Overall, there is no real answer to improving our school spirit, as the concept of “spirit” can change from person to person. I suggest we lean into the opportunities our school provides us with and commit to them wholeheartedly, even if that means embracing the cringe for a little. So maybe take some time to look inward, think about what you can do to improve school
From our multicultural Spring Break Dance Camp in March, Holi Festival in April, and the Soul Food Fest held every May, second semester at CSG showcases tons of celebrations for the various cultures represented in our community. The longest running celebration is the Lunar New Year Assembly. This year’s celebration was the week of February 5, and consisted of a student-led dragon dance, vibrant traditional clothing, and a banquet.
I sat down with Ms. Wu, one of the Mandarin teachers at CSG, to discover more about the history of the program. Ms. Wu remembered, “Nine years ago, we used to do a video or sing a song during announcements. Then, seven years ago, we did the actual programming.” When Ms. Wu was on maternity leave, she had the op-
portunity to work on a school-wide Lunar New Year celebration. Ms. Wu stated, “In the beginning, I was teaching Chinese classes and the classes were really small at the time. We had a grant to support Chinese programs. For the grant, we needed to do something, so I invited Master Gong to come in and do martial arts.”
The very first Lunar New Year assembly featured a zither, a type of stringed instrument, performed by a CSG student whose parents were from China. The student was generally interested in music, so Ms. Wu invited a zither teacher to come in and instruct her.
Last year, Ms. Wu attended POCC, the People of Color Conference, where she felt like she was given a push to showcase diversity in CSG. She recalls, “I went to the Asian affinity groups that made me think about how we feature
diversity from Asian American communities at CSG. I realized there are bigger-scale things we can do.” Students started to come together and brainstorm as Ms. Wu proposed different ideas. Then, they did a pre-selection for the performance each class wanted to showcase. Ms. Wu emphasized, “We feature different kids who have different talents. When we start rehearsal, some groups watch YouTube videos, and if students have great dancing skills, they step up to be leaders.” Ms. Wu notes it is “really surprising” to see students “in another way” outside their typical work in the Mandarin classroom.
For this year’s assembly, Form VI performed a TikTok dance called Kemusan, Form VII a song and dance called Lone Warriors, Form VIII a line dance battle, Mandarin I a fashion show, Mandarin II a long fan dance called Up Towards
CSG has so much to celebrate, so much to be proud of, and we as a student body have been reminded of that fact so much this year as it is the 125th anniversary…so why does it feel like our school spirit as a whole needs an upgrade?
School spirit is not something that an institution can create overnight. The best schools are ones with a strong sense of school spirit that is rooted in tradition, community, and commitment. There is no doubt that we have traditions: from Holiday Dinner to Big / Little, our traditions date back to as early as our founding. CSG also has an incredible community that is filled with supportive teachers, tight-knit classes, and a vast alumni network. Our community is one of the best aspects of CSG, so I guess the only piece missing is our commitment.
I began my investigation into school spirit with the people I know best: the juniors. In our second semester of form XI, applying to college is at the forefront of our minds. As we begin to build our college lists in college counseling, we have to consider what we value in an institution, one factor being school spirit. I
asked a group of juniors in the commons if school spirit was something they were looking for going into this process and without hesitation, everyone said yes. They all felt that school spirit is the pathway to creating a strong and meaningful community. They wanted to go to a university where students celebrate their school and feel proud to be a student. I then followed up this question by asking if they believed CSG has a strong sense of school spirit and they all said no. So here is where the problem presents itself: if we crave school spirit and are searching outwardly for it in the future, why not look inward, foster, cultivate, and commit to it where we are?
It is hard to find one answer to solve this school spirit conundrum. As it is a question of figuring out what are we doing well and in what areas can we grow. I asked Student Council president Elizabeth Burgess what she believed school spirit looks like and she said, “School spirit looks like showing up for your friends at theater and sporting events. It also means saying hi to people in the hallway.” I think we can all embrace Elizabeth's philosophy a little more and lean into the
school spirit that we can create here. We should show up for our athletes, actors, and musicians consistently at their games and performances. We should come to Red Gold events fired up and ready to get competitive with our opposing team. We can’t expect to magically have a thriving attitude regarding school spirit if we are not willing to do our part to cultivate this energy. Brooklyn Harris- Zarebski, IX, believes that the freshmen bring this spirit and said that “the majority of [their] grade is joyous to be here.”
Although Brooklyn says the school spirit is better amongst the freshmen, she notes that CSG is a “very academic environment” which may lead students to spend more time on school than social activities.
Overall, there is no real answer to improving our school spirit, as the concept of “spirit” can change from person to person. I suggest we lean into the opportunities our school provides us with and commit to them wholeheartedly, even if that means embracing the cringe for a little. So maybe take some time to look inward, think about what you can do to improve school spirit, and encourage others to do the same.
the Moon, and Mandarin IV and V ended the show with a school favorite, the Dragon Dance.
