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A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill and Winsor Schools
WINSOR WALKS OUT
Volume 66, Issue 7
March 9, 2018
Belmont Hill Students Actively Consider Their Response to Parkland
By Nicole Chung ’18 and Nick Daley ’19 Panel Staff On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz called an Uber to his former school, Marjory Stoneman-Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Arriving slightly after 2:15 PM and armed with an AR-15 style semi-automatic weapon, Cruz entered MSD’s Building 12 and opened fire. After six minutes, Cruz had killed seventeen members of the community, including fourteen students and three staff members; wounded sixteen others; emotionally devastated communities in Florida and beyond; and afflicted the conscience of a nation. A student movement across America has since sprouted, directed by high schoolers at Stoneman-Douglas. Calling for school safety, gun control, and solidarity with Parkland, students from Florida to Massachusetts have gained the attention of media outlets and impressed adults. On February 21, a group of Winsor individuals organized a Longwood walkout; meanwhile, Belmont Hill students have pondered their own response, considering the opportunity in two recent Forums and in student meetings. What roles do Belmont Hill and Winsor play in the national conversation? Continued on Page 14
winsor.edu
BH Alumni House Accepts Venmo Russia: A New Global Studies Course? pride. Furthermore, the Alumni House strives to achieve 100% participation from current seniors to the annual fund for the Unbeknownst to many students, the purpose of building a strong foundation for Alumni House plays a crucial role in the the future. In order to increase ease and acsuccess of the school. In an unassuming cessibility in donating, particularly for the abode located across the street from the younger alumni base--the Alumni House recently launched the use of the app main campus, the staff of the Alumni Venmo for donations. House work diligently to both Created in 2009, Venmaintain connections with mo allows its users to inBelmont Hill alumni stantly transfer money and to foster relationsecurely through the ships with current app by connectseniors. Their work ing to their credit is essential to the and/or debit cards. daily functioning More recently, of the school beVenmo has taken cause the cost of off for high school tuition alone does and college users not cover all the exbecause it makes paypenses for items that ment simple and secure we take for granted. The at the push of a button. salaries of our renowned Alumni House representative, faculty and staff, the athletic Venmo.com Shannon Hutteman, describes the programs, the arts opportunities, and new Venmo usage: “Our young and recent the academic excellence all are paid for— alumni classes typically boast the highest in part—by donations to the school from class participation rates of our alumni body. our generous alumni. Belmont Hill leads We are always looking for ways to maintain the ISL with alumni participation in giving and build upon this level of engagement back to the school, an accolade in which Continued on Page 2 the broader school community takes much By Gavin Colbert ’18 Panel Staff
Look Inside The Panel
BH Arts, 20-21 An Inside Look: The Experiences of Musicians at Belmont Hill
Center Spread 12-13 Switching Places
Following an annual Panel tradition, the editors from Belmont Hill and Winsor spent two school days shadowing each other’s classes.
Form IV Students Renny Gong ’20 and Charlie Mullaney ’20 capture the words and experiences of the diverse grop of instrumentalists at Belmont Hill School.
BH Opinions, 18-19 Required Weight Training: An Unneccesary Headache?
Thomas McEvoy ‘19 weighs the merits of a flexible weight training schedule.
20
’ yde sH Elia
Bennett Morris ’18
ture,” points out Chloe Duval ’19. “The continuous racism in this country also makes the study of non-white cultures For years, the options for Global indescribably important... As a [person Studies courses have remained India, Af- of color] at Winsor, it feels like a slap in rica, China, and the Middle East. Howev- the face that the administration does not er, next year, Winsor is considering im- seem to understand the importance of plementing a new Global Studies course: seeing racial diversity in our curriculum, especially when we are underRussia. Russia is a distinct represented in the faculty choice from its forebears; and student body.” while previous coursChloe expresses es have all been foan important concused on primarily cern in the Winsor non-white parts of c o m m unity—the the world, Russia need for a curricis predominantly ulum that is more white, with 81% of inclusive in regard its population being to racial diversiethnic Russians as of ty. Students spend 2010. As a result, the freshman year at Windecision has been consor studying European troversial among the stuhistory and sophomore dent body. Over 70 Winsor year studying American hisstudents and alumnae have tory; in many eyes, the Global signed a petition against the studies course should be, and addition of the course. is, a space intended to in“We are only retroduce greater diversity amazon.com quired to take 2.5 years of histo Winsor’s upper school tory at Winsor, and this course curriculum. allows someone to complete that requireContinued on Page 17 ment without studying a non-white culBy Sindhu Krishnamurthy ’19 Panel Staff
Winsor Arts, 22-23 Spotlight: Student Arts Groups at Winsor The Panel featurues Cookie Wednesday, Winsor’s and newest Hip-Hop dance group.
www.mdcs.nl
B elmont Hill News
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In Case You Missed It... Feb. 15, 2018
Chinese Club hosted its second annual cookie decorating session for Chinese New Year. Middle Schoolers and Upper Schoolers alike decorated cookies with characters for luck and dog, and students enjoyed the homemade creations during Milk and Cookies on Chinese New Year.
Feb. 27, 2018 Harvard Business School professor Forest Reinhardt ran a case study on the difficulties faced by a Chilean energy company with students taking AP Environmental Science and Dr. Buckley’s energy inquiry.
Mar. 2, 2018
Led by faculty advisor Dr. Davis, Classics Club visited the Davis Museum at Wellesley College and discussed the museum curation process.
Feb. 22, 2018
The Landau Gallery hosted a reception for Carol Schweigert’s “Slippery Slopes” exhibit, which remain in the Gallery until tomorrow. Schweigert’s work highlights the art of plein air painting, and her compositions of scenes around Boston, Arlington, and Belmont are created from actual observation rather than from work in a studio.
Feb. 22, 2018
As part of the Things You Should Know (TYSK) program, Sixth Formers tried their hands in the kitchen, learning to set a formal table and to cook salad dressing, pie, soup, and stir fry.
Feb. 24, 2018
Students Actively Fostering Equality (SAFE) hosted their annual Upper School dance, inviting students from more than a dozen Massachusetts private schools.
Feb. 27, 2018
Feb. 28, 2018
Mar. 2, 2018
Belmont Hill hosted its Second Semester Blood Drive, accumulating a fully booked donor schedule with the Kraft Mobile Blood Unit and ultimately collecting 25 pints of blood.
Form II boys began their activity-packed trip to Washington, D.C., accompanied by faculty members. Although last Friday’s storm forced them to stay an extra night and undergo an eight-hour bus ride on the way home, the trip’s highlights were numerous.
Rob de Mars Class of 1986 spoke about desalination in MacPherson, discussing scarcity of water around the world and Cape Town’s current drought.
Mar. 5, 2018
The seasonal Sports Awards Chapel honored Belmont Hill’s winter athletes, coaches, and teams. BH wrestlers, especially Phil Conigliaro ‘18 and Luca Pontone ‘19, amassed countless accolades, and the community celebrated other historical accomplishments in basketball—including David Mitchell’s (‘18) second career ISL Defensive POY honor— alpine skiing, nordic skiing, and Thirds squash.
Mar. 5, 2018
State Senator Will Brownsberger spoke at an X-Block MacPherson discussion on climate change and renewable energy in Massachusetts, fielding questions from many Environmental Science students.
Mar. 5, 2018
Form I boys presented their research to parents, faculty, and older classmates at the annual Form I Science Fair.
24th Poetry Fest Impresses with Varied Recitations
Alumni Adds Venmo
the stage next year, this is my advice to you. Find a poem that delivers a unique message that resonates with you. Finding the right poem is the most import-
By Gavin Colbert ’18 Panel Staff
By John Gaudian ’19 Staff Writer
On Tuesday, February 26th, the annual Poetry Fest was held in our historic Chapel. Hitting upon on a variety of subjects from bumblebees to war, and from desserts to death, it was well received. One of the great things about poetry is the variety of contexts in which it can be used. It can make you laugh as Robert Radochia ’19 demonstrated in his comical “Literally a Sonnet about a Hornet.” Or it can make you see the darkness of the world like Daniel Bittner ’22 and Will Trotsky ’22 showed in their vivid poems about death. It can also be a great way to address social issues, like preconceived notions (Martin Wilson with “Black Box”) or stereotyping and identity (Julian Wambach with “Off Brand”). The only senior in the contest, Brian Antonelli ’18, delivered a powerful poem on 9/11 and the tolls Bill Mahoney of war in the Middle East. For any poets aspiring to be on Brian Antonelli ’18 delivers his poem.
ant part of the process. One of the winners, Julian Wambach ’19 (Form V), told himself in his search process, “Don’t stop looking for a poem until you find THE poem.” It may take hours on the Poetry Foundation or Poetry Hunter websites, or browsing the library’s collection of books. Or it may just come to you without searching. Either war, the right poem is key. While it may seem daunting to get up in front of the whole school to recite a poem, a few middle schoolers proved this year that any student can command the crowd. Another finalist, Ben Ward ’19 (Form V), told me that he “thought that he’d be incredibly nervous,” but when he looked out at the crowd and saw his friends smiling at him, his nerves “went down the drain.” ☐
As a candidate to represent Massachusetts in the United States Senate, John Kingston, father of Chris ’17 and Will ’21, has centered his campaign around family. His website and social media accounts feature his family prominently, demonstrating the campaign’s emphasis on depicting John as a family man. Chris, with the title of Social Me-
dia Director, has taken the initiative to assist his father’s effort through “The Trail,” a video blog which posts weekly recaps. “The Trail” features three men: John, Chris, and Calvin Lee, John’s personal assistant. The trio travels across the Commonwealth and meets the diverse field of constituents. In addition, “The Trail” captures John in a more relatable light, such as when he enjoyed the Celtics’ January victory over the Cavaliers. Other candidates have attacked John for his status as a “rich, white male,” to quote opponent Beth Lindstrom, and John has sought to mitigate that reputation through these videos. They appear to work, as John has garnered the support of Republicans in many town caucuses ahead of the convention on April 28. Jack Murphy ‘18, who
“So far in this fiscal year (July 1, 2017 - Feb. 27, 2018), the Alumni House has received 124 Venmo gifts.”
fice, mail a check or fill out an online form, Venmo users simply direct their gift amount to the School with a few clicks.” And indeed, Venmo is already being utilized by alumni. So far in this fiscal year (July 1, 2017 - Feb. 27, 2018), the Alumni House has received 124 Venmo gifts. In this technological age, the Alumni House is keeping up with the times through the use of Venmo. If you are interested in giving back to the school through Venmo, you can search for @BelmontHillSchool (the Hamilton is currently interning in Kingston’s Wo- Chapel is in the profile picture) in the burn office, spoke on John’s behalf at app. ☐ Revere’s American Legion and saw this energy behind the campaign directly. To even appear on the ballot for the Republican primary, John will have to register at least 15% of delegates’ votes at the convention, so these caucuses are The Panel congratulates Ishaan Prasad '18 for being one of 150 vital for his ultimate success. Should he students selected nationwide for receive that percentage, he will probably the 2018 Coca-Cola Scholarship! face Geoff Diehl to determine the Republican nominee. While Diehl, a state representative from Whitman and the chair of President Trump’s 2016 Massachusetts campaign, has much name recognition, he is by no means assured of victory. If John emerges the winner following the August primary, he will meet incumbent Senator Warren. In that scenario, Chris, who is slated to start at Bowdoin College next fall, will continue to manage John’s social media while attending school. ☐
Chris Kingston ’17 Starts Video Blog “The Trail” By John Markis ’18 Panel Staff
Continued from Front Page with the School. The ease of use and accessibility of Venmo made the app a good fit for our office as a giving option, especially considering the app’s popularity with younger generations. Instead of having to call our of-
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B elmont HIll News
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Tracking Belmont Hill Website Traffic: Uptick Before Snow Days?
er apps and the Snow Day Calculator or Hill website actually experience an up- site which analyzes search patterns on to refresh the Belmont Hill website for tick in traffic before snow storms and Google, over the last 90 days searchsnow day announcements. snow days? The data suggests maybe. es for the Belmont Hill School from The question is, does the Belmont According to Google Trends, a web- Massachusetts peaked on December 9, Snowstorms are times of both dan2017 and January 9, 2018, days ger and excitement for the Belwhich did not precede snow mont Hill community. While days. Over the past five years, snowstorms pose the threat of however, winter months are icy road conditions, low visibilshown to be periods of peak ity, and being trapped indoors, searches for Belmont Hill, pothey also present the possibility tentially indicating a heightof the rare Belmont Hill snow ened alert for snow days. As the day (though these seem to be school undergoes a change in more common in recent years). headmaster and possibly snow Even the forecast of the slightday policy, it will be interestest chance of precipitation in ing to see how these patterns the winter can leave the entire change. Hopefully, the student campus abuzz with predictions body can look forward to and Google Trends depicts website statistics for belmonhill.org over the past four months. Over the past five and chatter. Crowds of students will be on the lookout for more years, winter months specifically have been accompanied by increased server traffic on Belmont Hill’s huddle over computers and days off in future winters. ☐ website. smartphones to look at weathBy Matthew Smith ’19 Panel Staff
Henry Vettel ’18 Wins Tightly Contested Winter-Spring Woodbury By Tommy Smith ’19 and William Lafarge ’19 Staff Writers Once again the Woodbury Finals brought an entertaining and enlightening chapel to the Belmont Hill community. Seniors Jack Murphy, Henry Vettel, and John Markis addressed the students and faculty on Friday, February 23. Each one of them did a great job, both in writing thoughtful speeches and then delivering them in an engaging manner. Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Spring Woodbury Semi-Finals and Finals. The first to speak was Jack Murphy, who talked about his experience in Little League baseball and how it relates to pursuing life goals. Jack described his first year of Little League, in which he showed promise in the field yet struggled at the plate. After finishing with just one hit the entire year, and a forgettable hit at that, Jack resolved that he would hit a home run sometime in his last two years of Little League. His dream seemed
unlikely self to a since Jack goal, you weighed can find just 65 success no pounds and matter how had cut out unfavorable his role on the odds the team as may seem. the leadoff hitter, not a Henry Vetpower hittel spoke ter. Howevabout how er, one day in a time Jack did where he hit a home struggled to run, at least find himself according as a sophoto the ummore at Belpire: the mont Hill, left fieldhis acting er claimed helped him it was a adjust to Bill Mahoney the change ground rule d o u b l e . John Markis ’18, Jack Murphy ’18, and Henry Vettel ’18. in circumJack’s messtances. sage to the audience was that if you put Eugene Jerome, a character he was playin the necessary time and commit your- ing in an adaptation of Brighton Beach
Memoirs, was very confident and carefree, which Henry aspired to be. Playing the role helped Henry through a difficult sophomore year, and this story shows the importance of extracurriculars in the Belmont Hill Community as a way to express oneself. Finally, John Markis ended the chapel with a talk about coaching young girls in basketball and coaching his team to a championship. This comedy-infused, fun-loving performance also referenced some staples of previous John Markis Woodbury performances, notably his love for politics. With many hilarious anecdotes from his time as the coach, John Markis captivated the audience with his story of navigating through life as a basketball coach, a rare experience for most Belmont Hill boys. The three finalists and the other three semi-finalists did an excellent job of captivating the audience with their performances. For the judges, however, Henry Vettel stood out, earning him the win and a prestigious award at the upcoming Prize Day. ☐
Belmont Hill Plans Expansion to Dining Hall, Changes to Library By Duncan Grant ’18 Panel Staff Belmont Hill has officially announced plans to expand the Dining Hall into a portion of the upper level of the Byrnes Library. The enlargement of the dining hall is long overdue, as the current space can no longer accommodate the entire senior class. Because of overcrowding, 10 to 12 students overflow into the back room each lunch period, isolating students and disrupting the faculty’s privacy. The planned expansion will convert part of the upper section of the library into a space confined by glass walls and sliding doors connecting the dining hall and the library. During upper school lunch, the doors to the dining hall will open up to the room to allow students and faculty to fill four long tables, which the architects estimate can seat up to 48 people in total. The space would not be used during Middle School lunch because the number of students in Forms I, II, and III are fewer than in the upper grades. Some might worry the extension will take away from the library, but Belmont Hill is one step ahead. During all other hours of the day, doors connecting the library and the new room will open, al-
Belmont Hill’s Dining Hall will expand this summer. lowing for students to sit in study in a confined space, much as they do now in the three study rooms on the library’s lower level. The expansion, however, will result in a relocation of part of the collection and some furniture, thereby somewhat crowding the lower levels. The dining hall extension also serves another purpose, as the school has a strategic vision to modestly expand the Upper School in the coming years by 15 to 20 students. The new
W. McCormack ’18 Duncan Grant ’18 Second Floor of the Brynes Library
space will have more than enough room for the current population, and gives Belmont Hill the ability to grow the Upper School without seating additional students in the back room. Before settling on the final expansion design, Belmont Hill also looked into expanding over the Library Corridor. However, after consulting a team of architects and engineers, this approach would have required a support system that would crowd the hallway
and that would cost the School much more than expanding into the library. Moving part of the dining hall into the kitchen space was a nonstarter given the already cramped kitchen conditions. Construction in the hall will begin this summer, and conclude in time for the start of next school year. ☐
Winsor news
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The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics Excite Audiences By Annie Adams ’21 Staff Writer With incredible athletics, medals, and national pride, these Olympic games have been an expression of diplomatic good faith on the part of North Korea. As the trials started around October 2017, concerns around the geographic placement of Pyeongchang in close relationship to North Korea made some athletes, bureaucrats, and future spectators nervous. The communist nation has held many military demonstra-
tions as well as ballistic missile tests to show their strength as a world power. Many nations have had growing concerns about North Korea’s violent tendencies; with growing tensions and piling sanctions, countries attempt to curb the nation’s growing military regime. To stress diplomatic relations even farther, it was announced on January 20th that North Korea would be competing in the Olympics. According to the Pyeongchang 2018 Committee, North Korea’s 22 athletes competed in ice hockey, figure skating, short track
National Public Radio
speed skating, cross-country skiing and alpine skiing. North and South Korea developed plans to march together in the Opening Ceremony of the games under a unified flag, as well as add North Korean players to the Women’s Ice Hockey team. The closing ceremony featured athletes from the “Republic of Korea,” rather than dividing the two independently recognized states. These events show a willingness to work together after a brutal and bloody civil war in the 1950s that led to the split of the Korean Peninsu-
la. The Olympics themselves have been relatively absent of political tension between nations, but there is no promise of peace. Do these Olympic Games signify hope for a peaceful future, or is it only a short ceasefire between North Korea and much of the remainder of the world? “It’s unfortunate, but I don’t think it’ll have any lasting impact,” says history teacher Ms. Grant. Even though the relationships built through the Olympics may not last, it sets a precedent for harmonious interactions in the future. ☐
Mae Jong Un shakes hands with South Korean President
The New York Times
Cape Town Nears “Day Zero” of Water Crisis, Authorities Warn By Alison poussaint ’18 Panel Staff How would it feel to know that the water used to drink, bathe, and fuel in your state or country will soon run out? The product of climate change, the worst drought in Cape Town history, and a growing population of four million people, “Day Zero,” the day by which Cape Town, South Africa will run out of water, soon approaches. Officials have anticipated “Day Zero” for months, first predicting that water would run out by April 1st. Now, they have adjusted the projected date to May 11th. Cape Town authorities are cracking down on the public’s usage of water as a means to stave off the imminent “Day Zero” for as long as possible. It is now illegal to use water to wash cars, hose down areas, fill up swimming pools,
The Jerusalem Post
and water gardens. Citizens are required to take no longer than two minute showers, drain their pools, and flush their toilet as few times as possible. As of February 1st, officials enforce a law that citizens must use less than 13.2 gallons of water per day, an amount that stands in stark contrast to the previous limit of 30 gallons. Some wealthier citizens refuse to cut down their water usage; they agree to pay for the extra water they are using. Many citizens worry about how “Day Zero” will affect them. According to NBC, Cape Town resident Sitaara Stodel reflects, “I’m constantly thinking about running out of water and worrying about ‘Day Zero’....I’m even having nightmares about wasting water. The other day I had a dream that I took a long shower by mistake.” The tourism industry is taking a hit as
