February 2018 (66, 6)

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478

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A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

Volume 66, Issue 6

February 8, 2018

FINAL STRETCH AHEAD Page 15

ISL Title, NEPSAC Run in Reach after TD Garden Win

Raisin In the Sun Debuts this Friday Markis ’18 Runs for Wellesley Office

By Jack Henehan ’20 Staff Writer On February 9th and 10th, and with an open dress rehearsal on February 8th, Belmont Hill and Winsor will perform their adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun. Set in the 1950s on the south side of Chicago, the play follows a lower class African-American family, the Youngers, as they receive a life insurance check for $10,000 following the death of their father. The money belongs to the matriarch of the family, Lena Younger (Chloe Duvall), who dreams of buying a nice house in a white neighborhood so the family can move out of their run-down, cramped house. Although it is Mama’s money, her son, Walter Lee Younger (Donavan

Payne), a chauffeur who dreams of getting rich quick, wants to invest the money into a liquor store with his friend Bobo (Tim Brown). Walter’s wife, Ruth (Kiara Patterson), disagrees and wants to invest the money into a new house so she can better their son, Travis’s (Justin Santana), life. Meanwhile, Walter’s sister, Beneatha (Ifeanyi Umunna), needs the money so that she can attend medical school. Beneatha vacillates between two suitors--Nigerian college student Joseph Asagai (Macdony Charles) and millionaire George Murchison (Tim Brown)--as she tries to find her own identity during the crisis. The themes addressed by the production are fighting the patriarchy and systemic racism, the importance of family, and hope. ☐

Jean Robison

Look Inside The Panel Center 8-9 Health & Wellness on the Hill

The Panel explores health & wellness on campus, analyzing results from Belmont Hill’s 2016 ISHC Survey.

News 2 New Club on Campus Classics Club bursts into the extracurricular scene with anupcoming ancient coin exhibit.

Elias Hyde ’20

By Matthew Smith ’19 Panel Staff John Markis ’18 has always been politically conscious. Known for his many political Woodbury speeches, John has presented many of the problems he sees with the current American political system to Belmont Hill, often leaving his audience with a proposed solution going forward. That’s why it may come as no surprise that he has decided to run for Town Meeting representative in the upcoming annual Wellesley town election set for March 6, 2018.

The Town Meeting is the legislative body for the Town of Wellesley. Made up of 240 voting members, thirty-three or thirty-six from each of Wellesley’s eight precincts, who serve staggered three year terms, the Town Meeting is assembled in late March and meets on Monday and Tuesday nights until business is completed. Every year, ten Town Meeting seats in each precinct are up for election. To run, candidates must obtain ten signatures from regisOps 10 “Friends, Romans, Countrymen...”

Arts 7 Kwoun ’18 & Kyrie

Opinions Editor Gavin Colbert ’18 advocates for increased public speaking instruction at Belmont Hill.

Austin Kwoun ’18 plays violin in Kryie Irving’s Christmas Day commercial.

Tim Carey

Sports 12 Varsity Squash Places 8th at Nationals

Belmont Hill travels to enemy territory on Super Bowl weekend, Philadelphia, to defend its national stature in the annual U.S. Squash High School Championships.

tered voters in their precinct and submit the proper forms to the Wellesley registrar.

Inspired by a tumultuous 2016 election, John says that he knew that he wanted to run as soon as he became eligible. “In the past few years,” he recalls, “Wellesley-specific issues such as the preservation of conservation land and increased funding to public schools have emerged, and I want to speak on behalf of

William McCormack ‘18

Continued on Page 3

William McCormack ‘18

Nike

B elmont Hill News

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T he Panel

One Year Out: Checking in with Mrs. O’Connor complaint about her morning commute from her home in Southboro. Assuming she’s telling the truth, this says a lot about the quality of our school and the In this edition of One Year Out, people that make up the BHS commuI talked with Mrs. Nancy O’Connor.

Whether you know Mrs. O’Connor from Middle School track, or from her enthusiastic embrace of all things science, we have all enjoyed her first year.

Well….not exactly. While it is true that Mrs. O’Connor joined the Belmont Hill faculty in 2016, what is less well-known is that she taught and coached at Belmont Hill from 2002-2006. Currently teaching first-form Science, fourthform Biology, and fifth-form Chemistry, her undoubted science expertise is felt throughout the school. Having made the great escape in 2006, it is only natural to wonder what she was thinking when she chose to return. My suspicions were amplified when she struggled to answer my traditional leading question – What do you like most about Belmont Hill? After a lengthy pause, during which I imagine she was sifting through a profusion of virtues, she concluded that she simply “loved being a witness to the excellent relationships the boys form with each other.” I was sure she hadn’t returned in order to endure further the culinary adventure that is the school lunch but because she was impressed with the “support and trust” within the faculty. Unwilling to be provoked into labeling the hamburger casserole as the worst thing about BHS, she chose a disappointingly mundane

By Charlie Booth ’20 Panel staff

nity. Mrs. O’Connor’s husband betrayed the school by asking her “Why don’t you work at St. Marks, we live across the street?” Lucky for us, Mrs. O’Connor, chose to bring her talents back to

Belmont and make our faculty even stronger.

When asked about what has surprised her most, Mrs. O’Connor reflected on her first interview for the position at Belmont Hill. “When I first interviewed here everyone seemed so serious because it was the days leading up to the exams, which I didn’t realize, and there wasn’t a lot of laughter in the hallways. But, what has surprised me the most is the humor and irreverence in the classrooms and the science office.

We have a lot of fun.” Certainly, Mrs. O’Connor is one of our most likable teachers, always managing to maintain her keen sense of humor while projecting her contagious positive energy. A strong advocate for the boys-only format, Mrs. O’Connor spoke of her surprise at “how vulnerable the boys can be with me. In a coed situation, they are not always given that opportunity.”

She is well placed to compare the differences between coed and single-sex education, having just completed three years at Rivers School and having previously taught at Gann Academy, Park School, and Dedham Country Day. Her remarkable resume also includes a B.A. in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience from Williams College and even a stint at Mass General Hospital. She finally believes “I have found my home here at Belmont Hill.” It is great to have such a talented teacher in our midst and following a successful first year back, we all hope she will stay with us for many more years to come! ☐

Ms. Gray Joins Belmont Hill Community as Interim Library Director

By Ishaan Prasad ’18 Panel Staff Earlier this semester, the Belmont Hill community welcomed Ms. Liz Gray as the interim director at the William H. Byrnes Library. Assuming many of Mr. Hegarty’s roles on campus — from advising The Panel to working with the Meadowgreen and Belmont Public School student volunteer groups — Ms. Gray has quickly immersed herself in campus life on the hill.

Growing up in Rome and London and attending the American Community School, Ms. Gray participated in much of the traditional American high school experience, all while living abroad. Debating at The Hague as a part of her school’s Model United Nations team and serving as her school’s yearbook editor during her senior year, Ms. Gray was an avid reader and a frequent audience member at London theater productions — during her four years of high school, she saw more than 110 plays and shows! Inspired to love

learning by her eighth grade teach- a master’s degree in English education er and her parents, Gray always knew from Tufts University, and a master’s that she wantdegree in Lied to work brary Science with teenagfrom Simers. Following mons College, her first job Gray served as an English as the library teacher at director at The AmeriChapel Hillcan School in Chauncy Hall Switzerland, and Dana Ms. Gray has Hall Schools. worked in edWorking at ucation ever both of these since.

Greater BosMs. Gray ton-area prep is no stranger schools ofto indepenfered Ms. dent school Gray an oplibraries in portunity to the New Eninteract with gland area. colleagues at With a bacheBelmont Hill. lor’s degree in Spending time English from at both co-edReed College, ucational and

all-girls schools, Ms. Gray is looking forward to working with an all-male student body. While noting the similarities in philosophy and vision between the three schools, Ms. Gray also acknowledged the inherent differences — unlike Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall and Dana Hall, Belmont Hill is primarily a day school and has few international students.

While at Belmont Hill, Ms. Gray hopes to inspire students to explore new reading interests and help them to follow their passions. Heeding her own advice, for the past few years Ms. Gray has followed her passions in quilting, knitting, calligraphy, and writing — crafting 25 quilts and recently completing a memoir about her discovery in mid-life that she was adopted at birth. As an experienced librarian, writer, and mentor, Ms. Gray is more than ready to take on her many roles at Belmont Hill this semester. We on The Panel look forward to working with her and wish her the best of luck for the year! ☐

Classics Club Bursts into Extra Curricular Scene with Coin Exhibit

By Will LaFarge ’19 and Tommy Smith ’19 Staff Writers This school year the Classics Club, for students of Latin and Greek in the upper school, was created. With French Club, Spanish Club, and Chinese Club already established, Belmont Hill now boasts a club for each of the languages it offers. Dr. Davis is the faculty head of the club, and the current student members (more are welcome to join) are seniors Jeff Price, Ishaan Prasad, Arnav Prasad, David Paine, and Pat Connor, along with juniors Tommy Smith, Josh Fairman, John High, and Will LaFarge. The club meets Wednesdays at X Block.

This year’s main project for Classics Club is to curate an exhibit about ancient Roman coins. First, the club selected several ancient coins along with an interesting ancient key from various online catalogues to feature in the exhibit, which will be displayed on the 2nd floor of the Melvoin Academic Center. The group is currently ordering a case in which to display these items. These artifacts come from different time periods and areas, and each has its own unique and intriguing story.

Each coin was assigned to one member of the Classics Club, who is responsible for researching about their coin: when was the coin made? where was it used? what is the significance of the images on the coin? One

student is researching general numismatics, the study of coins, to provide a broader context for the specific facts about the coins and how they were used in their time period. Compiled together, the information gathered from all the members of the Classics Club will hopefully allow observers to

fully appreciate this unique coin collection.

The club hopes to add to this fascinating exhibit of coins in coming years. The Classics Club is a must-join for up-and-coming Latin students, and founding members hope it will thrive for years to come. ☐

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Diversity Day Sparks Conversations on Campus Markis for Wellesley

By Bennett morris ’18 and Seth Israel ’18 Panel Staff On Tuesday, January 16th, Belmont Hill hosted its annual Diversity Day; a day free of traditional classes and school work and full of meaningful conversation about issues faced by the school and society, seeking to both explore solutions and bring the community closer together. While past Diversity Days have focused on issues of racial inequality, this year’s installment brought new conversation to the table. Following the birth of the #MeToo movement and sexual assault scandals plaguing the daily news since last fall, Diversity Day 2018 placed its emphasis on masculinity, sexuality, and gender.

