The Spectator - February 2019

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S P E C TAT O R VOLUME 97 NUMBER 4

1500 WEST KENNEDY ROAD, LAKE FOREST, IL 60045

Featured Stories NEWS

page 2 FEATURES

Exploring LFA dorm culture

page 3 OP-ED

Overlapping clubs during meeting periods page 5 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Oscars predictions

On February 16th, LFA will host its second FIRE (Fostering Intercultural Respect & Empowerment) Conference. Organized by the Office of Pluralism and Multicultural Affairs, it promises to be an incredible event for students to learn about the greater world around them.

This year’s focus is on “Engaged Citizenship: Meeting in the Middle,” which explores how the world could be if we work towards an understanding of compromise, the respecting of others’ opinions, and the balance between oneself and others. It’s a topic that Tameka Carter, Assistant Dean of Pluralism, Multicultural Affairs and Modern & Classical Languages Faculty, and one of the FIRE Conference organizers, is “ecstatic” about being a part of.

“Sometimes in our society we make compromise seem like it’s something negative, when actually compromise is the foundation of how our nation came to be,” noted Carter. “What I’m excited about is the idea that understanding that citizenship is meeting in the middle. It is learning how to have balance between yourself and how you interact with others, so there can be continual progression and growth on the part of our communities.”

The event will begin with a conversation with Dr. John Strudwick, Head of School and History Faculty, and Aviral Pathak, also a member of the History Department, followed by three workshops run by the group Shifting Cultures (Shift) Speakers with colleagues Natalie Bui, Kausar Mohammed, and Veline Mojarro. After these presentations there will be another from RAPtivist (rap activist) Aisha Fukushima relating to hip-hop culture and change through music. After this, there will be a group time of breakout sessions for the attendees to discuss what they have learned.

However, the FIRE Conference isn’t just a noteworthy experience; it also affects change by inspiring students to be good citizens and work through conflict.

“Conflict is a necessity, but, at the same

The Corbin bathroom switch

Photo by Lilly Drury Signs in Corbin indicate the new locations of the men’s and women’s restrooms.

By Lilly Drury News Editor

page 12

time, what matters is how you handle [it],” said Lusanda Mayikana, Dean of Pluralism and Multicultural Affairs, as well as one of the main organizers of FIRE Conference. “These different activities will challenge students to think about their responsibility as citizens… by looking at this as a case study of what could go wrong when people do not take time to strike the balance, they can work towards a common goal in doing things for the greater good, rather than focusing so much on winning.”

This conference, although it incorporates a global message, will mainly have Chicago-based attendees. Students in eighth through twelfth grade from public, private, and independent schools, including Beacon Academy and North Shore Country Day, will attend from the Chicagoland area.

Photo by Angelina Chan

Culver basketball tournament cancelled for the girls’ team

New Global Concentration “Happy” class

y

The 2017 FIRE conference blazes a trail through LFA’s history.

SPORTS

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

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FEBRUARY 15, 2019

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LFA hosts FIRE Conference 2019: Meeting in the Middle

By Angelina Chan Managing Editor of Photos

Impact of government shutdown

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The students at Lake Forest Academy were in for quite a shock when they opened their emails over the 2018-2019 winter break and saw that the men’s and women’s Corbin bathrooms were set to be switched during their time away from school. This seemingly random act took many students by surprise, and soon questions arose as to why this change was made.

The confusion stemming from the bathroom switch ultimately came down to a very simple and reasonable explanation.

“The main reason was so that we could

provide more stalls for the community members that use the female bathroom,” Chris Tennyson, Dean of Students, explained. “We had heard from community members about this need, and so the school wanted to do what it could to address it.”

The previous Corbin girls’ bathroom had only three stalls and two sinks (one of the sinks being located inside of one of the stalls). This led to multiple instances of a large line piling up in the ladies room because of the lack of stalls. A Ghent University study showcased in ScienceDaily shows that men take an about 60 seconds in the bathroom and women take 90 seconds.

So, even if they have the same amount of stalls, the women’s bathroom will still rack up a longer line. The new bathroom has six stalls and six sinks so that there wouldn’t be such a long wait for the girls.

There was also word that soon a gender neutral bathroom would be added to Lake Forest Academy.

“Phase 2 will occur later this year,” Tennyson responded when asked about this rumour. “That will involve moving the sinks in the new female bathroom, adding a gender neutral bathroom where the sinks currently are, and adding an additional stall in the male bathroom.”

This new movement to incorporate gender-neutral bathrooms is one that has been talked about for many years.

These new changes are a big step for the Academy and have the potential to provide more comfort for the students attending. While the initial response to the switch of the bathrooms was one of unease and uncertainty, the new bathroom switch boils down to effectiveness for the students and faculty at Lake Forest Academy.

THE SPECTATOR 2

News

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Thirty-five days later:

Record government shutdown ends

By Parker Amoroso Managing Editor of Features

On January 25, the government shutdown ended at 35 days, breaking the record set in 1995 when former President Bill Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich battled over budget issues for 21 days.

The shutdown, which started on December 22, 2018, revolved around issues surrounding President Donald Trump’s desire for funding for his border security proposal, including $5.7 billion in funding for new sections of wall along the U.S. southern border. During the interim, roughly 800,000 federal workers were furloughed or were stuck working without pay as congressional Democrats and President Trump fought over the budget disagreements.

Republican arguments for building sections of wall along the border include the large numbers of drugs that are smuggled across the southern border each year. Additionally, Republicans have pointed to the fact that in a government which spends roughly $4 trillion a year, $5.7 billion represents a mere 0.15% of annual government expenditures.

Democrats on the other hand point to data released by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol which reports that 90% of heroine, 88% of cocaine, and 80% percent of fentanyl in the first 11 months of FY18 was caught at ports of entry. It is important to note that this is the percentage of drugs caught and

does not include those that were able to evade detection. Other Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have labeled the prospect of a wall as immoral.

With regards to LFA, the wall does not see that same kind of support within the school as it does nationwide. An ABC News and Washington Post Poll found that 42% of Americans support a wall. In a survey of the Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, and students, conducted by The Spectator, results showed that 23.3% support a “wall or physical barrier across the southern border”, while 76.7% oppose one.

In addition, the survey found that compromise was a big issue for Lake Forest Academy students, faculty, and staff, as they felt neither side put forth enough effort.

In this survey conducted by The Spectator, results showed that 60.5% of respondents feel Democrats have not done enough to reach a compromise while 84.4% of respondents feel that President Trump has not done enough to reach a compromise.

