Chronicle the harvard-westlake
Studio City • Volume 29 • Issue 7 • June 3, 2020 • hwchronicle.com
For the first time since 1992, mass protests followed by riots broke out across Los Angeles. Beginning May 29, the demonstrations were spurred by another instance of sickening police brutality that reenergized the movement against institutional racism. Here, one of our senior editors shares her firsthand experiences and perspective in an editorial.
By Jordan Murray He yelled that he could not breathe, but the officer kept applying pressure. It had been only 17 minutes since the police had arrived and George Floyd was already dead. These types of deaths are not new. On May 25, Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. A cashier called the police, claiming that Floyd attempted to use a counterfeit $20 bill to purchase cigarettes. Floyd was pinned to the ground with an officer’s knee pressed on his neck. Earlier, on Feb. 23, Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man, was killed in Glynn County, Ga. There had been robberies in the neighborhood and two men saw him jogging. They accused him of being the culprit, chased him and shot him dead. For months, no arrests were made. Since Floyd’s murder, hundreds of thousands have protested across America, fighting to end police brutality. The protesters include black people, other people of color and white people who are fighting for and standing with the Black Lives Matter movement. There has also been an overwhelming outpouring of support on Instagram, from celebrities and other active users. The support is incredible, but the violence, loot-
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KEILA MCCABE
ing and rioting have created criticism from people who do not try to understand why. I want to set the record straight. Most of the protests that turn violent do so because of police officers who use tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protesters. Also, many of the illegal acts are committed by white supremacists who want to discredit the movement, or by members of Antifa who want to incite chaos, according to The New York Times. They know that this will take away from the cause and that the blame will fall on the BLM protesters. In many cases, protesters have put up barriers in front of businesses to ensure that the people who create chaos are not taking advantage of the protests for personal gain. The motivation for the riots is collective anger, sadness and loss. Black people are tired of pleas and protests failing to create change. I am tired. I am tired of lives being lost, of people discrediting the movement, of reading the news and seeing that another unarmed black man has been killed or that the police have been called unfairly on yet another black person who did nothing wrong. I am tired of being afraid. We have the right to express our anger. If you are not black, there is no way you can truly understand what this feels like. So it is unfair for you to tell us how we should react. The media is also little help. Attention has shifted to the fact that a Target or Nike store was destroyed. We are not seeing much coverage on Floyd and the justice that we want. I truly feel for the family businesses that have been destroyed and feel for low-income people who work in these large chain stores that have been demolished, but the material items in the stores that have been looted at
least can be replaced. Nobody can replace a life. If you feel powerless, I understand, but nobody truly is. If you can’t attend a protest, take other action. Being an activist does not mean just reposting a beautiful drawing or photo of Floyd to your Instagram. While that has a nice sentiment, you can do more. Please donate, sign petitions and use your own voice. For non-black allies, use this time to not only show your support but also to recognize your own privilege and the ways you can educate yourself. Nobody wants chaos. Nobody wants violence. The Black Lives Matter movement is not about that, but we are tired. We want to see the change we talk about. We want what we are fighting for to mean something. Do not let the media coverage of the riots discourage you or distract you from the thing we seek: justice for Ahmaud Arbery, justice for George Floyd and justice for every black person who has died at the hands of a system that has never protected them. These men aren’t the first to die unfairly, but we hope they will be the last. The end goal in all of this is to create a better future. To end police brutality, to end the systemic racism and to create a better world for ourselves and for those who come after us.
* Despite our May 30 deadline, we felt that revising our issue to provide coverage of this unprecedented situation was necessary. Please note that the shortage of content addressing the matter in the remainder of this issue is due to limited flexibility from our printer’s timing. To read more student perspectives and find out how the Harvard-Westlake administration and alumni are responding, visit hwchronicle.com.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ABE KAYE AND VITO AMEEN
A2 News
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
Brookshire to become new dean By Ethan Lachman
Director of Admission at Brandeis University Sara Brookshire will replace soon-to-be Head of Upper School Beth Slattery as an Upper School Dean next year. Brookshire graduated from Emerson College with her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Marketing Communication, and later attended Lesley University where she received her master’s degree in School Counseling and Guidance Services. Returning to her alma mater, Brookshire served as the Director of Admission at Emerson College prior to her current position, and also serves as an Elected Board Director at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In her email, Slattery said that as an addition to the dean team, Brookshire will not only be valued for her experience in guiding students through the college admissions process, but also for her upstanding personality. “More than her professional credentials, however, [Brookshire] impressed all of us with her personal qualities of kindness, empathy and humor,” Slattery said. “I have had the good fortune of knowing Sara for over ten years and she was one of the first people whom I approached to consider applying for the Upper School Dean job. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to work more closely with her and I am comforted by the fact that as I transition to my new role, I know all of you will be in amazing hands.”
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MARLA SCHLOM
ON POINTE: One of the pre-recorded videos available to grandparents and special friends via website entails a performance by the middle school Contemporary Dance I class, taught by performing arts teacher Joe Schenck. The video lasts about one minute and details a dance routine created by the class.
Grandparents’ Day hosted online for first time
By Ethan Lachman
In order to maintain the annual tradition of Grandparents and Special Friends Day, the school launched a website that allows guests to experience students’ daily lives during distance learning May 27. Through the virtual experience, guests are able to navigate a traditional school schedule, beginning with a pre-recorded welcome video from President Rick Commons. Guests then have the option of visiting pre-recorded classes that represent core subjects, extracur-
riculars, sports and affinity clubs that students participate in. Although the event is normally hosted at the Middle School, event coordinator and Senior Advancement Administrator Marla Schlom said the ongoing online forum encourages guests of students from both campuses to participate. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to include upper school grandparents and special friends for this event because in the past we’ve only done it at the Middle School because of the geography of the campus,”
Schlom said. “So we’re really excited to be able to include grandparents and special friends who may be of kids who started at the Upper School and stay in touch with those who have visited the middle school campus.” Schlom said she began thinking about an online Grandparents and Special Friends Day the week before spring break. Alongside Web Manager Lillian Contreras, who designed the website, Head of Communications Ari Engelberg ’89, Assistant Director of Communications Shauna Altieri and the rest of the Advancement
Office, she worked for over a month to create the experience. Schlom said she is proud that the school found a way to open up the community to grandparents and special friends. “It’s a great opportunity for them to see how Harvard-Westlake has pivoted to online learning, and also to see the creativity not only that the faculty has, but that the kids have,” Schlom said. “There’s still that joy of learning [and] all of the elements that make Harvard-Westlake what it is even though we’re not together on campus.”
In the issue...
A4 MULTICULTURAL MAGIC: 10 Affinity Groups celebrate their cultures online through Zoom meetings during lunch.
A10 DEMANDING DEMOCRACY: Two students give their opinions on the expansion of authoritarian power in the world.
B3 COLLEGE
COMMOTION:
Students and deans talk about how COVID-19 will possibly affect their chances at college.
The ChroniCle, the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School, is published 8 times per year and distributed for free on both the upper and middle school campuses. There are about 730 students at the Middle School and 870 at the Upper School. Subscriptions may be purchased for $20 a year for delivery by mail. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the
C3 ARTISTIC ACTION: Despite being kept indoors, students have found a way to keep busy during the break through art.
D4 ALL-STAR ATHLETES: The student body-nominated athletes of the year, Mason Hooks ’20 and Kiki Iriafen ’21, are profiled.
editor may be submitted to [email protected] or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Zack Schwartz at [email protected]. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or the school.
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/news
News A3
Actress advocates for women
By Melody Tang
In place of La Femme’s annual EMPOWER conference, actress Beanie Feldstein ’11, who starred in the critically acclaimed movies “Lady Bird” and “Booksmart,” spoke with students about her identity as a woman and her experience in the entertainment industry through an online video call. To kick off the event, EMPOWER leaders Dahlia Low ’20 and Lilah Weisman ’20 asked Feldstein a series of prepared questions before hosting a Q&A session. Feldstein said that though she has seen more female directors enter the entertainment business throughout her career, the industry is still far from achieving gender parity. Feldstein continued by discussing her experience performing in “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway as well as her time working with actor Bette Midler. Feldstein said that Midler remains one of the most influential and hardworking people she has worked with thus far.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF SHARON CUSEO
BEHIND THE SCENES: Actress Beanie Feldstein ’11 shares her experience as a woman in the entertainment industry with upper school students through Zoom on May 6. EMPOWER leaders Dahlia Low ’20 and Lilah Weisman ’20 hosted the discussion as a part of the school’s Multicultural Week. Feldstein also spoke about the difficulties she has faced while balancing both her work as an actress and her responsibilities as a college student at Wesleyan University. “I was really in the middle of the push and pull between [auditioning and schoolwork],” Feld-
stein said. “My advice would be to honor the moment that you’re in, and do what feels right in the moment.” During the Q&A session, Amanda Korris ’22 asked Feldstein about a piece of advice that she would give to her high school self.
HW Venture creates COVID-19 Challenge, awards social fellowship By Charlie Wang In an attempt to find solutions to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, HW Venture introduced the COVID-19 Challenge on May 1. Venture outlined 10 specific issues facing the community that students could focus on, categorized into five groups: social isolation and physical distancing, virtual learning, food, college and sanitation. The challenge was organized and run by Kylie Azizzadeh ’21 and Chronicle staff writer Kate Burry ’22. Students were asked to work
in groups of three or four in order to tackle one specific topic. Throughout May, Venture offered a pitch workshop, along with brainstorming sessions led by math teacher Andrew Theiss and robotics coach Tripp Reed. At the end of the month, each group submitted a video pitch for their idea in hopes of receiving the Social Impact Fellowship. The fellowship includes financial support for the project and access to consult with Venture’s network of connections during the summer. “We decided to pose this challenge because as a community, we’ve all faced unprecedented
obstacles and frustrations in our daily lives [due] to the new circumstances brought by the coronavirus,” Azizzadeh said. “However, instead of complaining, we wanted to encourage our community to come together and tackle these problems to make change.” Venture co-leader Jacky Zhang ’21 said that he loved how the challenge pushed students to take initiative and work to resolve real-world problems. “The challenge was a great way to inspire and empower students to be problem-solvers and entrepreneurs which is what Venture is here for,” Zhang said. “I per-
“You have to cut yourself some slack,” Feldstein said. “I would say to myself to be kinder to myself.” Korris said that she enjoyed learning more about Feldstein and her work to promote women in the acting industry. “I really enjoyed how much
“
Beanie emphasized not only kindness to others but self-love,” Korris said. “I thought it was really interesting to hear her insight on making projects with female directors and her take on trying to be a part of projects that empower young women within the last few years.”
We decided to pose this challenge because as a community, we’ve all faced unprecedented obstacles and frustrations in our daily lives [due] the coronavirus. — Kylie Azizzadeh ’21 HW Venture Member
sonally think it’s an amazing way for students to just create and do something given the amount of free time we have compared to pre-quarantine, especially for middle school students.” Azizzadeh and Burry, along with a panel of judges that included President Rick Commons and HW Venture adviser Rob Levin, read through the proposals May 29 and decided to award the Social Impact Fellowship to “Keep
white’s
LA Open” and “Heythere!”. Keep LA Open, an online platform that will allow local LA businesses to display their financial goals transparently and connect with consumers directly, was proposed by Rustom Malhotra ’25 and Nilufer Mistry Sheasby ’25. Heythere!, a platform that will try to create a virtual representation of a school environment, was proposed by Olivia Baer ’21 and Natalie Phillips ’21.
Prefect Council, HW Venture create The Quad as online event site for students By Jaidev Pant
FRANK JIANG/CHRONICLE
COMBATING CORONAVIRUS: Students hoping to engage with the school community can sign up for online events through The Quad.
Prefect Council and HW Venture announced in an email sent to the student body April 28 the creation of The Quad, a platform designed as an online hub for students to access and sign up for upper school events. With the input of these two groups, Aariz Irfan ’23 developed the website as a way to combat the lack of social interaction during the quarantine period. The website is intended to simulate the upper school quad, the main hub for students on campus. Prefect Council’s master schedule, a running calendar of all organized virtual activities, inspired the creation of the new website, The Quad team leader and HW Venture head Amaan Irfan ’21 said. “At the start of quarantine,
the HW Venture team realized that the community would be lacking bonding, so we first came up with ideas and asked the Prefect Council to perform them,” Amaan said. “We realized that the [master schedule] wasn’t very interactive, so we came up with the idea for an online platform instead.” Additionally, Head Prefect Michael Lehrhoff ’20 said that the prefects decided to contribute to the website because of their previous success in organizing online activities during quarantine. “Knowing how passionate students are about their extracurricular interests, we all realized that, though we cannot see each other on campus, we can still engage with our friends through online media,” Lehrhoff said. “Given the past success of our spring
break classes, there was no doubt that we wanted to create a more robust website for students and faculty to stay connected.” The Quad allows students to sign up for school activities, receive notifications about events and indicate interest in upcoming activities. Students can also create their own events through a Google Form request sent to Prefect Council. Lehrhoff said he hopes to grow the platform in the future and revise the website based on the student body’s needs. “We plan to expand the types of events, everything from round table discussions to teacher lectures to game nights,” Lehrhoff said. “We’ll be reaching out to ask for feedback on events so that The Quad best serves the needs of our community.”
A4 News
The Chronicle
And the winner is... Valedictorian - Diego Ahmad-Stein ’20
Given to a member of the junior class for his or her outstanding contributions to the school environment and spirit. The recipient is nominated and selected by senior class officers and faculty members.
Lester Medvene Award - Jason Thompson ’22 Awarded to a sophomore who contributes to the life of the school and embodies Lester Medvene’s “curiosity of mind and dedication of spirit.”
Rensselaer Award - Grace Shin ’21
Recognizes a sophomore who has demonstrated “consistent effort, dedication and promise” through his or her work on a school publication.
and Lauren Lee ’20
Given to seniors who have given their time to serving the community both on and off campus and both independently and with others.
Brendan Kutler ’10 ‘Two Hats’ Award - Paul Boardman ’21 Awarded to a junior who pursues intellectual experiences outside the classroom, takes risks to pursue his or her interests and demonstrates kindness towards peers and adults inside and outside the classroom.
Jerry Margolis Jazz Award - Otis Gordon ’20 Named in honor of performing arts teacher Jerry Margolis, who taught for 36 years beginning at the Harvard School for Boys, to a student who contributed to the jazz program during his or her time at the school.
Frederick Douglass Diversity Award - Skylar Graham ’20
Given in memory of David Justin Rascoff ’91 to a member of the senior class who has always spoken his or her opinions in his or her daily life.
Humanitas Award - Rachel Brown ’20 Honors a senior who has demonstrated service to the school, friendliness, consideration for others and loyalty to the community.
Senior Academic Awards Each department honored a senior for an outstanding commitment to or achievement in that discipline.
Tamkin Community Service Award - Carli Cooperstein ’20
David Justin Rascoff ’91 Award - George Grube ’20
Bishop’s-Veritas Award- Noah Aire ’20, Grace Burton ’20 and George Coleman Edwards Award - Michael Lehrhoff ’20 President’s Award - Sophia Nuñez ’20 and Clay Skaggs ’20 Blanche Nelson Boyle Award - Justin Park ’20
Morris Michael Landres Award - Tessa Augsberger ’22
Given to a senior, in memory of Lamar Trotti Jr. ’50, who made the most dramatic tranformation in his or her life and work both inside and outside of the classroom during his or her time at Harvard-Westlake.
Standout Seniors Coco Kaleel ’20
Given to a junior who has distinguished himself or herself in the study of math and science throughout the year. If the student chooses to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, they receive a four-year scholarship.
Lamar Trotti Jr ’50 Award - Wren Eaton ’20
The school will recognize students and faculty for their contributions during a virtual awards assembly June 4. Cuscaden Blackwood Medal - Felicity Phelan ’21
Salutatorian - Dahlia Low ’20
Recognizes a senior for his or her focus on his or her own culture or others based on ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation in a creative, courageous and compassionate way through art, activism or outreach.
June 3, 2020
Computer Science - Will Liu ’20 Duocommun Award (Mathematics) - Sebastian Li ’20 Chronicle - Tammer Bagdasarian ’20 and Lindsay Wu ’20 Vox Populi - Abby Kirchmeier ’20 and Alessandra Maresca ’20 English - Grace Burton ’20 Visual Arts - Oscar Montanez Garay ’20 Science - Coco Kaleel ’20 and Chase Van Amburg ’20 History - Alexandra Mork ’20 Performing Arts - Justin Park ’20 World Language - George Grube ’20 Debate - Alexandra Mork ’20 and Jaya Nayar ’20 William L. Davis Award (Economics) - David Arkow ’20 Sandifer Creative Writing - Zoe Redlich ’20 ISIR - Jakob Adler ’20
Faculty Awards David Justin Rascoff ’91 Faculty Award - Anamaria Ayala,
Scott Bello, David Fromme, Heather Audesirk, Veronica Cherry, Jocelyn Medawar Created in honor of David Justin Rascoff ’91, this award funds summer sabbaticals for faculty members which the recipients can decide how to use.
Athletics Awards Lee Carlson Award (Athletics) - Rachel Brown ’20 and Pete Crow-Armstrong ’20
Awarded to two members of the senior class, one male and one female, who demonstrate excellence and dedication in athletics.
Athletic Directors’ Award - Mason Hooks ’20
Senior Prefects chosen during runoff elections amid campaign controversy By Tessa Augsberger and Sophia Musante
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CLEO MALONEY
PRACTICE MAKES PREFECT: Cleo Maloney ’21 rehearses her campaign speech on Zoom before the Head Prefect Election on May 5.
After electing Cleo Maloney ’21 and Jonathan Cosgrove ’21 as Head Prefects on May 7, students chose their Junior and Senior Prefects following several runoff elections between seven senior candidates. Quincey Dern ’22, Jade Stanford ’22, Micah Gold ’22 and Jason Thompson ’22 will serve as Junior Prefects, while Chelsea Cho ’21, Brooke Stanford ’21, Thomas Schramm ’21 and Navid Ghodsi ’21 will serve as Senior Prefects next year. During the Senior Prefect elections, Maloney and Cho ran against each other for the remaining Head Prefect position after Cosgrove was elected in the first
round. Following Maloney’s designation as Head Prefect, the administration hosted a Senior Prefect election May 19, in which no candidate won more than 50 percent of their peers’ votes. Cho and Stanford were elected prefects after an initial runoff election, and Schramm was chosen following a second. Ghodsi was announced prefect May 22 after a final election. Throughout the election process, current Head Prefects Grace Burton ’20 and Michael Lehrhoff ’20 issued warnings reminding upper school students not to publicly promote candidates. Burton said the anti-campaigning reminders came after students endorsed candidates on social media.
“We wanted to stay far away from the criticism of typical high school student government elections, which is that it is merely a popularity contest,” Burton said. “The student body has done a good job of voting for substance in the past, and we wanted to preserve that legacy.” Overall, Maloney said she will use her platform as Head Prefect to focus on improving her peers’ day-to-day experiences. “Harvard-Westlake can feel like a transactional experience, [as] students go there with the intent of getting into a good school in exchange for a challenging education,” Maloney said. “Often in that pursuit, we lose a sense of community, but the reality is we can accomplish so much more by uplifting our fellow classmates.”
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/news
News A5
Alumni discuss colleges
By Tanisha Gunby
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS: Affinity group leaders organized meetings to celebrate their cultures and discuss their shared identities with upper school students from May 4 to 8 during Multicultural Week. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the annual event was hosted online through Zoom.
Multicultural Week celebrated over Zoom
By Sarah Mittleman
The school’s annual Multicultural Week took place with 10 affinity groups each receiving a 30-minute slot during lunch break to celebrate their cultures May 4, all from the comfort of their own homes. The Zoom meetings, which were open to all students, ranged from relaxed conversations to interviews and film marathons. Gender and Sexuality Awareness Club hosted a show-and-tell in which students talked about
the significance of items in their rooms, such as LGBTQ pride flags and childhood memorabilia. GSA leader Alexandra Du Manoir ’21 expressed the importance of these club meetings. “I know not all schools have a GSA [club], and I think ours has a lot of reach,” Du Manoir said. “The school does a lot of things to promote and finance events, reach out to other schools and build a community. Having that type of support from your school when you’re my age means a lot. It means that the school is vali-
dating your identity and making you feel supported.” GSA member Tali Tufeld ’20 said that the visibility that the club offers influenced her and her peers positively when they were younger. “For kids who are questioning their identity or sexuality, just having a group like GSA on campus and knowing that there are other kids and faculty members they can go to and just seeing [the GSA community] exist is really significant,” Tufeld said. Latin American and Hispanic
Student Organization member Sarah Rivera ’21 said that the affinity group has made a difference in her life over quarantine despite her inability to attend the meetings in-person. “I think it’s important to celebrate Multicultural Week especially now,” Rivera said. “Since you’re constantly on the internet without interaction, it’s easy to lose yourself and where you stand in all this. This could be counted as an identity crisis, so I think it’s important to still be celebrating who you are.”
Five alumni spoke about their educational, social and work-related experiences both during and after college at the HW4L Campus: College Experience on May 26. The panelists included Genesis Aire ’19, Aliyah Daniels ’14, Carolyn Hong ’17, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Katie Lim ’13 and Sarah Winshel ’15, all of whom currently attend or graduated from different universities and applied to schools for a diverse array of majors. Hong said that though her college experience began smoothly, her coursework steadily increased after her first semester. “I think that Harvard-Westlake did teach me to seek help when I needed it,” Hong said. “I think that was really useful, being comfortable enough to go to professors or [teaching assistants] and ask for assistance.” Natalie Barnouw ’21 said the event was an engaging way for her to learn more about college life from the perspectives of various alumni. “It was interesting how the panelists said that not knowing what you want to do going into college is totally fine, or even switching partway through your four years is okay,” Barnouw said. “I liked how the panelists [said] to take a wide variety of classes when you’re a freshman, so you can get a taste of what you might or might not like.”