Following all the hard work on the assembly, Ms. Wu and her students also hosted a schoolwide Lunar New Year celebration. Along with help from the Center for Equity and Belonging and the World Language Department, it featured authentic Asian food and some of the dances. Over 200 attendees came: families and students from all divisions.
As we look forward to the future of the Lunar New Year assembly, Ms. Wu highlighted her goals: “The reason I continue wanting to do this is because my students don't always remember the language, they don't always remember the lessons, but they always remember the Lunar New Year celebration.”
the audience go dark while the lights on stage shine bright, highlighting brass, wind, and percussion instruments that glitter in the spotlight. The conductor lifts her hand and with a deep breath, the musicians begin to play. Music echoes through the theater and slowly, nothing but the sounds seem to matter. For Caz Lonzo, XII, this experience is nothing but familiar. Caz has been playing the clarinet since the fourth grade, making this their ninth year in band. “For me, it was less the clarinet specifi-
cally that I fell in love with, but more so the inclusive space where everyone matters,” they remembered. Every instrument and every person plays a key role in ensuring music that sounds good and a wonderful performance. “It’s a nice feeling to be a part of that community,” Caz said.
The feeling of belonging is certainly an important part of being a musician, but working towards goals and becoming a better artist is key to growth. It feels good to perfect skills, an idea that Caz has pursued through countless hours practicing and attending workshops. “I have done Honor Bands at Capital [University]
and [The Ohio State University], which are a lot since it is 6-8 hours of playing for 2 days straight,” they explained. It is so much work that Caz had to buy a new clarinet to keep up! Despite the tedious work honing in on skills, these bands are a great opportunity to make new friends: “You see the same faces a lot, and there are always opportunities to talk to people, like your stand partner.”
Over the years, Caz has played in countless band concerts with a live audience, which at first was a very nerve wracking experience. “I remember at my first band concert, I was so nervous and we sounded horrible,” Caz laughed.
Let’s take a leap back in time, to the good old days: Lower School. Getting chauffeured around by parents, being treated to fast food without having to pay, and even, in some cases, being able to watch a movie in the car, with just a CD. Sadly, as you get older, you get your license, and soon, these privileges cease to exist. However, moving through Upper School at CSG comes with a few unspoken privileges, which make the receival of your license overjoying. Perhaps the most cherished one: parking. It is an unspoken rule among Upper Schoolers that as you get older, you get to park closer to the school. After their hard work to earn their licenses’, sophomores park
parallel to the school, on the other side of Powell. According to Victoria Dizon, X, though as a sophomore, she technically parks the “farthest” from the school, the best parking spot is sophomore claimed, in the very front spot on Drexel. Besides
her opinion on the best parking spot, Victoria let us in on a little bit of the lore behind CSG Upper Schooler’s “unsaid” parking rules. Victoria explains that one “unsaid parking rule” is to not park where the Juniors and Seniors park, as they have “senior-
But the more they perform, the less stressful it becomes: “Being in front of everyone and playing for them… it’s not even a little bit scary anymore.” In other words, it has simply become another part of the musical routine. “It’s still a shock though playing by myself or in a small group, but I feel confident once I start to play,” they said. As Caz navigates the unfamiliarity of college and new experiences, they will always be able to carry the comfort that playing clarinet and being part of a bigger musical experience brings.
ity.” Juniors park on the farther side of Powell. Seniors, after years of anticipation, park on the close side of Powell and Drexel, right across the street from the school. The scoop from Elizabeth Burgess, XII, opposing Victoria’s belief, is that the best
parking spot is “absolutely where [she] park[s] now because [she] can take a shortcut across Guepel and go in the side door which cuts down on [her] walking time in cold weather.” Things like weather are important factors to think about when deciding where to park each year. If the sidewalks are piled with snow and ice, there are puddles, or even if it is simply a hot day, what spot would help you get into the school in the safest, most timely manner? These “rules” mentioned above are all critical pieces to think about as you navigate your way through Upper School. And Sophomores- be sure to ask a Senior about parking to get the latest scoop on the best spot for when you become an Upperclassman.
Though few schools globally celebrate International Women's Day, CSG has continued to honor the day with a breakfast and award ceremony. On March 8th, International Women's Day was celebrated with Upper School and Middle School students wearing purple- the official color of International Women’s Dayand gathering for guests from around the community who were nominated for the Community Unicorn award. As students prepared for the exciting morning, students also came to ask, what is the community unicorn
award? The Community Unicorn is an honor awarded to one woman in the Columbus community who represents the CSG ideals. The ceremony began last year and has come a long way since. At the first awards ceremony last year, the breakfast and speakers were held before school. This year, all Upper and Middle school students were invited to hear speakers and see the Community Unicorn be awarded. Previously, the description was “Women who Broke Barriers.” Barbra Allen, ’98, won as she was found to embody CSG principles. This year the prompt is “Women Who Made a Global Difference.”
