may proof 2010

1

May 2010

1

May 2010

2

The MArk

My dear miss, you say you’ve lost your love.I say you’ve forgotten the fact that you’re too good for here;You’re from above.Your eyes are diamonds which are like tigers’.They collect sunlight in the day and glow golden in the night.Your skin equates to the light of heaven,I can feel the warmth from a sensitive touch and a nurturing sight.Your voice,Forged by angels,Sings to meRhythmically.So what’s a pretty girl like you crying about?It’s too bad that you’re sad,You’re such a cutie.But ahhh, I see what it is.You lack the beauty.You’re not beautiful,Only the heart determines that.In fact, strip away your flesh,And you’ll look like a rat.Sad to say, your eyes are a waste.No matter how pretty your skin is,Your soul still lacks taste.Your golden pipes? They mock and they cry.Instead of hearing them again, I think I’d rather die.But do not fret,There is yet still hope.You’re just a little girl;You’re still just a joke.

Little GirlPoetry Conrad Yu

3

May 2010

Art Dakota Snow

4

The MArk

The MArk Contributors:IeJ

Editors:in:chief:Adam ZuckermanRegina MullenKate Reardon

Staff:Michael AbramsonTrent BastianRachel FoxTaylor GananianRussell GurmanSofia Gutierrez-DewarWes HagmanBlair JohnsonAnna LukeHaley McCabeAlexander MostEvan PeairsIan ProulxHannah RosenfeldStephanie SabatiniJed SpringerConrad YuLindsey Sepulveda

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

Cover ArtErika RasmussenLaurin NoguchiJuan Carlos Contreras

FEATURES

FINE ART

JUST FOR FUN

5-6 High Mark, Low Mark 9 Adventures in the Night26 How to Make a Talk Box27 M-A Emergency

3 Drawing by Dakota Snow13 Art Collage28 Drawing by Maria Ikonomou

5 Absence Policy14 Pound Pets28 Beatrice: Man’s Best Friend

5

May 2010

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

t h e m a m a r k @ g m a i l . c o m

FEATURES

PHOTOGRAPHY

POETRY

16 Perspective22 Pair of Pants24 Emotion

11 Photos by Nicole Barnes and Prescott Foland12 Photo by J.P. Nash24 Ferris Wheel

The MArk Contributors:IeJ

6

The MArk

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

administration bans pizza

“Arabian” Nights...?

senior prank: “fish tank” on the green

Many of you, especially second semester seniors, have probably asked someone how many classes you can miss before you are in danger of not get-ting credit for a class. But the details of our ab-sence policy are oddly elusive. After asking several teachers, the attendance clerk, and two vice-principal secretar-ies, I, a senior, resident badass, and avid 7th period ceramicist, was still un-clear about the fine print of the rule.

I was able to establish that after 18 absences in a single class the office asks a teacher whether the student should still be given credit or whether he or she should receive the dreaded NA (no credit). Still, nobody was able to tell me with conviction what kind of absences (cut, excused, school activity, etc.) counted toward this 18.

I was then directed to AVP Secretary Aubrey Orcutt, who seemed knowledgeable about this policy. She was able to give me the details: At 18 absences, with 3 or more cuts, a student is declared ineligible for credit; however, with under 3 cuts, the student is given credit regardless of excused classes missed. I was also informed that absences declared as “school

activities” do not count toward this ominous 18.

Unfortunately, this contradicts our student handbook, our only source of written rules, which states in bold “A

teacher may not change an NA to a passing grade if the student has more than three unexcused absences or cuts.” So I returned to Aubrey Orcutt who remarked, “I don’t know why it says that.” Kids with 18 abscences and 3 or more cuts can still receive credit with the support of the teacher. She also confirmed that school activities do not count toward your permitted 18 absences even though that goes unmentioned in the school handbook.

So why does nobody seem to know the fine print of this rule, and how can people be expected to follow guidelines that are

nowhere to be found? In short, they should not. The administration does not tell the students at the assembly at the beginning of the year that an absence due to a school activity (missing class for a sport, field trip, etc.) does not count toward our 18. Nor does it say anything in the student handbook. The handbook also states a policy in bold that is either false or regularly ignored. So, I am left thinking, how many other rules in our handbook are either left out or blatantly untrue…

A b s e n c e P o l i c y

not Presentby Adam Zuckerman

p.e. r

equire

men

t:

A M

ajor

Hur

dlep

F D D+ C- C C+ B- B B+ A- A A+Low Marks

7

May 2010

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

getting pizza anyways

AP and STAR tests are over!

jazz band gets 1st place in Reno jazz festival

Fulfilling graduation requirements is no easy

task – students already struggle with meeting English,

math, history, foreign language, and arts requirements. However, for

the increasing number of intense club athletes, the physical education requirement

is becoming the most burdensome of any. Club sports, which usually involve extensive hours of

practice, individual workouts, games, and traveling tournaments, are an incredible demand on time and energy, especially when coupled with normal schoolwork. The simple truth is that most club athletes do not have the time to take a period of P.E, or enroll in summer P.E, or complete enough seasons of M-A sports in order to complete the requirement. Yet somehow, year after year this system is perpetuated and it is M-A’s most physically fit that continue to struggle with the requirement.

