The September 2015 lightningboltonline.com
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Volume 16, Issue 2 www.facebook.com/sagehillschool
Konnie Krislock
Universal message. Chris Disimile’s United States History class including (front row) Christina Acevedo, Henry Ficcadenti, Jafeth Orozco, (middle row) Bren O’Hill, Connor Jones, Abby McGuire, (back row) Paige Okey, Brett Jordan, Jack Dickinson, and Emma Ruck displays posters that reflect on the universal messages of Dreams in a Time of War.
A Dreamy Presentation Noted Author to Present at All-School Assembly Tomorrow By Kristin Saroyan
16saroyank.publications@gmail.com History students on campus know the story of Ngugi Wa Thiong’o well from their required reading and extensive class discussions, but every member of our community will come to know Thiong’o and his inspirational message during the assembly tomorrow which starts at 10:50 a.m. in the Peter V. Ueberroth Gymnasium. “I think it is always better to see an individual live to be able to interact on a more personal level with his or her ideas,” history teacher Frank Gonzales said. “Individuals can potentially give more well-rounded responses to questions you might not have until you’re actually
standing face to face with them and able to think of some interesting perspectives that do not necessarily come up just looking at a piece of paper.” A distinguished novelist and playwright, Thiong’o has taught at Yale University, New York University, Amherst College and currently holds a position as a Distinguished Professor of the Departments of Comparative Literature and English at the University of California, Irvine. He wrote the Sage Hill School Book in Common, Dreams in a Time of War, a memoir about his childhood in Kenya and the independence movement of the 1950s and 1960s. “I think it’s important to read Thiong’o’s story because his life is so different from our life here,” senior Natalie
Moshayedi said. “He offers a new mindset toward approaching life and studies despite living in a difficult time of war in his country.” “I think it’s important for students to read Dreams in a Time of War because Kenya is a poorly understood part of the world,” Gonzales said. “The more students know about a lot of different regions in Africa, the better they will be able to understand some of the challenges that the continent faces. You have to understand a problem before you can hope to do anything to help.“ Dreams in a Time of War emphasizes the values of storytelling, keeping your family close and taking advantage of your access to education. “I think it is possible to be very
disheartened by a lot of news. Now the refugee crisis is going on throughout the Middle East and Europe at this point. It is easy to focus on all the negative that is happening, but I think one of the great things about Dreams is that it also focuses on a lot of positive,” Gonzales said. “It is about hope as much as it is about the problems that were going on in Kenya in the past and the present. It is very important for people to look at not just everything that’s going bad but also what’s going right.” “I am really excited for Thiong’o’s presentation,” Moshayedi said. “I want to hear more about his perceptions and mindsets during his childhood that aren’t explained in the novel.”
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OPINION/EDITORIAL staff editorial
Leveling the Testing Field
Most of us can reluctantly agree that standardized testing is a necessary evil. College Board recently developed the New SAT, available to the Class of 2017 as of March 2016. This year’s seniors narrowly avoided new changes in the scoring, anatomy, timing, administration and content of the quintessential college-entrance exam. To begin with, test-makers removed the one-fourth-point penalty for incorrect answers to eliminate time-consuming risk-benefit analysis on every question. Students will once again score a maximum of 1600 on the New SAT instead of the current maximum of 2400. The traditional critical reading, math and writing sections will give way to an evidence-based reading and writing test, a math test and an optional 50-minute essay. New questions will offer four multiplechoice answers instead of five. Test-makers now strive to focus on in-depth analysis of content and evidence, reading skills, writing skills and problem solving. More importantly, they strive to level the historically irregular landscape of the standardized testing playing field. Sage Hill students, while not immune to the biases of standard-
ized tests such as the SAT and ACT, have advantages and opportunities not offered to all high school students across the nation. Sophomores and juniors take practice exams. Our classes actively develop the reading, writing and critical thinking skills necessary to score among the highest percentiles. Our average SAT score of 2016 and average ACT score of 30 reflect our unyielding aspiration to academic excellence. Many American students are not so fortunate to receive the appropriate test-prep support and education tailored to standardized success. In a 2013 College Board demographic information table, critical reading, mathematics and writing scores rise directly as family income rises. The scores of students with family incomes greater than $200,000 consistently score at least 95 points more than students with family incomes less than $40,000. Higher income means better public schools, private schools, standardized testing prep books, pricey tutors and score improvement programs. To combat the unfair advantages of disposable income, Khan Academy teamed up with College Board to offer free online New
16saroyank.publications@gmail.com
