The Panel - February 29, 2024 - Volume 72, Issue 7

Seniors Write Letters to Their Younger Selves

By Eli Norden ’26 Panel Staff

“In the end, everything will work out just fine,” asserted Max Glick ’24, as the chapel erupted in applause. On Friday, February 2, the Belmont Hill community convened in the chapel to hear six incredible speeches by seniors and a faculty member reflecting on their time at Belmont Hill, extending what hopefully becomes an annual tradition into its second year. Ian Hendrix ’24, Andrew Bittner ’24, Connor Mackey ’24, Alexander Vittal ’24, Max Glick ’24, and Mr. Holland ’05 gave incredible advice to Forms I through VI, respectively.

The seniors’ words of wisdom helped many reflect on their time here at Belmont Hill: “I really appreciate the hardships more than I used to,” said Sam Norden ’28.

All six speeches were relatable. Andrew brought up the fear of being overshadowed by the achievements of

portant world of college admissions and that, again, everything would end up fine. “I get how it feels daunting, but I would advise to not let it overwhelm you,” he stated.

The school community should use these words of wisdom to get us through the most challenging quarter of the year. So, until the warm weather comes and the trees become green again, in the words of Mr. Holland, “Think about what brings you joy… rest assured that finding time to experience these joys will lead to your own version of success and happiness.” ☐

end, they all worked out: “If you focus on failure, you will miss out on all the great things that make this your home.”

Max reminded the senior class not to fear the seemingly all-im -

Belmont Hill Seniors Belmont Hill Communications an older brother at Belmont Hill. Alex discussed the difficulties of joining the Belmont Hill community in Form IV. He reflected on the failures of his first year on campus and how, in the

Winter Play Written by ChatGPT: Explicit Permission

By Will Achtmeyer ’26 Panel Staff

The Full School play this winter was a wildly “original” play entitled, Explicit Permission. Written by Chat GPT (and edited by the theater team), the play serves as a spoof of Belmont Hill and high school life in general, following a character named Timothy as he begins his first year at Crestwood Academy. Boston Ezedi ’26 starred as Timothy, with James Keefe ’25, Andrew Agular ’28, Jayden Chen ’26, PJ Nolan ’27, Kyle Ayres ’29, Sebastian Colberg-Reyes ’27 and Will Achtmeyer ’26 playing a bevy of supporting roles. Even Belmont Hill Faculty’s own Ms. Allen and Ms. Bradley made appearances as a tour guide and jump-scare FBI agent.

At just over 50 minutes long, Explicit Permission provided a hilarious insight into high school life at Belmont Hill and elsewhere. Topics such as Milk and Cook-

ies (written by Chat GPT as Juice and Cupcakes), morning chapels, in-class games that nobody here plays, and even the new parking lot were tackled. The whole story was tied up in a heartwarming, though completely absurd and purposefully cliche, message about teamwork and the importance of overcoming differences.

Audiences, including Mr. Schneider himself, greatly enjoyed the performance and some of Dr. Tift’s students even got some much needed extra credit for attending. It is truly commendable that Mr. DiResta (director), Mr. Ojeni (director) Mr. Fulham, Mr. Capelli (stage manager), Ms. Michelle (costumes), and the entire theater team were able to pull off such a last minute project. The initial plan was to do a real play, but the theater team course-corrected due to low audition numbers. What they produced was a truly hilarious and enjoyable experience that will certainly be remembered by audiences and those who worked so hard to make it come to life. ☐

Scene from Explicit Permission

Adam Richins

Belmont Hill Wrestling Makes History

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Panel Staff

Belmont Hill Wrestling has a long tradition of winning, and this year was no exception. Led by veteran senior captains Haden Bottiglieri ’24, Will Stewart ’24, and Cord Vallis ’24, the team boasted a 24-3 record (9-0 ISL) and collected the ISL Dual Meet Trophy for the best in-league record. Following a strong regular season, Belmont Hill hosted the Graves-Kelsey ISL Championship. Brody Sayers ’28, Isaac Novod ’27, Henry Santini ’28, Jack Dragoumanos ’26, Andrew Pimental ’25, Cord Vallis ’24, Will Stewart ’24, Haden Bottiglieri ’24, and Alex White ’25 placed first, while Aaron Stanger ’24, Wesley Zhu ’25, Myles Beckett ’25, and Nick Fiumara ’26 placed second. Haden Bottiglieri was also voted a Globe

All-Scholastic Student-Athlete during a coaches meeting, which is typically awarded to the league’s Wrestler of the Year. The team’s dominant performance led to the eighth consecutive BH victory and allowed Belmont Hill to become the winningest team in Graves-Kelsey history, surpassing Roxbury Latin’s eighteen wins by posting their nineteenth tournament win. The following weekend, the team traveled down to Choate to compete at New Englands.

Isaac and Haden became New England Champions, Henry and Jack earned second, Cord and Andrew won the consolation brackets, and Brody, Aaron, Wes, Alex, and Myles also punched their tickets to Nationals. Despite being a few wrestlers short, the team placed third overall by a wide margin. Traveling down to Lehigh this past weekend, nine BH wrestlers competed at Prep

Nationals, where Isaac Novod, Jack Dragoumanos, and Haden Bottiglieri all made the semi-finals and finished as All-Americans, the former two placing sixth and Haden placing third by winning the consolation bracket. Led by these stellar performances, the team ended as the thirteenth best in the nation, an impressive figure. The 2024 Belmont Hill Wrestling Season is certainly one to remember, as the program saw itself succeed by not only earning a historic nineteenth Graves-Kelsey Victory, but also once again proving Belmont Hill to be one of the powerhouse programs in New England and cementing its role as a Top 15 school in the nation. Belmont Hill Wrestling has a history of excellence that cannot be understated – under Coach Bradley the team has amassed well over 500 wins. 2024 was no different,

as Belmont Hill continued to demonstrate the strength of the program in the ISL, New England, and the nation, and the program will undoubtedly continue to thrive for years to come.☐

A Look At the Importance of Physical Media

By Will Achtmeyer ’26 Panel Staff

Streaming services truly hit their height in 2023-helped in part by the pandemic forcing at home releases-, with almost every major production company associating themselves with existing streaming services or creating a “+” of their own. Though theaters seem to have recovered from their pandemic-triggered economic crisis, straightto-streaming cloud-only films are ephemeral. Without hard copies, these films essentially disappear once they’re removed from streaming services. For example, the Netflix-original 2016 horror film Hush , a movie that received very good ratings, was removed from the service and is now unattainable, as no physical prints were ever made. Bootleg versions exist online, but the point is that the movie is essentially lost media, and with the inevitable demise of physical media, this will continue to happen. Even superhero blockbusters have suffered this fate, such as Batgirl , of which all copies were destroyed before the movie was even released.

This sets up the disturbing precedent that certain films, even ones that are well respected, can simply disappear into oblivion. This makes it imperative to support the physical media industry, as some movies will simply, and seemingly randomly, not be available anymore. Just last week, I

purchased the film Sling Blade , widely considered to be one of the better films ever made, on DVD because it simply is not available (legally) to watch online. This can happen for a bevy of reasons, be it that a studio simply doesn’t think the movie/show is performing well

not owned by anybody, they could not be leased for streaming. The only way they exist is as a few physical copies.

Another impact that streaming has had, is slightly less interest in the theater. With streaming becoming such an accessible method of viewing mov -

Streaming Apps

enough or if there happens to be some kind of dispute between the production companies that own the film. In the case of Sling Blade , its main production company MIRAMAX had many movies kicked off streaming services due to the scandal and conviction of its owner Harvey Weinstein. These movies went into a state of limbo, where technically

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ies and tv shows, it naturally becomes the automatic default for watching content- and while people still go to the theater occasionally, there are many who would rather wait for a new film to come on streaming before seeing it, unless it’s a massive event such as Barbie or Oppenheimer . However, this reliance on streaming services causes

an unintended and unwanted consequence, which is passionless corporate filmmaking. When interest spiked in streaming services, production companies began adopting a motto of quantity over quality, releasing a consistent stream of corporate-produced slog onto streaming services in an attempt to keep viewers engaged with more options. The result of this, however, is soulless shows and movies, with rushed production and unenthusiastic creative direction. This is the very reason why cinematic events like Oppenheimer , a truly good movie with passion behind it, are seen so much less now. It’s also why these movies need to be supported more so that they are made more. Production companies don’t set out to disappoint, but given that they are headed up by non-creative business people, they see the audience reactions as a variable in a formula, and once they establish that formula that gives them monetary success, they will continue using it expecting it to continue giving them monetary success. Audiences have been giving success to streaming, and this has resulted in poor film/tv. However, if good artistic cinema (or even just good/fun - not necessarily artistic cinema) is given attention and, specifically, money, if theater tickets are bought, production companies will recognize that and use that as their new formula, reinvigorating an era of well made cinematic experiences. ☐

An Analysis of the Current Primary Elections

By Will Achtmeyer ’26 Panel Staff

With election day approaching quickly, the primary elections stand as a good benchmark for determining the true contenders for executive positions. So far, Iowa, Nevada, and New Hampshire have all held their Primaries, with other states’ results to be finalized between March and May. As far as the Democrats’ choices go, it’s essentially Joe Biden against nobody. The only Democratic candidates who have put up even a minor primary threat have been Minnesota Representative Dean Philips and, to a lesser degree, author Marianne Williamson, who has already dropped out of the race. That said, New Hampshire is the only state where Dean Phillips has made a mark, earning 19.6% of the votes, while Biden crushed

him with 63.9%. Even in Nevada, the closest runner-up to Biden’s 89.4% was “None of these Candidates,” with just 5.6% of the vote.

