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Launch Issue 2010

SOON!

COMIN

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Open your eyes and let us see what you see. Let us share in your experiences and get a glimpse of your life. Let us amplify your voice- a voice that will no longer be unheard.

Open your eyes to opportunity. The opportunity to share your latest masterpiece or even your first one.

Open your eyes to a showcase of M-A’s talent, to the mul-titude of student voices that define our school. This is your forum.

This is to recognize that not everything beautiful at M-A can be graded. This is the MArk. Make yours.

PHOTOGRAPH Allie Felt

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The MArk Contributors:

Editors-in-chief:Regina MullenKate Reardon

Adam Zuckerman

Staff:Michael AbramsonTrent BastianRachel FoxTaylor GananianRussell GurmanWes HagmanBlair JohnsonAnna LukeHaley McCabeAlexander MostEvan PeairsIan ProulxHannah RosenfeldStephanie SabatiniJed Springer

Conrad Yu

Creative Writing and Visual Arts Committees:Addie Brian Ali CandlinSofia Gutierrez-DewarMaddie HoltzmanFiona KirbySydney LeFebvreLily NingLaurin NoguchiAllison Silverman

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The MArk, a feature magazine published by the students in Menlo-Atherton High School’s Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The MArk is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to themamark@gmail.com

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Phot

ogra

phy

Emily

John

son

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As the hand ticks,

The face contorts.

But in no way am I to shame.

Deprivation is extended absence.

A gift so malicious.

Who to blame?

I once believed that wishes

Were like fishes.

So I cast my net.

And I never caught anything,

Even after my socks were wet.

Now in my wet socks

And no fish in hand,

I stare.

Yet for an eternity

I could stand here,

Looking at nothing.

Funny how my eyes became so big

How they became so round.

Funny how I looked in the mirror

And it was the other way around.

I saw a fish in the mirror.

Dumb-eyed staring.

Waiting too long will do that to you

No love, no caring.

So I’ll just continue waiting and hoping.

Because there’s nothing I can really do.

Nothing, except wait and hope

That my wishes will come true.

-Conrad Yu

Fish

Photography Prescott Foland

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What It Feels Like to Endure a Hot DayBy Megan Thomas Oh joy, oh rapture unforeseen. Today is another sunny day in California. Triple digit highs and not one dismal cloud in the sky. Today is a day of sadness. When it’s hot you feel your shirt stick to your back, the sweat acting as glue. Your hands are melting and slippery. You never want to intertwine with your boyfriend’s fingers on such a toasty day. Your arms are crusted in salt and your pores are crying. Your toes feel like they are surrounded by plush slipper socks. Your legs are wrapped in Saran Wrap—no air, no ventilation. Your back begs for a swimming pool, one that’s not heated and hasn’t seen warm temperatures in years. Your neck is suffocating under your hair. Your face is a furnace, steaming from deep under your skin. Your makeup tries to hide and seek cover. It drips from your face like water from a long leaf. Hair assaults your temples. You look God-awful. And you feel even worse. Any clothing feels like a down comforter. Shoes seem to just insulate your poor toes. Every cell in your body seeks for something cold, something frozen to chill the heat. You can never escape from heat. It’s not like snowy winter days where coats and heater blankets keep the chills at bay. No amount of clothes, or lack thereof, can cool you down. No icy glass of water, no shady location can lower your temperature. You are perpetually stuck between melting point and a solid state. You can’t get away. You don’t want to move. Let your heart rate slow down. Now is not the time for cardio. Calm down. Just lie. Just exist. Do not. Ever. Move. Sit and be still and maybe the heat won’t see you. All you want to do is lie on the shaded and cooled concrete and spread your limbs like the roots of a tree. Ice water is never cold enough. But you can find solace in the fact that it, too, is sweating through the glass.

Photography Cat Carragee

Fish

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Public displays of affection can range from hold-ing hands and high fives to making out and heavy petting, so where does M-A draw the line?

Any student, faculty member, or visitor to M-A can see the couples smashed up against the walls and boys and girls walking with absolutely no personal bubble between them. When asked about their opinions on the outward displays of affection that go on at school, the response was two sided. Teachers and students that did not participate in PDA were equally disgusted, indignant, and uncomfortable.

Lauren Diller, a sophomore here at M-A, was quoted saying “They should all just get a room!”

Junior Clemence Parmentier is among those students who doesn’t mind public displays of affection. “I don’t think it’s awkward,” she says, “because people should mind their own business because it’s just like natural for us to be displaying our affection with someone.”

Sophomore Michael Hester takes the middle ground saying “I don’t care as long as tongues stay in the mouth.”

There are stories all over the news of schools buckling down on rules about public displays of affection and by looking at our handbook, it would appear that M-A is no different. The handbook states that “Excessive displays of affection are inappropriate on school grounds or at school sponsored activities. Excessive refers to kissing, petting, and other physical demonstrations considered to be inappropriate when conducted in public.” Although it does seem like these rules are enough to restrict students from getting too hot and heavy in the hallways, a simple stroll through Pride Hall would quickly disprove that assumption. When asked about the rules pertaining to PDA at M-A, the school’s new Dean of Students, Sean Priest, commented on the administrations main form of restricting excessive displays of affection. He says simply asking them to stop normally does the job, because “it generally kills the mood.”

PDA: A Bit More ThanBear Hugsby Stephanie Sabatini

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MOUNTAIN BIKINGBy Evan PeairsWhat do you know about mountain biking? Chances are you don’t know enough. Though M-A doesn’t sponsor it as a sport, mountain bik-ing has a dedicated following of both students and adults. Mountain bikers put energy, mon-ey, and their own safety into the sport. Many high schools even have their own teams.

Although lots of cyclists like to race, most biking in the area takes place on an indi-vidual level. People ride on weekends with friends to trails that fit their interests. Bikers inter-ested in easier rides will go to the Arastradero Preserve and other trails near it. More thrill-seeking riders will go to Carlmont, which has some of the most intense biking in the bay area right in its backyard.

There isn’t just one kind of biker, either; perhaps the most style is the cross country rid-er, who prefers less technical trails and long rides. Though their style is not as impressive as others, they are the ones that will do crazy-long rides such as the Tour Divide ride, a 2700 mile race from Canada to Mexico. There’s also dirt-jumpers, who don’t really mountain bike at all, but instead ride their bikes into the air off of dirt mounds. Downhillers ride heavy bikes with gigantic suspension, and try to get from the top of a mountain to the bottom in as little time as pos-sible. Every rider has his own style and bike to go with it, and most don’t fit into any one category.

In other high schools, riders train and race as part of their school. In Marin County schools, where mountain biking is more popular, the cycling teams outnumber the football teams.

These teams race in the NorCal High School Mountain Bike Racing League, which has 23 high school teams from Northern California and many riders without teams. The teams compete in races all around Northern Cali-fornia. In the league’s “cross country” style of race, contestants ride around a circuit of dirt

trails on mountain bikes. It takes stamina and skill to win a race, as the courses are tricky and riders must maneuver around one another.

