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Hot eateries for sustainable living
Gun violence spurs Fortnite fever sweeps campus dialogue through student body
April 30, 2018 hsdial.org
Administration and students wrestle with recent Juul trend The Dial investigates the surge in popularity of discreet, dangerous Juul devices in the adolescent community
By Lei Anne Rabeje and Emmy Wenstrup
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t calms you down or makes you think it does,” said an anonymous Hackley student on Juuling. Juul, the most popular brand of e-cigarettes, launched in 2015 with a mission “to eliminate cigarettes by offering existing adult smokers with a true alternative to combustible cigarettes.” Although New York State law prohibits anyone under 18– under 21 in New York City– from purchasing e-cigarettes, devices like Juul continue to be widely-used at social gatherings and on school grounds. There’s a secret cue for some students, a signal to congregate in the bathrooms to take a hit during class or their free periods. Students take hits to last them until their next free period or the next cue. For some it’s an enjoyable habit, but for others Juuling has become a real problem, perpetuated by addiction or peer pressure. Though this problem has only surfaced recently, the Dial spoke to several Hackley students, preferring to remain anonymous to avoid repercussion, who either admitted to trying Juul once or to using it on a regular basis. Although the Dial was unable to obtain precise numbers regarding the extent of the problem, our research and interviews gave us the impression that a significant number of Hackley students have at least tried Juul. An anonymous student cited stress from school work and college prep, as well as their anxiety as some of the main reasons for “juuling”. In addition to the relief, juuling “gives a short term buzz. It doesn’t have an effect that hangs around like cigarettes or marijuana. It passes quickly and allows you to continue with your day,” said the student. Unlike cigarettes, Juul and other e-cigarettes don’t require combustion of chemicals or tobacco, which can lead to lung cancer. While the long-term effects of vaping e-liquids are still unknown, researchers worry more about user
dependence on nicotine as each Juul students as both a teacher and a dean, pod contains as much nicotine as a pack junior dean Melissa Stanek admitted of cigarettes. However, some studies that she did not learn about Juul until have concluded that the vapors from last spring during the girls lacrosse trip. e-cigarettes, but not specifically Juul, “This is fairly new, and it’s definitely new contain toxic substances such as lead for us. I remember my first awareness of and other metals. Clearly, more studies this horrible phenomenon was last spring. need to be conducted before there can I was on the lacrosse trip and I saw someone be any certainty about the safety of Juul. on the street vaping, so I started asking But regardless of whether it is true or some of the girls,” said Ms. Stanek. “I was not, many students believe juuling is safer getting my information from them… I than smoking: “A quick Google search think for us it’s new but we’re very well will tell you [Juuling is] nowhere near[ly] aware on how pervasive it’s become.” as harmful as smoking that involves The device is compact and resembles a actual combustion,” another anonymous thumb-drive, making it easy for students student said. “Even though they haven’t to carry without adults recognizing or been around long enough to do reliable noticing it in a classroom setting. Ms. studies on long-term effects, the general Stanek hopes to educate more students feeling kids have about and adults about them is pretty casual. Juul, and vaping in Although personally According I started using it daily general. I’ve never owned or to her, a crucial step spent money on one, and I noticed at prac- is to teach adults to if I’m out with friends the device tice that my lungs were recognize I’d be much more in the first place. comfortable with a getting tired more “Some of them Juul than cigarettes, l o o k l i k e i Po d s , w h i c h , m a y b e quickly and I ran out of some look like USBs, ironically, I abhor.” breath quite easily. you can have them Nonetheless, Juul plugged them into Anonymous Student your computer while pods’ high nicotine content calls for some you’re in class. So health repercussions. raising awareness According to Livescience, nicotine can amongst the adults is crucial so that potentially worsen heart diseases in they can communicate to the students persons with severe heart conditions. their own concerns and recognize it Studies have also shown that e-cigarette when they see it,” said Ms. Stanek. users have more respiratory problems, an Some high schools are taking a more issue one student already experienced. active approach to prevent juuling. “When I used to Juul every once in a According to Kate Zernicki’s article while I never noticed any side effects,” on The New York Times, some high said the student. “Then I started using schools are assigning teachers to regulate it daily and I noticed at practice that my bathrooms, even going as far as closing lungs were getting tired more quickly all but two bathrooms at the school. and I ran out of breath quite easily.” New Trier High School in Winnetka, IL Despite the fact that juuling is quickly is looking to install vapor detectors in the gaining popularity on the Hackley bathrooms, which would alert authorities campus, Juul’s relatively recent release of any changes in the air quality. means some adults have not heard of this Sophomore dean Chris Loomis doesn’t new phenomenon.Working closely with foresee these changes happening on
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campus, and sees the health concerns connected to vaping as more important than disciplinary consequences. “To be candid about it, the disciplinary response is less of a concern for us than the health and wellbeing of a student,” said Mr. Loomis. “This is a major health concern that’s on our radar. Busting the kids is never the object, it’s trying to make sure they’re making healthy decisions.” Both deans emphasized that “in any situation involving drugs or alcohol-and in this case, these new things- if you have concern for yourself or for your friend, you can come to really anyone and express that concern and there will be no disciplinary consequences associated,” said Ms. Stanek. Students who are caught juuling, or vaping, on campus may go before the Board of Magistrates, or simply the administration. According to the Upper School Handbook, “Students are prohibited from smoking or using smokeless tobacco on School grounds... including e-cigarettes.” W h i l e t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s a r e n’t specified, repercussions in past cases have involved Saturday detentions and conducting personal research on vaping. In terms of the health curriculum, teacher Cassandra Sekkas introduced a video aimed at educating students about the physical consequences of vaping. The video included information about common tobacco products including hookah and some misconceptions regarding e-cigarettes, but no information about Juul products. Sophomore student Taylor Robin does not believe the video was effective: “I think people are just going to continue doing what they do.” In the future, Ms. Sekkas believes that the best way to educate students about vaping is peer-to-peer: “I believe we could use peer advisory as a place to have more discussions regarding this as well as community times and possibly advisory.” In addition, she believes that vaping education should begin in Middle School. Illustration courtesty of Ariana Swei
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April 30, 2018
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Illustration by Lei Anne Rabeje and Jordan Miller
Activism sharpens student leadership
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By The Editorial Board
n his legendary Gettysburg Address president Abraham Lincoln remarked, “ … that [the] government of the people, by the people, [and] for the people shall not perish from the earth.” While Lincoln was speaking quite literally about the survival of the United States, young Americans today seem to be holding their nation to its promise of providing a “government” which acts “for the people.” After the recent massacre in Parkland, Florida, many young students across the nation are using activism to create political change. The Dial Editorial Board commends such student protest. Student activists throughout the United States have begun to call upon politicians to enact policies that will curtail the degree and frequency of gun violence in America. The Never Again Movement—a gun regulation the
Dial staff
Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave.Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 April 30, 2018 Vol. 120, No. 6 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief Will Goldsmith, Raghav Chopra Amy Chalan Managing Editors Sydney Stoller Jordan Miller Social Media Editor Sofia Graziano Section Editors
News Lauren Ahern, Ying Kong Opinion Tommy Larson, Ella Jones Arts Tyler O’Brien, Roya Arjomand Feature Matt Traum, Kylie Morrison Lifestyles Natalie Sukhman, Katy Robertson Politics Max Rosenblum, Jimmy Hefter Science & Tech Cory Gorczycki, Samantha Rosenstein, Jared Tillis 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.