Robotics championship Seniors inducted into Cum Laude canceled due to pandemic Society, given world language awards By Julian Andreone
year, it provided us with a lot of fond memories.” Robotics coach and math Due to the spread of COVID-19, the robotics pro- teacher Andrew Theiss said that gram was unable to send sub- the team was dismayed, as it was teams 62A, 62B, 62K and 62X to unable to showcase its months of the 2020 California VEX VRC dedication and preparation at the High School State Champion- State Championship. Theiss expressed disappointship. Additionally, subteam 62B could not attend the high school ment about the season’s abrupt division of the 2020 VEX Robot- end but shed light on the teams’ record-breaking ics World Championachievements over the ship, which was slated course of the year. to be held in Texas in “One of our teams April. was so highly ranked Throughout the year, outside of the tournathe robotics subteams ment that they qualified met for three to seven for the World Champihours every day of the onship,” Theiss said. school week to hone “The bittersweet part their craft and aimed to white’s is that the actual State win back-to-back State Reggie and World ChampionChampionships. HowKim ’21 ship[s] have been canever, this spring, the unforeseen circumstances pre- celed. Still, the fact that we have sented by the virus stripped team four teams at the 2020 California members of their opportunity to VEX VRC High School State display their work. Robotics team Championship, a new record, member Reggie Kim ’21 said that and qualified 62B for the 2020 the unexpected end to his junior VEX Robotics World Champiyear left him wondering about onship is incredible news.” Though Kim was disappointwhat could have been a champied that the season terminated unonship season. “It is very unfortunate to have expectedly, he expressed appreci[our season] end early, as we were ation for the community within very poised for [the State Cham- the robotics program. “It’s heartbreaking to see [the pionship] and were preparing every day for months,” Kim said. season] end early,” Kim said. “Also, we missed our opportunity “However, we are all proud of the to go to [the World Champion- work we’ve accomplished as a roship], as it was canceled, and last botics team as a whole.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the school canceled the annual induction ceremony, which celebrates the academic achievements of outstanding members of the senior class. 57 seniors who are ranked in the top 20 percent of their class were named to the school’s chapter of the National Cum Laude Society, based on their grades from their sophomore, junior and senior years. Additionally, the world language department recognized four seniors for their accomplishments in the study of foreign languages.
Cum Laude Society, Harvard-Westlake Chapter: Diego Mitsutaka Ahmad David Arkow Tammer Bagdasarian Analea Simone Beckman Grace Burton John Cashel Cahill George William Caras Sarah Grace Damico Benjamin Davidoff Sophia Ekstrand Anjee Feng Finn Chan Gatins Jessa Rose Glassman George Grube Daniel Alexander Guerrero Guy Nathan Hartstein Ethan Hodess Mason Tarver Hooks Caroline Kaleel
Matthew Takashi Khoo Hui Nan Eunice Kiang Sun Jae Jeanine Kim Amelia Jane Koblentz Talia Zipora Koch Jenna Britney Kronenberg Lauren Amanda Lee Joseph Lesher-Liao Sapir Elia Levy Ziyue Li William Hanbo Liu Griffin MacDermott Corey Marley Monica Martell Henry Mass Anusha Mathur Holden Rider McRae Hannah Judith Mittleman Alexandra Grace Mork Jaya Nayar Alexandra Margaret Poe Landon Poon Julien Ken-Ange Roa
Henry David Sanderson Luke Schneider William Hamilton Seymour Andrew Sington Colby Clay Skaggs Justin Michael Spitz Scarlett Lee Strasberg Chase Todd Van Amburg Lilah Kate Weisman Philip Stuart Wong Lindsay Wu Sabina Yampolsky Andrew C. Yang Samantha Yeh Amelie Rose Zilber
Outstanding Students in World Languages: Chinese: Chase Van Amburg French: Grant Palmer Latin: Amy Kronenberg Spanish: Monica Martell
A6 News
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Pat McCullough: History By Tanisha Gunby
WHITE’S
After teaching The World and Europe II and United States History classes for the past three years, history teacher Pat McCullough will leave the school to pursue a career in instructional design and educational technology. “This job will have me spending more time on how best to structure learning experiences and will also let me play with technology in fun ways,” McCullough said. “If I’m right, this career will not only give me excit-
ing new challenges but will also give me more time to spend with my family on evenings and weekends.” McCullough said he has enjoyed working with colleagues to reimagine what classroom settings could look like and is excited to see how the school changes in the future. “Teaching in our history department these past few years, in the midst of global political upheaval, has been enlightening and invigorating,” McCullough said. “I have so appreciated my many conversations with colleagues
about how we interpret events in the news, how they connect to historical events and what we can possibly do about them.” Grace Daniels ’21 said McCullough is passionate about helping his students learn in a way that will stay with them for the remainder of their lives. “[McCullough] is definitely an intellectual, so much so that you could always tell he was itching to break free from the typical U.S. History class experience by expanding our course material and going into as much depth as possible,” Daniels said. “I’ve
found that I’ve been more comfortable engaging in group discussions this year than I’ve ever been in a history class, which I owe to [McCullough’s] openness to interpretation and excitement about hearing new perspectives rather than solely the ‘right’ answer.” Emery Genga ’21 said she has enjoyed McCullough’s unique, discussion based teaching style. “I am very thankful that he has been a part of my HW journey, and I am going to miss seeing his friendly face around campus,” Genga said.
forward to having more time to spend with my husband and family,” Snodgrass said. Reflecting on her time at the school, Snodgrass said she will miss her daily interactions with caring members of the school community. “A few of my most memorable moments came from interacting with new Harvard seventh graders,” Snodgrass said. “They were a lot of fun to be around. To this day I am still in contact with many of them who now have families of their own. Thank you for allowing me to be amongst some of the brightest, kindest kids I have ever known.”
WHITE’S
really, really good friends with.” Students said they were inspired by Waterhouse and will miss having him as their teacher. “He truly makes a student’s experience one where they can find confidence both as a student and as a human being,” Ava Benavente ’20 said. “He truly has inspired me to reach for my goals and believe in my abilities.” After his retirement, Waterhouse said he looks forward to being a grandfather for the first time and fulfilling his wish in graduate school to write books. His first books will include works about Popular Culture and Mass Entertainment, based on the course he taught, as well as Los
Angeles history and mind-altering substances like tobacco and alcohol that have impacted American history. AP Comparative Government student Kate Konvitz ’21 said she feels lucky to have had Waterhouse as a teacher and mentor this past year. “Without a doubt, he is one of the most caring people I have ever met, and I admire how he loves to learn about anything and everything, all the time,” Konvitz said. “On and off the tennis court, [Waterhouse] is a star, and I hope more than anything we can have a proper celebration for his retirement as soon as time allows.”
Patti Snodgrass: Director of Student Financial Affairs By Sophia Musante Director of Student Financial Affairs Patti Snodgrass will retire at the conclusion of this year, after 31 years of working at the school. Hired in 1989, Snodgrass was responsible for enrollment contracts and tuition billing and collection, also playing a small role in bookstore management on both campuses. Additionally, she managed the school’s bus service, developing the program from just one route to 21 routes servicing 760 students. Snodgrass said she has enjoyed interacting with new families
throughout the course of her career. “My favorite part of my job was being able to make a difference in the lives of parents and students,” Snodgrass said. “The most difficult part of my job was knowing that a family was struggling financially but was always thankful for the resources made available by the school to be of some help.” In an email sent to the student body, Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research teacher Rob Levin commented on Snodgrass’s impact on the school community, crediting her for pioneering the bus transportation
system and modernizing billing records. “A core member of the business office team that carried Harvard-Westlake through merger challenges and into the twenty-first century, Patti has consistently embodied the HW credo that ‘good enough, isn’t,’” Levin said. “We will miss her commitment, creativity and can-do spirit.” In retirement, Snodgrass plans to move to Arizona, where she will enjoy boating and spend time with loved ones. “I am excited to have more time to follow my passion for gardening and, of course, looking
Dave Waterhouse: History By Alice He
WHITE’S
History teacher Dave Waterhouse will retire after 40 years of teaching at the Upper School. Waterhouse started as a substitute teacher at Harvard School, teaching Advanced Placement United States History and regular United States History. After finishing his doctoral dissertation, Waterhouse decided to return to teaching. Throughout his years at the school, Waterhouse taught many history courses, including AP Comparative Government and AP United States Government, but he said his favorite course has always been AP United States History.
“I just know a lot of interesting things about AP U.S. History, and I think I can make it more interesting than anything else,” Waterhouse said. “[These classes] are all like my children, but my firstborn was AP U.S. History, so I probably have a little bias towards it.” As Waterhouse prepares for his departure, he said he will miss the community of students and teachers, especially the camaraderie within the history department. “The history department particularly had a very close group of teachers who were there for a really long time,” Waterhouse said. “Many of them [I] have become
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/news
News A7
David Hinden: Sports Science and Medicine By Siobhan Harms
WHITE’S
Director of the Institute for Scholastic Sports Science and Medicine David Hinden is retiring after almost 30 years at the school. Hinden has served the community in many different roles, including teacher, Dean of Faculty and coach for both the Mock Trial and Moot Court teams. Hinden taught Genetics and Biotechnology, Honors Biology, Chemistry and Criminal Law and Advocacy. Hinden said he is most proud of the coursework
Krista McClain: Science By Sandra Koretz
After 13 years at the school, Upper School Scheduler, Chair of the Upper School Faculty Academic Committee (FAC) and science teacher Krista McClain will move to Seattle, Washington with her family in late July. Next year, McClain will continue working for the school remotely, mostly assisting with the transition to the new schedule. She will also take over duties as the new registrar and will maintain her position as a co-chair of FAC.
“I feel so happy to still be working with Harvard-Westlake faculty, staff and students,” McClain said. In addition to teaching Chemistry, Honors Chemistry and AP Chemistry, McClain created Molecular Gastronomy, a popular directed study course. “I think [McClain] is a wonderful teacher who makes sure that her students understand the material completely,” Porter Comstock ’22 said. “She makes learning chemistry enjoyable.” McClain will move to Washington in order to be closer to her
and the programs he developed as well as his successes as a coach. “Professional highlights were creating our Genetics and Biotechnology and Criminal Law and Advocacy courses and developing our Sports Science program to the point where we will offer a full academic sports science course next year,” Hinden said. “[Another highlight is] the bunch of Mock Trial and Moot Court championships we brought to [Harvard-Westlake].” Hinden said that he has enjoyed his time at the school, particularly because of the commu-
nity. “The highlight of my career was working with great kids and colleagues and being part of our vibrant school community,” Hinden said. “It’s been such a pleasure to have been part of this place and an honor to put [the title] ‘Harvard-Westlake teacher’ after my name.” Head of Athletics Terry Barnum said Hinden’s work with the Institute for Scholastic Sports and Medicine and his time as a teacher has made him a tremendous asset to the school. “No one has the ability to
influence both the academic and athletic divisions of Harvard-Westlake like Dave Hinden,” Barnum said. “He has truly left his mark on Harvard-Westlake in multiple ways.” Hinden said he will use his retirement to travel with his wife as soon as COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and going overseas becomes a viable option. “My wife and I [would] love to travel and live part of the year in Italy, and we look forward to both of these things when we can look back on what we are all experiencing now,” Hinden said.
family, she said. She also plans to work at an independent school there. “What I will miss most about being in-person at Harvard-Westlake is the connection I have had with students over the years,” McClain said. “I have remained close to many students as they continue their educations in college and now as they are adults. The students at Harvard-Westlake are the most valuable part of the community, and I will miss those daily interactions very much.” Cubin Molzen ’22 said that he
really enjoyed having McClain as his teacher this year because she is very engaging. He said he appreciated that she was always available to help her students. “Having [McClain] this year was an experience where I was able to learn so much about chemistry in an enjoyable fashion,” Molzen said. “She was definitely one of my favorite teachers whose kindness and willingness to help her students succeed were greatly appreciated and valued. We all are grateful to have had her for the time we did, and she will be missed next year.”
WHITE’S
Harry Salamandra: Senior Alumni Officer By Joie Zhang
WHITE’S
Senior alumni officer Harry Salamandra will retire after 41 years at the school, 15 of which he spent as Head of Upper School. President Rick Commons wrote a tribute to Salamandra in the third digital edition of the HW Life Magazine, reflecting on how his leadership gave rise to many student-led programs that persist to this day. “When [English teacher Jocelyn Medawar] and I were part of a group of young assistant deans back in the 1990s, we all looked
to Harry for direction and inspiration,” Commons said. “It’s no coincidence that under Harry’s guidance, Harvard-Westlake created its honor code and its Peer Support program, both of which rely on student agency to support the school’s fundamental values.” Salamandra also took over the Molecular Gastronomy Directed Study in 2015, when science teacher Krista McClain stopped teaching the class to focus on administrative duties. Tyler Ganus ’20, who took Salamandra’s Molecular Gastronomy class in the first semester of
this year, said that while many of the dishes he made in class turned out successfully, his most memorable experience from the class was a kitchen mishap. “We all somehow managed to screw up the egg whites on this one dish,” Ganus said. “We were beating them until they reached stiff peaks, but we exploded the egg whites everywhere, all over the room. Throughout the year, we actually made some really yummy dishes [like] the chocolate soufflé that has become my family’s favorite dessert, but this day was definitely the funniest
and most memorable for me.” Salamandra said that his experience at the school has taught him the importance of actively listening to people, both in the classroom and in life. “Typically on a daily basis, we are moving very fast from one thing onto the next, and sometimes it can be difficult to be an active listener,” Salamandra said. “However, the main thing I have learned from my students is to stop talking sometimes and just wait and listen to what they have to say before giving a quick answer.”
rivalries are all inside jokes now.” Bergman also recalled how her coworkers and her students helped her feel at home in the new environment. “I met some wonderful colleagues who quickly became good friends,” Bergman said. “The tradition of [the students] saying ‘thank you’ in each class is lovely.” World and Europe II student Laurel Elliott ’22 said that Bergman’s teaching style and personality encouraged her to reach new heights within the classroom. “Her ways of teaching have motivated me so much more
to work hard and study for her class,” Elliott said. “Being one of the two girls in our class of around 20 people, [Bergman] has made me feel so much more comfortable. I will always miss her cheesy jokes, her laugh and her enlightening teaching.” AP U.S. History student Mia Hutchinson ’21 said Bergman made one of the biggest impacts on her learning. “She taught us beyond just the textbook but significant stories and lessons many Americans don’t know were part of their history, and that I’ll never forget,” Hutchinson said.
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attention to detail and organizational skills have been invaluable to Harvard-Westlake. We extend our warm thanks and wish her the best in this next phase of her life.” Schroeder said that she will miss the community greatly, especially the students. “I will miss knowing every day I am contributing to help students pursue their education,” Schroeder said. “Over the years, in helping with different record issues and other things needed by students, it was satisfying to know that even in a small way,
I was helping them continue on their educational journey through school.” Schroeder also said she appreciated the relationships she made at the school and the liveliness of the community. “The people definitely were my favorite part of working at HW. I was privileged over the years to work with many people, and some of them were just amazing,” Schroeder said. “The students gave a level of energy and fun that you don’t find in every work environment. It made for a happy atmosphere at work.”
Elizabeth Bergman: History By Sarah Mittleman History teacher Elizabeth Bergman will depart from the Upper School to continue her career at Geffen Academy at the UCLA next year. Bergman joined the history department this past fall, and taught Advanced Placement United States History, United States History and The World and Europe II. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate from Yale University and served as a professor for more than 10 years combined at Princeton Universi-
ty, Baruch College and the University of Texas at Austin. Just prior to beginning at the school, Bergman taught at Stuart County Day School in New Jersey. Although Bergman has only taught at the school for one year, she said the memories she made will remain close to her heart. She said she will miss the students and colleagues who made her smile, the community’s practices and especially the running jokes she shared with her classes. “In each of my classes, at least once a week, we had a good laugh,” Bergman said. “Cows going home, llamas and sibling
Virginia Schroeder: Registrar By Amelia Scharff
WHITE’S
School registrar Virginia Schroeder will retire after 29 years at the school in order to pursue her interests in photography and painting, and to travel with her husband. “We have visited many European countries and traveled quite a bit in the UK, Canada and the U.S.,” Schroeder said. “We’d like to add to that list. Also, I have a few creative endeavors in photography and painting that I’d like to pursue. And of course like everyone else, there’s always another
book to read.” As a registrar, Schroeder performed many organizational tasks, such as handling data, processing grades and comments and attaining visas for staff. Dean Coordinator and Assistant to the Head of Upper School Lynn Miller expressed her gratitude for Schroeder’s strong work ethic and dedication in HW Life Magazine. “Her grasp of technology and meticulous care has been instrumental in our smooth-functioning system,” Miller said. “Virginia’s professionalism, integrity,
A8 News
The Chronicle
It’s Safer at Home
June 3, 2020
While both campuses are closed indefinitely due to the city’s Safer at Home Order, which began March 19, students and faculty have used the extra time at home to pursue their interests and enjoy the company of their loved ones.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF VALENTINA GAXIOLA
LETTUCE BE THANKFUL: Valentina Gaxiola ’21 prepares the plot of land in her grandparents’ backyard to plant seeds. Gaxiola began gardening with her grandma after quarantine started as a theraputic way to release stress.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF EVELYN CHOI
MASK-ARADE HOUR: Cheery Chen ’23, David Chen ’24 and Evelyn Choi ’21 hand sew 110 masks with HEPA vacuum filter inserts. The masks were donated to a rehabilitation hospital infected with COVID-19.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF SOFIA LI
EASEL UP: Continuing one of her favorite hobbies at home, Sofia Li ’22 begins a new acrylic painting of many different types of fruit.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF RYAN MOON
NO MORE DRAWBACKS: Ryan Moon ’21 perfects his archery skills in his backyard. Before quarantine began, Moon practiced for 10 hours per week. He began learning this craft the summer before seventh grade, and has since competed at the state, national and international levels. After the school year ends, Moon plans to dedicate more time to archery.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF OTIS GORDON
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF: Otis Gordon ’20, a bonsai enthusiast, spends time in the sun with his bonsai, a tree that requires constant maintenance such as pruning and watering.
PRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF JOAQUIN FERNANDEZ-CASTRO
PAWSOME FUN: Spanish teacher and animal lover Joaquin Fernandez-Castro poses with his pets Rubito, a house cat, and Saltie, his 40-year-old Double Yellow-Headed Amazon parrot.
the harvard-westlake
Chronicle
Editors-in-Chief: Tammer Bagdasarian, Lindsay Wu Print Managing Editors: Kyra Hudson, Casey Kim, William Seymour Digital Managing Editors: Luke Casola, Jessa Glassman
Opinion The Chronicle • June 3, 2020
Studio City • Volume 29 • Issue 7 • June 3, 2020 • hwchronicle.com
EDITORIAL
Presentation Managing Editors: Spencer Klink, Keila McCabe Executive Editors: Jeanine Kim, Will Mallory News Editor: Luke Schneider Assistant News Editors: Crystal Baik, Hannah Han, Tanisha Gunby, Frank Jiang Opinion Editors: Emma Shapiro, Amelie Zilber Assistant Opinion Editors: Ethan Lachman, Austin Lee Features Editors: Joanna Im, Lauren Nehorai Assistant Features Editors: Lauren Cho, Ruoshan Dong, Siobhan Harms, Marina Nascimento A&E Editors: Jordan Murray, Sarah Reiff Assistant A&E Editors: Emma Limor, Celine Park, Chloe Schaeffer Sports Editors: Zack Schwartz, Eugene Wyman Assistant Sports Editors: Eugean Choi, Lucas Lee, Jaidev Pant, Kyle Reims, Charlie Wang Multimedia Editor: Annie Beckman Photography Editors: Caitlin Chung, Jay Lassiter, Astor Wu Broadcast Producers: Coleman Katz, Yoohan Ko, Alex Mork Business Manager: Zack Schwartz Community News Engagement Editors: Sarah Healy, Zoe Redlich Assistant Business Managers: Lucas Lee, Emma Limor Assistant Broadcast Editors: Alex Amster, Alice He, Kyle Reims Junior Art Director: Evie de Rubertis Senior Staff Writer: Lee Nichols Freelance Artist: Hannah Mittleman Freelance Writers: Anusha Mathur, Mak Kriksciun, Joie Zhang Layout Assistants and Staff Writers: Tessa Augsberger, Julian Andreone, Milla Ben-Ezra, Katherine Burry, Elise Chen, Marine Degryse, Quincey Dern, Alexa Druyanoff, Ava Fattahi, Mia Feizbaksh, Sydney Fener, Justin Goldstein, Jane Hamilton, Caroline Jacoby, Keira Jameson, Sandra Koretz, Gemma Lippman, Sarah Mittleman, Caitlin Munoz, Jason Morganbesser, Sophia Musante, Liam Razmjoo, Ryan Razmjoo, Amelia Scharff, Katharine Steers, Melody Tang, Maxine Zuriff Broadcast Assistants: William Moon, Zachary Berg, John Coleman, Ely Dickson, Benjamin Jacoby, Mikey Schwartz Adviser: Jim Burns, Max Tash Layout Assistant: Alexis Arinsburg, Brittany Brahn The Chronicle is the student newspaper of Harvard-Westlake School. It is published eight times per year. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the seniors on the Editorial Board. Letters to the editor may be submitted to [email protected] or mailed to 3700 Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA 91604. Letters must be signed and may be edited for space and to conform to Chronicle style and format. Advertising questions may be directed to Zack Schwartz at zschwartz1@ hwemail.com. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product or service by the newspaper or school.
