The Green and Gray, October 11, 2019

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

No Longer An Experiment The History of Inclusion and Feminism at Berkshire

by Samantha Bernstein ’22 50 years ago, Berkshire School voted to accept female students for the first time. 50 years ago, then-headmaster John Godman decided to welcome nine girls on campus in what he called the “Berkshire Experiment.” And 50 years ago, Berkshire joined the ranks of the first co-educational boarding schools.

In response to why this

Berkshire co-ed was a natural decision.

So, along with other educational institution like Yale University and Trinity College (also celebrating their 50 years of co-education this year), Berkshire took a leap of faith. With little preparation and almost no successful precedent, the school would soon graduate a new class of exceptional women.

With over 300 boys and just nine girls, Mary Jane Anderson Shannon ’71, Mindy Brooks Belter ’72, Alex Brunel ’72, Nancy MacDonald Hecker ’72, Carole Maghery King ’72, Linda Matson Heyes ’73, Paula Pevzner ’73, Pat Davidson Sherman ’73, and Kathy Putnam ’74 were in a stark minority.

Originally, girls were only allowed to enroll as day students, enduring ostracization from their male peers during the day and going home to their families at night. They were not allowed to go to dances, play sports, or participate in any extracurricular

decision was made, Mrs. Bullock, class of ’86 and current English teacher, explained that “the school needed more students and that was a population that they could easily tap into.”

She also explained that Berkshire had other motivations in making the switch: they made the decision out of principle.

Berkshire considered the education of women to be morally just. Combined with the promise of financial stability, making

activities Berkshire had to offer. It took the original nine’s perseverance and eagerness to add more activities to the curriculum, including the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program and soccer.

For afternoon activities, the school quickly realized they needed to hire someone to coach a sport suitable for girls at the time. Dance seemed to be the best option. With little opportunity to express themselves, these nine girls made the best out of their experiences. An inexperienced but enthusiastic Berkshire took any and all of their ideas to help them fit into life as a Bear, including starting a cheerleading program.

In the fall of ’72, Berkshire took the greatest remaining step. They took the “experiment” of co-education out of the conference room and into Eipper, where they housed their first female boarding students. Not much physical change went into this transition. In fact, re-

moving the urinals in the bathroom were the most significant renovations the school made.

Brunel was one of the first female boarders in the school’s history. Besides “wanting to survive,” Brunel persevered through her high school experience. Never wanting to quit, she helped pave the way for women to come.

Inviting female boarders into Berkshire was a step in the right direction — one that led to four girls’ dormitories today. From the original nine girls making up almost 50% of our current population, it’s important to understand the history of women and coeducation at Berkshire and the effects it has had on our school. By recognizing the history of women at Berkshire, we can then look towards the future and create a more inclusive community.

Continue to page 4 for more on 50 Years of coeducation.

INSIDE NEWS • Tragic Arson Murder in Kyoto • Global News Brief • Gina Barreca on Feminism • Meet Your New Faculty • Pro Vita Course Proposals ARTS • Berkshire A Capella • Fall Theater SPORTS • Renewed RKMP Program • Athlete Profiles OPINION • New Student Experience • Swap Shop • On the SinoAmerican trade War Berkshire School

Berkshire School

Left to right, Alex Brunel, Linda Heyes, and Marianne Hubert spoke at a panel for all school meeting

Media Influences Regarding The 2019 Hong Kong Protest

by Wilson Zheng ’21 Four and a half years after the Umbrella Revolution, the Hong Kong government is facing another Special-Administrative-Region-wide (Hong Kong is technically not recognized as a country) revolution on the extradition law proposed in early 2019, the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement.

The Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill was proposed in response to the 2018 murder

of Poon Hiu-wing by her boyfriend Chan Tong-kai in Taiwan, where the two Hong Kong residents were visiting as tourists. If the bill were to be passed, the Hong Kong government would gain the right to extradite fugitives in Hong Kong to the mainland government.

A series of protests began as Hong Kong citizens feared that the bill would undermine the sovereignty of Hong Kong as a SAR under the system “one country, two systems” created by Deng Xiaoping.

In theory, any number of political refugees and

The original female class of nine at Berkshire School. enemies could be extradited under a series of vague Chinese laws.

The Hong Kong government would no longer be able to ensure the independence of its citizens from the Chinese government, gradually moving towards a single-system government fully controlled by China.

Having lived in both mainland China and Hong Kong, I have people

around me telling different stories about this protest.

This leads to a question: Are the Chinese hearing accurate stories?

As one might know, the Chinese government maintains censorship over all media capable of reaching a wide audience, including television broadcast, news websites, and even mobile social applications such as WeChat and TikTok. Many key foreign websites in-

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cluding Google, Facebook and Twitter are strictly inaccessible without the help of VPN (virtual private networks). Recently, even VPNs are being banned.

Most of the protests since the June 9th demonstration have been peaceful, decentralized, and self-organized marches.

But what the mainland Chinese people see is a whole different story.

After surfing a little bit

in some of the Chinese websites like Baidu, Sina and Weibo, there was an astonishingly lack of information on the Hong Kong protest. The only related posts are ones that depict the protests as extremely violent, either showing police officers or citizens getting beaten up by a crowd. (continued on next page)

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

Darran Shen Protestors marching in Causeway Bay Hong Kong, July 21st (continued) Not only has the Chinese state media portrayed extremely violent protests, they have also gone as far as accusing the protests of being plotted by “foreign hostile forces,” including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the CIA. Apart from news, there are three main ways Chinese people can access information about the outside world - WeChat, Weibo, and the newly risen TikTok. As the Chinese government felt the protests threatening their sovereignty in Hong Kong, information regarding the protests have been taken down from these sources, greatly limiting Chinese citizens to have a comprehensive understanding of this event. Ahead of the 70th anniversary of the founding of modern China, all VPN services, apps that typically allow users to bypass Chinese firewalls, were completely shut down to avoid the spread of negative press.

If you are a regular user of TikTok (a platform where users post videos), you would notice that there are no videos about the protests at all, as if they never happened.

WeChat, the most used application in China, is constantly under the surveillance of the government, which censors pictures and videos about

the protests. This censorship is even happening to WeChat users outside of mainland China who can usually maintain their freedom of speech.

China’s propaganda system not only censors information, but it also proactively produces and disseminates information.

The Chinese media is very supportive of nationalistic posts which shapes the situation in a way that makes Hong Kong seem like it needs to be saved from protests by China .

By cherry-picking information, occasionally dramatizing cases, and even fabricating fake news, the Chinese citizens are not given a full perspective on the event. Blinded by the media, people are inclined to hold an opposing attitude towards Hong Kong without even knowing the accurate full story.

Will the Chinese government ever stop censoring information?

Very unlikely. But as more Chinese citizens realize how incomplete their knowledge of the protests are, fact-checking has grown popular. This could be the first step for more accurate stories to be told, opening up the secrets that the government has been hiding, or this could just be another rock thrown in the sea, disappearing as the waves calm down. Only time will tell.

have amplified the damage. The Kyoto Fushimi police stated that many of the victims’ deaths were due to carbon monoxide poisoning, which suggests that they had their escape routes cut off by the fire and died unable to break out of the building. Many of the victims were so severely burned that no one could identify them afterwards.

The Kyoto Animation arson incident shocked “Kyo-Ani” fans all over the world and generated a voice to commemorate the quality of Kyo-Ani’s work.

Most of the commemorations and worries are for the deceased animators and their families.

However, some anime fans have lamented the artistic losses.

Kyoto Animation, founded in 1981, produced popular anime works such as “K-ON!” And “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.”

Since its inception, Kyoto Animation has produced

by Wakaba Aihara ’22 On July 18th, 2019, one of the deadliest massacres in Japan’s history since the end of World War II and the deadliest building fire in the country in almost 20 years occurred in Fushimi-Ku, Kyoto, Japan.

Around 10:30 a.m., a middle-aged suspect broke into Studio 1, the main animation studio of Kyoto Animation, and poured about 10 to 15 liters (about 3 to 4 U.S. liquid gallons) of gasoline on the first floor and onto several employees, before igniting them with a lighter. Thereby, a fire and an explosion occurred.

The fire lasted for approximately 20 hours.

Out of 70 employees who were at the studio at that time, 35 were killed, 36 were severely injured, and, along with the studio, numerous past drawings and archived documents were destroyed.

The structure of the building also seems to

On Tuesday September 24th, 2019 the United States received shocking revelations that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will proceed with articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, for withholding money from the Ukraine in exchange for political dirt on 2020 Presidential candidate Joe Biden.

If there is evidence to determine that President Trump is guilty of these accusations, he could be removed from office.

Pelosi stated in a formal address to the nation, “the actions taken today by the president have seriously violated the Constitution… the president must

be held accountable, no one is above the law.”

These actions taken by the Speaker were instigated by a whistleblower complaint, regarding the President and a foreign world leader. The complaint revolved around a phone call between Trump President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

The phone call consisted of many things regarding relations between America and Ukraine, but it was confirmed by the President himself no less, that Trump asked Zelensky to look into corruption allegations against Presidential candidate, Joe Biden.

Additionally, Trump hinted at withholding

#PrayForKyoAni: Arson Murder Case of Kyoto Animation

stunningly delicate and precise art that reflects the complex psychology of adolescence–so much so that the style is known as “Kyo-ani Quality.” With the hashtag “#PrayForKyoAni,” social media has been filled with fans’ condolences and support.

Many fans cite their favorite works and recount how Kyo Ani’s creations have influenced them over the years.

Even now, about two months after the arson, the voices of praying for the well-being of the victims both inside and outside of Japan are constant. It reminds us of how the works of Kyoto Animation that represent Japanese animation, or “Japanimation,” are loved all over the world.

