They truly make the film what it is. Next, the movie in general doesn’t have a crazy exciting plot Boy wants to take the girl out on a date, but can’t However, the movie is executed extremely well 10 Things I Hate About You made me laugh, made me cry It made me wish that I was Kat Stratford. Also, it should be noted that Heath Ledger’s rendition of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, complete with a marching band, has to be one of the best things I have ever witnessed.

Anyways, there isn’t much else I can put into words about the film It’s just plain good, especially for a rom-com Sure, it’s cheesy But that’s exactly what this type of movie is supposed to be all about So, if you’re looking for a perfect balance between laughing and heartache this Valentine’s Day, 10 Things I Hate About You is the movie for you!

The Classic Review

By Jiwoo Lee

It is the time of year when romantic vibes tickle people’s noses like a whiff of sweet chocolate Movies such as Bridget Jones's Diary and 10 Things I Hate About You are at their prime There is a film that might not have international fame but portrays a beautiful tale of love, The Classic As the name gives away, The Classic is one of the iconic South Korean romance movies that has been around since 2003

This film portrays a parallel love story of Jihye and her mom, Joohee, each taking place in the 2000s and 1970s It starts with the daughter, Jihye, falling for a senior in college, Sangmin Her friend, Sookyung,

was also in love with Sangmin and asked Jihye to write love letters for her Jihye confessed her love through the letters, but they made Sookyung and Sangmin grow closer Meanwhile, she finds a diary her mother wrote in the attic The journal illustrates her unrequited love for a boy named Junha, and the film shifts to Joohee’s perspective Junha had been writing love letters to Joohee on behalf of his friend, Teasoo, secretly expressing his love for Joohee The two lovers do not recognize each other's feelings. When the two reunite after a long time, Joohee is engaged to Teasoo because of a family promise Their relationship is intertwined, and Junha’s past unfolds

Many of our parents' generation from South Korea hold fuzzy memories of this film related to their romantic experiences

The charm of this movie emotionally engages the audience to this day, and more than nostalgia is working to its advantage Its plot integrates the tragic historical background of South Korea in the 1970s with Joohee’s romantic journey

If you are looking for a heartbreaking love story and a history lesson, The Classic is the movie for you!

Down with Love Has Me Down with Love for Feminist Rom-Coms

By Ovi Davis

Look, I love a 90’s or 2000’s romantic comedy despite the casual sexism. Many of my favorites fall victim to the insidious idea that feminism was “over” by the 90’s In these films, true happiness for women lies in domestic bliss, not in the workplace While I do love to watch these movies anyway, sometimes that’s not good enough to satisfy all my feminist romantic movie needs That’s where Down With Love comes in

The year is 1962, and Barbara Novak (Renée Zellweger) has just successfully written her first book, Down With Love, in which she argues that women should free themselves from love and find fulfillment in the workforce It’s wildly successful, and women around the world begin to rebel against the men in their lives much to the dismay of famous journalist and notorious ladies’ man Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) Now that no woman wants to date him, Catcher develops a scheme to prove that Barbara truly wants love and domesticity in her life

Most films with this type of secret identity, enemies-to-lovers plot end with much to be desired; after a satisfactory amount of time spent hating each other, our heroine

friend! Obviously, I must wait until the night before he gets married to someone else to tell him, and until then, I must do everything I can to sabotage the wedding Oh look, a cute girl, but she’s probably a little too upper east side Clearly, the only course of action is to assume a false identity of someone who is just as posh! A normal conversation? Pfft! Be for real Despite the annoyance, it’s this level of stupidity and the movie’s lack of selfawareness that makes it so enjoyable It’s the combination of the sick pleasure you get from being able to harshly judge someone with no consequences, and the simple hilarity of being able to laugh at your own jokes at the main character’s expense (because we critics are also comedic geniuses) You need a rom-com that when you sit down to watch, alone or with friends, the entire time you are yelling and eye-rolling at your screen like the main character is a white girl in a horror movie I’d recommend: Made of Honor- A guy discovers he’s in love with his best friend when she gets engaged just because she’s the only woman he didn’t objectify for more than a minute

Never Been Kissed- Adult Drew

Barrymore goes undercover at a high school for a news story and the teacher, who thinks she’s a STUDENT, flirts with her saying, “yOU’re So mAtuRE fOr yOuR aGe ”

While You Were Sleeping- woman fakes being engaged to a man to his entire family and ends up with his brother (I wish I was joking, but, then again, this is the funniest movie to watch as a judgmental person)

The Wedding Planner- How do you plan the wedding of a man who kissed you THE NIGHT BEFORE? This movie should’ve been a sapphic revenge story, and I’ll die on this hill

To Enjoy the Purely Unhinged

The words “stan”, “they can do no wrong”, and “free they did nothing wrong” are frequently used when you talk about your favorite fictional characters Yeah MAYBE they did stab the main character 20+ times, but when you think about it they were just going through it Your logic is heavily flawed and I’m kind of scared of you but your loyalty is unmatched, and this logic hasn’t failed to make its way to your taste in rom-coms You are the complete opposite of our last watcher in that you aren’t deeply annoyed by a character’s stupid actions, you are out there breaking your back to defend them In fact, you need more unhinged content from your main characters because that is 10x more entertaining to you than the

romance I mean, who wants to watch two people fall in love if they’re both mentally and emotionally stable? Chaos and antics are a must in your unhinged rom-com You love a good domino effect, one character’s decisions resulting in another character losing a job, their house is on fire, and the dog is wearing Gam-Gam’s teeth bonus points if the character was aware all of this could’ve happened and still went for it Your rom-coms are a bit more complex than others They’ll typically center a problematic character who makes God-awful decisions, but they’re framed with comedy, decent writing, and a fully realized backstory thatmakes you end up rooting for them

