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Can BH Do More to Build a Sustainable Campus? By Nicholas Daley ‘19 Panel Staff

ed advocate for environmental stewardship, Mr. McAlpin was brought into the early planning discussions of the building to speak in broad terms and push for the consideration of sustainable elements. But he understood by the meetings’ end that green architecture would likely just be a minor consideration in the construction of the Center. The school told Mr. McAlpin that “maintaining the architectural integrity of the campus” was important, making solar panels unlikely (despite this concern, however, the final building did include a number of features not seen anywhere else on campus, including black window frames and sections of flat roof and stone siding). But the biggest roadblock was that making the building green simply was not a top priority, especially if sustainable architecture

would mean additional up-front costs. While Belmont Hill may not have incorporated renewable energy in the Melvoin Center, the facilities committee did add a number of efficiency measures to the building. In part to follow state and local building codes, Belmont Hill added an energy-saving chilled beam HVAC system, which, along with an airtight seal and thick insulation, is so effective that the building occasionally has to bring in outside air in the winter, and installed LED lighting and motorized shades to keep the building cool in the warmer months. According to Director of Operations Mr. Bounty and Director of Facilities Mr. Young, the school did investigate the possibility of solar panels but decided the Southwest-facing portion of the roof was too small to make an array

The Melvoin Academic Center, with its imposing physical footprint and floor-to-ceiling windows, makes for an impressive gatekeeper of Belmont Hill’s academic quad. The building’s modern classrooms, vibrant murals, and features like the iLab have become central stops on tours for prospective students. The Belmont Hill community generally looks favorably upon the “new building,” which quickly became one of the most popular spots on campus after its opening in November 2014. But some students note what they see as somewhat frivolous features in the center, from the seldom-used TV table on the second floor and the presence of Smart Boards or Prometheans in almost every classroom to the spacious Third Form study hall. There are rarely complaints, but occasionally some question whether every element of the building represents the most efficient use of resources. But to some who were at Belmont Hill when the Melvoin was first announced, most prominent in the building is what appears to be missing. As early planning of the center took place, a vision of the structure emerged that seems to be different than its eventual reality; according to the June 2013 issue of The Panel, “The Melvoin Academic Center will also be one of, if not the most “green” buildings on campus… solar power is a strong possibility, and an extremely energy efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) system is under consideration as well.” News 4 the Melvoin Center fulfilled its Whether sustainability promise is somewhat complicated. Science faculty member Mr. McAlpin believes that while it is “a great building,” the Melvoin “falls short of what is possible.” As the campus’ most dedicat- A 186 kilowatt solar array was installed on the roof of the Jordan Athletic Center in 2012

Look Inside The Panel

viable. While the Center does not hold a LEED certification (a distinction for efficiency given out by the US Green Building Council), as a result of stringent local codes it is most likely LEED certifiable, say Mr. Bounty and Mr. Young, and formal paperwork is probably the only thing

“As early planning of the center took place, a vision of the structure emerged that seems to be different than its eventual reality; according to the June 2013 issue of The Panel, ‘The Melvoin Academic Center will also be one of, if not the most “green” buildings on campus... solar power is a strong possibility, and an extremely efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) system is under consideration as well’ ” preventing the Melvoin from carrying a LEED plaque. Mr. Bounty and Mr. Young point out that in the Melvoin, as with most of the other projects on campus, the efficient aspects of the building go mostly unnoticed - as Mr. Young puts it, “you don’t see the plumbing.” In addition to the more visible efforts like the solar array on the Jordan Athletic Center, which produces 230,000 kilowatt hours of energy a year, the school has made strides in the dorms, exchanging old boilers for efficient systems, replacing wasteful light bulbs, retrofitting the insulation and windows to better regulate temperature. The upcoming chapel expansion also promises similar initiatives. Each summer, Belmont Hill adds LED lighting, dual-flush toilet Continued on Page 4

belmont hill Summary

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Inside 3

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News

NYT Review Contest 3 Chapel Renovation 3 Electronic Grade Portal 3 Milley Named Chairman 4 Shutdown and BH Dining 4 Daley Named Semifinalist 4

Opinions

Should Tuition be Higher? 5 Moral Dilemma 5 Debate of the Issue 6 Crossword 6

Sports

History of BH Wrestling 7 Mo Bamba vs. BH 7 Athlete of the Issue 8 Fittest Athletes Reranked 8

Arts

Artist of the Issue 9 Outsiders Review 9 Movies of the Year 10 Playlist of the Issue 11

In Brief

Should Tuition Be... Higher?

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SI’s Fittest Athletes Reranked

Will LaFarge ‘19 considers an unorthodox After Sports Illustrated released its ranksolution to the problem of access to Belmont ing of the top 50 fittest male athletes of the past NYT Review Contest Hill: increase tuition for those who can afford year, senior Matt Smith decided to rerank the top Seniors Thomas McEvoy, Jack Vandervort, it, helping pay for increased financial aid 5, including an athlete who was unranked on the and Shane Rockett were named semifinalists in original list the New York Times Student Review Contest Moral Dilemma Charlie Booth ‘20 returns with the latest Artist of the Issue Chapel Renovation installment of his recurring series, investigating Jalen Walker ‘21 sits down with classmate Beginning this March and Ending by Janu- moral luck and asking if a drunk driver should Henry Moses to discuss the origins of his passion ary 2020, Belmont Hill will build a sizeable ad- be punished more if they hurt someone than if for photography, the development of his skill, and dition to the Chapel, with increased seating and they are caught before they do harm his favorite subject to photograph - Belmont Hill a hydraulic stage athletic events

Electronic Grade Portal

Debate of the Issue

Seniors Kevin O’ Neill and Joshua FairOutsiders Review Andrew Lee ‘20 asks faculty members about man debate whether Patriots QB Tom Brady is James Markis ‘20, actor in Belmont Hill’s the viability of an electronic grade portal as seen the greatest football player of all time rendition of The Outsiders, reviews the play at other schools (starring Markis, Ryan Cannistraro ‘21 and Tim History of BH Wrestling Brown ‘20) and discusses the difficulty of increasMilley Chairman of Joint Chiefs Wrestling captain Matt Smith ‘19 takes us ing participation in plays on campus Mark Milley ‘77 completed his rise through through the history of his team, from humble the ranks of the US Military, being nominated for 1-7 beginnings to perennial contention Movies of the Year the top position in the Armed Forces Andrew Lee ‘20 picks his favorite Action, Musical, Animated, Drama, Comedy, and Horror When BH Played Mo Bamba Gov’t Shutdown and BH Dining A look back at the 2014 game between Bel- movie of 2018 before the 91st Academy Awards Jack Weldon ‘20 investigates if the paused mont Hill’s 3rds basketball team and a Cardion February 24th operations of the FDA affected how the Belmont gan Mountain squad featuring future NBA first Hill dining services approached food safety Playlist of the Issue rounder and cultural icon Mo Bamba “Smoot ‘n’ Goot” (Matt Smith ‘19 and Matt Daley Named to Regeneron Semis Athlete of the Issue Goguen ‘19), provide another list of some of their Nick Daley ‘19 received recognition for his Nordic skiing captain James Eysenbach ‘19 favorite songs, featuring “Bad Boy For Life” by work in a scientific laboratory as a part of Bel- sits down with The Panel as he prepares to lead Diddy, “Swim Good” by Frank Ocean, and many mont Hill’s Advanced Science Research program his team to the Lakes Region Championship more

In Case You Missed It...

