The Deerfield Scroll: January 28, 2015

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Vol. LXXXIX, No. 7

/DeerfieldScroll

/DeerfieldScroll

Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA

/DeerfieldScroll

28 January 2015

Johnson-doubleday to become “ninth-Grade village”

Elizabeth Tiemann

Johnson-Doubleday awaits transition.

//BROOKE

HOROWITCH

Associate Editor Recently, Deerfield’s administration shared plans for a new dormitory configuration, which the school will implement next fall. The changes include “a ninth-grade village,” allsophomore halls and juniorsenior brother-sister dorms in close proximity.

During her School Meeting announcement, Dean of Students Amie Creagh indicated high hopes for the modifications: “With fullybonded classes, more inviting and natural spaces—inside and out—for Deerfield boys and girls to spend time together, we feel confident that we’ll see a resurgence of school spirit. This new model will promote and

nurture stronger connections to one another and a stronger connection to your school and the Deerfield sense of spirit that brought you here in the first place.”

In this address—which was followed by additional emails to parents, alumni and prospective students—Ms. Creagh elucidated the new scheme. Ninth-grade girls will live in Johnson, and ninth-grade boys in Doubleday, allowing Crow Commons to serve as a “dedicated environment to build the program.”

Freshmen will have roommates to “provide companionship and bonding opportunities to set them on a great start.” Meanwhile, sophomore housing will “help new students bond with their returning classmates more quickly.”

Senior proctors

will continue to mentor and befriend younger students on all underclassmen halls.

Ms. Creagh believes a brother-sister dorm model, with renovated open common rooms and ample quad space between pairs, will promote “more natural and meaningful relationships” between boys and girls. Finally, single rooms will be more appropriate for upperclassmen as their studies become more demanding and time-consuming.

Ms. Creagh described the decade-long process that Senior Staff undertook before deciding to implement changes: “For years, we have deliberated on how we can use our dorm configuration to enhance boy-girl connections.

With more momentum and enthusiasm recently, we began an exploratory process . . . We

Depression Exists at DeerfIELd?

Elizabeth Tiemann

Depression is a national phenomenon.

//LUCY BINSWANGER Staff Writer In recent years, depression has received national attention, especially when referring to the teenage demographic. All teens and adolescents occasionally feel “depressed” or “under the weather,” and at Deerfield, the topic seems especially relevant during the winter months.

“Depression at Deerfield is typically manifested by kids who have a number of different symptoms,” Director of Medical Services Thomas Hagamen stated. “These typically include increased sadness, difficulty concentrating, decreased enjoyment and sometimes dark thoughts about death and self—injury. At Deerfield, depression is often brought on by the stress that Deerfield life can bring. And so schools like Deerfield–competitive, challenging, independent–often see a higher level of depression than your average school.”

There are two major forms of depression: mild depression and severe depression. Dr. Hagamen distinguishes between the two: “Mild depression is when you

are feeling sad, and are having relatively mild symptoms which affect the way you feel but not the way you function; and typically it does not affect your ability to do what you need to do. Severe depression typically affects your ability to function in a normal way so that doing Deerfield becomes difficult, sometimes impossible.”

Recognizing mild depression can be very tricky, because victims may appear to be perfectly fine externally.

“In this particular population,” psychologist Sheila Fritz explained, “students [with depression] are able to maintain their grades because it’s a number-one priority.

We are high achievers and perfectionists by nature.” But, she added, “it doesn’t mean that when your grades are good and teachers are seeing you smiling and interacting with people in class or outside walking in the community you can’t be depressed.”

Although more people are becoming open to talking about depression, there may be some negative connotations and stereotypes associated with the condition. One anonymous student stated, “I didn’t feel like

it was something I could just say to anyone. I couldn’t tell any of my friends—you want people to like you at DA, and if you are open about it, people will not want to hang out with you.

Meanwhile everyone was saying I was the person they could count on to always be smiling, happy and bubbly.”

Although depression can be a difficult disease to combat, the Health Center has methods to help students. Dr. Hagamen explained, “Treatment for depression typically involves working with a mental health professional in some form of therapy, usually talk therapy for some time. For severe depression we recommend augmenting this therapy with psychiatric consultment and specifically anti-depression medication.”

The issue of depression can be difficult to face for many students who have depression or those with friends who suffer from it.

Dr. Hagamen offers some advice: “We certainly recommend that if you have a friend who is depressed that you encourage them to come to the Health Center and meet one of the health counselors or peer counselors. The most important thing is that you do something.”

“Being depressed is not something to be ashamed of,” Dr. Hagamen said. “It does not mean there is anything wrong with you, it is something for which there is very good treatment.”

“If you are feeling depressed, there is treatment which can make you feel better,” he concluded. “And remember to reach out for help.”

tested theories by talking with other schools, [evaluating] their systems and conducting research among faculty. After meeting with deans, residents and the Dorm Council repeatedly, we received a groundswell of [encouragement]. Considering viability [regarding enrollment] and advisability, we decided that this model, with unanimous Senior Staff support, would be . . . the best model for most students.”

Naturally, however, student reactions regarding the new configuration vary. Some share faculty optimism, while others hesitate to accept the dramatic changes.

“At first,” Hollin Hanau ’18 said, “I was skeptical of the idea, worried how freshmen, specifically girls, would transition into Deerfield without sophomores to look up to and guide them. With time, I have started to see the [plan’s] benefits, and while there are flaws to it, there will be many [positives] as well. The freshmen class will build closer relationships, and I think the sophomores will too, if they are willing to embrace this change.”

Speaking for many upperclass boys, Hill Kelley ’16 said, “My freshmen and sophomore years, I looked forward to having roommates, and being in a double has been one of the best parts of my

junior year. However, the idea of putting freshmen in doubles has some shortcomings. If the roommates don’t get along, they will be unhappy spending time in their own rooms, and if they do get along they won’t be able to get any work done. Personally, I don’t think I would have had enough discipline as a freshman to get all of my work done with a roommate.”

Many others fear that roommate pairs will lead to drama and disappointment, to which Ms. Creagh responded, “We will teach ninth-graders how to diffuse gossip and respect each other from the get-go, leading to better experiences in the future. . . [In addition,] we believe learning how to live with someone else is a valuable skill, but we’ll be very thoughtful about pairs, perhaps utilizing questionnaires. [Finally,] one roommate will attend supervised study hall in Crow Commons or the Garonzik, while the other has alone-time in their room. They will switch the following evening, giving all students quiet space.”

Expressing her willingness to hear student feedback, Creagh will also create advisory groups to evaluate and respond to the change.

Ms. Creagh concluded, “I am confident that this is the right thing to do.”

catching a ride //CAMILLE MOECKEL Staff Writer

On January 5, a policy was instituted allowing boarding seniors, with permission from their parents, to drive with senior day students after January 19. The policy has been granted almost every year after Student Council submits a formal proposal for review by the deans. The deans then put the policy into place for the start of each new year.

Dean Amie Creagh explained the benefits of the new policy: “First, it gives seniors a special privilege, when I think they need and deserve one. Second, it offers them the opportunity to get to know their local community a bit better before they leave it. And finally, going to a movie on a weekend night is a normal, high-school activity.”

With this policy, some faculty worry about the pressure that is placed on day students to drive boarders, along with concerns about increased rule breaking and student safety.

Even though there has never been an accident with Deerfield students as a result of this policy, Creagh pointed to an accident at the Taft School several years ago.

Both senior day students and boarders are excited to be able to take advantage of this new policy.

“I think that it’s a great opportunity for boarders to get a different view of what the surrounding area is like,” day student Conor Sullivan ’15 commented. “Much of what boarders get to experience is a very small part of Greenfield, and that is only a sliver of what

the area has to offer. The driving privileges will now allow for day students to show the boarding community a different side of the area that is only known to locals.”

Madi Lyford ‘15 noted, “I am excited to ride with day students because it will make going out to dinner or to Big Y a lot easier and cheaper. It is no secret that the cab service in Deerfield is lacking.”

Will Darling ‘15 added, “At any other school this conversation wouldn’t really be happening, and while I appreciate Deerfield isn’t like every other school, it seems a pretty basic idea that students who can drive should be able to drive their friends.”

Darling brings up the question of whether this responsibility should be given solely to seniors for the second half of their year or perhaps given to seniors—or even juniors— for the whole year.

Last year, the faculty voted on and ultimately rejected a policy that would have allowed seniors to drive with day students all year long. At the time, many of the faculty had strong reservations or expressed ambivalence.

At Hotchkiss students cannot drive their friends: “Day students may invite schoolmates home for either the evening or a weekend. [But] It should be understood that if a car is used to transport the visiting student to and from School, the day student must not drive.”

Ms. Creagh concluded, “A boarding environment like ours doesn’t offer many of those typical, standard routines [of home life], so I’d like to offer them when and where we can.”

EDITOR’S

PICK

America’s Civil

SCROLL board urges contiNued dialogue on race Recent racially-charged events have elicited varied responses from calls for neutrality, to apathy, anger, disappointment, helplessness, and determination to make change. The grand jury proceedings resulting from the killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York have caused great unrest across our country. In both cases, a white police officer killed a black man while on duty; both officers were not charged.

Many protesters took to the streets in response to what they saw as ongoing racism. How can we be united as a country when black citizens live in fear of their own police officers?

No members of the Scroll Board were present during the Michael Brown or Eric Garner shootings. Biases in the media make it difficult to know exactly what happened in each situation, though some video exists. As high school students, we are not taught the finer points of law. Therefore, we cannot judge whether these specific proceedings were just or not.