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
Media-ting Justice
Breonna Taylor: a black EMT who was shot fatally after policemen investigating a narcotics case confused her apartment with someone else’s. Ahmaud Arbery: an unarmed black man who was lynched by two white people solely for jogging in their neighborhood. George Floyd: an innocent, handcuffed black man who was choked to death by four police officers despite not resisting arrest. These individuals represent just a fraction of the long list of anti-black violence victims. Nevertheless, their stories deserve the space to be told and understood, as they are indicative of a larger cultural problem within the United States; the issue of white supremacy represents a deeply-ingrained, ongoing and pervasive plague for the country. In the face of such grave injustice, the role of the press is complicated. In a world where every piece of information put out by the media is cast as having a spin or political bend to it, journalists are duty-bound to provide objective information. However, objectivity is not always the same as impartiality, which ensures balanced coverage of both parties. Of course, a news source that promotes opinions rather than facts cannot be trusted to provide accurate information. But when the full range of facts suggests corruption and inequity, providing that information objectively and taking an active stance to criticize instances of racism is a far cry from bias—rather, it is precisely the media’s job. Floyd’s story, for example, presents clear evidence of extrajudicial violence from authority figures. Thus, treating the opposing viewpoints of Floyd’s and the police force’s supporters equally in this case is nothing more than an implicit authorization of the latter. Simply put, pure impartiality is neither neutral nor truthful but rather a means of maintaining
the inequalities of the status quo. In instances like these, explicit condemnation of racially-biased law enforcement provides opportunities for journalists to promote public welfare, in a way that simultaneously presents the facts and refrains from diluting ethics. The role of the press in exposing governmental misdeeds has already been accepted in such areas as foreign policy. When the New York Times released the Pentagon Papers to highlight the flaws of the Vietnam War, or the Associated Press reported on torturing practices at Abu Ghraib, they were serving as a necessary check on governmental corruption. Journalists ought to view police brutality, the broader structures of racism to which police brutality is linked and other civil rights violations in the same way: massive problems worthy of criticism. They should not shy away from using their outlets in a productive way that helps to create awareness and positive change. The impact of such a proactive attempt at combating discriminatory violence cannot be overstated. Although appropriate reporting likely cannot override centuries-long legacies of inequality, it certainly can add momentum to the movements seeking to do so. Returning to the example of the Pentagon Papers, the New York Times’ decision to question the motives of the U.S. played an invaluable role in empowering anti-war protests and culminated in the end of the Vietnam War. In the face of insidious manifestations of racebased violence, journalists occupy a unique position to highlight obvious forms of prejudice, to maintain journalistic integrity and to provide a megaphone for silenced voices that too often go unheard.
A10 Opinion
June 3, 2020
The Chronicle
Thanking the opinion section By Jessa Glassman
F
or the duration of my time as a Wolverine, the opinion section has been my home. I’ve taken refuge in its presentation of unabashed student perspectives and found solace in its inky pages filled with impassioned beliefs. And now, this is the last time my byline and awkward picture will appear above the paragraphs I’m so used to carefully crafting. It would be a lie to say that doesn’t terrify me. Upon graduation, I know I will reminisce about the quad’s sunny tables and the rambunctious library, but the place I will perhaps miss most is the top of A10. The blank space beckoned me to share whatever I was thinking, feeling or experiencing without boundaries (except wordcounts) each issue and every volume, and it felt like the keys to the kingdom. I credit the spot where these words appear with making me the person I am today, and for that, I am so grateful.
Clueless and lost as I was as a middle schooler, I somehow found my way to “The Spectrum,” where I began my adventure with opinion writing by penning the ‘Center’ section of the political column ‘Left, Right, Center.’ Reading those pieces now, I can tell I was not yet firm in my beliefs and avoided tackling tougher questions, of which there were plenty, considering it was the 2016 election season. I was reserved, shy and still finding my voice, which is easily detectable in my early style. Despite this, what is just as discernible in the fragmented sentences and basic vocabulary that characterize these pieces is my brewing passion for writing. Knowing that penning editorials fueled my intellectual fire, I branched out from just providing the center point of view on immigration and foreign policy. Perhaps most monumentally, I once wrote about the vital role of journalism, not knowing that my interest in the topic would
only grow as I became a more outspoken and mature author who would ultimately be shaped by her beliefs regarding free speech, transparency and the power of writing. Beginning again at the bottom of the journalistic totem pole sophomore year, I was drawn to the opinion section, where I blended into a group of witty, pensive students. The idea that Weiler would make such an impact on me never crossed my mind as I searched for a place on staff in my first few days, intimidated as ever by the senior editors. Rapidly, peers became friends and the people I spent layout weekends with became an integral part of my high school experience: we forged memories, cracked jokes and even endured struggles. Opinion writing became an important part of my life, not only because I enjoyed it or thrived on the experiences it gave me, but because its founda-
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tional ideals of free expression and critical analysis helped mold me into the confident, thoughtful and forthright individual I am proud to be today. Without the experiences these pages gave me, I would undoubtedly be a different person, probably still meekly straddling the fence in my viewpoints like I did in middle school. While my vocabulary has grown and my understanding of syntax has improved since then, the most remarkable changes have been in my own thought process, boldness and outlook I am now proud to be someone who never backs down and has encouraged others to do the same through my writing. Now, I owe this all to the outlet I was given, the people I
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met and the fact that every challenge I faced, no matter how hefty, was accompanied by an even larger burst of support and self-growth. Now, as I finish my last “journal entry” in the space I credit with constructing much of my character, I hope that the next student who has something to say will courageously fill these few inches on the page and that they too find themselves inspired by the magic of candid self-expression through opinion writing.
A Plea to Prefects
By Julian Andreone
D ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
An authoritarian rise
By Ethan Lachman and Austin Lee
W
ith little regard for the “checks and balances” principle written into the U.S. Constitution, President Donald Trump declared the authority of the president “total” on April 13. Although he reversed his stance several weeks later, his claim reflects an unsettling trend among governments across the world: using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to seize extensive emergency powers and consolidate authority. Like the USA PATRIOT Act passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the laws being enacted by leaders around the globe will enable governments to more extensively surveil their citizens and will likely outlive intended lifespans. In doing so, nations blur the line between governments’ duty to act in the interest of their general populaces while upholding individual civil liberties. At the same time, nations risk upending the precarious balance between republican and authoritarian governments on the international political stage. Certain aspects of the authoritarian system of governance may seem advantageous in the midst of this outbreak. For example, the People’s Republic of China has supposedly suffered fewer than five thousand deaths by locking down its 1.4 billion citizens. Despite accusations of Chinese leaders underreporting the case and mortality statistics of the virus, China’s mandatory lockdown appears to have been more
successful in preventing the virus’s spread than many democratic nations’ responses. Other authoritarian-leaning leaders around the world have cited the “successful” Chinese response as a reason to expand their own powers, increasing digital surveillance of their citizens and using the military to silence critics and protesters. On March 15, Kazakhstan’s senate passed a seemingly innocuous emergency law banning all mass gatherings. Over the past year, civil protests have rocked the nation, and the new legislation underscores an attempt to prevent citizens from assembling peacefully during a tumultuous time. While centralized authority has its benefits, authoritarian governments often violate basic human rights, and the spread of this system of governance may pull the world into an ideological conflict as significant as the Cold War. In a law resembling the U.S. Sedition Act of 1918, which silenced citizens opposed to American involvement in World War I, the Bolivian Plurinational Legislative Assembly recently cited the coronavirus outbreak as a reason to weed out political dissenters and crack down on individual freedoms, according to Human Rights Watch. During these chaotic times, however, a diverse array of opinions is more valuable than ever. Leaders must consider all possible solutions to find the best course of action in
response to pressing issues. Channeling Chancellor Palpatine and the Galactic Senate, the Hungarian National Assembly declared a state of emergency and granted Prime Minister Viktor Orban exclusive power to determine its end date. Although Orban may not be plotting to assemble a Death Star and destroy planets as the “Star Wars” villain did, he is almost certainly planning to destroy any opposition to his rule. His indefinite dictatorship-like powers point to the fragility of democracy in these trying times. Thomas Hobbes, widely regarded as one of the fathers of modern political philosophy, once theorized that absolute authority is the only way to maintain stability. As many selfishly disregard social distancing recommendations, our democratic republic seems divided in its response. Still, while consolidated authority may be tempting in this divisive time, dictatorships, authoritarian oligarchies or even democratically elected presidents who overstep their powers to enforce unity are dangerous. Even if Hobbes is correct, citizens around the world must understand the oppression they risk in extending emergency powers to leaders without a definite expiration date. Those who stand idly by and give power to one person, one group, one idea, aid in the slow demise of democracy, civil liberties and human rights around the world.
uring the election process, Prefect Council candidates are not allowed to campaign outside of designated assemblies and webinars, a necessary rule protecting the psychological well-being of students. Running for a position of power is a tough task, as one must devise an appealing campaign to win the trust of their peers. However, along with campaigning comes criticism and scrutiny. As a candidate for any position of power, there will be people who disapprove of one’s candidacy and challenge their qualification for the position. Prefect Council is no different; every student develops their own opinions about each candidate and the efforts they take to get elected, such as their speeches, promises and plans. Prefect Council differs from other positions though, as the competition is personal and encompasses much more than a candidate’s resume and qualifications for the position. These candidates are students themselves, which means that they deal with the high school pressures of rumors, reputations and relationships. Furthermore, these candidates are also seeking validation from their peers through the Prefect Council elections, which makes the process painful and demoralizing to the candidates who don’t get the results they were hoping for. Every action we take revolves around seeking validation for our accomplishments. As students, we refresh the school portal repeatedly waiting for grades to come out at the end of each quarter. Anxiety and anticipation are completely natural responses leading up to receiving feedback on the work we produce, as the human brain feeds on validation from those around it. The ventral striatum is the area of the brain that releases chemicals upon receiving feedback, and for teenagers, the ventral striatum is still developing, increasing the importance of validation to
a teenager’s self-confidence and psychological happiness. Campaigning may seem beneficial to a candidate on their road to election, but their optimism alters their perspective on the upcoming results. Every competitor enters a competition thinking they have a shot at winning, so they believe that campaigning is an opportunity to grow their audience. No matter what, however, elections will always result in few winners and many losers. Campaigning, especially at the high school level, endorses peer pressure and popularity contests. The most socially active and popular students will be more energetic in campaigning than the quiet but possibly more intellectual and qualified candidates. Students develop an impulse to vote for the most popular candidates as the voters are all seeking the same feeling that the candidates do: validation. According to a study conducted by psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley, teenagers’ lives primarily revolve around acceptance from their peers, so when they receive negative or condescending responses, it often distorts their confidence in their individuality and opinions. Should campaigning be permitted, voters would become biased to protect themselves from rejection from their peers, which would leave the chances of unpopular, more reserved students quashed. The school should never consider permitting campaigning in the Prefect Council elections, but more importantly, it should work to understand why it is so inappropriate to incorporate this into an election for teenagers. One would be mistaken to assume that introducing these developing minds to more disapproval from their peers would be in any way more beneficial to their psyche than it would be contradictory to the fundamental values of our community’s mission statement: happiness and balance.
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/opinion
Opinion A11
Junior outlook: Fear of uncertainty
By Ella Moriarty
I Students reflect on the ups and downs of the tumultuous 2019-2020 school year.
was in history class March 11, and I had everything planned out: I would get my homework done at school so that I would have time to put the finishing touches on months of preparation for the SAT. I would review one last time Thursday night, and then use Friday to relax and get in the right headspace. But as we opened our computers to take notes, we all saw it. The SAT was canceled. Immediately, the whole room was thrown into chaos as everyone scrambled, and frantic clicks of keyboards and whispers of “Did they respond?” or “Is there a makeup date?” circled around the class. At the time, panic surged
through me, and I could barely process my own thoughts. However, this proved to be only a minor inconvenience compared to what would come. By fifth period, the notification regarding Harvard-Westlake’s closure due to COVID-19 began to circulate, and I walked out of school carrying the remainder of my junior year in my arms. My SAT panic was all but forgotten, and everything felt static and numb. And to some extent, it still feels that way. Everything that I had planned out for junior year, including spring concerts, field hockey training, three SAT attempts, Subject Tests, typical AP tests and college tours all evaporated. This semester was supposed to lay the foundation for my future. Instead, that foundation was crumbling brick by brick. While my junior year has been scary, disappointing and
sad, so has everyone else’s; seniors are missing out on their celebration of years of hard work, and college freshmen have been kicked out of their dorms. Of course, there are more serious issues: thousands of people losing loved ones and their livelihoods, nurses and doctors placing their lives on the line, the list goes on and on. However, what scares me the most has little, if anything, to do with being a junior in high school. It is that common lack of control, that uncertainty that everyone, everywhere, feels. All of our plans have been derailed, and we have been thrown into this new world with no map to guide us. That is what unsettles me: having to watch everyone experience a universal uncertainty to which there is no clear solution and very little that we can control.
Solidarity for sophomores By Daniel Ju
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he email showed up in our inboxes. A message from President Rick Commons. But before I could even open it, screams of jubilation and laughter erupted all around silent study. Immediately, I knew what that email was about. Walking down the stairs of the library, I noticed crowd after crowd, kids running out of classrooms and telling their friends “school’s over!” Just like everyone else, I couldn’t help but laugh and smile at that momentous news. And here we are, almost two months after that fateful day. We’ve all grown accustomed to the silence of our homes, the harsh blue light of our computer screens and the monotony of yet another day stuck at home. We’ve left behind our wonderful campus, our sports practices, our fights and hilarity with our friends. We’ve left behind
meetings with our teachers, jammed lockers, the physical presence of our community. It’s hard to even fathom the idea of that “we,” the “we” who gathered at assemblies, the “we” who snuck up on one another during Tap Out, the “we” who collectively found first period sign-ins annoying. And as a sophomore at the Upper School just beginning to get a taste of those little, big moments, I can say we’ve missed out on the start of a traditional high school experience. And yet, Harvard-Westlake comes together. Publications still have layout sessions, clubs still elect students to leadership roles and teachers still open up their offices online. The spirit of pursuing excellence still burns strong, and that’s something an active shooter, a pandemic or any other crisis can never quench.
In such a difficult situation, it’s important that everyone holds dear the value of optimism as the world drags its feet into a seemingly endless pit of negativity, of slander, of fear-mongering. It’s during these kinds of days that the value of a helping hand shines brightly. Optimism drives us to help each other up. Optimism is the enabler of hope. And hope is what inspires solutions. With such a profound message in mind, the idea of tomorrow becomes tantalizing. By realizing what we’ve lost, but also recognizing the strength of our community, it’s my sincerest hope that faculty, students and staff let our conscience be not only our guide, but also the vision of an even better school year.
Of 281 students polled. ILLUSTRATION BY TAMMER BAGDASARIAN, ALEXA DRUYANOFF AND HANNAH HAN
Community The Chronicle • June 3, 2020
Facing Coronavirus Together While Studio City business owners struggle to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic, members of the student body are working to provide their communities with essential needs.
By Ethan Lachman
Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) on March 27. According Having experienced nearly a 90 to NPR, the approximately $2 trilpercent drop in business, Dove Rose lion relief plan allocates funds to difdoes not know how many clients to ferent sectors of the economy, with expect when she opens her comput- $377 billion allotted to help small er for virtual wellness sessions. As a businesses. Wolfe said he received private trainer who began teaching funding through a Small Business classes at just 15 years old, the North Administration (SBA) loan, which Hollywood-based owner of Dove’s he put toward his employees’ salaries. Bodies had to adapt when the threat He said he is grateful he has not had of coronavirus closures loomed mid- to make any layoffs. “Everybody is working, but they March. She made the preemptive decision to protect her clients’ health have [fewer] hours,” Wolfe said. and conduct business remotely. Now, “They have to live, that’s really imshe said her home studio has come to portant.” As a private contractor, Rose is in feel quite normal. “[Online sessions are], dare I say, a unique position because she does almost starting to feel routine as op- not have employees who rely on her. posed to in the beginning where it She is also in a co-op, so she is not just felt very surreal and uprooted solely responsible for paying buildand unsteady,” Rose said. “Now it ing expenses. However, some of her has a very nice grounded feeling of fellow business owners have undergone immense struggles, what I’m offering my clisuch as having to furlough ents, my community, and staff or close temporarily it’s still growing and buildto prevent financial loss, ing as people are finding she said. their way.” “Probably the hardest Using Zoom software, thing is the responsibility Rose runs private yoga, fitthat [employers] feel toness and life-coaching classwards their staff and how es on an optional donation much they care for them basis. Additionally, Rose white’s and not wanting them to launched a project named Evelyn suffer,” Rose said. “There’s Dove on Demand, which Choi ’21 no profit margin. They’re allows individuals with busy schedules to contact her for barely making it themselves and sessions whenever they are available. working with their landlords to assist Even in this tumultuous time, Rose them in paying partial rent, so the said she prioritizes the well-being of devastation is pretty severe.” When moving forward, she said anybody who seeks her out, not just owners must reflect on the nature of those who can pay. “I’m at home, [and] I’d rather be their livelihoods. “Some [businesses] may not be helping people than watching Netflix,” Rose said. “I’m really excited coming back,” Rose said. “Some I because to be really honest, I’m also know have already chosen to not rea little lonely, and I could almost cry turn. Some have already choa little talking about it because I’m sen to transport their scared. There’s a lot of uncertainty in business to a differmy life and our home and my hus- ent platform and band’s career. So to fill this sort of not go back to the emptiness with seeing people I know old way. So it’s and love, and working out or medi- a definite time tating or doing yoga, it’s a gift to me of rebirth and re-identificaas well. It definitely goes full circle.” Despite Rose’s positive outlook, tion as to what small business owners in Studio we really want City have continued to face mount- to do in our ing economic pressure as a result of careers.” While the quarantine. Carney’s Restaurant owner Bill Wolfe said he saw a 60 c o r o n a v i percent decline in business due to rus-related the mandatory stay-at-home order. c l o s u r e s afTo adapt, Wolfe installed a plexiglass have barrier at the counter and transferred fected Stubusiness to pickup and delivery. Still, dio City the inevitable challenges of these ad- business ownjustments are tangible, he said. “It’s very difficult to run the e r s , kitchen because you’re getting tablet orders, phone orders and people coming in with orders,” Wolfe said. “There’s a lot going as opposed to people just coming in and ordering and making their food and walking away. It’s much more difficult, but we’re getting pretty good at it.” To provide aid for businesses nationwide during the pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid,
the pandemic also poses health risks these masks at whatever capacity we to some of the community’s most vul- can,” Theiss said. “Because it is for nerable citizens. Evelyn Choi ’21 said the greater good.” awareness of these ensuing hardships At school, Theiss said he is able to inspired her to found a mask-making print a face shield headband every 12 program, Operation Cover Up, with hours using back end plastic and that Cheery Chen ’23 and David Chen the trials of the mask-making process ’24. Particularly concerned with the are well worth the results. shortage of N95 masks, Choi said “I am so glad we are making a the initiative’s main goal is to help difference in this community,” Thedoctors and nurses serving on the iss said. “People need personal profront lines. tective equipment, and the ability “Many people, including our to provide that for people speaks so family members, have looked for deeply in my heart that I’m moved masks in stores since the pandemic every time I press that print button started, only to find empty shelves,” of that old printer.” Choi said. “In addition, the media’s While Choi, Theiss and Engelberg coverage of many hospitals’ struggles have focused on the physical threats to acquire masks for their healthcare of the virus, Hope Shinderman ’21 workers gave us has concentrated the idea to make on alleviating the masks for those mental effects of risking their lives social distancing to tend to others.” among younger Choi and her populations. At team sew their the beginning of masks themselves the school closure, using High Efshe founded Bored It’s very difficult to ficiency Particuof Boredom, a late Air (HEPA) free online edurun the kitchen because bags and polyyou’re getting tablet orders, cational organipropylene to enzation that serves phone orders and people sure maximum elementary and filtration. After a middle schoolers. coming in with orders.” couple weeks of Shinderman said —Bill Wolfe production, Choi that after observsaid that she was ing her teachers’ Owner of Carney’s proud to drop off pedagogy during almost 110 masks online school, she at Alcott Rehabilitation Hospital. was inspired to provide the same inSimilarly, Head of Communi- struction for those without adequate cations and Strategic Initiatives Ari access. She said that the program uses Engelberg ’89 spearheaded a project a multifaceted approach that strives alongside robotics coach and math for educational enrichment and techteacher Andrew Theiss to use the nological opportunity. school’s 3D printer to produce a crit“As a non-neurotypical student, I ical component of face shields recognize how this distance learning needed for Los Angeles can amplify the pre-existing struggles healthcare workers. Al- of various people,” Shinderman said. though Theiss said the “The effects of the digital divide are initiative requires sub- more prevalent now because those stantial work for less without access to technology aren’t than optimal reward receiving any education.” due to the age and Katarina Cheng ’21, an adminiscondition of the trator of the program, which now has printers, they have approximately 107 volunteers and forged ahead with 215 students, said Bored of Boredom their project. has allowed her to see the underlying “Even though beauty in small moments. [the project] is “The part of these sessions that going slow, [En- brings me the most joy is the excitegelberg and I] ment that young kids express over are both mak- learning seemingly simple things,” ing sure to Cheng said. “I was teaching an indo our dil- troductory Python class with [Yvette igence to Copeland ’21] for a few weeks, and p r o - we were explaining ‘if-else’ stated u c e ments. One third grader started bouncing up and down in his seat when he finally understood the concept and was able to implement it.” Although Wolfe is hopeful for the future as society slowly begins to reopen, he said it is important to realize the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “We’re just going with the flow,” Wolfe said. “Things will keep changing, and we will have to change with it. That’s what it’s all about.”
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ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Features The Chronicle • June 3, 2020
A Year in Review Students highlight the defining moments of the 2019-2020 school year by exploring its various ups and downs.
By Milla Ben-Ezra and Mimi Landes In August, the community gathered for its annual Convocation Ceremony to kick off the new school year. With speeches and donuts, the school celebrated the commencement of the coming year. In September, the school community honored the seniors during the annual Ring Ceremony. In the following weeks, students immersed themselves in clubs and programs during the Activities Fair. Despite the threat of dangerous fires, October managed to be full of celebration. Red, white and black filled the school campuses with pride throughout spirit week and Homecoming, capped off with a win for the varsity football team. For Halloween, students dressed up and presented their costumes at the annual costume contest. In November, the girls’ field hockey
team remained undefeated, winning its third consecutive CIF championship. Also, as the curtains parted, the Performing Arts Program showcased its fall musical, “Into the Woods.” Throughout December, Community Council held a toy drive where students had the opportunity to donate toys and give back during the holiday season. Although it does not snow in Studio City, the community got into the holiday spirit throughout Prefect Council’s Winterfest festivities. With the start of a new decade came the beginning of a new semester. In January, the history department took the sophomore class on a field trip to see a private screening of the World War I film “1917” to complement the curriculum. In February, girls’ varsity soccer reached the CIF playoffs. Then, students performed the winter play, “Stage Door,” after months of hard work and preparation.