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Belmont Hill Writers Praised by the New York Times By John Gaudian ‘19 Panel Staff Recently, three seniors, Thomas McEvoy, Shane Rockett, and Jack Vander Vort, from Dr. Tift’s rhetoric class received honorable mentions in the New York Times Student Review contest. Students, ages 13-19 from anywhere in the country, choose from 10 different categories, such as books, video games, music, movies, theater, TV, fashion, architecture, dance, art, restaurants, hotels, and technology and write a review about their selected topic. They submitted their 450word maximum pieces earlier in November, and award winners were announced in the beginning of January. From a pool of 1,964 submissions, there were only 10 winners, 13 runners-up, and 32 honorable mentions. After Arnav Prasad’s (’18) recognition as a top 10 winner last year, there is clearly a trend of success for Belmont Hill writers in the annual contest. Dr. Tift reflected on how senior year is a great time for students to write about their interests in the midst of their

Jack Vander Vort, Shane Rockett, and Thomas McEvoy Pose with Dr. Tift college essays. In her English elective not only to express informed opinions but rhetoric class, students are able to explore also to back up those opinions with entertheir opinions and weigh the value of on- taining and effective examples. I love the line reviews. Dr. Tift said, “I’m thrilled freedom the contest offers.” While only to see these three writers recognized for three writers were recognized by the New using their distinctive and original voices York Times, there were a lot of creative

reviews written in her class. For example, Kevin Michael O’Boy explored the combination of Buffalo Chicken and Pizza and Isaiah Gomes wrote about Air Jordans. Thomas McEvoy said, “There were a lot of other great papers in our Rhetoric class and I’m surprised they didn’t receive recognition as well.” Prize-winner Jack Vander Vort wrote about the restaurant Alto’s adventure in Commander’s Palace, New Orleans. He chose the spot because in addition to serving the best food he had ever tasted, it was incredibly unique; the restaurant was established in a former plantation house with a band walking around playing any requested song. After talking with the three prizewinners, it was clear that they owed their success to Dr. Tift. Shane Rockett attested, “Dr. Tift’s insight and advice was the key to improving our reviews to the NYT standards.” While Thomas McEvoy said, “Thank you to Dr. Tift for encouraging the whole class to craft a review. I thought the openness of the review contest was super neat - anyone could write a review on anything.” ☐

Major Chapel Renovation Project Beginning This March By Charlie donahue ‘20 Panel Staff

Beginning this March, Belmont Hill will undertake a major renovation project on the much beloved Hamilton Chapel. After being transplanted to Belmont Hill’s campus from Connecticut during the early 1960s, the Chapel is a landmark of this campus and has hosted countless community moments. However, as the school has grown significantly since that time, the building in its current form no longer serves all of the intended functions for that space. Firstly, the current layout simply does not afford enough space for students, faculty, staff, and guests to sit during programs (at present, the 450 seats in the Chapel barely accommodate the student body, leaving the faculty and staff to stand in the back or outside). More specifically, the stage and acoustics are not optimal for musical performances. Currently, when the stage expands to fit the orchestra or a theatrical performance,

an entire section of seating for the third form is lost in the front of the chapel to the right of the stage. As a result of these shortcomings, in the last few years the school’s long term strategic plan deemed renovating the chapel a high priority. The decision to renovate and expand the chapel triggered an architectural investigation into how best to maintain the existing chapel and its basic elements with respect to its historical importance to the school, while also making it a space suitable to the community’s needs in the 21st century. After much hard work, the construction company in conjunction with the school decided on the best way to achieve this delicate goal. First, the hallway behind the stage will be removed, as will the back-wall of the building that faces the soccer turf. The turf will then be moved further away from the building, and the footings of the foundation will be expanded into the space where the turf now lies. Additionally, wings will be added to the left and right of the stage, in

essence making the building “T” shaped from a bird’s eye view (see drawings below). The balconies will be expanded, and new sections of seating will be implemented in the new wings. This will bring the building’s capacity from 450 to 650, easily seating all students, faculty, and staff, and leaving ample room for visitors. Additionally, the building will be home to many technological advancements, including a hydraulic stage that lifts up from the ground when needed for musical performances. The pews in and around the stage will also be removable to make this expansion possible. The basement will be renovated, and eventually it will serve as a multi-purpose space that can be used as a classroom or for small receptions. There will also be a small kitchen area and a soundproof room for warming-up prior to musical performances. In addition, improvements will be made to make the building more “green”, including new storm windows and insulating the building. The school

also explored the idea of using geothermal energy, but it was ultimately not a cost-effective or practical option given the size of the building. In addition, the building will be made handicapped accessible with an elevator from the basement to the ground floor and handicap entrances in either wing beside the stage. The timeframe for this project will span a little less than one year. Beginning in March 2019, the school will begin preparing the worksite. It turns out all of the utilities for the school run underneath the area behind the chapel, so those will have to be moved in order for construction to begin. Then, in the late spring, construction will commence with the goal of completion in January 2020. This will mean that the school’s regular chapel meetings will take place in an alternate location, likely the gym, for the first semester of next school year. However, based on what we have heard, the wait will certainly be worth it. ☐

