By: Marlena B. (’20)
-Europeans eat around 46 pounds of apples annually
-Starbucks has sold over 200 million pumpkin spice lattes in the last 11 years (that’s around $80 million in revenue)
-Jack O’ Lanterns came from Irish immigrants coming to America
By: Gracie H. (’18)
We all know Rihanna as an award winning singer and songwriter, street style influencer and feminist icon, but Rihanna just hit it out of the park with the release of her new makeup line. Fenty Beauty is strongly focused on inclusivity. Typically, when a brand launches a new face product, it’s released in five to ten shades which mainly cater to lighter complexions. Companies fail to realize that there are hundreds of skin colors and skin tones to take into consideration, so their limited shade range limits the amount of people who can buy their product. Well, not Rihanna. She released a whopping 40 shades to cater to every skin tone.
By: Gabrielle L. (’18)
Without doubt, the vicious polarization of the 2016 Presidential Campaign and the subsequent election of the Trump administration increased talk of today’s ‘historically-unparalleled’ political partisanship. In fact, in Barack Obama’s 2017 farewell address, he referred to his inability to reverse the 21st century hyper-partisan trend as “one of the few regrets” of his presidency; the challenges of today’s congressional gridlock are well acknowledged by both the government and public. Despite this, although modern Congress is often criticized for exhibiting a hyper-partisanship incomparable to any other time period in our nation’s history, political science metrics suggest that current congressional polarization actually marks a return to historical norms.
By: Georgie M. (’18)
One scroll through Brandy Melville’s perfectly curated Instagram feed will take you into the “ideal life” of most teenage girls. The tanned, skinny, and blonde girls on the site and even in store definitely do the job of selling and giving the clothes a desirable aesthetic to their many young customers. But it wasn’t until I stopped buying from Brandy Melville that I realized what was actually behind their hugely successful business model. A few years later, I went into the store with a friend of mine. Middle school memories came flooding back.
By: Maddie E. (’21) , Meghna M. (’21) , Sabrina H. (’21)
When I stepped off of the shuttle in front of the mansion on the first day of school, I was immediately struck with a sense of familiarity… but also a slight sense of nervousness. This was the first time since the earliest moments of 6th grade that I’d been on the Crystal campus without knowing what was about to happen next. For the past three years, I’d gotten used to my classes, teachers, and friendships; now, my beloved routine was about to be kicked to the curb. I’ll be honest, my mind was prepared for the worst.
By: Caitlin R. (’20)
Have you ever been stressed? Me too. Considering we go to Crystal, I wouldn’t be surprised if almost every student here has experienced feeling overwhelmed by homework, sports, and everything in general. In order to keep my stress levels down, I use some stress-reducing techniques that really help me and can help you too.
By: Marlena B. (’20) The start of this football season marks a change in a time-honored tradition of sports. For decades, “The Star Spangled Banner” has swept through countless professional sports stadiums […]
By: Sarina D. (’19)
Everyday after school, as we head to our sports practices or instrument lessons or SAT prep classes, the cast of Radium Girls goes back in time 100 years to factory life in Illinois. Featuring Crystal Students from all four grades, Radium Girls is a dynamic ensemble piece that tells the stories of female laborers in early 20th century Illinois who contracted radiation poison from painting watch dials with self-luminous paint, despite being told that the paint was harmless. The play’s director, Mr. Waters, explained that he chose the play because it had a large cast and would pose a challenge to the actors, who have taken on comedies in the last few Crystal productions. Radium Girls is dark and full of challenges, but ultimately delivers a message of hope.
By: Ella R. (’19)
At Crystal, we are lucky to receive an excellent education while still being encouraged to try a huge variety of activities. Sometimes, though, it can be rather challenging to find a balance between everything we do. Searching for some words of wisdom from experienced Gryphons, I spoke with juniors Kevin C., Natalie H. and Tara A., and seniors Jennifer A., Eliana F., and Nicky M. to hear about their experiences at Crystal and what they’ve learned over the years. Keep reading to find out what they have to say about sports, talking to teachers, and the importance of taking time to relax.
The Gryphon Gazette 