The Peninsula Composite Team (PCT) is one of the teams partic-

ipating in the races this year. This team features riders from Carlmont, Woodside, and Serra. The PCT rides in local parks such as Water

Dog Lake and Skeggs point for practice. “We aren’t just a race team” says Nick Long, one of the

team members. “We’re also a club for riders that like cross country moun-tain biking but don’t want to race.” The PCT is currently recruiting cy-clists, and is happy to accept any M-A riders who love to bike.

Though it’s fun to practice with a team, the real appeal of mountain biking is its

freedom. The sport offers a much more individual experience than any team sport, as you can pick who you want to

ride with and where you want to go. There are no rules, restrictions, or referees to tell

you what to do, and the only limit is your own ability.

Since its beginning in the 1980s, mountain bik-ing has grown to an estimated 50 million rid-ers in the U.S. alone. Even if it is not officially recognized at M-A, mountain biking is as much a part of school sports as any other game the school has to offer.

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The times are changing in M-A’s 2011 bell schedule. In an attempt to provide students with some much-

needed sleep, the Sequoia Union High School District is revamping the bell schedule next year to a c c o m m o d a t e the sleepier students in the district. These changes come following the dedicated work of, most notably, former M-A parent Eileen Van Rheenen and Stanford sleep experts William C. Dement and Mark R. Rosekind. Despite the data supporting the benefits of a later start time, many M-A teachers are frustrated by the new schedule, believing they’ve been given no voice in the process. While several different proposals are currently in the works, a few significant changes already look certain.

To understand the changes that will be occurring, it is important to understand what prompted them. Since the 2007-2008 school year, M-A has had a comprehensive sleep program to

educate students on the benefits of getting an adequate amount of sleep each night. The program has been a success, just last year earning M-A the prestigious Golden Bell Award for the “school’s leadership in raising awareness about the importance

of teen sleep and the consequences of sleep d e p r i v a t i o n , ” as it explains on the district w e b s i t e . Leading this program has been former M-A parent Eileen Van

Rheenen, who clearly vocalizes the dangers of sleep deprivation. “There is data showing that drowsy driving is probably…as impactful or more than driving [under the influence of] alcohol.” Sleep deprivation has been linked to other health risks as well, including d e p r e s s i o n a n d anxiety.

Another important reason for starting later is that “adolescents have a normal biological shift in their circadian clock,” that leads them to stay up later and wake up later. This shift, affecting all but “about 2% of kids” means that students will very often be drowsy or fatigued in class. Besides, this type of schedule is by no means unprecedented. Woodside High School decided this year to start school at 9:05, and approximately 90 to 100 other schools around the country have implemented similar scheadules. The overall reception of these changes has been overwhelmingly positive. “It’s hard to measure, but it looks like academic performance, athletic performance, mood, safety––it all improves.” Van Rheenen stood firmly behind her philosophy, claiming that she “ [ d o e s n ’ t ]

“I’d like to go to the homes of the parents

that changed my schedule, and I’d like to change their entire

schedule, then see how they feel.”

-Mike Amoroso

The Times They are a Changin’M-A Modifies Bell Schedule for 2011 School YearBy Michael Abramson

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think there has been a single school that has said it has been a negative change.” But on the other hand, “Many have reported that it was a hard change to make” because “people get used to routines…and start to feel that that is the way it has to be. But still, [the later schedule] has been very positive and people said they would never go back.” In the end, the basis of these changes stems from the fact that “It’s really important to look at not only how adolescents can help themselves get to sleep earlier, even if their biology is fighting it, but also what kind of institutional changes or organizational changes we can make to support the other end of it, which is the waking up end.”

There are a multitude of options

still being

considered. The district is still meeting with principals and teacher representatives to determine the exact changes, but the goal is to settle the plan for next year within the next couple of months. The pending alterations will not apply only to M-A, and M-A will not be able to go against the new schedule, as this new schedule is a district-wide decision. That being said, here are some of the possible options still in play for next

year’s schedule:

The majority of the M-A teachers have not embraced these changes. Frustration abounds as many feel the new schedule is the work of a few influential parents and board members, with little consideration given to the needs of the teachers. Ultimately, M-A principal Matthew Zito estimates that “around 80% of [teachers] are against it.” And, after hearing their thoughts, it isn’t difficult to understand why. “I’d like

to go to the homes of the parents that changed

my schedule, and I’d like to change

their entire s chedu l e ,

t h e n s e e

how they feel,” remarked frustrated US history teacher and varsity baseball coach Mike Amoroso. History teacher and soccer coach Ben Wellington reinforced Amoroso’s complaints, “Honestly, I think they didn’t take into account athletics, and the people that it’s supposed to help, the people that usually have to travel farther, are actually going to be active longer because they have to start at 7:30. So overall it’s a negative.” When asked whether the teachers’ point of view was considered

when making the changes, Mr. Wellington responded “No, of course not.” Others teachers have more mixed feelings regarding the new schedule. Math teacher Manja McMills admits “I don’t really like change,” and worries that “kids will just go to bed later, so I don’t know if starting later is going to help anyone with sleep,” but “I’m also open to see if it can help, so I’m optimistic.”

In the end, the new bell schedule will likely earn many supporters and just as many detractors. Hopefully, the M-A community will be able to embrace the changes, understand their purpose, and, most importantly, start chipping away at that sleep debt.

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Bell Schedule Article ContinuedSome Proposed Changes

8:30 or 8:45 start time -- The main purpose of the new schedule is to provide students with the opportunity to get more sleep. To achieve this goal, school will begin at either 8:30 or even 8:45, forty to fifty-

five minutes later than when we start now.

School will end at 3:05 or 3:10 on regular days -- Because school starts later, school will end later. Sorry, that’s just how it works. We aren’t making the days any shorter or having any less class time, the start of the day is simply being delayed a bit

7th period before school -- 7th period will now be before 1st period, most likely starting at 7:35 in the morning. The logic behind calling it seventh period is likely that the period is irregular, and to call it first period might confuse

parents and some students on regular schedules.

Block Days -- The proposals for the block days vary greatly, however, with one proposal having school start at 8:30 and get out at 1:50 while another takes the opposite approach, starting school at 9:15 and letting students out 3:05. Many teachers do not favor the second plan, as it allows for an hour and 35 minute staff meeting every Wednesday,

an unbearably long time for most teachers.

7th period will only be available to students with 7 periods in their schedule -- That’s right, the only way you can start school at 7:35 is if you decide to take 7 periods per day. Students with regular schedules will not have a choice as to what time they start their day, even if they play a sport. 7th period will be used solely

for classes such as ESL, AVID, and SAT prep.