On occasion, M-A has granted exceptions to athletes in specific individual sports, such as tennis, horseback

A b s e n c e P o l i c y

not Present

High Marks

p.e. r

equire

men

t:

A M

ajor

Hur

dle

by Regina Mullen

riding, and even squash. These individual sport athletes are given a supplement

packet, which requires them to fill out a weekly log of the number of hours spent

playing complete with a coach’s signature. This policy, however, offers no aid to club athletes playing team sports.

According to state regulations, despite the dedication and sheer demand on time required by club sport participation, P.E. classes still offer indispensable physical, nutritional, and health education that club does not offer. Administrative Vice Principal Steve Lippi comments that “the P.E. people determined that physical education with the schools is different than a student getting in shape playing sports, because [P.E.] has an educational component. There are things that we have to do in order to meet the requirements of the state that goes over and above a student getting in shape to play soccer.” In fact, M-A apparently already bends the state requirements by allowing students to substitute M-A athletics for P.E. credit and permitting individual sport athletes to log their practice hours in the supplement packet instead of taking P.E.

While the effort is appreciated, the fact remains that club team athletes are left to struggle through a suffocating mass of practice, travel, games, recruiting, workouts, homework, classes, and the addition of the P.E. requirement. The main argument for not permitting team sport athletes to complete the P.E. supplement packet is that being on a team does not guarantee you playing time like an individual sport does. M-A junior Nicola White has experienced firsthand that even proof of your physical activity will not suffice in gaining the

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

8

The MArk

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race

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lose

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x 36

0 co

ntin

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plat

form

of c

hoic

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9

May 2010

At t

he e

nd o

f 20

06, I

was

won

der-

ing

whe

ther

I ha

d w

aste

d a

spot

on

my

Chr

istm

as li

st b

y as

king

for a

PS3

sinc

e I

alre

ady

had

an X

box

360.

M

y de

sire

fo

r th

e PS

3 st

arte

d w

ith S

ony'

s ex

clu-

sive

sho

oter

, Res

ista

nce:

Fa

ll of

Man

. U

nfor

tuna

tely

ther

e w

ere

no o

ther

PS3

ga

mes

tha

t I

was

int

eres

ted

in a

t th

e tim

e, t

hat

wer

e no

t al

so a

vaila

ble

on

Xbo

x.

So, I

ess

entia

lly e

nded

up

get-

ting

a PS3

to p

lay

only

one

gam

e. A

t the

tim

e, a

PS3

cost

$65

0—pr

etty

expe

nsiv

e fo

r one

gam

e. B

y th

e en

d of

Chr

istm

as

brea

k, I

had

alre

ady

beat

en t

he g

ame

and

spen

t ho

urs

onlin

e, a

nd I

was

jus

t ab

out r

eady

to s

ell m

y PS

3 an

d go

bac

k to

Xbo

x ex

clus

ivel

y.

I'm g

lad

I di

dn't.

Fa

st f

orw

ard

four

yea

rs:

the

PS3

is fi

nally

giv

ing

the

Xbo

x a

run

for

its

mon

ey.

Ther

e ar

e no

w a

n eq

ual

num

-be

r of

gre

at g

ames

on

both

pla

tform

s, bu

t ea

ch h

as i

ts o

wn

uniq

ue a

dvan

-ta

ges.

So,

whi

ch o

ne s

houl

d yo

u bu

y?

THE

VER

DIC

T:B

oth

PS3

and

Xbo

x 36

0 ha

ve a

goo

d va

riety

of s

trong

exc

lusi

ve g

ames

, but

the

Hal

o an

d G

ears

of

War

serie

s pus

h X

box

ever

so sl

ight

ly a

head

. In

add

ition

, Xbo

x Li

ve, a

s wel

l as t

he X

box

dash

boar

d an

d co

ntro

ller,

is m

uch

mor

e us

er fr

iend

ly, e

asie

r to

navi

gate

with

, and

eas

ier t

o m

eet u

p w

ith fr

iend

s.

In te

rms o

f pric

e, th

ough

the

Xbo

x is

che

aper

, the

PS3

is in

act

ualit

y a

muc

h be

tter d

eal.

It c

omes

with

a

built

in B

lu-r

ay p

laye

r (w

orth

aro

und

$150

) and

it h

as fr

ee o

nlin

e pl

ay (X

box

Live

is $

50 p

er y

ear)

. Th

ough

I st

ill re

com

men

d bu

ying

bot

h if

you

can

affo

rd it

, unl

ess y

ou a

bsol

utel

y ne

ed a

Blu

-ray

pl

ayer

, I w

ould

go

with

Mic

roso

ft’s X

box

360.

Tho

ugh

the

race

is c

lose

, Xbo

x 36

0 co

ntin

ues t

o be

the

plat

form

of c

hoic

e.

Desperately avoiding the bullets flying down-range, Private First Class Kessler sprints behind his squad leader. A rocket propelled grenade narrowly misses him a n d

flies past, striking a tank in a ball of f l a m e . Kessler takes refuge behind a c o n -crete wall, and pulls out a weathered photograph from his shirt pocket. He thinks of his family, his Maria and his two kids, and, with a renewed sense of determina-tion, chances a peek from behind his shel-ter. A fifty caliber screams through the back of his skull. Blood and bits of skulls fly everywhere. Fifteen sec-onds later, Kessler respawns.

