The Devon Dialogue Devon Preparatory School’s prestigious newspaper proudly publishing for over five decades volume XII, issue I | November 2020 | Devon, PA 19333
Zoom LearningAny Value? One Teacher weighs in
Sperratore Interview
Meet Devon’s new Science Whiz! Page 5
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Devon Varsity Soccer
Adminstration on COVID-19 discuss reopening
Dan Brown ‘21 and Mason Lindley ‘21 go in-depth on Devon Prep Soccer
Senior Reflections A Senior reflects on the journey so far Page 6
Golf - A New Devon Dynasty? Does baseball have a challenger? Page 3
Devon’s top brass
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Page 1
Feature: Administration tackles Coronavirus, Reopening Editors-in-Chief Ian McKnight ‘21 and Zachary Fedyk ‘21
Devon Dialogue: When the pandemic first hit and Devon had to shut down, how drastic was the situation for the administration to move to digital learning? Father Aisa: It was very clear that we had to go to digital learning, and quickly. We were following the data, and we came to the realization that this was growing more and more drastic and real by the day. We did take action: we had the initial Schoology system up and running by that first Monday, and eventually moved to Zoom. We had to get everything running smoothly, as well DD: How do you think the student body at large reacted to digital learning? Jennifer Gregory: It was better than anything we could have hoped for. We had complete and total compliance from the very beginning, from the sixth grade through the seniors. Without this, it would have been very difficult to get learning back on track. Our students are very perceptive, and they knew that if the learning wasn’t real, then they were not going to care as much. It was a difficult transition, but they went over and beyond, and for that we are grateful. DD: In your opinion, was Devon more adequately prepared’ for digital learning than most other schools? Mark Aquilante: In short, we were better adept to making the necessary changes. We had a downtime of merely two days, unlike most schools, who weren’t following the trends and were not ready to transition to online. Our learning continued almost seamlessly. Additionally, again, we had the willingness to make digital learning work, not only from our students, but from our amazing teachers as well, who spent three hours one day together and figured out the whole process, which in turn assisted the students in getting learning underway. Pat Kane: I think I agree with Mr. A’s point, not only from an administrator’s perspective, but also as a parent. I saw what my son’s teachers were doing on a firsthand basis, and it was amazing to see that as a parent as well. DD: When did the discussion regarding reopening in the fall really get underway? MA: We started discussion back in April, because once we got the distance learning underway, we quickly realized we were not going back for the rest of the academic year. We had enough time to get all these protocols in place in time for the fall because we started discussion so early. PK: We were well ahead of the curve in terms of all the changes, and although we had this two week timeframe as a goal, that quickly changed. However, Devon Prep believes that education is the key, as per our mission statement, and that goal remained as such throughout the reopening process DD: Face shields have now become a staple of Devon Prep’s environment as we continue to deal with the effects of the pandemic. How did the administration come to the decision to have face shields over masks? MA: The parameters and guidelines regarding public health changed over time as new information and new data became released, and we followed that closely. We followed the no mask vs having a mask debate, the conditions, how it affects the eyes, etc. JG: We did not want to get caught in the hysteria of the whole pandemic, and instead chose to listen to the physical science that we were presented with. We figured out what was best, knowing that complete and utter safety is by default
an impossibility, and created a path to keep our community as safe as possible. DD: How were the classroom sizes determined and outdoor classrooms created? PK: Knowing that we needed to have a six foot minimum between students as well as having face shield policies, classroom size was going to be limited. This led to the creation of new classrooms as well as splitting up larger classes in order to accommodate these arrangements. Outdoor classes mean more spacious environment and not having to wear masks/shields, so we created as many as we could FA: Yeah, and additionally, we needed an available cafeteria system up and running since the old one was not going to work out, which led to the creation of the lunch tent as a hybrid classroom/cafeteria. DD: What was the hardest part of the transition to reopening? PK: The hardest part was putting all personal feelings aside and then making decisions that will work the best for the most amount of people, and everything was a byproduct of that MA: Knowing that a normal environment wasn’t going to work, knowing that students couldn’t stare at screens all day, we needed to find a path forward that was going to allow us to return safely, and that task itself was challenging. FA: We also needed to work with parents to find the best common ground of “togetherness” as part of this community, which included phone calls, at-length discussions, etc. Not everyone was going to say that our system worked for them, which is why we allowed the choice of distance learning to students. But