But the Scroll Board feels these incidents are significant because of the much larger issue for which they stand. Racial prejudice in America is undeniably ongoing and undeniably unjust. These tragic situations have raised national discussion on how discrimination can be stopped. Our hope is that these discussions lead to action.

Unfortunately, we have all been born during a time when prejudice can hurt every individual. Although one might feel removed from the recent problems and may choose to ignore them, he or she will constantly see, hear and face oppression in different ways. We all have faced some form of prejudice, no matter our race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other differences. Let us not fight each other, but let us unite and combat oppression itself. These events have raised awareness of the gravity of oppression in our country, and it will not stop unless we discuss thoughtfully and begin to take action. If we do not try to unite and battle the bigger issue, oppression will not go away. Let’s talk to each other, and learn to understand everyone better - as equals-so we can make our world feel safer, and more welcoming, for all people.

School shuts down trips to d.c. and new york //Heyi Jiang Senior Writer While a bus ride from Deerfield Academy to New York City takes approximately four hours, controversial social happenings take only an instant to spark discussions among Deerfield students. Yet for many students, discussions in and outside of classrooms are not enough, and the really important thing is to act on their social awareness and promote positive change in society. This would explain what motivated more than 6o students to express their interest in participating in the Greenfield protest and why the student leaders conceived the idea of going to New York City and Washington, D.C. That’s why these students were deeply disappointed when the school said, “Sorry.”

A month has passed since the school’s decision was announced. While many students have tried to understand the reason behind this decision, some are still disappointed.

“Truthfully, I understand why the school didn’t allow students to go to the protests.

The school would have been liable if anything had happened to students, who are under their care, and many of those kinds of protests had the possibility to become a little dangerous. But it’s still very disappointing,” said Meghan Mozea ’15.

But why exactly did the school arrive at its decision?

When asked, both Head of School Margarita Curtis and Chief Financial Officer Keith Finan discussed the responsibilities of the school. Such responsibilities come in various forms, including both “supporting students’ interest in advocacy” and putting their welfare and safety as the school’s primary concern. These two types of responsibilities are not necessarily mutually exclusive, yet when one has to override the other, the school management opted for the latter.

“I understand the concern the school’s response elicited,” said Mr. Finan, “But it is not a question of the Academy advising students to hold or not to hold peaceful protests in NYC, D.C. or anywhere else. The issue is whether or not students under the supervision of Academy faculty and/ or staff will be reasonably safe while engaging in any activity off campus.”

When the prospect of a student-organized peaceful protest in NYC or D.C. came up, the school immediately started the process of risk assessment. “When the idea of sending students to NY and D.C. was brought to my attention,” Dr. Curtis explained, “I asked Mr. Finan, our CFO, to contact our travel safety advisory company, International SOS(ISOS), to solicit input from these experts in the field.”

In the list of travel advice from ISOS was, “Avoid all demonstrations due to the potential for clashes between the police and protesters.”

April 4, 1968 Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.; his murder resulted in riots throughout the United States in the following months.

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February 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin (unarmed), 17, killed by a neighborhood-watch volunteer in Sanford, FL.

As Mr. Finan pointed out, most Deerfield students are legally minors, and the Academy has the obligation to safeguard its students’ welfare and safety. Hence, heeding the response of ISOS, the school made its decision with such obligation in mind.

Despite her emphasis on the school’s top priority of keeping its students safe, Dr. Curtis made it clear that it is part of the school’s mission to “fully endorse freedom of speech and the development of civic values.”

She added, “I think it is important for all students to be informed about what is going on in their communities, their country and the world, and to understand the historical underpinnings of current events.”

Dr. Curtis encourages students to express their views through journalistic activities, Deerfield Talks, on-campus forums, etc.: “In short, [these students are free and encouraged] to seek ways to engage in productive dialogue on campus and beyond around these challenging issues.”

On December 2, Director of Inclusion Marjorie Young and english teacher Eve Goldenberg led a forum on the Ferguson decision and aftermath.

On the school’s decision not to allow travel to the NYC/D.C. protests, Ms. Young noted, “This decision was made in the interest of student safety. . . That said, I do not have issues with peaceful protest, or those kinds of activities. I think it is a good way for people to demonstrate their concerns. . . I like the momentum and spark that the students’ efforts have provided and hope that we will continue to sustain a community dialogue about these issues. My greatest hopes are that students will continue to talk and listen to each other’s views and perspectives, that there would be mutual respect and understanding, as that is what leads to a healthy and comfortable community for all.”

Meanwhile, Ms. Young recognizes the importance of having a heightened social awareness. “It keeps us connected to important issues in our society and communities,” she said. “I don’t think it is possible to act on every issue, but there are issues that we have individual power to change, and in those instances. . . I do think that Deerfield students should actively lend their voices to social issues that they are passionate about. While it is easy to get involved when a topic is in the news, the challenge for all of us is to be consistent and vigilant about those issues daily.”

When asked if Deerfield students have the obligation to act upon their social awareness, Ms. Goldenberg affirmed, “I believe we have an obligation, as citizens in a democracy, as members of multiple communities, to pay attention, to listen, to notice. And from that, because we can, we have an obligation to act as we can—to raise awareness through our conversations, through our concrete practices, through our voices and freedoms as human beings, not just those granted to us through law.”

July 17, 2014 Eric Garner (unarmed) choked to death by police officers on Staten Island.

August 9, 2014 Michael Brown (unarmed), 18, shot to death by a police officer in Ferguson, MO.

The Deerfield Scroll

28 January 2015

Rights Crisis DA PROTESTS IN GREENFIELD //Bella Hutchins Associate Editor

On December 12, a Friday evening, about 200 citizens from the Greenfield area, including 12 Deerfield students, gathered on the town square, in front of the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church for an anti-police-violence vigil.

A few days prior to the protest, Matt Morrow ‘15 received an email from history teacher Bernie Baker informing him of the vigil. Earlier in the month, Morrow had tried to organize a bus to take students into anti-police-violence protests in New York City, but due to concerns for safety, the bus was ultimately cancelled.

Because he was not able to bring students into the New York City protests, Morrow was eager to urge students to attend the Greenfield vigil.

The scene outside the church was “peaceful,” according to Morrow: “There was a good turnout; we were probably able to surround [most] of the green that you see when you first go into Greenfield.”

Dr. Baker said, “There was a mix of sadness about what has happened and a certain feeling of despair, but at the same time, the gathering helped people to be infused with a sense of possibility.” He emphasized that when we look at the history of change in the United States, “it has always happened because ordinary citizens have gotten together and said we need to move our country closer to what our founding documents say we are.”

English teacher Frank Henry also attended the vigil and recalled a woman near the church who turned to him and said, “I’ve never seen this many people on the town square for an event like this.”

Then some of the older members of the crowd remembered civil rights songs from the 1960s and began to teach them to the crowd. Mr. Henry commented, “You could just see their memories being stimulated and their sense that ‘Maybe this time it will be different.’”

According to The Greenfield Recorder’s article on the vigil—“Protesters: #BlackLivesMatter”—many citizens held signs reading, “God, help our police regain their humanity,” “Black lives matter,” and “White silence equals violence.”

Morrow said that the vigil was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to the town of Greenfield that Deerfield students are aware of what is going on the world and that they care. “I feel like there is a stigma around the other schools that Deerfield students just don’t care about issues like this,” he said. “This was a good way to break that.”

Mr. Henry reported there was a “warm fuzzy feeling” coming away from the vigil, and Dr. Baker said he felt “satisfaction after taking a public stand,” explaining that participating in events like these makes it “easier to face [him]self in the mirror.”

Two Deerfield students, Shane Beard ’16 and Beatriz Labadan ’16 were quoted in The Greenfield Recorder while at the vigil. Mr. Henry further noted that local media, including newspapers and TV channels, gave significant coverage to the students attending. The Greenfield Recorder mentioned that the presence of Deerfield students at the vigil “reflect[ed] how many young Americans have taken to the issue.”

Alexandra Patrylak

STUDENTS LIE DOWN IN DIE-IN

YOUTUBE.COM/DEERFIELDSCROLL

//Hollis mcleod Staff Writer On December 14, many members of the community lay down outside the Dining Hall in a “die-in.” A term unfamiliar to many, a die-in is a form of protest in which people lie on the ground in silence for a certain period of time. Die-ins have been taking place in New York, Boston, Washington D.C, and even at other boarding schools, such as Exeter and St. George’s.

Garam Noh ’15, one of the organizers of the event, explained why she thought holding a die-in would be beneficial for Deerfield students: “The die-in was about creating an environment where people who were strongly affected by those events could feel like they have a place where they are supported at Deerfield.”

In addition to addressing the issues surrounding the two shootings, Noh also pointed out that the die-in was a form of bringing awareness to campus: “When we’re here, we’re so far removed from the outside world that we can think everything is like Deerfield . . . I think it’s really important for people to realize that it’s not like that. The issues that we think are completely resolved here are still rampant in other parts of the country.”

While some students may find themselves indifferent to the issues and controversy pertaining to the shootings, others in our community may feel deeply impacted by them.

Students had varying opinions on the die-in. Many participated and found it to be a worthwhile event for themselves and the community.

Yuri Lee ’15 said, “The fact that so many students joined in the die-in is particularly meaningful to the community as a whole . . . one person being proactive has a large impact on the entire community.”

Gillian O’Connor ’17 said, “The die-in was an interesting way to express your opinion.

It was very powerful.”

