Latest UNISVERSE is now available - United Nations International
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Latest UNISVERSE is now available - United Nations International
Volume XXV, No. 1 The United Nations International School December 2015-March 2016 UNIS-UN Marks 40 Years of Global, Student-led Conversations at UNIS Conference participants watch a video in the General Assembly. Photo By: Yoshi Yamamoto, T3 Sarah Simon, T3 This year’s UNIS-UN conference took place from March 3 to March 4 and hosted six speakers and 700 international high school students, who all gathered to discuss media’s influence. This past winter, the UNIS guage teacher at UNIS Queens; and Ms. This year marked the fortieth annivercommunity was saddened to hear of Maureen Overall, former teacher in the sary of the conference and was held in the passing of five of its former faculty Middle School. UNISVerse recognizes the name of the late Sylvia Gordon, who and staff members: Ms. Sylvia Gor- the invaluable and long-lasting impacts don, founder of UNIS-UN and former that these five people made on their stu- founded UNIS-UN in 1976. On Tuesday, March 1, the interhumanities teacher; Mr. Bob Sena, for- dents and colleagues, and has dedicated mer head of security; Ms. Sharon Tan, the third page of this edition to them, national students arrived at UNIS and former Junior School music teacher; to remember and honor their legacies. Madame Elizabeth Hough, former lanContinued on page 3 UNIS Mourns the Passing of Beloved Members of the Community Gun Control Discussions Take Place at UNIS Siena DeMatteo, T3 With the tragic occurrence of more than two hundred mass killings in the United States in the past ten years, gun control has become a popular topic for debate throughout the country. The FBI defines a mass killing as an incident that involves four or more victims, and statistics have shown that these acts of violence happen every two weeks in the United States. Following mass killings in San Bernardino, California; Sandy Hook, Connecticut; and Aurora, Colorado, President Barack Obama has vowed to fight gun violence. On January 5th, Obama called upon Congress to implement new legislative measures to expand background checks for buyers while still upholding the Second Amendment. As a Democrat, he has faced a considerable amount of opposition from Republican politicians, with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan asserting that Obama “will no doubt be challenged in the courts.” As the presidential candidates for the 2016 election are in the midst of their campaigns, the Super Political Activism (Super PAC) club at UNIS has held a few discussions about the candidates’ stances on gun control and the results of recent presidential election debates. “Super PAC started this year with the mission of facilitating free-form political debate among UNIS students. The Facebook group allows for this debate to be carried on outside of school, and now has nearly seventy members,” explained T4 student Emmett Werbel, the club’s president. Members of the club have convened on a weekly basis to discuss pressing issues such as affirmative action, Islamophobia, and cli- mate change. During their meeting devoted to gun control on January 20th, both sides of the argument were represented and a fruitful discussion ensued. T1 student Matthias Heindl remarked that “we need guns to defend ourselves” and sided with many other students who firmly believe in the power of the United States Constitution. The Second Amendment states that Americans have the right to bear arms, and this was supported by other club members who believe this right is “rational” and “lasts forever.” Matthias commented that Americans “have a natural fear of things being different,” which may suggest why the government has yet to agree on new legislative measures. On the other hand, some Super PAC members firmly believe in the need for more gun control. In light of recent mass killings, T4 student Boris Niyonzima believes that there is a need “to ban all automatic weapons on a federal level, because people who want to protect their homes do not need an AR-15 to do so.” Others who share his views believe that it is “pretty obvious” that the United States needs to adjust its laws on gun ownership and usage. As mirrored in Super PAC discussions, the American people are divided on this controversial issue, with a poll conducted by Gallup in October 2015 revealing that 55 percent of all Americans are in favor of stricter gun laws. This division is also clearly seen among the 2016 presidential candidates, with the Republicans and Democrats taking different sides. With Clinton and Sanders supporting Obama’s executive order for its appropriate response to recent mass shootings, and Republican candidates such as Bush and Carson challenging it for its supposed violation of the Second Amendment, there will certainly be a lot for members of the UNIS community to discuss as the presidential elections approach. were greeted by their hosting students. Workshops and the cultural showcase were organized for Wednesday. The showcase is a talent show for visiting schools and UNIS students to represent their culture in front of the entire UNIS-UN community. The day ended with a formal dinner for all the participants. The conference began on Thursday morning with a speech from Ms. Jane Camblin, UNIS Executive Director, and the conference co-chairs. It continued with Paloma Escudero, the Director of Communications at UNICEF, who outlined the United Nations’ impact on today’s societal and political views. Casey Neistat, YouTuber and the keynote speaker for the day, discussed the role of media on multiple platforms, specifically, YouTube. He described his personal story and the immense power that well-known social media people have on our culture and society. The final speaker for Thursday was Susan Chira, the Assistant Managing Editor of The New York Times. Chira, like the other speakers, explained the impact of media, but from a more traditional point of view. She spoke about The New York Times’ control over many current issues and how it is seen as a “trusted news source” for many. The day ended with an open dialogue among six visiting students, who discussed the role of social media in our society. On Friday, journalist Buzz Bissinger started the conference by expressing his strong opinions on current politicians and how they are communicated through media. After Bissinger, Trevor Johnson from Facebook explained his company’s role in the media. The last speaker of the conference, Suroosh Alvi, told his personal story about Vice (a magazine focused on arts, culture, and news topics), and explained the news source’s primary mission. The last event of the conference was the second open dialogue, which was a thorough discussion of the effectiveness of independent and corporate media. After two long days, there was a dance for all of the participants. Overall, the conference provided an enriching experience for all of its participants, and promoted globalism and cross-cultural exchange. for all students who plan College Board Makes opportunities on taking the test. As a result, students families cannot afford SAT tutorChanges to the SAT whose ing or classes will have adequate means Sarah Simon, T3 Starting in March, current T3s will be introduced to a new and redesigned Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), marking the test’s first major modifications since 2005. The College Board produces and administers the SAT, which has become a significant benchmark test for the country’s best colleges and universities. Changes have been implemented over the years to ensure that the standardized test matches the abilities of the test takers and the high school curriculum. The first major change to the redesigned SAT is the scoring method. The College Board has made substantial changes to its scoring since its founding in 1926, when there were initially a total of 315 points. Now, the redesigned SAT is out of a total 1600 points, rather than the old SAT’s 2400 points (800 points per section), and will consist of three sections: mathematics, critical reading, and an optional essay, whereas the old SAT contained a required essay. In addition, unlike the old SAT, the new SAT will not penalize for wrong answers, therefore encouraging students to make educated guesses. There is also a significant modification to the essay and reading sections. In the essay, students will now be asked to analyze an essay rather than a theoretical passage. Similarly, the reading section will focus on evidencebased questions that specifically relate to the text. One last major change to the new SAT is that, fortunately, students will no longer need to study vocabulary, but instead will be asked to define a word based on how it is used in context. In addition to these major changes, the College Board will be partnering with Khan Academy to provide high-quality, free online test preparation services, in an attempt to provide equal of preparing for the test. While some T3 students prepare for the highly anticipated new SAT, many chose to sit for the last offering of the old version in February. T3 student Mai-Han Nguyen believes that she benefitted from taking the old SAT. “I had been studying for it since the summer before sophomore year so, naturally, I wasn’t going to take a test I wasn’t as prepared for.” She explained that her “academic ability fits better with the old SAT.” Because of the changes being made to the SAT, many students are choosing to take the ACT instead. To help students decide which test fits better for them, the college office introduced UNIS students to a SAT/ACT combination practice test, hosted by Kaplan, which helped UNIS students decide which test to is right for them. Furthermore, T3 students have received their PSAT results, and have been recommended by the College Office to enroll in Kaplan’s free online seminar, which focuses on understanding the PSAT score report. To get an understanding of standardized testing and what is to come for them in the year ahead, the T2s took the PSAT 10 in February. Must See • ‘BCHLRS’ Feature..................................4 • All-Gender Restrooms at UNIS?......5 • What is an MVP?...................................6 • Bowie’s Legacy.....................................7 News 2 United Nations International School 24-50 F.D.R. Drive - New York, NY 10010-4046 Phone: (212) 684-7400 - Fax: (212) 889-8959 http://www.unis.org Editor-in-Chief Siena DeMatteo, T3 Executive Managing Editor Oriana Ullman, T3 Editors Aysu Ingrid Haker, T3 Sarah Simon, T3 Holly Jenvey, T2 Lia Mojica, T4 Melina Nelson, T2 Emmett Werbel, T4 Eloise Chambadal, T2 Zachary Weiss, T3 Design And Layout Michelle Davies, T2 Faculty Advisor Mr. Guy Young UNISMUNC II: The Second Coming Defne Levine, T3 On December 6, 2015, the UNIS Model United Nations team hosted its second annual conference (UNISMUNC II). Over two hundred students from ten different