The circle of sup-

Flames shooting from the Kyo-Ani building

The Brink of Impeachment

by Tad Koenigsbauer ’20

October 11, 2019

congressional colleagues would begin the process of drawing up articles of impeachment against the President. The President has not stayed quiet on this front, going as far as to call the inquiry an attempted coup.

Before coming to any conclusions, it is important to know what impeachment actually is.

Defined in the Constitution’s Article II Section 4, “The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

Impeachment passes through the Legislative branch of the government, first through Congress, who will vote

funds to aid Ukraine, and indicated he would turn the funds to them in exchange for an investigation.

It has recently been revealed by NBC that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was listening in on the call. These reports came after Pompeo claimed he had no knowledge of the incident as it took place, a statement we now know to be false. The entire conversation has been released to the public, and the whistleblower has agreed to testify before Congress, which they have just now agreed to.

On September 24th, the Speaker of the House came forward and stated that after months of waiting, she and her

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port for Kyo-Ani is also spreading. “Sentai Film Works,” an American anime distribution company that distributes Japanese anime works such as KyoAni overseas, ran a crowdfunding campaign this past summer to support the studio. About 69,000 people pitched in, and total donations reached about $2.37 million.

Yet despite the amount of support, Kyoto Animation, an SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) supported by craftsmanship at home, is facing a crisis of business suspension. The valuable talent and ability we have lost in the arson can never be restored.

For now, the most we can do is pray for the survivors’ safety and the recovery of Kyo-Ani.

BBC

for impeachment based on a majority, and then through the Senate, in which there will be a formal trial, and the Senators will vote to remove then President from office based on a two thirds majority. While the Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives, they lack one in the Senate and require a supermajority of sixty seven senators to vote in favor of impeachment. Of the current one hundred people serving in the United States Senate, only forty five of them are Democrats.

I encourage all of the students of Berkshire to pay close attention to this, as the following weeks and months could have drastic effects on the upcoming 2020 Presidential election, and the

legacy of the early twenty first century. I would also encourage you all to bring this up in conversations in your classes, or in dorms, or at meals.

If you are already having these conversations, it is important to remember that just because you have a certain opinion of politics, that does not mean it is the only one that is legitimate. Every argument needs to be heard, even if you disagree with it.

I would actually encourage you to listen to sources that you don’t normally agree with, as they can help you understand a different perspective regarding this debate.

These next few weeks will be controversial, but if handled with civility and cool heads, they could become incredibly informative.

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

GLOBAL NEWS BRIEF

by Andrii Roman ’20

Israel

Hong Kong

Clashes between police forces and anti-government protesters continued as Hong Kong marked the 16th successive weekend of political unrest. With protests reaching a fever pitch ahead of the anniversary of the founding of the Communist People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong protesters seemed set on defying a Beijing-marked celebration on their calendars. On Sunday, September 15th, radical protesters hurled

gasoline bombs at government offices in central Hong Kong, after a peaceful march by thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators turned into clouds of tear gas and water cannons deployed by police forces.

As the week followed, anti-government protests intensified with police and demonstrators turning yet again to gasoline bombs on Saturday, September 21st. On October 2nd, a student protester was shot, a shocking escalation

of events. Demanding full democracy and inquiries into police actions, the protesters weren’t fully satisfied even after city leader Carrie Lam finally agreed to suspend the bill, allowing for extraditions to mainland China. Hong Kong remains in a state of turmoil as clashes between police and activists have been becoming increasingly violent with no apparent solution to peace present.

The Israeli Parliament, currently without a government elections past, how to deal with the Palestinians and their lands, have faded in the absence of progress toward a negotiated peace.

So instead the focus shifted to domestic matters.

For now, Mr. Netanyahu has been given just weeks

to form a government. If not, then Mr. Gantz will have the same opportunity. The long reign of Mr. Netanyahu, also known popularly as Bibi, seems to be coming to an end.

Ukraine san pressure from Congress, it remains unclear whether Trump manipulated foreign policy in order to receive personal political gain in the 2020 election campaign. Much was at stake in the delayed military assistance. More than 13,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Ukraine’s five-year war with Rus-

sian-backed separatists, Europe’s only active military conflict. Yet, the Ukrainian President, Mr. Zelenskyi, did not want to be seen as taking sides in the United States politics, allegedly rebuffing the requests from American officials. Since the allegations came to light, Zelenskyi has also faced calls for a corruption inquiry.

Unsplash

The Ukrainian government has been wrestling with serious political pressure coming from President Trump and Mr. Giuliani, the former’s personal lawyer. As a secret whistle-blower complaint unveiled their findings in the American intelligence community, it has come to attention that two men pressed senior Ukrainian officials to pursue an investigation into Ukrainian dealings of Trump’s political opponents, including former Vice President Joseph Biden and his family. The political demands of Mr. Trump coincided with his administration’s decision to hold up $250 million in security aid to Ukraine over this summer.

Although the American president agreed to release the money this month after coming under biparti-

Canada Joseph Costa, Unsplash 2019

As the country prepares for an upcoming election (October 21st), new information surfaced, potentially throwing the acting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s campaign into turmoil. On Wednesday, a series of photographs were released by the press, showing Trudeau wearing brownface makeup at a 2001 private school party.

Back then, Trudeau, a 29-year-old teacher, was attending an “Arabian Nights” themed costume gala at the West Point Grey Academy in Vancouver, British Columbia, according to Time magazine, which published the image. Mr. Trudeau later confirmed the authenticity of the images, commenting that “This is something I shouldn’t have done many years ago. It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time, but now I recognize it was something racist to do, and I am deeply sorry.”

The images raised a series of questions about PM’s true character and his rather progressive record in office. Is Trudeau who he says he is?

Rafael Nir via Unsplash

Darran Shen

A protestor looks at a wall of sticky notes, all bearing pro-Hong Kong messages.

Israeli voters went to the polls on Tuesday for the second time in five months. The results aren’t certain, but it is clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to gain the support he had hoped for. As expected, neither Mr. Netanyahu nor his main rival, the former army chief Benny Gantz, a centrist, won enough votes to claim an outright majority in the Israeli Parliament. Crucially, neither seems to have a straightforward path to forming a governing coalition with at least 61 of the 120 lawmakers in Parliament.

The results confirmed that the classic issues of Israeli

President Trump, who is at the center of the House Impeachment Inquiry

Iran On Friday, American President Trump announced a new series of sanctions on Iran, targeting the country’s national bank and intensifying economic pressure on the country.

The new round of sanctions came after a terrorist attack on Saudi Arabian oil fields, for which the president’s national security advisers blame Iran. Commenting on the Iranian economy, President Trump claimed, “It’s going to hell. They’re practically broke. They are broke.”

Last week, on Saturday, Saudi Aramco (the country’s biggest oil producer) was brutally attacked,

Canadian Prime Minister Justrin Trudeau at a Pride March in 2018

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which cut worldwide oil production, left two of the kingdom’s most vital facilities smoldering, and exposed failures by the Saudis and their American allies in detecting an incoming aerial assault.

Oil Fields in Iran

The attack also prompted fears of escalating tensions between all the actors involved, yet the open retaliation remains an unlikely option as briefed

by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Chris Liverani, Unsplash

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

by Megan Mokriski ’21 “Women should have the right to make as much trouble, to be as disruptive, as funny, as loud, as innovative, as angry, as wild as we can be, and as any man would ever dare,” said Gina Barreca, in an interview after her allschool speech at Berkshire this weekend.

As a best-selling author of many books such as Babes in Boyland: A Personal History of Coeducation in the Ivy League and one of the first women ever to attend Dartmouth, Barreca had many tales to tell about her experiences “as a woman.” Even those quotation marks have a story behind them.

At first, Barreca was offended when one of her college professors asked her to answer every question “as a woman,” because she wanted to be seen as an equal, but over time she realized that she

Berkshire School

Exclusive Interview with Speaker Gina Barreca should be proud of her identity because she really was living her life as a woman. She wanted every woman and girl in the audience to remember was that they should be proud to be women. It’s not an insult; it should be taken as a compliment.

One comment that I heard repeated countless times in the days following Barreca’s speech was on her use of humor to get her message across; students were struck by her creativity and her ability to connect to everyone.

She explained that she was tired of having to explain herself to people constantly, and of having to apologize for her opinions. When she used humor, she found that even if it was only for a second, people could see her side, and that shared moment connected them.

She also wanted to be able to say outright what she meant and not have to

A Deeper Look:

Berkshire Prefects

Mrs. Gina Barreca presenting at Berkshire School worry about what people it is time for women who thought about her. play off of their strengths, She told me that being rather than their weakhonest and straightfornesses, to be celebrated. ward didn’t mean that she When asked what she thought was the biggest “stopped being nice,” but rather that “it was time challenge for coeducation to take responsibility for in schools like Berkshire what I believed in and was and Dartmouth, Barreca responded that it is time good at.” She believes that

Christina Tao

Interview with Mr. Urmston on the Old Astronomy Course astronaut for NASA which accepted 12 of its 18,300 applicants in 2016. This will be the last time he is able to apply because of their age restrictions.

by Jackson Chapin ’20 Mr. Ben Urmston, who teaches engineering and aviation science this year, accepted an interview about the astronomy class he used to teach at Berkshire. This December he will apply to be an

Mia Lake on Duty in Mac with Mrs. Alindato

by Christina Tao ’21 Berkshire School provides various opportunities of leadership roles for students to take on great responsibilities–being a prefect is one of them. Helping students to be comfortable living on campus, prefects help provide a safe environment for students to thrive and challenge their potentials.

In order to build a more representative and inclusive community, prefects are also accountable liaisons between the student body and the faculty.

Mia Lake ’20, the prefect of Mac, and Giang Le ’20, Head Prefect, share their experiences so far and give advice on how to become a stronger leader.