How You Will Be Affected

Athletes: Sports will most likely suffer the most with the new changes. Many sports may be forced to hold early morning practices; beginning as early as seven and probably continuing after school as well. While the district is petitioning CCS to start games later, the lack of lights on most fields would make playing much later nearly impossible. Furthermore, the changes will likely force athletes to miss significantly more class trying to get to games on

time, even more reason why the new schedule will hurt the grades of our athletes. You’re also likely to see athletes being forced to wake up early to do homework, as many will get home after seven with just as much homework as before. On the plus side, everyone will get out at the same time, so practices

won’t have to be delayed for 7th period students.

Teachers: While most teachers remain opposed to the changes, the schedule will likely affect them in similar ways as it will affect students. Still, teachers who live far away will be forced to leave later than they do now arriving home as late as seven or eight. These same teachers also fear having to face commuter-traffic every day, as the later schedule will force many of them into driving during the day’s worst traffic hours. Many teachers are involved in sports as well, so

they will also be affected on that front.

Advanced Track Students: Students in M-A’s advanced classes almost always take just six classes, so most of these students will be able to sleep in longer. Unfortunately, these students are generally not the ones in desperate need of more sleep. The truth is that most of these students come from well-off backgrounds that assist a student in managing

both school and outside life.

Students in Support Classes: Students taking ESL or other support courses usually take seven periods a day. While these students are usually the ones most in need of more sleep, they will be forced to wake up even earlier to get to their seventh period class if it starts at 7:30. On the other hand, many of these students do have responsibilities after school that will be easier to complete if their school day ends

earlier.

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Artwork byMaria Iknonomou

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I am: An avid power-walker with a deep love of the sound of my own voice. Hobbies include: criticizing the unfashionable and skanky, helping myself to a smorgasbord of student lunches, and spotting electronic devices like a sniper in ‘nam.

You are: A diet coke dispenser

Mr. Zito

Mr. Losekoot I am: An argumentative essay expert with remarkably poor handwriting. Hobbies include: mispellings, putting my daughter into dangerous hypothetical situations in order to teach students grammar, discussing my unborn child’s name, and having the freedom to put on orange tights and a purple halter top.

You are: Named Jacoba and incapable of disagreeing with me

We’re all hoping for true love, but some teachers work so hard that they can’t get out and do so like normal people. Meet some of M-A’s most alluring staff members and learn what they really want in their heart of hearts.Note from the Author: For the sake of my GPA, please do not tell them who is responsible for this.

I am: A vocabulary connoisseur with intimidatingly buff arms. Hobbies include: being force-fed by Greek villagers and mediating conflict with one flex of my astounding biceps.

You are: Also endowed with black belt skills but totally free of hubris.

Ms. Kalamaras

I am: An ageless vampire (and only challenger to Zito’s powerwalking throne) who hides the bodies of my victims by assigning superfluous dissections. Hobbies include: “being feared rather than respected,” torturing children with chilling songs about resurrecting cats, and impersonating Robert Downey Jr.

You Are: A fellow worshipper of Thor.

Mr. Roisen I am: A sociopath who enjoys fightening children and breaking desks with a giant club. Hobbies include: Trying to convince people that baseball is interesting, injuring students, and the fall of apartheid.

You are: Steve Biko (and not intimidated by my intense bromance with Beef Wellington).

Mr. Amoroso

I am: An apparently camera-shy historian with an affinity for papal trivia. Hobbies include: wrecking GPA’s, going on tangents, and feeding on the souls of my students. I also take distinct pleasure in wearing the same clothes every day.

You are: Learned but inevitably less qualified than I. Sigh.

Mr. Florio

by Kate Reardon

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With a total of thirteen piercings, AVID and Math teacher Ms. An-dres has a story behind each one. But the most interesting piercing story is not how she re-ceived the piercing, but how it was removed.

In March of 2008, Ms. Andres felt that something was wrong with her gums. She went to her dentist and found out that her tongue piercing

had an infection. Her dentist sent her to an endodontist who usually deals with root canals. The endodontist told Ms. Andres that she either had to take out the ring, or lose her front teeth. The gums in the front of her mouth were receding and she was losing bone strength in her front teeth. So Ms. Andres made the easy decision: remove the ring she had for eight years

and have surgery.

After deciding to have surgery, Ms. Andres went to a periodontist, a type of dentist who specializes in working with gums. About eight months after discovering the infection, Ms. Andres finally had the surgery. The periodontist was supposed to cut out skin from her mouth and sew it on to the inside of her gums to make them bigger and stronger. However, he sewed the skin onto the outside of her gums where it was un-needed. Frustrated, Ms. Andres reported the periodontist to the dental board and moved on to a second doctor. A year after discovering the problem, Ms. Andres

finally received the correct procedure to improve her gums.

Now, Ms. Andres states that she “feels fine, although the roof of my mouth is still a little numb.” Even though there is still some recession, her gums are much better than they were nearly two years ago. However, instead of having her teeth cleaned every six months, she must clean them every three to four months. Not very many students know about the procedure. Some students who had her during the 2008-09 school year knew, since she had to miss school for the surgeries and meetings with her dentist.

by Russell GurmanTiedTongue

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Lydian Credits No Longer Count For Menlo-Atherton CreditMenlo-Atherton’s Shared Decision Making Site Council (SDMSC) passed a unanimous motion in their October meeting that our high school would no longer accept credits from private institution Lydian Academy though exceptions can be made for cases like severe illness. A motion seemingly uncontroversial to most students and teachers that occupied little more than half a page of minutes is one that is strongly contested by Rhonda Racine, principal of the Lydian Academy. This debate raises questions about the fundamental nature of education and preparation for college.

The decision to formally block credits from Lydian was made for many reasons, reasons

both explicitly written and unwritten. According to the minutes of the SDMSC meeting and a letter written by Gregg Whitnah, a leading member of SDMSC, to Trivocis (a letter that was not printed due to objections from Lydian Academy), M-A’s administrators and SDMSC members are worried about several key issues. According to Whitnah’s letter, the high cost of Lydian courses makes it “inaccessible to 95% of our students” and thus furthers the socio-economic gap at M-A. Furthermore, SDMSC worries that the system of mastery-based learning taught by Lydian Academy, where a student completes the tests and homework until they are dropped for lack of effort or passed with an A, inflates

the grades of Lydian Students and upsets class rankings. Additionally, SDMSC stated “We want M-A’s transcript to reflect work at M-A”. Finally, both the minutes and letter question the “breadth and rigor of the courses provided” at Lydian Academy.

Off the written record, several M-A officials have cited major influences of the decision to be the fear of “teacher shopping” and a strong belief in our high school curriculum’s preparation of students for the college environment. “Teacher shopping” occurs when students decide whether to take a class based not on differing curriculum or material, but on the like or dislike of specific teacher. Our administration has expressed

By Alexander Most

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a belief that preparation for a college environment stems from the traditional high school’s transition to larger amounts of personal responsibility in managing your own work without the c o n s t a n t attention of a teacher.

