Profiles...........4, 5, 7

Kate McCracken:Actress Extraordinaire

Kate McCracken shares her love for theater

McCracken and her director, Matt Cosper, right after she won the 2021 Blumey

award for Best Actress. Photo by Abbe McCracken The lights go up, the crowd roars, clapping is heard all around the stage. This is what Kate McCracken experiences when she gets to experience the arts. For McCracken, the stage becomes a place where she can share her love for storytelling through acting, singing and even dancing. And while technically her ability to incorporate all three of these skills in the theater makes her a “triple threat,” McCracken humbly disagrees. “I would say I am a strong-mover–not a strong dancer.” However countless Latin audiences might just disagree. McCracken has been into singing her whole life and also plays guitar. McCracken often likes to share her skills by creating songs on guitar and singing them for her family and friends. McCracken started acting at the young age of five. “I played the little orphan Molly at an acting camp at the YMCA,” McCracken said. McCracken doesn’t just act at Charlotte Latin and sometimes will act at Jay stage or Mathew’s Playhouse during the summer. During an average week while a show is going on, McCracken will spend upwards of twenty hours a week practicing her acting, singing and dancing. While McCracken has performed in many different shows, her favorite is her most recent, “Bright Star.” McCracken said it was her favorite because it was her first show without masks. “I relate to Alice Murphy and being able to play her was very healing for me and takes cake as my favorite. Alice taught me a lot about what it means to be free and playful. She really loves life, and that attitude rubbed off on me.” Coming from a family that obviously was invested in the arts, McCracken learned early that sharing this experience brought people together. “Theater is important because it brings people together and can be used to do different things. It is healing and takes a group of people and brings them together and it only happens once so it pushes people together.” All actors have one coveted role they can see themselves in, and McCracken is no different. She has already made a name for herself having won a Blumey for Best Actress in 2021 so she has a very strong sense of

who she is as an actress. “My dream role of the already existing musicals is definitely Zoe Murphy from ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’” McCracken said. “But I would also love to originate a role and make it unique to me!” Kate thinks the most important thing for the young, upcoming actors and actresses is to find what makes them unique. “I would say it’s really important to lean into what makes you special–find what makes you unique and don’t dim it. Lean into the things you love about yourself whatever makes you, you!” Many people love the Latin arts for different reasons, it may be the stage or the costumes but McCracken loves the community the most. “Amy Morris and Matt Cosper are my mentors. I am privileged to work with them. I also love how the art is supported by Latin; Julie Derrick ‘22, Anna Wasko ‘24 and Belle Nabors ‘23 (the spirits) watch over McCracken. Photo by Amy Nabors everyone is willing to support the arts.”

Sliding into His New Home Plate:

Dave Mosrie reflects on althetic memories as a Hawk

By Tommy Beason

“Fundamental, loyal and tough.”These are the three attributes that Dave Mosrie, the three-sport senior Hawk, used to describe himself. From the classroom to the gridiron to the wrestling mats and finally to the baseball field, what does he not do? Not only is he a phenomenal athlete, but he is also a superior student. Mosrie always had the goal of playing baseball at the next level, with his inspiration coming from his parents. “I have always looked up to my parents and they inspire me every-

day to push the limits and attain my goals, a big one being to play baseball in college,” Mosrie said. All of his hard work has paid off: he heads to Mosrie works to take down his opponent during the 2022 state wrestling championship. Williams College next year where he will continue his academic and athletic career, playing baseball. From a Hawk in Charlotte, North Carolina to an Eph in Williamstown, Massachusetts, he will take with him the memories that he will keep for a lifetime. As a Latin Lifer, Mosrie has 13 years of countless memories from the school that he has called home for many years. He recalls his favorite memory as his 37 yard field goal to win against Charlotte Christian during this year’s football season. “That’s probably one of the coolest moments of my life,” Mosrie said.

Mosrie throws out a runner against Metrolina Christian on March 9th of the 2021 baseball season.