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SAT tutoring in the form of practice tests, interactive practice, short quizzes and instant feedback. New SAT test-makers also hope to shrink the statistical gender gap, as a 2013 gender mean scores table shows consistent male superiority in critical reading and mathematics scores. Research suggests that females solve problems differently than males, often working out problems to completion, contemplating potential alternative answers and checking their work. The gender gap lessens or even vanishes on tests without multiple choice and penalties because evidence shows that males are more likely to take risks and make educated guesses. New SAT proponents intend for the elimination of wrong answer penalties and the fifth multiple choice option as well as longer tests to normalize the scores among male and female students. Finally the 2013 Total Mean Scores by Ethnicity table shows that white and Asian people take the lead in SAT scores, followed by American Indians, Latin Americans and African Americans. In response to these records of a racial gap, the New SAT test-makers will no longer include vocabulary words of no particular value in
conversation or localized to a particular region or income range. With free online tutoring by Khan Academy, eliminated wrong answer penalties and continued efforts to write culturally intersectional questions, New SAT producers hope to equally consider the perspectives of all eager college applicants. But Khan Academy cannot provide a free online lifetime of quality education provided to students of higher income families. A lack of wrong answer penalties cannot justify our ingrained societal expectations of male and female capabilities and gender roles. Questions considerate of race and culture cannot account for all of our diversity and effectively equalize our opportunities for success. We must continue to reexamine and revise our methods of standardized testing as a nation until no particular person faces a steeper slope to a perfect score than another. We must treat standardized testing as a perpetual trial-and-error project to accompany changing cultures and attitudes and strive to provide equal opportunity. We can all agree that income, gender and racial bias are evil without necessity.
16prakashn.publications@gmail.com
FEATURE
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Redefining
Possible
A Humanitarian, Friend and Champion of Women and Children’s Rights to Education By Claire Dwyer
16dwyerc.publications@gmail.com Spencer West looks like a severely disabled man with no legs—not a cheerleader, a humanitarian, and a friend. When he lost both legs at 5, doctors told his parents that he would probably never be a functioning member of society. Now, he wants to prove them wrong. “The first two questions I always get from people are ‘what happened to your legs?’ and ‘how do you go to the bathroom?’ I assure you I go to the bathroom just like everyone else,” West told a room of a little over a half of the Sage Hill students who were supposed to be there with the ease of a full-statured man. He maneuvered his wheelchair skillfully and rose to the rhetorical height of the best speakers around. Despite feeling different, West still experienced the normal trials of teenage life. “In highschool, I felt the pressure to play a sport, because that’s what you did when you were a good student. I realized I couldn’t play basketball, so I became a cheerleader,” West said. “One day I heard this girl say, ‘What’s Spencer doing out there? That’s not a disabled team.’ I’m proud to announce that my team, Wyoming State Cheer, won #1 in the championships that year.” Through his choice to live his life with humor and passion, West is a great role model who reminds us that no matter the circumstances of life, our challenges are surmountable. “I was living in Phoenix. I had money, clothes, a car: all the things that you are supposed to have to be happy, but I wasn’t. I went to Kenya with this organization, Free the Children,” West said. “At first I thought it was crazy, because at my size I’m a snack to half of the animals in Kenya.We helped bring clean water to the schools so girls could go to school and also bring clean water home to their families, without walking two or three hours out of the way.” Sage Sophomore Capri Campeau was inspired by how “normal” West seemed. “He wasn’t someone you wanted to pity. He seemed more like someone you could have a conversation with,” Campeau said. “He used how he was different to help the world.” Through this experience, West realized that he could live his life in a way where he could reach out to and touch the lives of others. “One thing I was really struck by, is that when I got to the school in Kenya, all the kids were pointing and laughing and talking in a language I did not understand. Then this one girl said, in Swahili, ‘I didn’t know this sort of thing [referring
Nothing is insurmountable. Spencer West speaks to sophomores, juniors and seniors following the Sage Hillympics last week.
to West’s disability] could happen to white people, too’,” West said. When he got home, West decided to become a Toronto ambassador for social change, so he could have an even broader impact on the global community and especially the lives of youth. “I help organize this event called “We Day” where all the attendants have
done one local and one global action of service. I realized I wasn’t practicing what I preached, so I decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro,” West said. “My buddies carried me, when I got really tired. When they started throwing up, it was the one time I wished I had legs, because then I could carry them like they carried me. We eventually made it to the
top.” “We all can redefine possible.” At the end of his presentation, West addressed the diverse community of Sage Hill in an appeal for assistance. “I can’t do this alone,” West said. “We need your help. In the words of Dr. Seuss: today is your day, your mountain is waiting.”