High cost is another m a j o r c o n c e r n e x p r e s s e d by SDMSC. Many members believe that some of the students at our school simply cannot afford to pay for a Lydian class, though it should be noted that several students have been given scholarships in previous years. Rhonda Racine states that it is not so different from hiring a tutor to help with a course at M-A. However, it appears that neither the cost nor the class rankings were the primary concern in the minds of M-A officials. Most of the arguments raised question the quality of a Lydian education.

Rhonda Racine counters this doubt with her schools AP scores: a 100% pass rate among seventeen AP students. Yet M-A officials believe that a class at Lydian is not comparable to a class at our school or other public educational institutions. One M-A official described it as comparing “apples and oranges”, two inherently different products. Several M-A staff have specifically referenced pre-calculus

at Lydian to be a primary example of the differences between the two schools. Allegedly students have

taken pre-calculus at Lydian but go

on to receive a D in

calculus at M-A. No specif ic s t u d e n t has been c i t e d - t h o u g h even if

a teacher w i s h e d

to disclose their name they

legally couldn’t- and Lydian Academy contends that these claims are untrue and slanderous. Despite M-A’s objections, Lydian is a WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accredited school, other local schools in our district accept Lydian’s course credits as comparable to theirs, and colleges will still accept Lydian credits even though they do not count towards a M-A diploma.

In addition to the official reasons, the unofficial reasons also present compelling arguments for blocking credits from Lydian Academy. The idea of ‘teacher s h o p p i n g ’ may seem f a r f e t c h e d , and Racine says that only one or two out of a hundred students enroll at Lydian for this reason, but a small s a m p l i n g

of students interested in attending Lydian may suggest a larger percentage. A group of approximately ten Juniors that is looking to take AP Physics are considering Lydian Academy for several reasons. Oftentimes they cannot take it at M-A, as we have a prerequisite of AS Physics, or they desire to have a different Physics teacher than the one they would have at M-A.

The belief that the environment of M-A is more preparatory for college raises debate over the educational result of class size. Most college classes are not remotely similar to the personal one-on-one curriculum of Lydian. M-A is a step closer to the anonymity of a UC where there may be 400 hundred or more students in an auditorium and a teacher student ratio of 20:1. Larger class sizes are generally considered a negative, but some believe that they do prepare students for the next step of their education. Because of this, M-A’s administrators suggest that students interested in taking classes outside of our grounds do so at other similar institutions like the community college system.

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w

Audrey Bullwinkle

Need name

Need name

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Need name

Need name

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I am a Gangstaby Marquisha Cheadle

I am a GangstaI wonder when I will die

I hear gun shotsI see people bleeding

I want to help my folksI am a Gangsta

I pretend nothing is wrong I feel bad for my mom

I touch my 9mmI worry I will have to use it 1 day

I cry out “It’s whatever!”I am a Gangsta

I understand people hate meI say “I don’t care.”

I dream I don’t have any problems I try to avoidMy problems

I know they won’t go away unless I face them

I am a Gangsta

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“STATIC” the record scratched cross faders jammed the tables turn but no microphone stand

his reasoning expressing his self was never a part of the plan so he amplifies his headphones threw his mixer

doesn’t speaker language but knows he’s a contender just how many others have had a set who cares cuz if he don’t get the gig he can walk off

knowing he gave his best.Lil does he know her ear presses to the radio

anxious to hear the rap played at his first show. but adolescents unplug the cord cutting the music that made her soar.

she’s told to throw the stereo aside let someone else’s flow enter her mind but she is determine to make herself better for his next audition

here she will stay hopefully he

too until static goes away

-Deonte McCall

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There’s nothing professional about them anymore. A sad trend is emerging in

‘professional sports’: the antics of the clowns that rake in millions of dollars because they can jump forty inches high, land a golf ball on a dime from a hundred yards away, or throw a ball faster than the speed of sound. Until recently, these rare specimens of talent have been viewed upon with awe and respect. Hence the infinite amount of autographs, photographs, and game worn apparel we as spectators seek for memorabilia. But, for the players whose smelly

undergarments and sweaty headbands we push and shove for, this is all about to change, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Evidence #1: Days after his November 27th “car crash” outside of his Florida home, media sources revealed an alleged affair between Tiger Woods and several other women. Weeks later, hidden behind a lawyer’s press release filled with words bigger than Queen Latifah’s gut, Woods announced he would be taking an indefinite leave from the game of golf to repair his marriage. Woods has had so many rumored affairs that Nike is allegedly considering changing its slogan from “Just Do It” to “Just Do Me.”

Evidence # 2: Gilbert Arenas, known in the basketball world as deadly “Agent Zero,” was recently charged by District of Columbia Police with felony possession of a weapon charges and an ensuing suspension for the remainder of the NBA season by commissioner David Stern. When questioned, Arenas claimed the guns were for protection. Later it was revealed that he used the weapons as a scare tactic. Arenas allegedly placed multiple firearms in front of teammate Javaris Critterton (the two had a gambling dispute) and bluntly dared him to ‘pick one’. Evidence # 3: Like all of Major League Baseball is on steroids. Recent confessions by

Unprofessional, Unacceptableby Reed Foster

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Mark McGwire, Andy Petite, and David Ortiz are just public examples of the new fad in clubhouses across America: sticking shady needles where the sun doesn’t shine. The past decade has been a sad one for baseball – our national pastime has transformed from the classic game defined by finesse and speed to the brawny, bashing slugfest in which the players can be mistaken for the incredible Hulk culminating in the title of The Steroids Era. As a culture, we have long been sports fans. The World Series games of the 1930’s were a refreshing escape for many proletariat Americans who sank farther and father into poverty. Golf has

become an international arena, creating a global community that should be cherished. We willingly spend our hard-earned money to buy tickets to sporting events because we appreciate the extraordinary level of talent on display. We ask for players’ autographs and jerseys because we want to establish a level of connection, albeit distant, between them and us. As a kid, having Barry Bonds sign my baseball was greater than Rugrats, Playdough, Toy Story, and Thomas the Tank Engine train sets combined.

With these constant acts of misbehavior, the spiral of lying, and the suspicion of cheating that seem to be evident in nearly every athlete, society is

reaching its limit. These screw-ups are becoming an increasingly evident reminder that these athletes should no longer be looked at with reverence, much less the ones supposedly setting examples for our youth. If athletes don’t lose the prima donna

behavior and get a reality check soon, it won’t be long

before teams are playing in empty arenas and the only crowd cheering on Tiger Woods as he tees off will be his band of mistresses sucking at the tit of fame and fortune. Because, although we

appreciate their ability, we have morals – morals

that advise us to not cheat on your wife (especially when

she’s pregnant with your son), or threaten teammates with deadly

weapons, or cheat the game by taking banned drugs and then lying about it in public eye or

giving some pathetic excuse. Gilbert Arenas claimed the guns were for protection, and McGwire and Pettite both cited steroid use as a way to alleviate public pressure about performance slumps. Here’s a reality check for you men: there will come

a time, Gilbert, when you won’t need to protect yourself.