And who decides who is awarded his prestigious title? A selection committee is formed by two students from each form from Form V to Form IX. Women were nominated by faculty, parents, students, and people in the community, who each wrote a detailed paragraph about each woman. The selection committee meets regularly to deliberate. Ultimately one person is chosen and honored at the ceremony. However, this year two people won! Nadia Kasvin and Tatyana Mindlina, cofounders of Us Together Inc., were honored for their work. Us Together Inc. is a non-profit founded in Ohio that helps support refugees and immigrants worldwide. After the award ceremony, alumni and nominees enjoyed a breakfast buffet. Students now had a better understanding of what the community unicorn is and their expectations were grossly changed. Grace Chapman, Form X, stated “ I expected it to be a long boring ceremony but it ended up being really inspirational and informative.” “There was even a dance break” she added.
Now that the CSG community has a better understanding of why we wear purple on March 8th, next year's ceremony is sure to be the best one yet.
Cars parked on drexel and powell
Courtesy of Maddie Metzbower
Maddie Metzbower, X
CSG students after the CereMony
Courtesy of CsG instaGraM
Caz teaChinG forM V studnents
Courtesy of CsG instaGraM
Institute classes have taken CSG by storm in the past year! Upper School Students have learned how to manage finances in Chief Financial Officer, developed their artistic voice in Writing community, have engaged in healthy risktaking in Leadership Seminar, or examined multiculturalism and diversity in DEIB Seminar. CSG students can take a variety of courses to further their skills in mathematics, leadership, research, creative expression, and global studies.
In the 2024-2025 school year, students will continue to have the opportunity to explore various topics and passions in returning and new elective courses. Students have the opportunity to take the Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course again next year. Ms. Smith, Chief Equity Officer, believes that the greatest thing about the Institute courses “is that we’re able to be creative and think outside the box in terms of how [she] presents the ideas to students.” She hopes to increase the number of students
involved in the course and to find a way to weave current events into the classroom. Ms. Smith believes that Institute classes are important because they “help to accelerate [the] core curriculum and provide experiential learning opportunities that expand academic excellence.”
Institute courses prepare students in a variety of ways; they help students prepare for life after graduation and gain a better sense of real-world experiences. I got insight from student Sahana Patel, XI, who is involved in the Leadership Seminar, “It empowers me to think like a leader and gain new perspectives,” she said. She is looking forward to taking her knowledge to the next level next year by taking another Institute course in the future.
Hopping over to STEM, Dr. Lewis is working with Dr. Sweeney to prepare Math Making Fusion, a course that “explores mathematical topics through the lens of digital design and additive manufacturing.”Ultimately Dr. Lewis wants to “give students an opportunity to experience the beauty of mathematics.”
Dr. Lewis also thinks that institute classes offer students the chance to know what it means to do math, history, and science in a low-stakes environment.
In total, eight Institute classes will be running next year; if you want to learn what it means to be a Global Citizen join Global Seminar. If history is more your style you can discuss the impact of Genocide on political and modern culture in the Holocaust, Genocide, and Modern Humanity course or attend Research Seminar to learn how to frame research questions and create your own twenty to twenty-five-page original work. Through these classes, students will discover what it means to be innovators and leaders.
Senior year is a time of big transitions as students gear up to begin another chapter of their lives. This is a bittersweet period, as some seniors will remain close to home while others may relocate far away. There are sentiments of optimism and uncertainty floating around the senior class, as some have committed and others remain torn between schools or a major. To help future generations of seniors who are destined to experience this time of great change, I asked my fellow seniors how they are preparing for this transformation. I offered a very open-ended question: “How are you preparing for college?” and was either met with wide eyes of terror or a smile of pure complacency.
Many students seem
to have their priorities straight: they bring up clothes as the first consideration. This is understandable, seeing as some those staying close to home have the advantage of being a small drive away from their closets, and others are moving across the states and will be miles away from their many fashionable options.
Senior Mackenzie Gibson said that she has already started going through her wardrobe nd figuring out what to keep and what to bring along with her. She also mentioned creating, “an Amazon wishlist to organize what [she] might need” before she goes to college. Claire Lewis, also a senior, plans on staying close to home and will be able to rely on her big closet whenever she feels the need to switch things up. Elizabeth Burgess, XII, also
The 2024 Battle of the Books Competition just occurred, and CSG was very excited to be sending a team of ready readers. The battle was in Central Ohio, where high school students come together to participate in a trivia competition of 26 books. There are multiple rounds in which students can earn points by answering questions about the books. At the end of the evening, the points are added up and the two teams with the highest score are invited to the grand battle. The books have a wide variety of genres so everyone can find something they like. If nonfiction books are your forte, read This is How You Speak Whale, by Tom Mustill. If you enjoy reading fantasy, Carnaval by Stephanie Garber is for you. Do you like solving mysteries? You should read The Agathas by
Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson. If you like science fiction, you should check out This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone from the library.
The CSG Battle of the Books team assembled in October and started to read the competition books.The nine members prepared for the competition in full force with weekly meetings where they quizzed each other and themselves on book trivia. They also ran mock competitions to practice what the battle will feel like. The competition was held on April 18th and the team made it through round four. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year's Battle of the Books competition, and if you thought the competition sounded like make sure to join next year's team!
mentioned packing enough pairs of stylish shoes and added she is “making the most of [her] time with friends and family in Ohio while exploring opportunities at Vassar to get excited for what’s next”.