This is a common occurrence on TV screens and computer monitors, and the witnesses are none o t h e r than video game players, both young and

mature. The question, which the Supreme Court has decided to address, is whether or not to

ban the sale or rental of video games deemed excessively violent, which “lack literary, artistic,

political or scientific value,” to minors.

Though Governor Schwarzenegger signed

such a bill into law in 2005, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of

Appeals struck it down, ruling that the law went against our of freedom of expression. Now, the Federal Supreme Court will rule whether or not such a ban does indeed violate the First Amendment. However, the proposed ban law is too broad to prove effective even it were constiutional: based on the current criteria, the ban would include nearly all successful first person shooters and real time strategy franchises. The bill’s definition of a violent video game is one which depicts “killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being.” When one examines the situation and the characteristics of video games, the vast majority of contemporary best sellers are those that depict violence. Halo, Gears of War, Half-Life, and Battlefield games, to name a few, all include blood-splatters and violent depictions of war. To most players, war is a prodigious thrill which is best experienced vicariously from the comfort of their couch. Like prepubescent girls with romance films, gamers play to experience second hand

what they cannot do so first hand.

If the purpose of video games, like movies, is to entertain, then shouldn’t lawmakers and judges treat the two equally? In some cases, movie scenes are much more generous with gore and guts than video games. We all remember that D-Day

scene from Saving Private Ryan and the soldier who so horrifyingly lied on the beach with his

intestines strewn about the sands of Normandy. But according to ban advocators, laws should

judge violence in interactive entertainment with increased strictness. Proponents of the bill argue that the government should hold “excessively” violent video games to the same standards as they hold sexually explicit adult films. That’s comparing apples to oranges. The argument would make sense if it were advocating the ban of sexually explicit material

in video games, such as in the Grand Theft Auto games, but what they are advocating now is much more severe.

Another flaw in the conditions of the ban is the ambiguity of its definition. While the bill would prohibit violent actions to images of humans, it does not state that violent actions to images of non-humans, such as mutants or aliens, are unacceptable. In Halo, players kill enemy soldiers part of a coalition of alien races; in Gears of War, players chainsaw alien creatures in half. And what of zombies? Increasingly popular are games which include zombies. Zombies were once human; they even look like humans, but they’re just not humans. Does that mean we’re allowed to decapitate them in some creative way (potato cannon that luanches chainsaws perhaps)? The proposed law in itself is effectively defined.

In the end, even if the law were to pass, it would only hinder the acquiring of violent video games by minors. The law states that games deemed too violent would have to have an “18” sticker. Because of the law’s

ambiguity, game publishers, developers and players will inevitably find loop holes to climb through.

And before another law can be passed, “violence” will have soaked through the bill

like water through a sponge. Lawmakers need to revise the bill if they

want to design an effective ban.

Video Game ViolenceBy Conrad

Photo Credit:

10

The MArk

Let’s face it- even though most teenagers are angels, there are some who choose to forsake the beaten path of righteousness and pursue activities with a little more risk. We’ve documented the best, sketchiest, and downright stupidest tales of late-night escapades for the amusement (and most likely indignation!) of the rest of us. Because we would never do something like this… right?

Oh Holey NightIt was a dark and stormy Saturday night, and Menlo student Horace* had successfully left his home in search of an M-A friend, who will be known here as Sally*. Horace evaded his parents’ notice and reached Sally’s house without mishap. However, in a trite attempt to feign badassery, and in full knowledge of the fact that several people were inside the house, awake, and available to let him in, Horace decided that the best idea would be to 007 his way over the iron gate that protected Sally’s house. Though he was faced with an imposing gate and burdened with an object that will remain nameless in one hand, Horace was undaunted. Cunningly, quietly, and one-handedly, Horace heaved himself towards the gate—and impaled himself on the waiting iron spikes. For poor Jimmy, what could have been an evening of totally legal fun was quite literally punctured, and he has the bill from the hospital to prove it.

Sneakout StrikeoutM-A Junior Helga* has no fond memories of wild nights, largely because she has had no success in actually leaving her home. Helga’s father, who reportedly uses sonar to detect his daughter’s movements, has caught her in the act of leaving no less than eight times, much to Helga’s frustration and his amusement. Luckily, Helga has a veritable library of plausible excuses for being halfway out the back door. Our personal favorite: “I was looking for the cat.” On the other hand, parental involvement is not always a deterrent for potential sneakers. Another M-A student, Theodorus*, was caught by his mother mid-tiptoe. But this silver-tongued rascal just confessed that he was sneaking out, looked into her eyes and said “Please?” Well, mom relented, and Theodorus enjoyed an evening of parental approved fun. Note to self: Please and thank you…

Trashy EncounterNorman*, another M-A student, fondly recounts an evening so memorable that he can barely remember any of it. According to his extremely limited recollections, Norman returned to his home after successfully evading capture and enjoying an evening of tomfoolery, went inside, removed his pants, and returned outside for reasons unknown even to himself. The next thing he knew, he was looking up into the anxious faces of his parents, who had discovered their son in the recycling bin, stripped to his shirt and boxers, and not at all sure how he ended up there. Now, whenever Norman tries to leave at any time of day, his concerned parents ask: “Are we going to find you in the recycling again?”

