hillside’s contents~ · anybody can beat anybody in premier league. there are specific teams that...
TRANSCRIPT
GLOBAL GAZETTE February 2019
~Contents~
Sightseeing
P.1 Student Stories
P.2 Editorial
P.3 Faculty Profile
P.4 International Cafe
P.5
Mr. Mac’s Top 5
P.6 Ping Pong Rankings
P.7 Philosopher’s Corner
P.8 International Holiday
P.9
Student Profiles
P.10-13 Hillside Gossip
P.14
Cultural Dinner
P.15 World Mysteries
P.16 Student Book Review
P.17
Int’l Trivia Teasers
P.18 The Traveling Translator
P.19
1.
Hillside’s
~ Global Club ~President Harrison Wolfsberg & Vice President Jerry Feng
This club was created to foster a continued strong
connection between our international students and
American students and faculty. We are intent on sharing
our international cultures with the Hillside population
as well as learning about other cultures.
Host to the 2022 World Cup
Home to world’s largest and first underground stadium
Included in Fortune’s 15 best new cities for business
Doha
Sightseeing
Page 1 Global Gazette Hillside School
Sightseeing
Doha, Qatar
Doha is the capital and most
populated city in Qatar. The city is
located on a man-made island in
the Persian Gulf. It has a
population close to two million
people and over fifty percent of the
country’s citizens live in the city
proper, or in the surrounding
suburbs. The city is a bustling and
serves as the financial heartbeat for
this Arabian country. It is an ultra-
modern and rapidly developing city
that, considering all of the money
being poured into construction, is
poised to become one of the cities
that take center stage in the Gulf.
Doha, as you can see, possesses a
spectacular skyline. It also happens
to be host to the 2022 World Cup.
Not only does the future look good
for Doha, but its glorious past has
not been forgotten. The city is
steeped in tradition. Citizens
practice falconry and, if you are
lucky, you can see camel races
across the desert against the
backdrop of modern skyscrapers. In
the harbor float dhow or traditional
wooden boats. Doha also has a
splendid Museum of Islamic Art,
trendy cafes, first-rate restaurants,
and a burgeoning arts scene. As The
Lonely Planet states: “In any given
day you can sample a portfolio of
sophisticated restaurants, then
watch the sun set over sand dunes
that seem to spring from a fairy
tale.”
In terms of places to visit in the
capital, there are many. The Souq
Waqif is a centuries old outdoor
market. The Doha Corniche is a
spectacular waterfront promenade.
Katara Cultural Village is a
seaside development that has an
amphitheater, museum, convention
center, shops, and eateries. Aspire
Park is a large tree studded
recreational area located in the
heart of the city. There is a ton to
do in this magnificent city. If
you’re in the Persian Gulf, Qatar is
a must place to visit.
.
1. 1.
Cool Facts about Doha
Student Stories
Premier League by Rowan Tarbox Premier League is a professional British football league, it is known as the toughest
professional football league in the world. In Britain, football is different than most
places. There is much more contact. You are allowed to check people as long as it is
shoulder to shoulder. It is also the biggest sport in the UK, so everybody has a
favorite team. At the games, there are specific sides for the home fans and the away
fans because they have so much more passion for the game than fans do in other
countries so they sometimes try to fight each other if they sit together. Premier
League is much more interesting and exciting than leagues in other countries.
Anybody can beat anybody in Premier League. There are specific teams that win
more than others, but they can still lose to the lower level teams because all of the
teams are so good. In England, there are four top leagues; which are much more than
other countries which usually have one or two. If teams finish in the top two in their
league they get promoted to the next league up. The third through fifth place
finishers play in a mini-tournament and whoever wins also gets promoted to the next
league up. That is the same in every English league except for the Premier League
because the Premier League is the highest league in England. If you finish in first
through fourth you play in the UEFA Champions League. If you finish in first
through fifth you play in the UEFA Europa League. At least in England, if you finish
in the bottom three you get relegated to the next league down. I believe that the way
that my dad and I watch Premier League is very complicated. My dad has this app on
his MacBook called Sports Gold. He then mirrors the screen onto our TV. We watch
Premier League every weekend. I am a Tottenham fan and my dad is a Leicester fan,
so we argue a lot about which team is best. He says that he likes Leicester because
they are underdogs. I say that I like Tottenham because I literally like everything
about them. To watch Premier League people need to know how much they want to
pay. If they are willing to pay for the subscription they need to know what to watch it
on. When they start to watch Premier League they need to know when it is on. They
will need to make room in their schedule to actually watch the games. After that,
they need to figure out what teams they want to watch. About two years ago, my dad
just started watching Premier League for fun. That motivated me to start watching
Premier League. I had never really watched football before this besides the World
Cup, so I was getting pretty excited. We were watching Premier League, but we were
not really very committed fans. We would watch it some weekends, but we did not
watch it every weekend. I started wanting to watch Premier League every weekend
more and more and my dad finally agreed to start watching Premier League at least
almost every weekend. I started to like Tottenham. I love the gaffer, Mauricio
Pochettino. His tactics have led us to win a lot more than we used to. I love all the
players on the team. They are all very hard-working. Now my dad and I watch
Premier League as much as we can, which sometimes means multiple games at once.
