May/June 2018

the

Dial

The voice of the student body Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY 10591

Physics Olympiad

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Spring AP Artshow

June 5, 2018

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Hannah’s 3x4

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Hacktors take the stage for their final showcase in NYC

By Lei Anne Rabeje

Nothing screams off-broadway more than a 50-seat theatre squeezed between a restaurant and a New York City Deli. But on May 6th, the 50-seat Royal Theatre at Producer’s Club was jam-packed with Hackley parents, families, students, and alumni for the annual Senior Actors Showcase, a tradition begun four years ago by drama teacher Willie Teacher. This year’s showcase, titled “OH! Before I Go...”, featured a compilation of ten different scenes, and took the audience on a journey from a New York City diner to the seaside at midnight.

The show featured various senior Hackley actors, or “Hacktors”, some making their on-stage debut at the showcase, while others returned for their fourth or fifth Upper School production. Senior Hannah Goodwin-Pierce joined the “Drama Dirty Dozen” following the showcase– a title for students who complete a show for each trimester

during their four years in the Upper School– a feat achieved by only a small number of Hackley seniors.

Though many of the Hacktors performed in several productions prior to the showcase, the drastic stage difference offered a new experience for many. Even after nine Upper School productions at the PAC, senior Beatrice McColl was still frightened by the prospect of performing on an off-broadway stage.

“I have gotten so used to the PAC that being on a stage that’s real and in a theatre that’s real was sort of scary. I get stage fright as is, so beforehand I was pretty much just trying not to panic. It was super exciting to be performing in what felt like the real world– granted it’s still Hackley-based but like it was at a real theatre.”

For senior LiliAnna Khosrowshahi, the showcase marked her first appearance on stage, joining the Acting program only this school

year. “I ultimately joined acting because I wanted to try something new. I had never really done anything aside from athletics and kind of just wanted something to try out for fun. I also thought that I just shouldn’t graduate without having Mr. Teacher as my teacher!”

LiliAnna explained that she was scared of being on stage for the first time and intimidated by the talented group of Hacktors around her. When she got on stage, her nerves disappeared, replaced by enthusiasm and excitement of being surrounded by the supportive acting community.

“It was so scary, but I loved it! I would 100% recommend taking acting. I feel like I’ve definitely grown from the class, the showcase, and the more experienced actors and Mr. Teacher could not be more welcoming and supportive!” exclaimed LiliAnna. “My biggest tip is just to have a positive attitude and really have fun with it.”

Seniors pursue their passions via internships

By Tyler O’Brien

interest in cooking, the project directors After four years of high school, Hackley will attempt to find a match with a local Seniors are given the opportunity to pursue their business that is related to that interest.

Due to the fact that these internships passions through Senior Internships over the only last three weeks, the course of three weeks in May. students work in mostly Instead of attending school every day, members of the Seniors are eager to observatory positions. Senior Senior Class intern at local show the world what Michael Mezzacappa said businesses that are related to they can do and show that during his internship their future career plans or the world what Hackley he will “mostly shadow and observe the employees one of their passions, many has done for them. so he can learn the ropes.” of which were discovered Senior Project co-director during their time at Hackley.

Wi l Lobko thinks that Wil Lobko These internships these internships are a great give this year’s seniors an opportunity to further their interests. opportunity for the seniors, explaining Despite the fact that the internships begin in that, “Seniors are eager to show the May, the process begins back in the fall when world what they can do and show the the Seniors take a survey on what they are world what Hackley has done for them.”

The Senior Internships are one of interested in pursuing for their internships.

Hackley’s most exciting and enriching English teacher Wil Lobko and Math teacher programs due to both its helpfulness for Karen Casper take those interests and begin to make connections between businesses and figuring out career plans and excitement the students based on what they are interested in spending the last month of your high in. For example, if a student expresses an school experience doing something you love.

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Photos by Lei Anne Rabeje For the past four years, senior acting students have performed in the annual Senior Acting Showcase. This year’s showcase was comprised of ten different scenes, a showcase of what skills the “Hacktors” have been working on the past four years.

Pictured from left to right: Hanna Mark, Hannah Goodwin-Pierce, and Angel Torres

Architecture - Michael Mezzacappa

Guitars - Raimondo Carofano

Senior Michael Mezzacappa is doing his internship at Gisolfi Associates, a local architecture firm known for building structures connected to open space and adapted to the local environment and surroundings. The firm designed the rebuilt Goodhue Library. “I discovered this passion while taking an Architecture Class at Hackley and am excited to work with such an accomplished firm”, said Mezzacappa, “I’m using this internship as a trial run to see if this is something I would like to do in the future.”

Senior Raimondo Carofano is working at Rock Island Sound in Tarrytown, where he will spend his days building and repairing guitars. Ray is using this internship as an opportunity to explore one of his favorite hobbies at the professional level. Ray said,“I will continue my hobby of building guitars as I get older.” Ray Carofano’s passion for guitars was developed during his time at Hackley. The senior guitar player explained, “Hackley’s coffeehouses have increased my interests in music and guitar, which prompted me to do this project.”

Photo courtesy of Michael Mezzacappa Michael Mezzacappa is working with Gisolfi Associates on the new Preforming Arts Center at Rye Counrty Day.

Photo courtesy of Raimondo Carofano Raimondo Carofando works to build and repair acoustic guitars at Rock Island Sound in Tarrytown, NY.

2 opinion

the

June 5, 2018

Dial

Illustration by Dylan Wade

Students need a consistent policy regarding assignments they miss while participating in extracurricular activities

By The Editorial Board

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ackley proudly publicizes the extracurriculars and travel opportunities available for its students. Along with these opportunities, however, often come substantial consequences for students, since many of these opportunities coincide with class days. Because of their workload, students fear missing assignments and are often unwilling to take advantage of the extracurriculars Hackley has to offer. The Dial Editorial Board believes that teachers must strive to understand the importance of these experiences, and enable students to take advantage of extracurricular opportunities.

It is the job of not only the students to voice their grievances, but also the administration to help find a common ground.