Lake Forest Academey senior Liam Larsen’s opinions reflect this trend.

“I think both sides could have done more to reach a compromise as it appears to the public. I think both sides could have been more serious and detailed in concessions,” remarked Larsen.

As the shutdown dragged on, furloughed workers found it harder and harder to make ends meet. Missing their second paycheck in a row on January 25th, workers strug-

gled to find the funds to pay mortgages, loans, and daily expenses. According to Forbes, as many as 78% of workers in the U.S. live paycheck-to-paycheck.

Additionally, just because workers weren’t getting paid doesn’t mean they didn’t have to work. TSA agents, air traffic controllers, border patrol agents, and more, whose jobs are deemed essential, still had to report to work. The financial pressure resulted in many having to call in sick or quit, and some furloughed employees even found themselves resorting to driving for Uber and Lyft.

The shutdown came to an end after President Trump decided he would sign a stop-gap spending bill. The goal of this bill was to fund the government for a pe-

riod of three weeks, while giving Republicans and Democrats that time to come to a permanent solution for border security. If they fail, President Trump has said he will either shut the government down once more or call a national emergency under the powers granted to him under the 1976 National Emergencies Act. Ultimately, many believe keeping the government open is extremely important, especially in light of the situation it puts federal workers in when it shuts down.

“I think it is very important. Not only the stress that [a government shutdown] places on federal employees and contractors who are going without necessary pay but also…to ensure needed stability in the nation,” said Larsen.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons A sign informing visitors that a National Park is closed due to the government shutdown. Such signs like the one pictured above were needed in wake of the showdown.

116th Congress makes history as most diverse yet

By Nate Koh News Editor

been an unprecedented influx of freshman congressmen and women, along with a large increase in female representation.

The United States’ 2018 midterm elec- Such a massive increase in diversity has tions switched the control of the House not been seen before these midterm elecof Representatives from Republican to tions. This event could herald a change Democrat while also significantly diversi- in U.S. foreign policy, as most of the new fying the makeup of Congress. There has representatives have lived the majori-

Photo Courtesy of NBC News The freshman class of the 116th Congress pose in front of the Capitol on Novemeber 14, 2018.

ty of their lives in a post-9/11 America.

Many records were set this election season: a record 115 members of Congress are female, 40 of them elected this year, and a record 52 members are African-American.

This increase in diversity represents a significant change from the early adulthood of some teachers, including Associate Head of School, Bill Dolbee. “[Congress] was a lot less diverse because of immigration restrictions,” said Dolbee when asked about what the congress of his mid-20s looked like.

Aside from demographic changes in United States representatives, there were also some monumental increases in the number of female representatives elected to Congress. Such a dramatic spike in their number demonstrates a significant step towards equality.

“This most recent uptick in female representation in Congress as we look back historically will be an important jump to remember, with the understanding that women are still underrepresented in the halls of justice,” stated His-

tory Department Chair, Chris Dozois.

There’s a lot of diversity that can be found in the backgrounds of the freshman class as well--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most controversial freshman congresswoman worked as a bartender before being elected; while Kyrsten Sinema has earned four graduate degrees.

While Congress has now grown increasingly diverse and incorporates a wider variety of opinions because of it, Dozois’ comment still rings true - while the most recent election has increased the diversity of America’s representatives, they still aren’t close to an accurate reflection of American gender and racial identities.

The first Muslim congresswomen elected to Congress, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, were only sworn in this year. Furthermore, according to the Congressional Research Service, only 21.2% of Congress is female, compared to the 50.7% of Americans who are female. America has a while to go before it’s representing everyone equally, but the most recent elections did a lot to move towards that goal.

THE SPECTATOR

Features

FEBUARY 15, 2019

3

Exploring LFA dorm cultures

By Kiki Hood Managing Editor of Production

One of Lake Forest Academy’s major differences from other high schools in the area, is that half of its students are boarding and half are day.

This type of student body creates a unique dynamic on campus and raises questions about how vastly different each student’s experience is. For boarders, LFA is their home, a concept that can be lost on day students at times, especially in the dorms.

“If you look at how the students

per, Atlass Hall’s (Atlass) dorm head.

Ferry, the newest dorm that has common rooms on different levels, has developed a very protective culture of both each other and their quiet atmosphere, according to Vaughn.

In Ferry, the proctors choose a theme every year to decorate the dorm and dictate movies. Also at the beginning of the year, they are each assigned new girls to eat with at meals.

In Marshall Field (Field), which is older and has the largest amount of girls, the singular common room becomes

Photo by Kiki Hood

Marshall Field: the largest girls’ dorm, built in 1964.

tend to treat the student union and how they treat the soft seating spaces around common areas, they think that they have ownership of it. They think someone else will come through to clean the space, and they’ll come back tomorrow and it will be nice. The dorms aren’t necessarily like that. Not to generalize, but day students often times see the dorms like those types of spaces, whereas the boarders will see them more like their own home,” said Erica Wood, McIntosh Cottage’s (Mac) dorm head.

“When day students come into the dorm, they’re not necessarily familiar with the culture or the rules of the dorm. They [day students] also aren’t as respectful as they could be to the girls in the dorms who aren’t their friends,” said Suzy Vaughn, Ferry Hall’s (Ferry) dorm head.

For those not living in them, it can be difficult to learn the culture and rules of each dorm.

The varying sizes, ages, and physicalities of the dorms play a major role in creating different atmospheres.

a place to relax and hang out with friends, according to Lynn Lazzeratti, Field’s dorm head. She adds that the dorm is mostly laid back. In addition, due to the size of Field, girls often

dorm’s council because the dorm is too small to have a typical dorm council.

Upon talking with both proctors in Atlass and Warner, and Cooper, it didn’t seem like the physicality of the boys’ dorms played much of a difference in culture. Despite being slightly isolated from the rest of the school, Payton Gryniewicz says that Warner doesn’t feel disconnected. They still do a lot of events with Atlass. Gryniewicz said that the Warner proctors have made a concerted effort this year to make the dorm more multicultural because he felt that was something Warner had failed to do in the past.

Atlass’ culture revolves around the fact it’s split into four quads which compete with one another to win the quad war. Conor Hudziak and the other Atlass proctors

Photo by Kiki Hood Atlass Hall: the largest boys’ dorm, built in 1999.

times form smaller groups, are more independent, and don’t participate in activities as much as girls in the other dorms do, according to Eukyung Hong, one of Field’s proctors. This has been a problem the Field proctors have been trying to solve. Hong says there’s been a push to get more girls to dorm events by having more food.