schools in the New York City area attended this conference. The conference included seven unique committees: four General Assembly committees, the Security Council, and one joint crisis committee. Students collaborated with each other over the course of the conference to draft creative and realistic solutions to significant contemporary issues, ranging from the abuse of human rights in prisons to the refugee crisis in the Middle East. Every Model UN conference begins with opening ceremonies, which typically include a keynote speech or question-and-answer session. At UNISMUNC II, a twenty-minute Q & A session was held by Ambassador Samantha Power, who is the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and a member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet. The delegates at the conference had the opportunity to gain valuable UNIS Students Excitedly Await Springtime Activities The spring months are always a busy time for UNIS students! Below is a list of some upcoming events: • Nepal trip - on March 19, a group of Tut House students will depart for a twelve-day service trip to Nagarkot, Nepal. “This is the second Nepal trip, and this time we’re a group of 19. We’re doing community service at two different schools for four days, and everyone has paired up and prepared school lessons for kids from grades 1-5,” commented T3 student Chloe Dicovskiy, who went on the trip last year. The students raised $1500 to continue a meal program that they started at one of the schools last year, and held a school supplies drive at UNIS in order to gather supplies for the students in Nepal. In addition to doing community service, students will sightsee in the country’s capital, Kathmandu, and in Pokhara. • Rent - from April 27 to April 29, a group of UNIS students will perform Rent, which is the first Tut House musical to be performed in twenty years. “I think it’s cool how we’re finally doing a musical in high school. I definitely think this is a step in the right direction with the new Theater Department at UNIS. I hope high school musicals become a tradition here,” remarked T3 student-actor Marlon Polycarpe. The musical will be directed by Ms. Kiara Downey, the head of the Theater Department, and produced by Mr. Tim Hall, who also teaches in the department. • International Award - from May 12 to May 15, the silver-level candidates of the International Award program at UNIS will embark on an adventurous journey to Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, where they will bike, hike, and canoe. “I believe that International Award really encourages me to feel connected not only to nature but also my peers because we essentially have each other to learn and encourage trhoughout the journey,” stated T2 student and silver-level candidate, Judith Ha. The trip is meant to complement the skill, activity, and service experiences that students in the program must fulfill one hour per week for six months. The bronze-level candidates will be completing their journey at Bear Mountain here in New York state from April 30 to May 1, and the gold-level candidates will be traveling to Hawaii at the end of June for their adventurous journey. • Kids Walk - on Saturday, April 30, the Prevention and Awareness of Cancer (PAC) club will be participating in Kids Walk, which is a pediatric cancer research fundraiser that takes place in Central Park. The event is organized by Memorial Sloan Kettering, which is one of the nation’s foremost institutions for cancer care and research, and by students from high schools all around the city. “This is the first time that we are fundraising for this event, and we are really excited about it. We definitely want to get the whole UNIS community involved. Many club members will be walking during the event and just to have the support from the entire school would be really great and will definitely help out a lot with raising funds and spreading awareness,” commented T3 student Camila Stacchetti, who currently serves as the club’s vice president. • Walk to Defeat ALS - on May 7, members of the People for ALS (PALS) club will participate in the Walk to Defeat ALS, which is an event hosted by the ALS Association. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurogenerative disease that impacts muscles and weakens physical functions. Over the past few months, club members have raised over $1200 and collected sponsors for the event. “With more members and funds raised than ever, PALS is excited to contribute its voice to the cause,” remarked T3 student Janice Choi, who currently serves as the club’s president. “Unisverse is a student publication United Nations International School, and student editors are solely of the responsible for its content. The views expressed herein do not represent United Nations or any United Nations International School, its Board of Trustees, the school’s administration, or the faculty advisor.” the views of the of its affiliates; the if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or would like to get involved, email us at: [email protected] insights on foreign affairs and how Ambassador Power attained her current position. Additionally, the fact that she served as the President of the UN Security Council in December allowed delegates to hear about some of her recent work. She shared words of wisdom and encouraged the attendees to pursue their dreams and continue to be active in making society a better place for all. The structure of the conference consisted of morning and afternoon committee sessions in which delegates debated, compromised, and collaborated to produce well-written resolution papers for many of the world’s most pressing problems. In addition to current world problems, there were committees that focused on historical issues. As such, the joint crisis committee took place in the thirteenth-century and delegates came up with solutions regarding conflict between empires of Mongols, Islam, and Christendom. Sofia Ford, a T1 delegate in the joint crisis committee, said that UNISMUNC was a great experience for her. She shared how much she enjoyed being in a unique committee: “I met passionate people who completely played the role of a thirteenth century ruler. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at history.” The World Health Organization was the other historical committee, which embodied the views and knowledge present in 1948 and examined Nazi human experimentation. Although these more specialized committees revolved largely around committee ‘crises,’ the crisis staff worked throughout the day to add surprises and spins in all of the committees to maintain fresh debate. UNISMUNC II was extremely successful and the conference staff received a great deal of positive feedback. Ms. Watt, who is one of the club’s faculty advisors, shared one of her highlights of the day: “Apart from the skills that were brought together, the best accolade of all was during the day when I overheard a delegate from another school say ‘this is the best fun I’ve had all year.’” The Secretariat, which was led by Secretaries-General Balthazar Merrin and Boris Niyonzima, worked tirelessly during the months leading up to the conference, which evidently paid off. The UNIS Model UN Executive Committee looks forward to planning UNISMUNC III. UNIS Students Lead Conversations About Mass Incarceration Anoushka Joshi, T1 This fall, a group of twelve UNIS students, led by humanities teacher Abby MacPhail, partnered with PROOF: Media for Social Justice, an organization specializing in photojournalism as a medium for activism, to organize a one-day symposium on mass incarceration. Several formerly incarcerated people came to the symposium to join its discussion about the American criminal justice system, as well as UNIS students, faculty, parents, and representatives from multiple social justice organizations. Ms. MacPhail and three Picture Justice students led a smaller version of the symposium for T1 students during UNIS-UN. The fall symposium was the culmination of Picture Justice, a two-week photojournalism program that took place in the summer. During this program, students from UNIS and other high schools across New York collaborated to interview and photograph formerly incarcerated people to create an inspirational photo exhibit entitled “Broken?” T3 student Sanjeevi Nuhumal, who participated in the program, stated: “The interviews definitely impacted me emotionally in relation to the subject, and emphasized to me the great responsibility that comes with telling another person’s story. It definitely enabled me to educate myself, leave my comfort zone, and share the knowledge I had gained in a powerful way. I’m so glad that I participated in this!” Ms. MacPhail noted that students were often shocked when learning about “all the racial and economic disparities that are manifested in the criminal justice system.” The symposium opened with Victoya, a formerly incarcerated woman who shared one of the many poems that she had written during her incarceration. During her interview with UNIS students in the summer, Victoya said, “I wrote a lot while I was incarcerated. I wrote for other people too, and now it’s more like healing; I write to heal myself and I write to heal others as well.” The keynote speaker of the symposium was Mr. Hernan Carvente, a formerly incarcerated young man who turned his life around after being behind bars for four years due to misguided choices he made at the age of fifteen. Since his release, he has been a member of the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group and dedicated his life to changing the criminal justice system, working with the Vera Institute of Justice. His personal story of remorse and triumph also touched the hearts of many of the audience members. After the speeches, the participants were invited to view the “Broken?” exhibit, and attend two of thirteen workshops that were conducted by leaders in the social justice community, such as representatives from the VERA Institute of Justice, The Fortune Society, and The Brennan Center for Justice. The workshops explored topics such as broken windows policing, youth incarceration, the impact of incarceration on families and children, solitary confinement, and post-release challenges. Par- ticipants of the symposium engaged in intense debates and discussions revolving around these issues. The symposium concluded with a play on mass incarceration, which was devised and performed by T1-T4 IB and elective Theater and Drama students. Ms. Kiara Downey, the head of the Theater Department, was given the transcripts from the interviews conducted over the summer. She then worked with the participating students to transform these transcripts into theater pieces with the help of a theater company, Ping Chong and Company. “The main challenge for the actors lay in the fact that students from UNIS were performing the tales told by people who were actually very different from themselves,” said Ms. Downey. T3 student Aleksi Poysari shared