Activities ranging from athletics to Round Square trips cause students to live in fear of missing work because, at Hackley, academics are often a top priority for students. If a student misses an assignment, their teacher places them in Academic Detention, which is the universal response of Hackley teachers to missed assessments. Steele Sternberg stated, “We are first and foremost an academic place and those athletic sacrifices are things that, while regrettable, are the nature of the relationship between the arts, the athletics, the

Dial staff

Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave.Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 June 5, 2018 Vol. 120, No. 7 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief Amy Chalan,

Raghav Chopra,

Will Goldsmith Managing Editors Jordan Miller

Sydney Stoller Social Media Editor Sofia Graziano Section Editors

News Lauren Ahern, Yingshyan Ku Opinion Ella Jones, Tommy Larson Arts Roya Arjomand, Tyler O’Brien Feature Matthew Traum, Kylie Morrison Lifestyles Natalie Sukhman, Katy Robertson Politics Max Rosenblum, Jimmy Hefter Science & Tech Cory Gorczycki, Samantha Rosenstein, Jared Tilliss Sports Cole Wyman, Julia Thomson, James Sexton-Holtmeier Advisers Michael Bass, Anne Budlong Policy Opinions expressed in staff editorials reflect the majority view of The Dial Editorial Board. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not represent the views of Hackley School, its administration or its staff. The Dial invites and encourages its readers to write letters to the editor or submit contributions. Contact us at dial@hackleyschool.org. We reserve the right to edit any submission for clarity and brevity, and to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation when necessary. We refuse to publish submissions which are unsigned, libelous, or plagiarized.

Four hundred copies of each issue are distributed among the High School student body of about four hundred students and the faculty and staff.

and academics in this school,” he explained. students not to fall behind, it creates added With the understanding that academics stress. Some teachers have failed to reach a come before everything else, students are common understanding of the importance unsure of whether or not their teachers are of these experiences to their students, as willing to accomodate them. If a student exemplified in a general lack of empathy in feels that their teacher has treated them assignments. unfairly, they must bring their grievances to The same is true for the school’s travel abroad the department head, exercising self-advocacy. opportunities. Next fall, Hackley students have If they cannot reach an agreement with their the chance to travel to Canada for a Round teacher, there is nothing to be done. The lack Square conference. As a newly minted leader of a specific policy between teachers is what of the program, Sternberg revealed that the allows them to teach at their best, unconstricted majority of applicants by specific guidelines, are underclassmen. The but pressuring students trip will cause students with deadlines is not I feel like if I miss school to miss a week of school, t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n . for a trip then I would just so juniors and seniors Instead, teachers should with higher workloads understand that making have that much more are steering clear of any up homework should work to catch up on. chance to fall behind. not be a top priority, Conferences are Grace Rubin unique opportunities only causing added stress for their students. for Hackley students, “I feel like if I miss but students would school for a trip then I would just have that rather opt out of them to maintain control much more work to catch up on,” said junior of their workload. While this may be the Daamiya Mir of Hackley’s rigorous academics. stigma around Round Square, the longtime For students and teachers, falling behind is Hackley representative, Adrianne Pierce, says a large fear. Sternberg explains that he prefers that applicants have still spanned all grades of his students make up major assessments as the Upper School. soon as possible. While this makes sense for Pierce believes that students are not set

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up for failure. “It is a bit easier, I suspect, for sophomores to manage this absence and make up the work,” she said. Even so, “we have worked to help the faculty understand the value of these experiences and to modify the expectation of make-up work for these students when they return,” she added.

Understanding among teachers of the value of these experiences fosters increased sympathy towards students.

Assistant Head of School Steven Bileca elaborated, describing how students on Round Square trips are given their assignments in advance. Such assignments are expected to be completed before the students return to school. These assignments mean that students will still be still left with the burden of their work during their trip. But in such instances the students at least know what work they have to complete and that, “ goes a long way toward relieving some of the pressure of the ‘unknown,’” argues Bileca.

The intense workload placed upon Hackley students encourages academic enrichment, but it also prevents students from taking advantage of many extracurricular activities.

Administrators need to enable students to take advantage of what Hackley offers beyond academics.

Helmets have no place in girls lacrosse

By Annabel Ives

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n 2017, New York state offered girls lacrosse players the option to wear helmets. Some athletes argue that these helmets will make the game safer on the rare occasion a girl gets checked or hit in the head with a ball. In those instances, helmets would protect players from getting a concussion. However, girls lacrosse is a noncontact sport, so these injuries are rare and there are numerous rules that protect female athletes from getting hit in the head. Throughout the past season, debates and studies over the rule change took place, but nothing has changed for the 2018 season. The disadvantages of helmets in girls lacrosse outweigh the small benefit, and therefore they should not be worn.

There is no proof that these helmets would actually prevent concussions. According to US Lacrosse, “No headgear or helmet in any sport has been proven to prevent concussions,” which includes lacrosse. Multiple studies have shown that in sports like football and boys lacrosse, where head to head contact is more common, helmets do little to protect players from concussions. The threat of concussions is especially prevalent for younger players, so why would it be any different in girls lacrosse? There are numerous downsides to helmets in girls lacrosse. Due to the fact that only some girls would wear helmets, head to head collisions would become more dangerous to those not wearing them.

With the addition of helmets, violence would be promoted. Now that the athletes’ heads are protected, a check to the head will not hurt them as much, giving players an excuse to do take a more aggressive approach in attempt to play defense. As of now, a check to the head is still against the rules, but, “The girls with the helmets are usually the most aggressive and foul

the most because they think that their head is protected,” said lacrosse player Isabelle Thomas.

These girls are more likely to check, be aggressive on the draw, and shoot farther out, all of which can be dangerous. This changes the nature of the game, but more importantly, there is always the possibility that the helmets will not offer enough protection.

On the other hand, it has been argued that girls with multiple concussions should wear helmets to prevent them from getting a serious head injury. As stated before, there is no proof that these helmets actually prevent concussions and in some cases they may even make them more common. As a member of the varsity lacrosse team, Sophomore Leah Holmes said, “for some it could be necessary so they don’t get more concussions, but I don’t think that it was that big of an issue before.” She went on to talk about the possibility of more concussions if a girl with a helmet collides with a girl without a helmet.

Some players say that since boys wear helmets, girls should as well. However, boys and girls lacrosse are completely different games. “The main difference between girls and boys lacrosse is the contact,” said senior lacrosse player Bobby Hite. Boys wear helmets because they are allowed to check the body, whereas in girls lacrosse, they can only check the stick and in specific circumstances.

Senior Chad Lasseter added that there are also major positional differences between the two games regarding contact. One of the main concerns among girls lacrosse players is that the game and positions will change to a more physical sport with the addition of helmets. “As long as

the game stays the same, physicality wise, then helmets are not necessary and provides a nuisance to the players,” agreed Lasseter.

