Lamplighter, March 2015

Lamplighter Winter 2014

Issue: 2

50 Years and Still Going Strong

Coffee Zombies

Emma Wagner ‘17

2,600 weeks, five decades, 18,262 days, half a century: it doesn’t matter how you express it, fifty years is an enormous milestone! As the school community knows, Derryfield is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary with a year long birthday celebration.

I spoke with Ms. Shutz, one of the faculty leaders for Fiftieth Anniversary planning. She said there are four main ways for students to get involved. This is through 50 Acts of Kindness, Commit to 50, the time capsule project, and assemblies.

The 50 Acts of Kindness is off to a great start! Fall sports teams did some awesome service projects, such as food drives and yard work at the Beech Street School.

Keep in mind that the Acts of Kindness are not limited to sports teams. In fact, advisories, families, noncompetitive sports (such as yoga), and any other groups are encouraged to participate. Projects aren’t limited to the Derryfield or Manchester community. You could start a service project in your town or do a global Act of Kindness. A word of advice from fall sports teams is to get started on your project early.

(Continued on A1)

Anja Stadelmann ‘17

ONLINE GRADING

Jonathan Furlong ‘17 and Patrick Finocchiaro ‘15

What would you change about Derryfield? The homework load? The time class starts in the morning? The number of days in the school week? These ideas sit in the back of your head, and you laugh at yourself. You say, "The faculty would never approve this," or, "Yeah, right."

Interestingly enough, the faculty does want to hear your ideas. If you can think it, they want to hear it. Jon Furlong '17, broke the mold of saying, "Yeah, right," and bravely confronted an issue that he was concerned about.

During the 2013-2014 academic year, Jon brought forward a proposal regarding grade transparency and communication between Derryfield students and faculty. He claims that the student-teacher relationship could be strengthened by integrating an online grading system. is nerve-racking, the Derryfield faculty encouraged Jon, and welcomed the discussion of his proposal.

(Continued on B1)

Human Interest:

50 Years and Still Going Strong ...................................... A1 The Legend Returns ..........................................................A1 Coffee Zombies ..................................................................A2 Michael Boykins ................................................................A2 Turkish Exchange Student ...............................................A3

News:

Table of Contents

As students crawl towards the end of the winter term, many students turn to a large cup of coffee in the morning and keep drinking throughout the day to combat long nights of studying and early mornings for homeroom and advisory. We’ve all heard it before, that caffeine can stunt your growth and have numerous unwanted effects on your health, but, in our minds, the benefits seemingly outweigh the risks. We can find caffeine in everything from soft drinks to candy bars and we voraciously consume this drug in our hopes to increase alertness and reduce exhaustion. However, for young adults especially, the long term effects of caffeine may be detrimental to both health and academic life. (Continued on A2)

Sports:

Online Grading ............................................................. B1 Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer ................................................. C1 Three Incredible March Trips ......................................B2 DS Hockey 101 .............................................................. C1 Phone Policy ...................................................................B3 Flag Football .................................................................. C2 What Is the Learning Hub? ...........................................B3

A1 Issue 2

Human Interest

Lamplighter 50 Years: Going Strong (continued)

Winter 2014

A time capsule that will be opened at the 75th anniversary is being planned as well. Each grade will contribute to the time capsule by deciding on a theme based on what they feel is important and defines Derryfield and the world now. In addition, predictions for twenty five years from now may be included. If you’re interested in the time capsule project, talk to your class time capsule representative.

The Fiftieth Anniversary is also being celebrated through special assemblies.

Speakers on the first day talked about what DS was like in its first decades. Then, alumni Gary Hirshberg and David Snow spoke about how they connected the morals and passions that they developed at Derryfield to successful and moral businesses careers. At an assembly in early November, we welcomed Michael Blanding, an investigative journalist and author of The Map Thief. Blanding spoke about one of Derryfield’s most infamous alumnus, E. Forbes Smiley, a convicted map thief. The fiftieth day of school was celebrated with a Head’s Holiday where students embarked on a school wide scavenger hunt and played outdoor games. The day ended with a birthday cake for the school. During December, there was special eighties and nineties assembly that was very popular among the student body. Later on in the year, the middle school will lead a 2000s assembly. If there are special alumni you would like to have visit or if you have a great idea for an assembly, contact your class leadership.

