October 2021 Panel (Vol 70. Iss 4.)

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478

Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Permit #58555 Boston, MA PAID

A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

Volume 70, Issue 4

October 22, 2021

CLUBS, MUSIC, AND ATHLETICS Belmont Hill Extracurriculars and Sports Start up in the New School Year

Read More on Pages 3-5

Just imagine if we had a real club fair.

Cum Laude-Awards Chapel Cooper Nelson ’23 Panel Staff On October 8th, the Belmont Hill community was honored to hear from Dr. Lee M. Levison as the featured speaker of the Cum Laude Chapel. Dr. Levison has led an illustrious career in academics at institutions across New England and came to Belmont Hill with over three decades of

Look Inside The Issue

News Plans forSenate The New Maker Space Student Report (Update)

experience working with students. After graduating from Amherst College with a Bachelor’s in History, he attended Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

He worked for 5 years as a Dean at Noble & Greenough school, where he taught and coached Mr. Schneider. As Mr. Schneider put it, he became “the single most important mentor in my life.” He then moved on to the role of Head of School at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, CT, a co-ed college preparatory school not too different from schools in the ISL. Our own Mr. Tim Sullivan attended Kingswood during Dr. Levison’s time there.

Continued on Pg 5 News 2 Homecoming

Mac Bobo ’23 sheds light on the importance of Homecoming to Belmont Hill School.

School President Luke Carroll ’22 has informed the leaders of The Panel that the new era of transparency has been diluted to a Student Senate Report every other issue. Please look for the followOpinions 13 ing version in future issues.

Debate of the Issue: Summer or Winter

Lev Tolkoff ’24 and Luke Trevisan ’24 debate about the seasons.

Centerspread 8 Columbus vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Community 15 The Panel Crossword

Mac Bobo ’23 writes about the ongoing debate Complete the crossbetween the naming of the controversial holiday. word puzzle and send a photo to thepanel@ belmonthill.org for a prize!

Sports 12 Jack Albers ’22

Charlie March ’22 writes about Jack’s achievements in soccer.

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Emmy Nominated Producer Kenya Barris Graces BH ing our differences is vital in building a copacetic society. Even when you stand entirely against one’s beliefs, understanding where they are coming from is imperative to maintain respect. He also touched on the virtues of using humor to both relate our humanity and combat the wrong we see in our world.

Reflecting upon his time in high school, Mr. Barris advised the crowd to stay in touch with those around them. He reassured that those you bring up will do the same for you by sharing stories of lifelong friendships and the fruit they have borne. Through all of his insights, Barris maintained a suave sense of humor and striking humility. Though Barris’s success in Hollywood is immensely impressive, his genuine desire to mentor and distinctive reality-grounded artistry make him an incredible role model and enlightening speaker. ☐

By Daniel Rashes ’22 Panel Staff The Belmont Hill community was honored by the virtual presence of Kenya Barris.

The renowned and prolific multihyphenate, responsible for shows such as Black-ish and #BlackAF, is a truly unique creative voice whose wisdom and grace equals his accomplishments. Teaching lessons in respect, kindness, and community, Barris reiterated the importance of communication and collaboration in a country plagued by division.

In anecdotes, he recounted conversations that sprouted from differences he had never stopped to observe, reminding us to embrace diversity it. He imparted that honesty and being forthcoming are essential to productivity. Acknowledging and respect- Kenya Barris

BH Homecoming Returns After a Two-Year-long Absence

By Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff On September 25th, Belmont Hill students, families, and alumni arrived on campus to watch the varsity soccer and football games. There were food trucks, tents for snacks, Party with a Purpose mer-

again the essence and spirit of Belmont Hill.

It is for this reason that so much planning goes into Homecoming each and every year. Before the event itself, the Alumni House has to first coordinate with the athletic department, the Parents Council, and Belmont Hill’s food service. With the athletic department, schedules must be planned so that families and alumni can watch soccer

team goes to work on the day of Homecoming to prepare the fields, tents, and decorations. The hard work and dedication Unlike many other schools, attending Homecoming for parents and even alumni is free of charge, meaning Homecoming is not a fundraising event. In fact, many alumni events over the course of the year, including reunions, are also not fundraising

BH Students and Alumni attending this year’s Homecoming on September 25th, 2021 chandise, and, as always, the Belmont Hill Loop in full force after being dormant over the past year and a half because of the pandemic. However, the annual Belmont Hill Homecoming always means more than watching games and eating good food. It serves as an opportunity for alumni and their families to revisit and experience

and football games. Because so many attendees are parents of current students, the plans must be communicated with the Parents Council. And, last but not least, food has to be available for all of Belmont Hill’s guests, requiring a major effort from Belmont Hill’s food service. After all of this preparation and planning, Belmont Hill’s maintenance

ous giving later on. This approach towards alumni participation is particularly unique to Belmont Hill and only works because of how generous Belmont Hill alumni are.

This year, attendance by Belmont Hill alumni was notably higher than normal. After a year of games without any visitors and no Homecoming at all, alumni were eager to visit campus again. Attendance overall was

BH Communications events. This begs the question: why pay for these events when they aren’t producing any revenue? According to the Alumni House, when alumni attend a Belmont Hill event they are more likely to stay closer to the school. That is, rather than charging alumni for these events, alumni will more than make up for the cost because of their gener-

higher as well. Interestingly, alumni make up around 80 to 100 of the 500 attendees usually. The rest are students and their families. The amazing atmosphere paired with the amazing food and bolstered attendance made this year’s homecoming something to remember, and for that, we thank both the maintenance crew and the Alumni House. ☐

Belmont Hill Launches New “Summit Scholars” Progam Summit Scholar is paired with a current Belmont Hill student who serves the role of a student mentor. Overall, the goal of the program is to “provide a robust, engaging, Belmont Hill launched its new Sum- and supportive academic enrichment promit Scholars program this fall with the aim gram for boys seeking to expand their fuof enriching the educational experience for a group of 10 to 15 boys in 5th and 6th grade.

T h e yearlong p r o gram, which is offered to boys in the greater Boston area, is led by ture educational opportunities” according Belmont Hill teachers. Additionally, each to the Belmont Hill website. In creating the

By Timo Simonin ’22 Panel Staff

program, Belmont Hill made an effort to prioritize students from “under-represented backgrounds with demonstrated financial need--meaning students from low-income families” as well as from communities more affected

by COVID. Thus, the school also provides the necessary technology Admissions Office such as a laptop and internet access, to boys accepted into the program who cannot afford it.

Summit Scholars meet twice a week on Zoom and once a month in person. Although the program is designed to enrich the academic opportunities of the students, it also focuses on an integral part of the Belmont Hill experience: building community. In addition to learning core subjects, Summit

Scholars also attend workshops about robotics, studio arts, performing arts, and go on field trips to local museums and theaters.

In fact, the program offers commun it y - bu i l d ing activities that don’t relate at all to academics, such as recreational sporting activities, barBH Communications becues, pizza nights, open gym, ice skating, and more.

Ultimately, the Summit Scholars program gives students a glimpse into the Belmont Hill experience and offers them guidance regarding an independent school education. The network of faculty and student mentors combined with extracurricular community-enrichment activities provides Summit Scholars with an exceptional educational opportunity.☐

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Belmont Hill Community Extends Sustainability Efforts

which we have become accustomed. 1 in 7 Americans struggles with food insecurity, and many are forced to choose unhealthy food over the more beneficial alternative As members of the Belmont Hill com- due to the differences in pricing. This food munity, we are afforded certain opportuni- shortage epidemic is not due to a lack of reties to which not everyone has access. These sources; rather, while there is enough food privileges include a high level of education, great facilities, and, perhaps most importantly, readily accessible and delicious healthy food. Regardless of whether the community’s food comes in the form of family-style sit down lunches or pre-prepared bagged lunches, the availability of food to students at BH is something for everyone, 30-40% of available food goes for which to be grateful for. However, not to waste, accounting for roughly 150 bilall of America shares the same privilege to lion dollars of food waste annually. MoreBy Andrew Bittner ’24 Panel Staff

Admission

Open

By Cam Carey ’23 Panel Staff On October 2nd, the Belmont Hill community came together to put on the annual Admissions Open House. Prospective families came to campus to learn more about the students, teachers, and the school as a whole. As a student who toured multiple

families, it was truly a great day for Belmont Hill. I started my tour at around 8:20 am and toured a family for almost an hour around the academic side of campus and then moved over to the Jordan Athletic Center.