Of course, getting our closets ready is just one little step toward joining the exciting new world of college. I implore all of my fellow and future seniors to be prepared to try fresh and intriguing looks as they progress through this next exciting chapter of their lives! Regardless of the attire you choose, the futures of all of our seniors are bright and hopeful. During this time of transition, be supportive of one another and to be proud of all that the seniors have accomplished so far.
Pilar Walton, XI
Abigail Gugle, IX
The Battle of the Books team at the competition! Photos courtesy of Naomi Adler, XII
Zella Lamaze , XII
Institution Logo. Photos courtesy of CSG Website
What is the best way to cook a hot dog? There are many different ways to create this classic American household food, such as boiling, grilling, frying, and even microwaving. To find out which way is the best, I put my two favorite cooking methods to the test.
My favorite ways to cook a hot dog are through boiling and grilling. In my opinion, grilling is a much tastier option. To put my preexisting opinion to the test, I took my family to a classic hot dog-selling site: the bowling alley. While the boiled bowling alley hot dog was perfect in consistency, it lacked the delicious burnt flavor that can only come from the grill. Although the bun was slightly cold, my family and I still enjoyed the flavor, earning this hot dog a 7/10.
While the bowling alley dog received an above-average score, it had some tough competition. My homemade grilled hot dog exceeded my expectations. By slicing a thin line through the middle, it was cooked perfectly throughout and even had a nice crispy outer layer from the fire. Paired with a lightly toasted bun, this hot dog was immaculate. I put a nice blend of ketchup and mustard on top, which earned the grilled hot dog an amazing score of 10/10!
Although the grilled hot dog had the better flavor, it was missing one thing; it did not have the fun experience of wearing the funny bowling shoes or the neon lights that came with enjoying the boiled bowling alley hot dog! Although the experience added benefit to the boiled hot dog, it wasn’t quite enough to tip the outcome of the competition. So, you heard it here, grilled hot dogs are the way to go.
Welcome back to my final drink review this year! For those who are new to my reviews, I always compare a drink from Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and Dunkin Donuts. To close out this series and get into the summer mood, I will be seeing which coffee shop has the best strawberry refresher. Warning before we begin: each coffee shop does a strawberry refresher differently. So without further ado, let's see who does refreshers best! I n last place, I am very disappointed to say, is Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons jumped on the refresher bandwagon but chose coconut milk instead of lemonade as their mixer. I ordered a Strawberry Coconut
refresher and am sad to say it received a 5/10. I am not a huge fan of coconut, but this drink was too sweet and lacked the strawberry flavor. I suggest Tim Hortons stick to coffee because as we know from my previous reviews that is what they do best! In second place we have Dunkin Donuts. I am pleased to say that their Strawberry Dragonfruit refreshers receive an 8/10! The dragonfruit balanced the strawberry flavor, making this a delicious refresher. It seems throughout this series, Dunkin Donuts remains consistent with all their drinks. F inally in first place is Starbucks. At this point, Starbucks may be known for its refreshers more than its coffee. I ordered the classic Strawberry Acai Lemonade
Refresher and it deserved a solid 9/10. This drink truly does refresh you and is not too sweet or too sour. The lemonade keeps it at a perfect balance. I originally had it at a 10/10 but subtracted one point because I am not a fan of the freeze-dried strawberry chunks.
Thank you for joining me throughout the year to find which coffee shop is the best. As this review had the same rankings as the first review, we have truly come full circle. My final thought: stay away from Tim Hortons unless you want a basic coffee, go to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and refreshers at a reasonable price, and take a trip to Starbucks for a grande drink that may just be worth the $6. I hope you enjoyed my final review!
Have you been looking for the perfect restaurant to try with friends? Well, Kura Sushi is the ideal thing for your weekend plans! The new Kura Sushi restaurant has recently opened at the Polaris Mall. In addition to the fun experience of a revolving sushi bar, the restaurant also offers a diverse menu, including nigiri, rolls, gunkan, sashimi, ramen, mochi, and more. Sushi plates, usually with three to four pieces, are around $3.40, which we thought was a decent price for the fresh quality of sushi we received. We went to the Kura Sushi to investigate the enjoyment a rotating sushi bar can bring and to bring you a full review. Since this restaurant is trendy, you must download the Kura Sushi app and join the waitlist 4-5 hours before your expected meal
time to get in. When we arrived, we checked in with the hostess and went to our booth. The futuristic theme of the restaurant immediately struck us. There were iPads at every table and robots delivering drinks. “It kind of gave off a dystopian vibe,” said Victoria Dizon, X. You can grab delicious small plates of sushi from the constantly moving sushi bar, or if you have something specific in mind, you can order from the ipads. It will be quickly delivered to you via the upper revolving channel. We got a variety of plates, including kappa maki, crispy rice with spicy tuna, umami cucumber salad, and the crunchy roll. “I loved the variety and how I could get a salad, sushi, and dessert,” said Kiersten Cahill, X. Overall, this dining experience was unlike anything else in Columbus, and we highly recommend visiting the Kura Sushi when you have the chance!
