PLATINUM Mike Kelemen Erin Pasha Tristyn Accomazzo Chance Addis Judy Agnew Ariana Amini Jessica Anthony Evan Auchard Emily Auchard Sherri Auchard Cynthia Bahmani Karen Stead-Baigrie Robert Barsky Emma Barsky Jonathan Barsky Patrick Donohew & Catherine Bartlett Dana Bauer Jean Francois Bergeron Pascale Bergeron Robyn Berry Nancy Biegel John Botti Melissa Bradley Bill Brastow Tracy Herman Broome Alison Brower Shana Bruner Piper Bruner Madeleine Butler Jack Calderon Jackie Cardwell Warenne & Joseph Casano Mary and Paul Casano Beth Cederstrom Liz Chambers Erika Chapman Bridget Coombs Evan Cope Lucia Cortright Meghan Cosentino Joshua Darr Melanie Deitch Hadley Dettmer Elizabeth Dorfman Cathy Dow Al Eisenwinter Margaret Elkins Margot Enbom The Shroeder Family Tzortzis Family Karen Fry Ava Gaughan Carolyn Gencarella Robin & Doug Giffin Jackie & Jim Giffin Katherine Grubb Ellen Gustafson Gary Gustafson Dominic Haggard Bruce/Emily/Grace Hanavan Jennifer Hanley Camille Hedouin Laura Heinrich Jack Heppner June Holmberg Vlad Iojica Mary-Jane Jones Mike Keleman Alyson Knightly Bruce Koren Margaret Krauss Kimberly Lam-Hamilton Carey Lando Susan Lewis Kestler Lloyd Rose Malloy Evan & Laura Marquit Fred Martikan Owen Martikan Theresa Martin Barbara Martinelli Sheldon Matthys Barbara McVeigh Nicholas Migilore Rich Miller Rick Mollenkopf Nicole Mollison Francesca Moynihan Davina Murray Marcella Murray Scott Murray Paul Nave John Neal Tess Neal Deb Nelson SILVER Kristina Riemer Barbara Martinelli Robyn Berry SUBSCRIBERS Donna Nudd Greg Nudd Lisa O’Callaghan Leah Parman Tamara Parr John Pasha Mary Jane Pasha George Pasha Kelley Podboy Meegan Potter Joe Powers Bill Powers Kristin Radasch Dylan Ramirez Katherine Reuter William Reuter Tricia Reuter Nora Reuter Kim Richards Marlene Riemer Kristina Riemer Susie Rosenberg Karyn Rozenoff Danielle Salk Waynn Sarran Katherine Schock Eric & Susan Schroeder Margaret Simenstad Anna Simmons Bill and Jan Snell Monica Snell Shannon Snyder Lisa Solway Diana Sottile Marika Spielman Scott Stitham Justin Taub Suzanne Taunt Amy Torgeson Akiko Trohan Laurie Trombla Cleary Vaughan-Lee Judy Walker Susan Walter Bernice West Chris & Terri Wright Collin & Emily Wright Gina Wyatt Tanja Zeise STAFF ADVISER Jonathan Weller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stefanie Iojica DESIGN DIRECTOR Emma Rose Neal COPY EDITOR Lucie Martikan ASS’T. COPY EDITOR Kyla Seeley BUSINESS Ella Granelli WEB/SOCIAL Fiona Nudd NEWS EDITOR Natalie Agnew FEATURE EDITORS Sarah Barsky Alexandra Fry OPINION EDITOR Sarah Barsky SATIRE EDITOR Alexandra Fry SPORTS EDITOR Jack Reuter A&E EDITOR Nick Anthony ILLUSTRATORS Aler Giffin Pace Buchan REPORTERS Melissa Auchard Kaden Brastow Pace Buchan Will Burkhart Emily Cardwell Toby Gibbons Aler Giffin Erik Gustafson Otis Hixon Adelina Merrell Luke Murray PJ Nave Samantha Parr Kelsey Riemer Luca Ross Kyla Seeley Alice Simenstad Winter Snell Jacob Weller Jeannie West
TABLE of CONTENTS 04 NEWS 04 Save Journalism 05 06 07 New exchange regulations Small learning communities Student bands 15 16 17 18 PTV facelift OPINION Editorial Unlikely leaders 18 20 08 SPOTLIGHT 08 09 10 LaRoche, Yore 11 Lee, Rev 9 18 SPORTS Spring sports Winter recap 23 24 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader, What makes a Pirate? In the mind of the Jolly Roger Staff, Pirate spirit lies in the extraordinary things that Drake students accomplish every single day. This issue, we feature that spirit. We feature our formidable sports teams’ accomplishments, the musical talent of several student bands, and several notable alumni and staff. On a more serious note, however, we also feature what puts Pirate spirit at risk. With the budget cuts imposed by the fail of Measure B, our journalism program is at extreme risk of not printing next year. We ask you to stand in solidarity with our efforts to protect the legacy of The Jolly Roger. If you value student voice, student representation, and authentic student learning, make your voice heard by contacting Liz Seabury, the School Board, and the Superintendent, Tara Taupier. Sincerely, Crock, Goulden Killion, Horton 12 FEATURE 12 Archie Williams 13 Matthew Firpo 14 Dance troupe 22 A&E 22 Joji Cheer review Old Boy review CORRECTIONS AND APOLOGIES I’ve been told that I need to “tone this down” and “stop speaking in languages you don’t know.” Let’s see how that goes. Letter to the editor was written by Alexandra Fry and Stefanie Iojica. No Alexandra did not stick her headshot in there as self promotion, she cannot operate technology that well. On pages 13 and 14, marijuana was spelled incorrectly twice. Rest assured that Kaden Brastow doesn’t have much experience with illicit drugs. On “Both sides of Drake’s political spectrum,” we understand that there are more than two sides of political beliefs. While we wish that we could feature all of them, we simply don’t have the space. On page twenty one, the title “Everyone is smart” is obscured by “FACT” in a large font. This is confusing, our bad. In “Wilco’s ‘Ode to Joy” Otis Hixon’s name is in the title, it should be in the byline. If this installment was too dry for you, sorry. But hey, bright side, we didn’t make nearly as many mistakes this time! Stefanie Iojica, Editor-in-Chief Cover (front and back) by Emma Rose Neal
HELP US SAVE The Jolly Roger O n the evening of March 10, the District Board of Trustees voted to provisionally cut journalism release periods across the district, putting the Jolly Roger, Redwood Bark, and Tam News in danger of not being able to produce print issues. Journalism programs use these release periods for paste-up, which is the process of laying out the print version of the publications. By cutting these release periods, the committee places journalism into an incredibly difficult predicament. The cutting of these release periods is not, however, set in stone. On May 15, the District will vote to either ratify the cuts or to decide upon a different course of actionone which doesn’t threaten the future of student journalism in the district. The staff of the Jolly Roger needs your support in saving our print publication. We’ve included a QR code on this page that will lead to an online petition calling for the Board to not cut this essential component of our work as journalists. Please take a few minutes to show your support for the work we do. Sincerely, The Jolly Roger Staff 4 Art by Samantha Parr Scan this QR code to sign the petition
New regulations could end Tahitian exchange trip By Melissa Auchard Tahitian parent teaches Drake students how to make traditional poisson cru on March 27, 2019 Drake students swim with sting rays and sharks in Moorea on April 2, 2019 Drake students wade in a river after a sunny hike on April 1, 2019 T his April, as Drake students wave goodbye to their Tahitian counterparts in Fa’a’a International Airport, they may also be waving goodbye to the future of all Drake Tahitian exchange trips. Due to new board regulations on water activities, the Tahitian exchange may be in its final years. It’s been nearly nine years now that French teacher Tahia Rosenthal-Cox put on an exchange program between Drake students and students from Lycée Samuel Raapoto in Tahiti. While in Tahiti, Drake students get the opportunity to swim with stingrays and sharks, learn to surf, wade underneath waterfalls, and hike in the luscious green of the island. However as attractive as these festivities may seem, they don’t compare to the learning done or the longtime friendships made, according to senior Mishka Heath, who visited last year. The exchange program fully immerses Americans into the French language and Tahitian culture, and the Tahitians into American culture and the English language. It’s now unclear whether or not the 5 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 trip will continue for ensuing years as a result of the districts new trip regulations: students can only swim in the ocean during the two Tam District board approved outings: surfing lessons and a lagoon excursion on the island of Moorea. Furthermore, one chaperon needs to be lifeguard certified. If these rules are well followed, the exchange trip will continue. Years prior, the board leniently regulated the trip. “Most of the time when we were with our friends, we were in knee-deep water,” said Heath. Questioning the district’s decision he stated, “Like really, you’re scared of us drowning?” Ryder LeVieux, a Drake senior, is preparing for her second exchange trip to Tahiti. LeVieux believes that the district’s decision to restrict swimming demeans the host families. “When the Tahitians come to America, their families trust us with their children’s safety. These rules are very suggestive to the Tahitian families that they are not trusted with our safety, which is extremely disrespectful in my opinion,” said LeVieux. She also emphasized that the trip is during the Tahitian students’ spring break. Many of the host families have already planned ways they want to spend their breaks; most of which involve water, said LeVieux. LeVieux presumes that these regulations will make it difficult for the Drake students to follow the rules put in place by the district while still respecting the host families’ leisure time. “These rules are very suggestive to the Tahitian families that they are not trusted with our safety...” Tam District’s new swimming regulations drastically change the Tahitian exchange. For many students, not swimming will pose great difficulty. April 2020 may witness the end of the program. NEWS
