May 2014 (63, 1)

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Volu m e 6 3 , Issu e 1

One Year Later: The Marathon Tragedy

By Jay O’Brien Panel Staff Nearly one year ago, the citizens of Boston lined the streets of the city to cheer on the runners of the 117th Boston Marathon. A tradition like no other in the city of Boston, “Marathon Monday” is meant to be a day for celebration, especially due to the historical significance of Patriots Day to the state of Massachusetts; however, on April 15, 2013, two pressure cooker bombs exploded at the finish line of the marathon, stunning not only the city of Boston, but the nation as a whole. The ripple effect from these two explosions is still felt to this day. Around Boston, people are honoring the memory of Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell, Lu Lingzi, and Officer Sean Collier, all of whom were killed by the two alleged terrorists. With so many students at the school living in or around the city, the Belmont Hill community felt the impact from the explosions considering its close proximity to the city of Boston.

On the subsequent Friday morning, approximately four days after the Marathon bombings, I walked down a flight of stairs in my house, an upcoming World Issues test occupying my thoughts. As I went to fix myself a bowl of cereal, the TV broadcasted headlines from the previous night regarding a chaotic manhunt that left MIT police officer Sean Collier dead, another

Anderson Cooper Enlightens the Hill

By Sreehaas Digumarthi Panel Staff Over the last several years, Belmont Hill has been honored to host several influential and distinguished speakers in Chapel, ranging from former Mexican President Felipe Calderón to Boston sports writer Jackie MacMullan. With all due respect to our former guests, it is safe to say that few have been nearly as famous or recognizable as our most recent speaker, famed news anchor Anderson Cooper.

On the Tuesday morning following Patriot’s Day weekend, the entire student body filed into Chapel, many unaware of the nature of the Chapel and the identity of the speaker. This was by design, as the school wanted to avoid the commotion associated with having a celebrity on campus, to keep it a surprise, and avoid any confusion in case Mr. Cooper had to cancel unexpectedly to return to his job. By the time everyone arrived in Chapel, the secret was out and many students already knew who the speaker was going to be, but it was still exciting to see the reaction on everyone’s face when they immediately recognized who the man on stage was.

In addition to being one of the most recognizable Chapel speakers in recent memory, Anderson Cooper also gave one of the best pre-

Members of the Panel staff pose with Anderson Cooper after a question & answer session in MacPherson sentations. Mr. Cooper talked about the journey that he took to get to the point that he is at today, detailing parts of his childhood, his introduction to journalism, the growth of his love for journalism, and the ups and downs of his career. In addition, he recounted some of his most unusual adventures during his career. Cooper explained that, by the time he was out of college, he did not really know what he was going to do or how he was going to make a living.

He stated that he eventually obtained a fake press pass and traveled to war zones to chronicle the monstrosities that were being hidden from the rest

By Colin Ward Staff Writer

Look Inside

San Diego Trip pg 3 Schedule Shift pg 4 Coffee House pg 6 Athlete of the Issue pg 7

of the world. While he witnessed several unthinkable horrors, he felt a responsibility to make sure that everyone knew about these horrors in hopes of invoking some sort of change. As he produced more and more of these self-made videos, Mr. Cooper began to gain recognition among the media back home.

He would go on to work for several news stations over the next several years, continuing his work of reporting from the front lines of any story that he felt deserves to be noticed.

His current work is highlighted by his CNN show AC360o and his work with CBS’s 60 Minutes. After his

talk, Mr. Cooper opened it up to the audience for questions, providing details on everything from his experiences on Saturday Night Live to his work with the surprisingly crass singer Adele to the time he was attacked and beaten by a mob in Egypt.

At the end of his presentation, he was greeted with a thunderous round of applause, as just about everyone was thankful for the experience of having him speak at Belmont Hill.

After his speech, Anderson Cooper moved to MacPherson to field a Q&A for a small group of students during E block. continued on page 2

Form III Ventures to China BH Baseball Tops the ISL

continued on page 5

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May 1 , 2 0 1 4

A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

Chinese scholars show school pride on the Great Wall

By Mack Perry & Jason Fischman Panel Staff At 6 o’clock in the morning on the first day of break, seventeen Belmont Hill students -thriteen Third Formers and four Fourth Formers -- and two faculty members, Mr. DiResta and Mr. Shen, prepared to embark on a trip to the other side of the world.

After a quick connection through Washington DC, the group departed on their 14 hour flight, and arrived in Beijing on Sunday afternoon. Jet lagged and exhausted, the boys grumpily boarded the

Mr. Shen

bus, only to be greeted pleasantly by the ever-enthusiastic Roger, our tour guide for the next week.

During the bus ride back to the hotel, Roger explained a lot about Chinese history and culture, and covered all the interesting things the boys would be doing throughout the next 6 days in Beijing.

After dropping off the luggage at the hotel, and wanting nothing more than to go to bed, we were dragged from the hotel to the first group dinner. Even though we would have rather been sleeping, it was very exciting to eat, and it served as a pump-up for the rest of the trip. For most of the boys, it continued on page 2

The Varsity Baseball team is off to a fantastic start this year with a 9-0 record, in both league and out of league play. However, the season really started off during the second week of March break while the team endured the blistering winds and freezing temperatures of New England. These chilly practices really brought the team together, and experience in cold weather conditions has been important in some regular season games.

In the first game of the year against Worcester Academy, the team battled back from some early struggles to send the game into extra innings, where second baseman Charlie McConnell hit a walk off single to bring home a victory.

The next test for the boys was at Roxbury Latin, where a phenomenal start by A.J. DiFillipo kept the team in the game as the bats weren’t alive that day.

Ultimately, in the top of the seventh inning, down by a run, down to our last strike, Noah Levine hit a hard ground ball

off of the pitcher to bring home the tying run. BH ultimately won. Starting to settle in, the boys picked up a few more wins before taking the field in a clash of two unbeaten squads against Milton Academy. Nolan Brennan started the game, and he simply dominated their largely returner lineup. Along with great pitching came great hitting, as the team would put up 17 runs through six innings, enough for the mercy rule.

After Milton, the last undefeated team in the ISL was up next, St. Sebastian’s.

The contest was close, as a St. Seb’s first inning home run was matched by Danny Kelly’s bomb to straightaway center field. Also smoking the ball in the game was Harry Roberson, who added key hits throughout the contest. But the most crucial hit came in the bottom of the seventh, where Sam Stack, down to his last strike, ripped a single into left field to break the tie. The walk-off victory left Belmont Hill alone atop the ISL with a month to play in the season. The team looks forward to a successful rest of the year, with its sights set on a third league title for the graduating seniors. ☐

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Belmont Hill News

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Far East Trip Worth it for Form III Chaletzky Excited for Final Presidency continued from page 1 was the first time having authentic Chinese food, and although some struggled with chopsticks, it was very enjoyable and a great introduction to China.

However, everyone was fatigued from the long flight and we retired to our hotel rooms for the night soon after. The next morning, most of the group rose early, their sleeping schedules thrown off by the flight. Even though we were tired, the group was still ready to learn about and experience this interesting place. The first destination was the Lama Temple, a Buddhist temple. Students were allowed to burn incense, a small piece of wood, and partake in an ancient Chinese ritual. Everyone was very impressed by the jeweled and fancy structures representing the Buddha, and we were all shocked and awed by the 85 foot tall Buddha in the cen-

Wall Climber who had made hundreds of treks up the wall before, accompanied the group just for the climb. Jinshanling, the segment of the great wall we were to be climbing, was further from the city, but it was more authentic and had better views than the parts of the wall closer to Beijing. After a two hour drive, on a cold windy day, we climbed the 1450 steps to the top of the Great Wall, and followed its winding twists and turns, treacherous declines, and steep uphills for miles. After around three hours of hiking, we left the wall and were picked up by the bus.