The day kicked off with the keynote guest speaker, Carlos Andres Gomez, a renowned poet, actor, public speaker, and author of the memoir Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood, whose work references a childhood filled with what he referred to as “toxic masculinity.” The phrase, which became a focal point for much of the day’s conversation, drove Gomez’s talk, as he delved

into experiences that prompted him to question his masculinity, from playing soccer at five years old to an unnecessarily escalated fight scene in a New York City club.

After Gomez’s moving words, the student body and faculty broke up into workshops, such as “Masquerading Masculinity” and Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). The workshops, facilitated by Mr. Gomez as well as students and faculty, offered all parties both the opportunity for personal reflection and stimulating conversation about a variety of pertinent social issues.

D i s c u s s i ons about masculinity, privilege, and stereotypes permeated the halls, as students and faculty alike found common ground on these typ-

ically challenging topics.

Once every student had attended two of the randomly assigned workshops, advisee groups met to discuss how the programs were run, offer any insights they had gleaned, and, once again, reflect. Overall, Diversity Day proved a great success across campus. Nevertheless, the conversation should not stop there; it is vital for our community to take every opportunity to continue these difficult conversations. Only then may we create change and a better world. ☐

Six BH Sixth Formers Present $1000 VING Awards Traylor ‘18 were each able to award $1000 to someone they care about. Beyond the hefty cash allocation, each student in the class Many students scoffed when Mr. was able to connect with a person Doar introduced an eccentric project to his for whom $1000 could become fall senior seminar; after all, a two-minute life-changing. Occasionally, Belvideo about someone of personal signifi- mont Hill can act as a bubble, incance who had been besieged by hardship sulating its pupils from real-world seemed out of place among the sundry esproblems; however, this project says. However, Mr. Doar had not informed enabled students to experihis students of his ultimate objective: a subence a taste of an alternamission to the VING (stylized tive reality.

V!NG) project. Endorsed by Mr. Doar plans the Chicago Tribune and to push for VING funded by a Chicago-based across the English family which prefers to department, and remain anonymous—almore teachers will though some hypothesize adopt this assignthat Eric Lefkofsky, the ment in the years the founder of Groupon, ahead. Even withdonates regularly—this out the classroom philanthropic effort supcomponent, nearly plies $1000 to an adult in anyone at Belmont need.

Hill is permitted Mr. Doar heard to send in a video.

Bennett M orris ‘18 about the program through The parameters are his brother, who works in as follows: the nomthe Windy City; when the latter asked his inator must be between the ages friends and relatives to promote VING of fourteen and eighteen, and the across America, Mr. Doar obliged. Begin- recipient must be an adult. If you ning in fall 2015, his classes have produced want to be more involved in your at least three winners annually, and this year own community or know a worwas no different. Grant Gibson ‘18, Jovan thy nominee, check out vingprojJones ‘18, Brad Litchfield ‘18, William Mc- ect.org for more information. ☐ Cormack ‘18, Dunny Smith ‘18, and Noah Dunny Smith ‘18 presents his VING.

By John Markis ’18 Panel Staff

Town Meeting Rep.

Continued

from Front Page our generation.” On one cold day in December, a committed John set out to do just that, trekking through frigid winds to collect ten signatures from his precinct in the northwest corner of Wellesley. Says Markis: “While some people weren’t receptive, most viewed my youth not as a hindrance but as a boost to my legitimacy.” Pitted against ten incumbents, whom he has termed the “old guard,” John believes that his understanding of policy, especially from Dr. Buckley’s American Politics seminar, as well as his experience working for Governor Baker’s team at the State House, will far outshine his age.

Only eighteen years old as of fall 2017, John represents the idealism upon which America was founded and shows the Belmont Hill community that truly everyone can get involved in government and politics. “I suppose that my message is that anyone can run,” he says as we close out our conversation, “Again, the foundation of our democracy relies on someone to act as the vox populi, the voice of the people. In order to ensure the maintenance of American foundations in this era of instability, normal citizens have to involve themselves in politics, especially locally.” Recalling the words of former President Barack Obama, John leaves me with this message, “‘Grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.’”

With elections fast approaching, a confident and excited John plans to dedicate some of his weekends to more aggressive campaigning come mid-February. Hoping to represent Belmont Hill proudly this spring, he deserves the support of our entire community.

For those interested in helping John’s bid, either by voting or hitting the pavement to help campaign, John lives in Precinct A, whose polling location is located at the Bates School. If elected, John plans to commute from college to participate in the annual Town Meeting. ☐

Arnav Prasad ’18 Wins New York Times Student Review Contest

By Mathew Smith ’19 Panel Staff In their annual Student Review Contest last year, the New York Times challenged teenagers to write about their reactions to and opinions about works of culture, i.e. movies, books, video games, etc. Assigned to write a review as part of Dr. Tift’s senior English elective, “It’s Debatable,” Arnav Prasad ‘18 decided to enter the contest. Out of 1,494 submissions, covering creative works ranging from Cirque du Soleil and “Mean Girls” to Ellen’s Stardust Diner and “Battle of the Sexes,” Arnav was selected as one of ten winners for his article entitled “‘Universal Paperclips’: The Rebirth of a Classic Video Game Genre.”

Along with Arnav and the nine other winners, fifteen runners-up, and twenty hon-

orable mentions also received recognition.

Through the use of sophisticated and compelling vocabulary, Arnav describes the significance of Universal Paperclips, a seemingly simple “clicker” format video game similar to the virally popular “Flappy Bird” or “Subway Surfer.” Created by Frank Lantz, the game is centered around a paperclip manufacturing business with one goal: sell paperclips to maximize profits.

However, as Arnav dives deeper into Universal Paperclips’ straightforward narrative, he picks apart the many layers of commentary hidden within the game. From a potential world takeover by artificial intelligence to the ethical ambiguities presented by ever-advancing technology, Arnav masterfully conveys the deeper meaning of Lantz’s game.

In a recent conversation with Ar-

nav, the soon-to-be graduating senior revealed why he chose to review “Universal Paperclips.” “I definitely was motivated to choose a subject that I could comment intelligently on,” he tells me, “I definitely lucked out. A lot of the ideas I expressed in my review were abstract concepts I had already been thinking about for a while…I remember learning a lot about bitcoin around that time, which definitely influenced my choice.” Able to provide a new perspective on the familiar subject of video games, Arnav’s review clearly exhibits his depth of knowledge on the matter.

Already a very accomplished writer, serving as a Peer Reader in Belmont Hill’s Writing Lab and as the Executive Editor of the Panel, Arnav humbly attributes much of his success in NYT’s Student Review Contest to the help and education of his

teachers. Of course, Arnav cites his classwork with his then English teacher Dr. Tift as instrumental to his knowledge of writing reviews. Interestingly enough, he also mentions his time in Dr. Davis’ Latin 3A class as improving his writing skills. He recounts, “While I was writing my review, I had actually been thinking a lot about this one writing project we did in Latin 3A connecting Cicero’s arguments to the 2016 election! Similarly, I tried relating ‘Universal Paperclips,’ however obscure it may have been as a game, to more relatable ‘real-world’ concepts.” A product of hard work and dedication throughout a rigorous Belmont Hill education, Arnav’s success is a testament to the high quality of teaching at BH and the high caliber of students attending. ☐

B elmont Hill News

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T he Panel

In Case You Missed It...

Jan. 12, 2018

Jan. 15, 2018

Jan. 18, 2018

Jan. 26, 2018

Matt Travaglini ‘21 and Abraham Tolkoff ‘21 both delivered well-crafted speeches to the Middle School; Abe explored his experiences as a hockey player and referee, while Matt’s speech on gymnastics ultimately won.

Student art from first semester classes, including woodworking, photography, digital video, and more, went on display in the Landau Gallery.

Seniors enrolled in Belmont Hill’s Advanced Science Research travelled to the Berkshire School in Western Massachusetts to present individual research from work in Boston-based labs.

Teddy Mitropoulos, a graduate of the Class of 2011 and a current employee at Fenway Sports Management, spoke to Form III boys.

Jan. 28, 2018

In a stunning 45-minute Jordan Hall performance, Austin Kwoun ’18 played Dmitri Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto with New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.

Looking Ahead

Jan. 29, 2018

Feb. 1, 2018

Feb. 2/5, 2018

Sixth Form students from Dr. Tift’s fall elective, It’s Debatable, presented final projects to the community in a Call-to-Action showcase. Topics ranged from Bitcoin to Sharia law to sexual harassment.

2001 World Boxing Heavyweight champion spoke to Belmont Hill’s Varsity Hockey team.

Henry Vettel ‘18, Jake Carter ‘18, and John Markis ‘18 delivered semi-final speeches on Friday, while Seth Israel ‘18, Jack Murphy ‘18, and Shane Rockett ‘19 spoke on Monday.

Today, Feb. 8, 2018 Model UN travels today to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for a four-day simulation conference.

Tomorrow, Feb. 9, 2018

As next Friday’s Chinese New Year approaches, the community will enjoy a lion dance from a performance troupe tomorrow morning in Chapel.

Donavan Payne ‘18, Macdony Charles ‘18, Tim Brown ‘20, Justin Santana ‘21, and Matt Travaglini ‘21 star in Raisin in the Sun, premiering in the Kraft theater tomorrow night at 7pm.

Form I Responses Reacting to Donavan Payne’s (‘18) Winning Woodbury

English 1 students of Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. Mooney, and Mr. Carr responded to Donavan’s award-winning Fall 2017 Woodbury on their midyear exam. Students were asked to explain the significance of a passage from Donavan’s speech in a five-paragraph essay that included three quotes from Donavan. Form I boys considered the Middle School’s core words (respect; effort; teamwork; leadership; integrity; responsibility; courage; empathy) and the overarching theme for English 1 and Form I (heroes) in crafting a response. The Panel is excited to present powerful lines from their essays.

There was a phrase I used a lot as a child. It went, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I used it to defend myself from the insults of childhood bullies but I later came to realize that words hurt. They can do damage like sticks and stones.

We use words too freely and often ignore the consequences that come from the things we say. […]

[A word can be] oppressive by nature and with its use it carries the weight of that dark history. So, if we don’t mean it in the way that the definition of the word implies, then why say it at all? I’m speaking publicly about this because I care about the Belmont Hill community. I care about this community and I aim to push you all to carefully examine the impact you have on the people around you […]

-Donavan Payne ‘18 [I]t’s okay to acknowledge that words do hurt us. If you try to make yourself believe that words don’t hurt, you’ll bottle up your sadness and they’ll only end up hurting more.