finding that common ground that worked for the most amount of people, that was challenging. JG: We needed a “new” factor. We were not going to sit and wait around, sticking with what we had in the springtime. If we did that, again, it wouldn’t have felt like real school. We needed to be engaging and thorough with our reopening process, taking nothing from beforehand for granted and being given access to an unlimited range of ideas. Support from parents and students helped narrow down that range to find that mix that worked best, as Father said. DD: What is your biggest concern moving forward for how the school will manage this? MA: Honestly, snow is our biggest fear as of now. How will we react to not having classrooms outside, besides the lunchtent, come the wintertime? It is an intervening obstacle in our path because it offsets any plans that we can make. JG: We also wish to keep the day-to-day functionality as normal as possible. If everyone continues to follow guidelines, then that makes it infinitely easier to plan ahead, even with impending potential snow. PK: Another shutdown is a potential concern as well. We are ready to move to distance learning at any time now, which is a good thing, but we are hoping for more communications from local officials in regards to how we are to carry ourselves. More community discourse, more state regulations, anything to help our school and others feel less isolated and as if there is someone there to reach out to if we need to. DD: Thank you all so much for your time and your dedication to this school and to the Devon community at large
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November 2020
Student Stories
Why I came to Devon Prep
Carter Shaak ‘25 My name is Carter Shaak and about one year ago, I realized that I could benefit more from a different school. At my old school, the way they taught didn’t allow for me to effectively learn. There wasn’t much freedom either; the teachers had to escort you around the building, because they were very strict. That is when I decided enough was enough-I wasn’t learning well, and I wasn’t happy about that. When I heard about Devon Prep from my friends and others, about how free and fun it was to learn there, I didn’t hesitate. I shadowed in seventh grade and thought it was amazing. Then, I took the entrance exam and passed, so I was set to come for eighth grade. Fast forward to now, where I have already had an amazing experience in these short months. Every student and faculty member has been very kind to me, and the teachers here really know how to teach! The style of learning is perfect for me, and they give you an advising period if you need extra help! I also really like how I can join a club of my choice. It has been an amazing experience so far, and I am so grateful I was able to come here to this awesome school!
Middle School Field Day shenanigans
The Devon Dialogue
Covid-19 College Crisis Pat Dean ‘21
There is a hidden crisis brewing in higher education, and to most of us, it is hiding in plain sight. No, I’m not talking about the shift to online classes through two semesters, nor the number of COVID-19 cases on campuses, which could potentially be its own major issue. The very system that many take for granted, the entire Higher Education Business Model, is currently under siege. Let’s take a closer look. Enrollment, which has been the lifeline of many colleges and universities, has been decreasing and COVID-19 has accelerated that trend. Revenue is down. The attractiveness of higher education has greatly diminished with the halt of on-campus activity. Scholarship opportunities have quietly dwindled. Fundraising has slowed considerably. And worst of all, college endowments are taking a massive hit. For many of us, it sounds like shallow facts that an individual does not have to worry about. However, after examining the cause and effect relationship between college financial woes and individual college students, the COVID-19 Crunch matters just as much to us as to them. Online schooling has become widespread across the nation in higher education. While this is a necessary precaution for safety, it has really begun to hurt students and college finances alike. Domestic households are keeping their kids more localized and students are struggling in online classes, leaving lower retention rates and less tuition revenue. In addition, there are international students, who make up a large portion of college tuition revenue, being forced to stay home, making the situation worse. But where does this really lead us─the individuals─to? The answer is that colleges are going to do the 3 C’s: Cutting, Closing, and Changing. They will cut their budget, which will perhaps affect the college experience, financial aid packages, and scholarship opportunities. Some will close their doors entirely. And lastly, colleges will fundamentally change as online school becomes more of an option. The College Crisis is certainly worrisome, but people overcome problems everyday. The truth is, we’ll get past this. They will evolve their methods and cope while we will as well; if you told me that I would wear a face shield to school everyday last year, I would’ve told you that you’re crazy! However, safety is the top priority and online school and social distancing protocols are likely to stay for at least a little while longer. Despite this, our strategy here at Devon can be a shining example to the area schools and universities/colleges everywhere that we can cope and adapt; we can beat COVID-19 and continue to grow as students and as a community.
