Volume 111 Issue 3
News
Blended or Fully Remote?: Students Reflect on Their Decisions
By Chloe Terestchenko, Ana-Maria Skaricic, Momoca Mairaj, Ruiwen Tang, James Lee
The Spectator interviewed students about blended versus fully remote learning.
Features
What Makes Life Worth Living? (Other Than School, That Is)
School, stress, quarantine. In the midst of uncertainty and adapting to online school, what makes life worth living for Stuyvesant students?
Features
Lights, Camera, Zoom!
By Jennifer Ji
Questioning whether or not Stuyvesant teachers have a good reason to push students to turn their cameras on.
Features
Using My Voice This November, Even Without a Vote
By Maya Dunayer
After years of not knowing where I stood on the political spectrum, the Save the Children Election Showdown allowed me to use my voice even though I can’t vote.
Features
More Than a Tradition
By Nicholas Martin, Vincent Tan
An analysis of Stuyvesant’s senior name tradition and its implications during the pandemic.
Features
An Ideal Stuyvesant School Day
By Judy Chen
A glimpse into the free time and schedules of Stuyvesant students—but this time, it’s remote.
Science
Australia’s Newest Deadly Creature: The Giant Stinging Tree
By Kaitlyn Lee, Kimya Firoozan
Scientists have recently conducted research on the Australian giant stinging tree, a plant known to give extremely painful and potent injections of venom.
Opinions
Our Polarized Media
By Aaron Visser
The gap between the two narratives drives our country apart.
Opinions
A Climate Conflict in the Golden State
By Lamia Haque
The Trump administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule hurts the economy, sets a politically negative precedent, and furthers the already drastic effects of climate change.
Arts and Entertainment
Exceptionally Awful, Shockingly Stupid, and Despicable: Mulan 2020
“Mulan” (2020) has it all: human rights abuses, cultural appropriation, and an insult to the very character of Hua Mulan.
Humor
So You Think You’ve Found an App?
Let’s take a look at some reviews for some of the new apps teachers are using!
Humor
Congress Reveals New Bill to Provide Stimulus Packages Containing Motivational Messages to Struggling Americans
By Ethan Lam
Congress has revealed a new bill to provide a stimulus package containing motivational messages to struggling Americans.
Arts and Entertainment
The Virtual Emmys: New, but Not Improved
A look at where the Primetime Emmy Awards succeeded, where it failed, and everything in between.
Arts and Entertainment
Duckwrth Brings “SuperGood” Vibes to His Major Label Debut
Duckwrth brings energy, passion, and good vibes to his first album with Republic Records.
Arts and Entertainment
Notorious RBG, a Real Superhero
By Ivy Halpern
Notorious RBG’s well-earned pop culture era.
News
Stuyvesant Administration Updates Grading Framework
By Janna Wang, Ezra Lee, Alice Zhu, Rajhasree Paul
Principal Seung Yu and the Stuyvesant administration have released an updated school-wide grading framework for the upcoming school year.
Features
Sparking Change From a Tiny Midtown Office
Seeing the growing educational disparity and increasing achievement gap in NYC, a team of young educators at Sparks Within Reach has come together to assist homeless youth and fight the issues firsthand.
Features
TikTok, TikTok: Students Respond to the Looming TikTok and WeChat Ban
By Angela Cai
Students reflect on how the WeChat and TikTok ban has affected their lives.
Features
Stepping Into the (Mu)shoes of Asian American Women—How “Mulan” Brings Honor to Us All
By Lauren Lee
The story of Mulan has inspired many Stuyvesant students to be proud of their identities.
Features
Instant Buy
By Isabelle Yaremenko, Ellen Pehlivanian
A look into Stuyvesant students’ quarantine impulse purchases and whether they were worth it.
Opinions
The Asian American Vote
By Anna Lu
It’s not surprising that many Asian Americans feel excluded from American politics because, in both cultural and systemic ways, they are.
Opinions
The Experience of a “Banana” in White America
By Isabel Ching
Because, no matter how hard I try, the world will never consider me American. I may be “white on the inside” and Asian American, but on forms, on applications, in the eyes of those around me—I am Asian.
Science
Gas on Venus Hints at Extraterrestrial Life
By Zoe Piccirillo, Jenna Mackenroth
Radio telescopes discovered a gas on Venus that is produced by living organisms, suggesting that life may exist on the planet.