well. Officials recommend that hotels use saltwater as opposed to freshwater in their pools and alter their restaurant menus. In order to conserve water, restaurants have been ordered to steam vegetables instead of boiling and prepare pasta in ways that do not require the boiling of water. As a result, many tourists have also cancelled their vacations. After “Day Zero” occurs, the Big Six dams’ water capacity will fall to less than 13.5%, and residents will only be able to use 6.6 gallons of water per day, meaning that most taps will be shut off. Authorities will establish 200 water collection sites across the country where residents can collect water. African History teacher Mr. Braxton reflects on the crisis: “Access to clean drinking water is something we take for granted. I can’t begin to imagine how Day Zero will affect the
residents of Cape Town. This issue is a wake up call for all cities. I am sure the city leaders are asking the basic question: How did we end up here? Let’s make sure we are looking at this water issue too or we’ll find ourselves asking the same question!” Twenty-three Winsor students and faculty will travel to South Africa during the first twelve days of March break. These students will experience some of the effects of the water crisis. “I think the trip will be a good opportunity for us to adopt the kind of water habits that may become standard practice worldwide. Students will be forced to think deliberately about a resource that many of us take for granted,” Ms. Wolf reflects. As the trip nears, it will be interesting to see what students think about taking 2-minute showers and drinking fewer gallons of water per day. ☐
Yale Environment 360
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Collect Elections By Clara Halston ’18 Panel Staff As the last day of classes for the seniors approaches, so do Collect executive elections for the 2018-2019 term. For the past few months, Collect has been devoting a substantial amount of its meeting time to planning and making changes to the election process. With student suggestions from Upper School forums, Collect has modified the process for the 2018 elections. In the past, elections have consisted solely of speeches by nominated candidates explaining why they would be a good fit for the position. There will be several additional components to the upcoming elections, most notably the introductions of candidate pairs running for President and Vice President. Executive committee candidates will also have to provide a campaign statement and answer questions from the community. These statements will be available to the student body via the Collect board. In order to address the new election process, Collect members drafted a list of questions and answers for nominees to better understand the changes:
Winsor news Q: What should you do if you are a candidate with no running mate? A: Collect encourages any potential candidates to reach out to anyone with whom they would be compatible— it doesn’t have to be your best friend! That being said, if you cannot find anyone interested in running with you, talk to Collect and they will help you figure it out. Q: Do you need prior Collect experience? A: No, not at all! In order to run for an executive position, you are only expected to be dedicated to bettering and leading the Winsor community. Q: What are important skills (roles) for executives? A: Some of the necessary tasks and skills required of Collect executives are meeting with teachers and administrators to plan events or make changes to school policies, choosing and supporting clubs, and student outreach. The Collect President is also responsible for serving on the Honor Review Board and running meetings. The Vice President is responsible for winsor.edu collaborating with the President and picking up leadership if the President is absent. If you have any additional questions about the upcoming elections or the changes made to the election process, don’t hesitate to contact us at collect@winsor.edu! ☐
Students Take a Stand By Hammond Hearle ’18 Panel Staff
At Winsor, we are often encouraged to unwaveringly pursue our ideals and unapologetically voice our opinions. However, we are presented with few tangible opportunities to practice this important skill. Politics of Identity, taught by Mr. Braxton, is one of these rare occasions. This senior elective culminates in a project called Taking A Stand, which, in Mr. Braxton’s words, allows students to
Politics of Identity Class design their own “blueprint for change.” He agreed that it was crucial to “have a project in which students not only became aware of an important issue, but decided to create some sort of change about the issue that they are passionate about.” He also remarked that he sees it as a “culminating project of everything students have learned over their Winsor years and a way to practice leadership skills.” A vital requirement of the project is contacting someone to interview who has professional insight on the topic. While the idea of reaching out to strangers was more than slightly intimidating, the process also taught us to be persistent and take an initiative to create change. Our interest in our chosen topics sparked
conversations that simultaneously served to make us more informed on the multiple viewpoints while also voicing our concerns. Topics included homelessness in Boston, food deserts, gender stereotypes, charter schools, and gentrification, among many others. Similar to the range of topics, the shape the final project took varied considerably. Some chose to educate others or motivate legislators, while others sought to fill a void of support for certain groups. One student who researched
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Editors-In-Chief
Photo Editors Duncan Grant ’18 Ellisya Lindsey ’19 Jamila O’Hara ’19
Arts Editors
Austin Kwoun ’18 Teresa Lawlor ’19
Isabel Isselbacher ’18 Ishaan Prasad ’18 William McCormack ’18
Executive Editors Arnav Prasad ’18 Jordan Sclar ’18 Juliet Isselbacher ’18
Copy Editors Clara Halston ’18 John Markis ’18
Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener Liz Gray Meghan Hazard Veronica Plata
News Editors
Alison Poussaint ’18 Charlie Booth ’20
Graphics Editor Sports Editors
Hammond Hearle ’18 Thomas McEvoy ’19
Online Editors
Matthew Smith ’19 Sindhu Krishnamurthy ’19
Bennett Morris ’18 Elias Hyde ’20
Assistant Editors Dayoon Chang ’19 Josh Fairman ’19 Matthew Goguen ’19 Mikayla Chen ’19 Nick Daley ’19 Chetan Shukla ’20 Haley Kwoun ’20 Jack Weldon ’20
Opinion Editors Gavin Colbert ’18 Katie Tsai ’19
Back Page Editors Lawson Morris ’19 Leighton Dolan ’19
The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2018 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. tor of these projects was that each student developed a deeper understanding and connection to an issue that they cared about and was given the opportunity to translate this information into action. We were able to take our learning beyond the classroom and apply it to the “real world”
outside of our Winsor bubble and were met with both encouraging progress and grim realities. And while some students realized there was more work to be done than they expected, it seemed to only add to their motivation. ☐
Courtesy of Julian Braxton racial prejudices in the criminal justice system wrote letters to raise awareness, while another student created a children’s book that normalized showing emotion for young boys. Additionally, two students worked together to create a short documentary on gentrification in different areas of Boston. Mikako Murphy ’18 reflects that this project “gave me freedom to learn what you wanted to learn about and change what you wanted to change in the world.” She chose to “create an organization called BAY, Black Asian Youth, that serves as a base for the Blasian community online. I chose to do this project because I noticed there was not any space for Blasian people and I wanted to create that.” The common denomina-
The Washington Post
Winsor Sp orts
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Winter Sports Wrap-Ups Swimming
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Captains: Alessandra De Vito ’18, Grace Hamblett ’18, and Sydney Todd ’18 Record: 6-2 Favorite Moment: When we all swam really fast and dropped time at EILs Team Song: “Only Time” by Enya Season Recap: Winsor Varsity Swiming had an incredible season this winter, with two big wins against Dana Hall and some speedy swimming at EILs to highlight our hard work! It was definitely hard to look forward to getting into the cold Simmons pool every day, but the friendship and love everyone had for each other made it easier. Every member of the team contributed not only by working really hard in practice, but also by keeping up a happy and supportive mental attitude throughout the season. Special shoutout to our seniors (Alessandra, Grace, Sydney, Babette, Aoibheann, and our manager Victoria) for being such fantastic leaders; words can’t express how much we’re going to miss you guys next year!
Squash
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Captains: Sam Goldenson ’19. Kathleen He ’18, and Casey Hurley ’18 Record: Undefeated in EIL Favorite Moment: When our coach’s kids came to watch our matches! Team Song: “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten Season Recap: The young and revamped squash team was immediately a force to be reckoned with, opening their season with crucial wins against Middlesex and Dana Hall. The team carried their momentum through the season, with Varsity defending their EIL title and JV1 going undefeated all season! Kristie Rae Gillooly
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Curling Captains: Elaine Chen ’18, Caroline Condon ’18, Grace Condon ’18, Rose Heald ’18, Izzy Isselbacher ’18, Lucie Kapner ’18, Madeleine Montagner ’18, and Kym Morris ’18 Record: Four of our five teams were awarded trophies for placing in the top eight in the final round of our curling competition, known in curling terminology as a bonspiel, against Brimer and May, the British School of Boston, and Brookline High School! Favorite Moment: Celebrating the US Men’s Olympic gold medal win alongside our own on the last day! Team Song: Whatever song is on the country station that Mr. Wonoski plays on the bus! Season Recap: We had a great and successful season full of only minor falls on the ice, super creative team names like “Finders Sweepers,” “Outsliders,” and “Broom Broom Pow.” We had an awesome season and cannot wait for next year!
Basketball Captains: Elizabeth Howell-Egan ’18 and Alina Brennan ’18 Record: 15-6 Favorite Moment: Beating Beaver at home! Team Song: “All the Way Up” by Fat Joe Season Recap: This season was absolutely amazing for Ballfam (the Trifecta)! We had so much fun every day at practice and games, at the tournament, and just hanging out--we were all lucky to have such amazing teammates. We were able to beat our league rivals and play them tough every game, as well as competing to the best of our abilities and working together to get Ws. Every member contributed and this season was definitely not one to forget!
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Hockey
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Captains: Madison Lehan ’18 and Clementine Perry ’18 Record: 8-8-1 Favorite Moment: Beating NCDS on Senior Day to secure our place in the EIL tournament! Team Song: “Weak” by AJR and “So What” by P!nk Season Recap: We had a great and successful season and everyone really worked hard! We were all committed to the team and it showed in big wins like our Senior Day game, and we are already looking forward to next season! Kristie Rae Gillooly
Kristie Rae Gillooly
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Yoga Pants: Fashionable and Functional? By Mikayla Chen ’19 Panel Staff Winsor students can often be seen in the hallways and in the LOC wearing yoga pants. While we have faced controversy for wearing shorts and “revealing” shirts, we have not been criticized for wearing yoga pants (yet). However, in a recent New York Times article, Honor Jones, a senior credited editor, calls out women for wearing leggings. Jones’ primary support for her argument is that women are “wearing [yoga pants] because they’re sexy.” Not only does she support her argument through sexist claims, but also provides a substitution for the leggings that women don in the gym: sweatpants. Recently, there has been a committee discussing the dress code and what it stands for. This committee is working to write a philosophy of dress as well as a new dress code. Most of the problems discussed during the committee have been about shorts and shirts, whereas pants, let alone leggings, have not been any source of issue, yet Jones insists that leggings are meant to be “sexy.” Jones says that “No one looks good in sweatpants. But that’s not the point... They exist for two activities: lounging and exercising.” By stating that “no one looks good in sweatpants,” Jones criticizes women for wearing particular clothes in order to look sexy. Even if the goal was to look “sexy” at the gym, why should others not wear leggings just because Jones says so? Nothing is wrong with dressing the way you want; gym attire is comfortable and supposed to make you feel confident, and yoga pants do just that. In addition to her
rude comment, Jones also attacks women over 30 when she says, “But wouldn’t it be easier to [be fit and liberated and conquer the world] in pants that don’t threaten to show every dimple and roll in every woman over 30?” Through this remark, Jones is shaming women based on their body and age. These body-shaming remarks contradict her claim that “It’s not good manners for women to tell other women how to dress.” But isn’t she doing just that by stating what women can wear and cannot wear in a gym? She then continues by saying “Women who criticize other women for dressing hot are seen as criticizing women themselves — a sad conflation if you think about it.” By attacking women and saying that they should not wear yoga pants to workout, Jones criticizes their choices to wear what they want to and almost ends up looking hypocritical herself. Jones’ second point, that sweatpants “exist for... exercising,” has received some criticism not only online but in the Winsor community. When asked about whether or not she would work out in sweatpants, Avery Beber ’20 said, “No thanks. I’ll opt out of that.” Beber’s sentiments are reflected in many other students’ opinions. In a recent Instagram poll, 92% of respondents said that they would rather workout in leggings than sweatpants. When working out, one typically sweats, and although Jones may think so, sweatpants are not sweat-friendly. Sweatpants, in fact, induce sweat! Not only do sweatpants make you sweat, but they can also get in the way when working out. Clare Quinn ’19 added, with a bit of humor, “One day I wore sweatpants to Cross Country, and it was the worst day of my life... It was freshman year, and I’ll
By Mikayla Chen ’19 and Samantha Chin ’19 Panel Staff
prana.com never forget it.” Quinn mentioned that it had been muddy that day, and the sweatpants had dragged due to the fact that it was wet. Her experience thus proves that during any type of high intensity workout, sweatpants can get in the way and inhibit motion. In essence, Jones is arguing that women wear tight leggings at the gym “to look hot at the gym,” and thus, she says that women favor fashion over functionality. While there are many issues with this claim, Jones’ criticisms ultimately perpetuate the constant shaming of women’s bodies. Even though members of the Winsor community have been unhappy with a particular pair of sweatpants (the Sweatpants of Shame), no-one is against sweatpants as a whole. Rather, we just believe that the reasons one chooses to wear leggings is not to be “sexy.” Maybe the next time I go into the workout room, I’ll see more leggings, just to show Jones that she must again consider WHY women choose to wear leggings, and that, in fact, leggings can be both fashionable and functional. ☐
Olympic Figure Skating: Strategy Or Artistry? By Dayoon Chang ’19 Panel Staff She has been undefeated for the past two seasons. During the span of two years, the Russian has captured two World titles, two National titles, and one European title. She was the favorite for the Olympic gold. Yet, one fateful day, she had to settle for silver at the coveted Olympic Games. This is the story of Evgenia Medvedeva. Many say that she is one of the most consistent skaters. Others say that she is the most dominant female figure skater in the history of figure skating at only age 18. Ever since November 2015, avid fans from around the world saw Evgenia Medvedeva put out a flawless program at every single competition. However, on February 22, 2018, audiences in the Gangneung Ice Arena witnessed one of the biggest rivalries in the history of figure skating. Ultimately, it was the younger of the two, Alina Zagitova, who snatched the gold medal by only a 1.31 point margin. Alina Zagitova is the newcomer in this competitive field. Having only competed at the junior level last year, 2018 marks her senior debut on the world stage. Despite her lack of senior experience at the tender age of 15, Alina seemed to be catching up to Evgenia as the season progressed. Even more gripping is that these two competitors share the same coach and skate for the same country, Russia. They not only compete against each other frequently, but also watch each other train vigorously to become the best in the world every day. Thus, as the Pyeongchang Olympics approached, many figure skating fans were
already debating over who was going to get the gold in Pyeongchang. Philip Hersh, an Olympics Sports writer, even wrote prior to the beginning of the Games that this “little
usatoday.com war between Zagitova and Medvedeva” is one to watch for. Yet, when these two athletes are asked what they personally feel about all this so-called rumpus over their blooming rivalry, neither have much to say about it. “I try not to think about [the competition between us] and I try to focus just on myself,” says Alina. “I don’t go out there to prove something to someone. I just want to skate clean for myself.” She adds, “Zhenya and I are friends,” using Evgenia’s nickname. Evgenia thinks the same. She says that, “I hear so many news that Alina
Featured Workout
Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva are opponents on the ice and off the ice, [but] we are humans, we communicate as usual, we are friends.” She added, “we are girls, young girls. We can talk about everything to each other.” Berneece Tam ‘19, who watched the ladies event, notes that “It’s incredible to watch the support that figure skaters have for each other throughout the competition despite fighting for the same prize.” Although they might be striving for the same goal, these two skaters are complete opposites on the ice. To most skating audiences, Evgenia is the more emotive of the two. Skating to the quintessential Anna Karenina for her free skate this year, she skated as Anna Karenina herself, portraying every emotion and tragedy. Meanwhile, Alina Zagitova is the master technician of the ladies field. She is the only one who backloads all her jumps for the extra 10% bonus to maximize her technical score to the fullest. And so, the Olympics came down to this question: artistry or technique? The organization of Alina’s program coupled with her ability to pull off the jumps gave her the edge. However, Evgenia, skating last in the event, delivered the iconic “Olympic Moment” as they call it. Bursting into tears at the end of her performance, heart wrenched fans lovingly showered stuffed animals onto the ice. The performance was so detail oriented, from the extension of her legs to the slightest movements of her fingertips. When her score was announced, you could hear the confusion from the audience from the background. Yet, the result cannot be changed. What would you pick? Artistry or technique?☐
After watching incredible athletes our own age bring home gold for the U.S. at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, we were inspired to test out another celebrity workout for The Panel. This time, we tried the legendary Mikaela Shiffrin’s leg workout. The sensational skier is currently the reigning slalom world champion and has won four world cups. In 2014, when she was 18 (!), Mikaela won gold in the slalom event, and in 2016, she won gold again for the Giant slalom event. During this Olympics, she took home the gold for the giant slalom and silver for the super combined event. It’s clear that strong legs are a necessity for any Olympic skier (especially the reigning slalom world champion), and this workout helps to target that area. While it was definitely more challenging than Karlie’s workout (which we did last issue), we still made it out alive. However, if you wanted to increase the difficulty of this workout, you could add more weights. Although this workout did not make us Olympic skiers (or turn Mikayla Chen into Mikaela Shiffrin), if you ever need a good leg regime, we recommend this one. If you’d like to check out this workout, you can find it at https:// www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/mikaela-shiffrin-workout. A summary of the exercises with our review is included below. Thanks to everyone who submitted workout ideas! We’d love to continue this section, so please send us any other celebrity workouts that you’d like us to try! You can reach us at mchen@winsor.edu or schin@ winsor.edu.
1. 2 sets of 30 seconds per side of the isometric clamshell This exercise reminded us of something that you would do in physical therapy to increase hip mobility. Overall, it seemed like a warm-up for what was to come. 2. 4 rounds of 6 reps per leg step ups with 25 lb weights While this exercise initially felt like a breeze, we were exhausted by the final round 3. 3 sets of 8 reps per side of barbell lateral lunges While it did get tiring, it still felt like an adductor stretch. 4. 3 sets of 12 reps of glute hamraise Our backs began aching after only a couple reps, so we decided to alternate in order to get a break. 5. 4 sets of 6 reps of single leg romanian deadlifts with a quarter squat We both felt it in the ~booty~, and it really challenged our balance. ☐
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Athlete of the Issue: Goalie Connor Hopkins ’19 Departs for Tri-City Storm By Matthew Goguen ’19 Panel Staff A well-known face on the Belmont Hill campus, Connor Hopkins ’19 is considered one of the best goaltenders in the United States. Committing to prestigious Yale University after finishing his freshman year, Connor continued his dominance in his sophomore year. His stellar goaltending was a large piece in the “puzzle” that led the BH hockey team to an Elite 8 berth last season. As a junior, he played a major role in some significant games, including a late season game against Nobles in which Hopkins held them to one goal on roughly 35 shots. Connor never thought he would start playing goalie, “I started skating when I was 3 and was on my first team by age 4 or 5. My brother’s team didn’t have a goalie so the coach asked my dad if I would play and that’s when everything started.” Connor continued his youth hockey career with the Boston Jr. Eagles and participated in the most anticipated youth hockey tournament: the Q Tournament located in the Canadian province of Quebec. Connor described his youth hockey days as, “I was kind of thrown into the net at a young age but once I was in there I never wanted to come out. Probably the most fun thing in the world for me is frustrating shooters;
Connor Hopkins ’19 warms up in goal before Frozen Fenway 2017 against Tabor.
Connor’s signature mask.