advocacy movement created by student survivors of the Parkland Shooting—has ignited an explosion of student activism throughout the country. Young activists have emerged in the Hackley community, too. Juniors Amy Chalan and Matt Fisch serve as leaders of the Progressive Action league, and have emerged as loud voices of reform on the Hilltop. In addition, Junior William Goldsmith recently founded the Hackley Gun Control Advocacy League (HGCAL), an organization dedicated to fostering civil discussion on the issue of gun control with hopes of finding a cure for America’s gun epidemic. The HGCAL has a Facebook group consisting of around 160 members from all four grades in the Upper School. And the group has taken part in Hackley’s student-run walkout as well as a round table discussion on gun control which took place on April 3, 2018. The round table was co-hosted by the Progressive Action League and the Conservatives Club. While some students may not feel capable of creating real political change, students throughout American history have served as pivotal voices of protest. History Department Chair Bill Davies stated that “we do also have a historical precedent of student-led protest. [We can see examples of such protests] most recently in the United States in the Vietnam era, in which you can attribute not all of the anti-war movement, but of a lot of the energy
and public face in the anti-war movement, to student activism.” Some students point to the fact that many high schoolers cannot vote and do not live independently as a basis for inaction, one could also say young students do have political power. It is also important to note that some students can vote or will be able to vote in the not too distant future. Students can also advocate for their views, and, as illustrated by the David Hogg and Laura Ingraham feud, call for boycotts on companies that do not support their causes. “Some people think that these walkouts and protests don’t have any real impact, except I think that [protest] is really important, especially in a community like Hackley where people just mimic their parents’ political views,” said senior Ceci Pou. By becoming engaged in the gun control debate, students are not merely playing important roles in the gun reform movement. Such students are also learning how to become active citizens through the practice of civic engagement. And civic engagement is an integral part of the machine of democracy; Hackley students ought to be well-versed in the complexities of their political system. Students are, after all, the next leaders of our country. Tangible progress has been made concerning gun control in Florida. After Parkland, the state has passed meaningful gun reform legislation. Journalist Maggie Astor has
written recently in The New York Times about Florida’s new gun regulation bill. While the bill does not include an assault-weapons ban, it does prohibit bump stocks and increases “the minimum age for all gun purchases to 21 from 18” (Astor). And John Cassidy of The New Yorker found that the passage of Florida’s gun control bill “was a direct response to the Never Again movement” (Cassidy). Walkouts took place at 10:00 am on March 14th across the nation and at Hackley. Skeptics of such a style of activism have suggested that events like walkouts and marches are fruitless ways of creating reform. On the contrary, such criticism neglects the power of public opinion, which has been demonstrated countless times in our history. In fact, Cassidy recently noted in his New Yorker article that “[the Florida bill’s] passage did prove that popular engagement can still have an effect, even in an N.R.A. stronghold such as Florida.” Other reform bills have also been passed since Parkland. Finally, with regard to the education of students across America and at Hackley in particular, activism can hone students’ skills as debaters and thinkers. But perhaps even more importantly, activism provides young students from all different regions of the US with invaluable leadership experience. And sound and balanced leadership is precisely what America needs to solve issues such as the gun control debate.
Sophomores assigned college counselors Students weigh benefits and stress from receiving their college counselors during sophomore year By Ella Jones and Annabel Ives
Students of the class of 2020 are the first group of students to receive college counselors during their sophomore year of high school. Previously, students were assigned college counselors midway through junior year, allowing the counseling program to focus on test taking and college applications. This new protocol benefits students by providing younger Upperschoolers access to their counselors regarding matters such as course selection and summer programs. While some sophomores are happy with this decision, others believe that it will prematurely add unneeded stress to the college counseling process. That said, however, both the College Counseling department and teachers have stressed that college counselors are in no way meant to be stressful to sophomores. In regard to potential anxiety that some have asserted this new initiative may cause, sophomore dean Christopher Loomis explained, “we are hoping to avoid increasing stress and anxiety about the college process.” “It made sense to give the sophomores a point person when they have questions regarding course selection and testing,” said college counselor Rebecca Hall. In the past, students and parents would email their sophomore dean regarding
Photo by Annabel Ives Sophomore Emma Brennan meets with Ms. Hall to discuss course selection. College counselors can also discuss summer opportunities such as internships and precollege programs with their advisees.
course selection or a summer program. The dean would then have to refer them to a college counselor. The new process is designed to make communication between students and counselors direct and more efficient. “This kind of cuts out the middleman,” explained Loomis. Starting counseling early sets the sophomores up for a smooth transition into the more rigorous and demanding junior year by reassuring students about their academic choices, especially regarding class choices for the upcoming year.