The reactions from the crowd and the importance of the moment support that this clutch, game-winning field goal will remain unforgettable for Mosrie. Mosrie has had to deal with a lot of adversity over his years at Latin, especially in Upper School with COVID. Many of his precious seasons were cut or shortened due to the pandemic. He always makes sure to make the best of every second. “With all of the time lost due to the pandemic,” Mosrie said, “this year I’ve had to make up for the time by taking every day one at a time.” Mosrie always appreciated the care that his teammates, teachers, coaches, classmates and fans gave to the baseball team; he believed the support was unmatched. “My favorite thing about Latin is the strong sense of community and the support that I receive all across the board,” Mosrie said. Mosrie expressed bittersweet emotions regarding his farewell tour at Charlotte Latin. “It’s tough realizing that it is coming to an end,” Mosrie said. But there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Mosrie will go out with a bang. With all of his achievements, there is no question that there will be more to hear from the tough and loyal Hawk.

Tyler Hill poses proudly with his parents, Ray and Lisa Hill, on senior night for

varsity soccer. Photo by St John Photography

Imagine a time capsule that holds all your memories from your time spent at Charlotte Latin. When you and your classmates return for your ten-year reunion, what would you hope to see inside that will bring you back to your days spent with friends on the quad, in Founders’ Hall or sharing those first memories in Lower School? When the class of 2022 was asked this question, they proved that whether it was due to a sport, a class,

to build our relationships with one another,” Hill said. Creative Hawks also noted the need for space in the time capsule (for the performing and visual arts). Morgan Hammer, a seasoned Latin thespian, went big when she considered her contribution to the time capsule. “I would put the stage in my time capsule because it reminds me of every incredible theater memory I’ve had at CLS. The sheer hard work, imagination and shenanigans that go into every production are encompassed in that space. It represents my best friends whom I met through theater as well as my evolution as an artist and a person. It also holds the best memories of my life in every show I’ve ever done; memories and people I will never forget,” Hammer said. Brendan Bucci, one of Latin’s visual artists, claims that all three art rooms on campus had an impact on his time as a Hawk. “If I could I would put all three of the art rooms in. They are where my creativity became unleashed and I matured as an artist. It is a representation of why I got into architecture school,

When I See You Again: Class of 2022 gathers memories for time capsule

By Lydia McNichols

a teacher, or even a piece of clothing, Latin has had a huge impact on the past, present, and future selves of each and every Hawk. Think about a souvenir kept from a much-loved trip or a favorite item of clothing you used to wear on repeat—and then you wake up one day and realize, Wow. I have changed so much! Well, these seniors have changed, too. The items they would put in their time capsules represent a myriad of tangible items as well as symbolic locations on campus. You may have seen her dancing in the quad or singing by the IO building; senior Morgan Hammer explains how this part of her persona came to be. “My freshman year self would best be represented by my white Walmart headphones. These were the beginning items of Dancing Headphones Girl, who became one of the most memorable and important identities in my high school life. They represent my determination to see my friends as well as creativity and unapologeticness to be myself. Even though I’ve evolved as Dancing Headphones Girl, those first headphones are so important to me as they represent new ideas, determination and unapologetic fun,” said Hammer. When pondering what symbolizes her high school experience, Rachel Hall thinks of the pink leather jacket she loved (and wore constantly) her freshman year. “Though I haven’t worn it in a long time, I used to wear it a lot, so I would put my pink leather jacket in my time capsule. One of my friends (a new student at the time) even referred to me as ‘the girl with the pink leather jacket’ before he learned my name,” Hall said. Who would have thought a compact could be so memorable? Jennifer Kim explains her sentiments behind this special colorful makeup item. “I would put the eyeshadow I used to wear into the time capsule. I don’t know why I did it, but I always used to put on this one eyeshadow for school every day, and I think that represents my freshman self because I still didn’t quite know who I was, but since then, I have developed into who I am today,” Kim said. Regardless of the physical activity, athletics on the Latin campus left a long-lasting impression in the hearts of many Hawks. To these seniors, the athletic program produced some of the most important memories for their time capsule. For TJ Creamer, his time on the baseball diamond needs to be represented in the class of 2022’s capsule. “I would like to remember the games that I attended and all of the group events that were held. I think the thing that I would like to remember most though was being a part of a team. I would put my baseball glove in my time capsule because it taught me how to work and how not to work well with teammates, overall proving to be an extremely beneficial experience,” Creamer said. For other athletes it’s their bond as Hawk teammates that they would want memorialized for years to come. Jennifer Kim’s participation on the dance team had special meaning to her, and she wanted to remember it always. “I would put my sparkle belt from the dance team into the time capsule. We only wore these for one game, but it reminds me of the close bond that we all made in our time on the dance team and the special dynamic that we created. It represents sisterhood and a mutual love for our school and our dance team,” Kim said. Tyler Hill shared similar sentiments regarding his time spent on the pitch in Patten Stadium. “If I could put anything into a time capsule to encapsulate my favorite non-academic experience at Latin, I would add the soccer field. I treasure this field as it’s where I’ve made countless friends over the past four years and it’s where I’ve always felt the most comfortable to be myself. The soccer field itself is a perfect representation of the brotherhood that the soccer team builds. It is where we go to practice every single day to not only build our knowledge and ability as it pertains to soccer but also