However, other students didn’t participate due to their own views on the event and the issues surrounding it. Riker Bixby ’15, said, “I didn’t participate in the die-in because I didn’t feel like it would accomplish anything, besides getting me sick [due to the cold weather].”

Nick Leone ’17, who also did not participate, said, “I didn’t think it would help me resolve any issues I had toward the Michael Brown incident.”

Deerfield is definitely split on this issue, a fact that Noh noted as well: “It highlighted how divisive race issues can be in this community.”

August 10, 2014 Protests begin in Ferguson area: 30 people arrested.

November 22, 2014 Tamir Rice (playing with toy gun), 12, shot to death by a police officer in Cleveland, OH.

Watch the latest Scroll video online for footage of the Greenfield Protest.

Henry Cobbs Students partake in a die-in after Sunday sit-down.

November 24,2014 Grand jury decision released: Darren Wilson is not indicted (not to be tried) for the murder of Michael Brown.

December 20,2014 Two NYC police officers assassinated by Ismaaiyl Brinsley: NYPD tries to link deaths to protests.

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Vol. LXXXIX, No. 7

OPINION

28 january 2015 editor-in-chief HENRY COBBS

front page KATHERINE CHEN

online associate WILLIAM UGHETTA

opinion & editorial GARAM NOH

graphics associate RACHEL YAO

features GORDON XIANG

layout associates WILLIAM HODGES WILLIAM VON WEISE

arts & entertainment MICHELLE KELLY

associate editors DAVID DARLING JULIA DIXON MARGO DOWNES CAROLINE FETT BROOKE HOROWITCH BELLA HUTCHINS RYAN KOLA MADDIE MOON FELIX schliemann ELIZABETH TIEMANN

sports COLE FAULKNER video EMILY YUE ANNIE BLASBERG distribution manager YONG-HUN KIM

senior writers LUCY BALDWIN CAROLINE COPPINGER OLIVIA DAVIS Dorie Magowan photography EMILY MAHAN JISOO RYU LIAM MORRIS advisors JULIANNE SCHLOAT & ADA FAN

layout & graphics CHLOE SO

The Deerfield Scroll, established in 1925, is the official student newspaper of Deerfield Academy. The Scroll encourages informed discussion of pertinent issues that concern the Academy and the world. Signed letters to the editor that express legitimate opinions are welcomed. We hold the right to edit for brevity. The Scroll is published eight times yearly.

Opinion articles with contributors’ names attached represent the views of the respective writers. Opinion articles without names represent the consensus views of the editorial staff.

in praise of dialogue

The Scroll commends Deerfield’s administration for considering and embracing student opinions regarding recent school decisions.

This year, the deans have announced some (more or less) momentous changes: banning boys’ turtlenecks, allowing senior day students to drive their friends off-campus and a new dormitory configuration for next year. In all these cases they have proved open to hearing, then implementing, students’ responses and ideas.

For instance, when boys denounced the no-turtleneck policy, Ms. Creagh organized a forum, encouraging invested students to discuss the controversy. After hearing their arguments, she rescinded the rule, as long as boys pledged to respect existing dress code parameters. Throughout the process, Ms. Creagh maintained transparent dialogue with the community, a process that The Scroll applauds.

Last year the faculty voted against day students driving boarders, but recently the deans have proven more receptive to day-student driving privileges.

Finally, Ms. Creagh has established office hours to hear reactions to next year’s dormitory model. As a result, students can share their beliefs with a high-ranking Deerfield administrator, who may implement the changes they suggest. Ms. Creagh also specified plans to create advisory groups with representatives from each grade to discuss student opinions.

Increased discourse and understanding has connected previously-distant Deerfield staff members to the student body.

The Scroll encourages the administration to continue their recent practices and listen to community members, particularly regarding winter dress-down Fridays. Conversely, students must remain prepared to express themselves rationally and deliberately around adults, which will foster a better school environment for all.

anonymity- a doubleedged sword Last year, the app Yik Yak swept through the Deerfield campus, prompting a series of community-wide conversations about our school values, accompanied by pleas from the administration to stop hurtful anonymous postings. Many students felt individually targeted by the app, and others were concerned about the app’s divisive, rather than uniting, nature.

This year, another anonymous posting app became popular during the winter months. The app, Swipe, was not nearly as widely used; however, some students, as they did with Yik Yak, again took advantage of the power of anonymity to post hurtful posts directed towards certain students. This makes the Scroll Board wonder: Why are these students willing to voice these opinions only when their identity is secret? Is it because there is no possibility of punishment? Whatever the motive, we believe these posts go against Deerfield’s values, many of which lie at the core of a healthy community atmosphere.

The Scroll Board does believes, however, that anonymity can also be employed in the service of good. The new Facebook group created by Nicky Conzelman and Jared Armes allows all members of the student community who have Facebook to post their ideas and opinions about school goings-on. Then, Nicky and Jared will relay the general mood, opinions and frustrations of the student body—anonymously—to the administration. The two students have presented this Facebook group—with its element of anonymity—as a solution for recent frustrations about mistrust between students and faculty. As Nicky and Jared will have the power to supervise all posts, the group will be moderated in a way neither Yik Yak nor Swipe was.

Anonymity can be a double-edged sword. We at The Scroll believe the new Facebook group is a step forward in using the power of anonymity—namely its ability to occasionally create opportunities for trust rather than mistrust—for the right purposes.

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a tribute to CHARLIE HEBDO

“I [may] disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

- Voltaire (attributed) students have the right to be stressed //SERENA AINSLIE Contributing Writer Deerfield Academy has the reputation of being one of the best prep schools in the world.

With that reputation come expectations set by those both within and outside our community.

The administration wants students to excel to attain a high ranking on Business Insider’s list of America’s Most Elite Prep Schools. The Admissions Office wants us to go to a “great college” to amaze applicants with an impressive matriculation list. Teachers want students to do well in their class because often others see students’ grades as a reflection on the instructor. Parents want their kids to do well because they are paying up to $54,000 a year to send their children to this elite institution, and they want to get their money’s worth (and see their kids succeed).

We want to do well not only because these towering expectations are set for us by others, but also because we have our futures in mind.

We want to get into a good college so we can work in the field we feel passionate about and, eventually, be “successful,” whatever that means. With so much pressure to succeed, how can a Deerfield student go through four years here without feeling stressed?

Mr. Flaska recently pointed out that stress does not come from within ourselves. The Merriam-Webster definition of stress is as follows: “a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work, etc.; something that causes strong feelings of worry or anxiety.” By definition, stress is imposed on us by problems in our world that cause anxiety within us. Yes, stress comes from the outside.

But why would that make stress at Deerfield unwarranted?

We are so fortunate to be part

Deerfield tradition!

online editor CHARLIE UGHETTA

1980: Discretion has always been a

managing editor MARGARET CHAPPELL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HENRY COBBS CEDES HIS SPACE FOR THIS SIMPLE QUOTATION:

of a community that values learning as Deerfield does, but just because we are “privileged” does not mean that our stressors are illegitimate. Assuming that Deerfield students who say they are stressed are merely doing so because others are saying so makes students feel like our problems don’t matter, and our worries are unjustified.

On top of the overwhelming pressure to be diligent students, dedicated athletes, prolific artists, global citizens, community builders and more, kids here have lives outside of school, too. Just because Deerfield students are lucky enough to attend an elite prep school doesn’t mean we don’t struggle with family issues, eating disorders, abusive relationships, heartbreak, peer pressure, death and more. I point out the combination of these stressful realities and the pressure mentioned above in order to emphasize that our problems are real. Stress is stress, regardless of the cause; and while a little bit of stress can be healthy, the toll that stress takes on Deerfield students is often more detrimental to our mental and physical being than is beneficial.

Rather than denouncing students’ worries as gratuitous, we should take the initiative to help our peers through this inherently awkward and scary growth period we call adolescence, and do our best to alleviate the pressures imposed on students at Deerfield.

Teachers, you can do your part by sticking to the allotted 50 minutes of homework a night.

Next time you ask me why I look so tired, consider whether or not it was your 47 pages of reading that had me up until 2 a.m., scared to ask for an extension because of fear of failure. The College Advising office can reassure us that there are more than 10 great colleges in the world. A school that society thinks is the best may not be best for me—remind me of that.

Students, we can all help each

other through stressful times by being there for each other and making our community one that everyone wants to be a part of.

If Deerfield truly is committed to becoming a “drug-free school,” these are the things we need to focus on rather than blaming the media or other potential factors.

Calling a dorm drug-free is not going to get drugs out of that dorm. Committing to ridding our campus of drugs isn’t about getting the physical drugs off campus, it’s about getting rid of the reasons students are turning to drugs in the first place. Students might not abuse Adderall if they didn’t feel they couldn’t do their homework alone. We might not smoke if we didn’t need an escape from our high-strung campus. We might not drink if we were happier at Deerfield.

In short, we all know what a remarkable place Deerfield is. Each one of us chose to come here over every other prestigious high school. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

In order to make our school an even better place, we first must acknowledge that students have the right to be stressed. We have this right because the struggles that come with being a Deerfield student and a teenager are not easy, and knowing we’re fortunate to be here isn’t always enough to lessen that stress.

Every member of this community can do something to make life at Deerfield a little less demanding, and a little happier. Diminishing the culture of stress at Deerfield is a more effective way of addressing problems like drugs, eating disorders, depression, etc., than attacking these issues merely on the surface. If we can dispel the belief that Deerfield expects perfection from its students and acknowledge that school is only one part of our lives, we will all be in a better position to appreciate the amazing opportunities that Deerfield has to offer and live healthier, more relaxed lives.