[L]earn how to use words not as sticks and stones but as stepping stones.

William McCormack ‘18

A hero doesn’t necessarily have to have superpowers or save people from monsters or villains[;] a hero just needs to use their self in a positive way and treat others with respect.

The easiest way to go through time is to blend in, stay on the sidelines. However, Donavan is pleading for you to step in. [...] I admire Donavan for his courage.

Step into the conversation to solve the problem.

Donavan is a hero and falls under all of the categories of all of the core words.

If someone is putting a friend down, the power of the people around him or her can defend that person, using courage and teamwork.

Adam Richins

B elmont HIll News

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From the Archives: Mr. Dawson ‘72, Mr. Kaplan ‘83, and the 1997 Faculty Note from the Editors “Stereotypes” – A Letter to the Editor This year, the 66th Editorial Board of The Panel has chosen two core themes for the

By Steve Kaplan ’83 Contributing Writer (Volume 30)

To the editors, Many letters have been written about stereotypes, but none that have hit close to home. This year as many of the seniors start their college search, they are asked at interviews to talk about their extra-curricular activities.

I have found that trying to make plans to continue my athletics would dominate the conversation at the interview.

At most of the interviews, I felt that I was being placed in a file titled “Student Jock.” Then, as they asked about other activities, they seemed shocked as I mentioned that I was very interested in Ceramics. They seemed to

have the very narrow-minded view that an athlete was an athlete and an artist was an artist.

At one particular interview, I was asked whether my peers criticized me for this. This shocked me, for in school, each person is encouraged to find some sort of hobby in the studio.

In the same sense, this angered me, for I hate stereotypes to begin with, and I felt as though I was starting off the interview on the wrong foot.

This letter is an invitation for people to forget about stereotypes and realize that doing what you want to do is the most important personal asset one can have.

publication — retrospection and celebration. From exploring the history of the Hamilton Chapel, to considering the announcments of the most recent Heads of School, we at The Panel have found great enjoyment in linking Belmont Hill’s past to its present.

Throughout the year, The Panel intends to include excerpts from older editions and articles, providing the student body with an accessible means to investigate the Belmont Hill experience from 1923 to 2018. As we embark on our school’s 95th year, we at The Panel hope to lead the school through the beginning of an important transition period.

The process of both celebrating and re-evaluating the past will be almost as important as pondering the future.

Thank you, Steve Kaplan ’83

Above: Carl Dawson ’72, the 2017-2018 Alumni Award Recipient, stands in Chapel (1968)

Above: The illustration that accompanied Steve Kaplan’s ’83 Letter to the Editor.

Panel Archives

Right: The faculty, 1997. More than a dozen current faculty are present in this photo — how many can you recognize?

Belmont Hill School 1923-1998: An Anniversary Album

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Be l mont Hil l A rts

T he Panel

Students Recognized at Inaugural Arts Chapel Collaboration Albums Disappoint in 2017

By Bennett Morris ’18 Panel Staff

“Art is culture,” intoned Art Department chair Mr. Kaplan as he kicked off Belmont Hill’s inaugural Arts Award Chapel.

He continued, “Art is so much a part of our amazing lives that we rarely take the time to appreciate it, which is okay as long as we recognize its value.” In the past, Belmont Hill has not carved out time to publicly appreciate and recognize the value art brings to our community, opting instead to emphasize sports achievements.

Belmont Hill’s eagerness to celebrate the arts in the same manner as we do athletics was evident in the 15-minute chapel, which honored both the 14 recipients of awards and all the boys who participated in arts during the past semester. The recipient pool was heavily populated by third and fourth formers, a good sign that bodes well for future arts achievements at the school.

The award-winning works of art were chosen by a guest juror, a local artist and art teacher, who was invited to judge the show. Prizes were awarded after the judge had spent an hour thoroughly examining the multimedia submissions. Two prizes each were awarded for drawing and painting, woodworking, advanced woodworking, and photography; in addition, within each medium, one prize was awarded to the “Best in Class”. Other art awards were given to the boys who exhibited the best skill in a specific discipline, such as third-former Caleb McGrath-Sheldrick’s compelling

short documentary for Digital Video.

Subsequent to the debut arts chapel,

By Massimo Aufiero ’18 and 12 separate awards were given to a sevUgonna Anuonyemere ’18 en boys, not necessarily involved in the Staff Writers arts chapel, by the eminent Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards. The competition If nothing else, 2017 was an exciting year has been held since 1923, boasting an im- for music, including albums from big names pressive track record. Belmont Hill’s Ben like Drake, Kendrick, and Migos. Creating the

“Art is culture; art is so much a part of our amazing lives...

Morales, Elias Hyde, Wyatt Barlow, Jack Tahan, and Abe Tolkoff are brushing elbows with past winners Andy Warhol and Robert Redford. A panel of more than fifty judges evaluate the art pieces, granting gold keys, silver keys, and honorable mentions to the students that demonstrate the most artistic talent in ceramics, painting, sculp-

“We rarely take the time to appreciate it, which is okay as long as we recognize its value.” ture, photography, comic art, and a dozen other categories. Congratulations to all the students involved in the Scholastic Art Awards! Their work is picture below, clockwise in the order aforementioned.

The fall semester art show “Art is….” was on display in the Robsham Gallery from January through February 2 and the school website features a short video highlighting the art of all award winners. ☐

most hype around their arrival were the number of collaboration albums that were released.

For fans, seeing two of your favorite artists making an entire album together is a most exciting prospect. Thus, when we heard last year that albums were being released by Future and Young Thug, 21 Savage and Offset, and Travis Scott and Quavo, people were in high spirits and had high expectations. However, fans’ hopes for exceptional albums featuring prime performances from prominent rappers were disappointed by mediocre, bland albums that seemed to have been made hastily and with little care or effort.

That’s not to say that these albums were bad, but that they fell short of the expectations we had for such star-studded collaborations.

The standard for collaboration albums is set by Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne and Drake and Future’s What a Time to Be Alive. These two tapes saw success because they not only highlighted the individual strengths of each artist, but also pushed them to experiment with new dimensions not possible on their own. WTT brought out a rarely seen emotional side of Jay, and saw the beginning of the braggadocious, arrogant Ye that has been his brand since then. In addition to the lyrics, the album showcased samples and beats that were foreign to either of their solo styles.

WATTBA had the same effect on Drake, though to a slightly lesser degree; while the trap scene was not necessarily entirely new for him, this collaboration gave him the opportunity to take a trip to Pluto with Future and make an entire album without the pop and R&B tracks that are his forte. WATTBA allowed him to earn some much needed “street cred” and send some final shots at Meek Mill, as he did in his “30 for 30 Freestyle.” Future sounded pretty much the same as always on this album, but nonetheless he did a good job continuing to utilize the style with which he had been tremendously successful in the past.

Fast forward two years, Future teams up with Young Thug on Super Slimey. This was a promising combo given their similar styles in production but vastly contrasting vocals. Again, Future doesn’t budge from his characteristic style, sticking more to the trap theme of FUTURE and less to the emotional, R&B theme of HNDRXX (which was clearly the better of the two albums), both released earlier in the year.

But here’s the problem: Thugger does not experiment with anything new either. Coming off of Easy Breezy Beautiful Thugger Girls, his first

Arnav and Seth are Back: The Panel’s Playlist of the Issue Spirits - The Strumbellas “Spirits” has a perfect story arc that opens with a confession of fear and ends with an attainable resolution. In a style that mirrors that of the Lumineers, the Canadian Arnav’s Picks: band has discovered a niche in a folk-rock Gone - Kanye West subsection within pop music.

The closing track for Kanye West’s leg-

By Arnav Prasad ’18 and Seth Israel ’18 Panel Staff

endary album Last Registration, “Gone” is the forgotten gem of West’s collections. Blending Lazy Song - Bruno Mars You didn’t forget about Bruno Mars’ an addictive drum beat with a unique sample “Lazy Song,” did you? The track, which and a chorus of string instruments, the song precedes recent singles “Finesse” and “24K epitomizes Kanye’s freshness as an artist.

Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue - Portugal. The Man Featured in FIFA, Portugal. The Man’s “Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue,” exists in a gray area. The song, like most of Portugal. The Man’s works, does not identify with a single style or genre. The track benefits from strong guitar riffs and a catchy chorus.

Magic,” features a more simple array of acoustic instrumentation than Mars’ newer releases.

Seth’s Picks: Moving On - Anna of the North Anna of the North’s music is 1980s prom scene vibes: blue tuxedos, bad hair, and shiny silver balloons. Despite the nosBagBak - Vince Staples talgia of awkwardness that “Moving On” In addition to a refreshing electric baseline, Vince Staples’ “BagBak” offers a contem- invites, the song provokes a calming feeling porary message of empowerment and equity. every time I hear it.

by Pharrell Williams in a class at NYU last year. Since then, she released her EP, “Now That The Light is Fading.” There isn’t a track on the album I don’t like, and I especially love Rogers’ vocals production on “Better.”

Untitled - Rex Orange County “Untitled” is quite a simple song, in which ROC analyzes his life through a very critical lense, as he does on many of his songs. The melodies aren’t particularly complex, but they are certainly beautiful, and they work well with the stripped down nature of the song.

Some - Steve Lacy What’s crazy about Steve Lacy is that he makes most of his songs using GarageBand on his iPhone. And he produces for Kendrick Lamar on his phone too! Lacy’s basic production methods are reflected in his songs; nonetheless, all of his music rocks.

“Some” features simple drum beats, a classic baseline, and Lacy’s masterful guitar and unique vocals.

The song highlights themes central to the 2016 GUMMY - BROCKHAMPTON election, specifically American poverty, ra- Better - Maggie Rogers “Now I’m in Cali today, with the sun Maggie Rogers is an awesome singcial strife, and social disconnects between the on my face.” ☐ er-songwriter whose talent was discovered wealthy and poor.

ever “singing” album, one might expect that he would try to be innovative and unconventional on this collaboration, but that is not at all the case. The result was an incredibly repetitive and mundane album. The songs certainly weren’t awful - if any of them had been released as singles, they might have done pretty well - but when thirteen songs that all sound exactly the same are released together, it’s very easy to lose interest. In fact, the only song that stood out on the album was “Patek Water,” which was the only exception because Offset gave the album what it desperately needed - a standout verse.

