Opinion, Politics

Vote Blue No Matter Who—Unless It’s Zohran Mamdani

Leo Mahe

By Leo Mahe We tend to remember 2016 as the year Trump upended American politics, ushering in an era defined by fascist campaigns, scandals, and a constant churn of increasingly unhinged tweets. But before the Democrats eventually lost the general election, ushering in Donald Trump’s presidency, another battle had raged inside the Democratic party: the fight for what being a Democrat meant altogether. During the 2016 Democratic Primary, with Obama no longer eligible to run for another term, the party was forced to select a new standard-bearer. On one side stood Hillary Clinton, the embodiment of the political establishment. A … Continue reading Vote Blue No Matter Who—Unless It’s Zohran Mamdani

Opinion, Politics

International Outcry After Israel Defense Forces Shoot Aid Workers

Leo Mahe

By Leo Mahe On March 23, nearly two years into the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, ambulances were sent out to evacuate Palestinian civilians after an Israeli shelling. An ambulance and its crew were “hit” on their way to the civilians’ location, leading several more ambulances, a fire truck, and a clearly labeled United Nations vehicle to head over and try to rescue them. Seventeen people were dispatched in total, but never returned from their dispatch, sparking international concern for their well-being. It took five days for the United Nations and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, a branch of the International … Continue reading International Outcry After Israel Defense Forces Shoot Aid Workers

News

Student Voices vs. Administrative Decisions: The Controversy of the 25-26 Schedule

Stephanie Zhang

By Ivy Li & Stephanie Zhang From the addition of the ambiguous “Transdisciplinary Learning and Enrichment” to the controversial removal of the underclassmen’s only flex block, the 2025-26 school schedule has sparked heated debate. Though framed as a move to support student wellbeing, the disrupted balance between classes, extended learning, and clubs has triggered a response far from enthusiastic. A critical question arises within the PD High School community: Why should the unilateral decision of school administration drown out student voice?  2025-2026 Schedule Example with Sample Courses A Summary of Key Changes  1. Extended Learning Restructuring  2. Club Participation Limitations 3. … Continue reading Student Voices vs. Administrative Decisions: The Controversy of the 25-26 Schedule

Features

Earth Week Highlights

Stephanie Zhang

By Stephanie Zhang From April 21st to 25th, the service clubs Eco Eagles and Roots & Shoots joined forces to celebrate Earth Week with a weeklong series of engaging, eco-conscious activities. Through creativity, collaboration, and plenty of green spirit, students were inspired to make more sustainable choices in their daily lives. Here’s a look at the highlights: 🍽 Monday: “Meatless Monday” & Earth Day Kahoot -The cafeteria kicked off the week by offering entirely plant-based meals in place of meat. This year’s “Meatless Monday” was met with enthusiastic feedback—many students noted that the vegetarian alternatives were both flavorful and impressively … Continue reading Earth Week Highlights

Features, News

Chicago, Legally Blonde…Spongebob?

Kaylee Huang

By Kaylee Huang The annual school play is a cornerstone of our performing arts program. Instead of a musical similar to last year’s high school production, Legally Blonde, the Performing Arts department has decided to shift to a whole school musical. Under the direction of Ms. Borodenko, the head of the Performing Arts department, the selection of SpongeBob aims to achieve inclusivity, using a more contemporary show to incorporate a younger cast. In an interview, Ms. Borodenko explained the rationale behind choosing a whole school production instead of limiting it to just the high school. The motivation for attempting a … Continue reading Chicago, Legally Blonde…Spongebob?

Opinion

Debate: Toxic Competition or Valuable Discourse?

Mimi Yao

By Mimi Yao Why debate? Some, such as SAS student Tracy Hung see debate as “A way to express and address disagreements.” Yet, in the past few years, especially in East Asian countries, debate has become increasingly associated with tournaments, awards, and most significantly, an entrance ticket to top tier universities. Competitive debate has existed since the late 1800s, yet it only gained widespread recognition in China in the mid 2010s, which saw the rise of debate institutions such as Inspira and Learning Leaders. At this time, many students joined debate to improve their public speaking skills, meet new teammates, … Continue reading Debate: Toxic Competition or Valuable Discourse?

Teacher Profiles

Darning Cultures: Esther Baumann

Mimi Yao

By Mimi Yao This year, the newly established history club (RKNHS) hopes to spotlight members of the SAS community with unique cultural stories. In this interview, Esther Baumann shares the challenges and rewards of being part of three different cultures.  SAS is a proud host of bilingual speakers, multi-cultural families, and students and faculty from around the world. Esther Baumann, a new member of the SAS community who runs the academic support program at Flex, is a representative for all three of these identities.   Ms. Baumann was born and raised in Hungary, which she jokingly refers to as “the depressed … Continue reading Darning Cultures: Esther Baumann

Literature

Atomic Habits Book Review 

Gavin Chen

By Gavin Chen Have you ever tried finding a flow with work but struggle then give up altogether? Well, that was the case for me…until I read Atomic Habits by James Clear. Today, let’s discuss how Atomic Habits helped me build good habits and procrastinate less. Among his theories, the one that stood out the most to me was: to change a bad habit or to adopt a good habit, we must first redefine our identity. For example, if someone wants to study more, they should first envision themselves as an “intelligent” or “studious” person. Then, they can work towards … Continue reading Atomic Habits Book Review 

Opinion

Social Media, Internet Influencers, and the Destructive Pursuit of Perfection 

Javier Leng

By Javier Leng I recently came across a Tiktok video of a street interview on Oxford Street, London’s premier shopping district. After a rather gaudy opening tune from the popular pop song Espresso, the male interviewer asked a group of young girls who could not have been older than 10 (trusting my visual intuition) to tell the audience what they had bought on their shopping day. The girls reached into their purses, and instead of pulling out Barbie dolls or a pair of colorful sneakers as one would expect of their age, they pulled out a whole stash of Sephora … Continue reading Social Media, Internet Influencers, and the Destructive Pursuit of Perfection 

News

2025 Town Hall

arielle0814

By Arielle Wang and Charlotte Lai No one likes change. People prefer having a sense of normalcy—which dissipates with the arrival of change. When we go off to college, we miss the smell of home, of the incense our mothers burn every day after school, or of the familiar scent of our parents’ embrace. What if one day you go home to a wholly new odor? Something citrusy and tangy that challenges our palate? At the start of this year, we were bombarded with news of yet another reform to the SAS schedule. It vexed many members of the student … Continue reading 2025 Town Hall