Our dining staff does a wonderful job all year making our school meals. Towards the end of the school year, the SAGE staff sprinkled in some new options with our traditional school lunches. Of course, there will always be chicken fingers on the first of the month, but let's think back to some of the new lunches we enjoyed this April. One of my favorites was the enchiladas. The enchiladas have the perfect balance of cheese, chicken, and tortilla. Another one of my favorites was the gyros. The tzatziki sauce made those stand out. Thirdly, the poke bowls were a fan favorite. What I loved was customizing the bowl with toppings and sauces. Another new lunch option worth mentioning is the baked potato bar. I loved that they had both bakes and sweet potatoes, as I am a sweet potato
person myself. The toppings for the potatoes were endless, making this one of my favorites. Finally, I want to talk about the lasagna. I love the school pasta, but it was nice to have a new form of pasta. The lasagna has the perfect cheese, meat, and noodle ratio, and there was a vegetarian option! dining staff always provides the best school lunches, and I hope some of these new lunches stick around for next year! Thank you to the dining staff for all the amazing lunches this year!
This year, CSG students were presented with the exciting opportunity to enter the Doodle for Google design competition. The goal of this competition is to design and doodle a spin-off of the Google logo. If selected, it will be featured on the Google search engine. This year's unique theme is “my wish for the next 25 years.” In addition to this being a fun art project, Google offers considerable prizes, including fifty-five thousand dollars in scholarships for the winner and a fifty-thousand dollar donation for tech to the winner’s school! There are numerous awards available to win, including the Planet Award for designs that focus on sustainability and the Good Neighbor Award for a doodle that centers around the local community. Additionally, there is the Imagination Award for extreme creativity and the Biggest Smile Award for the funniest design.
One student participating in the Doodle for Google competition is Victoria Dizon, X. When asked about why she is doing Doodle for
Google, she said, “Although I do not usually have time to participate in art classes, Doodle for Google is an excellent opportunity to practice and share my talent.” Victoria is very conscious about the environment, so when asked what the specific theme of her doodle was, she said, “I thought of the declining state of the environment, specifically the coral reefs, and decided to base my doodle around that topic.” She is specifically passionate about coral reefs because they are the habitat of many aquatic species and show the numerous effects of global warming. When asked what prize she hopes to win, Victoria responded, “ I am not really expecting any award, but it would be very cool if I placed and could provide Google hardware for the whole high school!” Overall, Doodle for Google is a fun way for students like Victoria to showcase their creativity and passions simultaneously.
CSG’s production of Into the Woods Junior was filled with glittering gowns (at least until Midnight)! A large part of this on stage magic wouldn’t be possible without our amazing crew. I have been a member of the costumes team under the lead of Asanda Ransier, XII, since the fall play of 2022. This year we were joined by Adriana Massimiani, X. Although we are a small team, some of our responsibilities include monitoring the costumes and dressing room and sometimes selecting used garments from CSG's attic. For our rendition of the witty and dark fairy tale collection, the Regency Era was selected for the costuming.This short period of time in the early 1800s has been showcased in many films and productions throughout decades. Some of the most famous examples are the film adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels or recently, Bridgerton. This era is differentiated by its empire waistlines and column silhouettes. In modern displays of regency fashions, there are often delicate gowns paired
In defense of the “mean girl,” she might be more misunderstood than you think. Due to our society’s bias for masculinity, feminine women are often villainized or underestimated. This antifeminist rhetoric often influences the film, popular culture, and the way women are perceived in real life. Feminism is advocacy for the belief that men and women are equal. Feminine traits are subjective, but they typically include anything commonly associated with the traditional woman, such as wearing pink or having long hair.
A perfect example of the separation of feminism from feminine traits is both the 2004 and 2024 films Mean Girls. While each movie is not discriminatory, the two films characters are the perfect means of exploring this philosophical topic in a simple way. Each character falls into a feminine archetype, a typical example of a person or a motif.
The film follows the protagonist Cady Heron who is “not like other girls.” These characters, also
known as “pick me” girls, are created to be a blank slate for viewers to not only identify with but project themselves upon. As a result, these characters appear overworked and heartless and are often humorous to audiences. Their insecurity and alliance with men often translates into a competitive and manipulative relationship with other women. In contrast, Regina George,the film's antagonist, is presented as the “maneater.” She embraces her hyper-femininity and is simultaneously very confident. Unfortunately, if not seen as a female manipulator, women in this film are depicted as unintelligent or unimportant; for example, the other members of the Plastics, the mean girl clique, Karen or Gretchen. While Regina is a very flawed character, her femininity itself is villainized, and many women end up empathizing with her after she is torn off her throne by Cady.