Opinions
The Misinformation Pipeline
Outrageous political conspiracy theories have begun to dominate social media. Often ending up violent and sometimes deadly, they must be stopped.
Science
Sun Cycles and an Analysis of Upcoming Cycle 25
By Ruoxin Cai
Recently, the sun has started a new cycle, which is predicted to be below average, and may point to a new trend in solar activity.
Science
The West Coast Is Burning: Why?
Assessing the causes and impacts of the U.S. West Coast’s recent wave of devastating wildfires.
Opinions
Legendary Figure RBG’s Untimely Death
By Lamia Haque
Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death has left the country in a state of mourning, and it seems that her dying wish to “not be replaced until a new president is installed” might never come true.
Arts and Entertainment
Redefining Role Models in the Rap Industry
An analysis of the double standard that women in the rap industry face.
Sports
From Refugee to Bayern Superstar: The Rise of Alphonso Davies
F.C. Bayern Munich superstar Alphonso Davies has experienced his rise to stardom in recent years, whether it’s from recently winning the treble with Bayern or his carefree personality on social media. Life, however, hasn’t been so easy for the 20-year-old youngster.
Features
Using My Voice This November, Even Without A Vote
By Maya Dunayer
After years of not knowing where I stood on the political spectrum, the Save the Children Election Showdown allowed me to use my voice even though I can’t vote.
Science
The West Coast Is Burning: Why?
Assessing the causes and impacts of the U.S. West Coast’s recent wave of devastating wildfires.
Arts and Entertainment
What’s Happening with the Film Industry?
Here’s how the film industry is coping with the pandemic.
Humor
A Lovely Introduction (to Flipgrid)
By Asa Muhammad
I had 30 seconds to convey a sensual yet provocative message while also instilling a sense of commonality.
Humor
A Beginner’s Guide on How to Get Into Every Spectator Department
By Kelly Yip, Karen Zhang, Aaron Wang
The Spectator provides a guide on getting into The Spectator.
Humor
MTA Turns to New Labor Source: Rats
By Nora Miller
The MTA addresses new budget gaps by replacing thousands of workers with rats.
Features
Day One: A Blended Beginning
A&E Editor Morris Raskin recounts his first—and only—day of blended learning.
Sports
Big Ten Making Big Moves
The Big Ten has succumbed to the pressure from the NCAA to play football. A few months from now, they will regret restarting the season.
Sports
Kicking It Back with Girls’ Soccer’s Two-Time Leading Goal Scorer
Discussing a captain’s role, college recruiting, and favorite memories with senior and captain of the Stuyvesant girls’ soccer team, Aki Yamaguchi.
Arts and Entertainment
Exceptionally Awful, Shockingly Stupid, and Despicable: Mulan 2020
“Mulan” (2020) has it all: human rights abuses, cultural appropriation, and an insult to the very character of Hua Mulan.
Sports
Bigger Than Tennis
By Roxie Gosfield, Susie McKnight
Throughout the U.S. Open, the champion, Naomi Osaka, wore seven masks with the names of police brutality victims on them, hoping to bring more awareness to them.
Arts and Entertainment
Notorious RBG, a Real Superhero
By Ivy Halpern
Notorious RBG’s well-earned pop culture era.
Sports
The Scoop on Tina Charles: Making an Impact on and off the Court
By Alicia Yu
WNBA legend Tina Charles proves why she is much more than just a basketball player.
Sports
Bigger Than Tennis
By Roxie Gosfield, Susie McKnight
Throughout the U.S. Open, the champion, Naomi Osaka, wore seven masks with the names of police brutality victims on them, hoping to bring more awareness to them.
Arts and Entertainment
A Psychological Thriller With Southern Accents: "The Devil All the Time"
By Samira Esha
"The Devil All the Time” is the newest Netflix release with limited success.
News
Julian Giordano and Shivali Korgaonkar: Leaders of the 2020-2021 Student Union
By Isabella Jia, Saad Ghaffouli, Peter Goswami
Senior Julian Giordano and junior Shivali Korgaonkar emerge unopposed as leaders of the 2020-2021 Student Union.