Adam Richins
stuff like that never gets old.” Connor’s role model is legendary goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who, according to Connor, is a “beauty.” Before every game, Connor likes to stick to the same routine, “I would say I’m pretty superstitious. It’s the same thing before every game: re-tape my sticks, play some sewer ball, dynamic warm-up, then I like to visualize for about 10 minutes
before I start to get dressed. And it’s been that way for years.” In his three years on the varsity team, Connor had a save percentage of .921% and tallied over 1500 saves. Things would soon change for Connor though. On Saturday February 24th, Connor received a call from the coach of the Tri-City Storm, a USHL affiliate based in Kearney, Nebraska. Their starting goaltender was injured, and since Connor had had two breakout seasons, they asked him to come to Nebraska for the rest of the
season. Connor decided to join the team and complete the rest of his high school career in Nebraska. Though it was an emotional day when the Class of 2019 lost such a friendly face, Connor’s departure brought the best out in all of us. Everyone was wishing him luck on his last day and as he made his final goodbyes. A great friend, classmate, and goaltender, Connor Hopkins will be dearly missed by Belmont Hill, but his legacy will live on. We wish Connor the best of luck in his journeys! Big things are to come for him. ☐
Alpine Skiing Accomplishes Second Place Finish at NEPSAC Championship By Thomas McEvoy ’19 Panel Staff As the season wound to a close, and snowfall began to add up, the Alpine Skiing team faced one particularly daunting challenge: the New England Championship. As it has done all year long, the team approached New England game day with fearless determination, ready to handle whatever setbacks or triumphs came their way. Under the outstanding leadership of coaches Feldman and Trautz and with the guidance of Senior Captains Danny Tsyvin ’18 and Sam Rohrer ’18, the team rode their yearlong momentum to a strong second place finish. Furthermore, on the shoulders of the season’s final ISL race, the Alpine Skiing team earned co-ISL championship honors, tied with only Middlesex. Reflecting on the season as a whole, Mr. Feldman
Sophomore Sascha Gannon ’20 contributed important finishes throughout the season. revealed, “We had a really fun year. I’m very proud of the work we put in and how far everyone has come.” Sophomore Jack Olton ’20 shared similar sentiments: “It’s been a lot of fun. I think we had a good year.” When asked for specifics regarding New Englands, Mr. Feldman thought carefully before re-
sponding, “I’m very happy with how things wound up in the end, everyone worked very hard and I’m proud of all the effort that went into the season. Things ended very well.” The teacher-coach went on to name
Sophomore Sascha Gannon ’20 as one of the team’s key contributors, enthusiastically saying, “Sascha certainly helped us out a lot.” In fact, Sascha, along with teammate Jack Theberge, earned all New England Honors, an
incredible accomplishment. Looking ahead to next season, the team will lose its captains, and will look for its younger athletes, such as Second Former Connor Willett ’22, to continue their upward trajectory. ☐
Varsity Squash Concludes Strong Season, Bids Farewell to Capt. Jack Bell ’18 By Josh Fairman ’19 Panel Staff The Varsity Squash team has completed an outstanding season this year with an overall ISL record of 10-1. The team placed 8th in Division 1 at Nationals, higher than its #10 seeding, while managing an impressive 6th place finish at New Englands. The team’s lineup consists of Jack Bell, Dougie Conigliaro, Jack Winston, Andrew Lee, Julian Wambach, Sam Freed, Josh Fairman, and Will Okurowski. Jack Bell has enjoyed an incredible squash career at Belmont Hill,
playing for Varsity ever since he was a 7th grader. Next year, he will be playing up at Dartmouth, and we wish him the best of luck. The JV squad also had an outstanding season, remaining undefeated to the tune of an 11-0 record and placing 9th in Division 4 at Nationals. Overall, it was another tremendous season for the powerhouse Belmont Hill squash program, once again asserting its dominance. ☐
Douglas Congiliaro ’21
Tim Carey
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Varsity Hockey Narrowly Misses Playoffs, Bids Farewell to Seniors By Payton Privitera ’19 Staff Writer Unfortunately, our beloved Belmont Hill Hockey Club missed the NEPSIHA Playoffs, but it was a fun and exciting year nonetheless. With banners as full as ours, some Belmont Hill hockey fans might consider an 8th place finish in the Finch Keller Division an underachievement, but on the scoreboard of life, each and every one of these players was a winner. The hockey program bids farewell to Captain John Copeland, veteran core players Max Fields, Noah Traylor and Brad Litchfield, first-year skaters Brian Antonelli, Tony Marinello and Duncan Grant, and goaltenders Jack Eselius and Anthony Devellis, all of whom made a positive mark on the team one way or another as seniors and and in previous years. Next season the team looks to emphasize the areas in which they grew this year and improve however Coach Jeremiah McCarthy sees fit. Next year’s team looks extremely promising talent-wise with six returning members to the defensive corps, headed by Captain Robert Radochia, James Perullo, Michael Brown, and Brett Bliss.
High-energy forwards Joe Goguen, Andrew Holland, and Michael Hayes all look to return to the ice and have strong senior seasons. Key roles will also have to be filled by forwards Robby Griffin, Zephen Kraus, Luke Khozozian, Ryan McGuire, and Liam Kelly, defensemen Grant Litchfield and Will Killoran, all returning for their second ca-
reer varsity season, as well as a myriad of other fresh faces yet to be decided. Andrew Holland and James Perullo will join Robert Radochia as Co-Captains for the 2018-19 season. Our beloved hockey club finds itself in an interesting predicament, in that they will start next season with no returning goaltenders, which begs a few questions:
The nine seniors on the Varsity Hockey team.
Will Charlie Lambert earn the starting job? Will Cam Rubin be deemed healthy enough to play next season? Will Teddy Morrow make the team as the 2 or 3 goalie? Will the school see the lack of depth at the position as a priority and a huge need and grab another netminder through recruitment? Stay tuned for all this hockey news and more. On February 24th, goaltender Connor Hopkins received a phone call from the Tri City Storm, a United States Hockey League team based out of Kearney, Nebraska. The coach asked Connor to finish with the team for the season and play next year. The USHL is known to groom and develop young players into solid NCAA and NHL players. Unfortunately, in order to take advantage of this opportunity, Connor was forced to leave Belmont Hill, a school on which he left his mark. One of the few goalies to make the team as a freshman, Connor defied all odds and led Belmont Hill to a Super 8 birth last season. Connor tallied over 1500 saves during his Belmont Hill career and had a save percentage of .921, a very impressive stat. After his USHL stint, Connor plans to attend Yale University. We wish Connor the best of luck in his exciting journey! ☐
Wrestling Captures ISL, NEISWA Titles to End Another Historic Season By Matthew Smith ’19 Panel Staff The Belmont Hill Varsity Wrestling team has capped off yet another astounding season. In the past fourteen years, Belmont Hill wrestling has accumulated 11 Graves-Kelsey awards and four NEISWA titles. As of a few weeks ago, the 20172018 team added three more trophies to the ever expanding Belmont Hill trophy case. In the Graves-Kelsey tournament, Belmont Hill, undefeated in league matches, was favored heavily, with six first seed wrestlers. Their performance on Saturday, February 10 at Tabor Academy not only met but also exceeded expectations. After racking up pin after pin in the tournament’s opening rounds, by the semi-finals ten BH wrestlers remained in the championship brackets of their respective weight classes. Impressively, all ten moved on to the championship finals, including fourth seed Mike Wade ‘19, who upset a number-one-seeded Roxbury Latin wrestler in a barn-burner overtime match. In the finals, seven out of ten of the Belmont Hill wrestlers would claim first place, some by dominant leads, such as captain Seth Isra-
el ‘18, who pinned his BB&N opponent in a mere two minutes and thirty-three seconds, and others by the narrowest of margins, such as Matt Smith ‘19, who eked out a 6-4 win. At the end of the day, Belmont Hill’s numerous victories earned them a well-deserved league championship title in addition to the dual meet title for their 10-0 ISL record. Notably, Will Misciagna ‘18 and captain Phil Conigliaro ‘18 were also individually awarded trophies for, respectively, the most pins in the least time and outstanding wrestler. On Friday, February 16th, Belmont Hill bused back to Tabor to continue their streak of dominance in the New England Independent School Wrestling Association (NEISWA) tournament. Although in close contest with Brunswick, Exeter, and Northfield Mount Hermon, the only team to which Belmont Hill lost, they appeared to again be poised for victory. After the first day of wrestling, BH emerged in the lead by the narrowest of margins, only a few points, and with nine wrestlers out of eleven wrestlers still in the championship bouts. On day two, Belmont Hill significantly increased their lead and cemented their win. After sending three wrestlers, captain Luca Pontone ‘19, Phil Conigliaro, and Seth Israel to the finals, and seven
others to the third, fifth, and seventh place matches, the team finished the tournament with two champions, Phil and Luca, and 187 points, 17 ahead of second place finisher Brunswick. In addition to a team trophy, Phil was also awarded a trophy as the outstanding wrestler of the tournament; his NEISWA victory marked his fourth, a remarkable feat achieved by only four wrestlers ever, including Jeff Ott ‘12 from Belmont Hill. Results from the NEISWA tournament can be found below. By placing sixth or higher in the NEISWA tournament, nine BH wrestlers qualified for the Prep Nationals tournament. On Thursday, February 22nd, these wrestlers, along with coaches Bradley, Leonardis, and Kaplan, made the long trek to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to compete with the best in country and even the world, including Mr. Leonardis’ alma mater and top ranked school, Blair Academy, and two-time Cadet World Champion Kury McHenry. After skin checks on the day prior and successful weigh-ins that morning, Belmont Hill’s best wrestled for All-American status on Friday, February 23rd. Although many won tough matches, only Luca and Phil, seeded sixth and second, made it to day two with victories in the quarterfinals. On
the second day, sadly, both BH wrestlers were defeated in the semifinals, Luca by the second seed from St. Christopher’s and Phil by the third seed from Baylor, in a crushing overtime upset. More unfortunately, Phil sustained injuries from his match and was unable to continue wrestling in the tournament. The nature of his injuries are still unknown, but Belmont Hill’s thoughts and wishes go out to the former national champion. On a positive note, Luca would wrestle back in consolations to claim third, beating Exeter wrestler and seventh seed Nasir Grissom, whom he had already wrestled two times before, including in the NEISWA finals, with a score of 5-4. At the end of the tournament, the Belmont Hill wrestling team finished 16th, just behind their rivals NMH, who also placed two All-Americans. As the winter sports season wraps up, the Belmont Hill wrestling team bids farewell to its starting seniors, Phil Conigliaro, Will Misciagna, and Seth Israel, as well as longtime wrestlers Ishaan Prasad, Billy Weldon, Myron Duarte, and Macdony Charles. Optimistic about the future, the team hopes to pick up more titles next year and in the years to follow. ☐
Nordic Posts Impressive Performance at New Englands By Liam Durbin ’19 Panel Staff The Nordic team had a very strong finish to an already historic season. Heading into the New England Championships seeded fourth in the Lakes Region, the team had already set a new high for Belmont Hill Nordic, placing the highest that the team has seen in quite some time. At the Lakes Region Championships, the team skied well despite adverse
snow and wax conditions, attacking the difficult course with determination and grit. The race involved a transition area in which the skiers were required to change from classic to skate skiing, adding another layer of complexity to an already challenging event. The team finished third in the Lakes Region, the highest ever seen by Belmont Hill Nordic Skiing, and immediately began looking forward to continuing its historic skiing at New Englands. Leaving from school the Friday before
the race, which would take place on Saturday, the team was dialed in, ready to leave it all on the snow, and anxious to prove that it deserved its newfound standing in the league. The New England Championship consisted of two races on Saturday, the first of which was a 5K skate race, followed by a classic relay later in the day. Despite the subpar snow conditions due to elevated temperatures, the team began the day with vigor, skiing hard during the skate section, with four of the team’s top
skiers finishing in the top 20 overall: James Eysenbach ’19 in 12th, Ben Pradko ’18 in 16th, Aidan McGaugh ’20 in 18th and Quin McGaugh ’18 in 20th. Not far behind the first four was an impressive showing from Christiaan Eicheboom ’21, a rookie on the team, who finished 31st overall. The team also skied hard on the classic relay, finishing fourth. Overall, it was a successful day for BH Nordic, capping off a historic season for the team as a whole. ☐
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The End of an Era Brings Gratitude Varsity Basketball Advances to NEPSAC Semifinals for First Time Since 2003, Graduates Ten Seniors After 21-4 Season
By William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff Stone-faced seniors trudged silently past Curry College athletic offices and into a purple-tinged locker room. Suddenly exhausted, beset by baggy eyes and aching legs, Belmont Hill’s fourteen Varsity Basketball players collapsed into their individual cubbies, unable to enjoy the spacious shoulder room their adopted locker room supplied. Instead, players and managers stared aimlessly at the linoleum flooring below, unraveling athletic tape and only beginning to process that this, indeed, was the end. For captains and 1,000 point-scorers David Mitchell ’18 and Jovan Jones ’18, 94-game careers had concluded; for freshmen Luke Bobo ’21 and Casey Rockett ’21, future minutes and potential for growth remained, yet pain did not discriminate. Grief consumed all. An unfulfilled hunger burned in their hearts, and subjunctive questions silently swirled while the game’s details replayed. Foul trouble had victimized David Mitchell ’18, benching him in the first half and eventually permanently removing him from the high school floor with a few minutes in the game. Jovan Jones ’18, though nearly perfect from the line and on defense, had struggled to convert second-half field goal attempts, and the team’s one-for-17 three-point percentage frustrated the rest of the group. A thin wall separated Milton Academy’s locker room—Curry College’s other visitors’ space—from Belmont Hill’s. Voices, cheers, shouts, and music blared clearly from the other side, but the final buzzer, sounded and permanent, had stripped Belmont Hill of its agency. As Coaches Murphy, Martellini, and Cofield made their way from the gym to the locker room, silent acceptance became the team’s only option. Hyping themselves for the championship round of NEPSAC play, Milton players screamed along to “God’s Plan,” a reminder of how fleeting good things can be. Multi-year careers had suddenly evaporated, and yet only three days ago, at a different locker room, the Belmont Hill team had mobbed each other after a quarterfinal win over Williston Northampton, dancing and jumping to Drake’s other current hit, “Look Alive.” Quentin Harris ’18 finally stood, and followed by Isaiah Collins ’18, he circled the room, exchanging silent thank-yous and lasting hugs. By the time Coach Murphy had begun to speak, pity morphed into gratitude for four years of fun, growth, and winning. Gratitude for four consecutive second-place finishes in the Independent School League. Gratitude for four undefeated years against league rivals St. Sebastian’s, Roxbury Latin, and BB&N, and other big wins over Rivers, Governor’s, Tabor, Lawrence, and Nobles. Gratitude for Belmont Hill’s first NEPSAC playoff win since 2003. Maybe most of all, those hushed by the weight of the moment gained appreciation for an intangible that has defined the previous four years of Belmont Hill basketball. Among students, faculty, and even alumni, this group has reshaped an institutional culture. Basketball has become The Loop’s favorite sport to support, “Pack the Fritz” its popular rallying cry, and Dr. Melvoin has traveled both down to the Jordan and to away gyms to watch almost every one of the team’s competitions. Once a rather neglected sport at Belmont Hill, basketball has become one of the school’s premier offerings. While the NEPSAC Class A semifinal loss to Milton Academy was disappointing, many will remember last week’s quarterfinal win over Williston as the highlight of their Belmont Hill basketball careers. “The highlight of my career,” Luke Jordan ’18 explained, “has been getting a Class A tourney win and beating a team seeded much higher than we were. Everybody doubted us all year and we kept proving them wrong.” Expecting a home game in the NEPSAC Class A tournament and instead slapped with the seven seed, Belmont Hill traveled nearly two hours to Easthampton, MA on a Wednesday afternoon. Supported by a loud twelve-member Loop who made the same journey and hijacked the gym from Williston’s less passionate student section, Belmont Hill played a tremendous team game, scoring 72 points on a 49.1% FG percentage and accumulating six steals, 21 deflections, and nine other forced turnovers. Mitchell ’18 shot over 50% and grabbed seven rebounds, Jake Bobo ’18 did not miss a shot, Jake Haase ’18 battled for six
Jovan Jones ’18
Matt Risley Jake Bobo ’18
Adam Richins
Elias Hyde ’20
O’Boy ’19 and Haase ’18
Jordan ’18 and Bobo ’21
Jay Smith Spenser Smith ’18
Adam Richins
Matt Risley The starting five converse. Adam Richins
rebounds and five deflections, and Spenser Smith ’18 ignited a first-half run with his first career in-game dunk, providing a long overdue burst of defensive excitement to the team’s play. Despite
frequent substitutions and focused contributions from nearly every member of the team, Jovan Jones ’18 carried Belmont Hill to a victory, exploding for 39 points and answering every hint
of a dangerous Williston run with a huge bucket of his own. “I’ve always known I’ve been able to dunk in a game,” remarked Smith ’18, “and when it finally happened it was so cool to see everyone as excited as I was when I turned around to look at the team and the people in the crowd...beating Williston was amazing. It was a true team win and celebrating after with the kids who the made the trek out to see us play was indescribable.” Bobo ’18 agreed with Spenser, adding that he had “never seen so much pure joy in a group in after that game. It was frustrating and honestly heartbreaking not to be able to pull out that semifinal for the school and everyone who came to support us, but the best part of this year was definitely the Williston game.” Belmont Hill carried league momentum into the Williston win. Despite falling to Brooks—who have not lost a game since the 2015-2016 season—in mid-February and losing any hope of an ISL championship, a tightly contested Senior Night victory over Governor’s and a special milestone for David Mitchell propelled the team into the playoffs. On a quiet Wednesday afternoon in the Fritz Gym, Mitchell, eight points away from 1,000 career Belmont Hill points at the beginning of the matchup with St. George’s, quickly accumulated four points before being substituted. Later in the first half, however, after picking off a pass on defense, Mitchell raced alone to the other hoop, soaring high and dunking the ball for his 1,00th point. David enjoyed the opportunity to embrace his parents before receiving an inscribed commemorative ball afterwards. 2018’s installation of Senior Night offered the team’s ten graduating seniors—David Mitchell, Jovan Jones, Jake Bobo, Jake Haase, Spenser Smith, Sean Mannion, Quentin Harris, Luke Jordan, Isaiah Collins, and Eric Taitano—a chance to thank their families. Mrs. Whitney, Belmont Hill’s former Spanish teacher and Varsity Golf coach, returned to conduct ceremonies, calling each senior to center court to greet their family members. The B-Flats’ impressive rendition of the national anthem preceded the announcement of starting lineups, with Spenser Smith starting over Kevin Michael O’Boy ’19. Quentin Harris ’18 recalls, “Senior Night this year felt special because there were so many of us, so not only being able to thank your own parents, but to experience it with so many classmates was special.” Governor’s Academy, boasting wins over Rivers and Nobles, presented Belmont Hill with tough competition; Gov’s senior Daniel Frechette ’18 seemed to never miss, and ultimately securing a 58-55 win required energy from a packed Fritz crowd and spirited Loop, 25 points from Jovan Jones, 11 apiece from Kevin Michael O’Boy and David Mitchell, and an additional ten rebounds from Mitchell. A final league win over Gov’s guaranteed the team a second-place ISL standing, and the energized nature of a tight win brought the group into NEPSAC playoffs with a refreshed momentum. “Senior Night was great,” Mitchell remembers. “It was definitely an emotional experience given that it finally dawned on me that four years was up, but the moment felt much better after we won the game.” In many ways, the conclusion of this year’s season represents the end of an era, a stretch that has combined major contributions from the Classes of 2015 and 2018. The team’s combined record over the past four years stands at 69-25, and end-of-season recognition from the ISL and NEPSAC acknowledge the achievements of this historic group. David Mitchell ’18 received his second career ISL Defensive Player Of the Year Award, while Mitchell, Bobo, and Jones were named to the All-League team. Jake Haase ’18 received an All-League Honorable Mention, and Jones and Mitchell were also named to the All-New England group. Even Coach Al Murphy earned recognition, receiving an award from the referee’s association that honors coaches who demonstrate in-game ethical behavior. “Next year, we hope to keep the culture going,” insists O’Boy, one of the team’s four remaining players, along with Casey Rockett ’21, Luke Bobo ’21, and Mike Piazza ’19. “I’ll miss these guys off the court and on, and although it might be hard, we won’t change our attitude.” Although this era in Belmont Hill basketball has ended, with strong coaching and a youthful program, the culture remains. ☐
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Winsor Students in the Pursuit of Happiness By Katie Tsai ’19 Panel Staff “Happy people tend to function better. They’re more productive, they’re healthier, and the research suggests they even live longer,” asserts the narrator of Roko Belic’s documentary Happy. The film, which examines the psychology of happiness, looks at specific factors that contribute to our well-being. Researchers found that 50 percent of our happiness is genetic, while only 10 percent comes from circumstances such as age, occupation, and social and economic status. The remaining 40 percent comes from factors that are not predetermined— those that we, ourselves, have the power to change. These include close, supportive family and friends; personal growth, such as learning how to play a sport; a desire to help the world be a better place; religion and spirituality; and getting in the zone or focusing deeply on a certain task. Trying new things and being grateful for what one currently has also make us happy. Having recently watched and discussed this documentary with my peers in Health, I wanted to further explore how content students in the Upper School are, what factors contribute to our state of well-being, and how we can improve our overall happiness, both individually and as a school community. When I asked some of my classmates, “What makes you happy?”, like in the documentary, “family,” “friends,” and “community” were mentioned, as were activities such as going on “new adventures,” “taking risks,” “helping others out,” “meeting new people,” and taking time to pursue passions, such as “dance” and “drawing.” When I asked my peers what contributes to their unhappiness, not surprisingly,
every student commented either schoolwork, stress, or lack of sleep, and some felt pressure, particularly self-imposed pressure, to do well. As one student put it, “Any unhappiness I experience is often attributed to…pressure from myself to do well in certain activities. While others do not enforce or inflict this pressure, I often find [that] my competitive mindset and need to excel is an obstacle in my path to happiness.” Although stress, pressure, and lack of sleep may seem inevitable at an academically rigorous school like Winsor, as the documentary suggests, there are some strategies which have been scientifically-proven to alleviate people’s unhappiness. Meditation, for example, is cited as an excellent way to relieve tension. Taking the time once a week to reflect on and write down one’s blessings and committing small acts of kindness are other strategies. Besides the suggestions in the documentary, my classmates recommended ways that Winsor can help its students find greater happiness. The most common response was to have “more time for community interaction.” As one student proposed, “Instead of Upper School meetings or assemblies just being announcements, [maybe we can] take time to do activities as a school.” Some examples of activities we have enjoyed in the past, another student pointed out, are bubble soccer or school-wide contests. I personally enjoyed the Lip Sync Battle we had at Upper School Meeting, and I recall students’ comments about how watching it had made them feel happy. Having more opportunities to bond as a school is similar to surrounding oneself with close family and friends, which was shown to improve happiness in the documentary. Ms. Martin agrees: “We have a wonderful community at Winsor, and I
Pa g e 1 1 Redaction from the Winsor Editors
In Volume 66 Issue 5, Winsor teacher Ms. Baudis was misquoted in an article entitled “The Influence of the #MeToo on the Winsor Community” as saying, “While [there] may not be exactly a lesson plan on sexual assault, exploring and practicing [communication, decision making and self advocacy] will allow [students] to be prepared for situations in which they may need to say no...and/or make decisions that will impact their health in a positive way...We have open discussions about [sexual assault and harassment as they] have been headline news for awhile now.” It has since been clarified that this statement was referring specifically to Lower School students, while the piece suggested that it was applicable to the Upper School as well. think some of our happiest times are when Keeping things in perspective is definitely we come together and have fun...It’s import- important, and remember that focusing on ant to create moments where we press the one’s happiness can actually improve per‘pause’ button on our daily school routine, formance and productivity. Dr. Blackburn and celebrate and enjoy our community.” also states, “it’s important for people to reTherefore, she believes “that we need to find member that unhappiness, even depression, more time to incorporate FUN (in both big is not permanent and help is available. The ways and the little day-to-day ways) into good news for most Winsor students is that our time at Winsor - so important since we there are caring adults at home and at school, spend so much time here already, and for and I believe the vast majority of our stumany students, Winsor is their main com- dents have at least one adult they know they munity, outside of family.” can turn to.” Furthermore, perhaps Winsor In terms of reducing academ- should offer mindfulness classes during ic stress, many students feel that teachers which students take time to reflect individshould consider “how their assignments ually on their current thoughts and emopile up.” Although the no-more-than-two- tions. The instructor of these courses could assessments-per-day rule exists, as one stu- also explain other healthy ways to de-stress dent noted, “There are some weeks that are at home. In addition to having classes like really horrible for everyone because of all these, some schools take the time to practice the assessments and papers that fall on that mindfulness at the beginning of Assembly. week.” I believe that the student body would The whole community benefits from taking appreciate teachers’ considering the number a moment to reflect on how they feel and to of assessments students already have in one relax. Additionally, we spend most of our week before scheduling another. Addition- week with members of the Winsor commually, one classmate suggested having a few nity. If surrounding oneself with friends can more no-homework weekends per year to improve one’s happiness, the least we can do give students time to catch up on sleep or to is say hi to each other in the hallways, help focus on something other than school. each other in class, encourage each other to As to what students can do to in- take risks and try new activities, and supcrease their own happiness, one girl be- port each other in both our successes and lieves, “I could definitely relieve some of the failures. After all, as the last line of Happy pressure on myself. I know that my results reminds us, “With happiness, the more you will be similar, if not improved, by reduced have, the more everyone has.” ☐ stress and overall increased happiness.”
