November 2017 (66, 4)

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Volume 66, Issue 4

A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill and Winsor Schools

November 9, 2017

CLUBS ON CAMPUS Should Extracurriculars at Winsor & Belmont Hill Face Greater Regulation?

By Seth Israel ’18, Matt Smith ’19, and Ellisya Lindsey ’19 Panel Staff Clubs, and more generally, extracurricular activities, serve as an aspect of Belmont Hill and Winsor in which nearly every student participates. They are a vital component of student life at both schools and allow students to express and pursue their non-academic, non-athletic interests in a variety of ways. Given the importance of clubs and activities at Belmont Hill and Winsor, it seems necessary to more closely analyze the creation, approval, and execution processes of clubs on both campuses.

At first glance, Winsor’s club policy seems far more rigorous than Belmont Hill’s; however, both processes have their flaws. While the Winsor author believes their approval process is sufficiently thorough, she still thinks that there is room for improvement regarding the regulation of approved clubs. Similarly, the Belmont Hill authors support more comprehensive requirements for the approval and renewal processes of clubs on campus.

Continued on Page 6, 8 From Mock Trial to The Podium, Belmont Hill & Winsor students partake in many extra-curricular endeavors

Winsor School (Top), Duncan Grant (Bottom)

#MeToo: Opening Eyes to Sexual Misconduct BH Athlete of the Issue: Jake Bobo ‘18

By Julie Wilson ’19 Staff Writer The adults in your life probably set rules for you before you were old enough to understand their purpose. Don’t walk through the park to get to the T, take the long way with the street lights. Don’t go out at night. Stick with a friend. Don’t make eye contact with men on the street. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t take take public transportation after dark. Cover yourself-- you don’t want to extend any invitations. But as you grew up, you learned why these initially arbitrary rules were put in place. It was not until you yourself had experienced the genuine fear and discomfort of a catcall, a persistent demand for your name and number, or simply a casual once-over on the train, that you understood the reality of sexual harassment.

And those rules, which had seemed so random, soon governed every aspect of your life.

On October 15th, 2017, actress and activist Alyssa Milano posted a tweet that would not only trend in 85 countries but would also spark serious discussion of sexual harassment and assault among people of all backgrounds and genders. She wrote, “Suggested by a friend:

Look Inside The Panel

Center Spread 10-11 Civil Discourse at Winsor & Belmont Hill Examining the state of political discourse and open discussion among administrators, faculty, and students in Belmont and Longwood.

Winsor News 2-3 Winsor Discusses Kneeling at Pep Rally

In wake of NFL protests, national anthem at “Under the Lights” forces Winsor community to grapple with difficult social questions.

‘If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.’ If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted, write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.”

The tweet came in the wake of allegations that Harvey Weinstein, a film producer and the creator of the Weinstein Company, had sexually harassed, assaulted, and/or raped over seventy women over the course of his career. After the first allegations were reported in an article for The New York Times, Weinstein was fired from his own company and his membership in The Academy of Motion Pictures was terminated.

As the allegations against Weinstein continued to build, the scope of the sexual assault discussion began to broaden from the Weinstein scandal to “everyday” instances of assault, as evidenced by the popularization of the hashtag #MeToo. Millions of people, including celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Reese Witherspoon, used the hashtag on Twitter and Facebook alike. The hashtag’s popularity also led to the discussion of sexual assault in politics-- several female political figures, including Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, have spoken about their personal experiences of sexual assault.

Continued on Page 2

Winsor Arts 18-19 AP Students Create and Consider Political Art

Is all art necessarily political? Investigating this question, Winsor AP Art students submit work to an exhibition on politics, social justice, and activism.

Illustration by Kathy Lin ’18

to recreate last season’s success. When asked about his aspirations for the rest of the season, Bobo simply stated “I am focused on winning out and returning to a bowl game.”

In the offseason Bobo keeps himself Belmont Hill football has seen a resuroccupied by playing on Varsity Basketball gence in recent years. Coming off a disapin the winter and Track in the spring. pointing 1-7 season in 2015, the 2016 John Pappo ’18, the Captain of the season saw BH Football rebound with Track team, said what makes Bobo so a strong 7-2 record that finished with special is his “raw athletic ability” a resounding 41-24 win over Wilcombined with an “incredible braham & Monson Academy in the work ethic.” “Last year the Kevin Fleming Bowl. When looking team needed someone to for the root cause of this newfound participate in the triple success, one need look no further jump for a the New Enthan the high powered offense gland and ISL meets, and led by star wide receiver Jake we asked Jake to step up.

Bobo. Elected captain as a seStarting his training just a nior, the 6’4” wideout has taken week before the meet, Jake the ISL by storm in the past two w as able to perform seasons. Recording ten touchdowns, 70.2 extremely well yards per game, and 20.4 yards per reat the tourception in 2016 earned Bobo the honnaments, ors of Boston Herald All-Scholastic, 1st coming in Team All ISL, and 1st Team All New third place and England. greatly helping the team on However, Bobo does not concern very short notice.” From the field to himself with individual stats and actrack to the classroom, Bobo is known for his colades, as his main focus rests on hard work and determination. team success. Currently 4-3 Next fall, Bobo will continue his domion the year, BH is tied for nant football career at Duke University, where third in the ISL six, yet Jake he looks to add to an up-and-coming D1 ACC believes they have the pieces football program. ☐

By Henry Wyett ’18 and Billy Weldon ’18 Staff Writers

BH Sports 12-13 Football Takes Down Sebs, 21-20

Backed by Luke Jordan’s (’18) pick-6, five other interceptions, a strong Loop showing, and a Milk and Cookies dance party, BH Football wins by one.

Brian Mullaney

WINSOR NEWS

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Solidarity Found in #MeToo Movement Anthem at UTL Starts Conversation

Continued from Front Page By now, it is apparent that the hashtag did its intended job, especially when one considers that the number of women sharing their assault stories on social media is a mere fraction of the women who have been sexually assaulted-- “the magnitude of the problem” is clear. “It’s also important to remember that the #MeToo campaign isn’t new, but has always been and continues to be a way for survivors to raise awareness and grow community,” says Lia Kornmehl ‘19. Although this purpose seems unique today, it harkens back to the efforts of women in the late 1960s to make each other aware that the problems they thought were personal were actually political.

During second-wave feminism, a 1960s movement in the United States, women’s liberation groups began to form across the country, one of which was New York Radical Women. In 1967, members of New York Radical Women began meeting in small groups to share their personal experiences of oppression.

By listening to others’ stories, the women in the groups realized that they were not alone in their experiences. As Anne Forer, one of the original members of New York Radical Women, said, “[We] needed to hear it to raise [our] own consciousness.” Over the next year, the idea of consciousness-raising spread across women’s liberation groups in New York. Consciousness-raising groups held meetings once a week in one of the group member’s living rooms, and would have little to no structure aside from an initial question to spark discussion. This casual setting not only allowed women to feel as though they were in a comfortable space, but it also allowed consciousness-raising groups to be formed anywhere and at any time. In fact, by 1971, thousands of small consciousness-raising groups were present in cities and towns across the United States.

“One of the impediments to social change for women historically has been the way their gender roles have isolated them from one another,” notes Ms. Ryan. As a result of this isolation, women interpreted the problems they faced to be strictly individual and not due to systemic oppression against them. For example,

a woman would regard an argument with her husband over housework as a personal, private disagreement-- which would be a perfectly rational mindset for one to have if one is unaware of the fact that most other women share the same experience. Thus, once women heard the similarities between each other’s stories in consciousness-raising groups, they realized how universal their problems actually were.

Consciousness-raising would later be described as “the backbone of the feminist movement” by the Chicago Women’s Liberation Union because its success in raising awareness about women’s inequality was the first step towards making positive change. Arguably, #MeToo can potentially have a greater effect on exacting social change than consciousness-raising groups did. Because the Internet allows us to effortlessly and quickly connect with people all over the world, #MeToo did in one day what consciousness-raising did in five years. A mere 100,000 women were involved in a consciousness-raising group at the height of its popularity. In contrast, the hashtag #MeToo garnered 500,000 tweets in 24 hours alone. “The #MeToo movement, through the use of social media, has allowed women across the country not only to stand up on their own behalf but to join together with other women to assert a strong, unified voice against their oppression. That kind of solidarity is always the foundation of creating social change!” Ms. Ryan concludes. Indeed, an anonymous source shares, “The #MeToo campaign actually inspired us at Winsor to discuss the unspoken, yet strikingly common, experiences of harassment many of us share as girls.”

Although #MeToo has the power to become the backbone of the fight against sexual assault, mobilizing and taking the next step towards change is easier said than done. At Winsor in particular, we can focus on promoting healthy discussion about sexual assault by ensuring that our community remains a place in which people feel comfortable speaking out about their personal experiences, and by standing in solidarity with sexual assault survivors. It is up to each of us to build upon the foundation that #MeToo provides. ☐

Boston Mayoral Election Heats Up

Tito Jackson, left, challenges Mayor Marty Walsh, right, this election

By Penny Mack ’18 Panel Staff November 7th falls a day short of the one year anniversary of the 2016 presidential election. But as America continues to wrestle with the aftermath of that election, Boston residents went to the polls to vote again-- this time for mayor.

At the time this article went to press, the gap between incumbent mayor Marty Walsh and opponent Tito Jackson was appreciably wide-- a 35 point difference in the latest Boston Globe poll, with Walsh far ahead. That being said, the race between Walsh and city councillor Jackson has raised fascinating questions about Boston’s future and the future of leadership in our city.

A large topic of discussion in the race has been increasingly sparse affordable housing in Boston. Jackson criticized the luxury houses built under Walsh’s administration and accused the mayor of neglecting lower-income families.

Walsh responded with the assertion that his government has invested over 100 million dollars into building affordable housing.

Another major debate arose around

The Boston Herald

the question of race in Boston. Boston has been a notoriously segregated city, and Boston’s racist past continues to echo. Last year, the headmaster of the Boston Latin School, one of Boston’s largest public schools, resigned in wake of her administration’s failure to respond to allegations of racial hostility at the school. At the final mayoral debate in late October, Jackson brought up the BLS scandal and brought up an NAACP report that criticized Walsh’s failure to resolve racial conflicts in the city. Walsh responded with the assertion that he was the first Boston mayor to hold a town hall meeting about race. He also cited executive orders to raise the numbers of people of color getting city-owned contracts (it’s currently at 0.5%), and the directive to hire more POC teachers in the Boston school system.

November 7th also marked the first election in which some Winsor seniors were able to vote. As many seniors turned 18 this fall, the mayoral election was their first chance to have a

say in their local government. “After the election last year, I realized that I need to play a role in deciding this country’s future,” said Madison Lehan ’18, a Boston resident. “I’m excited to vote on November 7 and finally have a say in what happens in my city.” ☐

Winsor Students Rally at UTL

By Haley Kwoun ’20 Panel Staff

For more information on the histo ry of Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling and its repercussions, see “Players Protest in the NFL” from last month’s issue of Winsor’s Panel.

The backlash felt by those who practice their right to free speech by taking a knee during the National Anthem at sporting events has only grown more hostile in recent weeks. Gyree Durante was the first college football player to be kicked off of a team for his peaceful protest before his October 7 game, but he openly refuses to regret his actions.

“The Star Spangled Banner,” declared the national anthem in 1931, was played as a unifying element during Game 1 of the 1918 World Series. The Boston Red Sox then began playing the anthem before each baseball game, and it was adopted as a nationwide practice.

Although the recent events regarding the anthem have developed in proximal years, the song has been protested for decades to raise awareness of injustices throughout the nation. For example, Olympic athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised a fist in a “black power” salute during the national anthem and were ousted from the 1968 Olympic games. Protests have mainly been carried out with the intention to express that the country is not living up to the ideals put forth in its very constitution. These recent instances are no different, but it is common for those who protest now to be villainized by the President, media, and other fellow Americans. Many Americans hold the belief that they cannot dishonor those in the military by kneeling during the national anthem and instead protest and recognize the injustices in other ways. Neither action, standing or kneeling, stems from ill intentions, and each individual is respectfully entitled to their own opinion. While this entitlement may not be obvious in the news, Winsor and each member of the community strives to uphold this value without shame or judgement. In the eyes of some of its students, the school has done well in that regard; Sophie Yates ’20 felt “safe to choose either to stand or kneel” without feeling “pressured to do either.”

Following tradition of the Under the Lights ceremony, Small Chorus sang “The Star Spangled Banner” for the school after the cheers. The performance was preceded by the powerful remarks of Ms. Pelmas, who encouraged each student to react individually, unapologetically, and without fear of judgment from their peers. In the weeks before, the students had been exposed to the discussion surrounding the difficult topic, hearing remarks from Mr. Young during assem-

Kristie Rae Gillooly

bly that provided insight into the act of kneeling during the national anthem without disrespecting the country and those who defend our freedom. Though Winsor has only explicitly pushed its students to stand by their beliefs and do what they feel is right without influence of others or fear of consequences, Nicole Chung ’18 feels that the preceding speech had diverse effects. She says, “There were sentiments that the preceding speech came off as a sort of obligatory ‘heads up’ about a controversial gesture that many Winsor students may not have been aware of or anticipating. On the one hand, this warning gave people some time–– albeit not a lot–– to digest that something uncomfortable was about to happen, and to prepare if they felt necessary.”

Ifeanyi Umunna ’20 agrees that the atmosphere after the speech was “pretty uncomfortable in particular because the speech that was given before put everyone in an awkward place… As a person who kneels because I believe in protesting the unjust treatment of black Americans in this country, [the perceived message of the speech] made me feel as though some of the support was false. While I truly appreciated seeing so many people kneeling, the speech almost tainted the overall experience for me...The speech made me feel as though many people chose to kneel out of obligation rather than understanding.” The possible benefits and shortcomings of the speech were evident in the student body: promotion of freedom of expression, dispulsion of judgement and criticism, calls of warning, discomfort, and diversion of conversation.

As was encouraged by Ms. Pelmas’ speech, the dialogue has been incorporated into conversation following the speech. Clubs like 21st Century Forum and Panel are using the opportunity to reopen and normalize discussion surrounding this sensitive topic.

Despite its intention to not influence the students, Ms. Pelmas’ speech appeared to affect the decisions and actions of some members of the community. While many felt as though the speech constructively allowed for free expression of beliefs, others felt as though they were obligated to kneel, not out of solidarity, but out of societal pressure, and still others felt overall uncomfortable with the situation and discouragement of discussion.

Despite the growing antagonism arising from the political climate and further heightened by the kneeling, the Winsor community advocates for free and peaceful expression and is taking steps toward the elimination of both social prejudices and the silencing of the dialogue necessary to overcome these issues together. ☐

WINSOR NEWS

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FDA Approved Drug Offers Cancer Treatment

By Alison Poussaint ’18 Panel Staff

Safe Medicine Disposal

Usually swelling is not abnormal. A college student sprains her ankle, an athlete gets hit with a soccer ball, a teacher experiences the flare-up of an old shoulder injury. However, many of these adults may see swelling in their neck, underarms, and groin later in life, a sign of Diffuse large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), a disease that has affected thirty thousand Americans. A cancer of the blood, DLBCL occurs when one type of the body’s white blood cells, B-Cell lymphocytes, divide and multiply uncontrollably within the bone marrow, thyroids, bone marrow, and spleen.

The other type of white blood cell, T-Cell lymphocytes, can be utilized as a weapon against infected B-Cell lymphocytes through CAR T-Cell Therapy. In CAR T-Cell Therapy, T-Cell lymphocytes are removed from the patient, modified to recognize infected B-Cell lymphocytes, and returned into the patient. These modified T-Cell lymphocytes attack the infected B-Cell lymphocytes and help fight the disease.

Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed two CAR T-Cell therapy drugs. The first drug, Kymriah, priced highly at $475,000, was proposed by a company called Kite Pharma in August and was used for children with leukemia, a similar cancer of the white blood cells, when their leukemia did not respond to other treatments. When a pharmaceutical company called Gilead Sciences purchased Kite Pharma in late August, it strove to produce a drug that targeted DLBCL in adults. Yescarta, the second drug approved by the FDA, was valued at $373,000.

Clinical trials and experimental runs have demonstrated the effectiveness of the drug. During another clinical trial for Yes-

carta, according to The Washington Post, 100 patients with B-Cell lymphoma were treated with the drug. 51% of the 72 patients that responded to the treatment had no remaining signs of cancer. After six months, 39% percent of patients showed no signs of cancer. However, a few of these patients had side effects from Yescarta treatment: confusion, high fevers, high blood pressure, and even death, causing the FDA to issue a warning on each treatment.

Though there are side effects, many have praised the drug’s effects. “‘In just several decades, gene therapy has gone from being a promising concept to a practical solution to deadly and largely untreatable forms of cancer,’” remarked FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. In recent weeks, what Gottlieb describes has proven true.

Members of the Winsor community also commented on the effectiveness of the drug and its impact on patients with DLBCL. Avantika Kothari ’19 stated, “There is clearly some work to be done, both in terms of the number of side effects and the extremity of them and in terms of the percent of success in people. I do see it as a step in the right direction [...]

They are never going to get a 100% success rate–– no medicines or treatments really work like that–– but the fact that around half of the participants found that it helped says a lot to me, because it suggests that we are getting closer to something more effective.”

Yescarta provides a hopeful future treatment option for patients whose previous treatments have not been effective. The work that both companies, Kite Pharma and Gilead Sciences, have done has proven that there is hope for the cure of lymphoma and other types of cancer. In the next few years, who knows how many other effective drugs will be produced, and in twenty years, maybe we will see the end of DLBCL, breast cancer, and leukemia. ☐

Editors-In-Chief

Photo Editors Duncan Grant ’18 Donavan Payne ’18 Jamila O’Hara ’19 Ellisya Lindsey ’19

Arts Editors

Austin Kwoun ’18 Teresa Lawlor ’19

Sports Editors

Hammond Hearle ’18 Thomas McEvoy ’19

Online Editors

Matthew Smith ’19 Sindhu Krishnamurthy ’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

Graphics Editor Bennett Morris ’18 Elias Hyde ‘20

Assistant Editors Alison Poussaint ’18 Charlie Donahue’19 Dayoon Chang ’19 Matthew Goguen ’19 Mikayla Chen ’19 Nick Daley ’19 Chetan Shukla ’20 Haley Kwoun ’20 Jack Weldon ’20

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener Meghan Hazard Veronica Plata

News Editors

Penny Mack ’18 Charlie Booth ’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 © 2017 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

Standardized Testing Scores Put Boston Public School Budgets at Risk

By Qirrat Anwar ’19 Staff Writer Earlier this fall, the Boston Public Schools committee announced that 26 schools, ranging from East Boston to West Roxbury, are at risk of being declared underperforming on standardized testing.

