Sexual Assault Allegations against Governor Andrew Cuomo

Photo Credit: lev radin/shutterstock.com

By Allison Chabala

In recent months, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has faced several sexual harassment allegations, notably from employees from his office, including Alyssa McGrath. She is one of five current and former aides of Cuomo to accuse him of sexual harassment. Although disturbing, accusations of sexual misconduct among people in the government and people who wield immense influence in general is far from unprecedented.

McGrath elaborated her experiences with Gov. Cuomo, and shared reports of his behavior, which included remarks about her looks, as well as suggestive comments and nicknames. Contributions from other employees regarding their experiences suggest that this behavior is ubiquitous in the workplace.

According to a Siena College Research Institute survey of 801 New York voters that was cited in an article by The Wall Street Journal, 51% of participants said that Cuomo shouldn’t resign, while 35% responded with an opinion to the contrary. However, 57% of respondents said that they would not vote for him in the next election. Another reason that this latter statistic was not in Cuomo’s favor may be because he has already been the governor of New York since 2011, and although there is no limit in the State of New York as to how many terms a governor may serve, the citizens of New York may desire a new voice.

Additionally, another poll from Data for Progress of 484 New York voters showed that 58% of respondents expressed that Cuomo should resign. These two polls indicate the immense contentious nature of this topic.

Do Governor Cuomo’s actions justify the calls for his resignation?

According to The Nation, which calls for his resignation, over 120 lawmakers in the State of New York have called for his resignation. The Nation argues that Cuomo has abused his power multiple times, lost the trust of the citizens and the government, and states that his actions of incompetence have preceded the numerous claims of sexual harassment against him. 

In January, New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James, claimed that Cuomo had intentionally falsely reported the number of deaths due to COVID-19. In March of 2020, Cuomo enforced a policy that “ordered nursing homes to take back residents who had been discharged from hospitals after being treated for Covid-19,” according to The New York Times. The intention was to prevent hospitals from being overcrowded. However, at the time, the coronavirus death toll for nursing home patients in New York only included patients who died inside of the nursing home establishments. This led to an undercounting of coronavirus deaths of nursing home patients. A report that was later published by the Health Department stated that the undercounting was by about 50%.

Cuomo soon corrected the number, and attempted to justify his actions by saying that he was trying to avoid scrutiny of the Trump Administration. This is yet another example of the politicization of the coronavirus by political officials

Rolling out the Vaccine: Athenian Employees and Bay Area Residents Become Immunized

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/BaLL LunLa

By Noelle Woodward

As COVID-19 vaccines have begun to be consistently distributed in the surrounding community, many local Bay Area residents and Athenian faculty are left asking when they will receive the vaccine themselves, and how it will affect current safety protocols. 

California counties have begun the transition from phase 1A, which includes vaccinating health care workers and nursing home residents, to phase 1B. In addition to residents 65 and over, as well as certain essential workers and first responders, educators are now amongst those that are eligible to receive the vaccine.

While this means many Athenian faculty and teachers have begun to receive vaccinations already, the wait for students to be vaccinated will last at least through Summer 2021, likely causing current safety protocols to remain in place throughout the extent of the school year. 

For the Athenian school, this means continued use of “five principal areas: distancing, personal hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, medical screening, and ventilation assessment,” said Madeleine Rebullida, an industrial hygienist and health and safety consultant for the Athenian school. 

And while some risks may begin to alleviate as vaccinations are distributed, the most important COVID-19 dangers to combat include, “people being unmasked eating indoors, having unsupportive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, [and] people wearing their mask down below their nose,” said Rebullida. However, these risks can be easily avoided through masking, social distancing, and proper ventilation.

Until the state reaches herd immunity, (vaccinations for around 70-80 percent of the population), many of these guidelines, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, will remain in place throughout the state of California, as well. 

As well as state guidelines, numerous individuals experience the same desires to continue safety protocols even after vaccination as well. One participant in the Pfizer stage 3 vaccination trial, Jamie Jefferson, shared her hesitations: “I felt a huge amount of relief when I got the second vaccine. I felt like we were turning a corner. But I haven't changed my behavior at all. You get used to being a certain way and having certain fears it's sort of hard to [change that now]. So even though it felt really good psychologically I don't feel fully protected yet.”

Although both the Pfizer and Moderna trials yielded promising 95 percent effectivity results, the dividing line between implementing and ceasing safety guidelines in response to immunity levels is still a murky one, with many experts still unsure when and how to effectively transition into a post-COVID-19 life.

Gamestop and Social Media’s Powerful Influence on the Stock Market

Photo Credit: shutterstock.com/TY Lim

By Zachary McGraw

From early January to early February of 2021, top hedge funds including Melvin Capital and Maplelane capital lost more than three and a half billion dollars shorting Gamestop stock. The world of finance was not only shocked by the downfall of these major hedge funds, but who was behind them: an army of recreational Reddit investors. Historically, trading stocks in WallStreet was only available to the richest in America, but with the rise of technology and the internet trading stocks became accessible to the average person. Reddit investors are investors on the social media platform Reddit. On average, Reddit users have very little money compared to investors working on WallStreet. 

In early 2020 major hedge funds started shorting Gamestop, which is essentially betting against a company in hopes that it fails. When a hedge fund shorts a stock they lend a stock from a broker, sell it to someone else and buy back the stock when it's at a lower price, gaining money in the difference from which they sold the stock to another person. The hedge funds believed Gamestop, an electronic and video game retail company, was overvalued. Amateur day traders and members of the WallStreetBets Reddit community saw how much hedge funds were betting against Gamestop and came to the conclusion that it had become undervalued. The strength of the Reddit investors together turned out to be too powerful for the hedge funds as the stock did not lose value and many Reddit users cashed in thousands, and millions of dollars for investing against the hedge funds shorting game stop.

Many see this as a turning point in Wall Street as investing is finally going mainstream for the common people; Jason Holt, a tech venture capitalist said, “the rise of social media has changed Wall Street because now the average person has access to the tools of the top investors and can play the same game as the investors that they would not have been able to twenty or thirty years ago.” Melvin Capital and Mapalene ended up getting out of the stock, a win for the “little guys” who usually end up paying for the risky and often corrupt moves made by these elite corporations. Yet, this situation still proved that the game was stacked against the common man, as Robinhood, an investing platform, closed buying Gamestop in an attempt to help the hedge funds that invest in them. 

Bennet Leary an Athenian student said, “It's ironic that these hedge funds have been doing this type of stuff forever but when regular people band up and play by the same rules they complain and say it's unfair and the whole system shuts down.” 

The facts back up Bennet Leary’s claim; in the past the government has consistently bailed out top banks in times of financial crises started by those same banks. Many Reddit investors grew up during the 2008 recession and were exposed to the crimes committed by Wall Street banks and the clear revolving door between top members of the government and Wall Street. Biden’s Treasury Secretary Jannet Yellen is even on the hedge fund Citadel’s payroll. 

Others believe that we are diving into a dangerous territory where amateur investors are getting into areas that they do not fully understand. Jack Lucas, student at Athenian and a member of the Reddit community pointed out, “While I think it is refreshing that normal people finally won, I think it is dangerous to artificially inflate stocks no matter who you are.” 

While some made millions investing in Gamestop, there were just as many losers; many amateur investors who followed the crowd lost their entire life savings. The stock market wasn’t supposed to behave like this and now many avid investors will be looking to the government to see how they respond to this. The government might choose to put more regulations on the stock market to ensure no one can do this again or they will take regulations down in hope of a more equal playing field.

How Much Do You Know About Thai Cuisine?

By Pow Vachirajindakul

Balance

When it comes to Thai food, it’s hard not to think about its fresh herbal and spicy flavors. Unlike other foods that may only consist of a few flavors, Thai food consists of four flavors: salty, spicy, sour, and sweet. All of these flavors add more dimension to your meal and make it more interesting. 

More than what you see at the restaurants

After having been to many Thai restaurants around the Bay Area, I realized that the food served in Thai restaurants here comprises only a small fraction of Thai cuisine. Most of these dishes, such as Tom Yum soup (spicy and sour soup), Pad Thai (Thai style stir-fried noodle), and Tom Kha Soup (Thai spicy and sour coconut soup), come from the central region.

In fact, in Thailand, food is divided into four regions based on different geography and climates. I would like to introduce you to three other regional Thai cuisines that you may be less familiar with: northern, southern, and north-eastern. 

The Northern Cuisine

Let’s start with my home region, northern Thailand. Being in a mountainous area, the rainy climate is suitable for growing herbs and vegetables. Thus, Thai northern cuisine includes a lot of vegetables in their dishes and on the side. 