Green and Gray: Please introduce yourself Mia Lake: Hi, I’m Mia Lake. I am a dual citizen of America and Jamaica. I have lived in Jamaica my whole life, which is a third world country, so I have learnt to appreciate things that most people wouldn’t because of where I come from.

Giang Le: My name is Giang. I am from Vietnam. Some of my interests are music and tennis.

G&G: What motivated you to become a prefect?

ML: What motivated me the most was prefects in the past who I looked up to. I saw how they created a positive environment and a community. I want to be someone like that before I graduate.

Green and Gray: What was the curriculum of the astronomy course like?

G&G: What personal experiences have helped you become a better leader?

GL: Aside from holding leadership positions before, I think one experience that helps me the most is being a Ursa Minor captain because I figured out how to work with other students from all grades and trying to get them to perform together. In some way, that is my role as a prefect as well.

G&G: Do you have a different perspective of school when you become a prefect?

GL: Definitely. I think that as a prefect, I become more aware of the issues that might arise at school and start noticing some of the smallest details.

G&G: What are you planning to bring to the community?

ML: First, I plan on getting to know everyone in my dorm and helping them out whenever they need someone to talk to. For the greater community, I want to establish deeper connections with faculty and staff and be a bridge, making sure that everyone has their voice heard.

GL: Working with the student council for the past three weeks has been really eye-opening for me because we have discussed a lot about low-hanging fruit stuff that we need to change right away and the bigger issues that are going on. For example, we are trying to get a Shawn’s schedule going or just trying to make Saturday activities more engaging and fun for the students.

Our essential goals are to make our community stronger, try to include everyone, and have a better representation of the diversity of thoughts at Berkshire.

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to “move past the idea that simple numbers of women on a campus are going to establish any kind of genuine equity.”

The work is not done yet.

We need to give both genders a voice and have an open discussion about the issue, and the all-

school read and this talk were a step towards that direction.

Both We Should All Be Feminists and Gina Barreca’s speech boil down to one simple statement: “feminism is that radical belief that all genders are equal human beings.”

Mr. Urmston: We focused on topics applicable to everyday life on Earth. This included identifying constellations and stars to determine north and south.

We didn’t focus as much on the outer cosmos. I have often had to use the stars as my compass while on sailing expeditions.

G&G: Why did the class discontinue?

BU: Lots of students signed up, but it died out because engineering stole its interest.

G&G: When you taught, did you use the observatory?

BU: No. When I taught, the observatory was under construction. Also, the observatory is a very difficult tool to operate. It takes a full-fledged astronomer to operate the whole observatory. This year I plan to open up the observatory on clear nights to quench students’ thirst for the cosmos.

G&G: Did you have night classes?

BU: Yes. We met once a week from 8-9 at night to look at constellations and star maps.

G&G: What was the most fun part?

BU: The weather balloon.

This is a day trip where we release a balloon high into the sky and let the weather lead it away from Berkshire. We then get into a van and track it down.

Hooksett New Hampshire, which is 3.5 hours northeast by car, is the furthest it has ever gone. I plan to organize another weather balloon adventure this year.

Mr. Urmston says that if enough interest returns, astronomy could become an elective once again.

Until then, look out for the potential observatory opening and weather balloon quest.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity,

G&G: What advice would you give to students who want to run for prefect next year?

ML: This is a hard one. If there is one bit of advice that I would give, it is definitely just be your true self. When it comes to the application process, write about what really matters to you and how you really like to give back to the community. Take everything seriously and understand that even if you aren’t elected as a prefect, no matter what leadership role you have, you are still just as important as anyone else. Basically, be a great person on campus. People will see that and you will make it work!

GL: I would say it is to just be yourself. When it comes to the prefect application, if that is not who you are and what you’re passionate about, then that’s not a good fit for you. There are other opportunities and leadership positions you can take on that are also taken seriously here and we all work together as student council. So, no position is “lesser.” Go for what you are passionate about!

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

NEW @ BERKSHIRE Erin Lyman, Director of College Counselling

by Olivia Mirabito ’22 Erin Lyman recently joined Berkshire’s College Counseling office as the Director of College Counseling. Prior to her position at Berkshire, she worked in both college counseling and admissions for almost twenty years. She was attracted to Berkshire through the leadership opportunity that the position offers. She has spent time at schools such as Northfield Mount Hermon School, of which she is an alum, the Groton School, the University of Vermont, and Columbia University.

During her few weeks here at Berkshire, she has

felt “completely welcomed by everyone. By the administration, by my new colleagues, every adult in the office, and finally in the last couple weeks students have arrived and the students that know that I’m new to the community have welcomed me.” Her first impression of Berkshire was that it is a friendly and kind place, an impression that she has confirmed to be a genuine feeling as her time here continues.

As a people person, Lyman is extremely excited to be working with a new set of colleagues, and to work under Mr. Mulder and Mrs. Maher, who she really respects. She has also been enjoying working with her group of seniors, who she credits as “well prepared after working hard over the summer. Students seem to have a diversity of interests in schools that they’re excited to move onto after Berkshire.” She

Explore East Asia with RG Meade

by Remy Bond ’22 and Julia Kurth ’20 Mr. RG Meade is a history teacher at Berkshire School, and this year he is reintroducing the course Modern East Asia. This course was last taught in 2008 and is now available to students again because of the increasingly prominent role that East Asia plays in our world today.

Meade has always had a strong passion for learning about the intricate dynamic that the United States has with Asia. He explained in an interview how ten years ago, the United States was allied with most of Asia and working toward a positive relationship with China, whereas now, relationships between among the countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea, are much more contentious.

Our school is so lucky to have such a passionate and qualified teacher share his vast knowledge with our students at Berkshire.

Meade focused his graduate studies on the culture, philosophy, and religion of East Asia. As a member of the Peace Corps, he also spent time serving in Korea.

When asked about why he enjoys teaching this

class so much, Meade mentioned that “Chinese culture happens to be one of the oldest in the world.”

Meade likes the smaller class size but wants to expand the program in the future to include more students. Meade does, however, want to utilize this small class size to conduct excursions outside of the classroom that he can integrate into the subject.

When asked what sparked his interests in Modern Asian Studies, Meade said it was the fact that he had not had exposure to the subject prior to college. “When I was in school,” he said, “we learned mainly about the United States and marginally Europe. I learned even less about Asia, but what I did learn sparked my interest immensely. It’s also the time I decided I wanted to be a history teacher.”

Meade has spoken Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and German in his past years; his son is currently teaching English at a school in southwest China. Meade’s students have expressed immense interest in the course, and based on this year’s response, there will most likely be even more participants in upcoming years.

October 11, 2019

Akilah Edgerton, Dean of Diversity and Inclusion

has loved being able to put faces to names, understand why they chose to spend their high school years at Berkshire, and to actually sit down at a table to delve into her students’ college processes.

Says Darran Shen ’20, “Mrs. Lyman is a great addition to the Berkshire community. She’s been a great help to my college applications and has given me invaluable advice and ideas. I look forward to working with her more throughout the fall.”

In her free time, she enjoys caring for her 8-month-old baby, Ernie, and new mom, Lyman, and her husband have spent a lot of time learning how to be parents.

She also loves hiking and running, and she will help coach the track team this spring. She will do a lot of traveling while visiting college campuses to find other universities for Berkshire students. She has been enjoying her experience on campus, and cannot wait for what is to come!

by Sofie Fisher ’21 As a graduate from Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Akilah Edgerton already had the proper knowledge of life at a boarding school. With her past experience in this atmosphere, it is clear that her work at Berkshire will be out of understanding and patience.

After high school, Edgerton went on to claim a major in social work and a certificate in global studies, graduating in the top 15% in her class at North Carolina Agricultural and Tactical State University.

As the “one and only” black female at her middle school, Edgerton was never introduced to a diverse community such as the one found at Berkshire School today. Without an inclusive environment, Edgerton experienced racism and discrimination during her early life.

Responding to a ques-

tion regarding how her experience was at the beginning of her educational career, Edgerton replied that “to see everything that was happening, it was appalling, it was eye-opening, and I could not just sit silent and allow students to be discriminated against, because if I sat silent, that meant that I was okay with what was happening.”

With her inside knowledge of what inclusion should look like and feel like, Edgerton strives to share it with the rest of our community today.

Currently, Edgerton’s main goals at Berkshire are to closely work with the affinity groups found on campus, act as a support system for others, and build long term relationships with students and faculty.

Edgerton’s transition from working at Miss Hall’s School to Berkshire has been a successful shift so far. Responding to the question, “How are you currently enjoying it here,” she replied, “It feels like this is a community, and I am a part of it.”

Brooke Depelteau, Dean of Academics

by Peggy Stansbery ’20 Brooke Depelteau, also known as Mrs. D, is the new Dean of Academics at Berkshire School, as well as a third form English teacher. She lives on campus with her husband Jeff Depelteau, who is Berkshire’s Director of Summer Programming and a boys basketball coach, and her two sons, Max, age 9, and Bryson, age 5.

Before Berkshire, Depelteau worked as a Dean of Academics and English teacher at Christ School, a boarding and day school in North Carolina, and at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.

Additionally, Depelteau worked at Rabun Gap School, a boarding and day school in Georgia, where she grew up and met her husband.

A New Class for a New Era

by Nicky Finn ’21 Programming is becoming more and more common in this day and age, where computers are completing complex equations and helping people access more and more.

Specifically, here at Berkshire, there is a brand new class that is teaching students how to be a part of the programming move-

5

Depelteau ended up at Berkshire because of her high school chemistry teacher, Bob Brigham.

Not only was Brigham her teacher, but he also hired her to work at Rabun Gap, and he used to teach and coach at Berkshire. In fact, Berkshire’s ski league is named after Brigham and he currently lives in the area.