Derryfield wouldn’t be the great community it is without student involvement, which is why it is important for students to be involved in the 50th celebration. Encourage your advisory to do an Act of Kindness, team up with some friends to commit to eating 50 cookies for example, or join your grade’s time capsule committee to get involved.

Photo Courtesy of Annie Branch

Issue 2

The Legend Returns - Sarah Silverman Eliza Kissick ‘16

When Derryfield students are asked to name a famous alumna, many are quick to say the two-time Emmy award winning actress Sarah Silverman. Silverman started at Derryfield her sophomore year, and graduated in 1989. Several people note that while at Derryfield, Silverman was a unique type of student. Mr. Bruce Berk, Sarah’s history teacher and high school crush, described Silverman as a “zany and irreverent student, but in a sweet way”. Berk remembers her as being “smart, but eclectic. She was quiet, but would give funny quips during class and she was always able to find the absurdity in a situation.”

To kick off Derryfield’s Fiftieth Anniversary celebration, Silverman surprised the Derryfield community and shared with the student body lessons she believed would have been helpful had she known them when in high school.

Silverman began her talk by reminding students to “be as kind to yourself as you are to any schmuck on the street,” and to “exist through tough times, because you will come out the other side shocked and amazed.” She also reminded students that we should not tell ourselves horror stories, because what matters to us now probably will not matter in a couple of years. Silverman told the community not to fear failure, because it is a badge of honor, and that it is something that everyone experiences. She wants us to remember that bad grades and embarrassing moments are the perfect time to learn about ourselves as well as solidify our beliefs and goals. Similarly, Silverman told us to refrain from “letting stuff control our lives.” With a low overhead, we will never sacrifice what we believe for a dollar and will always be able to trust our guts. Finally, to end her talk, she urged all of us to reject the way that society pits women against each other, and to steer away from the belief that success for one woman only comes with the failure of another.

Silverman did not leave the stage without joking around with the students. One such example of a witty question response was when Sam Anderson ’17 asked Silverman who her greatest acting influence was. Silverman’s response: “You, you are my biggest inspiration.” Similarly, Silverman joked around about giving Derryfield a shout-out on Saturday Night Live, while also poking fun at teachers, explaining how she recognized Mr. Mathes by his signature smirk and telling us that Mr. Holland looks exactly the same.Silverman’s visit was not only a surprise for DS students, but it was a valuable opportunity to speak with a DS alumna who had followed her passion. Not only is she a successful comedian, actress, and author, Silverman is an example of someone who pushed herself to do what she loves, setting a great example for all DS students.

A2 Issue 2

Lamplighter: Human Interests Coffee Zombies (Continued)

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and, according to Stephen Chermiske’s book Caffeine Blues, “the drug initiates uncontrolled neuron firing.” This causes excess activity in the brain and triggers the pituitary glands to secrete a hormone telling the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. This puts the body into fight-or-flight response mode. This may seem like a good thing when trying to focus or stay awake, but for your body, this is like always being under threat and extreme stress. This can cause mood swings, irritability, confusion, reduced fine motor coordination, headaches, and in some cases, even depression.

In children, especially ages thirteen to eighteen, caffeine disrupts deep sleep which is crucial to the formation of key connections in the brain. Dr. Reto Huber at the University of Zurich Children’s Hospital states, “During adolescence, your brain has the most neural connections it will ever have during your lifetime.” Studies completed by Dr. Huber have shown that when young rats consume the equivalent of three to four cups of coffee daily, they experience delayed brain development. In that same study, when compared to rats who consumed only water, the caffeinated rats had much fewer neural connections and therefore were less curious and more cautious than the control rats. This unusual result comes from the finding that without deep sleep, the brain cannot solidify things it finds important. The term “deep sleep” is so important because the effects of caffeine take six hours to wear off and while you might be asleep, caffeine you took two hours earlier can prevent you from achieving the sleep needed for proper brain development.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that children in school should get at least 10 hours of sleep a night and as little as ten milligrams of caffeine can disrupt that. According to the Mayo Clinic, a single Red Bull or Monster Drink contains eighty milligrams of caffeine, a Mountain Dew contains fifty-five milligrams of caffeine, and 5-Hour Energy has 207 milligrams of caffeine. These drinks are designed for adults who no longer need as much sleep as young adults, yet are often consumed by students.