his experience about writing a piece on Sharanda Jones, an incarcerated black mother: “I had some difficulty relating to Sharanda, but I was able to empathize with her daughter. I couldn’t imagine what kind of life I would have without my mother. Family is very important to me.” According to the attendees of the symposium, it was a huge success. “The symposium was a real eye-opener, and I have become aware of so many new facts and issues regarding mass incarceration,” said Chhaya Bhatt, a UNIS parent. Students became significantly more aware of the issues revolving around mass incarceration and the criminal justice system. Ms. MacPhail just recently announced that the topic of this sum- Cast of the mass incarceration play along with four formerly incarcerated people. Photo By: Emilia Dale Figeman, T1 mer’s Picture Justice program and fall symposium will be immigration. “We want to profile the stories of refugees, and also highlight the human rights issues faced by the undocumented immigrants in this country. It is a timely topic since all presidential candidates are debating the refugee crisis and immigration reform, and President Obama’s recent executive actions on immigration have been stalled by the courts and will most likely go before the Supreme Court this spring. Whatever decision is reached, it will impact on the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the US,” commented Ms. MacPhail. She hopes that UNIS will continue its support of projects like Picture Justice that highlight the need for change and the implications of current global issues. News UNIS Mourns the Passing of Bob Sena Remembering Sylvia Gordon Ms. Sylvia Gordon with the co-chairs of the 40th Annual UNIS-UN International Student Conference, Sahil Patel (left) and Sean Waxman-Lenz (right). Photo By: Ligeia Moltisanti Ruby Bird, T4 As 2015 drew to a close, the UNIS community was saddened to hear about the passing of Sylvia Gordon, the founder of a UNIS tradition. Ms. Gordon was a UNIS humanities teacher and the founder of UNIS-UN, a studentrun conference held annually at the United Nations General Assembly that is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year. Born in Vienna, the Oxford graduate came to UNIS in 1963. As well as teaching in the Humanities Department, she was an active member of the UNIS Staff Association from 1989 to 1995 and the Editor-in-Chief of the very first Staff Association Newsletter. On June 5, 2015, a reception was held in the UNIS library to honor Ms. Gordon. She spoke about her role in creating the UNIS-UN conference and gave her unique perspective on the event. The event was attended by UNIS alumni, as well as current faculty members. T4 student Sahil Patel, the co-chair of this year’s UNISUN conference, had the opportunity to attend the event and meet Ms. Gordon. “It was a really wonderful experience meeting Ms. Gordon. It was really cool to see how the conference started and how it developed over time.” Ms. Gordon will certainly be remembered for pushing student involvement in the UNIS community. In the words of Mr. Thomas Siefring Jr., current supervisor for the UNIS-UN conference and longtime humanities teacher, “her idea was to have a studentrun conference.” After a successful fortieth anniversay conference, which was titled “Media’s Influence: Opinions, Activism, & Outcomes,” it is clear that this idea has been preserved, as the sixteen student members of UNIS-UN’s Executive Committee largely work independently of any faculty members. “The last thing that she said to me was that she was really pleased with how UNIS-UN turned out,” said Mr. Siefring, recalling Ms. Gordon’s reception in June of last year. “This year’s conference is dedicated to her,” he added, emphasizing the fact that everything UNIS-UN has managed to accomplish so far would not have been possible without Ms. Gordon. Ms. Sylvia Gordon left a tremendous legacy that goes beyond the walls of UNIS, allowing hundreds of students to attend an international conference and participate in discussions on some of the most relevant issues of our time, such as this year’s topic on the influence of media. This year, 269 students from both domestic and international schools were welcomed to the conference that our own Tutorial House students also had the opportunity to attend. These students may never have met Ms. Gordon directly, but they benefit immeasurably from what she put in place forty years ago. UNIS Remembers Ms. Sharon Tan Manuela Abenante, T3 At the start of the school year, students and staff were all introduced to UNIS’ most recent security update: swiping ID cards each time we enter or exit the building. This security measure was introduced and first implemented by Mr. Bob Sena, the man behind many of the school’s other safety procedures as well. In December 2015, Bob sadly passed away, but he left behind a legacy and made an astounding impact on the UNIS community. During an interview with the school’s Assistant Executive Director, Salvador Uy, the question of Bob Sena’s most important contribution to the school was posed. Mr. Uy’s immediate response was that Bob “contributed an approach to security that was not about scaring people or panicking them, but giving them tools that allow people to make their environment safer.” Before joining the UNIS community, Mr. Sena organized the security protocols for Brooklyn’s Barclays Center but “realized that running security for big arenas was not his passion. He really cared about schools and helping protect kids,” stated Mr. Uy. Prior to Bob Sena’s arrival to UNIS, the school “had the sense that they didn’t need anyone dedicated to that area of expertise.” However, as explained by Mr. Uy, “because of everything that’s been happening around the world, we researched it and decided to create that position.” In a quickly developing world filled with conflict and, at times, chaos, the school’s decision to hire Mr. Sena seems an appropriate and necessary one. With primary schools, secondary schools and universities attacked or put in danger almost every week throughout this country, UNIS’ enhanced security measures have, for the most part, made students feel a lot safer. T3 student Olivia Sweeney Vesty stated that she feels much more “protected so far this year because of the swipe in and swipe out method we’ve started using and just knowing that someone was wholly dedicated to making students feel safe is incredibly reassuring.” Mr. Uy also shared that he remembers “a kind man who was very organized and articulate and who always took very seriously his role in protecting students and teachers.” Mr. Sena’s impact on the school is evident not just in the way that students and faculty speak of him, but also in the positive approach he had to a profession and subject that can often be regarded as dark or heavy, as it always assumes the possibility of a risk or danger. Mr. Sena brought with him an optimistic energy: “he wore some very fun Christmasthemed ties and cufflinks. He was a good man.” Both students and faculty alike have expressed their gratitude for Mr. Sena’s immense contribution to the school community. He will be greatly missed, but always remembered fondly and with enormous appreciation. Photo By: Karen Lerner Adrian Mandeville, T3 Beloved Junior School music teacher Ms. Sharon Tan passed away on February 4, 2016 after a long battle with cancer. Teachers and students alike were deeply affected by the news. It gave the UNIS community a chance to reflect on the incredible impact Ms. Tan left on her colleagues and students. “She was a hugely energetic, enthusiastic, warm, phenomenal teacher for so many students, but also a great teacher of teachers. Sharon was amazing at inspiring kids to want to do really well at the craft of music. She could really see inside every student no matter how goofy or troubled they were. She was so incredibly kind to each and every student. I would hear her talking to students and it amazed me how sensitive she was to each and every one of them, and how well she understood each and every one of them. And somehow, while she was able to magically create an ensemble, she also was able to touch the student that was not so gifted, or had something that was not so run of the mill about them. I always remember her reaching out to her students in a really beautiful way and that was extraordinarily special. She could really see through to people’s gifts, whatever they were,” remarked Ms. Karen Lerner, head of the Music Department. Mr. Gary Capetandes, trombone private lesson teacher and director of the M1 Band, fondly remembers working with and learning from Ms. Tan as well: “I had a discussion with her because I had started doing M1 [Band] and I realized that the kids didn’t really learn rhythm and couldn’t grasp the way I was teaching rhythm in the standard approach. So I went to ask her about it and she went out of her way to explain to me the hows and whys of what they do in Junior School when they teach rhythm. Then she agreed to begin teaching rhythm to kids at a younger age in the Middle School style to make my life easier. Here’s a lady who kept my interests and the students’ interests first, and her methodology second.” T2 student Matt Leichman, a former student of Ms. Tan, described the impact she had on his pursuits: “When we were in J2, we had this play about Native Americans and I was not interested in performance, but I remember she wanted me to play the main character. No one had ever given me the opportunity to do something like that before. Almost a decade later, I’m about to go into HL theater arts. She saw something in me that nobody else had before. A couple years ago I was very paranoid about my singing voice for an audition. She was so kind that she didn’t care that she was going through chemo at the time. She was so concerned that I was nervous about a singing rehearsal. I guess that just speaks to her as a person, to how selfless she was when it came to all that.” Ms. Tan will be remembered fondly by all who she worked with during her time at UNIS, and the unique emphasis she placed on the student experience in her teaching methods will certainly have longlasting impacts on her former students. In Memory of Maureen Overall On January 21, 2016, former UNIS teacher Maureen Overall passed away in Potters Bar, England. She died from the complications of multiple myeloma. She taught in the Junior School, Middle School, and Tut House from 1983 until 2007. Her life was remembered celebrated by members of the UNIS community at the Water Club in February. 