When Brigham heard of the opening for the posi-

tion of Dean of Academics at Berkshire, he informed Depelteau of the position, thinking she would be a great fit. Depelteau was interested, applied for the job, and now is the current Dean of Academics at Berkshire.

To Depelteau, the position is “a role where you oversee the academic program and guide it; it is also a role where it’s important to connect with teachers and students and figure out academically what the needs of the school are.”

As Depelteau is settling in to the Berkshire community, she has been working to figure out what her specific goals are as

ment. The class, taught

by Ms. Mendez Kennedy, will teach students critical thinking skills that will help them excel in not just the programming field, but at anything during their lives at Berkshire and beyond.

This class is very important to the Berkshire School community and for those looking at Berkshire.

It shows that Berkshire is a proactive and modernising school and willing to add new classes to prepare us students once we graduate.

The class will begin with the basics such as what a

computer is, how it works, and the parts of the computer. Right now, students are learning what certain parts do.

To show how much they understand students have been asked to make a project on Scratch, an open source programming software created by MIT. The project will show computer components and inform users of their purpose and where they are located on a computer.

The class will focus on both individual and group projects; these will compel students to use

It is important to remember that Akilah Edgerton will not only contribute as a faculty member but as a friend.

Edgerton has established that her doors are always open, and she hopes that people will follow her own personal core value of “always be yourself.”

Outside of her role as the Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, she hopes that both students and faculty willingly come to her with whatever problems may arise. It is important to Edgerton that she can be an ally for people who feel as though they don’t have a voice. She also believes that the best atmosphere comes from a place where people can be their authentic selves, whatever that means to them.

As a final message to our school, Akilah Edgerton wants the Berkshire community to know that she has a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and she is looking forward to working with this school. Thank you Ms. Akilah Edgerton, and welcome to Berkshire School. the Dean of Academics.

However, right now, her main goal is to get to know the community.

When asked what she thought needed to be changed in terms of Berkshire’s academic program, Depleteau expressed her opinion that “Berkshire is not a school desperately in need of change. It is less about changing and more about building upon what is already there, and not being stagnant.”

One thing that has impressed Depleteau about Berkshire is the teachers. She believes they are all fantastic, passionate teachers who have diverse backgrounds.

Depleteau is excited to be a part of Berkshire’s community and looks forward to getting to know the school better. problem-solving skills to complete projects such as proposing app designs that could solve real-life problems.

Later on in the semester, students will also learn how to code in Python, a more complex language that is used for everything from websites to the development of applications.

With the outside world changing it is great to see the Berkshire is changing with it. Adding such forward-thinking classes that will help students excel in this ever changing world we all live in.

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

Sitting Down with Berkshire’s Headmaster: Pieter Mulder

by William Warlick ’20 Hello, my name is William Warlick. A few weeks into the school year I took some time to sit down with Berkshire

School’s Head of School, Pieter Mulder. We had a great chat about what he is doing and the future of the school — where we were, where we are, and where we’re going.

Green and Gray: Mr. Mulder, I know that you are often busy, but what do you love to do in your free time?

Pieter Mulder: I love to be outside — I would like to be outside more — but when I’m outside I spend a lot of my time trail running or biking on the great southern Berkshire country roads. I also spend a lot of time chasing our young son around, taking him to his sports games and practices. I believe our school is blessed with such a beautiful setting, and I like to take advantage of that.

G&G: I saw you at the chess club yesterday playing a tight game against Mike Lewishall, in what other ways do you keep in touch with the student body?

PM: The chess club is not only a place I like to stay in touch with students, but it is also something I really enjoy during Wednesday night dinners. I applaud the excellent work of Matthew McGlinksy to get people involved in such a great game.

Outside of chess, I really enjoy my weekly Monday morning breakfast with our two Head Prefects, our two All School Presidents, and our two Sixth Form Class Presidents: Giang, Manny, Gigi, Nate, Aimi, and Dan. While this is one of the more formal ways I keep in touch with the student body, I also particularly enjoy bouncing around classes, especially our art classrooms, AMSR lab, and engineering spaces.

You can also find me out with the student body supporting our athletics. Yesterday I was out on the fields and watched our girls’ JV field hockey send Deerfield home unhappy with a 4-1 win for the first time in a long time. On most mornings, I welcome the student body into Berkshire Hall, just as I did this morning.

I try to be a presence across campus, be it during the weekend or in the dining hall. I try to reach out to connect with students because I think we are that type of school.

G&G: What new challenges do you face as a head of school that you didn’t at the beginning of your career at Berkshire?

PM: While many concerns as a head of school stay the same, I think school in the past decade has had to tackle a whole new set of issues. A big one is the challenges of welcoming, in an intentional and inclusive way,

students and adults from all over the world; helping us all to live well together even as the rest of the world beyond Berkshire seems to be making it harder for us to do that well here. It is a challenge here at Berkshire, but something I think we are excited to take on, primarily when our students lead it. Living well together is an important challenge each year, but when done well it is our greatest strength as a school.

Among other challenges facing the school, the world is asking all of our students to specialize. You and your friends are asked to pick your interest and passions at an earlier and earlier age, and I wish you had a little longer to explore before defining yourself. Some of this is related to generational pressure around the college process. So I think our efforts to allow you to be excellent but also to define yourself in broadly-defined ways is an important challenge.

G&G: Kind, Brave, and Bold; you wanted these words as one’s students to remember throughout the year, what drew you to them?

PM: The simplicity is what drew them to me. I hoped to deliver a message that was easily understood by all and a message that could transcend Berkshire — so that it is not only limited to our time at Berkshire but speaks to what it means to be a good human.

Looking back to my time at Berkshire, it seems that the moments when we aren’t at our best is when we are not these three words — when weren’t kind, or when we have been safe but not brave. I have always liked the word bold. I believe it fits the Berkshire community. We are full of people with all sorts of talents, experiences, and perspectives; they should think of themselves as ambitious, daring, creative, and passionate people.

Finally, I like to think of kindness as the most important virtue, because when students are kind to each other, everyone feels it. When people act as themselves, when they are their best selves, kindness, bravery, and boldness all seem to fall into place.

G&G: 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of coeducation at Berkshire. What does coeducation mean to you?

PM: It means gender equality at Berkshire. Berkshire today is much different compared to 1969; we need to remember that while there has been a lot of work done since then, a lot remains in 2019. The work is, in some cases, the same, in some instances, very different. I hope as we move forward, we can all engage with the difficult questions we are now tasked with answering if we are to be our strongest school and community.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity

October 11, 2019

A Glimpse Into Berkshire A Capella

by Chris Branch ’20 Berkshire’s bustling music program is one of the many centers for both social life and academic enrichment here on campus. The music center is ever ebbing and flowing with an array of cheerful faces, the throng of various instruments, and, of course, the hearty blast of singing voices.

There are three main organized singing groups on campus: the Berkshire Chorus, Ursa Minor (an all female a capella group), and Greensleeves (the male counterpart of the former). The latter two groups are the subject of this article.

Greensleeves has three leaders or “heads”: Logan Renneker ’20, Luke Nyguen ’21, and me. The group, as of this year, is a promising one, with the audition held three weeks ago bringing in a gaggle of talented singers, seven to be exact, who are quickly finding their place as we ready our first song, Uncle Kracker’s Follow Me, for the upcoming winter concert.

Greensleeves holds a strong legacy of dignity, elegance, and a hearty dose of fun, which its current members are eager to uphold. Recently, Greensleeves and Ursa Minor were asked to play

a role in Berkshire’s recent production of a new introductional video for its YouTube channel. Each group was filmed singing their chosen repertoire to the film crew that was present on campus for the past several days. Both renditions went without hiccups, and everyone left the session with an air of satisfaction that all good recording sessions should evoke.

On the topic of Ursa Minor, they also have a new crew of talented singers that bode well for their upcoming performances.

Ursa captain, Giang Le ’20, who also happens to be the head prefect here at Berkshire, has been working tirelessly to train the five new recruits and to welcome the returners with fantastic success. Says Aimi Sekiguchi ’20, one of those new recruits, “A highlight of Ursa Minor practices has been “improv” time where we just naturally harmonize or add variation to beats to create an impromptu a capella piece.”

They have, so far, learned two songs, Alicia Keys’ Girl on Fire and Wings by Little Mix, both of which they performed with professional grace at the most recent Berkshire Trustee dinner, earning a standing ovation and fully exemplifying the dinner’s

Bears Teach Bears: PRO VITA 2020

by Harrison Chapin ’20 Every spring, Berkshire Bears take a week off from the regular school schedule to partake in Pro Vita, a signature program where students and faculty teach and take classes about anything they are interested in. The possibilities are endless: build a model of Berkshire’s campus using only lego bricks, learn to play the sport of curling, and get to know faculty pets by becoming a trained dog walker. As our motto suggests, we learn “not just for school, but for life.” The Pro Vita curriculum this year will also include seven off-campus trips around the world (contact danselmi@berkshireschool.org if interested) and the Allen Theatre activity series. Here is an early look at some of the classes your classmates and teachers will be offering.

Instructors: Michelle Wang ’20, Aimi Sekiguchi ’20, and Mr. Meade Title: Rice to Meet You America!–CelebrAsian of Eastern Cuisine Traditional Chinese and Japanese cuisine strongly reflects cultural beliefs, values, and attitudes towards food. Interestingly, with its increasing popularity in the United States, original adaptations were added, diverging into unique dishes. By visiting an Asian market, cooking traditional and modified recipes, and interviewing local Asian restaurants, this course will compare modern Chinese and Japanese foods in their original country and in the United States. Interested in Boba tea, sushi rolls, stir-fried pork, or Chinese and Japanese snacks? Taste and learn!