In Mac, just because of t h e

McIntosh Cottage: the smallest dorm on campus, built in 1901.

In addition, dorm culture is shaped through the proctors who come into their positions with different takes on what they believe their role should be.

“The proctor steps in first... the proctor is a mediator in the dorm policies [i.e. roommate issues or playing the music too loud],” said Diane Coo-

Ferry Hall: the newest dorm on campus, built in 2012.

Photo by Kiki Hood

sheer size (ten girls), the culture is vastly different from the other dorms. It’s cozy, a family, there’s no place really to hide, and everyone is on top of one another, as Wood describes it. Proctors continue past traditions and help with the “nuts and bolts of planning events”.

They also play the role of being the

hype up dorm activities. They continue the tradition of Atlass dress code: normal dress code on top, including a sports jacket; basketball shorts; sandals with socks; and a tie must be somewhere on their body. This “Atlass dress code” is worn to all dorm feeds and the winners of the quad war wear these outfits for a picture which is blown up and placed over the fireplace for the entirety of the next year.

Besides proctors and the dorms themselves, dorm parents also play a key role in creating each unique home-away-from-home atmosphere.

The dorm parents rotate who’s on duty each night and must keep track of where all their students are.

This is another case in which dorm size plays a huge

Photo by Kiki Hood

role in dictating culture. One Field proctor says that dorm parents in Field have to be stricter than Ferry or Mac just because they have to keep track of a lot more students. It becomes more of making sure they’re getting their job done rather than stopping to make a connection with each student.

One Ferry proctor explained that some dorm parents are easier to relate to than others just because of their role in the school. If they are a teacher that a majority of students know because they teach all the grades, then they become the kind of dorm parent who has students gathering around them whenever they are on duty.

“Sometimes there’s dorm parents that don’t really know the students or work with the students on a classroom or seminar level, so they [the dorm parent] don’t really have a relationship with them [the students] outside of the dorm,” said Stephanie Shugert, a proctor in Ferry.

There are a lot of people that go into creating a homey feel for boarders.

Each dorm is different in the way they choose to interact with one another and build their own individual community, but their differences don’t set them apart too much from each other or from day students.

“Dorm cultures aren’t strong enough to cause divisions at LFA like college frats and sororities do in college,” said Shugert.

“I love it when day students want to be in the dorm, I think it says a lot about the value of a boarding school, but if there are problems that arise during the day, and day students are a part of that problem, then I don’t think day students should be allowed in the dorm,” said Vaughn.

These dorm cultures help shape the entire atmosphere of the school and it’s important to acknowledge and respect t h e m .

Warner: built in 1901, it is the furthest dorm from main campus.

Photo by Kiki Hood

THE SPECTATOR 4

Features

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

The Parents behind the scenes

By Sydney Olinger Editor-in-Chief

The Parents Association at Lake Forest Academy plays a major role in student, faculty, and family life, but often goes overlooked because much of their work happens behind the scenes.

For example, the annual spring gala which takes place to raise funds that go towards a large advancement for the Academy, is made possible by the Parents Association. Without the PA, our turf fields funded by generous donations at the Gala would have never been a possibility.

“The Gala is one of the biggest fundraisers and every bit of the funds go toward a project, which, for this year, will actually be announced after this upcoming weekend,” stated PA President, Stephanie Fisher.

The PA is made up of parents and guardians at Lake Forest Academy, and any parent can volunteer to have a position.

These parents meet at many different times depending on what event they are working on, which means that the meetings can be weekly, sporadically throughout the year, or even just once each season. Meetings can take place more informally at school during the school

day or at more formal events such as the Fireside Chat or Meet the Deans events.

In terms of student life, the PA organizes Chipotle lunches, pre-exam treats, and pre-prom, which are all significant and unique events to LFA thanks to the Parents Association. At pre-prom, the PA provides light snacks, works check-in tables, and sets up decorations for students to take fun pictures before heading off to the dance location.

The Parents Association is also very involved with Harvest Hope, encouraging students to take part in a great cause and rewarding events, especially the big one that happens around the Thanksgiving season.

“Harvest Hope is a connection with communities that can benefit from school supplies, safe Halloween trick-or-treating opportunities, a mobile grocery store day, a delicious pancake breakfast, and community service opportunities all year round,” explained Fisher.

The PA board truly invests their volunteered time to making student, faculty, and parent life enjoyable, while also helping to benefit the outside community. LFA and all of its members are so thankful for all that they do for our school community.

“The PA is all about enhancing commu-

nication and especially building community within the LFA family while doing

everything we can to support the mission of Lake Forest Academy,” said Fisher.

The LFA students enjoying the festive snacks courtesy of the Parents Association.

Photo by Lilly Drury

Olivia Markey: LFA’s one-woman team

By Lindsey Pearlman Features Editor

Photo courtesy of Olivia Markey Over the past year, Junior Olivia Markey has worked towards her goal of representing LFA at high school gymnastics events as the sole member of the school’s team.

Sports at Lake Forest Academy play a crucial role in students’ time here. During a students’ Freshman and Sophomore years they are required to play two team sports along with a P.E. credit. Upperclassmen are required to play one team sport, have one P.E. credit, and take one season off. Some students struggle with choosing what sport to play, but Olivia Markey, a Junior at LFA, took this difficult decision into her own hands.

Markey started participating in “mommy-and-me” gymnastics classes when she was a toddler. Ever since then, she was hooked. At age eight, she joined an official club team and began to compete. She now dedicates practically all her time to the sport. Markey practices at the United States Gymnastics Training Center in Lake Zurich, Illinois. She competes in all events: bars, floor, vault, and her personal favorite, beam. She has found great success in these events as she competed as a level nine gymnast and won beam at the State Championship in 2017.

“This sport has mentally and physically pushed me harder than anything in my life,” stated Markey “There have been so many moments where I wanted to quit and be done, but then I thought that I wouldn’t be myself if

I didn’t have gymnastics in my life.

At this point, it’s part of who I am, and I would feel so lost without it.”

Recently Markey’s club career came to an end, but she could not leave the sport as a whole. Since Markey is a junior and needs to fulfill one team sport credit, she decided to think outside the box and create a team sport of her own.

Markey wanted to compete at high school gymnastics meets, representing Lake Forest Academy. Markey had to coordinate with Mr. Darrin Madeley, the LFA athletic director, to organize exactly what she would be doing under LFA athletics. She then proposed the idea of competing as an independent to the Dean’s Council and awaited their approval.