The second of these albums to be released was Without Warning (aptly named, as it was not announced until the day of its release) by 21 Savage and Offset. Without Warning also has the problem of sounding repetitive, but it has one other underlying issue as well: the combination of 21 Savage and Offset doesn’t make much sense. Unlike either Kanye and Jay-Z or Drake and Future, these two artists don’t have a long history working together or a precedent of any exceptional chemistry. Although WTT and Without Warning have been compared to each other by Complex News (as a joke obviously), the latter does not come close to the genius of Jay-Z and Kanye. They had only appeared together twice before (on “Gucci On My” and “No Flags”), and both previous collaborations also included other rappers. 21 and Offset are both great artists, and they each brought their individual talents to the album, but that was just about it. The collaboration did nothing to enhance or expand what they could do on their own. The best song of the album (and arguably of the year), Ric Flair Drip, was a solo track from Offset, and the next two most popular songs each had another artist to lend a verse—“Ghostface Killers” featuring Travis Scott and “Rap Saved Me” featuring Quavo. Any purely Offset and 21 Savage track was entertaining, but uninspiring at best.

With 2017 almost over, Quavo and Travis Scott finally dropped their highly anticipated collaboration album, Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, after months of teasing it. These two have a successful history of working together on several tracks. Huncho and La Flame both utilize heavy autotune, and Travis’s more gothic tone is complemented by Quavo’s effervescence in a sublime manner, as is best demonstrated on “Oh My, Dis Side.” However, on Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, we see almost none of this.

It is little more than a conventional trap album, lacking in ambition and the chemistry the two have shown in the past. It seemed like Travis and Quavo were rushed while making this tape, both more concerned with Astroworld and Culture II, respectively, while Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho was just a small side project. There still were a few good songs, such as “Saint,” “Modern Slavery,” and “Eye 2 Eye,” but as a whole, it certainly did not live up to our expectations for a Travis Scott-Quavo collaboration.

Although collaboration albums might have disappointed on the whole in 2017, one collaboration stood head and shoulders above the rest. Two hip-hop heavyweights, Fabolous and Jadakiss, came in with their highly anticipated Friday on Elm Street and produced an album completely different from the other three collaborations in 2017. Despite the name of the album, the “scary movie” theme didn’t go past the intro, a pleasing decision that 21 and Offset could have benefitted from also making. From the endless punchlines and calm, cool, and collected flow coming from Fabolous, to the rough and powerful raps voiced by Jadakiss, these two veteran New York rappers prove once again why their music has been able to remain relevant and consistent for many years. Unlike the other collaboration albums released in 2017, their differences gelled together smoothly and these two rappers pushed each other to produce their best raps for the fans. Some stand-out songs on the album were “Stand Up,” “Soul Food,” ‘Talk about It,” and “Principles,” just to name a few.

These songs don’t rely heavily on autotune and trap beats, which dominate the rap industry today. Despite all of this, the songs are still appealing to hip hop fans who are interested in deep messages in their music, social consciousness, and actual BARS that make you want to pause and go back just to react the same way the first time you heard it. Overall, the album is easily the best collaboration of 2017 and is one of the most underrated hip hop albums of the year. ☐

B elmont HIll arts

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Pa g e 7

Kwoun ‘18 Finds Groove in Nike Commercial God of Carnage Promises to Impress

By Arnav Prasad ’18 Panel Staff

November 27, 2017 seemed no different than any other prosaic Tuesday morning for most Belmont Hill students.

Like his peers, Austin Kwoun ‘18 had expected nothing other than his regular course load; that is, until he received final notice to contribute to Kyrie Irving’s latest commercial. Departing campus after second block, Austin embarked on a ten-hour adventure that landed him in the backdrop of a Nike Ad. Among Belmont Hill students, the buzz around Austin’s participation in the commercial did not stop short of mania.

With the Celtics having enjoyed an unprecedented win streak with new all-star addition Kyrie Irving that week, basketball had quickly resurfaced to the forefront of the Boston sports scene, and so it made perfect sense that Austin’s feat would strike a particularly strong chord with students.

In Austin’s absence in the classrooms that day, excitement levels ran high, and everyone both fantasized about and envied his proximity to the basketball star. When Austin posted a series of Snapchat stories that provided a glimpse into the commercial’s set-up, Belmont Hill students marveled at the sight of Celtics rookie standout Jayson Tatum and Patriots wide receiver Rob Gronkowski each playing a role in the production.

Despite frequenting the spotlight when playing his violin, the process that led Austin to Shea Memorial Hangar that morning was foreign to him. From experiences at Belmont Hill and New England Conservatory events, Austin has flawlessly practiced, memorized, and performed con-

certos from memory in front of hundreds of listeners at a time. Successful experiences with solo opportunities familiarized Austin with taking an active role in pursuing music-related opportunities, and his exposure to intense musical environments equipped him with a strong sense of artistic versatility. Nonetheless, after auditioning alongside two of his friends from his New England Conservatory quartet with a video sample, Austin was still shocked to hear from the producers a month later.

“It was unexpected, to say the least,” said Austin about the selection process.

Upon arriving at the hangar at 11:00 am and tackling the necessary paperwork for three hours, the ad’s directors gave Austin instructions to practice Vivaldi’s “Summer” from The Four Seasons. Given freezing temperatures and the paucity of practice time, Austin and his peers only played for show with the understanding that the producers would dub their music in the commercial in the editing process.

By 3:00 pm, Kyrie Irving arrived on set with his entourage. “We watched in awe as he stepped onto the shiny black half-court that Nike had laid down. He was close enough that I could see each tattoo on his arm,” commented Austin. After recording a series of takes where Kyrie sported his skillful handles for the camera, Tatum and Gronkowski joined the set a few hours later for their own features before calling it a night at 9:00 pm.

Since the commercial release, the ad has gained popularity online and on television. For the Belmont Hill community, the commercial breaks have become more entertaining than ever as they see one of the school’s own on a national stage. ☐

By Austin Kwoun ’18 Panel Staff

Watching a benign meeting between two couples devolve into utter chaos is morbidly fascinating; recreating such an anarchic-yet-nuanced evening is much harder than it looks. Sixth Former Owen Pickette is tasked with directing Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage, wherein two sets of parents meet to resolve a conflict between their young children. Doing justice to the riveting one-act play involves capturing the devolution of four adults from civil conversation to vomit and childish barbs.

The cast of four is under constant audience scrutiny, with every cast member on stage at all times, and Pickette understands the importance of every little detail to the success of the production. “Whether we’re talking about how to make realistic-looking vomit or how to orient each member of the cast as they lash out at one another,” he states,” there’s a lot that goes on for a play in such a seemingly simple setting.”

To tackle this monumental work, serious acting chops are required of a four-person, two-couple cast, and Pickette

has the objective cream of the crop with which to work. Theo Why plays Alain Raleigh, a lawyer whose disdain for the situation and whose dedication to his cellphone are expertly conveyed by the experienced Sixth Former; Dana Hall senior Loulou Taylor plays concerned mother Annette Raleigh and tackles the character’s visceral reaction to the stressful situation with energy and skill; Henry Vettel ‘18 plays Michael Novak, a passive wholesaler with a few controversial passions that the actor simultaneously portrays with dryness and passion; Katie Gardner, Dana Hall ‘18, plays the high-minded Veronica Novak and skillfully captures the irony of the character’s naivete, preaching the “art of coexistence” in a play that forsakes it entirely. Pickette’s direction ties the whole fiasco together into a tale of majesty, cruelty, chaos, and balance; as the quartet travels from unity to division to solitude, it becomes clear that the dark side of human nature matches civility blow for blow.

Masterfully directed and acted, God of Carnage will be shown in the Kraft Theater at 7:00 pm on March 2nd and March 3rd, with an open dress rehearsal at 5:30 pm on March 1st. Don’t miss it. ☐

Editors-In-Chief

Copy Editor John Markis ’18

Ishaan Prasad ’18 William McCormack ’18

Executive Editor Arnav Prasad ’18

Arts Editor

Austin Kwoun ’18

Sports Editor

Thomas McEvoy ’19

Photo Editors

Duncan Grant ’18 Donovan Payne ’18

Assistant Editors Nick Daley ’19 Josh Fairman ’19 Matthew Goguen ’19 Chetan Shukla ’20 Jack Weldon ’20

Graphics Editors Bennett Morris ’18 Elias Hyde ’20

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener Liz Gray

News Editor

Charlie Booth ’20

Celtics Superstar Kyrie Irving - Austin Kwoun ‘18 plays violin in background at center

Opinion Editor

Spotify Pre-Game Playlist: Varsity Basketball

Back Page Editors

The Panel is excited to continue this new feature that acknowledges the intersection of music and sports. Each issue in Volume 66, we plan to publish the pregame playlist of one of Belmont Hill’s varsity teams. Varsity Basketball serves as our sixth featured team. Check out the full playlist on Spotify (@bhpanel).

Gavin Colbert ’18

Lawson Morris ’19 Leighton Dolan ’19

Online Editor

Matthew Smith ’19 The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2017 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

Featured Team: Varsity Basketball Get the full playlist on Spotify - @bhpanel

Rap Saved Me 21 Savage

Stir Fry Migos

Roll in Peace Kodak Black

I Get The Bag Gucci Mane

Swag Surfin' F.L.Y.

Beast Mode A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

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Pa g e 8

Health & Wellness at Belmont Hill

By Arnav Prasad ’18, Ishaan Prasad ’18, and William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff Last school year, on November 15, 2016, as busy students pushed towards what promised to be a forgiving Thanksgiving break, Belmont Hill administered a required survey to boys in Forms IIIVI. The survey, the Independent School Health Check, collected data on a variety of topics, ultimately generating 328 total responses. Responses are accurate, too. Boys understood their responses to be anonymous, and 99.1% assessed their responses to be completely or mostly honest. The Independent School Health Check also offers comparative data from

the over fifty independent schools in which the survey has been utilized.

Findings paint an updated picture of the Belmont Hill boy. Dr. Melvoin, other administrators, and the School as a whole have benefited from better understanding the needs, interests, concerns, and identity of its students. What motivates a Belmont Hill student? How much time does he spend studying each night?

How does he spend his life off campus?

What excites him? What worries him?

The report provides answers—with the raw numbers to support them—to all

these questions and more.