News
Blended or Fully Remote?: Students Reflect on Their Decisions
By Chloe Terestchenko, Ana-Maria Skaricic, Momoca Mairaj, Ruiwen Tang, James Lee
The Spectator interviewed students about blended versus fully remote learning.
News
Stuyvesant Administration Updates Grading Framework
By Janna Wang, Ezra Lee, Alice Zhu, Rajhasree Paul
Principal Seung Yu and the Stuyvesant administration have released an updated school-wide grading framework for the upcoming school year.
Features
What Makes Life Worth Living? (Other Than School, That Is)
School, stress, quarantine. In the midst of uncertainty and adapting to online school, what makes life worth living for Stuyvesant students?
Features
Lights, Camera, Zoom!
By Jennifer Ji
Questioning whether or not Stuyvesant teachers have a good reason to push students to turn their cameras on.
Features
Using My Voice This November, Even Without a Vote
By Maya Dunayer
After years of not knowing where I stood on the political spectrum, the Save the Children Election Showdown allowed me to use my voice even though I can’t vote.
Features
Sparking Change From a Tiny Midtown Office
Seeing the growing educational disparity and increasing achievement gap in NYC, a team of young educators at Sparks Within Reach has come together to assist homeless youth and fight the issues firsthand.
Features
TikTok, TikTok: Students Respond to the Looming TikTok and WeChat Ban
By Angela Cai
Students reflect on how the WeChat and TikTok ban has affected their lives.
Features
Stepping Into the (Mu)shoes of Asian American Women—How “Mulan” Brings Honor to Us All
By Lauren Lee
The story of Mulan has inspired many Stuyvesant students to be proud of their identities.
Features
Instant Buy
By Isabelle Yaremenko, Ellen Pehlivanian
A look into Stuyvesant students’ quarantine impulse purchases and whether they were worth it.
Features
More Than a Tradition
By Nicholas Martin, Vincent Tan
An analysis of Stuyvesant’s senior name tradition and its implications during the pandemic.
Features
An Ideal Stuyvesant School Day
By Judy Chen
A glimpse into the free time and schedules of Stuyvesant students—but this time, it’s remote.
Opinions
The Asian American Vote
By Anna Lu
It’s not surprising that many Asian Americans feel excluded from American politics because, in both cultural and systemic ways, they are.
Opinions
The Experience of a “Banana” in White America
By Isabel Ching
Because, no matter how hard I try, the world will never consider me American. I may be “white on the inside” and Asian American, but on forms, on applications, in the eyes of those around me—I am Asian.
Science
Gas on Venus Hints at Extraterrestrial Life
By Zoe Piccirillo, Jenna Mackenroth
Radio telescopes discovered a gas on Venus that is produced by living organisms, suggesting that life may exist on the planet.
Science
Australia’s Newest Deadly Creature: The Giant Stinging Tree
By Kaitlyn Lee, Kimya Firoozan
Scientists have recently conducted research on the Australian giant stinging tree, a plant known to give extremely painful and potent injections of venom.
Opinions
Our Polarized Media
By Aaron Visser
The gap between the two narratives drives our country apart.
Opinions
The Misinformation Pipeline
Outrageous political conspiracy theories have begun to dominate social media. Often ending up violent and sometimes deadly, they must be stopped.
Science
Sun Cycles and an Analysis of Upcoming Cycle 25
By Ruoxin Cai
Recently, the sun has started a new cycle, which is predicted to be below average, and may point to a new trend in solar activity.
Science
The West Coast Is Burning: Why?
Assessing the causes and impacts of the U.S. West Coast’s recent wave of devastating wildfires.
Opinions
A Climate Conflict in the Golden State
By Lamia Haque
The Trump administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule hurts the economy, sets a politically negative precedent, and furthers the already drastic effects of climate change.
Opinions
Legendary Figure RBG’s Untimely Death
By Lamia Haque
Former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death has left the country in a state of mourning, and it seems that her dying wish to “not be replaced until a new president is installed” might never come true.
Arts and Entertainment
“Cuties”: Netflix’s Newest Disaster
By Maya Nelson
“Cuties,” a movie that encourages the sexualization of children, should be removed from Netflix.
Opinions
A President’s Legacy Is Far More Than Their Biggest Failure
How should we evaluate a president’s legacy with all of its complications?