Nine Boston public schools, in fact, have already been declared underperforming due to students’ low MCAS scores.

Tommy Chang, superintendent of Boston Public Schools, regards this issue as extremely urgent due to the fact that the schools affected are inhabited by some of the most marginalized students; they educate a total of about 12,000 minority students. The declaration of underperformance could lead to the state taking control of said schools and the removal of principals and teachers from those schools.

The Boston Public School District tried to take matters into its own hands and fix the issue by cutting in half the number of standardized tests students are required to take in lower-performing schools. A statement released by the Boston Public School District expresses that “while BPS continues to recognize that testing and formative-progress monitoring are strong tools to serve our students, the district shares concerns raised by families, educators, community partners, Boston School Committee members and the Boston Teachers Union over the increase in student assessments in recent years.” The committee believes that reducing the number of tests given will increase classroom time and therefore increase scores on tests that are taken.

But perhaps the tests themselves are not truly the problem. Standardized tests

City Connects Blog

Boston Public School students participate in a class discussion City Connects Blog like the MCAS are designed to test if stu- language learners have different struggles dents are comfortable and successful at ap- with the test, and the fact that it is a timed plying general skills to specific subjects. Ms. test out of necessity” are all probable flaws Labieniec, having written similar test ques- of high-stake standardized testing such tions before, explained that the guidelines as the MCAS. Ideally, when results of for creating these tests “are all about mak- standardized tests are recieved, schools ing sure that there is no leading or biased should address questions about teacher language in the question, that no assump- training, curriculum, and overall school tions about common experience are made structure; standardized tests offer imand that the language is clear and as simple portant information on how to improve as possible.” and refine a school’s system and should So what exactly is the problem? Ms. be used as such. “But to use test scores Labieniec suggests “the fact that students alone as an indicator of a school’s success cannot access resources (so it relies on misses the mark entirely. Basing “performemory), the fact that they are given only mance” on standardized tests alone is a one or two days (which may be a day where myopic view, especially because of how the student is just off), the fact that English complex and dynamic a school commu-

nity is,” says Ms. Labieniec. For funding and resources to be pulled from these schools would simply be destructive. Lia Kornmehl, Class VII, also seems to agree. She remarks that “a student might not be great at standardized testing or even unfamiliar with a particular test, but have a lot of creative potential; this would put them in a very difficult situation if low performance on a test like the MCAS leads to the school’s art program getting cut.”

As Winsor is a private school, we as students are extremely lucky that we do not have to rely on performance on standardized testing for funding. We are fortunate that teachers like Ms. Labieniec “review the curricula at the departmental level [...] and give assessments that [they] design and believe do a good job measuring [students’] understanding of the material.” Our independence gives freedom to our teachers and allows us to have a learning experience that is able to mold to each individual student, rather than having a generalized system that needs to be followed.

Mayor Marty Walsh affirmed that both he and the committee are improving schools at the bottom and helping them reach higher status amongst public schools nationwide. Walsh revealed in a recent statement that “this year’s budget includes an additional $16 million for our lower-performing schools and it’s important that we continue to provide focus and supports to the schools and students that need them most.”

The decision to declare or not declare these schools as underperforming will be known when the latest rounds of MCAS results is released by the state later this fall. ☐

B elmont Hill News

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T he Panel

In Case You Missed It...

Oct. 12, 2017

Oct 20, 2017

Belmont Hill’s Landau Gallery unveiled a collection of paintings entitled “Solitude” by Dominic Killiany, a 19-year-old Boston-area artist and student with Autism. The exhibit ended November 3rd.

The Ryan family announced the creation of the Maggie and John Ryan Family Chair in an all-school meeting. English teacher, wrestling coach, and role model Mr. David Leonardis was honored as the first recipient of the chair.

Nov. 2, 2017

Nov. 3/4, 2017

Form II boys enjoyed the annual Men’s Breakfast. The event allows boys and their invited male role models to explore “what it means to become a man,” the theme for the Second Form.

The Winsor-Belmont Hill Middle School play, 15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play, premiered last weekend.

Looking Ahead

Nov. 5/6, 2017 Eight members of our editorial staff, along with Mr. Hegarty, travelled to NYC for annual fall journalism conference at Columbia University.

Tomorow, Nov. 10, 2017

Bruce Greer ‘78 will serve as this year’s Veteran’s Day speaker. His talk will start our day tomorrow in Chapel.

Oct. 23, 2017

Gavin Colbert ‘18, Danny Tsyvin ‘18, Colin Vallis ‘19, and Mr. Armstrong shared their favorite moments from the WWII Kenney Legacy Trip in Chapel.

At night, Belmont Hill will welcome the Roxbury Latin Latonics for a joint concert with the B-Flats in Chapel.

Oct. 23, 2017

Croatian author Slavenka Drakulić spoke with interested Upper Schoolers on her experiences living in Yugoslavia and the state of rising nationalism in America and abroad. Dr. and Mrs. Monaco, sponsors of Belmont Hill’s Monaco Prize in American history, made her visit possible.

Nov. 7, 2017

Nov. 8, 2017

The entire Class of 2018 travelled to Newton on Tuesday for an all-day discussion with NCDS seniors and the One Love foundation. Dialogue concentrated on relationship violence and sexual assault.

The B-Flats sang at the Belmont Veteran’s Breakfast yesterday morning, continuing a recent tradition.

Nov. 13, 2017

Jeff Price ‘18, Austin Kwoun ‘18, and Donavan Payne ‘18 will face off in the final round of the Fall Woodbury Public Speaking Competition.

Nov. 14, 2017 Belmont Hill’s Fall Blood Drive will take place throughout the day. Parents, faculty, staff, and students over 17 are encouraged to donate. You can sign up in the health clinic.

From the Archives: A Look Back at the First Volumes of The Panel

“Why a Newspaper?” – From Volume 1, No. 1

By Thomas H. Flint ’54 Panel staff (Volume 1) This question has been in the minds of all concerned for the last few months. The idea of a newspaper has been well received for it seems that Belmont Hill has become a school used to rapid change; the major objections have been along the lines of “What can a newspaper give us that The Sextant couldn’t?” We of the newspaper staff feel obligated, therefore, to answer this question completely in this, our first issue The first obligation of any school’s publication, be it magazine or newspaper, is to record the events of the school year. This The Sextant did well, but with more time and space, and armed with a board infinitely larger than the eight man Sextant News Board, The Panel will do the job more completely, and with greater detail.

Another important service which The

Sextant performs is to present the school’s literary and artistic achievements in an attractive form. By leaving these two departments to The Sextant, we will, in addition to leaving The Panel more space, at the same time arouse new interest in the school’s literary ability, and start what we hope may be a stimulating rivalry between the two publications. The Panel will, of course, serve as The Sextant did, to keep alumni, parents, and other schools accurately informed as to goings on at Belmont Hill.

Our newspaper now seems justified in its existence, but that is not enough. We want more than a mere change in the size and form of Belmont Hill’s publication. The most important of these “extras” will be found here on the editorial page, and in the “Letters to the Editors” column. Organization and expression of student opinion are two of the most beneficial services that The Panel will offer the school; services which

The Sextant, with its small size and restricted publication, could not satisfactorily fulfill.

In essence, we sincerely hope that The Panel will serve to draw the school closer together, and make its various elements better known to everyone. In danger of making ourselves “super patriots, who scream and holler about school spirit,” to quote Sextant editor Norris Hoyt, we venture to challenge the main point of his December, 1952, editorial, “...that school spirit must develop by itself, and that any attempt to speed up or modify its evolution, by outside stimuli, is likely to kill the organism or turn it into a Frankenstein.”

We plan to make our paper an “outside stimulus,” which by considering every member of the student body as a possible contributor, and by accurate and complete news coverage, will not only increase school interest, but will keep it alive. ☐

Top-Left: Masthead and Headline Article for Volume I, Issue 1, published April 23, 1953

Top-Right: Early advertisement in the publication from Brooks Brothers Clothing

Note from the Editors

A Panel Online Exclusive

Want to see more?

Check out The Panel Online for exclusive content from the Belmont Hill Archives.

This year, the 66th Editorial Board of The Panel has chosen 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 intends to include excerpts from older editions and articles, providing the student body with an accessible means to investigate the Belmont Hill experience from 1923 to 2017. As we embark on our school’s 95th year, we at The Panel hope to lead the school through the beginning of an important transition period. The process of both celebrating and re-evaluating the past will be as important as pondering the future.

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B elmont HIll News

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One Year Out: Checking In with Mr. Schneider Fall Woodbury Excites

By Charle Booth ’20 Panel staff

Approximately one year ago, Mr. Schneider first walked the hallowed halls of Belmont Hill. Mr. Schneider was recruited to teach AP Physics and Engineering; however, to those of us fortunate enough to enjoy the benefits of his undoubted expertise, he is more than a mere teacher, he is also a dedicated JV soccer coach. Unfortunately, for this correspondent and for the cynical readers, I struck out when asking Mr. Schneider to tell me what is wrong with Belmont Hill. “There must be something you would change?”

I asked. “Bowtie Friday should be mandatory” he replied. Really? That’s it? I am sure that his students wish that this wild and unrelenting benevolence extended to his AP Physics grading.

One can tell how much Mr. Schneider enjoys soccer and how little he appreciates the finer skills from the excessively large Liverpool flag pinned to the wall in his classroom. Fortunately, for the JV soccer team, Mr. Schneider’s poor choice in professional “football” clubs does not affect his coaching ability. The JV players don’t always share Mr. Schneider’s enthusiasm for fitness before practice, but

we still have the utmost respect for his coaching. It has proven effective, earning the team a record of 10-2-2 in his first year. For the most part we are able to “put the round thing in the rectangle thing” more times than the other team.

And now for the softball… “What do you believe to be the best thing about Belmont Hill?” Mr. Schneider responded “The academic structure with our classes, and the ability to take so many diverse things in different subjects, coupled with the amazing faculty members that I have come to have an overwhelming respect for them, their ability, and their knowledge.”

It is reassuring to hear a teacher speak so highly of Belmont Hill. Mr. Schneider is no novice when it comes to educational institutions having previously taught Chemistry and Physics at Malden Catholic. Mr. Schneider has only been here for one year but he has already become an integral part of our community.

Apparently, Mr. Schneider came to Belmont Hill with very high expectations having been “pitched” by Mr. Courtney, who spoke highly of the school: How have we measured up? Mr. Schneider was surprised by “the overwhelming amount of thought put into the student’s work that they do on a daily basis and they truly care about the learning and it’s not

solely about a grade.” As a school we pride ourselves on our work ethic and willingness to go above and beyond in all aspects of our lives, whether it be athletic or academic. Mr. Schneider said that “If I accidently assign two hours or more of homework I know that every student will have it done.”

The Facultones last year was an opportunity for Mr. Schneider to showcase his remarkable singing ability and for the school to welcome him into the community. The moment he stepped on that stage he became one of us. Facultones may have been mandatory for the teachers, but it does show a side of them that you are unlikely to see in the classroom.

Mr. Schneider does not view himself as a singer but it definitely gave the students a good laugh. “I guess I didn’t know what to expect because I was put on the spot and I view myself as more of a mouther than a singer.” The Facultones provide the teachers with ample opportunity to be embarrass themselves, having devoted so much time to embarrassing students in class. It is a credit to the Belmont Hill community that new teachers feel so welcome in their first year; we can only hope that they repay our kindness for many years to come! ☐

Boo Chapel Revival a Resounding Success

By Ishaan Prasad ’18 and Matthew Smith ’19 Panel staff

musical act, Hincks announced the next skit on the Boo Chapel agenda, a fight between three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Oisin Treanor ‘18, Maahin Gulati ‘18, and Matt Simon ‘18, and Mr. Leonardis as their nondescript enemy). Easily overpowering his half-shell adversaries, Mr. Leo was shocked when a fourth turtle, Ugo Anuonyemere ‘18, lept from the crowd. Towering over his faculty opponent, Anuonyemere scared Mr. Leo into submission, giving his fellow turtles enough time to recover and help him pummel the model teacher-coach.

Boo Chapel continued without a hitch, incorporating a number of amusing

Following a five-year hiatus, this Halloween, Boo Chapel returned to campus for a morning filled with laughter, frights, and excitement.

For years, Boo Chapel joined the Facultones and Senior Talent Show to form a triad of electrifying all-school meetings.

Nevertheless, a perfect storm of Thursday morning Late-Starts, “Halloweekends” (Halloweens that fall on weekends), and outright negligence led to the half-decadelong removal of the iconic chapel.

Last Spring, the Senate was made aware of a shocking reality — come fall 2017, the Class of 2018 would be the only remaining form on campus that had experienced a Boo Chapel. Unwilling to let this timeless Belmont Hill tradition fall out of the collective memory of the student body, the class officers set out to re-establish Boo Chapel.

On Tuesday, October 31st, throngs of costumed students descended upon the campus. The return of Boo Chapel kicked off promptly with a video produced by the “Dig Vid” Club Heads, Seth Israel ‘18 and Quin McGaugh ‘18 . Filmed in the days leading up to Halloween, the video opened with an intro by Ishaan Prasad ‘18 inspired by the top-trending Netflix original Stranger Things. Following a comedic interview of Boo Chapel hosts Danny Hincks ‘18, Henry Wyett ‘18, and Max Fields ‘18, Fields and Wyett led a rousing performance of Migos’ “Llama Llama Red Pajama” radio performance to the beat of “Bad and Boujee.” The video appeared to be generally well received by the audience, although it was criticized by some for the length and obscurity of its hilarious rap.

After the video wrapped up, Hincks skated out in his school-renowned hockey costume — complete with rollerblades and a Belmont Hill Frozen Fenway Jersey — followed by Fields and Wyett imitating Migos with gold chains and flashy sunglasses. The rapping duo then proceeded with their first live performance, an abbreviated version of “I Get the Bag,” which earned many laughs.

After his co-hosts’ unforgettable Scenes from Boo Chapel 2017

costume presentations, including the Senior members of the Student Senate (wearing hoodies under their blazers) as “Belmont Hill students circa 2016” and Lawson Morris ‘19 and Shane Rockett ‘19 as Bill and Ted from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989). Grant Gibson ‘18 dancing as Spongebob Squarepants to a trap remix of the yellow sponge’s iconic theme song concluded the humorous revival of a classic BH tradition. A true crowd-pleaser, the return of Boo Chapel gave members of the BH community a well-deserved break from the stresses that accompanied the recently passed first marking period. ☐

Donavan Payne

By William LaFarge ’19 and Thomas Smith ’19 Staff Writers On Friday, October 13th and Monday, October 16th, John Markis ’18, Austin Kwoun ’18, Julian Wambach ’19, Donavan Payne ’18, Jeffrey Price ’18, and Vincent Costantini ’18 participated in the Fall Woodbury Semi-Final. Each speaker entertained the audience with humor, anecdotes and meaningful takeaways. Many students have declared this to be one of the best Woodbury events in recent memory. This argument is hard to disagree with. All six speakers performed exceptionally. Below are quick summaries of each speech.

John Markis discussed his experiences with team sports at Belmont Hill.

He recounted humorous stories about his athletic struggles, such as his stunningly slow times for Nordic skiing. Even though John was often the subject of humorous remarks from his teammates for some of these mishaps, he asserted that he was still glad that he was part of those teams, and he praised team sports for the connections and friendships it creates between the members of the team.

Austin Kwoun spoke about his relationship with his roommate from music camp, Kay, who has TCS, a medical condition that alters the development of bones and tissues in the face, impeding one’s breathing. Austin developed a friendship with him and was shocked that, despite Kay’s tremendous musical ability, and being in many ways just like any other kid, he is often pointed and stared at, since many people simply are unable to look past his disability. Austin presented a powerful message about how people often misjudge others based on appearance.

Julian Wambach’s speech touched on the idea of being a helper in society who fixes things they see around them.

By relating this speech to the well-known kids’ show “Bob the Builder,” he created an immediate connection with the audience, as everyone has seen or heard of the show at one time or another. Julian gave excellent insight into being a kind person in today’s society, captivating the audience with a well thought out metaphor.

Donavan Payne spoke about his struggles about being known as the “theater guy” and how societal labels can restrain people from trying new things.

In an effort to partially break away from his label, Donavan tried out boxing last summer. Although Donavan did not hesitate to admit that boxing was difficult for him, nevertheless he does not regret trying something new, and he encouraged everyone to step out of their comfort zones every once sometimes.

Jeff Price’s speech was one of the particularly humorous speeches throughout the Woodbury competition.

His speech, which discussed the Biology Project which sophomores are required to complete, had the audience laughing from the first line to the last. Jeff ’s speech compared the Biology Project with meeting up with a girl for the first time, and it was hysterically funny throughout.

Finally, Vincent Costantini’s speech touched upon the invulnerability which all of us experience as a child.

While humorous in some parts, the deep message of the story stuck with all the students, some of whom are still in their invulnerable years (First Formers).

A well crafted speech, Vinny relayed a great message with impressive public speaking. All in all, the speeches and the competition were a success, and many more students will likely be eager to participate in this event in upcoming years.

☐

Winsor OpinioN

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T he Panel

Representation of Winsor Student Body Diversity

By Crystal Yang ’20 Staff Writer On the Winsor web site, as an introduction to the school’s principles of diversity, it mentions that “Winsor strives to consciously create an environment of respect and inclusion and to support ethnic, racial, religious and socio-economic diversity among all the constituencies of the school.”

The question, therefore, is: Are these specific needs of the students being recognized?

Affinity groups, or places where people of similar, underrepresented racial identities come together and offer support for one another, have been a staple of Winsor clubs for a long time. However, some

students feel that the three affinity groups thus far, SISTERS, AsIAm, and Somo, for students who identify as Black, Asian, and Latinx, respectively, do not accurately represent them. Hana Karanja ’20 says, “…when it comes to mixed kids, affinity groups can be challenging. I went to AsIAm for around three years in Lower School, and though I thought it was a lot of fun, I often found myself feeling as though I did not fit in. There were other half-Asian girls, but they were all half-Asian and half-White, so I felt as though my darker skin and curly hair stood out.”