why I am infatuated with building guitars, and how I went from the worst painting of a car I’ve ever seen to perfectly capturing the menacing glare of the Green Goblin from the 2002 Spider-Man movie,” Bucci said. There were also many memorable classes that earned a place in the class’s capsule. Bucci’s love of history would become a historical artifact in the time capsule. “I would put the 905 room as it holds my favorite class and teacher. It is where I first fell in love with studying world history and where I returned to study European history senior year. It is my favorite subject taught by my favorite teacher and it is a necessary part of my time capsule,” Bucci said. For Rachel Hall, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s short story would find its way inside the time capsule. “My favorite class at Latin was American Studies (in junior year) for many reasons. I loved the style with its discussions and literary/ historical connectivity, but I really fell in love with it because the analysis of social justice issues was so incredibly thought provoking. My favorite piece from the class was a short story called ‘The Yellow Wallpaper.’ I annotated it to the point where there was barely any blank space left on the papers. Because I connected with that story, I would definitely put a copy of that in my time capsule,” Hall said. Jennifer Kim’s reminder has nothing to do with math but everything to do with friendship and why teachers at Latin are so special. “I would put a cup of coffee into the time capsule because it reminds me of geometry with Mrs. Moreland. I remember on Fly Day; CLS had brought in a coffee truck and Mrs. Moreland let us go down to get coffee at the start of class. That memory has stuck with me. Geometry gave me some of my best friends, and Mrs. Moreland has been one of my favorite teachers,” said Kim. For Chloe Wooster, an entire building brings together both her favorite class and teacher to a special place in her time at Latin. “The old math building would be representative of my favorite class because that’s the math class where I had my favorite teacher of all time, Mr. Hall. I had some of my best friends in that class and Mr. Hall became someone that I will always remember. He would show us pictures of his cat, Midnight, and tell us all about his college stories from Davidson, such as him losing his cat at a party,” said Wooster. Tyler Hill’s contribution may look like an homage to a science class, but it really represents his favorite English teacher. “If I had to put something into a time capsule to inundate myself with memories from my favorite class, I would add a moth. Whenever I see a moth, I’m reminded of my sophomore and junior year English classes with Ms. Klein. She’s deadly afraid of moths and always told us stories about her dangerous encounters with them. Ms. Klein’s passion for storytelling and her hilarious way of describing these situations made my English classes much more enjoyable and transformed the way I looked at writing and storytelling, so this symbol feels perfect,” said Hill. From headphones to sashes and coffee mugs to

insects, the class of 2022 has a wealth of symbolic memories that they will treasure for years to come. This class is well-knowns on campus for their likeability and their sense of humor. Who wouldn’t want to be a fly (or moth?) on the wall Morgan Hammer gets ready to dance along to a favorite song with her signature headphones in place. for their ten-year reunion and hear the stories they will tell? Just open this time capsule for a sneak peek or a quick reminder of what made this class, and their memories, special.

Celebrating Each Unique Piece: A Q&A with senior Mosaic leaders

By Mia Zottoli

Students gather for Mosaic’s first meeting of the 2021-2022 school year. Photo by Anjelique

Donovan Sanders, Julie Derraik, Sharanya Ravi Kumar, and Sofia Gomez, will be passing the torch of Mosaic leadership to underclassmen. Mosaic is one of the largest clubs at Charlotte Latin and advocates for diversity and inclusion at the school. Mosaic’s mission statement: “To promote diversity in and outside of our school community through events that celebrate our cultural, religious, ethnic, social and racial diversity. We strive to promote inclusivity and respect for all through appreciation and acceptance.” These four seniors, who have all taken the club to new heights, recently reflected on their time in Mosaic.