SCROLL ARCHIVES

The Deerfield Scroll

con

//BALLARD BROWN Contributing Writer

So why do this?

The reasoning behind the changes is actually quite sound.

There is a noticeable gender divide on campus, and that is the basis for dormitory repositioning and renovated common rooms.

The idea is that with more areas for students to hang out other than in the Greer, the gender divide will begin to disappear, since the Greer culture is—as far as I can tell—a contributing factor to the gender divide.

The second reason is reported issues with integration of new sophomores into their grade. New students find it difficult to integrate because as freshmen there are countless bonding experiences, most notably Camp Beckett. In an attempt to fix this imbalance, sophomores will live with fellow sophomores only, ideally to help the new students integrate better into their grade.

The third reason given was to increase school spirit, which has seen a noticeable decline since I came to Deerfield in the fall of 2012. How the changing of the dorms will help to bolster school spirit is far more nebulous.

Perhaps underclassmen living within their grade will help each class develop its own school spirit, but exactly how school spirit is to be mended is something that I have not been able to grasp.

In any event, while these changes seem designed to fix legitimate issues on campus, they have the potential to create as many problems as they solve.

The “Ninth-Grade Village” and the placement of sophomores with sophomores seem to pose the largest risk to me. But the idea of fixing the gender divide is a very valid goal. That being said, the sequestering of underclassman into their own dorms by grade presents the reality that freshman and sophomores will not have a chance to interact for two years, until they are juniors and seniors living together in the upperclassman dorms.

Living with older students my freshman year, and younger ones my sophomore year, I was able to become very close with people outside of my grade, forming friendships I have maintained since living with these people. I believe that separating younger grades will create a new divide among the student body: a tangible grade divide. This divide will inhibit many meaningful friendships from being formed, friendships that have, in the past, helped younger students learn the social rules of Deerfield as well as understand Deerfield

deerfield dorms get a makeover

traditions. The hope is that proctors will fill this void, and teach their proctees what kind of school Deerfield is. It is clear, however, that all new students will miss an experience that I found to be very valuable in my time as a freshman and sophomore.

Living with sophomores freshman year, I learned to respect older students and take their advice very seriously.

That is not to say I followed older students blindly, but that I learned to consider every bit of advice given, and not to disregard people’s opinions because of their social stature.

Then, as a sophomore, I and other students in my grade realized it was now our turn to help guide new students. I learned how to help the younger students patiently, and could do so well because I had asked the exact same questions and encountered the same kinds of confusion just the year before. While this is not officially recognized as being a leadership position on campus, this role that sophomores often play on their halls under the housing system as it now exists taught generations of Deerfield sophomores to be patient and helpful with younger students more unfamiliar with Deerfield.

Furthermore, this experience left them more prepared to take on upperclassman responsibilities.

I am sure that the radically different dormitory system is being implemented with the best of intentions, I cannot imagine that this is some sort of a reactionary change to anything else on campus than the issues of gender and intragrade bonding. But I have decided, in the end, that while declining school spirit was a reason cited for implementing change, it does not seem to me to be a legitimate reason behind the new arrangements. It seems to me that changing dorm assignments will not directly improve school spirit.

When I decided to write this article, I tried to consider and r e c o g n i z e the supposed reasoning behind the decisionmaking. And in the end, I support the two tangible reasons given for the changes, the gender divide and lack of intra-grade bonding. These are immediate and tangible issues on campus that need to be dealt with.

I only wonder if there is not a more moderate way to begin to address these issues, one that does not carry with it massive potential to form new issues that will have to be dealt with, perhaps in similarly extreme ways, later on.

THE ADMINISTRATION PRESENTS THE NEW HOUSING SYSTEM We are excited to announce a “Ninth-Grade Village” at Deerfield. The Ninth-Grade Village is designed to give ninthgraders a strong academic and social foundation for their time at Deerfield—and to address common concerns new students have about orienting to life away from home.

Starting this fall, ninthgrade girls will live in Johnson Dormitory, and ninth-grade boys in Doubleday Dormitory.

The Crow Commons, a large common space connecting the two buildings, will serve as a dedicated environment in which to build the Ninth-Grade Village program. Study halls will be structured and supported specifically for ninth-grade students, and dorm-based programs will encompass aspects of orientation, diversity and inclusion, community service, and health issues.

Also starting this fall, sophomores (new and returning) will be housed together, as a class, to help new students bond with their returning classmates more quickly—and to ensure that we can provide a structured study environment each evening. (Juniors and Seniors, including new students, will continue to be housed together in their own dorms.)

All dorms will now be arranged around a “brother/ sister” dormitory model, extending the notion that when we provide structures for casual interaction between and among boys and girls, we create an opportunity for more natural and meaningful relationships.

While single rooms provide an opportunity for focused study, we’ve found that younger students can sometimes feel a bit alone when placed in a single. Under our new residential model, most ninth-graders will be housed in double rooms— providing the companionship and bonding opportunities to set them on a great start— while students in later years will primarily occupy single rooms, giving them the ability to retreat, focus, and reflect on their studies.

//TAREK DEIDA

O’LEARY ‘15

Contributing Writer The “Live Clean, Eat Dirty” campaign at Deerfield Academy has undoubtedly achieved critical success: the health benefits associated with fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and healthy fats have been widely

Mikaela Wellner

disseminated around the

school, and these salubrious options are now readily available in the Dining Hall.

The Greer Store and Koch Café, however, don’t stress the endeavor towards healthy eating as well as the Dining Hall does. The inclusion of healthy snacks—like the cowboy nuts, granola bars, as well as the online table of nutrients and calories associated with each food option—have been tremendous steps in the right direction—but more can be done, very easily. The most notable difference, in my opinion, between the Dining Hall efforts towards healthy eating, and those of the Koch or Greer, is the lack of availability of fresh—and free—fruit in the Greer Store and Koch Café.

The fact of the matter is, students

pro

Contributing Writer After hearing Ms. Creagh’s announcement at School Meeting concerning the new dorm arrangement on campus, I was shocked by the decision to make Johnson and Doubleday a “Freshman Village.”

Johnson-Doubleday has since the beginning been a historically popular upperclassman-boys dorm on campus. Although some students and teachers alike feel the dorm is only popular in the community because of its reputation for drugs and drinking, many students there haven’t participated in any of these activities.

Students I’ve spoken to say they appreciate the dorm because it allows for more freedom. When boys get the chance to live in Johnson and Doubleday their junior or senior year, they feel they have finally earned a bit more freedom on campus. Not only do upperclassman boys get to live in doubles or triples with their close friends, but the isolation of these dorms on campus gives upperclassman boys a portion of campus dedicated to them.

Hearing Ms. Creagh’s announcement on Wednesday, I was initially against this proposal.

I thought it might change the school culture too much. But after I began thinking about the situation a little more, I realized the positives that could result from this action. If the intention of this action is to increase school spirit and improve relationships throughout the grade levels, then this new dorm arrangement seems to be the only practical solution.

Having all the freshmen live together in Johnson and Doubleday with roommates will force them to interact with one another and eventually develop strong ties with one another.

Also, the all-sophomore dorms will make the new sophomore

transition into the school community a little easier since the sophomores will, like the freshman, have to interact and become acquainted with their fellow sophomores.

I understand that the biggest counterargument to this proposal is that students will stop associating with students from other grade levels if this plan goes through—but I don’t believe that’s true.

First off, the Prefect position, for freshman, and, the Proctor position, for sophomores, w i l lg u a r a n t e e that underclassmen build relationships with seniors.

Second, although students may be separated by dorms, students still have the chance to interact with one another in classrooms, during sports, at the Greer and during extracurricular activities, campus-wide activities, meals and during the weekends.

Third, the upperclassmen dorm situation will remain the same: only the location will be different. Juniors and seniors will still be living with each other.

The new dorm arrangement is simply switching the historically upperclassman side of campus with the historically underclassman side of campus.

It may seem odd to those of us who have been at Deerfield for three or four years to think about Barton or Field as being dorms for seniors and juniors, but all changes seem odd at first.

Soon many of us will forget that Johnson and Doubleday were ever the popular upperclassman boys dorms they presently are, just as many forgot that Scaife was a popular underclassman boys dorm or many have forgotten how the old Memorial Building looked.

Change always seems scary at first because our minds have become accustomed to viewing things in a certain way.

It will take time for us three- or four-year Deerfield students to grow comfortable with this idea, but this change is going to happen. So instead of thinking of the negative as I initially did, I encourage all students and faculty alike to think of the positives changes this new dorm arrangement could bring to our school culture.

Rachel Yao

fissore o’leary calls for fruit! //MERCEDES FISSORE

28 January 2015

are confronted with a choice at the Greer and Koch, more so than they are at the Dining Hall. And I don’t condemn choice: I think it is as perfectly acceptable to purchase a buffalo panini or a grilled CC, as it is a parfait, or some fruit salad.

But if fruit—like apples, bananas, and oranges—were displayed as a free option, some students might reconsider eating a cinnamon bun before lunch and instead just pick up an apple before class.

The chief concern for moneymaking enterprises like the Koch or Greer would be a reduction in generated revenue because of the free fruit option. However, I think this fear can be easily assuaged in three ways: primarily there can be a limit on the amount of fruit a student takes, with something

like a “Take one, please” sign. Next, the type of fruit displayed for free can be contingent on the seasonal prices of the fruit; apples could be displayed in the fall, when they are in season and presumably cheaper, while pears and oranges could be offered in the winter. Finally, this notion of free fruit could run on a trial basis, say, for one month: if too much revenue is lost, fruit could once again be priced at 70 cents.