When taking my tour to the Jordan, it surprised me with how amazed and interested they were with our athletic center and sports at Belmont Hill. The tours not only helped prospective students and families learn

Peer Tutoring

By Daniel Bittner ’22 Panel Staff

Dissimilar to the numerous extracurricular clubs and activities that emerge and disappear every year, peer tutoring remains an annually popular program as one of the most storied and continually impactful traditions at Belmont Hill. Pairing younger students needing help in a given subject with an experienced older student, the peer tutoring program is an invaluable resource for all individuals seeking help in grasping a new concept or simply wanting general advice on study skills and organization.

In addition to the vast number of

slightly in their approach to this issue, in short, the organizations identify areas of food waste within a community and transport excess food to those in need. Belmont

Hill’s partnership with these organizations will allow the dining staff to give the school’s unused, healthy food to those who need it, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our community’s efforts to help fellow residents while also helping the environment is just one more reason for our community to be thankful! ☐

House Chess Club’s Continuation

about Belmont Hill, but they also helped students appreciate the school even more.

After hours of tours and presentations, the school welcomed 334 students to the school, pushing the total number of visitors (including parents) to approximately 735 people. It was a truly impressive day for the Belmont Hill community that, as Mr. Carr said, “the warmth, energy, and magic of BHS was on full display.” This was also

Upper School Jazz Band practices outdoors on the Prenatt Quad

over, the waste of so much food has been linked to the release of greenhouse gases.

With knowledge of the truth behind food insecurity comes an important quest i o n : D o e s Belmont H i l l contribute to the food waste in America and, if so, what is the school doing to help those in need? On October 5th this year, Ms. Wu from the dining team sent out an email announcing the school’s collaboration with Food for Free and Rescue Leftover Cuisine, two organizations dedicated to bridging the gap between healthy, wasted food in Massachusetts and those in need. Though the two organizations differ

BH Communications

the first in-person open house since before the pandemic, during which multiple virtual Open Houses were held last year.

As Mr. Carr said in his thank you email to the school, “it took the whole village working together,” to put on this great event. The open house was not only a great experience for the touring families but also for every single person from the Belmont Hill community that participated. ☐

By Cooper Nelson ’23 Panel Staff One of the fastest growing clubs at Belmont Hill is chess club. Led by Fifth Formers Alex Lo, Daniel Cho, and Malcolm Grant, the club meets every Friday at X Block in Mr. Brownell’s r o o m in Eliot.

While the club has thrived at Belmont Hill for many years, the club exploded in popularity in late 2020 with the release of Netflix’s The Q u e e n’s Gambit.

It has re-Chess Club in action ceived tremendous interest ever since, and frequently fills Mr. Brownell’s room to capacity.

While chess can be an intimidating game for inexperienced players, chess club hopes to provide an enjoyable environment for all skill levels. The club welcomes beginners and seasoned professionals alike. No matter how much chess you have under your belt, you will be able

current older students who once benefited Thus, for younger students seekas tutees, nearly all peer tutors who have ing guidance in how to prepare for a givprovided help in the past have found this program immensely rewarding. In addition to being able to refresh their knowledge of prior topics, peer tutors, many of whom were aided by an older student in this program when they were younger, find giving back to younger students incredibly gratifying. Also, many pairs of students have found that this program Students helping each other Adam Richins allows them to form an unlikely friendship, creating connections en class or older veterans wanting to that last across their time at Belmont Hill. give back to the community, the peer

to find equivalent competition at the club.

The club engages in a variety of games and play styles aside from standard chess. When not playing 10-minute chess matches, members like to play blitz, which is a rapid fire gamemode with a low time limit characterized by frequent mistakes and intense action. Additional-

Alex Lo ’23 ly, the club has a history of playing game modes like doubles or even King of the Hill.

Furthermore, the club plans on holding chess tournaments later in the school year, and hopes that encourages anyone to sign up. Regardless of skill level, the club promises to provide enjoyment and friendly competition for all. As club head Alex Lo ’23 put it, Chess club is “poppin’ off no cap.” ☐ tutoring program can be both a beneficial and ultimately rewarding experience.

According to Mrs. Richards, “The number of students who peer tutor each year varies from the mid-40’s to low 60’s. She also asks that you “consider volunteering to be a peer tutor. It involves one block per week, and the program truly benefits the Belmont Hill School community. As a tutor, you have the opportunity to help another student, make Belmont Hill stronger, cement your knowledge of a subject, and list a wonderful activity when you are applying to college.

Some of our BHS faculty members were peer tutors when they were students at Belmont Hill. Mr. DeCaprio was a dedicated peer tutor who really made a difference in one boy’s life. To volunteer, please email Ms. Richards at richardk@belmonthill.org or stop by room S1 on the first floor of Science.” ☐

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BH’s Venture Capital Club Math Lab and Math Club The Venture Capital Club is off to a great start this year, transitioning back to weekly in-person meetings after a full year on Zoom. We spent the first meeting going over key VC terms such as “seed money” and “burn rate” so that newcomers could get a senseVenture Capital Club of what to expect in future meetings, and so that members could understand any VC lingo when we had the fortune of having guest speakers talk to the club.

We were very lucky to have two Belmont Hill Alumni as our first guest speakers of the year: Mark Crane ‘06 and Greg Paul ‘09. Mark Crane is a partner at General Catalyst, one of the top VC firms in the country.

Some of the prominent startups and companies which General Catalyst has previously partnered with include Stripe, Airbnb, and Grammarly, all three of which have received hundreds of millions of dollars in investments from various rounds of funding.

As for Greg Paul, he is a Vice President

and Private Wealth Advisor in the New York office of Bernstein Private Wealth Management, where he advises high-net-worth individuals, families, nonprofits organizations and endowments. It was fascinating to hear about their experiences in the world of Venture Capital, and two weeks later we hosted our second guest speaker, albeit via Zoom.

B i l l Miles is the CEO and Founder of Howard Huang ’22 A Milestone Group which provides yearbook and photo management services to schools. A graduate of UPenn, Mr. Miles specializes in managing companies and business units to revenue growth: expanding margins and increasing profits quarter after quarter.

Although he was unfortunately unable to come to Belmont Hill, we were still able to have a highly productive conversation with him remotely, and his insights and advice were invaluable to the members of the club.

We are very excited for what’s to come regarding the Venture Capital Club, and hopefully we will be able to bring in more guest speakers that have professional VC experience. ☐

By Luke Wagner ’22 Staff Writer

By Daniel Xie ’24 Panel Staff

Though the Chinese Club has been off to a slow start for the beginning of the school year, the club hopes to meet once a week on Tuesdays at X for the rest of the year.

Meeting in Shen’s room in Morse, the club is going to learn more about Chinese culture and Chinese characters. We are going to watch some videos about different aspects of culture in China, whether that be architecture, ancient sites, language, tourism, etc.

We are also planning on bringing in some different Chinese food to most of the meetings while perhaps hooking up the Zojirushi cooker for one of the meetings if time permits. The Chinese club heads hope to get as much participation as possible and welcome all people in the school community to come and learn about Chinese culture (while enjoying some delicious food!). ☐

Catan Club, led by Jack Shah, allows Upper School students to dive into the world of Catan, a multiplayer board game that challenges players to expand their colonies with strategy, skill, and luck.

Since 1995, Catan has been a favorite pastime for many, having sold over 35 million copies to date. Designed by Klaus Teuber, and formally named Settlers of Catan, the game is composed of an island which is made up of hexagonal tiles, each of which contains a certain resource. Based on the placement of your settlements as well as the number on the dice, supplies are collected and used to expand one’s colony.

The winner is the first player who achieves eleven victory points from his settlements, roads, cities, development cards, and special cards. As with most games, Catan is one that is easy to learn, but hard to master, and with randomized terrain and the luck of the draw (or roll, in this case), it becomes a wonderfully intense yet tactical time. Gather materials, trade with (or steal from) your friends, and try to build up your settlement.

