March Edition

Letter from the Editors:

Happy Spring(ish)! February and March have been a whirlwind here at The Hilltopper, and we've been working tirelessly to keep up with the current events. Between the walkout against anti-queer legislation, Russia's Seizure of Nuclear Plants, Needham's new "mask friendly policy," and the Senate passing a bill for permanent daylight savings, the March Edition has it all! Hang in there, Needham High, only a few months (or weeks) until you're legally obligated to check out!

xoxo,

Talia, Alex, and Bayley ♡

Courtesy of NHS

To The People Who Walked Out For The Wrong Reasons

By Bayley Basson and Talia Bloom

We walked out of our classes for 20 minutes to protest anti-trans and anti-queer legislation on Friday, March 11th. We stopped our learning for 20 minutes for the youth who feel the crushing weight of the sheer number of adults and government officials who directly oppose their identities, lives, and wellbeing. But to the people who walked out for the wrong reasons: you caused a scene and acted in blatant homophobia, undermining the intention of the walkout. We sincerely hope you can understand the damage of your actions and can reflect on the real issues that were supposed to be the focus.

Courtesy of Stanford Athletics

We Need to Talk about Athlete Mental Health

By Alex Goodale

On March 1st, Stanford's women's soccer goalkeeper Katie Meyer, who helped win the 2019 NCAA championship title for the school, died by suicide. Katie seemed to have it all: intelligence, athleticism, confidence, love, and much more. Her parents say that “there were no red flags." This begs the question: why would someone who appeared happy and healthy take her own life?

Picture This: Boys Varsity Basketball

By Sophia D'Amelio

Courtesy of SNL

Gym Class: Useful or Useless?

By Evie Lockwood-Mullaney

Gym class. It’s a requirement for all four years of high school. A lot of people think of gym as playing capture the flag outside in June, running the mile back in sixth grade, and playing ultimate football at Pollard -- however, at the high school, there’s a lot more to it. In ninth grade, we had sex ed half the time, and sophomore year we got to pick between CPR, yoga, and more. The Needham public schools system definitely offers a lot of opportunities when it comes to gym class, but can it be improved?

36 Questions with Mr. Stanczak

By Christine Mittaz and Reina Hneidi

Introducing the Hilltopper's 36 Questions with some of our favorite teachers (modelled after Vogue's 72 Questions with celebrities). For this edition, please enjoy 36 Questions with Mr. Stanczak.

Courtesy of the New York Times

Hilly's Mask Etiquette Reminders

By Hilly the Hilltopper

I assume it has been quite a hectic 2022 for you all. From the COVID spike in January to being mask friendly now, a lot has definitely happened! I hope everyone’s mask friendly experience at Needham has been a pleasant one. I’m here to remind everyone of proper etiquette now that many people’s full faces are showing.

Courtesy of Wisholize

Engraved Key Chains: Where Are They for Unique Names?

By Hadas Duchin

I am sure that many of the people reading this article have a keychain or other common household item with their name engraved on it. I am sure that most of you bought this item in a gift shop. However, I am also sure that there are many of you at home who do not possess such an item. Not for lack of want, but for lack of accessibility. By now, those of you with unique and uncommon names have learned to stop looking for your name on these items.

Courtesy of Sincere Media Pro

Mental Health Resources at NHS

By Lily Katz

We’ve all heard the claims from various teachers: “We’re here for you!” and “Mental health matters!”. Despite what teachers and administrators say, though, do Needham High students really feel comfortable reaching out for emotional support? There are a plethora of support systems available to NHS students, so why do so many feel like they have nobody to turn to?

Courtesy of safetysigns.com

"Mask Friendly" Isn't So Friendly

By Bayley Basson

Dr. Gutekanst declared that on March 7, Needham Public Schools would officially go mask optional under the term “mask friendly.” This meant students, teachers, and all other staff members could make the decision of when or where to wear a mask. As the daughter of a doctor and overall a prominent supporter of mask-wearing in general, I was worried about this impending day. Every time a place has lifted a mask mandate, cases skyrocketed, so I, of course, expected nothing different for Needham Public Schools.

Courtesy of INC

Should Pollard Have Dropped Accelerated Math?

By Amelie Zosa

As a student who went through the middle school accelerated math program, I was shocked when I found out that after my grade graduated middle school, the program would no longer be an option for Pollard students. I greatly enjoyed the program and found it incredibly helpful in advancing my work ethic and study techniques. So, why was this program dropped?