But this proposal goes beyond the revenue question of the Greer and Koch: If we want to truly promote healthy eating at Deerfield, couldn’t this prove to be a simple, but effective change?

And if the fruit in the Dining Hall and Koch and Greer comes from the same shipment, why does the price differ by $.70?

5

How is the class of 2015 doing with college admissions? finished applying or may choose to file many fewer applications overall.”

But there are drawbacks to applying early as well. Pressure to decide on a single school for a binding early decision can sometimes be a deterring factor and a source of stress.

A senior who was accepted early to Princeton—in a non-binding decision— said, “I think that the early application process can be an extremely helpful tool when used correctly. However, it can also be a major cause of stress. I saw many of my classmates fall in love with a school, not seriously consider other options, only to not be accepted by that school.”

Mr. Spencer concurred: “The only potential disadvantage to an early application is the sense of putting all of your hope into one single college; a deferral or rejection can be very disheartening. The good news is that there are many other wonderful colleges in the country and the world, and seniors have their lists prepared of places to apply if Plan A doesn’t work out.”

Another possible con to applying early is catching “senioritis,” which can sometimes precipitate a substantial decrease in motivation to work, leading to a decline in grades, which might result in the institution’s rescinding their offer of admission.

James Chung ’15, who was accepted to Yale, early action, noted, “Senioritis really depends on the individual. Although I admit that I see some friends putting less effort into class work, I also see many students taking this time of necessary relief to pursue what they enjoy and cherish the last moments of high school.”

In addition, the release of decisions creates a brutal environment for all those who applied. One anonymous poll contributor said, “People are welcome to willingly share information about their application, but personal questions that verge on . . . rude do not alleviate the anxiety that pervades the community during the

//Elizabeth Tiemann Associate Editor

The early application process is a highly discussed and, more often than not, raw subject for those involved. In an anonymous Scroll Poll, a member of the class of 2015 who was deferred, commented, “It is a very sensitive time. The emphasis and pressure students put on one another should —and I hope will—be diminished.”

Many seniors opt to partake in the early application process if they possess a clear preference for either a single institution for early decision—which is binding—or for a handful of institutions for early action—which is nonbinding. In fact, Director of College Advising Mark Spencer, reported, “Early application rates have been over 80% for the senior class recently. This year, 89% of the class filed an early application (ED or EA) with many also applying to multiple EA schools.”

Of the 86 anonymous Scroll Poll participants, 37 seniors stated that they applied early decision and 33 applied early action. Of the 86 who applied early, 47 were accepted, 29 were deferred and 4 were rejected from either their first- or second-choice schools. Only 6 seniors of the 86 who took the poll did not apply early.

The most attractive benefits of applying early seems to be the savings in time, energy and stress—as well as the security that comes with early acceptance brings.

Mr. Spencer explained, “If you are admitted ED, the process is over in December, which many students see as an advantage. Applying EA doesn’t necessarily increase your chances of admission, and many EA colleges defer a lot of the applicant pool to the regular round. If a student is admitted EA, it means s/he may be

latter half of the term. I have found a lack of respect and concern for others and their feelings about applying to college.”

With 29 of 86 Scroll Poll participants deferred—almost 34% ofthe respondents— the number of those deferred seems significant, especially when compared to the diminutive 4 rejections.

Mr. Spencer offered some insight on this: “There does seem to be a trend by some colleges to defer rather than deny students. I think application pools have grown quite strong and with good college counseling the applications are true contenders, but the number of beds on college campuses remains the same, making the process that much more competitive and leaving admission officers with even more difficult decisions. The rise in deferrals is a ‘wait and see’ approach, so that applicants can be compared against the whole pool, which nowadays they know is likely to be quite large and diverse. It also gives colleges the ability to assess interest by seeing how students respond to the deferral decision—do they stay interested or move on? That said, I don’t think the number of deferrals we had this fall was remarkable, especially as compared to the number of acceptances.”

Over the past two years, the College Advising Office has seen dramatic changes in staff and procedures. One of the changes included the class of 2016’s receiving college advisor assignments much earlier in the fall of junior year, when in past years students were given their advisor assignments in the winter. In addition, junior questionnaires have been distributed earlier, and advisors have been meeting more frequently with students.

Mr. Spencer explained the rationale: “We assigned advisors earlier this year to respond to the growing concerns that students and parents felt they were being left behind in the process or were finding out key information about aspects of the process too late to make substantive

CLASS OF 2015 EA / ED RESULTS1:

~20% Rejected

~20% Deferred

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF DA SENIORS APPLIED EARLY THIS YEAR:

>200: THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHICH SENIORS SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS TO

~60% Accepted

changes or decisions. We also felt that frequent and informed communication with our juniors could help lessen anxiety and stress in the process. By being more open to questions and conversations earlier on, we hope to alleviate fears and concerns and help students better plan and take personal control of the process and all that lies ahead with it.”

Mr. Spencer added, “One of the reasons we are also working with juniors earlier is to get to know them better to assist with this goal of finding the best fit.”

In the Scroll Poll, seniors were asked, “On a scale of 1 to 3, how much do you think the recent overturn of the office has impacted this year’s results?” Answering 2 asserted that the transition had not influenced the process this year, and 46 of 86 participants chose this option.

Twenty-eight seniors answered with a 1, feeling that the transition had positively influenced the process; and 12 seniors answered with a 3, indicating that the transition had had a negative effect. Thus it can be inferred from the statistics that the general sentiment of the senior class participants toward the College Advising Office and the early application process this year is one of general contentment.

Further, 78 seniors responded “yes” to the question of whether the grade has done well in general.

Mr. Spencer echoed this outlook, saying, “I feel one responder to the Scroll survey put it well when [he or she] said, ‘It isn’t just the College Advising Office. Overall the senior class this year is incredibly talented. For the most part everyone has high GPAs, good test scores, lots of extra extracurriculars, and for the most part are really good kids. With this said there is no guarantee with the college process. Even though not everyone got the news they wanted, everyone is doing very well in the college process and should be relatively happy.’”

9:

11% Did Not

THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS COMPLETED PER STUDENT

89% Did Apply Early

Data above may vary from actual figures because many students applied early to more than one school.

1

HOW HAS THE RECENT OVERTURN IN THE COLLEGE ADVISING AFFECTED PERFORMANCE2?

50 45

44

40 35

Selected Responses to Our anonymous poll: “I feel like I and all my friends have been very happy with how our college advisors have helped us with essays and advice. In talks with prior seniors, I don’t think that this was always the case. I think that this is majorly due to the fact that there are now more college advisors.”

30 25

28

20 15 10 5

12

Yes “My counselor has definitely helped me a lot. She genuinely cares about every single one of us. Usually she could read my essay and send it back to me in 30 mins.”

0

Negative Impact

6

No Impact

DO YOU FEEL THAT THE GENERAL SENTIMENT AROUND CAMPUS IS THAT THE GRADE HAS DONE WELL2?

Positive Impact Indicates that data was collected via an anonymous online poll distributed amongst the class of 2015 2

No

BOYDEN LIBRARY RENOVATION 11 study rooms

Expanded Innovation Lab

3 new classrooms

$11.5 million dollar cost

December 15, 2015 Completion

1 set of lighter doors

Illustrations by Rachel Yao

//MADDIE NELSON AND EMILY MAHAN

Staff Writer and Senior Writer Recently, the Board of Trustees approved the decision to renovate the Boyden Library beginning at the end of the 2015 school year. The Library, traditionally one of the most frequented places on campus by both students and staff, will undergo a complete revitalization that will reconfigure and refurbish the existing internal layout.

“While the exterior of the building will remain the same,” Head of School Margarita Curtis explained, “the internal space allocation will change, and the interior will undergo a full refurbishment process. Most notably, we will move the College Advising Office and the Academic Dean’s offices to the second floor. The new Center for Service and Global Citizenship will also be located on the second floor.”

Director of the Library Charlotte Patriquin added, “There will be more classrooms, more group study rooms, more student carrels and more seating for students in addition to the several new offices.”

The decision for the renovation was prompted by the need for a newer, more technologically advanced building.

“The current library was built more than 40 years ago, and it [is] in need of serious maintenance work,” Dr. Curtis said. “We [are] also aware of the fact that in recent years, with the impact of technology on teaching and learning, libraries have evolved into much more dynamic, open, experimental and collaborative spaces than in the past.”

When asked what students would most like to see in the newly renovated library, Riker Bixby

’15 commented, “I think the new library should have a bigger and better [Innovation Lab] with more powerful tools.”

Although seniors won’t be have to enjoy the new advances, younger students can look forward to a permanent Innovation Lab in the basement of the library. The blueprint details a design with movable walls that will make the space more fluid, a feature helpful in the development of robots and other tech devices.

The basement will also host an “Ideation Room,” a room with white boards on all four walls, the result of a successful trial run in one of the current study rooms throughout this school year.

According to the present blueprint (still subject to change) there will be a total of 11 study rooms after the renovation. The current daystudent study carrels will also be transformed into individual study carrels for all students and will feature a glass wall overlooking the library’s main floor and out the window. There will be classrooms for academic classes on the main floor and one in the basement. Instead of three main doors, the Library will have one door for the main entrance, with seating areas on either side. Additionally, the Help Desk will be situated just inside this main door.

The Library Research Committee includes Academic Dean Peter Warsaw, History Department Chair Joseph Lyons, Science Department Chair Dennis Cullinane, Assistant Academic Dean Sheryl Cabral, former Director of ITS Wendy Shepherd (now replaced by Director of ITS Kimberly Butz), Chief Financial Officer Keith Finan, Librarian Janet Eckert, Ms. Patriquin, English Department Chair Michael Schloat and history teacher Julia RivellinoLyons.