Winsor Campus Candids
Kristie Rae Gillooly
winsor.edu
Kristie Rae Gillooly
Kristie Rae Gillooly
winsor.edu
BH Energy Inquiry, AP Environmental Science Collaborate on Energy Discussions By Jack Murphy ’18 Staff Writer On Tuesday, February 27th in Wadsworth, Harvard Business School professor Forest Reinhardt ran a case study on the difficulties faced by a Chilean energy company. On Friday later that week, Robert de Mars, a Belmont Hill alum from the class of 1986, talked about his work for the desalination company Suez Water, a job that has taken him around the globe from Trinidad and Tobago to the United Arab Emirates. The following Monday, State Senator Will Brownsberger spoke about the challenges meeting renewable energy in Massachusetts, as well as the recent setbacks to the Northern Pass Project, a power line that would carry low carbon electricity from hydropower plants in Quebec through New Hampshire to Massachusetts. This diverse set of visitors has
one thing in common: they are part of a push to bring energy and environmental issues into the spotlight at Belmont Hill. Every spring, seniors must take an inquiry course, and subjects range from “God, Man, and Myth” taught by Mr. Leo, to “Advanced Historical Research” with Ms. Zener. This year a new class has been added: “Energy Policy and Climate Change” with Dr.
State Sen. Brownsberger
W. McCormack’ 18
Buckley. This class replaces “Politics in Practice,” an inquiry where boys would go to a political internship (it was basically ASR but for politics) one day a week, and during class time would discuss topical political issues. The boys in this class each still have an internship (one in the Governor’s office, one with a State Representative and another on US Senate campaign), but classes are now
devoted entirely to learning about climate change and the global energy landscape. Reading for the course includes Windfall, a book by Harvard professor Meghan O’Sullivan about oil’s influence on geopolitics, and A Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet, by former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and former Sierra Club director Carl Pope. Perhaps the most interesting development that is in part a result of this new course is the partnership with the AP Environmental Science class, taught by Dr. Davis in the first semester and now led by Mr. McAlpin. Mr. McAlpin and Dr. Buckley have jointly worked to bring to campus an amazing set of highly influential speakers in the world of energy and climate change. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to get involved in this quickly changing sphere that will impact all of our lives. ☐
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T he Panel
Switching Places: Editors Partake in Annual Panel Tradition By Arnav Prasad ’18, Isabel Isselbacher ’18, Ishaan Prasad ’18, Jordan Sclar ’18, Juliet Isselbacher ’18, and William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff In recent years, it has been a tradition for the Belmont Hill and Winsor executive editors of The Panel to host each other at their school. Dubbed colloquially as “Switch Day,” the executive editors from Winsor first shadowed ed-
itors at Belmont Hill on February 13th, and the executive editors from Belmont Hill subsequently visited Winsor that Thursday on February 15th. From Intensive Greek to AP Environmental Science to American Identity Goes to the
Milk and Cookies
which is more than a little cold in mid-February. The cookies were piled in plastic bins strewn across the pavement, with crates of milk cartons tossed to the side. Unlike at Winsor, where recess is a pretty social period, the boys didn’t linger much after grabbing their snacks--cookies were swiftly snagged on route to their next class. The whole break period lasted 10 minutes, which definitely felt more rushed than Winsor’s 25 minute block. ☐
Movies, each day provided the opportunity to enjoy a sample Senior schedule at the other school. Moreover, each day also entailed exploring other non-academic aspects of school life—such as school extracurricular, alumni/ae-rela-
tions, and local city life. In the following section, the editors recount and analyze their experiences—both the positives and negatives—while visiting the other school.
Winsor at Belmont Hill Now what you’ve all been waiting for: Milk & Cookies, are the rumors true? When it came time for Belmont Hill’s snack period, also known as “milk and cookies,” we imagined an indoor snack period, kind of a cozy atmosphere, and warm cookies. The exact opposite was true. Because there is no suitable indoor space for a schoolwide snack period, milk and cookies are served outside,
Class Atmosphere
When we first arrived at Belmont Hill, we all felt a little underdressed. Although the three of us had dressed more formally than we might on a typical school day, for a second we wondered whether we too should have followed the uniform in order to blend in a little more into the practically homogenous sea of navy and khaki. We definitely take for granted the variety of clothing and styles displayed Winsor. At BH, every student wears a blazer and tie, although students surprisingly have free range of shoe choice (practically everyone was wearing Timberland boots or Vans, and apparently Heelys make the occasional appearance). But for all the stringen-
cy of the dress code, boys were surprisingly relaxed in class. They felt free to banter with teachers, burst into side conversation with friends, and play music while going about lab work. Perhaps the most easily discernible difference was the bell that rang to signal the end of class. Coming from Winsor, where there is no signal to mark the end of classes, we were caught off-guard by the shrill sound of the bell. While Winsor students are expected to “teleport” between classes, Belmont Hill students have ample passing time to arrive at their next class before it begins. Abbreviated 40-minute classes lent such a clipping pace to the day that it seemed to end in little time. ☐
Belmont Hill’s Unified School Community By Winsor Editors Panel Staff
A student enjoys a timless Belmont Hill tradition, Milk and Cookies
Lunch
If you complain about Winsor’s 12:30 lunch being late, good luck surviving at Belmont Hill, where upperclassman (grades 10 through 12) eat at 1:30 in the afternoon. It seems that even Belmont Hill’s oldest students have yet to adjust to this late lunch period. Many students go down to the nurse’s office at some point in the day to make themselves a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; some boys follow this routine every single day. It’s clear that their food policy is definitely more lax than Winsor’s. When lunch finally did happen, it turned out to be an entirely foreign affair. Belmont Hill students eat family style at tables diversified by
Homeroom
Considering Belmont Hill’s spacious campus, we were surprised to find that the vast majority of BH students do not have lockers, and the sophomore and junior classes do not have designated homeroom spaces. The senior class does have its own space, which is called the “Goodband Commons.” However, unlike Winsor’s own senior homeroom (which is secluded from the rest of the school by not one but two doors and a vestibule), the Goodband Commons are located in the lobby of an academic building with no walls, a balcony above, and classrooms practically adjacent. Despite the seeming lack of privacy, Belmont Hill students seemed to be very comfortable using that space to lounge, chat, and do homework. We were amused to find an electric toothbrush taped to the wall, buzzing as students watched it intently to see when the battery would run out.
Adam Richins
grade, and all remain standing for a “moment of silent prayer” before being seated. Unlike at Winsor, there is no drifting, no meandering, no flitting in and out of the cafeteria as you please. Lunch is treated as a mandatory community obligation, somewhat analogous to how we regard homeroom or assembly. One student at every table serves as a sort of waiter for the day and retrieves a tray of food from the kitchen. We were struck by the formality of the meal. Unlike Winsor’s bright red plastic trays the food, at Belmont Hill food was served on a silver platter, and every place was pre-set with a napkin and cutlery. The food was quite good—that day steak and potatoes, served and cleared away by boys on a rotation. ☐
Athletics
Also unfamiliar was the towering role of sports in campus life—throughout the day, students and faculty alike were buzzing about “the big game” — an upcoming Varsity Basketball game against the Brooks School, a perennial ISL powerhouse. Compare that to Winsor, where you’re lucky if you can rev up enough school spirit to assemble a few dozen spectators. In fact, at Belmont Hill, there’s such commitment to excellence in sports that Wednesdays and Fridays are cut short for game days. However, considering the prevalent sports culture on the Belmont Hill Campus, we were surprised to find that the Athletic Center is closed off to students during the school day. While Winsor upper schoolers can use the workout room anytime they please, Belmont Hill students typically have to wait until after 3:00 to exercise. ☐
We can distinctly recall the utter discomfort of our first “Sibling Squad” meetings in Classes I and II. One or two students from each of Classes I through VIII gathered in a classroom to take part in these transient and manufactured interactions. In theory, this program could have served to foster a greater sense of community among the grade levels. In practice, however, the ice breakers and card-making failed to form lasting bonds between members of the Upper and Lower Schools, instead eliciting much grumbling and complaint. Acknowledging the rather concrete divide among members of different grades levels, Winsor has made sporadic attempts to forge connections through initiatives like “Mix It Up” days at lunch—but these programs are rarely well received by the student body. During our visit to Belmont Hill, we were thus struck by the seamless level of integration among all six grade levels present on campus--even between Belmont Hill’s Middle School (grades 7-9) and Upper School (grade 10-12). We observed that a variety of programs and activities within Belmont Hill’s schedule were designed to provide the time and space for strengthening community bonds. For example, during Belmont Hill’s X-Block—a daily 40 minute period during which the entire school population has no scheduled classes--students of different grade levels can interact a— attend various clubs open to members of both the Upper and Middle Schools. While Winsor does have Community Time, these blocks are staggered between the Upper and Lower Schools—and to boot, they are most often designated as homerooms or advisories, which separate students by grade level. Belmont Hill’s family-style lunch also serves to cultivate a strong sense of community within the student body. Although Middle and Upper Schoolers dine separately, the school assigns
students to tables mixed up by grade level. Our own cafeteria is so thoroughly segregated by age that we were surprised to see the ease, affability, and comfort with which Belmont Hill sophomores, juniors, and seniors all chatted. Furthermore, in contrast to the informal and often hectic cafeteria scene at Winsor, where students can be found bustling in and out, Belmont Hill requires that all students be present during meal time. And while Winsor students often have obligations during lunchtime, such as club and student government meetings, Belmont Hill protects lunch from being infringed upon by other commitments. Striking, too, about Belmont Hill are the rows of wooden panels that march along almost every hallway. Tradition dictates that each member of the senior class carves a panel with the design of his own composition and choosing; this year’s group selected such diverse subjects as sports team logos, cartoon characters, and hometown skylines. For Belmont Hill boys, panel carving is a way of leaving behind a solid, tangible legacy—of staying in touch with former generations of students and promoting a sense of unity between students past and present. The Belmont Hill community bond remains strong after graduation. Indeed, current students are encouraged to stop by the Alumni House during the day to get to know the Alumni & Development Staff, and many seniors have already been appointed as alumni officers--those who draft letters, on behalf of their class, soliciting donations. The Alumni House was warm and inviting, and serves as a testament to the benefits of having a larger campus. We admire the Belmont Hill boys for their unity between grades and generations. We hope that their ethos will inspire Winsor girls to nod at the long lineage behind them and to smile at the new generations of students ahead; to think of themselves, of their class, not as a dissociated body—like their own planet floating off in space—but rather as another bead on a forever-growing string. ☐
belmonthill.org
Upper School Schedules at Belmont Hill & Winsor Belmont Hill
Block 1 Meeting
8:00
Block 1
Break
Block 2
9:00
Block 2
Community Time
Block 3
10:00
Block 4
11:00
Winsor
Block 3 X Block
Block 4
Lunch
Block 5
12:00
Block 6
1:00
Block 5
Lunch
2:00
2:15
3:00
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Belmont Hill at Winsor Facilities and Location
Winsor’s urban location creates a campus vibe far different from that at Belmont Hill. While Belmont Hill’s campus consists of green quadrangles, brick-lined walkways, and more than a dozen separate structures, Winsor’s connected structures form an all-encompassing building with views of Longwood’s hospitals and the screams of emergency vehicles ever-present in the neighborhood. Amid the metropolitan bustle, Winsor remains calm and grounded, its twin turf fields, cherry blossoms, and old, brick facade preserved at the center of one of Boston’s most chaotic neighborhoods. Attending a day of school in the city for the first time in six years added excitement to my day. When so much occurs around you, your own work and activity assumes an extra delight. Connection to the world around you adds a significance to your daily pursuits at school, and while this excitement may inevitably decrease as continued days spent at school familiarize you with your surroundings, attending school in the city filled me with palpable energy. Winsor’s location in the city explains the increased security on campus. All entrances require students to either buzz in or check in,
Campus Culture
Winsor’s seven-day rotating schedule fosters a campus culture that is wholly distinct from its Belmont Hill counterpart. Whereas the steady drumbeat of Belmont Hill’s forty-minute class blocks provide for a compact and productive academic day, Winsor’s longer class periods results in a longer school day with times for unstructured, non-academic pursuits scattered between classes. During a typical one-hour period, students can buy food in Longwood and as second-semester seniors, they can access the rapidly developing Fenway neighborhood. The school’s new Lubin O’Donnell Center for arts and athletics features an expansive fitness center students may use during the day, and working out during a free can also fulfill a student’s fitness requirement. Televisions in the Lubin O’Donnell center and even the cafeteria lighten the school’s mood—dining staff projected an Eagles-Patriots game the Friday before the Super Bowl. The relaxed dress code at Winsor provided a refreshing change of pace from the sea of navy-blue blazers and khakis. While the school has formal,
Class Atmosphere
While both Belmont Hill and Winsor share highly-rigorous academic curriculums, it seemed clear that Winsor teachers preferred lecture-style classrooms over Belmont Hill’s student-led discussions. When attending Winsor classes— whether Calculus, Environmental Science, or French—teachers took command of the lessons, and students were expected to answer periodic “cold-call” questions. In Winsor’s AP French class,
and as guests, we editors underwent a much more rigorous process than the Winsor editors experienced at Belmont Hill. Greeted by a security guard outside the entrance, we used a tablet to check in as guests, selecting the faculty member sponsoring our visit and wearing name tags with a brief explanation for our visit. Once inside, however, with other entrances secured, we moved freely throughout Winsor’s connected spaces. Connecting all facilities under one roof makes Winsor feel spacious, and I enjoyed cozily imagining myself progressing from a morning English class to a meal at the cafeteria to a science lab and then a basketball practice without having to brave the weather outside, whether a bomb cyclone or a March nor’easter. Whereas Belmont Hill’s buildings spread out, Winsor’s stretch upwards. Like many college libraries, the three-story Virginia Wing Library features a silent top floor, an opportunity for individual, uber-focused study I wish Belmont Hill provided. Winsor’s astounding new building—the Lubin O’Donnell Center—features five stories of athletics and art spaces, and Winsor students enjoy nearly unrestricted access to permanent, specific arts facilities. The LOC includes a costume design shop, rooms for dance, two theaters, and expansive back-
stage area, while another room on campus houses a permanent black screen setup for photography, videography, and photo shoots. Housing 466 students in one city building presents some challenges with classroom space, and as a result, most Winsor teachers share classrooms for teaching. Unlike almost all Belmont Hill faculty, who inhabit a classroom of their own, Winsor faculty work out of department offices, travelling to different classrooms to teach students. Like students, many faculty spend free time working in campus common spaces, such as the Winsor cafeteria, which is open all day for use as a workspace with free snacks and beverages. With teacher and student use, the cafeteria thus assumes sustained use as both a lunchroom and collaboration space, but we missed the intimacy of classrooms at Belmont Hill. During Chinese class, for example, in a largely blank room without the Chinese artwork, signs, and props I have grown accustomed to in the classrooms of Shen Laoshi and Mr. DiResta, the learning experience felt empty and strangely temporary. In contrast to the relative emptiness of classrooms, however, Winsor’s hallways were filled to the brim with posters for clubs, events, and activities. While walking through a science hallway,
for instance, we were greeted by posters for scientific research that mirrored the work on the walls back in Belmont. Indeed, while Winsor does not offer an equivalent program to Belmont Hill’s Advanced Science Research initiative, many Winsor students take advantage of their exceptional location in Longwood to conduct summer research at a medical institution — creating posters of their research in the following academic year. Finally, the Winsor homeroom experience differs greatly from the Goodband Commons which Sixth Formers inhabit at Belmont Hill. Separated from the rest of the school by a door that few others dare to enter, the space is decorated each fall by the senior class who makes it a home. Space-themed artwork adorns the walls, lending the space a more personal feel. While the entire school walks through Morse—inside, around, and above Goodband Commons—Winsor’s homeroom is intimate. Comfy couches, decorated lockers, and a ping pong table make the space ideal for discussions and lounging. It’s home away from school. A rejection wall that compiles college rejections students receive—and adds some brutally honest annotations in the margins—contributes to the honest exclusivity of the senior homeroom. ☐
written guidelines in their student handbook, the principal rules seemed comparable to other schools’ dress codes (i.e., no spaghetti straps, no shorts above a certain length, etc.). Given the lax guidelines, students were able to pick from a broad range of outfit choices — from dresses to pajamas. Much like at Belmont Hill, Winsor has also started to reconsider its current dress code. While Belmont Hill’s administration tightened up the dress code over the summer, recently prohibiting upper schoolers from wearing hoodies or sweatshirts, this fall, Winsor established a new committee comprised of students from the Class of 2019 to aid in the standardization of guidelines and development of a comprehensive dress code ‘philosophy’ for the school. Unlike Belmont Hill, which usually designates the Senate as the body that address student issues, Winsor students can volunteer to join specialized committees (such as this year’s committee on the dress code, or last year’s committee on the honor code). The structure of the upper school schedule itself regulates the pace of each day. Though Milk and Cookies is typically a quick pit stop for Belmont Hill students, Winsor’s twenty-minute
snack has become a destination for students, with girls flocking to the cafeteria to socialize and enjoy free cereal, fruit, coffee, tea, crackers, and killer chocolate milk. The period also provides an opportunity to schedule a quick meeting; during our visit, we sat in on a planning committee for an upcoming Winsor forum with Roxbury Latin. “Community Time” — a built-in, late-morning block for homeroom, advisories, school meetings, and clubs — splits the next two academic periods, while lunch in the early afternoon pleasantly divides the day at a more reasonable hour (12:30 PM instead of Belmont’s usual 1:40 PM start for Upper School lunch). In Winsor’s Upper School, the two afternoon classes from 1 to 3 PM are the only two classroom engagements that occur consecutively each day. Although Winsor’s schedule offers more unstructured time throughout the day, the lack of a daily, universal free period for activities and extra help makes it much harder to schedule certain time-intensive clubs during the academic day. Given that Winsor only has one Upper School “community time” devoted to clubs, many activities — such as Mock Trial, Model UN, and The Panel —
find it hard to pick a time that works for students of all grades, opting instead to meet after-school or on the weekends. In comparison, Belmont Hill’s universal “X Block” provides an opportunity for crossgrade collaboration in extracurriculars, and its Upper School “2:15” and Middle School “4:00” periods offer more time for organized activities during the school day — leaving the afternoons open for pursuits in both the Arts and Athletics. Still, walking through a hallway filled with posters advertising Winsor’s various clubs, it’s cear that the school still places significant emphasis on its extracurricular offerings. Indeed, Winsor’s relaxed, cafeteria-style dining cultivates a perfect environment for many types of clubs to thrive. For instance, the school has a broad diversity of Affinity groups for students of virtually all affiliations. Students can find groups for religious affiliation, such as “Jew Kids on the Block,” and a host of groups for racial and ethnic affiliation. While Belmont Hill has had a few affinity groups over the years, it was impressive to see that a considerable number of students at Winsor participated in at least one affinity group. ☐