Courtesy of Business Insider

Russia’s Seizure of Nuclear Plants and the Possible Risks

By Christine Mittaz

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. From the start, Russia used brutal tactics, such as the targeting of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. So far the Russians have seized the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhya, and are near Ukraine’s third plant in Mykolaiv. Due to both history and very recent events, Russia's control over Chernobyl, in specific, is threatening to both humanity and the environment.

Courtesy of Pollard Middle School

The Pandemic, the Flu, and COVID Nihilism

By Sydney Baker

There are very few scenarios in which we live to see COVID-19, in all of its diverse strains, completely eradicated. Many scientists think, just as there is a flu season, a ‘COVID season’ will emerge, as well. Even as COVID cases continue to rise in the United States, attitudes about the disease seem to be easing. So, as the world seems to care less and less about COVID, ask yourself. Do you?

Courtesy of Mudgins.com

Wordle Craze Turns One Student Into "The Spoiler"

By Jack Stein

An epidemic of unprecedented proportions has recently infected hundreds throughout Needham High School, and it looks like it’s here to stay. This epidemic is none other than Josh Wardle’s daily word game: Wordle. Although simple in concept, Wordle has been able to capture the heart of so many. Leto Oiler is not one of those people.

Guys, the Senators Were Able to Unanimously Pass a Bill: The Sunshine Protection Act

By Alex Goodale

It was a defining moment in America’s history of time: the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, permanently keeping Daylight Savings Time. That’s right, you heard that. No more will you have to deal with the hassle of shifting an hour in time biannually. However, did the Senate make the right choice?

The Case Against Unweighted GPAs

By Tommy Langford

The class of 2023 will be the first class at Needham High School to graduate with an unweighted Grade Point Average (GPA). Despite proponents of the school’s current GPA policy arguing that unweighted GPAs are fairer and encourage students to take a good balance of courses, in reality, unweighted GPAs are unfair, have no effect on student’s course selection decisions, and has led to the accomplishments of students who take challenging courses to be overlooked by the school.

Class of 2023 Thoughts about Unweighted GPAs

By Sophia D'Amelio

For decades, Needham High School weighted students’ grades based on the difficulty of course levels they took .. Known as a weighted GPA, or grade point average. The main difference between weighted and unweighted is that weighted GPAs take into account the difficulty of a course level and unweighted GPAs weigh all classes regardless of difficulty the same This sparked much controversy amongst Needham students, parents, and even some staff.

Courtesy of Pollard Middle School

Breaking Middle School Perpetrating Lies About NHS

By Emily Flanagan

Every NHS student who went to Pollard remembers January of 8th grade. Suddenly, the rest of middle school didn’t matter. We were flooded with information about the next four years. High school, it’s no surprise, is nothing like “High School Musical.” Everyone knows that, but what people don’t realize is that Disney Channel is not the only perpetrator of lies about high school. The even bigger offender? Middle school teachers and administrators.

Own Your Peace Ribbon Photo Journal

By the Own Your Peace/Piece Leadership Team

On Thursday, March 17th, the community came together to write wishes they have for the community or something they took away from Own Your Peace/Piece week. Here's a look at the visual display OYP made with all the ribbons.

The Olympic Figure Skating Drama

By Alex Goodale

If you’ve been watching the 2022 Beijing Olympics, you’ve probably heard the drama with the Russian figure skaters. From a doping scandal to a tantrum to a sad celebration, Russia’s three women’s figure skaters did not have the ideal Olympic experience. The person behind the madness? Renowned Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze.

Courtesy of Coming Next

Hogwarts Reunion Recap

By Aliyah Borskiy

As the famous Hedwig's Theme plays on the big screen, millions of Harry Potter fans all over the world gather to watch their beloved actors and actresses who brought the magical universe to life reunite. On January 1st, 2022 the reunion premiered on HBO Max. Here's a recap of the special event fans have been waiting for.

Courtesy of Orli Kadar

Fashionista of the Month: Orli Kadar

By Amelie Zosa

Let's give a round of applause to this month's Fashionista of the Month, Orli Kadar!

Courtesy of Amazon

Music Album Breakdowns

By Owen Woo

Over the week-long February break, I had a lot of free time on my hands and so I decided to use my time to indulge in my hobby of listening to music. During the last couple of weeks, I’ve listened to upwards of 12 albums and I’m excited to share my thoughts on them.

Picture This: 2022 Gymnastics

The gymnastics season has come to a close, so please enjoy these photos!