Unlike our “eye-roller” movies, your movies need to be self-aware about their character’s problems, sending the message that we’re not rooting for their bad decisions but for their ultimate improvement This way you can unapologetically enjoy the main character’s B S as they live out your most intrusive and impulsive thoughts while you intermittently shout, “That’s SO me ” I’d recommend:

Never Have I Ever- but seriously guys she was going through it (translation: Devi is MY girl, so step to ME)

You Again- A secret high school bully grew up, got engaged to her victim’s older brother, and they’re the only two that know it- not a sane decision in sight

Bride Wars- Two brides, one venue, let the games begin

The Parent Trap- Personally, I’m partial to the Lindsey Lohan one, but at the end of the day, it’s a messed-up tale and those two little girls are LEGENDS

suddenly submits to the leading man before the film can manage to resolve any of their issues However, Down With Love is not like most films Without spoiling the absolutely scrumptious ending, the film manages to satisfactorily develop its main characters until they reach a mutual understanding of what their future looks like: one where Barbara still gets to thrive in the workplace With wacky characters, a zany plot, beautiful costumes, a hilarious date montage, and even a silly musical number, the film feels like it came right out of the 1960s But with an anachronistic ending that will put any other supposedly “feminist” romance from this decade to shame, Down With Love is the perfect film to satisfy all your Valentine’s Day romcom needs in a fourth-wave feminist world

Chocolate Poll

By Hannah Ternes and Joey Kotkin

Chocolate What is it? Why are there so many different kinds of chocolate? Well, while we may not be able to answer these questions fully, what we are able to answer is: what is the most popular chocolate to give to your significant other for Valentine’s Day?

We made a large questionnaire and sent it out to all Upper School students, and in this article, we will analyze the results that have been provided The Wichita Collegiate students’ favorite type of chocolate is milk chocolate with a majority of over 60% of the students’ votes, and not so close behind was semisweet chocolate at 35% So if you plan on getting that special someone a box of chocolate, choose milk

chocolate The best candy bar containing chocolate is the Twix* candy bar The combined power of left and right Twix gave it a 39%, winning first place with a close second of Kit-Kats at 38% Next on the list is the most interesting What additions to chocolate are the best? Like nuts or fruit Turns out that over a third of the students do not like adding nuts into their chocolate, but conversely, over two thirds of the students would pair chocolate with strawberries So what is the consensus? The best kind of chocolate to give is milk chocolate covered strawberries or Twix

*Editor's Note: 39% of you are wrong! Reese's is obviously the best- J.Longsworth

Poetry Corner!

Love by Andrew Porter

What Happened to the Clubs?

by Haley Walston

What happened to all the clubs? Do you remember the assembly all the way back at the beginning of the year where Mrs White showed us all the club videos to get us interested in joining a fun after school club? Well, nothing really happened after that. There are reminds for all the clubs, but what clubs have even met? Why haven’t there been more club meetings or announcements? Honestly, I don’t even know what all the clubs are, let alone how to join one The clubs that I’ve remembered about are failing as clubs anyway, one saying, “I heard a rumor that at the last baking club meeting, nobody showed up!” anonymous. The leaders left shameful and sad This is the time to step it up clubs! We’re already in the second semester so you should make your clubs known! You can make posters, text people and threaten them to join, tell everyone you see in the hallways, make announcements through the speakers or at morning meetings or anything else you can think of to make your club well known so that students can actually join! Don’t forget about the added break time on E days and O days for short club meetings, use those to plan meetings ahead of time so that more people will join If you’re reading this and you’re not the leader of one then you should definitely join a club! Scan this QR code for a list of all the clubs and their remind codes!

Lovey Dovey Crossword by Julia Longsworth

How to Survive a Lonely Valentine's by Haley Walston

Is it just me, or is Valentine’s Day kinda depressing? Are you lonely while all your friends are busy with some sort of romance? Well then here are some tips that will help you make it through Valentine’s Day without too much sorrow

If you want to survive this holiday while being all alone this year, there are a few things you can do! When you wake up, don’t check if they texted you because we both know they didn’t Go through your morning routine as if it’s another normal day Of course this year it’s cursed to be on a Tuesday, so while at school I suggest keeping your head down and don’t talk to anyone After making it through the wretched day, go home and make your room all nice and clean, so at least you can feel productive and have a nice organized room on the day of loving others This Valentine’s Day you should love yourself! Go on a nice drive, listen to sad music, get some sort of sweet drink to make up for your salty heart Buy yourself some chocolate because you don’t need someone to buy you a standard, not well thought out Valentine’s Day gift Get yourself those flowers you think smell nice, or a candle if that’s more your thing Pay at the self checkout and don’t care about how much money you just wasted When you get home, avoid everyone Only accept pets into your life today. Do a face mask, or finish that show you’re binge watching Bake yourself a nice cake and decorate it with black icing to signify your lonely heart By the end of the day, if you feel bad about being lonely and don’t want to go through the traumatic experience of being single and alone for another year, then maybe you should’ve socialized more Nobody made you push away all your friends on Valentine’s Day

ditors:

vi Davis

lia Longsworth

aley Walston

opy Editor:

annah Ternes

hoto Contributions:

hnny Abromeit

my Cunningham

Featured Writers:

Johnny Abromeit

Vivian Baughman

Satvik Kolla

Joey Kotkin

Caroline Kuglich

Jiwoo Lee

Emma Mantovani

Wambui Ngunjiri

Andrew Porter

Natalie Reece

Ajitesh Srivastava

Peter Todorov