for example, the teacher reviewed conjugations for conditional phrases by calling students at random to complete At Belmont Hill, I have grown accustomed to a discussion-based lesson plan: Teachers readily avoid directing a lesson at students without ample time to deconstruct the material in a conversational pace. In lieu of the informal lab sessions in Physics and group translations in Greek I came to know in the Belmont Hill Upper School, most Winsor classes adopted a more formal approach to in-class work. Whereas some element of rowdiness
and humor often finds its way into the Belmont Hill harkness-table teaching style, Winsor classrooms featured a more traditional, hand-raising approach. The Winsor Senior English elective Will and I attended, American Identity Goes to the Movies, broke the proverbial mold. Class-time revolved wholly on student-led discussions, self-constructed theses, and small-group work. In the hour-long class where we analyzed scenes from the comedy film Bridesmaids, Winsor students uniquely engaged with topics including the boundaries of a healthy
relationship, gender roles and expectations, and status and materialism. Most importantly, every student in the class contributed meaningful and honest insight to the discussion, and the class encouraged each other to advance novel ideas and theories. The class, which came at the close of our day at Winsor, not only epitomized the independent and free-flowing nature of a English-inquiry class, but did so in a way that maintained an enjoyable academic intensity that some Senior spring classes at Belmont Hill may lack. ☐
Structuring Relaxation: BH Would Benefit From Winsor’s Model By William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff
The Virginia Wing Library’s informal “Netflix Room” later impacted me as another example of Winsor’s commitment to in-school decompression. On the wall of the small room, situated to the side of the library’s first-floor workspace, hang three items: a flatscreen television, an Apple TV capsule, and a laminated instruction sheet that reminds students to turn off the system when finished and to “Enjoy!” The room’s most frequent use, girls interested in enjoying Netflix with friends on a free block, provides for its friendly name. “It’s their time,” librarian Ms. Stern emphasizes when I seem surprised. Her comment reflects an institutional regard for free time that students have during the day, and in addition to the Netflix room, Winsor maintains unrestricted access to Twitter, Instagram,
As a Third Former, during one of my first meetings with Mr. Will Slotnick—Belmont Hill’s most utilized outside speaker on stress, meditation, wellness, and risk behavior—he explained the psychology behind decompression and relaxation. He emphasized that everyone needed to find outlets for stress, and anecdotes he shared connected to the lives of us ninth-graders. Fatigue we might have been feeling during four o’clock? Slotnick linked such late-afternoon exhaustion to the body’s fight-or-flight response. Declaring the fatigue an inevitable physiological response to the stressors of our school lives, he went on to explain that the new-found perkiness boys might have enjoyed on the bus home resulted from stressfree interactions with friends and classmates. Relaxation time on the bus revitalized us for nights of homework and studying. Last month’s day at Winsor impressed me with how well the school incorporates time, spaces, and resources for relaxation and decompression. During a first-period tour of Winsor’s completely connected campus, Ishaan, Arnav, and I came across the school’s “Wellness Wing.” Counseling offices inhabited by Winsor’s Dr. Blackburn and Ms. Warlan abutt a spacious room with soft rugs, bean bags, images of lucious rainforests, and a machine that emits sounds like plummeting waterfalls and flowing rapids. All provide tranquil escapes from concerns or stressors students may experience during the day, and girls are encouraged to use the space to rest, relax, meditate, or simply think. Winsor’s new Lubin O’Donnell Center
Snapchat, music streaming resources, and games. No sites are blocked. Back at Belmont Hill, Mr. Slotnick spoke to teachers, instead of Third Formers, at last Thursday’s faculty meeting, reminding them that boys, like all humans, need to decompress. Fortnite, the free survival video game whose popularity has mushroomed in recent months—a quick glance at Form I Roman vases with inscriptions like “#1 Victory Royale” displayed in Robsham’s main hallway is proof of the game’s success at Belmont Hill—has become a means of decompression for many. For others, Netflix’s latest binge-worthy hit may work effectively, and for still others, shooting hoops or vibing to Drake’s latest hit may be ways to relax. No matter the activity, both humans and Bel-
mont Hill boys rely on daily time for carefree, stakesfree relaxation, yet Belmont Hill has struggled to structure this reality. Numerous websites and apps— ranging from social media platforms to Netflix and Xfinity—are blocked on the school’s wireless servers. Use of new rooms in the Melvoin Academic Center that feature large televisions and HDMI connections are almost always forbidden—two anonymous seniors who tried playing Fortnite during a free block last month were quickly asked to leave. The school heavily restricted YouTube during the 2016-2017 school year, and the site remains restricted for Middle Schoolers. In fact, Belmont Hill’s Upper School schedule, which subjugates lunch to the day’s end and conducts school meetings at the beginning, often contributes to frenzied, fast-paced days, especially when students’ X Blocks are occupied by activities, meetings, and double blocks. Aside from the Sixth Form experience in Goodband Commons, other grades also lack common spaces in which they are encouraged to meet and socialize. Instead, Belmont Hill expects X-Blocks to be spent in silent study halls and teachers’ classrooms as productive periods for course work and only course work. For six years, I have proudly ingrained Belmont Hill’s all-business mentality, avoiding distractions and donning a tie and blazer to acknowledge the significance of each precious day I spend on campus. The school day has exclusively been a time for work, but should it be? Would structured time for in-school decompression unnecessarily derail boys from the demands of their workload? Or would it encourage refreshed thinking and renewed motivation in later classes and activities? Whatever the answer, Winsor’s The Noannet Group example is certainly one to consider. ☐
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Winsor Students Lead Longwood Walkout for Gun Control By Nicole Chung ’18 Panel Staff As the clock struck 12, Upper School students quietly shuffled out of their classes and free periods alike to convene on the courtyard. In the wake of a mass shooting that took the lives of 17 students and teachers at Stoneman-Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, Winsor’s walkout on February 21st commenced to protest inaction about gun control in Washington. According to a poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News, 77% of Americans believe that our Republican-controlled Congress has been intolerably slow to install mass shooting prevention measures. Certainly, that sentiment was echoed in the student body’s collective passion on Wednesday. “It’s empowering to see what happens when we all come togeth-
“On the one hand, walkouts can serve as a great medium for raising awareness within a localized area and sparking the need for change within the student body...on the other hand, walkouts don’t directly progress or regress political isues at hand because of a lack of interaction with legislative forces.” er,” an anonymous source shared. “A call to action begins when people voice their concerns unabashedly.” Winsor students did not let an absence of posters or a hastily made agenda thwart them from using their voices to propagate change. Using chants such as “Not today, NRA” and “Gun control is our goal,” students filed out of the school in solidarity, attracting the attention and even the verbal support of several Longwood Area students and residents. And yet, walkouts are a contentious method when it comes to making political statements. On the one hand, walkouts can
Winsor girls Siri Kazilionis ’19 (left), Audrey Wu ’20 (middle), Ifeanyi Umunna ’20 (right) speak at the protest. serve as a great medium for raising awareness within a localized area and sparking the need for change within the student body. “Especially for a topic like gun control, I think that walkouts are arguably the safest and most feasible way for people to speak out. Seeing as the people in charge aren’t doing anything positive in terms of gun regulation, I think it’s important for the people to find another way to have their voices heard,” shared Ifeanyi Umunna ‘20. With students from all corners of the country voicing their grievances about gun control, Congress is feeling the pressure to act immediately, to be sure. On the other hand, walkouts don’t directly progress or regress political issues at hand because of a lack of interaction with legislative forces. Lia Kornmehl ’19 reflect- Ifeanyi Umunna ’20 and Siri Kazilionis ’19
ed that although the walkout was certainly not ill-intended, there may have been more productive ways to voice our collective message: “That time could’ve been spent writing letters, signing petitions, calling reps, calling people in other states...I feel like it could’ve been used more effectively.” Some even argue that instead of assuming strictly political agendas, walkouts create opportunities for “lazy activists” to carry out their obligations to humanitarian causes. In the words of an anonymous source, “after movements like walkouts or marches, there’s a tendency to settle back into a dangerous cycle of inaction and ignorance...it’s almost too easy to sit back and say that you’ve done your job once you’ve partaken in one.” Another important question illuminated by the walkout was our role as a private institution in voicing concerns about a public school incident. Selina Li ‘18 contends, “The walkout was founded on a lot of privilege, and public school systems don’t necessarily have the resources and the capacity to be able to support their students safely as much as Winsor does...we can have our things lying around and no one will steal it. That’s a privilege that not a lot of students have.” Certainly, public school security is taking the spotlight in the national debate about gun control; after all, with relatively more resources to devote to our security, private schools may not play as substantial a role in the conversation. Equally relevant when we discuss issues pertaining to race, class, and gender, our support as a school with relatively more privilege than others should stem from a place of solidarity, rathWinsor students gather outside the school’s main entrance on February 21. winsor.edu er than altruism.
winsor.edu
Isabel Isselbacher ’18 Nevertheless, the walkout brought awareness to an incident that was, on the whole, overlooked by the Winsor administration. Seemingly evaded during an opportune assembly block on Wednesday, the mass shooting demanded direct attention and action from the student body. “As I watched the videos and the news reports on the night of February 14th, I found comfort in knowing that when I went to school the next day, there would be dialogue about and recognition of the fact that 17 high school students, just like me, were killed the day before...When it wasn’t, I was disappointed and frustrated,” emphasized Casey Hurley ‘18. The walkout, then, was perhaps to some
“After all, it could’ve been any one of us.” degree tinged with misgivings about Winsor’s own inaction regarding the shooting. A brief skimming of Facebook will reveal student walkouts happening on both local and national scales over the next few months, with widespread ones occurring on March 14th and April 20th. Yet we must go forth remembering that to walk, to shout, to voice your opinions is simply not enough. It is time to flood the voice mailboxes of our senators, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey (617-722-1276). It is time to sign petitions and read the news regularly. It is time to use your social media platforms to advocate for change and encourage your friends to do the same. After all, it could’ve been any one of us. ☐
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Belmont Hill Community Considers Response to Parkland, FL By Nick Daley ’19 Panel Staff In the aftermath of the Parkland, Florida shooting, a tragedy which left 17 people dead at the hands of a 19-year-old armed with an AR-15, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School found themselves with an unprecedented platform. The first high schoolers in the digital age to experience a major school shooting, these students refused to stay silent on the issue of their safety, rallying around the hashtag
Melvoin. In the first, he addressed concerns about Belmont Hill’s preparedness for such an attack by promising that faculty were thinking deeply about the matter. Stressing the tight-knit relationships Belmont Hill seeks to foster among classmates and teachers, Dr. Melvoin encouraged boys to look out for their classmates and friends, drawing them close and making sure everyone feels a part of the community. In his subsequent speech, he highlighted student demonstrations at other Boston-area schools, particularly in Somerville, and promised the administration’s support in the event of any
Head of School Dr. Melvoin speaks in the Hamilton Chapel. “neveragain” and becoming the faces of a country-wide conversation on gun control. They have disregarded the traditional period of silence expected by gun advocates and rejected what they saw as empty messages of thoughts and prayers from politicians. Eloquent and forceful, the students have implored Americans to stand up against indecision on the topic of gun violence and have organized the “March for our Lives” in Washington, D.C. on March 24, as well as two national school walkout days in protest of guns on March 14 and April 20, the 19th anniversary of the 1999 Columbine shooting in Colorado. The shock of another school shooting and the sight of Belmont Hill-aged teens demanding changes to gun laws has forced the community to consider its role in preventing future tragedies. Though the first walkout falls during the school’s spring break, there are plenty of opportunities for students to speak out. For a campus unaccustomed to political displays and activist spirit, the situation is a new and daunting one. Whether they believe the solution to be gun control, mental health services, or increased security at schools, Belmont Hill students are weighing the potential consequences of their stance and wondering if their actions would make a difference. The Parkland shooting has warranted two separate statements in Chapel from Dr.
Adam Richins
and Mr. Martin, the Senate has never acted for social or political reform, but when we consider this historic moment, joining or acknowledging student voices across the country may merit a few steps into uncharted territory.” The Senate’s dilemma revolves around its role as an institution that represents all students. Endorsing a political stance or specific policy measure threatens to ignore Belmont Hill boys who find themselves in disagreement. Since the Senate has historically maintained distance between itself and larger issues of political concern, yielding to
“McCormack adds, ‘At the end of the day, I think we would like to see Belmont Hill show support for the idea that motivated students can successfully catalyze change. But as a representative group and instution, navigating the individual views of our student body is the tricky part. Individuals, as in Winsor’s case, could certinaly organize a student response that may contradict the political opinions of their classmates, but we’re unsure of whether the Senate would or should do that.’”
land are inevitably tied to politics. Effective protest campaigns often achieve direct communication with lawmakers, and state and federal branches of government ultimately enact policy change to reflect the concerns of protest and activist movements. Elaborating on both their support for a student response and their hesitations around Senate-directed activism, McCormack and Carter penned the belowstatement to further illustrate the Senate’s thought process. To summarize the Senate’s considerations, McCormack adds, “At the end of the day, I think we’d like to see Belmont Hill show support for the idea that motivated students can successfully catalyze change. But as a representative group and institution, navigating the individual views of our student body is the tricky part. Individuals, as in Winsor’s case, could certainly organize a student response that may contradict the political opinions of their classmates, but we’re unsure of whether the Senate would or should do that.” Key questions arise about the role that students, faculty, schools, and groups of students might play. Are student responses inspired by the Parkland shooting inherently political? Should political protests be strictly coordinated by individuals or small groups of like-minded individuals? Should faculty members avoid or embrace their own views and opinions around students? Should a representative group like the Senate take a side on the matter? Although these questions—and many more—may remain unclear, related conversations and a thorough thought process have certainly taken place, as Belmont Hill grapples with how best to join the national student chorus. ☐
student response. Quoting Holocaust survivor Rena Finder, who spoke at Belmont Hill other clubs like Young Conservatives, Young in September 2014, Dr. Melvoin reminded Democrats, American Politics Club, Orbis, students--of all viewpoints--to be “upstand- and The Podium to facilitate such debates, ers,” emphasizing the universality of school the group hesitates to expand its role beyond safety. school policy reform and event coordinaSchool President William McCor- tion. Though some may believe protests for mack ’18 and the Senate, along with Vice school safety and gun control transcend the President Jake Carter ’18, Senator Ishaan messy political realm, instead functioning Prasad ’18, and Senator Bennett Morris ’18, as an appeal to morality, responses to Parkhave engaged with Dr. Melvoin on the matter of school safety and a potential student response several times since the Parkland shooting. “I think we feel conflicted,” McCormack shared with The Panel. “In talking with Mrs. Sweeney [the Senate’s faculty advisor], it’s become clear that this would be new territory for us. According to her experience and conversations with both Mr. Sweeney Belmont Hill’s academic quadrangle on February 23, nine days after Parkland.
William McCormack ’18
A Statement from the Senate Form VI President William McCormack ’18 and V.P. Jake Carter ’18
We thank both Dr. Melvoin and the students in Parkland for prompting us to address our role as individuals, a Senate, and student body. As a Student Senate, it is our responsibility to give students the opportunity to participate in a movement through the dispersion of information and instructions. We can and should make everyone aware that their choice to protest will not be condemned by faculty, staff, and administrators. Similarly, it should be clear that a boy’s choice to not protest will not affect how faculty, staff, and administrators treat him. At the same time, however, the organization or creation of a walkout may be synonymous with the endorsement of one, and because the Senate represents all students,
we feel that we do not we should not think it would take a stance be wise to take on the issue as a side in a gun an institution. control debate, Acting we do think in solidarity engaging the with Parkland community victims and in discussion for national is important. school safety Perhaps the differs from a best plan forresponse that ward might emphasizes be hosting an more political open forum issues like gun for students of control and the Second Amendment. While all political leanings to discuss gun control
and the Second Amendment. The Senate can certainly convene community members. Alternatively, we can help to find passionate individuals to organize a walkout or letter-writing campaign, as this is part of our responsibility to ensure that students have ample opportunity to participate in an activist movement. Once individuals are found to organize the movement, the Senate would remove itself from the planning and divert its efforts to guaranteeing optional student access to such a movement. ☐ What do you think? Join the conversation at bhpanel.org or email W. McCormack (mccormackwi@ belmonthill.org), J. Carter (carterja@belmonthill.org), B. Morris (morrisbe@belmonthill.org), or I. Prasad (prasadis@belmonthill.org).
Winsor OpinioN
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Having Fun: The Great Struggle of a Winsor Student By Katie Tsai ’19 Panel Staff Most Winsor girls are not exactly social butterflies who party every weekend. Oftentimes, our lives seem to revolve around academics and extracurricular activities, and during these times our social needs are neglected. I have heard Upper School students complaining about their lack of social interaction outside of Winsor and some even joking about how we have no social lives whatsoever. I, myself, have often compared my social life to that of my friends who attend private high schools with rigorous academic programs like Winsor’s. Although, like me, they sometimes struggle to find a balance between their studies and downtime, one key difference between their social lives and mine exists: at least once a month, they attend a school-sponsored event, ranging from a casual dance to a more formal themebased event such as Casino Night (in which people play casino games using fake money) and Carnival (where booths are set up and people can play games to win prizes). Without these school events, my friends admit that their social lives would be very similar to many of those at Winsor—ones which, although fulfilling at school, feel unsatisfactory on the weekends.
