June 2021 Panel (Vol. 70 Iss. 2)

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478

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A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

Volume 70, Issue 2

June 5, 2021

VALE, MAGISTER MARTIN! Mr. Martin Retires After Teaching at Belmont Hill for Nearly 50 Years

By Alex Lo ’23 and Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff Kenneth Martin ’65, a beloved member of our community for the last 49 years, will say a partial goodbye to Belmont Hill.

Mr. Martin has left an immense impact on our community. Through teaching Latin and coaching varsity hockey and third football, Mr. Martin has garnered an unparalleled list of achievements. His dedication to his students in the classroom and on the ice has not gone unnoticed. He has undoubtedly changed the lives of many Belmont Hill boys both academically and athletically. During his time at Belmont Hill, Mr. Martin epitomized the school’s teacher-coach model, and his influence has permeated every aspect of the community.

Mr. Martin formed a connection to Belmont Hill even before he arrived on campus as a student through his father. His father was a part of Belmont Hill’s first ever graduating class in 1927 and a star athlete like his son. Mr. Martin himself first came to Belmont Hill as a student in the 60s.

He remembers several instances of persevering through classes that were difficult for him, including history and geometry.

In terms of athletics, Mr. Martin excelled on the varsity hockey team; as a senior, he even captained the team to a nearly undefeated season, with their only loss being against Andover. However, the team soon avenged their loss in the annual tournament in Lawrenceville. When looking back on that season, rather than highlighting the success of his hockey team, Mr. Martin emphasizes the friendships he formed and the camaraderie between his teammates as staples of his Belmont Hill experience.

After graduating from Belmont Hill, Mr. Martin attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Originally, Mr. Martin was registered with a major in German; however, his Boston accent served as too severe of an obstacle to overcome. As he explored new options, he was drawn to Latin because of an inspiring professor who went to Bowdoin himself and was also a fan of the hockey team. Latin soon became his passion. Mr. Martin turned his love for the language into a career when he became a Latin teacher at Brooks School in North Andover.

At the Brooks School, Mr. Martin learned how to teach effectively in the classroom. Although teaching Latin proved incredibly challenging, the position provided him with valuable experience. He was mentored by the head of the Latin Department, who was one of the writers of Jenney’s First Year Latin, the textbook which most students at Belmont Hill use to begin their studies of Latin. After three

Look Inside The Issue

News 4 Plans for The New Maker The Academics of the ClassSpace of 2021

Belmont Hill Archives years at the Brooks School, an opportunity about life.” He also mentioned the merits of ing. As Mr. Martin says, the hardest part of presented itself for him to return to Bel- Latin in teaching boys academic fundamen- every season is choosing the teams and demont Hill. Mr. Martin was ecstatic to return tals such as how to study for tests and learn- ciding who should make the team and who to campus and, with the help of the Latin ing terms, saying, “Latin is a good founda- shouldn’t. He always attempts to make each Department Chair, Charles Jenney, an- tion for everyone, whether they continue season better than the last. Under his leaderother writer of Jenney’s First Year Latin, he with Latin or not.” He also reminisced on a ship, Belmont Hill hockey was transformed joined the faculty. Mr. Martin was immedi- football game which he said alums still talk from a strong program to a perennial powately welcomed when he returned to cam- to him about: “One year we had a great foot- erhouse. Before Mr. Martin arrived at Belpus, and this sense of community remains ball team, the other team did not even get to mont Hill, the team would seldom win at the one of his favorite parts of Belmont Hill. the other side of the 50.” Given his time as a Lawrenceville tournament. However, after During his time at Belmont Hill, Mr. student and a teacher, we asked Mr. Martin Mr. Martin began coaching, the LawrencevMartin taught several Latin classes, served for any wisdom he could give to the students. ille wins began stacking up as Belmont as head Form II advisor, and helped orga- He responded, “The number one thing is Hill became a favorite to win most years. nize the Form II field trip to Washington to make sure that the kids are disciplined.

Along with his noteworthy success D.C. He also chaired the Latin department. They must learn to grow up, and know what as a coach, Mr. Martin will be missed by When asked about his favorite part of being is right and wrong.” Through his dedica- many because of the memories he made. a teacher, Mr. Martin spoke about the joy in tion to the betterment of his students, Mr. One of Mr. Martin’s favorite memories seeing the boys develop into men. He en- Martin’s has certainly left his mark on BH. is the game at Frozen Fenway, when Beljoyed getting to know his students in and out As soon as Mr. Martin began coach- mont Hill was down 3 goals to their riof the classroom, as he remarked, “There are ing at Belmont Hill, his legacy as a masterful val, St. Sebastian’s, with 5 minutes left. a lot of lessons you can teach [the students] coach and inspirational mentor began growContinued on Page 5 News 2 Farewell Dr. Davis

Arec Keomurjian ’22 and Luke Hogan ’22 Cam Carey ’23 details the academic successes of shed light on Dr. Davis’s lasting legacy and bid the Class of 2021. her farewell.