3 “The Great Teacher Inspires:” In Memory of Madame Elizabeth Hough Melina Nelson, T2 On February 24, 2016, the UNIS community was saddened to receive word of the passing of Madame Elizabeth Hough, who taught French and Spanish at UNIS Queens. Madame Hough was born in the south of France, in a village named Rousset, which is located between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. She began her teaching career at UNIS nearly twenty years ago. For many of those years, she taught French at the Standard and Mother Tongue levels exclusively; however, in the late 1990s, UNIS introduced a similar Spanish program, which Mme. Hough, because of her expertise in Spanish as a result of her previous residencies in Spain and South America, began to mentor. Throughout these latter years at UNIS, Mme. Hough was the organizer of the annual Hispanic Lunch (for which her students prepared traditional cuisine from representative countries throughout the Hispanic world). In addition, she was widely known for the annual trips to the MoMa that she organized for her J2 students. It was my J2 trip with Mme. Hough, eight years ago, that provided the basis of my most distinctive memory of her: when following the completion of the Impressionist unit in French class, I first encountered my favorite variation of Monet’s Water Lily series: Reflection of Clouds on the Water-Lily Pond. Mme. Hough approached me privately then, gently asking, “Tu l’aimes, Melina?” (Do you like it, Melina?) She then took the time to explain the painting to me. Years later, while in Paris, I was reminded of that special moment while visiting Musee L’Orange and seeing the Monet collection housed there. Following the news of her passing, several former UNIS Queens students took the opportunity to commemorate Mme. Hough and share similar stories of the impact she had on their lives. “I will always remember Mme. Hough as a passionate, hardworking, and committed teacher,” remarked T2 student Chloe Kandel-Wong, who is a former student of UNIS Queens. “She was driven by a desire to give onehundred percent effort to teaching, and contributed majorly to the advancement of her students.” Mme. Hough had a unique way of communicating with her students, which reflected her passion for teaching, and she approached language class in a hands-on manner that encouraged children to see the study of language not just as an exercise in communication, but also as an exploration of a unique culture. T2 student Holly Jenvey also emphasized Mme. Hough’s inspiring teaching: “I think that part of the reason Mme. Hough was a great teacher and an influential figure was because her devotion to her profession was evident, and, when this is apparent to students, it inspires them to take the class seriously. Because of her great teaching, [Mme. Hough] contributed to my language education, and she’s one of the reasons that I am still interested in French today.” Holly also shared that she will never forget the songs and videos Mme. Hough introduced in her lessons, as well as the delectable churros she prepared for her Spanish classes. Madame Hough’s enthusiasm for education and professionalism as a teacher left a permanent mark on the lives of her students, for whom she was, and continues to be, an inspirational figure. As these few testimonials suggest, she will be remembered as a devoted mentor by the hundreds of students she touched within the UNIS community. “We are grateful to Madame Hough for her commitment to her students, her hard work, her creativity and the great care and support she gave her colleagues,” commented Dr. Judith Honor, the Principal of UNIS Queens. A memorial service will be held at the campus in April. This will be an opportunity to honor Madame Hough for her extraordinary contributions to UNIS Queens, and to the school as a whole. Features 4 T3 Student Trio Launches a Semi-Professional Musical Career Larissa Morimoto, T3 Thursday mornings are consistently chaotic in the UNIS library: middle schoolers colonize the secondtier and high schoolers crowd around the wooden tables, while Mr. Dutilloy tries his best to keep everybody sane. It was there that I had scheduled an interview with Teymur Guliyev and Benjamin Rosow. Along with Preston Gross, these T3 EL17ES form a trio of amateur musicians. While they admit to being married to the game of basketball, they have ironically dubbed themselves the “Inter-racial Bachelors” (BCHLRS). Guliyev, Rosow, and Gross have always been “homies,” but it was The Rise of DJ Khaled Drew Hill, T3 “Bless up,” “the key to success,” and “don’t play yourself” are three terms that have come into the vernacular of millennials all around the world, due to the popularization of DJ Khaled’s Snapchat stories. DJ Khaled first gained fame in the hip-hop genre through urban anthems such as “All I Do is Win” and “I’m So Hood;” however, through his Snapchat, he has become a pop-culture icon. Through his stories, millions of people worldwide have been warned to stay away from “they” (whose identity has not yet been revealed), and to “stay focused and grind,” because “it costs money to eat.” The story began on October 1, 2015, when DJ Khaled (real name, Khaled bin Abdul Khaled) tweeted his snapchat handle and said, “follow me on snapchat djkhaled305. I just let a snap go [crown emoji].” After that, his snaps spread like wildfire. Through Snapchat, one can send photos or tensecond videos that appear temporarily on another person’s device. DJ Khaled’s video stories, which are available to anyone who has him as a friend on the app, have inspired memes, imitations and inside jokes that seem to have spanned the Internet. While his antics can be categorized as entertaining, and possibly inspirational, his most notable pieces of wisdom have been his many “keys to success,” which include frequent massages, water, and the greatest possible number of pillows. Apart from his undeviating philosophies, another quality of Khaled’s, which seems to have made his Snapchats a viral hit, is his consistency and devotion to Snapchat and his fans. Evidence of this is an instance in midDecember--which one can certainly consider the climax of DJ Khaled’s snapchat career--in which he gets lost at sea while on a jetski, and records the whole experience for his fans to see. The experience was so great for the fans because it was so innocent on the part of Khaled; he actually thought only at IMG’s Basketball Camp during the summer of 2015 that they started making music together. Over a span of weeks they produced beats, wrote lyrics, recorded, and uploaded three tracks to an online audio distribution platform known as SoundCloud. Despite releasing their music on a global scale, they chose not to publicize it to their friends. On September 14, 2015, T4 student Matthew Bernstein posted a link to his Facebook timeline that enabled his 600+ acquaintances to hear an original song by the BCHLRS called “Halal Cart.” Matthew’s post received over thirty likes, and so the onceunknown artists gained popularity. Weeks later, “Halal Cart” was played at the first Student Council-sponsored dance of the academic year. T3 student Marta Kjorven was one of many students at the dance, shouting along to the catchy lyrics of the song. She said that it made her “feel hype” because of its “nice beat drop.” Furthermore, she confessed that “it was the only song [she] danced to.” Guliyev was not surprised by the positive feedback the trio received: “Everyone loves a song that they can that it would be best for us to see his experience while he was lost at sea. This tragic excursion which many people credit as the start of his Internet virality happened when he simply got lost in a Miamian ocean and decided to take his fans with him on the whole ride. Thankfully he managed to find his way back home in the dark tides of Florida, but the whole journey was hilarious nonetheless as people laughed both with and at his online innocence. In the beginning his Snapchat was just that: innocent. It was as if Khaled was in a bubble of his own where he was not aware of the fame and popularity that he had garnered through his social media activity. Nevertheless, like many cases in the past, Khaled’s Snapchat has been commodified and, to some, even ruined. At the height of the fame, Khaled seemed to have been aware of the popularity which he had amassed and thus possibly became pressured to produce what he had excellently produced before; however, in doing this, he lost the innocence that his snaps previously maintained. His stories dance to, so that’s really what we’re aiming to do.” Rosow believes that the success of the song is mostly attributable to the fact that “people have never heard a song about Halal food.” Rosow added that this song is a tribute to Rafiki’s [Food Cart] specifically because “the guys over there do some nice portions.” Food appears to be a recurring topic in their music: “Seantoodle” is another single by the BCHLRS and expresses their love for Chipotle Mexican Grill. With “Halal Cart” receiving over 800 plays, Teymur would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have shown support for the group. Devotees of the boy-band can even be seen sporting pink and grey ‘BCHLRS’ logos pasted on the back of their phones. Unfortunately, with the desire to fulfill a [#i]promise[16] of triumphing in the Boys Varsity Basketball league, it has been hard for the trio to produce new content. Nevertheless, Ben advises fans to “stay on the lookout for the next single.” After all, everybody loves good music. Left: The BCHLRS. Photo By: Larissa Morimoto, T3 became longer, and he included more product placement for companies like Ciroc and his own “We The Best” merchandise. An early fan of Khaled’s Snapchat, T3 student Erik Ryan, says of the current Snapchat stories that “he became self aware and that made it boring and forced. Part of the original appeal was that he didn’t know he was such a hit.” Other early fans, like T3 student Michael Gross, have described his current stories as “really old, repetitive, and commercialized.” Therefore, it seems as if Khaled has fallen into the Internet’s trap of quality temporality, meaning that he has played a part in the ongoing trope of concepts which have reached peak fame online and after being commercialized and exploited, they lose what made them great; they lose their identity in internet culture. Although his snaps may appear to have lost their original quality, his fame is only growing. DJ Khaled is definitely on the “pathway to more success,” and all we can do is ride with him. Teacher Spotlight: Mr. David Cisek Holly Jenvey, T2 For the past 24 years, Mr. David Cisek has been teaching English classes at UNIS. He teaches IB Literature, IB Literature and Performance, IB Theatre and, up until this year, T2 Drama. At the end of the year, Mr. Cisek will say farewell to the school. HJ: Give a quick overview of your job. DC: A quick overview of my job entails teaching to the kid I was at this age because there were a lot of things I didn’t get. It wasn’t until college where I got deeper into literature and decided I wanted to teach. UNIS, the IB is a very good course. It’s comprehensive, it’s expansive, and it’s something more than what I got from my high school. HJ: When you move on, what are you planning to do? DC: I’m going to go back to Tai Chi. I used to do Tai Chi when I was in Australia. I used to do it every weekend, and sometimes twice a