The club meets every Tuesday at 2:15 in Mr. Bracken’s room. ☐

By Brian Lee ’24 Panel Staff

Chinese Club Catan

Chinese Characters

questions of Algebra 2 difficulty at the most difficult. The AMCs vary much more widely in difficulty, consisting of 25 questions which only technically require Precalculus knowledge, but incorporate many proofs Belmont Hill’s Math Lab and Math and math thought patterns that are only Club are convenient ways for students to get seen in the highest levels of mathematical help with their homework or further their theory. The first 10 problems should be fairly mathematical knowledge and participate straightforward to complete but nearing the in competition math. Math Lab, which is final 5, the problems reach past college-levmore informal el math than the Math difficulClub, meets ty. Math Tuesdays at Madness X. There are is a brackno preexisting et-style comp et it ion team comdeadlines or petition required probw h e r e lem sets. Math teams of 6 Lab involves from each the club leadschool er, Kevin Jiang c o m ’22, providing pete head A student completing math problems Adam Richins extra help to on head students in anything math-related. If you are in a 30-minute long set of problems. in need of tutoring, do not hesitate to reach Come join the Math Club if you are out to Kevin or stop by Mr. Brownell’s room. interested in competition math and its The Math Club meets Tuesday at 2:15 thought processes. Competition math is and is led by Howard Huang ’22 and Alex fundamentally different from the math Lo ’23, and meets with the goal of prepar- a student learns in school, so those who ing members for future math competitions may not see themselves as talented at such as the NEMLs and AMCs and partici- math may find success in competitions. pating in fun team-based competitions like The club leaders welcome anyone to come Math Madness by Arete Labs. The NEML is check out the club because everyone a competition math series with 6 tests of 6 will absolutely learn something new. ☐

By Howard Huang ’22 and Arec Keomurjian ’22 Panel Staff

Club Student Food Committee

By Alexander Lo ’23 Panel Staff

ions on the food. For example in the latest survey, because the majority of students wanted chicken sandwiches, those sandwiches were added to the menu in the all school lunch on the lawn. Some successful past projects by the Committee have included the hot food bar and the panini bar.

This year, the committee is working

The Food Committee was established in 2020 by senior Abe Tolkoff ‘22, and it has already left a lasting impression on the Belmont Hill dining experience. The Committee meets every month to discuss all things related to food. The Committee comprises around two students per grade and a couple of teachers. In the midst BH Communications of the pan- Students Eating Sit-Down Lunch demic, the current Committee, led by Ben Trotsky on diversifying the grab and go food options ‘22 and Alex Lo ‘23, has done the best it and returning to hot food. The committee can to navigate through dining challenges. has already helped in attaining the all school The Committee meets to discuss grab and go cookout. Some future projects food at Belmont Hill, especially target- include a burrito bar and salad building staing student opinions. Before meetings, the tion like those at Chipotle. The committee committee sends out whole school sur- looks forward to pushing various new and veys to gauge the students’ current opin- innovative ideas in the coming future! ☐

Computer Science Club Undertakes Several Projects

By Alexander Lo ’23 Panel Staff The Computer Science Club, led by Fifth Former Alex Lo ‘23, focuses on applying computer science to the community. The club meets every Monday at 2:15 in the iLab. Last year, the club worked on making the Belmont Food Pantry’s website and the members worked with the head of the food pantry to revamp their outdated website.

The club added more color and eased website navigation. The members had a blast working on the website and working with the food pantry staff. Moreover, they were

excited to help the local B elmont community, especially with the ongoing pandemic.

You can look at the new website, belmontf o o d p a n -A student working on a project

t r y. o r g !

This year, the club is working on building the computer science and engineering programs at B elmont Hill by Adam Richinsi n t e g r a t -

ing coding into hardware, by programming hand-wired cars to complete simple tasks. This will combine hands-on engineering work with computer vision software. The project will be implemented in the Form III engineering class.

The club is also working on machine learning on a sports dataset. The club is exploring sports analytics by doing basic algorithms on football statistics such as linear regression. The club also worked on Discord bots, which could function as 8balls, translate Latin from Whitaker’s Words, and compute molecular masses of compounds. With all the exciting projects underway, the club looks forward to another successful year! ☐

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The Panel School Paper Belmont Hill Robotics Club

By Luke Hogan ’22 Panel Staff Isn’t it ironic that we are writing about The Panel from within The Panel! But, how could we not when we are writing features on the many clubs Belmont Hill has to offer?

With approximately ten percent of the student body now a part of The Panel, we are one big family dedicated to creating a newspaper for the school community. Since 1953, the newspaper has been publishing throughout school years, helping to build an archive highlighting student opinions related to past and current events. We often publish archival articles highlighting student opinions from significant times in history,

and it goes without saying, those writers and artists have contributed to the legacy of Belmont Hill (take a look at our previous issue which highlighted previous experiences related to the 9/11 attacks as an example).

Student opportunities in the club are limitless! While many choose to be the creators of the words you see on this page in front of you, others contribute to what makes the pages of the newspaper pop through their art. We have social media editors, graphics creators, layout editors, and so much more. We truly hope you come to join us! and help contribute to a long-standing tradition of the Belmont Hill community. Are you interested in art, journalism, or anything else really? If so, The Panel Newspaper is the club for you. ☐

By Luke Trevisan ’24 and Daniel Xie ’24 Panel Staff The Maker’s Club, now headed by Mr. Ziff, allows students to explore the world of robotics and technology while diving into all kinds of projects from VEX robotics to 3D printing. For the Upper School, there will be two categories: Robotics and Engineering. The robotics side aims to offer participants a chance to take part in the VEX robotics competition, as well as to cater to the technological interests of students. The engineering section will be broader, fitting more to the ideas of the students. There will be different projects and students will be able to choose whether to take part in solv-

ing an on-campus problem, entering in a drone race, or other exciting competitions.

Likewise, the Middle School has their own section that meets three times a week during the 4:00pm study hall. This club is broader and will not have two divisions; however, students in the Middle School club will have the same access to all the technologies, software, and resources that are available once the new Makerspace opens up.

The club will be able to take on larger projects with new equipment, as well expand its scope of interests by branching out into new specialties, like drones.

Mr. Ziff hopes to utilize this space to allow people with different hobbies to work on things they enjoy all under the overarching title of the Maker’s Club. ☐

Cont. Cum Laude Chapel

By Cooper Nelson ’23 Panel Staff Dr. Levison opted for a change in scenery in 2006 when he moved to the Collegiate School, a K-12 boys school in New York City, where he worked until 2020.

With a long and storied career in education, Dr. Levison appeared to be the perfect candidate to speak at a chapel dedicated to academic success. He began with an anecdote from Mr. Sullivan’s final college football game. He detailed the way that Mr. Sullivan carried himself despite taking a loss in his final game. He explained how his work ethic and composure had become motivation for younger students at Kingswood, claiming that his “tenacious dedication changed the culture of the football program at Kingswood.” While Cum Laude is an academic prize, the quality of character that Mr. Sullivan exhibits epitomizes the values that the award hopes to recognize. Dr. Levison took care to mention that the award is not based solely on GPA, but also factors character and influence on the community into account.

Cum Laude Awardees

On a similar vein, he marveled at how multifaceted Mr. Schnieder’s talents were during his time at Nobles. Mr. Schneider was able to play an instrument, excel academically, play three sports, and sing in an acapella group simultaneously. Despite everything on his plate, he always showed kindness and humility to those around him. Dr. Levison noted how valuable it is to have a role model like Mr. Schneider on campus to represent what every student should strive for.

After these stories, he focused on sources of his own inspiration, and told the students about how the things he has learned from his role models have helped in guiding his career. He used the metaphor of craftsmanship to illustrate why motivation overshadows talent in the long run; he also explained how there is also more to success than hard work. He mentioned how Ted Williams’s .406 batting average during the 1941 season is an example of what dedication can do. Dr. Levison’s messages resonated due to their relatability and relevance due to the academic chapel, and his words will not soon be forgotten.

The Belmont Hill community was humbled to hear from Dr. Lee Levison. He has had a profound impact on two members of our school, and now his wise words have been shared with the rest of us. The Belmont Hill community thanks him for his time, and wishes him well in his fuBH Communications ture endeavors! ☐

Editors-In-Chief Online Editor

Luke Hogan '22 Howard Huang '22

Alex Lo '23

Executive Editor

Cooper Nelson '23

Graphics Editor

Daniel Rashes '22

Photo Editors

Digital Media Editor Arts Editor

Sports Editor Daniel Bittner '22

Article Asst Editor Andrew Bittner '24

Andrew Bittner '24 Merhawi Ghebrelul '23 Daniel Moran '23 Davis Woodlbert '24 Jack Abbrecht '23 Cam Carey '23 Joshua Doolan '23 Duncan Kilbride '24 Timo Simonin '22 Garrett Theberge '24

Arec Keomurjian '22

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener

News Editor David Cho '23

Kevin Jiang '22

Opinions Editor

Drew Dummer '22 Alex Sousa '22

Back Page Editors

Digital Design Editor Chris Brusie '23

Assistant Editors Daniel Cho '23 Aidan Lee '24 Luke Trevisan '24

Staff Artists/Writers Igaju Agba '22 Jarrett Chen '22 Luke Guleserian '24 Jake Kornmehl '24 Aaron Stanger '24 Lev Tolkoff '24

Mac Bobo '23

Jackson Kendall '22 Tommy Madden '22 Charlie March '22 Jacob Czarnecki '22 Noah Farb '24 Brian Lee '24 Kevin Weldon '24 Daniel Xie '24

Nick Andersen '24 Austin Curtis '23 Matthew Flaherty '24 Kailen Richards '22 Lawrence Tang '22 Luke Wagner '22

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors.