Caffeine can be detrimental to adults too, especially when it comes to over-consumption. Dr. Ralph T. Golan, ND, wrote the book Herbal Defense in which he states that, “caffeine forces your glands to secrete when they don’t have much left to give, and they have to keep digging deeper and deeper, making you more and more tired over time. And over the years, it takes more and more coffee to get the same result. [They experience] severe adrenal depletion.” You build up a tolerance to caffeine and at some point reach a point where your body cannot be without it and not experience symptoms of withdrawal. Even low consump-

tion such as one mug a day can produce negative reactions from your body such as anxiety, nausea, exhaustion, etc.

There is a reason why the recommendation to eat a healthy breakfast has become a platitude. A protein and complex carbohydrate rich meal can give you enough energy and power through the morning just as a cup of coffee would.

Sources: http://www.naturalnews.com/012352_caffeine_coffee.html# http://www.healthline.com/health-news/children-how-caffeine-harms-the-developing-brain-092513#1 https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caff.html http://netdna.webdesignerdepot.com/uploads/coffee_designs/36.jpg ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Taking the Stage by Storm: Michael Boykins Krystyna Keller ‘17

Decked out in gold bling, a blazer, sunglasses, and a mic, Michael Boykins, Derryfield’s beloved lunch provider, commanded the stage during the Junior Class Talent Show with a rapping medley accompanied by seniors Zach Speigel and Emma Flynn. Born in Methuen, Massachusetts and raised in Lawrence, Mike has been rapping and singing since he was six years old. When he was younger, Mike rapped at block parties with his brother and friends. He has had the opportunity in more recent years to share the stage with major artists such as DJ Unk.

After being asked to participate in this year’s Talent Show, Mike said that other than speaking to them days before the show, the three performers had only practiced the morning of the show. With only a couple of run-throughs, they sure left an impression. The students attending had heard rumors of the act, but when our famed friend took the stage, the crowd went wild. Most students left the show still talking about it, and Mike said he loved it, too. When asked about his thoughts, Mike answered, “It felt pretty good, I didn’t expect it to be quite an event. But it was apparently a huge deal, I had a good time with it.” For his favorites, Boykins explains that he likes to rap Jay-Z songs, as well as singing R&B and songs related to love.

Not only do his rapping abilities entertain the school, but also his presence lights up students’ days. Many students speak highly of him. For instance, Nicole Mayer ’17 noted, “He shows up everyday excited to be in the school. He seems to enjoy being around and that’s what makes people like him so much.”

A3 Issue 2

Lamplighter: Human Interest Michael Boykins (continued)

Emma Garfield ’15 added, “Michael is always so happy and full of energy.

He is a fun guy to be around!” It is safe to say that Mike is well loved here at Derryfield, and apparently, he feels the same way about us.

“I love working here, it’s actually one of my favorite jobs. As far as the kids are concerned, unfortunately I feel like I have 200 and something more children. I quite literally feel like you are all my children,” Mike stated when asked his opinion of the school and students of Derryfield. When you have a lunch server at your school that compares students to his own children, you know it is a pretty special person.

And don’t worry if you missed the show, you can always get a front row seat to Mike’s talents right in the Upper School café where he can be found singing along to the radio, always up for a conversation or laugh.

but is more difficult than in Turkey because students have much busier schedules.

Currently, Turkey is taking in many Syrian refugees and are spending quite a bit of money on the issue along with building organizations to work with the refugees. Beril’s father has been working with many of these refugees and has lead a refugee camp where he stayed for a long period of time. I am still waiting for more information from Beril.

If you have a conversation with Beril, you will notice her near perfect English and comfort with the language. While in first grade, Beril began to study European English and despite the fact that it was difficult to switch from Turkish to English as a primary language, Beril has made the transition seem easy. Beril comments, “Sometimes I say things in English that make sense to me in Turkish but are not understandable out loud.” This is one of the struggles she has faced.

She has also had to adapt to American slang and way of speaking because European English varies from English here in style and pronunciation.

Finally, Beril would just like everyone to know that, “Yes, I did indeed eat a lot of Turkey for Thanksgiving!” and that also, “I really liked waking up to presents on Christmas!”