Teachers look to protect culture of SLCs through shared electives By Kaden Brastow, Photos by Emma Rose Neal C ome next year, the academic experiences of freshmen and sophomores will change drastically. Instead of the three current Small Learning Learning Communities, TLC (The Collaborative), ROCK (Revolution of Core Knowledge), and DaVinci, freshmen will be randomly assigned into seven different SLCs, each one made up of three teachers. ROCK art and drama teacher Jasper Thelin’s new position of DISCO (Drake Integrated Studies Curricula Organizer) Coordinator will promote the unique cultural aspects of each SLC. “I’m going to be doing everything I can to help everybody be aligned, while at the same time celebrating and encouraging them to find their own voice and unique culture,” Thelin said. To foster cultural individuality within the new SLCs, DaVinci teacher Cathy Sarkisian proposed arranging Freshmen into SLCs based on their electives. “One of the reasons why ROCK and DaVinci were popular was because they had that extra flavor to them where students were choosing electives they were ROCK sophomores Neal Karlinsky and Caiden Potter paint landscapes in art class. This change was heavily influenced by the inability to accommodate dozens of freshmen who selected DaVinci and Rock as their first choice. Students and their parents were attracted by the way they intertwined their electives with their culture and curriculum. Unfortunately, the lack of teachers willing to teach in those SLCs prevented students from getting what they wanted out of their early high school education. DaVinci and ROCK both require freshmen to take two semester-long electives. In a proposed system where electives are completely separate from SLCs, students would be able to freely select electives about their English, without worrying history, and science classes. However, some fear that the absence of this link will hurt the cultural aspect of SLCs. interested in,” Sarkisian said. If electives are the choice and SLCs form themselves around those communities, SLCs might look similar to ROCK and DaVinci but for all electives instead of just drama, art, and engineering. For former DaVinci student Junior Madeline Knightly, this would fit the way she chose her freshman schedule. “With DaVinci, I had no idea what I was getting into. I just went in based on the electives, but the community ended up being one of the best bits,” Knightly said. Of course, there are issues with this. If the schedule assigns students to SLCs based on electives, one or two of the SLCs would likely be a mix of students from smaller electives. The SLC committee can’t make any decisions about a possible connection to electives until incoming freshmen sign up for classes, and the restrictions around scheduling become clearer. Come next year, ROCK, DaVinci, and TLC will be gone, and seven equally sized communities led by teacher teams of three will take their place. Teachers like Thelin and Sarkisian accept this inevitability but want to carry the “I can be sad about the end of something that I’m proud of and believe in, and excited about being part of developing something new.” spirit of ROCK and DaVinci across the threshold. “I can be sad about the end of something that I’m proud of and believe in, and excited about being part of developing something new.” Thelin said. From Thelin and Sarkisian’s perspectives, making electives integral to building a community in SLCs would allow students to form their own culture and tradition. “I’m really hoping that in these changes we can keep the electives involved somehow so students are getting a choice - they’re getting something a little special that’s theirs,” Sarkisian said. “People have been coming to this with good intentions; I just want to make sure they also come with imagination and with openness.” Leo Battaglia and Nate Karpay-Brody learn engineering techniques in DaVinci Principles of Technology class. 6
W hether they’re playing in class or at a recording studio, Table the Group “Table” paves the way for young musicians with unique sound Photo by Emma Rose Neal by Samantha Parr Banana Soup: W The ‘spunk rock’ student band by Kyla Seeley hat once started as an inside joke between two friend groups blossomed into a successful student band: Banana Soup. Sophomores Toby Lamorte, Evan Schaefer, Tristan Thuesen, and Nate Wolford shine as members of the up and coming band. The name, Thuesen and so I was kind of curious to see if I could play with them, and pretty soon, I just hopped in the band.” keyboard player Toby Lamorte said. All four have sang, either with a school chorus or casually, for a majority of their lives, but some were and Schaefer explained, originated from a term the two of them created in elementary school, and stuck with them. Thuesen created the band, along with Schaefer and Wolford, during 8th grade and Lamorte joined a few months afterward. “I saw them play at this event in Fairfax, and I had heard some of their songs, 7 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 fairly new to their current instruments. Wolford played guitar for eight or nine years, about Lamorte eight played keyboard years, Thuesen has been playing bass for four and a half years, and Schaefer only began playing drums until the band’s beginning, about two years ago. Banana Soup’s music is heavily inspired by ’90s bands including Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers. When asked for about their musical style, Schaefer said “We kind of take grunge, and mix it up with a little rock and then we add a little bit of some reggae riffs in there and sh*t, and mix up the soup pot.” “We call it ‘spunk rock.’” Wolford added, explaining that the name came from its fusion of surf, punk, and rock. A performance highlight, they agree, was their biggest show at the prestigious Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley. A has made significant musical strides in a short amount of time. Dexter Hixon, Joe Hawley, Gaelen McKee, Aidan Ng, and Blake Costello assembled the band at the beginning of this year in Performance Workshop, the music composition class at Drake. Just like that, Table was born. One key member of the band is Blake Costello, or “Blake the Chemist,” a senior who has been composing music on his keyboard for years. Hixon, a sophomore and the youngest member of Table, said that this fellow bandmate inspired him to take the Performance Workshop class. “I went to a BTC [Blake the Chemist] concert, and I was like ‘Wow, I want to do that!’ and now BTC is in my band,” Hixon said. The group assembled and pondered over a name, which ended up becoming “Table.” The senior bass player, Joe Hawley, said the name was actually his mom’s idea. “It’s just one word and one word that doesn’t mean anything with the band. It’s just a weird name,” Hawley said. To place a genre on Table would be difficult as Table’s music is diverse and