McGwire and Petite, you won’t need to search for a way to prove the critics wrong. Why? Because there won’t be anyone

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The MArk

Can you name all of these teachers? (answers on page 44)

37

Launch Issue 2010

Can you name all of these teachers? (answers on page 44)

38

The MArk

Her friend stumbled. His feet twisting, body turning and twirling in the air. He tilted toward her; his drink crashed to the ground, ice and glass shattering into pieces. His full

weight lay upon her body, knocking the wind out of her. She reached out to him but he was already on the ground. Everyone watched her face fill with fear as she fell backward into the pool. She could not swim. What would she do? Would her friends save her? Then the frigid surface of the water soaked her jeans, continuing to wet her down until finally engulfing her whole body. She sank down hard. Her arms and legs fought to reach the surface spinning in circles frantically. She had no

time to get air before falling in. She was running out of time—she did not know how to save herself. Her friends stood watching her, hopeless and drunk, and she wondered what they were doing. Was anyone ever going to save her? She saw her friend’s hand protruding into the water—it must have been her friend who fell. Was he trying to save her or was he knocked out cold on the pavement? She could not find a way to effectively move her body toward him; she could not break the surface of the water. She kicked her feet and slapped the air bubbles underneath, but the water would not let up—it only pushed her down farther, pulling harder on her clothes. She knew she was trapped and by now a friend should have saved her. Some friends. She relaxed

D R O W N I N G

by Laurel Hill

39

Launch Issue 2010

and let the idea of death embrace her. Her arms slowed, her legs stopped kicking, she was like a car running on empty. No more air circulated to her brain; her lungs let the water rush in. She hung, suspended near the floor of the pool. The last bubbles of her breath floated to the surface. Her friend, who was knocked out, woke up dizzy and confused by the faces of his friends. Were they staring at him or was there something behind him? He looked over his shoulder, still not understanding. Where was she? The water was still and he saw nothing while staggering to his feet. He looked out and around, letting reality set in once he noticed the shadow at the bottom of the pool. His arms reached above his head, hands pointed, legs propelling his body

into the water. He pulled his way down, found her, and carried her securely all the way to the surface. He hoped to God she was not dead. It would be his fault—they were best friends. What would he tell her parents? He rolled her onto the pavement. Her body remained heavy and lifeless. His hands made fists and he prepared himself to give CPR. He had not ever done it before, but there was a first for everything. He punched his fists into the middle of her chest—first try, nothing; second try, nothing; third try, nothing. Mouth-to-mouth, he breathed air in, but no water came out. Fourth try. She spit up all the water and gasped for her first breath of air in minutes. He picked her up and squeezed her tightly, shedding tears of joy and relief. She was alive.

D R O W N I N GPhotography Eric Evans

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The MArk

Doling out a couple $88 checks? You might be questioning the rationale behind emptying out your piggy bank for what seems like three hours of death on yet another Saturday morning that was stolen by standardized testing. We all know the basic implications of the SAT—one of the most decisive sections of a college application—and STAR testing—virtually irrelevant to students. With SATs, spring break, and prom, second semester can be chaos for juniors and seniors. On top of this, the majority of juniors and seniors begrudgingly add two or three—four or five for those with a death wish—more proctored tests to their plate (maybe even twice that if you count the practice AP’s). All for what? There are essentially three reasons to follow through with the assumed commitment of taking an AP test when enrolled in the respective AP class: respect for teachers and M-A’s reputation, pride (as if most of us need any more), and personal gain. While it may seem that I’m overlooking the all-consuming obsession of every high school junior—college admissions—rest assured that AP tests results have little to no bearing on whether you will graduate Harvard summa cum laude. Alice

Kleeman, our insightful college counselor, reflects on the influence of AP testing on college admissions in one pithy sentence: “AP scores are self-reported.” Any college that takes into serious consideration statistics that 17-year olds are reporting on their supposed honor is painfully naïve—and you probably shouldn’t be applying there anyways. That being said, Alice Kleeman confirms that colleges just “want to see that you

have taken the AP exam,” as it not only reflects your ambitious schedule, but also your commitment and moral fiber. “When signing up for an AP class, the assumption is that the student will take the AP test,” according to Alice

Kleeman. While it is not required here like it is in Texas and Florida, and M-A will not remove that coveted GPA bump, surely your teachers, the college gods, and your conscience will frown upon you if you portray only the façade of being an AP student. A large portion of an AP class is already devoted to preparing students for the AP exam, and one should not simply blow off the test because it is not mandatory. Before actually taking the test, it might be worth expending minimal extra effort in order to receive a score higher up on the AP

scale. While the difference between one and five may seem marginal to the ordinary human being, in the convoluted world of APs, the difference is crucial. The results of AP tests are directed back to our teachers and eventually projected as part of the banner of M-A’s national repute. AP Calculus and AP Statistics teacher Gregg Whitnah explains that “teachers receive a list of each student’s results from the AP exams and use the results as feedback.” If you don’t perform on the AP test to your full ability, some might venture so far as to call you a liar. You would be misleading the teachers about their class, teaching tactics, and ability to instruct an AP program effectively. As Alice Kleeman candidly puts it, “it would be giving your teacher a slap in the face.” Now before fantasizing about that idea; picture Ron Weiss, noble AP Statistics teacher, with his cable knit winter sweaters, stitched fingers, and puppy dog eyes… now who would want to slap such a benign soul? AP tests are more than a gauge of our knowledge of derivatives, Spanish idioms, or crafty synthesis essays. They are a test of our respect for those who have infused us with knowledge, those who have gone out of their way to provide us with a program to increase our college preparedness, those who put a roof over our heads, and most importantly, ourselves.

save college tuition

“Alice Kleeman confirms that colleges just

“want to see that you have taken the AP exam...”

by Hallee Foster

AP tests

41

Launch Issue 2010

While M-A does not receive government subsidies or increased funding from exceptional AP scores, these results do show themselves to the world via our school report. Steve Lippi, instructional Vice Principal, explains that “strong AP scores contribute to a strong accreditation for Menlo-Atherton.” While this might as well be written in pig latin for many, the accreditation that Mr. Lippi is referring to is sent out to applicants’ colleges on the standardized school report. When colleges view your success, or lack thereof, in light of M-A’s rigorous reputation and standards, they may take a more sympathetic view towards that one soul-shattering C+. Or you can use the AP test as your chance for vindication; you can redeem that C+ in AP US History by scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP exam, proving to your college of choice that you did, in fact, master the material despite your disappointing g r a d e .