News 3 Farewell Mrs. D’Annolfo

Aaron Stanger ’24 and Daniel Xie ’24 highlight Mrs. D’Annolfo’s impact on Belmont Hill and bid her farewell.

Sports 9 Athletic Legacy of the Class of 2021

Sports 9 Featured Athlete Ikenna Ugbaja ’21

Daniel Bittner ’22 spotlights the many athletic Mac Bobo ’23 highachievements of the graduating senior class. lights Ikenna’s athletic mastery of football.

Sports 8 Nick Hebard ’21

Howard Huang ’22 writes about Nick’s athletic achievements in crew.

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Dr. Davis Heads to Wellesley College to Resume Research When asked about what legacy Dr. Davis has left on the community, she humorously responded, “Obviously the chickens.” In an ode to the faculty in the science department, she noted some of her favorite memories involved “hanging out in the Science Office.”

Dr. Davis plans to head back to Wellesley College, where she spent two years in the Geosciences department previously.

She is hoping to be able to teach upper-level courses in paleoclimate and oceanography again while restarting her research by “using isotope analyses of ice-rafted grains to study Antarctica’s past ice-sheet stability.”

Dr. Davis left the following note to the Belmont Hill community: “I will genuinely miss this community; I have worked with some wonderful people—students, faculty, and staff—in my seven years here. Even on tough days I knew I could walk into the Science Office or a classroom, and someone would make me laugh (often at my own expense, but still...). The Faculty and Staff, especially the Science Department, supported me and my family through some tough times. For the 10 weeks my youngest daughter was in the NICU after her birth, we were sent so much food that we honestly didn’t cook dinner for 11 weeks straight.

That’s how generous this community is, and it is something my family will never forget.”

The Panel wishes Dr. Davis the best in her research and teaching endeavors. ☐ BH Communications

By Arec Keomurjian ’22 and Luke Hogan ’22 Panel Staff An invested member of the Belmont Hill community, Dr. Davis will be departing Belmont Hill after her seventh year teaching and coaching. Since joining seven years ago, Dr. Davis has coached basketball, lacrosse and has significantly impacted students in the classroom. Dr. Davis has taught almost all grade levels in the science department, including Science 1, Environmental Science, AP Environmental Science, Physics, ASR, a senior inquiry course on climate change, and Energy and Geopolitics. When asked what she will miss the most, Dr. Davis replied, “The people: I’ve been so lucky to work with so many wonderfully talented, hard-working people—students and faculty and staff alike. In the Science Department in particular; be it collaborating on a class, vetting ideas, or just hanging out, they are the best.”

Through the pandemic, Dr. Davis has been teaching remotely, stating she feels lucky that “the school both allowed and supported me in teaching remotely… for that, I am truly very grateful.” She faced several challenges, especially in regards to the ASR classes, which required her to reviseh the curriculum; however, through her diligence and devotion to the community, she provided engaging learning opportunities to her ASR students as well as her other students.

Mr. Richards Takes Fall Sabbatical to Explore the U.S.

By David Cho ’23 Panel Staff For the fall semester next school year, Mr. Richards will take a sabbatical, exploring all of the US. Mr. Richards has been at Belmont Hill since 1991. Teaching Latin at various levels (Latin Alpha, Latin 2A, Latin 4, and Latin 4 AP), he served as the Chair of the Classics Department, and he received the Byrnes Family Chair in the Humanities in 2018. Mr. Richards has always loved Latin because “it teaches a broad spectrum of things: an appreciation for how language functions, precision of thought and expression, work ethic and accountability -- even delayed gratification.”. He loves how a student who never learned Latin will be able to translate Vergil a few years later. His love for teaching Latin has greatly con-

tributed to the success of Belmont Hill’s Humanities program for the past years.

As the head coach of the Varsity Crew team, Middle School Crew team, and the Third Cross Country team, Mr. Richards has been greatly active in the athletics experience in Belmont Hill. Coaching the Varsity Crew Team since 2001, Mr. Richards has coached Belmont Hill to numerous New England and National championships in rowing. And enjoying that many of his rowers have gone on to do great things in rowing beyond Belmont Hill, Mr. Richards has loved every minute of coaching at Belmont Hill, fostering the boys to “learn important lessons about teamwork and perseverance, and develop a love for the sport.”

Now that his children are grown and out of the house, Mr. Richards feels that he has more flexibility with his schedule. And wanting to do something adventurous before he gets too old, Mr. Richards decided

to take a sabbatical: to go on a road trip around the US, “seeing parts of the country I haven’t been to, and doing a bunch of the segments of the trip with different friends and family members.” Loving driving and exploring new places, Mr. Richards looks forward to this trip in which he will pursue his interest to better understand America.