People in this region eat a lot of Nam Prik—a small bowl of dip that is served alongside the main dish, usually for boiled and uncooked vegetables like pumpkin, carrots, and cucumber. The most renowned kind of Nam Prik is Nam Prik Noom, a green chili dip sauce made from pounded roasted green chili and garlic. Another one, my favorite, is Nam Prik Ong, a mild sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce, stir-fried with minced pork. If you come to Northern Thailand, you must also try Sai Oua, a grilled Thai Northern sausage that is made from pork and packed with herbal flavors and scent. Another regional favorite is Khao Soi, which is a Thai coconut curry noodle soup, topped with a sprinkle of fried crispy noodles. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Nam Prik Noom

In North-Eastern Cuisine

In the north-eastern region of Thailand, the taste of food is primarily sour and spicy. People in this region usually eat sticky rice instead of jasmine rice. The most famous dishes in this region are Som Tum (shredded green papaya salad), Larb (Thai meat salad flavored with fish sauce, chili flakes, lime juice, and toasted rice flakes, which add the crunchy texture to the dish), and Sai krok Isan (pork and rice sausage).

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Larb

Southern Cuisine

Heading down from Bangkok is the Southern part of Thailand, the location of some of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world. Food in this region is the most flavorful and hottest compared to other regions. The most renowned dishes in this region are Pad Sataw stir-fried with a stink bean(a local plant) and Khao Mok Gai (turmeric rice with chicken). Another dish you can’t miss out is Kaeng Tai pla, a thick fish curry consisting of eggplants, bamboo shoots, and string beans. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Kaeng Tai Pla

No Fixed Rules

In Thailand, there is no fixed rule when it comes to food. Not all Thai food is 100% Thai. Thai food has always been influenced and developed through the emergence of new ingredients and spices over time, since colonization. Even today, Thai food still continues to develop, which is part of its glamor. Thai food is not limited to the dishes themselves, but is instead the combination of a balance of four flavors(sweet, salty, spicy, and sour), Thai herbs, and cooking techniques including Tom(boiling), Yum(mixing), Tum(pounded), Geang(currying). 

If you visit Thailand, you’ll be surprised to see interesting Thai fusion dishes that you won’t see elsewhere. Having grown up in Thailand, one of my all-time favorites is Tom Yum noodles, Chinese noodles soup with Thai Tom Yum soup. Unlike clear soup broth, Tom Yum noodles include all flavors: spicy, salty, sour, and sweet, as well as a herbal scent and taste to it. Another a Thai fusion dish is Pad Kee Mao (also known as drunken noodle), influenced by a Chinese stir-fried noodle. However, in this dish, Thai people added chili, Thai sweet basil, and pepper to make it more compatible with Thai taste. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock - Tom Yum noodle

Meet Francine Shirvani

Photo Credit: Zoey Patterson

By Zoey Patterson

Francine Shirvani is the second of two new French teachers at Athenian to be reported on here. She’s teaching French 3 and AP French. While she speaks French natively, she began teaching it out of pure happenstance.

“To become a citizen, they said...they needed language teachers,” Shirvani said. “So I decided, okay, I’ll teach French for a year until I get my green card.”

However, Shirvani wound up teaching French for much longer than a year.

“I love to teach, I love French, and the kids,” Shirvani said. “I love teenagers, which, some of my friends, they say, ‘you’re crazy’—no! They’re great!”

Despite this, before coming to Athenian, Shirvani had actually retired from teaching.

“I did College Board stuff, you know, corrected APs, taught teachers, and I thought, you know, I miss the classroom, I miss the kids,” Shirvani said.

Distance learning has thrown a bit of a wrench in Shirvani’s plans to return to teaching.

“I’m completely new to this Zoom thing and all this technology, although I do love technology,” Shirvani said.

In addition to technology and teaching, Shirvani has a multitude of other interests.

“I love to swim, so if I don’t swim, I am a basket case,” Shirvani said. “I love to sew...I love French music, French TV, anything French.”

Shirvani is not exclusively French, though.

“I love this country, but I’ve kept a lot of my culture, and my father was Iranian, Persian, my mother French, so I’m tri-cultural,” Shirvani said.

American culture is one Shirvani is still being exposed to and learning more about.

“Obviously, my English is not perfect yet, but at least I have lost the French accent,” Shirvani said. “But my daughter always makes fun of me, because she was American-born, and she’ll correct me all the time, and I love to be corrected because that’s how I improve my English.”

Improving her English is one of many tasks and goals of Shirvani’s.

“There’s 24 hours in a day, and you get up, and you have so much to do, and you go to bed, and there’s still 15 other things you wanted to do, but you need to sleep,” Shirvani said.

This is Shirvani’s justification for a core trait of hers.

“I never get bored,” Shirvani said. “I’m a little prejudiced that way—it’s boring people who get bored. That’s terrible for me to say, but it’s true. I mean, how could you get bored?”

Meet the Round Square Exchanges!

By Sahana Garg

As we all know The Round Square Program is a huge part of Athenian and its community. This year with everything that has been going on in the world, it’s been harder to connect internationally. This quarter we are welcoming 10 virtual exchange students. Over the next few weeks, you will be introduced to them. Our goal is to make them feel welcome and comfortable at Athenian as they can’t actually be on campus. Each student’s contact information will be linked below their profile and we urge you to contact them and make a new friend. 

Photo Credit: Saumya Agrawal

Name: Saumya Agrawal

Age: 17, birthday’s on 26th September 2003

 Grade: 11th grade

 Where from: Chandigarh, India

Hobbies: I enjoy contemporary dancing and have performed in our school’s annual founders’ day celebrations many times. I do cycling almost daily and sometimes I like to go with some friends. Our favorite place to cycle to is the city lake, which is about a 45-minute bike ride away from my home. I quite like reading. The last book I read was ‘Many Lives Many Masters.’ It gave me a completely new and different perspective on life. Lastly, I like to cook! I mostly make savory food items and I am way better at cooking than I am at baking.  

 Host: Sydney Alveda. She was very warm and welcoming. I would’ve loved to meet her in person!

Fav food: Alfredo Pasta

 A little about your school: My school offers a lot of activities like sports (basketball, football, cricket, lawn tennis, kickboxing taekwondo, and karate), art and craft activities like needlework fabric painting wall painting food craft, etc.) and music (guitar, keyboard, tabla which is an Indian instrument and singing.) We also organize fundraisers every now and then. We get to choose the subject we wish to pursue in 11th grade.

Unlike Athenian, in our school we wear uniforms. We have a very well-defined dress code that even asks us to braid our hair. At my school we don’t call teachers by their first name, we only either call them sir or ma’am.  Most of our teachers are very friendly and warm.

 Sports: I’ve tried my hand at basketball, soccer, and some track events, but I don’t enjoy them a lot. I do like yoga and focus on flexible fitness.

A little about yourself: I’m currently studying Economics, Political Science, Sociology, English Lit and Land and Psychology. Psychology is my favorite subject at school, and I aspire to be a rehabilitation therapist. I love music and could listen to it all day long. My favorite artists are Halsey and Taylor Swift, and I also enjoy listening to rap songs occasionally. I’ve been part of my school council for 2 years now and currently hold the position of vice-house captain. I am also the vice president of the Round Square Committee at my school.

 What classes you will be taking at Athenian: I couldn’t take many classes because of a 12-hour time difference, but I did take up yoga with Ms. Jenny Day.

 Anything else you want to say: I would like to thank all the teachers and students. All of them have been very warm and welcoming. I have had a great time here at Athenian

Photo Credit: Bianca Alacron

Name:​ Bianca Alarcon

Age:​ 14 years

Grade:​ 9th

Where from: ​Lima, Peru

Hobbies :​ I love to do sports, baking desserts, and traveling around Peru.

Host :​ Chloe Burrows

Fav food :​ Pasta

A little about your school :​ I go to San Silvestre School. San Silvestre School is an all-girls school located in Lima, Peru.

Sports :​ I play field hockey and enjoy making youtube workouts

A little about yourself :​ I consider myself a very fun and creative person. I am definitely an animal lover, especially with dogs. Also, I enjoy learning new languages and currently, I am learning Italian.

What classes you will be taking at Athenian :​ I am taking ESL World History and Speech and Debate.

Anything else you want to say: ​I am really happy and thankful for this opportunity! 

Photo Credit: Olivia Samassa

Name : Olivia Samassa

Age : 15

Grade : 10

Where from : Cape Town, South Africa

Hobbies : A few hobbies of mine are spending time with friends, nature, and listening to music.