The bus took us on a quick ride to Hexi village, one of the oldest villages in China. Out of all the family names in China, hundreds can be traced back to this one village. It also gave the boys insight into another part of China; we had been staying in the city, interacting with the people who lived there, and had not glimpsed

By Charlie Blank Staff writer For the past 4 years, Belmont Hill’s class of 2015 has been searching for someone to unseat Evan Chaletzky as form president, but that has yet to happen. “I started off as vice president in 8th grade, and I saw a great opportunity as [the incumbent] Lucius [Xuan] left the school.”

Defeating upstart challengers such as Connor Metz, Michael Gates, Alex Santangelo, and Will Malloy in recent years, as well as running unopposed for Form IV president, Evan is a veteran of the school’s political campaigns. But though he loves the competition, Evan was ultimately inspired to serve in order to represent our Form’s best interests in the school senate. “Our form is special because we are different. We are not the cliché Belmont Hill class. We have gymnasts and swimmers and musicians and writers...and of course an abundance of athletes and intellects,” he boasted. “I’ve

really come to know and appreciate everyone in this Form and I think that can be said for most kids in our Form. We are incredibly tight-knit.” Evan stresses his peers ever more as his motivation to run for office originally. “I felt that my friends should have an opportunity to be heard in the school and the only way to make sure of that was to run for office, so I just did it.”

In recent years, the class of ‘15 has enjoyed paintball, a day at Kimball farms, an almost semi, the first middle school dance in decades, and a 3-on-3 tournament as well as countless eloquently worded email reminders about dress down days.

“It’s not all about what you get to physically enjoy, though. The most important aspect of my presidency over the past years has been having your opinions heard each and every opportunity in the Senate and I pride myself on listening and respecting everyone’s ideas. I am honored to have been elected Form and School president next year and cannot wait to lead our Form to an incredible senior year.” ☐

Junior Journey to Spain a Special One Mr. Shen

Students in front of the Bird’s Nest, Site of the 2008 Summer Olympics ter of the temple. After leaving the temple, the how the rural Chinese lived. “It was a very ingroup proceeded to the Olympic Village. The teresting experience.” said Third Former James last stop for the day was a silk production fac- Cardichon, “I thought it was necessary for us as tory, where an expert silk maker explained the a group to experience how both urban people delicate process of making silk, which started live in the city and how the other majority of from the silkworm and ended in a gift shop full Chinese citizens live in the countryside. It was of hand-made, but expensive, silk garments. breathtaking to see how different it was in the The next day, we started out with a stop village from the city.” We watched the locals at the iconic Tiananmen Square, which a mere herd goats and farm the land, and participated 25 years ago was the scene of the infamous in dumpling-making under the instruction of protests. After meandering through the mas- local legend “Big Mama”. and although the livsive plaza, we walked through to the Forbid- ing conditions of the village may not have been den City, the palace of some previous Chinese as nice as the hotel, and the toilets were nothemperors. Roger provided the boys with even ing more than a hole in the ground, the boys more knowledge of ancient China, and ex- were shocked to find it was in the nicest 10% plained a lot about Mao’s cult-like following of villages, and that these villagers were livand the degree to which Chinese people idolize ing well compared to most. Perhaps the most him. The last stop of the day was at a freshwater meaningful part of the night was dinner, when pearl factory. Freshwater pearls are from a spe- we made dumplings with the locals, ate dinner cies of clam living in lakes and ponds, and be- together, and partook in an ancient chinese cause each clam can form of art, paper hold up to 20 pearls, Mr. Shen cutting, with one of these pearls are sigthe village elders. nificantly more afThe boys retired to fordable, allowing bed later that night, some boys to pursatisfied with their chase gifts for famhomemade dumpily members back lings and exhausted home. The pearl from the day’s climb. maker also went Some of us into great detail rose early on our last about how to disday to walk down to tinguish fake pearls Tiananmen Square from real ones, and to visit Mao’s Tomb, to never buy pearls where his body was on the street from Freshman Nate Miller with Chinese incense put on display. We a vendor. She explained that real pearls are waited in the line, which spread out for several flawed, and fake ones appear to shiny and per- hundred yards, to enter the museum. There is fect, and a slight discoloration or abnormality heavy debate on whether the body is real and proves it is real. After leaving the pearl factory, just heavily embalmed (makeup) or is a fake. we proceeded to pearl market, the premier The guards rushed us through the room, so we shopping center for counterfeit items. It is like could only get a quick glance at the late Chinese a giant shopping mall containing floors of fake leader, and we could still not agree on whether watches: Beats headphones, Louis Vuitton the body was real or not. After we arrived back purses, hockey jerseys, Air Jordans, and tons at the Beijing Hotel, we all spent our last two of fake brand name items modeled after their hours in China on Wangfujing, eating our last high-end counterparts. We were forced to use meal and having some last-minute shopping. our Chinese language skills to bargain with the We packed our bags stuffed with hockvendors and get a reasonable price for the items, ey jerseys and knock-off Beats and departed because they thought we would be dumb and to the airport at 3:30 for our Six o’clock flight spend lots of money on things because we were back to Washington D.C. After nearly missAmericans. The boys finished the day with in- ing our flight to Boston, we arrived at Logan dividual shopping and dinner by the hotel. Airport Monday, March 24th at 12:30am, On Wednesday, we woke up early with tired, but amazed that we had come back excitement; we were going to climb the Great from a country half a world away, and proud Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the of the experiences we had and memories World. A new tour guide, Joey, an expert Great we made that will never be forgotten. ☐

By JJ Onyeukwu Staff writer Let it be known that if you did not go on this year’s trip to Spain, you made the worst decision of your life, period. Led by Mr. Harder and Señor Montoya, thirteen Belmont Hill students, accompanied by Mr. Harder’s daughter Keira, made their way to Spain. After a six hour flight to London and a two hour flight to Spain, we finally arrived at Madrid Barajas International Airport. It was a mad dash to Atocha Train Station, but in the end we found ourselves on our way to Zaragoza.

In Zaragoza, we spent some time at the Student Year Abroad (SYA) program and had a chance to talk to kids our age about what it was like living in Spain. With no time to spare, we made our way to Colegio de Fomento Montearagón, where many of Belmont Hill’s Spanish exchange students come from and where we planned on meeting our host families for the first time. Nervous and jumpy, we stood in the school’s parking as, one by one, our host families arrived and the tension was relieved.

With one student per family, these brave souls were stranded in the middle of Spain, forced to constantly use and improve their Spanish-speaking skills. Despite a few run-ins around the city, the students did not see one another until the three-day, everyman-for-himself hiatus was complete. After the three days, all the families reconvened at the school and after a group photo and a tour of Montearagón, we were on our way to SYA. We viewed some tourist sites including La Aljafería and El Pilar, and discussed our homestays over lunch. The general attitude towards the homestays was that they went better than expected, the families were great, the

food was amazing, and everyone had a great time. From going golfing to watching family sporting events, the only complaint was that the experience didn’t last long enough.