While away from Belmont Hill, Mr. Richards will most miss teaching, coaching, and interacting with the Belmont Hill boys. And as this school year ends, he finds it hard that he is finishing his 30th year at Belmont Hill. As Mr. Richards takes his sabbatical, Belmont Hill will miss him and looks forward to his return! ☐

BH Communications

Mr. Ekhator Leaves BH to Attend Law School

By Andrew Bittner ’24 Panel Staff Mr. Ekhator, the beloved middle school history teacher, football and basketball coach, advisor, and member of the admissions team, will be leaving Belmont Hill. While we have only had the pleasure of having Mr. Ekhator on campus for a year, he has filled a valuable role in our community, not only through fulfilling his many responsibilities but also in his role as a leader and mentor to his students, athletes, and advisees. Mr. Ekhator has had a profound impact on all of those who have had the opportunity to spend time with him, but he has decided to move on from Belmont Hill to attend law school.

Mr. Ekhator’s favorite part of his short time at Belmont Hill has been that he has been able to connect with students on multiple levels. As a history teacher, Mr. Ekhator enjoyed that he was able to have meaningful discussions consisting of both

the material being covered and the personal experiences of his students. Mr. Ekhator said he also enjoyed the grit and positive attitude shown by his students throughout this difficult year. Mr. Ekhator has also served as a coach on the football and basketball teams this year. Though athletics have been unique this year, Mr. Ekhator has ensured that members of the basketball and football teams improved as athletes and enjoyed their athletic experiences. The part of his BH experience which Mr. Ekhator says he will miss the most about his time at BH is his lunches with his advisees. This time allowed for discussions about world events, interests, personal lives and allowed for Mr. Ekhator to develop a strong personal connection with each of his students. The way in which Mr. Ekhator develops these relationships and sees his students as people first is what makes him so unique as a teacher, and shows why he has been such a natural fit into the Belmont Hill community.

In a word, Mr. Ekhator’s departure is bittersweet. BH is both sad to see him

go and happy in knowing that he will be able to share his kindness and unique personality with more of the world in pursuit of his dreams. Even in his short time here, Mr. Ekhator has left an indelible impact on the community and formed unforgettable bonds with the whole community. On behalf of Belmont Hill, we wish Mr. Ekhator good luck and hope that one day we will have the opportunity to meet again! ☐

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Ms. D’Annolfo Leaves for Brooks Ms. Ahearne Heads Out of State

By Aaron Stanger’24 and Daniel Xie ’24 Panel Staff After two years in our English department, Ms. D’Annolfo departs Belmont Hill to further her teaching career at the Brooks School. Before coming to Belmont Hill, she worked at the Taft School and Tufts University. She wanted to teach English full-time and was attracted by the school’s reputation, overall energy, and people. Ms. D’Annolfo admired the dedication of her coworkers and students to hard work and the positive, energetic atmosphere here.

During her time at Belmont Hill, she coached 3B soccer with Coach Leonardis and helped to organize other activities, especially during the spring of last year. She was also an active leader in the school’s efforts towards diversity, equity, and inclusion. Working actively with seniors, alumni, and faculty, she initiated various DEI round conversations for advisory meetings that helped bring to light many of the problems facing our school, country, and the world in a context that has never been seen before at Belmont Hill Looking back on the shifting dynamics of COVID-19, Ms. D’Annolfo admired the school’s ability to stay resilient and continue to work together during a time of uncertainty and challenge.

She was particularly impressed by the sincere conversations held in her classes, her students’ ability to find their voices, and how students would immerse themselves in books by opening their minds to the literature.

One of Mrs. D’Annolfo’s most memorable moments were the goofy Shakespeare performances presented in Forms II (Caesar) and IV (Macbeth) and the student-written poems for poetry month in April.

Reminiscing on her time at the school, Mrs. D’Annolfo fondly remembers, “caring deeply about the students she got the privilege to know, humbled by the powerful experience [of teaching here], and will miss her students and colleagues.”

The Belmont Hill school community will certainly miss her energy in the classroom, on the playing field, and in her extracurricular work. The Panel wishes Ms. D’Annolfo the best of luck in her future endeavors. ☐

By Lev Tolkoff ’24 and Abe Tolkoff ’21 Panel Staff

In her year on campus at Belmont Hill, Ms. Ahearne integrated into the school community, teaching across two departments and coaching all three seasons.

Having recently graduated in the spring of 2020 from Bowdoin College, she learned of Belmont Hill originally from the mother of recent graduate James Eyesenbach ’19. In her senior year of college, she co-captained the Nordic Ski team. At Belmont Hill, her majors in government and legal studies, education, and Francophone studies came in handy as she took on teaching US Government and Form I French. In the classroom, Ms. Ahearne fondly recalls many of the funny moments brought about by her young students. While she did not know what to expect when she first arrived on campus, reflecting back, she has developed a deeper passion for teaching and appreciation for all-boys education. She notes being especially proud of her Form II students for their hard work on the final papers they completed at the end of their semesters.

On the athletic side of campus, Ms. Ahearne began coaching Middle School cross country in the fall. Early snows made for an exciting beginning of the Nordic Ski Season, and the team was eager for the new drills, skills, and energy she brought to every practice and race. Despite the added challenge of the pandemic, the team incorporated relays, sprint simulations, and some intense night-time racing into the season. She especially enjoyed the final race which saw impressive performances from all members of the team, especially younger and newer skiers. This spring, Ms. Ahearne took to the Mystic Lake with the sailing team and BH Communications added vibrancy and humor to the group.