steers clear of typical musical restrictions. The band members find musical inspiration from artists that play music that just sounds good, rather than restricting themselves to specific keys or scales. ad Blake Costellovances career as solo artist One unique instrument that Hixon plays, for example, is called the theremin. It is an electronic instrument that is played without touching the instrument. “We always try to play as many different types of music as possible because each one of the members in the band brings in different genres,” Hawley said. One of Table’s most recent milestones has been recording their songs at the Community Media Center of Marin, or “Marin TV.” At Marin TV, the band received insight on how to record music in a professional setting. Their second appearance at Marin TV was for the Lobby Lounge, which is a video concert series of young musicians for the Marin Independent Journal. They will also perform at a showcase theatre at the Marin Civic Center on April 3. These young musician’s careers are just getting started with their consistent rehearsal in the Performance Workshop music class at Drake and recording studio experience at Marin TV. Photo by Emma Rose Neal by Adelina Merrell F close second was a show at Iron Springs, which attracted a large audience of peers, making it their favorite. All their time spent together in rehearsals, performances, and for fun can sometimes lead to minor head butts between the group. “It’s pretty smooth sailing, but sometimes Toby gets a little frustrated with us [...] Everyone’s had at least 5 fist fights with Toby.” Thuesen said jokingly, “But we don’t let what gets us in arguments with our band affect our friendships.” As far as goals for the future, the band hopes to record a five-song track that will go on Spotify. “Right now we have two originals that we can perform, but we’re working for five.” Schaefer explained, “We got two that are pretty much there and one we have to write, so we’re in the process of making a few more originals for an album that hopefully will be on Spotify soon.” rom playing in a student band to his solo music career, senior Blake Costello has always hoped to create music with a unique sound. Throughout the years, Costello learned percussion, keyboard, synthesizer, and music production in school and by self-teaching. His musical discovery has progressed to creating original songs that are available on Soundcloud such as “Tomas Whitaker” and “Chili Lime.” These tracks are “very energetic, very edgy trance with a modern twist” said Costello. The performance workshop class (“PW”), a course that allows students to get together in bands and perform music, provided Costello the opportunity to kickstart his musical career. The renowned band Blake and the Chemists (“BTC”), was created within this class. Costello lost band members Jake Walsh, Callen O’Brien, and Sam Gaebe, who graduated in 2019. Despite the loss, he continues to make music on his own. Costello began playing music in the first grade with piano lessons. “I remember thinking, okay, this is awesome. The sound of music is actually really cool,” Costello said, describing his initial reaction to playing the piano. Blake Costello’s stage name “Blake the Chemist” was born in fifth grade when Costello named elements on the periodic table for a science project. From then on, the name has been his identity online (through YouTube) and in the musical performance setting. Blake Costello has also performed his music at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. Costello’s last appearance at DNA was this past November. Blake Costello plans to become part of the larger techno music community. Costello adds, “I hope to one day bring a certainly foreign style of music into the EDM mainstream, and go absolutely big at festivals like EDC and Coachella.” 8
STUDENT SHOWCASE Ella Crock Seamus Goulden 9 The Jolly Roger | April 2020
Camila Killion Charlotte Horton 10
Gigi Yore Skylar LaRoche 11 The Jolly Roger | April 2020
Erin Lee Are you looking for somewhere to display your art? Maybe somewhere to perform with your band? Revolution 9 (“Rev 9”) in Fairfax would love to have you! Huda Al-Jamal has been running Rev 9 for over 12 years and has had student art and music showcases in the shop for as long as her door has been open. Most recently, she had showings by Camila Killion and Reina Bolaris. If you want your art displayed, speak to Huda or email info@r9fairfax.com. Music showcases happen almost monthly, and many Drake students and bands have performed there, including Black Strap Marauders, the Drake Jazz Combo, Banana Soup, and Table. If you want to play there, go online to r9fairfax. com/youth-music-projects to sign up. Rev 9 is hosting a Battle of the Bands on Saturday, April 25, at the Fairfax Women’s center. 12
Remembering Archie Williams’ legendary legacy By Emma Rose Neal The Buccaneer, 1970 arely will one come across a high school teacher that has broken a world record, won an Olympic gold medal, and became one of the first African American pilots in the United States. Yet Sir Francis Drake High School was fortunate to have a teacher for 22 years that matches all of the above: Archie Williams. Williams was one of the African American athletes, including Jesse Owens, whose success caught t he wor l d ’s R attention at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games held in Berlin, Germany. Adolph Hitler and Nazi officials closely watched the 400 meter race as America’s Archie Williams was first to sprint across the finish line, winning a gold medal and helping disprove the Nazis’ racist ideology. During his first season on the UC Berkeley track team, he broke the 400 meter world record with a time of 46.1 seconds at the 1936 NCAA track and field championship. A hamstring injury cut his athletic career short soon after the Olympics, but his remarkable achievements didn’t stop there. After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, he earned his private pilot’s license and at the beginning of World War II relocated to Alabama to serve as a civilian flight instructor for the famed Tuskegee airmen, an all African American flying unit. Williams then enrolled in the meteorology aviation program at UCLA and upon graduating returned to Tuskegee, where he was commissioned 13 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 “He was the best teacher in the faculty and I think everybody always wanted to be a student of his.” as one of the first four African American service pilots in the Army Air Corps. He served in the Korean War as a weather forecaster and logged several combat missions, retiring in 1964 as a lieutenant colonel and command pilot of 22 years. Williams returned to education in 1965, but instead of training cadets in wind dexterity and flying maneuvers, he was teaching quadratic equations and linear inequalities to high school students in San Anselmo. Alongside math, Williams taught computer science, coached the golf and track team, and helped establish the Marin Special Olympics program. Although Williams’ unique accomplishments inspired students, it was his great mentorship and caring spirit that made him so popular among the student body. “He was just good to everybody, he was compassionate, knowledgeable, and gave people their space, he never judged anyone. You just don’t find people like that,” said Rhonda Reynolds, class of 1983. Some former students even consider Williams to be a monumental figure in their lives. Mario Marckwordt had math with Williams for his freshman year of 1971. “He was one of those people, that when I look back on my life, he changed me,” Marckwordt said. Marckwordt recalls sitting in his math 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Germany class in 1971 when Williams described the discrimination he faced in his flying career. “I became so sad and so angry that this man who was the best couldn’t fly because of the color of his skin […] it was a turning point in my life. For the first time I saw racism.” Recently retired United Airlines pilot, Pete McConnell, was in Williams’ introduction to math class in 1969. Fourteen years later, McConnell attended college full time as a major in aeronautics. Not only did Williams volunteer to tutor him in trigonometry, but he assisted with McConnell’s advanced flight training inair. “I met him once a week in one of the Drake classrooms. This was totally on his own time,” McConnel said. Kurt Garriot, class of 1987, attributes his 28 year military career to Williams’ inspiring stories. He recalls being misdirected in high school, but insisted on never cutting Williams’ class. “He was the best teacher in the faculty and I think everybody always wanted to be a student of his,” Garriot said. “I wouldn’t have graduated if it wasn’t for him.” The yearbook was dedicated to Williams the year of his retirement in 1987, the Drake Scholarship Foundation offers a scholarship in his name, and the Drake Leadership Council recently approved a plan to implement a memorial for Williams on campus. Williams passed away on June 23, 1993 in Fairfax, but memories of him remain in the hearts of many in the Drake community. FEATURE