Cheers of school pride filled the Firestone Fieldhouse at Pepperdine University as the student body gathered to watch the boys’ varsity basketball team play in the CIF Semi-Finals in March. Due to the rapidly increasing danger of the coronavirus pandemic, school was temporarily pushed off campus and classes were moved to Zoom. In April, students received news that due to COVID-19, the community would continue online school indefinitely. From college alumni panels to student tutorials, the school and the community thrived during the transition to a remote learning environment. In May, the school administration informed the community that online school would continue throughout the rest of the year. Head Prefect elections were held over Zoom, with the student body voting Cleo Maloney ’21 and Jonathan Cosgrove ’21 to lead next year.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
B2 Features
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
On the Front Lines Students with family members working as healthcare providers reflect on the government’s response to coronavirus.
By Hannah Han
as he wears the correct gear, it’s okay,” Schroeder said. “The When an unfamiliar vehicle scariest part is more the threat pulled into his driveway, Jake of his patients dying because Schroeder ’20 hurried to the he’s super empathetic.” While Schroeder’s father window to watch as his father, a pulmonologist, stepped out has been working primarily onto the pavement donning from home, other doctors who a hazmat suit. He tossed a are still practicing in hospicoronavirus test kit to the in- tals have been inundated with dividual in the car, one of his COVID-19 patients. In Calipatients, and called out a series fornia, approximately 3,000 of instructions. The patient coronavirus patients are curthen administered the test on rently being treated in medhimself by inserting a probe ical institutions, with 1,491 hospitalizations in into his nasal canal Los Angeles County and sealing the conalone, according to taminated swab in a Tableau Public. vial, before throwing Jessica Metcalf, the plastic kit back Princeton University to Schroeder’s father. Assistant Professor Since the impleof Ecology, Evolumentation of Caltion and Public Afifornia Governor fairs said that the Gavin Newsom’s white’s coronavirus poses shelter-in-place orJake an especially lethal Schroeder ’20 der in mid-March, threat compared to Schroeder’s father has been providing coro- previous viruses, such as severe navirus tests to his patients acute respiratory syndrome, or who exhibit symptoms of SARS, due to the high percentCOVID-19. He brings the kits age of asymptomatic carriers. “Asymptomatic transmisfrom his office to his house, where he meets patients once sion and very severe symptoms in a subset of people creates a every few days. “My dad doesn’t work at the deadly combination,” Metcalf hospital, but the craziest part said. “The 2003 SARS outis when patients come to our break was associated with sedriveway so that my house is vere symptoms but little transa ‘drive-through testing site,’” mission without symptoms, so Schroeder said. “It’s so scary, every infected person could be but it’s for the benefit of the isolated.” Due to the highly contaworld, so it’s fine.” After a patient leaves the gious nature of the disease, driveway, Schoeder’s father doctors and nurses are forced to disinfects himself in the garage cope with the possibility of not and enters the house through only contracting COVID-19 the back door to shower. Al- themselves, but also transferthough his father interacts ring the virus to their families. with coronavirus patients The crippling pressure has led semi-regularly, he is more con- to deteriorating mental health cerned about his patients’ lives among front-line workers, Time Magazine reported. On than his own, Schroeder said. “He’s especially stressed April 26, New York-Presbytebecause the coronavirus is a rian Allen Hospital emergency respiratory disease, but as long room doctor Lorna M. Breen
committed suicide, sparking a nationwide outcry about the devastating psychological effects of the virus on healthcare professionals, according to the New York Times. Albert Wu, Internist and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, said that hundreds of doctors and nurses have likely died due to frequent exposure to coronavirus patients. Though the death toll in hospitals is rising, Wu said that the number of front-line workers who have been psychologically impacted by the virus exceeds the number who have been infected with COVID-19. “In some studies, [the ratio of psychological casualties to physical injuries] can be a factor of 40 to one,” Wu said. “People have certainly suffered quite a bit of distress, anxiety, fear and worry—in some cases, acute stress reactions and panic attacks, and in other cases, exacerbations of existing mental health conditions. The long term effects are yet to be determined, but historically we would expect a greater risk of burn-out and even post traumatic stress disorder.” Josephine Amakye ’21 said she has observed firsthand the mental toll that the overburdened healthcare system takes on frontline workers. A licensed vocational nurse, Amakye’s sister practices in New York City, the epicenter of the viral outbreak, with 51,400 recorded hospitalizations, according to NYC Health. “Initially, [my sister who is a vocational nurse] was really scared [for her own life],” Amakye said. “The hospitals are filled, and she’s working really long shifts. The patients need care, and it’s not your
normal 10 patients, but it’s While the federal government 20.” struggles to provide hospiAriana Azarbal ’22 said that tals with personal protective her father, an interventional equipment (PPE), the medical cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai community suffers, Ahmad Hospital, frequently operates said. on COVID-19 patients in “[My mother’s] general a specialized ward. At work, feeling is that she wishes [the Azarbal’s father must wear a hospitals] had more available hazmat suit, which he wash- resources,” Ahmad said. “They es upon returning home each have masks, but as I underday. Having a medical profes- stand it, they’re still short on sional within her family has them, so [the front-line workimpacted her household, she ers] have to wear the same one said. all day, and “At first, they only get my little sisone new one At first, my little ter and my per day.” sister and my mom were mom were With states stressed out, such as Texas, really stressed out, but but it shifted Wisconsin it shifted once my dad once my dad and Florida started going into the started going reopening into the hosto a limited hospital.” pital,” Azarbal capacity, the —Ariana Azarbal ’22 nation is now said. “He has to see people engulfed in everyday that are sick, so now a debate about the economhe’s the stress case. He makes ic and health-related conseus take a bunch of precautions; quences of ending quarantine. [for example], he washes the Although Newsom announced fruit with dishwasher deter- May 12 that the stay-at-home gent.” order will likely be extendDiego Ahmad ’20 said that ed for another three months, because his mother, an infec- Amakye said she has noticed tious disease doctor, has un- that students are still violatderlying health conditions, he ing quarantine orders. She has been concerned about her expressed frustration toward safety. However, for the most these individuals and said that part, Ahmad’s routine has not social distancing has alleviatchanged significantly, he said. ed the burden on both of her “It’s definitely nerve-wrack- siblings and will ultimately ing,” Ahmad said. “[My moth- contribute to the end of the er] hasn’t social-distanced her- pandemic. self from us, which is honestly “It makes me wonder: what fine because she’s the most at- is so miserable about staying at risk person in the house be- home and sacrificing for everycause she’s had heart problems one else?” Amakye said. “Even in the past. Things at home are if you don’t care about yourmostly normal, but it’s defi- self, you should care about nitely still stressful.” other people who are risking Ahmad said that his moth- their lives, like my siblings. If er expressed distress regarding everyone could do their part so President Donald Trump’s that they have to deal with one inaction and ambivalence to- less patient, [that would be] wards the spread of the virus. really appreciated.”
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PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF @HW_COMMUNITY
June 3 , 2020
hwchronicle.com/features
Features B3
Zoom University Students discuss questions they have after the COVID-19 pandemic has changed both college decisions and the admission process. By Tanisha Gunby and Frank Jiang
the same as touring a college in real life. There’s definitely a sense of disconnect and a In response to the less personal feeling, as well as COVID-19 pandemic, many the fact that colleges can now colleges have been making idealize themselves even more changes to the admissions than before, as they have comprocess. So far, the change in plete control over everything policy to optional standard- we see on the tour.” Due to COVID-19, many ized testing has sparked controversy. The cancellation of other factors have changed, overseas summer activities for impacting the college admisstudents has caused many stu- sions process. On top of exdents to panic. Activities such tracurriculars and GPA, there as sports tournaments, vol- is another statistic that many students have quesunteering trips and tions about: testing fellowships, have scores. Because of been postponed or the virus, many pen canceled. For Deland paper tests have aney Klace ’21,the been converted into stress began to set online ones. Not in when she received only does this mean an email notifying that the test material that the school was itself changes, but planning to cancel white’s also the timing of its college tours. Delaney each test. For exam“I feel like the Klace ’21 ple, the Advanced collection of schools Harvard-Westlake organized Placement exams taken in can’t be replicated on a tour I May were reduced to 45-minwould do on my own, based ute exams consisting of two on the number of schools questions. “Personally, I don’t mind we were going to see and the distance we were planning to the changes in the AP extravel,” Klace said. “With that ams because it seems for the said, I understand the need to most part that the exams will cancel the tours and I’m just be a little bit easier and less happy that everyone is safe time-consuming than they have been in the past,” Klace and healthy.” Even though many college said. “I do feel like colleges tour trips have been cancelled, will value our scores and pothe school has provided al- tential credit even less than ternatives, as they have been they already have, but in my hosting online college panels opinion they never valued with alumni for students to the scores very much to begin learn more about college life. with.” However, Rivera said she In addition, many other resources are available for stu- has concerns about the changdents to explore colleges from es in AP exams. “The changes in AP exams the comfort of their homes. Many students like Sarah Ri- give me mixed feelings, but vera ’21 have been taking vir- overall I feel even more nertual tours of colleges instead vous than before,” Rivera said. of the college tour they were “The 45 minute testing periplanning on attending during od definitely seems as though it is not sufficient enough to spring break. “For now, I’ll have to figure justly test our knowledge on out a way to tour colleges on the subjects, and I’m most my own,” Rivera said. “I have apprehensive about how the taken a few virtual tours, but language exams, for example, the experience is definitely not will include both spoken and
written sections effectively.” Furthermore, the College Board canceled the March, May and June SAT exams. Josephine Amakye ’21 said she was planning to take the March SAT and that its cancellation has been significantly more stressful than the changes to AP exams. “I had been studying for a while and was so close to getting it out of the way,” Amakye said. “Unlike the AP test, some students have already taken the SAT. This factor makes a decision that is universally fair seem impossible to find. There is just so much to consider in deciding what is fair for everyone. I only feel regret for not having taken one earlier but had I taken one I would feel upset that it wouldn’t be considered as heavily by a school choosing to be test optional.” While testing scores from the SAT and ACT are important, there are also many other factors to consider in a college application like summer activities. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many activities that students had planned for the summer have either been canceled or moved online. For Grant Keller ’21, the cancellation of his Humanitarian Experience For Youth (HEFY) volunteer trip to Ghana and his financial internship were his main worries. Despite his trip to Ghana being canceled, Keller said that because he’s already had so many experiences to volunteer, the trip to Ghana would not have affected his college applications that much. In addition to his summer visit to Ghana, Keller said that the only other large thing on his mind was his internship opportunity, which he is unsure will continue. “If I lost my internship in August, that would be incredibly impactful in a bad way because it’s going to give me some experience in the financial area, which I’m really in-
terested in doing both in and don’t necessarily have grades.” out of college,” Keller said. According to EdSource, Upper School Dean Beth students’ college decisions Slattery said that most stu- may be affected due to dents should not fret because COVID-19, leading them to of COVID-19 cancellations. choose to attend a college closBecause most students are in er to their homes instead of similar situations, Slattery said their first choice college. In a that it would be an issue only poll of 140 Harvard-Westlake if some students were able to seniors, 17 percent responded do programs others were not. that their college decision was In addition, Slattery said impacted by COVID-19. that there will probably be a Lauren Juzang ’20 said she greater emphasis on what the decided to defer her college student has already accom- admission for one year. Juplished, rather zang said than what they she was will get done planning I didn’t change during the to attend my college decision COVID-19 hiSyracuse even though I would atus. University “I just think for a degree have liked to visit the that more in music campuses of the school weight will and enterbefore I committed.” be placed on tainment. how kids were w e v e r, —Nikha Sylbert ’20 Ho performing at because the time that Syracuse [COVID-19] happened, as University is a college locatopposed to kids having as ed in upstate New York, it much of an opportunity to is close to the epicenter of kind of catch up,” Slattery the COVID-19 crisis, which said. “For example, if peo- could be a problem if the viple were trying to catch up rus makes a resurgence in the like ‘oh I’ll do something re- winter. ally great this summer even Juzang said the biggest reathough I haven’t done much son that she deferred was the prior to this,’ that’s going to loss of music opportunities be harder.’” that were integral to her speRegarding standardized cific major. testing and school grading, “What turned me off is the Slattery said that she believes thing that I love about my testing will be weighed the program, which is the music same, and that the statis- festivals and the artists that tics will not necessarily be come and perform and we get weighed anymore than they to meet,” Juzang said. “Same already had done in the past. with the weekly speakers that “For many other schools we get, which I doubt we will that are going pass or fail, get because of traveling [rethose schools have increased strictions].” weight on grades prior to the Klace said she is hopeful pass or fail, so in some ways, that the college application I think that students in Har- process normalizes by the end vard-Westlake are in a fortu- of summer. nate positions since many of “I hope by the late summer them will have testing and or fall I will be able to see the all of them will have actual schools I am most interested grades,” Slattery said. “That to in in-person, but I guess there me is more helpful than kids is really no way to know when in situations where they don’t that will be possible right necessarily have testing and now,” Klace said.
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ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
B4 Features
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
Students discuss how TikTok can affect self-esteem by creating unrealistic beauty standards for the platform’s users. By Ruoshan Dong
Store in 2019. 41 percent of TikTok users are between the After spending the after- ages of 16 to 24, according to noon watching and practic- GlobalWebIndex. Linda, a TikTok user with ing TikTok dances, Linda* put on a fresh set of fake eye- over 70,000 followers, said lashes and a coat of lip gloss, that despite gaining fame priset up a ring light and finally marily through her looks, she still feels self-conscious about filmed her own video. Scrolling through her every video she posts. “I try to look my best in my drafts later, she added filters, glitter effects and transitions, videos and put the best verfeeling self-conscious about sion of me out there,” Linda said. “I would put on makeup her expressions and poses. “It’s hard to scroll through and film so many drafts, and TikTok every day and see in the rare chance that I don’t these gorgeous girls with per- hate them and end up deletfect bodies and perfect lives ing them all, I finally post one and not compare yourself to and get so nervous over likes and comments and them,” Linda said. that stuff.” “I’m decently conTikTok user Salfident with myself, ly Ho ’21 said she but seeing those enjoys watching videos always makes TikToks because its me a tiny bit jealous content is relatable because I’m not as and relevant to her attractive as them.” everyday life. TikTok is a vid“There definitely eo sharing platform white’s are a lot of teenagthat uses artificial Sally ers on my for you intelligence and alHo ’21 page, and usually gorithms to curate a For You Page of videos tai- their content is pretty funny lored to each user’s unique and relatable to me and my interests and preferences. friends,” Ho said. “One exOriginally launched as a ample is all the videos posted lip-syncing app, TikTok now about APs. They were really boasts a vast range of con- funny and I actually undertent, ranging from cooking stood them because I went and dance videos to makeup through the same exact thing. That’s one of the main reasons tutorials. According to DataRe- why I think TikTok is so apportal, TikTok has over 800 pealing– it’s mainly teenagmillion active monthly us- ers, so it’s like there’s a closer ers, making it the seventh connection between users bemost popular social media cause we’re all going through platform in the world. Tik- similar things right now.” TikTok is rumored to unTok was also the most downloaded app in the Apple App fairly promote content from
rich and conventionally attractive creators, according to The Intercept. A leaked document published by The Verge revealed that TikTok has content moderation policies that censor videos from users who do not fit conventional beauty standards. Policies also supposedly prohibit videos from users with visible facial deformities or disabilities. “If the character’s appearance or the shooting environment is not good, the video will be much less attractive,” the content moderation policy leaked by The Verge stated. “It will not be worth recommending to our users.” According to the leaked document, moderators were also told to avoid promoting content that appeared to be created in “slums, rural fields (rural beautiful natural scenery could be exempted), dilapidated housing or construction sites.” These policies were put in place with the intention of attracting new users and making the app “fancy and appealing.” Although moderators were not directed to outright remove these types of content, they were instructed to avoid promoting them on the For You Page, according to The Verge. A TikTok spokesperson told The Verge that these moderation policies were never implemented in the United States. “Like all platforms, we have policies that protect our users and protect national security,” the spokesperson said.
“[One example is] banning last year compared to teenagany accounts that promote ers who used social media for hate speech or terrorism, as less than an hour per day. In outlined in our Community a Chronicle poll of 281 stuStandards.” dents, 60 percent said that Isaac Dienstag ’21 said they have been spending more he understands the rationale time on TikTok and other sobehind the algorithm and be- cial media due to quarantine. lieves it highlights an underAriana Pineda ’21 said lying problem within society that her TikTok feed makes itself. her feel self-conscious about “I feel like that’s putting herself and that she limits the more blame on TikTok than time she spends on TikTok it deserves,” Dienstag said. every day. “Even though TikTok is not “It’s really bad for my a respectable company, the self-esteem because I feel like algorithm only favors what it alters your perception of repeople want to see. It says a ality,” Pineda said. “Of course lot more about what our so- people are only putting their ciety sees as best foot forideals than ward, and it’s the ethics of a really unfair I watch gaming the company comparison clips or skits or stuff like to make, seeitself. You see similar ing someone that, and it’s pretty fun. patterns with a ton of It’s a neutral experience with Y o u Tu b e , makeup on for me, just like any they only while your promote to hair is messy other social media.” you what it and you hav—Sterling Kim ’21 en’t looked in thinks you want to see, the mirror all based on what you like and day.” what other people like.” Unlike Ho and Pineda, Frequent use of social me- Sterling Kim ’21 said that he dia has been proven to cause uses TikTok to watch comenegative self-worth and body dy videos and tutorials, and image in teenagers, according doesn’t feel like his self-esto a 2018 study published by teem has been affected. Newport Academy. The study “I don’t really get thirst found that 14 to 17-year-olds traps in my feed,” Kim said. who used social media more “I watch gaming clips or than seven hours per day were skits or stuff like that, and it’s twice as likely to have been pretty fun. It’s a neutral exdiagnosed with depression, perience for me, just like any treated by a mental health other social media. It doesn’t professional or taken medi- really affect how I view myself cation for a psychological or because that’s not the content behavioral issue during the I get on my For You Page.”
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ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXA DRUYANOFF
Arts & Entertainment The Chronicle • June 3, 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the news media has taken on a new role. Students, teachers and industry executive Janice Min break down how they view this change. ident and Chief Creative Officer at The Hollywood Reporter, said that the misinformation Coronavirus became front- being spread by the President page news for American media around COVID-19 has resultoutlets mid-February, just as ed in a radical shift—restoring cases were cropping up around the public’s perspective of mainthe United States. However, Di- stream media as a reliable source ego Ahmad ’20, whose parents of information. “Trump was a real turnare both medical professionals, first heard about the virus when ing point in this conversation, it was still limited to Wuhan. where maybe for the first time From the beginning, Ahmad in a while, people began to see said he has empathized with that news media is fairly reliable journalists’ difficult task of cut- and that sometimes what comes ting through the vast amount out of the mouths of our elected leaders is of misinformanot,” Min said. tion surroundThe danger is “Trump has ing the pandemic. when they’re not able to done a really good job of cre“I think an help people accurately ating enough honest news sort out truth from lies c o n f u s i o n media is absolutely critical and misconceptions. about news to plant the seeds in times like of doubt in a these,” Ahmad said. “The dan—Diego Ahmad ’20 lot of people’s minds. I think ger is when one of the benthey’re not able to help people accurately sort efits to news about coronavirus out truth from lies and miscon- is that science largely does not lie and is very fact based. There ceptions.” According to The Washing- is not a lot of opinion that goes ton Post, as of April 3, President into science, there are hypotheTrump had made an average of ses and theories, but science is 23 false or misleading claims pretty black-and-white.” At the beginning of the outper day since the outbreak hit the U.S. Ahmad said he be- break, Violet Barron ’22 said lieves that this rampant misin- she found comfort in the data formation, pushed by both the that the news provided. Howevpresident and White House of- er, she said she no longer reads ficials, creates a dangerous envi- the news because she finds it to ronment that fosters confusion be highly contradictory, providing no unique insight into the within the public. “This puts [journalists] in current crisis. “Nowadays, you can find a difficult situation during the pandemic,” Ahmad said. “They conflicting stories all over the are often put in the uncomfort- internet,” said Barron. “Some able position of not being able [reports are] saying this will to show the president’s press last well into 2021, and others conferences live without spread- [are] talking about reopening ing dangerous disinformation.” the economy. With all of these Janice Min, former Co-Pres- contradicting reports, I feel like By Siobhan Harms and Chloe Schaeffer
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there’s no point anymore in reading the news.” Riley Bock ’21 has also distanced herself from news coverage, saying that it causes her stress and has the potential to incite fear within the general public. “While I think it is very important to report on COVID-19, I do not think it should get 24-hour coverage,” Bock said. “There are other stories to report, and I think repetitive coverage just instills fear. The news coverage is what convinces many Americans to follow social distancing practices and make them aware of the world’s situation. However, I think some news outlets are walking a fine line between being thorough and causing panic.” Upper school history teacher Dave Waterhouse, who teaches Mass Entertainment in America, said that global crises have historically increased news viewership in both print and television. “Crises always help bring readers and viewers to the news,” Waterhouse said. “So, the media often brings attention to things that might be considered a crisis or exaggerates things that really are critical.” This pandemic has proven no different than other crises, as Min said viewership for both news and television has increased since the outbreak first intensified within the U.S. She attributes this to a motivation to stay informed, as well as the increased time individuals now have to consume information. “I think one of the interesting things to note is that I think we have seen, over the past year, a lot of fatigue in news around Trump and around the im-
peachment,” Min said. “It was [Meanwhile] the Republicans, beginning to have a little bit of namely Trump and his base, are a white-noise effect, where peo- emphasizing the cost it will have ple can have the ability to tune- on the economy. ” out. [Coronavirus] has brought Wacziarg also said that she people rushing back to news is often frustrated with the diconsumption because this is lit- visions that news coverage can erally a life and death matter to create, and she maintains that be informed now.” unbiased news is the best way Waterhouse also said that to remain connected to world while mainstream news outlets events. are the most reliable source, the “I feel like often the news rising popularity of social me- can be partisan in a way that dia and the internet as forms vilifies the other side,” Wacziarg of news can spread misinfor- said. “[That’s why] finding more mation, promoting opinions as centrist news outlets has been facts. important for me. I “On the one hand, think that the news the mainstream media should be able to be has provided a lot of informative and, as accurate information best as possible, not about the pandemic— panic-inducing.” more so than the presBarron said she ident,” Waterhouse agrees that the news said. “On the other has the potential to hand, the fringe mecreate panic, but bewhite’s dia have spread many lieves that the media Violet dangerous rumors and has the capacity to Barron ’22 unsupported specubring people togethlation, both of which er. She said she thinks have been highly counterpro- that YouTube series like John ductive.” Krasinski’s “Some Good News,” Claire Wacziarg ’21 said she which features feel-good stories agrees with Waterhouse, and is about the kindness in humanisimilarly concerned that many ty, can significantly impact the teenagers and young adults mental health of its internationtend to get their news from al audience. social media sites, which often “During global crises, I think promote opinions over facts. the news should be a rock for However, she finds the lack of people,” Barron said. “I’ve reuniformity regarding White alized that good news, whether House press coverage among all it be about people going out the news outlets to be troubling. of their way to help others, or “What has upset me recent- how people are making the best ly is that the virus has become out of their quarantine, is really a partisan issue, divided along important right now. Especially Democrat and Republican during this quarantine, everylines,” Wacziarg said. “I’ve been one could benefit from hearing noticing that Democrats tend good news, even just to remind to emphasize the impact the them that good things are still coronavirus will have on peo- happening, even when it feels ple’s health and the cost the vi- like the whole world has been rus will have in terms of lives. put on pause.”
ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS AND CHLOE SCHAEFFER
C2 Arts and Entertainment
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
Reconciling with Remote Learning Art students and teachers discuss their experiences with performing arts classes being conducted over Zoom and how it impacts their performances. By Celine Park
nection, because you’ll say a line, and then there’s a huge lag When news of the school’s before the next person can say sudden closure broke out, the theirs,” Stigi said. quad erupted with cheers, but Despite technical limitaElias Peter ’21 did not join the tions, Sophia Schwartz ’20 said celebration. With a sinking feel- that Advanced Dance II teaching, Peter realized the announce- er Anne Moore has effectively ment was not a free four-day structured Zoom sessions that weekend, but the cancelation engage students through cardio of a long-anticipated Jazz Band workouts and movement classtrip to Poland and the Czech es. Republic, “It’s good he said. Two to actually weeks later, get out of We’re taking instead of our chairs the fact that it’s online playing his for once,” and making our play tenor saxSchwartz ophone in said. “There’s different, maybe even Warsaw, Pea certain better.” ter spent his connection —Gisele Stigi ’22 you have spring break watching when you “ M i l e s dance with Davis: Birth of the Cool” and your friends that you can’t get “Chasing Trane: The John Col- through a screen, but out of all trane Documentary” from his my classes, dance has honestly living room couch as part of The been the one that has [adapted] Jazz Band’s end-of-year project. the best.” “The documentaries brought Nevertheless, remote learnthe inner passion of jazz for- ing has pushed artists to exward, but the downside is that plore new outlets, Drawing and we can’t have a performance Painting II student Skylar Liu [of ] the pieces we’ve worked so ’21 said. hard for the whole year,” Peter “Zoom art has been decent said. “We were supposed to go in the sense that it has forced to Poland and Prague for 11 us to try new media,” Liu said. days to perform 40 songs, but “Some people are doing more that was pretty much doomed digital art, and we’ve been able during the quarantine.” to collaborate in a group project While most instrumental where everyone worked on the and choral classes have not met same piece, where we all take over Zoom for the past few turns and pass it around and weeks, dance, acting and visual that’s not something we’ve ever arts courses have continued to tried before.” meet regularly in accordance Similarly, Stigi said her class with the school’s online dai- has taken advantage of Zoom’s ly schedule. However, remote features in ways that have allearning poses various obstacles lowed students to understand for the arts, especially when acting in a new light. classes attempt to participate in “We’re pretending to pass group activities, Actor and the things through the screen, Stage II student Gisele Stigi ’22 and pretending to reach over said. through the other person’s “[During script readings] it’s Zoom boxes, and we change our hard to be in character when names to our character names; you’re in your living room, and instead of Gisele Stigi, it says it’s hard with the internet con- ‘Emily,’” Stigi said. “I think this
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is something where the online actual class in person, but I experience has changed [“Our think it’s really cool how we’re Town”]. We’re taking the fact not just giving up on the prothat it’s online and making our cess, and we’re finding a way to play different, maybe even bet- perform the show,” Stigi said. ter.” Playwrights Festival DirecWill Nordstrom ’21 said he tor Aaron Martin said the adhas also experienced more artis- justment from a physical show tic freedom while creating short to an online recording has not films for his Video Art II class. only been difficult, but also re“[Our teacher] assigns some- flects changes in the arts comthing and we do it on our own munity. time; there’s no dead“My personal line,” Nordstrom opinion is that this said. “You can make virus has affectanything you basied the art world cally want, and it has for years to come, vague guidelines, but whether through you have full creative inspiration for vicontrol. At school, sual artists, new we have 45 minutes ways of putting on white’s of class and we can live shows, or obviAlon only do things in ously the advanced Moradi ’21 that timeframe, but use of digital pracat home, we have all day to do tices,” Martin said. “There is these short films.” something profound happening Following the school’s to the world around us and atclosure, all performances af- tempting to define it now will ter March 11—including the be difficult. How we rebuild Dance Concert, as well as Jazz and what we become attracted and Symphony recitals—were to and how we move forward canceled. The lack of final shows will truly help define our future has affected artists’ motivation, and art will in many ways help Alon Moradi ’21 said. guide those definitions.” “I sing, work on my vocal Moradi said while Zoom technique and practice music all cannot replace in-person collabday because that’s what I like to oration with his fellow artists, do, but because there are no per- he still believes that the love for formances or any sort of short- the arts as a whole is what keeps term goal I’ve set for myself, I the arts community functioning haven’t worked as intensely in during quarantine. certain aspects,” Moradi said. “I think what’s so special This year, however, the an- about the performing arts, even nual Playwrights Festival will be outside of Harvard-Westlake, is converted to audio recordings. that there are so many differLeading up to the broadcasts ent kind of art institutions that from June 8 to 19, students of have put out live streams perforthe cast will work with profes- mances and orchestras, which sional directors over the course is obviously not the same, but of five weeks to improve their there’s still kind of the power of acting and vocal skills. unification that comes with perStigi, whose play was accept- forming as an ensemble,” Moraed to the festival, said that she is di said. “Even though it’s harder grateful for the theater depart- to function as a larger group, ment’s efforts in creating oppor- when it all comes together, it’s tunities for student directors to really gratifying because you showcase their work digitally. have this sort of connection ev“I obviously prefer having erywhere.”
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/ae
Arts and Entertainment C3
Inspirations in Isolation By Emma Limor
In light of quarantine life causing new daily routines, students share how they are still able to express their unique, artistic mediums even within the confines of their own homes.
Lily Xie ’20 Not even a pandemic could stop Lily Xie ’20, a first-degree black belt in taekwondo, from continuing the training regimen she has followed consistently for the past seven years. “I actually have a greater desire to train now than I did before,” Xie said. “I feel it requires less discipline now that I have more motivation and fewer time restrictions.” Taekwondo is a combative martial art, which Xie usually practices at her club Monday through Friday. Now, she has adapted her training methods to the limitations of her home. “I do sparring, [which usu-
ally involves] a lot of kick drills and sparring with others,” Xie said. “Because there is no one to interact with, my training during quarantine is focused on building and maintaining muscles and increasing kick accuracy and speed.” As a co-leader of the Boxing and Martial Arts Club this year, Xie held monthly training sessions after school to expose students to taekwondo. “I have learned a lot from [Xie],” co-leader of the Boxing and Martial Arts Club Nancy Zhang ’21 said. “Because of the fact that I can’t really spar during quarantine, I am really
thankful for [Xie] since she taught me a lot of kick techniques that I am now practicing at home.” Xie said taekwondo has not only provided structure to her daily schedule, but also helped maintain her strength and provide some normalcy during this difficult time. “Taekwondo definitely keeps me healthier mentally and physically during quarantine time,” Xie said. “Quarantine has actually boosted my motivation to do my regular training sessions because it’s a way to fill my schedule since I have a lot more free time.”
Skylar Liu ’21 Now constantly surrounded by members of her family, Skylar Liu ’21 has found inspiration for both current and future paintings within the comfort of her own home. “While some may see quarantine as a hindrance to artistic expression, for me personally, I have [drawn ideas from] my family and its history,” Liu said. Liu said quarantine has allowed her the time and opportunity to delve deeper into both her Asian heritage and topics
regarding mental health, two themes central to her art. “My most common sources of inspiration are old family photos, antiques, heirlooms and my personal experiences, so quarantine has actually allowed me to explore these more,” Liu said. Fellow artist Faramarz Nia ’21 said he is impressed by Liu’s newest painting, which centers around dealing with grief. “Even though [Liu’s] latest painting is not complete yet,
I can tell it’s going to be really awesome,” said Nia. “She has put her heart into this one.” Liu hopes to create pieces that focus on the cultural and political effects of the pandemic. But for now, continuing to work on current projects has brightened her days, she said. “Even before the coronavirus, I’ve always found peace while doing art,” Liu said. “As much as I love family time, immersing myself in art is a much-needed break from time to time.”
Spencer Flippen ’21 Before quarantine began, Spencer Flippen ’21 was busy working on his latest short film. A director, writer and actor, Flippen has continued to bring the story of three teenagers trapped in a backyard to life. “I had to do some thorough replanning, but right now I am mainly focusing on my short film and a couple of music videos,” Flippen said. “During quarantine, I have focused on video editing and am doing
some filming, but not as much as I had hoped for.” Actress Natalie Ayeni ’21 said she is looking forward to seeing Flippen’s newest work in full. “I was able to witness and be a part of [Flippen’s] short film,” Ayeni said. “His work is really inspiring, and you can tell he has a lot of skills.” Flippen watched various music videos which in turn helped guide his own films.
Flippen said the reason why he enjoys filmmaking because the process of sharing messages through a different medium is rewarding. “I create films and videos because it’s fun,” Flippen said. “Taking stories that I hear about from other people or my own personal experiences and adapting them into different genres may take a lot of effort, but the result is really fulfilling and entertaining.”
ILLUSTRATIONS BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS AND ALEXA DRUYANOFF
C4 Arts And Entertainment
The Chronicle
June 3 , 2020
Relating movies to life: enduring quarantine through film By Annie Beckman
my long desired, very necessary, ultimate classic movie binge. Growing up, I was always a TV Since quarantine has started, I have show kind of gal. My parents never en- watched 47 movies. To some, this may couraged me to watch movies as a young seem like a major waste of time, but to child. My first PG-13 movie was actual- me it’s a game of catch-up from the years ly at age thirteen and it was “The Devil of never having seen a truly classic movWears Prada.” ie. Although a classic in the eyes of a I started my binge with “Annie 13-year-old girl, it was no quintessential Hall.” I had never seen a Woody Allen cultural learning experimovie. Can you believe ence. it? It was funny, very Alas, I was soon picturesque. I watched a To some, this 17-years-old with little few more Woody Allen may seem like a major to no experience with movies, including “Bawaste of time, but to me nanas,” my favorite from quality film. Of course, it’s a game of catch-up I’ve been to countless Woody Allen so far. movies at the theater and I also dove into from the years of never I’ve seen my fair share of Quentin Tarantino movhaving seen a truly Netflix romcoms, but I ies, another filmmaker classic movie.” had never truly been exI had yet to experience. posed to “old” movies. I was never big on viSo, on Jan. 1, I made it my New olence movies before, but I adored evYear’s resolution to become more cul- ery single one, and couldn’t seem to get tured in film. As it commonly does, my enough. eagerness to fulfill this resolution fizzled As for the rest of the movies, they away pretty quickly. I really wanted to included some black-and-whites with achieve it, but school and the rest of life Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and got in the way of watching countless more classic actors and actresses. Of movies a week. course there were also some Steven SpielNow, picture this: The world gets berg, Alfonso Cuarón, Frank Darabont struck with a global pandemic. In a and movies from about thirty more writworld that feels like a science-fiction- ers/directors. movie itself, one positive of this quaranI even explored some newer tine has been the perfect opportunity for must-watches, like “Good Will Hunt-
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A Puzzling Pandemic Problem
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY FENER
ing” and “Serendipity,” and some enlightening documentaries like “Generation Wealth.” This massive movie-binge experience has been a wonderful way to spend my quarantine. Whether the societal comparisons between “Children of Men” and our coronavirus infected Earth, or the sub-
tle teenage relatabilities in “Swingers,” I learned that even a high school senior like myself can compare film to their life and the world around them. And luckily, I am in no way finished. My remaining list of movies to watch stands at around 85 movies. Oh, the lessons I will learn. Wish me luck!
English teacher Amanda Foushee presents Harvard-Westlake with another crossword puzzle. For Chronicle’s last issue, the theme centers around social distancing.
Across
1. completely 4. sign of a past fire 9. rise over run 14. new prefix 15. reek 16. safari accessory 17. feathered biped 18. streetwise 19. Frank or Pacific 20. aquarium locale 22. originally French, now Swiss 23. gold bar 24. one with a wand, or power 26. affirmatives in the House 27. could be slang for Dean Moriarty or Albee’s Martha 30. singular 31. back downward 33. eggly 35. coaster area 38. ____ myrtle 39. baas & maas 40. over for the old
Scan for Answers!
poetic masters 41. transit 42. SNL format 46. Canis Major showoff 49. garlic, plain, paneer 50. outcast 51. MTV reality show 54. more reasonable 55. maiden of Paradise 56. admissions hoop 57. rosey perfume 58. mimicking 59. group of pandemic heroes 60. little brothers in quarantine 61. a real honorable guy 62. flour and bread grain
Down 1. cause of weakness 2. Daniel Handler pen name 3. spread out 4. useful thing 5. celebrity 6. drone homebase 7. green with it 8. source of Chicken Little concern 9. vault 10. townie 11. freedom of access 12. anti-war type
CROSSWORD BY AMANDA FOUSHEE
13. literary adverb
21. hard to say! 22. key word of giant’s catchphrase 24. BBQ staple 25. rainbow initiator 27. gorilla or bonobo, say 28. agile 29. in protest or prayer 32. purpose 33. choosing in favor
34. a knight, say 35. rings of color 36. margins or edges, for Shakespeare perhaps 37. natural order of the universe 38. Cape ___ 41. disfigure 43. healthcare behemoth 44. known for evil
45. disease spreader 47. now or forever hold your peace 48. summer fabric 49. filly call 51. 27 across verb 52. Angkor Wat, for example 53. vases 54. raw material for pancake topper 55. performer
Sports The Chronicle • June 3, 2020
Teams of the Year
Field Hockey
Boys’ Water Polo
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JONATHAN JOEI
Girls go undefeated third straight year By Lucas Lee
As the buzzer went off on the ‘smurf turf ’ at Chaminade College Preparatory, the Wolverines found themselves in unfamiliar territory; the score was tied 1-1. After almost three undefeated seasons of shutouts and blowouts, the team had one last chance to preserve its 57-game win streak with a short corner. On the first attempt, the short corner hit the foot of a Chaminade player, giving the Wolverines another chance. Captain and midfielder Rachel Brown ’20 said that the Wolverines knew the stakes, and they wouldn’t settle for a tie. “On our second try, it came to me and then it went to [Bella Ganocy ’22] and she scored,” Brown said. “We were overjoyed and ecstatic. It’s a great feeling when you work well under pressure no matter who you’re facing.” While winning a LAFHA Championship is a difficult task on its own, the team’s ability to win three is a testament to the unprecedented success that led to the Chronicle naming it this year’s Female Team of the Year. Middleback Sarina Smolev ’22 said that this year’s performance came from a culmination of teamwork and hard work. “Everyone put in so much effort and worked together, and that’s why I think we’ve had so many wins,” Smolev said. “Our team is definitely a family and
LUCAS LEE/CHRONICLE
we all have a great relationship together on the field and off the field. Everyone is always there for each other and wants each person to improve and be the best player they can be.” Smolev said that this year’s senior leadership fostered an environment for success. “[Brown], [Astor Wu ’20] and [Sam Yeh ’20] were amazing leaders to our team and really led us to success by keeping us focused and always encouraging us to do our best,” Smolev said. “We will miss them a lot, and it definitely will be difficult without them next year but I think our team is still very strong and capable of continuing our success.” The team’s success was also spurred on by the coaches, Brown said. “It’s really easy to be calm, but the coaches motivated us through the entire year, and we were working and training hard even through the beginning of the season,” Brown said. In the future, Brown said she expects the team’s rising juniors to step up as leaders, similar to what has happened in previous years. “I know the juniors who will become seniors and I trust them with my life and the success of the program,” Brown said. “The juniors are all hard working and they have [Fiene Oerlemans ’22], [Sara Maniscalco ’21], [Ella Ganocy ’22] and [Bella Ganocy]. There’s a whole list of them, and I’m excited to see their games.”
Key Stats 1.00
Win percentage in Field Hockey’s last 57 games
7
Division I NCAA commits in Boys’ Water Polo’s 2020 class
3
Field Hockey titles over the last three seasons
17
Consecutive wins to start the season for Boys’ Water Polo
Boys repeat as CIF Division I Champs By Jaidev Pant
Despite winning the 2018 CIF Division I title over Newport Harbor High School, the boys’ water polo team found itself ranked second behind its rival in the 2019 CIF preseason poll, just as the Wolverines began their quest to repeat as champions. “A lot of people actually saw our win from the year before as a fluke, and [thought] that Newport was going to get the job done for real this time around,” goalkeeper Asher Schwartz ’21 said. “We knew we were the better team and were very capable of winning the championship, but we definitely always had that in the back of our minds throughout the season.” The boys only built on last season’s success, however, finishing the year with a 31-2 overall record that culminated in two championship wins. Defeating their rival Newport Harbor 6-4 Nov. 16, the Wolverines secured the CIF Division I title for the second straight year. With this momentum, the team once again triumphed over the Sailors in an 11-10 win at CIF Regionals one week later. Schwartz credited the boys’ success throughout the season to their ability to control game play through set plans. “Our biggest key to success was playing our game as a team,” Schwartz said. “As long as we dictated the way games were played,
we’d essentially always win.” This year’s team was also uniquely experienced, as every senior on the roster had contributed significantly to the 2018 squad’s title, Aquatics Director and Boys’ Water Polo Head Coach Brian Flacks said. “The most noticeable difference was the amount of trust we had in each other,” Flacks said. “We had been through so much as a group over the past four years, there was nothing at this point that could distract or derail us from our goals. As for adjustments, I gave this group an immense amount of freedom. I trusted they had the ability to self evaluate and make corrections when we seemed off course.” This year, all eight of the team’s seniors are commited to play in college. United States Naval Academy commit and defender Christopher Kim ’20 said that like previous teams, this year’s squad will continue to inspire Wolverines for years to come. “I think that although this team did accomplish a lot as a whole, we wouldn’t have had all the tools necessary if it weren’t for the teams that won before us,” Kim said. “I think our team is yet another story that is a part of the entirety of the HW water polo legacy. Our team, like the ones before us, is motivation for the younger kids to want to do the same. As long as that never dies, the water polo program will keep winning CIF championships.”
D2 Sports
AWARDS
Spring SportS
June 3, 2020
The Chronicle
Iriafen adds to long list of accolades
The girls’ basketball team concluded another successful season, receiving numerous accolades. Kiki Iriafen ’21 racked up several awards, headlined by the CalHi Sports Junior State Player of the Year award. She also claimed both the All-CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year and Mission League MVP titles. To cap it off, she was named to the LA Daily News All-Area team. Guard Melissa Zozulenko ’21 was selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Division I first team. Zozulenko and guards Krista Semaan ’21 and Kimiko Katzaroff ’21 were all also named to the All-Mission League first team. On top of the players' awards, Coach Melissa Hearlihy received the CIF Southern Section Division I Coach of the Year award. -Liam Razmajoo
Young team gets recognition After a 15-3-3 season, multiple members of the girls’ soccer team received CIF and Mission League honors. Midfielder Natalie Barnouw ’21 and defender Natalie Phillips ’21 were selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Division I first team. Phillips and forward Daniela Quintero ’22 also received the AllMission League defensive and offensive MVP awards, respectively. Additionally, Barnouw, forwards Ella Watkins ’22, Sophia Haynes ’22 and goalkeeper Devon Carmel ’21 were named to the All-Mission League first team, while midfielders Brooke Stanford ’21, Jade Stanford ’22 and Maddie Kirschenbaum ’21 joined the second team. - Justin Goldstein
Rebibo, seniors receive high honors The boys’ basketball team capped off the season with numerous awards. Cal-Hi Sports recognized Head Coach David Rebibo as Coach of the Year. Center Mason Hooks ’20 and guard Spencer Hubbard ’20 were selected to the All-CIF first and second teams, respectively. Guard Brase Dottin ’20 also made the All-Mission League First Team, and forward Truman Gettings ’21 and Hubbard made the Second Team. Forward Holden McRae ’20 and guard Cameron Thrower ’22 received Mission League Honorable Mentions.
TAMMER BAGDASARIAN/CHRONICLE
EMPTY FIELD: With the cancellation of spring sports, no teams or athletes have been allowed to utilize Ted Slavin Field or any other HarvardWestlake facility. Spring sports such as Golf, Tennis, Lacrosse, Track and Field, Swimming, Baseball and Softball were affected by the cancellations.