Enter Mosaic: the new addition to Winsor’s roundup of affinity groups for students who identify as mixed race. The

Students learning how to use chopsticks at International Night

Kristie Rae Gillooly

COLLECT On Which Clubs to Approve

By Ellisya Lindsey ’19 Panel Staff

Read Corresponding Belmont Hill Article on Page 8 I am sure most Winsor Upper School students remember receiving an email in April about either creating or renewing a club. While this time of year can be exciting to many students, the club approval process is still a bit of a mystery even though it has existed for many years. I recently sat down with Unique Hodge ’18, the current COLLECT President, to learn more about the club approval process.

A good starting point was to get a brief overview of the club renewal and approval process. COLLECT begins the process by sending a survey out to the current club heads of the year to gauge student interest in the current clubs so that they can decide which clubs to renew and which clubs to remove. COLLECT then sends out the club proposal forms to the Upper School. Once COLLECT has received all of its proposals, the club and the class presidents voted on which clubs should be passed. Last year, there were about forty spots open for all clubs before renewals. After clubs were renewed, there were only seven spots left for new clubs.

However, class presidents were not always involved in the process of deciding new clubs for the coming year. Last year, COLLECT decided that it would be good to have class presidents help decide on the new clubs as they would offer a new perspective of the student body. It is unclear whether or not COLLECT will do this again, but Unique Hodge found it “helpful to have the class presidents in attendance for these couple meetings.” Additionally, as a class president that attended these meetings, I do feel that it was good for the class presidents to attend this meeting, so they could speak on behalf of their class and its interest in a way

that may not have occurred previously.

Although the club renewal and approval process itself is efficient and successful, there are some issues after clubs have been approved. Unique Hodge, along with the rest of COLLECT, feel that there should be a better system to monitor clubs throughout the year so that club heads can be held accountable. Currently, it is very easy for clubs to stay under the radar and not do much, or anything, during the year.

Julia Monaco ’19, a Class VII COLLECT Representative, shared, “Due to COLLECT’s many responsibilities, we evaluate the clubs only a couple times a year, so it can be difficult for us to address whether or not these clubs have accomplished the goals they set out for themselves in the beginning of the year.” Therefore, it is likely that these clubs are taking spots away from other proposed clubs, even though they sometimes do not end up contributing to the student body.

Through this meeting, I have learned that there are steps we can take as students to make the club process better for both COLLECT and the student body.

For one, students should try to make their proposal forms as specific as possible so that COLLECT can easily review your club and come to a fully-informed decision about the club. It is not helpful to submit a form with one sentence answers because COLLECT does not have much information to base their decision on. However, if your club is rejected and you do not know why, you are always welcome to ask any member of COLLECT to explain their decision to you.

COLLECT is trying to improve their transparency this year, so they would definitely be willing to answer your questions. Additionally, students should submit clubs that have a clear vision, mission or contribution to student body. The goal of clubs is to improve student life at Winsor, but that is not possible if the club does not have a strategy or method of doing so. ☐

group meets once a month under Ms. Ramos’ guidance and is headed by students Nicole Chung ’18, Emily Belina ’18, Mikako Murphy ’18, Alex Bardon ’18, and Kym Morris ’18. The student leaders of Mosaic explained that the reason for naming the club Mosaic was because, “[We] felt that the word epitomized both the diverse element of our group but also the coherence of it. Through each of us has vastly different ethnic backgrounds, it is this shared experience of being more than one that binds us together.” Additionally, Ms. Ramos mentions that the club aims to “…bring awareness to the community that we have a significant population of multi-racial and multi-ethnic students whose experiences are, in part, shaped by that identity. I also hope that it will be a safe space for students to share their experiences…with other students who may have had similar experiences or who have faced similar challenges.”

Hana says, “I don’t feel too dark or too light there, and I even met another ‘blasian’ girl at the first meeting. Before this, I had never met any other people sharing my racial identity…I think it is a great place for girls to really feel that their racial identity is valid.”

Yet even with the addition of Mosaic, some students still feel that it’s not enough. Asrah Rizvi ’20, who identifies as Indian and Muslim, says, “I do think that sometimes AsIAm doesn’t always represent me accurately. Though there are Indians in AsIAm, I do feel that it is mostly geared towards Southeast Asians…it’s nice to have someone who understands you and your situation…but I don’t think AsIAm does that for me.” Additionally, Ifeanyi Umunna ’20 has noted that while her experience with SISTERS has been “incredibly empow-

ering,” she also mentions that if she could change something about the way that affinity groups are currently run, she would increase “…the amount of leeway the heads of affinity groups are given. I genuinely believe in some of the visions my heads have for this school year, but there seems to be some resistance from the Winsor administration.

I think it would be extremely beneficial to the overall Winsor community if affinity groups were allowed to do more within the Winsor community.”

This issue came up at a recent Upper School Meeting, during which students questioned whether affinity groups were allowed to host events that celebrated their specific backgrounds. While Winsor does host the biennial International Night, Audrey Wu ’20 notes, “As much as it seemed to be an enjoyable experience for many of us...I’m not quite sure it reached its original goal of educating students about integrating diversity and cultural understanding into the broader community.” During the meeting, some students proposed a student-led International Night to generate more interest among the student body and make the experience of organizing such an event more meaningful overall. Moreover, it would increase the rare interactions between the affinity groups themselves.

While Mosaic is a great example of progress, and the Winsor web site acknowledges that there is “a continuing need to evaluate and revise [Winsor’s] diversity efforts,” there is still a lack of full representation within certain affinity groups and some issues with improving International Night. Winsor has made substantial efforts to develop a further outreach in regards to diversity, but there is always still more to be done. ☐

Class Rings? More Like Classist Rings

By Penny Mack ’18 Panel Staff

I have had a tumultuous relationship with my Winsor class ring. That being said, I’ve worn it every day since I received it, only taking it off to shower. I love what it represents—pride in my school, my place in a community of amazing people. But it’s hard for me to put aside the problems I have with the ring system.

I have been on financial aid since I started at Winsor. My family has had good years and bad years. Some years paying a couple hundred dollars for a class ring would be alarming, but manageable. Some years it would be unthinkable.

There are eight different types of metals from which a class ring can be made. These vary in price, with a $500 or so difference between the most expensive and the least.

When the time came to pick out which ring I wanted, I felt truly conflicted. My parents encouraged me to get whatever ring I wanted, but I could tell it was a burden on them. I knew they didn’t want me to feel ashamed of not being able to afford the more expensive rings. I also knew that it was a lot to ask for even the lowest-priced ring. I spent a lot of time agonizing over the decision and feeling guilty about what I was asking of my parents. I ended up ordering the least expensive, only to have my ring not delivered on ring day. In a strange cosmic joke, the ring company upgraded me to the most expensive ring for free as an apology.

I don’t think the tradition of class rings at Winsor is innately classist. I never once felt judged by anyone at Winsor about my ring choice. But to ask families to choose from among a vast difference of prices draws class lines. It asks some families to wrestle with the shame, confusion and pain of not being able to afford the more expensive rings. Although class rings have never been, in my experience, purposefully used as displays of privilege, they

often end up becoming so. The whole senior class knows the price of each ring, and, as we all wear our rings daily, they become signifiers of how much each person was able to spend.

Winsor does offer financial aid students half off of the least expensive ring., but while it may allow some students to buy a ring that they could not otherwise, only covering the cheapest ring could leave students for whom this is the only choice feeling limited in a way their peers are not.

In my opinion, the class ring should be the same for all students. The class as a whole should decide what kind of metal they would like, and Winsor should cover whatever cost is necessary for financial aid students. Perhaps asking the class to choose a single ring will disappoint those whose first choice for metal is not met, but it would alleviate the burden and the inner struggle of students like myself for whom the ring decision feels like a kick in the gut. Winsor has made great progress in conversations about race, gender and sexuality.

Yet we are still afraid to broach the topic of class. Talking about class and privilege, however, does not have to be an awkward or embarrassing conversation. Selina Li ’18 states, “This one [ring] situation represents a lot of scenarios at Winsor [regarding] the culture of class and wealth.” We must come to terms with the fact that we go to a school with an extremely high tuition, and that excludes some groups of people while welcoming others.

We are so privileged and so lucky to be here, no matter what our family’s economic background is. That being said, a space for lower-income students to share their experiences within the Winsor environment of wealth and privilege does not exist. All Winsor students should become more aware that what one may take for granted is not guaranteed in the lives of one’s peers. Let’s be more mindful of the conversations we have about class and money, and become more aware of the diversity of experiences among our student body. ☐

Novemb er 9 , 2 017

Winsor Opinion

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Cultural Appropriation: What Are You Wearing?

ica’s ethnic minorities have all too often fallen victim to deeply entrenched prejudices and stark socioeconomic disparities.”

It is inevitable that history is inWe live in a society where we can grained within certain articles of clothexpress our creativity, individuality, and ing.

If you are not East-Asian and you self-identity in varied ways. Whether it is wear a qipao, you need to understand through the the way we dress, words that that you are also wearing the racist leave our lips, a deliberate hip sway, or inflictions of imperialism in China the stroke of a pen, each action we carduring the pre-Qin era that lead ry out leaves a lasting impact on the to the assimilation of Western people it reaches. However, is there and Asian infused clothing. a sense of immorality or wrongIf you are not an indigedoing inself-expression? If so, nous person and you where do we draw the line decide on “Pocabetween self-expression hontas” or “Indian and blatant insensitiviChief” as a Halty? loween costume, you Cultural approare also deciding to priation is the act of misuspartake in the erasure and ing articles of clothing, hairstyles, capitalization of the Native and accessories associated with American people and their the historical and cultural origimulti-faceted, nuanced culnation of a marginalized commuture.

If you are not West nity. Clothing is a form of self-exAfrican and you buy a pression; however, it is also tied to 20-dollar dashiki from centuries of racism, oppression, and Amazon, you are also power. In fact, clothing has been used buying into the notion as a form of resistance and a recorder that the purpose of culof history. Written history is the priturally significant clothmary way we learn about the lives of ing is to fulfill an aesthetothers, but we can learn about history ically pleasing agenda. through more than just words on paper.

Alison Poussaint In fact, clothing can illuminate the past ’18 says, “Those who use just as vibrantly and vividly. By wearing their clothing, makeup, cultural garb, we are wearing a piece of hair accessories...etc. to imitate history. In doing so, we must also hold the way another culture looks, ourselves accountable to the individual traditions within a culture, and power, privilege, and oppression we HalloweenCostumes.com aspects pertaining to the culture possess when we think about culusually do so out of ignorance.” tural appropriation and self-expression through An anonymous source highlights, “Topclothing. And as Nicole Chung ’18 says, “relashop’s having a collection of qipaos on white tive to their majority white counterparts, Amer-

By Selina Li ’18 Staff Writer

models was removing the culture from the on Instagram? Is it because you want to fit in people. Furthermore, they were profiting off with your Asian, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous a culture that is not theirs and taking revenue friends? Third, do your friends of color conaway from actual Chinese people who are sent to this? Do they take offense to making and selling qipaos...People of your clothing choice? color are being told by white people Lastly, do you have that they can’t express parts of their the right to “celown cultures for fear of being seen ebrate” if your as unprofessional or “un-Ameripeople have can,” whereas white people’s takhistorically ing and using these cultures oppressed is often celebrated this specific for being community?

As people may not have a complete understanding open-mindof his, her, or their own identied.” ties and choices, feel free to add A to this list of questions to better common analyze the thinking process behind Her Campus counter arguyour decision. ment that people use to justify Cultural appropriation can appropriation is that they are be perpetuated by all groups of peo“celebrating” that particular ple. If a person of color is wearing culture. However, if we decide a cultural garb of another person of to wear clothing belonging to color’s community, the notion of power another community as a celis universal. We all need to work towards ebratory response, we need recognizing cultural differences and to also commit to tracing the drawing distinctions between freedom path of this clothing from the of expression and cultural appropriatime it has left its manufacturtion. As a school, we should strive to er to the moment we put it on. uphold Winsor’s principles of diversity We need to dedicate ourselves to with a “commitment to understanding asking these questions, no matter individuals and group differences.” Instead how uncomfortable. First, who is of viewing the condemnation of cultural benefitting from the money that was appropriation as restrictive or “censoring,” spent buying this? Is it Amazon? Is we need to recognize each other’s unique it Party City? Is it Forever 21? Or is backgrounds and understand the ways that it an artist who does not personalsystematic racism, sexism, assimilation, ly identify with that culture? Second, colonialism, and other forms of oppression why are you wearing this piece? Is it because you have influenced different cultures and commuare trying to pose with it for an “artistic” photo nities. ☐

Winsor’s Impact on the Environment Diwali: Celebrating the Festival of Lights

By Caitlin Smith ’21 Staff Writer

In the midst of a chilly January, we took a week’s rest from traditional academic studies and devoted our focus as a student body to waste, one of the biggest problems plaguing our modern world. Individuals are decreasingly aware that their impact on the world is quickly increasing global warming through greenhouse gas emissions. We explored trash’s impact on a local, national, and global scale and educated ourselves about how we can save the world from becoming a complete garbage dump. However, Kathleen He ’18, one of the heads of COW, reflected, “Unfortunately, most of the momentum built up during the week of the forum was lost as soon as the forum ended, so several plans for long term projects, including a school-wide e-waste collection and a secondhand clothing sale, were not followed through to implementation.” Despite Global Forum’s intention to increase our waste awareness, it is still not entirely clear where we stand as a community in terms of the environment.

At the end of lunch, Winsor students hurry to empty the leftover contents of their plates into miscellaneous disposal holes to get to class on time. Though there are no longer bright signs labeling specific sections as compost, according to Mr. Downes,“[the cafeteria staff] still [composts] in the kitchen where [they] have more control of the garbage from being contaminated by some of the things that go into the student garbage cans, thus having it be rejected by farms.” However, “there’s a lot of confusion over what can and can’t go in each barrel, and the placement of the recycling bin makes it easy to miss.” Clearer signs by the disposal bins would allow us to use the system more productively.

After investigating the pros and cons of certain materials during Global Forum,

Mr. Downes justifies, “We started using plastic again after using the corn cups for several years because the waste disposal company went single stream and told us that repurpose was as important as recycle...Reduction and reuse are the most effective way you can save natural resources, protect the environment, and save money, according to the EPA.” The reason plastic cups have not completely disappeared from the dining hall is because the current configuration of the dish area does not provide enough space to wash the cups of over 400 students, plus faculty and staff.

So how can we, as individuals, reduce our impact on the environment at Winsor, and on the Boston, and national level?

Bringing your own water bottles or travel mugs, eco-friendly snacks, and reusable containers to school will eliminate the need to buy or be provided with a disposable alternative. Additionally, being aware of your consumer choices is important on a local level. As tempting as hot fried rice from the Galleria food court sounds, it is served on a non-reusable styrofoam plate. If you want to dive deeper, do a trash audit and determine what you throw away to make sustainable swaps. The action that has the greatest impact on the Earth is reducing; challenge yourself to minimize your wasteful purchases. COW plans on “encouraging active change through monthly carbon footprint reduction challenges for the whole school... [like] carpooling or taking public transportation..., taking shorter showers, and turning off the lights in unoccupied rooms. Since we are in the city, we are exploring urban sustainability and agriculture by installing an aeroponic garden.” Ultimately, in order to reduce our environmental impact, we must work together and hold ourselves accountable for our actions, but no one is perfect and this is not a quick-fix. Try your best, be patient, be aware, and be kind to the Earth. ☐

Lighting candles as part of Diwali

By Rani Balakrishna ’21 Staff Writer On Thursday, October 19, it was Day 1, yes, but it was also Diwali (dih-vah-lee), the Festival of Lights and the Hindu New Year. Also called Deepavali, Diwali is a major Indian and Nepalese holiday that is celebrated by many Hindus, Sikhs and Jains worldwide. Its exact date is determined each year by the lunar calendar. In many cultures and religions, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil. Certain gods and goddesses, such as Lord Ganesha and the Goddess Lakshmi, are worshipped at Diwali through traditional ceremonies, or pujas. There are different interpretations for Diwali across India and Asia based on region and religion.

The North Indian story behind Diwali is the homecoming of the exiled Prince Rama (incarnate of Lord Vishnu), after defeating the evil ten-headed demon Ravana in a great war. The people of Ayodhya lit diyas, or lamps, to welcome Rama home from a fourteen year exile. In South India, they celebrate Lord Krishna killing the demon Narakasura, and in Jainism they celebrate the nirvana of Lord Mahavira. Diwali is a unique holiday because it unites all of India, no matter what people celebrate it for. In my family we did a puja for Diwali and gath-

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ered with family at my grandmother’s house to celebrate and receive gifts. In India, and abroad, you will see decorations, fireworks, rangoli (art designs), and many lights and sweets.

AsIAm discussed the lack of representation of Diwali on calendars and cards, despite Hinduism being the fourth largest religion in the world. In 2016, the US Postal Service introduced a Diwali postage stamp, but there is still a lot more ground to cover. Winsor does not address the holiday, and many students were not aware it was Diwali. One Winsor student says that “there’s not much consideration for Diwali at Winsor. . . It’s hard to address but it’s important that Winsor talks about it, because these holidays apply to everyone, not just Hindus and Indians.” An assembly or even a themed lunch is something easily within reach that does not require extensive planning. Another Winsor student also said that “there is little to no recognition for Diwali at Winsor, and it would be nice to acknowledge it like other major holidays.” Winsor should acknowledge Diwali as a religiously important holiday and use it as an opportunity to learn about Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Any acknowledgement would be a step forward and appreciated by many members of the community. ☐

B elmont Hill Opinions

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T he Panel

Clubs, Clubs, and More Clubs: Belmont Hill’s Ebb & Flow tive clubs where their attendance is not re- the club fails to create enthusiasm among quired, or even to creating a club to order to its members, and the club is unable to do prove their “ability” to take on a role of lead- good and meaningful work. In turn, these ership and organization, neither of which clubs degrade and soon begin to lack signifis accurate in this case. Ultimately, “college icance. Clubs become occasional emails and From our perspective, there should app clubs” and others like them poorly rep- five-minute X block meetings, where not be more stringent regulations and require- resent Belmont Hill and its other extracur- much is done. Notable clubs, including the ments for setting up and running a club. riculars and draw away potential members Sextant, the oldest publication at Belmont Currently, at Belmont Hill, the creation of a club is as simple as a few emails. Approval from the head of the upper school, a faculty advisor, some members, and an idea are the only requirements for any new club. If a club requires funding, slightly more rigorous vetting is warranted. The main advantages of this approval process are extreme freedom of expression and activity for Belmont Hill students. On a whim, students can assemble around any idea, from Math (this one is really a sport, but we’re still including it) to Improv to Spanish.