How did you come to join Mosaic? When did you join? Gomez: I joined Mosaic my freshman year at the club fair when Alyssa Kim ‘19 told me to sign up. I went to my first meeting where Margaux’s (Pollan ‘19) mother came to speak about her experience as a Latina woman in the United States. I loved her talk and connected with her on the experiences of difference of cultures and sense of belonging within both cultures as well. After that, I never missed a Mosaic meeting. Derraik: Before I came to Latin my brother told me about Mosaic thinking it would fit my vibe. I joined as a member freshman year and, coming from another small PWI, it blew my mind to have access to education on topics my Middle School teachers would have labeled too controversial. I think I ended up staying just because learning about identity felt really rewarding. Sanders: I joined freshman year because the topics being discussed were important to me, and I felt the club would help me branch out a little more. Ravi Kumar: My first Mosaic meeting was the very first meeting held my freshman year. I had heard so much about Upper School’s Mosaic Club when I was in Middle School, and I was really looking forward to attending a club at Latin that celebrates diversity and that would make me feel represented.

What has been your favorite memory from your time leading Mosaic? Gomez: My favorite memory was after our first meeting when we were all back together and were able to hold a meeting with all the leaders and all the students. It was superfun and refreshing, and we really got the sense of our support and team and leadership. Derraik: This actually occurred outside the classroom! During last year’s Mosaic Night, our team drove around Charlotte to sample foods from small, family-owned restaurants across the city to promote in our event. We knew COVID took a hit on some of the establishments and thought we could maybe help out. We got to experience so much culture in the span of a few hours, which was by far the most exhilarating part of the day. Also, we had a lot of laughs and definitely ate some delicious food! Ravi Kumar: My favorite memories are from planning our meetings. I personally learn so much new information about the topics that we research for our meetings, and I always become much more passionate and interested in them. I never imagined how much my mindset would change after becoming a leader. A topic that I am now very passionate about because of our meeting is the effect of beauty standards on minority communities.

What has been your favorite Mosaic meeting to lead? Derraik: Over the past three years I think there’s been too many to choose! My sophomore year we did one on Hate Speech that I think really resonated with the community. Junior year my favorite has to be a meeting we did on CodeSwitching, but I think our best is one we did recently on Rape Culture with guest speaker Mrs. Vanneste. By far, the most important aspect of Mosaic is being able to listen to the voices who have gone unheard. Ravi Kumar: My favorite Mosaic meeting to lead was definitely our meeting about Code-Switching during my first year as a leader. We leaders shared our own experiences with code-switching in our everyday lives, ultimately creating a really vulnerable environment with many of the members also sharing learning from each other’s stories. This meeting really highlighted the fact that Mosaic is a safe-space for minority students.

What do you think has been Mosaic’s biggest achievement during your time as a leader? Derraik: I honestly think adapting to COVID and pulling off a virtual Mosaic Night was our biggest achievement. It took a lot of time and hard work, and we really came together as a team to come up with creative, problem solving ideas while advocating for

the community! Sanders: Solidifying a position in freshman orientation and allowing our message to begin to impact kids at a younger age. Ravi Kumar: During my time as a leader, Mosaic has definitely reached a much wider audience in our Latin community. Honestly, just hearing from our club members that they feel heard and represented is a huge achievement for us and a sign that we are doing something really great.

Why do you think Mosaic is an important part of Latin’s community? What impact do you hope your leadership of Mosaic has had on the Latin community? Gomez: Mosaic serves to provide a safe space for all identities at Latin. Mosaic is a space for everyone to learn and discuss together to help each other and work towards creating a welcoming and inclusive community. I hope that Mosaic has made students feel seen and supported. Derraik: I think Mosaic and all the alliance groups are vital to the Latin Community because they educate on crucial topics that we never quite get to explore in class. Everyone, including the leaders, learn at these meetings—about our society, about each other, about ourselves. Mosaic is truly a vehicle for self-improvement in the sense that it teaches members to be more aware of their biases, the bubble they’re living in, and the ways they can be more productive global citizens. I hope, if anything, that my leadership of Mosaic over the past three years has helped even just a few Latin students feel safe and (most importantly) seen. Sanders: Latin is a bubble, and often the students get caught up in things that only involve their privilege. Mosaic expands that bubble and offers outlets for both POC and white students. I hope that more male students and students of color begin to take an interest in allyship and leadership at Latin. Ravi Kumar: I believe that Mosaic Club will help students understand and be aware of real-world topics and challenges that many of their own peers face. Mosaic also provides a safe space for minority students at Latin, and our goal is for them to feel free to be their authentic selves in our club environment.