Former ComAcad student becomes Hollywood success By Emma Rose Neal and Luca Ross Fake blood dripped from the mob of teenagers in the Devonshire quad as they acted in “Zombie High School,” an original short film by former Drake student Matthew Kazuo Firpo. 12 years later, Firpo has written 7 feature films, including “Mimi From Rio,” currently being produced by Ridley Scott for Netflix, and the upcoming “Eternals”, starring Angelina Jolie and Gemma Chan, for Marvel Studios. Firpo has been named one of Forbes’ 30 under 30, Zombie High School has racked up over 2 million views on YouTube, and his movie Ruin was placed on the top of the Black List, an annual ranking of the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood. In 2008, Firpo received the senior superlative of “most original,” and still demonstrates this label as a successful director, screenwriter, and photographer. While a student at Drake, Firpo was the feature and photo editor for the Jolly Roger, an enthusiastic student of ComAcad, and began the Drake assassin game which has evolved into a yearly tradition. Firpo looks back at Drake as a place that empowered people to be themselves and valued creativity, “Drake was pivotal in fostering and encouraging that creative spark that put me on the path towards writing movies and making movies for a living, telling stories for a living.” Firpo said. After graduating high school, Firpo pursued his passion for filmmaking by attending NYU Tisch film school. “I just kept working and working and I found myself in a position where I’m making the things that people want to see,” Firpo shared. His next big project is his debut feature film, “Motor City Girls”, planned to be shot in the summer of 2020. “It’s about trauma, it’s about otherness, it’s about the high school experience. It was a coming of age story essentially for young women, but it’s a story that is very true to what I believe and the way that I sort of see the world,” Firpo said. In addition to Firpo’s film The Buccaneer, 2008 achievements, he’s shot editorials and covers all around the world, and led photo expeditions in places like Mount Kilimanjaro and the Swiss Alps. Firpo also has interest “We should live incrementally better because if we don’t, we make it exponentially worse.” in the our lives trying to make the world humanitarian crisis. He explored this by working at the Yucatan and Tijuana borders in the Central America migrant crisis, and Syria and Lebanon for a photo project. Peter Parish, the assistant teacher for ComAcad in 2008, remembers Firpo fondly. “Matt Firpo was one of those students who was incredibly driven. He had an idea and was willing to do everything to follow through on that idea and make it happen,” Parish said. Firpo lives his life as a creative storyteller, and believes “if you love something, chase it with everything you’ve got.” From screenings in Drake’s Little Theatre to theatres worldwide, Firpo strives to make a difference through his passion. “We should live our lives trying to make the world incrementally better because if we don’t, we make it exponentially worse,” Firpo said. Photo courtesy of mkf.tv 14
Rise of Dance Troupe cancels cheerleading By Samantha Parr A fter sports games and rallies, a clan of dancers dressed in matching attire and sneakers perform a synchronized routine to current hip hop music. In a more traditional high school setting, this group would be the cheer team. At Drake, it’s Dance Troupe. Dance Troupe and cheer are two different sports and forms of dance. Dance Troupe’s style is hip hop, a style that has recently gained populari ty, and cheerleading is more stunt-based. The rise of Dance Troupe has led to the disappearance of the cheer team over the past five years. “Last year the stepped coach down at the end of the season, which was the end of the basketball season, and we only had three cheerleaders,” Assistant Principal Nate Severin said. the cheerleaders do as much,” Sorenson said. The other team captain, senior Kyra Smith-Stewart, joined Dance Troupe as a freshman because she was a dancer and wanted to be on a sports team. SmithStewart described Dance Troupe as “a perfect way to have both.” Despite their victories, Dance Troupe has also faced many challenges this year. According to Sorenson, the team rehearsed without a coach for an entire two-month period earlier in the year. Although the dancers usually compose most of the choreography, the driving force and foundation of any sports team is a good coach. There have also been issues with administration in the past that have frustrated the team members. Sometimes the team does not have access to practice in the yoga room because other groups also use it after school, which takes away from their rehearsal time. Dance troupe performs at the winter rally on February 7, 2020. Photo by Toby Gibbons As more people joined Dance Troupe around five years ago, According to Sorenson, Dance Troupe the interest in cheer diminished. One of the Dance Troupe captains, senior Sophie Sorenson, is among the people who were more attracted to Dance Troupe than cheerleading. At a young age, she became entranced by the team’s diverse set of choreography and current music. “I used to go to all the basketball games when I was really young, like eight, and I would see them perform at the halftimes, and I wouldn’t really see 15 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 has been a Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) sports team since 2015. This allowed the Dance Troupe captains to make cuts at tryouts, which was a major stepping stone in the development of the team. Because the team is smaller now than it was in the past, the dancers have formed a tight-knit community. “I like that it’s year-round because we really get to know everyone on the team and we get to be really close,” SmithStewart said. “I think there’s just miscommunication a lot of times with the difficulty of dance and how long it actually takes us to put together stuff,” Smith-Stewart said. However, the dancers do not let these inconveniences get in the way of their performances. In response, Dance Troupe receives a ubiquitous sense of support from the student body. Junior Dance Troupe member Meleah Silverstein said, “There’s not a lot of turnout for female sports. For Dance Troupe, a predominantly female sport, to get so much school support for it is a cool thing.”
EDITORIAL Educate to end sexual harassment winter formal dance. The end of the email stated “discuss with your teen appropriate attire for dance and what it may suggest to other students to dress inappropriately in such a setting.” In a rush to put out a Winter Formal announcement, the assistant principals quoted an email from years prior without thoroughly proof-reading, according to Principal Liz Seabury. Once the email reached the public, the Drake W hy do Drake students attend dances? To have fun? To work up a sweat? Probably not to be sexually assaulted. Yet, based on reports from other students, sexual harassment is commonplace at Drake dances. The Drake administration is fully aware of this epidemic but seems complacent about taking effective action. After the recent Winter Formal dance, a female student reported an act of sexual assault that occured on the dance floor. Seabury stated that the victim, following her assault, reported it to the administration. The administration then told the victim’s family and got the police involved. While this is the seemingly correct course of action, it will likely prove ineffective in preventing future assaults at school functions. The assaulter is now identified and expelled. Past perpetrators, though, remain unknown and walk free, just like the other 95.4 percent of assaulters. A recent email from assistant principals Chad Stuart and Nate Severin detailed important information about the upcoming administration realized their mistake but failed to correct it. Seabury stated that this act of victim shaming was a mistake on the part of the administration. However, the wording suggests harassment at the dance is the fault of the victim and their family. Embedded in society, excuses such as “boys will be boys,” “it’s just their hormones,” and “they can’t help it,” pardon boys and men from actions as serious as sexual assault. The response to this attitude is often to oppress women, in order to suppress male urges. Dress codes demonstrate how women are forced to adjust to standards put in place by men, and for men. For example, White Hill Middle School prohibits visible bra straps. Restrictions like this oversexualize a clothing item primarily meant for female comfort. In an effort to curb Drake’s sexual assault cases, consent week appears twice a year to remind students that no means no. In the past couple years at Drake, Peer Resource has banded together to ensure the safety of students at dances. Wearing glow sticks around their wrists and necks, students can easily approach them and report inappropriate behavior. Quite frankly, consent week and While glowsticks do not actively prevent any occurences of sexual assault. education is the only way to prevent assault statistics from increasing, Drake lacks substantial effort. A few posters around campus and Pirate TV announcements clearly do not get the message across. Seabury lamented that nothing was done to ensure acts of sexual assault would not occur again on the Drake dance floor. “To me, it’s very serious and I’m super worried. What do we do?” The fact that a principal is drowning in worry but doesn’t act is powerful. If not the principal of the school, who else is going to take the initiative? Year after year, day after day, minute after minute, sexual assault cases occur. They happen in places believed to be safe: school, work, sports, and more. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. Out of 1000 sexual assault cases in America, 230 will be reported, 46 will lead to arrest, nine will be referred to prosecutors, five will lead to a felony conviction, and 4.6 will be incarcerated. One thousand cases, each one destructive to a victim’s life, and only 0.46 percent of assaulters are brought to justice, according to RAINN. Statistics like these show the reality of what it’s like to be a victim of sexual assault. As perpetrators freely walk the streets, able to commit the same criminal act again and again, the victim lives in fear. The administration must take strong action and implement measures to prevent these cases from recurring in our schools. Consent education must begin when children learn about their puberty. The teachings must continue each year until high school graduation (not just one semester of social issues). They must continue to be taught and emphasized in the workplace. Education is the key to consent. bodies and 16