BH Communications Reflecting back on her broader Belmont Hill experience, Ms. Ahearne notes the strong relationships she developed with fellow faculty members and students. She enjoyed getting to know her group of advisees throughout the school year, especially playing games on the field during lunch. For Ms. Ahearne, Belmont Hill has “affirmed that passion and that interest” in teaching and coaching which she hopes to continue in the near future. Especially helpful have been two mentors, Mr. Phinney and Ms. Montanaro, whom she says “have just been fabulous [and] have become great friends to me.” She thanks the community at large for a great year and looks forward to staying in touch with the people who have made the experience such a memorable one. The Panel wishes Ms. Ahearne the best as she looks to move to a more skier-friendly state and hopes to see her back on campus soon! ☐

Community Service Continues Throughout Pandemic

By Cooper Nelson ’23 Panel Staff In a year when physical distance needed to be maintained, Belmont Hill students still found a way to give back to their communities. While traditional mainstays of the Belmont Hill service regimen such as Party with a Purpose, the Turkey Drive, and the March Service Trip were not able to take place this past year, students put forward a plethora of other initiatives to fill the void left by the pandemic. Thanks to the hard work of community service heads and students, the school was able to make a considerable impact on many people and institutions in the Boston area.

In October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month, Daniel Moran ’23 started the Think Pink Fundraiser. The initiative aimed to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer institute that would contribute to finding a cure for Breast Cancer. The fundraiser sold Think Pink-themed bucket hats and also benefited from donations.

In all, the effort was a resounding success, raising $1,722 for Oncology research.

In the place of the annual Turkey Drive, the third form held a gift card drive that provided underprivileged families with the means to celebrate Thanksgiving.

The pandemic did not faze Belmont Hill families, who donated enough gift cards to feed 656 families, outperforming the 576 meals put together during the 2019 Turkey Drive! Most importantly, however, more than six hundred families, with the help of partner organizations, were able to enjoy the holiday as it is meant to be enjoyed.

Over the holiday season, Jalen Walker ’21 and Daniel Drucker ’23 organized a gift drive through DOVE. DOVE is a domestic violence shelter in Quincy that runs an “adopt a family” program in which families in need can receive gifts from donors. Some Belmont Hill advisories each pitched in 100 dollars to buy these gifts and donate them to DOVE families. In total, 35 different people received gifts from 7 different families thanks to the generosity of the participating advisories.

Across a few weeks in January, students put together a clothing drive to benefit Cradles to Crayons. The school was able to fill fifteen bags worth of clothing and winter supplies. These articles went a long way for numerous families in need during this very difficult time.

The next month, Jack Barry ’21 and Timmy McCormack ’21 put together a welcome basket drive for tenants of the Pine Street Inn. The Inn is the largest service provider for homeless people in Boston, and Belmont Hill has been participating in service projects with them for a few years. The baskets were intended to provide basic necessities for new tenants of the Inn, since the pandemic had triggered an increase in homelessness. Thanks to student donations, they were able to put together 12 baskets for new residents.

These baskets went a long way towards making tenants feel at home in a very uncertain time in their lives.

Around the same time, advisories participated in Belmont Hill’s service week, putting together var-

ious items. These included letters to active service members, food donations, making blankets, birthday boxes, and more through charity foundations. Thanks to the donations of Belmont Hill advisories, we were able to put together 75 letters, 61 snack bags, 26 books, 12 birthday boxes, and 12 blankets.

Lastly, Belmont Hill giving week took place during the week of April 20th.

Thanks to the efforts of many Belmont Hill students, a food drive, book drive, clothing drive, and a sports gear drive all took place at the same time. These donations benefitted a food pantry run by the 4th Presbyterian Church of Boston, More Than Words, and the South Boston Boys & Girls Club.

The school received an astounding number

of donations that surely made a difference to their respective recipients.

Aside from these projects, there were also a number of student-led initiatives such as food drives, mentorship at the Mission Grammar School, and the ongoing lunch bag drive. Belmont Hill students displayed tremendous spirit and generosity through various service initiatives. Despite the pandemic sidelining a few important events, the sheer number of projects started this year was shocking and a telltale sign of this community’s will to give back. Many of these projects will likely continue next year under easier circumstances, and the Belmont Hill community looks forward to the chance to expand our community service outreach. ☐

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Class of 2021 Excels Academically in Pandemic

By Cam Carrey ’23 Panel Staff The Class of 2021 was no stranger to challenges during their time at Belmont Hill. The students in this year’s class displayed incredible leadership and academic excellence not only this year in the pandemic, but throughout their whole time at Belmont Hill. During the fall cum laude chapel, Mr. Schneider touched on the resiliency of the senior class and the independence they showed during the remote period last spring and this year.