Since meetings with counselors are not mandatory, the policy change should not increase stress about the college process or force sophomores to think about college prematurely. Instead, the assignment should be a stress reliever to current and future sophomores. Despite having advisees for an additional year of high school, counselors have no intention of distributing college lists any earlier. “It shouldn’t change the college process for sophomores at all.” said Hall. “There are no requirements to
meet with the counselors, for both students and parents,” she added. The counselor assignment also allows for student athletes to better understand the college application process to be better prepared for recruitment. As a member of the Varsity Lacrosse Team, sophomore Leah Holmes explained, “My parents and I have been lost before, not knowing what to do or what course requirements would be for potential schools that I am looking at.” Now Holmes and other student athletes will hopefully no longer feel lost. Some juniors fear that focus on the sophomore class will take away from the focus they require in the college application process. “Sophomores don’t necessarily need college counselors given that college isn’t a huge stress for them yet,” said junior Cristina Paz. To dispel any fears that the juniors may have, Loomis continued, “Hopefully it won’t be much of a change; the idea is that the college counselors are there as a resource for the students and the families and not that sophomores are regularly seeking out college counselors for advice.” The sophomores are not expected to plan on meeting with their counselor about specific schools such as the juniors, but rather to come to meetings with their counselors with general questions.
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April 30, 2018
Students indulge in history on
the streets of Berlin By Kylie Morrison
Photo by Kylie Morrison Sightseeing monuments such as Brandenburg Gate encompassed an asepct of students’ cultural immersion in Berlin.
Freezing weather, drowsiness, and the blaring sounds of the Eisbären Berlin hockey team simulated the senses of the fourteen Hackley students and three faculty members during their first night on the Berlin Casten Trip. Landing in Berlin on March 18th, the students immediately immersed themselves into the culture and excitement of the city. They travelled on foot to well known landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and the artistic remains of the Berlin Wall. Concluding their day with a hockey game, chants and blue and white flags brought them a sense of familiarity. The students began their first tour on the Friedrichsbrücke, getting a summary of centuries of Germany’s history, including each King Frederick and King Wilhelm. With each step further into Museum Island, students
picked up facts regarding the Nazi Book Burning of 1933, the Führerbunker Parking Lot, and the famous Berliner Doughnut, stuffed with either cream or mustard. They also discovered artistic forms of western and eastern integration and the growth of a nation, at various artistic museums, such as the Hamburger Bahnhof Museum. Chris Arnold recalled, “The contemporary art museum was very interesting because all the pieces were incredibly creative in construction and possessed deep and complicated meanings” Throughout the trip, the students observed the everlasting effects of The Holocaust on Germany. The students attended the Jewish Museum, in which they walked on an installation known as Shalekhet, consisting of 10,000 iron casted faces. An entire day was dedicated to the walkthrough of
The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, which held over one thousand prisoners by the end of 1939. Sophomore Gabrielle Caramanica expressed her appreciation for her newfound knowledge on the Holocaust: “Our experiences and education on the victims of the Holocaust, as well as our visit to Sachsspellenhausen, was profoundly moving and eye-opening for myself and others. I had never before been able to feel so connected to history.” In Potsdam, the trip-goers furthered their knowledge on Frederick the Great. Starting at the Glienicke Bridge, where the students learned of the exchange of spies between the U.S. Government and the Soviet Union, during the Cold War.
Photo by Kylie Morrison Students ascend the last set of stairs to reach the Potsdam Palace where they learned about the impact of Frederick the Great.
Trip to Southeast Asia connects students to local culture
Photo by Jordan Miller Located in southwest Vietnam, The Mekong River Delta is home to rice fields, fishermen and river markets.
By Max Rosenblum
“I’m not joking!,” yelled Tan, the tour guide, always enlightening trip members with a fascinating cultural or historical fact about his native Vietnam. On March 17th, 18 Hackley upper schoolers, accompanied by four faculty members, took off from JFK International Airport on the Casten Trip to Southeast Asia. The ten-day trip, which concluded on March 27th, brought participants to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. After a 15 hour flight that took students and faculty members to Hong Kong International Airport, the group ended their lengthy day of travel when they arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Students and faculty visited sites such as the Herbal Medicine Museum, the Cu Chi War Tunnels, and the Vietnam War Remnants Museum during their four-day stay in the bustling metropolis. The focus of their stay in Ho Chi Minh City was the Vietnam War, a war which resulted in the deaths of over 2 million Vietnamese citizens. Not too long after the end of the war, Vietnam affirmed its communist government. Years later, Vietnam opened its doors to western development, and Ho Chi Minh City became a blend of modern, French colonial, and traditionally Vietnamese attributes. The day trip to the nearby Mekong Delta focused on Vietnamese coastal life, and gave students the opportunity to ride a traditional canoe around river tributaries and to explore a fruit orchard. Tour guide Tan, a favorite amongst students, elevated the experience in Vietnam with his vast array of knowledge, emotion, and humor. Trip-goers then spent two days in Laos where they took part in a cooking class at a wooden enclave. Among the delicious culinary creations cooked by participants was
Mok Pa, a traditional Lao dish consisting of steamed fish and spices wrapped in a banana leaf. Later that day, students and faculty took a trip to swim in three levels of beautiful turquoise cascades at the Kuang Si Falls, a popular tourist attraction near the town of Luang Prabang. Sophomore Ben Marra said of the falls, “Swimming there was crazy because the water is freezing and you can’t take your shirt off, but we all felt so lucky that Laos had shared something secret with us. Even though it’s a huge destination, there was still this sense of sanctuary about it.” The third leg of the trip in Siem Reap, Cambodia, began with a traditional Cambodian dance show, and soon brought a day of service filled with school building and palm shutter weaving at the nearby Ladybird Village. On the last full day of the trip, Hackley travelers woke up at 4:00AM to get a chance to marvel at the beauty of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO world heritage site and temple constructed in the 12th century. The largest religious monument in the world, its construction began as a Hindu temple paying tribute to the god Vishnu, but was slowly transformed into a Buddhist temple as construction neared a close. Senior Lexi Schechter reflected on the trip’s value for her: “This trip was truly an eye opening experience as we were able to get a glimpse into the culture of three other countries while actually connecting with a community on a personal level. Having the chance to assist the NGO at the Ladybird Village in Cambodia has first handedly shown me how much I have to be grateful for and how something so small, like learning verbs in English such as ‘running,’ can bring sheer joy to a 14 year old.”