The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2021 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

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Film Review Column - Venom: Let There Be Mediocrity

By Daniel Rashes ’22 Staff Writer Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a film that truly lives up to its name. Its brisk runtime is stuffed to the gills with utterly whimsical insanity, but rarely in a good way.

A sequel to 2018’s Venom, this film picks up some time after the first. Narcissistic journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the alien symbiote that lives inside him (Also Hardy) are learning to live cooperatively. All the while, death row inmate Cletus Cassidy (Woody Harrelson) will only talk to Eddie. After Brock’s reporting gets Cletus’s sentence expedited, the killer bites him, ingesting a sample of his symbiote-infused blood and becoming the villain Carnage.

I was far from a fan of the first film.

But, with the reins now in the hands of director Andy Serkis, I was eager to see what he might do with the property. Serkis, known for pioneering motion-capture technology in roles like Gollum and Caesar, is one of the most dynamic working actors. Now his third time in the director’s chair, Serkis shows prevailing competence and a certain cinematic flair but barely elevates a bland and disengaging script by Kelly Marcel.

While often funny-enough, dialogue is frequently banal or bizarre. The story is streamlined, which is no issue in and of itself, but its incessant eventfulness shows a failure to commit to concision or chaos.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage The film is not entirely uninspired.

Most action sequences were entertaining enough, but I struggle to think of a stand-out moment. To be fair, Carnage using his elongated tongue to suffocate a man was rather memorable. The talent on screen is stunning, and their hearts seem to be in it. Oscar nominees Hardy, Harrelson, Michelle Williams, and Naomie Harris all give genuinely impassioned performances, even if cashing a check.

Deceptively, the film is not at its best

when its title feud is in focus. Harrelson is serviceable as Carnage, effectively chewing scenery, but the villain subplot is not what makes the film even an ounce worth anyone’s time. It is at its best when it’s a romcom, with Venom and Eddie at its core.

The trashed apartment which they share is indicative of their hectic relationship.

Pinned to the wall is a repurposed pizza box with the message: “Rules: Don’t eat people.” Eddie desperately tries to teach Venom restraint while the alien visitor just

wants to be free: a struggle that makes for a captivating conflict. Their “lover’s spats” are the most enjoyable parts of the movie. Personal gain motivates them to tolerate each other, but as they develop true friendship, the makings of a good story shine through.

While Hardy is a bit all over the place as Brock, seeing him play off of himself as both man and symbiote is a treat. During their explosive yet temporary break-up, there are engaging character beats that flesh out their odd codependency. Venom’s moments of self-realization at a rave may be odd to witness, but, unlike much of the film, they are built to service character. While seeing two big CGI monsters duke it out might be why most pay the price of admission, that portion of the film does not inspire intrigue.

Despite its best qualities, the film is mostly a miss. Venom is an interesting character who is done justice but surrounded by elements far less developed than himself.

While a step-up from its predecessor, in a world where it has been proved time and time again that comic book movies can be more than merchandise machines, it is disappointing to see a film so unconcerned with telling a compelling story. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, but too many ideas populate its short runtime. Let There Be Carnage lacks the guaranteed quality of a Disney-produced Marvel film while adhering to the same general formula. It’s entertaining at its best and mind-numbing at its worst. ☐

Jazz Band 2021 Update BHS Rock Band Update

By Andrew Bittner ’24 Staff Writer At the beginning of the Belmont Hill school year, many members of the community were ecstatic to learn that all musical groups, including the Jazz Band, would be returning in person. Last year, the school’s musical groups could not meet in person due to safety concerns regarding wind instruments projecting respiratory droplets that can perpetuate the spread of COVID-19. For this reason, members of the Jazz Band were curious as to what precautions would be taken in order to ensure the safety of all participants. Mr. Fiori and the music department have taken a number of measures to address the concerns: 1. All brass instruments have been provided with cloth bell covers to limit the spread of respiratory droplets while musicians are playing.

2.

When at all possible, the band will meet outside.

3. When weather conditions and space availability limit the group’s ability to play outside, the group can play inside wearing specialized masks to limit the transmission of the virus through the nose.

Winter Virtual Concert

With these precautions in place, many of the issues such as audio latency, which prevented the band from practicing as a group during online classes, have been mitigated.

Furthermore, with its ability to rehearse in person, the Jazz Band has returned to a normal level of practice productivity. The group is currently working on two pieces, Jada, by Bob Carleton, and Tiger of San Pedro, by John Labera. Additionally, the group has happily accepted six new musicians to replace the two graduated seniors who left last year, five of whom are Form III students.

As of now, the proposed changes to the Jazz Band from last year have been instituted. Jazz Band currently meets during F-block, and participating in the group fulfills an art requirement. Thus, third formers who attend Jazz Band can receive school credit while practicing and performing.

Through one-on-one assessments with Mr. Fiori, members of the band are given the opportunity to work through more challenging sections of pieces to improve the group’s collective proficiency. Looking to the future, the band hopes that students and faculty alike will come watch the Jazz Band perform, and the members are all eager to perform live once again. ☐

By Andrew Bittner ’24 Staff Writer Along with other musical groups, the Rock Band has returned for the first time in two years.

The Rock Band is unique among the s c h o o l ’s musical groups, being one of the only student-led groups, and has an interesting group dynamic as a result.

The band’s leader, Charles Geddes ’22, believes that the student-led dynamic of the band Luke Trevcontributes to a democratic and natural atmosphere where all of the members feel free to express their opinions and enjoy themselves. Additionally, the relatively small group size of seven musicians allows the group to communicate closely

Spring Coffee House 2019

and for each member provide a substantial contribution. The group consists of three guitarists, a keyboard player, a drummer, a bassist, and a singer, so despite the small group size, they have the numbers to play many of the most popular rock songs. Even with the small group size and stu-

dent-led structure, the group has been able to maintain a high level of productivity, as they are currently rehearsing two songs for the upcoming Coffee House. The school is looking forward to seeing this talented group of musicians play in their performances this year, and the band welcomes anyone to stop by and see how they can help! ☐

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October’s Artist of the Issue: Daniel Rashes ’22

By Arec Keomurjian ’22 Staff Writer Since his arrival on campus, Daniel Rashes ’22 has remained a dedicated member of the Belmont Hill theater program, partaking in productions such as Private Lives and All in the Timing. He began his acting career at the age of seven, playing the Flying Monkey at the Chestnut Hill School summer camp production of The Wizard of Oz. Daniel says he always loved making people laugh and theater was the perfect outlet for him to elicit a laugh from audiences.

Daniel’s love for theater also stems directly from his passion for film, which precedes both his attendance at Belmont Hill as well as his acting gigs. Daniel first witnessed the marvels of motion pictures in the early 2000s during the era of VHS tapes. His love for film subsequently grew so strong that he ended up wearing out sev-

eral tapes, including childhood classics like Shrek and Beauty and the Beast. His favorite films are The Goonies, Guardians of the Galaxy, Back to the Future, and Forrest Gump.

In an interview with The Panel, Daniel cited the ability of film to connect viewers emotionally as a significant motivating force to begin acting, stating, “I had come to appreciate how entertainment could evoke an emotional response from an audience, and I found it fulfilling to pay that forward.”

Now a senior, Daniel continues to participate in the Belmont Hill performing arts, currently starring in Take Ten, a collection of short plays. After Belmont Hill, he hopes to pursue a career in writing and directing, with four college-level filmmaking courses already under his belt.

The Panel looks forward to seeing Daniel on the Kraft Theater stage in the near future, and wishes him the best of luck in his acting and filmmaking endeavors. ☐ Belmont Hill Commuicatons

Landau Gallery Review

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Staff Writer

Elizabeth DaCosta Ahern and Her Work

Right in the center of the Robsham art building, the Landau Theater Gallery was generously donated by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Landau in honor of their sons David ’80, Peter ’86, and Scott ’88. Since being donated, the gallery has been the home of artwork made by students and featured artists. At the beginning of the school year, the gallery was filled with paintings and pictures. Throughout the year, works such as tables and boxes made in woodworking or pottery will likely fill the room. Currently, a wide variety of three-dimensional paintings from the artist Elizabeth DaCosta Ahern can be found all around the room. In one alcove, pictures display clouds from above

with the sun shining on them, a grassy plain filled with fern, and a picture of water droplets. Hung on the room’s walls, an image of a skyline, situated next to a painting of abstract painting of vibrants colors spread across the painting, with some parts being speckled with dots while parts are streaked or smudged with a mixture of colors, all across a dark blue and black background.