Ms. Patriquin detailed the role of the

committee: “We were asked to explore and advise Senior Staff on a forward-looking ten-year vision for the library. It was a big commitment, and we spent a lot of time visiting other schools and colleges. We read widely, and we began discussions with the architects about how to realize what we were thinking about, synthesize what we had seen and figure out what made the most sense.”

Student opinion and input for the new renovation were important in the design process.

Ms. Patriquin said: “A comprehensive student survey conducted last year gave [the Library Research Committee] a lot of information for planning the new library.”

According to Dr. Curtis, the estimated cost of the renovation is set to be $11.5 million, and the expected month of completion is December 2015. During the renovation, the library staff and a selection of the books will be moving to the Module Housing (Mods), east of John Louis dormitory.

“The librarians are thinking of ways that we can work with students in the classroom,” Ms. Patriquin commented, “rather than having entire classes travel to the Mods for instructions on how to do specific research, something currently conducted in the library. We will have group study rooms [in the Mods] and single study rooms; we will try to have a variety like we have in the current library.”

Dr. Curtis concluded, “The current design is the result of a broad collaboration among teachers, staff, students and ARC, the architectural firm that has been contracted for the project.”

Upon returning from Winter Break in January 2016, students will have all the resources of the newly renovated library to start the new year strong.

7

The Deerfield Scroll

FEATURES Ellie and Judie: dynamic duo //Winston Rosetter Staff Writer Ellie Tennyson and Judy Delaney have worked together at the Louis Café since its opening in 2006. For Deerfield students, the duo has become practically synonymous with the cafe itself.

“We like working together. We are a good team,” Judy stated.

Before working in the Koch, they both worked in various locations on campus.

Judy started in the kitchen and then moved to laundry, and Ellie started in the Greer and then started to work in the kitchen as well.

“We didn't know each other until starting here,” Judy recalled. Now the two of them work together every day.

Ellie said, “Because we are seen coming and going together all the time, lots of people assume we are gay. We just live near each other so we carpool!”

Running the cafe, Ellie and Judy spend a lot of time together; and like all great teams, they have their “quiet moments,” as Judy called them.

“It’s a lot of work in a small space,” Judy said.

Ellie added, “Sometimes when we get in a disagreement it’s just because we’re hungry!”

Both their fathers served in the Air Force, and although Ellie has yet to confirm actual

//Emily Mahan Senior Writer

Coco Spagna Ellie Tennyson and judy Delaney cook up some delicious breakfast foods.

dates, she said, “At one point, I think that [our fathers] served together at Westover Air Force base in Chicopee and at Kollmorgan in Northampton.”

Judy added, “My father worked in the flight crew and Ellie’s worked in the office.”

Ellie and Judy each have two children. Ellie’s two boys are 30 and 21; and Judy has a boy and a girl, 26 and 24.

When Ellie’s not on campus, she likes “to fish, bike, and garden.” Judy likes “to kayak and be outside,” and she also enjoys birdwatching.

Judy added, “We both have vegetable gardens and we both don’t care for winter.”

To the latter, Ellie nodded her

head in agreement. “I’m looking forward to spring,” she said.

She is eager to get back to her happy place, which is fishing on the river.

Judy said, “Aruba is my happy place.” She continued, “I like to snorkel when I’m [there], but my closer-to-home happy place is Pittsburgh, NH. It’s on the border of Canada, and that is where I like to kayak.”

As Ellie and Judy eagerly anticipate spring, they will continue to fend off the winter cold at home with their woodburning stoves. At work they may even enjoy one of their Cafe specialities, like the Peppermint Hot Cocoa or the bestselling DA Bagel.

Dear Margo, Rita & Curtis, I hate winter.

Xoxo, Ice Ice Baby Dear Ice, That’s not a question, but I know what you mean. I have written many strongly-worded anonymous letters to the Head of School demanding that Deerfield Academy be transplanted to southern Florida, a move I’m sure is completely plausible and is being planned by the administration as we speak. But for now, you will have to learn to cope.

To help you along, I have decided to share exclusively with you, my readers, my secrets for surviving the tundra that is Deerfield between December and March.

1. Set vanity aside: If you are like me, you were not blessed with a head that looks good in hats—in fact, you may look like a bald baby in hats. But trust me, you will look worse with frostbite, so suck it up and put on that dang hat. And no spring dresses— nothing is worse than seeing someone wearing a Lily Pulitzer dress and a parka over it. Save that for March.

2. Avoid carrying anything if walking outside: the iced chai might have seemed like a great idea when you were in the warmth of the Koch, but when you have to hold it in your bare hand in the freezing cold on the walk to Arms, you will have serious regrets. I made this mistake once, and I swear my hand froze to the side of the compostable plastic before I reached the Library.

3. Use the tunnels: Once you make it into any part of the Dining Hall, Greer or Gym complex, you basically don’t have to go outside again until it’s time to go to your dorm. Let me give you my sample schedule…

3:10—I get to the Dining Hall for snack time, snag a bagel.

3:35—I go through the underground tunnel to the Greer, potentially have another snack, or maybe a drink, depending how I’m feeling.

4:00—It’s time for me to go to sports, but I linger in the Greer for five more minutes anyway.

4:05—Arrive at practice 5:30—Tunnel back to dinner And voila! I passed a full two hours without ever having to step foot outside.

To close, I’d like to mention that as I write this it is raining, which means tomorrow all paths and quads will be covered by a solid two inches of ice. Therefore, if you don’t own ice skates, I recommend you invest in some. Unless you are like me and you can’t skate (I mean really can’t skate, like I used those push things at ice rinks until I was 12 and would have continued if the manager at the rink hadn’t decided that it was “unsafe” to use past a certain height)-in which case we’re both doomed.

Happy Winter (oxymoron?), Margo, Rita & Curtis

PLANNING MLK Day

In recent years, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been the single day of the year in which the Deerfield community gathered to commemorate the work of Dr. King, and pay tribute to social justice nationally and globally.

In an interview preceding MLK Day, Ms. Young said, “This year’s MLK Day events have been intentionally spread out over a two-week period so that we don’t just talk about Dr. King solely on the day of his birthday.”

On January 11, The Fire

This Time opened at the Von Auersperg Gallery, a show intended to inspire reflection and discussion on social justice.

Then, on January 12, after uplifting student performances, award-winning civil rights lawyer and activist Fania Davis spoke on what motivated her to found the restorative justice movement.

Ms. Young explained that “over 25 workshops with topics ranging from protest to stereotypes” would “allow our community to be in dialogue.”

She added, “We also have some students going off campus to do service, a wonderful way of

giving back and modeling Dr. King’s life.”

The workshops were planned to “provide a safe space for students to share stories about their experiences here on campus,” as well as “examine the relationships of race, education, religion, geographical region and other personal variables.”

With these new platforms, exhibitions, discussions and presentations, Deerfield has taken strides toward expanding the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s work, fostering the values that he fought for.

The Space We Share: Deerfield Invites Local Schools to Burst the Bubble //Dane Scott Staff Writer This spring Deerfield students are inviting several local high schools to join together for a regional Round Square conference.

Hannah Casey ’15 affirmed the importance of this new conference: “This is an opportunity to get informed about the community we live in and what challenges the people of this [larger] community face, and collaborate to make a sustainable difference in Franklin County.”

The conference’s mission statement reads: “The Deerfield Round Square Conference aims to bring students from the Pioneer Valley together to discuss and address present-day issues in the region. Despite sharing the same physical space, there is little communication between student bodies. It is our duty, as

8

28 January 2015

inhabitants of Franklin County, to be aware of issues that surround us and collaborate with our neighbors to affect positive change. Through the conference we will cement channels of communication with neighboring schools and ultimately open the door for

collaborative efforts to benefit Franklin County.”

Robin Tu ’16 discussed the necessity of hearing these regional perspectives: “Deerfield has been mostly isolated from our surroundings: we often debate international affairs, but we rarely pay attention to the problems around us.” He

added, “Deerfield students need exposure to these issues, realizing the environment we live in.”

Tu sees this conference as a “parallel to two countries establishing a diplomatic relationship.”

As is often said, Deerfield students live in a bubble. This bubble can lead to students being ignorant on local issues.

This conference aims to burst this bubble, raising awareness of problems in the area surrounding us, setting up meaningful conversation with local peers.

Through a spring day of speakers, discussion groups, potential work projects and more, Deerfield means to collaborate with neighboring schools to benefit Franklin County, showing the space we share together in an entirely new light.

Emmy latham Students discuss and define privilege at the Deerfield Norms Workshop.

Alums To Hail Coeducation //Josh Tebeau Staff Writer On February 25, at School Meeting, Deerfield will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of coeducation with a panel of alumni moderated by two members of the senior class.

All visiting alumni were students during the first year of coeducation. English teacher Michael Cary, one of the event’s organizers, said the panel would recount “their memories of that time and the effect of their Deerfield experience on their adult lives.”

The visiting alumni represent a broad array of possible career choices, ranging from film careers to humanitarian work. The speakers will be Katy Textor, a Deerfield Trustee and a producer of 60 Minutes and Vietnam: The Soldiers’ Story; Judith Hegedus, an executive director at the College Board for international management, as well as a former consultant at the UN; Jane Merkel, director of biology at the Yale Center for Molecular Discovery; Lisa Pinsley, director of sub-Saharan

projects for American Capital Energy & Infrastructure, also a former advisor to the Afghan finance minister; Bill Creelman, founder of Spindrift; Michael Sucsy, Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker; and Jose Carbonell, senior vicepresident of marketing and communications at UNICEF. Furthermore, the visiting speakers will be attending classes on Wednesday and will meet and talk with students at lunch. Thus students will have the chance to learn more about how values taught at Deerfield transition to the outside world.