Science
The West Coast Is Burning: Why?
Assessing the causes and impacts of the U.S. West Coast’s recent wave of devastating wildfires.
Arts and Entertainment
Exceptionally Awful, Shockingly Stupid, and Despicable: Mulan 2020
“Mulan” (2020) has it all: human rights abuses, cultural appropriation, and an insult to the very character of Hua Mulan.
Arts and Entertainment
What’s Happening with the Film Industry?
Here’s how the film industry is coping with the pandemic.
Humor
So You Think You’ve Found an App?
Let’s take a look at some reviews for some of the new apps teachers are using!
Humor
A Lovely Introduction (to Flipgrid)
By Asa Muhammad
I had 30 seconds to convey a sensual yet provocative message while also instilling a sense of commonality.
Humor
A Beginner’s Guide on How to Get Into Every Spectator Department
By Kelly Yip, Karen Zhang, Aaron Wang
The Spectator provides a guide on getting into The Spectator.
Humor
MTA Turns to New Labor Source: Rats
By Nora Miller
The MTA addresses new budget gaps by replacing thousands of workers with rats.
Humor
Congress Reveals New Bill to Provide Stimulus Packages Containing Motivational Messages to Struggling Americans
By Ethan Lam
Congress has revealed a new bill to provide a stimulus package containing motivational messages to struggling Americans.
Arts and Entertainment
The Virtual Emmys: New, but Not Improved
A look at where the Primetime Emmy Awards succeeded, where it failed, and everything in between.
Features
Day One: A Blended Beginning
A&E Editor Morris Raskin recounts his first—and only—day of blended learning.
Sports
Big Ten Making Big Moves
The Big Ten has succumbed to the pressure from the NCAA to play football. A few months from now, they will regret restarting the season.
Sports
Kicking It Back with Girls’ Soccer’s Two-Time Leading Goal Scorer
Discussing a captain’s role, college recruiting, and favorite memories with senior and captain of the Stuyvesant girls’ soccer team, Aki Yamaguchi.
Arts and Entertainment
Exceptionally Awful, Shockingly Stupid, and Despicable: Mulan 2020
“Mulan” (2020) has it all: human rights abuses, cultural appropriation, and an insult to the very character of Hua Mulan.
Arts and Entertainment
Duckwrth Brings “SuperGood” Vibes to His Major Label Debut
Duckwrth brings energy, passion, and good vibes to his first album with Republic Records.
Sports
Bigger Than Tennis
By Roxie Gosfield, Susie McKnight
Throughout the U.S. Open, the champion, Naomi Osaka, wore seven masks with the names of police brutality victims on them, hoping to bring more awareness to them.
Arts and Entertainment
Notorious RBG, a Real Superhero
By Ivy Halpern
Notorious RBG’s well-earned pop culture era.
Arts and Entertainment
Notorious RBG, a Real Superhero
By Ivy Halpern
Notorious RBG’s well-earned pop culture era.
Sports
The Scoop on Tina Charles: Making an Impact on and off the Court
By Alicia Yu
WNBA legend Tina Charles proves why she is much more than just a basketball player.
Sports
Bigger Than Tennis
By Roxie Gosfield, Susie McKnight
Throughout the U.S. Open, the champion, Naomi Osaka, wore seven masks with the names of police brutality victims on them, hoping to bring more awareness to them.
Arts and Entertainment
Redefining Role Models in the Rap Industry
An analysis of the double standard that women in the rap industry face.
Arts and Entertainment
Redefining Role Models in the Rap Industry
An analysis of the double standard that women in the rap industry face.
Sports
From Refugee to Bayern Superstar: The Rise of Alphonso Davies
F.C. Bayern Munich superstar Alphonso Davies has experienced his rise to stardom in recent years, whether it’s from recently winning the treble with Bayern or his carefree personality on social media. Life, however, hasn’t been so easy for the 20-year-old youngster.
Features
Using My Voice This November, Even Without A Vote
By Maya Dunayer
After years of not knowing where I stood on the political spectrum, the Save the Children Election Showdown allowed me to use my voice even though I can’t vote.
Arts and Entertainment
A Psychological Thriller With Southern Accents: "The Devil All the Time"
By Samira Esha
"The Devil All the Time” is the newest Netflix release with limited success.