Ficcas FiascoEven teachers, those paragons of saintly virtue, had cause to leave home at some suspicious hours of the night. English teacher John McBlair claims that he stealthily zip lined out of his window at 2 am as a young lad, but only to get a Christmas present for his mother. Since he had been told by his friend’s father, the owner of Brown’s Nursery, that he and his comrades could visit at any time and take what they wished, young McBlair and the rest of his companions took the liberty of visiting in the middle of the night to procure potted plants for gifts. Unfortunately, just as the triumphant group left the nursery with their prospective Christmas gifts, the police swerved onto the scene with guns pointed directly at the would-be thieves and arrested them on the spot. Many phone calls and a trip to jail later, it was discovered that his friend’s father, Mr. Brown, had a brother (also named Mr. Brown) who ran a rival nursery and hated his brother’s family with somewhat of a burning passion. As it turned out, McBlair had visited his friend’s uncle’s nursery, and all the family name-dropping in the world did not gain said uncle’s sympathy. Fortunately, the mix-up was identified, the culprits released, and the uncle convinced that the boys sincerely thought they were stealing from his brother, not him. Still, McBlair says he learned his lesson about slipping out of his window at night…

Adventures in the Nightby Kate Reardon



Trashy EncounterNorman*, another M-A student, fondly recounts an evening so memorable that he can barely remember any of it. According to his extremely limited recollections, Norman returned to his home after successfully evading capture and enjoying an evening of tomfoolery, went inside, removed his pants, and returned outside for reasons unknown even to himself. The next thing he knew, he was looking up into the anxious faces of his parents, who had discovered their son in the recycling bin, stripped to his shirt and boxers, and not at all sure how he ended

up there. Now, whenever Norman tries to leave at any time of day, his concerned parents ask: “Are we going to find you in the recycling again?”



11

May 2010




Trashy EncounterNorman*, another M-A student, fondly recounts an evening so memorable that he can barely remember any of it. According to his extremely limited recollections, Norman returned to his home after successfully evading capture and enjoying an evening of tomfoolery, went inside, removed his pants, and returned outside for reasons unknown even to himself. The next thing he knew, he was looking up into the anxious faces of his parents, who had discovered their son in the recycling bin, stripped to his shirt and boxers, and not at all sure how he ended up there. Now, whenever Norman tries to leave at any time of day, his concerned parents ask: “Are we going to find you in the recycling again?”


Photo Nicole Barnes

Photo Prescott Foland

12

The MArk

Not

hing

By: E

ric M

yles

Wha

t am

I? W

ho a

m I?

A

hum

an b

eing

? A

m I

am a

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r per

haps

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th

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ss w

orld

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Doe

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Th

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othi

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hear

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hing

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Phot

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13

May 2010

Art Rafael Rios

Art Roxana Davalos

Phot

ogra

phy

Jona

than

Nas

h

14

The MArk

What better place to get one than an animal shelter. At the City of Palo Alto Animal Services the adoption process is designed to benefit both you and the animals that are up for adoption. Prior to adoption each animal must go through a medical check-up and behavioral tests. Before one can adopt a pet a volunteer helps the animal and the possible adoptive family spend time together to see how they respond to one another. Ideally every member of the potential adoptive family meets the animal and everyone must come to agreement that the animal is just the right one for the household. An animal services specialist checks to make sure the living arrangements are appropriate for the potential pet adoption. If all of these steps are successful then the shelter will approve the adoption and after paying a moderate fee the family and their new pet are able to spend a long and happy life together.

If you are unable to have a pet, but love animals you may want to become a volunteer at the City of Palo Alto Animal Services. Volunteers can

Pound Pets

do many jobs from foster parenting to socializing and taking the animals for exercises however these jobs do require some training. Volunteers have to be 16 years of age or older and must be able to make a regular commitment of time.

In addition to adoption the City of Palo Alto Animal Services offers a number of other animal services such as low cost vaccinations, a spay and neutering clinic, micro chipping so your pet can be identified if they become lost, lost and found services, licensing and registration, and they also sell pet supplies. Another important service offered is a “drop off” where pet owners can surrender a pet anonymously if they are unable to continue to care for a pet for any reason. For more information contact:

The Palo Alto Humane Society3281 E. Bayshore Rd.Palo Alto650-496-5971

T h i n k i n g o f g e t t i n g a n e w p e t ?

15

May 2010

Animals from dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles and birds are found at the pound.

16

The MArk

A rapid inhale of oxygenexpelled into overwhelming darkness.

Neon green digits from the future.A clock.

2:00 A.M.

Eyelids tightly sealedbecause vision is not necessary.

I explore the world with the mind’s eye.

The penetrating purple iris,searching for life after life,the meaning within meaning,diving deeper into the seato uncover the leviathan that dwells underneath.

With my eyes closedI see more than I have ever seen before.

The sky.White paint hovering on blue canvas.

A leaf.The edges curled in like hands,cupped,containing a silver lake.

The wind.Trapped in nothing,it howls and screamsat everything.