week. I truly loved it because I could feel in touch with myself. It’s almost like a dance. It was very refreshing. I didn’t appreciate Tai Chi as much when I was younger as I do now. HJ: What were you doing before you started teaching at UNIS? DC: I had been teaching for eighteen years before I came to UNIS. I spent twelve of those years in Australia before I came to UNIS, but I have done a lot of theatre work as well, both in and out of school. HJ: Can you tell us something that we don’t know about you? DC: One thing that plays a very important part in my life is theatre. The fact that I’m teaching IB Literature and Performance gives a sense that the IB finally caught up with me in a deeper way. Performance is always an aspect of the way I teach, and this concept has HJ: How has working at UNIS made an been with me since the start. impact on you? DC: UNIS was a great place to land. I HJ: What will you miss most about didn’t imagine there was a school like UNIS? this, but for one thing, I learned about DC: I think I’ll miss the autonomy that the IB. Having sent my daughter through it gave me on a daily basis. David Cisek, UNIS IB English/Theater teacher, is leaving after a long run. Photo By: Holly Jenvey, T2 Features and opinion A Call for All-Gender Restrooms in the UNIS Tut House Roxanne Tahon, T3, and Juan Lozano, T2 Gender has always been a widely discussed subject in our society. However, conversations about its barriers and its role have become much more common in the past few years, with transgender stars like Laverne Cox or Caitlyn Jenner making it big in mainstream media and many other celebrities opening up about the fluidity of their gender identity, like former Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus. Terms like ‘gender fluidity’ and ‘gender neutrality’ have surfaced, with gender identity becoming a big issue for civil rights activists everywhere. The term ‘transgender’ has been recently redefined as an umbrella term for anyone whose gender identity differs from whatever sex they were assigned at birth, meaning the person in question might identify as male though assigned female at birth, and vice versa; however, there are also those who identify as ‘genderfluid,’ ‘gender neutral,’ or another nonbinary term, meaning that they don’t identify with either binary gender, but rather a mixture of both, neither, or something in between. UNIS takes pride in being a school that works to accept everyone regardless of sexuality, race, ethnicity, or gender. That’s why, along with these new conversations about gender identity, questions about how trans and gender nonconforming folks are treated and acknowledged at UNIS have arisen. In particular, the debate over installing all-gender bathrooms is one that has arisen and that is also sweeping many high schools and universities across the nation. Many institutions, such as Vassar College, Miraloma Elementary School in California, and Northwestern University have already gone through with the installations, mainly to create a more inclusive and diverse environment where transgender and gender nonconforming students can feel comfortable and safe. The question is whether UNIS should follow them and install a few all-gender bathrooms as well. The main reasons all-gender bathrooms are being installed across the country is that they provide transgender and gender nonconforming students with a comfortable and safe space. Closeted trans and gender nonconforming students have to struggle with public bathrooms every day. They either avoid using bathrooms as best they can or are forced to use one that doesn’t fit with their gender. When places like bathrooms and changing rooms are gendered, it turns everyday things like urinating or hand-washing into challenges. That’s why all-gender bathrooms are an urgent necessity. Trans students exist, and that is an undeniable fact. Accommodating their most basic needs is nothing more than acknowledging them as human beings with rights. “These bathrooms are important because they provide a safe environment for people who don’t identify as either binary gender,” said T1 student Ariadne Smith. “I would definitely use them, because I feel uncomfortable in a girls’ bathroom and I also feel uncomfortable in a boys’ bathroom; and I don’t think that it’d be detrimental to have neutral bathrooms because anyone could use them, technically, because they’re not actually for a specific sex.” When asked if they felt safe and included at UNIS, Smith said: “For the most part. I feel like the only thing that would reduce the safety is lack of acceptance from my peers, and I’ve made friends, so I feel like I’m not unsafe.” Regarding the introduction of these bathrooms into UNIS, Smith stated that they “would feel mainly concerned for the people who disagree with employing these bathrooms because [they] wouldn’t really understand why you would disagree, because if you don’t want to use them you don’t have to; but if they’re there they help other people, so [they] wouldn’t assume that they would cause any problems for anyone else.” The SAGA (Sexuality and Gen- Does Computer-Mediated Communication Affect Teen Literacy? Melina Nelson, T2 As technology advances, new methods of communication are brought to light, igniting ongoing debates as to whether or not computer-mediated communication (CMC) is imposing detrimental effects on the literacy skills of adolescents. Cyber slang is a term used to describe the shortcuts, alternative words, and symbols that are often present in computer-mediated communication. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and cyber slang emerged shortly after the launch of the World Wide Web in 1990. Because of the increasing popularity of online messaging programs and websites, students have begun to find linguistic originality lies solely in the use of slang, therefore encouraging them to disobey the standard rules of punctuation and spelling for the purpose of continuing a trend. Due to the fact that CMC is used on a daily basis, cyber slang has become a linguistic convention-of-sorts for the younger generation. Additionally, this form of language (slang) is now used beyond technological communication, and abbreviations like TBH (to be honest) are often incorporated into the everyday speech of adolescents. Cyber slang can even venture into student writing, which requires more formal standard English, due to the fact that young people are unable to distinguish when it is acceptable to use informal language. As a result, the quality of student writing decreases, allowing for more spelling and grammatical error, in addition to poor vocabulary. Nevertheless, it is essential to question: has CMC actually put our language at risk? T2 student Chloe Kandel Wong answers the question, stating: “Personally, CMC does not affect my writing, because I was taught to write with formal language before I started using some of the popular slangs; but nowadays, younger generations are learning slang before they develop good writing skills, which is different. So ultimately, I think it really depends on the person, because if they have 5 der Awareness) club at UNIS works to start discussions about issues pertaining to sexuality and gender and to provide a safe space for LGBTQ students. In late November 2015, co-presidents Oriana Ullman and Aysu Ingrid Haker sent out a survey to the entire Tut House student body to gauge student support for allgender bathrooms in the Tut House. “The response was actually pretty positive--about 70 percent [of students] said that they supported it, 11 percent said that they weren’t sure and needed more information, and then there were about 20 percent who opposed the idea,” said Ullman. “But overall, those are pretty good numbers, and we’re hoping that the administration will have a positive response. We’re pretty optimistic!” Though the results do appear to be promising, the 20 percent who voted no are still a relatively large fraction of the student body, which could pose a problem when discussing whether to introduce them into our community. Using an all-gender bathroom doesn’t strip one of their gender identity if they happen not to be trans or nonbinary, it just creates a safer space for those who are. However, it is possible that some-if not most--of the people who voted no did so because of cultural, religious or ideological issues, in which case it would be harder to please everyone’s interests. Some people might think that all-gender bathrooms would create an unsafe environment, as some believe women and men should be strictly separated when it comes to hygiene, because dangerous situations, such as sexual assault, might spark from grouping everyone in the same place regardless of gender. However, there are many places outside of UNIS like the Parsons School of Design in Greenwich Village that have implemented these bathrooms, and they have proven to be completely safe and functional. Also, it’s important to further emphasize that the use of these bathrooms is entirely optional, and gendered bathrooms would still be available for everyone who wishes to continue using them. “We heard from multiple students who identify as either trans or nonbinary that there was a definite need for all-gender bathrooms in this school,” said Ullman, reiterating their importance for trans and gender nonconforming students. “The gendered bathrooms that we have now cause a lot of gender dysphoria and they generally suggest that trans and nonbinary students don’t exist at our school. We have started talking to people in Student Services, and with Mr. Lacey, who’s our advisor, and we’re actually going to start presenting to the administration very soon, so hopefully we’ll get the ball rolling.” When asked about any actions to incorporate gender neutral changing rooms at UNIS, Ullman said: “Obviously that’s something that needs to be addressed, but for right now we’re just going to deal with the gender neutral bathrooms, just because the locker rooms will require a lot more logistics and construction.” These bathrooms ultimately wouldn’t just benefit transgender and gender nonconforming students, but they would also have the potential to benefit the rest of the UNIS community. “I think it’s important to promote diversity of different possibilities of gender expression, just letting kids be able to explore their own identity in a safe place. School should be a place like that,” explained T3 student Holly Jin. An additional potential benefit of installing the bathrooms would be that students and staff would become more aware and educated about transgender issues and the gender spectrum. This would, in turn, begin to decrease any bigotry and prejudice against transgender people that exists at UNIS. UNIS already celebrates racial, religious, and ethnic diversity and emphasizes inclusion in its mission statement, so why not go a step further and start to discuss diversity in terms of gender identity? However trivial all-gender bathrooms may seem to cisgender people (those