After a late night train ride, we were finally checked into our Madrid hotel. That very night, we walked by El Palacio Royal on our way to Plaza Mayor. Like many nights in Madrid to come, we were let loose to find our own dinner, immersed in the world of true tourist. The next day, a group of us found ourselves in the middle of the royal courtyard at the Palacio Royal. The view was breathtaking and was a sight that could never be seen in the United States. That same day we had the chance of a lifetime to go to the legendary Estadio Bernabeu and watch Real Madrid take on Schalke 04. Following a 6-1 away victory in the first leg, Real Madrid pulled off a convincing 3-1 victory to clinch a place in the Champions League semifinals.

The rest of our time in Spain was split between visiting tourist attractions, group lunches and dinners, and the coveted tiempo libre (free time). We visited the Pedro, multiple naval museums, the Stanford study abroad program, and countless sites that will never be forgotten. After hiking trips, days at Arab baths, and nights at Spanish cinemas, the Belmont Hill students that went on this trip can safely say that it was one of, if not the best trip they had ever been on. The last night was spent at a nice restaurant that gave us a moment to ponder over our recent experiences over our steak dinners. To return trip back to the U.S. was not as bad as the departing one for Spain, and in the end, everyone on the trip had an experience that would forever be embedded in their memory. For more information about the trip go to spainbhs.blogspot. com, written primarily by Connor Metz. ☐

Cooper Talk One of School’s Greatest continued from page 1 The Q&A was much more intimate, and he was able to give thoughtful answers to all of the questions that students had regarding his experiences as a journalist. He explained the hard work that is put into each news story that he works on, told the group about the time he went directly into the line of fire of Serbian snipers, and gave his thoughts about various current events and storylines that he is working on.

During X block, the Q&A was narrowed down yet again, as he answered questions for the Panel and Bell staffs. This Q&A was highlighted by a focus on journalism itself, as the staff was eager to learn from one of the best in the business.

Again, he talked about the kind of work that he puts into the journalistic process and told the group about his roots in the field of journalism,

answering questions about his day-to-day duties and his personal inspirations and motivations in journalism. Afterwards, he was kind enough to take pictures with the entire group.

All in all, it was truly an honor and a pleasure to have someone of Anderson Cooper’s caliber and reputation here at Belmont Hill. Just about everyone on campus was thankful for the experience, and this will surely go down as one of the most memorable Chapels in everyone’s Belmont Hill careers. The Panel would like to thank Mack Perry ’17 and his family for their part in bringing Anderson Cooper to Belmont Hill and Mr. Harder for coordinating the event. While he may never read this, the Panel would also like to thank Mr. Cooper for visiting our school and taking the time to answer our questions. ☐

Belmont Hill NEWS

May 1, 2014

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Pan-Mass Creator Enlightens Students would love for the whole school to come together and make a difference.” While Stack, Murphy and Malloy are spearheadThe Annual Belmont Pan-Mass Chal- ing the ride this year, former student lenge Kids Ride takes place on Sunday, May Teddy Mitropoulos organized the first Bel18th with the help of Form VI students mont PMC Kids Ride ride to raise money Paul Malloy, Matt Murphy, and Sam Stack. in honor of Belmont Hill teacher, Mr. The three Form VI students are volunteer- Goodband. The PMC Kids ride has been ing their time as part of their Senior Proj- a Belmont Hill Senior Project since then. ect. In order to drum up even more supAs organizers of the ride, Murphy, port for the local kids ride, the founder of Stack and Malloy are charged with organizthe Pan-Mass ing donations, Challenge, Billy working with Mr. Mahoney Starr, was the the town, and guest speaker at members of the Chapel on TuesBelmont Hill day, April 15th. c o m m u n i t y.

Starr shared his There are reenthusiasm for quirements that his fundraiser must be fulfilled and is looking and as Paul Malfor volunteers of loy says, “I’d say all ages to parso far the hardticipate whether est part for me it be riding or has been calling simply donating. companies and The PMC has asking for food raised a total of donations be$414 million dol- Mr. Starr poses with Mr. Melvoin for a photo cause I basically lars, and 100% needed to try of that has gone to adult and pediat- to convince them to give us free food for a ric care and research for cancer through few hundred people.” Many members of the the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Belmont Hill community have assisted the Starr founded the PMC in 1980, af- seniors. Murphy appreciates the help they ter personally witnessing the effects of have received from, “Mrs. David, Dr. Melcancer in his own family. Now, the PMC voin, and many others including Belmont is the nation’s largest single fundraising Hill parents and Belmont Hill community event that raises money for a charity. Sam members. But we’re hoping to recruit as Stack says, “This is something that should much help as possible from members of be more than just a senior project. We every form for the day of the event!” ☐

By Ben Rush Staff writer

Trip attendees take a break from their hard work and spend a day at Sea World

Mrs. David

Students Enjoy Service and Fun in San Diego

By Gabe Schmittlein Staff Writer San Diego is generally known for its blazing heat and extensive beaches, but what some people don’t recognize is that San Diego also has large amounts of poverty, unemployment, and homelessness. This spring break, 57 Belmont Hill boys and five fantastic chaperones gave away a week of their time in an attempt to make a positive impact on the San Diego community.

We spent most of our trip working for Groundwork San Diego, a local community service group run by Mrs. David’s son-in-law, Seth Connolly. Groundwork San Diego set up several projects for us, the largest being our weeklong experience at Earthlab. Here, we were led by Earthlab manager Nicole Schott in creating a parklike space where plants could be grown and kids at nearby schools could learn about the environment. The project included long and rewarding days of weeding, mulching, digging, and even more weeding. In the end, we had constructed a massive area of beautifully mulched land on which we built a greenhouse, an irrigation system, an outdoor workplace, and even a mural. Outside of our work at Earthlab, we spent one day in the surfing community of Ocean Beach, where we painted bicycle racks and picked up more than 500 pounds of trash. We also spent time at a local school cleaning squash courts, planting cacti in their natural environment, and

Executive Editors John Driscoll Will Treanor Arts Editor Brendan Pulsifer Sports Editor Liam Foley Photo Editor Jamie Mazzio-Manson

going door-to-door asking locals if they needed us to take any trash out for them.

While much of the trip was consumed by work, there was also ample time for us to have fun. On one day we visited Sea World and saw the world-renowned and rather controversial Shamu show. The show was certainly entertaining but also raised questions about the treatment of captive killer whales. On another day, we spent the morning at the San Diego Naval Base, where we shown several astounding boats and given a tour of the base community. Additionally, we spent one afternoon at Ocean Beach, first visiting a farmer’s market and then heading over to the water to catch some waves. Of course, a community service trip would not be complete without some sports activity, and we managed to fit in games of soccer or football nearly everywhere we went. This year was the first year that we stayed in a hotel for the community service trip, which was a point of excitement for many boys. The hotel pool found its way into most evenings, while the buffet breakfasts were absolutely delicious.

The 2014 community service trip to San Diego was a huge success, with a perfect balance of work and fun. The trip would not have been possible without the leadership of Mrs. David, along with the rest of the chaperones – Mrs. Richardson, Mr. Collins, Mr. Hegarty, and Mr. Moronta. I cannot wait to see where we will be going next year, but if it is anywhere near as rewarding as this year, it will certainly be a success. ☐

Editor-in-Chief Michael O’Neill Copy Editor Matt Reppucci

Assistant Editors Chip Daley Jake DeCaprio Jason Fischman Mack Perry

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener News Editor Sreehaas Digumarthi Opinion Editor Jay O’Brien Online Editor Sreehaas Digumarthi

Follow the Panel on Twitter @BHPanel for the latest updates from around the school!