It’s no surprise that the film represents female relationships in this way. Misogyny, specifically the neg-
with feminine up-dos and rosy pink makeup. Our production on March 8th and 9th was great for those who love classic period piece romances with a twist of whimsy. Be sure to stay tuned for our fall production if you didn’t get a chance to attend! Witches, wolves, beanstalks, princesses, and princes awaited all at CSG’s production of Into the Woods Junior! Though this production was seen on opening night as a well-put-together show, a lot of work goes into making the magic come alive. As a cast member, I am here to walk you through the long process of our show. We begin with auditions in December, before beginning rehearsals in January directly after winter break. During January and February, the cast spends two hours every day after school working on learning and memorizing, music, lines, and blocking. During the last week before the show, those rehearsals are extended to three hours in a process known as tech week, which allows for our tech crew to come and set up/work lighting, sound, and transitions between scenes. Now that I've done a quick overview of the process, here are a few fun facts about our cast traditions and props! First, I will start with our traditions. The first being a cast dinner before opening night. This year we chose to eat out at Zen-Cha Cafe in Bexley for a fun pump-me-up before the show! Our
ative perception of hyper femininity and sisterhood, is often internalized by young girls. Many women can be misogynistic towards themselves and others. Society has an aversion to the classically feminine and when appears in unexpected contexts, it can even be quite shocking; for example, people may react more radically to feminine clothing worn by men in contrast to masculine clothing on women. These women’s issues are partially influenced by the second wave of feminists in the beginning in the 1960s. Who garnered respect from larger society by separating themselves from many womanly traits and items.
What the Mean Girls can teach you is to embrace your femininity, especially following March and our recognition of Women's History month. Liking pink bows or Taylor Swift doesn’t make you any less intelligent or powerful. What CSG has always preached is to be our true self even if that doesn’t mean being classically feminine.
next tradition is also on opening night, where we head out for a sweet treat at Graeter’s Ice Cream. All cast and crew are invited to attend the fun little get-together to celebrate the opening of the show. Next up are props! It is no secret that when it comes to puppets Milky White takes the cake. Milky White became a part of our theater community throughout the show and all were excited when her building was finally finished and we could see the long-awaited white highland cow. She brought laughter and fun to the set and, although she caused a few struggles, was one of the highlights of the musical!
After months of emails, many overnight visits, and hours spent reading team statistics, I am committed to running Division I Cross Country and Track & Field at a school I love. The recruiting process, for any sport, at any level, is challenging, but I have gathered some tips and anecdotes along my journey that may help CSG’s aspiring collegiate athletes.
Recruiting begins with deciding whether or not competing in college is something of interest. Reasons for wanting to continue your sport in college can vary from, “it’s super fun and I don’t want to quit yet” to “I want to become a professional athlete.” Any reason is a valid one, and identifying what yours is can help you decide what school may be a good fit for you.
After deciding to compete in college, begin making your athletic and academic resumes! These will help coaches get to know you and summarize your achievements for them.
Picking schools can seem daunting, but there are some helpful things to consider! There are three NCAA Divisions (I-III) and there are NAIA schools. DI schools are generally larger and can offer ath -
letic scholarships, DIII schools tend to be the smaller ones and cannot technically give athletic scholarships, and D2 schools fit somewhere in between. NAIA schools are also generally smaller. Other things to consider might be your intended major, location of the school, which athletic conference it belongs to, school traditions, and population size/demographics.
Once deciding what kind of school you want to attend, it’s time to begin looking into their varsity sport statistics, conference standings, and history. These numbers and facts will provide insight into the caliber of the team. As a runner, I used TFRRS.org to learn about a team’s performance. During your search, you might also find a recruiting questionnaire on the school's website. Most coaches will ask you to fill them out anyway, so it’s recommended that you do so in advance.
Next is one of the more intimidating steps: reaching out to coaches and academic advisors.
The contact information for most coaches and academic advisors can be found on the schools’ websites. I used this template for every email I sent to colleges. Don’t forget to attach your resumes to your emails. Some coaches will respond
within days, others within weeks, and some will never respond. Expect all sorts of responses and do not find yourself too discouraged if a coach is not offering to call you just yet. Send multiple emails and consider reaching out to academic advisors for sports teams because they are looking for athletes who will also represent their school well academically.
During recruiting visits and calls, prepare questions and always express gratitude for the coach’s time or the opportunity provided. If you are not quite sold on a school, take the time to decide. Funnily enough, a college coach told me that if I did not accept or deny their offer by a deadline, I would lose my spot on the team, but once the date passed, the coaches still asked me to join their program.
Recruiting is a long process and can be intimidating, but it is very worthwhile if college sports are something you want to participate in. Remember that as an athlete you have some leverage because teams need to fill their rosters! During the recruiting process you will have questions, so think of talking to your high school coaches, the CSG athletic department, and other committed athletes. Enjoy the journey and have confidence in yourself!
