February 2015 Issue

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T he V oice

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T he S tudent B ody F ebruary 2015

voices . hackleyschool . org / dial

Snowball Hits It Out of the Park Hackley Runner Breaks National Record

By Roya Wolfe

By Tristan Jung

Sophomore Seth Tilliss DJs at the Snowball under a display of lights in the PAC while students are dancing.

Everyone who sauntered up the carpeted stairs to the Bridges Theater on January 31 lost their breath at the sight of the transformed Performing Arts Center. Community Council transformed Hackley’s PAC into a beautiful winter wonderland over night, complete with twinkling lights and sparkling artificial snow for the Upper School dance, the Snowball. As sophomore Connor Wilke said, the night was “a winter wonderland.”

The idea of the dance was born in last year’s Community Council. Junior Vice President Ally Petitti described it as a shared Council idea between her, former school president Damis Yancopoulos, and former senior Laurel Cassidy.

Community Council had big shoes to fill this year. Last year’s Snowball was a monumental success, and Council wanted to ensure it would be even better this year. When word of the dance arrived in January, students quickly began to think about who they were going to ask and what they were going to wear.

Students came up with clever and creative ways to ask one

Have you seen “TheInterview”?

From Thailand to Wyoming: This Year’s Casten Trips

By Hope Weisman

Seth Rogan and James Franco in the Interview.

Photo by Katie Bogart.

another to Snowball. Sophomore Luisa Stalman was extremely surprised by the extravagant way junior Will Pundyk asked her to Snowball.

Luisa said, “I was in the middle of English class when suddenly eight guys burst into the room donning sombreros and holding posters with mariachi music playing in the background. At first, I didn’t know it was for me until I saw a sign with my name.”

She happily accepted, and said, “I was honestly so surprised!

It was really sweet though!”

As the day of the dance approached, the excitement grew.

Before the dance, freshman Jocelyn Blockinger said, “I’m just excited for my first school dance experience!” Students’ excitement was not dampened even when the Snowball was postponed for one week due to heavy snowfall. Sophomore class agent Izzy Ampil said, “I think it was helpful for all of us to have that extra week to straighten out all the details with preparations and put the finishing touches on ideas.”

Continued on News, Page 5

Photo courtesy of Sony.

In today’s culture, the concept of the political satire has grown increasingly popular as a way of escaping the terrors of world events.

Sony Pictures’ highly anticipated film “The Interview” failed in its attempt to poke fun at the communist country of North Korea.

In December, Sony Pictures pulled its highly-anticipated, $44 million film, “The Interview,” after the Sony database was hacked.

“The Interview” was created and produced by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver, all of whom are well known for their work together on films like “This Is the End” and “Neighbors.” The film focuses in on Dave Skylark (James Franco), a celebrity gossip show host on the popular, yet not at all respected, “Skylark Tonight,” and his producer, Aaron Rapaort (Seth Rogen). After finding out the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un (Randall Park), is a fan of the show, the duo plan an interview with him in hopes of increasing their ratings. After they announce the interview, the Central Intelligence Agency shows up at their door requesting that they assassinate Kim Jong-Un. Chaos ensues in the blatantly satirical and hyperbolic pursuit of Un. The film’s release was originally scheduled for October 10, 2014, but was pushed back to Christmas Day after the North Korean Government threatened “merciless action” against America if Sony and Columbia Pictures released it.

Continued on Politics, Page 9

By Benjy Renton Hackley students will be broadening their international horizons this year with trips as far as Thailand, and as near as Wyoming. Two Casten trips and a language immersion trip will be departing this spring break and summer, taking a total of 34 students around the world with a goal of promoting Hackley’s global education initiatives. Many students applied for these trips aspiring to try something they have never done before, and the trip leaders hope to create incredible experiences.

Over spring break, nine students will absorb themselves in the rich history and culture of Thailand, with an additional excursion to the infamous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Middle School English teacher Cyndy Jean and Upper School Science teachers Amanda Esteves-Kraus and Jason Gilley will lead the trip. Ms. Jean chose Thailand as the location of the trip because of its “rich history” and the “integration of religion with leadership and power.” “It’s definitely been a place that I have wanted to go for a while,” Ms. Jean said. The 12-day trip will mostly take place in the Thai cities of Bangkok and Pattaya, but the group will venture to Siem Reap, a Cambodian city with a melting pot of Thai, Cambodian and colonial French cultures.