Impressions Mobile Music
Currently, Winsor’s annual school-run events include Spirit Week and Under the Lights (UTL) in October, Semi in December, and Prom for juniors and seniors in April, as well as those run by student groups, such as Jamnesty in February and SLAMP in May. Yet even with these, a lull exists. For juniors and seniors, the expansive four-and-a-half-month period between Semi and Prom may leave some craving another dance or a different type of social event. For freshmen and sophomores, this lull begins after Semi and lasts for the rest of the school year. Considering how demanding Winsor can be at times, school functions act not only as a source of fun and entertainment but also as a much-needed stress reliever. As Sophia Blyth ’19 notes, “The Winsor environment tends to be one of stress and pressure, and I feel like we are constantly in a work mode...A more relaxed event at Winsor would create a sense of community based on more than just academics.” Besides students’ need to have fun, relax, and be part of a community, there is another reason that we should have more social opportunities. Ellisya Lindsey ’19 believes “that Winsor should have more school events…because it allows the students to gain social skills that we need once we graduate from Winsor. Many students here go to school together for years and somewhat forget how to make new friends, but that is not the case once we graduate. It’s important that we are able to improve our communication with strangers, and I think school events would be a good step towards improving [these skills].” In order for this to happen, Winsor could invite students from other schools to some, if not all, of its functions, and perhaps there could be some organized activities designed to promote social interaction among the students. As anyone who has gone to Semi knows, even when boys from our brother
Students playing games at an activity night schools attend, boys and girls tend to congregate in clusters and are too shy to leave their group of friends. Since we are still developing our communication skills, few of us feel comfortable approaching complete strangers, but if we saw the same people at get-togethers throughout the year, and if we had interactive activities at these social gatherings, most likely we would develop new friendships. Of course, I recognize the possible reasons for not having more events. Funding is one concern. After having been a part of this year’s Semi planning committee, I learned firsthand that activities such as these are a lot more costly than I had initially thought. Though Winsor does not have a budget for events, the juniors planning Semi wanted to keep total expense as low as possible. Furthermore, Mrs. Markenson states, “One challenge we have is the need for chaperones. Every US faculty member is required to chaperone an event, and we already have a lot of events. (I am including the Class V and Class VII retreats, dances, Jamnesty, movie nights, etc.) There are also challenges with the calendar and finding time for more events.”
Kristie Rae Gillooly
We also need to be aware of how hosting more functions may affect families. For example, if we host a Casino Night during which students don formal attire, students who want to go may feel the pressure to buy an outfit that they cannot afford. Despite these concerns, I still believe that Winsor should try to host more social gatherings, especially if students feel that their social lives would be greatly improved. If extravagant affairs are too costly, an informal dance with no decorations would suffice. If popular enough, the cost of admission could balance out the cost of a DJ, the only part of the dance that would cost money. For students or families with financial concerns, an expensive formal dress would not be necessary. An informal dance, or even an interactive game night, with other schools would both fulfill Winsor girls’ need to relax and have fun while also allowing them to practice the social skills that will be essential later in life. Therefore, I believe that hosting a few casual events this year both would greatly benefit the student body and could be the springboard from which we may consider hosting other get-togethers in the future. ☐
Clichés: The Hallmark of Timeless American Cinema By Elly Pickette ’21 Contributing Writer
When I share that my favorite channel is Hallmark, people laugh at me. As Nora Estrada ’21 puts it, “Hallmark movies are so predictable and cliché to the point that they’re not even enjoyable to watch. They are unoriginal and unnecessary, and the lack of representation in them is a reflection of a whitewashed Hollywood.” It is hard for some people to understand why someone would choose to watch movies that all have the same predictable plots when there are cinematic masterpieces being released. To be fair, it is an understandable view point; during the year, they show reruns of old sitcoms and original shows and movies centered on family and love. At first, it was
Recent Hallmark holiday movies
hard for me to understand this too; during the holiday season, why would one choose to watch Hallmark movies when Elf was available? During the rest of the year, why watch When Calls the Heart and reruns of the Brady Bunch when there are hundreds of shows that make you think deeply about the way the world works? However, as I began actually watching the movies and shows that are akin to scorn from many, I realized the beauty in the simplistic television Hallmark shows. Year round, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s happening politically in place of what really matters: family and friends and people you love. It’s easy to read the news and feel hopeless because of the state of the world, even if you have people around you whom you love and who love you. Obviously, it is important to stay
Media Salon
Old Hallmark movies
up to date on the news. It is imperative that people be aware of what is happening in their country and around the world, as doing so is one of the best ways to stay safe and to try to fix the issues our world faces. Avery Beber ’20 wonders “how else would we learn about political issues?”, pointing out that “most of us learn about them through TV and movies.” But doing this constantly with no break of entertainment can make people feel overwhelmed. Recently, even television shows have been based on the happenings of the world. Storylines do not feel like an escape, but rather a continuation of the feelings people have, negative or positive, about the world. This is good in some cases; for example, increasing diversity and helping to bring awareness to issues such as negative occurrences in our government is certainly important. In contrast to this, Olivia Hall ’21 points out that “TV is an escape because you aren’t focusing on anything that is happening in your life or affecting your life in a little or big way...instead, you’re following
She Scribes
someone else’s journey, taking a break, or having a laugh which is nice to do.” Keeping this sentiment in mind, not all television needs to be politicized, and that is where Hallmark comes in. Sure, the channel has its issues—its shocking lack of representation, for instance, is inexcusable. Hallmark does, however, do what television should do: it makes you forget the negative things that are happening in the world that make you scared for the future. It also creates an escape from the pessimistic void of constant news updates into which people can fall. It is a way to unwind and relax and to forget all of the things that make you stressed. As Julia Beecher ’21 puts it, “Hallmark movies serve as a distraction, albeit a superficial one, from the problems we face in our lives.” It is in no way a solution to any world issues, but Hallmark has never tried to be nor claimed to be. Maybe that’s what makes it such a valuable channel: it doesn’t try to fix the world but instead tries to make it a brighter place. ☐
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Russia and the Future of Global Studies at Winsor By Sindhu Krishnamurthy ’19 Panel Staff
tures that are substantially different [from America].” The objective of the requirement now is seemingly to provide students with an understanding of an alternate worldview—not necessarily a “non-Western” one or a “non-white” one—but a global one. “Russia is a particularly intriguing new way of thinking about what Global Stud-
Continued from Front Page However, it should be noted that racial diversity is not necessarily the original focus of the Global Studies course. Set forth in 2004 by the curriculum planning committee, the requirement, under the original title of “non-Western,” initially aimed to give students an opportunity to gain exposure to a non-Western culture. The committee’s report to the faculty at the time stated that non-Western courses “will permit students to experience a culture from the inside out, will provide students with opportunities to understand themselves in relation to others and to see themselves through others’ eyes, may expose students to world views other than their own, and may lead to understanding and appreciating another culture’s aesthetic values and standards.” Since then, the name of the course has Children In Russia been broadened to “Global Studies”— representing a turn away from ies might mean,” Ms. Baker explains. “As a a Western-centric definition of the rest of country, it has elements of both European and Asian influences…The Russian Federthe world. “This has never been conceived as the ation is home to nearly 200 different ethstudy of non-white people or non-white cul- nic groups; while the Western world tends tures,” clarifies Mr. Didier. “And I understand to focus on the ethnic, or white Russian, in how some people maybe make that assump- fact, Russia is a country that has struggled tion given that it’s India, Africa, China, and for hundreds of years to create a unifying the Middle East, but that was not the driving national identity amidst diverse ethnic, reforce behind those four regions.” He explains ligious and cultural groups.” She also adds that the goal has always been “exploring cul-
that this identity stands very much in contrast to “the West.” “As someone who has family that has grown up in/are in Russia, I do feel that a lot of people have a misunderstanding of it, and the media has played a big role in that,” says Namuna Baatar ’19. “There are, in fact, ethnic diversity and a lot of history and cul-
ture in Russia…that people don’t consider or know or learn about, which is pretty hurtful and sad.” Ultimately, it is difficult to call Russia merely another Western, white, European country due to its contradiction of Western thought and its breadth of ethnic diversity. It is also certainly a relevant region to study in America today--especially given Russia’s recent involvement in American politics. But
the discussion ultimately raises the question—should Global Studies be a space to raise awareness of racial diversity, or rather a broader diversity of thought, government, and culture? Both spaces are desperately needed, considering America’s struggles with racism and xenophobia. The debate here is also influenced by very practical concerns, ideals aside. While adding a new Global Studies course is necessary in the face of growing class sizes, hiring or training teachers to teach new courses is a difficult process. And although courses like South America are not currently feasible, Russia remains an option since Ms. Grant and Ms. Baker already have passion for and experience with it. All this is not to say that the ethos of the Global Studies course can’t evolve in the future. When it comes to seeing greater racial diversity in Winsor’s curriculum, Mr. Didier concludes generally: “We can do better; but the absolute top priority for the curriculum right now isn’t nonThomas Bell white cultures. If we want to make it that way, that’s a much longer discussion, and we can make it that way. Things can change.” Given the level of student demand for the Russia course to be replaced, this will be, at the very least, an extended discussion for Winsor’s curriculum planners in the coming years. After all, Winsor’s guiding principles do dedicate the school to a “more inclusive curriculum” and “a wide array of diversity.” It’s up to the Winsor community to decide what that means. ☐
Raise a Hand to Raise a Grade: Is This System Fair? By Julie Wilson ’19 Panel Staff
With end-of-year grades in the discernible future, it’s clear why grades have been on my mind lately. This time of year always seems to bring up the same questions: How much of an impact are my grades going to have on my college applications? What factors help determine each of my grades? Recently, I have been fixated upon the latter of the two questions, perhaps because it appears at first glance to be the more easily answered. I think we like to believe that grades are cut-and-dry; if we get certain grades on our assignments, those grades will then be reflected in our report cards. And, of course, in many cases our grades are what we expect them to be. But it’s those few times when a grade is slightly different than what we assumed it would be that we begin to ask ourselves, “Are these grades really as objective as I think they are?” There are three basic categories in a typical English, history, or language grade: assessments, class participation, and homework, in order of relative weight. The fact that class participation tends to be weighted somewhere in the grey area between these two percentages seems very apropos, as students are frequently confused about how teachers grade their class participation in the first place. It’s exactly this ambiguity that precludes Mr. Didier from including class participation as part of his students’ grades. He explains, “I am loath to have a portion of a student’s grade be amorphous, and I don’t necessarily have a good way to measure what class participation looks like. Obviously, we’re not going to count comments
or observations in class.” Speaking for the English department, Ms. Jackson states that “class participation grades are not just based on the number of times one speaks, but the quality of the contributions.” Despite these clear assertions, many students seem to think that their teachers do grade class participation this way. Kayla Lee ’19 notes that “[class participation] doesn’t foster a comfortable learning environment [because it] is often measured by the number of times someone speaks during class.” Zoe Belluck ’19 agrees, saying, “[Class participation grades] encourage people to raise their hand and speak just for the sake of getting the participation grade” as opposed to fully formulating an original idea and articulating this idea when it feels appropriate. Regardless of whether or not teachers actually grade class participation based simply on numbers of comments, the fact that students believe they do indicates a lack of transparency and consistency in the class participation grading process. The murkiness of class participation grading is not only apparent in the lack of understanding between students and teachers but also evident in the lack of consistency between teachers. After searching the Winsor handbook, it seems that there is no universally agreed-upon rubric for class participation; teachers essentially get to decide for themselves how they want to grade class participation. Mr. Didier emphasizes this arbitrary nature of class participation grading, saying, “An even greater difficulty is making the distinction between, say, B+ class participation on the one hand and A- class participation on the other hand.” Another argument against grading class participation is that it does not take
into account that some students learn best through listening and absorbing others’ comments as opposed to voicing their own comments. Qirrat Anwar ’19 notes, “Not all people learn vocally and even feel comfortable constantly participating” and Kayla adds, “True class participation should be measured in engagement in the conversation (regardless of whether or not you talk).” The English department tries to “incorporate a variety of classroom activities to give different sorts of learners a chance to play to their strengths,” but it’s evident that some students still feel at a disadvantage. So what can we do to fix the problems with class participation grading? Students and teachers alike agree that it’s really important to encourage class participation. According to Mr. Didier, “it’s really important for girls in particular to learn how to engage in public discussion and argument because boys/men tend to dominate or ‘bully’ in that discursive space.” In fact, the importance of learning how to drive discussion is precisely the reason why the English department decides to include class participation into its students’ grades. Ms. Jackson writes that class participation is not only necessary for “students to develop their comfort...speaking up in larger groups in preparation for college and beyond,” but it is also “a crucial part of the English classroom since it’s one of the ways we come together as a community of learners to make discoveries about the texts we read.” Katie Tsai ’19 agrees, arguing that “without participation’s being graded, we run the risk of losing the voices of the quieter ones in class and not having as rich class discussions as we currently do.” It’s also no doubt that class participation is helpful for many students’ grades.
Winsor
Avery Beber ’20 writes, “They can be beneficial to those who may be better at contributing ideas or showing work on the board than they are at taking tests or writing papers.” One possibility Avery proposed was having class participation be able to only “help a grade.” For example, if a student is not participating enough in class, their grade would not improve by the end of the term, but it would also not worsen. This solution is just one example of many different options, all of which do not perpetuate the ambiguity of our current class participation grading system. However, until a solution is found, let’s try to participate for the sake of participation, not for the sake of our grades. ☐
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Should Seniors Have to Attend Panel Carving Class? By Gavin Colbert ’18 Panel Staff
critical for keeping seniors in the panel carving room. There is some merit in giving seniors the liberty and responsibility of budgeting their own time in order to finish their panels by graduation day. But let’s be honest: seniors would put off panel carving during the bustle of school days due to a variety of distractions such as technology (e.g., computers to watch Fortnite videos),
food (e.g., infinite amounts of burritos and subs to be picked up), and sleep (e.g., the couches in Goodband commons). It takes a few mandated classes before most seniors get “hooked” on panel carving and decide to carve during other free periods. When I finally broke ground on my panel at the drill press, I felt a serene sense of calm and purpose. The sense of peace I lose during other classes, I can find carv-
At first, I was apprehensive. Panel carving class? Whoever heard of such a thing? I had just been given the gift of an extra free block only to have it ripped away twice a week along with a biweekly loss of a long block. I knew I had to carve a panel, but I did not know there was complex scheduling involved too. To me, the woodshop was a foreign land and wood carving was a language in which I knew not one single word. Nibble nibble? Skim Skim? What’s that supposed to mean? To be brutally honest, the whole process was daunting. Your panel is the one literal mark you leave on Belmont Hill. It even takes precedence over your face in the obituary section of the bulletin. In short, it has to be good and it has to represent your essence. Therefore, as I looked down on the failed sketches and my little piece of wood, I grew anxious. And that anxiety translated into a slow creative process filled with nervy self-introspection, sketching, and tracing. During that time, I tried to find myself in the dust of the woodshop as little as necessary. And that comes down to the very bottom of the argument, the panel carving class is mission Class of 2018 seniors in the early stages of panel carving
ing my panel. Envisioning the campus as a heat map gauging stress, the red (highstress levels) area covers the quad and progressively lightens to a shade of yellow (medium to low stress) from the lunchroom to the art building to the music
“Carving creates a unifying experience among seniors as they work side by side in the pursuit of their own creative goals. Hence, it is imperative that panel carving class be mandated for seniors.”
building to the Jordan. That is not to say stress cannot be found in these places, the takeaway is that the stress can be released through creativity, elaborate artisanship, and independence. Lastly, panel carving creates a unifying experience among seniors as they work side by side in the pursuit of their own creative goals. Hence, it is imperative that panel carving class be mandated for seniors. Although I wish there were a slight bit more flexibility in the class schedule, the panel carving experience (and the relentless carving class times) is a hallmark of the Belmont Hill experience. Mr. Kaplan--and now most of the seniors-Duncan Grant ’18 wouldn’t want it any other way. ☐
Required Weight Training: An Unnecessary Headache?
compatible with their other responsibilities. Consequently, the sound of Mr. Bradley’s voice bellowing through the Dining Hall, scolding the students who Each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursforgot to mark their names in the weight day afternoon of the winter season, a sea room, has grown increasingly familiar. of Fall and Spring athletes descends on the school’s elite weight training facilities, ready to punch the clock. All too often, however, these workouts consist of wearily pacing Jordan’s corridors, anxiously awaiting the belated arrival of the sign-in sheet. Overburdened by impending projects, essays, and innumerable By Thomas McEvoy ’19 Panel Staff
What I propose is simple: a new weight training regimen wherein students must sign in for a predetermined number of days over the winter season as a whole, rather than each week. The effectiveness of such a program would
“With my new proposal, students would not be forced to slog through a weight training session, only to be greeted by a DBQ (document-based question) at home.” other assessments, many students view the prospect of devoting any significant amount of time to lifting weights as in- Belmont Hill’s state-of-the-art training facilities
Bill Mahoney
be exceeded only by the increased easeof-mind it affords its participants. Over my four and a half years on the Hill, I have learned that, especially in the Upper School, there are good days and there are bad days. With my new proposal, students would not be forced to slog through a weight training session, only to be greeted by a DBQ (document-based question) at home. Rather, the enhanced flexibility would afford students the opportunity to pick and choose which days they will work out, allow for more legitimate workouts on the days when time permits, and maximize academic productivity. After all, myself not included, most weight trainers play high-level sports in other seasons and regard the winter as a much needed opportunity for rest and recovery. Belmont Hill’s sports requirement is part of what makes the school special, but at times, mandatory weight training can result in too much heavy lifting. ☐
Senior Spring: Wasted Semester or Well-Deserved Break? By Owen Pickette ’18 Staff Writer
mester, then that comes out to a grand total of three to five hours of homework for a single night. What do you think that does to a person after four years of high school? That’s not even mentioning the tests and projects we also have to balance. Look, I’m not saying the teachers aren’t forgiving--they are. The faculty is the very best part of Belmont Hill. They’re intelligent, passionate, and sympathetic, and they give us a world-class high school education using the knowl-
edge they have acquired from world-class colleges and universities. Every teacher in the school deserves the seniors’ attention and respect at all times because what’s just another math class to us is the career and livelihood of our teacher. What’s the solution, then? The seniors want the spring off. The teachers want to and have to do their jobs. How can we all get what we want? Here’s my answer: make senior spring about the learning. For all of Belmont Hill, we’re
The Senior Slide. The bane of all teachers’ existence. We can all picture it from years past. There’s KanJam on the lawn and water fights in the quad. Seniors waking up in the morning and deciding that 8:00 AM is too early before hitting the snooze button. Is it deserved? Are the seniors actually entitled to a semester off from their work, their worries, and their troubles? Let’s take a look at both sides. We work hard each and every day at Belmont Hill. I’m not sure if my friend Austin Kwoun ‘18 has left his room in the past four years (please laugh). Belmont Hill is hard, and we all appreciate that. We all love the challenges and the learning opportunities that are provided to us here. But, just for a second, let’s do some basic math, shall we? If every teacher says their assignment shouldn’t take any longer than an hour, and we have five classes each se- The beautiful spring campus that seniors eagerly await
John Gillooly
so grade-focused because that’s how the college process is nowadays. There is so much pressure to do every single assignment, no matter how small, perfectly. That’s not what learning is about; learning is about making mistakes. If the seniors can meet the teachers in the middle and pay attention in classes and master the material, then maybe the teachers put more emphasis on effort and participation in the grading process. Senior spring gives the Class of 2018 a chance to unwind before the next most stressful part of our lives begins. It’s doesn’t have to be a slide, though. Moving past the college process provides the opportunity for teachers and students to work together to finally make school fully about the learning itself. That way, the teachers can do their jobs, and the seniors can enjoy a well-earned, relaxing bookend to their childhoods; a chance for every senior to both reflect on their time at school and look towards a bright future. ☐
B elmont HIll opinions
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Get off the Fence: Is a Hotdog a Sandwich? A Hotdog is a Sandwich
In this issue of The Panel, we are continuing our feature debate between two students with opposing beliefs. After The Panel is released, a poll will be sent out to assess the student body’s views on the topic at hand. These results will be published in the subsequent issue along with a brand new talking point: Is a Hot Dog a Sandwich?