While new clubs at Belmont Hill provide unique and valuable opportunities for our students, two primary problems highlight our flawed club system: the over-creation of clubs and the lack of attention to currently existing groups. Creating too many clubs dilutes the club pool. For every Boys of Faith Club (L to R: Oisin Treanor ‘18, Owen Grady ‘18, & John Markis ‘18) Duncan Grant future high-commitment, quality-output club like the Panel, the nonexistent approval from more impactful clubs on campus. The Hill, have fallen prey to lack of enthusiasm process pumps out several more unmotivat- second problem, a lack of attention and and poor maintenance, essentially leading ed, unorganized groups, so-called “college maintenance of existing clubs, poses issues to their demise. app clubs” created or joined by students of commitment and production. When esWe believe that there are two simple who are solely attempting to improve the tablished clubs fail to meet, an atmosphere measures which can vastly improve the club activities section of their college applica- of inactivity is created. A club’s member- process at Belmont Hill: approval and annution. Therefore, they turn to joining inac- ship becomes inconsistent, the leader(s) of al renewal by the Student Senate and a new

By Seth Israel ’18 and Matt Smith ’19 Panel Staff

classification system for extracurriculars. To create a club, Belmont Hill students should be required to present a plan to the Student Senate on what their club will do, how it will be unique, whether they need funding or special equipment, and how they will ensure that it lasts. The Senate would then vote on whether the club could be created. This ba-

“Notable clubs, including the Sextant, the oldest publication at Belmont Hill, have fallen prey to lack of enthusiasm and poor maintenance, essentially leading to their demise.” sic club approval process would prevent the creation of “college app clubs” and overlapping clubs, another problem with Belmont Hill clubs, as well as ensuring their longevity. If a club failed to be approved, it can still become an “activity,” which would be ineligible for funding or special equipment and would merit less prestige. Combined with a similar annual renewal process, an approval process for Belmont Hill clubs would establish a pool filled with diverse, longlived, quality groups. These changes to the Belmont Hill club system would usher in an era of extracurriculars more rooted in the Belmont Hill pillars of zeal, dedication, and foresight. ☐

To see the Winsor Perspective on Clubs, Go to Page 6

No-Homework Weekend a Welcome Relief for Students

By Nick Daley ’19 Panel Staff On the weekend of October 14th, Belmont Hill mandated a full-school reprieve from homework. The school-wide homework ban on the weekend of the admissions open house has become somewhat of a tradition and has benefitted students and the school alike. Even though it is just two days, the temporary loosening of academic rigor is still uncharacteristic for the school and a welcome sight to all the students.

Unsurprisingly, the sentiment around campus towards the no-homework weekend was overwhelmingly positive, but students were skeptical, having been at Belmont Hill too long to believe they would truly be able to take a full two-day break.

Their suspicions proved true; the two days, especially for upper schoolers, were not completely work-free, but despite its imperfections, the weekend was still a success.

Most teachers stuck to the rules and were quite reasonable in their approach to the weekend. While we did have some work, causing some students to complain about their pile of homework due Tuesday and their essays and tests they could not ignore over the weekend, teachers cannot be expected to completely halt course plans, and everyone’s workload was lighter by a fair amount than it would have otherwise been.

The lack of homework certainly helped tour guide turnout by removing what is often a Belmont Hill student’s number one excuse, although generous extra credit from teachers may have played a bigger role. But the weekend’s primary advantage

was its role as a stress reliever. The weekend was much less demanding than normal and allowed students to decompress after a start to the year marked by the demanding transition back from summer. Additionally, the

“The weekend was much less demanding than normal and allowed students to decompress after a start to the year marked by a demanding transition back from summer.” absence of homework provided the stressedout seniors a much-needed haven to work on college applications. The beginning of school can be especially difficult to new students experiencing a Belmont Hill workload for the first time. Seeing the no-homework weekend on the calendar can give

them, along with veteran students, a spot to strive for and a first milestone to survive.

Should we have more weekends like this? I obviously want to say yes, but in reality, we can’t go overboard. Part of the reason we come to Belmont Hill is for its difficulty, and when we speak longingly of our friends at other schools who seem to never have homework, part of us likes being able to call them soft. So even if two days of a lightened workload out of 150 or so seems like throwing a deck chair off the sinking Titanic, at this point in our Belmont Hill careers, we’ll take it. In a school worried about its students’ stress levels, no-homework weekends do a great job of reducing pressure while not overly disrupting class plans, and a couple more just might serve the school well. ☐

Salad Bar, Desserts Lead Way in Lunch Improvements

By Gavin Colbert ’18 Panel Staff As a Belmont Hill student, you can bond with your classmates over one sure topic: the lackluster quality of food from the dining hall. It is common to see students look up at one of the TV’s around campus only to grimace at the main meal offering for the day—what is Dijon chicken, and why would they suffocate it in quinoa? I will afford one concession: it is inherently difficult to please the mercurial appetites of upwards of 425 adolescent boys with one main meal.

Our classic prep school dining style does not afford students the same liberty of food choices as the cafeteria eating experience at, say, Nobles. Thus, it is imperative that there exist a plethora of other dining options for those who’d rather carbo-load and shovel down pasta rather than attempt to find meat amongst an extremely fatty cut of what is presumed to be steak. In this department, substantial progress has been made by our

dining service; the salad bar offers a vast diversity of options for not only vegetarians and vegans, but also students looking for a deli sandwich or uniquely concocted salad.

The dining staff ’s effort to improve the variety and supply of the salad bar is duly noted. They man the salad bar well, perpetually refilling and replacing. But the highlight of the salad bar is the wide range of options that it provides. To illustrate this point, I will describe my typical salad: lettuce (none of those spinach or prickly leaf-looking greens), carrots, cucumbers, tuna or chicken, raisins, feta cheese, topped off with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and pita bread with cottage cheese and a hard-boiled egg on the side. I understand how crazy my salad combination probably seems, but it tastes absolutely delicious—to each his own. I have not found a better balsamic-type dressing anywhere else. Props to the dining staff for this marked improvement concerning last year’s criticism that the salad bar was gutted about two minutes into the meal and lacked

a diversity of ingredients. This improvement enables us to make smart, healthy choices for lunch by getting our recommended daily dose of vegetables (or for me, my daily dose of the entire food pyramid).

Speaking of healthy options, the desserts also seem to be much improved this year. I’m now very excited when dessert gets to the table and there’s a delicious looking pumpkin pie rather than uneaten cookies from milk and cookies the day before. After

taking an unofficial poll of about three students at my lunch table, we all agreed that the dessert seems to be better. Very wise of the dining staff to end the meals on a high note.

Looking to the future, while the quality of salad bar options in the dining hall seems to be improving, only time will tell if this progressive arc extends to the main meals. For our sake—much to the chagrin of D’Agostino’s and Ma Magoo’s—I truly hope it does. ☐

The improved salad bar options

Duncan Grant

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Get off the Fence: Thanksgiving v. Christmas

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. So without further ado, we present the second debate--Christmas vs. Thanksgiving

Pro-Christmas

By Joshua Fairman ’19 Staff Writer Christmas. Christmas isn’t just your average holiday; no, it is much, much more.

Christmas represents all that is good in the world. Spending time with relatives is one of the great aspects of this joyous holiday.

Seeing aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents that you haven’t seen in a while—maybe since last Christmas—provides an excellent opportunity to catch up. While you’re catching up, you can smell the refreshing and homey scent of the Christmas tree in the family room. Picking a tree is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your life. It requires careful consideration of all the different varieties, heights, and thicknesses. I personally choose the Balsam Fir but I know people who pick Leyland Cypress in a pinch. Once you’ve chosen your tree, it’s time to decorate it with lights and orna-

ments. In a broad sense, the lights represent the path through life that we all take, and the ornaments represent the meaningful experiences that we have along the way. At the very top of that staircase of life is a star. A star that represents all the incredible people that have finished their path, and now watch from above at all those gathered around the tree, partaking in merriment and laughter.

Decorating a Christmas tree with your family is one of those time-honored traditions that truly brings people together. Togetherness is incredibly important in this time of division for our country [so important that it might even garner a Woodbury speech from John Markis]. Moving on. I don’t care if you are a 3-year-old or an 87-year-old; you like presents. Do you get presents at Thanksgiving? That’s what I thought. Remember all the subtle hints you dropped to your mom throughout the year, like when you pointed at the new Call of Duty and said, “I want that for Christmas.” Well, guess what? It’s Christmas, baby, and you get that new Call of Duty today! That feeling—the feeling of getting something that you’ve been waiting

“Picking a tree is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your life... I personally choose Balsam Fir” months for—is unbeatable. To summarize: Christmas has family, Christmas trees, and presents. Oh, and one last thing...we get 2 weeks off *drops mic*. #StayTheCourse #GetNotGive #JustJoshin’ ☐

Letter to the Editors: Sustainability in The Panel

Dear Editors, In trying to keep last year’s momentum rolling, the Sustainability Club has been compiling an ever-growing list of ways to reduce waste around campus--one of which has to do with the way The Panel is distributed. We noticed that each time a new edition is released, everyone receives a copy, reads through it, and eventually throws it out, totaling over 450 newspapers in the trash or recycling. Recycling the papers is a great alternative to throwing them out, but what if some of those papers didn’t have to be printed in the first place? We would like to offer a proposition: instead of printing each student an individual copy of The Panel, send out a survey to determine who would like a hard copy and send everyone else a link to the online edition.

Now, we recognize that there is something satisfying when everyone in the lunchroom is finishing up lunch and reading the newest edition of The Panel, but we think losing that is a small price to pay for the amount of waste you could reduce. Speaking of prices to pay, this could significantly reduce The Panel’s operational costs. We would love if you were fully on board with this plan; however, we remain open to suggestions or refinements to it.

It’s the small victories like these that can lead us towards a more sustainable campus.

Sincerely, Colin Braun ’19 and the Belmont Hill Sustainability Club

Pro-Thanksgiving

By Matt Smith ’19 Panel Staff *picks up mic* Thanksgiving combines all the most wholesome aspects of the holiday season. From football to food to family, the most core aspects of this time-honored holiday instill patriotism, togetherness, and appreciation countrywide.

Nothing is more American than watching football...well maybe except watching football on Thanksgiving. On the Pilgrim holiday, tens maybe even hundreds of millions of fans will tune in to one of the several football games packed into Turkey Day. Some may even go outside and pass around the pigskin themselves. This widespread celebration centered around American sport and holiday epitomizes love of country.

The abundance and diversity of food during Thanksgiving is arguably its most notable feature. From apple pie to roast turkey to apple cider, there is something for everyone to eat and enjoy. Exchanges of “thank you’s” commonly fill the dinner

table on Thanksgiving day, but only after everyone has shoveled down at least two plates. Grandma’s great cooking helps remind everyone of what they can be grateful for.

Only Thanksgiving can bring together so many people. It’s the one time of year during which you can see your entire extended family, cousins, aunts, grandparents—even that drunk uncle. A sense of togetherness is never stronger at any other time during the year.

In contrast, Christmas represents disdainful excess in America. At its foundation, modern-day Christmas revolves around one thing: presents. No longer does the holiday with ironically Pagan roots signify the glorious birth of Jesus Christ (the cute baby one, praise be), but instead, it marks a period of rampant consumerism.

As the 25th of December nears, advertisements for gifts flood the internet, TV, ra-

“Christmas represents disdainful excess in America. At its foundation, modern-day Christmas revolves around one thing: presents dio, magazines, and newspapers. Retailers offer up huge sales to attract the glutinous masses to one of their many overcrowded mall locations. Children write ever-expanding lists of gadgets and gear, nickeling and diming their own parents for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Despite its honest intentions, Christmas has evolved into a beast far more harmful than good.*also drops mic* ☐

Winding Arms of Change: Revisiting the Wind Orchid

By Chetan Shukla ’20 and Jack Weldon ’20 Panel Staff

As Belmont Hill students returned to campus last fall (2016), a new presence in the academic quad greeted them: the Wind Orchid.

Created by artist George Sherwood, the kinetic sculpture was a surprising addition to campus for many students—including us. At first, we were unsure what to think of the statue. Its reflective silver coating did not seem to fit in with the school’s white-maroon aesthetic, and the frantic rotation of the sculpture seemed a little out of place in heavy winds. However, as time went on, we began to adjust to the sculpture’s placement at Belmont Hill. In a slow wind, the undulating arms of the sculpture provide an interesting and nearly hypnotic view, and the art adds decoration to the empty quad. The slow and consistent movements of the structure can be calming and peaceful. The interesting piece of art also adds a stylistic essence to tours as it attracts the eyes of all around it.

The statue is an incredible artistic achievement and performs flawlessly, but we cannot help but feel like one of our earlier concerns still stands: the Wind Orchid seems to stick out, disrupting the campus’ “feng-shui” and not fitting in well with the color scheme of the school. Possibly a rotating sextant, one that still maintained Sherwood’s unique artistic style, would have been a more suitable choice.

Sherwood’s work is remarkable, and we mean no disrespect to the obvious artistic talent that went into the creation of the piece, but we often wonder if the quad is the best place for the sculpture to go.

The placement of the structure disrupts the open concept of the academic quad. The metallic piece, in addition to causing aggressive solar reflections that distract classrooms and students, conflicts with the brick theme that is presented across the school. Ultimately, while elegant and thought-provoking, we believe the wind-orchid is out-of-place, estranged from the rest of our academic campus. ☐

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T he Panel

Civil Discourse at Winsor and Belmont Hill The Panel Examines the State of Open Discussion Across Both Campuses

By Arnav Prasad ’18, Isabel Isselbacher ’18, Ishaan Prasad ’18, Jordan Sclar ’18, Juliet Isselbacher ’18, and William McCormack ’18 Panel Staff Last February, during The Panel’s annual switch day, Dr. Buckley’s “Institute of Politics” class left a lasting impression on Winsor editor Betsy Kim ’17. Expressing her thoughts on the Switch Day, she remembered being “struck by how Belmont Hill students” discussed politics, engaging in discourse that prioritized open debate and fact-based analyzation. Similarly, former Belmont Hill editors were impressed by the enthusiasm with which all Winsor students

engaged in political conversations.

The release of this month’s issue coincides almost exactly with the one-year-anniversary of the 2016 Election. On the campaign trail and in the past year, we Americans have witnessed a degradation of civil discourse. Polarization has increased, compromise has proved elusive, reaching respectful disagreement has become challenging, and open, reasoned discussion lacks. Instead, members of Congress are

heckled out of their own Town Halls; nationalist groups like the one seen in Charlottesville this past summer spew hate and violence; single-minded politicians point fingers; and speakers are shouted down on college campuses.

Observations from last year’s Switch Day, as well as these trends, prompted editors at The Panel to engage in a comprehensive investigation into civil discourse at both Winsor and Belmont Hill. The Panel’s

Center Spread serves as a timely opportunity to compare an issue of relevant concern across two campuses. We seek to explore the ways in which each school’s administration, faculty, and students engage with and value political discourse. Ultimately, we hope that the following reflections enable community members to understand the approaches to civil debate at Belmont Hill and Winsor.

Both schools have much to learn from one another.

Discussion On the Hill: Administration It was August 30, 2016, the first day of classes, and boys with shades and summer tans strolled into chapel, reconnecting with friends and faculty. The summer had been filled with insults, mudslinging, and loud shouting on the campaign trail, and as the general election intensified, it had become clear that political arguments among average Americans, as well, had lost an important decorum. Dr. Melvoin wasted no time in addressing our country’s lacking civility, and his opening address provides the perfect example of how Belmont Hill’s administration sets the tone for civil political discussion.

Entitled “We Need to Talk,” Dr. Melvoin highlighted the importance of respectful disagreement at Belmont Hill, connecting issues of relevant concern—immigration, the Middle East, and Massachusetts charter schools, for example—to discussions and debates that take place around campus. Pushing aside “all the rhetoric and noise,” Dr. Melvoin primarily called for an exchange of ideas grounded in issues and facts. By encouraging students to offer their opinions without fearing attack, Dr. Melvoin acknowledged that civil disagreement would be healthy and beneficial.

One day later, Harvard President Drew

Gilpin Faust struck a similar tone in her convocation address to the Class of 2020. Criticizing hatred that had spread over the summer, she joined Dr. Melvoin in celebrating disagreement: “We need to feel safe enough, included enough, understood enough to dare to disagree.” A lack of political civility had become a national issue, and educators around the country have since grappled with how to address such conversations in secondary and post-secondary settings.

In addressing this issue, Belmont Hill’s administration has prioritized the structured conversations boys have with peers and faculty members in the classroom. In an interview with The Panel last week, history teacher and Assistant Head of School Mr. Armstrong emphasized, “the most important work is always at the ground level with the faculty...the most important work happens when you guys are interacting with your teachers.” Also Dean of Faculty, Mr. Armstrong revealed that although neither he nor Dr. Melvoin advises teachers on how to handle their own political views and opinions in classroom conversations, a clear “boys first” mindset exists among the faculty: “We are very aware that we deal with boys first; when you do that, you need

Amidst rising polarization in political discourse nationwide, Belmont Hill faculty members are faced with a litany of questions to address: How should we address current events? Should we reference or reveal our own opinions? What is our obligation as educators to maintain neutrality in the classroom?

Overwhelmingly, students interviewed from both schools admire the efforts that Belmont Hill faculty take to foster an environment conducive to productive discourse. Indeed, for several Winsor editors attending Belmont Hill classes last March, the political discourse on campus served as the highlight of their experience at the school. Attending Dr. Buckley’s “Institute of Politics” class, for instance, former editor Betsy Kim ‘17 was “impressed...by how fluid and varied the political discussion was.”

Among Belmont Hill students, a similar consensus is held.

To better appreciate the issues faculty at Belmont Hill must face, we spoke with several faculty members on campus.

As the chair of Belmont Hill’s history department, Dr. Buckley finds herself engaged in

discussions of current events both in-and-out of the classroom. Leading two senior electives in the fall — “American Politics and Policy” and “International Relations” — she remains keenly aware of her responsibility as an educator to “maintain balance” in class discussions. When preparing for her doctorate in political science, Dr. Buckley was no stranger to biases in the classroom. “While not entirely problematic,” Dr. Buckley maintained, “I could tell you how every one of my professors voted.” Still, when teaching her own courses, Dr. Buckley looks to withhold her own opinions: “My role as an educator is not to tell you how to think, but to instead give you the academic toolset to perform the analysis on your own.”

Primarily working with Upper School students, Dr. Buckley looks to provide boys the “tools” necessary to navigate the rough seas of political discourse in college. From stressing the importance of substantive analysis over “kneejerk” opinions, to playing “devil’s advocate” when boys are particularly one-sided on an issue, Dr. Buckley instills in boys an enthusiasm

For Belmont Hill students, expressing their political opinions comes naturally.