Hidden messages can also be found, and in one particular painting, a message is scrawled across the colorful canvas. It states, “Passion is a lack of fear; it is an extending of oneself, beyond one’s limits.” In a passing glance, it is easy to miss the incredible detail of every painting and picture. But as you look closer, the gallery becomes a beautiful display of creativity and self-expression—a source of inspiration for aspiring artists in the Belmont Hill Community. ☐

Czarnecki’s B-Flats Update Book Review: Bad Blood

By Jacob Czarnecki ’22 Staff Writer Led by the legendary Mr. Patterson, the B-Flats sing on. After a year of virtual singing, the members were thrilled to sing together again. With the addition of tenor Will Kelly ’23, known for his incredible Coffee House performances, the Flats are reaching new heights. Will extends the group’s vocal range: the bass, Gabe Klug ’22, hits the lowest notes, and Will hits the highest.

The B-Flats are currently rehearsing several songs, including “Love-

ly Day” by Bill Withers and “Forever Young” by the Tenors, which was originally written by Bob Dylan. Both songs will be performed during the fall concert this November. Like in previous years, the B-Flats will also be singing in the chapel throughout the school year. You can expect classics such as “Lean on Me” and “Country Roads,” but the group promises to entertain the Belmont Hill community with some new selections. If you enjoy singing or want to contribute to fun performances, don’t be afraid to join! ☐

The B-Flats Perform in the Virtual Winter Concert

By Luke Wagner ’22 Staff Writer Bad Blood by John Carreyrou tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos. It highlights her dubious practices at Theranos, which claimed it could do blood tests with small machines and very little blood, as well as the journalism and investigation that led Carreyrou to bring the case into the limelight. Carreyrou is a writer at the Wall Street Journal, where the first story about Theranos gained public attention. His investigative approach, fine tuned through his work as a journalist, and his depiction of an unconventional office romance between Holmes and her co worker contribute to a captivating book.

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, led the company to its financial peak at over 9 billion dollars. She was often considered the female Steve Jobs due to their

similar dress and demeanor. Thernos’ hook was how simple, effective, easy, and efficient the blood testing would be. The only issue is that the “technology” that it created wasn’t accurate. The machines did not work correctly, and several people throughout the United States were affected by Theranos’ deceit.

What drew me to this book was its relevance to current news; Holmes is currently on trial for fraud. I think the book successfully presents a complex and interesting narrative while also providing accurate information. It was fascinating to read because the first three-quarters of the book is about Holmes’ company, and the last quarter is from Carreyrou’s perspective and what he saw while uncovering this story.

The book is a relatively quick read at only 300 pages and is one of my favorites of the year. I recommend anyone who enjoys nonfiction to read this book because it is very factual, accurate, and analytical. ☐

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Athlete of the Issue: Soccer Player Jack Albers ’22

By Charlie March ’22 Panel Staff Jack Albers ‘22, starting forward for the varsity soccer team, began playing soccer when he was four years old at the YMCA in Needham.

He was first introduced to the sport by his dad, who played a lot of soccer as a kid. After playing through elementary school, Jack continued his career when he came to Belmont Hill in Form I. He made the varsity team during the fall of 2020, when the team had to wear masks while playing, conform to irritating new rules, and only played a total of four games. Jack was especially upset with the new rules because he was not allowed to head the ball, there were no throw-ins, and there were no corner kicks. He said, “It felt like we weren’t playing for anything.”

Jack is loving the 2021 season and

doing exceptionally well. As of October 9th, Jack is 3rd in the ISL for points, role models at Belmont Hill, Jack exscoring 3 goals and racking up 4 assists plained that “Coach Fritz and Coach through 4 games. When reflecting on Schneider were great for me.” Being

Football

Looks

By Luke Trevisan ’24 Panel Staff After a two year hiatus, Belmont Hill football is back in full swing. Many people wanted to once again see a packed Homecoming and that beautiful Saturday afternoon did not disappoint, despite the heart-breaking loss. After two scrimmages, against Middlesex and Avon Old Farms, as well as three games against Lawrence Academy, Roxbury Latin and Tabor, the team is ready to press on against BB&N, on October 16th.

Because of the loss of a season last year, most of the players are new to the sport. Many players who didn’t get to experience a real game last year will play their first snaps. Furthermore, with the addition of Offensive Coordinator Coach Rosser, who joined last year, an inventive new playbook has been added, so everyone will get a fresh start. Regardless, Head Coach Butler sees the team as “competitive, tough and resilient” and looks forward to seeing their growth over the rest of the season. A big focus for the team this year is a “We vs. Me” mentality and that the whole team is one big family that supports one another.

Led by captains Mike Ahonen ‘22, Nolan Parchesky ‘22 and Harry Lodge ‘22, the team hopes to come out swinging against BB&N next week, after a rocky start to the season. The first scrimmage against Middlesex was un-

to

asked what his goals for the soccer season this year were, he explained, “I hope we can finish top five in the ISL, beat Sebs, and [that I] keep scoring to help us win more games.” Jack also left a message for all the younger students at BH: “Keep up the grind even if you didn’t make the team as a freshman or sophomore. You’ll get your chance if you stick with it.”

Jack is a great role model for younger kids because he is patient and works hard; now that he has his chance to play, he is John Gillooly taking full advantage on 3A and JVA significantly improved of it. The Panel wishJack’s skills, and he attributes his cur- es Jack and the varsity soccer team rent success to his past coaches. When good luck in the rest of their games. ☐

Start

Season

Strong

conventional with respect to a typical bit too confident to start the game, as game. At first, the O-line and skill guys the overall performance was not their were separated to work on their posi- best. However, after an electric kick tional skills. Then, the teams came to- return touchdown by Charlie Walsh gether for a few 11-on-11 snaps. The ‘24 to start the second half, Belmont game was an eye-opener: the team exe- Hill was able to rebound and secure a cuted but there was much room for im- 21-14 win. Most recently, the troops provement, as with any new team. Next faced off against Tabor. The oppoon the schedule was Avon Old Farms, nents came out tough and had them on located in Connecticut. More tradi- their heels. But Belmont Hill was able tional, yet still not complete, the var- to push back, with 4 forced turnovers, sity team played the first half and the three being interceptions by Captain younger guys the second. Although a formidable opponent, this game was good preparation for the season ahead.

By the end of the preseason, the team was itching to go. After an inspiring pumpup speech, the team poured out of the Jordan, through the tunnel and onto the field. The battle against Lawrence Academy was a tough one. Led by the captains as well as quarterback Chris Milmoe ‘23, the offense fought down the field to score two touchdowns in regular time. The defense battled too, holding the opponents to an equal two touchdowns. In overtime, the game came down to a nail-biter but Lawrence Academy came out on top, 21-22. Next up was Roxbury Latin, a rival and a favourite to play each year.

The team may have been a Captain Nolan Parchesky ’22 Leads the Team

Mike Ahonen ‘22. Even with a strong final drive, Belmont Hill was defeated for the second time this season, 20-9.

Despite these losses, the team still has a win under their belt. Coming off of the break of a long weekend, Belmont Hill hopes to restore its morale this week through focused practices and prove itself against BB&N. Regardless of what’s happened, or what might happen, the team is not looking down, and looks forward to a great season. ☐

highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, being paid $324 million dollars, Gerrit Cole. Although it was only a Wild Card matchup, this game had a special aura surrounding it, as the last time the Red Sox and the Yankees played each other in a one-game, winner-take-all was in 1978, when Red Sox fans left the park dejected after a now-infamous home run hit by Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent. Spirits were high early for Red Sox fans as in the first inning, All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a tworun home run, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead. The bats continued to stay hot in the third inning, as designated-hit-

run for the rest of the game. The Sox bats also continued to flourish, as the final score ended up being 6-2. The “Bronx Bombers” still lived up to their nickname, with their only runs coming from solo home runs by Red Sox alumnus Anthony Rizzo and Red Sox nemesis Giancarlo Stanton, but they couldn’t overtake the solid pitching and timely hitting of Boston’s strong. ☐

Drew Dummer ’22

Red Sox versus Yankees Wild Card Game Recap

By Matthew Flaherty ’24 Panel Staff It was a brisk October night at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, when the Boston Red Sox geared up for a winner-take-all Wild Card matchup against the New York Yankees. On the mound for the Red Sox, standing a sturdy 6 foot 2, was the 2021 All-Star, Nathan Eovaldi, known for his previous clutch performance for the Red Sox, coming in the 2018 World Series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the bump for the evil empire was the

ter Kyle Schwarber hit a shot to right field, sailing over the Red Sox bullpen, making the lead 3-0. Boston’s center fielder Alex Verdugo’s timely hitting led to three more runs batted in. At the same time as the bats being steadily hot, Eovaldi was throwing yet another postseason gem. Through five innings, he did not give up a single run, and after only one earned run given up by him, which came at the beginning of the sixth inning, he was subsequently pulled shortly into the sixth inning.