Coronavirus ends seasons and careers By Kyle Reims
Owen Hudgins ’21 was enjoying dinner with his family when he felt his phone vibrate. As he checked what could have been a normal message from a friend, his heart sank when he saw the sender, Head of Athletics Terry Barnum, and the subject line, “Spring Athletics Update.” When Hudgins read the full message, which detailed the official cancellation of all spring sports, his fears were confirmed. “Honestly, I had been expecting it,” Hudgins, an attacker on the lacrosse team, said. “I was still devastated. We faced so much adversity this season and we wanted a chance to be able to fight for our spot in the league, so that was pretty tough. It’s really rough knowing that the reason your season ended was because of something entirely out of your control.” This experience was not unique to Hudgins, nor even to students at Harvard-Westlake. As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the globe, everyday
life began to change. The school community felt the impact March 11, when President Rick Commons announced that both campuses, and all spring sports, would be shut down until March 27 at the earliest. “I first heard that the season may get canceled before our last game,” lacrosse long-stick defender Nik Grube ’21 said. “One of my teammates mentioned it as we were walking to the locker room. I don’t think any of us really believed it would happen.” When Barnum confirmed that the season was off, distance runner India Spencer ’21 said she was overcome with emotion. “I started crying,” Spencer said. “We all had been working really hard towards our season, but the main reason I was upset was just that I wasn’t going to have a season with some of my best friends.” The loss of tape from this year, as well as the lack of an offseason, could be incredibly detrimental for recruiting, Grube said. “To put it bluntly, there’s a good chance [we are] out of luck,”
By Maxine Zuriff and Marine Degryse
Greenlee named League MVP
- Ryan Razmajoo
to athletes’ homes and delivered their end of the year awards, similar to what was done for all seniors with the faculty delivery of the Class of 2020 graduation yard signs.” Pitcher Tyler Ganus ’20 lost what would have been his final season with the baseball team. He said the amount of time he has spent with his teammates through the years made the whole situation hurt even more. “It’s brutal,” Ganus said. “I’ve been playing with some of the guys my whole life. I’ve played with most of the guys since I was 12 or 13. The camaraderie among us is super special. We grew so much as a team this year. I’m going to miss them all like crazy.” As the focus shifts to the fall, Barnum said he is prepared to defer to higher authorities when it comes to opening the season. “While it is our hope that we will be able to resume sports, completely or partially, in the mission by local authorities and school administration, we look forward to resuming our athletic activities,” Barnum said.
Baseball voted best bench by students
-Ryan Razmajoo
Several players from the boys’ soccer team were granted awards to commemorate their performances this season. Defender Pablo Greenlee ’20 and forward Langston Holly ’20 were both named to the Daily News Boys’ All-Area team. In addition to making the Daily News All-Area team, Greenlee was also named the Mission League Offensive MVP.
Grube said. “No film, plus potentially no summer, equals eight years of possibly wasted work.” Despite these circumstances, coaches are prepared to help their athletes in the upcoming recruiting cycle, Barnum said. “Most of our coaches provide video footage to colleges as well as make phone calls and write letters in support of our athletes,” Barnum said. “This has always been our practice and these efforts are even more critical during this time. By all accounts, our athletes are continuing to be recruited by colleges and our coaches are playing an important role in that process. The good news is that athletes across the country are in the same situation, so our athletes are not at a disadvantage compared to their peers.” Coaches have also found different ways to honor their seniors, Barnum said. “Some programs have held Zoom meetings that serve as ‘senior day’ for graduating athletes,” Barnum said. “Others have made special posts on Twitter and Instagram. Still others have driven
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ERIC DEARBORN
DUGOUT CREW: George Cooper ’21, Kai Caranto ’23, Jordan Kang ’22 and David Lozano ’23 pose in the dugout before a game March 6.
Defined by its players’ brotherly connections on and off the field, the varsity baseball team was voted Best Bench of the 2020 school year by the student body. Prior to the season’s cancellation, the Wolverines balanced fun and hard work, which allowed them to enjoy the few games and practices they had, pitcher and third baseman Jordan Kang ’22 said. “Our team’s got great chemistry because we are all focused on winning and being able to motivate and help others brings us together,” Kang said. Some of the team’s favorite game time memories include dugout celebrations after big hits, home runs, strikeouts and victory
high fives, Kang said. “My favorite post-game routine has got to be running out to the outfield and celebrating with my teammates after a great team win,” Kang said. “Even after a long tournament with many tough innings, team members are still excited and proud at the end of each game.” Center fielder and Vanderbilt University commit Pete CrowArmstrong ’20 said the team’s camaraderie and respect for the coaches and each other created a productive, yet enjoyable environment. “Everyone genuinely likes each other, so it’s easy to have fun in the dugout,” Crow-Armstrong said. "There isn’t much that goes into it other than we’re a group of guys who like each other, like to be loud and like to have fun.”
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com/Sports
Sports D3
inbrief
OpiniOn
Female swimmer to go to Cornell University
ILLUSTRATION BY EVIE DE RUBERTIS
Nostalgic for a world of sports normalcy By Jaidev Pant And Charlie Wang
On a mundane Tuesday afternoon during spring break, we both found ourselves sick of bingewatching Netflix shows and were looking for something new. After all, quarantine left us with nothing to do, and that emptiness was only heightened during this time off. However, as we walked down into our living rooms, miles away from each other, we were both immediately connected, glued to the television screen to watch Game Seven of the infamous Celtics vs. Lakers 2010 NBA Finals. It’s a game nearly any Los Angeles sports fan can remember. As we tuned in, we felt the return of our childhoods, when we played on our mini hoops and yelled “Kobe” before shooting the ball. We imagined “California Gurls” by Katy Perry blaring in the background as we recalled the fa-
mous Lakers parade. More than that, it seemed like those same Lakers fans who celebrated were feeling a sense of nostalgia, for both their championship and for the late Kobe Bryant who led them to victory. It seemed like sports were back, even just for a short moment. Now, as many weeks have gone by and the reruns have been long overplayed, we, along with 6.1 million people all around the country, find ourselves entranced by “The Last Dance,” the 10-part ESPN documentary about the last season of the Chicago Bulls dynasty during the 1990s. Even though it is a documentary, it gives that same thrill of watching live sports, because the details of the documentary are all new to us. Despite the fact that we have never actually watched Michael Jordan’s Bulls in person, we still feel that level of nostalgia that our parents do.
The documentary reminded us of something greater—the love we share for the game of basketball. In fact, when we saw Scottie Pippen and Jordan pressuring opponents the entire game in a full court press, we both texted each other immediately. It had reminded us of our freshman basketball days and the lethal 2-2-1 press that we would use to pester opponents all game. We then went on to recall that season, when our biggest worry was whether or not we had worn the right gameday outfit or had remembered to bring our team basketball shoes. During those days, we would complain about how hot it was inside of Hamilton Gym as we ran suicides, waiting to go home and take a shower. Little did we know that one day, the gym would be locked until further notice and we’d be begging to leave our homes.
Sports have the ability to take us back to a time of pure joy, a time where all the stresses we feel as high school students disappear into thin air. They have the ability to bring us together with people that we may have forgotten along the way and bring smiles to our faces. As it becomes more and more of a reality that professional sports will eventually return, we ask you to appreciate sports in a way that you never have before. Remember the time that reruns of a regular season game were your only form of entertainment. Remember the time that you dribbled a basketball all around your house out of desperation. As you watch the sporting events in the near future, take a moment to soak it all in, even if there will be no fans in attendance. In the end, we have learned that the gift of live sports can be taken away any second and we cannot take them for granted.
COaCh Of the year
Program Head Rebibo wins coach of the year By Charlie Wang
While Basketball Program Head David Rebibo led the Wolverines to plenty of success and multiple CIF championships over the past few years, the 2019-2020 boys’ team is arguably his finest work to date. Competing in the CIF-SS Open Division, in which a number of ESPN ranked four and five-star players participated, Rebibo’s squad finished the season with a 25-7 record and a Mission League title. The boys finished the season as the fifth best team in the state after reaching the Southern California Open Division Semifinals. Recognizing his performance, the student body voted Rebibo coach of the year in the Big Red Sports Superlatives poll. Rebibo edged out fellow finalists, Boys’ Water Polo Head Coach Brian Flacks and Field Hockey Head Coach Erin Creznic. “I am incredibly grateful for this honor, but I have to give all the credit to our players and coaches,” Rebibo said. “Their work ethic and commitment to
our program is what has made us successful. I am proud of our program and am appreciative of the great honor.” Forward Jack Weisskopf ’21 said that he loves playing under Rebibo. “Rebibo has honestly been one of the greatest coaches I’ve had,” Weisskopf said. “His commitment to not only the program, but [also] to us as student athletes is amazing. He’s made basketball such an enjoyable experience for me and he is fully deserving of the honor.” Rebibo joined the school’s basketball program in 2015, after serving as an assistant coach at the University of San Francisco for two years and the head coach at El Camino Real High School for six. In his time with the Wolverines, Rebibo’s overall record is 118-42. In April, Cal-Hi Sports named Rebibo Coach of the Year, a title given to the state’s top basketball coach. The recognition joined Rebibo’s collection of coaching accolades, which includes the 2017 CIF-SS D1 Coach of the Year and the 2012 City Section D2 Coach of the Year awards.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JASON KELLY
DAVID THE GOLIATH: Program Head David Rebibo directs his team in a 91-73 win at home against Bishop Alemany High School on Feb. 5.
Swimmer Angelica Sih ’20 announced her commitment to Cornell University, where she will continue her academic and athletic career, April 14. “When I received the offer from Cornell to swim for them, I was speechless,” Sih said. “Cornell was my first choice, so getting an offer from them was definitely one of the happiest moments of my life.” Sih started swimming when she was eight years old, and continued her career with the Wolverines beginning in ninth grade. Sih said she is grateful that she was given the opportunity to meet the many amazing people who are a part of the school’s swim program. “I’ve met some of my closest friends at HW through the swim team and I had so much fun getting to practice and compete with them,” Sih said. During her freshman year, Sih broke the 100-yard backstroke school record with a 57.5 second time. Additionally, she has qualified for CIF Division I swimming competitions every year. “I have qualified and placed for CIF every year and for CIF state individually my sophomore year, and placed sixteenth at CIF state my junior year,” Sih said. “Along with my individual achievements, I qualified as a Scholastic All American both last year and this year.” —Maxine Zuriff
Football hosts contest with New York school The football program competed in a virtual sports competition against Poly Prep Country Day School, located in New York, on April 24 in what is being called “the 400.” The competition consists of 100 pushups, squats, sit-ups, crunches and lunges. The goal of the exercises is to finish them as fast as possible to advance to the next round, nicknamed the “Final Four.” Blue Devils Athletic Director and former Harvard-Westlake water polo coach Rich Corso challenged the Wolverine football program in hopes of engaging in new activities during quarantine. Football Program Head Aaron Huerta took on the challenge to motivate his team and to work hard to improve together. “We hope to keep doing these types of challenges with other teams,” Huerta said. “I think it is good for the kids to compete and challenge themselves.” Ten players from each team joined a Zoom call and participated in the competition, with the two fastest times from each team advancing to the next matchup. Tight end Miles Cardillo ’22 and running back Josh Dixon ’23 both advanced to the final with times of 6:19 and 6:16, respectively. On May 6, the finals of the competition took place, with Cardillo and Dixon facing two players from the Blue Devils. Dixon finished second with a time of 6:05, while Cardillo finished fourth by one second at 6:08. Although Huerta plans to make adjustments to the competition in the future, he said that the event is hopefully the first of many future events with other high schools. “We think it is a great opportunity for our guys to compete and keep them motivated during these tough times,” Huerta said. —Marine Degryse
D4 SportS
Athletes of the Year Mason Hooks ’20
the ChroniCle
June 3, 2020
MASON
KIKI
Center Princeton ’24 - Mission League Champions 2019 - Mission League Champions 2020
HOOK SHOT HERO: On Feb. 5, Captain Mason Hooks ’20 drives to the hoop for a layup against Bishop Alemany High School in the Mission Playoffs at Crespi Carmelite High School.
By RYAN RAZMAJOO AND LUCAS LEE
D
ominance. Center Mason Hooks ’20 finished his Harvard-Westlake career with four straight CIF appearances and numerous awards. This year, Hooks was the 2020 Mission League MVP and made the CalHigh Sports All-State Team. He also became the first Harvard-Westlake player to be All-CIF in the Open Division. However, Hooks is no stranger to success. For the past four years, his outstanding performance and leadership played a key role in the success of the boys’ basketball program, leading the Chronicle to name Hooks as the Male Athlete of the Year. He credits his success to hard work, perseverance and mentorship from the coaching staff. “Our coach always says that it pays to be a winner,” Hooks said. “That is very true—when you work hard, you become valuable to the team; and when your team wins, eventually it gets really good; and finally you end up with the freedom to pursue your goals. When you work hard, you gain a lot more respect from people and earn the reputation to be successful. Hard work opens a lot of doors.” Starting in his freshman year, Hooks established himself as a key player in the program. His favorite experience was playing rival Loyola High School in the playoffs after battling back and forth twice during the regular season. During that game he performed impressively, scoring a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds. His contributions helped the Wolverines win the game and eventually to win CIF. Even as a freshman on a team of such a high caliber, Hooks was able to make his mark in multiple categories of the game. During the next year, the team went through a transitional period after several high-profile transfers left the team. However, that difficult time also provided Hooks with an opportunity to assume a leading role. At a national tournament in Delaware, Hooks had the opportunity to step up after Johnny Juzang ’19 came down with the flu. At the tournament, he set the record for rebounds and points and was named the All-Tournament Player. During Hooks’ junior year, the team grew as a result of his and other players’ influence. They evolved and eventually won the Mission League title, finishing with an overall record of 21-9. “Winning the Mission league that year was really great,” Hooks said. “We played well in the championship game. That
KYLE REIMS/CHRONICLE
year was great for everyone.” This year as captain, Hooks led the team to another Mission League title after a win against Chaminade College Preparatory High School, averaging 18 points and 11 rebounds per game. The team went undefeated in the Mission League, finishing 27-5 in the season. They went on to the CIF Open-Division Regional Semifinal, where the Wolverines finished fifth in the state. Out of many special memories on the team and prestigious awards, this year’s experience stands out for Hooks. “My best memory of my time on the team at Harvard-Westlake was winning the Mission League this year,” Hooks said.
“
[Hooks] brings remarkable energy that can’t be replaced. You always know he’s ready to go.” —Dahnté Russell ’22
“I think that was so special because our group of seniors had been together playing so much.” In addition to his own stellar play, Hooks’s skill and energy has also helped his teammates achieve their full potential. Many younger players credit him with helping them improve and making the team a positive place to develop their game. “He was very important because he allowed me to play my game and shoot the ball without any pressure, since he was a force inside,” guard Cameron Thrower ’22 said. “He brings remarkable energy that can’t be replaced,” Russell said. “You always know he’s ready to go.” Despite having many suc-
cesses, Hooks has also dealt with serious challenges over the course of his playing career. “The hardest thing for me is that I have been injured a lot,” Hooks said. “I have had knee tendonitis that I have been dealing with. I missed games over the summer. I have had to do a lot of rehab work and additional exercises to keep my knee healthy. It has been a recurring problem. Because of this work my knee was healthy when it mattered, during the season. That was the hardest obstacle.” Hooks said he was inspired to keep fighting through these struggles because of the career of his favorite basketball star, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. “Kobe was always my favorite player, even though he played a different position,” Hooks said. “I have a huge poster of Kobe in my room. He is the most inspiring figure I have ever seen. I am inspired by the way he works and helps other people work. He’ll always be the player that I look up to the most.” After graduating, Hooks will attend Princeton University to continue his basketball career. “Princeton is a great place with great people,” Hooks said. “I am very excited to be joining the team, and I’m really looking forward to playing. There are really smart people there. I really liked their team and their coaching staff is great. Princeton offers a great education and a high-level basketball team.” Overall, Hooks expressed gratitude for the experiences he had on the Harvard-Westlake team. “I am very thankful to have the experience I had,” Hooks said. “I am so thankful for all the teammates, coaches and people who showed up to the game. I love them all. It’s been a great four seasons.”
Kiki Iriafen ’21
Forward - All-CIF Division I Player-of-the-Year 2020 - All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 2019 By LIAM RAZMAJOO
T
ranscendent. Ranked ninth in ESPN’s class of 2021 high school athletes. Possible competitor for Team USA this summer. CIF champion. Forward Kiki Iriafen ’21 ended her prolific first three years as a Wolverine with a strong finish to her junior year. Her excellent play in the team’s historic 2019-2020 season led the student body to select her as Female Athlete of the Year. Iriafen finished the season with 27 double-doubles, averaging 23.5 points and 15.1 rebounds per game. She was named the All-CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year, the Mission League Most Valuable Player and the CalHiSports Junior State Player of the Year. Iriafen was also named to the 2020 Los Angeles Daily News All-Area girls’ basketball team. “Thank you all for the award,” Iriafen said. “It means a lot to be chosen by my peers.” The team finished with a dominant 25-9 win-loss record and beat Troy High School in the CIF-SS Basketball Division I championship. The team then made a deep run in the CIF State Playoffs, reaching the semi-finals. Iriafen reflected on her years at the school, including the team’s pursuit of the CIF Championship Title this year, as well as how close the squad was winning it all during her freshman year. Al-
CHARLIE WANG/CHRONICLE
MAJOR KEY(KI): Kiki Iriafen shoots a jump shot from the top of the key against Marlborough School in a 75-59 win on Feb. 6 in Taper Gym. She scored 27 points and 13 rebounds, and was the MaxPreps Atlete of the Game.
though she did not expect to start as a freshman at the varsity level, she put in work every day between classes and in her free time to improve her game, incorporating physically demanding workouts both with and without the ball and committing to a thorough weight-training regimen to prepare her body and game for playing at the highest possible level. “My best memory is winning the CIF Championship this year,” Iriafen said. “Last year we struggled a bit, so this year was the icing on the cake, when all of our hard work truly paid off.” Iriafen has established herself as an integral part of the team’s spirit, serving as a positive force no matter the situation. In what has so far been a spectacular high school basketball career, many of her teammates praised her leadership, as well as her upbeat presence at practice and beyond. “Although [Iriafen] is one of the top prospects in the nation, she is very humble and continuously works harder everyday,” guard Melissa Zozulenko ’21 said. “She’s a great leader that our teammates look up to and is a fun person to be around on and off the court. Through her competitive nature, she strives to make herself and her teammates better.” Iriafen said that her support system allowed her to become the player and person she is today. “I thank my all my coaches from Coach Hearlihy, my assistant coaches, my strength coaches, Trainer Kelli and so many other people who have dedicated their time into developing me into a better player,” Iriafen said.
E1 Senior Supplement
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
E2 Senior Supplement
The Chronicle
Signing Off
June 3, 2020
In their final articles, senior staff members reflect on their different experiences at Harvard-Westlake.
Leaving a part of myself behind
By Tammer Bagdasarian
I have around 550 words to write my final story in the Chronicle. 550 words to capture the late Friday nights and early Saturday mornings in Weiler. 550 words to encapsulate the relationships built over the cacophony of crumpled cheeto bags. 550 words to put down a culmination of the approximately 25,596,000 uniquely meaningful seconds I have spent at Harvard-Westlake. How could that ever be nearly enough? But now I have only 478 left, so I should probably get to the point. Translated into words, almost every moment seems like a cliché, another platitude-filled ode to the free and freeing, maturation-spurring, worldview building, high school experience. But at the time, I felt those moments not as words, but rather as life. For someone whose past three years have been defined by writing, ironically, I now find it a terrifying task to leave my high school self behind in an article. But here’s the thing, I don’t really think I need to. That part of me still exists—in the dysfunctional printer, in the paper-stuffed
hazmat suit, in the pomegranate juice stain on the pavement from a late-night experiment gone wrong—and it always will. When I revisit old articles I have written and page designs I have worked on, I don’t just see words and graphics. Looking at those pages, I can catch glimpses of different parts of myself, little video loops of memories gone by, formerly tucked away in a dusty corner of my mind all of a sudden brought forward with full intensity. I can see the parts of myself I left behind, my debilitating writing paralysis at the mere thought of someone not thinking my editorial voice was insightful or poignant enough. I can see myself growing closer to the most meaningful group I’ve ever been a part of. I can see myself mess up, grow up, find a second home, a second family and get closer to being the person I want to be. Above all else, the folded stack of 32 pages that we call the Chronicle has done one thing for me. It has given me something to give myself to. No matter how confusing things were in the outside world, I felt as if I could always escape to my haven, one of the three rooms beneath the
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TAMMER BAGDASARIAN
LOW QUALITY PIC, HIGH QUALITY TIMES: Senior staff members gather together during the annual Ring Ceremony. Sadly, this is the most complete group picture taken over the course of the entire year. green awning on the northernmost point of campus, and figure it out. Picas and baseline grids did more than space out a page correctly, they offered simple structure and elegant spacing when everything around me seemed cluttered and confused. Editorials helped me find my voice when the only thing I was really sure of was that I was unsure of who I was. And my fellow Chronicle se-
niors, the strange, beautiful, mismatched, hilarious, utterly perfect group of seniors who I would not trade for the world, gave me a reason to dive headfirst into the Chronicle without looking back. One, two, five, 10 years from now, I don’t see myself re-reading this senior supplement to remember what the Chronicle was like. As much as I wish it would, no words could ever capture in full what the last three years with this
paper have meant to me. I imagine that when, one day, I want to revisit this period in my life, I will do what I did just hours ago while trying to figure out how to write this piece. I will pull out a tattered issue from my desk drawer, crack a smile and replay what Chron really was to me. Oh and by the way, I am now 46 words over the limit. But when has any of us ever stuck to a word count anyway?
Remember how, remember when... By Lindsay Wu
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LINDSAY WU
EICS: Lindsay Wu and Tammer Bagdasarian pose for a picture together, celebrating the traditional start to senior year this past September.