Will Belmont Hill Ever Adapt to an Electronic Grade Portal? not be necessarily beneficial to the math de- crease with the addition of a grade portal. partment. Mr. Sweeney explained that, in Also, when asked about Google classroom his classes, students are allowed to see their as an alternative system for grading, Mr. Over the past year, there has been a grade whenever they ask him. He added Sweeney stated, “in the math department, proposal to introduce an electronic grade that all the graded material in his classroom almost nothing changed when we switched portal for the student body. Currently, nu- is returned to the students as soon as pos- to an electronic system [google classrooms].” merous public schools throughout New England use electronic grade portals as a helpful grading tool for teachers and students. The electronic grade portal would allow students to access their grades online and survey their overall grade as they approach the ends of the first and second semester. There has been much debate on the practicality of the system, and the issue presides over whether the grade portal would positively or negatively affect the students. Many members of the school have considered the apparent effects of instituting an electronic grade portal. Mr. Sweeney, a math teacher for various grades, provided a few thoughts on the The current place for parents to access grades at the end of each marking period proposal of a student grade portal. He initially declared that he was not a huge propo- sible. To conclude, he alleged that, for him, Mr. Smith also offered more insight nent for a student grade portal. He claimed there was no need for a student grade por- into the issue. When asked about the posthat there could be a few positive effects, tal. Mr. Sweeney also addressed the inher- sibility of a student grade portal, Mr. Smith such as increased accountability from the ent problems within a student grade portal. responded, “as of now, a student grade porstudents. Students might keep track of their Increased parental involvement might cre- tal is not technologically possible given our grades easier and use the system as a tool to ate a misplaced focus on grades rather than current system.” He further elaborated, “the improve their grades. Practically, however, learning. Additionally, stress, an already school would have to update our internal he asserted that a student grade portal would apparent obstacle at Belmont Hill, may in- system and integrate a technological platBy Andrew Lee ‘20 Panel Staff

form.” Regarding practicality, Mr. Smith declared that a student grade portal would not help to improve a student’s grades. Mr. Smith remarked, “the number one pathway to improving grades is working with teachers.” Rather than adhering to the possibility of a student grade portal, Mr. Smith encouraged that students visit their teachers and build good relationships. He further exclaimed that, according to the Academic Policy Committee, teachers are mandated to share grades with their students. Furthermore, he explained how many teachers have already switched to live updating gradebooks, which would allow students to see their overall averages at desired times throughout the school year. Contrasting his opinions on a student grade portal, Mr. Smith advocated that Google sites and Google classroom were helpful tools in his classrooms. He shared how having an online module allowed him to share his documents and assignments more easily with his classes. Already, with Google classroom becoming more of a tool in classrooms, Belmont Hill is becoming more dependent on online tools. However, a student grade portal appears impossible with our current system, the possibility of a grade portal may increase as the school investigates new technologies. ☐

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Four Star General Mark Milley ‘77 Nominated For Military’s Top Job By charlie donahue ‘20 Panel Staff In December, President Donald Trump announced that General Joseph Dunford, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would be retiring, and he nominated esteemed Belmont Hill graduate General Mark Milley ‘77 to succeed him. In a tweet, the President wrote, “I am pleased to announce my nomination of four-star General Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the United States Army -- as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing General Joe Dunford, who will be retiring.” The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a critically important position within the administration, as the Chairman acts as the President’s chief military advisor. General Dunford served in that role since 2015, and the President carefully considered the choice for who might succeed him. In November, Trump formally interviewed Milley for over an hour, and

tiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and commanded units with the 10th Mountain Division and the 101st Airborne. Since becoming Chief of Staff of the Army three years ago, Milley scaled back large counterinsurgency campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq and focused more on restructuring the army to combat Russian and Chinese challenges. “He’s a battle-tested commander and Pentagon reformer who will be a worthy successor to General Dunford,” said Senator Lindsey Graham of the Armed Services Committee. Ultimately, it was Milley’s intellect and tenacity that impressed the President. Both Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and General Dunford preferred Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein for the Chairmanship, however Trump ultimately chose The newly-nominated Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff delivers a speech Milley after interviewing both candidates left that meeting praising him, saying, “He’s a soldier than a politician, and he did not thoroughly. Belmont Hill is very proud to a great gentleman, he’s a great patriot, he’s graduate from one of the country’s service count General Milley among its alumni, a great soldier.” General Milley is a some- academies. Milley received his commission and we wish him well in his new role. ☐ what unusual choice in that he is more of from Princeton in 1980 and served mul-

The Government Shutdown’s Effect on Belmont Hill’s Dining By Jack Weldon ‘20 Panel Staff The month-long government shutdown left many reeling as the support of federally run institutions suddenly disappeared beneath their feet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responsible for approving and ensuring the quality of much of the nation’s food, was one such institution. With the FDA absent, many restaurants, schools, and other culinary services lost the insurance of healthy and safe ingredients for their meals. In absence of federal regulation, how was Belmont Hill affected? Director of Dining Ms. Wu pointed

out the importance of having third-party food audits, which are separate from the government, in times such as these. Sodexo, the corporation responsible for supplying much of our school’s food, works closely with vendors to maintain quality of ingredients. Beyond having a constant standard of quality in place, oftentimes they will bring said auditors to test food. Furthermore, Sodexo has plans for when operations go awry; for example, during the E. coli outbreak in Romaine lettuce earlier this year, Sodexo made the announcement to stop bringing in Romaine. Once the CDC had located the region of the outbreak, California, vendors working with Sodexo labeled where their food came

from to guarantee safety for consumption. Belmont Hill does not serve many high-risk food items, such as shellfish, that were endangered by the shutdown of the FDA. However, for items such as meat, Ms. Wu explained that the kitchen sources much of it from local farms, which in turn have regulations and employ third-party auditors. Belmont Hill and Sodexo know the vendors from which they source ingredients, and by only purchasing through these trusted sources, were not as impacted by the shutdown as other institutions. The impact on universities and restaurants, especially those who serve shellfish, has been much greater than on Belmont Hill. How-

ever, Ms. Wu illustrated that, despite the shutdown, the FDA still has agents working in the field, albeit less than before. Due to limited resources, their contingency plans focus work in high-risk areas, and fortunately Belmont Hill is not located in one. Sodexo had a meeting concerning the impact of the FDA’s absence, and found that no region felt a significant impact. Ms. Wu affirmed that such strength in a time of crisis was due to their “from scratch” methodology and working closely with local vendors. As a result, the Belmont Hill kitchen staff was able to perform their work unhindered throughout the course of the government shutdown.☐

heat recovery to offset any increase in energy demand caused by growing the building and achieved LEED Gold status. At Milton Academy, the school website proclaims in its lengthy sustainability section that envi-

ronmental stewardship is “an institutional priority,” a vision they have appeared to follow closely in their facilities. The school has three large-scale sustainable building projects on campus: a large solar array on the

athletic center that produces 900 kilowatt hours of usable electricity per day at its peak and two LEED certified buildings, including one on the silver level, which utilize recycled building materials, a green roof, rainwater irrigation, and efficient HVAC systems. Milton is a larger and wealthier school than Belmont Hill, granting them more opportunity to go green, and they also may be simply more prone to advertise their efforts, but there is no doubt that they have focused on taking charge among Boston-area private schools on matters of sustainability. Bringing more efficient architecture to Belmont Hill is easier said than done. Mr. McAlpin realizes this; he believes the campus is well built and points fingers at no one, and knows that true efforts for sustainability will be difficult until a donor, board member, or school leader arrives ready to spearhead a concerted effort, as has happened at other schools. But with projects like the chapel expansion on the horizon, Mr. McAlpin feels a cautious optimism that Belmont Hill can take a step into the future and lead. ☐