Whether in class, with activist-oriented clubs, or through mediums such as The Podium, all Belmont Hill students have the opportunity to not only voice their stances but engage actively with their community in the process. Yet, perhaps as a reaction to the polarization of country and world politics, Belmont Hill students have become increasingly aware of how to respectfully package their political arguments.

As a Form VI student heavily involved with politics, Gavin Colbert ‘18 readily paints Belmont Hill’s political climate as celebratory of political diversity. From “It’s Debatable,” an English elective on rhetoric with Dr. Tift,

to contributing to student-led discussions in SAFE (Students Actively Fostering Equity), Gavin acknowledges a healthy pressure by faculty and administrators for students to actively move beyond political neutrality. Emphasizing the diversity of opinions within his classrooms, to Gavin, Belmont Hill encourages students to “grapple with their own convictions, deconstruct their assumptions, and purposefully share their beliefs with the community.” Among his classmates, Gavin adds that students always push aside their disagreements when needed.

For Belmont Hill, class discussions thrive upon the political diversity bred by faculty, administrators, and students alike.

While conservatives on campus feel their

to put some of your personal opinions aside.”

At the same time, Belmont Hill is careful not to overdo conversation around or reaction to political issues. Classes are rarely cancelled for school-wide discussion, and faculty-initiated conversations in classes are usually subjugated to the first ten minutes of a period. As the political climate grows more polarized, returning to the refreshing regularity of classwork and routine commitment creates common ground among boys. For teachers too, Mr. Armstrong acknowledged, being able to put the news aside and focus on the task at hand—teaching, coaching, or advising—can be therapeutic.

Belmont Hill’s administrative team consists of faculty members who tend to associate most with the History Department. Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Grant, and Mr. Bradley all teach History classes, and Mrs. Bobo, Director of College Counseling, used to teach Form I History.

Dr. Melvoin has his doctorate in early American history and has even published a book on colonial Deerfield. As teachers who engage with the past and politics most directly with boys, they’ve successfully established a community cultivating respectful political discussion.

Belmont Hill Faculty & Political Neutrality

to “lean into tough discussions and consider the opinions of the ‘other side.’”

For Ms. Zener, a faculty member in Belmont Hill’s history department, discussing current events is “entirely a study of power and negotiations of power throughout history.”

Mindful of the reality that “teaching is inherently political,” Ms. Zener strives to embrace equality and not endorse any “isms” in class discussions. Furthermore, to alleviate the heat that often accompanies current events, Ms. Zener often looks to the past for parallels that can be used as tools to discuss fiery topics.

Mr. Hegarty, Director of the Brynes Library and a Form III history teacher, is Belmont Hill’s infamous libertarian. He’s both open with and proud of his political views, and though his opinions differ from most other faculty members—during Belmont Hill’s mock election last fall, 47 of the 51 who voted supported Clinton—he agrees that “it is very important to maintain neutrality in the classroom and to offer perspectives from as many divergent sources as possible.”

Students Consider Campus Discourse

opinions are welcomed among student-led extracurricular activities, many students refrain from sharing their politics in class, fearful of their teachers’ biases. In recognition that Belmont Hill has evolved to “refreshingly” embrace political diversity within the student body, a conservative Belmont Hill student argues that most of his peers do not risk expressing their opinions in class so as to not disagree with faculty’s own views. During political discussions in class, the student writes that he feels as if he must withhold his conservative principles and adopt more liberal ones instead: “I do not express opinions on contentious matters. At times, I take the liberal stance that I believe will be well-received by the teacher.”

“We Need to Talk” Excerpts from Dr. Melvoin; August 30, 2016

“We need to talk.

We need to be able, as the saying goes, “to disagree without being disagreeable.” We need to be able to debate ideas vigorously, but in a civil manner. What does this perhaps anachronistic idea of “civility” entail? I think it is simple: It means that one respects the views of other, speaks thoughtfully, listens carefully, and responds appropriately… …You can and should be willing to debate ideas. The ideas are not you; you should be able to put out an idea and not face personal attacks. Will people disagree with your ideas?

Of course they will, and that is healthy. If we can debate ideas in an open and civil way, we will have taken an important step forward.

After all, Belmont Hill in some ways is an experiment. We bring together students from 60 different cities and towns, from 110 different schools: public, private, and parochial. We come together and we work together—and if “working together” is to remain the motto of this school, we need to find ways to exchange ideas.”

Conclusion

As a community, Belmont Hill must preserve their commitment to an environment conducive to diverse political discourse.

Belmont Hill currently adheres to standards that reflect civility and respect, but some students still do self-censor their opinions in the classroom. In History and English classrooms, politically-oriented discussions should adhere to a fact-based structure. Nonetheless, it will be important for Belmont Hill faculty and administrators to strike a tone of neutrality while encouraging students of all political bents to participate in conversations.

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Winsor Administration The Winsor handbook states in its “Principles of Diversity” that the school strives for “ethnic, racial, religious, and socio-economic diversity among all...constituencies.” It further states that students must recognize “individual and institutional prejudices, both overt and subtle, based on gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, and physical and mental abilities.” The handbook does not, however, promote political diversity--or, rather, diversity of political thought. When we asked Ms. Pelmas, our Head of School, about this omission, she explained, “the categories we already listed are typically what politics thinks about. So, it is an odd and very recent perspective to see ‘politics’ as a topic that has substance all by itself.”

Ms. Pelmas further reflected, “I worry that “diversity of political thought” can easily

mean whether we side personally with a particular candidate or elected official [or demarcate] liberals vs. conservatives or Democrats vs. Republicans...Those categories are not very useful and they are too reductive to support the level of critical thinking and intellectual engagement we need.” There exists a huge range of social issues to tackle, she adds, and accordingly “we should have many perspectives, not just 2 or 3.”

“Winsor promotes vigorous debate about our challenges—now and historically— and teaches students a variety of ways to approach and solve those problems.

We value education, thoughtful engaged debate, civil discourse, and a focus on the greater good.”

Belmont Hill’s Dr. Buckley Leads Discussion in “American Policy & Policy”

Adam Richins

Winsor Faculty Strive for Empathy Should teachers be politically neutral in the classroom? Mr. Didier, who teaches “Human Rights, Human Culture” and “Genocide and the State,” has a unique take on this question. After all, he says, “It’s not clear to me anyone would necessarily want a teacher of classes involving episodes of human rights abuses or genocide to be politically or morally neutral.”

Neutrality is not necessarily a virtue: to be neutral, he explains, is often to be “politically and morally empty.”

In his opinion, we should aspire not to be neutral--but rather empathetic--in our political discourse. The act of empathizing is a tricky concept, and Mr. Didier certainly takes care to emphasize this point: “Empathizing with another is NOT the same thing as condoning their actions; nor does it require neutrality. Empathetic understandings are just better understandings, and they allow us to act

or to confront in more effective ways.” Indeed, Mr. Didier’s students apply this principle in his Human Rights class, when they examine the cultural motivations behind female feticide to write compelling and effective policy memos on the issue.

Ms. Hazard, French teacher and Panel advisor, has a similar philosophy when it comes to trying to understand the other side.

In her AT1 class, titled Contemporary French Society, students learn about political and social conflicts in France, ranging from secularism to surrogacy. Since, she explains, “the discussion often tends to support the liberal side of the issue...we do activities like debates where students are asked to defend an argument they don’t necessarily support. Even if the exercise doesn’t convince them otherwise (and isn’t intended to), they all come out with a better understanding of both sides of the issue,

and of the complexities inherent to the conflict at hand.”

Ms. Hazard notes, however, that “since it’s not our country, our culture, or our society I think it’s a little easier to approach those topics given the distance.” The question remains, are Winsor students mature enough to participate in these exercises when it comes to us and our country?

Mr. Braxton, Director of Community and Multicultural Affairs, offers a final reflection: “Every teacher at Winsor has a political point of view because we are civically engaged people. We can’t necessarily leave that identity at the door...it is important for me and the class to think about how we can create a place where everyone can share their point of view and… [also] see ideas from different sides.”

viewpoints as agreement.

To justify their one-sided conversations, students often conclude: why should we afford respect to Trump supporters, if they don’t respect us for our race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender? By virtue of the fact that it is an all-girls school, the thinly veiled misogyny in the Trump campaign hit particularly close to home. At Winsor, liberal and conservative students alike agreed that Trump’s boast of grabbing women “by the p*ssy” was unequivocally inappropriate, and that referring to NFL National Anthem protesters as “sons of b*tches” was unacceptable behavior from the President of the United States.

An anonymous student struggled to articulate her sheer frustration: “I feel that words are not sufficient for me to express how unfathomably ridiculous for the so-called ‘leader of the free world’ to be saying these things.”

There is a certainly a distinction between an ardent Trump supporter and the average republican voter. However, these voting groups are often confused, and thus some students at Winsor are hesitant to voice their conservative viewpoints for fear that their peers might associate them with Trump’s problematic platform.

Therefore, when only the majority democratic view is voiced, it can be easy to develop an unbalanced vision of politics. This sentiment is supported by Hammond Hearle ’18, who states, “...at Winsor it is easy to forget that we are in fact in a bubble where the majority of opinions are alike.” She went on to say: “...while this [singularity] may make it more comfortable for people to voice their opinions…[it] may also limit our understanding of different political views.”

In fact, in our attempts to gather a variety of political stances for this article, we struggled

to find a Winsor student who would comfortably express conservative viewpoints. This aversion to unfettered discussion, even for an article about the importance of civil discourse, is a testament to how political discord has become taboo at Winsor.

We naturally aspire to free and honest civil discourse. However, the paradox of the Trump Era is this: how can we embrace tolerance of a perspective that withholds tolerance from certain races, sexual orientations, and religions? As Mr. Braxton explained, the challenge is “how to create an environment where everyone feels ‘safe’ to express her point of view BUT ensure that our (Winsor) values/principles of inclusivity, tolerance, and respect remain at the core.” He adds, “indeed, Trump has made this task harder.”

Top: Ms. Pelmas addresses the Winsor community; Bottom: Winsor students engage in a class discussion Kristie Rae Gillooly

The importance of pluralism cannot be understated. After all, the diversity of political thought is essential to democracy; it is in our very nation’s fabric. It’s important, therefore, that we acknowledge all sides of these multifaceted political issues.

While tensions along party lines have always been a reality for this country, for the past few decades we have been able to engage in civil discourse in, well, a civil manner. Clinton vs. Bush, Bush vs. Gore, McCain vs. Obama, or Obama vs.

Romney…these politicians may have harbored different opinions on policy, but when it came to basic values they shared common ground. To quote Scott Dolan, president of North Colonies Teachers’ Association, “Traditionally, the American political spectrum is relatively narrow in scope. Politicians generally operated with the accepted norms of our political values. We cherish both liberty and equality, engaging in conversation about how to find a healthy balance between the two.”

However, something fundamental has changed this past election. With the advent of the Trump administration, politics became a lot more controversial—a lot more personal. We weren’t debating healthcare or finances, but rather the nation’s core values of equality and justice. How could it be that, in 2017, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry were being openly displayed in our nation’s capital? As Mr. Braxton puts it so aptly, “The problem with Trump and Civil Dis-

course is that, with Trump, it’s not civil.”

In the wake of Trump’s divisive commentary, schools across the country, like Winsor, have inevitably become more polarized. After all, gender equality, sexual assault, and racism are not issues on which most at Winsor can simply “agree to disagree.” By virtue of the fact that Winsor is an all-girls school, students here, regardless of party affiliation, reacted with deeper and more visceral outrage than their Belmont Hill peers to Trump’s boastful claims of sexual assault.

When we have a president who expresses sentiments seemingly antithetical to the values of our institution, Winsor students and teachers will inevitably struggle to maintain their neutrality.

But, in our opinion, this is not a problem that demands correction. We at Winsor should aspire not to neutrality--but rather to empathy, as the word is defined by Mr. Didier. We should celebrate and maintain our own convictions, morals, and beliefs, while simultaneously trying to understand the opposing point of view. Too often, Winsor students are afraid to say things like “I understand why ____ supports Trump” because they fear that their empathizing will be conflated with condoning. Yet it is this very understanding, this mental stretching, that not only allows us to grow as individuals, but also equips us to be the next generation of problem solvers.

Let us strive for a culture of understanding, not political and moral apathy. ☐

Winsor Students Look to Foster Open Discussion It is not difficult to spark a debate among Winsor students. Whether it be in the form of class discussion or casual homeroom conversation, most are eager to debate their opinions.

Nevertheless, there is some degree of hesitation when it comes to bipartisan discussions. Past polls reveal that Winsor leans heavily democrat--in the 2016 mock Presidential election, Hillary Clinton won 88% of the vote while Donald Trump received just 5%. Because of the general unpopularity of right wing politics at Winsor, many students are reluctant to express sentiments that might go against Winsor’s liberal grain. Margaret Michalowski ’18 expands on a pattern in these discussions, saying “I try to talk vaguely, though I’m liberal, because I’m worried that people will misconstrue my thoughts.” She went further to express a fear that peers would interpret her acknowledgement of conservative

Drawing Conclusions

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Varsity Football Presses On, Tops St. Seb’s in 21-20 Thriller

By Charlie Mullaney ’20 Staff Writer As a cold November envelops Belmont Hill, the end of the football season fast approaches. Throughout the fall, the team has battled hard against tough opponents such as Milton and BBN, and boasts a solid 4-3 record so far. However, as the last few games approach, the team’s skills will be put to the test. With Governor’s Academy coming out to play soon, the rest of the season looks exciting, to say the least.

So far in the season, Varsity Football has performed well. The first game of the year was a great success. Belmont Hill came out of the locker room ready to go, and it was apparent from the first play. Cameron Reirden ‘20 ran back the kickoff to within 10 yards of RL’s goal line, and the game was a breeze from there on out. BH emerged with a 35-0 win and an auspicious start to the season.

Six days later, it was BB&N’s turn. The BH Varsity didn’t come out on top this time, but they played a solid four quarters against a notoriously good team. A final score of 21-0 for BB&N showed that BH had a lot to aspire to, but the Loop sure didn’t. Showing up loud and proud in a classic whiteout, they cheered on our boys from start to finish.

A week later, the BH Varsity headed south to Marion for a contest against Tabor Academy. The game was well fought, and the Varsity came back from trailing 6-0 in the first quarter. After our first touchdown, the momentum of the match shifted heavily, resulting in a final score of 21-6 for BH. The defense shut down Tabor’s offensive drives after the first quarter, and they didn’t score another point for the rest of the game. One of the best plays was from all-star defensive tackle Myron Duarte ‘18, who sacked Tabor’s quarterback for a significant loss.

Many called it “the crack heard around the world” and some could even feel the blow from the sidelines.

Next up was at Milton Academy. In another tough matchup, BH didn’t manage to secure the win in this one. Play after play, the offense drove down the field, but to no avail. Milton led by a small 12-7 margin at half, but BH couldn’t close the gap.

Both teams scored in the second half, but BH had summoned up a second wind, and it seemed that the momentum had shifted.

With a fantastic run in touchdown by quarterback Mike Piazza, it brought the score to within 5 points, but time was not on BH’s side, and the game’s fate was sealed.

The following Saturday, Nobles came to the Hill for yet another face off. Fol- Luke Jordan ‘18 rushes to the end zone after intercepting a Seb’s pass in the first half. lowing a kick return turned touchdown by team captain Jackson Bobo, within the first 2 minutes of the first quarter, it was a smooth ride for BH. With a consistent offense and a relentless defense, BH only let up one touchdown in the last quarter and managed 41 points of their own, resulting in a final score of 41-7. Never deterred Cade Nagahama’s (‘19) last-second pick saves the game and devastates Seb’s supporters.

by Noble’s sheer size, the team proved its worth through all four quarters.

In the team’s most recent contest, against rival St. Sebastian’s, the team produced one of the most exciting games in recent history. The two schools went back and forth, until a last-second interception by Cade Nagahama ‘19 secured an incredible victory, bringing the group over .500 heading into its final few contests of the year.

Over the past month and a half, BH’s Varsity Football team has proved again and again that they are up for the challenge, but the real test comes with the last stretch of the season. The Varsity’s skill, determination, and resilience will be put to the test throughout the next couple of weeks. Regardless, it has been made clear that BH’s football team leaves everything out on the field. ☐ Coach Anam provides instructions for the defense.

Brian Mullaney

Varsity Soccer, 11-2-2 in ISL, Seeks Class A New England Bid

By Charlie Richards ’20 Staff Writer

Hamza Shemsu ‘20 dribbles up the field during a game at Middlesex.

Scott Matthews

The Belmont Hill Soccer team is nearing the final stretch of regular season play, as there are a mere 5 ISL games remaining. With a league record of 11-2-2, the team sits in second place, behind only Brooks by two points. Saturday, October 28th marked perhaps the most important match of the year, as the team defeated Milton Academy by a score of 2-0, another ISL powerhouse and an A School. The win likely ensured an invitation to play as one of eight schools in the Class A New England Soccer Tournament. After fighting to a draw against Roxbury Latin and dominating Lawrence Academy in a 6-0 rout, the team finishes with matches against St. Mark’s and Governor’s Academy. Matthew Goncalves ‘20 and Leighton Dolan ‘19 both sit in the top ten on the ISL leaderboard in points, with Matthew in Third and Leighton tied for eighth. Belmont Hill is the only

“Supported by a stout defense, including captains Jack Bell ’18 and Brian Antonelli ’18, Belmont Hill is one of only three ISL teams to allow five or fewer goals.” team to have two players in the top ten. The team boasts a 32:10 goals for : goals against ratio, as goaltender James Cahill ‘20 has been a force in the net, compiling six shutouts over ten league games. Supported by a stout defense, including captains Jack Bell ‘18 and Brian Antonelli ‘18, Belmont Hill Diego Pereira ‘19 fights off a defender.

Scott Matthews

is one of only three ISL teams to allow five or fewer goals.

During a physical game against Brooks under the lights, many players on the team suffered injuries, allowing players who usually don’t see the field as much to step up.

Oisin Treanor ‘18 was one of those players, as both starting forwards were injured for part of the game. Although the team did not win, it was crucial for other members of the team to step into a larger role.

Looking forward, the team hopes to make a run at the ISL title as well as to qualify for the New England Tournament for a third consecutive year. For the first time in many years, the ISL is open and ready for a new champion. Although Brooks remains in first place, they still have to play five games, some of which are against tough competition, and anything can happen. Belmont Hill’s goal is to do all that they can control: win out in the ISL. After early exits in recent years, the goal is to make it to the semi-finals, and hopefully win it all in the finals.