Mr. Krajczar Interview Jackson Piombino ‘22 and Justin Klauder ‘22
Devon Dialogue: What made you want to become a priest? John Krajczar: I grew up in a parish with really good and holy priests, and watched how they had an impact on people’s lives. Seeing that, I wanted to do something in my life that impacted people’s lives the same way the priests did. DD: What made you want to become a teacher? JK: I always promised myself if I left the seminary, I would never become a Catholic teacher because of my personality, and because I didn’t think I would be any good at it. But, when the opportunity presented itself, I tried it out. My first teaching experience went really well and I saw that I could positively impact the lives of my students and give them a good experience with their own faith.” DD: How are you adapting to Devon? JK: I love working at Devon Prep. The students are intelligent, blithe, and have a good sense of humor. The teachers and administration generally care about the students and the school and have a very helpful and friendly outlook towards me as a teacher. I really love coming into school every day and I leave with a great attitude going home.
DD: What are some hobbies that you do in your free time? JK: I like to ski in the winter. I like going to the movies or the theater. I enjoy spending time with family and friends and going out to dinner and of course hanging out with my dog Jake who is a Corgi mix. DD: What separates the Devon teaching experience from your past jobs? JK: I really love every aspect of the school, you know? It really is a great mix between students, who are extremely hard-working and care about each other, and the faculty who have an invested interest in the school. It is the whole spiel, the environment and atmosphere. Everything runs so smoothly. Mr. Krajczar has been adapting really well to the new environment of Devon, and considering all the circumstances of Devon’s return this fall, that is excellent news. All of the students really seem to enjoy his presence as a teacher and he has taught everyone many great lessons about how to become a better person every day. His sense of humor has spread like wildfire, and he brings great energy to every class. Devon’s students and faculty have great fortune in Mr. Krajczar’s addition to our family, and we all are overly excited to see him become a bigger part of this community in future.
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Fall Sports
November 2020
The Devon Dialogue
Soccer Starts Unperturbed! The Devon soccer team is returning this season, coming off of yet another historic season, having completed its first year in the PCL and having won the District 12 title. For many athletes, having a soccer season should be a typical norm, but for many schools this is not the case for this fall season. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, schools have undergone a tragic loss in the athletics departments, the majority of schools around the area and nation being forced to cancel fall sports. Devon’s athletic conference, The Philadelphia Catholic League, unfortunately called off the play of fall sports, but Devon persevered and it was able to have a soccer season. With the assistance of schools that Devon would not usually play during a regular season, the Tide is able to play a full set of games. The soccer team is coached by Coach Lazorko, who is in his second year of coaching at Devon, and although his team has had a somewhat rough opening, he and the other coach-
Jack Freind ‘22 es still show great optimism for the rest of the season. In terms of this season,the soc-
cer team has gotten off to a rather slow start, but the stat chart shows great progress from the team. Due to the small roster, many players on the team have been injured or forced to work harder than usual, despite this, they keep pushing forward towards victory. The team, as opposed to years past, is relatively young, with a handful of sophomores finding themselves on the varsity roster. “We’re still figuring everything out
and getting to know each other and learning how to play with one another. This is a completely different team we’re dealing with here, and we’re making great strides toward success, but there is still a lot of room for improvement,” says Chris Walton ‘22, a three-year varsity starter and team captain. The players on the team are constantly pushing each other to be better, and since the home opener, the team as a whole has displayed great progress and promise for games to come. Due to Covid-19, little to no fans and spectators are allowed at the soccer games, but this does not faze the team as they constantly bring the energy, creating an electric game atmosphere. The lack of fans is just one example of the challenges that the team has had to face this season, but regardless of the difficulty, the team endures and persists in the face of adversity.
Golf: Devon’s New Sport? In an abnormal year, it is nice to have found some familiarity with the Devon Prep Golf Team. Following a successful 2019 season, they have continued where they left off with a 6-1 record midway through October, again on the path to yet another state tournament. New head coach Tony Ball has led the team to great success and helped their core players perform extremely well. One of Devon’s biggest rivalries on the golf course is with Lasalle College High School: Devon and La Salle both have extraordinary golf teams and have so far split the season series 1-1. Devon’s victory over La Salle came in an exciting match where Devon claimed the victory by a single stroke - a thrilling finish. Devon has beat every team in the Philly Big Four, which consists of Devon Prep, Holy Ghost Prep, La Salle, and Saint Joe’s Prep. The core of the team has been seniors Ryan McCabe and Coleman Miller, juniors Graham White and Tyler Kenneson, and the new addition of freshman Nick Ciocca, who have all had impressive seasons thus far.