Mr. Cary further elaborated on the importance of meeting and learning from the visitors: “These are all accomplished and interesting alumni representing a wide variety of careers, from regional to international.”

It is the hope of the event organizers that, in addition to discussing the first years of co-education, all students will be able to meet alumni and talk further about possible professions and what kind of career paths are open.

The Deerfield Scroll – 28 January 2015

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Garn—weise throw down the beats //Winston Rosetter Staff Writer Normally, when we think of what it means to be a musician, we immediately think of someone in orchestra, band or choir. But there are people like Emerson Garnett ’16 and Will Von Weise ’15 who do not fit this traditional mold and have chosen to direct their talents in a different way by pursuing the art of DJing.

Garnett ’16 claims he first became interested in music after watching a Mariah Carey concert in fourth grade. “After seeing her live,” he said. “I was inspired to try and make my own music.”

Since then, Garnett has produced songs categorized as future bass, including “Hodor,” an original mix, and his “Shells” remix, songs liked and reposted by over 600 people on SoundCloud. Some of the artists from whom he draws inspiration are Fat Trel, John Cena and Niykee Heaton. Currently he has over 1,000 followers, and his fan base is still growing.

Unlike Garnett, von Weise did not have a specific moment that sparked his interest in music.

But after seeing Martin Garrix at Lollapalooza this past summer, his passion for music became even greater.

“The music was absurdly loud,” he reported, “and the party was insane. Hands down the best part of my summer.”

Although most of the songs on von Weise’s SoundCloud are old, von Weise is currently handling the production on a

mixtape for Tarek Deida ‘15: “Tarek freestyles over the beat and [I] refine it.”

Garnett and von Weise agree that producing new songs and creating remixes can be challenging. First, the artist has to figure out the direction of the song, then adjust the tune and follow through until the very end.

The length of time a song takes to produce can vary. For example, in Garnett’s case, his “Shells” remix took weeks to edit, whereas his “Levels” remix took only an hour.

As DJing becomes a respected art form, it is fitting that Deerfield has begun to recognize DJs in our community.

Watch out for these rising stars at the next Crow Commons Dance.

Dance celebrates its 25th year //Maggie Yin Staff Writer

What 25 years ago started as a group of seven dancers taught by one teacher in the East Gym in 1989 has evolved into a celebrated dance program with two studios and eight instuctors.

Visual and Preforming Arts Chair Jennifer Whitcomb knew when she started as a freshman in high school that dance was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

“It encompassed all of the things that I valued most,” she explained.

“Creativity, physicality, intellectual challenges and close interpersonal relationships,” she explained.

Deerfield’s dancers have found these values to be embedded in their experience with dance, Sami Habel ’16 said, “It has definitely made me a more creative person— dance is such an internal and liberating experience for me, and allows me to express so much that I can’t with words.”

Creativity, Whitcomb says, is one constant she has observed throughout the years in her dancers.

Deerfield’s annual Student Choreography Tia Jonsson Showcase is a large part of what fosters this creativity, as students can choreograph their own pieces, lead their own rehearsals and produce something that is entirely theirs.

Natalia Briones ’16 reflected, “Choreographing introduces you to incredible people with different backgrounds—you see the way they think and dance and the ideas they offer.” She continued, “Being a part of a team and working together has definitely developed my skill as a dancer.”

With the newly renovated Hess Center now housing two state-of-the art dance studios, as well as all the tremendous talent being brought into the dance program year after year, Deerfield’s dance program is surely “gaining momentum,” as Whitcomb said.

Despite the changes, senior Sicily Kiesel ’15 stays grounded and realizes there is always room to grow: “In dance there is no perfect; even the simplest step can always be better. I’ve definitely learned to never becomplacent and keep trying harder.”

Having led Deerfield’s thriving dance program for 25 years, Whitcomb reaffirmed her passion for the art: “I love teaching teenagers because they’re at such an exciting stage in their development, and also because I’m constantly reminded of w h a t it felt like to find d a n c e when I was their age.”

She concluded, “It completely changed my life for the better.”

What’s Your Fire This time? //Justin Hsu Staff Writer

whitewashed canvas with slightly discernible headlines, stands alongside them.

After studying philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University, Mr. Abreu became senior professor at the School of Visual Arts in NYC and devotes his time to his art. When queried about his initial reaction to the project, he stated simply, “I was a little afraid and a little apprehensive [but] I’ve always believed that artwork is a teaching tool, and that’s really my intention with all this.”

activism. It doesn’t matter what your race is—MLK was not about that. He was about love, When Deerfield Academy he was about transforming your students returned from Winter community, about caring about Break, many noticed the black— each other. It’s about changing and—white fliers featuring a things one day at a time.” simple, bold message—“The In an effort to evoke interest, Fire This Time”—without any stir conversation and involve the explanation. community, student members Director of Inclusion and of the exhibit management team Community Life Marjorie —Chloe So ‘15, Shaun Wang ‘15, Young, a member of The Fire Liam Gong ‘16, Rachel Yao ‘16 This Time management team, and Andrea Leng ’15—created a hoped the phrase would canvas in which they encouraged catalyze conversation. Indeed, community members to answer speculation and discussion an open—ended question: What p e r m e a t e d is your fire this time? The campus. group then added the board S o o n to the display, which debuted afterwards, student on Sunday, January 11. explanations in a Mercedes Taylor, an art tell—all video on The and language teacher at Deerfield Bulletin the Academy, and a core revealed that The member of the management Fire This Time would team, was elated by student open as an art involvement and interest, exhibit celebrating saying that the artists Martin Luther King who attended the exhibit’s Jr. Day. Curated opening “were so impressed

by Angel Abreu and touched, by the Provided by Mercedes Taylor ’92, the collection, attendance, by the questions now up in the Mercedes Taylor, Chloe So ‘15 and Shaun Wang and by the warmth of the Von Auersperg ‘15 meet with K.O.S member and “The Fire This school. It [is] important Gallery, features to have everyone talking Time” curator Angel Abreu. the work of several about it. I firmly believe that renowned contemporary artists.

When he was only 14, art doesn’t belong to a group Social and restorative justice the Museum of Modern Art of students who study art. It themes unite the pieces. purchased Mr. Abreu’s work belongs to everyone.”

Mr. Abreu drew much of his through a collaborative Beth Byrne, another central preliminary inspiration from two called Kids of Survival (K.O.S), figure who envisioned the exhibit, books—The Fire Next Time by established in 1982 by Abreu’s echoed Mrs. Taylor’s sentiments: James Baldwin and The New Jim former teacher, Tim Rollins. “Art can be a catalyst for a lot Crow by Michelle Alexander— The organization seeks to unite of positive, motivating, and both of which address race— artists and at—risk students to inspiring conversations—and related social, political and produce allegorical art rooted action. The artists are shown all religious issues. in canonical literature and over the world, and we are so Among the 14 works of art music. lucky to have some of this work displayed, one may find a few “[K.O.S.’s] mission is to change here. It’s thrilling to have that particularly poignant—a Nazi lives,” Mr. Abreu remarked. “It all quality of work on campus, and sympathizer with a severely revolves around using art as a an honor.” contorted spine, a photograph tool for transcendence.”

“When the work is so strong, of a pensive Martin Luther King, “[The Fire This Time] is and it connects so beautifully to and a seemingly ordinary log also about awareness and MLK day and beyond,” Ms. Byrne with piercing amber eyes. Mr. consciousness,” Abreu added. concluded, “there’s no stopping Abreu’s own Spin, a striking “Martin Luther King stood for it.”

Artist of the Issue: Chloe So ’15 // Yasmine Deswandhy Staff Writer

and then went on to take Topics again as a pass/fail course her junior year.

Mr. Dickinson added, “I can tell that Chloe does art for the love of art, which speaks volumes to her dedication.”

“He has been my rock,” So continued, “the countless hours he has spent ‘lecturing’ me on life, the different perspectives he gives me in art, and of course,

on the micro—details of the still life, my mind goes to a world of reflection. I think of my past, Four-year senior Chloe So present and future, and I think developed a passion for art at this is really important as you a very young age. Her parents can learn to appreciate what enrolled her in classes ranging you have and use time to selffrom baby arts and crafts, reflect and try to become a to Chinese paintings, to clay better person.” sculpting lessons. But as her So is currently working on schedule became busier, her an independent art project that parents urged her to stop taking emphasizes the progression of so many art classes. She, the buildings around Albany however, refused and Road: “Deerfield stresses opted to juggle her many traditions a lot, and for me, activities for the sake of living in the 21st century, art. it’s to a certain extent hard With the exception to connect back to the of her freshman year, Academy’s history.”

So has taken an art So is exploring Deerfield’s course every year at growth as a school, focusing Deerfield: AP Studio Art on the 1920s, 1950s and as a sophomore, Topics: 1970s on respective panels.

Post AP Studio Art as Although So has been a junior and now Topics Lucy Baldwin working on it for several Tutorial. Her extensive Chloe So ‘15 poses next to her “Chuck months now, the project is contributions to the art yet to be completed, but she Close inspired self portrait.” program have allowed art hopes to have the project teacher (and established artist) the guidance he has given me to wrapped up by early spring.