A couple of weeks ago, I returned to campus to retrieve a few forgotten sweatshirts from my locker. Wearing a mask, I passed through eerily empty spaces in the quad, the halls of Chalmers and the lot near Weiler—places where I’ve enjoyed formative years in the lively company of my peers. Now hearing only the echoes of my own footsteps, I couldn’t quite believe that this was how I’d say goodbye. During our virtual end-ofyear party in English the next day, my teacher asked the class to send him memories of our time together, beginning with either “Remember how…” or “Remember when…” As he read our responses aloud, we recalled the many realizations and lighthearted jokes we’d shared, from grappling with nebulous passages of text to simply playing Pictionary. Then, the period drew to a close, and the faces of my classmates disappeared from the screen one by one. But as I logged off the call, the prompt stayed with me. My time at Harvard-Westlake has yielded countless “remember how” and “remember when” moments, reaching far beyond this year’s Literature class. I thought more about how profoundly the class itself had influenced me. And even more broadly, how Harvard-Westlake—with its unique
blend of encouragement and expectation—gave me not only the opportunity but also the impetus to progress. I’ll remember when the curtain closed on Rugby stage following Dance Concert’s impromptu performance on the night school closed. We dancers hugged each other tightly under the halfblinding lights, still surprised by what we’d pulled off, but nevertheless completely fulfilled. This show, born from our group’s contemplations and the synthesis of our individual perspectives, represented the culmination of our journey together. Mixing trial and error with improvisation and laughter, we’d grown steadily as artists and choreographers. Along the way, we’d been urged to think more while memorizing less, and to better share our messages with audiences by infusing movement with greater degrees of intention. And in this way, Harvard-Westlake catalyzed the evolution of my thinking through the lens of dance, adding new dimensions of communication and exploration to my longtime love for the art. I’ll remember how full of energy the Chronicle rooms were during weekend layouts—the mix of keyboards clicking, Spotify playlists blaring and staffers bantering—and the sweet satisfaction of completing an issue before its deadline. Early on, the paper connected me with the great variety of groups within the school, de-
veloping my appreciation for the breadth and depth of our community. More recently, Chron has become a passion and a responsibility. I’m surrounded by the most incredible people, whose mix of ideas and personalities constitutes the heart of Chron. They make Weiler come alive, transforming the publication into a place of comfort and inspiration that I will always cherish. And I’ll remember how my history teacher lectured on Zoom with unparalleled enthusiasm, and when my wonderful dean arrived on my doorstep to deliver a sign and ended up shooting baskets with my family in the backyard, on top of everything else he’s done to support me. Through these actions and many others, I’ve come to see that, while campus is deserted, the school and its community remain vibrant. And similarly, the relationships I’ve forged and the lessons I’ve learned at Harvard-Westlake will stay with me. I imagine that sometime in the future, when we will have graduated and when normality will have been restored, I’ll meet with friends and look back on our high school experiences. Along with much pleasant reminiscing, I’ll have two things to say. First, “Remember when we first reunited after quarantine was lifted?” And, “Remember how fortunate we are to have attended Harvard-Westlake.”
June 3, 2020
hwchronicle.com
Senior Supplement E3
Those who kayak together stay together By Casey Kim
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KYRA HUDSON
PRINT POWERHOUSE: When they are not bringing snacks and smiles to Weiler, Print Managing Editors Casey Kim and Kyra Hudson spend their days by the pool. Here they are basking in a pre-social distancing moment.
Staging my final memories By Kyra Hudson
My dad was always curious and slightly concerned about the assortment of random household objects I brought with me to Saturday morning layouts. As I placed a bag of pennies and some empty pill bottles from my dog’s ear infection into my backpack, he looked at me as if I had been crazy. Despite my attempts to explain my vision for these items on a Features spread, he still looked at me as if I had been speaking a foreign language. Only “Features kids” know the true struggle of coming up with and finding the painfully specific objects needed to stage photos. My layout days were spent driving to craft stores to find fake snow or calling around to see if anyone sold briefcases. And sometimes, even after the
F is for Friends By Jessa Glassman
I have published my fair share of contemplative and sentimental articles; and, while I wanted this to be a profound reflection that poetically wraps up my time at Harvard-Westlake, the truth is I’m horrible at goodbyes and don’t think a few hundred words would do my experience justice. I could probably fill this entire issue writing about the hugs, memories and laughs I’ve missed this semester and know I will miss upon graduation, so instead of trying to verbalize all of what I’ve been trying to cope with for these past few months, I’ve decided to approach this column from a different angle. “SpongeBob SquarePants” is one of the best human creations of all time. Forget the wheel and the telephone—Bikini Bottom is a paragon of both knee-slapping humor and life’s most important lessons. I am a long-time fan of the series, but recently, as I was unapologetically watching one of my favorite episodes, I felt like it resonated with me in a new way. Without going into too much detail on this episode (because
vast amount of time spent finding and collecting props, there were many days when the ideas simply did not translate onto the page. There were awkwardly placed boxes and flimsy fake buttons that, no matter what changes were made, just looked awful on InDesign. But regardless of all the layout failures, the process continued and layout went on. Now I’m going to be honest, I struggled to write this weird mashup of cliche life lessons and my supposed deep insights about my entire high school experience in my final article for Chronicle. It seemed weird to be writing about my time at Harvard-Westlake after all of the big changes that have happened in the past couple of months. It was hard to think about writing a Chronicle article for the last time without
layout being a package deal of the friends, playlists and snacks that usually came with it. But the truth is, no matter what plan goes awry, whether it be a page layout or senior year, life goes on. We still have our friends, we will still be going to college next year—whatever that looks like— and we still have a weird collective love of “The Office.” Fully embracing the cheesiness of my words, I’ll say that if my high school experience has taught me anything, it is that uncertainty is what makes life interesting, and that no matter the setbacks, the world keeps going. With that, I conclude my stereotypical senior supplement and my Chronicle experience, forever appreciating the late nights, the edits and all the memories that came with it.
I think all readers should watch this piece of cartoon genius themselves), “Band Geeks” is about Squidward’s desperate attempt to solicit his friends to form a band to play at a gig he was offered by his arrogant high school rival, Squilliam. After an unsuccessful, chaotic rehearsal, Squidward returns to his Easter Island Head house feeling discouraged, underprepared for the performance and ready for Squilliam to tease him over his failed music career. One day later (reference intended), SpongeBob, recognizing how important this show is to his friend, rallies the other “musicians” and somehow manages to pull off a jaw-dropping performance that leaves Squidward smiling from ear to ear and Squilliam de-puffing his chest. “Sweet Victory” is about perseverance and teamwork, making the song absolutely perfect for SpongeBob and his gang to dynamically perform at the end of this episode. And as the familiar and nostalgic tune of the end credits played, I couldn’t help but think about how appropriate it was for my own gang and the pending end of our “episode.” While I haven’t touched an instrument since the triangle in sixth-grade band and while most of my friends and I are so musically disinclined that we annoy each other attempting to sing
along with the radio, I believe we are “Band Geeks” in our own way. Like SpongeBob did for Squidward in his time of need, I know there is little I wouldn’t do to support a true friend and little they wouldn’t do to support me, even if it means putting on a plumed hat and performing for a jam-packed stadium. Through every bad grade, bad day and bad mood, of which my high school years had plenty, I had a shoulder to cry on, and when that friend needed my shoulder, I was there faster than SpongeBob could flip a Krabby Patty. The Harvard-Westlake community is an incredible example of this “Band Geek” mentality, too. Peers help classmates struggling with material, athletes and teammates form familial bonds and journalists band together through issues, in both senses of the word. This school is a complex place filled with many lessons to be learned, and, just like Bikini Bottom, it’s impossible to navigate unless you find your own cast of characters willing to go the extra mile for you. So, my parting piece of advice is first to find the Squidward or Patrick to your SpongeBob. Second, once safe to do so, hug them as tightly and as long as you can, and realize how sweet of a victory it is that they are a part of your life. Finally, remember that mayonnaise is not an instrument.
Arms aching, mouth dry, eyes watery and glutes on fire. I was on the verge of breaking down, but all I could manage to do was keep going. Even stopping to take a break required more brain and muscle power than I could muster, so I just kept rowing, clockwise (then counterclockwise whenever I got bored). When posed with the task of writing my last article for the Chronicle, I spent hours contemplating the perfect, hilarious, non-cliché story that would define my time at Harvard-Westlake. Though I failed to come up with such, this article is two weeks past deadline and Editorin-Chief Tammer Bagdasarian just sent a passive aggressive email about it, so here is the closest I’ve got. The Colorado River retreat in ninth grade was one of the most unexpectedly laborious experiences of my life. Especially as someone who was never particularly athletic, those few days felt endless, and I was sore in places I didn’t even know were capable of such pain. I also developed a newfound respect for kayakers. I hadn’t showered, looked in a mirror or used a proper toilet in days. All of my clothes were filthy, and my shoes were always soggy. My face was plastered with debris, sweat, tears and maybe even a little bit of animal feces. On top of it all, the rest of the
class of 2020, which I had only known for a couple months, was there to witness everything and experience the same. However, in the midst of all of the filth and physically demanding activities, some of the best memories of my life also came from retreat. Singing around the campfire, watching the most beautiful sunrise, jumping into the freezing cold river after sweating buckets, breathing in the crisp, morning air on a mountain hike and laughing with my friends until our stomachs hurt. There were so many late nights and special moments that we had spent together, and by the end of the trip, I felt like I finally belonged to this school and a part of this class. I guess you can say that ninth grade retreat is my mediocre metaphor for high school. There were ups and downs, tears, laughter, new experiences and new friends. We were shy and cautious around our classmates at first, but by the end, we all shared inside jokes and precious memories. We saw each other at our worst and ugliest, but we also saw each other at our most youthful, shining moments. We grew up together, competed against each other and pushed each other to grow. There were difficult times, but there were also incredibly happy moments together that made up for it. And despite the long journey, we all made it to the end, better and stronger than when we first came.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CASEY KIM
TRIPLE THREAT: Managing Editors Kyra Hudson, Casey Kim and Jessa Glassman spend their Saturday on a terrace, wishing they were at layout.
E4 Senior Supplement
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
More than a paper: my Chronicle family By William Seymour
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LUKE CASOLA
CLEANING UP NICELY: Four of the sports boys keep serious faces while flexing for a photo before Homecoming Formal. Dressed their best, adorned with boutonnieres, they represent the class of the sports section well.
Weiler, this one is for you
By Luke Casola
“Iguodala to Curry. Back to Iguodala. Up for the layup. Blocked by James!” ABC playby-play commentator Mike Breen shouted during the final two minutes of the 2016 NBA Finals. Never in my life did I expect that my last few months of high school would be defined by these very words. The majority of my quarantine consists of eating, sleeping and rewatching LeBron highlights on YouTube, I can proudly say that I’ve watched more LeBron highlight reels than I have completed homework assignments during these last two months. With my only human interaction sparking from me and brothers’ midnight trips to the kitchen to hoard the remaining Oreos or during Zoom classes, I’ve nearly reached the brim of quarantine insanity. Even though I do love LeBron, there’s a limit to the number of times I can rewatch his infamous
Our Last Dance
block against Iguodala. I’m not going to say that I didn’t want to write this article, but recollecting on my last three years at the Upper School when I’m not watching LeBron highlights has left a bitter taste in my mouth because of how much more there was left to accomplish. In the end, I guess I can say that I helped produce a newspaper during a global pandemic; an interesting story to eventually tell my grandchildren. As I continue to reminisce on many of my magical high school moments while sitting on my bed for hours on end, “Weiler 104” is the first thing that comes to mind. Weiler 104 has become more than a publications classroom for me but home to my most memorable high school experiences. After my sophomore year, I faced a tough decision; I had a sudden realization that the stress of playing varsity basketball at a school like Harvard-Westlake was taking a mental and physical
toll on me. I had to choose between devoting my focus to basketball or to my schoolwork and other extracurricular interests. And let me tell you, deciding to focus on journalism instead of basketball was the best decision I’ve made during high school. The sports section became more than just a team, but my second family and the thing I’ll miss most about high school. Whether or not I was in the midst of a stressful week or nearly falling asleep due to sleep deprivation, Weiler 104 provided me with a much needed laugh and thrill of joy as “Santeria” by Sublime, “Just Can’t Get Enough” by the Black Eyed Peas or “Crossroads” by Blazin’ Squad was playing on the loudspeakers. In all honesty, I can’t put the magical bonds that the sports section has created into words, but to my fellow journalists and sports family, in the wise words of the Blazin’ Squad, I’ll “see you at the crossroads.”
When I hear the word Chronicle, one thing comes to mind above all else: family. While my InDesign and Photoshop skills have grown exponentially more than I ever thought they would, I’ve grown as a person even more during my time on staff, nurtured by the family that I’ve done it with. The sports section was a ragtag group going into my junior year. We were all somewhat friendly with each other, but by no means were we a tight-knit group. That all changed within months. My friends thought I was crazy when I said I couldn’t wait for layout. They didn’t un-
derstand the appeal of spending Friday nights and long Saturdays in Weiler. But layout rarely felt like work because I was doing it with the people I loved and smiling from ear to ear. The family we formed on Chronicle will never go away. Sure, we won some awards along the way and published some fantastic issues, but I’m leaving staff with some unbreakable bonds with amazing people. As I enter the next phase of my life, I hope the path I take brings me work as enjoyable as my work on this paper, with coworkers and friends who I can also call family. But that’s no small request; the Chronicle was something special.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KEILA MCCABE
HANDS UP: The sports seniors gather for a photo flicking their hands up, a classic sports dance. While parties like this were fun, the real party was in Weiler 104, blasting “Crab Rave” through the projector.
By Will Mallory
I think it’s fitting that ESPN was airing “The Last Dance” during the final months of our senior year. After five NBA Championships and unprecedented success, the 1998 Chicago Bulls took the court for one last season, hoping to win their sixth O’Brien Trophy and solidify themselves as the best of the best. As I quarantined on my couch and watched the magic unfold, I thought of Harvard-Westlake. And here’s why: Our remarkable teachers are the Phil Jacksons of the community, guiding us through high school with overwhelming passion and interest in their curricula. Masterminds of their courses, they have always catered to our academic interests, teaching with pride each and every day. Like Jackson, though, they cared most about their students, and I was lucky to get to know a few of them on a deeper level as the years went on. My friends are the Scottie Pippens of my world, always ready to lend a helping hand in the best and worst of times. Ambitious,
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF ABBY KIRCHMEIER
BIG ROUGE: This year’s four Big Red Editors-in-Chief smile outside the Weiler classrooms for a photo to be featured in the yearbook. Although the publication’s time was cut short, the EIC’s and staff put together two cohesive, visually-appealing issues that they are proud to leave behind. supportive and extremely personable, they kept me centered at all times, reminding me of the beauties of life while always making sure I kept a chip on my shoulder. I wouldn’t have made it through without them. Dennis Rodman encapsulates those moments that I just can’t describe. A wildcard among them all, he reminds me of the late nights out, inside jokes and senior year shenanigans that made up my HW experience. It
was times like these that encouraged me to let loose a little and live my life humbly and freely. It’s not just about the points and accolades; it is the rebounds that count. Rodman taught me that if I can’t put a smile on my face, I may as well put it on the back of my head. Finally, the man himself. I believe the spirit of Michael Jordan is best represented by the Class of 2020 as a whole. Talented, competitive and unequivocally
authentic, our grade didn’t need to have the highest vertical or heaviest bench to rise above the rest. We spent our time getting to know every one of our teammates, and come game-time, we rose as one. I always knew that I wanted to write my senior column about sports. Sports have been my language, my building blocks and my joy ever since I was a little kid. Harvard-Westlake gave me a community to play my best
game; an opportunity I will always cherish. But what it really taught me was how to dribble with my left, pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone both on and off the court. From Chronicle to Peer Support, volleyball and Big Red, my HW experience will be one I never forget. And although we didn’t get to finish our sixth championship together, I wouldn’t want to share my last dance with anybody else. Cheers to the future.
June 3, 2020
Learning from icon Fiona Apple By Spencer Klink
Right now, we are all stuck in quarantine, perpetually social distancing to preserve a future that feels far too ambiguous. To put it in the words of Fiona Apple, we all feel a desperate need to “fetch the bolt cutters,” or to break ourselves free from this monotonous situation. As seniors, we were promised prom, parties and fun to celebrate the conclusion of our high school experiences. Instead, we received Zoom classes, closed economies and the novel coronavirus. Unfortunately, as a result of my physical health problems, I have been no stranger to this compulsion to “fetch the bolt cutters” throughout high school. I wanted to cut myself free from my condition to the point where I hid it from even my closest friends. I wanted to cut myself free from my various medications, which seemed like burdens that I had to surmount. I even wanted to cut myself free from Harvard-Westlake, which often felt like too competitive and grueling of a school for someone like
hwchronicle.com
me. So much of my time in high school was spent shadowboxing with my struggles as opposed to coming to terms with them. Fetching the bolt cutters never turned out to be a viable option. Despite my numerous and desperate attempts to divorce myself from the circumstances of my physical health, I could never escape my condition or the medications that came along with it. Similarly, despite my anti-high school attitude, I never acted on my irrational anger toward Harvard-Westlake by leaving it behind altogether. Rather, I found ways to live inside the present, even with all of its quandaries, as opposed to breaking myself free from it. I turned my health condition into a source of political and artistic inspiration, converting my struggles into advocacy for better United States healthcare policy and into complex pieces of art detailing my lived experiences. Similarly, I discovered my second home inside of Harvard-Westlake, realizing that its community is defined by togetherness instead of opposition. The love I’ve re-
Senior supplement E5
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KEILA MCCABE
COUCH CUDDLES: Just two presentations editors and best friends hanging out. This accurately demonstrates the closeness and happiness the pres duo encompasses. Both wearing converse high tops, of course. ceived from my English teacher, my dean and countless other individuals has simply been unparalleled. None of this was possible on my own. My friends in classes, on the debate team and, of course, on the Chronicle helped me cultivate a more discerning worldview. In other words, these selfless people empowered me
to “wise up,” as ‘90s alternative artist Aimee Mann, whose songs are similarly moving as Apple’s, would say. Had I acted on a misinterpretation of Apple’s advice and cloistered myself from any hardship, I would be a much more spiteful and immature person. In the face of COVID-19, it feels far too tantalizing to rip our-
selves out of this situation in order to return to normalcy. Unfortunately, this model of decision making is not only short-sighted but also ill-advised by numerous epidemiologists. Instead, we again ought to turn to Fiona Apple, who reminds us in her song “I Know” to be patient amidst uncertainty, at least for the time being.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF JESSA GLASSMAN AND LUKE CASOLA
STAFF SQUADS: (Left) Spencer Klink and Jessa Glassman take a selfie, happily seated in the car. (Right) Sports seniors, minus Jay Lassiter, pose toward the beginning of their final year of smiles in and out of Weiler together.
Sports: my crazy, beautiful family By Keila McCabe
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF KEILA MCCABE
SUNSET SMILES: Pres eds again, but at the beach this time, and many times over the years. Serene and full of love: a perfect night.
“Sports family forever,” “sports fam,” simply put “sports.” Phrases used often when looking back on our group or relishing in a good photo of the gang. During these past couple years on Chronicle, people in and out of the section have referred to sports as a “family.” Mulling over what I could write about for my senior column, the answer seemed clear: family first. While I’ve had my fair share of families at Harvard-Westlake beyond Weiler 104, ones that I am extremely grateful to have been a part of, the sports family uniquely bonded like no other. So my senior piece is dedicated to the family, every single member. Will Mallory: my co-parent. Mall and I are the mom and dad, in a figurative and literal sense. In September of this year we became literal parents when we adopted the section mascots Swimmi and BLT, two fantail goldfish from the Petco on Ventura. Back at home, we tried our best to keep the family in check and feed everybody well, with Tostitos hint of lime and Jalapeño kettle cooked chips from Ralph’s. Luke Casola: a brother.
Whether it’s comedic relief or brotherly advice, Luke always has our backs. The “nah nahs” and “yeah yeah yeahs,” accompanied by a couple of finger wags consistently lightened the mood of a long Friday night layout. Like any good brother, he likes to keep the energy high. Luke’s preferred method: The Black Eyed Peas. William Seymour: the eldest brother. The first born and the rock of the group, Swae played his role quite well. He always knows exactly what’s going on with everyone in the family, and offers perfect advice whenever it’s needed. We’ve all had moments during class or layout where we called out “Swae”, made eye contact and he swiveled over in a rolling chair, attentively. Zack Schwartz: a funny uncle. Always has a bizarre story or extremely well thought out conspiracy theory to share with the group. Whether it’s sitting everyone down to watch an El Chapo documentary or demanding we each share our rankings of Kanye West songs, we can always expect the unexpected. Eugene Wyman: our dog. A loyal, lovable and, at times, lazy creature that can always provide
everyone in the section with a massive smile. Maybe a bit gullible, enough so to be convinced of practically anything that’s well photoshopped and argued long enough. And always, always ready to respond to the call of a low bellow of “Euuugggg.” Jay Lassiter: the little brother. Inexplicably laughing and smiling, always ready to play catch on the field and cleverly available for pranks at all times. Like any little brother, Jay always wants shaved ice, and is fittingly the pickiest eater of the group. Perhaps playing “Let’s Get it On” by Marvin Gaye when a male and female member on staff, rumored to be more than friends, walk in the room is annoying, but we all still love him anyway. Every family has its quirks, fights and times of uncontrollable laughter on the floor; sports has had its fair share. Each member brings something unique, valuable and irreplaceable. While we can and have functioned fragmented, there’s nothing like the whole fam intensely competing in bonk.io with “Duel of Fates” playing through the projector. Thank you guys for nurturing this family we call sports.
E6 Senior Supplement
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Senior Supplement E7
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The Chronicle
E8 senior supplement
June 3, 2020
Harvard-Westlake indelible 1 a.m. lessons
By Annie Beckman
It’s 1 a.m. Tomorrow is my first day as a Harvard-Westlake student. I am too nervous and too enlivened to sleep. I know I’ll be tired tomorrow, but it won’t matter because adrenaline will be coursing through my body the whole day. The first day of a four year adventure. A whole community awaiting me. It is all just so crazy. The strumming, the chords and the beats are on low volume. My little sister is sleeping in the other room, but I just can’t stop myself. I have to get up and dance. I’ve had a rough week, so I’m improvising it out. Sophomore year has been a big and difficult adjustment. I do really like chemistry though, and there’s nothing more stimulating than second period with Mr. Yaron. I’m treading water, and I’m tired, but I’m staying afloat. I’ve been meeting with Dr. Laffite and Ms. Hutch non-stop. APs and finals are coming up, and I feel the junior year heat. But I’m earnest and all I want is to do my best. The last of my friends committed to their colleges today. It’s finally hitting me that we will be across the country, no, actually across the world from each other next year. My pen is unwavering as the pages of my quarantine journal eagerly flip. I’m reflecting on the idea of finality, on the concept of saying goodbye. I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again, and I find comfort knowing that change is good sometimes. We learn from change. It’s 1 a.m. (1:06, to be precise) I’m sitting here writing my
last ever article for the Chronicle. I’m about to have my last high-school class in eight hours, and the quintessential senior (Zoom) countdown in fourteen. I’ll turn in my final assignment of high school in five days. Then it’ll be over. This is a familiar time of night, my favorite time of night. It’s quiet because my family members are asleep, and it’s pitch black outside, which helps me think. 1 a.m. is the time of anticipatory thrill. Evident reflection, confidence, nerves, emotions. It’s a launching point, both a culmination and a descent, an odd middle between each passing day. This particular 1 a.m. feels so weird because I know that some day soon, there won’t be a next day of high school. I wish I could stop the clock and enjoy this community for just a few more 1 a.m.’s. But what I’ve come to realize is that however many years pass, I’ll indefinitely have my Harvard-Westlake 1 a.m.’s.This school has taught me to let my 1 a.m. mind run free, and to embrace the energy and strength it gives me. My favorite aspect of my high school experience is undoubtedly the connection I feel to my classmates and teachers, driven by the academic and artistic rush we all share. Harvard-Westlake instills a quality that unites us all, and that is passion. Wherever I am, 1 a.m. thoughts will always bring me back to Harvard-Westlake and remind me of all that it has taught me.