The Panel is excited to share data on these inquiries with the broader community. As the School progresses through February—an often colder, more demanding time for most Belmont Hill students—Dr. Melvoin has generously provided The Panel with access to key questions on sleep, stress, emotional health, and general wellness. In viewing, analyzing, and reviewing these results, we gain knowledge about our friends, our classmates, our teammates, our school, and ourselves. ☐

T he Panel

By the

Numbers

328

Responses from Forms III-VI (November 2016)

99.1% Analysis of Survey Results Motivation Type by Grade Extrinsic

Form III

Intrinsic

Form IV

Homework For any Belmont Hill student, academic rigor expresses itself both through classwork and homework.

Upon request, students reported the amount of time they had spent doing homework on the day before the survey. 268 students had spent 2 hours or more, 144 reported 3 hours or more, and 34 students reported doing five or more hours of homework a night.

Although responses varied considerably, homework time for the Belmont Hill student remains comparable to the values represented in the ISHC’s aggregate data. ☐

Mixed

Indeterminate

Form V

Form VI

Motivation Motivational style has an important influence on how students, whether in Belmont Hill or beyond, perceive themselves in an academic and personal setting. Belmont Hill students in particular are responsive to extrinsic motivators--such as satisfying parents or winning an award. In the report’s calculations, 22.5% of Belmont Hill students are intrinsically motivated, 40.5% are extrinsically motivated, and 25.7% are categorized under mixed. ☐

Homework Hours Comparison

Hours spent None 30 min 1 hour 2 hours 3-4 hours 5+ hours

BH 0.6% 2.2% 11.5% 39.5% 35.0% 10.8%

ISHC Dataset 2.6% 4.5% 12.2% 30.6% 38% 12.1%

Percentage of boys who claimed to be completely or mostly honest

88%

Percentage of boys who endorsed the statement "I feel like I belong"

34

Students who reported doing more than 5 hours of homework at night

91.8% Percentage of students who have social media

60

Boys who reported that their sleep patterns interfere with their daily functioning Feelings and Sleep More so than anything else, sleep seems to dictate well-being. Boys who slept ≤7 hours the night before the survey reported decreased wellness across several metrics. The correlation assumes that hours of sleep reported the night before the survey equate to an average night of sleep. ☐ ◀ Left: The chart shows the relationship between reported feeling states and the amount of sleep reported the night before.

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Search for New Health & Wellness Educator Position Begins On a weekday last December, as scribbling students around campus began work on a midyear exam, Belmont Hill’s Health Team embarked on a retreat. The seven-person body— composed of Upper School head Mr. Bradley, Middle School head Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. David, counselor Ms. Schmunk, consulting psychologist Dr. Thompson, consulting psychiatrist Dr. Bepi Raviola, and Director of Academic Support Mrs. Richards— capitalized on the rare chance for a longer, more involved meeting.

“We meet every week,” Mrs. Hamilton explained in a recent interview, “and talk about mostly the students, but sometimes the adults too—faculty, staff—it’s a whole family.” Despite weekly gatherings, the team yearned for an opportunity to examine the big picture: health at Belmont Hill as a whole.

An exam week retreat finally represented that opportunity, and the group did not need to travel far. Walking across Marsh Street to the Alumni House, the committee set themselves up in the basement and asked, “if the schedule didn’t exist, what would we want?”

They specifically reconsidered the function and appearance of health education at Belmont Hill, and the meeting—“a fun time to dream,” as Mrs. Hamilton recalls—ultimately resulted in a reaffirmation that Belmont Hill should offer health ed-

ucation to boys in every form and the decision to create a new position on the faculty: “Health and Wellness Educator.” Dr. Melvoin happily approved the group’s recommendation, and as Dean of the Faculty, Mr. Armstrong initiated a formal job search, currently ongoing. Teaching, overseeing, organizing, and further developing Belmont Hill’s health and wellness curriculum, next year’s educator will serve as a permanent, full-time member of the faculty.

“We already do a lot of health and wellness,” Mrs. Hamilton explained. “But we do it in a way that is not as organized as we’d like it to b e .”

Belmont Hill’s current situation is fragmented. Health education consists of a spattering of sessions during Mud Weeks and random X-blocks, two-fifteens, and four o’clocks, and outside speakers, ranging from Will Slotnick to Bob Bigelow to Peter DiGuilio, almost always do the teaching. Outside speakers offer important perspectives—and their presence will not be completely eliminated

after the hiring of Belmont Hill’s new health teacher—but the decision to create the position speaks to the benefits that consolidation and consistency can provide.

A n excited Health Team envisions the new educator working with boys in all forms, meeting weekly with groups of students during certain athletic seasons in the same way that Dr. Melvoin currently structures the Form III Ethics program. The team has also brainstormed a curriculum with “age-appropriate topics and an age-appropriate approach” to which the new educator can contribute and finalize. The Form I curriculum, for example, will continue to emphasize puberty and digital citizenship, but might also include education around nutrition and anxiety.

As boys grow older and continue to engage in important, occasionally difficult conversations with the health teacher, the Health Team hopes the connection boys form with this faculty member will enhance the effectiveness of what they

teach, a motivation that echoes the goals of the School’s teacher-coach model.

Although a vision and job posting exist, Mr. Armstrong and the Health Team purposely included no specific description for the role. Mrs. Hamilton acknowledged, “the job will change and mold after we hire someone.” The team is certainly mandating key qualities—a teacher who will be active and engaged throughout campus; willing and excited to work with Belmont Hill boys of all ages; and appreciate of an all-boys environment—but many of the position’s details remain undecided. Although the new teacher, occupied with teaching during most two-fifteens and four o’clocks, will not coach, potential work with community service, the Peer Leader group, counseling, and advising all remain possibilities and all represent opportunities for the health teacher to connect with students.

Meanwhile, as the search goes on, the Health Team waits in excited anticipation. “It’s such important work, and I’m so glad we do it,” concluded Mrs. Hamilton. “The new teacher,” one with whom boys can connect and grow, “can speak to the needs that the community voices.”

Dr. Melvoin, Mr. Armstrong, and the Health Team expect to interview final candidates on campus in the coming months. ☐

◀Respondents by Form Form III (83)

Form IV (81)

Form V (88)

Form VI (75)

Respondents by Race► White (265)

Sleep Adolescents across America complain of exhaustion and sleep deprivation. Belmont Hill is no exception, and numbers show that such complaints are

Other (17)

Asian (13)

Black (23)

Hispanic (7)

well-founded, both at Belmont Hill and among the approximately 17,000 responses the Independent School Health Check has compiled. ☐

Want to see more?

Check out exclusive, online-only media and analysis at:

Does your sleep interfere with your daily functioning?

No interference Much A little Somewhat Major interference

Form III

Form IV

Form V

Form VI

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T he Panel

Straying from the Syllabus: Maximizing Real-World Class Time

By William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff

individuals in need.

This year—more so than any other spent at Belmont Hill—I have realized the value class time can provide when not completely concentrated on coursework and “class” itself. Sixth Form history electives—ranging from Mr. Smith’s economics course to Dr. Buckley’s American Politics and Policy (APP) elective, which I took this past fall—support the example Mr. Doar set in Nonfiction Writing. In APP, Dr. Buckley led a course centered around current events. Readings in our textbook informed

Mr. Doar allotted five minutes—barely 12% of that Tuesday’s D Block Nonfiction Writing class—to introduce the VING Project to his Sixth Form elective students last fall. As John Markis ‘18 writes in the News section, VING allows high schoolers to nominate someone who they think deserves $1,000, and if the foundation selects their nomination as a winner, the students enjoy the privilege of presenting their nominee—a friend, a family member, a teacher, or other community member in need—with a $1,000 check.

After brainstorming potential nominees for homework, we began our Thursday long block by completing online nomination forms for twenty minutes (about 25% of the period), a process that involved recording short videos and filling in trivial information about our nominee.

Two weeks later, the VING project sent congratulatory emails to six of the fourteen boys in our class; Mr. Doar had easily turned twenty-five minutes into 6,000 impactful dollars. Every minute of class time he earmarked for the VING project, a pursuit not directly related to writing or the course curriculum, generated $240 for Grant Gibson ‘18 with his VING Recipient

us of theories, themes, and trends, and Dr. Buckley’s willingness to sometimes ignore the textbook, instead favoring an article or example in the news, connected our coursework to the real world. We learned with stakes, and tying our curriculum to actual events enhanced our learning experience. Our class discussions roamed widely, achieving an authenticity and memorability absent from artificial ones in which students regurgitate textbook readings from the night before, only to forget the content of their discussion a period later.

I appreciate that Belmont Hill has worked to infuse the Sixth Form experience with issues of real-world significance, but I also think boys in lower forms deserve to benefit from similar real-world applications. Courses like Form III World Issues and my Form V English elective Modern American Literature stand out as examples

“Two weeks later, the VING project sent congratulatory emails to six of the fourteen boys in our class; Mr. Doar had easily turned twenty-five minutes into 6,000 impactful dollars. Every minute of class time he earmarked for the VING project, a pursuit not directly related to writing or the course curriculum, generated $240 for individuals in need.” which Middle and Upper School classes should strive to emulate. Connecting the often abstract nature of textbook readings, handouts, and homework problems to the tangibility of one’s surroundings improves the value of any lesson. As Mr. Doar has shown, not being afraid to stray from the syllabus literally pays off. ☐

“Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears...”

By Gavin Colbert ’18 Panel Staff “His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy…”

Public speaking is an art not only in rhetoric but in courage and confidence. It is a battle against the butterflies in the stomach and the self-doubt circling the brain.

The hands start to shake, the knee bounces up and down as if thumping to the beat of a marching band in the distance. As you take a deep breath and look out on those gathered, the only thing standing between success and failure is your preparation. It comes down to how many minutes you spent reciting the speech sitting at your desk, how many times you stood in front of the mirror and performed to yourself, and how many times you corrected a fumble in a word or sentence that you finally pronounced correctly. Therefore, public speaking is as much a trainable skill as it is an art in expression.