Continued on Feature, Page 4

Gorevic at the Adidas Grand Prix. Photo courtesy of Cloud 259.

F

ive minutes is a miniscule amount of time.

It’s equal to the time allotted to walk to your next class, or the grace period you receive when you’ve just hit the snooze button on your alarm. Five minutes is also the amount of time it takes Hackley sixth-grader Jonah Gorevic to run a mile.

Gorevic currently holds the world record mile time for a ten-year-old at a 5:01.55, having broken the record with time to spare at the Adidas Grand Prix last June at Icahn Stadium.

“I started running four years ago with the Tailwind Track Club,” said Jonah. Jonah has taken home three AAU Cross-Country Championships for the Tailwind Track Club, a program founded and coached

by Hackley parent Carl Curran. The team is based in Westchester and is comprised of athletes of all ages.

In addition to Jonah, the team has trained numerous athletes for the USATF Indoor National Championships and the USA Triathlon Youth Elite National Championships.

“When I grow up I’d like to be a professional athlete, hopefully a pro distance runner.”

~Jonah Gorevic

Jonah trains four days a week with the Tailwind Track Club.

“I run about 10-15 miles per week. I run one tempo workout during the week and go to Rockefeller Park (a park in Sleepy Hollow) on the weekends for a distance run,” Jonah explained. Several Hackley Middle School students participate alongside Jonah on the Track Club: James Spencer, Eve Spencer and Olivia Curran. Together, they train for elite youth athletic competitions around the country.

“After trying to assist another youth track team get organized and build a consistent training program for approximately a year, a group of parents approached me and asked if I would just start a team of my own,” explained Tailwind head coach Carl Curran. Coach Curran built on his experience training his own children, senior and star-swimmer Tyler, and varsity cross-country runner Olivia, for twelve years.

Hackley girls on the Casten Trip to Iceland.

Photo courtesy of Chris McColl.

Continued on Sports, Page 12

S p o r ts p . 11- 12

A r ts p . 10

Politics p. 9

Check out a recap of how Hackley sports teams fared at the Winter Sting.

Get an inside look into Alexis De Pol’s artwork and view pieces from her senior portfolio.

Learn about which media outlets Hackley students get their news from.

opinion 2

2015 February

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Speech Police Sony Pictures’ Response to “The Interview” Ignites Debate About the Meaning of Free Speech

By Tristan Jung

Seth Rogen’s satirical comedy film “The Interview” was released in digital format on December 24th, amidst a storm of controversy regarding Sony’s cancellation of the film’s release in theaters following a purported cyber-attack on Sony’s internal servers and several terrorists threats.

Thirteen days later, on January 7th, two terrorists broke into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical newspaper, and killed twelve people. I connect these two almost completely different events because they both hinge upon the role of satire in society, a role that world leaders and ordinary citizens must take into consideration in the wake of the tragic events in Paris and the Sony hack. Unfortunately, we must now all consider the consequences of our answers to the question: should democratic societies attempt to control and monitor satire or should democratic societies stand behind guaranteed rights of free speech?

Although “The Interview’s” strange predicament should never be emotionally equated to the raw tragedy of the Charlie Hebdo shootings, the issues surrounding the shootings were actually presaged in the bizarre chain of events that led to Sony’s decision to pull “The Interview” from theaters. “The Interview” provoked a small, violent group of people, namely the heads of the North Korean totalitarian government, to threaten violence over a piece of satire. After repeated threats, Sony was reportedly attacked by “The Guardians of Peace”, which the FBI quickly linked to North Korean hackers. In the end, the company decided to pull the movie’s wide release in large part because it feared violence similar to the Aurora movie theater shootings in 2012, except on a massive, organized scale.