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright 2013 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

Woodbury’s Witness Witicism & Wisdom

By Jack Richards Staff writer The Spring Woodbury Speech Competition, a long-standing tradition at Belmont Hill, kicked off in Chapel on Monday, April 14, and again on Friday, April 18. In the first of the two semi-finals, Fourth Former Juan-Carlos Fernández del Castillo, Fifth Former John Lazor, and Sixth Former Axel Marcelin delivered a diverse array of speeches, covering lessons to the human-esque love of pianos to being a short basketball player. The second round, Fifth Formers Chris Byrnes and Andres Cordoba spoke about hard work, golfing, and growing up. The Woodbury trend typically is to write a speech about a personal lesson or meaningful moment; occasionally there is a more creative story that might not necessarily have a true meaning. Juan-Carlos delivered a calm, personal speech, where he told the story about how his crippling leg break in the 8th grade initially isolated him from his normal passions, but in the end helped him realize his affection (and possibly true love) for the seemingly feminine piano. John Lazor was similar, sharing his lesson of how his grandfather’s 10-second decisions constantly affect his life, making the difference between success and failure time after time. For the second semi-final round, Chris spoke sincerely, and confidently, about how, although not being very talented at many things, he was the master of a difficult golf shot, one that made him shine in his own way. For him, that golf shot was the best thing since the holographic Charizard Pokemon card came out.

Nearly every Woodbury, there is at least one comic, someone who really gets the crowd energetic. Axel was the comic for the first round, delivering a humor-

Mr. Mahoney

Form V’s Andres Cordoba delivers his speech ous speech about how his shortness, especially for a basketball player, was, instead of a hinderance, a motivation. Part of what made his speech a success was that his energy was palpable to the audience. Also, he labeled Mr. Grant as one of his short role models. Although Axel was successful, Andres really engaged the student body for his semi-final speech.

Delivering a manically funny speech, there was hardly a quiet moment from the crowd. Somehow willing to rip on himself and his family for several minutes in front of the whole school, Cordoba is a born self-deprecating comedian.

Although at times he slurs his word to an unintelligible degree, that is part of what makes his speeches so great; he doesn’t deliver them as a robot, but instead as a story teller. Who cares what else he says when he admits to “unironically Googling ‘light-up shoes, Men’s size’”?

Woodbury’s do not necessarily need to play to someone’s talent at writing. Instead, they play to the talents of delivery and, to a greater degree, understanding the crowd. It is in this respect where lesser writers have their chance to shine, and it is in this respect that Woodbury’s are so enjoyable. Good luck to our three finalists, Senior Axel Marcelin, and Juniors Andres Cordoba and Chris Byrne. ☐

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BELMONT HILL OPINION

Th e Pan el

New Schedule Skeptics: How It May Actually Help Students Prepare for the Future

By Michael O’Neill & Alex Santangelo Panel Staff This coming fall, for the first time in nineteen years, Belmont Hill will change its academic schedule. The last change to the schedule created the “rotating periods” schedule so familiar to every student at Belmont Hill. Before that, the schedule did not rotate, so every day was essentially the same. The rotation change of 1994 apparently was stubbornly opposed by faculty but was eventually passed. Similarly, changing the current schedule has faced many obstacles as it did in 1994, but the debate is over. Belmont Hill is moving toward a more modern and collegiate approach to scheduling, with the rigid yet cozy system, that some have come to love, coming to an end this year.

The Academic Policy Committee, which consists of Mr. Bradley, Mrs. Hamilton, and all of the department heads, is responsible for the organization of the new schedule.

Mr. Grant, who heads the committee, explains that the new schedule strives “to fulfill two core principles that we feel are very difficult to accomplish in a 40 minute class - [first] we are seeking to develop creative thinking and skills pertinent to the class such as essay writing. The second part we sought to address was pace; Belmont Hill will maintain its rigor, but the prior structure we felt created high stress levels.” He called the new schedule more of a “crescendo rather than the hamster wheel” that the current system had created.

Parts of the new schedule will look familiar to all Belmont Hill students, as the class rotation and period lengths on Monday and Tuesday remain unchanged. The same cannot be said, however, for the rest of the week. Most noticeably, Wednesday and Thursday have been transformed into “long-block days,” where students will have two or three--depending on your free block-

-seventy-five minute classes, rather than five standard-length ones. Fridays are only slightly changed, as it maintains the current daily plan, except that the first period will be C Block, not E. Start times on each day remain unaffected, and by 1:35 each day returns to the current schedule.

Students can expect their

focused on revising and rewriting the response. Also, the new Melvoin Academic Center will include “breakout space” in which classes can use to work on more interactive and movement oriented activities.

For Upper Schoolers, and particularly Seniors come springtime, this plan has some clear-cut ben-

longer period classes on Wednesday and Thursday to be similar to a sports practice in that the 75 minutes could be broken up into three to four segments that would include more interaction, movement, and creative thinking. For example, in an English class, the first twenty minutes could be spent writing a short response about the prior night’s reading, the next twenty-five minutes could be focused on discussing the response, and the last twenty-five minutes could be

efits. All students in Forms IV-VI, excluding those who take an extra sixth class, on either Wednesday or Thursday every week will only have two classes, with an extra long free block thrown in for good measure. If your free period happens to be either C block or F block, on Wednesday or Thursday (respectively), you would be finished with your classes for the day by X-block.

As for Seniors only taking three classes in the Spring, there would be one day each week with at least

two free blocks, each one lasting over an hour. However, there is one drawback in that one of the two days you won’t have a free block at all.

Additionally, lunch has been pushed up to a 12:55 start time on Wednesdays for all Upper Schoolers, not just those who are free last period as it is now. Mr. Grant explained that

too will reap some rewards from the schedule revamping. Lunch on Wednesday and Thursday will be earlier. Most significantly, Thursday provides an all-new extended X block following lunch for students in the lower forms. “We think we’re going to be able to provide more access to arts, music, and drama in grades 7, 8, and 9, through the use of that period,” explained Mr. Grant. He also mentioned the inclusion of more health and wellness education along with “a brand new approach to the arts program.”

Throughout the entire process of creating a new weekly layout for the school, students have been asking one question more than any other: why change the schedule now? Admittedly, the phrase ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ does come to mind in situations like this one.

Students and faculty alike have been skeptical about the prospects of having to adjust to a new routine, and some dislike the idea of long periods altogether. It is understandable to feel that an hour and fifteen minutes of one class could easily drag on, particularly if it’s a subject you don’t particularly enjoy.

However, it can be argued that the pros of the new system heavily outweigh the cons. It’s safe to assume that everyone will have adjusted to long-block days at least by the end of the first quarter.

Those lamenting the idea of seventy-five minutes in an especially Michael O’Neill difficult or tedious class can look forward to extra-long free periods this will make it “easier to get out for or extended lessons in their favorite games for Upper Schoolers, which subjects with their favorite teachers. we think is a benefit.” The schedule With the aforementioned shift to also makes accommodations for Se- walkthrough lunch and the enticniors involved in the ASR program, ing potential for extremely relaxed as the plan is for these students in days during Senior spring, the new the spring to have E block free and schedule sounds refreshing and apF block count as their ASR period. pealing. Come next school year, Thus, ASR enrollees will be able to go much of the skepticism about a new their labs off-campus after milk and schedule might have practically discookies on Thursday and be back appeared. Only time will tell if this in time for their athletic practices. new plan will be both beneficial and Though Middle School- popular, but the chances of this beers don’t have free periods, they ing true look to be very good. ☐

March Break Delayed One Week: How Has it Impacted This Year’s Schedule?