Instructor: Susie Norris ’79 Title: Bread, Butter, Sustainable Foodways: Baking Pro Vita Ever wonder where bread comes from in the Berkshires? In this course, we’ll discover local wheat and bakeries; we’ll learn to knead, bake, and taste thoughtfully; we’ll question why bread became a corporate commodity and talk about where we go from here. We will explore some food history, discuss the corporate food system vs. sustainable agriculture, visit an awardwinning bakery (and/or a sustainable farm), catch a scary documentary about factory farms, and read/discuss food policy. Our finale will be the official Berkshire Cookie Bake-Off. Instructor: Clay Splawn Title: Video Games: History, Ethics, Possibilities In video games, the simplicity of Pong has given way to realistic, open-world environments where players -- through their characters on-screen and online -- can engage in very human behaviors. These behaviors range from kind and generous to murderous and savage. How did we get here? And what does it all mean for the humans on the business end of the controller? This course will engage students around the history of video games (we’ll play some of the all-time greats), the ethical implications of video games (both for players and manufacturers), and consider where they will go.

6

Instructors: Wakaba Aihara ’22 and Kate Taccone Title: Introduction to Digital Animation: Get Imaginations Out of Your Head Using the new Timeline function in Adobe Photoshop CC, we will create hand-drawn animation. Students will learn how to make their own gifs and short animations from original drawings. Know the principles of animation and make your one and only short animation in the world!!

Instructor: Patrick Donovan Title: We Are On Native Land… Stolen Land Two years ago, guest speaker Gyasi Ross, a Blackfeet author, attorney, rapper, speaker, and storyteller asked Berkshire School to consider what our “moral debt” is to Native, Indigenous, and Indian people who lived on this land for thousands of years before settler colonization.

The Mohican people who did live on this land are still thriving today on sovereign lands in Wisconsin. Onondaga, Schaghticoke, and other first nations also steward lands within a 45-minute drive of Berkshire School.

This class will work to deepen understandings of the ongoing impacts of settler-colonization, introduce reflective practices that might aid in deeper understandings of our relationships to this land and its history, and ultimately build relationships with native, indigenous, and First Nations communities local to the Sheffield area.

Editor’s Note: The above classes are still going through the vetting process, and have yet to be officially approved for Pro Vita 2020.

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

ARTS Behind the Scenes of Naturally Curious: Dahari and Sayler’s Journey through the Berkshires Greensleeves at rehearsal theme of the school’s fiftieth year of co-education.

It was a night the trustees will be hard pressed to forget.

In regards to the future, Greensleeves is currently going through the process of choosing their next piece for after the Winter Concert through a group vote. The most I can say about this is that all of the options are phenomenal, and I have full confidence that my fellow singers will be perfectly apt at learning whatever song we choose. Additionally, a mini-audition process for our current song’s solo is now underway, and we all await its results eagerly.

In essence, Berkshire A Capella has and always will be something that promotes the utmost unity among its members and

Matea Beadle the community around it. The bonding that has already taken place among the new members of Greensleeves and Ursa Minor is a testament to the power that the group has.

As of now, we all eagerly await the Winter Concert when parents and students alike come to enjoy the wonderful, captivating music that always seems to leave the school in a pleasant daze for the days proceeding it.

Of course, the programs would not exist as they do now without the expert guidance and leadership of Dr. Wu and Dr. Davis.

These seasoned teachers never fail to bring together the ensembles and music that make Berkshire what it is, and for that, we are forever grateful.

landscape paintings whenever she visited museums, but a few years ago, when The Warren Gallery she took the studio art added a spark to our students on a field trip school year with the works of familiar names–– to the Clark Museum, she was stunned by the Naturally Curious is a impressionist collections. joint exhibition of two This inspired her to create Berkshire faculty memher own. bers: Dom Sayler and From then on, it was Brandi Dahari.

The two began working a daunting journey for Dahari to bring her easel together two years ago. around various sites.

They would show each Looking like “a real artist,” other their pieces as they people would stop to worked towards a common theme. Their works capture everything from small critters in the wild to grand landscapes of the mountain, showing us the beauty in stopping to take a closer look at the environment around us.

For Dahari, this was the first time she extensively explored landscape painting. She has always loved

by Aimi Sekiguchi ’20

Tad Koenigsbauer

by Tad Koenigsbauer ’20 Under the mountain this fall, the Berkshire theater crew is putting on a production of Nickel and Dimed, a play that is adapted from a book of the same title.

Insightful, compelling, and thought provoking, the show follows a journalist named Barbara Ehrenreich, who is attempting to learn more about working class Americans.

She assimilates into min-

imum wage jobs in the rural United States, and tries to see if she can live off her wages alone for a month at a time in three separate states: Florida, Maine, and Minnesota.

Along the way, Barbara makes connections with workers she meets in her respective jobs, and gets an up close and personal understanding of what many minimum wage workers experience. She finds all of her jobs to be truly back-breaking,

and barely manages to get by, but is able to expose the flaws of a society that values profit over labor conditions.

The realness of Nickel and Dimed is what makes it a compelling play, and it presents a side of America that many of the country’s wealthy don’t see or completely understand. Nickel and Dimed is a story that may be difficult for many to watch, but ultimately it presents a narrative of America that must be heard and understood.

Nickel and Dimed has been a blessing for the theater department, because exploring the message of the play has helped the cast better understand the play’s subject matter, and discover why it is an important story to tell.

According to director

Jesse Howard, “Our hope in doing this production is to explore and question the validity of Barbara Ehrenreich’s experiment.

Is this a useful walk in another person’s shoes? Or just an exercise in privilege? We hope that this play can inspire conversations in the community about an aspect of diversity that could use some air time: class.”

Mr. Howard has made a distinguished effort to explore the ambiguity of Barbara’s actions and the realities of poverty with the cast, with meaningful results. According to cast member Leo Yang ’22, “I feel like this is a play that has a very profound social meaning that we would like to take on, and we would like to try our best to show it to our community.”

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Tad Koenigsbauer

Sociopolitical Awareness through Art

Clem 2017, Digital photograph by Dom Sayler

Our little House Wren, acrylic on canvas by Brandi Dahari

Cast of Nickel and Dimed celebrate the first full read through of the script

FALL THEATER:

talk to her or watch her paint. Dahari explains that the Berkshires have been “a mecca for artists of all different genres for hundreds of years.” It’s not only the views and the mountains but also these organic conversations and interactions that make the Berkshires a special place.

When Sayler and Dahari discussed the exhibition, Dahari saw Sayler’s photographs of frogs, flowers, and other individual

subjects and was inspired to make some portraits of her own.

In her portraits, each little critter has its own story. The butterflies in Butterflies in the Garden were based on photos of monarchs that her daughter had taken in their garden.

The wren of Our little House Wren was an unexpected surprise––had she nested in a birdhouse Dahari placed on her deck for decoration. The wren laid eggs and raised her nestlings; Dahari enjoyed observing her new neighbor.

For Sayler, the accumulation of his three years of work capture the many landscapes and creatures that he worked for. He would imagine a certain look or a creature in mind and set out on the mountain at specific times of the day for the best lighting.

His diligent efforts can clearly be seen in Clem.

This one photograph of a nocturnal frog was a result of over 200 photos, taken over the course of five hours.

Sayler has always been interested in identifying species native to our mountain. As he pursued photography, Sayler was then able to bring that passion into his photos, bringing the hidden world of animals and insects into our own Warren Family Gallery.

Naturally Curious is on display until October 26th.

In the midst of our whirlwind fall quarter, find some peace and wonder by visiting the exhibit, and see, through Sayler and Dahari’s eyes, the moving details of nature.

Fall theater cast at rehearsal Aside from the complex subject matter, another unique aspect of the play is how many actors are playing at least three or four roles. Having to rehearse for multiple roles in the same play presents an obvious challenge, but it allows each of the cast members to see the story

from different points of view.

Nickel and Dimed will be on in Allen Theater on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd, so make sure to mark your calendars, and be prepared to see the United States in a different light.

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

SPORTS

Chill or Pro? A Glance At the New RKMP Programs

The “Beauties” of Boys Thirds Soccer Looking Forward to the Fall Season

by John Fiore ’21

Hotchkiss School

Bowen Kittridge ’21 racing at Hotchkiss.

by Leo Yang ’22

Goldthwaite ’22, a twoyear participant in Fall Watch, said that he likes the program because it’s enjoyable to hike in the outdoors while talking with friends.

The Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program is marked as a signature program of Berkshire School. Its purpose has always been to “provide a chance for those who are looking to experience life in the outdoors for the first time, and for those who know they love the woods and waters and who want to spend more time out in them.”

The new RKMP has definitely inherited this purpose while taking its commitments to a higher level. It encourages its participants to get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves. With state-of-the-art facilities and totally redesigned programs, RKMP is expecting more bears to join and enjoy unique experiences under and on the mountains.

Members of the current Thirds Soccer Team Hotchkiss School

The Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program is welcoming many widely anticipated revamps this fall.

Many new options are available for Bears eager to explore the mountains and nature. In the fall, RKMP not only offers Fall Watch, a familiar program for returning Bears, which includes daily hiking, canoeing and rock climbing in surrounding mountains, but also an independent mountain biking team led

by Coach Matthew Cartier and Jim Norton. RKMP also has Nordic skiing and woodworking in the winter and Spring Watch and a dedicated rock-climbing program in the spring.

The brand new mountain biking team, an independent branch of RKMP, is especially exciting. With seven current members, the mountain biking team is practicing professional mountain biking skills in the surrounding mountains every afternoon.

Every Saturday, the team participates in mountain biking races hosted by

other schools. Berkshire School is also building its own mountain biking trails and will host the first race in Mid-October.

Equipped with four more bikes, the program is becoming “more attractive for those who genuinely want to do mountain biking,’’ says Andrii Roman ’20, a member of the mountain biking team.