Teams such as Worcester Academy, Berkshire, and Northfield Mount Hermon prove to be consistent competition, but Belmont Hill, when healthy and on its game, is seemingly unbeatable.

Belmont Hill’s 2017 soccer season, although it has faced some adversity, has been a great ride so far, and the team will strive for excellence in the final few weeks, with the finish line fast approaching. As the coaches and captains have repeatedly mentioned, this is our year; Belmont Hill soccer will not go down without a fight, and looks to finish off the season with as much strength and force as possible. ☐

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Crew Competes at 53rd Head of Charles Leighton Dolan ’19 Starts Sports Blog

By Luke O’Hare ’18 Staff Writer On Sunday, October 22nd, the Belmont Hill and Winsor boathouse filled with families and rowers alike, taking in the sights and sounds of the world’s largest regatta. The regatta is always a great event for Belmont Hill and Winsor families who get to enjoy the racing from the best viewpoint on the river. From the bridges packed with over 300,000 spectators to the constant stream of boats, it was truly a perfect day to watch some racing. In contrast to past years, the weather was nothing short of ideal for rowing. With temperatures over 70° and very little wind, the conditions were conducive to very fast rowing. Over the course of the regatta, seven records were set in various events and many of them were by a large margin. For example, all of the first 10 eights to finish beat the previous record for that event.

Belmont Hill entered two boats in the regatta, one of which was a four consisting of Sean Mannion, Andrew Berg, Eric Whitehead, and Henry Thomas (all members of the class of 2018). This boat placed sixteenth in the Men’s Youth Four event. The

winner of the Youth Four event was South Niagara, a club rowing team from Ontario, Canada. In the Men’s Youth Eight event, Belmont Hill entered a boat consisting of Nick Wilkins ’18, Luke O’Hare ’18, Jackson Stone ’19, Teddy Danziger ’19, Jack Vander Vort ’19, Ben St. Peters ’19, Colin Vallis ’19, and Ben Pradko ’18. The eight placed sixty-eighth in their event, one of the most competitive in the regatta. The winner of the Youth Eight event was St. Paul’s school from England. The winners of these two events, both foreign teams, show the ability that this regatta has to attract incredible competition from all across the world.

The Head of the Charles allows Belmont Hill rowers to experience one of the best regattas in the world and in doing so gain more racing experience. The Head of the Charles course is three miles (about five kilometers) and is significantly longer than the 1500m races that are typical for Spring racing. Belmont Hill is not a school that competes in the fall, so we have been fortunate to get entries in the regatta and experience a new type of race. The fall racing season concludes with HOCR, but it certainly plays a role in getting the team excited for the spring. ☐

Sean Mannion ‘18, Andrew Berg ‘18, Eric Whitehead ‘18, Henry Thomas ‘18, and Henry Vettel ‘18 pass the Belmont Hill-Winsor Boathouse.

Varsity XC Finishes 4th at ISL Race

By Matt Goguen ’19 Panel Staff Throughout the season, the Belmont Hill cross country team had their minds set on one goal: the ISL Championship. After carrying the momentum from the magical championship season in 2016, the team is 13-2 in ISL contests. Plagued with injuries in October, the team suffered two setbacks, Roxbury Latin (34-25) and St. Mark’s (4716). Throughout the season, a consistent top 3 has ruled the ISL. This “A+ Group,” includes Quin McGaugh ‘18, John Pappo ‘18, and James Donahue ‘21. The two senior captains, McGaugh and Pappo, have continued to bring the competitive drive to practice each and every day. In the most recent race at Brooks, the varsity team decided to “pack race.” The idea of pack racing is to “pack” together in order to increase your score. There were two packs; one at a 5:45 mile split, and one at a 6:00 mile split.

Although St. Mark’s rebounded from the unorthodox racing style and stole a victory from Belmont Hill, it was a moral victory for many. Matt Drucker ‘20 and Nick Daley ‘19 ran their best races of the season on a slow and hilly course. Other accolades include Payton Privitera ‘19, who had a personal best of 26:40.

Coming into the last week of the season, there are four clear contenders for the ISL Championship: Belmont Hill, Roxbury Latin, St. Mark’s, and Thayer. Coach Trautz has always said that the team with the most heart will be victorious on November 3.

With the hard workouts ending, the team is motivated and focused on winning the

title. Last week at Governor’s, John High ‘19 had the race of the year, finishing 5th on the team and 9th total in the quad meet.

Facing his former school, Thayer, John High has something to prove this week.

Although Colin Braun ‘19 and Andrew Berg ‘18 are both out with stress fractures in their shins, the varsity team still looks strong. As the season wraps up, the team boasts a 13-2 record in matches. With only one disappointing race, the Belmont Hill cross country team entered the ISL championships unintimidated by the competition.

Unfortunately, despite incredible both individual and team efforts, poor conditions and very strong competition got the best of BH XC this Friday, and Varsity finished fourth overall. Luckily, New England’s is only a week away, and is a prime opportunity to rebound. ☐

By Kevin O’Neill ’19 Staff Writer Boston and New York have a rivalry in sports like no other. Leighton Dolan (‘19) is often caught in the middle of this rivalry as a Yankees, Jets, and Celtics fan. He grew up as a Yankees fan due to his strong relationship with his Great Uncle, but his interest in the Jets is inexplicable. His self-created sports blog, The Intersection, covers each major sport team in both cities, and provides analysis of and previews to the teams’ respective seasons. Articles such as Assessing The Celtics Draft Situation offer insightful analysis of the moves Danny Ainge made over the offseason, such as trading down from the #1 overall pick.

Others like Why the Yankees Will Win the World Series in 2019 are straight and to the point, using evidence such as Aaron Judge’s MVP caliber year and Clint Frazier’s potential to predict the future success of the franchise.

Although the blog just began over the summer, Leighton and his three friends, Sam, Johnny, and Alex, have already worked together to cover twelve teams from New York and Boston from the NBA, MLB, NHL, and the NFL. The website’s Instagram account (@interectionsports) currently has over 1,100 followers and posts updates after each new article is published.

Most recently, the writers inquired about a recap of the Yankees’ season, which surprisingly involved a decent playoff run in what was widely expected to be a rebuilding season. “A lot of ups, a lot of downs, but at the end of the day, there’s a rekindled interest in baseball in the Bronx, and perhaps a rekindled dynasty.” The Intersection also includes personal stories of the Boston and

New York rivalry, such as A Yankees Trip All the Way from Boston discussing Leighton’s trek to Yankee Stadium to watch a game with a co-writer. Dolan created this blog to offer debate topics to his friends, declare his own opinions on certain situations, and pass the time looking into his areas of interest.

He plans on expanding outside of the classic New York-Boston rivalry, but with the return to school and lack of authors finds it challenging. Although less articles are being published than a few months ago, he still writes when he has time. At its peak, The Intersection was receiving over a hundred views per day, showing the potential Leighton’s project truly has.

Although not yet committed, Leighton definitely has considered a future in sports journalism. He explains that this writ-

“If all goes well, maybe one day he can carry on the BH legacy established by renowned fantasy football expert Field Yates ‘05 on ESPN.” ing creates an outlet for him to talk about his passions. “I enjoy having my opinions heard by others besides those of my friends and family who think I’m nuts, but the main goal is for anyone who wants to write even one article or be a part of the editors to come and let me know so we can really get the name out there in the sports media world.”

More writers and editors helps the website expand, get new opinions, and discuss new topics. What started out as a cool experiment by four friends has turned into a fun, successful website and led Leighton to consider a possible career path. If all goes well, maybe one day he can carry on the BH legacy established by renowned fantasy football expert Field Yates (‘05) on ESPN. ☐

Colbert ’18 and Gallo ’18 Launch Soccer Podcast

By Thomas McEvoy ’19 Panel Staff As their final year on the Hill began, current upperclassmen Gavin Colbert ‘18 and Nick Gallo ‘18 brought a creative and new project to the Belmont Hill community.

Each and every week, Colbert and Gallo air a soundcloud-based podcast detailing the newest developments in the soccer world.

They each believe the podcast was born of their mutual love for, and constant conversations about, soccer. The two soccer fanatics create and record the weekly podcast from the serenity of Belmont Hill’s library lab. After recording the dialogue, the two turn to the ever-reliable iMovie for editing duty. Once uploaded, their podcast is open for public enjoyment. Although the podcast covers all realms of professional soccer, the two specialize in discussing the English Premier League (home of Chelsea, a favorite for Colbert), the Champions League, and World Cup qualifiers.

Interestingly enough, the duo has made a habit of inviting Belmont Hill faculty into the podcast as feature guests. Some of these teachers / coaches turned soccer analysts include Señor Harder, Mr. Schneider, and Señor Steffey. Maybe now our admissions team can begin advocating for the school’s teacher-coach-podcast cameo dynamic? Typical questions for these guests of honor largely surround English Premier League predictions, go-to goal celebration, and favorite squads. Even in the absence of special guests, the two like to maintain a lighthearted, jovial demeanor on the job.

As their senior year progresses, and their time on the Hill thus draws to a close, Colbert and Gallo find themselves faced with a question of increasing importance: what to do with “Stoppage Time.” The duo hopes that their podcast, quintessential Belmont Hill ambition, can be successfully passed down to several of the many underclassmen who are equally passionate about the sport. ☐

New Kid on the Block

Rory Schram, visiting from South Africa’s Bishops School and staying with the McCormacks (‘18, ‘21), ranks among Belmont Hill’s tallest.

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T he Panel

Fall Sports Wrap-Ups CROSS COUNTRY

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Alex Bardon ’18, Emily Belina ’18, and Nicole Chung ’18 Record: N/A Favorite Song: “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver Favorite Memory: Getting stuck on our bus as a team Recap: “This season we went undefeated in the EIL, beat several outof-league prep schools including Milton and Governor’s Academy, and took the crown at Shaler once again. We have extremely tight compression as a team and dominated at EILs.” -Kathleen He ’18

Kristie Rae Gillooly

CREW

Ellen Haramonowitz

Captains: Alessandra DeVito ’18, Aoibheann Holland ’18, and Jordan Sclar ’18 Record: N/A Favorite Song: “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber Favorite Memory: Singing under our tent at Mass Champs when it was pouring rain.

Recap: “After an influx of over 20 freshmen, the Crew team had a very successful season. Together, we bonded, learned, avoided cuts, suffered, and won! Our boats won 6 medals total and two boats raced hard in the 53rd Head of the Charles Regatta. It was a great season!” -Haley Kwoun ’20

Ellen Haramonowitz

VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Emily Drucker ’18 and Emily Keigher ’18 Record: 4-7-1 Favorite Song: “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled Favorite Memory: Winning UTL! Recap: “Varsity Field Hockey had a fantastic season! Some of our best games included UTL against LCA and our game at Dana Hall.

Since the beginning of the season we have greatly improved our communication skills. Throughout the season our team always had high energy and was dedicated to getting better every game or practice.” -Emily Drucker ’18

Kristie Rae Gillooly

JV FIELD HOCKEY

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Babette Kania ’18 and Mikako Murphy ’18 Record: 4-2-4 Favorite Song: “Africa” by Toto Favorite Memory: The karaoke bus ride to Shore Country Day (during which we all jammed to “Africa” by Toto) Recap: “After a difficult first game, JV Field Hockey rallied to a resounding win over rival Milton Academy and continued to dominate throughout the rest of the season with decisive victories over Dana Hall, Thayer Academy, and Portsmouth Abbey. The team, an extremely close-knit group, bonded intensely over their shared love of “Africa” by Toto (and their admiration for the word ‘gourmet’).”

-Babette Kania ’18

Kristie Rae Gillooly

VARSITY SOCCER

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Eva Dowd ’18 and Madison Lehan ’18 Record: 4-6-3 Favorite Song: “Rain Over Me” by Pitbull and Marc Anthony Favorite Memory: Both our UTL win against LCA and Senior Day. Recap: “The team began the season with a decisive win against LCA and has consistently been able to play at the level of competitive teams such as Pingree. We had some close games against tough teams but always stayed positive and focused on smart playing throughout the season.” -Hammond Hearle ’18

Kristie Rae Gillooly

JV SOCCER

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Ellisya Lindsey ’19, Julia Monaco ’19, and Leslie Moukheiber ’19 Record: 9-2 Favorite Song: “Big Time Rush” by Big Time Rush Favorite Memory: Our UTL comeback!

Recap: “This season has been one of JV Soccer’s best seasons in a while. Through our hard work, the help of our coaches, and a lot of fun, we have been able to improve greatly and to achieve a winning record.” -Ellisya Lindsey ’19

Kristie Rae Gillooly

VOLLEYBALL

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Captains: Kaylee Chang ’19, Grace Hamblett ’18, and Elizabeth Howell-Egan ’18 Record: 3-7 Favorite Song: “Started from the Bottom” by Drake Favorite Memory: Playing at UTL with the school overflowing in our stands Recap: “Even though we were a new team, we played hard and got so much better over the course of the season. It was so much fun, and we’re so proud of how we played.” -Elizabeth Howell-Egan ’18

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Novemb er 9 , 2 017

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2017 World Series: Two Underdogs Emerge as Finalists

By Sam Goldenson ’19 Panel Staff

It’s that time of year again. The baseball season finished with the fight for one of the most highly competitive and coveted titles in sports history: the World Series. The 2017 World Series was a seven game face-off between the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their last World Series title in 1988, and the Houston Astros, who had never won a World Series title before the 2017 season.

The Houston Astros finished their regular season with 101 wins and 61 losses, and defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in the American League Division Series, and then went on to defeat the New York Yankees 4-3 in a nail biting American League Championship Series, with a final game distribution of 4-3. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Astros’ second baseman Jose Altuve said “this is one of the reasons why we are here, we want to win the World Series and give it to our city.” Despite the devastation Houston experienced, the Astros’ successful season is an example of one way that athletes and fans can bond and strengthen each other during trying times. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Dodgers had a regular season record of 104 wins and 58 losses and easily swept through their postseason,

defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 in the National League Division Series, and clinching the National League Championship title against last year’s champions, the Chicago Cubs, with a score of 4-1.

The teams had both come off of winning regular and postseasons, and found themselves pitted against each other. Key Dodgers players included slugger Chris Taylor and incredibly talented third baseman Justin Turner, both of whom won the title of National League Championship Series MVPs. The Houston Astros had a sort of “secret weapon” in second baseman and accomplished hitter, Jose Altuve. All three players gained recognition throughout the MLB during the 2017 season for their remarkable, albeit unexpected, rookie success.

The question on everyone’s minds was simply who will win? The Astros demonstrated their resilience and stamina as a team whilst rallying back from their 3-2 deficit in the American League Championship series against the mighty New York Yankees. In addition, the Astros had a tremendous advantage in both shortstop Carlos Correa and his teammate Altuve, both of whom had the chance to solidify their superstar statuses during this year’s postseason, but also led the Astros with what can only be called raw talent.

Although the Red Sox were not

playing in the World Series this year, Winsor students were still following the Series.

Hammond Hearle ’18 says, “I went to the second to last game of the Red Sox-Astros

eryone else just so the losses are justified.”

Fortunately for Hammond, the Astros beat the Dodgers in a 4-3 series record. Belmont Hill’s Will McCormack ’18 recalls, “The se-

Astros teammates celebrate during the World Series Series and although the Red Sox won by a large margin, it was clear that the Astros had incredible depth as a team; particularly Altuve and Correa stood out. I like to see the team that beat the Red Sox also beat ev-

sbnation.com

ries was packed with homeruns and extra innings. Houston’s win was also important as it came after Hurricane Harvey had struck the team’s home city.” Congratulations to the Astros on their World Series win! ☐

Six Minutes of Fame for Gordon Hayward Featured Athlete

By Katherine Loose ’20 Panel Staff Less than six minutes into the opening game of the 2017-18 NBA season and Gordon Hayward’s Celtics debut, disaster struck the court. The Celtics were playing the Cleveland Cavaliers when Hayward got tangled with Cavaliers player LeBron James in the air. His leg collapsed under his weight when he landed, and everyone present at the game immediately turned away when they saw his clearly dislocated ankle.

The medical staff rushed onto the court to reset Hayward’s ankle while his teammates formed a huddle and prayed for him. Belmont Hill’s Thomas McEvoy ’19 noticed “the injury seemed to take the life out of the team and game. They seemed to be focused on making sure that he was okay but you could also see the reaction on the Cavalier’s bench.” After leaving the court in a stretcher, Hayward flew back to Boston. His doctors have announced that he fractured his left tibia, but that there did not appear to be ligament or blood vessel damage. There is a possibility of Hayward returning to the NBA late this season, but more likely, he will only be fully recovered by next season.

The injury is heartbreaking for both Hayward and fans, because everyone had been excited to see the player’s contributions to the Celtics this year.

After the loss of a valuable player, Celtics coach Brad Stevens is deciding how to move forward. Hayward had recently signed a $128 million contract with the Celtics, and Stevens will probably only be able to collect $11 million on insurance of the $29.7 million that the Celtics owes Hayward this season. The Celtics recently applied for the NBA Disabled Player Extension, which would give them $8.4 million to replace Hayward. However, an NBA-approved doctor must determine the likelihood of Hayward returning before the application is accepted. The new player can only sign a one-year contract, and if the

Celtics use the extension to trade for a player, his contract must be expiring. Hayward’s injury also puts pressure on Celtics players that are newer to the NBA, like Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who will now receive much more playing time. Caitlin Bracken ’20, a Celtics fan, explains that “this is not an ideal scenario for the Celtics because Jaylen Brown is in his second year in the league, and Jason Tatum is just a rookie, and it’s difficult for a team to have inexperienced players getting significant minutes.”

Although the overwhelming emotion evoked by Hayward’s injury was pure shock, many NBA fans were impressed by TNT’s coverage of the story. Sports broad-

has broken his leg,” followed by silence.