By Matthew Smith ’19 Panel Staff
By Joshua Fairman ’19 Panel Staff A sandwich: meat between bread. A hot dog: meat between bread. I hope I’m not going too far out on a limb here, but these seem like the same thing. Some may challenge me and say, “Hold up, Josh, sandwiches have two slices of bread, whereas a hot dog has only one.” In response to this, I’m going examine the technical aspects of eating a sandwich. When one eats a ham and cheese, they grasp both slices of bread, top and bottom. The fingers make contact at two distinct points. On a hot dog, it’s the same thing, only rotated, as one grasps the sides of the bun for optimal support. I believe that drawing a distinction between
A Hotdog is not a Sandwich
Hotdog “sandwich”
The debate over whether a hot dog is a sandwich is as divisive as ever, as America continues to beat the proverbial dead horse (or cow). In November 2015, however, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), the preeminent authority on oblong meats, delivered its verdict on the issue, officially settling any and all controversy. “Limiting the hot dog’s significance by saying it’s ‘just a sandwich’ category is like calling the Dalai Lama ‘just a guy.’
ty unable to do its dirty work of stealing our yummy sandwich contents. Now that I have laid out my argument, I believe that the loose constructionists among you will side with the dog having the inalienable right to declare itself a sandwich. ☐
“Maybe it doesn’t matter what you call a hotdog. Maybe what’s important is that everyone has the opportunity to feel like a winner when they eat weiner.”
Belmont Hill Speaks*
Perhaps at one time its importance could be limited by forcing it into a larger sandwich category (no disrespect to Reubens and others), but that time has passed,” said NHDSC President and ‘Queen of Wein’ Janet Riley (yes, you read that correctly: ‘Queen of Wein’ is an official position in the NHDSC). A true American staple, served everywhere from baseball games to carnivals, the hot dog transcends the confines of traditional words and labels. In a press release, the NHDSC proclaimed, “a hot dog is an exclamation of joy, a food, a verb describing one ‘showing off ’ and even an emoji. It is truly a category unto its own.” Driven by a desire for control and normalcy, the constant human conquest to label everything from races to animals to foods seems
“I believe that drawing a distinction between the two based solely on the physical separation of bread is a bit persnickety.” the two based solely on the physical separation of bread is a bit persnickety. Let’s get even more basic: your typical sandwich has four sides open, while hot dogs have three. I would go as far as to say that the hotdog is an improved sandwich. By shoring up the bottom, we render gravi-
“Sandwich? A hotdog is a wrap. Don’t @ me” - Lawson Morris ‘19 “Hotdog? That’s not chicken, is it? - Chef Gagne “Come on guys, I was just trying to help.” - The Rat *A collection of fictional quotes from around Campus
Illustration by Elias Hyde ‘20 to be the only reason that people have tried to categorize the hot dog as a sandwich. The NHDSC admits some fault in this: “The Council has often followed American history and USDA guidance on the issue and fallen on the side of the hot dog as a sandwich. When it first arrived on American shores from Europe in the late 1800s, it was often referred to as a ‘Coney Island sandwich’ or ‘Frankfurter sandwich,’ but much like an ‘ice cream sundae’ is simply referred to as a sundae, terminology changes.” Given its iconic status in the food pantheon, it is well past time for the language that describes the hot dog, whatever it may be, to reflect that. The NHDSC closed out one of their old press releases with a profoundly optimistic message: “We hope our position offers America some clarity and peace of mind. No matter how someone defines a hot dog, this much we can all agree on— it is THE great American food, beloved by all.” And maybe that’s the point. Maybe it doesn’t matter what you call a hotdog. Maybe what’s important is that everyone has the opportunity to feel like a winner when they eat weiner. ☐
From the Archives: Ted Williams Signs Panel (1956), Noam Chomsky Visits (2002) Note from the Editors This year, the 66th Editorial Board of The Panel chose two core themes for the publication — retrospection and celebration. From exploring the history of the Hamilton Chapel, to considering the announcments of the most recent Heads of School, we at The Panel have found great enjoyment in linking Belmont Hill’s past to its present. Throughout the year, The Panel included excerpts from older editions and articles, providing the student body with an accessible means to investigate the Belmont Hill experience from 1923 to 2018. As we embarked on our school’s 95th year, we at The Panel hoped to lead the school through the beginning of an important transition period. We hope that this leadership will continue far beyond this volume. The process of both celebrating and re-evaluating the past will be almost as important as pondering the future.
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Berklee College Musicians Perform for a Captivated Chapel Audience Three Little Birds, Jason and Jacob had the crowd clapping, snapping, and singing along. Immensely talented and charismatic, the duo created a warm, happy atmosphere in the chapel and received a standing ovation at the end of their performance. Afterwards, students and faculty alike buzzed about how much they enjoyed the morning entertainment, and the show’s jovial tone lightened the mood on campus throughout the rest of the day. Not only did Jason and Jacob bring such talent and happiness to the school that morning, but the change in pace from the usual long chapels was refreshing for many students. Instead of listening to a forty-minute lecture, the boys were able to actively participate in a new, exciting kind of chapel. The merit of modifying the usual routine in order to engage the student body was on full display that day, and the Belmont Hill community is glad to have been able to hear and sing along with the talented Sibi-Okumu duo. ☐
By Jack Weldon ’20 Panel Staff
Belmont Hill students were treated to a long chapel of music and fun on the morning Friday, February 16th. Perhaps expecting a lengthy speech, the boys were instead pleasantly surprised to discover that the chapel would consist of a performance by two students from the Berklee College of Music. Warmly introduced by family friend Mr. McAlpin, Jason and Jacob Sibi-Okumu walked onto the chapel stage with guitars in hand and introduced themselves to the school community. Hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, Jason gave a brief, rousing speech about pursuing one’s ambitions in life. With acoustic guitars in hand, Jason, a singer and songwriter, teamed up with his jazz guitarist brother Jacob to perform an excellent half hour of music for the Belmont Hill community. Playing familiar songs such as Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, Coldplay’s Fix You, and Bob Marley’s
Checking in with the B-Flats: An Interview with Rishi Banerjee ‘19 By John High ’19 and Ben St. Peters ’19 Staff Writers A few wondrous times a year, the prestigious B-Flats perform several ballads in the Chapel that never fail to impress. We spoke with one of the group’s baritone singers, Rishi Banerjee (Form V), and the leader of the bass section, Vincent Costantini (Form VI). When asked about the B-Flats’ current projects, Banerjee mentioned the group’s upcoming (though no longer) performance for the Beacon Society of Boston at the historic Algonquin Club in Boston on Saturday, March 3rd. The Flats tackled The Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road”, Fun.’s “Some Nights”, Charlie Wilson’s “I’m Blessed” (featuring an original rap verse from Spenser Nuzzo and Luca Pontone!), and “I Have a Dream”, a lyrical rendition of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech. As aforementioned, the B-Flats frequent our Chapel; Banerjee reflects fondly on the experiences, calling them “wonderful bonding experiences” for the brothers in song. The only potential drawback of being a member of the cohesive group is the notion that it is as demanding as it is fun; it meets at C block every day and must be
with less confidence in their abilities feel comfortable in this environment of camaraderie; the Belmont Hill community on the whole supports the Flats with fervor and enthusiasm. The group’s impact on the BH community is salient and obvious, but few know about the group’s community outreach endeavors. A few times a year, Mr. Patterson (known affectionately as Brother P) has his group venture out of the Chapel to perform. Whether in Wadsworth for the senior and alumni moms or performing at malls and veterans’ and senior citizens’ homes, they are motivated by the quintessential Belmont Hill desire to help others and bring joy to the community. Per Vinny, it’s simply worth it “to go up and give them a good time, and to have fun singing with each other;” it really “makes the day” of those who have the opportunity to see them - or those for whom the Flats have the opportunity to perform. The B-Flats represent hard work, passion, charity, camaraderie, and joy, many of the B-Flats sing the National Anthem during Basketball’s “Senior Night” Jay Smith tenets by which Belmont Hill operates. worked into each member’s daily schedule be neglected. Nonetheless, Rishi doesn’t Plus, who can resist the smooth croon of like an academic class, leaving each mem- worry, nor do most of the boys. According a baritone? ☐ ber without a free block. Each sophomore, to Vinny, the emotional benefits of being a junior, and senior has his own demand- member the group significantly outweigh ing workload that can scarcely afford to the potential negatives. Even the singers
One Last Time: Arnav and Seth’s Spotify Playlist of the Issue this is the music that would be playing there.
By Seth Israel ’18 and Arnav Prasad ’18 Panel Staff Get It Straight - Spendtime Palace Tired - Sugar Candy Mountain Tired is a word that describes my Belmont Hill experience in a lot of ways. Sugar Candy Mountain is formed by the duo of Ash Reiter and Will Halse. The music they make is categorized as psychedelic pop, with emphasis on the psychedelic. Although they use fairly common primary instruments - guitar, bass, drums, synths - the music they produce sounds nothing like anything I’ve heard. Reiter and Halse’s songs create an intense yet soothing soundscape that is sure to make you question the music you’ve heard before. If there was a place called Sugar Candy Mountain, I think
Spendtime Palace is awesome five-man band from Southern California. The troupe of high school friends embodies southwestern American culture, from their cover art to their instrumentation. My favorite part of “Get It Straight” is how the bass carries the melody throughout the song, occasionally interrupted by sweet guitar riffs. The lead singer’s voice is distinct, which is nice to hear in an age of repetitive music. How Sweet It Is [To Be Loved By You] - James Taylor I was indoctrinated into James Taylor’s world by my mom, and this song is one of my favorites. There’s not a lot to say about this song; it’s
really just a feel-good song that you can listen to But after listening to Jaden Smith’s breakout album on repeat. more and more, it started to grow on me, specifically “Fallen.” In this track, Jaden shows off his voMorning Dance - Spyro Gyra cal versatility, flexing his vocal range in the chorus The last song was inspired by my mom, but and spitting bars in the verses. this track was introduced to me by my dad. Spyro Up The Junction - Squeeze Gyra is a jazz fusion band that rose to popularity “Up The Junction” is perhaps Squeeze’s in the 1970s. The band is named after spirogyra, most iconic song. The British rock band rosea genus of green algae that Jay Beckenstein, the to fame during the late 1970s in the UK. Oddly band’s founder, learned about in college. As you enough, this new wave song is based on a colleccan tell from their name alone, Spyro Gyra is a tion of short stories by Neil Dunn. In addition to unique group that developed their own style of Dunn’s work, Chris Difford, the lyricist, said the music and forged their own path in the jazz fusion group borrowed from Roxy Music and Bob Dylan scene. when writing the song. The lyrics, carried along by a familiar, punchy melody, tell a simple and relatFallen - Jaden Smith able story. This song is truly a classic. When I first listened to SYRE, I hated it. Continued on Page 21
Featured Team: Varsity Skiing Get the full playlist on Spotify - @bhpanel
Blase Ty Dolla $ign
Rolex Ayo & Teo
Jungle X Ambassadors
Thunderstruck Galantis
Narcos Migos
Stir Fry Migos
Runaway Galantis
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God Of Carnage: The Senior-Directed Play Stuns and Delights By Austin Kwoun ’18 Panel Staff
With vomit on the Kokoschka, the smell of rum in the air, and tulips strewn across the room, the final image of Yasmine Reza’s God of Carnage is a sight to behold. The senior-directed play - directed by Owen Pickette ’18 - was the last Belmont Hill show for both Theo Why ’18 and Henry Vettel ’18, and they went out with a bang, to say the least. Belmont Hill packed the Kraft on March 1st (an open dress rehearsal), March 2nd, and March 3rd to watch Annette and Alan Raleigh and Michael and Veronica Novak devolve from civility into neanderthalism and ac-
cusations of rodent-slaughter. Each of the four characters soliloquized masterfully as they vacillated from teams of husband and wife to teams of man and woman, before each finally arriving at a separate corner of the stage with the jarring conclusion that they were alone. Dana Hall actress Katie Gardner’s visceral emotional performance as Veronica Novak held the audience rapt, while Vettel’s agitated, wild-eyed performance as her husband stole the show. Loulou Taylor’s, also a product of Dana Hall and who portrayed Annette Raleigh, explosive transformation from a demure problem-solver to a furious tulip-hurler and attempted-alcohol-thief shocked the audience; Alan Raleigh (Why) fueled the fire with an ef-
fortless acted complacency and who revelled in the glow of being detestable. The two couples, who met to discuss a fight between their children, turned on one another with incredible enthusiasm and created a fascinatingly tense, toxic set; they couldn’t have captured the ambiance of God of Carnage any better. But wait, there’s more. With vomit at three in the morning, the smell of Pepto Bismol in the air, and three of the four co-stars bedridden with two stomach bugs and a dislocated knee mere days or even hours before curtain on Friday night, it’s a miracle that God of Carnage happened at all, let alone as fantastically as it did. Katie limped around the stage with her apples-pears-ginger-
bread clafouti; Theo looked like a dead man before and after the show, but performed with such fire and enthusiasm that one might think him healthier than ever. Loulou stayed home in the morning as well, but she more than rose to the occasion. Henry, unhandicapped, performed like the only healthy actor in the cast and more, laying waste to the reconciliatory atmosphere with aplomb. The cast put forth a stunning rendition of a finely crafted commentary on the human condition; expectations were high for God of Carnage, but wonderful performances on Friday and Saturday surpassed them and more. Congratulations to Owen and the cast on a fantastic show! ☐
An Inside Look: The Musicians of Belmont Hill School By Renny gong ’20 and Charlie Mullaney ’20 Staff Writers Belmont Hill is mainly known for its scholars, athletes, and artists, but there are many musicians on the Hill as well. From percussion to strings to brass, student musicians enjoy playing a wide range of instruments for a number of reasons. Whether it’s just to relax, or for the thrill of performing before a live audience, the music they create helps them in a number of ways, in and out of school. Boys across the middle and upper school alike are benefactors of the therapeutic effects of music: 25 boys take lessons at Belmont Hill (most years see anywhere between 20-50 stdents taking lessons), while several more boys pursue lessons outside of school but are involved in ensembles on the Hill. Practicing an instrument from a young age teaches students to be more productive, creative, and diligent. The instrumentalists on the Hill vary by origin story, but many have similarly learned life lessons and found a haven in music.