1
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A&E SISTERS: A dynamic duo in and out of Weiler, Sarah Reiff and Jordan Murray, the Arts and Entertainment editors pose for a photo at the beach. These queens always keep it real in Chronicle and in life.
We’re all in this together By Jordan Murray
The other day I was sitting with my parents in the kitchen, reflecting on my high-school experience as we began to discuss preparations for my freshman year of college. This is how I have spent most of my evenings during this quarantine: planning for my future. Although I have a raging case of senioritis and my motivation to do any type of school work is at an all-time low, in the last week, I have stopped to take a look at my past. Being stuck at home, bored, missing my friends and missing my senior year—essentially the end of my childhood—has allowed me to reflect on my last six years that I have spent at Harvard-Westlake. I have realized so many things that I have never thought about before. Going to Harvard-Westlake pushed me in every aspect of my
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life. I’m not going to sugarcoat it; it was hard. It was really hard. So many tests, so many quizzes, so many projects, so many extracurriculars, so much stress, and overall, just so much work. All of this might make it sound as if I were given the choice again, I would have chosen to go somewhere else, but no. I know that this was where I was meant to be, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’ll miss walking onto that campus every morning to meet my friends. I’ll miss the homecoming games and dances. I’ll miss chaotic Chronicle layouts. I’ll miss our special moments in choir. I’ll miss giving tours to prospective students and the constant question of, “Is Harvard-Westlake hard?” and, “Do you really have so much homework?”(the answer is yes, but it’s worth it, promise). I’ll miss yelling on the quad with
friends. I’ll miss eighth-period trips to Riozonas or walks to Starbucks on Halkirk. I’ll miss the lounge in the morning, even though it’s always packed with people and there’s barely enough space to breathe. Leaving this school, I am leaving full of knowledge and experiences that I wouldn’t have gained anywhere else, and most of them honestly are not from any lesson or lecture, but from the people around me. I have learned to have courage and to keep pushing on even when things are tough, and that I am stronger than I think I am. We have a beautiful campus, but the place doesn’t make it feel special, the people do. I have met some of the most incredible people here who will go on to do great things and who I am so lucky to have known. That’s the most important thing I will take away: friends who will last a lifetime.
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1. Annie Beckman and Amelie Zilber 2. Zack Schwartz, Jay Lassiter, Tammer Bagdasarian 3. Joanna Im and Jordan Murray 4. Luke Casola, Jay Lassiter, Eugene Wyman
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5. Spencer Klink and Keila McCabe PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CHRONICLE SENIORS
hwchronicle.com
June 3, 2020
Senior Supplement E9
High school won’t fit in a box By Lauren Nehorai
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF LAUREN NEHORAI
PANO PARTY: This squad (Casey Kim, Kyra Hudson, Spencer Klink and Lauren Nehorai) spearheaded a groundbreaking Panorama Volume.
To say I’m nostalgic is an understatement. I have taken too many photos, written in a diary, exhausted the phrase “remember when” and saved everything from my first copy of “The Spectrum” to my corsage from prom. True to form, on May 1 when I found out school was officially canceled, above sadness and frustration, I felt nostalgic. How could I mourn the end of such an impactful period of my life when there was simply no end? I had always planned to make a big, beautiful box filled with all of my high school memorabilia. For years I have been saving homecoming tickets, graded English papers, polaroids and so much more to a degree of borderline hoarding, all with the hope that after graduation I could look back at this perfect and complete box. But seeing as this “end” was anything but traditional, I decided to do something different. That night, I opened up iMovie and, using my amateur editing
One last playlist: my senior year By Jeanine Kim
Insert tape. Record. During my whole time at the upper school, I have been a member of KHWS, our school’s student-run radio station. From my show from 11 to midnight on Wednesday nights sophomore year to my current broadcast at 7 p.m. right after Peer Support on Mondays, KHWS has been a constant, a chance for me to share something that I love with people I care about. This is my final playlist, an ode to the place I have called home for the last three years, one last shoutout. MGMT - “Kids” The year of new discoveries: a new campus, new teachers, new clubs and activities. This was the year we went from being the oldest at the middle school to being the youngsters on campus once again. Despite the scariness of this new world, we managed
to navigate our way through the never-ending stairs and the complexities of the upper school. Sharon Van Etten - “Seventeen”
As times got harder, we as a collective grew closer together. The supposed hardest year of our lives became just a little bit easier through class group chats, coffee trips during free periods and late-night study sessions. We bonded through our universal dislike of “The Scarlet Letter,” the ever-growing number of whooping cough cases infecting our school and the never-ending length of the junior questionnaire, and by the end, we got through it and were on our way to starting our last year of high school. Talking Heads - “Road To Nowhere” Everything is coming to a close, and even as I write, I can only think about all the things we missed out on. Fall brings the real
skills, attempted to make a slideshow chronicling my HarvardWestlake experience. I compiled 500 photos from seventh grade until now and set them to the music of my only available playlist, “Eighth Grade EDM.” As I reminisced over old photos to the sounds of “Starships” by Nicki Manaj, I realized something I missed that I hadn’t thought about until that point: I would never have another newspaper layout. Between the Chronicle and the Panorama, I have spent nearly every other weekend within the walls of Weiler. I rose through the ranks from an eager sophomore on coffee runs, to an assiduous junior worsening in vision from hours spent on InDesign, to a senior leading the publications and appreciating all the moving parts. I can’t say that I will miss the distinct smell of the sports room or the shame of showing up late to a weekend layout. But, I would give anything to be immersed in the chaotic energy of the Features room, wondering who stole my bag of flaming hot Cheetos, at-
tempting to block out the 70s music playing from the speaker and laughing at the dry, yet witty, jokes only a Chronicle kid could think of. While it is the people and the memories that make me nostalgic, I’m glad I get to keep one thing: my love for journalism. In all honesty, I got involved in journalism because the Chronicle kids seemed to have a certain cachet and intellectual clout that I yearned for. However, that desire quickly evolved into my greatest passion and my means of making sense of the world around me. Now, when I’m curious about something, I don’t just google it and blindly trust user63958’s July 31 contribution to the given topic’s Wikipedia page; I write about it. And with each article, it feels as if I have entered new worlds and have the opportunity to share them with others. I have to leave behind many things, and although I can’t put it in a box or into a slideshow, I’m glad that journalism will always be one of my keepsakes.
beginning of the college process, the stresses and tensions that always accompany early applications, but come January, we are done, done with the very thing many of us had been preparing for our entire high school careers. Senior spring is supposed to be the best time of our lives, the carefree months where we have the most freedom and the least responsibilities. But instead of counting down the final seconds on the Quad and jumping into the pool at the close of the day, I ended my time at the upper school with a Zoom call on my phone and a walk on the beach. I will always remember the times we had on this campus, the good and the bad. I will think fondly of all those times I cried countless tears in the Rugby hallway, and my heart will wrench at all the amazPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF TAMMER BAGDASARIAN AND MADISON HUGGINS ing memories I made with my friends. QUEEN JEANINE: This is Jeanine. She is queen. (Bottom) This is her This one’s for you Har- at the Bean. Executive Editor Jeanine Kim brought the heat this year, both with her fire Chronicle playlists and her scalding edits on articles. vard-Westlake.
Advice from eighth grade deans By Luke Schneider
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SUITED FOR BATTLE: News Editor Luke Schneider does not let a moment pass without making someone’s day. His impeccable style, keyboard banging skills and lovability made Luke one of the best to ever do it.
It’s been an odd ending to our senior year, to say the least. Rather than coming together as a class one final time before we go out into the world and forge our own paths, the end of our high school journey was unexpectedly cut short by a pandemic that has permanently changed the world as we know it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m immensely grateful that I go to a school that was ready to adapt to the challenges posed in these past months and that I have all of the resources needed to be as safe as I can during these scary times. But, when I think about what it would be like to gather on the field with my friends and family and throw my cap in the air, I can’t help but feel a little shortchanged. It’s during times like these that
it’s absolutely imperative that we keep in mind the sage advice offered by Mr. Kim and Ms. Fukushima in our class meeting, right before some of us opened our eighth grade quarter grades to find (gasp) a B+ in English: it’s truly not about the result, it’s about the process. While I have no doubt that the lack of a proper end to the year is less than fun, by no means does it erase the wonderful memories I’ve made, the friendships I’ve found and the knowledge I gained while at this amazing school. What I’ve realized is that it’s not the large ceremonies, but the day-to-day experiences that truly matter. I’ve had the pleasure of spending most of my time these last six years surrounded with the most tenacious learners I’ve been around in my life, and with teachers who excelled and
delighted in making us see the world in new ways. In particular, I will forever be indebted to Ms. Hutchison, who inspired me to learn as much as I can about our universe, Mr. Sim, who stayed hours upon hours after school to help me rigorously prove the foundations of math, Ms. Cuseo, to whom I credit literally all of my success and Michael Lehrhoff ’20, whose enduring positivity will stay with me throughout my life. (Too many great people to follow the rule of threes!) On top of that, I am endlessly grateful to the countless others who expanded my mind in ways I couldn’t have imagined over the course of these marvelous six years. As I finish writing this article, I realize I don’t have a sentence with which I can wrap up all of the days that made up my experience here. But then again, does that really matter?
E10 Senior Supplement
Trading tears for memories
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020
By Madison Huggins
It was one of those indistinguishable quarantine nights that melted into a disturbing blur of British bikini-clad singles, blonde mullets and routine 3 a.m. treks to the kitchen to finger-scoop Pillsbury vanilla frosting from a can. While waiting for my overwhelming urge to illegally purchase a tiger cub to subside, I was slowly lulled by the hypnotic bounce of the loading Photo Booth icon I’d clicked on. My friends actually grow concerned when too many days have gone by and they haven’t received a Snapchat of my tear streaked face, satirically framed with duck lips and peace sign fingers. Given this, you can imagine my surprise after realizing I had scrolled through six year’s worth of light tunnel and chipmunk-filtered photos with completely dry eyes. My unmanageable academic responsibility has not been the sole reason that I can recognize our campus only through eyes blurred by tears. I am familiar with the acoustics of the last stall of the Chalmers bathroom, largely because I am a dangerously emotional individual. I also have seasonal allergies. I have come to appreciate the act of crying as an essential survival mechanism during my high school journey. Releasing tears is necessary for progression because in order to trudge forward, we must thoroughly and painfully flush ourselves of whatever stressor has filled us with paralyzing water weight.
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3, 2, 1 CHEESE: (Clockwise, from left) Madison Huggins and Casey Kim joke around at a weekend layout session. The two sport matching outfits in the airport, before departing for a journalism convention. Anusha Mathur, Madison and Sarah Healy explore the city together. That night, my eyes glazed over as unsettling clips of a pubescent girl in ill-fitting capri leggings brushed across the screen. Wearing her new scoliosis brace and holding a hair brush to her mouth as a microphone, she’s choreographing dances for the eighth grade contemporary dance workshop showcases and deviously asking friends to punch her in the stomach. Already plagued by the reflection time demanded by social isolation, I simply could not fathom how these images failed to summon the usual abundance of tears. However, I soon realized why I had not leapt at the opportunity to shed tears proportional
to the magnitude of this loss. It’s because the moments that have accumulated in the depths of my Photo Booth and in my heart over the past six years are not something I want to mourn and move on from. The best friends made, places traveled, talent witnessed, orange chicken consumed, dumplings avoided, Colorado River canoe songs composed, half-time dances performed, essays deliriously titled, Peer Support pizza stolen, math teachers’ gaming YouTube accounts discovered, debate tournament campuses navigated, English teacher therapy sessions, successes experienced, failures expected and each of the tears
that has landed on the Chalmers bathroom floor—all hold such massive weight in shaping the foundation of the person I am. Rather than releasing them in tear drops, I intend to carry these moments with me into the adult world that I will be entering in a matter of weeks, and with me for the rest of my life. The privilege of learning and growing at Harvard-Westlake is so extraordinary because we are given as much, if not more, than we asked for. While we are consistently held to such seemingly unreasonable expectations, we are simultaneously offered equally as unimaginable people, places, opportunities and resources
necessary to meet them. Far more than whatever time or tears this school has taken from me, its challenges have gifted me both the awareness of what there is to be achieved and the faith in my ability to achieve it. So wherever you are in your Harvard-Westlake journey, let this serve as a reminder to cherish every single crunch of your English teacher’s famous sourdough grilled cheeses at class Christmas parties, and every little squirrel burrow hole in the trash cans as you walk across the quad. As undeniably necessary as crying is for survival, these precious moments are ones we never need, or want, to spill.
Hang in there, it’s all worth it
By Zoe Redlich
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GAL PALS: Pictured with Naomi Ogden ’20, Zoe Redlich and Sarah Healy have discovered Community stories, from local elections to earthquakes.
Crying in my bed, petting a slightly distressed cat on my lap and emptying my third cup of chamomile tea, my ninth grade self could not even begin to imagine life at the Upper School. The Upper School. Back then, those three words brought to mind a gray campus with endless staircases and some horrifying monster I’d only heard rumors of by the name of “APUSH.” Meanwhile, the Middle School had grown into a second home. From the incredibly supportive teachers to the beautiful library full of sunlight, I could imagine no better place to be. Plus, everyone knew that the cafeteria at the Upper School was objectively worse. I was certain that the future only held misery and the joyless pursuit of education, so I filled up another cup of tea and turned up the depressing indie rock songs that played on loop. Maybe I should just transfer to Crossroads. Now, as a soon-to-be graduate of the school, it would be an understatement to say that I’m happy I stayed along for the ride. Although the first couple of months at the Upper School were rough, they were difficult for all of us, and we made it through together. That’s one of the aspects of the school that I’ve really come to appreciate. While there have definitely been times when a pile of work seems insurmountable or
extracurriculars become suffocating, I’ve always been able to rely on friends, teachers or my wonderful dean to help me through. Sure, maybe I’ve been seen crying on campus a few too many times for my liking, but at this point, I think we all have, and looking back, those difficult moments have left me with some of the best friends I could ever imagine having and a stronger sense of myself than I had when I started. I think Harvard-Westlake can sometimes get a bad rap, and yes, there are definitely elements of the school that could be improved upon, as is true of every educational institution in the world. However, I would recommend that those who turn their heads at its apparent competitiveness or coldness take a deeper look. They should look at the theater community full of actors, techies and musicians who, on top of being incredibly committed to each show, create such an environment of love and support that tears are always shed on closing nights. On top of that, the friendships that are formed during productions seem to always surpass the divisions of grades and last long past final performances. They should also take a peek into one of the Weiler classrooms during layout where sure, they’d find heavily caffeinated teens toiling away on InDesign, but they’d also find a room full of laughter, overflowing creativity and the occasional projected Pixar
film. Any of these Harvard-Westlake doubters would have to attend only one sports game to understand the intense bonds between the team players and the school spirit roaring out of the stands. Although I stopped playing tennis after sophomore year, I still miss the light-hearted bus ride conversations and the feeling of everyone gathered around a court, cheering for a teammate to win. So sure, the Upper School was at times a lot of work and a lot of stress. But now I see that those aspects of the school make up only a small part of the experience. Tucked into a drawer in my desk, I have a letter I wrote to my future self during eighth grade Human Development, and I wish I could write that Zoe a letter back. I would tell her that she is going to make friends who change her life and bring her happiness in ways she couldn’t even imagine. I would tell her that the teachers, deans and counselors she’d meet would make her feel more supported and loved than she had ever expected to feel in high school. And I would remind her to believe in herself, always be the one to smile and say “hi” in the hallways and to follow what inspires her, because I now know that if she does those things as I did, the Upper School will end up providing a community that challenges her in all the right ways while also making her feel profoundly supported, at home and ready to face the world.
hwchronicle.com
June 3, 2020
Senior Supplement E11
How to value who you have become
By Caitlin Chung
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF CAITLIN CHUNG
FLOWER GIRLS: Taking it back to life before the coronavirus quarantine, Emma Shapiro and Caitlin Chung were a dynamic duo when it came to journalism, the classroom and life outside of campus grounds.
Approaching the final countdown
By Emma Shapiro
As the final seconds tick away from my high school career, I am reminded of the various ups and downs I faced. Although most credit Harvard-Westlake for creating their most treasured memories, my experience did not resemble a picture-perfect four years. I had bad teachers with petulant grudges, advisors who heard but never listened and peers who wanted so desperately to be the best that they alienated those around them. High school should be a place that nurtures you, with faculty members who help you grow as both a student and as a person. While I can definitely say that I
Back in time with Sarah
have evolved, I would not use nurturing to describe several people who I encountered. In my junior year, however, I did find a group that made me feel comfortable and helped me grow. Community Council was one of the best parts of my junior and senior years. I befriended upperclassmen and underclassmen who shared my drive for community engagement. I became closer to people in my own grade who I barely knew beforehand. We were able to plan huge events that promoted all school involvement, and we were able to organize small fundraisers like bake sales to teach the student body about various different causes.
Besides the events we planned, the Community Council 20192020 retreat truly brought us all together. We bonded by watching “After” and “Avatar” together, and we strategized for the upcoming school year by compiling lists of potential projects and non-profits to coordinate with. The council taught me valuable lessons of teamwork and leadership. At times, I needed to delegate and lead. Other times, I had to listen and help other council members. Outside of the council, I may have encountered poor teachers and selfish peers, but within my niche, I had finally found my safe haven, surrounded by a jumble of friends.
The world is a very different place than it was just a few months ago. We’ve been isolated in our homes, and masks are now a frequent sight. We stay six feet apart from the people we call neighbors and friends, weary of whether that distance will really keep us safe from the virus that has altered the distinct social culture of Los Angeles. And of course for us seniors, this shift has robbed us of all the milestone traditions. Within this new normal we have come to familiarize ourselves with, I think the most terrifying thing of all is the fact that we are now alone with ourselves more than ever before. Time seems not to be of the essence, as we distract ourselves through hours of family walks and Netflix shows while ultimately coming back to ourselves. For days, I came back to my room to the eerie silence that contradicted everything I thought would make up my senior year, until one day I started to fill that silence with the noise of the rollercoaster ride that was my six years at HW. Throughout my time at the school, I’ve been asked countless questions with regards to my experience. Many of those questions were along the lines of whether or not the school
gave out too much homework, or whether I was happy with where I was. But within the countless number of questions I’ve answered, I don’t remember anyone asking me if I was happy with who I had become at the school. I don’t know if you’ve ever been asked that question, but if not, I will be the one to do so. Are you happy with the person the school has helped you become? If yes, I’m happy for you. But within that yes, I challenge you to dig deeper and identify the specific experiences that have really shaped you, and to strive to find similar experiences in life to help you grow. If not, I hope you find the courage to tell yourself to start all over again. After all, it’s your own story and you’re the author. For students with years left at Harvard-Westlake, there is an entire world that has been gifted to you, just waiting to be discovered within our campus. Your job is to fearlessly and curiously maneuver your way around it. And maybe one day, something will click and your answer will turn into a yes, but not without time and effort. So as I end my own journey and head off to a whole new world, I wish you good luck with a wave and a smile, six feet away of course.
By Sarah Healy
On my first day of seventh grade, I walked onto the Hancock Park 1A bus at its last stop and sat in the only seat available, next to a blond boy in the front row. I was nervous about a lot of things coming into HarvardWestlake; I was the only student from my previous school, a year younger than everyone in my grade and really bad at math. But I was most nervous about having to make new friends. Conversation was really easy with the boy sitting next to me, though. Making small talk, and being a musician myself, I asked if he played any instruments. He responded completely normally, “I play the bagpipes,” and continued to talk about all of the cool competitions he had participated in. After this conversation, I was very intimidated by George Grube, who later became my first best friend at HarvardWestlake. It was partly because I was a mediocre classical pianist talking to a 12-year-old boy who plays the bagpipes, and I realized that I wasn’t nearly that interesting. But mostly, I was amazed at how excited he got when he started talking about his instrument. I wanted to have that kind of passion. Luckily, I had come to the right place. The students at HarvardWestlake have never failed to amaze me in all of their pursuits, and the fact that George was the
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COMMUNITY NEWS ENGAGEMENT HYPE: Assistant Business Manager for her junior year then Community News Engagement Editor for her last. Although she split her time between Business Manager and Community News Engagement, she will always have a home in Weiler. first person I talked to at this school speaks to that. Looking at everyone I know, they all are incredibly passionate. My theater friends sing, dance and act in all of the productions and go to month-long summer programs every year. My sports friends attend tournaments on weekends and win national awards. My Chronicle friends spend their precious weekend hours hunched over the computers in Weiler writing meaningful articles and designing pages. And most of my
friends fall in multiple categories. Being part of this zealous community encouraged me to find my own path. I’ve tried a lot of different extracurriculars over the years; I was on two sports teams, took drawing and painting, participated in musicals and Playwrights Festival, tried improv, joined the Chronicle and even auditioned for the jazz band last year (which is the only thing I regret doing because it was a very bad audition). It took trying everything to realize that what I am passion-
ate about is choir, which I have been doing since seventh grade Girls’ Chorus. Not even the humiliation of singing “Walking on Sunshine” in our bright yellow sweatshirts in front of the entire school could deter me, and here I am, six years later, recording myself singing during Chamber Singers on Zoom and loving every moment of it. Now it’s the end of my senior year, and I have finally become the student I aspired to be on that very first day on the bus. I could not have done that without
this school. It gave me countless opportunities to experiment and incredible faculty members to guide me, but most importantly, it gave me the most inspiring student body that I am lucky to have been a part of. I am leaving this school with a passion that I am proud of, good at and excited to continue to explore. The spirit of a Harvard-Westlake student cannot go unnoticed, and without each and every person that I encountered here, I would not be where I am today.
E12 Senior Supplement
The Chronicle
June 3, 2020