Leaders found in unlikely places Y By Sarah Barsky ou open the Common Application. You click to the “activities” section to enter your accomplishments. You see the option titled “leadership” and become discouraged, assuming that none of your accomplishments qualify for this category. When people see the word leadership, they tend to think of the traditional definition, “the action of leading a group of people or an organization,” as stated in the Oxford Dictionary. This definition is restrictive; it leaves people out who have the ability to lead, just in a different way. For example, people who are shy or struggle to speak in front of large groups of people may still have the qualities of a leader and have the passion to make a difference. The earlier definition doesn’t take into account other forms of leadership such as protests and different types of ac t i vism . Leadership is about working towards the underlying so themselves. Leadership today goes beyond the ability to motivate others. Today’s leader has the ability to organize, set goals, coordinate and instruct others and facilitate working with external groups. The most effective leaders are those people whom others respect and aspire to be. Additionally, leadership shouldn’t needs and priorities of groups. This perception of leadership augments its traditional, restrictive definition. Leaders don’t have to be the face of an operation to make a difference. According to “The Balance,” a digital media company, leadership is “motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal.” The word “motivating” opens this definition of leadership to a larger group of people. Leaders aren’t necessarily physically leading a group towards a goal, they’re motivating and empowering them to do 17 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 Leaders don’t have to be the face of an operation to make a difference involve just one person. Traditional leadership often leaves out certain people, particularly quiet ones. More powerful and successful leaders bring all types of people together to lead, which allows for an influx of varying perspectives and provides a voice to more people. For many, leadership isn’t just about accomplishing goals, it’s about the ability to influence others. People look up to leaders who invest a lot of time in coaching their team members and care about their individual de ve l opm e nt . Effective leaders also allow for the groups that they are leading to help and motivate them, instead of just taking complete power over the group. In high school, many strive toward perceived leadership. I personally have struggled with this as I could never embody what I previously thought a leader was. My speech impediment, which has been a constant companion throughout my life, led me to believe I couldn’t be a leader. My stutter prevented me from talking in front of people or giving speeches - two things regarded as important for leaders to do. However, through the course of high school, I learned that I can use journalism and writing to motivate people and raise awareness about what I’m passionate about, in my own way. I don’t need to stand in front of a group of people and give speeches to be a leader. Leadership is something lots of teens struggle with in high school. We choose activities and pursue leadership roles to look more competitive in the college admissions process. People who are seen as traditional leaders, often holding top positions in groups and clubs, tend to get into top-notch colleges. However, many other people exhibit enlightened leadership qualities that make a difference minus the coveted title. They sign petitions, make posters, attend rallies all to motivate people to reach a common goal. Shouldn’t these contributions and actions be seen as leadership as well? So when you’re applying to colleges and think you have not demonstrated any leadership, rethink your accomplishments. Maybe you can click the leadership button after all. OPINION
Pirate TV needs a facelift By Luke Murray D rake’s Pirate TV provides a primary source for news around Drake. It’s aired every Wednesday, entertaining students and faculty alike while giving details and dates to future events and sign up opportunities for programs. The production of PTV has traveled back and forth between ComAcad and ASB, this year ending up in the hands of ASB. The show has become an eyesore, and focuses on humor and skits instead of conveying information. PTV has gone downhill exponentially since last year when ComAcad produced it. Last year, PTV entertained while still covering important parts in a memorable way. Episodes had structure, containing different segments for different parts that were well filmed, and edited down to a refined final product. This year, PTV has become an unfunny cesspool of memes and trends, targeting people. a This “informational” program undermined entirely by an interruption of a forced joke or a cutaway to a meme every five or so seconds, ruining the appeal, flow, and most importantly, the authenticity of the program. PTV needs to stop with the abhorrent amount of forced humor, memes, “comedic” zoom-ins, and cutaways to irrelevant material, confirming my own distaste for the lack of quality content. Apart from the glaring issue of PTV’s humor being subjective, distracting, and unprofessional, the lack of diversity among characters stands out. Nothing’s objectively wrong featured in PTV with having the same host of a show, however a problem arises when there’s hardly any representation of other student’s voices. The lack of diversity in hosts is appalling; it’s always centered around the same small groups of people. The hosts and the sports news team stay the same, whilst very narrow grwoup of is PTV has gone downhill exponentially since last year never introducing newcomers. PTV is directed at the student body, and the underrepresentation of students’ voices and opinions makes every episode seem controlled. The overall setting of the show hardly changes location. The hosts are always in the same building while the sports team is on the field. While it’s fitting that the sports team would be posted on the field, the lack of diversity in location really shows, making every sports news segment feel the same as its predecessor. After the intro, the show seems unscripted, the hosts and actors speaking lines inconsistently, portraying themselves as being unprepared, consequently spewing out clumsy, unpaced ad libs. Is there a solution to fixing PTV? Yes. A rebuild of the show from the ground up paired with lessons on professionalism would be a nice start, but unfortunately that seems unlikely to happen this far into the year. Another potential solution could be to go back to ComAcad. The academy teaches students the art of professional filmmaking on a daily basis, and has access to better, more professional filming equipment. On top of all that, ComAcad has many students that are willing to work on this project, bringing their original ideas to the table and perhaps reviving the tainted corpse that PTV has become. PTV has the potential to be resurrected by ASB, but the path to redemption will be long and arduous. Hopefully PTV will seek better management next year in the hands of a new production staff, or better yet, in the hands of ComAcad. 18