Multiple senior students stood out in their class, receiving Cum Laude honors in the fall. Those students were Aaron Belluck, Matthew Britt-Webb, Ryan Cannistraro, Sreetej Digumarthi, Justin Paré, Abraham Tolkoff, Matthew Travaglini and Charles Wells. Eight boys were also given National Merit Recognition: Adam Alto, Matthew Britt-Webb, Sammy Jomaa, Theodore Stoll and Abraham Tolkoff, Paul Vander Vort, and Charles Wells. Three boys, Aar-

on Belluck, Sreetej Digumarthi, and Max incredible role models for younger students the Belmont Hill community will most defiHall, were all National Merit Semifinalists in terms of their academic excellence, and nitely miss them on campus next year. ☐ in the 2020 National Merit Competition.

Additionally, the Class of 2021 excelled on multiple AP subjects: 10 students had AP Honor Designations AP Scholar, granted to students who scored a 3 or higher on three AP exams. Theodore Stoll stood out on the AP exams, being the only Belmont Hill student to score a 3 or higher on four exams, or an average of 3.25 on all exams. In addition, seven students received AP Scholar with Distinction by scoring a three or higher on five or more AP exams or an average score of at least 3.5. Finally, Sreetej Digumarthi received the Monaco American History Prize, a prestigious award given to him for his research paper entitled “The Oil Weapon: How the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo transformed relations between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

The Class of 2021 faced academic challenges unlike most years, but they excelled in multiple ways regardless of the obBH Communications stacles they faced along the way. They were

Executive Staff Thanks The Panel Staff of Volume 69

By Arec Keomurjian ’22, Luke Hogan ’22, and Howard Huang ’22 Panel Staff From all of us at The Panel, we wanted to take a moment to thank the departing senior staff for their hard work. You all worked so hard to ensure the Belmont Hill community received a quality newspaper highlighting the artistic, athletic, and academic facets of our campus while also providing news and opinions. Even through a global pandemic, you all helped provide eight issues (more than previous years) for everyone’s enjoyment. Thank you for persevering and keeping the Belmont Hill tradition alive. You have set an example for Panel staff in years to come.

Ms. Zener and Mr. Hegarty wanted to share their final thoughts on the seniors’ hard work: “What a privilege and delight it was to work with the 2020-21 Trifecta, who navigated the uncharted waters of pandemic Panel publishing with aplomb

and panache! Truly, we were deeply impressed by their mastery of online coordination, article planning, editing, and writing, as well as their ability to herd wayward Panel staff. Thanks to them for making it a great year at The Panel and for setting such a fine example.”

Sreetej Digamurthi was the CoEditor-in-Chief of The Panel. His diligence helped to create high-quality publications throughout the span of Volume 69. His dedication to the publication is evident through his contributions to the newspaper, both in terms of editorial responsibilities and article writing.

Tyler Forg led the Arts Section of The Panel through his engagement with writers and during article assignments and layouts, attending all of the meetings even if he was busy. Tyler maintained the quality of the Arts section while implementing the new changes to layout and article format.

Sammy Jomaa wrote some of the best work The Panel has seen in a while for the Opinions section, which he also led as section editor. His edi-

torials and opinions articles were a constant feature in The Panel that readers and staff could look forward to.

His writing covered important news and political topics that are important to the Belmont Hill community.

Henry Moses served as The Panel’s News Section Editor, contributing both to his section as well as the monthly Playlists of the Issue. His organizational skills and work ethic led to productive layout sessions and quality articles. His choices in music resulted in positive experiences for readers, helping them discover several new artists.

Riley Schafer drew or designed important art in nearly every issue in Volume 69, innovating by creating precise graphics that spiced up the newspaper with color. The helpful drawings breathed life into many articles in a way that was original.

Abe Tolkoff was the Co-Editorin-Chief who led The Panel on new innovative directions and introduced new levels of layout and article quality. The foundation created by Abe in

terms of his new organizational structure, templates, and improved Panel culture will last for many Volumes.

His tact in handling Panel staff and meetings will prove to be invaluable knowledge for the new executive staff.

Jalen Walker was the Photo Editor who was always able to relay a thousand words through just one photo. Jalen helped make The Panel more interesting and vibrant with his amazing photo skills and selections. Jalen was also a writer for our staple article, the playlist of the issue where he brought new music tastes to the Belmont Hill Community.

Charlie Wells was the Executive Editor who was always willing to lend a helping hand with his adept InDesign and photoshop skills. Charlie dedicated himself and his numerous skills to ensuring an amazing final product for the Belmont Hill Community. Thank you for setting an example for our staff.

Have a great time in college!

Good luck on future endeavors especially potentially in the newspaper industry or school newspapers! ☐

Mr. Curran Dedicates a Parting Poem to BHS

By Daniel Cho ’23 and Luke Hogan ’22 Panel Staff In place of a formal article, Mr. Curran requested we add a poem commemorating his nine years at Belmont Hill. We wish Mr. Curran the very best in the future and thank him for all he has done for the Belmont Hill community. You have inspired many of us.

Birches

By Robert Frost When I see birches bend to left and right Across the lines of straighter darker trees, I like to think some boy’s been swinging them.

But swinging doesn’t bend them down to stay As ice-storms do. Often you must have seen them Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning After a rain. They click upon themselves As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.

Soon the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust—

Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away You’d think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.