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OUTREACH
A SHI[P] Su
Prologue By Tess Hezlep
16hezlept.publications@gmail.com
The Sage Hill Internship Program (SHIP) has been a unique amenity throughout the past years. Through SHIP, students are able to go outside their comfort zones and discover or pursue their passions in a work environment. “It is our hope that students may find a passion,” Gordon McNeill, Sage Hill president, said. “Equally as important, they may find what is not their passion.” Many students over the summer learned a lot about themselves and were often surprised by their new discoveries. Senior Isabel Shapiro found her career choices taking a different turn after her electrical engineering
Shining with the stars (right). Senior Amanda Ong posses with singer Susan Egan, the voice of Meg in the Disney movie Hercules, at the Gay Men’s Choir of Orange County Annual Gala.
internship. “I found out that I didn’t actually like electrical engineering,” she said. SHIP is so useful to students because it really forces students to self-reflect honestly, and this year SHIP has opportunities in store. “We know the amazing opportunities for exposure to a multitude of companies and work environments with Sage families,” Linda Sadeghi, head of The Lab, said. “We would participate in SHIP again. We love the youthful energy and questioning minds. We had 14 Sage students (and some graduates) this past summer.” “We give our students access to
more than 130 shadow/internship opportunities that are not available to any student outside of our school,” McNeill said. That’s the thing. SHIP is exclusive to Sage Hill only, and students have found how fortunate they are to have a program that helps prepare them for their future in such a hands-on, realistic manner. This year, Sage Hill is taking the online SHIP course to greater heights with more preparation and more extensive online course. “I feel it is important that anyone seeking employment is able to speak about their skill sets, experiences and attributes in a clear and concise manner that allows employers to quickly analyze if the applicant would be a good fit,” McNeill said. This year the program is expanding through an online course where students watch TED Talks about career possibilities and then draft a resume to present to the local business in which they plan to shadow or intern.
OUTREACH
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uccess Story
Chapter 1 By Celine Wang
16wangc.publications@gmail.com
Before the guests arrive (left). Senior Celing Wang poses with her coworker outside a Democratic Convention. Sage Hill Shadows on tour (Below). (from left to right) Juniors Jamie Daiyey, Stephanie Morris and Lynn Fong, Sage Hill President Gordon McNeil, senior Dana Shan, alumnus Liam Murphy, senior Steven Du, alumnus David Fan and sophomore Iman Amini join Amini Innovation Corporation founder and CEO Michael Amini during a shadow dat at Amini Innovation Corporation.
Over the summer, I had an amazing opportunity to intern for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in Los Angeles. Despite the email scandal and the media’s obsession with shattering her supposedly “weak” credibility, I’ve became a strong supporter of her over the year and could not wait to work for someone whom I believe in. Situated in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, just a few blocks from City Hall, Skid Row, Grand Central Market and Union Station, Hillary Clinton’s Southwest office is a tiny gem hidden in an artsy building between Little Tokyo and the Fashion District. I worked full time for a few weeks, commuting from Irvine to Los Angeles using the Amtrak (the commute itself has been quite an adventure, but that’s a story for a different time). A typical day of work basically went like this. I would come in to the office at around 9 a. m., and then I’d check in with my supervisor who gave me some tasks for the day. Occasionally, I’d conduct projects that would last for a few days. This may sound dry, but I can guarantee that each day was a new journey with unexpected surprises. Work consisted of everything from updating spreadsheets to planning fundraising events at celebrity homes. I never, in my life, expected to stuff Kimberly Kardashian West’s name tag for a Hillary Clinton event at Justin Bieber’s manager’s Brentwood home, or chat with billionaire philanthropists over the phone. Nor did I ever expect to volunteer at
a fundraising event in San Diego and see Hillary from 10 feet away. The whole experience was surreal, a sort of vision that I’ve always daydreamed about but never expected to achieve. Most importantly, however, this internship opened up my mind to the surreal world of politics and campaigns. Each day in the office was a new day of political chatter. My co-workers, all young and fresh-minded, would stay long hours working hard for a movement that they believe in. I was able to connect with people with a similar passion as mine throughout the summer, thus fueling my interest in government work. Aside from actually being able to work for a candidate, one who I feel strongly will make a great president, the internship also gave me a chance to create friendships and have adventures in Los Angeles. There were so many priceless moments that I will never forgot, from simply strolling around Little Tokyo with new friends to exploring new hole-in-the-wall restaurants during lunch breaks. This summer internship is something that I will hold onto my heart forever. It expanded my thoughts, shaped my opinions and opened my mind up to the political realm. It also has given me a sense of independence—whether it’s from taking the train by myself along the coast from San Diego to Los Angeles to enjoying a solo stroll to Union Station after work—which is something I will continue to carry with me. I guess I enjoyed the experience so much that I’m going back to work in January.