And here at school, we should be teaching

this skill much more, for it will undoubtedly tenor of delivery, and this subtle nuance can speech about any topic they choose. By exhelp us in every aspect of our future profes- only be discovered through the trial and periencing pre-speech nerves, mid-speech sional and personal lives. error of repetition. Ergo, I urge the school execution, and post-speech ‘speaker’s high’, Though we do have the Poetry Fest community to institute a ‘Woodbury Fest’ students will step beyond their comfort every year, the school curriculum lacks the wherein all students compose and deliver a zones and create a strong foundation of dynamism to flirt with the public speaking upon spontaneity associated with which they can build in public speaking. In the heat of the future. reading textbooks and writing Looking back on papers, very little time is afmy time here at Belmont forded to composing our own Hill, my defining mowork and reciting it to an auments center around the dience. While the Poetry Fest bouts of public speaking is a great vehicle for perforthat shook me to my core mance, there must be another but helped me prove to outlet for the self-expression myself that I can achieve of sharing our own writing almost anything with to a class. There is something confidence, preparation, exhilarating and refreshing and passion. We must in sharing your life’s journey train each student so through a speech written with that when they shakily thought as to how an audience meander to their next would react. Some speeches Duncan Grant ‘18 podium, they will take a are humorous by nature, some deep breath and give the speeches are humorous by the The chapel podium, where many showcase their speaking skills speech of their life. ☐

Should Winter Break Be a Break from School Sports?

By Nick Daley ’19 Panel Staff Belmont Hill’s break for the holidays was a welcome reprieve for all students after a demanding first semester and a punishing exam week, but with it came the annual tradition that every parent dreads: holiday tournaments and faraway games, promising long car rides and

“In truth, joining a high-commitment sports team is an integral part of the Belmont Hill experience, and games and meets over school vacations are a necessary trade-off which many students are willing to endure and parents may just have to accept.” ruined travel plans. The varsity hockey, basketball, and wrestling teams all had significant commitments, including some

Belmont Hill sports schedules are numbering among the most important of the year. But while parents and some making the best out of a difficult situation. students complain, teams counter with a They have limited the number of games, collective shoulder-shrug, citing grueling especially for teams with JV and varsity schedules and a need to maintain a high athletes who compete together, as in norlevel of play to keep up with the com- dic and alpine skiing, helping ensure that petition. In 20 to 30 game seasons, it is students who may not be as dedicated to difficult to impossible to take a two-week their winter sport do not have to sacrifice hiatus, and in a cutthroat league, the rust their vacation for it. In addition, teams that comes with seventeen days off is unacceptable for many teams. Luckily, for sports as competitive as hockey, basketball, and wrestling, the hard work and enthusiasm for the game that is necessary to make the varsity teams often leave students excited to play over break; even if there were no games, it is likely that they would spend much of their break on the court, rink or mat anyway.

The Jordan Athletic Center during winter break.

generally avoid official league games so the fate of ISL championships doesn’t depend on vacation games. Finding a balance between a fair break and preventing a post-holiday slump is difficult, but under the current system, the separate needs of families and teams are given close to equal footing. The best solution would be to keep games relegated to the beginning of break, before most families start their travels, with optional practices in between, but there is no perfect remedy. In truth, joining a high-commitment sports team is an integral part of the Belmont Hill experience, and games and meets over school vacations are a necessary trade-off which many students are willing to endure and parents may just have to accept. ☐

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Get off the Fence: Is Water Wet? Water is Wet

Water is not Wet

Back in August 2017, a video of two guys arguing over whether a fish underwater is wet appeared and went viral, racking up hundreds of thousands of views and likes on YouTube and other social media sites.

Almost five months later, the internet remains abuzz with heated discussion over the nature of water and wetness. In this month’s Debate of the Issue, Josh Fairman ‘19 and Matt Smith ‘19 will tackle one of the world’s most pressing questions, one that has stumped some of the internet’s most vocal users: Is water wet?

By Joshua Fairman ’19 Panel Staff

By Matthew Smith ’19 Panel Staff

A melting ice cube.

Elias Hyde ‘20

Here is the definition of wet: “saturated with water.” I now argue that water, by its property of being water, must be considered saturated with water. In fact, it is the one true example of wetness. Some people say that only objects that encounter water may be considered wet, but this is hodge podge. If you go out in the rain with a rain jacket on, the rain jacket becomes wet to the touch, but what are you actually touching?

The water. The molecules of the jacket are all dry, but the wet parts are the H2O mol-

wet? Well, the wetness was transferred onto him by the water. If we consider the water not to be wet, then the wetness will have just been created. This is fundamentally impossible as something may not be created from nothing. Ergo, I submit this postulate: wetness may neither be created nor destroyed, only transferred. #H2O #BigWa-WaGuy #JustJoshin ☐

“If you go out in the rain with a rain jacket on, the rain jacket becomes wet to the touch, but what are you actually touching? The water.”

“I leave for one semester and this is what The Panel comes to...”

- Mr. Hegarty

Belmont Hill Speaks*

“This is an outrageous debate...and I love it.”

-Mr. Trautz

ecules on the outside of the jacket that are “I’ve lost numerous friends over this debate.” transferred to your hand. Another example -Dr. Melvoin is, if someone waded into a pool of water, he would become wet. So how did he become *A collection of fictitious quotes from around campus

While the Debate of the Issue is generally supposed to be funny, this question is no laughing matter. I’m going to take this one seriously and answer this conundrum once and for all: The main challenge in conclusively determining whether water is wet has been the existence of many ambiguous definitions of the adjective “wet.” On dictionary. com alone, there are nine definitions. Because of this, debaters on both sides have been able to employ different definitions to support their arguments. As proof that water is indeed not wet, I will break down some of the most applicable definitions.

The first definition of the word “wet” on dictionary.com is “moistened, covered, or soaked with water or some other liquid.” In this definition, water serves as the factor by which something becomes wet. Therefore, it would not make sense to describe water itself as wet. A similar example would be fire, which burns things, but wouldn’t be described as burnt. If that isn’t convincing, consider the words which wet is used to describe: solid objects like hands, clothes, hair, but never things consisting of liquid like lakes, oceans, or water.

Also worth noting is the fact that objects which are wet can achieve that property to varying degrees. For instance, if you pour a drop of water on a piece of clothing, it would be described as a little wet, whereas it would be called very wet if it had been drenched with the contents of a bucket.

Water, however, only increases in volume, not wetness, when more water is added to it.

Another definition of “wet” on dictionary.com is “in a liquid form or state.”

On the surface, this definition may seem to contradict everything which I have just said. However, it actually fits quite nicely within my argument. This definition of the word “wet” is used when describing paint or cement. Though it is true that paint and cement do achieve liquid states, both actually consist of water and a dry component, just as in the prior examples. For paint, that dry component is pigment, while for cement, it is rock or sand.

A third definition, which I found cited in a Quora discussion, states that wetness is the “replacement of area of the solid-air interface with a solid-liquid interface and is generally accompanied by an extension of the liquid-air interface.” Despite its complexity, this definition is essentially asserting that wetness isn’t even a property which can be achieved by a liquid, but instead by a solid in contact with the air. This definition also settles the aforementioned “Is a fish in water wet?” argument.

To summarize, wetness describes solid objects which have come into contact with water. Wetness, and conversely dryness, should be considered on a scale measuring the amount of liquid adhering to a solid. By that, I mean that something which is able to be described as wet should also be able to be described as very wet or mildly wet or dry. For these reasons, the word “wet” as well as “dry” cannot be applied to water. Despite its close association with the word, water isn’t wet and never will be. ☐

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Colorado Rockies General Manager Jeff Bridich Speaks with Students

By Thomas McEvoy ’19 and Leighton Dolan ’19 Panel Staff

William McCormack ‘18

Born and raised in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Colorado Rockies General Manager and Dr. Melvoin’s son-in-law Jeff Bridich cultivated a passion for competitive athletics early on, especially baseball and football. Bridich found himself in the quintessential sports household, and his father, Rick Bridich, even served as Jeff ’s baseball coach through high school at Marquette University.

Out of high school, Bridich achieved acceptance into Harvard University, his father’s alma mater, where he continued his baseball career. A catcher by trade, Bridich credits much of his current success to success to Harvard’s competitive nature and stark contrast to his Whitefish Bay’s small town atmosphere.. Although he is the first to admit that he was merely a “naive eighteen-yearold,” Bridich openly acknowledges Harvard’s profoundly positive impact on his life. Upon Bridich’s graduation at the turn of the century, he began a long and circuitous path to his current position, which he ultimately landed in 2014. Bridich’s first taste of professional baseball came in 2000, when he accepted a job in MLB’s executive offices, a position he would hold for four years, and one which led Bridich captured in MacPherson after his 1/23/18 talk

him to oversee the Arizona Fall League. This job, which he accepted while still undecided about his future career path, helped teach Bridich to “never turn your nose up to a new opportunity.”

2004, when he parted ways with Major League Baseball’s executive office, marked a critical epoch of Jeff Bridich’s tenure in baseball management, and he was faced with a crucial decision: find a MLB team in which he could begin to climb the ranks, or pursue a Master of Business Administration degree. In lieu of seeking his MBA, the young Bridich began to field offers from a number of MLB teams. Finally, he settled on the Rockies, and his family was more than willing to make the move to Colorado alongside him. Charged with the team’s minor league affiliates’ operations, Bridich eagerly began his ten-

ure with the Colorado Rockies.

A year later, Bridich took a major step forward, no pun intended, when he was asked to direct the Rockies’ baseball operations. From there, Bridich continued to climb the Rockies’ ladder, dabbling in player development for three years before being promoted in 2014 to his current role as General Manager. Bridich thoroughly enjoys the

“Bridich continued to climb the Rockies’ ladder, dabbling in player development for three years before being promoted in 2014 to his current role as General Manager.” work of making the Rockies the best possible team, though he does cite “an element of unease,” with regard to releasing and trading players. ☐

BH Puck Alumni Dazzle in NHL Squash Places 8th at US Nationals

By Chetan Shukla ’20 and Josh Fairman ’19 Panel Staff The Varsity Squash team is continuing its tradition of excellence this year with a 9-2 record, and the team’s lofty goals remain the same. As Coach Brownell says, “Every year we aim to win the ISL and New England championships, and to compete on a national level.” Although the boys in blue lost some serious talent with the graduation of four Varsity players, the team has put in serious work under Coach Brownell’s direction and emphasis on re-

Mike Condon ‘09 goaltends during the 2016 Winter Classic

By Jack Henehan ’20 Staff Writer The Belmont Hill hockey program is widely regarded as one of the most respected in New England, and it is only fitting that a program of this nature is well represented in the NHL, with 12 former student-athletes turning pro. Of these twelve, four currently have a spot on active NHL rosters: Connor Brickley, Matt Grzelcyk, Jimmy Vesey and Mike Condon. Connor Brickley left Belmont Hill in 2009 to play for the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) until he was drafted in the second round by the Florida Panthers in 2010. He would then go on to play four seasons at the University of Vermont where he was the assistant captain his junior year. After graduating from UVM, he played for the AHL affiliate of the Panthers, the San Antonio Rampage, until 2015, when was called up to the Panthers and appeared in 23 games. But the next season he was traded to the Hurricanes, where he played all his games in the AHL for the Charlotte Checkers. Following the 2016-2017 season he would be drafted in the NHL expansion draft by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but appeared in no games for the new franchise, and resigned with the Florida Panthers, appearing in 36 games and scoring 4 goals and 8 assists. Mike Condon, 2009 graduate of Belmont Hill, would play four

maining competitive. Led by senior captain Jack Bell, the team consists of Jack Bell, Jack Winston, Dougie Conigliaro, Andrew Lee, Julian Wambach, Sam Freed, and Josh Fairman. The team currently has only two losses, one of which came in an extremely close battle with Nobles, with a final score of 4-3. The year’s highlights include a 7-0 rout of Choate Rosemary, a similarly authoritative victory over BB&N, and a strong, season-opening win against Phillips Andover.