Most Americans that I know have never heard of the Premier League. In England,
everybody not only knows what Premier League is, but has one or more favorite
teams. In my opinion, English people might be the most passionate fans in the world
about any sport. In America, people have favorite teams in their favorite sports, but
most people would not beat up somebody just for being a fan of another team. In
England, at games, there are sides for the home team fans and the away fans. If they
sat together there would be too many arrests for the police to handle. For instance,
my dad is a Leicester fan and I am a Tottenham fan, so we have to sit on opposite
couches.
Page 2
Page 3 Global Gazette Hillside School
Editorial
Some call it the “ME factor” while others call it “the epidemic of Self.”
Whatever “it” is called, narcissistic behavior in human beings has been
observed and talked about since Ovid, the Roman poet, wrote The Legend
of Narcissus nearly two thousand years ago. It is a story about a handsome
Greek hunter who wanders by a calm pool of water one day, sees his
reflection in it, and becomes obsessed with his own beauty. He eventually
falls into the pool and drowns. The story is full of symbolism and stands as
a warning against the dangers of self-obsession. In the twenty first century,
with the advent of social media, narcissism has skyrocketed taking the
forms of endless selfies, conversations where the focus seems to constantly
reside in everything that has to do with “me,” shallowness, a pre-
occupation with self-image, and an oversensitivity to criticism. Hey, let’s
face it—to some extent we ALL exhibit this behavior from time to time but
narcissism is all about degree. A rather natural form of narcissism exists in
teenage competition. We hear it repeatedly around these parts: “I beat him,
yesterday. I should be ranked number one! There’s no way he’s as good as
me.” This particular form of boasting is not particularly troubling. Teens
typically engage in this type of activity. It’s a way they use to assert
themselves on a group stage. But, what about that more troubling insidious
preoccupation with “self” that some of us never lose as we age? Like when
you want to share a wonderful occurrence or a difficult experience you had
with someone and that listener inevitably remarks not on your situation but
on an experience that he or she has had that was similar. In fact, no matter
what topic you seem to share, the modern narcissist is always turning the
subject back on himself/herself. The result is that conversation feels
dissatisfying, empty, and one directional. You needed an ear and instead
got an earful. It happens in phone conversations all the time. You try to
have a 50/50 sharing of thoughts and you end up listening to the narcissist
redirect every topic towards “me” and dominate the conversation with
endless anecdotes and details about his or her life. Now, don’t get me
wrong. It’s not as if narcissists fall into neat categories. You’re a narcissist,
you’re not, you are, you’re not, etc. We all have narcissistic tendencies. I
have caught myself on several occasions either consciously or
subconsciously promoting my self-perceived “talents.” The important thing
is to not play the blame game nor beat yourself up about this behavior.
Instead, use other peoples’ narcissistic tendencies as a moment of self-
reflection. Do I do that? Then, when you catch yourself having self-
centered moments, try putting attention on your conversation partner. After
all, narcissism isn’t a genetic predisposition, it’s a mental habit. Often, we
don’t recognize our own narcissistic habits because we’re so used to them.
Those habits certainly don’t define whether we are a good or bad person
BUT don’t be fooled into thinking that the person listening to your self-
indulgent comments is enjoying them. I can assure you that a) they’re
noticing and b) they probably don’t like the direction of the conversation.
Editor’s NotE: Narcissism is Alive
and Well by Staff Reporter Michael Brown
-by staff reporter Mr. Luke Steere
1.
The “ME” Factor
Look who’s numero uno
Page 4 Global Gazette Hillside School
Nova Voice Room in Japan
The olden days
Café Talk
The International Café developed out of a
confluence of ideas. First, during my early days
teaching in Japan, we teachers had to do an
hour of instruction in what was called a “Voice
Room.” This involved directed discussion so
that students could practice their conversation
skills. Some remarked that we should have
snacks or drinks. After all, it would contribute
to creating a positive and relaxing environment.
Another idea that emerged was taken from the
internet in the form of Dave’s ESL Café;
basically a blog for EFL teachers to talk about
their work and living experiences as an expat.
So, in 2010, we combined these ideas at
Hillside to form what has become a popular
recess option on Friday mornings. The
International Café typically has over forty
students attending. It has been going strong and
we want to keep it that way!
Dave’s ESL Cafe
The early days
International Café
Origin of the
Mr. Kelly
Page 5 Global Gazette Hillside School
Faculty Profile
Sean Kelly is Hillside’s excellent
second year music teacher. He’s the
Band Director, a dorm parent, and
coaches golf and cross country.
He’s one of those low profile types
who flies under the radar in a
quietly positive way. Then, when
his name surfaces, everyone agrees:
Yes, he’s doing a great job and he’s
been quite a find for our small
school.
Mr. Kelly was born in Rhode
Island but grew up in Blackstone
Valley, Massachusetts. He has two
younger brothers Chris (Georgia)
and Matthew (North Carolina). Mr.
Kelly attended UMass Lowell
where he majored in Music
Education. He married his college
sweetheart two years after
graduating. Mr. Kelly’s wife, Bec,
teaches violin and viola to some of
the Hillside boys. She is currently
expecting a baby in mid-August.
It’ll be the young couple’s first
child. So, Hillside will have another
new addition to the community for
the 2019-2020 school year.