The pitching continued to thrive, as a combination of four pitchers from the Red Sox bullpen only gave up one

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Soccer

Season

By David Cho ’23 Panel Staff The beginning of the varsity soccer season has been very promising, with the team holding a record of 2-21. At first, there were low expectations because of the team’s youth, as there are only four seniors that are starters; however, the team has quickly surpassed these expectations and now aims to finish in the top five and receive an invitation to the New England tournament.

At the start of the season, the New England Soccer Journal named four teams that are superior to the rest of the league. Varsity soccer’s goal has been to challenge these four teams.

The team has certainly risen up to the challenge, tying one of the top four teams, BB&N, 2-2 at homecoming.

In this long season, coach Montoya says that “consistency will be the

Begins Cross

key,” and “staying healthy will be important if we want to do well.” The team’s coachability and willingness to continue learning will help them navigate through the season in a league where most teams are made up of upperclassmen. Early into the season, the team quickly came together, exceeding the coaches’ expectations.

Last year, there were many COVID restrictions that affected gameplay and significantly altered the season. Because of the regulations, there was no official league play and the season in general was disrupted: the team only played four games and had limited practices. But now, this fall is back to a regular season free from pandemic restrictions. Coach Montoya says that the long absence from regular soccer “makes this year that much more special.” The Panel wishes the varsity soccer team the best and hopes they will have a successful season. ☐

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Country

By Aaron Stanger ’24 Panel Staff Back on their normal racing schedule, the Varsity Cross Country team passes the halfway point of their season with an undefeated, 8-0, record. Led by captains James Donahue and Thomas Romney, the team is dialed in during their final few weeks of the fall racing season. Coaches Trautz, Harder, DeCaprio, and Gorman are focusing on developing a fast starting lineup for ISL’s with the primary goal of staying healthy before race day.

The team began their season with the Michele Dufault charity run at Nobles, which served as not only a warm up for competition but an important cause. In their first race at Thayer

Update

Academy, the team pulled off a 34-25 victory without almost half of their starting varsity lineup. The following week at homecoming, the team crushed St. Marks at Rock Meadow with a final score of 45-18. In the weeks after their homecoming race, the team won two quad meets. The first was at Nobles with St Seb’s and Tabor and the next was at Governor’s with Rivers and Brooks.

The team continues to be led by James Donahue who ran a course record at Nobles and at Governor’s (a record which had been set in 1982). In their final 4 weeks before the ISL championship, the team will have a chance to race some of the best competition in the league, Milton, Middlesex, and Roxbury Latin. Coaches, captains, and teammates are looking forward to and ready to work hard in their final races. ☐

John Gillooly

Adam Richins

A First Look into the 2021 to 2022 NBA Season

By Lev Tolkoff ’24 Panel Staff With the NBA season starting soon, which teams have made the biggest moves this offseason?

Starting out with the Atlanta Hawks, who had a huge offseason extending Trae Young and re-signing John Collins and Lou Williams and drafting Jalen Johnson with the 20th pick, the Hawks are looking to make another deep playoff run this year; however, they will not be able to compete with the Nets and Bucks. The Heat had a great offseason as well, extending Jimmy Butler and re-signing Duncan Robinson. They also added PJ Tucker, Markieff Morris, and Dewayne Dedmon. The Heat also got the best free agent, Kyle Lowry in a sign and trade.

The Heat seem to be headed to be part of the top 3 or 4 in the east this year.

The other big jumps in the East were the Chicago Bulls, adding Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Derrick Jones Jr. I think these key

pieces will mesh well with Zach Lavine and Coby White, so the Bulls goal this season is to land as high as the fourth seed, but should be no lower than the 7th. The Knicks also made a splash in free agency this year by re-signing Derrick Rose and Nerlens Noel while also adding Taj Gibson, Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker. After making the playoffs this year, another big year from Julius Randle is needed as well as another step up from RJ Barrett to make the playoffs in a stacked east this year.

In the West, the Lakers reset by adding Russel Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, and Rajon Rondo. They lost Dennis Schroder, Kyle Kuzma, KCP, Montrezl Harrell, Alex Caruso, Andre Drummons, and Markieff Morris. The Lakers just got a whole lot older, and with that comes experience, but also age, which means limited minutes and a limited future, but they are going all in now. This may work, and I think another championship is on the horizon, but each year everyone else gets better

and getting older is not the solution.

While teams like the Suns, Bucks, and Nets made some signings like the Bucks getting George Hill, the offseason for these teams is mainly, to get rest and suit up for next season. The team with the most uncertainty is Philadelphia. Will Ben Simmons be traded? It seems that is still up in the air, but is leaning towards he will be traded at the moment, but to where and for who is uncertain.

With recency bias in full effect, the sixers are not able to get as good of a 2021-2022 NBA logo package as

they would have. But one of the NBA’s premier defenders and a gifted offensive talent when he is at his peak is still on the table, if Philadelphia makes a big move, they could shoot up in the rankings, but I would not be worried about Philly, with Embiid and Tobias Harris, they will make the playoffs for sure, but the future is uncertain. ☐

Surprising Starts in the National Football League

By Ben Hack ’24 Panel Staff There have been many teams who have had surprising starts in the NFL, but the three teams that I will focus on are the Cardinals, Raiders, and the Rams, and what they will need to do to make the playoffs/or go on a playoff run.

The Cardinals are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. That is because of how good quarterback Kyler Murray is playing right now. Murray has been playing great football, throwing for 1,512 yards as well as 10 touchdown

passes. Murray also has three rushing touchdowns. The most surprising start to the Cardinals teams so far is their defense. Chandler Jones has a great start recording 5 sacks with 9 tackles.

On top of that the Cardinals had a huge win against division rival San Francisco 49ers. If the Cardinals want to continue their fabulous start they will need their defense to play as well as they are now.

The Raiders have had a very surprising start being 3-2 to start the season. They received their first loss against a very good Chargers team. Before this game the Raiders exceeded expectations being the underdog in two

of the games and winning both of them.

The main surprise on the Raiders has been quarterback Derek Carr. Carr has a fabulous start throwing for 1,605 yards, 8 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 61.1 which is the ninth best in the NFL. Also the defense has been rock solid for the Raiders. Yannick Ngakoue has been a great pick up for the Raiders and is having a great season. Ngakoue has two sacks and has been applying great pressure to the opposing team’s quarterback. If the Raiders want to have a shot at making the playoffs they will be running back Josh Jacobs to stay healthy and be on the field. As well as adding

a couple starting offensive linemen.

The Los Angeles Rams made a questionable decision by trading two first round picks to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford. This trade however is looking very promising for the Rams.

Stafford has thrown 1,587 yards, 12 touchdowns, and has had a QB rating of 113.2. Another huge surprise for the Rams is wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

For wide receivers, Kupp has the third most receiving yards in the NFL and the second most touchdowns with 6. If the Rams want to continued to succeed they will need consistent play from Stafford, Kuppas, and their defense. ☐

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Head of Charles (10/22-24) JVB

By Duncan Kilbride ’24 and Daniel Xie ’24 Panel Staff On October 22, the largest multi day rowing regatta will take place on the Charles River. This annual event has attracted thousands of spectators every year, having been founded in 1965 and usually hosts almost 11,000 athletes. In the 61 events, some of the best crews in the world race the threemile course at blistering speeds. The event is home to festivities, food, and the experience of a lifetime. The start line is adjacent to the Boston University DeWolfe Boathouse and ends only a few hundred meters past the Belmont Hill boathouse, which is one of the

best viewing areas. At the race, during which Belmont Hill’s boats will race on Sunday, the Alumni House will provide refreshments, giving spectators a wonderful experience and a waterfront view of the race from the Belmont Hill dock.

Although Belmont Hill typically competes in this world-renowned event, this year we were fortunate to register three boats; a four, an eight, and a quad. This one-of-a-kind race is spectacular to watch, and the Belmont Hill boathouse is prime real estate in terms of viewing angles. The event is free-towatch for all Belmont Hill families, so on October 24th, be sure to come down to the Belmont Hill boathouse on the Charles River and prepare to witness some incredible races on the water. ☐

By Noah Farb ’24 Panel Staff

*This article was written after Week Four.