As far as the Republican primaries go, Donald Trump has won each state thus far, though he has faced more competition than Biden. A massive win in Nevada (with 99.1% of the vote) contrasts to Iowa, where results were closer: Trump still won with 51% but faced competition from Ron DeSantis (21.2%), Nikki Haley (19.1%) and, bringing up the rear, Vivek Ramaswamy (7.7%). With DeSantis and Ramaswamy now out of the race, the competition comes down to Haley and Trump, with Haley coming in close behind Trump in New Hampshire, obtaining 43.2% of the vote, while Trump won with 54.3%.

Nevertheless, Donald Trump’s 63 delegates exceed Nikki Haley’s mere 17. Trump

seems to be the Republican party’s favored candidate by far, despite the close call in New Hampshire and high-profile court hearings.

In general, Republicans have sought a more stalwart conservative leader in re-

Primary Election Google Images

action to the political moderation of the Biden era. While Nikki Haley may be able to win over more independents, her ideolo-

gies don’t seem quite as far right as Trump’s, making him a more appealing candidate to the harder-line Republicans who currently make up most of the party. Therefore, it seems that the result of the Primary elections will set up yet another standoff between incumbent President Joe Biden and Former President Trump who, if Biden’s tanking approval ratings (57% disapproving according to Reuters, and even more from other sources) mean anything, is likely to come out on top. While this may be the case, the general feeling towards the 2024 elections is certainly one of frustration; there has alread been a long history of the rivalry between Trump and Biden. Ultimately, it is evident that there will be a wide reluctance to see another Biden/ Trump standoff, and there will definitely be dispute about the most likely outcome. ☐

The Decline of Cinema Marketing

By Luke Gulesarian ’24 Panel Staff

Film is art. It’s an art that has endured for over a century. The art of the movie trailer has been on a much different timeline. We have only seen beautiful trailers in the past couple of decades. For much of the 20th century, the National Screen Service (NSS) had a monopoly over trailers, leading to very uninspired works. Fortunately for studios, the lack of other alternative media ensured that theaters would fill despite bland 30-second spots airing on cable. Jaws pioneered the modern movie trailer, giving a voiceover to introduce the film with an air of mysticism and intrigue before letting selected parts of the film further entice the viewer. However, in the modern day, with some exceptions, trailers are getting worse.

There are distinctly two types of movies that have had good trailers in the past decade. They are films that either try to reinvent a franchise like Star Wars: The Force Awakens or Logan , or films that have source material unfamiliar to the general audience or are indie films like Dune or Jojo Rabbit These trailers are crucial to the success of their film - they need to either bring back a loyal audience that is timid about a new approach to the series or entice a viewer that would never end up in the theater otherwise due to lack of knowledge. There’s often a stunning score and comical joke in these trailers. More importantly, they feature pieces of the plot that are enough to intrigue the audience while leaving some suspense. They are an experience, not a full cinema experience, but an experience that the viewer should not want to pause or look at their

phone during - they are important.

The rise of social media and streaming has curbed the experience of trailers. A much greater percentage of major releases are being carried by legacy. They are part of cinematic universes, or they flash Dwayne Johnson (or Sydney Sweeney) on the screen. Viewers understandably trust what they know to be good based on past experiences (or what looks attractive). Trailers are abbreviated to ensure that brain-rotted Instagram and TikTok users will stay for the full 20 seconds. The art is gone. It’s forced jokes, wild action, and no explanation or indication of what the plot is. And often the film is bad. At the risk of breaking into a broader debate over the quality of modern film - I believe that streaming is bad for the quality of modern films. You cannot reward good films or penalize bad films because of the generic paywall. And anyway,

a streaming service is often cheaper or the same price as a typical ticket.

So - we reach a crossroads. Consumers are disappointed in the quality of films being released. Box office revenue is down. Will trailers make their triumphant return in 2024? I doubt it. It will come, but not until the death of unnecessary streaming services begins, which will happen in the near future. ☐

Debate of the Issue: The Panel vs. The Podium

By Luke Trevisan ’24 & Max Glick ’24 Panel Staff

The Panel (Luke):

Both The Panel and The Podium have competed for Belmont Hill readership for many years. However, the Panel is winning the race by so much that I even forget the Podium exists half the time. The only time I remember is when Glick sends an email to the whole school, which immediately goes into my trash. The most basic stat to measure would be the publication count. The Panel will publish eight times this year, and the Podium will only manage to get out two issues. Point Panel.

Within each publication, The Panel again excels in its content. The Meal of the Month thoroughly describes the fantastic meals we eat each month. The issue’s Athlete and Artist highlight excellent community members who succeed on the field and in the concert hall. The Backpage brings together our community over humor and makes light of the recent events. We have such an exciting debate published with the Debate of the Issue, which is only available in The Panel The Podium produces interesting history material but everything else is few and far between.

I may be biased as an editor; however, not even bias can turn this argument in The Podium’s favor, so I will continue. Besides myself, The Panel executives and their assistants are the best in years. Mr. Hegarty chose to step down last year because he knew that these guys could handle the or-

ganization and execution of the paper with their premier intellect. On the other hand, is my opponent, Mr. Glick. While he has some redeeming qualities, none of which I will mention, he has been quoted by many

on The Podium staff as a vicious tyrant. He fits both the nature and stature of Napoleon. Additionally, their advisor is Mr. Harvey, which explains why their editions are only published every six months.

Finally, their namesakes. The Panel is an esteemed Belmont Hill tradition. Every boy must choose, carve, and finish their piece of wood to graduate, and it is then displayed for all future generations to see. Each offers personality through the craftwork of the individual. The Podium: uhhhh….in the Chapel? There is no “Belmont Hill Podium”. Boys do not go up to speak to graduate; half the time, it isn’t even on the stage.

The Panel vs. The Podium is as if the Thyucidides trap problem, with an es-

tablished and rising power, were perpetually stuck in the beginning phase. The Panel will always be better.

The Podium (Max):

Belmont Hill has had a long history

of involvement in clubs that have allowed students to explore their interests beyond the school’s set curriculum, from the Debate team to Philosophy Club. Publications, most notably the long-running newspaper, The Panel, have long been a part of the school’s tradition. Each month, students peer through its contents, though rarely feel satisfied. While reading about what happened several weeks ago on campus or an abridged retelling of world news may be interesting, students, such as myself, often yearn for more in-depth content that matters. Though less well-known, Belmont Hill has another publication, one that was founded on principles of innovation and embracing change. The Podium, first print-

ed in 2015, represents another new voice for students and another channel for them to delve deeper into world issues, past and present.

Unlike The Panel, Podium writers are given free range to explore any topic even remotely related to history, politics or current events. We encourage students to research things they would not come across in the classroom and may not be traditional subjects for student publications. Authors are not forced to follow the same previous templates; article types vary each cycle. For example, a “debate of the issue” is not always necessary. With this freedom, The Podium’s subject matter is limitless, especially considering The Panel’s preplanned and rigid structure.

Also, The Podium does not censor student voices. We believe in free speech, no matter what someone’s opinion. While Panel authors may be told that their article is too controversial or may discourage applicants from applying to Belmont Hill, anyone writing for The Podium will never be restricted in the subject matter. We believe everyone’s beliefs deserve to be heard, even unpopular. While The Panel is limited by school censorship, The Podium is free to discuss anything and everything.

When comparing the two, one publication stands out. Only one allows students to write about literally anything with their words. The next time you want to read Belmont Hill students’ honest and uncensored voices, pick up a copy of The Podium; I guarantee you that it will be well worth it. ☐

Grilled Cheese and More: February’s Meal of The Month

By Jack Ramanathan ’26, Rhett Curtis ’26, Griffin Vail ’26 Panel Staff

Welcome back to another edition of meals of the month! Since our last article, the Belmont Hill Kitchen Staff has continued to provide students with an abundance of new tastes and culinary experiences. Throughout February, the average scores given by our panel of food critics for both the entrees and desserts were consistent, yielding an overall rating of 6.67/10. While not the highest score that we have given, several impressive meals did stand out as delectable delights.