Photo by Max Rosenblum Students participated in once in a life time experiences such as the early morning Alms Giving Ceremony in Luang Prabang, Laos where local monks walk through the streets to receive food donations.
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April 30, 2018
Ways to get involved this Highlight animated Earth month By Emmy Wenstrup and Sydney Stoller
This Earth Month, there are several ways you can participate in events in Westchester and New York City. Whether you wish to engage in volunteer opportunities such as park clean-ups, helping out with local celebrations, attend spring festivals, or go to a political rally, your April 22nd should be a fun and productive day. The Westchester Department of Parks and Recreation will be hosting an Arbor and Earth Day themed tree planting event. The event will take place at beautiful Muscoot farm in Somers on Saturday, April 28th from 1-2 pm. Also on April 28th, the parks department advertises a volunteer work project in the Marshlands Conservancy in Rye. Volunteers will be tasked with cleaning and maintaining the park. The Conservancy boasts three miles of hiking trails that desperately need cleaning up. This will take from 1-3 pm. For more active nature-lovers, biking, jogging, and hiking local trails are healthy and fun ways to connect with the environment. Less active events include galleries, such
as the Spirit of Spring Gallery at the Rockefeller Preserve. In addition, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture is open for Spring tours of their expansive facility. Its critically acclaimed restaurant, Blue Hill, features a seasonal menu with fresh spring
ingredients. Despite its alluring dishes, the restaurant is not recommended for children because of its sophisticated menu, but it also has a less formal Blue Hill Cafe. Another farm, this one where there are many hands-on activities with animals, is Muscoot Farm
in Katonah, New York. On April 28th, there is a special tree planting activity where visitors can help the staff to celebrate both Earth and Arbor Days. Finally, on May 7th, Muscoot is hosting a bird walk to see what avians live around the farm. The Parks Foundation will also be hosting the “Mutts on the Mountain” 5K run on April 28, in which participants may run alongside a canine companion. They offer volunteer positions that will help registration and facilitating the dogcentered festival after the run. If going to a festival or rally is too much of a commitment, there are always less timeconsuming ways to celebrate the earth. Aside from going to a crowded or faraway event, going for a walk in a local park or recycling plastic goods are additional ways to enjoy nature and protect the environment. If you are looking to make a difference this Earth Month there are many incredible local opportunities to make the world a better place this Earth Month. From cleaning up a park to taking part in a political march, Hackley students should be ready come the end of April to make a difference.
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movies that raise awareness for Earth Month By Roya Arjomond
The movie Okja focuses on the story of Mija and her massive pet pig, Okja in the mountains of South Korea. Mija was Okja’s caretaker but after spending lots of time together, the two sparked a friendship. Unfortunately, Okja was taken away from Mija and their home by a large corporation whose goal was to turn Okja into a poster animal for meat products. This movie illustrates the greed of large corporations that lose sight of what is right and only see what is profitable. It shows the importance in animal rights activism and the cruel treatment of innocent animals by corrupt corporations. Okja is available on Netflix. WALL-E is a dystopian romance movie about the life of the last living robot on Earth. In this movie, mankind has abandoned Earth because it has become littered with piles of trash and as a result has become unlivable. WALL-E spends his time trying to pick up trash and restore the Earth to its previous condition, but his real journey begins when he meets
another robot named EVE who was sent back to Earth on a mission to find another living planet. This movie highlights the inevitable path if changes are not made in the way we take care of the planet. The importance of recycling amongst many other forms of taking care of the environment are displayed because without these necessary changes, the littered and unlivable Earth portrayed in WALL-E is our future. Illustrations by Olivia Weinberg and Jordan Miller
Local restaurants serve farm to table food By Jordan Miller, Julia Thomson, and Sofia Graziano
Twisted Oak Located
on Tarrytown’s Main Street, local restaurant The Twisted Oak is working hard to maintain sustainability. Their menu changes daily to reflect fresh ingredients available from their local vendors. Chef and owner Michael Cutney cooks with a head-to-tail mindset, striving to use all parts of the animal in his dishes in order to minimize waste. Their menu features fluffy omelettes, delicious salads, and creative desserts, making the Twisted Oak great for an early lunch. Their farmhouse omelette was priced at fourteen dollars, and well worth it. Twisted Oak’s high quality food combined with its sophisticated atmosphere makes for a great restaurant for a night out or brunch.
Sweetgrass Grill Sweet
Grass Grill’s farm fresh dishes served in a relaxed setting is fitting for a weekend brunch or sit down dinner. The menu is ever changing in order to reflect what is in season. Sweet Grass purchases from more than twelve local farms
including Stone Barns, Blooming Hill Farm, and Amba Farms. The organic roasted half chicken is one of their specialties, served with fresh potatoes. Costing twenty four dollars, the chicken is slightly expensive but its sweet taste and filling size were satisfying. Also, be sure to order from their regularly updated Farmer’s Board, a menu made up of the farm fresh specials for that week.
Dig Inn Dig
Inn is a quick and easy togo spot with a “farm to counter” mission, meaning they try to bring farm fresh foods directly into their restaurant. It buys their ingredients directly from local farms such as The Piggery in Ithaca, New York. It also has an almost entirely vegan and gluten-free menu. Dig Inn’s most popular order is the market bowl, a customizable dish with a base of either greens or grain, a main, and two sides. Sides include anything ranging from coconut roasted carrots to cashew kale caesar salad.The price of a marketbowl ranges from about 11-15 dollars, depending on the add-ons. If you’re looking for a quick and healthy meal, Dig Inn is perfect.
Photo by Jordan Miller Restaurant chain Dig Inn brings food fresh from local farmers to supply their almost entirely vegan menu.
Photos by Jordan Miller Sustainable farm to table restaurants offer a great way to be conscious of the environment and enjoy great meals.