They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load, And they seem not to break; though once they are bowed So low for long, they never right themselves: You may see their trunks arching in the woods Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.

But I was going to say when Truth broke in With all her matter-of-fact about the ice-storm I should prefer to have some boy bend them As he went out and in to fetch the cows— Some boy too far from town to learn baseball, Whose only play was what he found himself, Summer or winter, and could play alone.

One by one he subdued his father’s trees By riding them down over and over again Until he took the stiffness out of them, And not one but hung limp, not one was left For him to conquer. He learned all there was To learn about not launching out too soon And so not carrying the tree away

Clear to the ground. He always kept his poise To the top branches, climbing carefully With the same pains you use to fill a cup Up to the brim, and even above the brim.

Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish, Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.

So was I once myself a swinger of birches.

And so I dream of going back to be.

It’s when I’m weary of considerations, And life is too much like a pathless wood Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs Broken across it, and one eye is weeping From a twig’s having lashed across it open.

I’d like to get away from earth awhile And then come back to it and begin over.

May no fate willfully misunderstand me And half grant what I wish and snatch me away Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love: I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.

I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree, And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more, But dipped its top and set me down again.

That would be good both going and coming back.

One could do worse than be a swinger of birches. ☐

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Cont. Vale, Magister Martin: Nearly 5 Decades at BH Continued from Front Page. After scoring two goals, BH tied the game up with 8 seconds left and eventually won in overtime.

Another fond memory is of the year his son was a junior on the team and they went on to win the New England Championship.

Belmont Hill will lose a cherished member of our faculty in the retirement of Mr. Martin.

He has left an indelible mark on the campus, which current students will never forget, and future students will benefit from.

Mr. Martin comments that he will miss most dearly, meeting with the faculty, getting to know them. He remembers how kind the faculty was to him when he returned to campus and strove to reciprocate the kindness that was displayed to him. He still is open to talk to new faculty and encourages them to give him a call if they need anything. Mr. Martin will not be completely Belmont Hill Archives leaving Belmont Hill. He will

By Alex Lo ’23 and Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff

Belmont Hill Archives be on campus once a week in the Alumni House, where he looks to keep in touch with the events on campus. In his newfound time, Mr. Martin looks to catch up with

old alums and spend more time with his grandchildren. The Panel wishes the best of luck to Mr. Martin in the future and looks forward to seeing him on campus soon. ☐

Goodbye, Mr. Martin! Thank you so much for everything you have done for Belmont Hill.

Belmont Hill Archives

Donahue Smashes 3 Records plishment that cannot go unnoticed. Previously, Quin McGaugh ’18 held both the 800m and 1500m records, and John Pappo This past track season, James Dona- ’18 held the 3000m record; however, James hue ’22 broke three school records in the was able to beat their times by several sec800m, 1500m, and 3000m races, an accom- onds, even dropping the 1500m record time by a full ten seconds.

T h e Panel congratulates James on his athletic achievements a n d wishes him the best in upcoming seasons. ☐

By Arec Keomurjian ’22 Panel Staff

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Crew Recruit Nick Hebard ’21, an Athlete to Remember

By Howard Huang ’22 Panel Staff Nick Hebard ’21 is one of the current captains of the crew team and on the top boat, the 1v4. He initially joined crew in Form II at Belmont Hill after a season of tennis and with advice from his his uncle, a Princeton rower. He remembers, “struggling my first couple of weeks with learning the technique but loved the process of making a boat faster.” He attributes the success of the middle school rowing program to his increased interest in the sport. The opportunity for Nick to begin rowing before 9th grade put him a step above many other rowers.

Nick joined the Varsity rowing team after successfully trying out in Form III, and making great strides in the 3v8 by putting in consistent effort. By Form IV and after a summer

model was varsity rowing head Coach Richards who pushes Nick to shoot for bigger goals and holds him accountable. According to Nick, Coach Richards, “is probably the most competitive and influential person that I have ever met and he demands excellence.” Nick believes that without Coach Richards, he wouldn’t be the person or rower he is now. Unfortunately, Nick’s rowing season in Form V was cut short by the COVID pandemic which cancelled all sports and the most important final competition: NEIRAs. In his senior year, Nick came back after a year of training and working out on the ergometer (rowing machine) to a strong start on the 1v4. Although the season didn’t start extremely well, the team

BH Communications defeated Deerfield’s 1v4 in an important race. Nick thinks this is his biggest of CRI, he was on the 4v4, which was accomplishment so far as Deerfield is an undefeated NEIRA boat that sea- Belmont Hill’s biggest rival in crew. son. Nick believes that his biggest role Nick remarked, “Since my first year

on the team, my goal was to beat Deerfield in the top boat. Watching the first boats of the past not beat them in the regular season motivated me to end their streak. I am grateful for Deerfield because they forced my teammates and I to find a new level of speed.”