The FLIK team’s February creations yielded a respectable score of 7.09/10 for all entrees served. Classic dishes that can seldom go wrong - such as Beef Burgers and Fried Chicken - stood out as tasty dishes that pleased students greatly. Both of these dishes proved uncomplicated yet enjoyable; the simplicity of these entrees made them so delicious. For example, the Beef Burg-

ers - served on the 8th of February - were coupled with the addition of FLIK chips, allowing students to focus on the burger without worrying about an extra unwanted side. Moreover, the Italian Combo was given a high average score of 9.2 from our food critics due to the filling and fresh quality of the bread and the organized, neat manner in which it was presented. That said, this edition’s Meal of the Month has been awarded to the Grilled American Cheese, served to

students on the 2nd of this month. The meal contained the perfect amount of cheesiness and crispiness on the crust of its bread; furthermore, the entree was coupled with a tomato soup that bolstered the meal’s overall flavor quotient. For these strong characteristics, critics awarded the Grilled Cheese stellar scores of 9.7, 9.4, and 9.3 out of 10.

Compared to previous months, few desserts stood out to our reviewers as impressive. From the Vanilla Pudding served on the 6th to the Oranges served on the 8th, these offerings could have been better at best; they did not give students the grand experience of tasting a decadent dessert. That being said, some treats were popular among students and our critics. The Big Game Cupcakes served on the Friday before the Super Bowl were both theme-fitting and contained a sugary-sweet taste; the dessert was granted an average score of 8.67 out of 10. The best dessert of the past month was the Glazed Donut, which offered students a rich experience and a fluffy yet light treat that was coated in a balanced,

decadent glaze. Rhett Curtis ‘26 described the sweet dish as “a culinary masterpiece.”

Overall, students continued to eat and enjoy meals presented to them throughout the past month. While some were not as delectable as others, a few standouts captivated our panel of critics. Mr. Maws, through his lengthy yet informative food letters, has noted that although quality meals would be ideal, his primary objective is to provide students with nutrition. While we recognize the importance of having nutrition within the dining hall, critics would like to note that when over-emphasized, those “nutritious” meals often led to disappointing treats that were given lower scores. We encourage the kitchen staff to implement nutrition and quality food onto plates that all students can enjoy. Hopefully, all of these wishes can be fulfilled through the additions of the Food Committee and various food surveys. We will see you next month! ☐

The Complete Rating For Chairs around Campus

By Justin Li ’26 & Benjamin Gong ’26 Panel Staff

Chapel benches - 3/5

Obviously, these benches are the practical choice for use in the Chapel. However, other than the fact that the seat usually maintains a good temperature, there is nothing that sets these benches apart.

Desks - 3.5/5

Although desks are lacking on the comfort side, it is the ideal seat option for many classes. Desks are the ideal seating option in a math or science class, where the whole class is taking notes. There is tremendous room for improvement – the stiff back of desk chairs is undoubtedly not its forte. The old-fashioned desk chair

gets the job done at the end of the day.

Dining Hall chairs - 3/5

Despite the daily routine of sitting in these chairs, there is not much to complain about the Dining Hall chairs. Sturdy and functional, the chairs in the Dining Hall fit their role. The main issue isn’t within the chair itself; instead, the awkwardness of getting into a seat can arise if one is sitting at a packed lunch table.

Melvoin chairs - 4.5/5

When thinking about the ideal seating implement, the chairs in Melvoin should come to mind. These well-built chairs combine comfort and utility. The cushion provides a luxurious sedentary experience, while the sturdy back of the chair provides support - it can even hold up the weight of a (misbehaving) leaning-back stu-

dent (we do not encourage this behavior).

Morse chairs - 1/5

Uncomfortable, old, low-quality –these are generous adjectives when it comes to describing the atrocity that is known as Morse chairs. These Paleolithic fossils are known to squeak obnoxiously if a student chooses even to shift their weight. According to the student body’s experiences,

every incident involving a broken chair occurred on the infamous Morse chair.

Stools - 2/5

The only benefit of stools is their maneuverability. They’re small and easy to stack, which makes them the ideal choice in Robsham. However, sitting on stools for extended periods in a classroom setting will inevitably lead to back pain. ☐

Images of the Panel and Podium front page Google Images

Morse Chairs (left) and Dining Hall Chairs (right) Aaron Stanger ’24

Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes

BH Dining Instagram

All Winter sports photos credited to Adam Richins Photography

Athlete of the Issue: Jake McManus ’24

By Chris McEvoy ’25 & Ryan Pohl ’25 Panel Staff

Jake McManus ’24 is the definition of a student-athlete. Jake is a tremendous student and an even better athlete, excelling in both baseball and Hockey. Jake has been a varsity athlete since Form III and an integral part of both the baseball and hockey teams. Jake was elected as the captain of this year’s varsity hockey team, and no one will deny that it was the right decision.

“Jake is the best captain I have ever had, he does not just lead with his voice but with this intense play style and passion for the game,” said Evan Dresser ’25 when asked about Jake’s leadership.

Jake has been a tremendous asset to the team, both on and off the ice. On the ice, Jake has totaled a whopping 37 points, consisting of 27 assists and 10 goals. When asked about how he tries to be a leader off the ice, Jake said, “I try to lead by example and make sure that everyone is doing the right thing.”

Jake has led the varsity hockey team to a very successful season as of this moment. The team boasts impressive wins over a talented Saint Sebastian’s team and the current first-place team in the ISL, Nobles. Even though each of these wins was a terrific moment of the season, none of them are Jake’s favorite, which he said was “the Lawrencev -

ille championship because it does not happen that often, and it is special to be able to get your year written up on the banners around the rink.” The team performed incredibly well at the Lawrenceville tournament going undefeated through their four games including a shootout thriller against Upper Canada College and a revenge match against the hosts, the Lawrenceville School.

When asked where the team has improved as the season progressed, Jake replied, “Penalties, we’ve been taking less penalties, and earlier in the year

that really held us down, but in our game against Milton we didn’t take any.” The team’s performance against Milton was inspiring as they overcame a 3-1 deficit to take down the talented Milton team.

When asked what he was most looking forward to as the season comes to a close in the coming weeks, Jake said, “I’m looking forward to just playing in some big games. We got Nobles and Dexter coming up along with Tabor and Westy (Westminster). All those games are going to be big, and [I’m] just excited to play in big games with the boys.”

Bill Belichick Goodbye

By Will Hennigar ’26 Panel Staff

On January 11, Bill Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways, ending an unprecedented 24-year journey. Although this past season for the Patriots was very disappointing, the six Super Bowl victories, nine AFC championships, and seventeen AFC East division titles he helped bring home should be greatly appreciated by New England fans. It is very possible that we will never see a run like this happen in the future of the league. However, this change has been in the making for a couple of years, as tensions grew between the Kraft family and Belichick. Coupled with the disastrous 4-13 record and last place finish this past season, it should be no surprise that both parties have agreed to move on. While

the Patriots have hired former linebacker and team captain Jerrod Mayo to be their next head coach, Bill Belichick has not found a new position yet. Belichick was very grateful for his time in New England, and took out a page of The Boston Globe to thank Patriots fans. There is no doubt that Belichick was a vital element of the Patriots’ unprecedented twenty-year dynasty, and he will be missed by Patriots fans. If and when Bill Belichick gets another coaching position, he will have a substantial fan base rooting for him in New England ☐

Since then, the team has defeated Nobles in a 5-3 thriller where the boys overcame a 3-1 deficit by scoring four goals in less than five minutes. They beat Tabor 6-3, lost to Dexter 4-1, and lost to Westminster 4-3. The team currently stands as the 6th seed in the Martin/Earl Tournament and would have a playoff game against Dexter. There is no doubt that this has been an impressive season for the hockey team and Captain Jake McManus ’24.

Jake still has another varsity season to look forward to when hockey ends, as he is the starting second baseman for the baseball team. When asked what he looking forward to for the baseball season, this is what he had to say: “Just having fun, this is my last year playing baseball, so I’m just going to try to have a good time with it.”

Jake is committed to continuing his hockey career at Williams College, where he will be a freshman in the fall. When asked what he was looking forward to at Williams, Jake responded, “It’s going to be a new experience, so hopefully meet some new people and have a great time and continue to play the sport I love to play.” There is no doubt that this school will miss Jake when he graduates in June, but the Panel Staff wishes Jake the best of luck with his future athletic and academic endeavors at Williams and beyond!☐

Hockey Season Continues

By Alex Laidlaw ’25 Panel Staff

Belmont Hill’s Varsity Hockey team has continued its march through the ISL this February, now standing with a record of 18-8-1. After a small cold streak in late January and early February, in which they lost 4 of 5 games, the team has bounced back with impressive resilience, winning their last four games.

Among these wins were a 10-1 rout of BB&N and a 5-4 victory over Milton Academy. Most notably, the team secured a huge win over Nobles, one of the top teams in the ISL. With goals from Stephen Fabiano ’25 (2), Jake Tavares ’26, David Bosco ’27, and Andrew Waugh ’25, the team made a statement with only a few games remaining in the season.

