What do the Stars Mean?
Sijia Zheng (12-4)
Photographed by Theo Wyss-Flamm (12-4)
We saw the first sign of stars this school year when they twinkled on several report cards. Then, we noticed ‘Star’bucks realigning from pumpkin spiced lattes to peppermint mochas, or even peppermint hot chocolates (but we wouldn’t know about that around our school neighborhood as the Starbucks on Spring Garden Street is still in the middle of construction!). Star ornaments top coniferous tree caps and electric lights shine with star-like brilliance to illuminate City Hall. Candlelight flickers atop menorahs and kinaras of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, and New Years’ fireworks are yet to come, which from afar are all speckles of light. We don’t get to see many stars in Philadelphia’s polluted skies until winter, when one by one, they pop up in people’s homes.
What is with all the attention of stars and light during these final months of each year? Explanations of the star motif during the holidays mainly reference the Christian star of Bethlehem, which guided the three wise men to Jerusalem and baby Jesus. At large, we understand the importance of stars, for one of these balls of hydrogen and helium in particular provides the exact warmth necessary for humanity’s survival.
On a smaller scale, at Masterman in late November, we used stars to highlight achievement. The teachers put star stickers on report cards to pay homage to the 1960s, when “little Masterman cards were pre-printed to indicate honor roll,” as Principal Brown explained. Yet, upon seeing (or not seeing) stars in conjunction with their grades, students tried to define them: “I felt it w0as just a way to divide the students [as if] instead of just having yourself see [the state of your grades], it was about letting other people see them,” thought Ellie McKeown (12-3). It also felt a little unnecessary: “Some people didn’t get stars; it’s not a good way to make people feel good about themselves. If you got a star, it doesn’t mean that much anyway,” said Shirley Zhang (11-4).
However the many interpretations of stars, they don’t have to be taken seriously. When inquired about the stars on our report cards, honestly, Ms. Brown didn’t have much to offer as to why they were included. She smiled and thought for a little, mentioning something along the lines of, “We simply just did it”. Gold, silver, rainbow-colored, lit up, or star-reminiscents, stars are sometimes solely intended to decorate. They can help craft an air of warmth and magic of holiday spirit. “I mean, they are cute,” Oona Ashraf (12-1) offers.