“It took a lot of work. I had to pick and schedule my meets, design a leotard, and worked with my coaches to figure out a practice schedule,” said Markey.

The shift from club gymnastics to highschool gymnastics is also a challenge that Markey had to face. Although high school competitions are not as competitive, Markey is excited to have the opportunity to represent Lake Forest Academy.

“I wanted to compete on behalf of LFA in gymnastics because gymnastics and school have always been two very separate parts of my life, and I was very excited to have the chance to bring them together and represent my school,” said Markey.

THE SPECTATOR

Opinion and Editorial

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Editorial:

T h e

5 L a k e

F o r e s t

The issue with clubs at LFA S P E C T A T O R At Lake Forest Academy, students are given the freedom and resources to pave their own paths through the school’s curriculum and extracurricular activities. They have the ability to explore class options, sports and even the club system. Being a small private school, LFA students are given the opportunity to create and broadcast clubs to everyone on campus.

Unlike at other schools where outreach is limited due to scale, LFA’s close-knit community allows for these groups to easily spread their missions and goals.

Whether it is at Morning Meeting or at the annual Club Fair in September, students are encouraged to pursue interests and service through the club setting that parallels the same organization seen on college campuses. To be concise, the community at LFA is very inclusive with respect to groups

and organizations. So inclusive, however, that students join a multitude of them in what might be perceived as chaotic fashion when they first arrive on campus. It is extremely easy to participate, as an email is usually all that’s needed to become attached to a group’s planned announcements, events, and meeting times.

Though it seems counterintuitive, too many clubs can begin to have an oversaturation effect on the system. Due to rigorous athletic and academic commitments, student leaders have a difficult time solidifying a meeting time that works for their peers. The G-day meeting period is the only slot dedicated to this purpose, and it has become extremely hard to divide the time so that clubs get equal representation within the community. Students have to choose between a legion of

clubs that are all trying to meet at one specialized time.

The easy fix would be to establish a quota on the number of groups active on campus, but this would directly defy the individuality that LFA has honored its students with. Instead of taking this route, students need to be strategic in the number of clubs they choose to join. As opposed to having the club fair in mid-September when the fall semester is still just beginning, the event could be moved a few weeks later, which would allow students more time to become acclimated to the time commitment, of their other activities.

This would allow them to effectively budget their time around a smaller basket of clubs that they could devote more time to. The ability to run campus organizations is essential to LFA, and students just need time to adjust to their schedule, in order to al-

February wordsearch: Oscars edition

Word Bank:

STAFF LIST

Editors-in-Chief

Alex Jackson Tyler Medvec Syd Olinger

Managing Editor of Production

Kiki Hood

Managing Editor of Op-Ed

Adriana Rivera

Managing Editor of Features

Parker Amoroso

Managing Editor of Sports

Jack Selati

Managing Editor of A&E

Mia Walvoord

Managing Editor of G&P

Tiffany Filawo

News Editor

Audrey McGrail Lilly Drury

Features Editor

Lindsey Pearlman Nate Koh

Managing Editor of Photos

Angelina Chan

Sports Editor

Ben Sebolt John Kuhns Jared Felitto

Editor-in-Chief of Digital

Charlie Shattock

Photo Editor of Digital

Jasmine Filawo

ACTOR PUBLICATION The Spectator is published eight times per year by the students of Forest Academy and is a forum for student expression. The ACTRESS Lake views and reporting herein are the sole product of The Spectator’s AWARDS BESTPICTURE OSCAR PAPARRAZI REDCARPET SPEECHES

CAXY MATCH: Charlie Johnson (‘20) and Jesse Plemons

student reporters and in no way reflect the official views of Lake Forest Academy faculty, staff, administration or Board of Trustees.

EDITORIALS

Opinions of the staff are presented in the form of unsigned editorials. Personal views are bylined or presented as formal dissents.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

The Spectator welcomes responses to its articles in the form of Letters to the Editors in addition to letters on subjects of the author’s choosing. Please e-mail Letters to the Editors to Mr.

AWARDS The Spectator has been awarded several prestigious journalism awards in recent years. It has consistently taken first place in competitions against schools of similar size held by the American Scholastic Press Association and the Kettle Moraine Press Association.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Writing well means never having to say, ‘I guess you had to be there.’ ” -Jef Mallett Photo by Alex Jackson

Photo courtesey of GuideLive

THE SPECTATOR

Centerfold

6

Predictions for the 2019 Academy Awards

By Adriana Rivera Managing Editor of Op-Ed Film, fashion, and fellowship; the 2019 Academy Awards. On February 24th, 2019, actors, actresses, directors, and countless other talented individuals are expected to attend the 91st Academy Awards

Best Picture: Roma Directed by Alfonso Cuaron

Poster courtesy of Netflix

Best Actor: Bradley Cooper A Star is Born

Poster courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

ceremony. This is a time in which women and men both dress their absolute best to walk the red carpet; in hopes that they will make it onto the stage and receive an award for their talent. 2018 was a year of production for an immense variety of magnificent films. From A Star is Born, to Spider-Man into the Spider-verse, the genres were near

and far to one another, but most of the films portrayed special qualities within their genres. Although there are a plethora of films and individuals who deserve an award, not everyone will go home with one. But, I predict the following individuals WILL be taking home an Oscar when the Academy Awards finally arrive.

Poster courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Poster courtesy of Annapurna Pictures

Poster courtesy of Annapurna Pictures

Poster courtesy of Sony Pictures Animation

Best Actress: Melissa McCarthy Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Supporting Best Animated Actor: Film: Mahershala Ali Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Green Book

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

THE SPECTATOR

Centerfold

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

7

Kevin Hart’s homophobic comments lead to 2019 Academy Awards hosting controversy

By Charlie Shattock Digital Editor-in-Chief “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay’.” This tweet, posted by Kevin Hart in January of 2011, surfaced following his selection as the host of the 2019 Oscars. Needless to say, outrage ensued.

This was not a solitary act; Hart has expressed homophobic sentiments via social media many times in the past. In 2009 he posted several tweets in which he used homophobic slurs while mocking his friends.

Alongside his actions on twitter, in his 2010 movie Seriously Funny, Hart went on a riff about fearing that his son would be gay.

“One of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay. That’s a fear. Keep in mind, I’m not homophobic… Be happy. Do what you want to do. But me, as a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,” Hart said.

On Thursday, December 6th, Hart announced that he would no longer be hosting the Academy Awards after receiving backlash from the public for his comments.

In a statement on Twitter, Hart explained, “This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past. I’m sorry that I hurt people... I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.”