The boys wrapped up the season beating Tabor 6-3 and losing to both Dexter and Westminster. When asked which of these he was most looking forward to most, Captain Jake McManus ’24 first brought up the game against Dexter, given Dexter’s position as one of the top teams in New England. Additionally, he pointed to the final game of the season against Westminster, which will be senior night.

As for the end goal of the season, Jake’s answer was simple: “win a championship.” While it remains to be seen if the team will qualify for the Elite 8 tournament, the squad currently holds the 6th seed in the Martin/Earl Tournament. Either way, the boys are eager to make a deep playoff run, and The Panel wishes them good luck as they try to complete another excellent season.☐

Bruins All Star Break Update

By Nathan Zhang ’26 Panel Staff

The Boston Bruins have been a bright spot in a year marked by lackluster performances from sports teams across Massachusetts. Following the first 49 games of the season, the Boston Bruins entered the All-Star break, boasting a record of 31 wins to nine regulation and nine overtime losses. They lead the Atlantic Division and stand atop the NHL league standings alongside the Vancouver Canucks, both amassing 71 points. Led by the trio of team captain Brad Marchand and assistant captains David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, the team rallied from the heart-wrenching playoff defeat last season. They are on track to finish close to where they were the preceding year. Tiago Matos ’26, a devoted Bruins fan, described the team as “on fire” in light of their recent performance.

Following the retirements of cap -

tain Patrice Bergeron and long-time Bruin David Krejčí, coupled with the departures of several veteran players, the new team faced the challenge of addressing the gaps in its roster. The acquisitions of prominent players like James van Riemsdyk and Danton Heinen have bolstered the empty positions, and the promotion of players from minor league affiliate team Providence has given the Bruins outstanding depth across the entire roster.

The team started their season strong, winning eight of their nine games in October. Despite the absence of defencemen Matt Grzelcyk ’12 due to injury and Charlie McAvoy’s suspension, the reinforcements called up from Providence filled in their spots, contributing to six wins of their subsequent eight games. The Bruins then went through a challenging period of two losing streaks of three games or more, going 5-6-3 heading into the holiday break. They concluded De -

cember on a strong note by winning their last three games and carried the momentum into January with a 9-2-3 record, capped off by a blowout victory over Philadelphia, 6-2.

Right-winger David Pastrnak emerged as a standout performer, leading the teams in goals and assists at 35 and 45, respectively. He earned himself an All-Star game and skills competition invite with these contributions. Other notable skaters include forwards Marchand, Coyle, van Riemsdyk, Zacha, Frederic, Geekie, and Heinen, and defensemen McAvoy, Lindholm, Shattenkirk, Carlo, and Grzelcyk. In the crease, goalie tandem Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have remained a formidable one-two punch, serving as reliable last-resorts to the strong defense. Ullmark and Swayman made history as the first goal tending duo to make consecutive all-star appearances, with Ullmark in 2023 and Swayman this year in 2024. When discussing this exceptional goal -

ie tandem, Bruins fan Nicky Jones ’26, who played as Belmont Hill JV hockey goaltender, claims, “These guys will be the main reason we bring the cup back to Boston.” Furthermore, on the bench and in the locker room, head coach Jim Montgomery has proven to be one of the best in the league, earning a spot in the All-Star game as a coach for the second consecutive season as a Bruin. There is much to look forward to for the second half of the season. Despite the rough stretch following the All-Star break, the Bruins, with their resilience, will continue into the playoffs with a favorable seeding if they can keep up their pace. Fans can hope for a deep playoff run as the Bruins contend for the Stanley Cup, reviving a much-needed sense of sports success for Boston at a time when the city needs it most. Now only time will tell but there is reason to hope in a Stanley Cup Parade in Boston. ☐

Jake McManus

Adam Richins

2024 Super Bowl Births New Chiefs Dynasty

By Will Hennigar ’26 & Jackson Hurd ’26 Panel Staff

This year’s playoffs were one to remember, with blowouts, heartbreaking losses, exciting storylines, and no clear favorite to win the Super Bowl, unlike other years.

The playoffs started with Browns vs Texans. Former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and the Browns played potentially the next superstar quarterback in C.J. Stroud and the young Texans. Joe Flacco, trying to resurrect his career, was destroyed 45-14 by Houston, who had won just three games the previous year.

The Dolphins-Chiefs game was one of the coldest NFL games ever, with a negative four temperature and wind chills that made it feel like negative 18 degrees. The Miami Dolphins were no match for the Chiefs in the freezing Arrowhead Stadium, losing 26-7.

The Cowboys lost again after being Super Bowl contenders all year, this time to the 7th-seeded Packers, where Jordan Love proved he will be a good quarterback for years.

In Detroit, the two quarterbacks who got traded for each other three years ago matched up in the playoffs. The Lions got their first playoff win over 30 years over Mathew Stafford and the Rams 24-23.

The Eagles continued to crumble after starting the season 11-1, losing 32-9 against the Baker Mayfield-led Buccaneers.

a contender in the AFC for a while.

The Packers lost 24-21 in a very winnable game against the 49ers after their kicker missed a crucial field goal and Jordan Love threw an interception on the game-tying drive.

Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers went down to the Lions 3123, with Baker Mayfield also throwing a game-ending interception.

Josh Allen and the Bills lost one of the best games of the year against the Chiefs, 27-24, after their kicker Tyler Bass missed a game-tying 44-yard field goal, making this the third time in the last four seasons the Chiefs beat the Bills in the playoffs.

In the AFC Championship, the league MVP, Lamar Jackson, and the red-hot Ravens took on the Chiefs in a low-scoring game. Still, crucial mistakes, including a Zay Flowers fumble at the one-yard line giving the Chiefs the football, led to the Ravens’ downfall, allowing the Chiefs to go back to the Super Bowl for the 4th time in 5 years.

The Detroit Lions, looking to

go to their first Super Bowl, held a 17-point lead going into the 2nd half over the 49ers. Still, a truly tragic collapse in the second half with multiple questionable coaching decisions, such as going for it on 4th down and bad timing fumbles leading to their defeat, and the 49ers clinched their third Super Bowl appearance in the last 12 years.

The game was a rematch of Super Bowl LIV in Miami, where Kansas City came out on top 31-20. Similar to then, the Chiefs also staged a ten point comeback this time around, and won the game in overtime, 25-22. Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP, and this was the Chiefs’ third title in five years. Mahomes had a spectacular performance, going 34-46 with 333 yards and two touchdown passes. Travis Kelce also caught 9 passes for 93 yards. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey also had an outstanding game, running for 80 yards on 22 carries and catching 8 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. The first half of the game was dominated by both defenses,

as San Francisco led 10-3. The halftime show featured Usher, along with guests Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon and will.i.am. Then the action picked up in the second half, as the game was tied 19-19 at the end of the fourth quarter. During the coin toss, the 49ers were considered by some to be a questionable decision to receive the ball first, meaning if they scored a touchdown they would win, but if they kicked a field goal then the Chiefs would get the ball back. San Francisco marched down the field and looked like they were close to winning, but were unable to punch it into the endzone and had to settle for a field goal. The Chiefs got the ball back, and after converting on a crucial 4th and 1 near midfield, there was no stopping Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense as he threw a three yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman to seal the victory. Kansas City became the first team to win back to back Super Bowl since the Patriots did in 2003 and 2004. Many are now calling the Chiefs the newest dynasty of the NFL. ☐

In the divisional round, the first-seeded Ravens beat C.J. Stroud and the Texans with a score of 3410. Even though they lost, the Texans should not be worried because they soared past expectations with a rookie quarterback and coach this season, and it looks like they will be 2024 Super Bowl

College Basketball Update

By Ben Adams’25 & Christopher McEvoy ’25 Panel Staff

With the NCAA tournament right around the corner, there is a lot to break down including my favorite teams, my biggest sleepers, and my most overrated teams.

My fourth favorite as of now to win the national title is North Carolina. After a disappointing season last year not making the tournament, the Tarheels went out and got freshmen Elliot Cadeau and transfers Cormac Ryan and Harrison Ingram. These players have all added depth top their top seniors Armando Bacot and RJ Davis. I think that UNC could definitely make a run in the tournament this year.

My third favorite team as of now is Houston. The Cougars have the best defense by far this season and still a top 20 offense. They play very aggressive and rebound the ball well. They are very similar to the 2019 Virginia team that won the tournament.

My second favorite team is Purdue. Purdue still has the stigma of losing to 16-seed Farleigh Dickinson last year which may cause some people not to pick them to go far, but I think this team has heavily upgraded. Led by the best center in the country, Zach Edey averages a double-double and leads the team in scoring. The main reason why the Boilermakers got sent home early last year was because of poor guard play. So they went out and got

transfer Lance Jones, who is now averaging just under 10 points per game. Another guard, Braden Smith has also matured greatly since last season and is second on the team in scoring.

My number one team, is the former champion UConn. It’s very impressive that UConn after losing their 3 best players was able to come back this year even stronger. This team doesn’t have one main ball scorer, which is part of the reason that they are so great, I am very high on what UConn can do this season.