My eyes are closed,but I am not blind.

The purple iris envelops everythingand develops images into answers.

I open my eyesand lie awake,moonlight draped over melike a blanket.

I reach for my penand my notebook.

I push the tip of the ballpoint penagainst the paper,but nothing happens.There is ink in the pen,but the ink in my mindhas dried up.

The mind’s eye is shutand betrays nothing.

I push it for answersbut it will not revealthe secrets it has uncovered,the knowledge it has excavated.

The pen slips from my hands.The paper still lies blank.

2:30 A.M.

I close my eyes.

Somewhere in my head,something stirs.It is purple.

Perspectiveby: Yuki Nakayama

17

May 2010

18

The MArk

When a person is not in love, they have a mouth full of crackers. No other food has a least-loving texture. The way it breaks apart,a salty break.

Leaving your taste buds bursting out of pure need, pure depravity of water. The salty lick of your tongueout of your mouth into the dry air rubbingacross the loose skin of your lips makes youwonder if you can hurry up and chew through this uncomfortable stage.

The state you are in always gets the better of you the more you eat.The more you eat you feel you can reach that heightened sense.

Mouth Full of Crackers

Art Charles Washington

Poetry Deonte McCall

19

May 2010

Every summer M-A students and teachers travel in a small group to Guatemala for a

service-learning trip during which students build a school, participate in reforesta-

tion or work in a hospital. M-A students and teachers have been traveling to Guatemala

since the founding of Global Visionaries by former M-A teacher, Joe Fontana, in 1997.

Participants of this trip form long-lasting relationships with one anoth-

er and with their Guatemalan counterparts; the profound impact of the jour-

ney remains with the particpants well beyond the return to their daily lives.

Here, M-A Ceramics teacher, Deb Gutof, shares a version of her recent journal entry

reflecting on the loss of an enduring friendship formed over the years in Guatemala...

When I first saw him, it was his eyes t

hat drew me to him.

“Why is he here?” I thought.

He seems so normal, healthy almost. And as he wheeled

away I knew I’d see him again.

Marco Antonio Yanes was shot in Guatemala City in

1992 for 50 quetzales (th

e equivalent of 5 US dollars)

and his cheap watch. He was 32 years

old, married

with a young a daughter.

In Hospital Hermano Pedro in Antigua, Guatemala,

time stands still. Each year I

return to the same

patients, in the same wards, cared f

or by the same nurses.

Each year, upon entry to H

ospital Hermano Pedro, I take a

deep breath and prepare fo

r the wave of emotions that consume me

so deeply. Each year once

I spot Marco Antonio Yanes, my breath relaxes

and my strength returns. As I embrace him, I take in th

e familiar smells of the

medicine, the sweat of the men and the o

dd food odor. “I’m ready”, I thi

nk to myself--

ready and excited to volun

teer and mentor my students through this in

tense process.

This year I wonder where I’ll find

my strength. How will I relax? W

hat will happen to our

group since Marco Antonio Yanes will not be the

re?

I’m in grief, worried… lost.

Marco Antonio was the lifeline of Hermano Pedro. A

ll patients, no matter how severe their

condition, depended on his

presence to calm them. He was sharp, witty and com

passionate.

I still picture his deep blu

e eyes now. Always observing, then giving

by

way of quiet leadership and

endurance. He didn’t feel t

he need to leave

the hospital as so many do upon

entering. He felt it was his place and

embraced it.

The summer we first met, I taught him to paint with watercolors. H

is

claw-like hand desperately sha

king while clenching the brush st

irs

feelings and memories of his d

etermination and desire to impress me.

My mind swells with memories, my heart fills with tears and

my eyes pour hope.

I’m sorry I wasn’t by your side while you were in pain.

I’m sorry I couldn’t embrace your fa

mily while they were suffering silently.

I wish I could see you one las

t time.

To my hero,

Marco Antonio Yanes, December 28, 1960- March 17

th, 2010

Art Charles Washington

Remembering

20

The MArk

21

May 2010

Unfi

xabl

eTa

ke a

way

my h

air

and

you’ll find pink strings. My eyes

crea

te n

eon

oliv

es.

Rain

storms of tangerine flowers balance

my a

rms.

The

se a

re m

y im

perfections—they’re unfixable.

Alison Malathong

Art

wo

rk J

osh

Hu

ber

t

22

The MArk

Anyone who sat within earshot of the driver’s seat could tell you that Chuck, former driver of the route 85 Samtrans bus to and from M-A, has an adorable grand daughter named Lucy, he didn’t hesitate to share her picture with us all. Chuck knew the majority of student’s names who rode his bus and we all knew a little bit about him. In an interview with Chuck I got to learn a little bit more.

Chuck started driving school routes twenty years ago and said that “the students from M-A have been the best to deal with by far.”

Chuck began his driving career in San Francisco driving executives through the Tenderloin to the Financial District and maneuvering his way through China Town. He was working the day the Loma Prieta earthquake struck, the same day the San Francisco Giants were going to play the Oakland A’s. He was one of the bus drivers responsible for taking people home from the game and it turns out his route took mainly out of town folks back to their hotels around the peninsula. The drive, in total darkness thanks to the massive power outages, was not completed with out a little appreciation from the foreigners, upon arrival at the final hotel Chuck was greeted with a round of applause from everyone on the bus.