By Jason Fischman Panel Staff The weeks right before March break are some of the worst weeks of the year for students. Teachers are trying to get a few more grades in before the end of the quarter, filling the final few days with almost daily tests, quizzes, and essays. For students, it’s a matter of getting by, and not completely ruining their quarter grades before the much awaited two-week break comes.

This year, as students anxiously counted down to break, they realized something was wrong. Instead of being released after only one week in March, students were forced to endure yet another week, with vacation not starting until the 14th. That one week may not seem like much on a calendar, but with the excitement of vacation around the corner, and the always present assessment, the second week in March was an exhausting week for the major-

ity of students at Belmont Hill. said, “Adding a week to the third though the fields were unusable.

So why, then, would the quarter is nice because it was so Lastly, having a week of practice school choose to change some- short, and I also like how it lines before two weeks of break seems thing that has been the same for up with other schools like Win- a bit useless, because unless the as long as anyone can remember? sor so that people with siblings team practices during break, playHistorically, the third quarter have the same breaks”. However, ers are likely to forget or lose all has been known as the shortest it is not that simple, and there the skills they gain during those quarter, the quarter where, if you are many reasons for and against practices. If March break were to bomb one test, stay the way it you cannot salthis year, I After returning from two weeks off, students need an accli- was vage your grade. think the athIn 2013, the third mation period to get back into the rythym of school; however, letic calendar quarter lasted just with the first exam less than seven weeks away, students were should be adsix weeks, which thrown back into the harsh reality of their acedemics, and justed accordwas shorter than ingly so winter there was no time to adjust all other quarsports extend ters by at least two full weeks. changing the schedule from for one more week, and spring It would seem logical, then, to the way it has been historically. sports do not start until after move one week from the fourth A large problem with hav- break, although this might make quarter to the third, which would ing March break later is athletics. the spring season a bit too short. make the third quarter seven This year, spring sports started Another issue is the weeks and the 4th quarter eight before March break, which caused speed with which exams and final weeks, thus having March break problems due to the fact that there projects are approaching. Just a split the second semester in half. was still snow on the fields. Teams week or two after returning from Most other schools in the area, were forced to practice off-campus break, final projects were being such as Roxbury Latin, Win- or inside, although neither situ- introduced and exams mentioned. sor, St. Sebastians, and BB&N, ation was ideal. Also, there had After returning from two-weeks have their March break sched- already been two weeks of mud- off, students need an acclimaules reflect the way ours was this week, and a third seemed exces- tion period to get back into the year. Third Former Mack Perry, sive, so spring sports started even rhythm of school; however, with

the first exam less than seven weeks away, students were thrown back into the harsh reality of their academics, and there was no time to adjust. Also, considering how close exams are, and with a week of review before them, the actual assessment period in the fourth quarter becomes very short, which puts even more pressure on students to perform well on exams.

Overall, I think that March break should be moved back to its original date. The athletic schedule does not coordinate well with the current March break schedule because practicing before break for one week is illogical and hard due to weather conditions. To make matters worse, starting after break would make the spring season, already the shortest of the three, even shorter. Even though the third quarter would be a bit brief, I think it is better to have a longer fourth quarter, giving more time for exam prep and final project work, thus allowing students to finish the year on a high note academically. ☐

May 1, 2014

BELMONT HILL OPINION

Influence of the Boston Marathon Tragedies One Year Later Continued From page 1 Boston Marathon attacks occurred just one year ago, and not only can we police officer critically injured, one of distinctly remember particular details the terrorists killed, while his brother from April 15, 2013, but the fact that escaped from police. An entire city, as the tragedies occurred in our very well as surrounding towns like Bel- own city and neighborhoods adds to mont, was locked down until the fu- significance of these attacks for the citi-

tantly, how the city was able to come together in support of our neighbors who were affected by the bombings.

Last June, the One Fund Boston distributed roughly $61 million dollars to the victims of the Marathon bombings. Although the bombings left us

to help those who were injured. For a city that takes immense pride in their sports teams, the people of Boston gained a sense of unity through the support of Boston’s sports franchises.

When Belmont Hill students returned to campus last September, the Boston Red Sox served as a symbol of new beginnings, especially after their lackluster season the year before. In the words of Chip Daley, “I believe it was important because they represented the city well after such a devastating event, and it gave something for the city to believe in.” The miraculous run by the Boston Red Sox was discussed throughout the halls of our school, and eventually, the Red Sox hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy as 2013 World Series Champions, all the while a jersey that read “Boston Strong” with the city’s area code of “617” hung proudly in the dugout.

Then, on April 21, 2014, in a day filled with joy and tears, Meb Keflezighi was the first male to cross the finish line at the 118th Boston Marathon, and, as the first American male winner in the Boston Marathon since 1983, Meb’s victory served as a fitting testament to this historic race that celebrates American pride and independence.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated following his victory at the Boston Marathon, Meb said, “A year ago we were helpless. [My brother and I] started crying. We both cried again today, but this time they were tears of joy.” ☐

Pa g e 5

Abscence at Coffehouse

By Michael O’Neill panel Staff

As plenty of Belmont Hill students know, a few weeks ago the annual spring coffeehouse was held in the Kraft Theater. The coffeehouse is a bi-annual event, with one concert held each December and the other held in April or sometimes May. The shows are always entertaining and in all honesty a blast to be a part of, as students from every grade in the school get a rare chance to showcase their carefully curated musical abilities. As both a performer and avid listener of music, I know that every coffeehouse is a special occasion for attendees and participants alike.

However, both coffeehouses this year felt noticeably different from those of past school years. Especially at the winter show, the energy tangible at previous coffeehouses was missing. This was not the fault of the musicians, as both nights witnessed excellent performances from seventh graders and Seniors alike. Instead, the lack of energy was a result of the low attendance of each show from the student body. At the spring show, I noticed that all but one of the students from my form in Brian Snyder Meb Keflezighi celebrates his victory at the Boston Marathon attendance were either playing in the congitive was captured, an ordeal unlike zens of Boston. As a school, Belmont feeling fearful for our safety at first, the cert or helping run the bake sale for ORBIS. any other event in the recent history of Hill students reacted differently to the citizens of Boston feel reassured knowIn December, even fewer people came.

Boston. As a member of the Belmont attacks, but eventually, the school re- ing that strangers are willing to risk Of course, there are bounds of Hill community, our school being shut sponded by providing their services their lives in order to help those who legitimate reasons not to go to a coffeedown was yet another chilling remind- to those in need of assistance. “Some need it most, but would also continue house, given they do start at 7:00 PM on er of how close to home these bomb- of the students here obviously felt it to offer their services long after the tera Friday night, a timeslot many students ings were for Belmont Hill’s students more personally than others, but as a rorists were caught. Heroes emerged are reluctant to give up. Some are busy and teachers. In last year’s edition of school, we had a moment of silence out of these tragedies, and thanks to with sports, and no one really wants to social media through sites such as Dear Panel readers, spend the first night of the weekend at The events of the morning of April 15 shocked the nation. Facebook and Twitter, these heroic acts Welcome to Volume 63 of The Panel. school after a long-distance away game.