Along with some of the teams I like, here are three of my most overrated teams, in no particular order. First is Alabama, Currently the 15th ranked team in the country, they offer blistering offense with the best efficiency so far this year. But they have the 73rd defense efficiency. This is never a good sign for teams in the tournament like Baylor from last year who had the 2nd ranked offense but the 107th defense. That Baylor team ended up losing in the 2nd round. My second overrated team is Creighton, currently sitting at 17th in the country. They have consistently beaten the bad teams they have played this year but when they get tested they lose. Another overrated team is Kentucky who are similar to Baylor in that they have a very good offense and a very bad defense. Also, they don’t have a single impressive win this season and have failed to prove themselves whenever they play a good team. My last overrated team is num -

ber 11 ranked South Carolina. They boast an impressive 21-4 record in the SEC but have failed to win their big games with the exception of a win at Tennessee that is carrying their ranking. But this team shouldn’t be defined by their one good game, and I don’t see them going far this tournament.

Now for my three most underrated teams. First, Auburn. This team is currently ranked 4th in adjusted efficiency margin but is somehow only ranked 13th. This team plays both sides of the ball at a high level and has multiple guys that can score in the paint and shoot like Jaylin Williams and Johni Broome. I could very well see Auburn finding their way to the final four or even further. My next underrated team is BYU. This is a 3 and-D team, meaning they shoot a lot of threes at a high percentage for their offense, and they

lock down on defense well too. They have had a few too many conference losses in the Big 12 which causes them to sit at 19th in rankings but I think they have what it takes to suffocate opposing offenses and knock down the shots they want. My last underrated team is Indiana State. The Sycamores are in a prime position to win the Missouri Valley Conference and, like BYU, they shoot three-pointers at a very high percentage. I think if they can get hot at the right time, they could cause some upsets and make it far. What I worry about is the defense of their star Center Robbie Avila. While Avila is a crafty playmaker and knockdown shooter, he can easily get exposed for his lack of speed on defense. If the Sycamores get matched up against a heavy paint-scoring team, their hopes of a Cinderella story may be squashed. ☐

MLB Free Agency Recap

By Christopher McEvoy ’25 Panel Staff

The baseball landscape is already buzzing with excitement, anticipation, and a fair amount of skepticism as the MLB preseason gets underway. Teams are getting ready for a season that promises to be exciting with significant signings, trades, and unresolved negotiations. The Los Angeles Dodgers burned through no time in standing out as truly newsworthy, getting two huge acquisitions in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Landing ostensibly the greatest name in baseball with Shohei Ohtani is an assertion of plan, flagging the Dodgers’ desire to dominate the forthcoming season.

Talented players like Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger have yet to accept offers, despite the excitement surrounding spring training. This is what Mr. Grant had to say about the MLB off season. “MLB needs to put a date for free agency so free agents have to be in training camp when it starts so we can avoid further Snells and Bellinger”

As opposed to the Dodgers’ striking moves, the Boston Red Sox’s off-season signings have left many disappointed. With no effect players added to their program, questions emerge about their capacity to contend in the stacked AL East. Confronting extreme

rivalry inside their division, the Red Sox should dig deep to demonstrate their courage in the forthcoming season.

The New York Yankees caused disturbances of their own by getting Juan Soto. In spite of this high-profile procurement, questions continue about whether the Yankees have collected a group equipped to secure the title. While the possibility energizes

fans, other impressive groups hide in the shadows, prepared to challenge the strength of these capable teams. As the MLB preseason unfurls, every improvement adds layers to the story of the impending season. The stage is set for a roller coaster ride of emotions, surprises, and memorable moments, from major acquisitions to unresolved negotiations. ☐

Nordic Ski Update

By Ethan Xie ’26 & Eita Fuse ’26 Panel Staff

The Nordic Ski Team, led by captains Brian Lee ’24 and Lev Tolkoff ’24, has finished off a phenomenal season. They finished 2nd in Lakes Region and 3rd and New England. The team was strong in both the Lakes Region and New England leagues, ultimately finishing 2nd in the Lakes Region and 3rd at the New England Championships. Furthermore, led by Coach DeCaprio ’16, alongside assistant coaches Coach Weiter ’16, Coach Calloway, and Coach Kirby, the team dominated in its “Friday Night Lights” races against the Rivers School, Phillips Academy Andover, and Middlesex. At the Lakes Region Championships, the team fought valiantly against Proctor Academy to score a 2nd place overall finish. Ultimately,

the team placed 2nd in both the race and the final season standings, beating out Dublin School. Of the scoring skiers, William Walton ’25 finished 3rd overall with a time of 17:35.0. In 9th, first-year skier TZ Snail ’26 clocked in at 19:47.8 and scored 11th. Jack Kastner ’25 came through with a time of 20:09.3, followed by Fitz Courtney ’26 with a time of 20:13.8, and–a couple of seconds later–Nate Voss ’24 at 20:31.1. The team also carried out an impressive performance at the NEPSAC New England Championship Race, placing 3rd behind Gould Academy and Dublin School. Despite the poor winter conditions and lack of snow, the Nordic Skiing team performed incredibly well this year. The Panel would like to congratulate the Nordic Ski team on a successful season. ☐

Squash

By Steven Agular ’25 Panel Staff

The Squash team has once again had an outstanding season with a current record of 7-0 within the ISL and an overall record of 15-3. Remaining undefeated within the league up to this point in the season, the team has already captured a share of the ISL title. In their up-and-coming final ISL match against Milton, the team will aim to prove themselves, in the words of Coach Brownell, “the top dogs” and affirm their ISL superiority. At New Englands, the team continued their impressive win streak claiming the Class B title. Finally, the team will look to close out their season at High School Nationals down in Philadelphia at the Arlen Specter Center. This has definetly been a very succefull season for the varsity squash team and they look to have another succeful season next year with the bulk of the team returning. The Panel staff congratulates Mr. Brownell and the Varsity Squash team on an amazing season and wishes them luck in their final matches!☐

Basketball Update

By Christopher McEvoy ’25 Panel Staff

Although this season did not go according to plan for the Varsity Basketball team, there were plenty of moments from this season to be proud of. The team finished with an overall record of 10-15 and an ISL record of 6-9. The team had impressive wins against Suffield and Groton. Captain Isaiah Langham ’25 had this to say about the highlight of the season: “Beating Suffield on the road. We fought through a lot of adversity in front of Suffield’s home crowd, and everyone contributed. The basketball team also benefited from leadership from the Senior starter Will Yakoobian ’24. This is what he had to say about the season. “Although the season didn’t live up to our expectations, the entire team bat -

tled throughout the year. A highlight of the season was our 61-51 win over St. Sebastian’s with The Loop in attendance, which started a four game win streak with wins over Deerfield, Roxbury Latin, and St. Mark’s as well.” on Friday the season came to an end with a loss to Govs. Despite not winning the ISL, the basketball team made Belmont Hill proud and their effort can not be doubted. The Panel would like to congratulate the Varsity Basketball team on their season. ☐

Alpine Ski Team Wins ISL Title

By Bradford Adams ’26 Panel Staff

Coming off of a 2nd place finish in both the ISL and NEPSACS in 2022-23, the Belmont Hill Alpine Ski team was looking to improve, and Captains Vince Mezzanote ’25 and Nathan Pappas ’24 hoped to win the ISL. Going into the new season after several key departures, the team gave several new racers a chance to step up and fill the boots of their predecessors. The new racers did exceptionally well, and the team saw excellent performances from racers of every age, notably Hugh Wiley ’28, Griffin Vail ’26, Billy Cashel ’26, and Jack Coughlin ’26, all of whom performed admirably in several races. The season pushed the racers to their limit and, going into the final race, Belmont Hill sat second in the standings, needing a win to guarantee victory in the ISL. After excep -

tional runs from Charlie Crowley ’25 and Co-Captain Nathan Pappas ’24, the team finished tied with Milton in the race, and tied on points in the standings. After several tie breakers, Belmont Hill eventually came out on top, clinching another ISL title. The team also performed exceptionally at NEPSACS, with stellar runs from Charlie Crowley ‘25 and Topher Batchelder ‘26, who finished 2nd and 4th respectively, carrying the team to an impressive 2nd place finish in NEPSACS. The JV also performed well even to their standards, and finished another undefeated the season having secured the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fastest times in every race. ☐

Shohei Ohtani

Google Images

Belmont Hill Alpine Skiing

Christina Coughlin

Athlete of the Issue: Haden Bottiglieri ’24

By Jaiden Lee ’26 Panel Staff

Haden Bottiglieri ’24 is a current senior and captain of the Belmont Hill Varsity Wrestling Team, as well as one of the top athletes in the school. Despite entering Belmont Hill as a junior, Haden has led the team to two Graves Kelsey ISL titles, placed finishes at New England Preps, and an 11th place team finish at Prep Nationals last year. Additionally, after only one year of being on the team, Haden was voted team captain for his leadership, team unity, and performance on the mat.