Host : Sahana Garg. She is in 9th grade.

Fav food : Sushi

A little about your school : I go to a private all-girls school called St. Cyprian’s for short SCS, in the center of Cape Town. It is right under Table Mountain. My favorite part about my school is either its beautiful campus/location or the sisterhood among students.

Sports : A few sports that I do are ballet, modern dancing, and athletics - track.

A little about yourself : I have 2 dogs, a Ridgeback named Hunter and a Westie named Tilly. I’d say I am a mix between an introvert and an extrovert. I’m quite a talkative person. I have one brother who is 14 and he goes to my brother school called Bishops.

What classes you will be taking at Athenian : I will be taking Dance and hopefully Speech and Debate.

Anything else you want to say: I really like The Athenian School. It has such a different way of teaching than my school which is very interesting and everyone is really friendly.

Rolling out the Vaccine: How will Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines be Distributed across the US?

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/Viacheslav Lopatin

By Noelle Woodward

Through all the ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic, one hope has remained strong and steadfast in the eyes of fear-filled Americans: the eventual discovery and distribution of life-saving, mRNA COVID vaccines.

Pfizer and Moderna, two medically-advancing biotechnological companies have successfully produced a vaccine to combat COVID-19, one that is 95% effective, unheard of in vaccines ever before. However, the quest to immunize the public and put this pandemic behind us is a little more complicated than simply discovering new medical technologies. To reach an end to this pandemic in America, the vaccines must be effectively distributed across all fifty states, a feat that is more difficult than it appears. 

Originally, the U.S. had set high expectations of the administration of vaccines, even hoping to have 20 million vaccines administered by the end of 2020. Needless to say, the U.S. didn’t reach their quota; with a measly 4.8 million doses administered out of the 17 million distributed, America had a long way to go. 

The problem began with a denial to produce an additional 500 million Pfizer vaccines this past summer from the federally-funded program WarpSpeed, an operation designed to produce and deliver vaccines with an accelerated process for development. 

Starting off with fewer than expected vaccines, the federal government ineffectively planned shipping, and millions of doses lay waiting in warehouses before eventually being delivered to states who already had decreased funding for administration. In comparison between federal funding, $12 billion were set out for development, while only $390 million were allocated for distribution. 

Along with troubles in the federal government’s original apportioning, the individual states have been given so much leeway that the lack of coordination between them has grown into drastic inequity. While some states administer vaccines on a first-come-first-serve basis, others such as New York, have been given such strict guidelines of distribution prioritization that many vaccines end up expired and discarded. 

Each state makes their own choices on quantities of vaccines to be delivered as well. “When they first started rolling the vaccine out, it was supposed to be a reliable amount that you got each week,” said Dr. Jill Marek, an emergency room doctor who has been collaborating with the 

Athenian school on vaccine distribution information. “But since the vaccine distribution was so poor and so irregular, one week Marin County got 3,000 shots, one week they got 0.” 

The distribution of vaccines hasn’t been aligned with population sizes either, leaving larger states such as California fearful of not being able to deliver their second dose, and thus saving half of their received vaccines to be used later, giving an appearance of a low distribution rate. Others, such as “North Dakota that doesn’t have as many people, got proportionally more vaccines than California, just because they can get fewer vials and still have a higher percentage,” said Marek, referring to the immense 8% of North Dakota residents that have already been fully vaccinated. 

Regardless of the rocky start, the future of vaccine administration across the country is looking up, especially in regard to President Biden’s new plan to vaccinate 100 million Americans in 100 days. Despite the discouraging appearances, the country should eventually reach herd immunity, likely within the year.

National Rife Association Declares Bankruptcy

By Allison Chabala

On January 15, the National Rifle Association declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a press release. The NRA, a gun rights organization, has a controversial image, especially in the wake of increasing gun violence. Declaring a Chapter 11 bankruptcy means that it is a reorganization bankruptcy, as opposed to a Chapter 7, or liquidation bankruptcy, which entails that the business/organization must distribute their assets, or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows individuals to repay their debts.

The NRA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that endeavors to protect the second amendment of the Constitution. The organization also raises money to fund other organizations such as the Boy Scouts.

The NRA was founded in 1872 by Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate. The organization is based in New York, but as of recently, is going to move to Texas, claiming that New York is a “toxic political environment.”

The NRA did not always have the reputation that it holds today. Initially, it centered on improving the marksmanship of shooters after the Civil War, after a dismayed speculation that American soldiers would not fare well in a war against Europe. But in the last century, the organization has become known for vehemently protecting gun rights. 

According to Frank Smyth, the author of The NRA: The Unauthorized History (in an Interview with Vox), “hunters began to dominate the ranks of the NRA after WWII, so that changed the character of the organization, but the real shift occurred when the NRA embraced gun rights as its unyielding and absolute beacon for everything it does.” According to Smyth, the major shift came as a result of the Gun Control Act of 1968.

As a result of pervasive criticism of defense of the Second Amendment, the NRA created the Legislative Affairs Division in 1934.

Today, the NRA boasts about 5 million members. According to the organization, “this move (to Texas) comes at a time when the NRA is in its strongest financial condition in years.”

So why did the NRA declare bankruptcy?

Letitia James, the Attorney General of the state of New York, is attempting to shut down the organization through a lawsuit because of alleged corruption within the NRA. In an interview with USA Today, Melissa Jacoby, a University of North Carolina bankruptcy law professor asserted that “the NRA has made no effort to categorize itself that way. In terms of whether it’s paying its bills and any definition of insolvency – it doesn’t meet it.”

Additionally, the New York Attorney General’s office claimed that the NRA was “fleeing or seeking an end run around a pending regulatory enforcement action in New York,” which reinforces speculation that the declaration of bankruptcy is simply an attempt to avoid the lawsuit. Adam Levitin, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, says that the organization has nothing to lose with the declaration, as they are “out of ammo.”

Fortunately for them, Texas may provide a more welcoming environment, but that does not mean that they have completely evaded the lawsuit from New York’s Attorney General.

Magnum Non-dairy Frozen Dessert Sea Salt Caramel

Photo Credit: MAHATHIR MOHD YASIN / Shutterstock.com

When it comes to ice cream brands Magnum is a fan-favorite. So it comes as no surprise that they too decided to dive into the world of non-dairy ice cream alternatives. This exciting new option is available anywhere you look for ice cream and comes in the classic Magnum bar form covered in a delicious (vegan) milk chocolate shell!

If you are looking for the perfect emulation of “real” ice cream but are looking for a non-dairy option, Magnum’s Non-dairy Sea Salt Caramel Frozen Dessert is one of the top options, hands down. With a cocoa butter base, the consistency of this treat is able to replicate the smooth and creamy texture of regular ice cream. The decadent dark chocolate casing adds the perfect crunch to the savory, velvety sea salt caramel base. 

This non-dairy alternative is available in quite a few different flavor options, but sea salt caramel seems to be the most popular among consumers, and for good reason! This sweet treat tastes just like any other dairy ice cream product and has a rich, yet not overpowering, sea salt caramel flavor. The slight savory hints of the sea salt counteract the general sweetness of the dessert and make for a well-crafted and diverse flavor combination. If you are a big fan of classic ice cream flavors but are looking for a non-dairy option, look no further than the Magnum Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts!

Although this dessert is an amazing dairy-free alternative, if you are not a fan of chunky ice cream, this may not be the one for you. To some, the dollops of caramel and chunks of dark chocolate are the perfect blend; however, to others, this may result in a strange texture that is not all too enjoyable. Overall, this treat is great to try out, but one factor to consider is that it leaves a bizarre aftertaste, and to some may be overly sweet. While this dessert is one that many applaud, there are some factors that would make it a hit-or-miss. 

Taste: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Consistency:🍦🍦🍦 /5

Similarity to Ice-Cream: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Overall: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

How can we cope with life?

Listen to Hudson Scott and Buddhist Though teacher Leslie Cushner discuss mindfulness, liberation, and what it means to let go.

Practicing self-care at a college prep school?

Listen to Hudson Scott discuss mental health with guidance counselor Rose Stoloff.

Ground Breaking Paralysis Research Gives Hope to Many

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/bsd

By Adam Tufts

The daily lives of most people are simply a conglomerate of movements. In fact, most actions can be simplified to a few coordinated pushes and pulls from specific muscles in the human body. Of course, these muscles don’t magically activate, rather they react according to impulses sent from the control center of the body: the brain. Moreover, this communication is efficient, and transportation of information from the brain to the rest of the body typically takes fractions of a second. However, this efficiency can be compromised, especially when the body’s primary highway of information, the spinal cord, is damaged. 