Nick will be heading South to Florida for Youth Nationals with the rest of the 1v4 where they will look to beat up on some crews from around the country. He will be going to Cornell next year to row on their Heavyweight Rowing team and hopes to contribute to IRAs. Nick’s advice for future prospective athletes is to “stay persistent”: continue training hard every day with a clear goal in mind even if the weather or circumstances aren’t as conducive as normal. The Panel wishes Nick Hebard ’21 and the rest of the Belmont Hill 1v4 luck in Youth Nationals and future rowing endeavors at Cornell Heavyweight Rowing. ☐

ber of the New England Conservatory and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Considering how much the pandemic has impacted the world, it seemed fit to ask how it has affected his music career. He explained: “Not meeting in person for the final year of the Boston Youth Symphony was pretty unencouraging and missing out on my final opera performance at Harvard was a shame. We performed a full-length opera every year for the Boston Youth Symphony and that was kind of the highlight of the season for us… that was the one thing we couldn’t pull off virtually.”

sional outdoor concert for his neighbors.

Looking further outside the pandemic, Theo looks forward to visiting past teachers like Mr. Sherman and Dr. Fast and playing in person for them as well.

Theo left a final note for the Belmont Hill community: “The pandemic gave me a lot of time to practice and think about my relationship with this instrument that I’ve grown up with and dedicated so much time to. I’ve had to grow into the label of ‘cellist’ and I’m grateful that I’ve been supported along the way by my parents.” The Panel wishes Theo the best of luck at UChicago. ☐

Artist of the Issue: Talented Cellist, Theo Stoll

By Luke Hogan ’22 Panel Staff A dedicated member of the art department, senior Theo Stoll has been contributing to the music program at Belmont Hill since he first arrived. However, even prior to his time here, Theo has held a keen interest in music. Starting at the age of 10, Theo began his cello career under the tutelage of the youngest Tchaikovsky Gold Medalist ever, Sergey Antonov. He has an impressive resume as he has been a mem-

One thing the musician does not miss, he says, is almost falling off the too-small stage during orchestra performances at school.

Although he has enjoyed his time in the Belmont Hill orchestra, a lot of his music career was outside of school. He has even studied with Lluís Claret, the head of the New England Conservatory string department, and has taken master classes with famed musicians Ralph Kirshbaum and YoYo Ma. In the future, Theo plans to continue his cello studies in France and Germany and study economics and math at UChicago. He also said he will continue to host the occa-

’21

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The

Athletic

By Daniel Bittner ’22 Panel Staff Although the final year of sports for the 2021 Senior class was inevitably abbreviated, their athletic legacy in terms of both their overall leadership and outstanding accomplishments was nonetheless distinguishing. Displaying incredible perseverance and persistent dedication to their respective sports, these seniors were constantly admired by individuals throughout the rest of Belmont Hill for their exemplary poise and attitude. Yet in addition to their unparalleled leadership, the class of 2021 seniors also achieved numerous championships and other accomplishments that will forever be remembered throughout the school’s history. Although these seniors would have undoubtedly accomplished many more feats had there been a final year of athletics, below are some of the many athletic achievements that this year’s departing seniors won over the two prior years: In the fall season, the class of 2021 seniors contributed to numerous championships across Belmont Hill’s three fall sports. While the football team achieved the monumental feat of becoming both ISL and New England Champs in the fall 2018 season, the soccer team completed a remarkable season in 2019 by finishing third in the ISL and qualifying for the NEPSAC Class A Championship Tournament. Additionally, the cross country

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team achieved multiple top-10 ISL finishes.

During the winter season, this year’s departing seniors contributed to one of the most successful athletic stretches in school history. While the hockey team captured the school’s 18th Lawrenceville Tournament Championship in 2020, the basketball team had multiple ISL All League honorable mentions and Joshua Baldwin was named ISL All League in 2020.

Additionally, the two skiing teams experienced unprecedented Class of 2021 Recruited Athletes Drew Dummer ’22 runs of success, as the alpine skiing team won two consecu- championship, the lacrosse team had a complishments achieved by the 2021 tive ISL championships and the nor- combined 8 players named all-league seniors is unprecedented and remarkdic skiing team captured two straight and all-league honorable mentions in able, especially considering the BelLake Region Nordiic Skiing Champi- 2019 while going undefeated in ISL mont Hill teams would have won many onships. Meanwhile, the squash team scrimmages this year. The crew team more feats had their last year of compewon two ISL championships and the also experienced immense success by tition occurred. Nevertheless, although wrestling team won ISL and New En- winning the Basset and Ducey cups this list of team and individual successgland championships in 2019 and 2020. as well as becoming NEIRA champs es is lofty, the class of 2021’s athletic Although spring sports were only in 2019. Furthermore, the golf team legacy will be distinguished most of able to have one full season with the won the ISL Kingman cup, the sail- all by the examples of sportsmanship, pandemic preventing normal play the ing team won the Massachusetts State leadership, and dedication that each past two years, Belmont Hill has seen Championships, and the track team senior athlete constantly displayed. the 2021 senior spring athletes become won the ISL and New England Cham- The Panel congratulates every senior some of the most talented in recent pionships during the 2019 season. athlete for their athletic accomplishmemory. During the 2019 spring seaOverall, the streak of champion- ments and superb leadership throughson, while the baseball team won an ISL ships and distinguished athletic ac- out their time at Belmont Hill. ☐

Featured Athlete: Football Player Ikenna Ugbaja ’21

By Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff After his first year at Belmont Hill, senior Ikenna Ugbaja ’21 wasn’t sure whether it was the right fit. He hadn’t yet found his voice in the classroom, he hadn’t made many friends, and his grades weren’t where he wanted them to be. Coming from an area where most of his friends were black and hispanic, Ikenna wasn’t very comfortable in a school filled mostly with white kids.