Girls lacrosse is a sport that should be played without helmets. Helmets have not been proven to help prevent the possibility of concussions, and in some cases may even worsen the injuries between a helmet wearer and one without a helmet. Allowing helmets in girls lacrosse promotes violence because girls believe they can be more aggressive towards the other players.

The girls without helmets are more susceptible to injuries from that violent play promoted by the helmets. Head to head collisions have become more dangerous. Helmets make the game more dangerous and are not necessary for any girls lacrosse players to wear.

Illustration by Lei Anne Rabeje

the D i a l

politics 3

June 5, 2018

Students go unfazed by Facebook scandal There is a tidal wave of discontent over how social media uses our private data; Facebook, despite its size, is at risk of being washed away by it. So far these revelations seem not to have substantially affected the way students at Hackley use social media platforms.

Facebook is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission because the private information of millions of users was often retrieved without their knowledge

by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm. Information regarding the search history of users was made accessible. Additionally, Facebook users experienced the interference of Russia during the 2016 election.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Facebook, was called to hearings in the House and the Senate on April 10th. He was bombarded with questions regarding the privacy of the users, and what information Facebook can access from users’ accounts.

A c c o r d i n g t o Ti m e , t h e information of 87 million facebook users in United States was accessed and potentially affected by the scandal. Countries that were also significantly impacted include the Philippines, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom, with the information of 1.18, 1.10, 1.08

million users accessed, respectively.

The majority of Hackley Upper School students have Facebook accounts and are active users, and have had experiences where their accounts were hacked and personal information was accessed. However, based on Dial reporting, most students were unaware of the recent Facebook scandal and resulting breach in privacy, so it did not affect their usage and opinion about social media. Additionally, they were not concerned about the impact of Facebook on their personal information.

Sophomore Sophia Masotti uses Facebook to stay up-to-date with her extracurricular activities including sports teams and clubs “I don’t really use Facebook for anything other than seeing posts from clubs or teams. I never post pictures or anything personal on my account,” she said.

For Sophia, the breach in privacy does not affect her opinion of Facebook, and she will continue to use it, “I have my privacy settings on, so people really can’t find that much information about me, so I will continue to use Facebook as I did before.”

Junior Isabelle Thomas, an active user of Facebook that checks it often, was similarly undeterred

from using the platform.

“There are privacy controls on my account that restricts my friends from seeing personal information such as my phone number,” she said.

Facebook is not her preferred platform of social media, but she uses it frequently. In regards to the Facebook scandal, Isabelle says, “I am not exactly surprised because that sort of thing has happened before and with the amount of technology that we have today it’s not surprising that companies like Cambridge Analytica can access the information of Facebook users. I feel that it doesn’t just happen with Facebook, but all over the internet and the sharing of information and issue of privacy will soon become the norm.”

As Senior Ben Ostfield points out, the way Facebook is used has changed over the past years.“When it first started, you put all your interests there, but now it’s just more of a tool: big announcements, less socializing,” he said.

In light of the scandal, Facebook and other social media platforms are now trying to improve privacy settings on accounts to ensure that the information of various users is protected.

Illustration by Max Rosenblum and Jordan Miller

Syria Crisis Update: US airstrikes provoke international tension

By Jared Tilliss

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Speaker Paul Ryan announced his decision not to run for reelection in the 2018 Midterms. At least 42 other House Republicans will vacate their seats this fall.

Potential House shift on the horizon

By Max Rosenblum

In the age of Trump, bipartisan backlash against the presidential administration has become routine.

In the midst of this, 43 House Republicans have announced their plans to retire, resign outright, or run for higher office — the most retirements between any recent presidential election or midterm election cycle to date.

House Speaker and Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan recently announced his resignation, after serving as the highest ranking congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2015. Ryan said of his resignation, “I like to think I’ve done my part, my little part in history to set us on a better course.”

In his resignation announcement on April 11th, however, Speaker Ryan assured reporters that such a possibility played “[no role] whatsoever, actually,” in his decision.

He explained that he no longer wanted to be a “Sunday dad” but

rather wants to spend more time in his native Wisconsin with his kids and wife Janna.

While the Speaker’s resignation might be the most notable, the extraordinarily high number of legislative resignations is attributed

by Andrew Prokop of Vox News to both fear of Republican backlash stemming from the President’s poor approval ratings and the sweeping wave of Democratic victories in the 2017 and 2018 special elections.

Democrats need only take back 24 more seats in the House with the current congressional makeup in order to once again become the majority.

These vacant seats and with substantial anti-Trump sentiment cause Democrats hope.

Fortunately for those yearning for a blue wave, the unprecedented number of resignations has resulted in a lack of Republican incumbency that has historically been a considerable advantage in congressional elections.

When U.S.-led missiles flew over the war-torn nation of Syria, those familiar with the conflict began to speculate: is this the beginning of another major US intervention?

The airstrikes, coordinated in a multilateral attack with Britain and France against the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad on April 14th, came in response to the Syrian government’s alleged use of chemical weapons on hundreds of civilians.

The three-state coalition launched 105 missiles from bomber jets, warships, and submarines at three Syrian chemical weapons facilities.

Pr e v i o u s l y, a n international agreement named the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997 was established, stating that no country should be permitted to use chemical weapons — an agreement which Syria recently violated.

Nevertheless, controversy has begun to stir in recent weeks alleging that the Trump administration was not even completely certain of a chemical weapons attack.

Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, told the U.N. Security Council “if the Assad regime uses chemical weapons again, the U.S. is locked and loaded.” However, TIME publishes that this forceful mentality

“risks bringing more American French president and the involvement into Syria”.

UK prime minister have The U.S.-led airstrikes come committed a crime.” On the as the latest development in other hand, Israel, Germany, the multi-year Syria crisis that Canada and others have has presented itself as a global come out in support of issue. According to BBC, more the airstrikes, calling it a than 250,000 Syrians have been necessary measure against the killed and over 11 million others use of chemical weapons. Because have been forced from their home of the regionally split reaction over in over 7 years of armed conflict the airstrikes around the world, in Syria. tensions may begin to spiral into an Russian President Vladimir Putin, international conflict. a close History ally to teacher the Syrian If the Assad regime Vladimir regime, Klimenko, chemical o f called the u s e s t h e airstrikes weapons again, the Contemporary “an act of Issues Seminar, aggression” U.S. is locked and b e l i e v e s t h e that will have loaded.