Last season CSG lacrosse had a record of 13-5 with some great wins across the board, the most memorable being the win against Columbus Academy for the first time in years. With the loss of only one senior and the addition of many new freshmen, head coach Kim Rocheleau has high expectations for the season: “I am expecting an even better season record than last year” says Rocheleau. Starting out the season with wins against Big Walnut, Bishop Hartley, and Wellington. One player has already hit some pretty big milestones.
Senior captain and Vassar lacrosse commit, Elizabeth Burgess, scored her 200th goal, as well as setting the school record for most career goals with 206 goals in her high school
career. Captain Sarah Alexander, ’24, and Bridget Donnelly, ’25, are well on their way to their 200th as well. Going into the season with an exceptionally large team, naturally there are a lot of players on the sidelines, so when asked which group she liked more, Coach Rocheleau said, “I enjoy all of my players equally (insert wink)-- my very energetic bench.” While the starters are obviously very important, the bench brings a special energy that keeps the spirits high. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Coach’s hopes remain high. Her goal is to go undefeated throughout the regular season, and make it as far as possible into the tournament. After the 12-8 win against Bishop Hartley, Rocheleau says, “there is definitely room for improvement, but I have a very good feeling about this season.”
Dear Silhouette Readers, I would like to say thank you. I have enjoyed every moment of being a part of the Silhouette staff. Being on Silhouette has been one of the best parts of my high school experience, from being on staff my freshman year to ending as a Silhouette Co-Editor In Chief.
I love and will miss hearing from students, faculty, and staff about their favorite book reads, and favorite traditions, and seeing celebrity and CSG community look-alikes. Silhouette is only possible with the participation of the CSG community, so thank you!
I look forward to reading the articles that the rising freshmen, sophomores, and ju-
niors write next year. And of course, one of my favorite parts of Silhouette is looking at the layouts, so I’ll be keeping my eye on those! To the Silhouette staff, and the graduating seniors on staff, thank you for putting in effort to produce an amazing issue each time. Also, I am very excited to see Rose take on the leadership position and know she will do an amazing job.
My final thank you’s go to Della and Dr. Hattaway. Thank you Della for leading Silhouette with me, I could not have asked for a better Co-Editor. Finally, thank you Dr. Hattway for trusting Della and me as we led Silhouette this year. Goodbye for now!
-Your Co-Editor in Chief, Allie Salamon.
To Silhouette staff, editors, advisors, and especially readers, I would just like to say thank you. Working on this newspaper has been an incredible opportunity for me to explore outside of my comfort zone, to learn news skills like interviewing or analyzing, and most importantly, to build community with an amazing group of writers and students. From interviewing alums to designing layouts with underclassmen to reliving all of Dr. Sweeney’s weird quotes in Verbatim, I have loved observing the true exceptionality of the CSG community throughout these past four years, and I will undoubtedly miss this place when I am gone. It has been a true pleasure working with the members of Silhouette. Abigail, I am so glad that you joined staff this year, and I always appreciate your thoroughly researched and well executed articles of the happenings at CSG as well as your ability to speak up for yourself. Delaney, Isabella, Maddie, and Olivia, thank you for always bringing the fun to class, for using your artistic talents, and for always giving Silhouette your all. Pilar and Lauren, you are kind
community members and great friends to others. You will serve as wonderful, exemplary seniors next year. Rose, I admire your leadership, and I am confident that Silhouette will be in great hands next year (I hope to see some more comics next year). Madi, Sarah, Lilly, Madeline, Ava, Mira, and Zella, I have no doubt that each one of you will go on to do great things with your lives, and I am excited to see all that you accomplish in college and beyond. It has been an honor to be your classmate. Dr. Hattaway, thank you for pushing me to become a better writer and for your endless support through high school. Last but certainly not least, Allie: you have been an amazing co Editor-inChief and I am so lucky to have worked with you. Your InDesign skills are truly unmatched, and your humor and compassion never fail to make me smile.
I am excited to begin my journey next year in a new school environment, but I will be sure to carry the skills I learned through Silhouette as I start a new chapter. Once again, thank you all.
Your co Editor-InChief, Della Jones
Rose McLarty, XIHi Silhouette! My name is Rose McLarty and I am so excited to be Editor in Chief for the 2024-2025 school year. I have been on Silhouette since my freshman year and I have fallen in love with journalistic writing and layout design. Next year I want to incorporate more studentgenerated graphics and find ways to increase readership in the paper. I also want our class times to be a collaborative and fun space where everyone can show up as their authentic selves. I am super excited to continue to grow as a writer, artist, and leader next
year, and can not wait to meet all the new members of our class. Also a big thank you to Allie and Della, this year's current Co-Editors In Chief, for all their hard work. They have taught me so much about what it means to be a leader. Della has challenged me and the entire class to write about what we are most passionate about. Allie is a wiz at InDesign and has majorly improved our layout game. I have looked up to both Allie and Della throughout my time in the class and couldn’t have asked for better role models. Thank you so much Allie and Della for all you have given to this paper. We will miss you next year.