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April 30, 2018
Mixing storytelling and oil pastels to create unconventional art
By Lauren Ahern
If you have a love for the ominous and creepy, then senior Carly Griffin-Fiorella’s goo-dripping, unsettling, masterpieces are sure to have caught your eye at some point these past two years. Inspired by her love of old B-rated horror movies, Carly decided to use goo as the theme of her AP Art Profile. “Initially I had a bunch of random ideas (involving) goo but then I brought in my first piece which was my mom waxing a leg and it looked all menacing and Mr. Cice brought
up the idea that it looks like a horror movie poster and I really liked that,” said Carly. While most people create standalone pieces, Carly is working on a narrative for her pieces rather than just a theme. She described the overarching story to be set in a “basement kind of underworld” and the goo is attacking people. “When I started it, it was for fun. I’m definitely more interested in storytelling than doing the art bit,” said Carly. “I kind of just wanted to choose something that I could get creative with in terms of problem solving and coming up with a plot.”
At first, Carly physically made goo herself using a few ingredients including laundry detergent, and she would ask a person to model for her and physically put the glue on them. However, with her later pieces, she has started to just make up how the goo would appear in her art pieces. The process of creating a piece, like most works of art, takes a lot of time. Carly uses oil pastels as her medium and has included images of her friends and parents. She also references both photos, for her settings and muses, and her artistic license while creating which she admits
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does prove to be challenging when trying to make both reality and fantasy agree. Carly also finds that time management with her pieces is challenging. “I thought I chose a medium that would let me go fast but I’m definitely a detail oriented person”, which she explains makes the process of creating a piece very lengthy. Carly said the best part of creating one of her pieces is making everything “fit together” and “figuring out what the story behind a piece could possibly be.” One of her favorite parts of designing is when she realizes she can fit an innovative aspect in, and therefore improve the piece as a whole.
Photos courtesy of Carly Griffin-Fiorella and Olivia WeinbergI Inspired by the aesthetics of B rated movies, Carly created a narrative through her AP Art concentration featuring her friends and family as well as images of goo.
Rohun Rajpal selected for National Youth Orchestra concert tour By Dylan Wade
Representing the United States, Rohun Rajpal will perform violin alongside other accomplished young instrumentalists this summer as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States. The National Youth Orchestra (NYO-USA) is a program for 16-19 year old orchestral players. Every summer the orchestra, with the guidance of the exceptional faculty, perform in Carnegie Hall and take a tour of many music capitals in the world. The performers act as musical ambassadors who represent their country. Senior Rohun Rajpal began his music career at a young age. He spent 11 years growing as a musician at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, with his teacher, Mr. Mark Kushnir. Since joining the Hackley community in sixth grade, Rohun has been an active member of the school’s performing arts department. Rohun cited the influence of the head of the strings program at Hackley, Dr. Lauren Rigby, who “has been absolutely incredible and has supported and guided me all the way”. Along with the heavy workload of college applications, senior Rohun Rajpal prepared his audition for the NYO-USA. The rigorous audition process consisted of multiple video recordings, an essay, and twothree recommendation letters from teachers and/or conductors. Rohun
Photo courtesy of Rohun Rajpal Senior Rohun Rajpal will spend the spring preparing a number of pieces for a music tour in the U.S. and Asia this summer.
sent 5 orchestral excerpts as well as an excerpt of a solo performance. He then wrote an essay about both his musical and educational background, his goals, and what he hoped to gain as a part of the NYO-USA. Finally, he recorded an video where he spoke about his most memorable music experience. “I ended up recording my audition pieces multiple times until I had takes that I was satisfied with and felt comfortable sending
for evaluation by NYO’s exacting jury,” Rohun said. From spring break until the end of school, Rohun will be intensely preparing all of the pieces, including work by Sibelius, Gershwin, and a special piece commissioned specifically for the 2018 NYOUSA orchestra. The Carnegie Hall faculty will be guiding Rohun along with the other talented musicians through the training process. “I am eagerly looking forward to the invaluable input and suggestions
from the outstanding faculty that Carnegie Hall has gathered from many of the leading professional orchestras in the US to train us at Purchase College in NY during the three-week Training Residency,” he said. Rohun’s hard work will pay off during his three performances. On July 7, a performance combined with a younger orchestra and local NYC musicians will be held. On July 15, they will play chamber music alongside the musicians of the
Caramoor Center for the Music and the Arts, and finally on July 19, the orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall, which will be broadcasted worldwide through Carnegie Hall Live. After the performances, the excitement certainly picks up. The end of the July performances launches the two-week tour of Asia, which includes performances in famous concert halls in Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Daejeon. The NYO-USA will get the chance to perform with other youth orchestras while sporting red, white, and blue concert attire to represent the United States flag. “It will be so wonderful to connect with audiences and youth from other countries through the common language of music which serves as a bridge between the different cultures!” Rohun exclaimed. Rohun has performed at Carnegie Hall three times, taken part in the NYSSMA Conference All State Orchestra, and the HBMS Festival Orchestra. Though he is used to orchestral performances he is experiencing it at a much higher level this summer. “I have never gotten an opportunity to go on a concert tour in a different continent with a group of youth musicians from different states in the US, and I am extremely excited about and grateful for this incredible opportunity.”