What is your vision for the future of Mosaic? Derraik: I hope that Mosaic continues to be an open door to those who are interested in challenging their perceptions and learning about the world both hidden within and existing outside of our privileged CLS bubble. I hope we get to continue working with the freshmen classes and that we can bring back Food for Thought (lunch meetings which dissipated during the COVID era). Mostly though, I hope our future leadership finds the family aspect within Mosaic and learns to love each other and themselves through challenging times. Trust me, there will definitely be some! Sanders: I hope to see more community involvement within the coming years. Ravi Kumar: For the future, I see Mosaic’s club attendance increasing by a lot as well as several more school-wide events in addition to Mosaic Night. I also see Mosaic expanding beyond Charlotte Latin and collaborating/hosting conferences with the diversity clubs of other schools.

What is your message to the future leaders of Mosaic? Gomez: Be patient and understanding. Sometimes things may get frustrating, but progress takes time and all the meetings and little changes can really make the difference for some students. That’s what we seek in Mosaic. Derraik: Your job is first and foremost to educate. Put in the work and do the research; the club will grow and you will too! Also hang out with each other! Team bonding really amplifies the planning process, and you can definitely make some forever friendships. Sanders: Be resilient!! The end result is far greater than the turmoil you endure to get there. Ravi Kumar: You are truly doing something really amazing by being a leader of Mosaic and planning these monthly meetings. Thank you for your hard work, and know that you are making Latin an even better place.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your time in Mosaic? Derraik: Just that over the years Maria Klein, Jennie Hubbard, Anjalique Knight and Hugo Caraballo have been incredibly helpful in giving us the creative freedom to explore with Mosaic Club. They are extraordinarily kind people, and they inspire me on the daily to chase compassion even when it’s difficult. Sanders: My Mosaic team is and always will be the best in Mosaic and Latin history. Ravi Kumar: Our Mosaic team these past two years have been an absolute blast to work with, and each of us brought something to the table that really enhanced the quality of our meetings. I really want to thank all of them for being amazing leaders!

It is tough enough to excel in one sport, but four? Mary Schleusner, a four-sport senior phenom, has managed to become a valuable asset for all of her varsity sports: cross country, basketball, soccer and track and field. Considering how there are only three different seasons and she contributes to four different teams, she gives a lot of thanks to her coaches. Schleusner said, “They are accommodating and understanding, which allowed me to succeed without making me feel like I should be with a different team.” This was especially in the spring when she had to balance two sports at the same time; however, her coaches would agree it was worth it, because Schleusner added so much to both the soccer and track and field teams. Schleusner’s dominant role in Charlotte Latin’s sports program has made her an easy role model for younger female athletes. She is the youngest in her family with two older brothers, Rob 19’ and Tommy Schleusner, and they are part of the reason for her starting sports. She was always eager to play a sport so she could spend time with her brothers. Schleusner said, “I’ve always wanted to fit in with them and keep up with them, so playing sports allowed me to compete.” She even tried t-ball and realized quickly that she would not continue with that sport. However she watched her brothers run when she was younger and decided that she had a passion in track and field and cross country. Fans watching a sport in which Mary Schleusner competed would have noticed her right away from her energetic personality. Spectators could always tell that she was having a good time—whenever she spoke, more than likely people would be laughing around her. As a captain on three of her varsity teams (cross country, basketball and soccer), she was respected and looked up to

This Girl’s Got Game: Life’s a ball when you play with Mary Schleusner

By Mary Stewart Hunter

by her teammates, which illustrated the leadership role she held in Latin athletics. When people watched her on the sports field, she wanted to be a role model for recognizing that Hawk athletes should always be positive, have fun and remember perfection is not a goal they need to achieve. Scheusner added so much to the Latin community; as a Latin lifer and someone with a reputation for a spontaneous sense of humor, peers (and teachers) could always