TNT’s respectful approach to a gruesome situation has prompted many fans to comment on how sports broadcasting has evolved over time. For proof of this evolution, we can turn to the coverage of Cincinatti Bengals player Tim Krumrie’s injury during Super Bowl XXIII. The incident was replayed constantly during the broadcast while commentator Merlin Olson analyzed the injury in a way that many viewers considered excessive and insensitive. TNT handled Hayward’s injury with much more professionalism and compassion. Caitlin ’20 adds that “The press’s emphasis on LeBron James’

Gordon Hayward immediately following his injury casting networks have historically focused on the gory details of injuries, but TNT’s coverage was more emotional and demonstrated sensitivity to both the viewers and Hayward. Instead of constant replays of the accident, the footage consisted mainly of the heartbroken faces of the players and the crowd. The only words spoken by TNT commentator Kevin Harlan were “Hayward

smh.com

visit to Hayward in the locker room was extremely powerful because it reminded people that although basketball is an extremely competitive game, players still support and want the best for each other.” Although Hayward’s injury may mean uncertainty for the Celtics, it has offered insight into how injuries are treated by the media. ☐

By Ellen O’Hare ’20 Staff Writer

Kristie Rae Gillooly

Winsor sports are red hot! All of the fall teams have had wonderful seasons.

I was able to sit down with one of our star Wildcats, Clementine Perry ’18 and take an inside look into her experience with Winsor sports.

Clementine rows for the Winsor Crew team in the fall and spring and plays as a center for the ice hockey team in the winter. She loves that, in rowing, “the work you put in directly leads to the results you get.” In other words, hard work pays off.

Sophia Copeman ’20 says, “She is one of the best teammates I have ever had. I have been on sports teams with her for the past four years, and she has been constantly hard-working and dedicated.” Clemmie’s favorite memory from rowing is when the team won gold at the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association championship regatta during her sophomore year.

In ice hockey, Clementine loves the feel of the team and the way she gets to play with people of all ages. Her most memorable moment in her ice hockey career is during her sophomore year when Winsor beat Pingree (for the first time) with a score of 8-1. Incidentally, it was the then Winsor seniors’ last game.

Clementine is looking forward to enjoying a successful spring season, rowing in the NEIRA regatta, and continuing the sport in college. During the winter, she is looking forward to enjoying her last season playing ice hockey. Clementine is a fantastic athlete, and we wish her all the best during her last few seasons of Winsor Sports! ☐

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T he Panel

The Panel Reviews Movies: Blade Runner 2049 B-Flats Prepare for Joint-Concert with RL

By Andrew Lee ’20 Staff Writer

The Blade Runner 2049 is a Sci-Fi movie which portrays a dystopian future where the world is completely run by machines in the form of humans. Starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, the R-rated movie runs for a total of 2 Hours and 44 Minutes. It is graded fairly well by critics with a rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In my opinion, I felt that the movie was very extraneous and didn’t offer as much action as the trailers led us to believe. The movie starts with an action-filled fight which seems promising; however, the entire mov-

Rating: 6.5/10

ie has a very slow build to the final scene, which is not quite the climax you would expect. The movie has intricate ideas that force you adjust to the setting, which is not always a smooth transition. On the positive side, the special effects and backgrounds were excellent in that it captured the dystopian setting. Also, the actors generally do a good job filling their roles as human machines. The plot initially seemed promising; however, the movie is overall far too slow and dry to be considered excellent. If you were to watch the movie, I would highly recommend watching the original Blade Runner first to understand the context of the movie. ☐ Find more movie reviews and other related arts content at bhpanel.org.

By Rishi Bannerjee ’19 Staff Writer

Even in recovering from the loss of a strong 2016 core that featured powerhouse singers such as Sebastian Themelis, Dan Zakon, Phil Bailey, Seamus Clair alongside Dr. Slaughter, the 2017 B-Flats have had an excellent start to the year. Led by Brother Patterson and newly elected president Theo Why and Vice President Owen Pickette, this year’s sophomore-dominated B-flats have shown great promise and hope for a successful year that has so far culminated in a rowdy chapel performance of the classic tune “Lean on Me” and an impressive performance at the BH Open House.

The group embarks on the challenge

of dueling the Roxbury Latin School in a sing-off in the upcoming weeks and has prepared endlessly to perfect a series of abstract Italian songs. Shifting gears, a new B-flats development weighs heavily on the minds of the group: after years of planning from Mr. Harder and Brother P., the B-Flats are finalizing the details of a trip that would take the talents of the group overseas to Prague, not only with the intention to sing, but also to see the historical landmarks of the city, capital of the Czech Republic. In anticipation of this trip, B-flats members have invested in stylish and savvy new blazers (designed by stalwart Luca Pontone ‘19) that will make their appearances throughout B-flats performances as the group embarks on this promising new year. ☐

The Panel’s Playlist of the Issue: Season Two, Episode Two

By Arnav Prasad ’18 and Seth Israel ’18 Panel Staff For the complete Playlist of the Issue, follow the official Spotify account of The Panel, @bhpanel Curator’s Note: Welcome to The Panel’s second iteration of the Playlist of the Issue, a tradition started by Gus Lamb ‘17 and Armin Thomas ‘17. For each issue, we’ll give you our current top five songs, tunes which span across genres, moods, and time periods. It is our hope that our playlist can serve as inspiration for your own creativity.

Likewise, if you have a catchy beat stuck in your head, please feel free to let us know-perhaps you will see your pick in the next issue!

Arnav’s Top 5 Picks: Amerika – Young the Giant Cultural commentary and musical authenticity converge in the Young the Giant’s prolific feature “Amerika.” In remarkable parallel to film or literature, Young the Giant shaped “Amerika” in the form of narrative, moving through intense feelings of hope, romance, desperation, and defeat all in one cohesive melody. The song carries the audience through the journey of an American immigrant, and does so in a way uniquely realistic and relevant to modern society. “Amerika,” along with the rest of its accompanying album “Home of the Strange,” finds substance in its musical and artistic nuances.

The Swimming Song – Loudon Wainwright III “The Swimming Song” not only captures the essence of summer, but does so in a way while emphasizing the simple joys of life through distinct and natural acoustics.

Released initially 1974, the single reflects upon Wainwright’s own experiences in a witty, self-mocking style.

Southern Freeez – Freeze The second single of British dance group Freeze, “Southern Freeez” builds upon the classics funk tunes and rhythms of the 1980s. With a light taste of rock-esque guitar, the song sticks to the traditional yet current roots the band lays for itself. For the listener looking to curate his own R&B/ Funk playlist, “Southern Freeez” constitutes a must--at least for consideration.

Blaze – Zuli The indie-rock song by eclectic artist Zuli takes on the relationship between man and dog to another level. Paired with a powerful yet oddly humorous music video, the song finds its strengths in the vocals.

Despite his relative obscurity, Zuli is sure to break the alternative music scene, with a listing on Spotify’s “Hot New Tracks” as a possible indicator of success.

perform the songs. I listed two songs by boy Pablo here because they’re both just so good.

Both tracks are full of teenage emotion and confusion, but the music never gets caught up in the melancholy themes of the lyrics.

(See Album Trade for a full comprehensive review of the album by writer-extraordinaire Bennett Morris ‘18)

Sunflower – Rex Orange County Alex O’Connor, or as he is known to the world, Rex Orange County, is a singer-songwriter from South London, England who recently rose to fame, in part through his collaboration with artists like Tyler, the Creator and BadBadNotGood, but more importantly because of his amazing music.

ROC’s track “Sunflower” begins ominously with O’Connor singing softly about romantic despair as he’s accompanied only by a solo trumpet and the occasional twangy guitar chords. However, around the 50 second mark, the song bangs a hard U-turn as syncopated drums enter and O’Connor’s voice picks up in speed and pitch. My favorite part of this song is the drums: they really change the direction of the song, and their rhythm make it a track you can listen to repeatedly without getting bored.

Mama Said – Lukas Graham Most listeners of pop radio know Lukas Graham exclusively for his hit single “Seven Years” that had its moment in the spotlight in 2015. Although “Mama Said” came out a year prior, the song features a similarly human and personal narrative of growing up. Featuring the distinct vocals of children, “Mama Said” focuses on the moth- Harlem Streets – Cam’Ron er-son relationship in a lighthearted tune.

Okay, I had to switch it up from the indie rock and add some rap to this playlist.

Seth’s Top 5 Picks: And what’s better than some early-2000s Cam’Ron?! This song is all about Cam’s Everytime/Dance, Baby! – Boy Pablo endeavors and experiences as a product of While scrolling through YouTube a Harlem. Unlike most of the cookie-cutter few weeks ago, a thumbnail of a kid standrap we hear today, “Harlem Streets” features ing by the water with a guitar continually legitimate instrumentation, such as piano, popped up under the recommended tab. If horns, and a simple but clean drum beat. I YouTube wanted me to watch this video so love how this song can be so good and minbadly, then I figured it was meant to be. I fiimalistic at the same time. “I’ve been all over nally clicked on the link, and a few moments the world, ain’t no place like Harlem, man.” into this song, I realized that YouTube had made a perfect match. boy Pablo is techMoments in Love – Art of Noise nically 18 year-old singer-songwriter PabI was watching a “What’s in My Bag” seglo Munoz, a native of Oslo, Norway. Pablo ment that Amoeba Records in L.A. oftens writes the music, and he and his four friends

posts to Youtube when I was introduced to the Art of Noise. The episodes often feature budding or famous artists, and I was watching the one with Earl Sweatshirt and Samiyam. When both artists offered up Art of Noise’s “Moments in Love” as a song they wanted to sample, I immediately became intrigued. Formed in 1983, Art of Noise were an English avant-garde synth-pop group, whose music features some really experimental and trippy compositions. This track, like many of Art of Noise’s other songs, is a sound collage made with computers and electronics, which was a revolutionary practice at the time of this group’s inception.

Art of Noise pioneered musical sampling, paving the way for artists now like Earl and Samiyam. You can get lost in the mysterious and unique nature of this song, and it’s definitely one you have to hear for yourself.

Atomic Bomb - William Onyeabor William Onyeabor was a Nigerian businessman who also tried his hand at funk music, rising to fame in Nigeria during the 1970s and 80s and falling into reclusion shortly thereafter. You may be wondering how I discovered Onyeabor’s music, and surprisingly enough, so am I! Nonetheless, Onyeabor is an extremely talented musician, and his track “Atomic Bomb” is one to note. I would be lying if I said I understand the meaning of his lyrics, but through my interpretation, Onyeabor is frustrated by something to the point where he is ready to explode. The song features Onyeabor’s as well as some unidentified women’s vocals, an infective piano part, a funky bass riff, guitar solos, and a type of synthesizer that I guarantee you have never heard before.

“Atomic Bomb” joins “Moments in Love” in the weird-song-club, but it is definitely one that will get stuck in your head. ☐

B elmont HIll arts

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Album Trade: Roy Pablo (2017) & The Human Condition (2016) Roy Pablo (2017) | By: Boy Pablo | Genre: Pop

By Bennett Morris ’18 Panel Staff You may have seen Boy Pablo’s video constantly popping up in your Youtube recommendation feed, and that is no mistake. Though I had never heard of Boy Pablo before or any of his work, the 18-year old Norwegian and his high school friends are destined for success. Boy Pablo writes a sixtrack EP, Roy Pablo, that has a happy, yet melancholic vibe and is comparable to the likes of Mac Demarco and Mild High Club.

I turned his music on as I started my homework and almost like white noise, I nearly forgot it was there; the cohesiveness of the album in tandem with my business brilliantly meshed all six songs into one long piece.

His first song, “Yeah (Fantasizing)”, begins with an electrifying guitar solo then settles on a steady, subtle drum beat. These instruments are key throughout the entire song, producing a chill beat reminiscent of good times with a little angst. Pablo is a man of few words as perhaps his most popular and second song in the album, “Everytime”, is just described as being “about dating.” This song follows the troubles of internet dating, describing it almost as unauthentic. “Dance With Me, Baby” is the album’s third song

and will probably be the one that is stuck in my head for a week. The song tells the story of a lonely guy in the club, just wanting to dance with a girl who has clearly chosen another man. While the circumstance may not be totally relatable, everyone has had that “why not me?” thought - whether that be with colleges, sports, or relationships. Following “Dance With Me, Baby” is “imreallytiredthisdaysucks’’ and the lyrics stay true to its name: this song is, as Pablo describes it, “about a sucky day.” There is an interesting take on what a sucky day is though, because the band utilizes the guitar and drums, proposing the idea that even though it was a sucky day, just move on. My favorite song of the album is “ur phone”; fifth on the album, its music video is pretty epic as well -- a camera filming the rear-view camera monitor in a car as Pablo sings his song.

The song is about two teens in love, and though it only features two verses, it very clearly relays the story of indecisiveness and hesitation that comes with young love. The final song, “Ready / Problems”, is about a relationship. It is slower than the rest and is a great close to the album, completing the story of the lonely boy and his fantasy girl.

All in all, I really did enjoy listening to Roy Pablo and am stoked to hear the new work that he will release in 2018. ☐

Spotify Pre-Game Playlist: Varsity Football The Panel is excited to continue this new feature that acknowledges the intersection of music and sports.

Each issue in Volume 66, we plan to publish the pregame playlist of one of Belmont Hill’s varsity teams.

Varsity Football serves as our fourth featured team.

Check out the full playlist on Spotify (@bhpanel)

The Human Condition (2016) | By: Jon Bellion | Genre: Hip-Hop

By Seth Israel ’18 Staff Writer I had never heard of Jon Bellion before, but I had heard one of his songs, “All Time Low,” without knowing who it was by. After further investigation of his work, I was surprised by Bellion’s range and diversity from the beginning of his album to the very last track. Throughout his 2016 album titled The Human Condition, hip-hop/R&B artist Jon Bellion does a lot of self-reflection and internal examination of his emotions.

Bellion kicks off the album with the song “He Is The Same,” a piece reflecting on his determination to stay true to his roots and beginnings along his rise to fame. The hiphop star still plays basketball, his assistant is his best friend, and he still deals with family problems. Essentially, Bellion is trying to prove that he is still a normal person, but his reference to the millions he has recently acquired beg to differ. Moving through the album to track #3, “All Time Low.” With over 234 million plays on Spotify, this is indubitably Bellion’s most famous and well-known song. I like Bellion’s use of the varying beats throughout the song; the changes in tempo and rhythm help to convey Bellion’s feeling of loneliness after a difficult break-up that he can’t seem to get over. Bellion returns to his theme of origins in “New York Soul - Pt. ii,” when he pays homage to his home state of New York, and more specifically, Brooklyn and Long Island. This song features Alec Benjamin, and both artists trade off with more of a rap feel throughout the song, initially spitting bars about life on the east coast versus west coast. By the end of the song, Bellion moves into a depiction of the dangers of pursuing money and fame. This idea of purity continually returns throughout Bellion’s work: clearly he is determined

to stay away from a life of corruption. I really like the song “Overwhelming,” which is a track reminiscent of “All Time Low,” but with a completely different message.

Many of the musical motifs and patterns are present in both tracks. The synth is similar and the drum beats mirror each other; however, “Overwhelming” is a ballad of love. The speaker is overwhelmed by every aspect of his partner. My favorite part of the song is in the chorus, when Bellion launches into the most essential phrase in the song, holding the word out across multiple notes: “O-o-o-o-overwhelming.” Track #11 on the album, “Morning in America,” highlights the problems we have with holding our personal issues in. The songs switches off between Bellion’s subdued lyrics and chorus with a sort of EDM/house beat feel.

I like the musical variation in this song, as well as the message of acceptance: everyone has problems, and no one is perfect, so we have to accept our flaws and differences.

The final song, “Hand of God - Outro” culminates the album, as Bellion puts his his life “in the hands of God.” Personally I find it hard to relate to this song; however, I do have an appreciation for the end. After some research, I found that Bellion incorporated the 30-person choir that was part of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” into his own piece, which I thought was a creative revival of a classic song. Ultimately, I have a hard time dealing with some of Bellion’s lyrics, as at times I find them ambiguous and hard to relate to. Furthermore, I feel that Bellion is at once repetitive and hypocritical at once: he claims he is a normal person with extreme fame, or someone at an “all time low” who is hopelessly in love. That being said, I very much enjoyed listening to Bellion’s album, which is filled with varied instrumentation and a range of musical themes and features. ☐

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Winsor Arts

T he Panel

Productions and Students Still Finding a Balance

By Ellen Pickette ’21 Staff Writer

a student who lives far from Belmont, this could be an issue, as Winsor does not provide transportation from rehearsal, leaving students in Belmont late at night and requiring someone to drive them home. Transportation is made more inconvenient by the dearth of MBTA stations in Belmont. Thus, students who don’t have a license, a car, or parents available to pick them up find themselves in a difficult situation.

Thankful as they are for Isabel, the one Winsor student involved in Guys and Dolls, one girl isn’t enough. Owen informed me that Belmont Hill has “opened up auditions to Dana Hall the past two years, but [have] gotten zero girls as a result of that [so] we’ve turned to Belmont High School for girls to participate… We had two girls come last year to fill our last spots in Much Ado About Nothing, and this year we have four girls from Belmont High School for Guys and Dolls.” Clearly, Winsor girls aren’t the only ones who prefer to act at their own schools rather than commute to BH. This is a challenge that Roxbury Latin is not facing. “It seems there have not been fewer girls for RL’s fall shows. This is my

sixth year and, based on suggestions from my predecessor...I aimed to choose plays with roles for four to six girls, and not more,” said Mr. Nelson, Roxbury Latin’s director of dramatics. He chooses shows that match the amount of interest in past years. This is not to say they rely solely on Winsor students; Mr. Nelson explained that they have worked with students from Dana Hall, Winsor, Ursuline Academy, Newton South High School, and Dover-Sherborn High School over the six years he has been working at Roxbury Latin. They currently have four Winsor students in Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth, and most of the Winsor students participating have been in past RL shows.

Unlike at Belmont Hill, having performers of two genders is not essential at Winsor. Although Mr. Johnson told me he was “happy to have more male actors, he also told me he didn’t believe he needed them,” pointing out that “the majority of the girls seem very content with the current state of things and my primary goal is to serve them and our own program.” Last year’s Fall Play, She Kills Monsters, did not attract any students from Roxbury Latin or

Belmont Hill, and the current production, The Crucible, has one.

By being gender-blind while casting, Mr. Johnson has allowed students from Winsor to play challenging roles and grow as performers by exploring characters different than themselves. Even when students performed in the old theatre, many students chose to stay at Winsor and participate.

Penny Mack ’18 said that for her, “the space didn’t matter ... Winsor chooses plays with better female roles than the boys’ schools do, so there was never really a question for me of which to do.”