Jake Kenney ‘22 and Mason Lindley ‘22 The heart of the golf team can be spotted in the shadows of strong captains Coleman Miller and Ryan McCabe. McCabe is a strong, consistent golfer, who broke Devon Prep’s 9-hole scoring
record with a 31 at Linfield National! McCabe has been named a “Main Line Athlete of the Week”, and is among the best golfers in the area, notching the lowest scoring average on the team through the regular season. Coleman Miller contributed to the team through his colorful personality and his ability to pull through for the team in a pinch. Junior Graham White didn’t shoot a score above 40 the entire season. He has a strong passion for the game, and
lifts up his teammates. Tyler Kenneson, also in the sub-40 Club, stepped up big in one of the most important matches of the year. He led the team against La Salle shooting a 35, which in the long run handed La Salle their first loss in 2 years. Star freshman Nick Ciocca is among the area’s strongest golfers, who shot a remarkable three under 32 against St Joseph’s Prep. Ciocca also shot a 73 at Philly Country Club, allowing him to advance to the State Championship for Individuals. Going into Heritage Hills Country Cub, led by Graham White, Ryan McCabe, Tyler Kenneson, Nick Ciocca, and Coleman Miller, this team has a great opportunity to win the state tournament. We look forward to seeing what this group of golfers can accomplish for the remainder of the 2020 season. Looking ahead to next year, Graham White and Tyler Kenneson look to be strong leaders on a team full of young talents. The Devon Prep Golf Team looks to be great for the foreseeable future.
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November 2020
Dialogue News
The Devon Dialogue
Fabrizio Joins the Faculty
The Zoom Experience
One of the new faces at Devon Prep this year is Mr. Fabrizio. “Mr. Fabs”, as his students affectionately call him, teaches Introduction to Economics and International Literature through Film. He spent 20 years in a career of sales and marketing before deciding to become a teacher and going back to college to earn his master’s degree, and previously taught at Malvern Prep before coming to Devon this fall. Fun Fact: In his spare time, Mr. Fabrizio coaches the Villanova Women’s Ice Hockey Team! As a matter of fact, the main factor that influenced his becoming a teacher was coaching. “Coaching hockey reintroduced me to academics and instruction and I re-fell in love with the academic world,” Mr. Fabrizio said. Mr. Fabrizio stated that, in regards to joining the Devon community, “Joining this school has been a wonderful, memorable experience so far. My students are incredibly well-rounded, with a diverse set of interests. They’re witty, intelligent, and so much fun to teach.” As for his two classes, he said that, “I love teaching both of my classes, but if I had to choose my favorite, I’d say International Literature through Film, because after 20 years in sales and marketing, economics is second nature to me. International Literature through Film gives me something out of my norm, and that’s very exciting.” After getting his Master’s, Mr. Fabrizio said that he was specifically looking for a job teaching at a private school. “I have seen a common trend where private school raises tomorrow’s leaders, and I would rather teach tomorrow’s leaders, than tomorrow’s followers. I already see that that trend is very much true with my new students here at Devon.”