Coming off of his inspiring performance against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, many in New England are excited and ready for the new era of Mac. He has led the Patriots to an 1-3 record so far, but they easily could be 3-1 if Nick Folk had made the kick in the rain against the Buccaneers and Damien Harris had not fumbled on the final drive against the Dolphins.

Even though the Patriots lost to the Buccaneers, Mac did his job to keep the Patriots in a game they should have had no business competing in.

Looking at his complete body of work statistically, Mac Jones has been about a slightly-below average quarterback when compared to the rest of the league. Although he has done his job well, he has not been asked to do much, as evidenced by his low 7.7 average depth of target, which ranks 22nd out of 30 qualifying quarterbacks. Mac has been accurate with a 70% completion percentage, but the Patriots still have been unable to move the ball successfully down the field often or effectively, ranking 26th in yards per drive and points per drive. While counting stats are not great for rating performance, Mac has an impressive 1012 yards through four games, although it is mostly volume based as he has the 6th most passing attempts in the NFL with 160.

Mac has performed a little better than most people’s expectation from before the season when he was in a QB competition with Cam Newton. He has shown many of the things that he was great at doing at Alabama, have translated to the NFL, including throwing to open receivers, progressing through

Soccer

By Igaju Agba ’22 Panel Staff

While the talk of the hill is varsity soccer’s tragic 2-0 loss against Rivers, a more relevant, more fortunate outcome was the JVB win over Roxbury Latin. Belmont Hill dominated over RL in a match filled with blood, sweat, and tears. During the game, pure athletes Jack Luehrman ’24 and Ben Glick ’24 cruised up the wing, leading to two jaw-dropping assists to Chris Egan ’22, who scored the only two goals of the game. This win brought up the spirits of the JVB squad, who now have hopes to triumph over Winchendon in the last game of the season

the

Start

of

Mac

BH Communications

Jones’

Mac Jones his reads well, and avoiding turnovers.

One concerning aspect of his play so far is the number of sacks he is taking.

Mac is not a mobile quarterback, but he was able to minimize the amount and effect of pressure last season by throwing the ball quickly and well under pressure. He has not been nearly as consistent with this aspect of his game through four weeks with the Patriots, but that can likely be chalked up to not having the offensive line and receiving advantages he had at Alabama, which always allowed him a little bit more time to see defenders or to find an open man. I believe that when he gets some more experience and becomes more comfortable with NFL-level defensive lineman rushing after him, he will be a little better at staying

Season

led by their brilliant coach, Mr. Shen, and the new Assistant Coach Davis.

While some would say Winchendon is in the “middle of nowhere” or in “the woods,” the game against the Winchendon School marks the culmination of JVB’s season. Winchendon is a small school in western Massachusetts. Due to the school’s size, Belmont Hill’s JVB team will be playing the Winchendon school’s varsity; however, they are not scared. The morale of the Belmont Hill JVB team is higher than ever after the triumph over RL, and they hope to have the Loop at the last game of the season.

Tommy Madden, make it happen! ☐

Row2k Belmont Hill Soccer

Head of the Charles Overhead View

Evaluating

T he Panel

away from pressure and will stop taking some unnecessary and ugly sacks.

Even though Mac has been slightly below average when looking at the league as a whole, he has been significantly better than all of the other four rookie quarterbacks that were taken before him in the first round of the draft.

3rd overall pick, Trey Lance, is getting his first start this weekend, but in limited action and in the preseason, he looks to be extremely erratic, and while he provides a strong rushing floor, his arm likely is not good enough to win NFL games as of now. Justin Fields was just named the official starter for the Bears, but in the two games he’s started, the overall body of work is not good as he has a 53.9 passer rating which is worse than all other quarterbacks except 3rd

Career

round rookie Davis Mills.

The two guys directly ahead of Justin Fields in passer rating are Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson.

Lawrence has thrown five touchdowns and seven interceptions, while Wilson has thrown four touchdowns and nine interceptions.

It is still far too early to determine which of Boston.com these quarterbacks will become the best of the group and hold a starting job on an NFL roster, but Mac looks like the readiest of the bunch for now, which is a good sign for the future.

Going forward for this year and beyond, Mac Jones looks to be a promising young quarterback who is going to need to take his lumps in the NFL before it is possible to tell if he is the long-term answer for the Patriots. I think Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels should stop holding Mac back and should try and see how far he can take this team.

Until the Patriots have their true franchise quarterback, they will not see much if any playoff success and have almost no chance of playing in, let alone winning, a Super Bowl. ☐

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Are Elon Musk’s Business Dealings Illegal or Unethical?

By Josh Doolan ’23 Panel Staff Everyone has heard of Elon Musk, and depending on what you have heard about him, you will have different opinions on him. This is the case for him and his multibillion-dollar car company, Tesla. Over the past 18 years of building cars, they have revolutionized electric vehicles with the building of the roadster.

Being the first car that Tesla ever created, it was viral, but Tesla did not have the money to mass produce it. In 2012 the Model S was launched, and production had begun of the company first of many high volume cars. After 2 years of production started the production of Autopilot. A system that Tesla Tesla Model S created and started to implement into their vehicles as a driver assist. This system was used to create an almost self-driving experience at the start of implementation, but as the technology and cameras have improved, and more and more betas were created for the Autopilot, it has become a dangerous and lethal system.

This year an investigation was launched by the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Agency) because of the failures and misuses of the Autopilot system. This system was designed or intended initially to be used as a fully self-driving system, and the results of this misuse are fatal. In the operation of Autopilot since 2014, ¾ of a million cars have been equipped

Columbus

with this system, and 11 crashes have been reported with emergency vehicles.

In these 11 crashes, 17 people were injured, and one person was killed. The main fault with Autopilot’s inability to sense these emergency vehicles is the hardware that Tesla uses, cameras. Although extraordinarily accurate and intelligent in close-range encounters with cars, it is challenging for the cameras to see in some cases the blocked road

use of their driver-assist supercruise.

This system also uses a very different sensing method to make sure the driver is paying attention to the road. Supercruise uses retina scanning to ensure that your eyes are on the road and monitor the assisted driving system.

Tesla’s system uses a pressure sensor and is very simple and easy to cheat.

Online many drivers of the cars post about the use of ankle weights around

ahead. This problem has been solved by many other self-driving companies by the implementation of LiDAR. LiDAR is a system that emits lasers, and when the laser is received again, the information is used to sense how far away a vehicle or pedestrian is with better range than cameras but not entirely as accurate. The problem with Autopilot is the implementation by Tesla. It is as easy as applying for Autopilot’s most recent beta, and then your car will judge your driving for the next week, and if you pass, you can have a self-driving car. This self-driving system is not restricted or challenging to cheat either. For example, General Motors uses geocaches to limit the area of

the steering wheel and as easy as wedging an orange into the whole of the steering wheel. This very same comparison can be made for the testing of both systems and the safety of these tests.

The GM testing is done on a closed course to ensure the safety of everyone on the road and to make sure valuable data is collected. This is not the case for Tesla. The testing that they do is in the form of real-life testing, which is very dangerous, and the data gathered is valuable to the new generations but, Tesla has said that not a lot of data is collected, but in reality, the data from the ¾ of a million cars on the road can be crucial to developing a safe and reliable self-driving system. This new an-

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or

Indigenous

nouncement and investigation dropped Tesla stock by 4.5% on the day of release.

Stock prices are another area of concern of interest for Elon Musk and Tesla. In 2018, Elon was sued by the SEC for fraud for several reasons, but the most significant is stock inflation and deflation through Twitter. There are several instances of this, including the famous tweet from 2020, “Tesla stock price is too high imo.” After this tweet, Tesla stock dropped 9% that day. This is the same case with the inflation of Tesla’s stock. This includes the multiple times that he tweeted Tesla stock would go private, and after these announcements, Tesla stock would grow 1-2%.

Although a slight jump in Tesla’s stock price is influenced by what Elon says of Twitter, that can be dangerous and very helpful to the shareholders of Tesla.

These problems and tesla.com unethical protection of customers are known by many but often glossed over because of the revolutionary work Tesla is doing to create and develop new technologies to improve the quality of life for those who can afford their products. A thing we need to start looking at is not what Tesla created or what new robot or building they built but what their products are doing, and is it safe for a virtually untested self-driving vehicle on the road safe for kids walking home From school or unprotected motorcycle riders? This also means being critical of how the company is run, as it looks like Elon doesn’t care about the customer or the product, rather he solely cares about the profit margin and the shareholders. ☐

Peoples’

By Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff On October 12, 1492, an Italian explorer named Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas under the commission of the King and Queen of Spain.