Mr. Kelly says that he has always
aspired to teach. “I wanted to
become a teacher because I felt it
was the best way to share my love
of music with others.” Mr. Kelly’s
career choice is not that surprising
since he comes from a family of
teachers. In fact, Mr. Kelly’s family
jokingly refers to teaching as “the
family business.” Why Hillside,
Mr. Kelly? Well, he says, he was
working at the Apple Store in the
Solomon Pond Mall when a certain
Ms. Lucey wandered in to buy a
watch. The two struck up a
conversation and Mr. Kelly ended
Sean Kelly
up sending his resume to her the
next day and, as the story goes, the
rest is history or should I say
music? Mr. Kelly loves Hillside’s
“culture and global diversity.”
In his spare time Mr. Kelly has
several interests. For one, he
collects vinyl records. He has
thousands. His all-time favorite set
is Beethoven’s Bicentennial
Collection. He plays instruments
ranging from the piano to the flute
to percussion, guitar, and drums.
He also likes to compose his own
music. Believe it or not, Mr. Kelly
and Mr. Steere had been DJ’s on
the same radio station: 91.5
WUML Lowell. Well, it’s been
interesting to get to know more
about you, Mr. Kelly. You’re a
class act and a valuable addition to
our community. Bravo maestro!
_________
Cool Facts about Mr. Kelly
Going to be a first time dad in mid-August
Visited the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park
Used to be a repair tech at the Solomon Pond Apple store
Room #7
Mr. Mac’s Top 5
#2. Raisin Bran
1.
1.
#3. Honey Bunches
of Oats
#1. Frosted Mini-Wheats
#4. Cheerios
#5. Cap’n Crunch
1.
Page 6 Global Gazette Hillside School
Feel like you’re getting to know Mr.
Mac? Well, the fun doesn’t stop here
as the information about his existence
on the little blue planet third from the
sun continues to grow. In this
segment, we break down the big fellas
top 5 favorite cereals of all time. Read
all about them because Wheaties is
not the only cereal of champions.
1.
1.
1.
Cool Facts about Mr. Mac
Mr. Mac’s Top 5 Cereals
Uniforms
Used to teach history in Room #7
Ran the International Café during JumpStart
Appears in the Global Gazette every month
Ping Pong Rankings
Page.7 Global Gazette Hillside School
February Ping Pong Rankings
1. 1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
Page 7 Global Gazette Hillside School
Rising Stars 1. Ollie Eschelbacher (USA) 2. Josh Levine (USA) 3. Henry Eckert (USA) 4. Diego Galindo (MEX) 5. Adam Pinstein (USA)
Top 10 at Hillside “Hillside’s Best this Month”
1. Joe Calo (USA) 2. Luke Spinner (USA) 3. Harrison Wolfsberg (USA) 4. Aidan Punch (USA) 5. Terry Xu (CHN) 6. Jaden Simeonidis(USA) 7. Pedro Roca (MEX) 8. Will Guillette (USA) 9. Santiago Graf (MEX) 10. Luis Eduardo Medina(PR)
Philosophy
Page 8 Global Gazette Hillside School
The Philosopher’s
Corner
Solipsism Have you ever had the thought: I wonder if all this (life) is just a product of
my mind? I wonder if ONLY I exist and am living a fantasy that has been
created in my imagination? If so, then you’re likely subscribing to solipsism.
Solipsism is the philosophical position that states that external worlds and
outside minds cannot be known and might not exist outside of MY mind. As
a philosophical movement, it began in the late nineteenth century when
British idealist, F.H. Bradley, characterized the solipsist view in his work
Appearance and Reality (1893). In proposing a solution to the problem of
explaining knowledge of the outside world, Bradley stated: “I cannot
transcend experience, and experience must be my experience. From this it
follows that nothing beyond my self exists; for what is experience is its [the
self’s] states.” For the solipsist, existence IS everything that I experience.
Physical objects, other people, events and processes, anything that would
commonly and traditionally be regarded as co-existing in space and time
with “me,” is necessarily construed by the solipsist as a product of his or her
own consciousness. On the surface, this proposition seems absurd. It would
seem to deny any acknowledgment that there are other beings and
existences. Think of the moral consequences of such a viewpoint; we’d have
to deny the joys, pains, accomplishments, failures, etc. of others. Imagine,
for example, trying to tell victims of the Holocaust that their pains and
sufferings are merely a product of MY imagination. Or imagine taking credit
for Einstein’s Relativity Theory, Quantum physics, the harnessing of
electricity, controlled flight, music, landing on the moon, the internet, cures
for all sorts of diseases, etc. Imagine being responsible for the advent of any
form of knowledge you know little about: technical writing out of a manual,
mathematical formulas like Langland’s Problem or Irrational Number
Theory, obsolete foreign languages, financing, the nuances of the stock
market, etc. Imagine that YOU are the source for both religion and science,
Evolution and Flat Earth theories. Imagine if the person you dislike and the
person you adore are all products of…you guessed…YOU! This position
seems like an extreme form of narcissism. But, and here’s the big but: Can
any of us prove that this is not the case? After all, we only know the universe
that’s inside of our own minds. Any laws, and feelings, any experiences that
we have had have ALL manifested within the constraints of our own
craniums. Yikes! That’s both a scary and empowering thought. Is it possible
that I’m creating this article for myself or that YOU, the reader,
manufactured it out of YOUR mind? We may never know!
What is real?