Looking back on days driving to and from M-A, Chuck said the following

“Sarah Mitchell’s singing was definitely a fun part of the bus ride home from M-A… How about Colin [Sutton] and his orange hat, he always boarded the bus with a big smile and friendly “Hi Chuck!” The color of his hat reflected his up-beat personality. Sharing travel stories with Bailey [Scott] was always interesting… There was never a dull moment with tales from Haley [McCabe], Madeline [Drace], Briana [Fortnam], and Kendra [Wiley]. Listening to Matt [Giordano] and Connor [Sweetnam] terrorize each other up Alpine Road made for free entertainment. Then there’s Alex [Ballinger] and Spencer [Fussy] making the trip to Starbucks for my afternoon coffee, thanks to you both.”

When asked whether or not Chuck would make the risky decision to drive high school students again, he answered, “Sure I’d do it as long as they had the courtesy and civility you and your friends have shown.”

by Stephanie Sabatini

Photo Dominic Sabatini

23

May 2010

Anyone who sat within earshot of the driver’s seat could tell you that Chuck, former driver of the route 85 Samtrans bus to and from M-A, has an adorable grand daughter named Lucy, he didn’t hesitate to share her picture with us all. Chuck knew the majority of student’s names who rode his bus and we all knew a little bit about him. In an interview with Chuck I got to learn a little bit more.

Chuck started driving school routes twenty years ago and said that “the students from M-A have been the best to deal with by far.”

Chuck began his driving career in San Francisco driving executives through the Tenderloin to the Financial District and maneuvering his way through China Town. He was working the day the Loma Prieta earthquake struck, the same day the San Francisco Giants were going to play the Oakland A’s. He was one of the bus drivers responsible for taking people home from the game and it turns out his route took mainly out of town folks back to their hotels around the peninsula. The drive, in total darkness thanks to the massive power outages, was not completed with out a little appreciation from the foreigners, upon arrival at the final hotel Chuck was greeted with a round of applause from everyone on the bus.

Looking back on days driving to and from M-A, Chuck said the following

“Sarah Mitchell’s singing was definitely a fun part of the bus ride home from M-A… How about Colin [Sutton] and his orange hat, he always boarded the bus with a big smile and friendly “Hi Chuck!” The color of his hat reflected his up-beat personality. Sharing travel stories with Bailey [Scott] was always interesting… There was never a dull moment with tales from Haley [McCabe], Madeline [Drace], Briana [Fortnam], and Kendra [Wiley]. Listening to Matt [Giordano] and Connor [Sweetnam] terrorize each other up Alpine Road made for free entertainment. Then there’s Alex [Ballinger] and Spencer [Fussy] making the trip to Starbucks for my afternoon coffee, thanks to you both.”

When asked whether or not Chuck would make the risky decision to drive high school students again, he answered, “Sure I’d do it as long as they had the courtesy and civility you and your friends have shown.”

Photo Dominic Sabatini

24

The MArk

Gaze out of the window and noticeThe drifting clouds that dazzle the looming lightAnd the sweet cool air that blows the rusty leavesAs the sun begins to depart and darkness settlesPerhaps still contemplating from the previous nightHow can I continue, when I no longer believe?If I don’t recognize the dreary stars that remained since the previous night?

I wouldn’t trade your laughter for a moment of restWhere I dream of flying the night skyStarry city lights may shimmer beneath my eyeBut still leave me nowhere from where I startedHere I am, come ride with me into the cold woods

Dreary NightPoetry Tommy Chen

Digital Illustration Greg Schulman

And believe our future only holds laughter and joyBut you weren’t there, my eyes deceiving me againI still take the empty, abandoned seat beside meThat I kept so dearly

So tell me: what’s the point, if you aren’t here?Wasn’t life just supposed to be a dream?I stroll through the trees, so lonelyAnd pass away my time in this overcast homeUntil the sun lastly disappears and leaves me un-guided,In this dark mystery of confusionForever

25

May 2010

Em

otio

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oetr

y A

lexa

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Pho

togr

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Lau

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Nog

uchi

26

The MArk

Do it yourselfhow to make a talk box

1

2

3/4

5

Footnotes:Make sure your plumbing cap (and plunger if you use one) fits your speaker before you buy it, the one in the pictures is too large and thus isn’t loud enough. Turn your instrument up as loud as possible, as well as the speaker amp. If there’s a problem, duct tape is the solution.

Ever wished you could speak through your instrument? Probably not, but still it’s a tempting idea. A talk box takes the sound of your electric instrument of choice and warps it to the sound of your voice. It’s a weird cross between a wah-wah pedal and an auto-tune machine. Despite its off-the-charts awesome factor, it’s fairly easy to build at home and won’t cost too much.

2Drill a hole in the top of the plumbing cap and insert the tubing. Duct tape it in place, making sure that the tubing doesn’t reach very far into the cap.

Open up your speakers. Be sure not to cut any wires. Separate the speaker cone from the body.

1

Place the speaker cone in the plumbing cap, making sure not to rip out its wires. Duct tape the wires to the speaker if you’re concerned for their safety.