This is not the first time Hart has had to face harsh public backlash. Last year, the comedian publicly admitted that he had cheated on his pregnant wife, Eniko Parrish, after his former friend attempted to use evidence of him cheating to extort him.

At this point in time, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences still has not found a replacement host for Hart.

While the job may seem desirable giv-

en its merit, it seems as though anybody with a mistake of the past cannot hold the title. The Hollywood Review executive editor Stephen Galloway called hosting the Oscars the “least wanted job in Hollywood,” on account of the pressure and

scrutiny associated with it. Just two years ago, the seasoned talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had to deal with the false announcement that La La Land had won the Oscars for Best Picture, only to have to hand it to the real winner, Moonlight.

Photos courtesy of Google Images and Twitter Top: Kevin Hart poses at an event earlier this year.

Middle: Jimmy Kimmel handles the disastrous mixup between La La Land and Moonlight at the 2017 Academy Awards.

Bottom: Kevin Hart’s now infamously homophobic tweet posted in 2011 that incited the controversy for his host job at the 2019 Academy Awards.

THE SPECTATOR

Opinion

8

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Most anticipated movies of 2019 include many exciting sequels and great classics

By Tyler Medvec and Charlie Shattock Editors-in-Chief Star Wars: Episode IX Released: December 20, 2019 Directed by J.J. Abrams, the much anticipated finale of the saga will feature many returning actors from The Last Jedi, including Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe, and of course, Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. The film will also have footage of the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia that was filmed several years ago. With such a brilliant cast, the movie is bound to be an exciting end to the trilogy.

Avengers: Endgame Released: April 26, 2019 The latest installment in the Avengers series will be the end of the Avengers team that fans have come to know and love. The remaining Avengers- Thor, Black Widow, Captain America, and Bruce Banner/The Hulk- must find a way to recover the rest of their team to defeat Thanos before it’s too late. The film also sees the arrival of Captain Marvel, who will be receiving her own

feature film this year, where she will work with the remaining survivors against time to defeat Thanos before his actions, putting an end to the hope of the Avengers forever.

Toy Story 4 Released: June 21, 2019 The latest edition of this classic family-friendly Disney series brings Tim Allen back as Buzz Lightyear, Tom Hanks as Woody, and the rest of Andy’s toys as they embark on a new adventure. This fourth film represents the sad finale to one of the most memorable and recognizable Pixar film series of all time, and will surely be a moviegoing experience shared by kids and adults alike.

The Lion King Released: July 19, 2019 This live-action version of the Disney classic brings together an all-star cast of names such as Beyonce as Nala, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, and Donald Glover taking the role of Simba. The unforgettable songs and moments of the Disney classic will see a second showing in this live-action remake that will bring together the old audience

that remembers the moments of the animated 1994 movie and the new audience that will see the renewed version of this classic.

Spider-Man: Far From Home Released: July 5, 2019 After the success of Spider-Man: Homecoming, which made roughly $800 million worldwide, it’s safe to say that Spider-Man: Far From Home has created a lot of excitement. In the film, Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, is winding down on a vacation in Europe when Nick Fury suddenly appears in his hotel room. Parker and Fury join forces to stop the evil Mysterio from wreaking havoc across the world.

Captain Marvel Released: March 8, 2019 Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson, stars in the new movie featuring Marvel’s first ever female lead, which is soon to be followed by Black Widow. In the movie, Carol Danvers quickly becomes Earth’s savior as the world is caught amid a war between two alien races.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios The “new” Simba character in the Lion King remake coming out this summer.

New G-day schedule: Is the meeting period being utilized?

By Alex Jackson Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Alex Jackson Jackson’s G-day schedule shows the new release time of 1:30 and the period designated for “meetings” from 1:30 until 3:00.

Lake Forest Academy’s unique seven-day schedule was designed to break students out of a set routine. One of the days that most embodies that concept is the G-day.

This year, LFA moved the G-day start to 30 minutes later to give students a late start, as well as a 1:30 (moved from 1:00) dismissal, which easily made G-day the favorite of the majority of students and teachers alike.

A lot of students use the early dismissal to go home or grab lunch with their friends.

Sports don’t start until 3:00 or 3:30, which provides students plenty of time to relax or get work done. In actuality, the early dismissal is supposed to be a time for clubs to meet. While some schools have designated club meeting periods during the day, LFA opted to set aside two hours of G-days for students to get together for whatever their club may be. Originally, that seemed to work great for everyone, but due to the large amount of registered clubs and students’ habit to sign up for multiple clubs, club leaders were forced to move away from G-days due to so much overlap. Different clubs tried various ways

for students to be available for their meetings (breaks, afterschool, etc.). This year, only six of the 68 registered clubs meet on G-day during the designated time.

Now, more than halfway through the year, G-day early dismissal is rarely used for club meetings at all. I understand that clubs want to be available for their members, but for a time so easily accessible to the large majority of students, it’s largely underused. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting out early. It’s an excellent change of pace in my weekly life and allows me to eat lunch off campus with my friends before my practices. But the extremely low participation count in G-day club meetings needs to change. Students are being presented with an excellent opportunity to participate in activities that they feel strongly about and they are passing it up. With all of the talent the student body at LFA has and the extracurriculars students push themselves to take part in, it makes sense to feel as though students should want to maximize their opportunities. On top of that, LFA students partake in many rigorous courses, extracurriculars and other time consuming activities, so time efficiency and management is key to many students.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Movie poster for Star Wars IX coming December 2019.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Toy Story’s beloved Woody is focused on in the poster for the film’s sequel coming in June.

THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 15TH, 2019

Sports

9

One for the record books Audrey McGrail Managing Editor of News Making a basket in any basketball game is a thrill all by itself. Swishing a three pointer is even more exciting, and hitting a buzzer-beater is electrifying. LFA Senior Ramatoulaye Keita is no stranger to adrenaline filled situations such as these. What could top it? Well, Keita had one for the books: hitting her 1,000th LFA career point.

A four-year Varsity player, Keita has shined on the court with her impeccable athletic ability and hard work. On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, in a Varsity Girls Basketball game against Glenbrook North High School, Glore Gym was packed with spectators, including fellow classmates and teachers - all there to show their support for the senior. It was at that moment when Keita realized that this was a monumental night.

“I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was like, ‘Oh wow this is a big deal,’” Keita remembered.

Going into that Tuesday night game on December 11, Keita had some hefty expectations. People were watching in excited anticipation. In the beginning, it seemed as if Keita would easily make the 12 points needed to reach the 1,000 point marker before the end of the half, but after picking up

her second foul early in the second quarter, Keita was taken out for the rest of the quarter, going into the second half with 7 points.