The spinal cord is an essential component of the nervous system, and it facilitates the movement of electrical pulses being transmitted from the brain. For this reason, medical professionals have long understood the severity of spinal cord injuries: the spine is simply too important to malfunction. To combat the adverse effects of spinal trauma, German biochemists from the Ruhr-University Bochum researched the remedial properties of a specific protein, coined “hyper-interleukin-6.” Their findings give hope to paralysis researchers who predict the development of treatment options in the, albeit distant, future. 

However, before the conclusions from the biochemists’ studies can be discussed, the fundamental components of the nervous system should be understood. 

“The basic functional cell of the nervous system is called a neuron,” said Monica Moya, a bioengineer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. “An axon is a long skinny part of a neuron that carries information really far and really fast.”

These neurons are responsible for the aforementioned transmission of information between the brain and the body, particularly via the spinal cord. When the spine is damaged the axons, and consequently neurons, may be rendered incapable of fulfilling their purpose.

“If a motor neuron, a neuron that tells muscles what to do… is damaged then that signal will not be able to go through,” said anatomy and biology teacher Katherine Papastephanou.

Therefore, when the spine is damaged the motor neurons may be inhibited from stimulating certain muscles, resulting in either partial or complete paralysis. Put differently, any given impulse’s path from the brain to a given muscle can be disrupted if the spine is in any way impaired. Unfortunately, recovery from a spinal cord injury is typically impossible, leaving paralyzed individuals permanently disabled. 

“Nerve cells are highly differentiated making it very difficult for them to regenerate,” said veterinarian Dr. Lesia Machicao, a small animal practitioner at VCA Old River Animal Hospital. “That’s why it is so difficult to reverse nervous system injuries.” 

The study conducted at Ruhr-University Bochum further explored this medical phenomenon, investigating whether motor neurons could be forced to regenerate under certain conditions. In one of their experiments they introduced a virus to paralyzed mice’s brains, so that a specific protein, hyper-interleukin-6, might be produced, in a process known as gene therapy. 

“Viruses take genetic material and insert it into cells,” said Moya. “Genetic material is essentially a blueprint, so when the cells receive these blueprints they make a certain kind of protein, in this case, hyper-interleukin-6.” 

The new proteins happened to influence neighboring motor neurons to regenerate their previously damaged axonal fibers. With the axonal fibers intact the scientists noticed that the mice began walking once again.

“Thus, gene therapy treatment of only a few nerve cells stimulated the axonal regeneration of various nerve cells in the brain and several motor tracts in the spinal cord simultaneously,” said professor Dietmar Fischer at Ruhr-University Bochum, in a recent press release. He added: “ultimately, this enabled the previously paralyzed animals that received this treatment to start walking after two to three weeks. This came as a great surprise to us at the beginning, as it had never been shown to be possible before after full paraplegia.”

Of course, the implications of these findings in human medicine are still unclear, and will likely remain as such for years to come. 

“It takes a long time to replicate studies and test methods in different organisms… Even though humans and mice have a lot in common, insofar as they are both mammals, we are not exactly the same,” said Papastephanou. “We would need to repeat these tests in organisms that are more similar to humans to know if it would have a similar effect in human anatomy.” 

While the findings of this study may seem intangible and distant, it is important to remember the significance of this groundbreaking discovery. 

“It would be marvelous to find some way to cure paralysis and make animals and people walk again,” said Machicao. “It would be a significant breakthrough in modern medicine.”

SO Delicious Dairy Free Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert

Photo Credit: Natali Zakharova / Shutterstock.com

Looking for a healthy and dairy-free alternative to ice cream? Look no further than the SO Delicious Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert. Made with cashew milk and free of GMOs, SO Delicious joins the ranks of companies to produce high-quality vegan and gluten-free frozen desserts that everyone can enjoy!

SO Delicious’s Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert is one you cannot miss during your trip to your local grocery store. The perfect blend between the creamy cashew milk base and dollops of gooey caramel and chocolate chips make this dessert stand out, especially for those with a sweet tooth! SO Delicious’s dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free treat has a rich and smooth texture that can now be enjoyed without the worry of a stomach-ache later-on! 

This indulgent ice cream is not only rich and creamy but also packed with caramel clusters and sprinkled in with just the perfect amount of chocolate chips giving it a sweet and diverse flavor combination. If you’re someone who loves caramel and doesn’t mind a bit of a chunky texture then this frozen treat is for you. The base does have a hint of cashew milk but it’s not overwhelming to the point where you only end up tasting cashews. Though we would advise those who dislike a nutty flavor or are allergic to cashews to steer clear of this ice cream. 

This ice cream is a good option to try out, but if you are someone who does not like overly sweet treats, we would suggest trying an alternative option. The cashew milk base is definitely one to applaud for its similarity to regular ice cream bases; however, for this ice cream, the base was a bit too sweet for some of us. While we recommend this brand to ice cream lovers, we advise those who are not fans of overly sweet treats to try out one of the many other flavors available from this company.

Taste: 🍦🍦🍦/5

Consistency: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Similarity to Ice-Cream: 🍦🍦🍦🍦/5

Overall: 🍦🍦🍦/5

Athenian’s 2020 Female Alum: College Experiences During The Pandemic

Photo Credits: Shutterstock.com/Andrew Krasovitckii

By Rishi Reddy

Athenian’s class of 2020—where are they now? What are they up to? And what do they have to say about college? Many of the 2020 alumni are now attending excellent universities from all over the world! Making the jump from high school to college can be really challenging, especially considering the fact that they’re first-years attending their universities over Zoom. But we know the class of 2020 is one of the most resilient groups that ever graduated from Athenian. They really pushed through it all! Anyways, they must have a lot to say about the last few months regarding their school life, mental health, and everything in between. Here’s what they have to share. 

School Life

We all know that Athenian’s academic program is a rigorous one. But how does it stack up against college? 

Hinata Sasaki, now attending Waseda University (in Japan), explains: “At first, I thought the workload was much heavier at college than it was at Athenian, but once I got used to it, I was hardly stressed.” Sasaki also mentions that since she’s attending college over Zoom, she’s able to concentrate on her work with limited distractions. It helped her work efficiently on particularly busy days and ultimately paved her way to a strong finish for the first semester. College life can be especially stressful under current circumstances, so it’s great to hear she’s doing okay! 

Aditi Reddy, now a student at UCLA, shares positive experiences with college as well. She expresses: “Athenian definitely prepared me for college rigor, though it’s still a lot of work.” She adds that “it’s difficult to compare the college workload to highschool’s though, because unlike Athenian, UCLA has a quarter system.” She can only take 3-4 classes at a time; whereas at Athenian, her schedule consisted of 6-7 classes. 

Jess McKay, another student at UCLA, adds that “nobody holds you accountable for doing homework, so it’s important to stay on top of your work if you don’t want all the work to pile up.” That’s a great tip!

Victoria Koffi, who now goes to Howard University, expresses: “Doing college has been hard. I think this is mainly because of two reasons. One, the teachers are only accessible by email. I wish they were more approachable--like the teachers at Athenian. And two, I’m not as motivated because I’m not physically surrounded by other classmates.” Being surrounded by her peers used to be a constant motivating factor for Koffi during her time in high school. She had lots of friends to study with and spend her downtime with as well, however, she hasn’t been able to make that many friends at college over Zoom. Was it just as hard to make friends for the other alum?

Friends

Sasaki asserts: “It isn’t that hard to make friends, but it’s hard to get closer with them.” McKay shares a similar perspective: “Being a freshman in college over Zoom is pretty anticlimactic compared to the typical freshman experience because it is hard to meet new people and connect over Zoom. It’s difficult to bond with others when you can’t physically be in the lecture halls or live in the dorms or eat at the dining halls.” 

Maya O’Kelly, also attending UCLA, conversely expresses: “everyone I’ve met has been super nice. People love to help each other and that is so helpful given how many people are in each lecture.” 

Adding on to O’Kelly’s statements, Reddy expresses: “yes, it can be difficult to make new friends online. You only see people over Zoom, and you might get to talk to people every now and then in a breakout room.” Despite her initial comments, Reddy had no trouble making lots of new friends at school. How? Clubs.