It will be interesting to see if the lack of students coming from Winsor will affect relationships with our brother schools, or if eventually a solution will be found to provide enough students for Belmont Hill shows. Some ways to help alleviate the issue could be by changing rehearsal times to earlier in the day or providing transportation back to Winsor after rehearsals. Until Belmont Hill gets enough Winsor students, solutions will most definitely be something to think about. ☐

As the lights shine brightly on the stage, the audience gasps in shock. It appears as if the cast is all boys. Is this a throwback to Shakespearian times? An educational experience instead of a night of entertainment? Unfortunately for any Shakespeare enthusiast or history buff, this isn’t supposed to be an example of what shows used to be like; it’s just a show at Belmont Hill, a school that is struggling to find girls for their upper school fall shows. Now, this is an exaggeration - the school is able to involve some girls, but not enough as needed to put on most shows.

A variety of factors play into why many Winsor students are choosing to stay and participate in shows at Winsor as opposed to going elsewhere, with one reason being the Lubin O’Donnell Center, which opened in the fall of 2015. The building is known for its beautiful facilities, such as two changing rooms, makeup studios, a costume shop, a scene shop, and a black box theatre. “There’s been less girls in the Upper School shows each year [since the LOC was completed]...We had four Winsor girls my sophomore year, two Winsor girls my junior year, and one Winsor girl this year [for the fall show]” said Owen Pickette, Belmont Hill ’18, the student head of the drama program. The opening of the LOC has strengthened Winsor’s theatre program. Mr. Johnson, performing arts faculty member, said that “turnouts at our auditions here on campus have been very strong since we started working in the LOC.” Another factor turning girls away from Belmont Hill is transportation issues.

According to Isabel Leonetti ’20,“the commute is not difficult, but it is very annoying; it takes me about an hour to get there every day. Also, the hours are very late.” For The cast of She Kills Monsters, the 2016 Winsor Fall Play, which was comprised solely of Winsor students.

Kristie Rae Gillooly

AP Studio Art Students Create and Consider Political Art

By Jamila O’Hara ’19 Panel Staff

Is all art necessarily political? The students of Winsor’s AP Studio Art class have recently been invited to submit work to a multi-school exhibit hosted at Lesley University in collaboration with the Art Association of New England Preparatory Schools (AANEPS). In preparation for the exhibition, AP Studio Art has been asked to reflect upon the politics of art as they craft their own responses to the statement: (All) Art Is Political (!?!). The exhibition, which is to be held at the Lesley University Lunder Arts Center in December, will feature a myriad of political art created by students across New England, and will serve as a valuable opportunity for Winsor’s student artists to exhibit original pieces alongside the work of students from other AANEPS schools in a university setting.

After carefully contemplating the prompt issued by the exhibition, each student proceeded to choose a specific issue pertaining to politics, social justice, or activism to respond to in their work; the AANEPS implored them to “consider the mediated image, the agency of the artist, and the potential of art to be a catalyst for conversation.” Inspired by the flexibility and open-endedness of the project, students are currently tackling numerous important political issues using a variety of mediums and materials.

Many students have chosen to investigate the political nature of art through pieces that make powerful political statements or address real-world issues.

Becca Lin ’19 aims to depict the incon-

sistencies and hypocrisies present within modern American society. By juxtaposing the beaming green likeness of the Statue of Liberty against a mock-newspaper spread of hot-topic headlines such as “When Will Black Lives Matter in St. Louis?”, Lin provides subtle commentary on the complicated reality of a nation that seeks to uphold liberty and justice while simultaneously harboring hostility, discrimination, and polarization. “I feel like this problem of hypocrisy is currently very prominent [in the U.S.], especially given recent events that have unfortunately aggravated existing racial tensions,” Lin says of her inspiration for the piece.

Other students have chosen to highlight issues pertaining to the environment.

In an ink painting that captures the impressionistic style of Van Gogh’s famous “Starry Night,” Abbigale Shi ’19 blots out the classic celestial landscape with a foreground of obtrusive smokestacks and smudges of smog and light pollution. Her reimagining of Van Gogh’s renowned painting illustrates a distressing modern reality: “If Van Gogh lived in the 21st century, he wouldn’t be able to paint ‘Starry Night’ at all [due to pollution],” she remarks. “I hope to make viewers more aware of the severity of environmental damage and more mindful of their own responsibilities in promoting global sustainability.”

AP Studio Art teacher Ms. Macaulay believes that this project is just as timely as it is exciting, as it provides students with a creative outlet to navigate their own beliefs and engage positively with the complexities and challenges of contemporary American society. She notes, “we are living in a world that faces huge social and political challenges. It’s important to remember that young people

Artwork created by Rebecca Lin ’19 for the AANEPS exhibition. have a voice and can effect change. Art can be a catalyst for change.”

AP Art’s students’ thought-provoking works, which will be on display at Lesley University from December 1st to Decem-

Jamila O’Hara

ber 17th, will certainly spark conversation, heighten public consciousness, and showcase students’ own artistic brands of activism. ☐

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Winsor Arts

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Student Plays Empower Cast Winsor Artist of the Issue

By Abby Golden ’19 Staff Writer Want a chance to “exercise your leadership and artistic vision?” Over the course of the school year, there are plenty of opportunities for Winsor students to see or participate in theatrical productions. Students can take a number of classes. like Acting I or II, Directing, and Tech Theater. This fall, students were able to participate in a Winsor production of The Crucible, Belmont Hill’s Guys and Dolls, or Roxbury Latin’s production of Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth. In the spring, Winsor students can participate in plays and musicals as actors, stage managers, and in the tech booth. Although students take ownership of these productions in their individual work, the shows are still led by a faculty member.

Winsor’s Upper School winter production, however, is much more student-driven.

In early November, Class VI-VIII students can propose a one act show or a 40-minute edited version of a longer show to direct.

According to the application, candidates are expected to have “a strong interest and experience in theater,” “very strong organizational, planning, and communication skills,” and the ability to “collaborate with actors, designers, and crew.”

Mr. Johnson encourages prospective directors to take Directing and participate in other productions. According to him, the Performing Arts department looks for

The cast of It’s Not You, It’s Me.

proposed pieces that are “engaging and well written, but also something short and fairly easy for a first time director to produce.” The show performs in February at Winsor and, if desired, at the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild’s Festival in April. For Izzy Isselbacher ’18, the festival was an opportunity to “meet students [from other schools] collectively interested in theater,” and it was “refreshing [to act] in front of an audience of strangers.” The festival even has attractions outside of drama; Izzy spoke favorably of the food, music, dancing, and MarioKart.

All involved come away from the production with good memories, and the directors “leave with a much greater appreciation for what it takes to produce a show, as well as a better understanding of being in a leadership position,” says Mr. Johnson.

The actors who have performed in recent shows enjoyed those experiences immensely. On how the student-led shows differed from faculty-led, Izzy Isselbacher said that “the entire cast has to take on a new kind responsibility. I relied completely on my classmates, and my castmates relied on me.

This kind of trust fostered an especially close connection.” Izzy performed in The Other Room last winter, the show directed

by Genevieve Brusie ’17 last winter, and It’s Not You, It’s Me, the show directed by Erin Simshauser ’17 in the winter of 2016.

It may be too late to submit a proposal this year, but don’t worry! There is always next year to direct, and auditions are on November 21st and 22nd. ☐

Kristie Rae Gillooly

By Dayoon Chang ’19 Panel Staff

Angela Su ’19 is in AP Studio Art this year. She won the 2017 State Fish Art Massachusetts Competition and earned two silver key awards for the 2017 Scholastic Arts. She is also the 2015 State Fish Art Massachusetts Third Place winner.

Angela is a member of the Winsor crew team and a secretary for Winsor Debate.

Artwork created by Angela can be viewed online or in galleries at Winsor.

What do you like to draw the most?

I really like to draw fish! It’s really fun to draw the colorful ones. I’d still rather not be confined to drawing one thing so I’ve been drawing other subjects, from portraits to architecture. I also enjoy drawing the Charles River.

Any fun stories?

I wanted to draw a picture of Winsor for my AP portfolio, but I chose to stand outside where the garbage truck was parked.

It was a pretty view, but I swear it stank so badly I wanted to cry. I might go back and finish that piece, but I think I’m permanently scarred.

Why did you sign up for AP art, knowing that it would be a bigger commitment?

I signed up for AP Studio Art to get more drawing time during school day at Winsor.

It is a full credit course so I get to go to class more often. I always look forward to going to art class!

How would you describe your first experience with art?

My first drawings were done during kindergarten science class when I got bored of the lesson. Back then, I always got in trouble for drawing during class. But it really made me like art.

What is your favorite part about art?

My favorite part about art is that it is really calming to draw after a long week. Art helps me destress because there is no pressure: just me, my pencil, and paper. ☐

Angela’s 2017 State Fish Art entry.

Angela Su

November and December in the Arts November 10th SLAMP (gallery and open mic) @ Winsor (6:30-8:30pm) November 17th and 18th The Crucible @ Winsor (7pm) Guys and Dolls @ BH (7pm) Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth @ RL (7:30pm) November 21st and 22nd Winsor US Student Directed Play Auditions November 27th and 28th RL US Senior Directed Play Auditions @ RL November 27th, 28th, and 29th RL Junior Play Auditions @ RL (4-6pm) December 10th Winsor Holiday Concert (3-5pm)

The YouTube Culture of Jake and Logan Paul: “It’s Everyday Bro”

By Sophia Blyth ’19 Staff Writer

You might already be one of Logan Paul’s thirteen million YouTube subscribers or Jake Paul’s ten million Instagram followers, in which case I suggest you skip this first paragraph. For those who are not yet familiar with the Paul brothers, be prepared to be sucked into the public lives of two of the biggest stars of 2017. The teenage heartthrobs rose to fame on the social media platform Vine, where their six second videos racked up millions of loops apiece.

Taking advantage of their massive (and ever growing) fan base and their talent for relatable comedy, they started a YouTube channel in which they continued their legacy of quirky jokes and borderline dangerous stunts. Jake then scored a spot on the Disney show “Bizaardvark,” playing, not surprisingly, a fun-loving social media star. Meanwhile, Logan pursued his dream of becoming the “Dr. Dre of Media,” as he called himself in an interview with Business Insider.

However, Jake beat him to it; the 21 year old took a stab at producing and became the head of Teen Entertainment and Media Kingdom, a company focused on the talent label Team 10, which Jake also created. Although Team 10 was never actually made up of ten members, Jake seemingly worked magic by turning a group of wannabe teen idols into internet celebrities in a matter of weeks. His YouTube channel con-

tinues to gain popularity, as he showcases life in the mansion he bought specifically for Team 10 members. At the same age as some Class VIII students at Winsor, he was a producer, a talent agent, a coach to rising YouTube stars, and a self-made millionaire.

According to Jake, he made the decision to become a rapper and wrote his first song all in the span of a single day. In “It’s Everyday Bro,” we are witness to Jake’s talent for similes (“we chew ‘em like they’re gum”) and his carefree attitude (“tattoo just for fun”). The track, which features Team 10 members Nick Crompton, Chance Sutton, the Martinez twins, and Tessa Brooks, who was accused of a relationship with Jake while he was still dating his ex-girlfriend Alissa Violet, was one of the highest trending videos of 2017 with nearly 150 million views.

Almost immediately, the video gained notoriety for its obnoxious lyrics and awkward dance moves. The name “Jake Paul” became associated with imbecility. Now he has two more feats to add to his list of achievements: dropping one of the most viral and parodied rap songs on the internet and becoming (in the eyes of older generations of Americans) the representation of all that is wrong with Generation Z. With the dislikes hitting seven digits, “It’s Everyday Bro” ranked seventh on YouTube’s list of most hated videos. After the release of two “diss tracks” against Jake Paul, the internet seemingly fell apart. “The Fall of Jake Paul,” a vicious diss track by his own brother Logan, and “Its EveryNight Sis,” a

Logan (left) and Jake Paul (right). parody of his own song by his ex-girlfriend Alissa Violet and YouTube mogul Ricegum, were new crowd favorites. Jake soon lost his contract with Disney, although the exact reason was never released. I found myself intrigued in the turmoil and would come home prepared to analyze the newest diss track with my sister Athena. Was this obsession over internet celebrities a way to take a break from our own lives or just a harmless guilty pleasure?

Throughout all the YouTube drama, there were real reasons to hate Jake. Multiple racist tweets from his Twitter account resurfaced, and Alissa Violet released heartbreaking stories of the cheating and abuse she endured while living with him. Images of her bruised arms circled through Instagram and Snapchat. People now had new reasons to antagonize Jake Paul, although these two occurrences, especially the tweets, were never at the forefront of the hatred.

J-14.com

Jake Paul recently released two videos in which he talks about the difficulties of being in the limelight and expresses regret for his actions. He and Logan then created a video that shows the two of them making up and agreeing to put their turbulent past behind them.

Their relationship troubles only gained them more publicity. “I don’t know if anyone in my grade genuinely likes Jake Paul, but for some reason everyone knows the lyrics to ‘It’s Everyday Bro.’ If that’s not infamy, I don’t know what is,” notes Teresa Lawlor ’19. Despite the vast amount of online hostility directed towards the brothers, millions of tweens continue to idolize them.

We are left to wonder: was this whole debacle a plan between the brothers to gain unimaginable amounts of fame and attention?

One thing’s for sure: they certainly got what they wanted. ☐

Bac kPage

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T he Panel

From the Desk of the Athletic Director Awards and Announcements – Fall 2017

Fall Sports Awards

Football

Defensive Player of the Year: #18

The entire defense

Offensive Player of the Year: Hank Wyett '18

Soccer

Goal of the Year: Oisin "Cuffed Craig" Treanor '18

Buffon European Golden Shoe: Michael Montanaro '19, Massimo Aufiero '18

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National AP Scholar Award: The entire team

Faculty Announcements

A Journalistic Investigation into the Cafeteria’s Widely Divisive Fruit Water

By Olivia Brasher ’18 Staff Writer In particular situations, slight alterations from the norm can lead to a slippery slope towards that which should never occur in nature.

Such is the case with the Winsor School cafeteria’s fruit water, some students at the institution have mused. One day you have a lemon slice in your glass of water for added zest, and the next day it’s a skinned pineapple and an entire uprooted rosemary plant. One must inquire, where does this tomfoolery end? Or, perhaps more elucidating, where did it begin? One inside source has scoped out the workings of the finely oiled machine we know as the Winsor cafeteria, and uncovered a few pieces of titillating information. The following is an interview she conducted with a member of the kitchen staff who prefers to remain anonymous.

Interviewer: I’m here in the renowned Peter Hall with the creator of fruitwater to learn more about this mysterious lunchtime delicacy.

By Haley Kwoun ’20 Panel Staff You enlist the help of your trusty speedwalk (thank you, Class II PE) on the way back to the cafeteria, attempting to balance the cup on your tray while you dodge the horde of students rushing at you. You are a salmon swimming against the current with but 2 minutes left before the doors of your 1:05 class close, stranding you outside of your biology classroom forever. You finally make it to the cafeteria, but the mass of people sharing your unfortunate position pre-

Thanks so much for meeting with me! So first, what I’m really wondering about the fruit water is, where did this idea begin?

Anonymous: Well, it all started when I saw that meme online, you know the one with the picture of the lemon slice stuck on the water fountain captioned “Is this what private school is like?” I saw that, and it got me thinking, do we really even deserve the title of “private school” if our kids aren’t drinking fancy fruit water? So I shifted some figures around in our budget and figured out that if we stopped serving salami at the sandwich bar, we would have enough funding for lemons to put in our water.

And that’s how fruit water was born.

I: Fascinating! So how did lemons evolve into more avant garde fruits? Not in a biological sense, of course, I mean in the context of our school lunches.

A: I’m glad you asked! Here’s the really thrilling part of the story. So we had been doing lemon water for a few weeks, right? And one Wednesday, I noticed we had a lot of leftovers from the previous day’s dessert of “Hand

Fruits.” And I thought: what if we could use these in the water? What if lemon water wasn’t just lemon water? What if it was ORANGE water? Or MANGO water? It was like a lightbulb appeared over my head. The only way I can describe the pride I felt in this moment is by drawing upon the image of Isaac Newton in the moments following his invention of calculus.

That is how excited I was.

I: I have to agree with you that fruit water really is the calculus of the twenty-first century.

A: Thank you. There’s certainly no argument about that.

I: So you started using leftovers in the water?

A: Yes. So not only are we now stylish, but also sustainable! And we save so much money. The money that we save from re-using uneaten food items from previous days or weeks allows us to buy as many lemons as we want without slicing out the sliced meats from the budget. So now we can have salami at the sandwich bar again.

I: Some have argued that the fruit water has gone too far in terms of carving out new culinary horizons. What have you to say to such fellows?

A: Really I think there’s no such thing as too far when we’re talking about innovation.

The possibilities are endless-- I mean, the new flavors, the savings, everything about it-- what’s not to like? This really could be the solution we’ve been looking for. We have so many leftovers after days such as, oh, steak and cheese, and we’ve always had trouble repurposing some of these foods. But now, with fruit water, really anything goes!

I: So in the future can we expect even more creativity in terms of water options? Like steak and cheese water?

A: Abso-toot-ly! I urge all of our students to keep open minds and continue trying our waters. It’s been a really great experience so far.

I: Thanks so much. I’m excited to see what the future has in store.

A: Thank you! As am I! ☐

vents you from moving. You are trapped. Skillfully balancing your tray against your food baby (maybe a bit too much trifle), you grab your napkin, oyster cracker wrapper(s), and half-eaten sports icecream bar. Your arm extends to dispose of them into one of the four gaping holes in the waste receptacle on wheels, but you hesitate.

All at once people are yelling at you to keep moving, thrown utensils are splashing blue liquid onto your face, and the minute hand on the clock inches closer to doom o’clock. Do you have time to read a paragraph posted above the holes? All you want in life, at least after Trash Week 2k17, is to considerately and sustainably dispose of your

waste without missing a beat of percussion class or a note of the Black Death version of “Hollaback Girl.”

“It was better when we had the other sign thingies from before,” says a particularly articulate member of the sophomore class. As popular saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I think that we can all agree that those signs ain’t broke, and that their fixes were far from constructive.

One student claimed that the new signs alone revealed her 20/170 vision and prompted her current search for a stylish monocle (the newest fashion trend of 2017 - you heard it here first). I have thrown napkins, cups, food, and a few uten-

sils into the same abyss simply out of frustration and lack of understanding. After, as I’m sure is shared by many a student, I feel as though I have single-handedly caused the Earth’s temperature to rise another degree while simultaneously drowning a fish. The magnifying-glass-requiring signs are a major issue, and I am riddled with guilt as I pass by the station every day. It is time for this madness to end. Of course, now that I have written an entire article about it, it seems that this issue has been solved. There are now comprehensive, scopic signs that clearly indicate which waste should go where. Good job, Winsor! It only took two months of the school year! ☐

Cafeteria Trash Procedures