A solipsist joke
The “me” centered universe
International Holidays
Chinese New Year At Hillside
Chinese New Year came to Bulldog
campus on Super Bowl Sunday. It
was February 3rd and we had quite a
large number of students present.
Ms. Lucey purchased a wide
assortment of Chinese-American
foods from local favorite Ginger
Garden in Marlborough. She
brought in trays of teriyaki chicken,
Kung Pao, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Lo
Mein, and more. We also bought
three trays of food from local
authentic Chinese favorite, Sichuan
Gourmet. Mr. Mac drove out to
Framingham to pick up the food.
When it was time to eat, we had
more food than you could possibly
imagine. It was a happy occasion
and the boys enjoyed themselves
tremendously. Mr. Lanciani had put
on some traditional Chinese music
in the dining hall. Earlier that week,
the Chinese boys received their
allowance in red envelopes. Red is
used in China to signify good luck.
As you can see from the dinner
photos on the sides, the boys kept
coming up for seconds, thirds, and
even fourths. When all stomachs
were satisfied, we passed out fortune
cookies and the boys read about
their good fortunes for the upcoming
year. Finally, we settled into
watching the Super Bowl. The
Patriots easily handled the Rams and
all was well in New England. A
special thanks to all who helped out
on this special night. Each year,
Chinese New Year at Hillside gets
bigger and better. Until next year
folks: “Gong xi fa cai” (wishing you
great happiness and prosperity).
Page 9 Global Gazette Hillside School
Let the celebrations begins
Dig In! Enjoying the spread
Fireworks
Will & a plate full of noodles
More food!
New Jersey
Spotlight…Student Profiles
Owen
Page 10 Global Gazette Hillside School
brothers makes a wrong decision,
instead of going immediately to a
teacher we try to help each other
out.”
Owen likes pizza, the movie Daddy
Daycare, and watching football.
However, his big love is playing
basketball. Besides playing power
forward for Hillside varsity, he also
plays AAU basketball for a team
called B2L. He says that
“basketball has always been my
favorite thing to do. I want to
continue with basketball in high
school and hopefully college.” His
role model is Jimmy Butler, the
6’8” shooting guard for the
Philadelphia 76ers. He admires
Butler’s perseverance as the Philly
star had a rough childhood. He was
kicked out of his home at 13 then
bounced around foster homes.
Eventually, Butler turned things
around playing college ball for
Marquette before getting drafted
and becoming a star for the 76ers.
But Owen’s career aspirations have
nothing to do with basketball. He
loves animals and wants a job
related to that field. He doesn’t
want to be a vet though because he
doesn’t like blood. Marine biology
is his current interest. Well young
man, my guess is that you can do
anything you put your mind to. The
marine world will be lucky to have
you as is Hillside and your
upcoming secondary school.
Owen was born in New Jersey. He
shares this honor with fellow
Hillside student Jaden Simeonidis.
Owen moved from New Jersey to
Massachusetts at any early age.
Currently, he resides in Hopkinton.
His father, Chris, works for Stanton
Chase and his mother, Valerie, is
Head of Resources at Fidelity
Investments. Younger brother Luke,
as most know, attends Hillside and
was featured in the Global Gazette
two months ago. If you read that
article, you know that Owen and his
family foster dogs in Puerto Rico
with the Sato Project.
Owen came to Hillside because he
“needed a change from public
school. I felt that I needed smaller
classes and a better learning
environment.” Owen goes on to say
that Hillside has given him the
opportunity to learn better and in
different ways. It seems like it’s
working for young Owen Arnold. I
had the pleasure of observing Mr.
Hayashi’s English class earlier this
month. Owen was focused and
engaged. The boys were taking
turns reading passages from Lord of
the Flies and analyzing the novel.
Owen really seemed to enjoy
himself in the classroom and he
looked energized by the discussion.
I guess this is the better learning
environment that Owen sought. He
also likes Hillside for its emphasis
on brotherhood. “If one of our
I first remember seeing a rather
big, bulky kid playing basketball
at Morning Recess in the gym. I
called him “Big Country” as he
looked like one of those heartland
type products who just came off a
farm in Iowa, ready to play for
Fran McCaffery. You could tell he
loved the sport! Then, later that
year, the big kid played JV
basketball with his little brother.
He was that reliable, clutch player
inside who was always collecting
an important rebound or scoring a
key bucket when we needed it. As
time moved on, I watched Owen
grow even taller and become more
and more comfortable at Hillside.
He has become a popular figure
around these parts. It seems that he
has many friends on Bulldog
campus and really enjoys being
here. He’s a young man with a
warm personality and good sense
of humor. And, from what I hear,
he’s an above average student.
Today, Owen Arnold stands at
what has to be 6’1.” He’s a
towering figure around campus
and a delight to be around.
Owen Arnold
Jimmy Butler
Hong Kong
Spotlight… Student Profiles
Sidney Crosby
Page 11 Global Gazette Hillside School
Bryan
became hooked on hockey.
Bryan says that the best thing
about Hillside is its prestigious
sports program, while the most
challenging thing is Mr. Mandell’s
English class. His favorite food is
Dim Sum and he loves the movie
Miracle On Ice. He’s been to a
whopping thirty eight countries and
says that someday he would like to
visit the Arctic. When I asked him
if he’d like to share any unique
facts about himself, he simply
replied: I don’t like cats! Well, that
makes sense. After all, you’re a
Bulldog!