Additionally, some students simply don’t For the first time, violence struck close to home. Newtown, were seen across the country. As Car- As the new group heads for the los Arredando wheeled an injured Jeff upcoming school year, the three of us have interest in music. Understandably, Aurora, and Oklahoma City felt so distant, but the bombs Bauman through the chaotic streets are very excited to be able to bring you a majority of students choose not to go to on Boylston Street shattered our sense of immunity from of Boston following the explosions, a all an informative and entertaining coffeehouse, which again is perfectly fine. these acts ov violence Still, fact that almost nobody volphotographer captured the moment publication in conjunction with untarily goes to coffeehouse, whether it’s to with his camera, and Arredando re- Winsor. Our primary goals for support their friends who do perform or the Panel following the Marathon trag- to remember the lives that were lost,” ceived an incredible amount of praise the upcoming twelve months are just hear some great music, is disappointedies, one Belmont Hill student said, said Fourth Former Chip Daley. “As a for saving Bauman’s life. At this past the same as those of any good “The events of the morning of April 15 school we bounced back pretty well: Boston Marathon, Arredando stood journalists; to represent the news and ing to say the least. There’s no excitement drummed up for the concerts within the shocked the nation. For the first time, we had a couple students leading proudly at the finish line, wearing a opinions from around the school student body, as you don’t hear kids talkviolence struck close to home. New- the way, students who knew Martin blue Boston Strong t-shirt and his in an accurate, balanced, and most ing about an upcoming coffeehouse in the town, Aurora, and Oklahoma City felt Richards, the boy who was killed in trademark white cowboy hat, handing of all enjoyable manner. We strive same manner they would a big lacrosse so distant, but the bombs on Boylston to continue up the path set by past Although the bombings left us feeling fearful for our safety editors, making improvements along game. While these two events may sound Street shattered our sense of immunity incomparable, there are more similarities from these acts of violence.” at first, the citizens of Boston feel reassured knowing that the way. between the two than one might think. On For the majority of students strangers are willing to risk their their lives in order to help As you have seen throughout this any sports team, athletes practice regularly currently at Belmont Hill, the Boston issue, we have a wide variety of those who need it most in preparation for a game, and come game Marathon Tragedy was the first seritopics to cover, and believe that day, they get the chance to display their ous terrorist attack within our own this diversity of content will ensure talents while trying to reach a common country that we can truly remember. the bombings. Wristbands were then out small American flags to those pass- that there’s something for everyone Most students currently enrolled in the purchased so we could donate the ing by in the street. Boston is still heal- within each publication. It’s no secret goal, winning. For musicians, the idea of preparing rigorously is a well understood school were born in the late 1990’s or money to the One Fund to show our ing, and the victims of these attacks that readership of The Panel has not one. Bands and smaller groups practice early 2000’s, and thus, we saw the re- resilience and, more importantly, help continue to deal with the effects of the always been as high as it could be, so percussion of the attacks of the Twin those who were affected.” In the future, bombings to this day, and quite possi- of course we hope to get more people week after week all year just for typically bly, for the rest of their lives. For people reading and, hopefully, writing as well. a total of ten minutes stage time between the two coffeehouses. When none of their like Marc Fucarile, Jeff Bauman, and Our commitment to making sure peers are there to observe their one or two the fourteen others who lost limbs as the newspaper is as good as possible opportunities to prove their skills, it can be a result of the bombings, their lives is tremendous, and we only ask that will clearly be impacted, both physi- you reciprocate our effort by reading extremely deflating. Speaking from personal experience, it’s hard to prove your cally and mentally; however, born the words of your peers contained worth as a musician to peers without them out of the tragedies is a city more en- inside each issue. We have many ergized and fiercely determined than dedicated writers on our staff, whom actually witnessing you playing - an issue that doesn’t often apply to the school’s top ever before, reminiscent of the patri- we are eager to collaborate with on a ots before them who fought valiantly regular basis. There is no telling what athletes - and if they don’t come to coffor our freedom over 200 years ago. events the upcoming school year will feehouse, you’re essentially out of luck.

Again, no single person should feel “Boston Strong” is the phrase bring, but rest assured The Panel will obligated to go to coffeehouse. However, that has emerged from the tragedies, be there to cover and analyze all the theoveralllackofsupportformusiciansand the idea that the civilians of Boston major happenings around campus. other artists at the school is apparent when have responded to the bombings by We have so many ideas that we can’t uniting in an effort to “take back the wait to share with you, and hope that only a handful of students make their way city.” The “Boston Strong” slogan you all will join us on this new chapter to Kraft Theater just to watch once or twice Jared Wickerham World Series Trophy placed at the finish line a year. If you have a close friend performing, serves as a reminder of the many brave for The Panel.

I guarantee that it would mean a lot to them police officers, medics, and most imforyoutobetheretowitnesstofruitsofyour Towers on September 11th, but not we will tell the next generation about portantly, spectators at the marathon Sincerely, labor. And who knows, you might be surnecessarily the specific events on the the tragedies that took place at the who did not hesitate to jump into the John Driscoll, Michael O’Neill, and prised at how fun the coffeehouse can be. ☐ day of these attacks. However, the Boston Marathon, but more impor- wreckage caused by the blasts in order Will Treanor

Letter from the New Editors

Belmont Hill Arts

Pa g e 6

Th e Pan el

Musician of the Issue: Jeremy Welborn Spring Coffee House

By Spencer Kim Staff Writer

What about piano?

Keys. I tried them when I was younger, but that was a bit of a bust. The trigger to “relearn” arose a year or two ago. There’s a scene in the Notebook, yes, the movie -where someone’s floating through Chopin’s Prélude No. 4. Just gorgeous. I started with that and went from there. Schubert’s Ständchen is the current conquest.

Senior Jeremy Welborn is a versatile musician who plays both drums and piano.

Some students may recognize him as the drummer and co-president of the upper school jazz band, but what others may not realize is that he has a broad range of musical interests. In addition to jazz, Jeremy What ensembles do you play in both inside also enjoys listening to and playing rock and and outside of school? classical music. Here are his thoughts on the I’ve been involved in the school jazz role of music in his life: band for six years. I also get to jam with Eric Kim. We’ve formed rock groups spontaneWhen and how did you start playing drums? ously through the years. Right now, we are I’ve been toying around on the kit starting to record ourselves on keys and since sixth grade or so, but I wasn’t in a real drums alone. We want to splice together a ensemble setting until seventh. As a first series of semi-consonant indie alternative former, I tried out for the rock band, but tracks and try to add our own sound. Outwas beat out by a third former. After this side of school, I still play in groups at NEC. devastating defeat, Mr. Fiori relegated me to the jazz band, a style I hadn’t ever really en- Do you take formal lessons with any musicountered. I quickly found jazz to be a more cians? fun and faster style - not the tedious, unI started working with a funk/fusion/ varying 4/4 rhythms of rock (well, the sort jazz drummer in 7th grade, Zeke, who’s an of rock you’d come across in a 7th/8th grade awesome teacher. I’ve also worked closely group I should concede). I started in several over the summers with the staff at NEC and ensembles at New England Conservatory Berklee. This spring, Mr. Fiori has been kind (NEC) the summer after first form and I enough to help me learn some of the funstayed there for several summers. I was al- damentals of jazz piano as a senior project. ways with really talented kids, and kids who We’re working out of The Real Book. knew jazz. That was a big boost.

Senior-Directed Play Promises Mystery and Comedy

By Andres Cordoba Panel Staff One of the most exciting things coming out of the theater department is the yearly senior-directed play. Led by a senior from Belmont Hill or Winsor, the production provides an opportunity for students to prove they can take on the challenges that students are not typically tasked with.

This year’s cast consists of seniors from both Belmont Hill and Winsor. Entitled, The Real Inspector Hound, the play is directed by Winsor senior Susannah Howe.

An English mystery/comedy spoof of Agatha Christie’s famous mysteries such as The Mousetrap, the play centers on two critics watching a play. The critics, named Birdboot and Moon, find themselves becoming wrapped up in the play they are reviewing, and eventually the lines between

art and reality begin to blur. Add in a few murders, lost love, womanizing men, and over-the-top actors, and it becomes clear why this play was chosen. Director Susannah explained, “I wanted to do a comedy, and this one stood out to me because it’s smart, silly, and satirical all at once.”