Last year, our world was drastically altered in a way we could have never predicted. The result of this was a complete transition to distance learning. This interview with 9th grade World History Professor, Mr. Peter Haas, highlights what was it like for him. Devon Dialogue: What was your experience teaching on Zoom? Peter Haas: My experience was mixed. I found that while many of the students tried to engage and do their best, that towards the end of the semester, the energy from everyone was going down. And it’s much harder to have an interactive class when you’re doing something on Zoom and it becomes very teacher lectured-orientated and that’s fine, that’s understandable but it’s not the best way that most students learn. I prefer to do things in person all the time. DD: Any specific pros and cons that you would have? PH: Pros are that I can teach from my house; that’s a much closer, much quicker commute, that’s nice. But then again the con is that it makes the lessons much more teacher driven and much less student driven; which means is that you guys just get passive and that’s understandable. But that just takes the dynamism and the energy away from the class, that’s hard. DD: How do you think it affected the course work as a whole? So, your workload and the student’s workload, and did you get everything done for that year that you wanted to? PH: Yes, but at the same time we couldn’t do tests, we had to do papers. That’s a lot more work for you guys, that’s a different kind of work for me and I feel like, to take, some students I found are very very good at tests and that takes away certain advantages that they have in the classroom. So, while it was good to practice writing, I think I prefer doing it in person. DD: What is your opinion on Devon’s response to the shutdown? How did you think Devon enacted? Do you think that Devon acted quickly? Did Devon do well? PH: Yes, we did a very good job. We did a better job than most of the schools around here. Obviously, it’s not a perfect job but I think we have a small population, which is helpful, we have responsive students, everyone was wearing face masks. It’s not to say that we’re perfect but I’d say we were better than 9/10th of all the schools around here along the suburbs. And that’s a win for us, that’s a big win because it shows the kind of quality in both teachers and the students and the administrators; that everyone is willing to work together. Personally, I have multiple family member who are teachers: one’s a professor at Temple, one’s a professor at another preparatory high school, they both found it very difficult to make that transition. How do you think this dynamic affected other teachers? I think that everyone suffered. I think that everyone was willing to try to pull together and make the changes that needed to be made. You know, no one is here because they don’t want to change what’s necessary, but... I think that none of the teachers liked what was happening and that’s, that was... that was hard, especially the Math teachers. DD: Do you feel that the future of education and schooling will be primarily online? PH: I hope not. I can see it being what is necessary but I think it takes a very specific kind of student who has internal motivations to make it work well and I think losing the in-person aspect is not great for most teachers. I think it is also a lot easier for people to be on devices, or doing other work, or listening to music, or just not paying attention when they’re not in class. And I think the temptation to give in to that is pretty high. I can see distance learning becoming a larger part of education, but I don’t think it’s a good thing. DD: Anything else you would like to add? PH: I think it would be interesting to find out from the student population here, not necessarily what teachers are good or bad at, but what lessons teachers feel they were able to deliver most effectively, in terms of what the best lessons were. And that’s something I haven’t heard yet. Any student who is able to really tell me: look, this worked, this didn’t work, try this, don’t do this--that would be incredibly helpful.
Charlie Hurchalla ‘22
Cross Country at States! Samantha Desch, Faculty Moderator
In her first season as the Devon Prep Cross Country team coach, Ms. Nolan has exceeded all expectations by leading the team to the District 12 Championship. Mrs. Desch, fellow Devon teacher and future runner, interviewed Ms. Nolan about her season, her team, and their future goals. Devon Dialogue: Why did you want to coach Cross Country? Coach Nolan: I wanted to coach XC because I have loved coaching middle school track and high school distance running. I’ve seen the XC team experience quite a few different coaches since I’ve been teaching here and knew head coach was my ultimate goal, so I could give the team continuity and commitment. DD: Did you have any experience with coaching/running before this? CN: I come from a running family and have always loved to run. I ran XC, indoor and outdoor track all throughout high school at Perkiomen Valley and then went to compere Division III at Ursinus College. I coached track for two years in Florida at my previous teaching position. I also have taught PE and fitness classes all throughout college and after. My sister and dad are both exceptional distance runners. My sister just missed qualifying for the Olympic trials in the marathon and my dad has qualified and run the Boston Marathon for the last 33 years! Running is clearly in my blood! DD: What was the toughest part of the 2020 season? CN: The toughest part about this season was the looming and daunting uncertainty of COVID. We dealt with constant schedule changes and cancellations, like all five Saturday invitational meets we signed up for were cancelled. We didn’t get to race against our typical teams and didn’t run a single race for the PCL. However, we were able to race 7 races and win Districts despite all the obstacles. By time of print, the team competed at States, finishing with Devon’s best record at States ever!) DD: Any other tidbits of information about the season? CN: Some of our best memories this season were the 2 team scavenger hunts we did during preseason, the early season pasta party at the Mongielo’s house, and the end of the season party at the Gillece’s, complete with Eagles pep band, and a 16-minute long video the kids made me. In the video, each team member expressed their gratitude for their team and my coaching. I’m extremely proud to say that 2/7 of the athletes running at Districts and States are freshmen, too! Additionally, Griffin Gillece had his fastest time ever this season in the pouring rain! We’ve run two races, Districts included, in freezing cold weather and buckets of rain. Everytime, the team rises to the occasion!