When Bryan is older, he wants to
play Division I hockey then,
hopefully, make it in the NHL. If
that doesn’t pan out then Bryan
wants a career in business like his
mom and dad. Bryan’s hero is Nova
Scotia native Sidney Crosby who is
widely considered to be the best
hockey player in the world. Bryan
likes Crosby because “he is a great
leader, an amazing hockey player.
I’m trying to model my game after
him.” Well Bryan, maybe someday
some young man will be modeling
himself after you in either the
hockey or business worlds. Can you
imagine that? A little Tanger II
somewhere out there in the world
shaking hands and working the
room at a local day care center?
populated city. It is also the
financial hub of the People’s
Republic. Bryan’s father, Ian,
manages an ice cream company
called Kampati. It’s a special brand
made from New Zealand cow milk.
His mother, Beatrice, manages the
Oceanic Region for JDE (Jacobs
Douwe Egberts), a privately owned
Dutch based coffee company.
Bryan’s mom and dad both attended
Hong Kong University where they
first met. Later, they attended a
small university in London where
they got their MBA’s. Shortly after
graduating, they moved back to
Hong Kong where they married.
So Bryan, why did you decide to
come to Hillside? “Because I knew
hockey wasn’t an option in China.”
This answer, in itself, begs another
question: How did a young Chinese
national living in Hong Kong come
to fall in love with a sport often
associated with North America or
Scandinavia? The answer Bryan
says, had to do with his health in
his youth. Because he lacked
strength and was getting sick, his
doctor in Hong Kong recommended
becoming involved in a sport. One
day, Bryan and his father went to a
rink in the city and Bryan was
instantly in awe over the uniforms
which he thought made the players
look like Transformers. He knew
that he had to wear a uniform like
that and from that day on, Bryan
During meal times at Hillside,
Bryan Tang bounces from table to
table conversing with students and
faculty alike. “How are you doing
Mr. Rowlett? Good to see you
Omela. How are the wife and kids,
Mr. Evans? Hey Jason! When am I
going to be in the Global Gazette,
Mr. Brown? Wouldn’t you say it’s
about time for an article about a
really interesting Hong Kong-er?”
And so the ever affable Bryan
Tang works the room. One
wonders if politics is in store for
this social creature. When I first
met Bryan, I noticed a guy that
stood out athletically. He seemed
to do everything well. As I got to
know him better, I realized that he
was a fun-loving, playful,
humorous, and kind young man.
So, ladies and gentlemen, let’s
learn more about this young man
that some call “The Tanger.”
Brian was born in Hong Kong,
China but grew up in Shanghai.
Shanghai is on China’s central
coast and is the country’s most
Bryan Tang
Mexico City
Spotlight… Student Profiles
Fernando Botero
Page 12 Global Gazette Hillside School
Felipe
student who is committed to his
studies. His language skills and
grades have improved significantly
since coming in September.
However, speaking English all of
the time is not so easy for young
Felipe. “Speaking Spanish feels so
natural. When I’m with my Spanish
speaking friends it’s hard to force
myself to speak English.”
Felipe likes to eat barbequed ribs,
crepes, and tacos el pastor. His
favorite sport is soccer and he
admires Portuguese football star,
Cristiano Ronaldo for his prolific
scoring ability. He’s not too big on
American television but he does
enjoy watching Club de Cuervos
(Club of Crows), a Mexican
comedy drama web TV series that
centers on the football club Cuervos
FC and two siblings who fight over
the ownership and direction of the
team. Speaking of two siblings
fighting, Felipe says that he enjoys
his winter sport wrestling precisely
because it allows him to square off
against his older sibling, Pedro.
“It’s a chance to fight with my
brother.” When he’s older, Felipe,
like his brother Pedro, wants to be a
professional soccer player. Could it
be that the Roca de Togores
brothers’ lives will mirror the TV
series? We’ll see! In the meantime,
Felipe is enjoying middle school at
Hillside and doesn’t want to grow
up too fast. We feel the same way!
thought you said…oh, never mind!”
Felipe was born Felipe Roca de
Togores in Mexico City in 2005.
His father, Pedro Sr. is a
restauranteur in the capital. His
mother, Natalia, runs a business
called “Body Bright”; a hair
removal center that uses pulsed
light. Felipe has an older sister,
Cayetana who is going to college in
Berlin, Germany. And of course,
Felipe’s older brother, Pedro,
attends Hillside and is in the eighth
grade. The family has an eight year
old Beagle named Sultan of whom
Felipe says he misses very much.
The Roca de Togores’ are a tight
knit family and, at the beginning of
summer, mother Natalia can be
spotted on campus. The boys are
very proud to say that she is the
granddaughter of a very famous
Columbian figurative artist and
sculptor named Fernando Botero.
Grandfather Botero became famous
for depicting people in large,
exaggerated forms as a method of
humor or political criticism.
Felipe decided to come to Hillside
after his brother, Pedro, had a
successful year here. The Roca de
Togores’ felt that Hillside would be
a good fit for their youngest child.
Since coming here, Felipe says, “I
have learned so much English.” In
class, Felipe is a hard working
Before young Felipe Roca came to
Hillside, the word was spreading
that this young man was the
“difficult” brother. That word, by
the way, came from one source
only: Felipe’s brother, Pedro.