Clubs

At the beginning of the year, Reddy enrolled herself in many different clubs. Currently, she is in a variety of pre-med clubs. Besides assisting her with her pre-med future, the clubs serve as a place for her to surround herself with a group of peers with similar interests. It’s essentially a spawning ground for forming friendships. Reddy is also in another club called Hugs in a Blanket. This club was supposed to be for the community to knit blankets and scarves for the hospitalized youth and elderly; however, they couldn’t do that due to the current risks of coronavirus. Instead, Reddy and her peers write letters to health care workers thanking them for their service during the pandemic. On top of that, they hold school wide events and fundraisers to serve the healthcare community. 

McKay shares: “I am currently part of UCLA’s backpacking club and climbing team. Neither of these clubs are allowed to hold in person events; however, the backpacking club, for instance, holds weekly seminars about topics ranging from outdoor ethics to backcountry cooking to navigation and orienteering. I’ve been able to attend some of these online seminars and socials to interact with people who have similar interests.” 

O’Kelly specifies that she joined the design team for UCLA’s paper, the Daily Bruin. She says: “it’s been nice to join different organizations. I think it’s the best way to meet people over Zoom because it’s a smaller group, and everyone has some sort of shared interest.” 

It’s evident that Athenian’s 2020 alumni are really giving it their all in college. Despite the college rigor, they all enrolled in a variety of classes and clubs that aren’t even required! So you might be wondering, with all of this on their plate, how is their mental health?

Mental Health

Koffi explains: “My mental health has not been that well because the main way for me to talk to my friends is through screens. I also have to spend countless hours each day on the computer. But I try to reward myself after I do work so that I can keep my life entertaining.”

On the contrary, McKay explains: “My mental health has actually improved throughout quarantine because I have learned to make time for myself and make sure I get outside. College over Zoom has made my schedule more flexible, and I have found more time to go on runs and hikes throughout the week so that I’m not spending 8+ hours on my computer doing schoolwork.” Reddy shares this viewpoint. She feels like she has more time for self care--both physically and mentally. Sasaki also thinks that her mental health has gradually improved as she got used to quarantine and “mid-corona life.”

In Conclusion...

It’s evident that these 5 alums have had varying experiences and opinions on college life. Nevertheless, one thread connected all of their statements: each and every one of them reported that quarantine enabled them to reflect on themselves and their surroundings more often. Quarantine has rocked our lives like never before, that’s for certain, but we ultimately get to decide if it was for better or worse. Now that we’ve taken a detailed look at the lives of these alum, I think it’s safe to say that Athenian, despite its rigorous academic program, has molded all five of these women to become the resilient, independent, and adaptable individuals they are today. Cheers to the class of 2020!

What Can We Expect From A Biden Presidency?

Photo Credit: Illustrasi Senja / Shutterstock.com

By Adam Tufts

On September 17, 1796, George Washington issued his infamous farewell address, warning Americans to steer clear of partisan politics so that the United States could remain a cohesive entity, united on all fronts. Ironically, immediately after retiring from his presidential duties, two opposing political factions emerged, seeking to advance their ideologies in the American political sphere. While the names of these political alliances have changed over the centuries, their deep-rooted feud continues to drive much of American politics, aligning individuals against one another on the basis of political affiliation rather than moral philosophy. In modern times, the two most prominent political parties are known as “Democrats” and “Republicans.” 

In their constant struggle for power, Democrats and Republicans have typically gained control of the government in cycles—the Democrats might control the legislature or the presidency for some time before that power shifts to the Republicans, and then vice versa. After the official results of the 2020 elections were announced, it became evident to the American public which part of the cycle the United States government was in. With Democrats controlling the presidency, Senate, and the House of Representatives, many Americans are left to wonder what the future of The United States might look like, particularly in the next two years. In this period of political transition, it is particularly important to comprehend the Democrat agenda and the extent to which it can be advanced. 

However, to even begin broaching this topic the fundamental components of the federal government and who currently controls them must be understood. 

Joseph Biden, the Democratic nominee for presidency, emerged victorious from the 2020 presidential election and was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, becoming the 46th president of the United States. This alone, the majority of political scientists agree, would have been unlikely to significantly advance the Democrat agenda. However, fortunately for Democrats, the entire Congress is also unified under Democratic control. While the Democrats lost a net total of 13 seats in the House of Representatives, they maintained a majority, with 222 Democrats seats overpowering the Republicans’ 213 seats. Furthermore, following the contentious Georgia Senate race, where Democrats managed to emerge triumphant once more, the Democrats achieved a tie in the Senate—50 Democrat seats to 50 Republican seats. While such a result may appear equally beneficial for all political parties, the Democrats are, in reality, in the advantageous position. If the vote for a piece of legislation that requires a simple majority to pass through the Senate is tied (50 Democrat votes to 50 Republican votes), then, to break the tie, Vice President Kamala Harris, a well-known Democrat, is permitted to cast her own vote. 

While the Democrats’ current position grants them a plethora of opportunities on the American political stage, disagreements, particularly between moderates and extremists, surrounding the pace at which the Democrats should pass legislation might hinder the advancement of a Democratic agenda. Some Democrat politicians are apprehensive about drastically changing the status quo, while others, such as Ron Wyden, Democratic Senator of Oregon, argue that Democrats must seize this opportunity to expand their power in America.

“When you’re in the majority, you really have to play offense,” said Wyden, as quoted by the New York Times. 

However, since the Democrats hold the Senate by the narrowest of margins, moderates hold incredible power over their extremist counterparts. If moderates become uneasy with the rate of Democratic progress, they can vote against their own party and inhibit Democrats from passing anything through the Senate. Furthermore, the shrinking lead of Democrats in the House has reinvigorated Democratic leaders who believe that elevating moderate Democrats is key to electing more Democratic politicians. Signs of this inter-party tension are already manifesting, with moderate Democrats, such as West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Machin III, announcing their opposition to Biden’s nominee for the Office of Management and Budget. 

“I believe the [nominee’s] overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget,” said Manchin in a recent press release. “At a time of grave crisis it is more important than ever that we chart a new bipartisan course that helps address the many serious challenges facing our nation.” 

Appealing to the desires of moderate Democrats, Biden has called for bipartisan cooperation, claiming that unity is of utmost importance in such an unprecedented time. Looking to garner more support from not only moderate Democrats, but Republicans as well, Biden extended an olive branch to supporters of his rival, Donald Trump. 

“To those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment,” said Biden during his first speech as president-elect. “If we can decide to not cooperate then we can decide to cooperate. And I believe this is part of the mandate from the American people. I call on Congress—Democrats and Republicans alike to make that choice with me.” 

Beyond mere calls for bipartisanship, Biden has voiced his apprehension towards a slew of policies backed primarily by progressive Democrats. For instance, Biden indicated his firm stance on student debt during a CNN Town Hall, claiming that he would refuse to endorse Senators Elizabeth Warren’s and Chuck Schumer’s student debt policy, which would cancel $50,000 of federal student loan debt. Instead, he proposed a more moderate alternative: forgiving $10,000 of student loan debt at maximum. This proposal is indicative of how Biden typically responds to disagreements within the Democratic party: he weaves between moderate and progressive perspectives, attempting to locate a position that renders him the greatest possible support.

However, in many ways Biden has taken cues from his more progressive counterparts. For instance, Biden’s climate plan “A Clean Energy Revolution” is heavily inspired by the framework of the Green New Deal, a piece of legislation developed by self-proclaimed Democratic Socialists, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Edward Markey. Biden has repeatedly expressed his support for the Green New Deal.

“Biden believes the Green New Deal is a crucial framework for meeting the climate challenges we face,” according to Biden’s official statement of his positions on his website. “It powerfully captures two basic truths, which are at the core of his plan: (1) the United States urgently needs to embrace greater ambition on an epic scale to meet the scope of this challenge, and (2) our environment and our economy are completely and totally connected.”

The Green New Deal is viewed as exceptionally progressive, since its passage (or the passage of similar legislation) would require massive economic reform. Of course, many of Biden’s Democratic colleagues are unhappy with this position, but his climate plan is vital in acquiring support from more extremist Democrats. Political scientists remark that these diverse policy positions are essential in maintaining a respected and powerful presidency. 

In short, the future of the Biden Administration, and the Democratic Party in general, is largely difficult to foresee. However, as Biden performs an ideological balancing act and inter-party tensions continue to escalate, the nature of America’s political system becomes apparent: politics are simply a haphazardly organized jumble of philosophies and opinions. 

Bay Area Musicians You Need to Check Out

Photo Credit: Photo provided Mount Saint Elias

Amanda Cutrer

Music is one of the most important aspects of human culture; it brings us together and really makes us feel. Music is all around us, but sometimes discovering new artists can be a challenge. Within the Bay Area, there are a myriad of talented musicians waiting to be discovered. With the cancellation of most of their gigs due to COVID-19, supporting the work of local musicians in other ways can be a wonderful way to help people within the community. Here are some Bay Area musicians that everyone should get to know.