Haden was undefeated during the regular season outside of tournaments in interscholastic matches, dominating at the 175lb weight class, the same as the year before. At the prestigious Beast of the East wrestling tournament, consisting of both public and private school students, Haden placed 4th overall. In addition, he easily won all of his matches at this year’s Graves Kelsey Championships, finishing as an ISL champion.

At Prep New England’s Haden also finished as in 1st, beating out National Prep ranking #4, Isael Perez, from Northfield Mount Hermon in an 8-4 decision. Every other opponent Haden faced in the tournament was pinned. Haden was one of only two wrestlers from the team to be a New England Champion, along with freshman Isaac Novod ’27.

During the beginning of the sea -

son when asked about his goals for the 2024 National Prep Tournament, Haden acknowledged that he was aiming to be an undefeated national champion. This was also when he admitted that he took ice baths each morning for peak physical conditioning. However, Haden went into the tournament seeded #3 in the official rankings, behind Dom Federici (#2) from Wyoming Seminary and William Henckel (#1) from Blair Academy, the two top wrestling high schools in the country. Ultimately, Haden finished 3rd behind Federici and Henckel; although this may have been short of his ultimate goal, he still had the top finish on the team and is one of only a few wrestlers in Belmont Hill’s program to achieve a top 3 finish at National Preps. When Haden was asked about differences between the BH Varsity Wrestling Team and his previous teams, he stated, “I would definitely say at Belmont Hill it’s just different because you see the guys every day and you feel much more connected and like a family. It’s pretty different going to school with 2,000 kids where I only see the guys for an hour or so a day versus Belmont Hill, where I’m kind of around them all day creating a closer team environment.” Haden was a wrestler on the Brookline High Wrestling Team before Belmont Hill, which he states that when he was there, was “probably the best team in program history. . .We had just really talented guys up and down, very similar to Belmont Hill in that we all worked hard togeth -

er as a united team during the season.”

In 8th grade Haden’s compiled record was 18-10, as a freshman it was 36-10, and as a junior at Brookline High 19-4. Repeating junior year at Belmont Hill, he was 31-6.

Haden also noted that one of his biggest obstacles was a torn ACL in his sophomore year while training during wrestling practice, and described it as “really hard to cope with, as I had to take 9 months to a year off and that was definitely frustrating because everyone else was getting better while I was kind of forced to not get better. Being forced to rest and sit at home all day was a big mental and physical obstacle that I had to overcome.” In terms of his biggest mentors, Haden made note of his previous Brookline High wrestling coaches who he is still in touch with today, who greatly helped him in transitioning from eighth grade to high school wrestling. He also named Coach Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov, a Harvard assistant coach who runs Muz Trained Wrestling, a club he also attended out of school to wrestle. In addition, Haden emphasized how helpful and supportive all of the coaching staff here at Belmont Hill have been, especially pointing out Coach Leonardis, who “wrestled me in the mornings, even in the off-season whenever I wanted, and who’s always in his room so I can go talk to him whenever.” Haden added that “I’ve been very lucky my whole career to have very great coaches that I can look up to and talk to about things other than wres -

tling.” As for tips for younger wrestlers looking to get better and improve on the Belmont Hill wrestling teams, he noted, “I would say the biggest thing is that you’ve got to be competing a lot, meaning that you can’t wrestle for three months out of the year at Belmont Hill and expect to achieve your goals.” He also added that “getting as much exposure as you can to good wrestling is the biggest tip I can give, and to not worry too much just trust the process, focusing on getting your mind strong as well as your body.” Finally, as a captain, Haden added that he does not like people who do not work hard, so for hopeful future captaincy candidates, he would suggest leading by example and showing what it looks like to the younger guys during exercises or drills during practice. Haden stated that “ultimately the younger guys are looking at you to see what you’re doing, so you need to set a good example in terms of your work ethic and your attitude.” In such team culture, Haden stated that he loved to see the guys every day at practice, and focused this year on being open and talking to each other about mental struggles in the sport. He notes that he tried to maintain a very close team and make sure everyone was supporting each other on and off the mat.

Ultimately, Haden Bottiglieri will be remembered as one of the top wrestlers in the school’s wrestling history, as well as a respected captain, teammate, and friend. ☐

Houthi Attacks Add to Fear of Escalation

By Brandon Li ’25 Panel Staff

In late January, the Houthis, a Shiite political and militant group based in Yemen, gained international attention for attacking Western commercial ships in the Red Sea. Although the terrorist organization has promised only to attack ships connected to Israel as a response to the Israeli counteroffensive, the Houthis have also indiscriminately attacked many ships with no connection to Israel whatsoever. This has prompted a global backlash, with the US and the UK leading an international coalition conducting missile strikes against Houthi ships and Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen.

More worrisome is the fact that the Houthis are a proxy of Iran, receiving funding and weaponry from the regime. The Defense Intelligence Agency confirmed that Iran has provided the Houthis with “a growing arsenal of sophisticated weapons and training” since 2014, and that Iran’s steady support has uniquely enabled the terrorist group to carry out the recent attacks on shipping vessels. As a result, this Houthi attack has provoked fears of escalation between Israel and Iran, which could potentially lead to a full-out regional war. Iran has long sought the destruction of the state of Israel since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In addition to providing funding and training to Palestinian terror groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, major political figures in Iran have increasingly called for the destruction of Israel in recent decades.

The Houthis are not the only Iranian-backed terror group that has contributed to fears of escalation in the

Middle East; Hezbollah, a Shiite political party and militant group, also attacked Israel shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Just one day after the October 7th attacks, Hezbollah launched a wide series of missile strikes at Israel’s northern border to back up Hamas and threaten Israel on its northern border. Since then, Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces have fired missiles, carried out targeted airstrikes, and employed drones against the other side. Although fighting between Israel and Hezbollah only consists of long-range attacks at the moment, many fear that the conflict will escalate into a fullscale war between the two sides, involving bloody face-to-face fighting.

Iran has long been a key supporter of Hezbollah and has provided the terrorist organization with funding, weapons, and training since the inception of the group in the early 1980s. This support runs so deep that Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah stated in 2016 that “Hezbollah’s budget, everything it eats and drinks, its weapons and rockets, comes from the Islamic Republic of Iran.” An all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah would be devastating, as it would significantly raise tensions in the area and serve as a platform for potential future escalation.

The aggression of these two Iranian-backed militant terror groups – the Houthis and Hezbollah – has resulted in international fears of escalation in the Middle East. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that from his perspective, the US “has not seen a situation as dangerous as the one we’re facing now across the region since at least 1973, and arguably even before that.” This sentiment has been reflected in President Biden’s increasingly critical stance of Israel’s management

of the war in Gaza. Biden recently described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “over the top,” and has put increasing pressure on the Israeli coalition government to adopt a more civilian-friendly approach to its war tactics, perhaps seeking to calm tensions in the Middle East to prevent further escalation. However, if this escalation does occur, the consequences could be catastrophic. Israel is widely believed to have

secret nuclear capabilities, and Iran could develop nuclear weapons within a week if they decided to do so, according to a report published by the Institute for Science and International Security. Iran possessing a nuke would massively change the power dynamics within the region and will change how the U.S. treats Tehran. Regardless, the world will watch the Middle East closely as the conflict continues to unfold. ☐

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The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill School. 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 the 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 © 2023 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.

PWAP Flower Sale a Great Success Despite Setbacks

By Davis Woolbert ’25 Panel Staff

Historically, the Party with a Purpose flower sale has been a joint fundraising effort with the Newton Country Day School, the Winsor School, and the Dana Hall School. This annual Valentine’s Day flower sale usually sends profits ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 directly to the Boston Children’s Hospital. This unique sale enables parents, students, and teachers alike to order flowers for themselves and others at participating schools. While this complicated method of purchase and distribution increases the backend effort for student and parent volunteers, it fosters a sense of interconnectedness in our school communities.

Unfortunately, the Newton Country Day School could not participate in the sale due to scheduling conflicts with

school trips this year. Despite this participant reduction, 2,657 flowers were pre-ordered, marking an increase from last year’s 2,260. Following the close of

the Google form for pre-order purchases on January 22nd, Mr. George and the Party with a Purpose team began laying out a distribution strategy for the

flowers. Parent and student volunteers met on Monday, February 12th, to wrap the flowers and separate them for pickup the next day. Sadly, a snow day on Tuesday delayed the distribution of the flowers until February 14th. Even with this delay, the pickup and day-of-sales of the flowers on Wednesday the 14th was an immense success. While the profits have yet to be consolidated from participating schools, the projected total for donations exceeds $5,800. Additionally, all extra flowers were donated to a local elderly home, and they were highly grateful for the kind gesture.