VARSITY BOYS dribble into playoffs but miss the shot for championships GIRLS’ BASKETBALL wrapping after the final buzzer By Jeanette West and Emily Cardwell With the end of the season, the girls’ basketball team can look back on a season of determination. The multitude of close-scoring games gives testimony to the valiant effort the girls put in throughout the season. The final league score was 2-12, with a 5-19 score overall. The team captains, Iona Normandi and Joleen Clark-Poets, maintained positive leadership throughout the season. “I think it was really admirable how positive and stayed throughout team seniors, including Iona Normandi, Molly Soladay, Sierra Cusick, Joleen Clark-Poets, Camila Diaz, and Ruby Gleason. By Jack Reuter Boys’ Varsity basketball ended their season on Feb. 21, in a loss against St. Joseph Notre Dame High School 58-40 in the Northern California Section (NCS) quarter-finals. The boys started the season strong with a victory against Terra Linda on Dec. 3, winning by 22 points. They had less success in tournaments, winning some games and losing others. However, they secured a decisive victory against Novato on Dec. 20, going into Winter Break on a high note. The varsity boys qualified for NCS playoffs, defeating Encinal High School on Feb. 18 in the first round. Unfortunately, St. Joseph Notre Dame beat Drake in the next round, disqualifying them. Their final league record was 8-8, with Drake’s overall stats being 12-16. Drake varsity basketball says goodbye to graduating seniors John Mohun, Gavin Dow, and Enno Klotz. 19 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 The seniors provided a strong sense of leadership and mentoring for the rest of the team. Despite ending the season without many wins, the girls continuously played competitively, and are excited to improve upon their techniques next year. motivated we the season, especially while not winning a lot of games,” said Clark-Poets. The consists of mostly WINTER SPORTS RECAP
TURF GIRLS suffer setbacks BLEACH BOYS take seventh in county By Kyla Seeley Girls’ varsity soccer (dubbing themselves the “Turf Girls”) pushed through a difficult 2019 season. From having a team composed of relatively fewer veteran runners, to having a new coach, Jeff Mahaney, this year, to suffering the loss of a few athletes due to injury, the team overcame incredible adversity. They ended the season with six wins, 10 losses, and three ties. According to junior Sophia Calegari, it wasn’t exactly the season they had hoped for, but “we talked to our coach, and he sees this year as a foundation for next year.” The players are already anticipating next year. With such a young team, the new players are only growing more experienced and show promise for the team in the years to come. Season of growth concludes for WRESTLING By Emily Cardwell Drake’s coed wrestling team concluded their season last semester, placing 4th in the Marin County Athletic League (MCALs) under the coaching of Johan Gerlach. Five wrestlers qualified for Northern California Sectionals (NCS) this season by earning the top three spots in their weight class during MCALs. Junior Aidan Read and senior Aylo Corhsen took first, senior Jonah Cirillo and freshman Kessler Lloyd came in second, and juniors Gage Smith and Aidan Burgman placed third. Corhsen was one match away from a medal at NCS, but played against fierce competition and did not place. “It was a building year for sure, we all kinda agree on that, but it was good nonetheless, and we had a lot of new kids do great. But we are sad to see some of the most talented wrestlers the program has ever seen go as seniors,” Read said. Photos by Lucie Martikan Toby Gibbons Winter Snell Emily Cardwell By Luca Ross The Drake boys varsity soccer team, better known as the Bleach Boys, finished their season ranked seventh in the county. They had a monumental win in a 7-0 game against Alhambra High on Nov. 21 but had some close losses like the 1-0 game against Marin Catholic on Jan. 29. They won seven league games and lost seven, as well as tying twice. However, in overall wins, they won eight times and lost eight times with four ties. This year the varsity team says goodbye to graduating seniors Griffin Waite, Marvin Argueta, Keoni Schubert, Logan Smith, and Noah Gardner. The team persevered through the season and played many other, evenly matched teams. In the end, Drake was able to get back on track and earn some wins when it mattered the most. 20
SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW CO-ED DIVING spinning into spring season BOYS’ BASEBALL steps up to bat By Jack Reuter The boys’ varsity baseball team started their season off with a 6-1 win against George Washington High School, on Feb. 26. Junior Mark Graham crushed two home runs in the first inning, setting the trend for the rest of the victorious game. The boys’ season looks good for this year, in large part to an experienced, senior-heavy team. They ended last year with an 18-10 overall standing, but the boys’ are eager to break this record going into the 2020 season. By Kyla Seeley The competition is heating up in the diving pool. Six people make up the 2020 team: juniors Camille Davis, Jesse Martinez, and Sophie Taubman, sophomores Oliver Samuel and George Shryock, and freshman Carson Camp. Their coach, Miranda Maas, also coaches for the Redwood team, so they often have to alternate locations and share the pool with the other team. Regarding competition with their team, Davis said “a lot of them are ex-gymnasts, and which is pretty good because they can already flip and twist.” With standout divers like promising freshman Carson Camp (with past experience diving with a club team) and returning veteran Jesse Martinez, the Drake team will put up a strong fight this season. 21 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 Photos by Kyla Seely Toby Gibbons Winter Snell
LACROSSE strives for improvement this spring By PJ Nave and Emily Cardwell The boys and girls lacrosse season took off with the budding of spring. The girls have a strong team this year, thanks to the plentiful amount of veteran players. Coach Alex Gauna believes the girls have a strong year ahead of them, attributing the experienced players and lots of practice. “We feel good about our conditioning and preparedness, and are confident in our ability to compete at a high level this season,” Gauna said. As of Mar. 5, the boys are 0-2, and the girls are 0-1 after losing a close game 10-11 against Cardinal Newman. Last year, the girls ended with a 5-12 record, and so they look to improve their standings in 2020. Gauna said, “The spirit of our team and camaraderie could not be stronger at the start of this season.” SWIM TEAM hopes for a splash By Emily Cardwell The coed swim team dove into practice the first week of February, eager to maintain momentum from last year’s successful season. Placing first in the MCALs and qualifying for NCS last year, the team met their goal of winning MCALs but decided to not participate in NCS. Led by coaches Dave Fahy, Mike Creghino, and assistant coach Brian Hennessy, the team is hoping to gain a strong footing in upcoming meets. 22 VARSITY TENNIS optimistic despite few signups By Emily Cardwell Boys tennis swung into the season shortly following ski week, with coach Jeff Brice and seniors Kaden Brastow, Lukas Bauchman, Aidan Nelson, and Cole Wood leading the team. There weren’t enough signups to make cuts this year, which unfortunately resulted in the lack of a junior varsity team this year. Their first two matches, against Marin Catholic and Tam, resulted in a win and loss respectfully, setting a tone of perseverance and hard work for this spring.
MULTIMEDIA CREATOR MAKES MARK IN MUSIC SCENE G By Lucie Martikan eorge Miller, better known by the alias “Joji,” solidifies himself as an artist to watch with new single “Run.” A genre I could only describe as part lo-fi, part hip-hop, and part R&B, this stylistic blend resembles many recent chart toppers, while maintaining a sense of individuality which makes Joji’s music decidedly his own. The song begins in a ballad-type form, reminiscent of Khalid and Frank Ocean’s contemporary R&B style. However, as the beat drops and Joji’s voice jumps up more than a few octaves, no other words come to mind, other than a simple “wow.” The guitar riffs that follow? An even bigger wow. The contrast between instruments and vocals is notable. Needless to say, I am impressed by this song. “Run” is a showcase of how far Miller has come as an artist. While many listeners may consider Joji as a breakout artist, older fans know that he has been making music - and other forms of media - since 2009. Known then as Youtube star “Pink Guy,” Miller made hilarious, albeit edgy and a bit controversial, comedy videos. He simultaneously paved the way for a new wave of comedic content and memes with his popular platform. Oftentimes filming alongside buddies “iDubbbz” (Ian Carter) and 23 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 “H3H3” (Ethan and Hila Klein), Miller’s content ranged from pranks, to skits, to joke-like