The team travelled to Philadelphia for High School Nationals last weekend.Belmont Hill last won the competition in 2015, and this year’s squad placed eighth in America. ☐

SI.com

years at Princeton, before signing with the Minnesota Wild AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros, in 2012. A year later, he signed with the Montreal Canadiens, and spent the next two seasons playing for their minor league affiliates, the Hamilton Bulldogs and Wheeling Nailers. But in the 2015-2016 season, with an injury to star goaltender Carey Price, Condon appeared in 55 games, including a memorable 5-1 victory over the Bruins in the Winter classic. He would then be claimed off of waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 where he appeared in just one period, and then was traded to the Ottawa Senators, where he plays now, backing up Craig Anderson, and appearing in 17 games, starting in 14 of them, with a 3-7-4 record.

Matt Grzelcyk left Belmont Hill in 2010 for the NTPD where he would play for two years, followed by a four year career at Boston University where he was captain for his Junior and Senior years, twice representing the United States at the World Juniors.

He would be drafted in 2012 by the Bruins in the third round, and in the 2016-2017 season he made his debut for the club, playing mostly in the AHL for the Providence Bruins, but also playing two NHL games.

This season he has played in 29 games for the Bruins, scoring once with five assists.

Lastly, Jimmy Vesey, the player who has perhaps seen the most success, left Belmont Hill in 2011 to play junior hockey for

Jack Bell ‘18 battles Nobles’s #1 on Wednesday, Jan. 24th the South Shore Kings, and the next season would debut for Harvard, as well as play for the United States in the World Junior Classic. He played four seasons at Harvard, winning the Hobey Baker award as the country’s top collegiate player in 2016. Although he was drafted by the Predators in 2012, he didn’t end up signing with them following his senior year in 2016 and wound up being traded to the Buffalo Sabres, who also couldn’t reach a deal with him. Vesey would end up signing with the New York Rangers, and in his rookie campaign he played in all but two games, scoring 16 goals and ll assists. This year, Vesey has ten goals and seven assists in 50 games. ☐

Tim Carey

Douglas Conigliaro ‘21 Tim Carey

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Hockey Highlights Potential at Tournaments, Struggles with Consistency

By Matt Goguen ’19 and Payton Privitera ’19 Panel Staff

to a third place finish. After a well-deserved break, the team returned to the ice in the annual Belmont Hill-Nichols Hockey tournament, which took place on BH’s home ice.

Stacked with some of the best teams in New England, the Belmont Hill-Nichols tournament was a good way for the team to end 2017. After beating St. Francis School and Kimball Union Academy, two of the best teams in New England, Belmont Hill lost a double-overtime heartbreaker to Millbrook School in the quarterfinals. Yale-bound Connor Hopkins ‘19 was the MVP of the first half, playing outstandingly between the iron. Leadership by captains John Copeland ‘18 and Robert Radochia ‘19 capped an outstanding defensive start for the boys in blue.

Lately, the team has been heating up on offense, as last week they put up 13 goals in three games.

Belmont Hill is currently tied for second in the ISL’s Finch Keller Conference, with a league record of 3-3-2 and an overall record of 10-6-3, and are looking to take home the much coveted ISL Championship and once again clinch a NEPSAC playoff berth. With a great deal of experience, many fresh faces, and a strong D-core including junior James Perullo and sophomores Michael Brown and Brett Bliss, this Belmont Hill team is poised to accomplish a great deal and to be a hockey team worth remembering. ☐

Adam Richins

With a young and solid roster this season, Coach McCarthy and the Belmont Hill hockey team looks to repeat last year’s success. After a 0-2 start, the team quickly

Adam Richins rebounded at the Lawrenceville tournament, where they defeated Upper Canada College and Choate Rosemary Hall en route

Adam Richins

Grateful for Sporadic Young Nordic Ski Group, MS talent, Learn from Form VI Captains Snowfall, Alpine Skiing

By Liam Durbin ’19 Staff Writer Hits Slopes

By Thomas McEvoy ’19 Panel Staff

The Alpine Skiing team has come out of the gates red-hot, winning each of its first two contests, but this should be anything but surprising. Alpine Skiing has experienced tremendous success in recent years, and the program has become one of Belmont Hill’s best.

Unbeknownst to many, in the twenty-year span from 1990-2010, the team experienced historic success, tallying 538 wins to a mere 57 loses. Unwilling to rest on past accomplishments, this year’s team is as hungry as ever, and hopes to compete in the New England Championships come mid-February. Accepting a wide array of students, this year’s roster features boys from forms I-VI, as Coaches Feldman and Trautz know that diversity of skill sets can be a key contributor to the team’s ability to win close races down the stretch.

While the lack of enduring snowfall has complicated the group’s ability to both practice and hold races, Coach Feldman remains confident their patience will pay off. In the meantime, the lineup can be found working on fitness around the track.

Ahead of January 24th’s race, sophomore skier Jack Olton had this to say: “Both varsity and JV have gotten off to a fast start, but we’ll all need to keep the momentum going into the later stretches of the season.” When asked for his analysis of the program’s recent successes, coach and Precalculus teacher Mr. Feldman gave up very little, saying “I don’t know, TMac, ask me again after today’s race, that will give you a better answer.”

All in all, while big-name programs like hockey and football may grab the front page, our school’s Alpine Skiing team has enjoyed more than its fair share of success, so stay tuned as our boys storm closer and closer to New Englands. ☐

The Nordic team has gotten off to a strong start this season, winning its first race against Rivers, with Belmont Hill skiers filling the first four spots on the podium. The team is looking forward to getting into the meat of the season, with more consistent racing as the season progresses into February and March.

In addition, these months should bring with them more consistent snowfall, as Nordic skiing is significantly more difficult and damaging to skis on pavement when snowfall is lacking. With the dry land training behind us, team morale has reached an all time high as we say goodbye to the quad-destroying weekly Harvard Stadium workouts that are traditional before the first snowfall. Looking forward, the team has many exciting challenges ahead, including signing up for the Massachusetts State Team Qualifying Race, as well as racing in it, putting the team up against some of the best ski-

ers that Massachusetts has to offer. The team has also gained some promising talent from the lower school, with rising stars Nick Hebard ‘20, Christiaan Eikeboom ‘21, and Ryan Cannistraro ‘21 all displaying encouraging natural ability, despite having picked up the sport for the

first time this winter. As they continue to shake off their inevitable issues with balance and cadence, it is clear to the more experienced members of the team that the future of Belmont Hill Nordic skiing is in good hands. ☐

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Jovan Jones ‘18 Looks to Finish BH Basketball Career with Wins February 2018 Athlete of the Issue

By Thomas McEvoy ’19 Panel Staff As a much-anticipated matchup with rival St. Sebastian’s loomed, Senior Jovan Jones found himself staring down an exceedingly difficult decision: allow himself some much-needed rest to help recover from a rib injury, or suit up and go for it.

The deciding factor? The game’s location: 100 Legends Way, Boston - TD Garden.

Before long, Jovan’s intention to play became clear. Even in limited minutes, Jovan posted an impressive game, including a key three-pointer early on to help the team capture momentum, as the team improved to 13-2 on the year. Speaking about the experience the following week, Jovan offered, “It was definitely different from the TD Garden game in my freshman year when I was not starting. Playing in the Garden was an amazing experience.”

Jovan’s path to Belmont Hill basketball began long before his first game on the varsity level, as a Third Former: “I think I was five when I first started really playing.

Basketball is something that my family has always enjoyed a lot. I remember pretty early on my dad would set up cones in the driveway for me to practice, and I would just keep dribbling through them, always trying to get better.” Today, with his name among the former Belmont Hill greats of Dahleh,

ents to the Berkshires and join Williams College’s very competitive D3 basketball program. Looking ahead to the experience, Jovan revealed, “I always wanted to go D1, but I think in a way this is even better. Williams has a very good William McCormack ‘18 basketball program, and I will Clancy, and O’Grady, Jovan has crossed the have more time to focus on 1,000 point threshold and looks to continue school and other things I’m interested in.” his success for his final month of basketball As Jovan heads off to college basketball, he on the Hill. aims to work on his ability to “create [his] This coming fall, Jovan will take his tal- own shot,” while continuing to build off

of his well-established strengths. Furthermore, Jovan cites on-court authority as one particular area in which he hopes to improve with time, saying, “Sometimes it can be hard for me to yell at people and order them around, that’s Adam Richins not really me.

I struggle with commanding my friends around.” Jovan named fellow captain David Mitchell ‘18 and point guard Jake Haase ‘18 as two of his most influential teammates. Jovan played basketball with each before his time at Belmont Hill, and may even continue to play pickup with one, Jake Haase, afterward, as Jake will also be attending Williams College next year.

All in all, as a fantastic BH basketball career nears its curtain call, the Belmont Hill community wishes Jovan the best of luck lacing ’em up at Williams and beyond. ☐

BH Wrestling Dominates Field with New England Title in Sight

By Matthew Smith ’19 and Jack Weldon ’20 Panel Staff 0-0, 2-0, 5-0, 8-0…. The Belmont Hill wrestler effortlessly racks up points on his competitor. Then, BZZZZZZZ, 15-0. Midway through the third period, the BH wrestler has teched his opponent, earning his

team another 5 points, but there is no applause. His coaches and teammates expect pins. Nearly undefeated, with a record of 15-1, the Belmont Hill wrestling team has continued their reign of dominance in the 2017-2018 wrestling season.