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April 30, 2018
Roundtable on gun violence spurs dialogue on campus
Illustration by Lei-Anne Rabeje
By Max Rosenblum
States, gun control policy, and gun Debate quickly became heated narratives in different regions of and sophisticated at the gun control America. Discussion began during the roundtable co-hosted by Progressecond half-period when one sesive Action League, The Hackley nior mentioned a University of Conservatives, and Hackley Gun Pittsburgh study claiming that Control Advocacy League on Tuesthe majority of gun crimes in the day, March 13th. United states are committed with Moderated by Contemporary Isillegally possessed weapons, and ansues teacher Mr. Vladimir Klimenother study stating that 60% of gun ko, this roundtable, like many others, occurred during both lunch pe- deaths in America are suicides. Heargued that stricter gun control laws riods on the would not have a thirteenth. significant feasible Although Just because we canimpact if most gun the Lindsay Ro o m w a s not match these coun- crimes are from ilfilled with tries 100%, does not legal weapons, and that people with students and teachers mean we shouldn’t try intense suicidal during both to achieve a similar thoughts will use whatever means half-periods, level of success necessary to take the roundtatheir lives. ble came as Tw o h i s t o r y a precursor teachers offered to the larger their views on studies and statistics National School Walkout the following day. A variety of different surrounding gun violence. One views were brought forth, touching teacher pointed out that gun reon themes surrounding the role of search is currently not funded by the studies of gun violence in the United government and thus the issue can
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Doug Lasdon speaks about social justice By Sam Rosenstein
Hackley alumnus, Doug Lasdon visited history teacher Michael Bass’s fledgling American Law minor, speaking enthusiastically about his work as a social justice lawyer. After graduating Cornell Law school, Mr. Lasdon decided that the “bureaucracy” associated with many big law firms made for “inefficient progress,” especially for social projects which could be considered controversial. He believes that, often, many of these law firms are bogged down by their social perception, hindering them from involvement in important social causes that could have major impacts on the law. As a result, instead of continuing on a more traditional route such as beginning work at a large law firm with a substantial salary, Mr. Lasdon began work at the Covenant House, a homeless shelter in New York City. There, he took on projects that many recently graduated lawyers would shy away from. Mr. Lasdon developed a passion for using his legal skills to help those less fortunate than he, and worked to better the foster care system by fighting to extend the age limit for individuals in the system from eighteen to twenty-one. Eventually,
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Photo by Max Rosenblum Students and faculty discussed a wide range of gun control-related issues spanning from studies to policy prescriptions during the roundtable discussion on March 13th.
not even be fully analyzed. Another history teacher seconded this and also argued that the result of having 50 different states is that many studies become misrepresented. Conversation soon flowed away from the inconclusiveness of research into policy prescriptions in which the afroementioned senior argued that mimicking some of the harsher gun laws and gun collection regulations that were successful in Japan and Australia would not be successful in the US because of the United States’ long history of using regulations to racially discriminate asccess to resources. Multiple students responded, one articulating that “just because we cannot match these countries 100%, does not mean we should not try to achieve
a similar extent of success.” One junior explained that there is a studied relationship between the number of guns and the number of gun deaths. The final topic, surrounding the gun narrative in different regions of the country, began when the senior argued that states with a more positive gun narrative tend to have less violent crime. Another junior responded that this claim is false since he claimed that “states with stricter gun laws have less gun violence.” The round table discussion acted as a means for less informed students to learn about the gun issue, as well as for more informed students to be challenged on their opinions while becoming more well versed in those of their peers.
Mr. Lasdon received a grant to start his own organization, the Urban Justice Center, which provides “direct legal service, systemic advocacy, community education and political organizing.” His role as Executive Director at the Urban Justice Center involves finding funding and pro-bono lawyers, acting under the methodology of Photo by Michael Bass “giving intelligent people Doug Lasdon, Hackley alum and Executive Director of the Urban Justice funding and setting them Center, spoke about his legal career and the many initiatives run by his legal aid organization to students in Mr. Bass’s American Law minor. free.” Throughout his lecture, Senior Eli Hankin commented, “it’s amazing his message focused correcting the stigma that doing social justice work is made impossible by to see someone so committed to their work and bureaucracies and lack of funding. He believes community… it must be extremely difficult to that through organizations like the Urban Justice fight against laws that have been ingrained in the Center, this work is made possible as long as system for decades.” Lasdon’s appearance in the two sections of passionate and hardworking people are involved. American Law brought an informative lecture Several students in the American Law minor enjoyed the opportuity to hear Lasdon speak, for students and teachers, and allowed students soon beginning work on their upcoming Mock admiring his passion for his work. Trial to get a taste of a career in law.
A Timeline of Events in Mueller’s Russia Probe
How to stay politically active after the walkout By Max Rosenblum
In the aftermath of the National School Walkout on March 14th and the March for Our Lives on March 24th, students might find themselves short of ideas on how to continue their political activism over the coming months. Although another march has yet to gain a national profile, The Dial has compiled some other, more individual ideas on how to stay politically active. 1. Register to vote: For seniors and juniors born before November 6th, 2000, register to vote! Voting is the most direct way to enact change. Of age students living in New York and Connecticut can register to vote online, while New Jersey residents must register to vote by mail. However, if you plan on attending college out-of-state, you have two options: either register to vote in the state in which your college is located, or make sure to apply for an absentee ballot from your home state and have enough time to receive and return it. 2. Participate in a Voter Registration Drive: If you are too young to vote in the 2018 primaries or general election, or simply want to help others, the second best way to enact change is to help other young (and older) people register to vote. Participating in a voter registration drive, especially for those recently of age who have historically low turnout rates, can give young people as a whole a larger say in electoral outcomes. 3. Register for updates: Women’s March Youth Empower and Every town for Gun Safety, organizations specifically committed to fostering stricter gun control measures, offer updates on legislative progress, events, and other gun control related information. 4. Write or call elected officials. 5. Help out on campaigns. 6. Donate to political campaigns and organizations. 7. Spread awareness on social media.
By Yingshyan Ku
The “Russia Probe” is an investigation into possible Russian intervention into the 2016 U.S. election potentially benefiting President Trump. Led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, investigators are also monitoring potential financial ties between the Trump administration and the Kremlin. In recent weeks, there has been ongoing debate surrounding Robert Mueller’s role; on April 10th, for example, Press Secretary Sanders announced that President Trump “certainly believes” he has the power to fire Mueller. Others argue the Code of Federal Regulations directly refutes this notion. May 17, 2017 - Robert Mueller is appointed as an independent special counsel on the Russia probe
Oct. 30, 2017 - Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, and his business partner Rick Gates are indicted on 12 counts
Jun. 14, 2017 - Mueller’s probe expands to investigate President Trump for possible obstruction of justice
Dec. 1, 2017 - Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, pleads guilty to the FBI regarding his conversations with Russia
Oct. 30, 2017 - George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign adviser, pleads guilty to making false statements to the FBI regarding contact with Russia
Feb. 16, 2018 - Mueller charges 13 Russians and three Russian companies for conspiring to interfere with the 2016 U.S election
Feb. 2, 2018 - House Intelligence Committee Republicans release a statement alleging abuses of authority by the Justice Department and FBI in early stages of the investigation. The following day, Trump tweeted that the memo “totally vindicates” him.