According to Norton, separating mountain biking as an independent branch of RKMP is to meet the desires of Bears who are dedicated to biking skill development and competitive races. The program asks for an equal amount of commitment as a varsity team from its participants, thus it expects those with true passion; on Wednesday, September 25, the team competed in its first ever race at Hotchkiss.

On the other end of the spectrum, Fall Watch offers more flexibility and versatility. Participants in Fall Watch are Bears who enjoy walking through nature and fostering skills in hiking, rock-climbing, canoeing, and more. Will

Berkshire Bears competing at the Hotchkiss race.

SHANNON KELLY -

Captain of the Varsity Volleyball Team 2019

by Victoria Gagas ’20 Shannon Kelly can be an imposing sight from across the volleyball net.

Tall, formidable, and possessing a wicked spike, she is the captain of the Varsity Volleyball team and a Writing Center Head this year. But for the Berkshire community, that appearance is often eclipsed by a friendly demeanor, as

she is known for her fiery spirit both in and out of school.

Shannon is from Darien, Connecticut, and has two younger siblings, Griffin and AJ. Rounding out the family is also a small, white, and fluffy dog named Teddy.

She says that she first got into volleyball in 8th grade because of her friends and that it seemed

role models for the rest of the team. I am looking forward to scoring more goals and having a successful season.”

In the next few weeks, the Berkshire Boys Thirds Soccer Team will be facing Suffield Academy over parents weekend (10/12) on the Field of Dreams.

After Parents Weekend, they will go on to face Indian Mountain School in a home/away series and Taft at home. Captain Byrne is ready for these games: “The odds may be against us, but this Thirds Soccer Program has never failed to leave everything they have out on the field to come out with a win.”

Be sure to go follow the Berkshire Boys Thirds Soccer on Instagram @berkshire3rdssoccer for news, highlights, and updates surrounding the team.

James Nemeth

Under the mountain, on the Field of Dreams, the Boys Thirds Soccer team is ready to kick off their 201920 season. Lead by captain Alex Byrne ’22 and rotating sophomore co-captains, the team is looking at a challenging schedule against some tough opponents ahead. In an exclusive interview, Alex stated, “Going into this season, we had many weeks of just practicing and working on our craft before our first actual game, and after a dominant performance against Kent I feel this team is ready to take on any challenges we face during this season.”

On Wednesday, September 25th, the men of Thirds defeated Kent’s Thirds team seven to zero that included goals from James Nemeth ’22, Tate Plamondon ’23 (3), Jamie McDonnell ’22 (2), and Pryor Sullivan ’22.

Just a week later, Thirds defeated Milbrook six to zero in another dominating match.

This season, the team is joined by new head coach Dr. John Hyland. Coach Hyland will join second-year assistant coach Mr. Dan Roe. This year, the two coaches have taken a different approach to this Thirds Soccer team. Not only have they been practicing their foot skills and

shooting, but they have also been focusing on rigorous cardio training. An oft-disliked staple of the Thirds Soccer team are the “Monday Rundays.” Per the name, the Bears may run anywhere from one to five miles on Mondays.

Always challenging, these days have proved to keep the team in shape for game days and practices.

Many new freshmen and sophomores have joined the mighty men of Thirds, and they have made an instant impact. Striker James Nemeth has had an easy transition from home onto the Field of Dreams: “It’s been a lot of fun. The beauties have been very welcoming to all the new kids on the team. The returning sophomores have stepped up as leaders and captains and have included the new sophomores as

like a fun sport; “My friend made me do a volleyball thing with her, and after that, I decided I really liked it and wanted to try out for it. It’s really funny though because I was so hesitant to go with my friend to the tryout but now I’m so grateful she supported me and pushed me to go.”

Shannon has been playing ever since, mainly for

Shannon Kelly playing in 2017 Chelsea Piers CC, a local club team. As part of the club, she practices twice a week and conditioning once a week. Tournaments take place once every oth-

8

er week. Despite the huge commitment, it hasn’t felt time-consuming or like a burden; “I love all my friends on the team and going to all of the tourna-

ments.”

When asked about her most notable moment in Berkshire volleyball, Shannon hardly skips a beat before diving into an end-of-season game in the 2018-19 season; “Last year, our team had this really exciting (and long) game at the end of our regular season. Winning this game made me realize how much I was going to miss the team and made us all eager for the next season to come.”

As for this year, the (continued on page 9)

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

(continued)

Flik Critique

by Basil Shillingford ’21

The ‘BIG BODY’Will Edell ’20

by Scott Soh ’22 Will Edell ’20 is a PG from the Centennial State, Colorado. Will joined us this fall to play lacrosse and football, two of the most popular sports in the States and is committed to Manhattan College Class of ’24. He lives in the Buck dormitory where he lives up to the motto of ‘big body,’ led by dorm parent Mr. Johnson ’09: doing your job, respecting each other, and communicating.

A lacrosse player since he could walk, he was influenced by his father, who was a lacrosse player himself. Will claims Tom Brady of the New England Patriots as his role model

because he has “a substantial endeavor.”

“Tom Brady is so consistent, and prepares more than everybody,” says Will.

Indeed, Tom Brady has inspired him to become a harder worker. Furthermore, Will’s favorite quote is “do your job” by the New England Patriots; clearly, Will is an ardent Patriots fan.

As for when game day rolls around? ‘All Talk’ by 3oh Black is Will’s pregame pump-up and Cliff Bars are his nourishment: “they are tasty and filling, but light.” He focuses on doing his job and paying attention to the details of the coaches’ instructions to relieve some pressure

Will Edell on the field, 2018 before the game; all Berk“He truly cares about all of shire athletes could take a his players on and off the page from Will’s book. field.” Coach Gallant has John Gallant, who is a successfully transmitted Men’s lacrosse assistant the passion and tenacity coach at the University for his goals, as he notes of Denver, is Will Edell’s that Will has a remarkable favorite coach. He demotivation of “being the scribes John Gallant as best.” an altruistic and affable Will holds much enthuperson, always involved in siasm for Berkshire sports his life and wanting the going into the Fall season. best for him. Will says, Although he doesn’t have

much experience with the New England league, the talented Bear athletes he has met here have him looking forward to this upcoming season. Best of luck to the new bear Will Edell ’20.

Editor’s Note: This Saturday, October 12, Varsity Football will play against Dexter Southfield at Berkshire at 2:30 pm.

OPINION relaxing. One feels like sitting down and enjoying something good to eat.

Lastly, the water section and coffee and tea section were moved into the walls next to each line, preventing students from building up in the center of the dining hall.

The upgrade to the dining hall created an extreme upgrade in quality of food, specifically meat.

The meats taste distinctly better, with the flavors standing strong along with newfound tenderness.

However, trimming more of the fat in foods such as the ribs would also make a large difference in the flavour of the meat.

Flik has of late consistently served good food that students enjoy; examples are the chicken nuggets/tenders, dumplings, pizza, and grilled cheese. Breakfast, however, could use some more improvements.

Food at Berkshire School is a necessity for students. While the upgrades this year have been a needed step forward, there is still room for improvement. Going to a boarding school with a high workload, stress can take a toll on students; but having good food is a key morale booster for the student body. These upgrades to the dining hall are greatly appreciated by the student body and we thank Berkshire for making it happen.

Mountain Day Roulette

fore a possible Mountain Day, students skip one or several assignments and take the risk of a zero in the gradebook for the prospect of another twenty-four hours without the work.

Now, you may be asking, “Isn’t the chance of a biannual Mountain Day on any given day extremely unlikely, and therefore the entire game unfruitful?” Well, the answer is a resounding yes. Mountain Day Roulette is based on a revolutionary high-risk, low-reward system that is perfect for the average highschooler.

“But isn’t the game impractical, and a source for more stress than it relieves?” In theory, yes.

In practice, also yes.

Far too often a game of Roulette can result in the Post-Roulette Scramble, a wave of panic that

by Chris Branch ’20

As the summer’s greens give way to autumn’s reds, browns, and yellows, anticipation builds for the first of our biannual Mountain Days. One of the Mondays or Thursdays of these upcoming months will be punctured by the freedom of an unhindered day up on the mountain.

Along with the returning excitement for Mountain Day comes the reappearance of a game that is a staple of these few weeks every year. It’s a game that students and teachers (we speculate) alike play. The game is called Mountain Day Roulette.

The basic idea of the game is to bet, so to speak, a homework assignment on the occurrence of Mountain Day. In other words, on a Sunday or Wednesday night be-

Berkshire School

Flik Dining has been the food service at Berkshire for multiple years. As time has passed, changes have been made to Flik’s menu, food quality, and dining hall atmosphere. All of these changes have been crucial towards developing the positive dining experience at Berkshire.

With the 2019/20 year beginning, Flik dining has gotten an upgrade. Last year the school made a push to upgrade Flik from two to four stars; with this upgrade came a redesign of the dinning hall. Before the upgrade there were two lines, one for seniors or faculty and staff, and one for everyone else.

Last year the food in the two lines were, for the most part, the same. Occasionally there would be secondary food options in the middle, but that was normally at dinner. The upgrade created three options, one at each line and one in the middle. These options came, as in years past, with the standard salad and sandwich bar.

The school removed parts of the wall and repainted it, giving the dining hall a much more open and enjoyable feeling. Walking into the dining hall this year felt much more pleasant and

Will Edell

volleyball team has seen a major turnover in the form of many new members of the team. One might thus characterize this season as a building year, but Shannon has no such qualms. She says, “I think it’s been incredibly positive so far, and we have a lot of good new additions to the team. We’ve cultivated a really good team dynamic.”

Indeed, the volleyball record insofar reflects this optimism. Last Saturday, October 5, Varsity Volleyball defeated Williston Northampton School three to one in a decisive victory.

And for any students who are thinking about trying out next year?

Shannon cracks into a wide smile: “Go for it! It’s a great group of people, and even if you’ve never played volleyball before, you never know! Always try new things. Try out!”