The wrestling team roared out of the gates with several strong victories, achieving huge wins against BBN (54-26), Milton (71-10), St. Paul’s (58-19), Lawrence Acade-

Brian Mullaney

relatively close 43-33 victory over Roxbury and clear victories against the other three teams. The following Wednesday the team thumped Middlesex with a 76-6 victory, with Middlesex’s only 6 points coming from a forfeit.

Participating in the annual New England Prep Dual Meet on January 27th, the wrestling team faced their toughest adversary yet -- Northfield Mount Hermon. Renowned for their strong wrestling program, NMH gave the Belmont Hill wrestlers a battle in a match that eventually ended in a tie.

Hermon gained the victory through tie criteria, and although the loss was disappointing, Belmont Hill went on to defeat Phillips Exeter, another formidable opponent, and Long Island Lutheran over the course of the day.

“His coaches and teammates expect pins.”

Seth Israel ‘18 tosses opponent to the mat

Brian Mullaney Phil Conigliaro ‘18 battles a Brooks opponent

Coach Bradley celebrates

Adam Richins

my (66-18), and Thayer (63-15) throughout the course of the January season. Their first real competition came in the form of Roxbury Latin, a longstanding wrestling rival and sturdy opponent in the ISL. On January 20th, the wrestling team participated in a quad meet against RL, Loomis Chaffee, Tabor Academy, and Phillips Andover, reigning victorious throughout the day with a

Colin Vallis ‘19 takes on a Gov’s wrestler

Led by captains Seth Israel ‘18, Luca Pontone ‘19, and Phil Conigliaro ‘18 (who won second place at December’s prestigious Beast of the East tournament), and boasting an intimidating team with depth at nearly all levels, the Belmont Hill wrestlers are looking to make a mark this season. With the Graves Kelsey and New England Prep tournaments on the horizon, the team will train hard under coaches Bradley, Leonardis, Davis, and Kaplan to achieve their season goals, which, with such a strong roster, seem auspicious. ☐ Adam Richins

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Basketball’s Big Final Stretch Lies Ahead for ISL Title, NEPSAC Run Mitchell, Jones, O’Boy all miss games during a two-loss January; win over Sebs, Dig. Vid. Club production make for exciting night at TD Garden Jay Smith

By William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff As with any away game the Varsity Basketball team has played this season, a standard Belmont Hill Bedford Charter bus dropped off fourteen excited players, a coaching staff of four, and a corps of managers outside a gym. Players transported jerseys and shoes in bags, Coach Murphy slung a backpack with two whiteboards over one shoulder, and everyone hustled water bottles, basketballs, medical kits, and towels down the bus’s steps and onto the asphalt below.

Neon signs spelling out the game’s special venue, TD Garden, however, served as indisputable reminders that the evening was unique. “Play like us,” Coach Murphy had reminded the team a day earlier, as a game against St. Sebastian’s—an ISL game, a NEPSAC Class A competition, and a rivalry matchup—was simply another opportunity to win. The evening was both routine and extraordinary.

Players, coaches, and managers, VIP lanyards draped around their necks, progressed through a maze of elevators, hallways, and special entrances. The team walked among pictures of Boston legends, players like Paul Pierce and Bobby Orr plastered into hallway walls, eventually settling in at a locker room reserved for Bel-

flooring, and two electrified fan sections.

After Seb’s took an early lead, Jovan Jones ‘18, cleared to play just hours before tipoff after recovering from a rib injury sustained against Lawrence the weekend before, ignited Belmont Hill’s response with an NBA-range three-pointer. Enjoying contributions from essentially everyone on the roster, Belmont Hill still emerged with a 56-42 advantage, winning a game that was more competitive than most expected. Despite

Milton would end up losing to Rivers the Wednesday after their win at Belmont Hill, placing Rivers, BH, and Milton on an equal playing field with one league loss apiece. Rebounding from their first loss with wins over Groton, BB&N, and Lawrence Academy, the team regained their “play hard, play fast, play defense” brand, according to Mitchell.

“We found our identity as a team,” guard Luke Jordan ‘18 says. Especially at Lawrence,

Adam Richins mont Hill use.

As players changed, stretched, and loosened up, parents, students, and alumni filed into the Garden’s Legends Club. Earlier that week, The Panel had partnered with Belmont Hill’s Digital Video Club to record footage of the team, and the hype video Quin McGaugh ‘18, Bennett Morris ‘18, and Seth Israel ‘18 produced electrified both players and fans alike.

“Playing at TD Garden was sensational,” co-captain David Mitchell ‘18 recalls. “The entire experience—just walking through the arena and

Adam Richins especially the video on the huge screens in Legends—made it as fun as I could have imagined.”

The 68-second production played on loop while fans migrated to the stands and players took to the court for warm-ups, but as guard Spenser Smith ‘18 relates, “at the end of the day, we needed to win that game, so when the first whistle blew, we had to play basketball and forget about all the distractions,” a long list that included the video, announcers, bright screens, parquet

Adam Richins being restricted by four questionable foul calls, Mitchell shot over 60% from the field; Kevin Michael O’Boy ‘19 hit a big three from the corner; Smith forced a game-high five turnovers; Mannion ‘18 led the team with seven rebounds; and Isaiah Collins ‘18 drilled a late-game three, adding an exclamation point to a successful night.

While a 74-35 thrashing of St. Mark’s would officially end the team’s January slate, the win over Seb’s at TD Garden presented an important checkpoint for a season that has flown by. A legendary performance from Milton Acad-

Adam Richins emy’s Cormac Ryan, committed to Stanford and the gold standard of New England basketball, accounted for Belmont Hill’s first loss early in the month. Ryan shot 8 of 13 from beyond the arc, hitting almost any attempt during which Milton had more than three seconds on the shot clock and Ryan stood within three feet beyond the line.

“We didn’t have the energy we needed to win against Milton,” Smith told The Panel. “It showed in the result.”

Belmont Hill exhibited the fast-break opportunities an effective defense can create. Pressuring Lawrence with a full-court press for the entire game, the team accumulated 14 steals, 17 deflections, and ten forced turnovers in the first half, translating to a 40-18 lead at halftime.

A less prolific second half allowed Lawrence to decrease the deficit, and while hustling for a loose ball after the break, Jovan Jones ‘18 injured a rib, straining his sternum. Though he would continue play at Lawrence, his absence in the team’s next game against Phillips Exeter

Adam Richins would be significant. Jones had played in 82 consecutive games in his four-year BH career before missing the Exeter game. Belmont Hill would eventually lose 49-44, having struggled to capitalize on offensive possessions in the second half.

February’s first competition, last Friday’s away game against Roxbury Latin, included two other key absences. David Mitchell ‘18 missed the game because of a family emergency and bed-ridden O’Boy ‘19 was scratched from the

lineup with the flu. As with games against Milton and Exeter, adversity tested the team’s resolve and focus. After a successful start to the game, Belmont Hill lost their lead by halftime. Down by six points with less than six minutes to go, the team relied on strong play from experienced seniors Haase ‘18, Smith ‘18, Bobo ‘18, Harris ‘18, Mannion ‘18, Jordan ‘18, and especially Jovan Jones ‘18, who finished the game with 27 points, 9 rebounds, four blocks, and a pivotal forced turnover in the final minute.

Luke Jordan explained, “the RL game proved that we don’t get fazed easily. With David and Kmo out, we embraced our next-man-up philosophy.” Belmont Hill would win 52-48.

“With seniors who have played together for so many years, we were able to pull it out. It’s the type of win we wouldn’t have captured two years ago,” says Jake Haase ‘18.

Roxbury Latin’s close call also reminded everyone that the month ahead will be challenging. Tomorrow’s game at Thayer, next Wednesday’s game against ISL powerhouse Brooks (who defeated Milton by 14 on Saturday), and the team’s final ISL matchup against Governor’s will be crucial if the program’s hopes for an ISL title and NEPSAC Class A championship are to be realized.

Players emphasize focus, confidence, and self-awareness as the season expires and many of

Adam Richins their Belmont Hill basketball careers conclude.

“Since this is our final season together,” Mitchell stated, “we want to be successful and that sense of urgency is definitely there. If we stick together and stay true to our defensive game, we will be happy with our results.”

“We know what we’re capable of doing and have a real shot at the title,” Smith believes, “but the greatest obstacle we face is ourselves. If we play our brand of basketball, no one can beat us.”

Haase adds that “we only worry about our-

Adam Richins selves and what we need to do every practice. We never talk about who we are playing, and it starts with our defense.” Concentrated on their game’s guiding principles, Haase and O’Boy, who “feel confident going into the final stretch,” capture an inherent optimism this group shares about the upcoming month. Attaining two championships will not be easy, but this group—experienced, focused, ambitious, and talented—may just make it happen. ☐

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T he Panel

Overheard on the Hill "Lead-draw...best play in the game"

"These cookies are rocks" "Better for throwing"

"I'm going back to campus" - Form V "For a great low-rate you can get online, go to The General Mr. Bradley and save some time

"Chapel? Whomst needs those?"

"Eh..um, uh sorry, um I was late..."

NOTICE: Due to the lack of attention being paid to the lost and found emails, the Belmont Hill Bigwigs have recruited the Back Page Team to spread the word about the rapidly growing list of lost (and found) items.

Lost & Found Lost

"Hey guys, I lo my backpack. Ifst anyone grabbed by accid—oh w it nevermind, I ju ait left it at hom st e"

Anthony DeVellis: Hearing aids Teddy Wynn: Backpack, Parking Pass Teddy Morrow: Dignity Correction: He wants everyone to know Will Neissa: Patagonia Jacket that it's actually Canada Goose Nick Carroll: Homework First Former

Found

11 JV Hockey Jerseys Pencil case (containing eraser, glue stick, & silly putty)

BH Prop Bets

The ever-industrious backpage editors are back again with another source of income.

We have officially adopted the bookie persona, and in spirit of the Super Bowl, here are our first prop bets. Venmo @morrisla or @mitchtor to place your bets.

Over/Under Over/Under Over/Under Over/Under

1.5 – 4.5 – 23 _- – 440 –

Herbed chicken dishes on the menu this week Soft cookies in each box on Thursday Announcements made by Mr. Carr about revisit day PB&Js eaten next time Catch of the Day is served

Future Bets

Over/Under 1000 – Meals served at the 2023 Belmont Hill Turkey Drive