Luke Lelli ‘24
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Dialogue News
November 2020
The Devon Dialogue
An Interview with Ms. Sperratore Zach Fedyk, Editor-in-Chief ‘21
Morgan Sperratore is the new chemistry teacher for the sophmores, and the new 7th grade Physics teacher. The Devon Dialogue decided find out more about Devon’s new science whiz. Devon Dialogue: Ms. Sperratore, when did you first realize you wanted to be a teacher? Morgan Sperratore: I knew I wanted to go into the scientific field specifically during my senior year of high school, but I didn’t know I wanted to teach science until I got my first master’s degree at Cabrini University. DD: Did you go to Cabrini for undergraduate too, or did you only go there for graduate school? MS: Yes, I got my B.S. there in biology with a concentration in biotech and molecular biology, my M.S. for biological studies, and my M.Ed. for secondary education biology. DD: That’s a lot of focus on biology. Did you do any research in biology while as a student? MS: Actually, yes, I did! I was one of the youngest students in a research lab as a sophomore in college, and became
the head of the lab by senior year. I did additional lab work after I got my bachelor’s degree, as well. DD: What kind of research did you engage in? MS: I worked with immunity in earthworms, bacteriophages, and protein purification for bacteriophages. Fun fact: each of us got to name two of the bacteriophages we were studying. Mine were named Nightmare and Pita Dog (like a pita chip)! DD: Did your research lead you to make any new discoveries? MS: I was actually published five times, in regards to bacteriophages in the lung and trying to cure tuberculosis! DD: What are your interests outside of biology and teaching? MS: Well, I love doing crafts, they’re a really nice way for me to engage different creative interests of mine opposite the scientific side. I picked up archery about three years ago, and still go on and off. Oh, and I adore hanging out, relaxing, and playing with my two dogs at home.
DD: How has the transition to Devon been for you, especially amidst the current global pandemic? MS: It was actually really good - I felt like I picked up where I left off prepandemic in terms of teaching, like there was no intermission time. DD: What has been your impression of the school throughout this first quarter of the year? MS: Well, I’ve definitely noticed the culture of Devon throughout my month here. The students are dedicated, but the workload and culture doesn’t swallow anyone up. There is a sense of camaraderie and companionship among the students - they aid each other, and it’s slightly more laid back in that regard - less competitiveness among the students, which I personally think creates a good environment. I also like the hybrid middle school/high school experience, because I can teach both, which I very much enjoy.
SpeakUp: What do they do?
Board Game Club: A Light in the Darkness? Pat Dean ‘21
SpeakUp! is a rather unique club. Normally, Devon meets off-campus with members of Malvern Prep, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, and Villa Maria to plan an inclusive event where students are free to express themselves on issues that are often tough to discuss, notably mental health. The event will still take place in January, and the SpeakUp! Leadership team will still attend planning meetings for this year’s event, but it will be occurring 100% online, like most activities currently are. This actually is good for Devon students - you can attend the event in January without leaving your couch or bed! Be on the lookout in the coming weeks and months for more information regarding signing up from your SpeakUp! Leadership team representatives and Mrs. Brightwell.
COVID certainly has taken a toll on the way of life around Devon Prep, but one club that has doubled membership from last year is Miss Todd’s board game club. As a new member myself, I have found a refuge from the tough work our classes provide in a classic game of Battleship or Rush Hour. Besides, we all could use a break from our phones for a change, especially because we are on them more than ever with COVID. Whether you’re a Senior or Freshman does not matter since both are represented and welcomed into the fun on E Days at Advising under the lunch tent. If both Ian Kennedy, now the President of the Club, as well my brother Andrew Dean can enjoy a game of Rummy or Guess Who, that anyone can. So if you’re looking for something to do on E Days, head on over to the lunch tent and dive into the nostalgia of a board game!
Zachary Fedyk, Editor-in-Chief ‘21
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Student Blurbs
November 2020
The Devon Dialogue
Middle School Satirical Tales Joe Perullo ‘22
Energy Drink Disaster Joe Perullo ‘22
When Treasurer Ryan Thiele told the vending machine company to “surprise him” in the stocking of the vending machines, he was not expecting this kind of surprise. The vending machine company surprised Treasurer Thiele with BANG Energy drinks, making them available to purchase by the whole school, including middle schoolers. Middle Schoolers quickly learned the power of what 300mg of caffeine can do to your 100-lb body. During the rec period, football and basketball was dominated by middle schoolers moving at the speed of sound due to BANG energy coursing through their systems. The energy drinks were quickly removed but not before entrenching their power and effect into the middle schoolers’ minds. Economist Shane Roxberry predicts the market for soda in the Devon vending machines will skyrocket due to middle school students moving on to a substitute for caffeine.