New dining options abound in Benson Commons

9

comes directly after an all school meeting in which Mountain Day is not announced.

The severity of these scrambles varies in direct relation with the magnitude of the assignment bets the night before. For instance, a missed reading assignment for a lecture class may not be the source of as much alarm as a 5-page humanities essay with a half a page written. Despite these frequent scrambles the game lives on, and it lives on through its winners, who are always quick to make known their victories.

After any given assembly where Mountain Day IS announced there are always triumphant shouts of “I’m so glad I didn’t do the homework” and “Happy I went to bed early last night,” usually from the same familiar faces each year. So how do they do it? How do these students always make the right call, skip the right work?

The answer is data.

A true Mountain Day Rouletter knows that it is more than a simple game of chance. It’s a lifestyle, and there’s a formula involved in winning. The students who consistently beat the odds are truly geniuses in their own right.

These savants collect dozens of data points such as dates of previous Mountain Days, local weather patterns, student suspicion, hunting season

opening dates, and even Mr. Mulder’s concurring mood into account when plotting their gamble.

Another less popular method of consistent Roulette victory is the Whole Hog method. This involves neglecting all assignments throughout the entire month of October.

Although this is technically a fool-proof assurance of a win, it is not a highly used method for obvious reasons.

Often times the research and analysis that goes into a good game of Roulette far outweighs the work it avoids. So, that begs the question: why do students play, and what’s the end goal?

In short, the thrill.

Here at boarding school, there isn’t an abundance of opportunity for the risky activities that often fill a teenager’s life. The safeguards here are, in all likelihood, for the best, but the tangibly safer environment often compels students to make unnecessary risk out of otherwise innocuous events.

This phenomena is clearly exemplified in Berkshire’s Mountain Day Roulette.

So the next time you see someone in the Post-Roulette Scramble, just know that if it weren’t this, it would be something else, and enjoy the spectacle of Mountain Day Roulette.

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

A Fantasy Football Cop or Drop Shortlist Harrison Chapin ’20 scours the fantasy football waiver wire for you, so you don’t have to.

“Because dominating your fantasy league is as essential to your wellbeing as Doritos commercials are to the Super Bowl.” (statistics updated as of 9/30/19)

COP

DROP

MASON RUDOLPH - QB PITTSBURGH STEELERS

WAYNE GALLMAN - RB NEW YORK GIANTS

DJ CHARK - WR - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

After Steelers starting quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) got injured, Rudolph could very easily be a dud; however, it’s better to add him and leave him on your bench for a few weeks (let him prove his starting ability), than to not pick him up and see him excel on another team’s roster. I can’t help but feel deja vu remembering last year’s situation between Le’veon Bell and James Conner (also the Steelers) that saw waiver wire vultures win big.

With Saquon Barkley out for several weeks with an injury, Gallman is stepping up. However, don’t be idyllic that his ceiling is his week 4 performance. With Barkley hoping to return soon, and the Giants facing off against a formidable pair of defenses in weeks 5 and 6 (Vikings and Patriots), you may want to try to trade Gallman while his targets are up.

He’s ranked #9 among all wide receivers, but is only rostered in 64% of leagues.

He started the season under the radar because of his quiet rookie campaign last year, paired with the fact that his pass supplier (quarterback Gardner Minshew II) just had his first career start. Get him while he’s low.

ANDREW LUCK - QB 5% of teams still have him on their roster. If this is you, it’s time to give up. His retirement is real. April Fools was six months ago.

CROSSWORD

CHRIS CARSON - RB - SEATTLE SEAHAWKS If you are in a 12+ man league, and the pickings are slim, then definitely keep him benched. But if your league is an 8 man deal, you are better off trusting Matthew Berry’s (Fantasy Football analyst) worry that Carson is unable to hold onto the ball, since he has fumbled 4 times through 3 games.

The ideal move would be to trade him for someone with similar volume but more reliability.

The New Student Experience

by Andrew Shen ’23

ACROSS

DOWN

3 Mr. Sayler’s favorite piece of art in his gallery 6 Funded by ____ 7 Beautiful and spooky 8 Bread, ____, sustainable foodways 11 Water used to make the average cotton t-shirt = amount a person drinks in 2.5 ____ 14 Saudi’s biggest oil producer 18 The wave of panic following a Roulette miscalculation 19 Gina Barreca’s alma mater 20 The people who used to live on our stolen land 21 Bears be biking on the _____ 22 Staple of the Thirds Soccer Team

1 Challenge Mr. Mulder in a game of ____ 2 Flik glowed up to ____ stars 4 Last name of Nickel and Dimed protagonist 5 The film Darran bought for $2 9 Where should you hike?

10 Aunt Biscuit, Uncle _____ 12 ____, Brave, and Bold 13 Where should you bike?

15 A language Meade speaks 16 Who are in Boyland?

17 Warm state where Barbara lives for a month

10

Often days before something significant, whether important or emotional, it seems as if you have everything figured out, all possibilities covered, scenarios imagined. When the time truly arrives, every action, word, smell might be worth remembering. Everything seems like a memory worth cherishing.

This was the case when I left home for Berkshire.

In my previous school, where I was a Student Ambassador, the prospective parents would ask me, “How do you think my child will benefit from the boarding program?”

Though my answers varied, I often replied it was a step up from being a child, a chance for independence.

Now I know that saying goodbye to my home of fourteen years, going to a foreign country for education, and truly immersing myself in a new culture and learning from a new perspective, in fact, is a step up from childhood, a true test of independence.

My friends who aren’t going abroad compliment my braveness for going, my courage for going someplace completely new and different. As Seneca once said, Non scholae sed vitae discimus — We do not learn for school, but for life.

Thursday, August 29th was the first time I stepped foot on the Berkshire campus. I had never been here, not for interviews nor a tour. That day when I arrived at Great Barrington, I was restless.

I wanted to see with my own eyes the amazing school my brother would rave about every time he came back for a holiday.

We drove up the road to Berkshire and were instantly welcomed by the big grin on Mr. Murphy’s face.

With his direction, I was able to successfully move into my room in Eipper. During the free time I had, I walked towards the field, went into the Soffer Athletic Center, walked across the lawns in front of Berkshire Hall, and met all sorts of teachers. All were kind, helpful,

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

October 11, 2019

GREEN AND GRAY COMIC

Harrison Chapin

Andrew Shen

An Open Invitation to the Swap Shop

by Emily Liu ’20

Andrew Shen ’23 at Berkshire School

roommate Lachie better, and of course, the people in my dorm.

Orientation was something I’ll never forget.

Seeing every new person, listening to them talk about their backgrounds, talking to them about my life in China… Personally, this was something I never thought about and now have come to love: random people coming up to me, wanting to get to know me, curious about my unique background.

Likewise, I got to learn about their lives. Life in a town of 4000 compared to my life in a city of 30 million; growing up thinking that Chinese food came in paper boxes!

Being a new student can sometimes be a stressful experience, yet being in such an inclusive environment here at Berkshire meant that it was a transition most new students would dream of.

For me, not only were classes, sports, and my dorm easily accustomed to but so were being with people from entirely foreign backgrounds. Leaving home is something I never thought I wanted, but it turns out that making my dorm room Home was something I always needed.

• •

•

•

Average consumers bought 60% more clothes and kept their clothes half as long in 2014 than in 2000 (McKinsey and Company).]

Of the clothes thrown away, only 15.3% of textiles are recycled. The rest are combusted or go to landfill (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2015 Report).

In landfills, decomposing textiles release chemicals and dyes, as well as methane, a gas with 25 times the global warming potential of CO₂ (Yale Climate Connections) Diverting all often-toxic trashed textiles into a recycling program would be the environmental equivalent of taking 7.3 million cars off the road.

(Environmental Protection Agency)

These statistics shocked me, because as a consumer, I was directly responsible for the last step of the process. I couldn’t lie down and blame corrupt company executives or wave my hands at governments and bureaucrats when I was jumping at the sales of questionable brands and regularly wearing just 60% of the things in my closet.

But even after being informed, it’s hard to put the pedal on consumerism. Socially, we’ve developed buying habits that are hard to break, and we’ve tied our status and self-image to the clothes we wear. Women especially face pressure when it comes to their wardrobe.

Second-hand shopping has been a great middle ground. At a basic level it’s reusing an item instead of buying a new one or donating something instead of throwing it “away” to burn or decompose.

On a personal level, it satiates the sale-eager part of

11

•

• •

Among the 74 Berkshire community members surveyed, there were at least 132 costumes/articles of clothing which were bought for an event, and then never worn again.

The 74 Respondents expect to donate or throw away a minimum of 320 items of clothing at the end of this year, and a maximum of 680.

If we average that out over 400 students at Berkshire...that is 1,730 to 3,676 potential articles of clothing.

No one person is at fault for this situation, but it’s clear we can all do much, much better. We can start by simply “choosing used.” We can start with a place right under our mountain, a place any member of our community feels they belong in, a place with the actual reusing and exchanging that’ll bring Berkshire closer to its sustainable ideals. A Swap Shop.

Of course, sustainability is just what personally brought me to loving second-hand stores. This article addressed only a fraction of the history and appeal behind them. The dozens of people who’ve gone into the Swap Shop so far probably had totally different reasons.

Still, for anyone interested in becoming a more responsible, conscious consumer… here’s an open invitation.

Berkshire School

warm, and welcoming. It genuinely felt inclusive and made me feel at ease.