David Dickinson—or Mr. D. as help me grow and think as an In the future, So hopes to most of his art students call artist.” expand her range in art. “Art him—to watch So grow and think At Deerfield, So sees art as is such a broad discipline,” she as an artist. both a passion and a chance to said.

I really cannot thank Mr ease her fast pace of life. “Doing Currently, she hasn’t decided D. enough,” So declared. “My art at Deerfield has really been a what type of art she wants to experience at DA, with or without big part of me,” she explained. “It pursue. “Whether it is museum art, would have been completely has given me the time and space studies, architecture studies, different without him.” to think and slow down a little.” design, or even being a fine “Little known fact,” said She feels that with homework, artist,” she concluded, “I want Mr. Dickinson, “is that a lot of sports, publications and general to use art as a medium to learn, Chloe’s work is done without the stress to manage, art can be a explore and develop in college. benefit of a grade.” way for her to escape.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to create So took AP Studio Art as a “While I’m doing art here,” something unique and impact graded course for one term, a So continued, “while zooming in people positively in the future.” pass/fail course for two terms

9

The Deerfield Scroll - 28 January 2015

SPORTS

Administration plans athletic facility renovations // RYAN KOLA Associate Editor After the reconstruction of the Hess Center and revitalization of the arts programs, Deerfield is now turning its focus to athletics. Based on last year’s survey of students about facilities that needed the most improvement, the administration has decided to move forward in the plan to renovate the current 23-year-old ice rink and to build a new field house above it. After the plan was approved by the Board of Trustees, the school has begun to raise the $50 million dollars required for the three-year project.

In last year’s survey students were asked to rate the listed campus facilities according to importance. With over 200 students at Deerfield taking the survey, the most popular priorities were a field house, a new ice rink, and a café on the dormitory side of Main Street. At least the first two choices are being incorporated into the recent campus master plan, which lays out necessary renovations and potential projects for the next ten years.

A lead donor, who will stay anonymous, has contributed a substantial amount of the capital required for the field house and rink.

If the schedule goes according to plan, the school will soon receive responses from several architectural firms currently reviewing the school’s needs and considering possible designs. After an architectural partner is chosen, the hands-on designing phase will take place next year, with construction the following year. If all goes according to plan, Chief Financial Officer Keith Finan estimates that the field house will be ready by the fall of 2019.

Mr. Finan said, “The challenge for us is that we don’t want to start spending money until we know we can raise all the money. We’re at the point where we are confident we can, but we aren’t certain.”

In choosing to move ahead with these plans, the B o a r d of Trustees and administration have also won the approval of the many students who believe that the ice rink would be a good use of money.

Ethan B r a n d L a B a r g e

’16 stated, “The rink is outdated, and should be redone at some point. The field house would help solve the issues of the crowding of the gyms and provide more training areas, while the hockey rink renovations would make hockey games more enjoyable as they are an integral part of Deerfield spirit in the winter.”

Robert Mollo ’17, however, disagreed.

“I don’t think it’s a good investment because there are so many other things that should be renovated that affect our daily lives. For one, we definitely need to modernize the Dining Hall while still maintaining its traditional roots.”

For the past two years, preparing the rink’s ice has been difficult due to warm weather, especially without a system to prevent humidity from melting the ice. The Founder’s League now allows players to start practicing in September, but because the current rink cannot be made ready until October, Deerfield h o c k e y p l a y e r s begin the season with a disadvantage.

The new

center will contain more up-to-date technology to ensure an earlier start.

The school is also looking into building new hockey locker rooms to allow players to go directly onto the ice in skates rather than have to lace up at the rink, a feature that would streamline practices.

Mr. Finan explained, “One of the things pointed out that was true among many of the coaches and among a majority of the students was the lack of an indoor practice space for outdoor sports.” Because the weather gets cold in late fall and doesn’t warm up until mid-spring, this center will provide a better practice environment for numerous fall and spring sports.

Mr. Finan added, “What we are hoping to do is to minimize the disruption of the athletic schedules. One thing that is really hard to get is more practice time on the ice, so that’s why we’re also thinking of ways to provide temporary ice.”

Despite the schedule changes necessary to accommodate this project, the Office of Operations, Board of Trustees, and Development Office believe that the results will be well worth the transition. And students can see that they are an integral part of defining and enhancing Deerfield’s facilities.

watching Boys vs. Girls Sports // KATHERINE HEANEY Staff Writer

Swim Team Superlatives // TESSA MILLS Staff Writer

The varsity swim team is possibly the closest team there is on campus, from spending over ten hours a week in the pool together and taking an annual sun-filled Florida trip. Though constantly jokingly referred to as a “cult,” they are actually just one big family, each person having his or her own roles and strengths.

Maddie Blake

The Enforcers of the Team: “Matt Hrabchak and Alam Lam keep everything under control, and make sure we focus. They’re the leaders,” said Mikaela Wellner ’16.

Best Swimmer’s Body: “I mean obviously that award goes to Hugo,” said a teammate.

Teammate Most likely to Save a Drowning Child: “Claire Collins or Bryn Everson,” said Paige Cleary ’17.

Member Most Likely to Swim at the Olympics:“Miles Smachlo and Bailey Smith are absurd. I mean, honestly, Bailey is over two years younger than me and maybe ten times better,” said a teammate.

Maddie Blake

Bryn. They get so pumped,” said a teammate.

Bring the Best Snacks to Away Meets: “Easily Mrs. Hrabchak and Mrs. Smith,” said Brode.

Coolest Swim Suit Collection: “Will Hrabchak has got some nice speedos,” said a teammate.

Most Interesting Pre-Race Stretching: “Dani Michaelson,” said Will Hrabchak ’17.

Most Likely to False Start due to Excitement: “Katie Jia. One Hundred Percent, Katie Jia,” said a teammate.

Funniest: “Me,” said Conor Sullivan ’15.

Most likely to Pee in the Pool: “Jeffrey Sun. I don’t know why I say his name, but still Jeffrey Sun,” said a teammate.

The Mother: “Claire Collins is always super-supportive and friendly to everyone on the team. Makes sure we’re all happy!” said Rhyan Brode ’17.

Worst Goggle Marks: “Mikaela Wellner and Jordan Coen,” said Will Hrabchak.

Most Enthusiastic After Winning a Race: “Definitely Hugo, Claire and

Most Enthusiastic about Practice: “Conor Sullivan and Justin Xiang for sure,” said a teammate.

10

Over the past decade, there has been a lot of talk among Deerfield students, faculty and alumni about a perceived decline of school spirit on campus. Whether it is getting rowdy at a pep rally or supporting our athletic teams by attending contests, something is different.

Although change has occurred in most aspects of Deerfield life over the years, one thing that remains constant is the number of fans that come to support boys sporting events.

But girls varsity teams don’t draw the same attendance. The Scroll recently surveyed 100 students, a n d 92 of those students affirmed they would be more likely to go to a boys game.

It is no secret that Deerfield was for many y e a r s a boys school: therefore, traditions are in place that make boys sporting events more prominent.

In the fall, the football game against Choate is scheduled towards the end of the day so most students are able to watch. During the winter, the boys varsity hockey team has a late-night home game where fans dress in 80s clothing, watch hockey and socialize in The Barn. For home games in the spring, the boys varsity lacrosse team is led to their field by a bagpiper.

While all of these rituals are lively and enjoyable for all, girls teams lack the same level of tradition.

The lower attendance at girls games can have a negative impact on their performance. After being asked, “Do you think fans impact the outcome of a game?” 88% of Deerfield students surveyed by The Scroll agreed that fans indeed have an impact.

Earlier this winter, a fan bus was organized to watch the boys varsity hockey team take on Choate.

When asked how the support impacted the team, Brendan O’Connell ‘16 said, “It honestly felt like a home game. Having that many people come out to watch makes me not only want to play for my team but also everyone that came out to support us.”

During the fall post-season, a fan bus traveled to Hotchkiss for the girls

varsity field hockey playoff game. The impact this fan support had was quite apparent.

Nina McGowan ‘16 commented, “We knew going into the game that Hotchkiss had created a ‘chirp sheet’ about our team. Our fans brought a lot of positive energy, and hearing them cheer for us drowned out the sound of Hotchkiss’s insults and changed the momentum of the game.”

With this added school spirit, Deerfield became the biggest competition that Hotchkiss, the #1 team in New England, faced during the playoffs.

Another survey question posed a hypothetical situation: “If a girls team has a winning record and a boys team has a losing record in the same sport, which team are you more likely to watch?” The responses still favored the boys, 60% to 40%.

Cheerleader Serena Ainslie ‘16 said, “On Rachel Yao Choate Day I went to the varsity field hockey game and was disappointed that there weren’t more fans there. It was one of the most exciting games—our only varsity win—and most Deerfield fans didn’t even see it. I know it was tough for the girls to watch a crowd of fans walk straight from [boys] soccer to football, without even stopping at field hockey. Students, alumni and parents should try to get to all the games—both boys and girls.”

Midfielder Elizabeth Growney ’16 added, “It was disappointing not seeing or hearing any Deerfield students at our game. This game determined whether or not we would go into the New England playoffs, so we were expecting a huge crowd to support us. [Even so] we ended up winning four minutes into OT. We played so incredibly well that day.”

The results gathered from the survey make it clear that fans who come to support teams during their games inspire the athletes—regardless of their gender—to want to work harder not only for their team, but also for Deerfield as a whole.

If students want to rekindle school spirit, they might consider dropping by a game—girls or boys—to show their support and their belief in inclusion.