3

Place the cap in your container. A. If you’re using a plunger head, push the cap into place so it fits snugly. Make sure the seal is tight, then duct tape it until it’s airtight as possible. B. If you’re using a plastic box, place the speaker body and cap in the box, then duct tape the cap into place. Make sure it’s airtight. Drill a slightly larger hole in the side of the box and run the tube and any wires through it, then seal it with duct tape. If you want to be able to turn the speaker on and off and adjust its volume, leave the top unsealed.

4

Cover up your talk box. Use blankets or pillows, whatever dampens its sound the best. Make sure most of the sound coming out of the talk box comes through the vinyl tube.

5

To use your Talk Box, plug it into your musical instrument

output, usually an amp or keyboard. Stick the vinyl tube in

your mouth, gripping it with your molars, and play your in-

strument as you normally would. Shape your mouth into dif-

ferent vowel or consonant shapes as if you were actually talk-

ing. Don’t expect to be able to make understandable noises at

first, but vowels and wah-wah sounds will be easy. Exaggerate

your consonants to be undestood better. Once you get over the

silliness, you'll see how much fun a talk box can really be.

A talk box works by replacing your vocal chords to make sound. Normally, your vocal chords vibrate to create tones that you then shape in your mouth. The talk box simply plays the sounds your in-strument makes in the place of your vocal chords, letting you shape the sound and make notes much like you would by talking normally.

you will needOld set of computer speakers (powered)Few feet 1/2 inch outside diameter vinyl tubingPlumbing cap that fits your speaker coneDrill with 1/2 inch drill bitDUCT TAPEPlastic storage box OR plunger head

Screwdrivers, tools to open your speakerElectric musical instrument

27

May 2010WHAT WOULD REALLY HAPPEN IN AN M-A EMERGENCY:

11:05 Alarms go off, classes notice the all too familiar disturbance

11:07 Teacher makes bad joke about the alarms

11:09 Students decide that the alarm has been going on a little too long

11:11 A student looks out the door and sees a screaming freshmen running by engulfed in flames. The student remarks he hasn’t seen such a pained face since leadership grouped Europe and Asia together at international day.

11:13 Zito comes on loudspeaker to announce emergency

11:17 Zito finishes his intro and begins to get to the point

11:25 Zito finishes his speech about how wonderful M-A is.

11:28 Zito finishes his threats for any misbehavior at sports games

11:32 Zito announces emergency

11:33 Students gather their iPods and cell phones, leaving their homework for the flames

11:34 PAC collapses in an awesome way, justifying its existence. Screams of children onstage heard perfectly in every corner of the room.

11:34-11:52 Students make their way to the field, becoming clogged in Pride Hall when security sends students with out passes back.

11:53 New Gym collapses, a lone tear wells in Wimberly’s eye.

11:55 Surviving students realize that the period is over, and head off to lunch

28

The MArk

Maria IkonomouDRAWING

29

May 2010

Anyone who has a class in the E-wing has seen Beatrice bathing in the sun with a good chew toy outside of E-25. Beatrice, in case you didn’t realize already, is a dog—but not just an ordinary pet—she is

a companion dog to M-A sophomore Jake Wilkins, who has cerebral palsy. With this disease, Wilkins has very limited control of the muscles in his body, making it difficult for him to communicate and do some necessary daily tasks. Beatrice was bred especially for Jake. His father Kirby Wilkins, a retired English Teacher at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, did not know how to help Jake, who wanted to be independent but was unable to because of his condition. Kirby Wilkins was inspired by one of his students, Andrew, who is paralyzed from the waist down but lives a full productive life thanks to his companion dog. As a result, Kirby decided to get Jake a dog too. Kirby wanted Jake to have a dog that was very athletic, but also gentle, resulting in the Labrador and Golden Retriever mix. Beatrice was born in the California Companions for Independence (CCI) facility and was trained there for 2 years. Before Beatrice, Wilkins did not have a dog, or any sort of companion, so it was hard for

him to feel comfortable and independent on his own. His main goal is to be more self-sufficient, so Beatrice has many special skills to help him do this. Frank Cornejo, the one-on-one aid to Wilkins, explains some of the tasks that Beatrice performs.“Beatrice can open doors as long as there is a handle or something, like a rag, she can pull on. She can grab anything out of the fridge for Jake. If Jake drops something, Beatrice is there to pick it up and hand it to him.” Beatrice and Wilkins share a very special relationship. Beatrice is 9 ½ years old and still serving as a companion dog, even though most dogs retire around 7 years old. Now, Beatrice is partially retired, so she does not respond to all 27 of her commands anymore. Beatrice is extremely protective of Wilkins. Earlier this year, Wilkins and the rest of his class went kayaking while Beatrice swam by his side the entire time. She understood that Jake could not carry his weight on his own in the water, and was extremely worried about his drowning.If there was ever an emergency and Jake was at risk, Beatrice would know what to do. She has the ability to dial 911 and the call the operator to get some help if he needs it. Beatrice and Jake are best friends. They spend all day, everyday together—Beatrice lives with Jake and goes with him nearly everywhere. In Jake’s case, Beatrice truly is man’s best friend.