Syrian conflict is a “destructive one of the most Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to multifaceted influence on the entire system of the United Nations in the world, international making it a relations.” dangerous time Previously, Putin had brokered to engage in aerial attacks. He said, an agreement in 2013 whereby “the Syrian situation is particularly Syria would give up their chemical complex because it includes many weapons; the recent allegations actors. Apart from the Assad against Syria have led to government, there’s a non-Islamist criticism that Putin lacks opposition, at least two [other] the ability to reign in Islamist groups, plus Russia, Iran, Bashar-al Assad.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey”.

Other nations have given It is unclear whether or not mixed reviews about Trump will meddle further in the the airstrikes. China’s Syrian crisis, or if global affairs will foreign ministry explains continue to get icier by the day that they are “opposed to the only time will tell. use of force” in Syria, while Iran believes that “the US president, the Illustrations by Jordan Miller

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4 arts

Students show off their creative abilities in the AP Art Showcase

By James Sexton-Holtmeier

The annual AP Art Showcase is an event where AP art students can show off their hard work to their friends and family. On May 14th, the display took place in Allen Hall and was made up each student’s favorite pieces.

Prior to the showcase, the AP art class took a trip to New York City and senior Carolyn Santangelo was inspired by a gallery that she viewed, which featured mason jars as the focus. She was fascinated by the simplicity of these jars and decided to add a few similar pieces to her own twelve piece portfolio.

Each student in the class has their own breath portfolio, along with a focus portfolio that they pick for themselves. Carolyn Santangelo’s choice for her focus section was on mason jars.

She said, “I was mesmerized. The jars were remarkable in their simplicity.”

The AP Art Showcase is a fantastic way for students to share something important to them with the school. Their impressive talents inspire younger students to stick with art since middle school students visit the showcase. AP Art teacher Greg Cice, does a superb job of keeping students entertained and passionate about their craft.

Senior Lei Anne Rabeje says, “Mr. Cice gave us freedom to showcase the pieces we were most proud of. Many of us included pieces from sophomore year, which was really great because you could really see the progress we made, and how our techniques and skills have grown over the past few years. It feels truly amazing to have our work featured for people to see. Mr. Cice has done an excellent job with the entire process, and I feel blessed to have been a part of it.”

Dial

Makerspace combines art and technology

By Cory Gorczycki

Photos by James Sexton-Holtmeier The AP Art Showcase began on Monday, May 14, and ended on Friday, May 18. Students, faculty and family members viewed the pieces in Allen Hall that the AP artists spent the whole year creating. The AP art students also talked to viewers about the inspirations behind their concentrations.

Students create independent projects to pursue advanced 3-D design study

By Sydney Stoller

From studio art, to filmmaking, to photography and architecture, the 2D visual arts courses at the Hackley Upper School range across a plethora of subject matters. However, in the 3D section of the art department, students do not have the same opportunity to advance throughout high school because there are only two three dimensional art classes. This means that students have to develop their own classes.

Introduction to 3D design that Ms. Sarah Coble teaches addresses media such as clay, steel, and wood and is open to incoming freshmen and other interested students as a minor course. After completing the introductory course, students may enroll in the advanced sculpture and design class.

However, after only two years of three dimensional art, there are no more offerings available. Therefore, students have resorted to creating independent studies to explore the subject matter that interests them most.

Sophomore Jenny Canoni took it upon herself to initiate such an independent study.

Canoni is participating in a joint study in drawing and sculpture with both architecture teacher Mr. Cice and Ms. Coble. She explained that despite having to create her own class, Hackley has “a great 3D art program, and the lack of courses doesn’t impact it [the quality of the program].” She added that the limited classes “just comes down to how much interest the students have.” Although Canoni admitted that, “It’s just a little frustrating that there’s no major [course] option” for 3D art, she understands that courses are implemented in response to student demand.

Unfortunately for students like C a n o n i , c re a t i n g a new course takes

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June 5, 2018

The Makerspace is more than just a room with amenities such as tables that change heights. It is being used for design, technology, electronics and even 3-D printing. Upper School Art teacher Sarah Coble has put into action her plans to transform the Makerspace into a location that will enable Hackley students to create art projects that some universities don’t even have the resources to create. Some of the work performed within the Makerspace uses math in a practical and precise method.

Mrs. Coble discussed some transformations that have commenced this year explaining, “The Makerspace enables us to use more technology from LED lights to circuitry.

The clean space allows us to do soldering, have a computer driven sewing machine and computer that can cut wood. We have even started 3-D printing; projects that couldn’t be done in a dusty clay studio where we currently do pottery.”

Mrs. Coble said the Makerspace opens doors to a different way of thinking and believes that coding should be a requirement for all Hackley students as computer languages help students throughout their college and later in their professional lives. Her husband makes robotic instruments and she forecasts the abundant potential to use the Makerspace to introduce this to Hackley students in future years.

There is already an Advanced Circuitry (with 3-D printing) course planned for next year. She said that there is a learning curve but that “once the kids worked together, they showed a lot of grit, and the light went on.” The vessel project will be using the Makerspace and many of the prospective senior projects will likely use the space too.

This use of technology in art classes within the Makerspace just scratches the surface of what Hackley can achieve in future years.

Director of Instructional Technology Erich Tusch was one of the key brains behind creating the Makerspace. He believes that hands-on learning is a goal of many educators as it allows teachers to put the textbooks aside and give practical tools to students that will be invaluable throughout the student’s life.

Meanwhile, high schools and colleges alike are looking to enhance their STEM programs so it makes sense to advance the “T” portion as soon as possible. However, Hackley is taking a more unique take on this to combine art with technology in the Makerspace.

Mrs. Coble pointed out that one of the first successes of utilizing the Makerspace for art purposes was during a fun Ex Day. This was a turning point for the endless possibilities.

There was collaboration between upper and middle school students and she envisions a lot more cooperation amongst the students in the future. Years from now, Hackley students will look back at this year as a transformative one in the history of the school with regards to technology.

Photos by Sydney Stoller Jenny Canoni works on her last project in the Indermediate 3D Studio Art course. The students are designing, throwing, trimming, and glazing full tea sets with the guidance of Ms. Sarah Coble.

dedication as well as artistic vision. There are many forms to fill out and signatures to obtain from administrators, an advisor, the teacher of the class, and Head of the Upper School, who must approve the study before it is executed.