Do you love writing? Do you like to design things? Do you want to be more involved in the CSG community? If so, CSG’s newspaper, Silhouette, is perfect for you. By joining Silhouette, you can contribute to the community by writing informative, fun, or opinionated articles! You can also design the pages that the community sees! It is also the perfect place to collaborate with students in
your grade or different grades. It is the perfect place to perfect your journalism skills, learn to interview others, and learn more about topics that are important to you. That said, Silhouette would like to thank all writers, designers, photographers, and anyone else who contributed to this newspaper somehow. This has been an amazing year and we appreciate you all so much! Join Silhouette for the 2024-2025 school year!
Travelers in CSG’s 2024 Global Programs have returned! This year, participating students and chaperones traveled to Greece and Costa Rica. I interviewed two students, Justice Johnson, XII, who traveled to Greece, and Gabby Clarke, XI, who traveled to Costa Rica, pre-program and post-program.
I first talked with these two before they left to hear what they were excited and nervous about before heading out on their programs. “I am super excited to go to Greece because I have never been out of the country,” explained Justice. She was also eager to experience and immerse herself in Greek culture. De-
spite her excitement, one reason for her nervousness was allergies “I am allergic to common foods, animals, and grass, so I am scared something might happen due to those allergies.”
However, Justice did not let her nervousness stop her from pursuing this opportunity. Additionally, Gabby remarked how she was eager to see the beautiful mountains and rainforests.
“I am a bit nervous about the culture shock, and having to adapt to a new culture,” Gabby explained when talking about potential drawbacks.
I was excited to hear their thoughts after they returned!
Two weeks later, I sat back down with Gabby and Justice to recap the programs. “Going out of the country was not as scary as I
As the threat of climate change increases, our Groundhog Phil struggles to accurately predict the length of our winters on Groundhog Day.
Although Groundhog Day predictions are based on fictional beliefs, climate change is very real. Not only are our winters increasingly becoming shorter and warmer, but winter storms are becoming more severe. The Equation says that the warm temperatures are “causing storms to have more fuel to work with in the form of water vapor and heat.” These storms are also being affected by the warming of our oceans and water sources. Rachel Licker says that as the ocean warms, “a bigger temperature contrasts with temperatures over the land when Arctic air plunges southward. The waters off the Atlantic have warmed several degrees, and the storms feed
thought it would be,” reflects Justice. Her favorite part of the program was seeing all of the beautiful historical and archaeological sites, her favorite being the Parthenon. In Costa Rica, Gabby loved seeing the beautiful nature, native plants, and animals.
“I especially enjoyed seeing the Arenal volcano after a particularly long hike; it was really rewarding.”
She recommends these programs for future students because she liked being able to compare Costa Rican culture to American culture. Additionally, she enjoyed learning lessons on sustainability and where our food comes from!
All these amazing stories have me wondering, I wonder where CSG travel programs will go next?
Where would you like to go?
off the temperature contrast.” Another cause is a form of fuel for the storms known as latent heat. This is when water vapor “condenses into cloud droplets” the release of the heat into the air is what is then used as fuel for the storm.
According to NEEF, 2023 was the warmest winter the US has ever seen, with much of the state's temperatures being above average. NEEF also mentions that it's not just the more drastic weather we should be worried about, health conditions are also becoming an increasing concern. NEEF states, “Rising temperatures in combination with higher carbon dioxide levels can make allergy season arrive earlier and stay longer.” This can also have a negative effect on those with asthma.
So, while we all enjoy seeing Phil on Groundhog Day and his predictions of an early spring, perhaps we should all hope he sees his shadow next year.
"Italy because they have good food and historic sites" -
"Bali because they have beautiful nature" - Anna
"Amsterdam to immerse myself in their culture and to experience the canals" - Maribel Spangler, IX
"Iceland to see the northern lights" - Mr. Baker
"Jamaica to see Bob Marley's homeland" - Yori O'Neal, XII
"The Lake District of Northern England to follow in the footsteps of the Romantic poets" - Dr. Hattaway
I’ve known you for a long time, and because of that, I know you. 15 years together tends to do that. Since then, I’ve undergone some wear and tear, to say the least. From loving to losing and forgetting to reconciling, I’ve been with you through everything—though maybe nothing as tough as that quick wash cycle your mom put me through. However, I’m made of tougher stuffing, and my fabric still holds the remains of your hugs and your tears. Now, I watch from your chair as you take down the drawings of our childhood. While you clear out your closet, your favorite sweaters are tossed carelessly across my arm, discarded. You laugh as you call your parents
to look at something forgotten that you’ve found, but from my vantage point, I can’t see what has brought you the nostalgic joy that used to come from me.
Boxes come and go, and your room has slowly become as barren and lifeless as it was when we first moved. Is this what I look like as well? But to you, maybe not, because I’m embraced once again in your arms as you take a long look into my button eyes. My fabric softener mixes with your rolled-on perfume, yet another sign of how much time has passed. Should I stay? Should I go? The questions are apparent, and you’re the only one who can answer. But with a delicate hand, you slip me into your duffel, right next to your new college sweatshirt.