Photo Courtesy of Annie Branch

____ ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Say Merhaba to Selin Beril Tuter Anja Stadelmann ‘17

Selin Beril Tuter, better known in the sophomore class as Beril, has joined the DS community all the way from Turkey this year. Although she has only been in the United States less than a year, she has already jumped into Derryfield life as she has competed on the Girls Varsity Soccer team and joined the Concert Choir. While Beril misses her friends and family in Turkey, she has made great new friends and even loves America more than Turkey, except for the weather. Beril misses the warmth of the city where she lived but she has enjoyed learning how to ski here on the snow-covered mountains of New England.

The biggest difference Beril has noticed between Turkey and the United States is the education. Academics are more intense in Turkey and sports for girls are not given priority. Beril had to attend school on weekends in addition to the sixteen classes she was taking. School here is not as academically rigorous

Anitkabir - Ankara, Turkey - Selin’s Favorite Place to Visit

B1 Issue 2

Lamplighter

News

Winter 2014

ONLINE GRADING (Continued)

After Jon’s presentation, faculty have continued the conversation. At this time, Jon is awaiting a response on the continuation of his proposal.

Bottom line: If you have an idea or change you would like to implement at Derryfield, feel free to type a small proposal, email student council, and start making a difference!

-Patrick Finocchiaro

2/6/15 Presentation (By Jon)

Something that I really appreciate about being a student here at Derryfield is being able to communicate freely with my teachers. I have a proposal that I believe will both increase and improve that communication.

I believe that a prevalent problem in students’ academic lives here at Derryfield is a lack of transparency with their grades. Often times the grades that students earn at the end of term and/or midterm can come off as a “surprise.”

Students should be able to know at all times what their current averages are in each of their classes so that they can better organize and manage their schedules.

Although midterm comments can be very helpful, receiving only a single grade preview during the entire term is just not enough. This creates a lack of stability for students because there is still a lot of time between then and the end of term when grades can fluctuate.

I believe that a potential solution to this problem would be to establish an online grading system here at Derryfield, where students would be able to check their grades after their teachers enter them.

For many different reasons, I think that with online grading, students’ academic lives will be be better off than they were before. By knowing at all times what their grades are, students can better manage their time by always knowing what classes they are not doing satisfactorily in and what teachers they need to meet with. Often times teachers aren’t able to regularly check in with students and discuss how well they are doing; with online grading, students won’t have to hassle their teachers to tell them what their grades are. If a student earns a satisfactory grade at the midterm, that score can almost mask students’ potential mishaps or unsatisfactory performance in the latter half of term. With online grading students will be able to constantly see how they are doing, so if that complete an assignment that is not “up to par” then they will know exactly how that affected their overall grade. Sometimes teachers can enter grades wrong in in their grading book or online spreadsheet. However, having grades being available to students online, students can catch their teachers’ mistake, if they make one, therefore implementing a system of checks and balances. Although the Derryfield Student Portal does keep track of a student’s upcoming assignments, it does not keep track of whether or not the assignment was handed in on time or submitted at all. With an online grading system, the submission status of an assignment is

Issue 2

tracked, getting rid of confusion between students and teachers for late or missing work. One final advantage of online grading is that students will be able to know how hidden grades such as class participation are being factored in, rather than finding out at the end of the term or midterm, when it can be already too late.

I also believe that an online grading system would also help improve the lives of teachers. This is because with a system like this, grades would be continuously entered and calculated, that way at the midterm or end of term, little to no work that teachers need to do to figure out students’ grades. Also, if this idea is implemented, no longer would students have to pester their teacher with the question, “What’s my grade?” Instead, students would have the ability and resources to say, “Currently, this is where I stand academically, I would like to end up here, what can I do better?” No longer will the responsibility of managing and supervising students’ grades be pinned on the shoulders of the teachers, instead the responsibility will go to the students. Online grading also allows for faculty members, who sometimes don’t act as the students’ classroom teacher, such as advisors and coaches, to be able to more easily check in on their advisees and players respectively.