As of the fall of the 2018-19 school year, Hackley is offering an alternative to creating an independent 3D art course that allows students to continue involvement in the program. Though it is not a minor course, the Hackley “maker space” is open throughout the day for upper schoolers interested in tinkering with materials aside from pencil and paper.

Coble said that to avoid creating an independent study, but still get involved in the 3D art program, students can visit the makerspace during free periods or after school. Coble hopes that one day “there

will be a resident artist in the makerspace” who will “help the students to expand their creative horizons.” Projects could range from 3D printing to stained glass windows, to architectural design. She believes that this would be an effective way to keep students active in the visual arts program, even if there are no more courses left for them to take.

Students like Canoni will be forced to develop their own private studies unless, more advanced 3D art courses formulate in the upcoming years with increased student interest.

Photo by Cory Gorczycki AP Computer Science students have access to the variety of tools and materials in the Makerspace.

Zaya Gooding uses her knowledge of technology to work on her project in the new space.

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lifestyles 5

June 5, 2018

Extravagant promposals provoke mixed emotions among students

By Samantha Rosenstein

School, 91.1% of students believe that promposals generate excitement for prom.

Promposals, a relatively new phenomenon, This may be due to the fact it allows students have risen in popularity over the last decade. to collaborate with others to come up with A play on marriage proposals, promposals creative ideas. revolve around asking a companion to the However, this opinion is not unanimous, prom in a public and/or elaborate manner. as many question the negative effects They can involve elaborate signs, decorations, promposals may have on the community and even a host of people. Among students, since they become excessive. This seems to this ritual is widely discussed in the months be a polarizing issue leading up to prom within the student and generally viewed . . . o n e a d d i t i o n a l body, with 42.8% of positively. students agreeing that This year, the public b y p r o d u c t o f t h e s e promposals create a nature of promposals marginalization of those a re a t a n a l l t i m e promosals is those that not asked. high; ranging from do not get asked (or Math teacher Jon makeshift fashion Gruenberg said, “Lavish shows to coffeehouse asked in a big enough promposals seem to songs. Adding to the way) are marginalized. spawn the pressure to excitement, a social create even more lavish media account was Jon Gruenberg p r o m p o s a l s w h i c h created by a senior often leave a distasteful to publicize the impression on many promposals on campus, featuring students people in the community… That said, I and their elaborate “asks”. Over three don’t think students should be deprived of hundred students follow the instagram being asked to prom or asking someone if account named “Hackleypromposals2018”, they so choose.” which posts daily images and videos that Worries of marginalization are present receive hundreds of likes. throughout the study body as well, but often Junior Lilly Yerkes commented on her these students voices fail to be heard under experience with promposals, “it’s a lot the roar of excitement surrounding prom. fun to make a big thing out of it and get However, not everyone on campus has such everyone involved.” According to a recent controversial views. poll conducted with the Hackley Upper

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Junior Thomas Dewey commented, “I don’t have a problem with flashiness if they have knowledge of the promposal beforehand, but it can put pressure on the person if it’s in front of the a large group and it wasn’t agreed on before.” Issues have arisen in the past when students have declined a public promposal and spurred conversation about the pressure these types of proposals can impose. Almost 79% of those polled agree that pressure is placed on those being asked.

Junior Mikhaila Archer said, “Many individuals feel as if they have no choice but to accept the invitation, as to not embarrass their classmate, due to the fact that promposals are typically done in a very public manner and therefore, these types of promposals are only appropriate if the arrangement has been agreed on before hand either directly or indirectly through friends.”

However, many feel that the element of surprise is essential to promposals, so the solution of solidifying an arrangement beforehand is not necessarily ideal.

Among administrators, unanimity does not exist either, creating an important conversation about the possible marginalization of the minority despite the fact that promposals are becoming a tradition.

Although one may assume promposals are an exciting rite of passage that have been enjoyed for the past few years by high schoolers around the country, the pressure and anxiety that comes with extravagant promposals should be considered and discussed in order to ensure the experience of prom is a positive one. Students and teachers alike hope to keep the tradition alive while considering the multifaceted nature of its effects on the student body in the future.

Illustration by Olivia Weinberg

Prom Dress Trends for 2018 Behind the scenes of Hackley’s Prom Sleek Ball gown Cut-Out Committee

By Eki Uzamere

Open Back

Off the shoulder

Pastel

Illustrations by Amy Chalan

It seems like every take on prom in the last fifty years of cinema has been blown dramatically out of proportion. In the movies, prom is either an epic milestone that defines a high schooler’s happiness well into adulthood or a treacherous and awkward experience that will traumatize for the entirety of their young adult life.

That is precisely the reason why the seniors have been hard at work trying to make sure that this one night is unforgettable. Every detail and decoration has been handselected by the seniors in our prom committee and Jenny Leffler, the faculty adviser.

The prom committee is made up of about 20 senior volunteers. The group first convened mid April. In this meeting, the committee decided on the theme: A Starry Night. “After that everyone just kind of scattered and did what needed to be done,” Mrs. Leffler said. The seniors took charge of their prom, contacting florists and DJ’s on their own terms and communicating with Mrs. Leffler through email.

According to the committee, attendees can look forward to seeing lots of beautiful decorations that coincide with their theme of blue and white.

The prom will take place May 31st from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. “Most of it takes care of itself once you organize the other stuff,” says Mrs. Leffler. The volunteers on the committee will also be helping out with general tasks.

The food is going to be catered in buffet style. This prom will not indulge in the prom king and queen tradition, but there will be plenty of other photo opportunities. The

prom will also be having a DJ instead of a band. Some of the faculty members invited to be chaperones are Mr. Loomis, Mrs. Stanek, Mrs. Coy, and Mr. King.

The prom committee faced a lot of stress planning this event since prom is a highly anticipated event for a majority of Hackley students.

For most of the upperclassman, it is a chance to prom-pose in very creative ways, or an opportunity to show off one’s sense of fashion with beautiful dresses and tuxes, or for some, it is simply the last night to hang out with classmates when your grade is all together.

Prom is a very expensive endeavor (According to a Survey by Visa, teenagers drop an average of $1,139 on prom,) that requires a lot of diligent party planning. This year, the prom committee is using the money that the Hackley Parent Association generously donated as well as the money raised through ticket sales to create a prom that upperclassman can enjoy.

This is the night that students have been awaiting since freshman year and thanks to the efforts of the 2017-2018 prom committee it will be an unforgettable night.