That’s right, Felipe’s brother whom
also attends Hillside and carefully
analyzed the situation, determined
that he was the “good” brother. So,
the Hillside community held its
collective breath and braced for a
challenge. And when Felipe
arrived, we waited…and waited!
We, on occasion, would look up
from our proverbial foxholes, for
the onslaught. Nothing! We gave it
some more time and…nothing!
After about two months or so, some
of us huddled and asked: Has Felipe
done anything bad yet? Nope was
the answer. Not only is it obvious
that we do NOT have a “difficult”
boy on our hands; we have a rather,
sweet, hard-working, and highly
respectful young man. Felipe is a
pleasure to be around, a true
delight. So many of us have started
to turn to Pedro and say: “Hey, I
Felipe Roca
Beijing, China
Spotlight… Student Profiles
Dale Caregie
Siyi
Siyi “Daniel” Yang
“Question teacher: What is a
property asset?” Young Siyi Yang
will occasionally throw out
questions such as this. “A what?” I
responded. “So, you don’t know?”
“I suppose I don’t really have a
good idea…” Then, he’d interject
seemingly dissatisfied with my lack
of knowledge on the subject.
“Question: Who was Andrew
Carnegie?” “Andrew Carnegie?” Is
Siyi really asking me about Andrew
Carnegie? “Well Siyi, I know that
he’s a name often associated with
business and some say he built
Pittsburgh.” Upon uttering this
desperate attempt to sound vaguely
knowledgeable, I intuitively know
the response would not be
satisfactory. “So, you don’t really
know anything about him?” Got
me! “Well, not that….” And before
I can finish, Siyi’s launching
another question: “Question: Can
we purchase the book How to Win
Friends and Influence People for
our ESL class?” To which I’d
answer: ”Oh Dale Carnegie, I
have…” Then Siyi would interject
again: “Yeah, so you know him?”
“Well, I..” Another interjection:
“So, we can get the book?” And
this is how most of my interactions
with the very engaging and affable
Siyi Yang go! He’s one of the most
entertaining and interesting kids
you are going to want to meet.
Siyi was born in Beijing, China.
Beijing is China’s sprawling capital
and the center of government. It is
here, in a city of over twenty
million inhabitants, that young Siyi
Yang was raised as the middle child
in a family of five. Siyi’s father,
Ping, works in the computer
business. His mother, Xiuyan, is a
homemaker. Siyi also has an older
sister who attends a university in
Manhattan and a younger brother
who goes to school back in the
homeland. But, if you want more
details about them, you’re going to
have to approach Siyi himself. He
says that “I don’t like offering
details about my family as I prefer
to maintain a level of discreteness.”
Then, in typical Siyi fashion, he
starts to laugh his head off when he
sees my evident disappointment
with that answer. “Really?” I retort.
“Yes! You’re going to have to work
for this interview, Mr. Brown.”
Again laughter and the other
students around the room laugh as
well and so do I. The ever
unpredictable Siyi enjoys
implementing humor when
conversing.
So Siyi, if you don’t mind my
asking: Why did you decide to
come to Hillside? Expecting
silence, he once again surprises me.
“Well, it’s a small school with a
small population. I don’t like large
groups of people, like in China. In
China, a classroom has about forty
students. That’s too big!” I see! So,
is there anything hard about
Hillside? “Yes, I have had to learn
to save money and be responsible
with it. Also, in China I can sleep in
as late as I want. Here I can’t!”
Although Siyi would not tell me
about his favorite movies or types
of food, he did say that he likes to
hike and enjoys building rockets
and writing “normal” literature. He
also said that he fancies life in the
United States because of the “fresh
air” and the fact that “people are
open.” Currently he’s reading
George Samuel Clason’s The
Richest Man in Babylon.” It’s a
book that dispenses financial advice
through a collection of parables set
in ancient Babylon. At this point it
seems appropriate to finish the Siyi
Yang story by stating that he is a
wonderfully unique young man
with many fresh perspectives to
offer the world. So, let’s end by
citing existentialist Friedrich
Nietzsche and Siyi’s favorite quote:
“The surest way to corrupt a youth
is to instruct him to hold in higher
esteem those who think alike than
those who think differently.”
Page 13 Global Gazette Hillside
School
It’s the sulfur-based gas in onions that makes you cry
Has anti-inflammatory effects for asthma
New York City was once known as “The Big Onion”
Hillside Gossip
February: Lowest Reported
Incidences of Spilled Ice This
Year
The dining hall reported less ice is
being spilled per table over the last
month. “It’s not very noticeable, but I
chalk it up to less people being
waiter,” said Jaylani Woolridge, who
has been known to say “waiter” after
a spilled ice incident on occasion.
Carter Richardson disagrees.
“This term has a lot of tough sports so
people are just better at holding
things,” he said.
Other students cited reasons such as
less ice being put in the pitchers,
changes to pitcher type, and that the
weather is cold so students are trying
to keep warm by keeping the ice in
the pitchers. Even more bizarre are
those at lunch citing lunar effects.
“It’s definitely got something to do
with the moon,” said Mr. Falanga.
iLab Team’s Plans To Build
Death Star Pushed off Until
‘19-’20 School Year
With a laser that can wash laundry,
a hangar full of microwaves for
cooking noodles, and a row of
detention blocks for late
homework, Hillside Death Star was
one of the most anticipated projects
of the year, but plans have been
tabled. “Winter iLab team had
some technical readouts to go off of
but we couldn’t get the project off
the ground,” said Mr. Perry. The
former site of Williams Dorm was a
perfect staging area, said Perry.
