The High School Student News Site of The American School in London

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The High School Student News Site of The American School in London

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ASL’s winners and losers of 2014

Lead Features Editor Zack Longboy looks back at his three winners and three losers of ASL’s 2014.

Winner: Jinn

As 2014 comes to a close, Jinn has taken off. A dozen of Jinn’s leather clad army gathered outside of Waverley entrance at 12:45 p.m. is no longer an uncommon sight. Jinn might just be the biggest winner of 2014, why? Because Jinn provides students with the perfect service: access to once-distant destinations, places like Shake Shack and Chipotle, places that used to be a bus ride or tube journey away, delivered straight to their door.

Loser: New Frontiers

Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the swimming pool, science labs and new fitness room will be well used (once I’m gone), but the significant disruptions that the construction noise causes to orange classrooms as well as the more serious consequences like compromising structural integrity, mean that, in 2014, New Frontiers and its complications can only be considered a loser. I do have high hopes for the future however.

Winner: Girls fall sports

Girls fall sports teams won 2014. The varsity girls soccer team completed an undefeated season and won a gold medal while the varsity girls volleyball team added another gold in an undefeated tournament run. As well as two first place finishes for the junior varsity (JV) girls soccer and volleyball programs and the development of a Collegiate Division I ready field hockey prospect in Kjersti Anderson (’15), girls cross country also had a runner place top 3 at their International School Sports Tournaments (ISSTs). Overall the girls were dominant, making them, without a doubt, winners in 2014.

Loser: Traditions

Whether it be senior ski trip, the baby photo assembly or captains’ speeches, once longstanding traditions at the school fell (or an attempt to make them fall in the case of ski trip) in 2014. Homecoming? Goodbye alumni-faculty game. Goodbye Friday night basketball games (there are only two for the entire season, neither of which are against Cobham). In 2014 high school traditions were a loser. Let’s see what 2015 will hold.

Winner: The ASL admin

While dissent against Principal Jack Phillips and Co. reached unprecedented heights in 2014, they have stuck steadfastly to their unpopular ideals. Shared ownership? Yeah, it wasn’t that popular. Somewhat backhanded tactics when dealing with the ski trip situation? Yes, but Phillips and more importantly the entire administration aren’t doing it with some ulterior, sinister motives. Despite their unpopularity and despite a lack of communication with the student body, they are doing it because they genuinely believe that they will improve the high school. Will they? We have no way of telling that as of yet, but we do know that they are trying, to the best of their ability, to make the high school a better place despite hostility from the student body. And for that, the admin are (surprising) winners in 2014.

Loser: Yik Yak

Yik Yak had so much potential. Would it serve as a platform for lighthearted and satirical commentary on the affairs of ASL? Or would it become something far more sinister? In 2014 Yik Yak revealed a darker side of our community, a side of some students that seemed all too eager to hide behind the protection of anonymity and slander, insult and violate other students and faculty at ASL. As a hindrance to any sense of community we attempted to foster in 2014, it is easy to label Yik Yak a loser in 2014.

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