Belmont Hill Moves Slowly, Steadily on Sustainability Continued from Front Page heads, and water bottle-filling stations as part of routine renewals and replacements. On every building project, Mr. Bounty and Mr. Young work diligently to meet government sustainability codes and look for additional ways to increase efficiency when the return on investment is substantial, but, says Mr. Bounty, green guidelines “are not a driving force” behind building decisions. While Belmont Hill has moved quietly and steadily forward, other ISL schools have taken conspicuous steps to lead on sustainability in their facilities. When Nobles & Greenough renovated and built an extension to their historic castle to more than double their dining hall size and increase the number of faculty apartments by 50%, the school made sustainability a major goal. The addition, built by Shawmut Construction (the same company which constructed the Melvoin Center), used, along with standard efficient appliances and HVAC systems, solar thermal arrays and passive solar strategies, radiant heating, and refrigeration

Nobles’ addition to their historic castle earned a LEED Gold Certification from the USGBC

Nick Daley ‘19 Named Regeneron STS Semifinalist By Thomas McEvoy ‘19 Panel Staff In early January, Senior Nick Daley became just the sixth boy in Belmont Hill history to receive the semifinalist distinction in the 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), which is the “oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors” in the United States. The Regeneron STS “recognizes and empowers promising young scientists in the U.S. who are creating the ideas and solutions that will address our world’s most urgent challenges,” extending the semifinalist accolade to just 300 students nationwide. In recog-

nition of Nick’s accomplishments, he and the school have both received a monetary prize, and Belmont Hill now ranks among just 184 “STS Scholar” high schools. At the Xie Lab, Nick worked on optimizing and investigating the potential applications of a technique called Diploid Chromatin Conformation Capture. This technique, the first of its kind, “maps the 3D structure of the DNA of single diploid Nick Daley ‘19

cells, allowing researchers to map the cells that make up most of the human body and to see the vast diversity between cells.” According to Nick, “The idea is that how DNA folds affects which elements and segments of the DNA interact with one another, thus playing a large role in determining which genes end up expressed as proteins.” Looking forward to further research at the Xie Lab in the coming months, Nick notes

that the lab hopes that the technology will provide information on the origins of several diseases as well as on the development of biological processes, such as memory.” After enjoying his biology class in the Fourth Form, Nick viewed the school’s Advanced Science Research (ASR) program as “an opportunity to step out of the conventional classroom and do something not many high schoolers get the chance to do: experience a real lab setting where amazing research is taking place and get a head start on exploring research opportunities.” Nick added that he feels “really lucky” Belmont Hill gives students the ASR program option. Congrats, Nick! ☐

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Should Belmont Hill Tuition Be ... Higher? By Will Lafarge ‘19 Panel Staff For the purposes of this article. In recent years, tuition for colleges and high schools around the world have been skyrocketing. You don’t have to try all that hard to find someone who is upset by this seemingly inappropriate increase in tuition. So we should reverse the trend, right? Why on earth would we want to pay even more? If you’ve made it this far, read on. There are many reasons tuition is rising in the US and abroad, and some of these should be addressed. For example, educational institutions are increasingly spending revolting amounts of money on non-essential facilities and amenities to attract prospective students, such as overdone dorm buildings or five-star food service. Although these services might seem nice on your tour, you have to remember that you are paying for it indirectly. Would you spend your own money to build a lazy river spelling out the name of your college - LSU, a state institution, actually did this. I didn’t think so. Belmont Hill has not yet made any unwise investments that might increase tuition (relax, the wind orchid was donated), but we should be on the lookout in the future. Another factor for rising tuition is that there is an everincreasing number of students who want to enter elite private high schools and colleges, but the spots for those schools stay the same or increase at a slower rate; when demand increases and supply stagnates, prices rise (thanks, Mr. Harvey). There is probably not all too much that we, as a school, can do to solve this problem. Understanding why tuition is

soaring is not so complicated, but the reasoning behind increasing tuition is more nuanced. In the past decades, Belmont Hill has, thanks in large part to the laudable efforts of Dr. Melvoin, boosted their financial aid program, but cost is still a barrier for many prospective Belmont Hill families, even with that financial aid. To make Belmont Hill more affordable for everyone, we should raise tuition to generate funds. The reason this would be fair, although no doubt wealthier families would object, is that the current tuition does not cover the total expenses of every student, even putting aside financial aid. If every student paid full tuition, Belmont Hill would still need come up without outside revenue to make the school run; the day and boarding tuitions currently sit at $48,750 and $56,250 respectively, but it costs about $63,000 per student to make Belmont Hill hum every year according to Belmont Hill’s most recent tax return. So, why shouldn’t those who can afford it, pay it? If Belmont Hill were to raise tuition so that it would cover the total expense of one student, the financial aid program would have to be revamped. First off, financial aid would need to be broader, covering more of the wealthier families; for example, families who could just barely pay the current tuition would receive financial aid so that they wouldn’t have to pay any more than they have in years past. The revenue gathered from the tuition increase would also be invested towards bolstering financial aid for all income brackets, making a Belmont Hill education more accessible for all. The financial aid program would be more modeled after college financial aid, where the

tuition is very high but the school gives financial aid to more families so that no family is paying more than what they can. When you buy a car, you pay for what it costs to make the car, plus a markup. Why, then, do families able to pay for the full cost of sending a student to Belmont Hill receive a discount? Furthermore, a Belmont Hill education is a much better investment than a car: it lasts forever. The best way to make Belmont Hill most affordable for the greatest number is to raise tuition to the true cost of one year at Belmont Hill. Of course, there are some compelling arguments to be made in favor of keeping tuition as low as possible. Raising tuition would anger many Belmont Hill families and might scare off prospective students (although hopefully, in the long run, a strong financial aid program would attract prospective students to a greater degree than high tuition repels), and it would not be acceptable to suddenly raise the tuition some $15,000; the Illustration by Elias Hyde

process of raising tuition to the full cost the school incurs per student would have to be completed over a period of years. Although I believe that increasing tuition would be the most fair course of action, I understand that this idea is unrealistic. This debate is more an exercise in principled, rather than practical, thinking. However far-fetched the concept of raising tuition might seem, I think it’s a debate worth having as we grapple with how we can best improve Belmont Hill and use our school, an invaluable resource, to better society. ☐