Phase I of construction is the
bottom half of the spherical
behemoth. This half houses gravity
drives, repulsorlifts, and rocketry
components. “This would lift off
sometime mid-term, and the iLab
team would be conducting
experiments, continuing with their
own projects, and spending free
time gaming,” Perry said.
Academics, according to Ms.
Lucey, posed a little bit of concern,
but the plan to have the team in
orbit next fall is “moving forward.”
“We were hoping the super laser
could be used for grading or taking
attendance, but we are willing to
work with project managers,” said
Miss Lucey.
Nighttime Thermal Map of
Hillside Shows Whittemore
Tech Box Hottest Spot on
Campus
Administrators rented a drone to
create a Thermal Map of Hillside last
week for a national art project on
energy consumption. The hottest heat
signature? The Whittemore Tech
Box.“It makes sense,” said Dorm
Parent Mr. Mandell. “We have a lot
of boys with a lot of tech.” Mandell
added that he’s seen the map, and the
tech was all turned in. “We are trying
to keep it in the box in the evenings as
best we can,” he added.
Boson Kwan, the boy responsible for
checking in the technology said the
box is certainly warm, and said he
was not surprised it would register so
brightly on the thermal map.
“After the dorm turns their tech in,
Mr. Steere lets me chill for a bit and I
have noodles,” he said. “I can boil
water right on the top of the box.
Mr. Lanciani could not be reached for
comment.
.
Cool Facts about Onions
Hillside Onion
Page 14
Cultural
Dinner
Cultural Dinner
• Worked for the United Nations
Page 15
The Hillside Global Club loaded up the
buses on Saturday evening in early
February and made its way to the Chinese
Super Buffet in Marlborough for a feast.
Joining the group was Hillside faculty
legends, Mr. Mac and Mr. Ribeiro, along
with alumnus and current St. George’s prep
student and Ukrainian national, Dima
Piskun. President Harrison Wolfsberg met
us at the restaurant after his AAU
basketball game. Once we were seated, the
boys ordered their drinks then quickly
rushed to the buffet lines where it was an
all-out food fest and a night of good eating.
The boys were treated to all you could eat
and menu items included: sautéed salmon,
sea bass, hot and sour soup, egg drop soup,
roasted beef, pork, satay chicken, crispy
duck, sushi, wontons, dumplings of all
sorts, shell fish, squid, prawns, fresh
veggies, noodles, egg rolls, broccoli, and so
much more. Rumor had it that several of
the boys had over three plates of food. Mr.
Mac was quoted as saying: “There goes my
diet. I’m off to the gym tomorrow.” Once
the boys finished their main courses, they
lined up at the dessert counters. Good food,
drink, and friendly conversations were in
abundance. After we ate, the boys thanked
their servers and we headed back to
Hillside. The next cultural dinner event
will be in late-March. We don’t have any
set destinations in mind. If you have any
ideas, please send an email to Mr. Brown
[email protected] or President
Wolfsberg. Thanks to all who came and
hope to see you at the next dinner!
President Wolfsberg
Eating some good food In the buffet line
Group shot
Happy eating Chinese food
World Mysteries
Flight MH370 A Case of Pilot Suicide?
9 ESL held a mock Victorian Inquest into the murder of London
resident and the first purported Jack the Ripper victim, Mary Ann (Polly)
Nichols. She was killed in the wee hours of August 31st, 1888. The boys
each played a role as witnesses and police constables showed up at the
Working Lads’ Institute (Room #18) on Whitechapel Road, to give their
statements to coroner Wynne E. Baxter (played by Sibo Tuyishimire).
Just who did kill Polly? The first witness at the scene, Charles Cross
(Terry Zhu), came under heavy suspicion. The second witness, Robert
Paul (Steven Wang) seemed to support Cross’ version of events
went into action. The search began in the Gulf of China and the South China Sea and concluded in the
Indian Ocean where an analysis of satellite communication between the aircraft and Inmarsat’s satellite
communications concluded that the flight ended at 8:19 AM deep into the Southern Indian Ocean. As most
know, after an exhaustive search, the strewn wreckage and crash site was never found. The widely
accepted theory on the case is that the crew and passengers were unconscious from a mechanical failure on
board and the plane ran on auto-pilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean.
However, there’s a problem with this theory. Debris washed ashore suggests a controlled landing into the
ocean and the flight pattern indicates the pilot weaving in between the radar of two countries in order to
avoid detection. Flight MH370 also dips its wing over Penang, the hometown of pilot Shaw. Canadian
accident investigator, Larry Vance is convinced that it was a pilot-suicide mission. We may never know.
Charles Cross (Lechmere) Investigated
Page 16 Global Gazette Hillside School
Malaysian Flight MH370 took off a little after midnight on March 8th
,
2014 from Kuala Lumpur International Airport headed for Beijing,
China. It never made it! Less than an hour into flight, pilot Zaharie
Ahmad Shaw last made contact with air traffic control before the plane
disappeared off Malaysian Air’s radar. The military had tracked it as it
deviated westward off its planned course over the Malay Peninsula and
was last tracked somewhere over the Andaman Sea some 200 nautical
miles northwest of the island of Penang. A multinational search force
went
….airport.