An actress first, Susannah’s interest in directing stemmed from her roles in past student directed plays such as Rumors, Albertine, and Proof. “I love acting and have been in lots of productions at Winsor and Belmont Hill, but, until recently, I hadn’t thought I would be capable of directing a show.”

The play is a one act, allowing for less stress on the cast and its first-time director. With a cast involving Belmont Hill’s own Charlie Hill, Shane Rossi, and Andres Cordoba, it’s sure to be an entertaining performance. The tentative performance dates are May 30th and 31st. ☐

Students Shine at Annual Spring Concert

By Dider Lucceus Staff Writer

On April 25th, the various Belmont Hill orchestral, choral, and jazz bands played together under one roof at the Scottish Rite Museum to showcase their talent and dedication in this annual gathering. The night started off with an exhilarating performance by the Orchestra, whose fantastic arrangement of Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 starting the show off with a ‘bang.’ The B-Flats stormed the stage after the Orchestra with two beautiful African songs, Nkosi Sikelel’ I Afrika and Soonah Will Be Done, which captivated the crowd with swelling crescendos and staccatos. Next up came the Jazz Combo, who began with the snazzy In Green Dolphin Street and Golson’s Killer Joe. The B-Flats returned to the stage with a collection of popular songs - Good Ole A Capella, Pompeii, Vande Mataram, sung in

Hindi. The A-Sharps, consisting of five sophomores, took the microphones from the B-Flats and sang Follow Me; the harmonies were executed perfectly. The A-Sharps then ceded the stage to the Middle School Jazz Ensemble, who performed some classic jazz repertoire, including P. Desmond’s Take Five. Another group from the middle school, the Middle School Glee, took the stage as well, performing Geographical Fugue for Speaking Chorus, a spoken song with many overlapping parts. As the night came to a close, the Upper School Jazz Ensemble performed the last few pieces: In A Sentimental Mood, Hey Pocky Way, and Tuesday Heartbreak. The night finally came to an amazing conclusion as the B-Flats, Middle School Glee, and the Upper School Jazz Ensemble performed Pharrell Williams’ Happy, arranged specially by Mr. Fiori. The song reflected the audience’s mood as they surely were happy that the students of Belmont Hill put on another amazing display of their musical talents. ☐

Do you have any favorite pieces, songs, or genres of music?

I’m into it all. Shuffle the iPod and I get Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, then Dyme Def, then Smokey Robinson, then Jack Johnson, etc.

Any recent performances?

The coffeehouse was really fun for the seniors. I was able to get on the kit, keys, and sing a bit too (albeit not so well).

Why do you play music?

That’s tough to answer. If you’ve been on the kit, on the keys, or even in an audience and you’re in tight, tight synchrony with everyone else around you, that’s sort of an out of body sensation.

Jeremy will be attending Harvard University next year, where he will continue to play drums and piano. He hopes to find a spontaneous group atmosphere that will allow him to explore new styles of music, including funk and fusion.

Chicago: The Riviting Spring Musical

By DJ Demetri Staff Writer Dana Hall and Belmont Hill are at it again with another amazing musical: Chicago. After last year’s heartstopping performance of The Wiz, this year’s cast has a lot to live up to. With the masterful Mr. Kevin Groppe directing, Mr. David Coleman leading the music, and Devon Fitchett choreographing, this performance is guaranteed to be a hit!

Chicago tells the slightly burlesque tale of two foxy murderesses, Velma Kelly and Roxy Hart, and follows their dramatic adventure as they each hope to shoot their names to stardom. After murdering her nightclub-regular boyfriend, Roxy (played by Gracie Brakeman) meets the already well-known Velma Kelly (played by Meaghan Robichaud) in the Cook County Jail, where Roxy proceeds to steal her limelight, and her lawyer, Billy Flynn. Together, Billy (played by Robert Sayegh) and Roxy craft her story to appear in front of a judge and jury. The musical delivers great numbers such as “All That Jazz,” in which Velma welcomes the audience and introduces them to the fun-filled show ahead; “Razzle Dazzle,” where Billy Flynn truly displays the circus-like nature of the courtroom as he tries to prove that a glamorous murder is one you can get away with; and “Mr. Cellophane,” Amos Hart’s (Roxy’s husband played by ChrisAngus Smith tian Dolan) dejected and pitiful solo.

If you want to know how the dramatic, laugh-out-loud trial progresses and concludes, then come out to Dana Hall’s Bardwell Auditorium on May 16 or 17 at 8:00 pm and find out; you will not regret it. Other members of the cast from Belmont Hill include, William Galligan, Matthew Hennessy, Seamus Clair, and D.J. Demetri. ☐

By Brendan Pulsifer Panel Staff The spring coffee house on Friday, April 11 was a success to say the least.

There was much anticipation for this Coffee House - everyone, especially the seniors, was hoping that this event would be the best of them all. There were plenty of potential acts, as many students play instruments, sing, or can even do standup, and all they needed to do was sign up.

The spring coffee house was heavily publicized by students (who sent out text messages and advertised the event on Facebook) and teachers, especially Mr. Fiori, who focused his rock bands, took to the lunch podium for announcements, and sent school-wide emails. Students strongly encouraged each other to try something new and perform (Juan Carlos Fernandez del Castillo made it a personal mission to track down campus musicians so that the show could be the best possible.)

The enthusiasm and hard work yielded 27 acts who performed like superstars in an arena to a packed standing-room only audience. The crowd included the usual supportive parents, but mostly fellow Belmont Hill students and teachers. A number of Winsor girls joined the audience to see their friends perform, and even perform with them.

Led by Mr. Fiori and Mr. Pettine, the middle school rock bands opened the show with outstanding performances of “Hotel California” and “Dance the Night Away,” hooking the crowd with their rhythms. Later on, the upper school rock bands continued to show great performances; a rock band led by Mr. Fiori played “Reelin’ in the Years,” and even some student run bands took the stage. A country rock band performed country classics by Eric Church; another band did a rendition of “Over My Head (Cable Car.)” The most exciting and unexpected part of the coffee house was the solo and duet acts that took the stage. Between Nate Trznadel’s well-executed, jazzy “Sunday Morning” and Alex Hall’s unplugged version of “Carry On,” the level of talent in the room blew everyone away. Seamus Clair performed quite a throwback with Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me.” Duets also dominated the stage: Christian Dolan and Becca Koppel of Winsor sang “Say It Right”; Brendan Pulsifer and Brooke Kennedy of Dana Hall sang “Just Give Me a Reason”; Jeremy and Jacob Welborn performed “Kids”; and Juan Carlos and Hailey Yetman of Winsor excited us with “Don’t Know Why.” Two performances in particular involved all students if not the whole crowd – “Free Fallin’,” performed

by Mihir Gulati, Mack Perry, and dozens of other upperclassmen; and the closing number of the night, “Oye Como Va,” led

by Juan Carlos Fernandez Del Castillo, Jeremy Welborn, and many more. “Oye Como Va” closed the show with quite a bang, as all those who stayed the long but enjoyable three hours of performances stood up in their seats and danced.