Moral Dilemma: Moral Luck By Charlie Booth ‘20 Panel Staff On June 10, 2011, Shayna Fernandez, a pilates instructor from Lawrence Massachusetts, went out drinking. The next morning, she got up at her usual time and drove to work. She hit a truck while driving on I-93, killing two people and injuring a third. Following the crash, she was breathalyzed and found to have a blood alcohol reading of 0.12; as anything over 0.08 is considered intoxication, she had been driving while legally drunk. When the trial process concluded, she was charged with man-

“As a society, we agree that someone who drives drunk and kills someone is more to blame than someone who drives drunk ‘safely’ - without harm, but is this fair? Would it be more fair if both the lucky and unlucky drivers received the same punishiment slaughter and motor vehicle homicide and sentenced to 12 years in state prison plus 10 years probation. The punishment for drinking and driving without killing anyone, otherwise known as Driving Under the Influence (or DUI), is a fine of about $750 and a suspension of the driver’s license for 1 year. Imagine here two potential subjects, both inebriated while operating motor vehicles: Person A, drove home without incident. While Person B was driving home, however, a pedestrian ignoring the crosswalk signs was struck

and killed. If Person A had been pulled over and breathalyzed, he would have received a DUI. Person B is charged with a ‘felony vehicular manslaughter.’ But what really was the difference between these two people? Is Person B a worse person and deserving of more punishment than Person A even though Person A most likely simply got lucky by not encountering a pedestrian? This story raises a concept known as ‘moral luck,’ which simply stated, describes the idea that someone can be assigned blame or praise even though they didn’t have full control over the consequences of their action. When we assign blame to people, we think first about the action taken and then about the harm caused but what if the harm is not brought about by the action necessarily, but instead by factors outside of the control of the actor? As a society, we agree that someone who drives drunk and kills someone is more to blame than someone who drives drunk ‘safely’ – without harm, but is this fair? Would it be more fair if both the lucky and unlucky drivers received the same punishment? After all, they both made the same foolish decision - to drink and drive - and they both intended no harm. Moral luck, coined by Bernard Williams in 1981, conflicts with an earlier idea from Immanuel Kant known as the principle of ‘Ought Implies Can’. This principle says that if we say that someone ought to have done something, then they must have been able to do so in the first place. In the case of someone driving drunk, we cannot expect someone to control whether or not a pedestrian was in the crosswalk. Since the action that was in the control of Per-

sons A and B (choosing whether or not to drink and drive) was equal, shouldn’t they be considered equally at fault? The issue of moral luck is one that has been debated for centuries. We must accept that our actions have consequences. By doing so, we are acknowledging that we are part of a wider world and that our actions affect oth-

Illustration by Elias Hyde

ers. Equally, the actions of other people and outside forces beyond our own control affect us and our actions. Here arises the paradox: Should we hold responsible and assign blame based upon the results of actions if those results are largely determined by factors outside of a person’s’ control? ☐

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Debate of the Issue: Is Tom Brady the GOAT?

In this issue of The Panel, we continue our featured debate series between two students with opposing beliefs. This debate revolves around a question affecting football. Is Tom Brady the greatest of all time? The following articles choose a side on this debate and argue their case. Kevin O’ Neill ‘19 and Joshua Fairman ‘19 will serve as regular writers for “The Debate of the Issue.”

Tom Brady Is Not the GOAT By Kevin O’ Neill‘19 Staff Writer Since most people at Belmont Hill are Patriots fans, I understand that the majority will disagree with me when I state that Tom Brady is not the greatest quarterback of all time. The main argument for Tom Brady’s status as the GOAT is his number of Super Bowl appearances and Super Bowl wins. While I agree that Brady’s legacy is extremely impressive, his coaching, elite defenses, and (to a lesser extent) luck have all helped him reach such pivotal games. In Brady’s first Superbowl in 2002, Tom Brady amassed just 145 yards and one touchdown while his defense scored a pick-six and Adam Vinatieri hit a clutch 48-yard field goal

allegedly asked a Patriots ball boy to deflate game-used footballs to gain a competitive advantage. I am not trying to say that Brady is not a great quarterback; he is clutch, is a strong leader, and does what is needed by the team. However, Brady’s team’s success has been the driving force of many arguments about how Brady is the greatest of all time, which I feel is unfair because no other quarterbacks have had the luxury of having a top ten defense 14/17 years of his career. Brady is most definitely not the most skilled quarterback of all-time, and maybe not even of his generation for that matter. ☐

“While I agree that Brady’s legacy is extremely impressive, his coaching, elite defenses, and luck have all helped him reach such pivotal games” as time expired to win the championship. Despite Brady’s mediocre performance, he won the MVP. This also came in the same year as the famous tuck rule play against the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round that granted the Patriots the ball on a controversial incomplete pass. In 2003, 2014, and 2016, the Patriots won the Superbowl despite their quarterback having a lower passer rating than the opposing QB. This has happened just four times in NFL history. In 2008, after Tom Brady got injured, and Matt Cassel replaced him; Cassel led the team to an 11-5 record but they missed the playoffs. In 2014, Malcolm Butler’s sensational interception at the goal line saved the game for Tom Brady and the Patriots. Brady was also involved with Deflategate, where he

Tom Brady Is the GOAT By Josh Fairman ‘19 Staff Writer Tom Brady is the greatest Quarterback of all time. In the most important career metric, he has surpassed all of his competition. He has the most career passing yards with 81,000, the most regular season wins with 207, and he has the most career passing touchdowns with 590. The fact that he has been able to consistently perform at the highest level for 17 years is a testament to his determination, skill, and intelligence. Likewise, in the postseason, he has set incredible records. He has 29 playoff wins, far beyond second-place Joe Montana, who only has 16. He has 73 playoff touchdown pass-

es, again in front of Joe Montana with a measly 45. Next up, we have the staggering amount of playoff passing yards thrown: 10,900. That is 3,000 yards more than Peyton Manning, who comes in second. Next, and I think this is the most impressive statistic on the list, is Tom Brady’s ridiculous 2,500 passing yards in the Super Bowl. This is proof of Brady’s dominance of the NFL over the past two decades. Most important, of course, Tom Brady is the only quarterback in NFL history to have won 5 Super Bowls. However, these are conventional facts. One of the things that sets Tom Brady apart from the pack is his performance under pressure. With 57 drives, Brady has the most game winning drives of any quarterback in NFL history. These are those famous sub-2:00 drives in the 4th quarter