There are couple potential obstacles for online grading. The first would be administrative deadlines. Obviously we cannot expect every single teacher to enter all of their students’ grades immediately as they are returned; however, it is crucial that there is some timeliness. Another obstacle is parental misuse. Many online grading systems allow for parents to also see their child’s grades. This potentially could be beneficial by providing an opportunity for unmotivated students to be given an extra “push.” However, this may also result in parents trying to micromanage their children’s work or overreacting to minor mishaps. One final difficulty would be integration. I think that if online grading is implemented, then it should be implemented for the entire school. There is also the possibility of doing a trial run for one month, to see how students and teachers respond to the system.

I believe that by putting online grading into effect, the second strategic goal of leading in the strategic plan will be directly promoted. Many private and public schools in New Hampshire already use online grading systems and have been using them for years. In order to become a “regional and state leader in education,” then we must conform to this system which has benefitted other schools.

For example, the online grading system Powerschool is used by Bedford, Concord, and Windham schools and the online grading Edline is used by the Londonderry, Laconia, and Trinity schools, as well as Bishop Brady and Bishop Guertin.

One problem that has been raised is that online grading will make students more focused on the actual grade rather than the process of learning; however, is wanting to earn a good grade a bad thing? If the philosophy of our school was strictly based on just the process of learning, then wouldn’t we just have a pass-fail system? Because we have the incentive of letter grades, students

B2 Issue 2

Lamplighter: News are motivated to try their best, and in order for them to do their best they need to be able to consistently see their progress. By using online grading students will always know which classes they need to see teachers in and have specific reasoning behind meeting with their teacher. By being able to see what their grades are students will be more prompted to improve and hence converse with teachers.

What if your bank told you that you could only check to see how much was in your bank account once every two month? For those who are not avid spenders, this wouldn’t be a problem, but for those who need to withdraw and input money consistently, this would pose as a serious threat to their financial management as they would not regularly know how the changes that they are making affect the overall amount in their bank account. People with a bank account always need to know how they stand monetarily that way they know to make the right financial decisions. Just like with money, the grades students receive can bring up or bring down their overall average. Not being to see this proceeding take place can cause students to have an ambiguous understanding of where they stand academically, resulting in their not being able to prioritize and manage their agendas.

Overall, online grading would change the Derryfield community for the better by allowing for more structure and communication. If you have any questions or comments, then please contact me at 17jfurlong@derryfield.org or Patrick Finocchario at 15pfinocchario@derrryfield.org. ___________________________________________________________________

Three Incredible Possibilities for Derryfield Students Richie Tarpey ‘17

The Global Education Program of Derryfield is offering three educational and exciting Upper School trips in March of 2015. Ms. Susan Grodman, the Director of Enrollment and Global Programs at Derryfield stated about all the trips, “You will have fun--that’s guaranteed!” and she also mentioned, “When you participate in one of our programs, you will get to experience the country and the people in a way you could not on your own. You will go to non-touristy spots and spend time with people who live there.” With three wonderful options offered for this school year, anyone attending one of these trips will definitely learn a lot about different cultures both within the United States and beyond, thus attaining a broader understanding of the world.

The first trip that is on the itinerary is Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is one of the more popular trips that is offered and, as in the past, will be headed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Zane Richer ‘15, a student who was apart of the trip last year states that, “Habitat was a fantastic experience for me! I

got to become closer with my classmates while benefiting a community.” Students who are a part of this trip must be at least sixteen years old and will spend a week building houses for working families. While creating stronger relationships with classmates and faculty, students participating in Habitat for Humanity will receive a sense of gratification due to achieving the task of building homes for other people.

The Romania and Hungary Service Trip is another fulfilling journey that is offered to the Upper School. On this trip, students will spend much of their time helping out an orphanage located in Beius, Romania. Maddie Kasten ‘17 will be joining Ms. Grodman on this trip, and is looking forward to embarking on this adventure: “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to help out at the orphanage. I know that this trip will be an experience that changes the way I see the world that surrounds me. I’m excited to see what new perspectives with which I return home.” Maddie’s excitement mirrors many of the other students who are going on the trip. All of them are passionate about helping out children and travelling. Alongside helping out at the orphanage, visits to schools and villages will be included as well. To round off the journey, members from Derryfield involved in the trip will also venture to Budapest, Hungary, where they will spend two days on a tour.