Senior Nicole Mondrous said, “In the end, prom is just sort of an excuse to get dressed and have fun with your friends before you graduate.”

Prom Commitee 2017-2018

Faculty Members: Jenny Leffler Students: Lei Anne Rabeje Olivia Weinberg Cosima Boettner Nicole Heyward Jocelyn Blockinger Carly Griffin-Fiorella Hannah Mark Abigail Satty Lucia Yanuzzi Demetra Yancopolous

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June 5, 2018

Dial

Hannah Goodwin Pierce completes 3x4 Hannah Goodwin Pierce accomplishes the rare feat of acting in three plays for all four years in the Upper school

By Amanda Mooney

The 3x4 is an athletic achievement for students who have played three sports per year during their four years in the Upper School. This dedication to athletics is one that is rarely mirrored in other departments at Hackley, until this year. With the recent Acting 4 showcase, taking place in Manhattan, Hannah Goodwin-Pierce is the first person in five years to complete three shows per year during her four years in the Upper School, a 3x4 in acting.

Because of her experiences in the acting department, Hannah has been able to work with and learn from her classmates. She worked closely with Mr. Teacher, who directs every play and teaches every acting class in the Upper School.

Hannah said, “I have learned more from [Mr. Teacher] than anyone else. He has taught me to be vulnerable, to be a hard worker

Photo by Chris Taggart Hannah performs as the bitter, power hungry Madame Pernelle in the fall 2014 production of “Tartuffe.” This was Hannah’s first upper school play.

and to find solutions, instead of complaining about problems.”

Mr. Teacher has worked with Hannah every year during his five years at Hackley, both on a Middle School and Upper School level.

According to Mr. Teacher, one of Hannah’s biggest strengths is the way she is able to handle and solve problems. He said “she was anxious about the kiss in [Almost Maine, but] she figured out how to navigate through those waters. She often in the past would play with her hair as a comfort piece, and she’s worked through that...She accepts the problems because, I think, she’s excited about the solutions.”

Hannah also had the opportunity to work with a wide array of actors over the years. She said her biggest inspirations were Levi DeMatteo ‘16, Isabella Yannuzzi ‘16, Alexis Arnold ‘16, Fin McCombe ‘17, Joey Lawton ‘17 and Jack Clark ‘17.

She said they “taught me so so so much not only in the program as an actor, but about how to be a better person, a better leader, and a better friend. They are each so talented themselves, and I really looked up to them as important role models throughout high school. They made me who I am. They are my family.”

Although she has enjoyed all the plays she has been in, Hannah said “My favorite play I’ve been in is “Winter’s Tale” (Fall of 2015) or “All in the Timing” (Winter of 2017).

The casts were beyond amazing, and it was by far the most fun and memorable production I’ve worked on.”

Each role has taught Hannah different skills and allowed her to learn more about herself as both a person, and a performer. Her favorite characters have been Perdita in “Winter’s Tale,” and Dromio in

Photo by Chris Taggart In the fall 2016 production of “Caesar and Cleopatra,” Hannah performs alongside of Celia Gooding and Kioni Marshall. Hannah is portraying Pointhius who is the assistant to the king. Kioni Marshall’s character, Ftatateeta, murders Hannah’s character Pointhius, during the play.

“Comedy of Errors.”

“They both took me out of my comfort zone and it was so rewarding to experience new circumstances and get to explore different characters. I learned the most from those two performances,” she said.

Mr. Teacher was unable to choose which of Hannah’s roles has been his favorite, because “each [role] offered something spectacular,” he said, “The favorite role that she’s had with me is that of my acting student and soon to be a peer in this acting game. That’s my favorite role thus far from her.”

Despite all the good memories, there are some experiences Hannah wishes she could have had during her time in the acting program.

Hannah said, “I would have loved to work with Kioni Marshall ‘18 more than I did, because Kioni is hilarious, and I think she is an amazing actor.” She also wanted to play different roles that she was not given the opportunity to play.

Hannah says “I think getting to go all out as a lady version of Tartuffe would have been incredibly fun, because he’s such a twisted, hilarious character. He does things that are

absolutely bonkers without shame, and it would be amazing to step into Tartuffe’s shoes.”

Hannah has recently committed to join the Wesleyan University class of 2022, where she will continue to develop her skills as a performer.

At Wesleyan, she will perform both on the main stage and in student led productions. Hannah’s final performance as a Hackley student, thus completing her 3x4, was at the Senior Spring Showcase on May 6.

The show, at The Producer’s Club in Manhattan, starred all seniors that currently take an acting class.

Swiss foreign exchange student Marvin Seiler immerses himself in American culture is in stark contrast to Hackley where there are various organized sports teams and PE classes that students are required to be a part of in order to graduate. Luckily for him, the most popular sport in his school is soccer and he is able to play with his friends.

Marvin took advantage of the gym

By David Ben-Ezra

When Ms.Taylor announced that a new Round Square student was arriving on boarding in upcoming weeks, everyone eagerly anticipated his arrival.

On his first day, Marvin Seiler was quiet and kept to himself. The following day he revealed his true personality. Marvin is bold and unafraid to say what he thinks, claiming that “soccer is the best sport.” requirement M a r v i n c a m e t o What I like about Hackley by participating in Hackley from Birklehof is that the teachers volleyball and track.

School in the Southwest Throughout his visit, region of Germany. actually include you in Marvin enjoyed playing Marvin’s parents live the discussion instead of volleyball on Mondays in Switzerland, but he and Wednesdays with boards at his school in just talking. his friends and coach Germany. Marvin has Marvin Seiler Mary DiNardo, as it known for a while that allowed him to bring he wanted to go on an out his competitive side. exchange program to In addition to playing the United States because he wants to go to two sports, he made full use of the Johnson college here.

Health and Wellness Center, often staying Marvin also felt it would be a good late after P.E. to work out in preparation for opportunity to practice his English, saying “I soccer season in Germany. used to go to a bilingual school, but now I go Marvin took most of his classes with to a school where they only speak German.” sophomores; he took English 10, U.S. According to Marvin, the biggest difference History, and Algebra II. However, instead between his school in Germany and Hackley of taking chemistry, he took physics with is the emphasis that is placed on sports. freshmen, as he had not taken the course in Marvin is an avid soccer player, so a strong Germany. Marvin said that physics was his sports program is important to him. favorite class.

Marvin said that “[At his school] there are Another big difference that Marvin noticed no teams and sports are not mandatory.” This

“

”

between his school and Hackley is that classes are much more discussion based here. He says “here [at Hackley] the teachers actually include you in the discussion instead of just talking.”