“One of the things that sets Tom Brady apart from the pack is his performance under pressure.” when everything is on the line and Tommy goes into the endzone. These have been the most spectacular moments of football in the past decade. Coming back in Super Bowl 51 from a 25 point deficit to win in overtime and coming back in the AFC championship game this season to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat are just a couple of the many examples of Brady’s superhuman grace under pressure. All of this paints a picture of a man who is so consistent in his excellence and mental fortitude that it would be slanderous not to pronounce him the greatest quarterback of all time. ☐

Illustration by Elias Hyde

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The History of the Belmont Hill Wrestling Team By Matt Smith ‘19 Panel Staff With a 18-1 record going into their final regular season matches, the Belmont Hill varsity wrestling team looks to defend its ISL and New England titles. Victories at the two championship tournaments would build on the team’s long-standing streak of dominance. Over the past three years, they have won three straight ISL titles and two New England

mont Hill would win the Graves-Kelsey Tournament for the first time. In 1977, Belmont Hill would get their second GK win before the tournament was realigned for sixteen teams. From then until 1990, when Mr. Bradley joined as head coach, BH wrestling would fall short of any major accolades, but, under their new coach, they would find hard-fought success. In 1994, Belmont Hill would send its

first wrestler to Prep Nationals, Jaime Binnall ‘95. In 1997, they would win the GK tournament for the third time in the school’s history. In 2000, after placing dead last at the New England tournament in the year prior, the team would earn the Graves-Kelsey “Most Improved Team” Award. In 2001 and 2002, they would claim back-to-back ISL regular season titles. In 2006, BH would put up its first season

“If the history of the Belmont Hill wrestling team reveals anything, it’s that their successes shouldn’t be taken for granted.” titles and, in the past twelve years, they have won nine ISL titles and four NE titles. During that time, eight BH wrestlers have also placed at the Prep Nationals Tournament. But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, when the Belmont Hill wrestling began in 1956, they recorded only one win and seven losses. It wasn’t until 1960 that the team recorded their first winning season and it would be another seven years before the team picked up their second. Two years later in 1969, Bel- Bryce Anderson 19’ has been a crucial part of Belmont Hill’s success this year in wrestling.

with GK and ISL titles and, in the following season, they would win their first New England title (in addition to GK and ISL titles) and place their first two All-Americans (top eight finishers) at Prep Nationals, Nick Boghos ‘07 and George Sullivan ‘07. In 2008, they would earn another ISL and GK title and, in 2009, with the addition of Assistant Coaches Leonardis and Kaplan, they would earn GK, ISL, and NE titles. In 2010, BH would have its first Prep National champion, Jeff Ott ‘12. In 2016, the team, with the help of current captains Luca Pontone ‘19, Matt Smith ‘19, and Collin Vallis ‘19, would win its third NE title with its first-ever undefeated season (in NE competition), bringing the team up to the present day. If the history of the Belmont Hill wrestling team reveals anything, it’s that their successes shouldn’t be taken for granted. Despite a long string of victories, more than seventy years rife with failures and losses shows just how difficult those victories are to obtain. So, if the wrestling team manages to secure its second straight New England title in a few weeks (which would be another first in the history of the team), just remember all the hard work by generations of wrestlers and coaches that it took to get there. ☐

Looking Back at Belmont Hill’s Encounter with Mo Bamba By Thomas McEvoy ‘19 Panel Staff With the sixth overall selection in the 2018 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic used their lottery pick on Mohamed Bamba. A center out of the University of Texas, Mo stands seven-feet, one inch tall and boasts a nearly eight-foot wingspan. Less than sixth months after the draft, rap artist Sheck Wes released “Mo Bamba,” the ninth track of his first ever album. The song’s popularity launched Mo into even greater stardom than had his basketball career. What few know, however, is that Belmont Hill played a small role in Mo’s path to cultural icon-hood. In 2014, amid sizable snow-

storms, Belmont Hill’s Third Form basket- known about Cardigan Mountain’s then ball team traveled to Cardigan Mountain to six-foot, nine-inch rim protector. Accordface off against the future NCAA standout. ing to Belmont Hill basketball legend David Mitchell, “at the time he was just a regular “ Coach Collins added, “I think David kid. We knew he was a tall player but he was got dunked on that day, but he doesn’t nothing else to us.” Coach Collins echoed seem to remember it.” Although Mo similar sentiments: “I knew he had great “had a few dunks that game,” his real length, very athletic and would try to block value lay on the defensive end, where everything in sight. We wanted to be physical with him, as he was lanky, and force him he made it nearly impossible for BH away from the paint as much as possible.” to attack the basket.” Defending Mo was a team effort, but David Mitchell and Jake Bobo as Before the game could begin, sumed leading roles, with Jake taking over however, the Belmont Hill bus broke down after David fouled out late. Coach Collins several miles from the gymnasium, and added, “I think David got dunked on that the team had to be rescued by Cardigan day, but he doesn’t seem to remember it.” AlMountain staff. Prior to the game, little was though Mo “had a few dunks that game,” his

Mo Bamba was a freshman at Cardigan Mountain in 2014.

real value lay on the defensive end, where he made it nearly impossible for BH to attack the basket. Even so, and despite Mo’s “freakish” athleticism and ability to “jump through the roof,” most involved in the game didn’t see his career going beyond college. “I never thought he would end up in the NBA. I thought he was just okay at the time,” Coach Collins added. Most surprising, however, is the fact that, according to both coaches and players, Mo, fell short of other players the team competed against, with Fessenden, Eaglebrook, Hillside and Rectory all reportedly boasting more polished players. Ultimately, Mo scored 15 points, but only 5 after halftime, and led Cardigan Mountain to a 43-36 victory. ☐

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Athlete of the Issue: James Eysenbach ‘19