Lot 49

Lot 49 is a reggae inspired indie pop/R&B band based in the Bay Area. It is composed of Ryan Viera, the singer/songwriter and guitarist, Matt Vazquez, the bass player, and Jai Dhar, the drummer, all of whom were born and raised in the Bay. 

“I feel like our music can best be described as relatable, raw, and real, without being depressing or overly emotional. People have always described our style as chill, and I think the reggae element brings that beach vibe into the picture that we all grew up loving,” said lead singer Ryan Viera. 

Born out of a love for West-coast reggae, Lot 49’s sound is defined by mid-tempo beats, catchy melodies, and lush chiming guitars. 

Their 12 song album, Deja Vu, was written, recorded, and produced in Viera’s studio apartment and released in March of 2020. The pandemic didn’t give the band the chance to play these songs live, but they have been writing more music and preparing a performance set for when the time comes. 

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Photo Credit: Photograph provided by Lot49

The Quilters 

Having grown up in a family of seven homeschooled kids, band members Ray Porter and Jerome Porter spent most of their childhood playing music and surfing as opposed to doing traditional work.

 “Our dad grew weed and worked in restaurants to support the fam, while our mom stayed home and homeschooled the kids,” said Porter. 

This led them to meeting multi-instrumentalist Iam Bhisitkul while surfing, and meeting drummer and vocalist Dorian Cunningham in the San Francisco Boys Chorus.
The four of them started creating and releasing alternative music and playing shows around the Bay Area. 

COVID-19 has prevented them from going to play small clubs and venues, but they have started live-streaming concerts from home. You can sign up to get invited to their monthly shows through their Instagram bio.

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First in Flight: 

First in Flight is a dance rock band heavily influenced by 80s music. However, First in Flight utilizes plenty of styles.

“Two of the members are jazzheads and the other two are metalheads, so naturally we incorporate plenty of other influences. Imagine if Metallica and Panic! at the Disco got into a bar fight. That’s what we sound like,” said lead singer Pat McClosky. 

The band is composed of McClosky, Max Huss on the drums, David Topete on bass, and Richard Mier on guitar.

Live shows have been hugely important for them, and the band consistently toured 3-4 times per year before the pandemic. Now, they are focusing on making new music and developing a presence on social media. 

If you’re looking to get into the music, “Chopsticks and Champagne [is a song that really represents us],” said McClosky. “It’s got rock guitar, slap bass, a catchy chorus, a rap, 80s synths, and a great groove. It’s us through and through.” 

Chopsticks and Champagne

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Alvin Mata:

Alvin Mata is a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, guitar, ukulele and drums, but having played the instrument for 22 years, saxophone is his main focus. 

Mata is part of Mr. Mego, a reggae inspired band he founded with a friend. He also posts covers on YouTube and enjoys playing gigs around the Bay Area.

The pandemic has affected his performances, but he can still focus on his main goal of creating his own music. 

“My main project lately has been my original music. I am currently in the process of recording an album of all original songs,” said Mata. “COVID affected myself and all of my musician friends equally- no gigs, cancelled lessons, etc. However, a lot of people including myself started building and recording from our home studios.”

YouTube 

Mr. Mego Music

Analog Dog: 

Analog Dog, a five-piece rock/pop/psychedelic jazz fusion band based in San Francisco, explores a wide range of instrumental tones, and utilizes the diverse musical background of each member to create new and interesting music. 

Composed of Austin Wasielewski, Rob Nicol, Steven Jenny, Jason Blasingame, and Eric Foster, all of whom play too many instruments to list, the band is able to create unique sounding pieces.

 “We had only been together for about eight months before the pandemic struck, but despite that, we have been able to utilize the tools of the internet to continue to grow our audience and get our music into people’s ears,” said band vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Austin Wasielewski. 

“We were lucky to play a fair amount of shows around SF & the Bay Area before the shut-downs at notable venues such as Amnesia, Stork Club, Hotel Utah & other local favorite spots,” stated Wasielewski.

The band now holds live streams and is working on new music. Check out their debut music video for “Product Pivot” filmed in the streets of San Francisco: Product Pivot Music Video

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Mount Saint Elias:

Singer/songwriter Joey Choe believes that his home state, Kentucky, is where the band Mount Saint Elias, finds much of its inspiration. 

“We describe [our music] as indie folk/indie rock. It's rooted in the folk music I played growing up in Kentucky like John Prine and Josh Ritter, but influenced heavily by my love of indie and experimental rock like Wilco and Radiohead,” said Choe. His bandmates Luna Fuentes and Josiah Johnson met in Oakland, California, and decided to make music fusing Bay Area inspired tones and indie influence. 
They played a lot of shows before COVID-19. “Post COVID, we've adapted by buying a battery powered PA and moving our practices outside to Lake Merritt,” said Choe. “We also went on a COVID-safe porch-tour called ‘Porchella,’ where we played on our friends' porches to audiences in their yards around the state.” 

The band is planning to release their debut album in 2021. Until then, you can listen to their latest single “Juicy Love.” The song is dedicated to vocalist and former bandmate, Tatyana Schmid, who was tragically killed in a bicycle accident in the Oakland hills.  

Juicy Love

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Photo Credit: Photo provided by Ian Santillano

Ian Santillano: 
Multi-instrumentalist Ian Santiallano was born and raised in Hayward, California. He first found a love for music by teaching himself how to play the guitar, but this passion grew as he took lessons and studied jazz and music theory while majoring in computer engineering at Santa Clara University. 

Santillano’s music takes inspiration from funk, soul, and jazz, using melodic rhythms and guitar solos as staples in his songs. Writing, producing, and playing all of his music himself, Santillano has been able to pour himself into his work.

He is also a member of ‘The Housewarmers,’ a band composed of himself and his talented best friends. “The band has been a little out of sorts with the extreme lack of performances,” said Santillano. “But we tried our best to connect by doing a ‘Twitch World Tour’ in 2020. I set out to connect to an audience virtually and it came through very nicely.” 

Santillano’s bandmates include Pablo Lopez on bass, Jenny Hughes on keyboard, LASI on bass, and Terry Lewis II on sax; all five are still making music and performing whenever they get the chance.

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Santillano live with the Housewarmers

Athenian’s Revamped ACI Curriculum

Photo Credits: Zoey Patterson

By Zoey Patterson

Every student at the Athenian Upper School remembers how exciting and terrifying it was to start ninth grade, how curious we all were about what the year would bring, and how little we knew about what to expect. But for this year’s freshmen, the experience is noticeably different to how it was just two years ago.

Last year was the first in which ninth graders took Computational Thinking and Sociology instead of ACI (Arts, Culture, and Identity, in which students took a quarter each of drama, visual art, music, and health). This year, the ninth grade history curriculum has been drastically changed and renamed from “World Cultures” to “World History.”

Computational Thinking is the modification least based in the previous curriculum, marking a switch from teaching all ninth graders about the arts to teaching them the basics of logic and computer science. This transition was controversial, but it may not be as binary as it seems.

“There’s STEM, right, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and there’s some people who say STEAM, science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics,” Mark Lukach, ninth grade dean, said. “It’s kind of putting the A into the STEAM.”

The course is, however, centered on computer science and the skills it requires, and while it does lose most of the arts education, it is also important for students’ cognitive development.

“It’s not just programming, because Megan does a lot of stuff that’s actually completely removed from computers,” Lukach said. “It’s just about logically sequencing cause, effect, cause, effect, etc., which is a really helpful outlook, this idea of a logic-oriented view of the world.”

However, learning about computer science is also an important part of the class.

“My major takeaway from CT was how important coding was in the everyday world,” David Montgomery ’24 said in an email. “Especially with the final project, where we got to make a useful program, the class really showed me how coding can help both fulfill simple needs or solve global issues.”

Computational thinking prepares students not only for the wider world, but also future Athenian classes.

“It’s laying a framework and a mindset that is so crucial to all logic-based classes, which I think are primarily science and math, but also, even language follows a lot of logical patterns,” Lukach said.

In addition to being useful, Computational Thinking is, at least for some students, challenging and engaging.

“I'm not hugely into coding, but it was super interesting to take this class because not only did we learn about coding, but we learned a lot about different ways of thinking and how to solve different types of problems,” Anastasia Evans ’22 said in an email.