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SCHOOL LIFE
Bound for
Bonding Last Wednesday, sophomores, juniors and seniors, left behind by the freshmen who retreated to Big Bear, decided to have some fun of their own. “The retreat day was intended to bring students closer to others in the entire school,” Matthew Aghaian, student body president, said. “While the first half of the day focused on grade-level bonding, the second focused on school-wide bonding (through the Hillympics).” Student Council was responsible for planning the games, and “we worked hard in order to form four teams composed of students to from all grades that were present on campus, in addition to the creation of the event rules, locations, and teams,” Aghaian said. “Some of the competitions were hugely successful (Ping Pong and Super Smash Bros to name a few) and might even see a return later on this school year.”
Serious competition. (clockwise from top right) Sophomore co-chair Miles Wilson skates; seniors Rachel Jaffe and Komal Patel celebrate a victory; juniors Keng Zheng and Dominic Sadeghi duke it out; junior Elena Bonvicini tackles the climbing wall; sophomore Chloe Hoch aims for the target.
photos by Dillon Graveline, Kandis McGee, Sahar Emtiaz and Jackie nam
SPORTS
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Inspirational Touchdowns By Steven Du
16dus..publications@gmail.com Senior running back and linebacker Dejongh Henry has been a standout player for the Sage Hill Football team, contributing an impressive 5 touchdowns on 172 rushing yards, 22 solo tackles, and even an interception. Henry credits his success to his teammates in the field. “It would be impossible for me to get any yards without the offensive line and their blocks,” he explained. “The timing of every block has to be perfect. There has to be an attention to detail and I think the offensive line accomplishes this.” “I think Coach [Abram] Booty played a big role as well,” Henry continued. “Everyday coach compliments my work ethic even though I think everyone is working hard. He for some reason chooses to highlight how hard I work,” Henry said. “That just inspires me to work even harder and in games, I feel I want to prove him right and how hard work leads to results in games.” Henry seemed to take his coach’s words to heart. Throughout the season, there were many instances when Henry broke up tackles or dragged players trying to tackle him for extra yards or even touchdowns. “In a game and especially when I am close to the goal line, I ask myself what is stopping me from making it past the goal line,” he said. “If I am able to get those extra yards, that’s what I am going to do.” Henry also mentioned how despite this season being Coach Booty’s first year coaching Lightning football, the players have already formed a strong bond with him. “Coach Booty has been able to get us excited for each game by emphasizing how the willingness to exceed will produce results,” Henry said. “He inspires everyone to work harder.” “For the seniors, he inspires them to take charge and be leaders on and off the field. We are now acting more like an actual team instead of something divided by cliques.” Still there were setbacks that accompanied the change in coaching staff. “I personally feel there is nothing but an uphill battle from now because everyone is learning a bunch of new things,” Henry said. “After we master the new system and continue to work hard, I feel the team will be very successful by the end of the season.”
A Celebration Dejongh Henry is picked up by a teammate in the endzone after scoring a touchdown. Henry lead the Lightning to a win against Fairmont Prepatory Academy on Sept. 4.
FRESH FACES
De’Long and Francis Start Strong By Vale Lewis
17lewisv..publications@gmail.com Amiyah De’Long and Sydnee Francis joined the girls’ varsity volleyball team over the summer, becoming the only two freshmen on the team. Unlike some freshmen, De’Long and Francis don’t have to worry about making themselves known, as that is something that comes with being starting players on varsity volleyball. “A lot of people know who you are because of it. It’s really exciting,” Francis said. “People will just come up to us and say ‘You played really well,’ which is cool because you get to meet a lot of different people.” However, being a freshman playing on a team with older players comes with its own challenges. Both girls wished they played more but are looking forward to maximizing their opportunity to compete at the varsity level. In addition, off the court, De’Long and Francis still feel the pressure to succeed.
“The teachers also know you play, so they’ll talk to you about it, which adds extra pressure to do well,” Francis said. Senior captain Lina Aluzri had only good things to say about the freshmen. “They both work really hard and always give their all,” Aluzri said. “They have a lot of potential.” The whole team has welcomed De’Long and Francis with open arms, and the girls bonded on their trip to Yosemite National Park over the summer. “They’re all really nice and have been super welcoming,” De’Long said. “It’s really cool to have upperclassmen friends.” Both girls have the same goal for the end of the season. “I really want to make it to CIF. Being able to play my freshman year in a CIF game would be really cool,” Francis said. This season, Francis will be a starting middle blocker and De’Long will play two positions, outside hitter and opposite.