James fell into the cross country kind of a big deal,” James recalls, “because skiing team almost serendipitously in the I beat Quin [McGaugh] and [Ben] Pradko.” Third Form, after he suffered a concussion Since that time trial, James hasn’t in wrestling the year before and wanted to look back. He received the Most Improved Senior James Eysenbach is a dis- try a new winter sport. In the Fourth Form, Award for his Fourth Form year and helped tinguished skier and captain of this year’s with one year of skiing under his belt to get Belmont Hill come in fourth in the Lakes Belmont Hill Cross Country Skiing team. Region in the Fifth Though cross country skiing is a sport that Form. James continues few Belmont Hill students know much working on his skiabout, anyone who follows the sport can ating tirelessly; this year, test that James’ accomplishments in skiing he has been logging as are impressive. Nordic skiing is famously many hours skiing as demanding, and it is not a sport for the possible and once even faint of heart; to cross country ski effectivecame 4 kilometers short ly, athletes use their entire body and force of a marathon durthemselves to their mental and physical ing one of his sessions. limits over grueling distances. In addition More broadly, James to fitness, technique is very important to a has been a key factor for skier’s success. James points out that while the rise of the Belmont a runner does not need to focus much of Hill nordic skiing team. James Eysenbach ‘19 skis at the Dublin School. his energy on the mechanics of running, Over the past decade or “you always have to focus on keeping your down the basic fundamentals, James im- so, Belmont Hill has seen its cross country technique solid” during a ski race, and proved. He worked hard all year, and even- skiing team improve drastically due to talhe adds that races can be won and lost by tually it paid off at the end of the season ented skiers like James and the leadership technique. James has embraced these chal- when he came in second on the team in a of Mr. Courtney. The Belmont Hill norlenges and has achieved the status of an elite time trial, trailing only Charlie Donahue, dic team used to ski in public school races skier through hard work and discipline. who had skied since the First Form. “It was unofficially, but under Mr. Courtney, the By Will LaFarge‘19 Panel Staff

team moved into the Lakes Region, made up almost entirely of boarding schools in Vermont and New Hampshire, including some founded as ski academies rather than academic institutions. James remarks that Mr. Courtney has also brought “us up to the next level with equipment, training, and organizing races.” It appears that the team will see continued success in the coming years, as there are several promising young skiers, both new and experienced, who aim to carry Belmont Hill to future championships. This year, James is shooting for a Lakes Region championship for the team. James thinks that depth is going to be Belmont Hill’s ticket to the top: “we probably won’t have anyone win or even podium, but it’s the top four guys who count, and we probably have the top four guys.” A championship would be major milestone, as Belmont Hill has never won the Lakes Region. Individually, James wants to improve his skiing this season and then continue training over the summer to hopefully walk on to Bowdoin’s cross country skiing team, one of the few Division I squads at the Brunswick, Maine college. ☐

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Artist of the Issue: Jalen Walker ‘21 By Henry Moses ‘21 Panel Staff If you have been to a major Belmont Hill sports game this year, chances are high that you have seen Fourth Former Jalen Walker snapping photos on the sideline. Despite only taking photos seriously for two years, Jalen is prolific, usually dropping an album, consisting of anywhere from 100 to 500 photos, at least once a week on his Flickr. Jalen has certainly found his niche -- sports photography. Jalen enjoys shooting sports games because, unlike portraiture or nature photography, which to him can get repetitive, “there is always something new happening in a sports photo.” In addition, Jalen has always appreciated Adam Richins’s work, which initially made sports photography interesting to

him. A surreal moment came for Jalen when Richins told Jalen that he liked his work, motivating him to continue his passion and keep shooting sports games. Jalen has been interested in photography for a while, so, when he got his first chance to get his hands on a camera in a digital video class that he took during his Third Form year, he ran with the opportunity and developed a passion along the way. Mr. Duarte has played an instrumental role in Jalen’s growth as a photographer by helping Jalen become more comfortable behind the camera. According to Jalen, “Mr. Duarte is easily one of my favorite teachers at Belmont Hill because the environment he creates within the photo lab is very motivating.” Jalen loves the power that photographs have. He appreciates the subtle yet

Jalen Walker ‘19 taking photos at a BH Varsity Football game. (Photo by Adam Richins)

important role that photos hold in our society -- the power to represent something greater, to hold a memory. In the digital era, photos will often outlive the photographer or the subject, accordingly so, Jalen loves the idea that people, later on, will enjoy his pictures just as much as his peers do. “Everyone loves to have a handful of good photos of themselves or of the people and events in their lives that they can keep forever.” Like any endeavor, there are positives and negatives to sports photography. The best part for Jalen is accompanying the team that he is shooting on the sideline. He fondly remembers being a frequent member on the sideline of this year’s football team. Jalen loves not only enjoying the game with a great view but also being able to help the players remember the games with his photos. Furthermore,

he feels proud when people from Belmont Hill compliment his photos, validating him, for he contributing positively within the community. On the contrary, it is often hard for Jalen to keep up with the fast-paced nature of most sports. As a result of this, Jalen often finds himself constantly editing and deleting pictures that, in the moment, he thought were adequate, but actually have little imperfections, like too much blur or a referee’s arm in the way. Nevertheless, Jalen does not get discouraged and continues to shoot photos abundantly, with no sign of slowing down. Check out Jalen’s photo’s on his Instagram (@jalenwalkerphoto) or on his website (www.jalenwalkerphoto.com). You will not be disappointed by his many impressive shots of Belmont Hill sports games. ☐

Jalen Walker ‘19 capturing photos of the Varsity football players . (Photo by Adam Richins)

Play Review: The Outsiders

By James Markis ‘20 Staff Writer Over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Belmont Hill’s theatre program performed our rendition of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. For the first time at Belmont Hill, the performance was comprised of a live action play and a digital movie footage. The combination of both aspects led to a unique experience for performers as well as the audience. Ryan Cannistraro (‘21) performed a live depiction of Ponyboy for the entire performance, while other actors performed in scenes that were displayed through the memories of Ponyboy. Aidan McGaugh (‘20) described the audience experience: “The ability to combine both the play and the movie allows for much more creativity in the production. It kept the audience much more engaged because of the difference from scene to scene, and the final product was extremely successful.” The main reason for the combination of the play and movie was due to the lack of actors from the Belmont Hill student body. Only five Belmont Hill students in addition to one Winsor student were willing to commit their time to this production. About the play, Mr. Conway, said, “The Theatre Department realizes that with other obligations finding time to participate in Belmont Hill Theatre can be challenging.