If all else fails, do well on the AP tests for yourself. Colleges will see that you have persevered through M-A’s sea of cutthroat intellectuals and made it to the other side—a truly admirable journey. Karl Losekoot, AP English teacher, asks a thought-provoking question, “What does the AP test mean for you?” Ideally, the AP test should be the culmination of your potential as a persuasive writer or cat dissector. While the actually qualities of being a good student have seemed to fall by the wayside for many point-mongers, the AP test—with its minimal college bearing—is a relatively stress-free opportunity to display that you still have some remaining brain power. If all of this has not yet convinced you to make those three hours of AP Computer Science your absolute finest, j u s t

think of your beloved mom and pop. At most schools, save Harvard where a five is compulsory, a passing grade on the AP exam will exempt you from having to take college level French or US History. Now why would your parents care? While your dad may be whining about the $704 check he has to fork out for his two children’s AP tests this week, a passing grade could save thousands on tuition payments in the future when you do not have to take Calculus yet again. These seemingly painful $88 dollars really might be a worthy investment for you, your familial bank account, your brain, and your beloved teachers. Now that’s a win-win situation.

Photo

Giovanni G

uerra

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The MArk

Ring:Heirloom or

New?

Wedding:Big or Small?

Kids: How Many?

DreamVacation Home.

Beach, Moun-tain, or City?

Match made at M-A or else-where?

Movies or TV Shows?

Dinner Table Talk?

How often do you re-

cieve emails for your spouse?

Drive Together?

We didn’t have an engagement

ring

Medium-Sized

Yes. Two

Combination of all Three

elsewhere

both

Silly

Daily

No

Heirloom

Big, Mr. Wong was a groomsman!

Yes. One

Beach

at M-A

TV Shows

We need more!

10 times a year

No, never

Heirloom

Small

One

Vacation?

We met in the Peace

Corps.

TV. We unwind with a balance

of Jeopardy and TMZ.

You’re suppossed to eat at a

table?

too often

Never

Heirloom

Small

Yes. Two

Beach/ Mountain

at M-A

TV Shows

School

2 or 3 times a year

NO

Antique

Big

Yes. Two

Beach

at M-A

Movies

Sweet & Sour

Never

Yes

New

Big

Yes. Three

Tahoe. Beach and Mountain

We met at a different school

TV Shows

How Was School?

Occcasionally

Rarely

Burton-Tillson Carson Cristerna Stuart SnowCaryotakis

Married WITH

STUDENTS

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Launch Issue 2010

WITH

STUDENTS

by Adam Zuckerman

A mob of angry students, trash cans hurled through windows, innocent students and teachers hit and injured on Mrs. Wimberly’s very first day as a teacher. The race riots that

erupted on the first day of school in 1968, a blemish in Menlo-Atherton history, did not discourage Wimberly from following her dream of becoming a teacher.

Mrs. Wimberly moved to California to become a teacher believing the West to be the “Land of Opportunity” and more racially accepting. She moved from the East Coast and took a job at Menlo-Atherton under the impression that “things would be fairly mild.”

However, midway through her first ever day of teaching, some of the African-American students broke out in a riot. Wimberly recalls, “we were told to keep students inside the locker room, keep all doors locked, and to not leave the area unless there was a signal from the administration.” “Kids were throwing garbage cans through windows,” remembers Wimberly, “and unfortunately innocent students and teachers were hit and injured. The school was in turmoil. I remember the helicopters circling over the school trying to keep things from getting too out of hand.” The riots, which were the culmination of mounting racial tension, attracted national attention. “Police cars lined the street and the National Guard came on campus.”

The scene, which became a focal point for African-American protest, was an attempt to bring to light the problems that were troubling the black communities. The “African-American community just wanted to be heard,

and they thought this was the way to bring attention. They just wanted equal right and equal access to education, and they wanted to have cultural things that would be brought to the campus, so others would know what our culture was.”

More recently, Mrs. Wimberly was reminded of continued inequality when her children went through the Palo Alto School District. Wimberly was left with the impression that

“the African-American culture was ignored” because her children “didn’t learn about any African-American authors or literature or anything like that.”

Despite any qualms she may have had about her new career that day, Mrs. Wimberly says she always believed that “everything would work out for the better.” According to Mrs. Wimberly there have been no major riots since 1968 and racial tension has decreased dramatically.

Wimberly’s career has flourished over the last 42 years. In 1968 she began teaching physical education and coaching basketball and softball at Menlo-Atherton and has since taken over the position of Athletic Director.

Wimberly was recently named Model Coach of the Year by the California Interscholastic Federation because of her dedication and leadership on and off the field. This prestigious award places Wimberly among the elite high school coaches in California. Wimberly has led the girls’ basketball teams to 638 wins with only 303 losses capping off her incredible career by leading the team to the CCS finals this year. As she is retiring this year, Mrs. Wimberly will be missed on the Menlo-Atherton campus, while her contributions to the school will never be forgotten.

42 Amazing Years

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The MArk

In suburban California just south of San Fran-cisco a train snakes through suburbia on an iron track. On the upper level of the train, a boy sits with his back to the wall and his feet on the seat in front of him, book in his lap. Sunlight, the

color of fire and newly minted copper pennies, pours through the window in a brilliant deluge to settle in his lap, over the book. It stains the pages gold. The boy coughs twice, covering his mouth with a slender, bird-boned hand. His pale, spidery fingers tap twice against a roses-and-cream cheek. I check my watch: forty-three minutes left to watch this strange, beautiful boy. The air in the train is musty and dry, dead. It smells exhausted of all life but teeming, pernicious bacteria. The boy appears to know this—a faint look of disgust crosses his perfect, androgynous face. His bowed, rose-and-cream lips part faintly as he sighs, and I see his teeth are crooked. The bottom row of teeth, while perfectly white, are crowded and turned. He is a

Donatello David, perfect and pale. A stripling with no hint of muscle, and no hint of curves. He is pale and straight and flat. Across the aisle, I inhale shakily. He is not quite beautiful per se, as he has crowded teeth, gangly limbs, and he looks so bored. Trains have no oxygen. The air is dead. This boy is neither dead nor boring. He is very pale. He is very pale and very slim, and his existence contradicts itself. He is not beautiful, and perhaps because he is not beautiful, he is beautiful. He’s not very tall, just over five and a half feet, with eyes burning tawny gold in the sunlight. His other eye, his left eye, is blocked by the shadow of his loud, wild mane. I glance at my watch again. Thirty-six minutes left, unless he gets off sooner. His hair is gold. Not yel-low-gold, or orange-gold, or red-gold, just gold. Not the color of straw, but slightly darker. The short lay-ers on top rise into great, spiked peaks that must have been the result of hours of combing and hairspray. It falls just past his shoulder in choppy, rock-star layers.