“I was nervous; I was missing a lot of free throws and layups. I thought I wasn’t going to make it that day,” Keita remarked.

Soon into the 2nd half, Keita bumped up to 11 points. She remained 1 point shy until 40 seconds left in the 4th quarter.

Keita boxed out defenders to grab a rebound off of Sophomore Zuzanna Pacak’s driving layup, and layed it in to reach 13 points - bringing her total up to 1,001. The crowd erupted, with everyone celebrating and cheering. Seconds later, a timeout was called by Glenbrook North to allow everyone to congratulate Keita, which involved running out onto the court. It was a special night for everyone, but most of all for Keita, who said that the moment was “amazing.

Words cannot describe how I felt,” she said.

This was Keita’s special moment, and one she will remember forever. Fortunately for LFA, she still has 8 games left, so there is no need to say goodbye just yet.

When asked what she will miss most about LFA next year, she was quick to reply that it is her teammates.

In the words of Keita herself, “I came. I balled. I’m out.”

Photo courtesy of LFA Yearbook

Senior Ramatoulaye Keita goes up for a layup on the way to her 1000th point.

LFA swimmer at a crossroads for future of swimming career

By Ben Sebolt Senior Sports Editor

Photo by Ben Sebolt Senior Captain Jihwan Hwang is one of many hoping to fill the hole left by Makerenko.

Swimming is a sport of power and endurance, a battle of wills between opponents.

Unfortunately with the need for power, comes a strain on your muscles, specifically your shoulders. Swimmers have been forced to forgo a season or even quit the sport due to shoulder injuries. Unfortunately, a swimmer at Lake Forest Academy, Ivan Makarenko faces a difficult decision.

A swimmer since the age of five, Makarenko has spent his whole life swimming.

In his career a LFA, he has dominated the record books, earning eight records in his career. The year prior to injury, he was the number one swimmer on the team. His storied career at LFA makes the injury even more heartbreaking.

While having one shoulder injury is difficult enough, Makarenko was unfortunate to have an injury in both shoulders.

The right shoulder has a torn rotator cuff, while the left is unidentified at the time of the article. While there was no definite cause for the injury, Makarenko attributes his injuries to a combination of “pressure on the shoulders from 12 years of swimming, and limited amount of rest

time, causing the body to break down.

In order to heal, Makarenko has to choose between two surgeries. The first surgery is far more serious when considering the consequences. It would require a years recovery time, and Makarenko would never be able to swim again. The second surgery though while having the same recovery time, would allow Makarenko to swim again. While there are some risks involved with the second surgery, the benefits outweigh the cost.

As any athlete knows, not being able to play the sport you love is akin to torture.

Makarenko is leaning towards the second surgery. He would have to travel to Germany, but that is nothing if he could swim pain-free or in as little pain as possible for the rest of his life. It is inevitable that he will miss the rest of the swim season, but hopefully he will be back for next year, stronger and better than ever.

While the swim team is two and one this year, there is no doubt that losing their number one swimmer was blow to the team. Hopefully, others can step up to the challenge and recoup what was lost in Ivan Makarenko.

THE SPECTATOR

Sports

10

FEBRUARY 15 ,2019

New office, new manager

By Jared Felitto Sports Editor When each sports team at Lake Forest Academy (LFA) embarks on a road game, the coaches are scrambling to get two things: a caxy van and money for food.

Pressed for time, most coaches are in a mad dash to get to their games and are frantically trying to find these two items. If the athletic director, Mr. Darrin Madeley, is out of his office while the team is trying to depart, locating these can be quite a struggle. However, with the addition of Ms. Pam Dye to the athletic department, she will be able help with the overall logistics of sporting events. Ms. Dye, who has had three kids experience LFA, knows all of the ins and outs of the school. With her new role in the athletic offices, she believes that she’ll be able to solve some of the shortcomings.

“My goal is to help connect the LFA community and in the athletic areas. If that’s helping out with teams, scheduling, or anything to benefit the athletics, I’m willing to do it” said Dye. By having three kids who have gone through or are currently at LFA: Joe ‘17, MJ ‘19, and Rosie ‘21 as well as having previously worked as the advancement events coordinator and interim director of

parent relations, Dye believes that she has a good sense of how the LFA community works. Despite only having worked two months at her new role, Dye believes she’ll have no problem making the move from advancement to the athletic department.

“The atmosphere at LFA is what makes it so unique. I think most new faculty have a hard time adjusting to the ways of LFA and just the culture itself. Thankfully for me, I’ve been involved with LFA for quite some time” said Dye. With the departure of Mr. Dunn at the end of the first semester, new duties became available for people in the athletic office. With how busy Mr. Madeley and Ms. Arrowood are, someone else needed to come in and fill those roles.

“Replacing Mr. Dunn won’t be easy. He was one of the most beloved faculty members at LFA. I’m excited to continue my job and help out LFA anyway I can” said Dye. By helping out, Dye expects to take on duties of managing the logistics of athletics, scheduling,and other roles to further benefit the LFA community. Despite being a relatively unknown figure, Dye will definitely make her presence felt behind the scenes for LFA athletics.

Photo by Jared Felitto

Ms. Dye in front of her temporary office

Schedule shakeup for girls hoops

By Jack Selati Managing Editor of Sports The annual overnight trip to Culver Indiana was a tradition beloved by both the players and coaches of the Girls Varsity Basketball team. For the past couple years, the team has grown and bonded as they shared memories in the gym and the hotel. Four year senior Kelsi Jackson loved their trip and relished the time they spent together as a team.

“In the hotel we all went into one room and played games,” said Jackson when speaking on her favorite part of this tradition.

However, in 2019 the Lake Forest Academy Girls Varsity Basketball team will not be attending the tournament. Instead, they participated in the Fenton Inaugural MLK tourney hosted by Fenton High school. This tournament, unlike the Culver one, has over six teams and gives the Lake Forest Academy Basketball team a total of four games to play instead of two.

While the trip to Culver was a cherished tradition for the team, the switch to the Fenton tournament was an easy decision for Athletic Director Darrin Madeley.

“It took me all of half a second to say that for our team and for our players this is much

Rama Keita and Courtney Harris playing defense at a recent game

Photo courtesy of Ani Plambeck

better and more efficient than driving to culver to play two games,” spoke Madeley.

He believed that the opportunity to not only play five games instead of two was a better deal, but the fact that they did not have to travel all the way to Culver Indiana was a huge bonus of the Fenton Tournament.