When interviewed, Mr. George and The Party with a Purpose team extended their immense gratitude to all who purchased flowers and volunteered to assist with the sale. They also expressed appreciation towards Winston Flowers for being an excellent partner in this yearly charitable endeavor. ☐

Newton Teachers Conclude Two-Week Strike

By Brandon Li ’26 and Nathan Zhang ’26 Panel Staff

On February 2nd, the Newton Teachers Association reached an agreement with the Town of Newton, ending a two-week strike that had resulted in an extended vacation for students of Newton’s public schools. The Newton Teachers Association, a labor union composed of teachers employed by public schools in Newton, had voted to strike on January 19th over a contentious disagreement with the town administration over teacher salaries. The contract resulting from the agreement that ended the strike increased the baseline salary of full-time teachers by 30 percent, expanded support for instructional aides in the classroom, and granted longer parental leave for staff. However, the strike has been a controversial topic for many.

For one, Massachusetts state law prohibits teachers from going on strike, which the Newton Teachers Association directly violated for two weeks. An astonishing $625,000 in state fines have accumulated during that period, which the union will have to pay back over time.

Additionally, many argue that

students have missed out on crucial learning throughout this 2-week break and that parents have been unfairly forced to shift their plans to accommodate their children at home. This feeling of injustice went so far that multiple families filed lawsuits against the Newton Teachers Association in civil court to reopen schools.

This has led many to question

whether the strike’s results were worth this massive fine in the first place. An editorial in the Wall Street Journal criticizing the strike pointed out that teachers in Newton already earn an average salary of $93,031 per year, which is 8% higher than the average in Massachusetts. The Boston Globe also ran scathing articles on the topic, stating that the union members “made themselves

look silly” and that the strike “was about nothing.” Many interpret the union’s desire to increase the salaries of its members as selfish and unjustified.

On the other hand, poor investment in American public schools has been a major complaint of many for a while now. The Economic Policy Institute pointed out in 2022 that funding for public schools often relies on insufficient resources at the state and local level as opposed to the federal level, resulting in schools being starved of funding. Many Newton parents supported the strike for this reason, with one arguing that “the disruption was small compared to what was gained for the educators and our students.”

Regardless, many living in Newton are glad that the whole ordeal is over. Mr. Feldman, who has three children in the Newton school system, stated, “The longer it went on, the more complicated everyone realized it was. To be honest, it was such a relief that they eventually came to an agreement… From a parent perspective, I’m just glad that they’re back in school and they’re happy, and that the kids no longer seem impacted by any residual animosities.” ☐

Univerisities re Standardized Entry Testing

By Ben Gong ’26 and Eita Fuse ‘26 Panel Staff

On February 5, 2024, after nearly 4 years of lax requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dartmouth became the first Ivy League college to reinstate the necessity for SAT or ACT scores. In the process of making this decision, Sian Beilock, President of Dartmouth since July 2023, decided to have Dartmouth professors conduct internal studies regarding standardized tests. Unsurprisingly, Dartmouth’s research showed that test scores were more effective in displaying applicants’ academic capabilities than high school GPAs, student essays, or teacher recommendations. The SAT and ACT are some of the only consistent aspects of the entire application pool – it’s a “standard,” as in the name “standardized tests.” Neglecting valuable information for the college admissions process only

hinders the college’s ability to make a well-grounded decision in choosing the most qualified applicants. More interestingly, the test-optional policy that had been applied by all Ivy League colleges during and post-COVID actually disadvantaged lower-income students. This was due to students omitting their test scores in their applications, thinking they were too low; in reality, submitting the test scores would have increased their chances of being admitted. This outcome was undoubtedly a shock and felt counterintuitive. The basis for the test-optional policy was to accommodate the economically disadvantaged during COVID-19 and to give them a chance to compete with applicants who might be less affected by the pandemic. Conversely, Dartmouth’s study showed that this was not the case, hence the reinstatement of the required submission of standardized test scores.

Shortly after this major deci -

sion, another Ivy League school followed the precedent set by Dartmouth.

On February 22, Yale announced that they would require standardized test scores starting next year – the same as Dartmouth. Additionally, MIT already reinstated SAT or ACT scores in March 2022. However, it is still yet to be seen if many more top colleges will

follow the decisions of Dartmouth and Yale; Harvard is to remain test-optional until the application class of 2026, and the California university system has a test-blind policy, meaning that applicants’ test scores will not even be considered, even if they are submitted. ☐

Mr. George and Davin Roy ‘24 Selling Flowers BH Communications

Dartmouth President Sian Beilock

Dartmouth

Newton Teachers on Strike CNBC

Top Artists Dominate at This Year’s Grammys

By Rhett Curtis ’26 Panel Staff

The 66th Grammys aired on February 4th, 2024. The show was hosted by comedian Trevor Noah. During the show, he handed out awards to the best artists and performers in the music industry. In total, 94 awards were handed out in categories such as Album of the Year, Rap Album, and Best Record from October 2022 to September 2023.

Without further ado, here are the nominees and winners of the 2024 Grammys as well as some opinions from Belmont Hill students:

Album of the Year went to Taylor Swift for Midnights Midnights featured songs like “Karma,” “Anti-Hero,” and “Snow on the Beach.” This marks the 4th time she has won Album of the Year. These awards have solidified her as one of the greatest pop artists of all time. She has continued her dominant 2023, where her Eras tour attracted unprecedented demand and fan admiration, becoming the most profitable tour in history. Swift was also nominated for Best Song and Best Pop Solo Performance.

Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish for “What Was I Made for?” from the Barbie movie. She wrote the song

to share a feeling of hopelessness and trying to find a sense of purpose in a confusing world. “What Was I Made for?” also won Best Song Written for Visual Media, adding to the cultural impact of the Barbie movie. These two awards bring her total count to 9 Grammy wins and 25 nominations.

Moving to Country, Lainey Wilson, who has been climbing up the Country scene, won Best Country Album with Bell Bottom County . Her fourth studio album featured the viral song “Heart Like a Truck,” which has

over 130 million streams on Spotify. She beat out Zach Bryan’s self-titled album and Tyler Childers’s Rusting in the Rain . Meanwhile, Chris Stapleton won Best Country Song with “White Horse.” Panos Gianoukos, ’26 had his own nomination; “Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and album One Thing at a Time were #1 on the billboard charts for weeks, so he should’ve won”. His 18 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 matches the record for most weeks at the top by a country album.

The Rap and R&B awards raised

Album Covers of Songs and Albums mentioned in Article Google

a lot of controversy, with Killer Mike sweeping Rap Album of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Rap Performance. Killer Mike has been an artist since 1995; his career took off after working with the group Outkast for many years. Since so much new, popular rap came out this year there was no clear winner. This sparked even more discussion when it was revealed during the Grammys that Killer Mike swept all rap awards. When asked his opinion of Killer Mike’s success, Rylan Dean ’26, responded with, “Who is Killer Mike?”. Many feel that

“Who is Killer Mike?” - Rylan Dean

other artists like Travis Scott with Utopia or Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss deserved the nod for Rap Album of the Year. It didn’t help that Killer Mike got arrested shortly after receiving his awards for getting into a physical altercation with a security guard.

Other artists received notable awards such as Best Pop Song going to Miley Cyrus for “Flowers.” Sza took home the Best R&B Song for “Snooze,” which brought her total Grammy count to 3. This came as great news to Griffin Vail, 2026 who said he, “liked to see Sza win”. This year’s Grammy’s were undoubtedly entertaining for viewers, with just the perfect amount of drama. ☐

Faculty AOTI: Mrs. Sweeney New Landau Gallery Show

By Jack Ramanathan ’26 Panel Staff

The new Landau Gallery Art show, called Internal Dialogues, consists of a collection of paintings and ceramic sculptures by Boston-based artist, Jason “Bunny” Correia. Correia is currently a ceramic instructor at the New Art Center in Newton, Massachusetts. Correia specializes in oil painting and sculpting. With his sterling reputation for quality and attention to detail, Correia is well-known and respected around the Boston area for his art.

In the gallery, intricate and colorful pieces of art express a wide range of feelings, emotions, and ideas. The works of art contain many colors to capture the complex emotions that Correia wishes to convey. In his artist statement, he mentions that he “creates dialogues in a new perspective to convey the complex emotions and feelings of existing in this hyper-fast, hyper-aware moment in time.”

One painting focuses on a man holding a cat in his arms, with a wide array of colors ranging from red to green to blue shown in the background to display the intense emotion that the subject

is feeling. Another work - a sculpture - portrays a bunny-like figure dressed in non-matching human clothes. Another sculpture shows a three-legged green creature with a singular horn dressed in one blue piece of clothing.

Correia’s abstract work - especially his sculptures - highlights his instinctual methods of crafting his work. He states that he is “drawn to the traditional methods and mindsets of making… [and feels] as if these have instinctually been passed down to me, but I find a new way and voice to speak with them.”

The complexity presented in Correia’s art leaves its messages and themes up to interpretation to the viewer. He also says that his subjects in the gallery may come from his work or daily life, thus “relating to an event we all are collectively experiencing.”