who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth), they are definitely a necessity in order to make marginalized transgender and nonbinary students feel comfortable at our school. been using, for example, ‘yea’ instead of ‘yes’ their entire life, then that can become a habit.” Today, texting, alongside other forms of CMC, has become another form of writing. In this regard, students should always consider the audience and occasion for which they are writing. When students use computer-mediated communication on social media sites or through text message, more often than not they are writing for an almost informal audience, which warrants the utilization of abbreviations and other components of cyber slang (in fact, computer-mediated communication can also be seen to encourage the younger generation to explore the English language through the use of acronyms, etc.). However, this does not necessarily guarantee that the language students use through CMC will be employed in school writing assignments, for which students revise and edit their work for a more formal audience. With the introduction of smartphones, cyber slang may have less relevance than before in that it is no longer necessary. In the early 2000s, “pay-as-you-go phones” were most commonly used. This phone limited the quantity of text one could send in a single message. If the limit was exceeded, the price for that text increased. Thus, abbreviations and contractions were frequently used to communicate to cut costs. Nowadays, with the popularization of smartphones and iPhones, there is no restriction to the amount of text we can put into a message. Furthermore, mobile phones now contain a feature entitled ‘autocorrect;’ this automatically corrects the spelling of a word, and, therefore, exposes errors that may have otherwise continued to appear in the student’s academic assignments. On one hand, it can be argued that computer-mediated communication and slang facilitate bad grammar and laziness and, consequently, hamper the writing abilities of adolescents; nevertheless, the benefits of CMC can be seen to outweigh the negative effects by encouraging the exploration of different forms of language - for instance, through the use of acronyms and abbreviations. Regardless of which argument is correct, it is important, in acknowledging the importance and popularity of technology and computermediated communication in modern society, to advise and guide students to adhere to the conventional use of expressing language when appropriate. Opinions and Editorials Third Parties in the 2016 Elections 6 his campaign site with Weebly. This lack of effort is rather shocking. The most notable of the Libertarian candidates is John McAfee, who is famous in the antivirus world. Closer to the mainstream, in the Republican Party, Rand Paul’s semi-libertarian campaign is grinding to a halt, evidenced by his failure to qualify for the January 14 GOP debate. It seems that the establishment has had enough of him, and that his total free-market-capitalist approach is not wanted by party leaders. The Constitution Party will announce its candidate this April in Salt Lake City, but the official party website does not reveal much other than that. Other sources report that there are three candidates running for Constitution Party nomination. These three candidates are all males, and one, J.R. Meyers, is the founder of the Alaska Constitution Party. Alaska has a long history of third parties, and has been the home of the Alaskan Independence Party since 1984. The Constitution Party, as the name suggests, claims that the Constitution is the only true way to an ideal government, and that their way is the only true way to interpret it. This comes with their ‘seven principles’ that include the ‘right to life’ and of course, states’ rights. Even further on the fringe, the more extreme parties seem to acknowledge their slim chances. Many would consider the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) to be a more extreme party, and while it does seem like a Marxist, modern socialist movement, it has not put forward a presidential candidate since 1984. Since then, it has endorsed the far more moderate, left-of-center Democratic candidates. True Communists will be disappointed to hear that an official endorsement from CPUSA for either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders is very likely. On a more local level, neither the Liberal Party of New York nor the Conservative Party of New York have announced any candidates or nominees, and both have yet to endorse any presidential candidates. So, do these candidates matter at all? Why should we care? An NBC/ Wall Street Journal poll found that more than 46% of American voters do not consider themselves to belong to either major party. With more and more Americans growing dissatisfied with the two traditional parties, and voters wanting a viable option that more accurately represents them, it is time to start considering third parties as a serious alternative. True democracy only exists when power comes from the people, and the people’s voice will not be heard when two 200-year-old parties continue to stay in power. Some of the campaigns of third-party candidates may not be the most professional; however, the mainstream media’s willful neglect of their existence demonstrates how awfully the system is rigged towards the same two existing and established parties. There Are 27 Amendments in the U.S. Constitution. What Should Be the 28th? and modernize it for the way we live now,” and this is the exact sentiment on which the 28th Amendment should be based. Abolish gerrymandering and arbitrary voter ID laws, and force our leaders to do their jobs and convince every American voter of his or her argument rather than allow them to restrict the ones that might disagree with them. Many states are addressing this issue in their own jurisdiction, but I believe that this is something that the US government should not leave for individual states to decide. A systemic disenfranchisement of this nature affects communities of color and underserved areas in swing states where many citizens are not informed of how detrimental these practices are to the future of our country. Matthias Heindl, T1 If a person from the twentieth century came to the future, a bit like Marty McFly in Back to the Future 2, there’d be a lot of things that they would be shocked about. One thing, however, that would cause no surprise to time travelers are the US presidential elections. Sure, someone from the 1980s or 90s might be confused by Donald Trump’s involvement in politics, or the fact that Bill Clinton’s wife is now running for president. But fundamentally, the dynamic is exactly the same as it was 50 years ago: Democrats vs Republicans. This two-party system has got to change. While they may be relatively unknown, there are many presidential candidates in third parties like the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Constitution Party that provide an alternative to the would-be binary of Democrats and Republicans. The Green Party’s nominee, Jill Stein, is a familiar face to many US political enthusiasts. Stein was the Green nominee in 2012, and is once again focusing on renewable energy, ending poverty and inequality, and ensuring free healthcare and education for all. She is the most experienced candidate in the third-party field and has run for Governor of Massachusetts twice in the past, finishing third in a field of five in 2000. Many will dismiss her as being Boris Niyonzima, T4 On July 29th, 2015, Jim Rutenberg and The New York Times published an article, titled “A Dream Undone: Inside the 50-Year campaign to roll back the Voting Rights Act.” Essentially, this was a long-form piece that criticized how gerrymandering and voter ID laws were making it harder for the average voter to have a voice, and more specifically, the average poor African-American voter. One of the most important aspects of living in a democracy is the opportunity and freedom to vote. What is an MVP? Zach Weiss, T3 The Most Valuable Player award is one that players in all team sports work towards. It symbolizes a recognition of a discernibly superior level of effort, dedication, and significance to one’s team compared to all others on one’s respective team, league and entire sport. In the NFL, no position is more coveted than the quarterback, so it is fitting that the three leading candidates for this year’s MVP award were the three quarterbacks of arguably the three best teams in football: Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals. Each had a compelling case for being the most deserving of the award, and as a result, deciding between the three sparked a heated debate throughout the sports world. A large part of the difficulty in deciding the winner of the award is how to define the term “valuable” and how value and success are to be measured. This is difficult, however, because the definition of success too can be questioned, as one player’s statistics are greatly affected by the supporting cast a less experienced, more extreme version of Bernie Sanders. But that is exactly the problem. Obviously, the only reason Bernie Sanders is running as a Democrat is that he would never win an election running as an independent or under a third party like the Green. This is an incredibly clear example of how broken the electoral system is. Green politics, a common movement in Europe, can be described as similar to most modern liberal, left-wing political ideologies, but with an important focus on the environment. The Green Party USA and its predecessors have fielded a candidate since 1996, when Ralph Nader won 0.71% of general election votes. This percentage increased to 2.74% with Nader’s run in 2000. The Libertarian party has a total of eleven candidates running for party nomination. The party nominee will be chosen at the national party convention in May. According to the party’s website, these candidates have all filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) with the exception of Daryl Perry, who has chosen not to file “as a protest against the FEC, [claiming] that it lacks constitutional authority.” This typical Libertarian approach makes the whole election seem like a joke, and certainly does not help the Libertarian cause. One of the candidates, Cecil Ince of Missouri, hosts Since 1965, certain politicians have restricted districts because they believe it is a hard task to convince the American people of their side. It would be easier to just pick and choose who can vote for these politicians rather than allow for their arguments and policies to speak for them. On the other hand, people like Henry Frye, the first black Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, sworn in 1999, have fought for easier access to voting. He is highlighted in The New York Times article as a person who worked with hundreds of legislators to build on with which he performs. The typical individual statistics