The other half of the year (some ninth graders start with Computational Thinking and some with Sociology) is Sociology, half of which deals with health and wellness and half of which deals with social justice.

The Health quarter of Sociology is relatively similar to the Health quarter of ACI, but it is now taught by Mark Lukach rather than by several faculty members (the specific teaching team changed from year to year).

“I have a pretty clear vision of the class from start to finish, and I know that everything we’re doing is kind of working in the same direction towards this final project,” Lukach said. “The reason that project makes sense is because as we keep going through all this stuff, I’m always sort of trying to connect the dots.”

This project, being enabled by there being a singular teacher, has no basis in the Health quarter of ACI.

“The final project for the Health class is [that] students build a self care plan,” Lukach said. “They basically say, how do I take care of myself around the issue of my diet? How do I take care of it around my exercise? Around my sleep? Around my mental health? Around my stress management? Around all these other things.”

However, there are disadvantages to having a single teacher.

“What was great about [ACI Health] is it exposed...students to a lot of people,” Lukach said. “You got to meet the counselor, you got to meet the learning specialist, you got to meet the athletic director, etc.”

These changes aside, taking Health for a quarter remains an important part of the ninth grade experience.

“We often are so busy in our lives that we tend to forget to check in with ourselves and assess our state-of-mind, and I think it's really important to have a class dedicated to doing that,” Montgomery said.

The other quarter, which focuses on social injustice, is equally important.

“It’s really looking at the structures in society that have created injustices,” Lukach said. “We look at race, gender disparity, sexual orientation and gender identity, immigration (I call that origin), and then also wealth, and then those become the lenses through which we look at society and try to talk about how to make it more just.”

Having a dedicated quarter to learn about these issues helps prepare ninth graders for later engagement with these issues, not only in their lives but within the Athenian community.

“We talk as a school a lot about social issues, and I often feel that ninth graders can sometimes be a bit intimidated and feel like they’re thrown into the deep end of the pool,” Lukach said. “The idea behind the social justice unit is to not necessarily learn everything, but at least learn...core ideas, so that ninth graders can feel confident going into...discussions, so that they know that [they are] a culturally competent member of the community.”

This new quarter on cultural competence also has to do with the change in ninth grade history.

“Cultural competence as a skillset has always been taught in World Cultures, but the idea was, ‘Let’s keep that in World Cultures, but let’s really solidify it in a separate class so that World Cultures can in fact be also a really clear history class,’” Lukach said.

However, focusing on history has helped the class itself become more culturally competent.

“We’re digging more deeply into these non-western cultures that...in the World Cultures course, were only really seen in relationship to colonialism,” Marty Rubio, history teacher, said. “We thought, well, we really need to tell the story of cultures before that, and really appreciate their richness, and then you can deal with the trauma that was brought about by imperialism.”

The format of the class has also changed, particularly the types of assignments given.“We moved away, at least in the first semester, from these really large assignments like the Hero/Villain Essay [an essay wherein students chose a historical figure and wrote about whether they were a hero or a villain] to smaller, more pointed writing assignments,” Rubio said.

These assignments all go into each student’s “Historian’s Journal.”

“The Historian’s Journal is an opportunity for students to reflect on deep questions about a particular unit,” Rubio said. “They’re usually questions of controversy, where you have to kind of argue for something or really reflect on...how that particular historical case is making you think about your own values.”

An important outcome of the course is the development of a historian’s skills.

“Those skills would involve document interpretation, weighing the validity of documents—so, initially, the stuff that the teachers will put in front of you, but then eventually...the students have to go out and find sources that are representative of really different arguments in history,” Rubio said. “We wanted to make sure that students came away from the course with the sense that the way you write history is an argument.”

Yet the skills learned in the class are not the only important part.

“Focusing on world history, we’re putting a context for any subsequent work, so when you do US History, that will really fill in the gaps, but you will have a sense of where the US fits on the world stage in history,” Rubio said. “And then I think a lot of the seminars that are offered are just really deeper dives, closer looks...and this will give you a general, and probably a broader, perspective to situate lots of different courses that you will take as a seminar.”

The course also aims to be an engaging experience for students!

“I didn't particularly enjoy history in my middle school, but this year, I really have enjoyed this class,” Stephen Klein ’24 said.

YouthSpeaks Podcast

Photo Credits: Anna Ravid

By Sonya Surapaneni

Throughout 2020, high schoolers across the country suddenly had an abundance of spare time due to pandemic school closures, allowing them to explore new passions and develop innovative projects. I was one of them, a rising sophomore, already beginning to develop an interest in psychology and sociology. From blogging to taking related courses, I decided to delve  deeper into my field of study, adopting a creative lens as I went. This led me to podcasting in late July, and as I ranted into the microphone, the podcast accumulated a base of over over 1000 listeners globally!

YouthSpeaks is a mental health podcast focusing on self-care, global issues, and nuanced topics from a South Asian perspective. With fourteen episodes out in our first season, we have covered everything  from heteronormativity to South-Asian struggles to toxic masculinity and even eating disorders. The podcast began as I struggled with Leela, my best friend, as we navigated technology in  the vastly different post-pandemic landscape. From talking to people who have experienced podcasting firsthand, such as Ninth Grade Dean, Mark Lukach, to reaching out to advisors for outreach like Mark Friedman, YouthSpeaks took a community to build. Initially, our following was hard to grow, but as we spread the word through social media and connections,-people began to listen, and we grew globally!

At YouthSpeaks, we feature many different guest speakers to speak about their stories and offer advice to the listeners. Our most popular episodes featured an eloquent friend of mine, Piya Devidasani--founder of Cal MSV--as she spoke about self love, Stress-Free Teens Founder Rohan Tirumala, and Forbes Entrepreneur Naomi Porter. They shared their stories of how they combatted adversity through their lives, speaking of gender relations and making it as teenagers in the media. They also talked about their initiatives, which is common among many episodes at YouthSpeaks. At the end of each section, these guests often give a quick piece of advice to our listeners, which we’ve had good reviews about! My favorite piece of advice comes from  Vishesh Gupta, Stanford graduate, who proclaimed at the end of the college application advice episode: “it’s important to know when you’re done [...] there is a lot to get through, and you should just know. At that point, you’re done.” Super simple, but super compelling! 

My favorite episode featured Athenian history teacher, Sanjev deSilva, and National Youth Poet Laureate Finalist Samuel Getachew, as they spoke on the world as a whole today. As they were both extremely intelligent people involved with their own communities, we emphasized their educational lenses as we spoke about the media. The lengthy discussion continued as we discussed coping mechanisms people use, stereotypes, and even action we can take to further ensure safety in our closest communities. This episode continues to be relevant to society even today, as it focuses on the BLM protests around the world. 

The podcast also brought us to social media--accumulating over 7000 followers on all of our platforms. We’re most active on Instagram, where we post updates about the podcast including episode release dates, upcoming episodes, potential guest speakers and more. As we continue to post about world affairs, our page is filled with resources for students to get involved with their communities including nonprofits, startups, volunteering opportunities, podcast interviews, and more. Students are able to go to our highlights to find hundreds of resources for all of their interests and passions. Check out our Instagram page: @youthspeaksca to keep updated! 

. With listeners from over 23 countries around the world, thousands of  followers on social media, and various publications in mental health and equality journals, YouthSpeaks is becoming a leading mental health podcast for teens around the world today! For our next episode, we have a battle between Leela and myself: Introvert vs Extrovert, and how we deal with social situations today. Check it out now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eODPHe6orpzImJoSakjvU?si=KP0unulsQC63Md3_ihtG4g!

Public vs. Private: How Schools in the East Bay are Working to Reopen

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/halfpoint

By Anna Ravid

In March of 2020, schools closed down as COVID-19 spread across the nation. Teachers and students were thrust into digital learning, adapting on the spot to Zoom, Google Classroom, Canvas and a myriad of other new online programs. While Californians did not underestimate the deadly ramifications of COVID-19, being the first state to issue a stay at home order, it was almost unthinkable last March that a year later life would not be back to normal.

 While a few public schools in the Bay Area have begun to open gradually, 5 million students statewide have not seen the inside of a classroom for a year.  School Districts across the state have struggled to bring students back to schools, including two of the largest in the state, San Francisco Unified and Los Angeles Unified, which are slated to reopen at reduced capacity for the first time since the onset of the pandemic this April. While large districts have struggled, Private schools have flourished, many reopening in the fall with extensive safety plans designed to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. 