Any member of Belmont Hill may view the exhibit in the Landau Gallery until March 24th. More information about Correia’s process of making art can be found online at https://bunnysarts.com/. The Panel congratulates Correia for displaying his work, and thanks the art department for seeking out his incredible work for all of us to marvel at. ☐

By TZ Snail ’26 Panel Staff

Mrs. Sweeney, known to many Belmont Hill students and faculty as a role model, biology teacher, and rowing coach, has pursued music, since her childhood. Growing up, Mrs. Sweeney learned the piano but has since come to love the French horn, stating, “I want to pick it up and get involved in a local orchestra.” Her main musical interests as a child were pop and classical rock and artists such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, BTO, The Who, The Doors, Aerosmith, and Led Zeppelin. As Mrs.

Sweeney transitioned into college, she was exposed to other genres of music, such as Southern Rock, leading her to book bands. Today, country music has become a part of Mrs. Sweeney’s appreciation of music. Songs such as “What Was I Made For?’’ by Billie Elish, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” by Elton John, and “Galileo” by the Indigo Girls

cording to her, she “was chosen to play with the United States Marine Corps orchestra.” This orchestra had arrived in her town and was performing while there. At the beginning of the concert, “they had a spotlight on me, and as I walked over to the horn section,” an officer “stood up so I could take his place.” This experience to her was “one of my greatest privileges.” Since then, Mrs. Sweeney has continued playing in bands and orchestras within her community. Before coming to Belmont Hill, she taught at Worcester Academy, where she played with the Assumption College Band. In addition to playing a variety of sports games, such as foot -

After a Performance Mrs. Sweeney

speak to her due to the intricate melodies and harmonies weaved into the poetic lyrics of the songs. These in turn have inspired Mrs. Sweeney

Everyone should find music that they like. It brings a different kind of joy...I want people to enjoy the music and have it make them feel like I do when I play it: joy.

to make “being part of a group…a more significant part of my life.” As a musician, Mrs. Sweeney’s most memorable highlight occurred in her junior year of high school. Ac -

ball and basketball in this band, she joined a brass choir for services on Sundays.

To Mrs. Sweeney, music is irreplaceable. As she puts it, “Everyone should find music that they like. It brings a different kind of joy.” Music brings people together, is as strong a remedy as any medicine, and, most importantly, brings a feeling of freedom and life into one’s life.

Mrs. Sweeney experienced this especially while playing in the Belmont Hill orchestra a few years ago: “It was one of my favorite times at Belmont Hill. I felt like a musician, not a teacher…It was fantastic to get out of the classroom and make music with the talented students in the orchestra.” These experiences are what make music so meaningful to her. As a way to bring this out-of-world feeling to her audiences in her performances, Mrs. Sweeney aims for “people to enjoy the music and have it make them feel like I do when I play it: joy.” ☐

Photos from Laudau Art Gallery

BH Communications

Henry Buckley-Jones ’25 Creates a Visual Masterpiece

By Adrian Tan ’25 Panel Staff

The Artist’s Round is a new art program where one artist is chosen by Mr. Duarte, Ms. Bradley, and Ms. Allen every month to create a piece of artwork in any style that they feel resonates with themselves and can impact the community. This month’s artist is Henry Buckley-Jones ’25.

Henry’s choice of artwork differs from what initially comes to mind. He wanted to try and create a mural. Why a mural? Henry says that he initially became interested in the project as a way to be more engaged with the arts at Belmont Hill. As a new student, Henry wanted to make a big impression on the Belmont Hill community, and a mural seemed like the best way to achieve that, due to his previous experience with large-scale artwork and spray painting.

The process of creating a mural is much more methodical than most would think. Before he began the project he said, “I’m definitely going to draw heavily on my previous experience creating one.” His artistic process started with a sketch, which is just an outline of what the final mural will

Maybe that’s scary, maybe it’s comforting, but I really want to make it stand out. The overwhelming nature of the flames should really stand out and convey my message well.

look like. There are actually several of these sketches. Once the lines are refined, he chose which sketch he liked the most. After that, he canned the line art and make many copies so he could play around with different colors and textures for the different parts of the mural. Once that’s done, he bought all the spray paint, background paint, and other materials he needed. After he had all the materials, he used a roller to put several buckets of paint on the wall, as “it’s important to get solid colors in for the background and general big shapes of everything.” After that, he will used color of spray paint that that blended in well but is not the same color to draw

the line art on the wall. This process can take up to a day. Once that is done, he moved on to the last step of filling in the colors of the mural from background to foreground. However, after he finished,

ample, the firefighter), and an animal representation of nature (for example, the forest fire in the shape of a dragon).

The mural also contains a deeper meaning. Henry wanted the mural to

he came back a few more times with fresh eyes because “with such a large canvas, the first time you are bound to miss some things or make some mistakes, so a second look is crucial.”

For the content of the mural, Henry thought of making a scene depicting a lone firefighter in a burning forest. The flames twist up around him and a fiery snake-like dragon twists down towards him. The thumbnails he worked on all had themes of a contrast between a human element (for ex -

tell the story of humanity’s incompetence when it comes to interacting with and taking care of the natural world. The firefighter in his mural is deliberately small compared to the dragon, and the water he shoots completely misses. This interaction is supposed to emphasize how futile our sparse efforts have been to take care of nature and fight the things that harm it. However, the portrayal of fire as a part of nature instead of something alien to it also gives a double meaning. For-

est fires can also be good if they occur naturally, as they clean the forest floor of debris, open it up to sunlight, and nourish the soil. However, Henry thinks that “at the end of the day it’s up to the viewer to interpret, but I like to think it could go either way.”

Henry also wants to use this mural to emphasize society’s inability to control many aspects of nature. Fire is a big part of this. He wants to show that nature is just as unpredictable as fire: “Maybe that’s scary, maybe it’s comforting, but I really want to make it stand out. The overwhelming nature of the flames should really stand out and convey my message well.”

When asked about what inspired him to choose the topic of his mural to be humanity’s treatment of nature, he said that he started by thinking about climate change, as it is a very big issue in the world today. He thought about some of the impacts or issues that he could draw attention to, and the first image that came to mind was the huge forest fires that have been happening all over the world, most notably in Australia and California. He wanted to show the heroism of not only the firefighters but also the double-sided nature of the fire. Another factor he took into account was whether or not the mural would be able to catch people’s attention. A bright, fiery mural would be perfect for this job.

When asked about what step in this process was his favorite, he said that his favorite part was working on finalizing his sketch design. He loves being able to see his idea turn from a tiny thumbnail into a much larger, more detailed sketch and then finally transform it into an array of colors. He is very grateful to Mr. Duarte, Ms. Bradley, and Ms. Allen for choosing him for this project, as it gave him an opportunity to draw and make a mural, which he is deeply passionate about, while also giving him the freedom to choose any topic, allowing him to pick the topic of climate change and nature, which he feels very strongly about. ☐

Artist of the Issue: Photographer Mark Price ’24

By TZ Snail ’26 Panel Staff

Like many artists, Mark Price ’24 has gained a surreal insight into nature’s beauty in his birding photography. Birding, as the name suggests, is the observation of birds in their natural habitats. Through this hobby, Mark sparked a journey of capturing his experiences while in the environment. This interest started in his freshman year and quickly became a significant part of Mark’s life. Starting without a pair of high-quality binoculars, Mark resorted to using “my Dad’s old Nikon to take pictures of everything I saw with the hope of identifying each bird once I had uploaded the pictures.” Ever since these early experiences, Mark has continued to photograph wildlife. As he has progressed from the beginning stages of photography, he has learned to take into deep consideration what position and angle each of his photographs should be taken at and has gathered a library of a variety of photos ranging from birds to reptiles and amphibians. Bringing his camera with him, he is able to capture nature’s mo -

ments when he travels and looks to continue expanding his collage of works. The main part of birding that

captures Mark’s interest is that he finds photographing wildlife to be both engaging and “almost addicting.” For

Mark, one of the most prominent pieces of motivation stems from the idea that once he has a snapshot of a bird, he can “relive the experience of seeing the bird in person by going through the photo.” In addition, these photos serve as a way for Mark to appreciate his past experiences. For him, the photos he takes are not so much a matter of showing off or for personal gain but, instead, a way to reflect the beauty in nature. Photography has brought him out into nature and made him realize that “I find being alone outside to be truly refreshing and a healthy place in which I can be unbothered and with my thoughts.”

Mark has not posted or uploaded any of his photos publicly besides in the Sextant and, therefore, has yet to be recognized for his artistic talent. Although the acknowledgment that comes with winning an award may be tantalizing, Mark prompts that his photos are solely for his own interests and joy. He hopes “that if people see any of my pictures, they can appreciate the beauty of nature and maybe even be inspired to make changes in their own life for the benefit of preserving our world.”

Henry Buckley-Jones ’25 in front of his finshed mural Henry Buckley-Jones

4 Examples of Mark Price’s Photography

Mark Price ’24

To Meet Graduation Requirements, Mr. Schneider Hands

Julian Boutin ’24 Panel Carved by Keve Staplan

due to the forecast tomorrow and in accordance with past snow days, belmont hill will be closed today