I was an international student, so during the first few days, I met people from around the world. There were people from Turkey, Chile, Italy, Malawi, South Africa, Russia, Germany, Thailand, and many others. It was amazing to see such a diverse group of students gathered under one roof, such a variety of languages being heard, and of course the most amazing school food I’ve ever had (to be fair, the bar was not high). It was truly a diverse community. That night, the international student leaders took us on a midnight tour under the stars. That night was quiet and everything was lit up with the hundreds of stars in the sky; it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Fast forward to when everyone else came. That Saturday morning was when I met most of my friends whom I hang out with now on a daily basis. It was an extremely different experience and something I’d never had back in Shanghai, China.

People would come up to me and be excited to meet me; I would then be introduced to their family. That day, I got to know my

When Ms. Simmons used the words “Swap Shop” to describe the second-hand store we were organizing on campus, it felt right. We’ve been casually brainstorming names for a while. Most of my contributions, of course, were puns (Berkshare, ReStoreation, and other more embarrassing ideas).

But why not just call it the Berkshire Thrift Store?

Because the words “thrift store” are too laden with connotation. Whether it’s upbeat Youtube fashion vlogs of “thrift hauls,” the brassy refrain of a certain Macklemore song, or a simple means of economizing, the words “thrift store” bring an array of related images that, unfortunately, exclude at least part of our school community. And exclusion is the last thing we want.

To start, I should explain where my interest in a second-hand school store came from.

As a junior, I took Mr. Donovan’s Sustainability class, doing research on the impact of the clothing industry.

It’s disturbing. Everything from the way clothes are produced (2,700 liters of water can be used to make the average cotton t-shirt, equivalent to the amount of water a person drinks for 2.5 years (National Geographic)) to the people who produce it (google Uzbekistan cotton child labor or Bangladesh leather tannery for ethical nightmares) was deeply troubling.

But to me, the most troubling of all was learning the way clothes are bought and thrown away.

me that still wants novelty and the thrill of a great deal.

Experiencing the relief of second-hand shopping, I wanted to bring a similar experience to other Bears. I want our warmer-area-bound seniors to be able to pass on their quality winter jackets instead of throwing them away. I want there to be more sustainable options for halloween costumes, dress code, dorm decor, etc..

But my enthusiasm for a campus thrift store comes from far more than personal sentiments. It comes from evidence-based knowledge that as a community, we need to utilize these resources.

I sent out a survey last year which 74 wonderful souls responded to. 74 out of 500 members; a fairly representative group of Berkshire School, wouldn’t you agree?

The survey indicated:

Move-out day at Mac, 2019

VOL CX, No. 3

Sheffield, Massachusetts

The Trade War Is One of Principles, Not Economics

by Darran Shen ’20 I walk into an innocuous store on Hong Mei Road. The baby blue plaque outside advertises children’s toys and its interior sells as such – Lego playsets and knockoff Barbie dolls line the shelves. But unknown to passerby and window shoppers, this store is only a secondary source of income for its proprietor, a lady I have known since the 4th grade.

Mrs. Wu’s (not her real name) primary source of income actually comes from a hidden room on the second floor located next to a rancid restroom, accessible through a secret door. That’s what I’m here for.

She leads me up, and flicks on a light and leads me in. Inside, dimly illuminated, are rows of hundreds of DVD disks. Once advertising with bright neon signs, Mrs. Wu has been forced to hide her

movie business for over a year now due to trade war concessions made by the Chinese government to protect US Intellectual Property (IPs).

It would make sense why American companies would complain against such flagrant IP abuse.

You could once buy a year’s worth of stolen SAT tests, giving Chinese test takers a leg up. A blue-ray disk in America costs up to $50. In China, they cost less than $2.

Most such stores, which once proliferated in an unregulated marketplace, have been shut down. On this one mile stretch of Hong Mei Road, there once existed five separate brick-and-mortar stores. Now, Mrs. Wu’s is the only one that remains.

Some have taken to using WeChat (China’s version of WhatsApp) to continue sales.

Says Mrs. Wu: “The Chinese government has forced me to go into hid-

ing. The store downstairs barely breaks even, and my movie business is only marginally profitable.”

Today, the only customers allowed upstairs are longtime clients.

I leave with Alita: Battle Angel, a title that costs me a little over a dollar.

It’s been almost two years since Mr. Trump initiated his first round of tariffs against China, who promptly retaliated in kind. In the time since, there have been escalations on Twitter and trade meetings at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, but no concrete resolution has come to head. Less than two weeks ago, the US raised some tariffs by another 5%.

The results are stark.

Last month, American manufacturing activity contracted for the first time in 3 years. Farmers are leaving massive piles of harvest to rot, unable to compete on the global market. Yields on longDarran Shen

term bonds are at all-time lows; universities and Fortune 500 companies are scrambling to issue longterm bonds and lock in ultra-low rates.

Mr. Trump has always maintained that Chinese manufacturing would “crumble,” but it has become clear that any resolution at this point is still far off; neither nation can back off without seeming weak on the world stage.

Through this conflict, we’ve also seen, for lack of a better term, companies (and individuals like Mrs. Wu) adopt creative workarounds. As companies struggle to find comparable supply and distribution chains (spoiler alert: they can’t) in Vietnam and India, many have also undertaken trade cheats.

Some exporters use code-fudging, a strategy that involves switching around the near 20,0000 codes that identify imported goods. In 2018, after Mr. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel, imports of steel plates fell 11% while imports of “electric-generating sets,” a turbine classification, grew 121%.

Online forums are rife with players offering advice on what inspection-avoiding tariff codes work for hard-wood plywood, a product that carries a 183.4% tariff; in 2018, softwood plywood imports soared 983%.

Another common practice, called transshipment, involves shipping Chinese products to a nearby third port, minimally processing them, then re-exporting them to the United States as a product originating

SENIOR BUCKET LIST

Mrs. Wu’s storefront on Hong Mei Road

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Darran Shen ’20

PUBLISHER-IN-CHIEF

Aimi Sekiguchi ’20

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Chris Branch ’20, Emily Liu ’20, Megan Mokriski ’21

ASSOCIATE LAYOUT EDITORS

Wilson Zheng ’21, Wakaba Aihara ’22

FACULTY ADVISORS

Peter Giordano, Sarah Pitcher-Hoffman

STAFF WRITERS

by Victoria Gagas ’20 As we embark on our final year under the mountain, it is easy for our seniors to take what little time we have at Berkshire School for granted. We have amazing academic and athletic resources at our disposal, but to get the true Berkshire experience one must step out of the classroom and take advantage of what is around them.

Below are what I consider the unique challenges that will help truly shape the most incredible Berkshire experience. This list is a culmination of my personal Berkshire Bucket list along with contributions from my fellow bears.

Harrison Chapin ’20, Jackson Chapin ’20, Victoria Gagas ’20, Tad Koenigsbauer ’20, Julia Kurth ’20, Andrii Roman ’20, Peggy Stansberry ’20, William Warlick ’20, Owen de Cordova ’21, Nicky Finn ’21, John Fiore ’21, Sofie Fisher ’21, Basil Shillingford ’21, Christina Tao ’21, Samantha Bernstein ’22, Remy Bond ’22, Olivia Mirabito ’22, Scott Soh ’22, Leo Yang ’22, Andrew Shen ’23

12

October 11, 2019

from the third port. In the past year, Vietnam has experienced an 81% increase in electronic imports from China, and a 72% increase of such exports to the United States.

Important to note is that exports can only exist if the products can also be imported; both Chinese and American firms in tandem are increasingly engaged in legally dubious behaviour.

Trillions of lost dollars later, it can no longer be argued that this trade war is based upon the theoretical economic benefits.

Fall Jams “Spooky Edition”

by Jackson Chapin ’20 As October is ushered in, I decided to put a twist on the fall themed playlist.

This year’s autumn edition is a compilation of mildly spooky songs. I hope these songs leave you in sync with the time of the year and make you notice some quirky and original songwriting.

1. “Who Are You, Really?”

- Mikky Ekko : The lyrics in this song explore the theme of having a false sense of control and making decisions that aren’t your own.

2. “Rylan” - The National : “There’s a little bit of hell in everyone” is definitely a spooky lyric, but not For the class of 2020, here are 20 ideas to help achieve everything you want to do with your final year at Berkshire: 1. Hike to Mount Everett and South Pinnacle 2. Check out a book at the library 3. Watch the sunrise at the turf 4. Make it onto the Berkshire School Instagram 5. Bushwack to the cranberry bog for some amazing wild cranberries (Ask Ms. Loose-Brown!)

In fact, the opposite has occurred – markets are shaky, key industrial markers like oil are down, and the Fed just cut rates for the second time in a few months to combat a potential recession. Both individuals and companies are hurting.

Rather, this war is based off principle – that the United States must stand up to the bully China, and that China must defend her national interests. But as it turns out, for many, principles are worth compromising for economics. enough so to scare me away from this beautiful song.

3. “21 Days” - Scott Helman : Behind this love song of calming guitar strums is the story of a zombie apocalypse

Rounding out the playlist are: 4. “When I Was A Ghost” - Marco, 5. “Eyes Blue Like The Atlantic” - Sista_Prod, 6. “Zombie Bastards” - Weezer, 7.

“Monster” - dodie.

Editor’s Note: The “Fall Jams (Spooky)” playlist can be found on Spotify under the “Green and Gray Jams” profile.

10. Become friends with a faculty member you don’t know that well 11. Alternatively, enter Berkshire Hall through the art wing to avoid seeing a teacher you didn’t do the homework for 12. Get on Allen Stage at least once 13. Publish something through the Green & Gray Newspaper 14. Write a letter to your future self 15. Stargaze at the observatory

6. Try everything on the Roma’s menu

16. Teach a Pro Vita class/ Go on a Pro Vita trip

7. Attempt to finish the sub-40 ice cream run

17. Challenge Mr. Mulder in a chess match

8. Bike to Bistro Box

18. Sit on the opposite side of the dining hall

9. Use the electron microscope at the AMSR lab (with permission and supervision)

19. Get into college 20. Make Berkshire a better place to help future Bears