Ready to Spike Freshman Amiyah De’Long jumps to hit the ball at the first home game of the season.The Lightning played Santa Margarita Catholic High School, the number one team in Southern California on Sept. 15.
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BACKPAGE
...Won’t Be Stopping Anytime Soon By Julia Dupuis
17dupuisj.publications@gmail.com The cheers have started to fade, pride parades are coming to an end and the confetti has been swept up from the streets after another major turning point in LGBT history. Marking a historical shift in American society, the Supreme Court effectively enacted marriage equality on June 26, making the prevention of gay marriage a violation of the Constitution. For America, a country which has long prided itself on a legacy of equality, this was a decision that should have been made a long time ago. Marriage, besides being a basic human right, has become a highly symbolic part of our culture. The attainment of marriage equality represents much more than just the longawaited legal rights— it is a symbol for America finally explicitly embracing and celebrating LGBT individuals in the same way it recognizes straight individuals. Not only is it symbolic, but this new law allows LGBT partners to enjoy the same benefits and rights that come with marriage such as immigration status or health insurance. These aren’t just helpful benefits; they could potentially be lifealtering or even life-saving factors. Despite all of the strides that have been made towards total LGBT equality,
many still perpetuate the damaging myth that with this single step, the legalization of gay marriage is the end of all issues for the community, as if marriage equality translated into full equality. Nothing could be further from the truth. This façade of equality is a huge step for the community as a whole, but it does not negate the many battles to be won in order to achieve some semblance of true equality. While same-sex couples can legally marry in every state, people can still be fired for their sexual orientation in 29 states. In 32 states, people can be fired for their gender identity. Thirty-three states still allow the bullying and harassment of LGBT children at school. Amid the excitement, it is important to remember that many states still lack the workplace protections to keep LGBT individuals safe from discrimination when they exercise their constitutional rights to marry or even decide to be open about their sexuality. “There are many more issues to be addressed,” junior Casey Block reminds us. “The main one being recognition of transgender people in the LGBT community, because their rights have often been put on the back burner.” Trans women are among the most likely to be attacked or murdered, and the transgender community is far from attaining any form of societal acceptance.
Besides the danger of being fired for expressing their sexual orientation, leading to higher rates of poverty for LGBT individuals, they are more likely to be kept in solitary confinement when arrested. While it is explained as a ‘protection’ from the harassment of other inmates, solitary confinement comes with health risks, as extended periods of confinement alone has been likened to torture. Furthermore, transgender individuals are often placed in a holding facility of a gender other than that with which they associate themselves, leading to increased risk of rape, sexual assault and harassment. More than 40 percent of all homeless youth in this country are LGBT. Minors as well as adults face barriers to housing and healthcare, making it more and more difficult for them to stay above the poverty line. In many states, gay parents face many difficult obstacles or even a judge in court to be able to adopt, while, in Mississippi, gay adoption is completely illegal. While tremendous steps have been made for some aspects of the LGBT community, it’s far from over. Melissa Iglesias wholeheartedly agrees: “I feel like the fight will never be over for gay rights. The legalization of gay marriage does not solve all of the discrimination they are faced with today such as the recent news with [county recorder who refused gay marriage licenses] Kim Davis; this shows how some citizens refuse to ac-
knowledge how our society is changing.” A county clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis ended up facing prison time for refusing to hand out gay marriage licences, claiming it was against her religious beliefs. Despite all of the success in the struggle for LGBT equality, we can’t allow ourselves to cast aside the queer and trans people who fight every single day for the right to define themselves, to access appropriate healthcare and to live without harassment. This bubble of success in no way encompasses the struggles of LGBT individuals living in prisons or jails, the homeless shelters, the run down houses and apartment buildings, the corners of every major city. Marriage equality does not help them. The loss of momentum for gay rights after the marriage win could potentially harm them. So go ahead. Everybody who wants to get married, go get married. Throw a party, dance, have a great time. Join a parade, throw confetti in the air and cheer. Then let’s get up the next morning and keep on fighting. Yes, it may be a historical day for marriage equality. But the struggle for LGBT rights— for human rights—continues. And until every single member of the LGBT community has the same full rights and opportunities as every American citizen, we will not be stopping any time soon.