Also offered this March is the trip to Nepal, which is open to all Upper School students. Participants will visit and experience the sights in Kathmandu, along with venturing to several rural villages, learning about the culture and terrain in Nepal. Students will leave Nepal with memories of the rugged terrain and villages that they explored.

All three options offered to the Upper School this March will provide memorable and exciting experiences for the students and positively impact the people they come across on their journeys. Along with learning about people and the countries they come from, or using teamwork to help those in need, these trips will allow students from school to bond closer together as well. Susan Grodman described these opportunities, saying, “You will get to know Derryfield students with whom you might not ordinarily spend time.” The trips available this March clearly present an array of new connections with the people and world around you. With fun and exploration involved as well, students should not pass up these moments!

B3 Issue 2

Lamplighter: News

On the Desk or Under the Desk? That is the Question.

The Genesis of the Learning Hub

Like technology itself, Derryfield’s policies and practices regarding technology integration in the classroom are continually evolving. Teachers and students alike are faced with a dilemma: how do we, as members of the Derryfield academic community, deal with the relaxed restrictions on technology in classrooms?

Possibly the most notable aspect of this new reality is that several teachers now allow students to have their phones on their desks in case they receive an important notification from a family member or, for the seniors, an email or call from an admissions office and/or coach. The new phone policy dissuades students from their previous habit of surreptitiously holding their phones under tables where they wouldn’t be seen. On the surface, it would seem that merely changing the placement of the phone might not do much to keep students from texting or playing games during their class. However, students, when they put their phones on their desks, seem to be more attentive because the appeal of sneaking a peek at their phones is lessened as the teachers are able to see what they do with them.

Niki Mina ‘15 heartily agrees with the new policies, “Having your phone on your desk is nice because you can check once you get notifications. I think it is better to have the phone on the desk as opposed to people having it under the desk where teachers cannot see it.” Obviously, it seems that people approve of the new policies that some teachers are integrating into their classes.

However, this may only apply to those who have caught the “smartphone bug,” the affliction causing teenagers to rarely be found without their phones either in hand or readily accessible. Connor Glosner ‘18 is one of few people who are not constantly looking to their phone for notifications along the lines of, “Zara liked your post: OMG my fish just smiled at me!!! :D :D :D #Holy Shrimp! #This Scampi Happening?” He says, “I honestly don’t care. I don’t use it in school so it doesn’t bother me.” Several teachers seem to agree with Glosner that phones are not a necessity in class. Dr. Karlin, a history teacher in the Upper School, said “I am a traditionalist, as long as someone did not die it is not an emergency. You do not need to check your cell phone in class. I know that this is an exaggeration but I feel that for forty-five minutes that we have for class time, students can live without checking their cell phone.” While the student jury may be out on whether it is necessarily any different now that phones are more often being allowed to be viewed in class, only time will tell whether the final decision should be to keep them completely out of the classroom picture or discreetly looked at occasionally in class.

Have you passed by the computer lab and wondered where all the computers have gone? When the days were warm, did you slip in the room to enjoy a little AC and wonder why Mr. Induni, Mrs. Speigel and Mrs. Fedder had moved in? Looking past a new sign on the door that reads “Learning Hub,” have you noticed the comfy chairs and thought that it might be the perfect place to sit and do homework? Welcome to the new Learning Hub, Derryfield’s very own center for learning.

“What’s the Learning Hub for?” you ask. The Learning Hub, or just the Hub, is a place for ALL Derryfield students. The hope is that no matter where you are with your learning, you have the desire to become better at what you do.

Whether it be SAT prep, peer editing for an English paper, fine tuning of your test preparation skills, or help with AP Chemistry, the Learning Hub is a place for all students to improve their skills.

“Can anyone use the Hub?” Yes, with the understanding that the Hub is a place for serious work. Mr. Induni and Mrs. Speigel are our full-time tutors.

They are based in the Hub and either meet with students there or in the Library.

Mrs. Fedder, the Assistant Director of Academic Support, can be found in the Hub on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Academic Power meets there at 2:45 on Tuesdays. The goal is for Ms. Boesch’s Academic Skills classes to meet in the Hub as we continue to transform the layout.