by which players are primarily evaluated are important in terms of showing the raw achievement of the player. However, how does one compare the achievements of one spectacular player on a perennially losing team to the achievements of a player on a very successful team that comprises more talented and reliable supporting players? Brady, a perennial candidate for MVP and one of the most successful and statistically prominent quarterbacks in the history of football, once again had an unbelievable season. Despite suffering from a slew of injuries throughout the season on both offense and defense, the Patriots finished with an impressive 12-4 record and were propelled by masterful performances from Brady. Nobody has played with more offensive line combinations since the beginning of the season than Brady, partially due to this top three receivers (wideouts Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, and tight end Rob Gronkowski) getting injured during the season. Nonetheless, Brady led the league in total passing yards, passing yards per game, and touchdowns, all while tying the league low of interceptions among quarterbacks who started the promise of the Voting Rights Act. Policies as simple as asking people to register at the Department of Motor Vehicles, to register and vote on the same day, to vote weeks before Election Day, not only make it easier to vote but encourage it. Thanks to all this, for the first time in history, in 2008, black turnout was nearly equal to white turnout and Barack Obama was elected as the first black president. When we choose to make it easier for all of us to vote, we make history. In his final State of the Union address, Barack Obama said, “we’ve got to make voting easier, not harder, Boys Varsity Soccer league MVP, Takahiro Origuchi (right). Photo By: Alba Saco, T4, and Sachi Depardon, T4 every game of the season. Palmer, the least flashy of the three candidates, had a season defined by consistency. He led the league in total QBR (quarterback rating), which calculates all aspects of a quarterback’s play, and helped the Cardinals achieve a 13-3 record, second only to the Panthers’ 15-1 record. While his team was significantly healthier than the Panthers and the Patriots, his accomplishments are not to be discounted. He and Brady both had 12 games with over 270 passContinued on page 8 Arts and Culture Bowie Dead, But His Legacy, Both Musical and Cultural, Remains Eternal Timothy Lin, T2 In 1972, David Bowie marched onstage with red hair, bright, colorful makeup, and a psychedelic jumpsuit as Ziggy Stardust, his fantastical alter-ego. As Ziggy, he dominated the stage with his shocking presence and over-the-top theatrics. Here he had begun to pioneer glam rock: a new, showy style of music equal parts rock and roll as it was a feast for the eyes, immediately captivating audiences around the world with an unprecedented combination of musical showmanship and otherworldly appearances. Yes, Bowie’s costumes were androgynous; yes, he was openly bisexual; and yes, he conflicted with the traditional values of the time, but he was an absolute rock star. A cultural icon was born. “Bowie’s style was popular because he came in a time where everybody started to reject the societal norms of the time and strove to be different,” reflected T2 student John Bunning, music enthusiast and vice-president of the Sexuality and Gender Awareness Club (SAGA). “Bowie was probably the antithesis of “normal;” he was able to pioneer a very different and captivating style of public image and music that would influence future and contemporary bands.” Bowie was one of the most unique rock stars in that he always stayed fresh and innovative. While contemporary superstars such as Boston and the Eagles devoted themselves to one style of music and often became typecast into that particular genre, Bowie’s style constantly evolved and went wherever the musical trends of the time dictated. The chilling, spacey vibe and folk-inspired chords of Space Oddity (1969) resonated with audiences excited by the new prospects of space exploration, whereas Let’s Dance (1983) offered a groovy, danceable beat that appealed to the disco crowd of the early 1980s. Yet one thing always remained constant throughout his five-decade long artistic career: his eccentricity. Indeed, despite his perennial popularity, Book Review: Six of Crows Laura Dutilloy, T2 Who hasn’t enjoyed a good heist story at least once in their life? Placed in the same universe as the Grisha trilogy, which is another series of books by the same author, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is very similar, only with an added magical element. The story follows seventeen year-old Kaz Brekker, a criminal prodigy with a devastating past, and the crew he assembles to break into the most secure fortress in their universe. The crew consists of six misfit characters whom the reader can fall in love with throughout the book, thanks to the author’s well-written description of them. You have Kaz, the reclusive David Bowie was anything but normal. Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, and all his other characters continually pushed the boundaries of normalcy at the time, never giving in to the pressures of society. His lyrics reflected his thoughts on controversial issues such as nonbinary genders and social alienation: themes not often discussed at the time. Rebel Rebel (1974) examined gender confusion among youth behind a catchy rockand-roll riff: “You’ve got your mother in a whirl / She’s not sure if you’re a boy or a girl,” while Fame (1975) explored the isolating and superficializing effects of fame and excessive publicity behind funky rhythms: “Fame, puts you there where things are hollow / Fame, it’s not your brain, it’s just the flame / That burns your change to keep you insane.” It was the combination of Bowie’s lyrics, his larger-than-life persona but perhaps most importantly, his music, an agreeable link between people of all walks of life, that made him a star. And his stardom gave individuals who struggled with their own identity a mainstream outlet of understanding and acceptance. “Bowie has always been seen as a big figure in the LGBTQ community; he came out as bisexual in the mid-1970s. His lyrics helped other people find solace and help people feel like they weren’t outsiders,” Bunning continues. “He was a huge figure in the music industry, yet he was telling people that ‘it was OK to be different,’ which definitely resonated with the youth of the ‘60s and ‘70s.” And now, in 2016, Bowie shocked us for the last time. David Bowie passed away on January 10 of liver cancer in his New York apartment. His death will be mourned not only by music enthusiasts, but by everyone whose lives he affected through his career. And since much of today’s culture, in music, fashion, and in style, was shaped by Bowie, that should be a pretty large number. Suggested listening: Space Oddity (1969) The Man Who Sold the World (1970) Changes (1971) Ziggy Stardust (1972) Suffragette City (1972) Rebel, Rebel (1974) Fame (1975) Under Pressure feat. Queen (1981) Let’s Dance (1983) Blackstar (2016) mastermind; Inej, nicknamed “the Wraith” who is the best thief around town; Nina, the loving witch; Matthias, the burly convicted ex-soldier; Jesper, the charming sharpshooter; and Wylan, the innocent duke’s son who specializes in explosives. These six characters have a bond created through insurmountable tasks and charismatic traits that makes you feel all the pain and hardships they go through, and rejoice when things go well for them. The reader can relate to their grounded and diverse personalities, and even though they are in a world of magic and criminals, these characters may remind the reader of their own friends. The heist itself is a whirlwind ride, filled with action and many ups-and-downs. The reader has no idea what the final outcome will be. As a story full of romance, intrigue and surprise, it leaves the reader to await the next book in the series eagerly. To suggest a film, album, or book for review, contact Arts & Culture: [email protected] 7 Music Review: Are You Satisfied? Slaves’ album Are You Satisfied? Photo By: Aysu Ingrid Haker, T3 By Aysu Ingrid Haker, T3 Some might argue that their name is controversial, but Slaves certainly caught my attention with their debut album Are You Satisfied? With their raw sound, this Kent duo deliver high energy riffs and solid beats all whilst conveying strong messages through meaningful lyrics. Slaves successfully manage to bring back the lost essence of 1970s punk rock. Are You Satisfied? caters to those who appreciate real rock ‘n’ roll music. A sneaky guitar riff gently lures the listener into what the album is about to offer. The Hunter’s simple yet powerful lyrics express a common anger and dissatisfaction without making them sound like some sort of 1990s emo punk band, “So stand up and speak out/ See that your needs are met.” Consequently, you are suddenly introduced to the power of the drums which enter with a strong bang, almost resembling a “drop” in EDM, essentially bringing together the three parts of the song. Ask a run-of-the-mill mother what punk rock sounds like and she might mention something along the lines of Cheer Up London, the group’s Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lea Chambadal, T1 The expectations were extremely high for the most recent and seventh installment of the Star Wars franchise, The Force Awakens. Crowds gathered around, and the lines to buy tickets were very long. But did the movie live up to expectations? The prequels that were released in the early 2000s were a disappointment for the most part; this is one of the reasons why this movie was so highly anticipated. This movie was not a disappointment; in fact, this action-packed movie was the second most popular feature film released in 2015, after The Revenant. It was also the most successful movie of 2015 and sold around $907,431,461 in tickets in the box office, according to the Box Office Mojo. The Force Awakens takes place three full decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire. A troubled Stormtrooper who would like to separate himself from the First first single. Introduced with evil cackling, it is direct and strongly delivered with a raw, almost ugly sound and repetitive lyrics. “It wasn’t her fault / she made sugar taste like salt” are the opening lyrics to the heavily guitar riff-driven Sockets, which is probably the heaviest and strongest sound on the entire album. With its simple 1-2 drumming from Isaac Holmen, lead vocalist and drummer, the song’s emphasis is instantly focused on the harshness of the guitar almost resembling the guitar on Iggy and The Stooges’ Search and Destroy. This song also features a guitar solo, unlike the other songs on the album. Other notable songs on the album include Despair and Traffic, Hey, and Feed the Mantaray. In an interview with NME, Slaves said that they believe they “are exactly what this generation