Playlist (cont.) Continued from Page 20
Look Alive (feat. Drake) - BlocBoy JB 901 Shelby Drive. Enjoy Right Now, Today - Tyler, the Creator One of my new favorite songs. The title says it all. Tyler describes this song as the closing credits to the album, if it were a movie, and I think that sums the song up perfectly. Arnav’s Honorable Mentions Big Shot - Kendrick Lamar The Middle - Zedd Location - AJR Spotify Sessions ☐
Many of the musicians that we spoke was unsatisfied with idling his time away and to did not begin their musical careers vol- saw music as a constructive, creative outlet untarily. “I started playing the saxophone in for engagement. 3rd grade because my school required an inMany students have found that strument, not really because I wanted to” playing an instrument has taught them says Artemy Ivanov ‘20. “But now that I’ve important life lessons about persevercome so far, I’m glad that I stuck with ance. Rhocar Constant, a fourth it.” This is the same story for many form pianist, observes “I guess I’ve student musicians, whether it was a learned how important practicing school requirement or an adamant is. Nothing really comes naturally parent, not many actually started out of and it’s important to perfect your their free will. But with time and practice, art.” Rhocar thinks all students should they came to love the songs their instrutry playing an instrument because “you ments could play, and just kept playing. never know whether you might like it.” By contrast, second-former LawDespite Belmont Hill’s pressing rence Tang felt a personal calling to play workload, instrumentalists are comthe Alto saxophone. “I was listening to mitted to carving out time to play Jazz Radio when I was young when their instrument. When asked I heard the saxophone, and I just about how he juggles acaknew that I wanted to play the demics with music, saxist sax.” This interest persists and Lawrence Tang claims that he continues to practice and playing his instrument has play the sax. Charles Geddes taught him to be more ef‘22, who plays three instruficient. He says, “playing ments (piano, guitar, and sax) the sax has taught me to says, “Playing these instrumanage my time better.” ments has made me further reLikewise, Rhocar Constant alize my love for music.” The love explains, “To be honest, I usufor an instrument can be a strong ally put schoolwork first. Howsource of motivation to come ever, I usually try to get back and practice that inpractice in between difstrument. ferent subjects.” School Some students at necessitates time and Belmont Hill picked up dedication, but there is an instrument because a clear capacity for the they felt like they needcoexistence of music ed an activity to channel and academics; if stutheir energy. For example, dent’s are passionate, Howard Huang, a violinist they find time for both. and second former says, “ It In spite of that nobothers me when I am not dotion, music certainly has Bennett Morris ‘18 ing anything and the violin helps a place in the community as an fulfill my need keep busy.” Howard, like activity of leisure and relaxation. Music is many other instrumentalists at Belmont Hill, indeed an avenue for many students to let
loose and focus on a passion as an alternative to stressing about schoolwork. While some Belmont Hill musicians make their homes on the big stage, others play to relieve stress and perform simply to share that which makes them happy. A perfect avenue for such instrumentalists is the biannual Belmont Hill Coffee House series, wherein musicians of any variety can share their passion with the community on a night that relieves stress for all. Whether as a venue where Henry Vettel ‘18 and the Upper School Rock Band can let loose with ‘80s alt rock, or as a locale for then-seventh grader Antonio Ubeda ‘18’s to wow his audience with his mastery of the classical guitar (still hoping for an encore!). As a place for established musicians like Austin Kwoun ‘18 and David Paine ‘18 to play jazzy duets or for Paine to stun the crowd with a guitar and a loop pedal, the Coffee House gives the boys on the Hill a breather and shares talent, passion, and happiness with the community. Not only does music help these students relax, but it actually helps them with their schoolwork as well. By sticking with an instrument and putting in the hours practicing, many musicians say it helped them develop a sense of diligence and hard work. “Playing the Bass has given me a very good sense of accomplishment and what I can do. It feels great when hours and hours of practicing a song pays off and I can play along with the recording perfectly.” says Charlie Stevenson of the fourth form. Moreover, a host of studies have explored the merit of the “Mozart Effect”, many concluding that listening to a Mozart sonata can enhance spatial-temporal abilities for a period of time. The common denominator: music, for reasons both scientific and theoretical, can influence the Belmont Hill student significantly, and perhaps in wholly unprecedented ways. ☐
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Art History Forces Winsor to Confront Its “Missing History” Jamila O’Hara ’19 Panel Staff “Does Winsor’s art collection aptly reflect the student body and the events of the time? What do the gaps in Winsor’s art collection mean?” These provocative questions are at the heart of a project recently undertaken by the juniors and seniors of Winsor’s fall semester Art History elective. In the weeks preceding winter break, art history students were tasked with designing and producing an exhibit pertaining to a topic of the class’ choosing. Students first looked to Winsor’s own art collection for inspiration for their exhibit: Winsor houses an extensive collection of art in its basement archives; although the majority of this artwork is donated, the collection also includes several works which were purchased or deliberately acquired by the school. As the class sifted through Winsor’s catalog of art, students began to notice a telling trend: despite the school’s commitment to upholding gender equality, female empowerment, and cultural diversity, white male artists still appear to dominate Winsor’s art collection. Throughout their research, the art history students found that women and people of color are significantly underrepresented in Winsor’s art collection, both as artists and as subjects portrayed in the pieces themselves. In order to further explore the discrepancies and gaps in Winsor’s historical artistic narrative, the class selected the theme of “Winsor’s Missing History” as the central focus of their exhibit, highlighting specifically the ways in which subtopics of feminism and civil rights were
included in or omitted from Winsor’s art collection. “[After settling on our topic] we then spent the rest of the semester writing informational blurbs for each piece, wall panel text for the entrance of the exhibit, brochures with historical information and making sure that the pieces we wanted were actually available for the exhibit,” art history student Ellisya Lindsey ’19 shares of the class’s diligent efforts to curate the collection. The exhibit first opened on January 18th in the gallery space on the second floor of the Lubin O’Donnell center. It featured several interesting art media, including various sculptures, paintings, drawings, and textile patchwork; particularly striking pieces include a display that features a side-by-side generational comparison of students’ art history notebooks from 2017 and from several decades ago, a piece chronicling the evolution of Winsor’s standards of dress throughout
its history, and numerous works by current Winsor students. The class portrait of the Class of 1971 was also featured in the exhibit; this photograph features the first African-American students to graduate from Winsor. Ellisya Lindsey ’19 believes that pieces of history such as these were important to include in the exhibit. She reflects, “Something I found interesting was that the first black student graduated from Winsor in 1971. When you think about how 1971 was only 47 years ago, it’s strange, and a little sad, that the first black student graduated from Winsor relAnya Samtani atively recently.” Accompanying these pieces are informative blurbs written by art history students that convey their own reflections as well as thought-provoking interviews gauging the opinions and experiences of Winsor faculty members. Although the exhibit has since closed, its impact on the student body is evident. The exhibit provided important insight into Winsor’s history and into the manner in which it is represented through artwork, especially given that many stu-
dents may have known little about Winsor’s archives prior to the opening of the exhibit. Previously unaware of the existence of the art collection, Julie Wilson ’19 described the exhibit as “eye-opening,” reflecting, “[the artwork and information contained in the collection] shows how little we truly know about Winsor’s history.” Leslie Moukheiber ’19 also appreciated the expository nature of the exhibit, stating, “I really liked seeing all the artwork that has been forgotten in Winsor’s history, especially ones that represent the inequalities that Winsor has experienced.” Many students applauded the art history class’ commitment to uncovering the nuances and complexities of Winsor’s complex history with diversity and representation. Lia Kornmehl ’19 observed, “Even though diversity might have been a relatively new concept to Winsor when many of the pieces were created, the exhibit definitely included a lot of representation.” The exhibit also inspired curiosity among many students regarding the messages conveyed by Winsor’s collection; Sophie de Castro ’19 feels that “we should definitely continue looking to see what else we can uncover.” Continued questioning of Winsor’s history is certainly a necessary step in evaluating and reinforcing the school’s commitment to diversity and equity. As stated in the introduction to the exhibit, “while reflection on inequality in our history can be uncomfortable, it is a process necessary for all communities to grow and develop…we feel it embodies the Winsor spirit of equality, exacting self improvement, diversity, and kindness to go forth and explore these themes in a student-curated art exhibit.” ☐
Winsor/RL Concert: Two Schools, Together in Song and Spirit Leslie Moukheiber ’19 Contributing Writer Throughout the Winsor and Roxbury Latin concert, attendees were transported to a mystical and musical land through songs like Karl Jenkin’s epic “Adiemus,” Brahms’ enchanting “Three Love Songs,” and Leonard Bernstein’s show-stopping Mass. This year’s joint concert between Winsor and Roxbury Latin contained an impressive variety of music, and the hard work of the singers at both schools was displayed on Sunday at 6 p.m., March 4. The event was held at Roxbury Latin this year. The spring concert is an important performance. Students work hard to learn the pieces for the concert as well as memorize everything they will be singing, with the exception of the joint piece. However, students report that the hard work is worth it. Andrew White ’18, a senior at Roxbury Latin and member of the Glee Club and the a capella group, Latonics, says, “I love the concert because it gives everyone the opportunity to experience a mixed cho-
ral setting with an orchestra. While both choirs’ regular repertoires are exciting and fun to perform, this high-production-value event really shows everyone the true potential of choral singing.” Additionally, the performance is not without a great deal of organization and collaboration on the teacher’s end. Lisa Taillacq, one of the conductors and organizers of the event, remarks, “I am very excited about this years concert! Mr. Opdycke and I spend months going back and forth with ideas for our joint pieces before making our decision. We have worked together for many years and have learned that there are lots of pieces to the puzzle in preparing works like these and hundreds of different variables to consider. However, when we have our first joint rehearsal with the RL boys, it’s always thrilling to hear the full chorus sound: from the lowest bass to the highest soprano and everything in between!” Such a tone was definitely displayed Sunday night. In the portion of the concert sung by Winsor, Chorale, which includes Small Chorus, began with singing a tradition folk song,
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“‘Cross the Wide Missouri,” and continued into “Adiemus,” a piece by Karl Jenkin. Chorale then proceeded with the classic “Tonight” by Leonard Bernstein from the popular musical West Side Story. The quick pace and elated mood of “Tonight” left the audience breathless and cheerful. What is great about this part of the performance is that these pieces are sung by both Chorale and Small Chorus. Elizabeth Xu ’20 reflects, “It’s really nice getting to sing and work with Small Chorus especially when we split voice parts. With different harmonies, I really have to listen carefully to make sure I am actually singing the right notes. The girls in Small Chorus are also there to help us out as well as to create a fuller sound.” The concert then continued with Winsor’s Small Chorus taking the stage singing some of the beautifully done songs from the fall concert, as well as new pieces. Specifically, Small Chorus sang a collection of songs called “Three Love Songs” by Johannes Brahms. These three tender pieces tell captivating love stories, and, most impressively, all were sung in German. Small Chorus’ program also included “Shadows of the Night,” originally sung by Pat Benatar and arranged by the Jackson Jills, an a cappella group of Tufts University, which was last performed with the Jackson Jills at Collect’s Unidos Concert in February. Soloists Kayla Lee ’19 and Julie Wilson ’19 did an incredible job! The most prominent and powerful part of the concert was the end, when both Winsor and Roxbury Latin singers joined together into one choir and performed Leonard Bernstein’s Mass in celebration of 100th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Before the concert, Kayla, who is an alto in Small Chorus, remarked, “I’m excited to sing in the joint concert in RL because the addition of the guys gives a new depth to our performances.” The combination of female and male voices builds a full and res-
onating sound that completely fills the auditorium. Audience members were amazed by the power of these combined voices. The Mass was sung passionately, evident in the powerful stomping in the Agnus Dei. The concert concluded with the final prayer in Bernstein’s Mass and the audiences was left with the combined choir’s powerful “amen” still ringing in their ears. It was a spectacular performance and will be just as incredible next year. ☐
March and April at Winsor March 10th - March 25th: Spring Break! March 11th: Celebration of the Life of Virginia Wing @ Winsor, 1pm March 30th - April 7th: Passover March 30th: Birthday of Ali ibn Abi Talib March 30th: Good Friday April 1st: Easter Sunday April 6th: A Cappella Fest @ RL, 7:30pm; International Night @ Winsor, 6-8pm April 12th: Hemenway Speeches April 13th: Laylat al-Mi’raj April 16th: Patriot’s Day (No School!); Boston Marathon April 20th and 21st: Distracted (Winsor Spring Play), 7-9pm April 27th: Seniors’ Last Day of Classes; SLAMP @ Winsor
Book Recommendations
Courtesy of the Upper School Book Club Symphony for the City of the Dead by M. T. Anderson The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Memoirs of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol A List of Cages by Robin Roe Visit the new “Take a Book, Leave a Book” Shelf in the Virginia Wing Library’s first floor!
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Artist of the Issue: Lia Kornmehl ’19 with Back of the House Ellisya Lindsey ’19 Panel staff
Even though the United States is based on immigration, the topic of immigration itself still remains controversial to this day. Inspired by the complicated history of immigration in the United States, Lia Kornmehl ’19 made Back of the House, a documentary that explores the lives of Latinx immigrants in the United States who work in food service. Lia has practically always been interested in public policy and affairs. As a result of her internship in the Governor’s office during the summer of 2016, she has become more “passionate about making change and organizing [her] community.” Lia’s affinity for activism, such as calling and writing for campaigns, gave her the foundation to produce Back of the House and show it in assembly at Winsor. For Lia, Back of the House “started out as a way...to educate [herself] on the daily lives and achievements of immigrants
in service industries.” However, when she “realized how important, and sometimes overlooked, their contributions were, “[Lia] decided to film the interviews and create a documentary to convey the hard work and sacrifice [she] had seen.” From February 2017 on, she spent a year working on Back of the House by scheduling interviews, filming, editing together all of the material, and creating a promotional poster. The many parts of this documentary that she committed to making show her dedication to this cause. She also received help translating interviews filmed in Spanish into English from Ms. Bravo, an Upper School Spanish teacher. Because Lia “really wanted people to see that the immigration isn’t and shouldn’t be a far off issue; even if people don’t realize it, immigrants shape and better everyone’s daily lives,” she dedicated between 5 to 28 hours a week to make sure that she had the most effective and meaningful product possible. As Lia hoped, students did begin to think about and discuss the issue of immi-
gration more than they had before. Kayla Lee ’19 reflected, “I thought [the film] was extremely inspiring, and it really left me thinking about the way that I interact with others. Also, I never really thought about the workers I didn’t see in restaurants. It was eye opening to get their perspectives.” Sophie de Castro ’19 also found the documentary compelling. She shared, “I thought Lia’s documentary was super impressive and thought-provoking. It has inspired me to start discussions with my peers and others outside of Winsor about the significant role of immigrants in the service industry that we often do not acknowledge.” Lia has entered Back of the House into some film festivals both in and outside of Boston in hopes of opening a larger discussion. She became a semifinalist in the Los Angeles CineFest. Additionally, Back of the House will be shown at the New Haven International Film Festival from May 2 to May 6 this year, so it seems that Lia is most definitely on her way to achieving her goal of making sure that the Latinx immigrants
are no longer forgotten in the “back of the house.” Visit backofthehousemovie.com to see the film and for more information about the documentary. ☐
backofthehousemovie.com
Artistic Students Take the Reins Student Plays Inspire Audience Qirrat Anwar ’19 Panel staff Whenever students hear that Cookie Wednesday or the Hip-Hop group is scheduled to perform, halls erupt in excited cheers. Student organized arts groups are becoming more and more important in the Winsor community every day as the band Cookie Wednesday and a Hip-Hop dance group have a large fanbase at Winsor. Cookie Wednesday’s members include Penny Mack ’18, Olivia Brasher ’18, and Madison Lehan ’18. All three contribute to writing and scoring their original music. Cookie Wednesday has performed several times at Upper School Meeting and even performed at Jamnesty, where they were without a doubt an audience favorite, with their song cleverly titled “S.S. LOC”. The group explained that the song is “a satirical commentary on the administration’s unwavering, borderline comical love of the LOC and its architecturally bizarre spaces;” however, they explain that though “this mockery was a subtlety that fans may have overlooked, the ultimate meaning of any of our songs is really up to the interpretation of the listener.” Cookie Wednesday’s rather satirical style is what seems to make them so appealing to the Winsor community, as their songs discuss a comical side of issues present in Winsor’s student life. For example, their song “Salem Mouse” was inspired by Winsor’s fall production of The Crucible. Similarly the song “Crunchy Mic” addresses the sound quality of specific Winsor music equipment. Their funny and light-hearted singles are popular with their Upper School audience. “They are an influential group,” said Talia Ward ’19. “I can’t wait for their new song releases! I am such a big fan, one might even call me a groupie.”
Evidently, Cookie Wednesday is extremely popular. In fact, when discussing the band’s performances, students have mentioned that they have “re-watched a video recordings, several times.” The members themselves comment, “We are so happy about the love and support we’ve received in response to our work.” In addition to Cookie Wednesday, an Upper School Hip-Hop dance group is another student group that is highly praised in the Winsor community. This ensemble is extremely talented with their impressive synchronization and smooth dance moves and has performed at several Upper School Meetings, during a school-wide assembly, and during Jamnesty this year. Asrah Rizvi ’20, an active member and choreographer of the group, gave some insight on the response the dancers received from the student body. “The feedback from the Winsor students has been really amazing -- my dance group and I feel very fortunate to have such a supportive and kind community encouraging and cheering for us whenever we perform,” said Asrah. “We work really hard and practice a lot to make the dances as polished as we can, and it takes a lot of self-confidence and courage to actually get on a stage and perform it. Seeing Winsor students appreciate us and compliment our hard work is really meaningful and helps us become a lot more comfortable and confident with ourselves and our skills, and makes us want to come back to the stage again and again to share our passion with the school.” Thanks to the LOC and Winsor’s updated arts facilities, students are able to access the equipment and space, such as the dance studio and recording studio, necessary to organize and maintain independent, student-led groups. We look forward to their upcoming performances and hope to see additional student-led groups soon! ☐
The Hip-Hop Dance Group performed in the 2017 Winsor Dance Concert.
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Both of the scripts selected for this year could have been quite confusing for audience members; however, the audience was able to find both humor and meaning in the “You’re not alone,” said Penny Mack unfamiliar worlds created in each play as ’18 as Woman from Hell. “You’ve lots of well as complex commentaries on how peofriends… men who turned into sticks.” ple live their lives and interact with others. So ended The Man Who Turned Into a “There were a lot of philosophical questions Stick by Kobo Abe, the first play of Winsor’s inspired by the show: what happens after student-directed production, which was death, if we can ever really understand each performed February 15th in the LOC Black other… [Audience members] were talking Box theater. The second play featured was about it, which was really cool,” noted Abby The Sandbox by Edward Albee. Both plays Golden. are absurdist; they incorporate the belief The production was well-received by that the universe is meaningless and irra- the collection of students, faculty, and famitional. Therefore, situations or stories that lies. “Not only was I shook -- in a good way! are seemingly -- by the complexity absurd or conof both plays, but I tradict our unwas also shook by the derstanding of unbelievable talent of the world are the actors and direcjust as valid as tors,” said Julie Wilthose that fit son ’19. “The fact that neatly into soI walked away with ciety today. even a small sense of The Man the messages behind Who Turned these complicated Into a Stick plays is a testament to Brownpapertickets.com / lagcc-cuny.digication.com the capabilities [of all tells the tale of exactly that: involved.]” a man (Lena The intimate Venkatraman ’18) who, upon his death, and minimalist setting in the LOC Black becomes an ordinary stick that needs to be Box allowed for moments of striking visual registered by two workers from Hell (Abby beauty, particularly in the form of VenkatraGolden ’19 and Mack -- Julia Beecher ’21 man’s calisthenics and final moments as the is seen as the Voice from Hell) but initial- Young Man in The Sandbox. The plays both ly falls into the hands of two glue-sniffing culminated with thought-provoking and hippies (Izzy Isselbacher ’18 and Thom- complicated messages about life and family. asina O’Hare ’21). The Sandbox, on the “The plays don’t necessarily have a distinct other hand, depicts a family, consisting of ‘meaning’ behind them… absurdism is a domineering Mommy (Siri Kazilionis ’19), useful tool in dealing with the ridiculouswhining Daddy (Eva Dowd ’18), and re- ness and pain of existing as a human,” said signed Grandma (Megan Kaye ’18). Lena Jane. “We wanted our audience to experiVenkatraman also made a second appear- ence those emotions and think about why ance as the Young Man doing calisthenics they were feeling the way they did.” on the beach, and Audrey Wu ’20 provided “I think that the plays struck the right accompaniment as the Musician. balance between absurdity and reality,” said Jane Wrenn ’18 and Connie Zhou ’18 Penny. “Even though the situations depicted co-directed the plays, aided by stage man- in The Sandbox and The Man Who Turned ager Jordan Sclar ’18. “Connie and I have Into a Stick are far from our everyday expealways been huge surrealism/absurdism riences, they were able to shine a light on fans,” said Wrenn, “and we felt like it would certain truths that are very present in our be fun to expose a larger audience to the own lives.” stuff we are passionate about!” Both the diThe student-directed play is an anrectors and the cast enjoyed the collabora- nual tradition at Winsor; every winter, one tion; Lena Venkatraman reflected, “There or two students (Classes VI-VIII) direct a was a little more give and take [between short performance. Student directors also the directors and actors]… I was able to have the opportunity to enter their play into make a lot of choices that were very much a theater festival if so desired. Applications my own.” for next year will be due this spring! ☐ Teresa Lawlor ’19 Panel staff
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What I’ll Do Over Spring Break By Annie Adams ’21 Staff Writer When I fantasize about the fourteen days without classes and homework, I think about all I can do in those two weeks known as March Break. Expectation: I’ll eat a healthy breakfast after waking up at 9 am. Did I hear someone say smoothie? Refreshed from my 10 hours of sleep, I motivate and go for a light jog followed by a refreshing shower. I’ll get ahead on all my homework on the syllabus. I’ll
go outside and ponder existence and the beauty of the natural world. I might go volunteer at a local shelter or food pantry with my friends as we candidly laugh. It is perfect outside, a beautiful clear, crisp spring afternoon. I will then cook a gourmet three course meal for my entire family, watch a romantic comedy, and go to bed at eleven after soaking for half an hour in my tub with a lush bath bomb.
up in my dark bedroom, only getting up to toast a waffle and smother it in nutella. Somehow I manage to have dinner with my family. It’s raining outside. Therefore I could not possibly do anything but sit inside. I justify this for the first week of break by telling myself I need a “mental health break,” and when that second glorious week comes around I’ll start being productive. All of a sudden, I have two days left. I try to cram everything I wantReality: ed to get done into one morning, but by I wake up at approximately 1:30 in 2 pm, I have decided that the only thing the afternoon. Instead of actually facing left to do is simply accept that school is the harsh sunlight, I watch three hourcoming and I can not escape it. ☐ long episodes of Black Mirror still curled
Editor’s Note: As Volume 66 comes to an end, the Backpage has taken the time to reflect on Dr. Melvoin’s final year. Often on the receiving end of our jokes, Dr. Melvoin’s support for both The Panel and the Backpage has been nothing short of incredible. In honor of our headmaster, and as The Panel prepares for life under the incoming Head of School, Mr. Schneider, we have decided to dedicate this backpage to the storied “peaceful” transition of power at Belmont Hill.
Questions to Ask on College Tours By Haley Kwoun ’20 and Samantha Goldenson ’19 Panel staff 1. Are any of the dorms haunted? 2. What is the school’s stance on public nudity? 3. How late could I get Chinese food delivered to my dorm on a Thursday night? 4. What is the school’s policy on open flames? 5. How frequently will someone come in to change the sheets in my dorm? 6. What’s the toilet paper like here? And the tissue quality? 7. How often do you call your parents? 8. If you could go to any college besides this one, which would you choose? 9. Do I seem like the kind of person to fit in here? 10. How long did it take you to make friends? Honestly? ☐
LIVE from Maine After actually reading the other pages in The Panel for once (highly recommend giving it a shot), we on the back page team were inspired by our executive editor counterparts to do some archival digging of our own. Here’s a fan-favorite from two esteemed backpage editor alumni, circa 2017.
"Switch Day" Seamus Clair '17 and Matt O'Leary '17 Panel Staff (Volume 65)
As many of you know, the head editors of The Panel participated in a “Switch Day” at Winsor School last Wednesday. What you may not have heard, however, is that the back page editors were dispatched on a peacekeeping mission to our brothers at St. Sebastian’s School. After being greeted by a man who looked like he had just stepped of a Mississippi River steamboat, we set out on a day of bridge-building and fact-finding. Below are our observations. Pros: • We had plenty of time to let out our energy in a three hour Phys-Ed class • Great view of the hockey rink and famed “Henry’s corner from our first-period metalworking class • Ample parking, between the Upper and Lower lots • A very nice morning Mass, during which they prayed for their alums in the NHL • Solid food, but the younger students kept trying to put bagels on our head and chanting • A penmanship class, where we were taught how to draw the “cool S.” You know the one. Cons: • Bathroom was very foggy and smelled faintly of crème brûlée • No Mr. Curran :( • Soft-serve ice cream machine ran out of cones, and a menacing youth told me to “use ya hands, guy” • No library • Recently added smokestacks instead of solar panels • No Mark Milley poster :( In conclusion, we’re not so different, St. Seb’s and I. Two groups of young men, bonded in school spirit. Much like the crew of the Pequod, our respective brotherhoods of men are soldiering on in search of the white whale that is ISL supremacy. Star-crossed educational institutions, born on opposite sides of I-95. Striving to educate young men in mind, body and spirit. #WeHere