Why did we choose the name “Learning Hub”? The word hub refers to the center; it can mean the center of a wheel, the center of a region, or the center of activity. We envision the Hub to be at the center of academic life at Derryfield. Who among us has not wanted to improve our skills or habits at some point?

Even the highest paid athletes know that they must keep working on their game to maintain peak performance. So whether you need a major overhaul or just a little fine tuning, stop by the Hub and check us out.

George Siodis ‘15

Jenny Boesch

C1 Issue 2

Lamplighter

Sports

Winter 2014

Issue 2

Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer Capture States

Derryfield Hockey 101

The boys’ and girls’ soccer teams had stellar seasons this past fall, each taking home the Division IV Championship plaques. The boys finished with a record of 16-4, while the girls finished the season at 17-3.

Chris Ralphs came in as a first year coach for the girls and organized a powerful soccer team as well as a fun environment. Mr. Gresko, our newest Spanish teacher, stepped in to provide communication between the team and school.

The girls had a strong defense and an excellent attack. Sophomore Gabi Brummett scored over seventy goals on the season and she scored her 100th goal of her career against Concord Christian. Emma Garfield won the Class of 1970 award for work ethic and skillful play. When asked about what sparked the girls’ incredible run to end the season, Hannah Kelsey ‘16 pointed out, “The turning point in the season was when we beat Sunapee at home, after losing to them at Sunapee in overtime, because it showed the improvement we had made from last time and that we could beat any team in the state, Division I included.” The girls completed the playoffs scoring twenty goals and allowing just two. They won the championship game 5-1 against previously unbeaten Woodsville, who had previously only allowed two goals all season..

The boys also had a memorable season. The boys’ team scored forty-four goals in total, and gave up less than one goal a game. After losing many excellent senior players, Joe Costa ‘16 noted, “We worked as one team this year instead of relying on star players to make the difference.” After a tough start to the season, Coach Rob Bradley provided some great encouragement: “Coach Bradley took a piece of cardboard and wrote all the names of the teams we had to play, and, as we defeated each team, he would cross them off,” added Scooty Devine ‘16. In the regular season, the boys beat rival Sunapee in a thrilling overtime after losing to them earlier season. On their unbelievable playoff run, the boys’ team handily took down #1 seeded Moultonborough, 3-0. After winning the championship against Pittsfield in penalty kicks, the boys completed their three-peat. Overall, both teams had tremendous seasons.

Miracle, Goon, The Mighty Ducks. What do these movies and Derryfield have in common? They all have new hockey teams in them. The 2014-15 season marks the first season of the joint Derryfield hockey program with Hollis-Brookline. The team is competing in Division II, playing seasoned squads from schools like Bow, Goffstown, Windham, and Merrimack. The team practices and plays out of Cyclones Arena in Hudson, NH. They play every Wednesday and Saturday.

The program consists of six Derryfield players—Stewart Arend ‘17, Michael Chiasson ‘16, Maxwell Hatheway ‘15, Connor Glosner ‘18, Allen Mello ‘15, Andrea Mello ‘17, and Niki Mina ‘15 - and eleven players from Hollis.

While this season has not started in the way that many of the Derryfield players wanted (team currently stands at 5-7), many are seeing vast improvements in performance and chemistry. When asked on how the season has been going, Assistant Captain Allen Mello said, “Of late it has been great! We won our last game 2-1 where all Derryfield players were positive in terms of plus and minus and several of them registered points in the game. Our goal as a team moving forward is to build on this win and maintain the success and scoring for the rest of the season.” Like Mello, senior leader Nikki Mina noticed dramatic improvement since the start of the season. “In the beginning [of the season] it was rough,” said Mina. “We were still getting used to everyone’s playing styles and we were going up against veteran squads who have been playing together for the past four years.

However, these past couple of games I noticed a huge change in the team. Guys are slowly realizing what everyone’s strengths are and are starting to play towards them which I feel has allowed us to win our first game and be very competitive in our last couple.” When asked about the atmosphere of home games, Connor Glosner ’18 explained, “They are great! We have very committed fans who come to even our farthest away games to support the team. I consider the fans as kind our seventh man, if you will, on the ice.”

As most of their front loaded schedule is over, the Derryfield-Hollis-Brookline Warriors look forward to a softer second half of their season where they plan on taking their game to new heights and securing more victories for both schools.