It is also important to mention that the Orbis Bake Sale, which sold cookies, brownies, and delicious desserts at the Coffee House, sold $250 for Water for People, an organization that collaborates with local communities to build clean water infrastructure in impoverished regions around the world. Thanks to all those who helped make this coffee house possible – it truly was a great night not to be forgotten. ☐

Belmont Hill Sp orts

May 1, 2014

Pa g e 7

Belmont Hill Varsity Scoreboard TEAM

RECORD

NOTABLE RESULTS

MVPS

Lacrosse

7-1

W 6-5 vs. St. Sebastian’s W 9-8 vs. Governor’s Academy

Danny Seibel Joe Delaney

Baseball Track Tennis Golf Sailing

9-0

W 12-2 vs. Milton W 6-5 vs. St. Sebastian’s

Nolan Brennan Danny Kelley

11-1 5-2 5-2

W 165-59 vs. St. George’s W 138-76 vs. Middlesex

Lucas Ribeiro Yohannes Mezgebu

W 13-0 vs. Thayer W 14-1 vs. Governor’s Academy

Sabri Eyuboglu Ben Green

W 4-3 vs. Nobles W 7-0 vs. Middlesex W 5-0 vs. St. John’s Prep

Joe Lynch John Lazor Chris Champa Bernardo Pacini

Crew

3-0

W 6-0 vs. Middlesex W 6-0 Vs. Pomfret

Alexander Richards Cole Durbin

1-0

Track Looks to Reclaim Top ISL Spot

By Harry Porter Staff Writer The Belmont Hill varsity track team is looking to recover in a strong way this season. Last year, the squad suffered heartbreaking losses at the ISL and New England Championships and brought home a respectable second place at each meet. This season the team has one goal: to recapture the league and New England titles. Belmont Hill lost multiple senior athletes from last season but appears to be stronger than ever.

During his first meet, Fifth Former Lucas Ribeiro broke the Belmont Hill and ISL record in the discus with a whopping throw of 163 feet and 1 inch. Extremely modest, Ribeiro says, “Breaking the school and ISL record in the discus throw was a great feeling! I have been working extremely hard during the off-season and I had the support

Lucas Ribeiro hurls a shotput

Mr. Mahoney

of my teammates, especially of my throwing team captain Joey Laliberte. “ When asked about goals for the rest of the season, Ribeiro replies, “ My goals for this season are to help our track team win the ISL and New England championships. I also hope to place at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals and the Junior Olympics this summer.” The captains of the squad, Matt Czarnecki, Paul Malloy and Sultan Olusekun are confident in the team’s progress. Matt has been leading the distance squad in training, although he has been sidelined with a knee injury. Paul Malloy has been leading the hurdlers in training and Sultan leads the sprinters and jumpers. Sultan, a two sport captain in basketball and track, says, “Usually known for our natural speed from athletes of the past like David Alexander and Mike Minahan, the track team looks towards effort this year to improve times. Although we do have some standouts, hard work is the only way to succeed and this year will take a team effort.”

The track season won the Thayer Relays pre-season meet and convincingly captured its first two wins of the season. The first two meets were won in dominant fashion as Sultan remains undefeated in the long and triple jumps and Paul Malloy remains undefeated in the hurdles. Coaches Kirby, Collins, Harder, and Anam will continue to expect high results from the team. The track team will be looking to stay hot throughout the short season and seems well on its way to regaining the titles once again. ☐

Lacrosse Team Hopes to Maintain Early Success

By John Gosselin Staff Writer The lacrosse team is off to a strong start this season. Led by Daniel Seibel and Max Gustafsson, the team is currently 6-1, highlighted by an astounding overtime win against Governor’s Academy plus five victories against St. Paul’s, Milton Academy, St. Sebastian’s, Roxbury Latin and St. Marks.

The one loss was inflicted by Thayer Academy in the team’s first home game. In scrimmages earlier in the season, Belmont Hill beat Deerfield Academy at Deerfield, a welcomed win which helped the lacrosse team identify its strengths and weaknesses as a cohesive singular unit. The team lost 9-8 to Thayer which caused them to practice even harder in order to defeat Governor’s Acad-

Records as of 4/27/2014

Belmont Hill Crew Off to a Racing Start

By Bennett Rush Staff Writer This year the Belmont Hill Varsity Crew team is off to a great start led by captains Alexander Richards, Alex Bailey, Mac Manion and Cole Durbin. The preseason presented the team with extraordinary challenges as the Charles River was frozen going into March break. With the rough conditions on the water, the returning NEIRA champions still took on the weather day after day without second thought. Coach Richards says, “I cannot recall a colder, windier start to the spring -- I think we have gotten off to a great start.

We have a large and enthusiastic group and the team has been making good progress.”

All boats from the First Four to the Novice Four were able to schedule preseason scrimmages with teams such as BC High and Brooks, winning a majority of the races. The racing season started at Pomfret Saturday, April 19th. The team brought the first four-man boat through sixth four-man boat, and won

every race by a large margin. Four-Year Varsity oarsman and 2014 captain, Alexander Richards said, “The varsity crew team is excited for the year ahead. Last year was one of the most successful seasons in recent history and we hope to repeat it. We have a great group of young guys who are really motivated.” Captain Mac Manion summed up the season, “we have high expectations for everyone to race well and over the next 6 weeks the racing schedule is intense, up until the climax of our season at NEIRA’S. If everything falls into place in terms of hard work, health, and some luck we hope to have another good showing this year at our showcase regatta.” The team will face some competition, Coach Richards looked ahead at the season stating, “There are a number of great programs in the NEIRA who will keep us honest, among them Choate, Deerfield, and Groton probably pose the biggest threats.”

Last year, the top four varsity boats were undefeated and New England champions and the 2014 Crew team looks toward another year dominating the water. ☐

UA Athlete of the Issue

emy for the first time in ten years. Keeping the momentum from the win against Governor’s Academy, the lacrosse team beat St. Paul’s 14-3 at home and Milton 15-0 at Milton. At the St. Sebastian’s game on Wednesday April 23, Belmont Hill beat Seb’s by one point in overtime, the second overtime win of the season. Belmont Hill started the game with four quick goals in the first half, but St. Sebastian’s responded aggressively, adding three goals in the second half to their two in the first, putting Belmont in a one-goal hole with just a few minutes left in regulation time. A goal scored in the last seconds of the fourth quarter forced overtime, which ended in a dramatic Belmont Hill goal by Joe Delaney to win the game. Overall, the first seven games show a promising season, and the lacrosse team has been winning games and scoring goals prolifically. ☐ Kyle Parsons dodges a defender

This spring season’s Athlete of the Issue goes to senior attack Kyle Parsons. Just 7 games into the season, Kyle is second on the team in scoring with 7 goals and is tied for the lead in assists with 7, along with Daniel Seibel. Parsons scored a crucial goal against Governor’s in overtime to give the team a 9-8 win, ending a 10-year losing streak against this tough ISL competitor. Mr. Sullivan, head coach of the lacrosse team, had this to say about Parsons: “He quarterbacks the offense from behind the net. He knows when to attack the net and score, but also knows when to pass the ball off to another teammate.”

We hope Kyle continues his success this year and we wish him well as he takes his talents to Bucknell next year. ☐ Mr. Mahoney

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Th e Pan el

*DISCLAIMER* We, the Back Page editors, are trying something new for this Issue of the Panel. If at any point in time,

The Back Page Editors

sion of the Month. This month we had a lot good. Most were not. Congratulations, Fifth Former Liam Foley, who asked, “Can you do scratch and sniff? I like scratch

“The Kitten Korner”

Happenings On the Hill: Boy Buys One Beef Jerky; Gets Two; Students Rejoice.

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ocal hero,

former Julian Wambach, received other day at our very own Jordan Athletic center. The young lad had the intention of

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