Marvin feels that Hackley’s emphasis on students makes classes much more interesting, and makes it easier for Marvin

to understand what is going on.

Although Marvin took a full course load at Hackley, he still had to do work from his school i n G e r m a n y.

Marvin still took assessments in some of his classes despite not having to complete the homework for his classes at Hackley.

This gave him

free time over the weekend, which he took advantage of by hanging out with his host family.

Sophomore Sean Ford hosted Marvin on the weekends and took him on trips to Manhattan. He also attended a community service event with Hackley’s Soup Kitchen Club. During the week Marvin stayed in boarding.

Sophomore Jae woo Bang, who also boards at Hackley, said “Marvin is a very interesting kid, and it was great to have him at Hackley.”

Marvin’s last day at Hackley was May 18th. He greatly enjoyed his time here, and felt it helped him practice his English.

After leaving Hackley, Marvin is spending a week with his grandma in New York City before heading back to Germany.

Although Marvin greatly enjoyed his time at Hackley, he looks forward to returning to Germany and spending time with his family and friends from school.

Photo by Amy Chalan Marvin enjoys spending his free time at the gym. He pushes himself in the sports he plays to prepare for the soccer season, when he returns to Germany.

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June 5, 2018

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Connor Larson competes in International Physics Olympiad

By Tommy Larson

Every year the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Institute of Physics sponsor a competition for high school students to represent the United States at the International Physics Olympiad Competition.

The mission of the U.S. Physics Team Program is to promote and demonstrate academic excellence through preparation for and participation in the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO).

The team is selected through a series of exams testing their problem solving abilities. The top 22 finalists are invited to a rigorous study camp at University of Maryland to prepare for the IPhO. AP Physics teacher and director of the Independent Research Program Andrew Ying was the faculty advisor who prepared these students to participate in the contest. Four Hackley students participated in an independent study taught

by Dr. Ying to get ready for the test this year.

According to Dr. Ying, the goal of the class is to give juniors who took AP Physics in junior year an opportunity to keep doing fun and interesting physics problems.

Seniors Demetra Yancopoulos, Jasmine Bayrooti, Hanna Mark, and Connor Larson all completed the preliminary exam, also known as the F = ma contest. The contest includes 25 multiple choice questions in 75 minutes focusing on non calculus mechanics. On the test, no points are deducted for incorrect answers. About 400 of the 5600 student who sit for the preliminary exam qualify for the semi-final exam. This year the cut-off was 14 points.

The USAPhO exam is a free response, calculusbased exam covering all topics in introductory physics: Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Thermodynamics, Fluids, Relativity, Waves, and Nuclear and Atomic Physics. There are two

Graphic by Jordan Miller and Emmy Wenstrup

App of the month:

NY Times Crossword

By Jordan Miller

Photo by Tommy Larson Connor’s passion for physics has inspired him to pursue the subject beyond the clasroom, taking the IPhO and woring independently on projects.

parts in the exam, Part A and Part B; each have 3 problems to do in 90 minutes.

Senior Connor Larson advanced to the second round of testing. He explained “I was very excited to have the chance to take the second test. Though the problems were extremely challenging, they were also very interesting, and I enjoyed exploring fascinating applications of the Physics skills we’d learned this year. Most of all, I’m incredibly grateful to Dr. Ying for making this amazing experience possible.”

All semi-finalists receive certificates as a reward for their physics skill. Since 2013, medal rankings have also been awarded for the top scores on the semifinal exam. Gold is awarded to the top 10%, Silver is to the top 25%, Bronze to the top 40%

and Honorable Mention to the top 60%. At the rigorous training camp at the University of Maryland, students receive heavy theoretical and experimental training and take a series of tests.

Finally, the top 5 students are selected to represent the United States of America in the International Physics Olympiad.

AP Physics teacher and director of the Independent Research Program Andrew Ying was the faculty advisor who prepared these students to participate in the contest is extremely proud of them and states, “the fact that these students competed and did fairly well is awesome.” He hopes to continue Hackley’s participation in the Physics Olympiad and to one day send a Hackley student to the International Competition.

The New York Times Crossword App makes crossword puzzles available on mobile devices on the go. To access the full array of puzzles a subscription service is offered on the app costing either $6.99 per month or $39.99 annually.

However, a subscription to the New York Times Crossword does not come with the New York Times digital or paper subscription services.

A new, free mini crossword puzzle is available to play every day, and there are a variety of free puzzles and packs with multiple puzzles. Additionally, there are themed puzzle packs available for purchase rangeing from 99 cents to $4.99. Sophomore Adam Tannenbaum,who uses the app without a subscription, explained, “We play a mini crossword most days in homeroom…Mr. Loomis projects it on the smartboard it’s a nice way to wake up in the morning and start my mind, and it definitely has bonded our homeroom.” The app is free to download, and is available on the App Store.

Fortnite tournament engages students and raises money for charity Tournament Results

Anthony Johnson

Jack Chen

Dillon Schaevitz

By Alexa Augustine

When people think about raising money for charity, some typical methods that come to mind might include When people think about raising money for charity, some typical methods that come to mind are running marathons, asking for donations, or having bake sales, but not playing video games. Gaming for a Cause combines video games with charity work, from organizing a video game donation drive to a Fortnite fundraiser, all to help young patients in hospitals.

Gaming for a Cause is a club that coordinates with the Gamers Outreach Foundation in providing technological equipment and video games to children who are long term patients at hospitals. Gaming for a Cause organizes donation drives and fundraisers where proceeds get sent to the Gamers Outreach Foundation. The goal of the club is to raise enough money to help fund the creation of a Gamers Outreach Kart (GO-Kart), a portable kiosk with a monitor, video game console, and video game that is used as a tool by medical staff to provide relief for long term patients.

Providing easy access to technological equipment and recreational games allows these patients to take their minds off of their recoveries and instead pass their time by having fun and playing video games while they are bedridden.

Gaming for a Cause has gotten a lot of donations in its video game drive at Hackey. Junior David Jiang commented, “The tremendous amount of support our club has received thus far is by far our greatest asset. We were overwhelmed with the number of donations received for our first gaming drive.” On their first donation drive, Gaming for a Cause received a monitor, four gaming consoles, and over one hundred fifty video games, which encompass multiple platforms.