by M

addi

e H

oltz

man

Darrie

n

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Launch Issue 2010

He only looks about eighteen at the most, but he’s ob-viously gone to a great deal of effort to look older and more glamorous. He’s a wannabe rockstar. He is dressed for it, too: accompanying his wild tangle of hair are the costume clothes and accou-trement. The boy is dressed very, very dramatically, to say the least. Although he’s not wearing it, he has a broad-brimmed purple fedora with a peacock feather tucked into the band next to him on the seat. He’s got at least eight visible piercings that I can see: two in his left eyebrow, one in his nose, three in the lobe of one ear and two in the other, in the cartilage. His eyes, the col-or of the sea on fire, are surrounded in great dark blots of makeup. A l t h o u g h he wears no lipstick, it takes no leap of imagination to picture him with lips a deep carnation. He’s wearing pants even though it is the middle of July and the air outside is scorching and hot, and the train, though air-conditioned, is far from an icebox. He’s wearing tight black cigarette-legged jeans patterned with vibrant rusty-red bleach stains. The knees are torn through with large, ragged holes. Instead of seeing a pale bony knee beneath, he’s wearing tights. I’m not certain, but I think they’re striped, red and black. His arms are bare, because he’s wearing a v-necked vest in shades of bur-gundy and purple. I lean a little closer, and the buttons look like brass. I check my watch: twenty-eight min-utes. I stand up and stretch, walking down the stairs and into the aisle below with the bikes. I’ve never been yelled at for not having a bike, but I probably should have been. Briefly I scan the row of bikes, to see which one is his, but none of them stand out to me. I walk up the stairs on the opposite side, and pause near him. My breath is shaking. “Um, can I sit here?” I gesture to the seat across from him. He glances up from his book and grins with his half-crooked white teeth. “Sure. I like the collar, by the way.” I slide, a tad clumsily, into the seat. “Thanks. What are you reading?” He sighs heavily. “The Great Gatsby. I’m read-ing it for school, and the only thing I really like it are the parties. There’s this guy, Gatsby, right? And he throws these fantastic parties, with champagne and or-

anges and ‘yellow jazz music’.” He turns away, close to me now, and shakes the hair out of his eyes, and they scintillate. I nod. “That sounds fun,” because I’m not go-ing to disagree with this boy. “Where are you headed?” His face falls a little, and a tiny crease forms between his beautifully arched golden brows. “Okla-homa. I’m going to stay with my aunt for a while.” I’m sorry, but I can’t quite say it. I made him unhappy, and I’m tarnishing his beauty, and: “I am so sorry. Forget I said anything.” He shakes his head absently. “Where are you going? I’m Darrien, by the way. And you?”

I fumble a little, stut-tering, “S-San Francisco, I’m taking a class there. Clutch. I’m- I’m

Clutch.” He nods again, processing. “Clutch. What are you taking?” He looks straight into my eyes and I can’t help murmuring, “The color of the sea.” Suddenly I don’t mind drowning. His brows furrow again. “What?” Darrien fid-dles with his necklaces: a metal fang on a fine pewter chain, several strings of round plastic beads that would not have been out of place at a street festival. He’s wearing about a million belts, too. One has a single row of pyramid studs, one has some sort of rainbow pattern, and a third is just a chain fastened around his waist. I realize I haven’t said anything in what would pass in this conversation for a very long time. I shake myself. “Nothing. I’m taking Fashion Design, and Fashion Construction. I like the way you dress…” Darrien giggles. I mean truly giggles, high and pleased. “Is that why you were watching me for half an hour?” I nod. Yes, Darrien, that is why I watched you. “I really want to be a writer, though. Some day I’ll write something about you.” He laughs again, and stands lithely, like a cat. “I’d like that. This is my stop, so I’ll be seeing you, perhaps never.” His perfectly-manicured hand brushes my shoulder, and he vanishes below.

“SUDDENLY I DON’T MIND DROWNING.”

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The MArk

How do you feel about winning this international contest?I’m really happy, but actually I’m still kind of in awe. Overall I’m feeling pretty accomplished.

Is this your first big win?I hadn’t entered contests for quite a while before this photo, might have even been a year or so. So, when I finished this photo off I thought it had gotten pretty good results on Flickr, people seemed to like it a lot, and I thought “Well, what’s the harm in trying it out?” and it worked out pretty well.

Have you won any other contests?I was a runner up in a college photography contest, but it wasn’t very big at all- pretty small stuff. This was really my big break though.

How long did it take you to set up your picture?It didn’t actually take that long. I was pretty frus-trated towards the end; I was just saying, “Why can’t I get this to look the way I want it to?” But I took a step back, took another look, rearranged some things, changed the lighting and it all came together.

by Rachel Fox

Eric Evans is obsessed with photography. For those who know him (let’s face it) it’s pretty much his passion. For those of you who don’t know Eric directly, you may have seen his pictures around the school or at least on this website. But what you probably don’t know is that Eric, a junior here at M-A, won third place in a photo contest in the well-known magazine Popular Photography. That definitely gives him something to brag about.

Photography Rachel Fox

47

Launch Issue 2010 How long how have you been doing photography? What got you interested in it?I’ve been doing photography since 7th grade. I didn’t do much photography freshman year, but I got back into it a lot sophomore year. But what really got me into it was prob-ably the thrill of developing my own film in the darkroom.

What do you mostly like to photograph? I don’t really have a prefer-ence. I like to shoot a vari-ety of things, so that I don’t get caught up in like a state of mind. Shooting different things lets me branch out, and have interest in everything so I don’t get bored.

Do you generally prefer film or digital? They both have separate purposes, and a lot of the time, time constraints make digital a much better option. Money constraints make digital a much better option as well, because develop-ing costs are pretty wild. And I don’t own my own darkroom. [laughs] Film has its place- it definitely does. There’s a certain look to film that digital hasn’t got-ten yet. So there are pluses and minuses but overall I prefer digital. You do lose something when you aren’t going through the entire de-velopment process of your own film though- that’s really something special. I didn’t treasure that enough, printing my own film, I mean.

How do you feel about

Photoshop?I don’t do that much of it, and when I do it’s for mak-

ing posters or just light touch ups and adjustments. But right now I’ve been using Adobe Lightroom, too, which I’ve found very popular. It pretty much saves me the trouble of going into Photoshop. It’s like iPhoto on steroids.

What advice do you have for aspiring photogra-phers?Keep shooting, and try new things. Don’t get stuck in a groove where you’re only doing one thing, where you’re only doing a certain style. I would definitely say that if you’re shooting a lot, and trying different things- even if they don’t work- trying them and per-fecting them and finding out what you like, as well as keeping your options open, is my best advice. As long as you’re clicking that shutter, every time you get a little better.

To see more of Eric’s work go to: flickr.com/menloeric

Photography Rachel Fox

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49 50

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49 50 51

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The MArk

These are all items someone would find Geocaching. Geocaching is essentially a global treasure hunt. The object of it is to use a GPS or phone to locate containers filled with common trinkets like the ones pictured above. Once found, Geocachers can log discoveries online or on a slip of paper found in the Geocache box. Geocaching offers a thrilling way to spend free time. It gives a sense of a real treasure hunt and can be played anywhere in the world. The locations of the Geocache are almost always outdoors and vary in size, they

G e o c a c h i n g

are found in containers as small as Altoid boxes and film canisters to larger such as shoe boxes.