Beatrice: Man’s BestFriend

by Haley McCabe

Photography Anna Luke

30

The MArk

supplement packet. White, a club soccer player for PSV Union 93, trains year round with practices three times a week and extra sessions once or twice a week. White was recently denied the P.E. supplement packet, despite offering reference letters from her coaches and extensive hours of practice logged. Their main argument against her case, she says, was that “because there is a soccer team at M-A, I can’t get out of P.E. credits.” Since this summer, her club team has gone to the semi-finals of the Nomads Tournament, was undefeated when traveling to England to play clubs from Liverpool and Chelsea, and went to the finals in the North v. South tournament. But apparently this is not enough for the state to deem her physically fit, and White is yet to determine how she will find the time to fulfill the P.E. requirement.

Paige Keating, a tennis player and M-A junior, is one of the few to qualify for the supplement packet. Keating too, however, acknowledges the absurdity of the team sport versus individual sport debacle, saying, “The supplement packet has too many restrictions for who can qualify. I think it should be based on the individual’s effort in their sport, and not on which sport they play.” Keating continues, “Just because I play tennis doesn’t mean that I am more of an athlete than [M-A students] Gillian Collom or Tess Cain who play on like three soccer teams, or Sofi Madden who rows crew everyday at like 4 am. It doesn’t make sense,” she says, “that they get denied just because those are team sports.”

McKinley Mathon, an M-A junior, recently discovered that he is no exception to the P.E. rule. “I play AAU (club) basketball where I spend over half of my weekends during the spring and summer playing basketball and driving from tournament to hotel to home and so on,” describes Mathon, “I also have two and a half hour practices twice a week – try

to tell me that sh*t doesn’t deserve the credits for a sport at M-A.” Mathon, who also plays on the M-A varsity basketball team, comments further, saying, “I’ll probably have to take a P.E. class next year, which is ridiculous because I’m ten times more fit than any person I know who actually does take P.E.”

Senior Molly Gould, a vaulter, also found herself unable to obtain P.E. credits for her outside-of-school athletics, despite the fact that she does gymnastics on an actual horse on a weekly basis. “Well,” says Gould, “I do gymnastics on horseback and compete at the national and international level, and M-A still feels the need to make me learn somersaults in P.E. Like I haven’t been tumbling my whole life.”

Sophia Titterton, another M-A senior, was equally unlucky in evading P.E. Although playing for a national level hockey team which more often than not travels out of state for games, Titterton says that, when she tried to get out of the requirement, the administration was inflexible. “They have this list of certain sports that can be used for P.E. credits, and hockey isn’t one of them,” says Titterton, “So even though I play for a traveling ice hockey team, I still had to do two quarters of zero period P.E. and two

seasons of track, which totally messed up my knees in the process.” When it comes to athletes like Titterton, who are regularly pushed to their physical limit, more exercise can actually be significantly damaging to their bodies or performance.

On a daily basis, most club athletes work not only with their teammates and coaches, but also with trainers and nutritionists. In fact, many, if not most club programs cover the aforementioned educational component by providing trainers and nutritionists. This allows for

the same physical and health education on a far more personalized, individual basis. By principle, club sports ingrain healthy lifestyles and demand physical fitness. While the California State requirements, the administration, and M-A P.E. teachers may disagree, P.E. classes for club sport athletes are unnecessary, tedious, and even harmful to students who have little time to spare for a physical education they already have.

P.E.

continued

“I’ll probably have to take a P.E. class next year, which is ridiculous because I’m ten times more fit than any person I know who actually does take P.E.”

-McKinley Mathon

31

May 2010

Dear Menlo-Atherton,

After four years of hard work at Menlo-Atherton, I am now finished. I will be journeying across the country for college next fall. But as I look back on the last four years, several things come to mind: School, soccer, and journalism.

I enrolled in journalism my sophomore year because I wanted to beef up my college application. Always during sixth period, and known as a class that requires little work, journalism was supposed to be an easy class that I would spend little time or effort on that would also be a plus on my college applications.

Senior year, that all changed. With new advisors, and an almost entirely new staff, we stopped printing the measly 8 page monthly newspaper and transformed it into an online newspaper that posts new stories everyday in addition to the first ever Menlo-Atherton Magazine (The MArk).

Over four years at M-A, I have encountered teachers that have helped me grow, teachers that make me want to drop out of school, classes that make me excited to wake up in the morning, and classes that make me hope I’ll never wake up in the morning. I have had my ups and downs at M-A like any student, but the best decision I ever made at M-A was taking journalism.

Not only did the title of editor-in-chief help me get into college, but it also truly was a rewarding experience. I have learned more in this class, which was truly enjoyable, than I have in any other class.

I encourage everyone to take journalism. The opportunities the class offers are endless. You don’t have to be an exceptional writer, you don’t have to be an award-winning photographer; if you take journalism, you will grow and you will learn, and you will be apart of a team that is the start of a legacy. The program is small now, but with new advisors, renewed student excitement, and the support of the administration, we are destined for great things.

Whether you are joining because your life-long dream is to be a sports-writer for Sports Illustrated, or because you are just looking for another extracurricular to beef up the app, if you commit to journalism at M-A, you won’t be disappointed. The experience will be what you make of it.

32

The MArk

The MArk

may proof 2010

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