These games will then be shipped to the Gamers Outreach headquarters ito be distributed. Video games are enjoyed by millions of children and using video gaming as a way of supporting those who are less fortunate is a good way of attracting participation. David said, “From the popularity that video games hold in the Upper School, we knew that a gaming charity club would be a great way to both bring together Hackley students and a fun method of giving back to the community.”

The club also utilized the recent popularity of Fortnite to host a

Fortnite fundraising tournament outside of Hackley where students paid an entrance fee of $10. The club awarded the top three winners with gift cards. Participants didn’t play against each other in the tournament, since Fortnite does not offer custom servers. Instead, placings were determined based off of stats such as win ratios and top 10% placings that were recorded over a two week period.

The tournament was a success for Gaming for a Cause and they fundraised a substantial amount of money. The proceeds then went to contribute to the creation of a GOKart for a local Tarrytown hospital.

The club organized a school fundraising event in the Grille Room in the beginning of May, where students paid $2 to have five turns playing reaction games on a computer. The top three students with the shortest time were given Amazon gift cards.

Gaming for a Cause plans on hosting another Fortnite tournament before the school year ends if the interest continues. The success that Gaming for a Cause has gotten shows how they effectively combine gaming and giving to charity by creating events that allow children to have fun playing video games and help long term hospital patients do the same.

Illustration by Cory Gorczycki

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June 5, 2018

Freshman Abbey Schiller slugs her way through the Ivy League

By Lauren Ahern

Current Freshman Abbey Schiller, who started playing softball at age five when her dad decided to coach t-ball, is now currently playing for three different teams and plans to play in college. Schiller, the catcher for Hackley’s Varsity Softball team, plays for two different travel teams, one regular and one select, taking up a total of about 18 hours each week worth of games and practices. For Schiller, each hour counts towards her goal to play softball at the collegiate level.

“I have repetition at Hackley and the ability to fine tune outside of school,” said Schiller. Abbey’s outside of school team, the Huskies, slow down their practices since their season doesn’t start until Memorial Day weekend. However, during their season her select team travels across the country playing huge national tournaments in different states.

Along with her many practices, Schiller has been going to different camps and showcases at colleges to display her playing ability directly to the coaches. “I’ve met a bunch of different coaches from the ACC Conference and some Ivies and NESCAC schools which is cool,” said Schiller. This summer she plans on playing in eight different showcases.

For many high school athletes, the college recruitment process seems to be an enigma, trying to figure out how what the schools want to see. Peter Latson, one of Hackley’s college counselors, explains that there is no direct algorithm for this process. “Athletic recruitment is different for each sport and each division,” said Laston, “there’s no one size fits all answer.” The process completely depends on what schools you are applying to and what sport.

However, Latson recommends for

Photo courtesy of Abby Schiller Abbey Schiller aims to play softball for four more years after high school. Hackley’s sports programs pave the way for students to continue their athletic careers in college. There are currently 51 Hackley graduates who are playing in college

those who are interested in playing sports at the collegiate level to talk to their coaches, inside and outside of school, and talk to the college counselors.

According to Athletic Director, Jason Edwards, in the past decade, 123 Hackley graduates have gone on to play in college, with an average of 14.5% of the students in each

By The Numbers

Photo courtesy of Abby Schiller Playing on two different competative teams, Schiller packs her schedule with around 18 hours of softball each week. She works daily on hitting and fielding to elevate her game. This commitment has allowed her to be recognized by colleges as someone that could lead a team at the next level.

15 Hits .682 AVG .750 OBP 1.318 SLG

grade playing in the past four years.

Currently there are fifty-one Hackley alumni playing at the college level, twenty playing D1 and thirty-one playing D3.

Schiller has a promising four years ahead of her with the Hornets, “In the next four years I hope to advance my skills as a catcher,” said Schiller. “I hope to get the team as far as I can.” *Statistics were only recorded through Abbey’s first 7 games.

(AVG) stands for batting average, which is the rate of at bats in which she gets a hit (OBP) stands for on base percentage, which is the percent of at bats that she reaches base (SLG) stands for slugging percentage, or bases per at bat, where a homerun counts as four, a triple counts as three, etc.

Roving Reporter: the Dial’s Katy Robertson asks

Are mirrors needed in the JCHW dance studios?

“When you are in a big group dancing, having a mirror in front of you helps you see others around you and allows the group to work towards synchronizing the dance, and have the same timing.”

Madeline Zuckerman

“Having a mirror in a dance class allows dancers to see the mistakes they are making and helps them make the corrections they need to.”

Sophie Stark

“The harmony between dancers is better captured if they are seeing each other in mirrors. Mirrors also make the space look bigger and when you have more spaces there is more easiness in the movement of the dancers.”

Ms. Coy

Dial

Girls compete in Penn Relays

By James Hefter

This year’s Penn Relays track meet was filled with enormous talent, including five girls from Hackley’s track team.

The weekend of March 28th, runners gathered at the University of Pennsylvania to compete in different relay competitions against schools from around the world, including South Africa and Jamaica.

The athletes who competed were Laura Walter-McNeil (12th), Jasmyn Phillips (9th), Shira Meer (9th), and Zoe Naughton (11th).

The Penn Relays takes place over a weekend, and it involves relay races, including the 4x100 and 4x400 meter.

Laura Walter-McNeil, a senior runner, had a particularly interesting experience at this year’s Penn Relays competition. She explained how before the meet, she was not too close with some of her teammates, but by the end of the weekend, she felt a sense of camaraderie.

Laura recalled that thousands of high schoolers attended the meet, and that particular students from all around the world were going to premier colleges and universities for the sport.

“In our 4x100 relay, two girls got sick and we had to get alternates, which wasn’t great and we lost our dynamic and momentum. But overall, I had a great experience at Penn and will miss it when I go to college next year.”

She also explained that “we didn’t really go to place, but we went for the experience.”

Junior Zoe Naughton participated in the Penn Relays competition. She discussed why so many runners were drawn to the meet.

She stated, “I think the meet attracted so many runners because it is one of the few meets that is high school, collegiate and professional.”

Naughton had a great time during the competition, but was not focused on placing. She stated that the team went “because it is a great stage to compete on and the competition is really tough.”

“Having a mirror in a dance class allows a dancer to watch and be inspired by others in the class by observing how they perform the choreography. It can also be helpful in the beginning stages of dance when you are unsure of the choreography, dancers are able to watch those around them to help them learn it.”

Zoe Naughton

Illustrations By Julia Thomson