This was the beginning of the Europeans’ heinous relationship with the native inhabitants, whom Columbus called ‘Indians’ because he mistakenly thought he had originally landed in India.

Disease soon wiped out many of the natives whose immune systems weren’t prepared for deadly European diseases; moreover, the Spanish enslaved the natives and sailed many across the ocean to be sold in the Old World. Columbus and the European’s Mr. Harvey’s Native American Studies Class Presented to the School treatment of the Native Americans had lasting effects, and some consider it to have been an act of genocide.

In 1937, Columbus Day was officially declared a national holiday by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt after intense lobbying from The Knights of Columbus, a large allmale Catholic organization. Since then, many alternatives to Columbus Day have been proposed, the most popular of which is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. One argument for retaining the holiday is tied to pride for the United States and its discovery. However, there are many reasons why this line of thinking is wrong. First, many believe that Nordic Vikings were in fact the first Europeans to arrive on the conti-

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nent. Second, Native Americans had been inhabiting North America for thousands of years prior to Columbus’s landing. Last, Columbus himself didn’t place a single foot on what is now the United States, so any proposed connection to our country doesn’t make any sense.

On the other hand, many people argue that Columbus Day is the one holiday on which Italian-Americans can celebrate their collective history, centered around one important Italian: Columbus, who, though he sailed for Spain’s monarchs, was originally from Genoa, Italy.

However, there are many notable Italians and Italian-Americans who HAVEN’T committed genocide. For example, Marco Polo Day, Leonardo Da Vinci Day, Al Pacino Day, Lady Gaga Day, and the list goes on. Why does it have to be Christopher Columbus?

For these reasons, replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day is more than necessary. This will not only prevent a whole nation from celebrating a controversial historical figure, but will celebrate Native Americans’ often-overlooked history and contemporary cultures.☐

B elmont Hill Opinions

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T he Panel

Gen. Mark A. Milley ’76 Fullfills His Oath of Office

By Jake Kornmehl ’24 Panel Staff General Mark A. Milley BH ‘76 risked his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure the safety of United States citizens in an action that honored his obligations and his diplomatic relationship with his Chinese counterpart. On January 8th, Chairman Mark A. Milley had made up his mind. He was determined to fulfill his oath to protect the United States Constitution and its citizens two days after the attack on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Mark Milley was concerned that Trump’s explosive nature and poor judgment could lead to a nuclear war with China. The General’s quick response to defuse the rise of an armed conflict between the two major world powers took place in the final months of Trump’s four year term. On January 8th, following the mounting tensions between China and the United States in the South China Sea, General Milley decided to call his military counterpart in China, General Li Zuocheng. “General Li, I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be okay,” Milley told him according to the Washington Post. “We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you.” General Milley went as far as to say that he would alert General Li if former President Trump was planning any attack that could endanger the safety of both Chinese and later American citizens.

General Milley commented that he believed Donald Trump had suffered a mental break after his unsuccessful re-election effort in 2020 because the former president did not condemn the

attack on the United States Capitol a few days earlier. Milley’s p e rc e pt i on was emboldened after he received a call from the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-California), who described Trump as unsuitable to lead the c o u nt r y.

Some of the Republican base and conservative news n e t w o r k s The Testimony of General Mark A. Milley ’76 across the country considered this treason, but lies on additional military advisors in both sides of the political spectrum, the process. Concern was raised that including Republican Congress- an expedited launch may not be rootwoman Liz Cheney, praised Milley’s ed in what is best for the country. It commitment to the oath he took to is necessary that a president can not ensure the protection of the Amer- commence a nuclear attack without the ican people and the Constitution. agreement of top military and civilian Milley also called together a advisors in order to maintain world council of military leaders to discuss peace and international relations.

General Milley acted purposefully procedures when launching nuclear weapons. An article written by the when he notified General Li that all was Arms Control Association asserts that well, and by doing so protected the naa President can have sole authority to tion by making our stance clear and eninitiate a nuclear attack without con- suring that our position was not misinsidering the extreme liabilities as a terpreted. Therefore, the decision to do first attack. Generally, a president re- so was valid and just. However I would

New Yorker not agree with notifying another state’s government of a planned attack because it could be considered unlawful unless the President was not of sound mind.

General Milley has been a loyal Belmont Hill alumnus and friend to current students. He meets annually in Pentagon Headquarters with Belmont Hill Form II students as a highlight of the Washington D.C trip.

In his most recent address to Form II on March 7, 2020, General Milley instilled in the group the importance of character and looking out for others.

He put those words into actions as he risked the loss of his job for the bet-

Debate of the Issue: Is Summer or Winter better?

There is only one right answer to this question: summer. The best time of the year is not the cold and dark miserable winter. No, it is the sunny and fun summer. Would you rather be walking home at 4:30 to do mountains of homework and it is dark and snowing outside? Or playing on the beach with friends with no worries at all. To me there is no debate. While the winter does allow for some good things such as skiing and snowball fights, it is still vastly inferior to summer, in a way that is not their own fault. Summer is when there is no school, it is a break during the climax of the seasons. It is not winter’s fault that some of the hardest weeks of school are during the winter, and the grind of school is crescendoing into an all-out sprint towards… you guessed it, summer. Winter may be the second best season, but it is not even close to summer in any capacity. What about skiing?

holiday season. Well, summer has triple that. This debate is not close. Winter is type two fun. Summer is type one fun.

Winter has short days, getting dark closer to four everyday. Summer has long days with the sun setting at nine.

W i t h the stress of school

gone,

Despite what my esteemed opponent tries to convince you of, summer is not the superior season. Winter is. First of all: snow.

fun

“This debate is not close. Winter is type o p p o r tunitwo fun. Summer is type one fun.”

Try water skiing. What about snowball fights? Try football on the beach. For every good thing about winter there are five times as many good things about summer. For example, we all love the nearly monthlong break during the

By Luke Trevisan ’24 Panel Staff

Luke Trevisan

By Lev Tolkoff ’24 Panel Staff

t i e s galore, a n d e n - joying the sun with friends, there is one simple choice when debating winter versus summer. ☐

Snow, for those who don’t know, is the crystallization of water into small, lofty flakes, or “snowflakes”. Especially up in New England, snow is a big part of the winter time. And snow is

awesome. Now, you might be asking, “Well what about sand, isn’t that just better snow?”, and I answer you that no, no it is not. While you may be able to build things out of and recline in both substances, can you throw sandballs?

Can you take a nice, refreshing bite out of sand? I thought not. And anyways, you can still visit the beach and make a sandcastle in the winter, although I don’t understand why you would when there is snow on the ground.

We also can’t forget about what memories we have of the wintertime.

Imagine relaxing on the couch in your pajamas curled up in a blanket after waking up late on a snow day with hot chocolate in hand next to the fire watching a show. That sounds 100x nicer than laying on a sticky pool chair swatting at mosquitoes while getting sunburned. Additionally, there are memories of winter break and the holidays. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or another, we all share the special feelings of growing closer to our friends and family.

And then, when the new year comes around, we can reflect on the year we’ve had as well as the one ahead of us.

Finally I would like to point out the hypocrisy in my opponent’s language, for he states that “there is no debate” but then mentions that “This debate is not close.” Is there, or is there not a debate, Lev? I need answers! Nevertheless, I am comfortable knowing the answer to this question. Winter is the best season. ☐

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Belmont HIll C ommun it y

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The Panel Volume 70 Issue 4 Crossword Challenge

Rules: All answers will be a string of characters. Some answers have multiple words: remove the space (Ex. Belmont Hill School becomes “belmonthillschool”). All answers are within the newspaper. Fastest submissions of a picture of a correctly completed crossword puzzle to thepanel@belmonthill.org win $15 gift cards.

ACROSS 4. The recent tenor addition of the B-Flats 8. JVB will play this school’s varsity team 13. made this song 15. Where Jack Albers practiced at the age of 4 18. Fill in the blank: “It took the whole ……. working together” 19. Elizabeth Holmes founded this company 20. One of Daniel Rashes’ favorite movies

DOWN 1. The color that moves first in chess 2. The first names of the winners of the Monaco History Prize 3. Venture Capital Club’s most recent guest speaker 5. Nairobi is the capital of this country 6. The director of Venom: Let There Be Carnage 7. Another of Daniel Rashes’ favorite films 9. First name of the Landau Gallery’s featured artist 10. The day this year’s Head of the Charles is starting 11. The first names of the two “blue men” in the second Homecoming photo 12. The college Dr. Lee M Levison received his undergraduate degree from 14. The amount of members in rockband 16. Cross Country won 18-43 against this school 17. The instrument with the highest number of players in the picture of the Upper School Jazz Band

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