Mary Schluesner tipping off for the varsity girls’ basketball team against Ravenscroft in her sophomore year. Photo

by Anne Schleusner

Schluesner goes after the ball on the girls’ varsity soccer team. Photo by St John Photography

Part of what makes Cora Synder such an interesting and accomplished writer is how she views her world not just through words, but in the way the letters convey specific colors. “I have synthesia, which for me means that words tend to have a color or texture,” Synder said. “I use this when I am writing because a lot of the ways I think about things are different,” Snyder said. Having synthesia makes Synder a little more “colorful” than most people, but it also could be why her writing has something extra; it reflects a different dimension from the special lens in which she views words. Snyder discovered her love for writing in Middle School; after believing she lacked the talent to become a strong writer, her teacher encouraged her to submit to the Scholastics competition. “I ended up being one of the two people in my class to win a Gold Key, which made me think, okay, I guess I’ll take a shot at it,” Snyder said. The more she continued to write, the more she realized how writing was a way to express herself, rather than just a school assignment.

Since pursuing writing as a hobby, Snyder has won many more awards. Her greatest accomplishment was her creation myth piece about dogs. She wrote it for the Junior Classical League (JCL). “I made it so that you did not know it was a dog till the very last line. I referred to it as a machine up until that point, and I think people liked it so

much because people love dogs,” Snyder said. The piece first won a Scholastics Mid Carolina Regional Gold Key, and then went on to win a National Silver Medal. At the JCL convention, she won First Place in the myth category

The Cora Snyder Way:

Seeing the art of words through color By Neely Hume

for being the best overall. Even though Snyder has won many accolades for her writing, she does not

plan to major in writing or English in college; instead, she wants to continue to use writing as a means of expression and recreation. “I do not see myself as a writer with a capital W,” Snyder said. Part of why Snyder is such a great writer is because she does it for leisure, not just to meet her school assignments and get good grades. She encourages other students to try and pursue writing as something to do for fun rather than just at school. “I encourage students to put their work out there and just see what happens because a lot of them just don’t see themselves as writers,” Synder said. She also believes that it is important for students who love writing to share their works since it allows them to bounce their ideas off of each other without the pressure of meeting with a teacher. Synder hoped to encourage other writers to put themselves out there and discover their own voices. “Writing doesn’t have to be boring and a class assignment; it can look different than that and actually be fun.” While not everyone may experience the colors within words that Snyder “sees” when she writes, it only takes a leap of faith to pick up a pen (or a keyboard) to join Snyder in becoming a writer.

Snyder as a baby reading a children’s book with her uncle. Schleusner running in the Latin cross country trails in her senior year. Photo by St.

John Photography

count on her to give them a laugh. She was comfortable with her leadership roles and made everyone on her teams feel comfortable and not afraid to fail. She will succeed as a General at Washington and Lee University (especially on their basketball team), but in her heart, she will always be a Latin Hawk.

That’s a Wrap! Senior one-acts move from behind the curtain to behind the camera

By Isis West

Amidst the several academic and social changes for Latin’s class of 2022 lies the introduction of a new form of entertainment for the spring season: the Senior Film. The studentled project hit the ground running as early as August 2021, drawing in a talented pool of eager and artistic minds to start bringing the project to life. The project ultimately serves as a replacement for Latin’s renowned and annual One-Acts, which were a favorite for Latin seniors across all disciplines. The prospect of replacing these short, live performances with a 10-minute long film was no easy decision. The film still upholds and incorporates the most important aspects that came with senior one-acts; that being that the ideas, planning, directing and producing all stemmed from the minds of interested seniors. It serves almost like a senior thesis for those of us involved with and interested in theater and visual arts. Within the project, I serve as the head director and associate writer for the