Mar. 9, 2018 Mueller obtains a search warrant against Paul Manafort
Feb. 23, 2018 - Rick Gates pleads guilty to conspiracy and lying to investigators
Infographic by Max Rosenblum
Apr. 3, 2018 - A relative of one of the richest men in Russia, Alex van der Zwann, is sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $20,000 for lying to investigators
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A new free to play co-op game piques school’s interest By Tommy Larson
Fortnite, a co-op zombie game, recently came out with a free-to-play battle royale mode in the early fall of 2017. The new mode was originally viewed with skepticism, as Players Unknown Battleground had previously dominated the market. However, according to Forbes, the game amassed over 10 million players in two weeks. Recently, Fortnite just topped PUBG’s high of 3.4 million concurrent players. A large part of its early success was owing to the developerss from Epic Games decision to make Fortnite Battle Royale free to play. Fortnite Battle Royale is a one hundred player player versus player (PVP) online game. The goal is to be the last person alive. A winning game takes around ten to fifteen minutes. However, if a player dies early, they can quickly exit their current match and load into a new game. Epic Games has found many ways to monetize its extremely popular game withou an immediate price tag. The ‘Save the World’ game mode, where the player fights zombies, costs forty dollars. The second method by which Epic Games makes money is by including a Battle Pass for Battle Royale players. Each season’s battle pass is around ten dollars. By purchasing the battle pass, a player can unlock different cosmetic skins and emotes that they can apply to their avatar and utilize in game. However, these additions provide no competitive advantage for the player, which helps level the playing field for each game. Once having purchased the battle
pass, a gamer can unlock better rewards by completing missions which requires spending time on the game. Fortnite also features a plethora of cosmetic skins and emotes that can be purchased in the game without having the battle pass. Sophomore Yugo Tsukikawa stated, “In my experience playing Fortnite, over twenty percent of players have added cosmetics or skins to their avatar.” Many of the Fortnite Battle Royale players spend money on the game because they are grateful that the Epic Games developers released the game for no cost. Senior Alex Wenstrup, described his own experience as a patron of Fortnite “I have spent money on the game], but never for my own personal interest. I appreciate that Epic Games has released a game for free, and would consider spending about twenty dollars on the game to support their continued work.” Sophomore Josh Saha added to the idea when he stated, “I bought the Battle Pass because I wanted to support the Epic Games developers and their process to continue improving the game.” The company recently launched Fortnite mobile in early March to iOS and Android devices. According to games industry, earlier this week Fortnite mobile’s daily revenue spiked to 1.8 million dollars, competing with more traditional “pay to play” games. Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm, found that Fortnite is one of the most successful mobile launches ever. Since it was released, Fortnite Mobile has managed to exceed over 15 million dollars of total revenue, as well as 11 million iOS downloads.
Illustration courtesy of Jack Chen
J U N I O R S C H R I S A N D DAV I D EXAMINE STUDENTS’ V I S I O N By Raghav Chopra
Juniors David Jiang and Chris Sun have spent the past months documenting each student at Hackley, one by one like an entomologist, across every grade from lower to upper school. As part of a research project under Dr. Pamela Gallin of the Columbia Department of Ophthalmology, they are conducting data collection, administering vision screenings using Snellen Charts, of which they then analyze the data with the help of Dr. Gallin. David and Chris heard of Dr. Gallin’s research through Physics Teacher Dr. Ying, learning that she had conducted a study in New York City public schools, in which she found that an astonishing percentage of middle school students were unable to see well enough. She suspected that there would be similar issues in private schools, and decided to investigate. The process of data collection is not as easy as asking someone to read letters from a sign. David explained, “We draft all procedure documents, consent forms, and parent notification emails, and work extensively with Hackley administration to gain approval for our vision tests and set up testing schedules.” The duo work in between classes and before school, missing homeroom and spending their free time to work with the nurse to test lower school students, or interviewing middle school students on their daily experience with vision accuracy. While Middle and Lower school tests could be done relatively
By the numbers Over
500
students tested
from the Upper, Middle, and Lower schools. Photo courtesy of Chris Sun David and Chris will present their results at an opthalmologic conference next Spring.
efficiently through dedicated times of day for testing, the Upper school proved most difficult. The irregular schedule between students were among logistical difficulties, but through extensive coordination with administrators and teachers such as Mr. King, Ms. Jean, Ms. Burns, Mr. Wirtz, and Mr. Arnold to name a few, they managed to coordinate their own availability with student testing. David and Chris follow up a student’s test with questions about ability to see clearly on a regular basis, use of glasses, and glasses prescriptions. Through these questions, they hope to “determine what percentage of students think they can see well but actually can’t, the percentage of students who know they can’t see
well, the percentage of students who have glasses but don’t wear them, and so on...to determine whether the issue of vision health is a matter of students not knowing they can’t see well or knowing they can’t see well and simply not doing anything about it.” With already more than 650 conducted tests, David and Chris have already begun to analyze the data for patterns and trends with Dr. Gallin, and the program has expanded to other private schools. Their eventual goal is to have enough data by the summer to begin writing an abstract or manuscript, which they would then submit to an ophthalmologic conference or journal by year’s end, dipping their feet into the world of scientific academia.
Approximately
17%
of
upper schoolers screened could not see better than 20/30.
This number is
slightly higher in NYC public schools.
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Photo Courtesy of Mirabel Mallett Simone Straus, left, and Coach Crainer start their day with morning run in Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Beach, CA. Distance runners trained at the park, while sprinters trained on the track at Golden West College in Huntingon Beach, CA.