Groundhog Runs Rampant! Joe Perullo ‘22
Many of us have seen Gus the Groundhog moseying his way through the Devon grounds, along with many of his compatriots. This is actually part of a new initiative by the Pennsylvania Lottery to increase youth involvement in the state lottery. Gus the Groundhog himself is here visiting Devon Prep to encourage middle school and high school students alike to purchase scratch off tickets! Administration has tried to forcefully capture Gus after it was revealed he was letting middle schoolers scratch and pet him, instructing them how to apply those methods to a scratch off ticket. They have attempted to implement methods that will result in Gus’ capture, but so far, Gus has managed to evade capture. Sources say that while Gus was escaping Mr. A’s grasp and running off into the distance to escape into the woods, the phrase “Keep on Scratchin’” was heard echoing off the surrounding trees. Who knows if he will return to seek vengeance?
Poetry Corner: Sunday Dinner
A Student’s Outlook
A door that’s always opened, A house that shelters all, All are welcomed, All are loved, All are warmed, for the coldest of flames burns its brightest for neither he nor her. It does so for both them, and all who come through the archway. For they who have stood at the foot of Mount Tabor, and witnessed the transfiguration, They were looked down upon with favor, Favor so that they may dine in communion, and be the first to receive the grace of this sacrament, This Eucharist, the scorched body of the man who strove for the sun by dancing with her kindred, Wash it down with the blood he spilled and continues to, Less that door be closed, and the wind, his consort, whispers sweet nothings in his ear once more, A star will have fallen, and that house ravaged by the night in all its malevolence. For a door that is always opened to a house that shelters all, Can neither serve as a house for all if it is inept in housing love at all. Should she take refuge under this roof and find the embers, frozen as they were, Should she gather them and disregard her burning flesh entirely, She will dance under the sun as did those who came before her, less she be consumed as they were as well, and the door smolders.
While this year has obviously begun on a very different note, Devon’s reopening efforts and successful beginning have been incredibly positive. Despite the changes to the classrooms, face shields, and so much more, we are fortunate to have experienced such a seamless transition to in-person learning. As a student, online-learning simply did not work for me, as I’m sure a lot of students can attest to. Devon’s persistence in protecting our school from infection while delivering high quality education says a lot about what this community is and who is in it. Teachers’ understanding of their students’ needs and attention to CDC Guidelines have been comparable to none in the past couple of months. We have done an excellent job as a student body in protecting the health of each other, and I am hopeful that we can continue to do so for the rest of the scholastic year. Devon’s actions, consisting of desk spacing, outdoor classroom/dining arrangements, face-coverings, and impeccable sanitization are simply unmatched. The administration’s and staff’s effort are duly noted and profoundly appreciated. We are so lucky as a school and community to be able to engage in this kind of learning during such a complicated and unprecedented time, and I look forward to the continuation of our current medium of learning.
Chris Supplee ‘21
Jake Lorenz ‘21
The Devon Dialogue Mission Statement
As Devon Preparatory School’s prestigious newspaper, proudly publishing for over five decades, The Devon Dialogue works to accurately inform the Devon student body on the wide array of happenings that occur within the Devon community. Through our commitment to creating innovative, entertaining content that conveys truthful, pertinent information, we offer Devon students the unique opportunity to express themselves by showcasing their literary and artistic gifts to the rest of the Devon community. Editors-in-Chief Assistant Editors Faculty Moderator Ian McKnight ‘21 Jake Lorenz ‘21 Mrs. Samantha Desch Zach Fedyk ‘21 Mason Lindley ‘22
Joining The Dialogue’s Staff
The Devon Dialogue strongly believes that our strength as an organization lies in our diversity of thought. As such, all students of Devon Preparatory School, both middle school students and high school students, are welcome to join The Dialogue’s staff as contributors. Please contact Ian McKnight ‘21, Zach Fedyk ‘21, and Mrs. Samantha Desch for more information. All photos, unless otherwise noted, are taken by Devon Dialogue Editorial Staff for the sole use of the Devon Preparatory School and its constituents.