Morgan Hammer, Donovan Sanders and Anna Wasko flash a smile during their filming break. Photo by Isis West

script. My job entails giving out blocking to actors, communicating with actors on how to deliver lines and overall just giving the film itself a creative direction, choosing how the story is told. At the end of the 20202021 school year, interest forms for the senior film were promoted schoolwide, and by October of 2021, the idea for the film was pitched to a production company and Matt Cosper, Head of Theater Arts. At the roundtable sat six proud young senior girls, confidently pitching their ideas, hoping for a chance at approval. These young girls included Isis West, Lizzy Griesser, Kate McCracken, Campbell Loeffler, Morgan Hammer and Sharanya Ravi Kumar. Approval was inevitably received, and by December of 2021, the first draft of the script for “Chairiot” was completed. Casting and revisions followed in January and February of 2022, prompting the need for necessary alterations to the film’s story and characters. Finally, in March of 2022, full production for the film hit the ground running. Students from all grade levels in Upper School have the opportunity to participate both on-screen and behind the scenes, attending several different workshops on production, acting, and crew works courtesy of Emily Gold and Joe of Shutter Blade Media. A unique aspect of the film lies in the fact that the entirety of it takes place at night in Latin’s beautiful Inlustrate Orbem building, typically referred to by students as the “Straté” by students. To quote the film’s logline, “Chairiot” (the working title for the film) follows “an unlikely group of six seniors who find themselves trapped on campus after wrapping up their musical rehearsal; As they attempt to escape the Inlustrate, they are confronted with the idea that their individual problems and worries are less important than living and learning at the

Kate McCracken prepares for her closeup as Elena. Photo by Isis West

moment.” This commitment to filming in such an iconic space on Latin’s campus at night is an attempt at humanizing the lives of seniors. The film’s story strives to introduce these themes by framing the characters as young adults learning from each other (and themselves) while also having fun within a setting they usually associate with “by-the-book” learning. I completely adore this philosophical contrast and its incorporation into the entire set and location of the film. Lizzy Griesser is the associate director and head student producer of the film. Her experience with both one-acts and now the senior film has allowed her to share some intimate insight into the philosophy and air surrounding the project. “One Acts were an opportunity for seniors to express themselves creatively through humor by writing short acts and scenes on any topic they wanted,” Griesser said. “Anyone could participate in them, but it was the seniors who wrote them… they were meant to be a capstone project for seniors who had participated or wanted to participate in the arts at Latin,” Griesser said. She detailed her emotions surrounding the decision to make the switch, “Although I was a little disappointed in not having One Acts, I was more excited to be a part of creating a film! I think this is such a cool idea, especially given that we had made two movies for our performances the previous year.” The disappointment surrounding this decision was a common one for seniors heavily involved in theater. Some even took to creating google forms petitions in an effort to get the department to reconsider. Despite the shared and subtle disappointment, “I also think that the film will showcase even more of a capstone for the theater seniors because we are really taking charge and have creative liberty to make what we want… There are opportunities for seniors across the creative board; from acting to writing to costumes to producing.” As a producer, Griesser is responsible for communications with the cast, crew and executive producers (Shutterblade Media) as well as scheduling. On the topic of difficulty surrounding the project, Griesser expressed some of her concerns to me. “I think making the shooting hours go smoothly will be a little difficult,” Griesser said. “Not many people on this project have a lot of experience with film and filmmaking, and for those of us who have had experience, we know it is very different from theater. worry, and creative doubt surfaces the stark reality that I am actually making something tangible happen with people whom I respect, admire, and love. I often look back on my projects and learnings from my past years of filmmaking class at Latin with Mr. Cosper and relish in the prospect of how far I have come along with the rest of the talented senior cast and crew. All of our relentless hours and years of dedication to our art is amazingly inspiring and I impatiently marvel at being able to play such a significant role in such a thrilling culmination of the plurality of our creative minds.

Rather than being able to rehearse for weeks, the actors are going to get their blocking the day of and that blocking will probably change throughout time on set. Although we have ShutterBlade Media to guide us on filming, not many of us have encountered being behind the camera. The adjustment will be difficult, but I have absolute faith that everyone will do an incredible job!” “Chairiot” shot from March 30 through April 1 and premiered April 30 in Thies Auditorium for a special “one night only” event. All in all, we hope that the project is a worthy substitute for one-acts but most importantly, we simply hope that Latin enjoys, appreciates and respects our project. While at the time I was writing this article we had only begun production of the film, I can say it has been one of the most exhilarating and hopefully rewarding experiences of my high school career. Beyond the moments of stress, Lizzy Griesser relaxes before jumping back into filming. Photo by Isis West