music videos with original songs. Many people don’t know that before the song “Harlem Shake,” Miller actually listen to them (which I will not endorse), it’s clear that beneath the humor there is true musical and lyrical talent in them. I like to think that these were Miller’s first big start into his music career. In 2017, Miller left his Youtube channel to pursue music full time, then taking on his new alias, Joji. He released several songs through group 88rising, a media youtube channel company/ that includes other popular musicians, including Rich Brian, a successful rapper. His songs gained traction, singles such as “I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time” and “Slow Dancing in the Dark” did fairly well in 2017, and in 2018 “Yeah Right” was his first song to hit the charts, which was a big step for him as a serious artist. These songs can definitely be defined as “lo-fi,” their slow beats and soulful singing is a bit different from his newer releases. Following this success he dropped an album called “Ballads 1,” and completed a successful tour. In 2019 he released the single “Sanctuary,” and February brought a new single, “Run.” Miller’s last two releases signify that he has finally fully come into himself and his individuality as an artist. There is more variation in instrumentals and in tone, the riffs and chorus do not blend together as much as his slower songs tended to. These are songs anyone could sing along to, and need not be confined to a “Lo-Fi Beats to Study and Chill to” playlist. The jump Joji made from meme to musician is not an easy shift to make, and while he did face some pushback and ridicule in his journey to the more serious side of creativity, that hard work pays off in “Run.” As a longtime youtube subscriber, nothing makes me feel older created the dance and kick started that viral dancing trend in 2013. With titles like “Nickelodeon Girls,” “Club Banger 3000,” and many others I would rather not get in trouble for printing, it’s safe to say his songs were all made in good fun. However, if you than watching one of my favorite comedians become a serious and full-fledged musician. However, it’s a happy feeling too, and I’m convinced now more than ever that Joji is an artist to be watched this year. And if it wasn’t already clear, I give “Run” five out of five stars. American ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
CHEER C Changing the perception of cheerleading By Erik Gustafson ommonly portrayed as a stereotypical mean girl, or a bully who dates the quarterback, television has not been kind to cheerleaders. “Cheer,” a six-part doc-series on Netflix, takes great pains to break these stereotypes and show the commitment and dedication it takes to be a championship-winning cheerleading team. Corsicana, Texas, about 50 miles south of Houston, houses Navarro Community College, a cheerleading powerhouse with 13 national titles between 2000 and 2018. The series follows the cheerleaders’ journey to the 2019 National Cheerleaders Association’s (NCA) National Championships in Daytona, Florida. Each episode presents the struggles of balancing college-level sports and school, delves into the personal life of the cheerleaders, the history of cheer, and shows the brutal training that cheerleaders go through to ultimately perform for only two and a half minutes in Daytona. While watching the impressive performances, the one thing on my mind was “How is any of this possible?” JOIN See something you like? Want to be a part of it? Sign up for Advanced Journalism No prerequisite required! SUBSCRIBE We love our subscribers! Your sponsorship makes this publication possible. Please go to bit.ly/donatejollyroger 24 Looking at the team’s practices and their final performance, someone with no cheerleading or much athletic experience can only imagine the sheer brutality of the sport. The team’s head coach, Monica Aldama, has coached at Narvaro for 24 years and has led the team to all 13 national titles. She held an integral part of the film and showed the effect that a strict but respected coach has on a team. As a person with no real interest in cheerleading or sports in general, I would recommend “Cheer” to anyone who doesn’t know what it takes to do these incredible demonstrations of athletic ability. Though episodes can be repetitive, I felt a connection to these college students that I wasn’t expecting. I genuinely hoped that my favorites, Jerry and Lexi, would make mat and that Morgan would step up to be one of the head top-girls after the lead dislocates her elbow. “Cheer” is a spectacle of athleticism and brutality, combining both into absolutely beautiful performances that would make anyone want to grab a pair of pom-poms.
A look back on “Oldboy” By Otis Hixon W hat does it mean to be human? Some might identify more with their intellect, others with their morality, but the 2003 South Korean film “Oldboy” argues something different: that although these may be traits of humanity, our species is defined by nothing more than our perception of reality. In other words, we are “humans” because we are taught it from infancy, and often believe it. Note that we often believe it. There are cases of humans who reject this shared reality. (I say shared in the loosest of connotations, as the nature of our existence prevents our realities from being experienced by multiple people.) These cases’ realities deviate from the “norm,” and the rest of our species intervene, rejecting this alternate truth. However, if this person were isolated from the rest of their species, their alternate reality would be free to grow. relies Because our label of “humanity” on outside projection, this isolation first deconstructs personal and social identity. “Oldboy” argues that deep beneath our programmed behavior lurks “The Beast,” and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a wild animal. The film takes a regular man, convinced of his humanity, and strips the polish away, freeing The Beast on his enemies as well as himself. Dae-su is that man. Washed up, he drunkenly roams the streets with his friend until mysteriously vanishing, kidnapped by an unknown enemy. Dae-su then spends fifteen years in a single room, isolated from any human interaction. His only connection to the outside world is a television, and the few channels it contains. Soon after he first wakes, he learns his wife has been murdered, and he’s the prime suspect. 25 The Jolly Roger | April 2020 At first, he attempts to maintain his old identity, but it quickly withers away, leaving only boiling determination and revenge beneath. What follows his escape is a desperate hunt for his unknown captor. What it takes to find him, however, is a heavier price than he could’ve guessed. Using imaginary training from when he was imprisoned, The Beast is unleashed on the mystery, going so far as to pry the teeth out of a man’s mouth with a hammer to get the information he needs. The only good thing in his life is his girlfriend Mi-do, who he meets on his journey of redemption. One of the many highlights of “Oldboy” is how emotive Dae-su is. During the film, switching between practically every emotion, often immediately after each other. The best example of this is his meeting with his unknown rival, who’s name is revealed to be Woo-jin. During this confrontation, Dae-su learns that his 15-year punishment was for a mere slip of the tongue in high school, exposing Woo-jin’s incestious relationship with his sister, who commits suicide due to the controversy. Despite the hatred Woo-jin feels for Dae-su, he doesn’t break character. He just calmly explains that while Daesu had been imprisoned, he and Mi-do had been hypnotized. That Mi-do is Dae-su’s daughter, and that he will tell her everything. What happens next is a breathtaking display of desperation. First, Dae-su begs like a dog. Then he grows angry, screaming threats. Next, he begs for forgiveness. Finally, he offers to cut off his own tongue, just as long as he doesn’t tell Mi-do. The deal takes place, and finally Dae-su’s transformation is complete. He is no longer human, only beast. “Oldboy” is a story of alternate truths and the implications of their existence. The viewer is left to decide how they feel about the characters and their actions in the film, just like the characters themselves. Dae-su chooses to attempt to forget the truth, and Mi-do never learns it. The film leaves it up to the audience to judge: is one truth more true than the other? Does it matter? There is only one unflinching truth in “Oldboy.” Human nature may be more civilized than the nature of the beast, but it isn’t the truth. Human nature is, in actuality, composed of tiny alternate truths, little lies we tell each other so as to hide our true nature. That inside everyone, there is a beast.