After a few years, however, Ikenna found his niche in the classroom, on the fields and courts, and socially. In middle school, the football teams he played on lost only 3 games in 3 years, and his basketball teams were equally as successful. His success in the middle school was only magnified in the coming years. His sophomore year, the team, specifically the defensive line, wasn’t the biggest (except for Ikenna himself), but they found a way to be extremely successful.

During homecoming against RL, Ikenna had 3 sacks, one forced fumble, and around 12 tackles for loss, in what some would say was the biggest game of any Belmont Hill defensive lineman. Belmont Hill made their way to a bowl game after winning the ISL and found themselves up against a statistically superior Suffield team. Nevertheless, Belmont Hill led in all four quarters in major part due to Ikenna and the defensive line making it difficult for Suffield offense. After his sophomore season, Ikenna was named All-ISL honorable mention, the first of many awards he would receive. The team’s success from earlier in the season continued into his junior year, and after the team won the league and went 8-1, Ikenna was named All-ISL first team and All New England. His performances in his junior year were even lauded in the Boston Globe. After being offered a scholarship by more than 25 schools after his junior year, Ikenna committed to play football at Yale University, which he

will be attending next year. Although play- ty to make life-long relationships ing at that level of competition will be hard, with his teammates and coaches. ☐ he says, he is ready for the challenge and is excited to play with other Division 1 football players.

When asked about his favorite part of the Belmont Hill football program, Ikenna said that playing on the team has given him the

Adam Richins opp or tuni-

Panel, reminisced on his time on the baseball team. “My favorite memory,” he stated, “is rushing the field after winning the ISL as a sophomore and dogpiling on the mound with all of my teammates and the lacrosse team.

On a similar note, he told The Panel “I will miss my teammates and the relationships I have with them and my coaches the most.” It is evident that Peter developed a close bond with members of the baseball team.

He also mentioned that the baseball team faced several challenges as a result of the pandemic. Most notably, the team needed to rebuild “some of the chemistry and culture” that they had lost after being separated for nearly a year. “Getting the younger guys on

board” was another major goal for Peter as captain, as he strove to perpetuate the legacy of Belmont Hill varsity baseball.

Peter remarked that he would continue playing baseball in college, having committed to play at Hamilton College in New York last fall; he is excited to be a part of the team while also receiving a great education. The Panel wishes him the best in both his athletic and academic endeavors. ☐

Featured Athlete: Baseball Player Peter Jones ’21

By Arec Keomurjian ’22 Panel Staff

Peter Jones ’21 began playing baseball for Belmont Hill when he first attended the school in the seventh grade. His talent shined on the middle school teams, although he was injured for the majority of his freshman year. During his sophomore year, Peter tried out for varsity baseball and made the team as their starting pitcher, contributing to an ISL Championship win. His junior year’s baseball season was sadly brought to an abrupt halt because of the pandemic; however, this past year, he was able to assume a leadership role as the team’s captain.

Peter, in an interview with The

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Photos from the recent senior paintball excursion

Thank you to BH Communications and Mr. Patterson for these great pictures!

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Grant Litchfield ‘21 received the Togneri Award for his Walnut Chest of Drawers with bleached ash feet and drawer pulls. Congratulations Grant!

Editors-In-Chief Online Editor

Luke Hogan '22 Howard Huang '22

Faculty Advisors

Alex Lo '23

Executive Editor

Digital Media Editor

Arec Keomurjian '22

David Hegarty Juliette Zener

Graphics Editor

News Editors

Kevin Jiang '22

David Cho '23

Photo Editors

Opinion Editor

Cooper Nelson '23

Arts Editor

Daniel Rashes '22

Sports Editor Daniel Bittner '22

Drew Dummer '22 Alex Sousa '22

Digital Design Editor Chris Brusie '23

Andrew Bittner '24 Merhawi Ghebrelul '23 Daniel Moran '23 Igaju Agba '22 Luke Guleserian '24 Anton Schmitt '22 Lawrence Tang '22

Assistant Editors

Mac Bobo '23

Back Page Editors Jackson Kendall '22 Tommy Madden '22 Charlie March '22

Daniel Cho '23 Aidan Lee '24 Luke Trevisan '24 Daniel Xie '24

Noah Farb '24 Brian Lee '24 Kevin Weldon '24

Cam Carey '23 Matthew Flaherty '24 Timo Simonin '22 Lev Tolkoff '24

Jarrett Chen '22 Duncan Kilbride '24 Aaron Stanger '24 Luke Wagner '22

Staff Writers

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill. 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 © 2021 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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T he Panel

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