In addition, the competition at the Fenton tournament posed a greater challenge due to the presence of large public high schools participating in the tournament.

Although the initial switch from their annual overnight trip was disheartening, the players and parents understood that this was the best decision for the team.

When asking Head Coach Erica Wood about the switch from the Culver tournament to the Fenton tournament, she chose not to comment on the matter.

“When they went home and told their parents, their parents were like that’s a no brainer,” said Madeley in regards to the tournament swap.

With the switch to the Fenton tournament, there would be no overnight trip for the Girls Basketball team. Madeley doesn’t want them to miss out on that experience, so he has already began searching for new overnight tournaments that they could join.

“I’m still trying to get them an overnight

tournament

just

tough

are

over

somewhere,

because christmas,”

most said

of

it’s them

Madeley.

THE SPECTATOR FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Global Perspectives

LFA community weighs in on the first democratic elections in the Congo

By Tiffany Filawo Managing Editor of Global Perspectives On December 16, 2018, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC/Congo) held an election that opened up the possibility of true democracy for the first time in the country since the presidency of Joseph Kasavubu after Congo’s independence on June 9, 1960. DRC’s political instability and richness in natural resources was the root of the Second Congo War (19972003) in Congo’s Eastern part, resulting to over 5 million deaths and the eastern part of the DRC being coined as the rape capital of the world until this day. Due to these the problems, a peaceful and democratic transition of power there is well-needed.

While the recent elections in DRC have been a beacon of light for a future of democracy, the validity of the results of these elections have been questionable for many who were expecting the more popular opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu, to win.

This election was initially supposed to take place in 2016 but was postponed for 2018 by former DRC president, Joseph Kabila, in his attempt to unconstitutionally prolong his tenure. The elections were held on December 30, 2018 with Martin Fayulu, Felix Tshisekedi, and Emmanuel Shadary as presidential candidates. On January 10, weeks after the elections, Felix Tshisekedi was pronounced as the provincial leader. AP World History teacher and Amnesty International Club advisor, Sam Wold recognized Congo’s complex political history and believes it is heavily connected to the recent elections.

“I think people need to step back and not look at Congo as a country incapable

Photo Courtesy of BBC News Newly elected president of the DRC, Etienne Tshisekedi, is waving at the excited Congolese people.

of solving its own problems, but realize that Congo’s politics is historical. They were set up for these kinds of issues by European imperialism,” commented Wold.

US State Department, European news sources (including France’s TV5Monde), and other foreign governments have all asked for DRC’s CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission) to respect the actual results of the elections. The CENCO, the most outspoken demanders, sent over 40,000 observers to polling stations across the nation to determine who the winner was. SYMOCEL, a domestic observer mission separate from the CENCO’s observation, had similar results as CENCO. The CENCO observed that voters’ identities were not properly identified at polling stations, ballot boxes were not sealed prior to being counted, and many materials were missing at polling stations on the day of elections. SYMOCEL witnessed people physically moving ballots around in the 101 voting centers — out of the 179 total number of voting centers across Congo — they observed along with 51 other major irregularities. To decrease global attention,

DRC cutoff internet connection as soon as the elections took place, which had not been restored until January 19th. This, conversely, attracted the attention of international news stations. Spanish III Advanced and Contemporary Civilization and Culture of Latin America teacher, Noelle Balson, recalls TV5Monde speaking on the influence of CENCO in raising the skepticism behind the results released by the CENI. “The Catholic Church, which is very influential in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had about 40,000 observer teams all over the country. They mentioned that the results did not match their data,” said Balson.

Congo is known for being both the richest and poorest country carrying over 24 trillion dollars worth in valuable resources such as diamonds, gold, copper, natural gases and the most coveted for today’s technological advancements: coltan and cobalt. Some of the technology requiring DRC’s minerals are iPhones, PlayStations, and electrical cars. American companies.

Companies such as Apple and Samsung and many other companies based in Europe, Australia, and China are benefit

11 from Congo’s corruption because they can easily force children as young as four to extract the minerals that power the rest of the world’s everyday sources of technologies. They can also buy Congolese natural resources without paying taxes.

Congo’s newly elected president could enforce mining regulations that would affect the global economy and many world-powerful corporations’access to needed minerals. Proper democracy put in place will mean that many corporations that have gotten away with illegally extracting Congolese natural resources without paying taxes will have to do so. allowing Congolese to benefit from the profits.

On January 15, Felix Tshisekedi was announced as the official president by the Congolese government, and was sworn into office on Thursday, January 24. As a result, Martin Fayulu has ordered peaceful demonstrations from Congolese people to express their disapproval of what was suspected to be a fraudulent election.

This speculation was heightened once people found out that President Tshisekedi met with former President Kabila prior to the elections, potentially making a deal for him to become president. The US has placed 80 troops on standby near Gabon in case of violent outbreaks. At the end of it all, DRC has massive potential, but because the voice of the people have been suppressed by subsequent corrupt governments, this progress has been limited and the Congolese people have suffered the most from it. With a new regime, the hope is that success and prosperity is on the horizon for DRC’s new promising future.

“Here is going to be the first peaceful transfer of power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” noted Strudwick (extended version of this story can be found on caxynews.com).

LFA reflects on children dying at the U.S. Mexico border over Winter Break

By Jasmine Filawo Manging Photo Editor for Digital

The aftermath of the migrant caravan is still making headlines as the situation continues to worsen, due to the death of two children while in Border Patrol custody. The two children were seven-yearold Jakelin Caal Maquin and eight-yearold Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Maquin died on December 8, hours after the Border Patrol detained her, while Alonzo died on Christmas Eve after spending a week in multiple Border Patrol facilities. US investigators are still trying to figure out the causes of their deaths, but a New Mexico medical examiner stated that Alonzo was tested positive for the flu.

Before Maquin and Alonzo lost their lives, they were sent to hospitals but were not given the proper care due to the poor conditions they were put in. Experts

Photo by Jasmine Filawo.

Junior Isis Burgos is discussing about children dying at the border with senior Emma Sloan.

described it as “unsuitable for children.”

“They’re designed to be problematic and not safe…they are designed and meant for punishment,” expressed Anne Chandler, the executive director of Tahirih Justice Center’s Houston office from businessinsider.com.

When children arrive at the border, they are already dealing with the worst health conditions, due to the fact that they are not given any food or water during their journey to the US. These journeys can last for weeks in which the children have

to trek through deserts, and once they arrive at the border, they are automatically put in Border Patrol facilities where children and parents have to sleep on cement.