Tech rehearsals can be long, and students have a variety of other sports, clubs, and activities that are important to them. The Outsiders was an experiment in how to address these challenges while still producing an effective product. By filming segments of the play, we reduced the need for students to take part in technical rehearsals, and filming sessions could take place with different actors at different times and dates. Thankfully, the structure of the play already included a narrative element that could be easily adapted to this model.” My personal experience with The Outsiders was

“We hope that The Outsiders was a unique theatrical experience for its audience and for those students involved.” - Mr. Conway incredible, yet, if I had not been encouraged by multiple teachers, I would never have considered acting in the play. Looking ahead, the possibilities of rehearsing during X Block or 2:15 and combinations of screenings and live action plays could provide more students an opportunity to join the drama program. Both of these will lead to much more creativity for the directors and the actors and more opportunities for students to display their talents. ☐

Left to Right: Tim Brown (‘20), Ryan Cannistraro (‘21), James Markis (‘20)

Executive Editor Thomas McEvoy ‘19 Arts Editor Andrew Jonghyun Lee ‘20 Sports Editor John Gaudian ‘19 Photo Editor Jalen Walker ‘21 Back Page Editors Charlie Mullaney ‘20 Layout Editor Charlie Donahue ‘20

Photograph following the finale of the Outsiders

Editors-in-Chief Nicholas Daley ‘19 Matthew Smith‘19

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener

Copy Editor Matt Goguen ‘19

News Editor Charlie Booth ‘20

Assistant Editors William LaFarge ‘19 Tyler Forg ‘21 Streetej Digumarthi ‘21 Henry Moses ‘21 Jackson Riffe ‘20 Renny Gong ‘20 Yazeed Dahleh ‘21

Opinion Editor Chetan Shukla ‘20 Online Editor Jack Weldon ‘20 Graphics Editor Elias Hyde ‘20

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 2013 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.

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The Panel’s 2018 Movies of the Year

ranging variety of movies from Marvel’s continuous success in the cinematic business to surprising award-winning films, From action-packed thrillers to nos- such as Green Book and Crazy Rich Asians. talgic dramas, 2018 has been a blockbuster The selections for the 2018 Movies of the year for movies. 2018 has consisted of a Year were all chosen by the Arts editor, By Andrew Jonghyun Lee ‘20 Panel Staff

Action Movie: Avengers: Infinity War Marvel once again extends their theatrical dominance through Avengers: Infinity War. Contrasting other more universal marvel films, Infinity War embraces a darker more ominous tone. Renowned directors the Russo Brothers cleverly incorporates all characters relevant to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Packed with action-filled battles, the movie ultimately introduces the main antagonist Thanos. Its brilliance cannot be neglected as the film offers critical details for those following the Marvel universe. Infinity War only intensifies our expectations for the final battle in soon-to-come Avengers: Endgame. Looking ahead, I cannot wait to see what will come for our beloved hard-labored Avengers. ☐ Honorable Mention: Mission Impossible : Fallout

Animated Movie: Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse is easily one of the best movies in 2018. To describe the movie in one word, it is simply captivating. Unlike other more recent Marvel movies, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse has a distinct comic book feel, which presents a unique experience for the audience. From Stan Lee’s heart-warming cameo to each enthralling scene, the film is infused with both humor and emotion. Each voice-actor portrays their character brilliantly, expressing a genuine sense of humanity within the animated characters. Even the star-studded soundtrack, including the record-selling song “Sunflower” by Swae Lee and Post Malone, is used flawlessly, embodying, the protagonist, Miles Morales’s emotions throughout the movie. Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse is truly an unforgetting motion picture and deserves to take its place as one of the best movies in 2018. ☐ Honorable Mention: Incredibles 2

Comedy Movie: Crazy Rich Asians Crazy Rich Asians unquestionably embraces its role as the romantic comedy of the year. Incorporating many popular Asian actors, the movie truly does a wonderful job capturing the ideals of Asian culture. Not only is the movie funny, but it is also quite emotional as the audience can empathize with the protagonist Rachel Chu’s problems throughout her journey to Singapore. Based off the New York Times bestseller, Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan, Director Jon M. Chu really does a wonderful job forming a fluid and captivating narrative. Like all rom-coms, the movie can be cheesy at times; however, if romantic comedies are your genre, Crazy Rich Asians is most certainly the movie for you. ☐ Honorable Mention: BlacKKKlansman

Andrew Jonghyun Lee ‘20, with attempted seclusion from subjectivity. Offering a retrospective outlook, the selections were divided into six genres including action, musical, animated, drama, comedy, and horror. Critic Reviews from Rotten

Tomatoes, performances in the 2018 box office, and audience ratings were all considered in the movie picks. The honorable mentions each represent the second best selection in their respective genres. ☐

Musical Movie: Bohemian Rhapsody Freddie Mercury once again captures the stage in the motion picture, Bohemian Rhapsody. From the outset of the movie, the movie offers a thrilling portrayal of the legendary 70-80’s rock band, Queen. The costume design is incredibly constructed as each actor almost perfectly portrays their corresponding member of Queen. From his appearances to his authentic acting, Rami Malek’s Oscar-worthy performance brilliantly embodies the vibrant nature of Freddie Mercury. To say that the soundtrack is good is an understatement. Including acclaimed songs, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” and “We Are The Champions,” the soundtrack embellishes Queen’s title as titans in the rock industry. If you want to embrace the renowned story of Freddie Mercury and Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody is the movie to watch. ☐ Honorable Mention: A Star is Born

Drama Movie: Green Book Where to begin with this movie. Green Book is an unforgetting experience for anyone who steps into the theater. Although the plot can be slightly predictable, the movie truly brings to life the 1960’s JimCrow era South. Lead actors, Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, do a wonderful job portraying their characters who possess charming chemistry on screen as their relationship develops throughout the movie. The soundtrack, although it does not consist of your typical pop-culture artists, plays well with the themes of the movie. Even with a limited budget, director Peter Farrelly does an incredible job recreating the racial tensions of the 1960’s. Disregard the cynical reviews, the movie will leave you with an enlightening sense of fulfillment. Unparalleled in its compassionate nature, Green Book is by far one of the most heartwarming and inspiring films of 2018. ☐ Honorable Mention: Black Panther

Horror Movie: Hereditary Hereditary is truly a psychological thriller. Quite different from other horror movies, this movie supersedes simple jump-scare-infused films. Masterfully crafted, it offers an almost disturbing take on an already horrifying plot. Each scene brilliantly connects to the others as the movie entices the audience from the outset. First-time director Ari Aster is ingenious in his use of plot twists and jumpscares; unpredictable and irregular, the film defies the boundaries of a “classic” horror movie. It quite literally forces the audience to grasp their seat handles and await each frightening scene one after the other. If horror movies are your thing, go watch Hereditary. ☐ Honorable Mention: Halloween (2018)

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i love the backpage and football

for young men

Volume asshole, Issue poopy

March 15th, 44 BCE

Curran Survey Tragedy Rocks Belmont Hill

survey- some say his methods defied

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the Geneva Convention. “The data is

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frenzy, stalking the halls for those last

then a student gives the WACKIEST REPLY and it

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a moment of tragedy that it was he who

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Mr. Curran was on a desperate quest to complete the technology

was driven insane. He now lives in selfimposed exile on a small, Polynesian island with but one copy of Citizen and a painted football named "Sully". Read more on page 3.141592...