One district where students have not yet returned to in-person learning is Mount Diablo Unified School District, which serves 56 schools and over 30,000 students from Concord and Walnut Creek to Pittsburg and Martinez. After a year of complex negotiations, the district detailed its latest back to school plan in a February 19 newsletter entitled ‘Three Steps Forward.’

 “MDEA (Mount Diablo Educators Association) and the District also added five additional bargaining days for the next upcoming weeks, with a commitment from both teams to complete an agreement for a Hybrid plan by March 15th that allows for students and teachers to safely return to school.”

 A successful implementation of the proposed hybrid plan is dependent upon Contra Costa County moving out of the purple tier. One key component of the reopening negotiation is the teachers unions’ demands. The statewide California Teachers Association and the California state government have been in debate over the conditions under which in person learning can take place.

 “Once completed vaccines for employees are a key element to safe in-person school reopening,” wrote the California Teachers’ Association in a January letter of demands to Gavin Newsom.

 Facing pressure from the Biden administration to bring students back to the classroom, Newsom has supported the multi-billion dollar California Legislature bill which aims to provide a  financial incentive for California to reopen in person learning. 

According to the text of California Senate Bill 86, to acquire state funding the bill  “requires a local educational agency to offer in-person instruction and authorizes these agencies to offer distance learning, as specified.”  

While the bill provides copious incentives to open, how many students and hours to reopen is left unclear. The bill also does not fully address the logistical challenges many districts face in creating their COVID-19 safety plans, addressing the need for student and teacher safety, cost restrictions, and union negotiations. 

MDUSD has reached an agreement to return students to the classroom a year after COVID closures.    

“We are pleased to report that by Monday (March 29), we will have successfully welcomed over 11,000 students back to our classrooms,” wrote Adam Clark, Mt. Diablo superintendent. “A It is also good news that the number of cases of COVID-19 is steadily declining in all of the communities served by our district.”

However, students will not exclusively receive in-person instruction. The current plan includes a hybrid of in person and virtual learning. Students receive virtual instruction in the mornings and go to school twice a week for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. Plans for the future remain uncertain.

“We will also offer families the option to continue in a Distance Learning model in 2021-2022 if they prefer,” said Clark. 

Parents at recent board meetings have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of reopening and the very limited amount of in person hours while the teachers’ union have complained about the lack of follow through on safety protocols designed to make the return to school safer. Conflicting interests of the teachers’ union, parents, students, and government regulation have made it difficult to make any progress towards returning to pre-pandemic schooling. 

Private schools, free from many of the constraints of public schools, have often been able to reopen efficiently in the fall. Their COVID-19 safety plans can shed light on the key components necessary to bring students back to campus. The Athenian School has managed to bring students back to campus this fall as part of a hybrid plan where underclassmen and upperclassmen rotate between online and in-person instruction every other week. 

Athenian had the assistance of a medical doctor and industrial hygiene firm FACS (Forensic Analytical Consulting Services) when creating their one hundred page COVID-19 safety plan. Upon the state approval of their school reopening waiver, Athenian had the infrastructure in place to quickly begin bringing students back to campus, beginning with the sixth grade. 

Reaction to Athenian’s reopening has generally been positive. Overall, two thirds of the upper school and ninety five percent of the middle school have come back to campus. Open communication and has been a key component of the reopening. 

“Teachers' reactions were mixed,” said a team of faculty in charge of COVID-19 coordination including Amy Wintermeyer, Eric Niles, Lauren Railey, and Debbie Derana. “Many were very excited to return to in-person instruction and others felt nervous and preferred staying in distance learning. Faculty were involved in that they all attended mandatory training conducted by an industrial hygiene consultant. Also, our school administrators, our medical advisor, and safety consultants held open meetings with faculty to address questions and concerns.”

In weekly testing procedures this year, Athenian has had a total of three positive cases, two of which are believed to be false positives. According to the administration, after a positive case, Athenian files a report to the California Department of Public Health, which opens a report and conducts its own stringent contact tracing procedures to determine any individuals who may have come into contact with the infectious person. 

As a private school, Athenian had the ability to adapt its plan and safety precautions quickly and efficiently as circumstances in Contra Costa County change without lengthy negotiations. 

“Once it was deemed safe to open, we did so as quickly as possible,” said Wintermeyer, Niles, Railey and Derana. “(We)  think it helped that we had worked with FACS and already had a safety plan in place. The advantages of being a private school are that we are not held to the requirements of the district and we can make our own decisions around schedule and capacity.”  

While many school districts have also put together extensive safety plans, they have been unable to execute them as the COVID-19 case count fluctuates and the requirements of the governments and unions shift. The outstanding comparative success of private schools raises questions about the equity in quality of education across different socioeconomic levels in the past year. 

According to a study on COVID-19 school performance by the Economic Policy Institute, “learning and development have been interrupted and disrupted for millions of students… The pandemic has exacerbated well-documented opportunity gaps that put low-income students at a disadvantage relative to their better-off-peers.” Some reasons cited for this widening gap are uneven access to devices and internet  and the difficulties of online instruction including vastly reduced hours, distractions of home life and a lack of resources for teachers conducting online line lessons. 

According to a Bay Area News Group study, a large percentage of the public schools that have reopened are in wealthy areas. 

“Those serving children in big cities, or children who come from poor families or families of average means, remain in online “distance learning,” widely acknowledged as inferior to in-person instruction,” writes John Woolfock in a Mercury News article entitled “Rich Bay Area kids head back to class, others don’t”

This statistic compounds the growing COVID-19 opportunity gap for students. Private schools, most of which have reopened, also cater to the wealthy. 

The pandemic has shed a light on the different circumstances for public and private schools. What remains clear is students need a return to normalcy. How long before students across the state are back in school full-time remains uncertain. 

Where Does Our Water Come From?

Graphic by Alekhya Maram

By Savonnah Wong

When you twist the knob on your sink to get a glass of water or turn on your shower, the source of the water never crosses your mind. When you use water, you may be tapping into different sources either close to your home or from many miles away. In the Bay Area, there are over 11 reservoirs that deliver more than 260 million gallons of water to our homes daily. 

However, the amount of water that is available each year differs based on climate conditions. As of 2021, the Bay Area’s dams and reservoirs are not completely full. According to the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency, “The district’s seven reservoirs were 72% full on Friday [January 29, 2021].” Although recently, conditions have not been “as dire as the drought between 2011 to 2016” said Andrew David, a physics teacher at the Athenian School, “everyone should be aware that as every single year passes, there has been less and less water.” 

One particular reason the water levels are dropping is that climate change disrupts weather patterns. With global warming and the rising temperatures on Earth, snowpacks are melting. 

“Snowpacks are nature’s way of storing water for a longer period of time than rain,” said David. 

Water is retained in seasonal snowpacks and melts slowly throughout the spring and summer. Instead of having to capture snow as it falls, the snow melt from the mountains steadily fills reservoirs throughout the warmer months. 

However, due to global warming, snowpacks are declining and melting earlier, reducing the water levels of reservoirs. This contributes to the onset of megadroughts: extreme drought conditions for an extended period of time. Megadroughts create conditions conducive to the desiccation of trees, forests, and soil. These dry conditions take a toll on the health of plants and allow fires to start relatively easily. When a fire starts, it can grow into a huge forest fire quickly. It is beneficial to have snow or water on the ground as long as possible so that trees and forests can retain moisture to withstand fires. However, temperature rise due to global warming makes this unlikely. 

Another way our water supply is connected to the environment is the impacts of water distributing facilities on eco-life. Many animals are directly impacted by the artificial reservoirs and dams built to transport water to our homes. Specifically, the populations of some fish species are dwindling due to how water is distributed. 

In California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has listed the Central California Coast Coho Salmon as an endangered species as of 2005. Many salmonids swim upriver to the mountains to lay their eggs; however, if there is an artificial dam built on the river, the salmon are not able to lay eggs where they originally were supposed to be. With the combination of overfishing, disease, pollution, and water distribution infrastructures, 99.5% of all native Salmon have disappeared from the wild. Although this disappearance is the result of many factors, the important takeaway is that there are many things humans do disrupt the life of animals.

Water in California is one of the top issues in the state. If people continue to waste water daily, we run the risk of depleting our water supply. Many Californians want to know how to make a positive impact and want to change their daily habits to conserve water. However, it is “important to educate yourself on what actually makes a difference, and what just feels like it is making a difference,” said David. 

Many people turn off the sink while brushing their teeth or cut down the length of their showers, but compared to reducing meat consumption or cutting down on clothes shopping, the impact of these actions is negligible. 

“People will be hearing about California water for a long, long time. [This is a] huge issue in the state and people will deal [with] this problem,” said David.