Jessey Bryan ‘16

Grant Glosner ‘15

C2 Issue 2

Lamplighter: Sports

Flag Football at Derryfield

By Joe Holden ‘15

This past November, the Derryfield School Key Club organized the annual Madden Toys for Tots Flag Football Tournament to collect donations for Toys for Tots. After a great turnout last fall, Key Club Vice-President Grant Glosner ‘15 looked to improve on last year’s success. Glosner’s main focus this year was to continue the work he started last year, “making sure that we build on the great participation that we received is the most important aspect of the tournament.

We really want to bring the community together doing something that they enjoy while also benefitting children in need.” And what better way to unite the community than to welcome middle school teams to compete for the first time. This year there were two middle school teams out of the eleven total teams, serving as great representatives in the tournament. Although they both endured an early exit in the playoffs, it was great to interact with students that those in the upper school seldom see.

The games began on a warm but rainy Wednesday, making for some tough conditions for all of the players involved. Everything was slippery and the play was sloppy as a result. However, after a three game opening day, two teams put themselves atop the rest as the teams to beat, finishing undefeated and previewing an inevitable clash in the finals. Detroit Velvet, led by quarterback Drew Johnson ’16, put up an impressive showing on both offense and defense, blowing away teams with its long passes and stifling zone defensive strategy. Class on Grass, led by seniors Robert Rizos, Patrick McGinley, and Joe Holden also ran through their schedule, beating teams with a balanced passing and rushing attack as well as locking down the field with their man-to-man defense. As the playoffs rolled around, the results remained the same, as both teams again advanced through the bracket to face off against each other in the student finals. However, Detroit Velvet, missing juniors Joe Costa and Mike Chiasson, faced a Class on Grass team adding the Brummett duo of Mason ‘15 and Gabi ‘17. When the teams finally took the field, McGinley of Class on Grass picked apart the zone defense of Detroit Velvet, throwing two touchdowns to Holden and Mason Brummett, with Mason running for another two touchdowns. Grass’s tournament-leading defense shut down Velvet on the other side of the ball, shutting them out and playing a very complete game, taking home the prize and winning the student championship.

Class on Grass then transitioned from their victory to face the All-Madden team, comprised of teachers and coaches, ready to take down the newly

crowned champions. After a hard-fought first half, Class on Grass held a touchdown lead over the teachers, with Mason scoring the only touchdown of the half after Holden recorded an interception to stall the Madden team’s final drive.

However, after trading scores in the second half, the All-Madden team had a shot to win the game as the clock wound down. The ball was snapped, and Coach Hettler lobbed the ball into the endzone, connecting with Coach Hastings for the go-ahead touchdown. The crowd moaned and everyone thought the fate of Class on Grass had been sealed. However, the clock still showed one second after the play and the faculty team lined up for the two-point conversion in an attempt to deliver the knockout punch. The teams lined up and the ball was softly snapped, allowing McGinley to quickly jump off the line and recover the faulty snap. After easily juking out Hettler, it was off to the races and McGinley strutted in for the game-winning touchdown as time expired. It was a fitting end to a very exciting game, and Class on Grass became the first student team to take home the trophy since the tournament’s inception. With such a great turnout, Glosner ‘15 and the Key Club hope to host a similar tournament in the spring to benefit a charity like Toys for Tots in the hope that the Derryfield community will continue to help support a good cause.

Photos Courtesy of Annie Branch

Beauty and the Beast Photography

Staff and Contributors: Faculty Advisor: Louisa Burdette Editor in Chief: Patrick McGinley ‘15 Management Editor: Grant Glosner ‘15 Copy Editor: George Siodis ‘15 News Editor: Anja Stadelmann ‘17 Sports Editor: Joseph Holden ‘15 Human Interests: Elizabeth Krogman ‘16 Layout and Design: Jonathan Furlong ‘17, and Catherine Rose Introcaso ‘17 Senior Staff Editor: John Sullivan ‘15 Photography Editor: Zane Richer ‘15

Special Thanks To: Jenny Boesch Jonathan Furlong and Patrick Finocchiaro Annie Branch

Staff List: Eliza Kissick ‘16 Richie Tarpey ‘17 Emma Wagner ‘17 Krystyna Keller ‘17 Jessey Byran ‘16