The day was…
Paul seemed to corroborate Cross’ version of events but others weren’t so sure. Christer Holmgren (Diego
Galindo), a modern Swedish journalist, teleported back in time to present his case against Cross. Police
constables Mizen (Ken Yu) and Neil (Thomas Wang) testified to how they found the body. There was a
heated argument as to what Cross allegedly told Mizen. The constable claimed that Cross told him: “You
are wanted down there by a police man,” while Cross adamantly denied ever saying that he used that word
“because I did not see a policeman in Buck’s Row.” Cross also denied that he was standing over the body
like London’s Lloyd’s Weekly wrote after interviewing Robert Paul the night of the murder. He claimed that
he had arrived a few seconds before Paul and was in the “middle of the road.” A bombshell hit the Inquest
when it was discovered that Cross’ real name was “Lechmere.” Nevertheless, Coroner Baxter felt there
wasn’t enough evidence to pursue a legal case against Cross and the Inquest ended.
International
Book Review By Oscar Xia
interesting thing is that the Red Knots are losing a lot of
its population because of humans. For example, every
year, the Red Knots stop at Delaware Bay to eat
horseshoe crab eggs. There are thousands of them on the
beach. However, during the last century, humans began to
use those eggs as medicine and a lot of fishermen killed a
significant amount of the crabs. This contributed to the
Red Knots’ malnourishment. Also, the beaches are
starting to get too crowded. Although scientists have
made efforts to try to save the seabirds as much space as
possible, the growing population of humans on the
beaches has made life very difficult for the Red Knots.
This book is similar to an article about the
declining population of whales. The decline is caused by
human whaling, and this book also has parts about how
the Red Knots are losing its habitats because of humans. I
do think that this book has an important story to tell
because the Red Knots population is declining. By talking
about their behaviors and how great but fragile they are,
this book might inspire readers to protect these fantastic
seabirds. Personally, I’m inspired by the author and
reading this book make me consider how walking too
close to these seabirds can be harmful to them, and that I
should definitely not chase them. The beaches are their
habitats and they deserve to live peacefully there.
This book is generally pretty easy to understand.
This book did bring up some questions for me. For
example, I was wondering about what makes this
Moonbird so special that it can survive for such a long
time. This book is different than a fiction book because it
doesn’t contain any imaginary elements. It only talks
about the facts of the Red Knots behavior and how they
are threatened by humans. In conclusion, the book talked
about the special and incredible skills that the Red Knots
have when they are migrating, the damage that humans
are causing them, and we should try our best to save these
seabirds. The book also talks about a lot of fantastic
things about these little fragile creatures and I would
recommend it to people that like science and people that
would like to learn more about seabirds.
How well do you think you understood the non-
Moonbird By Phillip Hoose
My book is a nonfiction book called Moonbird. It
features a bird that flies the distance of the Earth to
the Moon and back during its lifetime. The bird is
called “B-95” because of its tag on its leg which
scientists use to observe it. The book talks about how
the Red Knots migrate, find food, and navigate.
Another thing that the book talks about is how the
Red Knot population is declining, and this is due to
humans and the loss of habitat.
One interesting thing in the book is that it
talked about the Red Knot’s ability to adjust its
position in mid air. This is actually important for
them because they always encounter storms when
they migrate, especially in the tropical areas. When
they face the storm, they would fly away from it until
it is safe. Then, they would adjust their navigation
system in mid-air and find the fastest route to their
destination. This allows them to save energy. What
this also suggests is that scientists might have
underestimated the distance that the Red Knots can
travel. Because of all the effort that they put into
flying away from the storm, they might actually
travel way further than we thought. Another
Another interesting thing is that the Red
Knots are losing a lot of its population because of
Student Book Review
Page 17
10 Int’l Trivia Questions for the Month of February
1) What year did human beings first set foot on the moon?
a) 1964 b) 1968 c) 1969
2) Who said: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”?
a) John Wooden b) Lee Harvey Oswald c) Wayne Gretzky
3) In which country can you find the Petronas Towers?
a) Malaysia b) Indonesia C) Qatar
4) Which NFL team picks first in the 2019 draft?
a) New York Jets b) Arizona Cardinals c) San Francisco 49ers
5) What does the word “ambivalent” mean?
a) not interested b) presence of two emotions at the same time c) irate
6) Which author created James Bond?
a) Dan Brown b) John le Carre c) Ian Fleming
7) Which of Japan’s major islands is Tokyo located on?
a) Honshu b) Shikoku c) Kyushu
8) What is the capital of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan?
a) Saskatoon b) Regina c) Prince Albert
9) Which actor IS American?
a) Tom Cruise b) Keanu Reeves c) Ryan Gosling
10) If you were eating bulgogi, you’d likely be in THIS country?
a) Iraq b) South Korea c) Slovakia
Answers: 1) c 2) c 3) a 4) b 5) b 6) c 7) a 8) b 9) a 10) b
Int’l Trivia Teasers
Page 18 Global Gazette Hillside School
Page 19 Global Gazette Hillside School
Cold from around the world
English -cold
Spanish -frio
Korean -gamgi
Japanese -
Hindi -sardee
French -du froid
Chinese -Leng
1.
samui
The Traveling Translator