COSMIC CAMPUS MONITOR REMAINS A MYSTERY By Emma Rose Neal Everyday, a living legend strides through the halls of Sir Francis Drake high school. Students are captivated as a resounding, “alright,” bellows from this monolithic being, usually watching students from his nook by the main office. As cuddly as a teddy bear but as mysterious as the food from the Canteen, the majestic campus the Blasewitz, is a sight to behold. Monitoring school Junior College baseball team and ran a six-minute mile. Though this is a speedy record, it doesn’t explain how his rate has now increased by six times. Paranormal powers are the only explanation for this case. monitor, Rich since December 14, 1998, Rich enjoys his job because it “keeps him young.” But exactly how young is Rich? His knowledge and powers reflect those of immortal beings. Rich claims to be from planet Earth, specifically New York City, but multiple sightings of him teleporting, levitating, and flying would suggest otherwise. An experienced ro-sham-bo player, junior Will Kolb frequently interacts in hand games with Rich. However, he is left in a void when it comes to who Rich really is. “I definitely think he’s a big homie, but I couldn’t tell you much past that,” Kolb said. Junior Talia Hebermann is a big fan of Rich, but also has her suspicions, “He’s a cool dude, but also I’ve never seen him blink.” This is the first sign of distinguishing otherworldly creatures. Rich’s cosmic aura is so intriguing students, to that some have tried to investigate his true identity. In 2019, ComAcad students and paranormal experts Callen O’Brien, Nikko Raffael, Natalia Cervantes, and Jamaica Lopez created a documentary, “Rich: A Man of Few Words and Many Worlds,” investigating whether Rich is a vampire, reptilian, or alien. Convincing evidence was not found to prove the first two hypotheses, but the alien theory may be true. At the end of the film, Rich, dressed in a green fullbody rain suit, jumped up and blasted into space. This would be impossible if he were human, suggesting he has some sort of higher power. In only his freshman year, Drake student Oliver John is overwhelmed with sightings of Rich’s supernatural actions. “He may not seem very fast at times, but sometimes if you just look out of the corner of your eye, you can see him going at speeds up to 60 miles per hour, at least. That’s definitely a factor of what makes him so unique,” John said. This is absolutely groundbreaking information, considering Usain Bolt is supposedly the fastest human in the world with a maximum speed of 28mph, according to Business Insider. In 1986, Rich played for the Santa Rosa Senior Joseph Hawley’s encounters with Rich are just as bizarre. When Hawley is in close proximity to him, he tastes metal in his mouth, as if Rich is radioactive. Excessive radioactivity on campus is a serious safety hazard for students and faculty, and the school considered the installation of lead lining in classroom walls to block the radiation. In response to this claim, Rich stated, “That is absolutely true, considering I have a hip replacement.” This is quite a reasonable explanation; therefore, safety precautions will not be necessary. Rich’s versatile powers complicate the certainty of his true identity. When asked if the documentary revealed all his secrets, Rich calmly stated in his deep, baritone voice, “There’s quite a bit more.” Although the explanation behind Rich’s mystical activities remains unsolved, the unconditional love students have for Rich is unbounded across universes and galaxies. The only thing we are certain of is that Rich radiates positivity that lightens up everyone’s day. As “alien-specialist” Nikko Raffael says, Drake wouldn’t be the same without him. “Everybody likes Rich. There’s nobody he’ll that doesn’t like him at this school. It doesn’t matter if he’s an alien, always be one of us,” Raffael said.
Mr. Thelin 1. I always carry a Monopoly “Get Out Of Jail Free” card in my pocket. Just in case. 2. I learned to surf with Bethany Hamilton’s parents during their college years. 3. I once found $1,968 in a paper bag, and turned it into the Fairfax Police Department. I got no reward. Two Truths and a Lie Drake Teacher Edition Ms. Salle 1. While living in Paris I met Mick Jagger at a tattoo parlor where we ended up getting matching tattoos. (I have since had mine removed, as it was really embarrassing.) 2. While hiking alone in Montana I was almost attacked by a black bear, but I screamed and threw trail mix at it and it ran away. I’m not a good thrower, but I actually hit the bear in the face with a cashew. 3. I have a black belt in karate, and once stopped a mugging in San Francisco by using my skills. The guy ended up being taken away in an ambulance. Mr. Watson 1. Brad Pitt once ate a french fry off my plate at a restaurant in the city, looked me right in the eye, said “no one will ever believe you,” and walked away. 2. When I lose bets, I pay the other person back entirely in singles, regardless of the amount. 3. I once spent an entire week eating ham and cheese sandwiches and protein shakes to try and bulk up - it didn’t work because at no point during that week did I actually exercise. Ms. Ortega 1. I’ve been in a Space X rocket. 2. My family owns the Ortega Taco Shells. 3. My grandma was kidnapped by Pancho Villa--one of the leaders of the Mexican revolution--but later rescued by Warm Springs Apache who traded Prohibition alcohol for her safe return. Mr. Doherty 1. One thing that I was kind of (in) famous for in high school was that my significant other was a pony. (The relationship was romantic but non-sexual.) We used lawyers and got permission to go to prom together. Her name was Chesti and she was dark brown with white hind legs. She died in 1998 of throat cancer, but we had stopped dating by then. My favorite prom memory is slow dancing with Chesti to “Ginuwine.” 2. Another thing about me many people don’t know is that my eyes go backwards as well as forwards. I can actually see inside my head. This is a rare but not unique condition called ambiopia. 3. Lastly, English is my third language, but my first verbal one. The languages I learned earlier in life were sign language and braille Esperanto. This was necessary as both of my parents are immigrant deaf mutes. Growing up in such a home is probably why I am so committed to universal human rights, and just being nice and supportive to all people... regardless of their challenges or romantic preferences.
PROM DATE: DESCRIPTION Dress It sucks that they cost so much, but it’s not like there’s a second-hand market for once worn formal attire Fake jewelry from Claire’s You will never admit to buying something from Claire’s, but it looks so sparkly Several Yerba Mates consumed whilst getting ready At least you save money by not going to a professional makeup artist Repair your dad’s old camera He could have used his cellphone, but let’s not dive into his logic right now Splitting a recently renovated party bus with a dubious legality A ticket Bribing the fake casino guy to make sure you win big at the fake poker table A grubhub order A grubhub dessert order It’s hard to resist conveniece A six pack of whiteclaw. A six pack of water Tip the party bus driver for damaging a seat cushion You will never speak of it again Bribe your little brother to tell your parents you were home at midnight SUBTOTAL TAX (0%) TOTAL BALANCE DUE $100.00 $100.00 $70.00 $66.00 $14.00 $15.00 $20.00 $50.00 $701.00 $0.00 $701.00 $701.00 $9.00 $57.00 $50.00 Apr 18, 2020 AMOUNT $150.00 PROMPROM PROM The true cost of prom By Alexandra Fry BILL TO 1327 Sir Francis Drake Blvd San Anselmo, CA 94960
FRESH W hile Drake’s past rally themes are fun, we’ve brainstormed some fresh ideas perfect for the next spirit week. There is only one rally theme that can offer educational value. You guessed it, feudalism. The theme for each grade will follow the feudalism pyramid that dominated medieval Europe, with the seniors being the royalty, the juniors nobility, the sophomores knights, and the freshmen being the peasants. Seniors would wear purple, the mos t expensive of all medieval dyes, and crowns. Juniors would still have crowns, but less grand than the royal seniors, and wear colors like crimson and indigo, pretty but not as opulent or deep purple. The sophomores are the knights, slayer of dragons, and protectors of the weak. They ride into school in orange to represent their brave, fiery hearts, but bonus points if they go to school in mail and plate. These brave sophomores come armed only with a pen-because the pen is mightier than the sword. By Alexandra Fry and Jack of the house Reuter, second of his name, King of San Anselmo , Fairfax, the Valley, Lord of Drake the High of School Last and certainly least, the freshmen, who come in potato sacks. While Drake has no farm, the freshmen can toil in the school’s garden, work that befits their rank of serf. If feudalism feels too divisive, why not go with the most convenient option, deadline day. Everyone’s stressed about scholarship applications, AP tests, or what swimsuit to bring to Mexico anyway. Seniors dress up in sweats and large bags under their eyes, bonus points if they bring a half full disposable coffee cup. Junior s dress the same, but with even larger bags under their eyes (junior year is rough y’all.) Sophomores dress in normal semi pajama attire. Freshmen dress normally but without the weight on their shoulders, cherish it while you can. For lunch activity, have a grammarly contest in the quad. If we’re going really creative here, Salad t he m e d spir it week. This idea can be justified by promoting healthy eating. Seniors dress as Caesar salad in togas, juniors as ranch themed in cowboy gear, sophomores wear green for cobb salad, and freshman wear gigantic Comforts boxes for chicken salad. There are many ideas for lunch activities, but here are a few. Giant hokey pokey to “mix” the salad, cowboys vs. romans pool noodle fight, and trash salad (granted this one just has everyone pick up trash and put it a giant “bowl,” aka trash can.) Or, to be boring, a seminar on creating a balanced diet, led by someone who works at Good Earth. ideas for spirit week
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