The first step to Geocache is to become a free member by logging on to http://www.geocaching.com/. After becoming a member, click on the “Hide & Seek a Cache”, then you will be able to enter in a postal code or an address to find the Geocache closest to you. Geocaching is great to do with friends and to spend time outdoors. People are also able to create their own Geocache and log it to have others try and find it. Geocaching can be especially fun when in different countries. You get to see the logs of people from all over the world.

What do these items have in common?

While on vacation in Dinard, France I went Geocaching and had a fantastic time. My search sent me all around beautiful St. Malo, a walled city in France. My journey took me all through the town and showed me some truely wonderful places with deep history. Without Geocaching I would never have been able to explore the town to it’s fullest.

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Launch Issue 2010

G e o c a c h i n g

Paul Snow, the Menlo-Atherton girls’ soccer coach, learned that his team was too qualified to clinch a Central Coast Section bid last Saturday.

The meeting in San Jose was bound to get confusing and unreasonable as multiple teams were tied in points. Menlo-Atherton’s team (10-8-2) attained more CCS points (42.5) than Carlmont and Palo Alto(41). “I think that the CCS point system exists to reward teams with the best overall seasons, and we clearly had a better overall season than Carlmont”, said Snow.

These statistics se e m i n g l y went unnoticed when Carlmont finished league play with more divisional points. The Peninsula Athletic League, like many other leagues possess playoff requirements

that give the teams with the most division points priority in qualifying for at-large berths into playoffs. These bylaws proved to be the difference as Carlmont

finished fourth while the Bears finished fifth in the Bay Division.

The case does not end there, though.Carlmont and Palo Alto, who had the same CCS points with 41, had to be decided by a tie-breaker. Since they didn’t play each other this year, Palo Alto won the tie with 7 bonus points, to Carlmont’s 6.5.

Paly then went through and Carlmont took the last at-large berth. The Lady Bears fell short of a CCS bid against Carlmont, as the Scots had acquired more PAL points.

Snow shared “I will bring this issue to our league and hope that the other coaches see the flaw in our system and vote to re-write our bylaws somewhat.”

“We clearly had a better overall season than Carlmont.” - Paul Snow

by Wes HagmanSOUR END TO A SWEET SEASON

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The MArk

Low Marks

Stealing Students’ stuff and holding it for hostage for park-ing a bike in front

No Show Teachers

at Disaster Drills

M-A loses drama teacher

NeedsWhatProm is right around t h e corner, dates have been asked, tickets have been purchased, and new brands of Old Spice have been bought. But how much of a bummer would it be to show up only to find a dance that is...lacking? Here is a short list of things we feel the dance needs to be a major hit.

Right sized dance floor: have you ever been to a dance where there simply wasn’t enough space? Or for that matter, have you ever been to a dance where the floor was more space than people? We don’t want to be dancing in the tennis shed, but we don’t want to be dancing on the football field. A correctly-sized dance floor is crucial in making or breaking a dance; if people don’t feel comfortable with where they are boogieing down they clearly won’t have a good time.

L o w lights: To be honest, I don’t want to be able to see the face of the girl whose grandmother just rolled over in her grave, I don’t want to see what the couple is doing a yard to my left, and I sure don’t want to see who decided my “bum” was their new property. Low lights are key for keeping anonymity, and we all know people tend to be more wild and free when anonymous.

Good decorations for the theme: Now, it’s going to be

hard to decorate for “Arabian Nights” without being a tiny bit stereotypical, but I would love to see something new and distinct to

match the theme. Maybe a camel and some trained performers

who curl up in lamps. Better yet, pass out burkas

and watch the dancing contracts fulfill themselves.

Keep the teachers away from the dance floor: I’m dancing, I’m having a good time at

Winter Formal, I glance over to the-HOLY SH** Zito, Stuart, and Todd are all staring into the crowd. Buzz kill… Teachers have to worry about

safety and all that junk, but they certainly do not need to stand in packs feet away from the dance floor, simply staring at the freaking crowd. Last I checked, there are more subtle spying places then right in plain sight.

People: For any dance, you need people to show up. Plain and simple. So cross your fingers and pray that we don’t have another Winter Formal of ’09 fiasco.

By Alexander Most

F D - D D + C - C C + B - B B + A - A A +

55

Launch Issue 2010

Low Marks High MARKS M-A

alu

m h

ired

as

new

foot

ball

coac

h Teachers reprimanded by Zito for

texting

New Dean fashionable dresser

Accidental mooning at the fashion

show

Prom Alternativesby Trent Bastian

Prom is typically known as an upperclassman rite of passage. However, not all prefer the over-crowded, high-priced event. Some people can’t bear the awkwardness, intimacy or absurd dance moves commonly used by the majority of dance attendees. Some don’t want to shell out $50 with the addition of a clothing rental and/or transportation fee. Some get cruely rejected. When April 9th comes, you’ll probably be left with no one to hang out with, so I’m offering some alternatives to keep you occupied:

Dress up as a mon-

key and throw bananas at random

people.

Play World of War-

craft. Why would you go to prom with a

bwunch of silly girls when you could hang out with virtual wizards and

trolls!

Pre-tend MTV

Cribs is at your house. Walk around

like a superstar talking mindlessly to yourself

about your dirty bathroom.

Stay up to the wee

hours until someone posts prom pictures, then comment on them like

you were there.

Facebook Stalk the Person

that Rejected You: Rejection is a sad reality.

But out of spite you should meticulously point out all of your potential prom date’s

faults.

Enjoy a leisurly

night playing bingo at the lo-cal retirement

home.

F D - D D + C - C C + B - B B + A - A A +

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The MArk

1. You have a voice and you want it to

be heard.

2. You want to be a published writer/ar

tist/photographer

3. You want a hands-on learning experie

nce

4. You want a class that teaches you m

arketable skills

5. You need elective credit.

6. You want to be a part of The MArk

7. You want to learn graphic design so y

ou can make cool fliers

8. You want a “home away from home”

in our computer lab

9. You want to do better in all your cla

sses.

10. All the interesting kids are doing it

!

See Mrs. Snow, Mr. McBlair or your counselo

r for more details!

10 Reasons to take

Journalism:

Submission Guidelines:

Submit photography, fine art, poetry, creative writing, or anything else you are proud of to THEMAMARK@gmail.com or to G-3 (Ms. Ventura’s Room)

• Submissions may be manipulated or edited as staff deems fit • Submissions are for current students only• Submissions should include first and last name, title of work, contact information and date of

creation• The submission staff reserves the right to hold submissions for later editions.

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Launch Issue 2010

“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a finepicture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not

obliterate the sense of the beautiful implanted in the human soul.” Johann Wolfgang Goethe

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Launch Issue 2010