Spring team trips foster skills and camaraderie from Coast to Coast By Sofia Graziano, Lauren Ahern, and David Ben-Ezra
Softball The Girls Softball Team got a lead on their season with spring training at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. The 5 day trip was filled with thrills and team spirit for the girls. On a typical day, the girls got up, ate breakfast, and headed out to the fields for an hour practice followed by games against teams from across the country. But the real adventures began after the team got back to the hotel, where they ate lunch and then went out to the parks. Of all the rides, Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls was one of the team’s favorites. “I went on six times, that’s how much I loved it. Even though I completely ruined my Converse, got soaked, and lost my voice, it was one-hundred percent worth it,” sophomore Jacqueline Delia said. One of the main aspects of the trip was the team bonding. Players on the trip engaged in bonding activities such as bowling, making s’mores, and playing games in the hotel rooms.
Every year, the Spring Softball trip brings the girls in the softball program together, no matter what team or what grade, to learn and to have fun.
Lacrosse During the first week of break, the Varsity and JV lacrosse teams headed to Clearwater, Florida for their annual spring training trip. For Freshman Sophie Stark, the trip was a great opportunity to connect with players from other grades and to work on her skills. Prior to the trip, Stark remarked, “I’m really excited to spend some quality time with upperclassmen and other freshmen, as well as playing a lot of lacrosse and adding to my skill set.” The lacrosse trip was five days filled with intense training and team bonding activities. The day starts with waking up at around 6:30, and heading down to Rusty’s bistro for a buffet breakfast. Each day, there are two practices and a varsity and JV scrimmage. The practices include stations and drills to improve
fundamentals such as stick skills, defensive stance, and ground balls. The scrimmages are a great way to simulate the feel of a game and get comfortable with teammates. In between the practices and scrimmages, there is time to relax at the beach and pool. This is a great time for connecting with peers through team bonding. This includes participating in color war activities. These activities include lacrosse oriented games as well as coming up with a skit or song. Overall, the lacrosse trip is beneficial in that it encourages players to bond as a team and prepares them for the upcoming season.
Track and Field The track team hit the ground running this season with their annual training trip to California during the second week of spring break. While on the trip, the team did two workouts per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The sprinters did their workouts at the track at Golden West College, while the distance
team ran at Crystal Cove State Park and several other locations. The workouts varied from intense sprinting workouts to long, easy runs. The high mileage that is put in during the trip serves as an excellent training base for the athletes to build off of for the rest of the season. In between workouts the team went to the beach, where the annual sprinters vs. distance beach volleyball game took place. The distance team took the victory 2 games to 1 in the heated competition that featured the usual trash-talking and sand kicking. A favorite workout for the distance team is the Mountain Run, where the athletes run five miles to the top of a mountain, pose for photos, and then run back down the mountain. Overall, the track trip is extremely beneficial for the training track athletes training. Distance coach Seth Karpinski said, “When looking at the results at the end of the season, it is obvious who went on the track trip and who didn’t.”
March Madness upsets kept fans hopeful and engaged By Jimmy Hefter
The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament has officially ended, and this year has been a historic year for young prospects and upsets. These upsets busted everyone’s bracket, creating stress, but at the same time, excitement. Since most college basketball fans are upset the season is over, it was still an amazing year for fans all of the world. From the Retrievers of UMBC to Donte DiVincenzo lighting it up in the championship game, there are so many more stories to be told and reviewed. Back in March, the selection show created some controversy by its format and the at large bids from Syracuse and Arizona State. But all in all, the bracket was set. And in that moment, people from Hackley and around the
country started to make brackets. Some as a joke, and some who actually conducted research. There were many sites and applications to help create one’s bracket, and many Hackley students joined up to make different pools. Mitch Einhorn, a sophomore, said his “bracket sucked, but I had a great time sitting down and watching all of the games.” Students around the country dedicated hours on end watching great basketball. From yelling at the four watching screens to praising one’s bracket, students have had an emotional month here on campus. This year’s action was filled with unpredictable and star-studded moments. Before this year’s NCAA tournament, 16 seeds were 0-135 against 1 seeds. But this year, the historic and magical run from the UMBC Retrievers shocked the world by dismantling the overall best team in the tournament, Virginia. The game was widely
considered the greatest upset of all college basketball. UMBC eventually lost in the second round to the stingy defense of Kansas State, but they did a great job of busting brackets and gaining millions of more fans with comical Fortnite references. The Loyola Chicago Ramblers, winners of the MVC conference, made an eye opening run during this year’s tourney. They were helped by their 98 year old team chaplain, Sister Jean, who stole the hearts of many Americans on the Ramblers Cinderella run. By the end of the tournament, there were T-shirts, signs, and even bobble heads of her. The team was an eleven seed in the tournament and managed to find their way to San Antonio for the Final Four only to lose to Michigan 69-57. Loyola Chicago was only the fourth eleven seed ever to reach the Final Four. The Nevada Wolf Pack, winners of the Mountain West Conference only lasted until the Sweet Sixteen, but they managed to mount a huge 22 point comeback over the two seed Cincinnati Bearcats. Josh Hall rolled one in to take a two point
lead over the Bearcats with under ten seconds left. Also in the second round, the Michigan Wolverines battled against the Houston Cougars for the whole game. The game ultimately came down to the last 90 seconds. The Wolverines were down by 2 points off missed free throws from Devin Davis, they called a time out to draw up a play. Only with a few seconds left, freshman Jordan Poole, launched a deep three pointer to send them to the sweet sixteen at the buzzer. Michigan eventually marched on to the title game, before losing to number 1 seed Villanova. Arizona, the high praised four seed with star center Deandre Ayton, was expected to make a long run, but their dreams were busted by 13 seed Buffalo. On a happier note, the Villanova Wi l d c a t s h a d a n e x t re m e l y impressive tourney run by winning
every game by 10 or more points with an average of point differential of 18.5 points. They were led by their sophomore forward Mikal Bridges and their award winning guard Jalen Brunson. Although their presence was important, the Final Four’s most outstanding player was Donte DiVincenzo. He racked up 31 points to lead his ‘Cats to their second title in three years. Although these games and stories were great, there were still so many other upsets and praise worthy moments. From all of the replayed highlights from the tournament to new allegations on blue blood programs, you can still stay in touch with the frenzy. Now all we have to do is wait for the season to start back up again in the fall.
Illustration by Lilianna Khosrowshahi and Julia Thomson