needs,” and I couldn’t agree more. Their raw, punk sound and lyrics express the struggle that many of today’s hardworking youth feel but cannot express for themselves. I can’t wait to see how these two musicians progress in the future. Order tries to escape with a captured enemy from the Resistance. We learn later on that this captured enemy is Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), who is on a mission to find BB-8, a loyal and adorable droid unit who holds a map leading to Luke Skywalker. They later meet Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who are fighting against their son, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who has turned to the dark side. Working together, Han Solo, Poe Dameron and Rey (Daisy Ridley) fight against the First Order, which has a mysterious secret weapon. All in all, this movie surpassed expectations, and although not nearly as thrilling as the original three movies, it did impress the crowds in terms of action, plot and special effects. The acting was also very well-received, as the producer cast many actors from the original cast, such as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Peter Mayhew, as well as some new actors, such as Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, and Oscar Isaac. This mix of old and new made this movie have a nostalgic feeling of “déjàvu” brought together with a modern aspect of new up-and-coming actors, such as Oscar Isaac, who is starring in X Men: Apocalypse this year. Sports 8 The Girls Varsity Basketball team. Photo By: Unathi Magubane, T3 What Is an MVP? (continued from page 6) ing yards; however, Palmer actually has the most games passing over 300 yards of the three, with nine to Brady’s seven and Newton’s two. Even more impressive is that Palmer was taken out of the game early in the week five game against the Detroit Lions as a result of an ensuing blowout win, which could have potentially made his stats even more impressive. Additionally, while the Cardinals did have a few blowout wins, Palmer’s forte was succeeding in more intense scenarios: come-frombehind wins. Palmer led the league in game-winning drives, with the highest passer rating of the three candidates when behind in games. Newton, the most spectacular of the three, was the consensus favorite for the award due to his team’s continuous success throughout the season and Not a Party in Rio de Janeiro? Claudia Amadeo, T3 Two years ago, the world experienced fourteen thrilling days of Olympic games in Sochi, Russia. Skiers, skaters, hockey players, and more all gathered in the snowy city, competing to achieve one of the most coveted accomplishments in all of sports: the gold medal. Now, the attention of the sporting world has shifted in focus, and temperature, to Brazil. After an exhilarating yet controversial 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the country is now hosting another major athletic event: the 2016 Summer Olympics. In August, fans, supporters, and athletes will all be boarding flights to arrive in the famed city of Rio de Janeiro. Although Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches will be overrun with tourists and athletes, the city is thrilled to host the his defining role in orchestrating their fifteen victories. Yet of the three he was only the best in two primary categories: rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, stats by which quarterbacks are usually not largely graded. However, this ability to run is what made Newton’s season so remarkable. Not only did Newton lead his team to incredible success in 2015 after a 2014 season in which they barely limped into the playoffs despite an extremely weak division, he did so without his go-to receiver from the previous year: Kelvin Benjamin, who tore his ACL in the preseason. Despite this injury, Newton threw the second most amount of passes for touchdowns in the league, a large number of which went to Ted Ginn Jr., who prior to this season had been no more than an average kick returner. His heightened passing skills made his ability to run even more dangerous, and this versatility forced other teams to always be on edge and muted their ability to anticipate the plays he was going to run. These advanced performances, coupled with his leadership to transform a team that had been written off before the season started to the highest scoring offense in football by the season’s end, are not completely measurable by stats, but they certainly proved to be definitive, as Newton was ultimately named the league’s Most Valuable Player. T3 student Takahiro Origuchi, who won the MVP award in this season’s Boys Varsity Soccer league, agrees with the case for Newton, finding similarities between his season and that of the Panthers’ quarterback. “A reward is not something you earn by desiring fame or being fixated on the thought of getting a good reputation. It’s something you earn when you work your hardest to attain your goal,” said Takahiro. “Many people think that a player with the most goals, saves, or assists gets the MVP award. In other words, they only think about statistics. I earned the Most Valuable Player of the League award, not the Most Skillful Player of the League award. I may not have scored the most goals -- Gregory [Keh] did that. I may not have had the most assists -- Max [Neve] had that. But what I believe, or at least hope I did is to make a positive influence on every game I played and my team itself, on and off the field. That meant preparing myself for the game on the bus, not giving up under any circumstances, cheering players on to keep on fighting, and not losing my head during the game.” With players like Newton and Takahiro taking the field, the idea of a “Most Valuable” player takes on a meaning which supersedes numerical distinction. It allows us to evaluate athletes based on who they are as performers and who they are as people. much-anticipated Summer Olympics. During the seventeen days of the esteemed event, there will be 306 medal events for athletes that have devoted years of training and effort to compete in the Olympic Games. For golf and rugby fans, the upcoming event is very special, as golf is returning to the Olympics after fourteen years, and rugby is returning to the Olympics after 92 years. The best part about the Olympics is that you do not need to be a sports enthusiast to still enjoy the amazing experience. “Even though I don’t really like sports, I’m really excited for the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. I think it’s a good way of bringing people together, and I’m looking forward to watching it,” said T3 student Noelle Mahr, who excitedly awaits watching Japan, her home country, participate in the Games. Indeed, people from all over the world will be brought together to celebrate a mutual passion for sports and national pride. Known as Cidade Maravilhosa, or the Marvelous City, Rio is preparing to host over 10,000 athletes from 206 countries. The second-largest city in Brazil, it has been split up into four regions: Deodoro, Maracanã, Barra, and Copacabana. In these regions, beautiful stadiums, arenas, and courts have been built for the competing athletes. 45,000 volunteers, 85,000 outsourced staff, and 6,500 employees have all contributed to the planning of the event. Even though millions of people are looking forward to the Olympics, there are many who stand opposed to the locale and the facilitation of the event. Brazilians, and others around the world, are unhappy with the Brazilian government. Initially, when Brazil submitted a bid for the opportunity to host the Olympics, the country was thriving economically and socially. However, Brazil’s society and economy have significantly degenerated over the last decade, leaving the country in one of its worst economic situations in its history. The World Cup was supposed to bring in massive amounts of revenue to facilitate an economic rebound, but the cost of the construction of many of the soccer stadiums countered the influx of revenue, leaving the country just as economically unstable as before. Brazilians across the entire country are even protesting to impeach the President, Dilma Rousseff. Millions of Brazilians are harshly criticizing the government’s decision to spend money on the Olympics instead of focusing on issues with the economy, infrastructure, and social systems throughout Brazil. “Dilma is extremely focused on the appearance of the country at the international level, so she ignores the basic needs of the Brazilian population,” said T3 student Larissa Morimoto, who is half-Brazilian and agrees strongly with the protests. Ultimately, the Olympics will undoubtedly require Brazil to spend enormous amounts of money on the event, rather than focusing on the people of Brazil. But, one can hope that the Olympics will return economic and social benefits to the country as a whole. manage to stay positive, finding humor and inspiration in mishaps. In a recent 50-34 loss against Browning, the team collectively missed four free throws. Instead of allowing the mistake-riddled defeat to get to them, the team, Epstein says, took the loss as an opportunity to learn. “We were missing a couple of players so we didn’t blame one person for the loss. As a team, we actually discussed it [after the game], and what we should do in the future to improve.” With such a positive attitude, it is no wonder the team has such high expectations for themselves. “I predict that we’ll at least qualify for playoffs, and if we show that we want it by playing and working hard for each other, I could see us winning the championship,” Elder says. When asked about how realistic these aspirations were, he replied confidently, “With the kids we have on this team, I could see us achieving that.” The Junior Varsity team represents the future of UNIS basketball, as they will soon be taking on the roles of Varsity contributors. Given their maturity and growing success, it appears a bright future is ahead. Team Spotlight: Boys Junior Varsity Basketball Zach Weiss, T3 The Boys Junior Varsity Basketball team has gotten off to a good start to the season, ranking 4th in their league with a 6-4 record. A large part of their success has been team morale and team chemistry on and off the court, both of which are big points of emphasis for T2 co-captains Charles Elder and Soyer Epstein. In separate conversations with each of the two, both emphasized “communication on offense and Members of the Girls Junior Varsity Basketball team during a game against the Calhoun School. Photo By: Unathi Magubane, T3 defense” as keys to the team’s successes. “The ultimate goal of every team member is to bring another championship to UNIS,” said Epstein. The two went on to emphasize that they wished to improve their own personal skills as a means of improving their individual contributions to the team. The growth of these young players as team members on their road to success is to be specifically commended. Even in defeat the boys