The deaths of these two children has even caught the attention of members of the Lake Forest Academy community.

Marianela Gonzalez, advisor of Latinx and faculty member of the language department, can easily relate to this crisis since she immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was a child.

“It made me think what they

could be doing to change the detention centers,” said Gonzalez.

This news also struck Isis Burgos, a junior who was born and raised in the United States but is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. Burgos is aware of the violence occurring in Central America and Mexico, and given that her friends have informed her about their family members who are trying to leave Honduras and Mexico, but are not sure of taking the risk, since they are aware of the treatment immigrants receive at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“People are coming here in conditions that are not suitable for them,” said Burgos.

Senior and president of GSA, Emma Sloan, might not have any Latino roots, but is concerned by what the immigrants have encountered.

“Keep them with their families and help [them] find jobs and homes,” said Sloan.

THE SPECTATOR 12

Global Perspectives

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

On pursuing “The Good Life”:

LFA’s new Global Department class explores happiness worldwide

By Mia Walvoord Managing Editor of A&E LFA has added a new course to the Global Department curriculum this year, ‘The Good Life: An Exploration in the Study of Global Happiness,’ otherwise fondly known as “The Happy Class”. It is being taught by English faculty member Kimberly Graham, for whom the pursuit of happiness has taken on a central role in both her personal and professional life. Since the class was her brainchild, so to speak, Graham is clearly the most qualified to give insight about the purpose and direction of the course. Below are excerpts from a video interview which can be found in its entirety on the Spectator website.

Q: What makes this class so different from other courses at LFA? A: This class being in the global department is what sets it apart. We are able to look at something that’s tied to one of your traditional disciplines, and we’re able to really explore what’s going on in our society today and kind of apply it back to our own lives.

Q: I understand that you observed a course at Yale about happiness. Did you attend with the intention of creating a similar course at LFA, or was this something that you decided to do for your own pleasure?

A: Without a doubt – it stems from personal interest, a personal passion, and I proposed this course prior to knowing about the Yale course. That course was brought to my attention when I read a New York Times article, and so what initially drew my interest was that we shared, based upon my course topic, or course title proposal, we shared the title “The Good Life”, which I thought was really cool. So when I looked into the Yale [program] more, I saw just how similar the philosophy was, and so I went to see Dr. Laurie Santos, who was the professor of that class. When I went there and saw the lecture and I met with her, I realized just how much our passions aligned, and so this course didn’t stem from that, but it has become almost like an extension in some way.”

Q: How has what you learned at Yale shaped this class?

A: I went to Yale last April, so it was last spring and going on that visit gave me more resources for myself. I was able to look into different positive psychology philosophers and different scientific approaches, and that course itself is in the psychology department, so it’s much more scientifically-based than our course, but I was really able to kind of expand my knowledge on the topic, which of course then transcends to the information taught in this course.

Q: Has taking this class altered your teaching style or organization in any way?

A: I’ve always tried to be mindful of the expectations and the responsibilities that students have placed upon them. You have a lot of classes, and you’re in a lot of APs, and you have sports, and you have a social life, and you have all of these things going on. So I’ve always tried teaching, being mindful that I’m not just teaching a student; I’m teaching an individual. I’m

Kimberly Graham, who teaches “The Good Life”, talks about the course and what happiness really is.

teaching a person, and putting this course together reminded me how important it is that not only am I teaching my students to be critical thinkers and independent thinkers and to perform whatever skills are necessary, but to instill skills and hopefully hope and growing as a human, and as a person. I think this class, long story short, what it has made me more mindful of is that I want to teach students how to be successful in life, not just in my class.

Q: How has your focus on happiness affected your everyday life for the better?

A: I’m very mindful that the concept of teaching happiness can seem very cheesy, but when there are such skyrocketing depression, anxiety, and suicide rates, you can talk across the country, across the world, it’s almost that we can’t afford not to focus on this. So, in my personal life, I try to practice the same skills I read about, I teach about.

Q: How long have you been interested in wellness and how it affects academics and what have you learned about this connection?

A: When I was in graduate school, I studied action-based learning, and it was actually something then that I practiced at my last school I taught at in Houston. I developed this classroom called “The Neuronasium: the Brain Gym.” It’s based off a lot of research saying that when you are physically active, your mind is equally active as well, or that it boosts your brain power, and so this interest in mental, physical, whole be-

ing wellness really my whole life, but professionally, within the last five years.

Q: You are known throughout the LFA community for being a beacon of happiness and a promoter of mental health.

How has your personal interest in wellness affected your teaching?

A: You have to be the best version of yourself to help others become the same thing. I think happy looks different on a lot of people, and that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re always smiling and going around, and you’re bubbly and you’re bouncing around; it can look like contentment, and it can look like you’re just seeking joy in the mundane. If you kind of just look at people’s lives, most of our lives is the ordinary.

You don’t go to a wedding and you know, go to a party [every day], and you don’t do things, and so I guess what I try to do is to seek that happiness in the ordinary every day because that’s what most of our lives are. Not to be depressing in any way, but it’s kind of the realism of it, that if we can find contentment and positivity in what we’re doing every day, I think that we are just more happy.

Q: What do you think this course brings to the LFA community?

A: I think that this course, for the LFA community, gives us a chance to address an issue that affects every single person.

Everyone is stressed, and everyone has bad days. We’re looking at the world and how do people that have so much less than us, how are they so much more content and

Photo by Angelina Chan

how do they find so much more meaning in life. So we’re able to kind of look at the world and also kind of look at ourselves.

Q: I know that you asked your students why they decided to enroll in the course.

What sort of answers did they give you?

A: I was actually surprised by their answers. This course was marketed and created as, ‘we’re going to explore the world and then apply it to us,’ and most, if not all, of the answers had something to do with, ‘I’m looking for help,’ ‘I’m looking for resources to deal better with stress,’ ‘I’m looking for ways in which I won’t focus so much on the negatives in my life,’ and so I was really surprised, but I was really encouraged by that. I hope that this course is, more than anything, applicable to life: currently, and then in the future.

Q: What do you hope that students take away from the course?

A: To put it in words, I guess, is hard…I think I would have to say that I want them to know how to find joy, but to also accept that that’s always a process. I think that we look at happiness as a destination: somewhere that we need to get to and that we need to stay there, whereas each day is a different day ,and life happens, and there’s so much that we can’t control. I want students to walk away knowing even though there’s a lot they can’t control, they can control how they feel about it, how they respond, how they deal with it, and then to accept that it’s okay to always be working at it.