However, the public reaction to Sony’s decision showed that Americans were willing to defend the right to parody, especially considering that the threats were reportedly traced to the frequently histrionic and unreliable North Korean government. The attacks were claimed by the “Guardians of Peace”, an anonymous hacking group that the FBI has linked to the North Korean government, although this claim has been disputed by several security experts. Sony’s decision was seen as a capitulation by many people, including President Barack Obama, who said that Sony “made a mistake” when they refused to release “The Interview.” However, one must take Sony’s horrendous situation into account. Sony had witnessed the supposed power of their enemies after watching a malicious foreign entity steal thousands of employees’ personal data and essentially shut down the company. The hackers then leaked hundreds of confidential emails, left malware on Sony’s computer systems, and then threatened violence if “The Interview” was not pulled. The theaters and Sony saw all of this and decided that it simply wasn’t worth the risk. While it is easy for detached observers to see this case of blackmail and advocate standing tall against threats, it is far more difficult for people in the midst of the situation.

Sony and the theaters’ answer to the satire dilemma was to back down, but I cannot entirely dispense with their reasoning for doing so. I believe in the inalienable right to free speech. I also believe it should be defended, but I also think it would be naive to think that free speech should be defended in all cases, particularly in matters of racism and egregious intolerance. For example, the European Union currently lists Holocaust denial as a criminal offense, a law that has been

criticized for not being stringent enough by anti-racist groups. It is impossible, however, for government and individual citizens to draw a universal line on the boundaries of free speech. For Sony, the line clearly differed from the accepted position of the American government and many American citizens. They decided to partially censor themselves, and I would advise prudence in labelling the decision as “a capitulation”. I do not think that Sony’s limit on satire is practical or correct, but I cannot dispute the company’s right to having a limit in the first place.

In Europe, the free speech line is most definitely different than the accepted norms in the United States. The attacks on Charlie Hebdo were triggered by the newspaper’s repeated satirical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad on its newspapers, a right that is entirely protected by French free speech laws. Following the heinous attacks of January 7, the French government and people stood behind Charlie Hebdo and its right to create satire, a position diametrically opposed to Sony’s decision to back down. 3.7 million people rallied in a nationwide demonstration in support of Charlie Hebdo, all arguing that governments should protect the right of satire. However, less reported stories have also shown the consequences of this decision, as Muslims across West Africa protested against Charlie Hebdo’s continued depiction of the Prophet in the days following the shootings. Sadly, the realities of religious intolerance mean that defending satire requires a defense against those who cannot take a joke. While “The Interview” proved that people will sometimes bow to the pressure, Charlie Hebdo proved that people can also join together and defend the satirists and comedians that make us laugh.

All images courtesy of Sony Pictures.

theDialstaff

Hackley School - 293 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, NY - (914) 631 0128 - February 2015 - Vol. 117, No. 4 voices.hackleyschool.org/dial

Editors-in-chief Lauren Fallon Sidney Wertimer

Front Page Editor Neil Suri

Lifestyles Editor Chris Chon Allie Molner

Directors of Reader Engagement Isabel Hayward Grant Urken

Managing Editors Jeffrey Guzman Heather Vega

News Editors Sydney Monroe Marc Rod

Arts Editor Megan Mark Erik Bostrom

Sports Editor Ryan Walker

Design Editor Claire Meyer

Science Editor Sonia Singh

Opinion Editors David Cummins Adin Rinzler

Asst. Sports Editors Greg Chung George Santangelo

Multimedia Editor Jeremy Anderson

Photo Editor Robert Hallock

Asst. Opinion Editor George Wangensteen

Advisers Michael Bass Anne Budlong Wil Lobko

Graphics Editor Claire Gomba

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. 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.

Letters and submissions can be emailed to dial@hackleyschool.org. The Dial is the official student newspaper of Hackley School.

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opinion 3

February 2015

DDs Aren’t Perfect, But the Best Option Available

Junior Zach Shalett scrapes gum from under a table in a DD earned for homeroom lates.

Photo by George Wangensteen.

By The Editorial Board

It is nearly impossible to walk through one of Hackley’s hallways without hearing students gripe about DD. DD, or ‘Disciplinary Detention,’ is one of Hackley’s most infamous institutions, and it has served as a punitive tool for at least the past ten years. Generally doled out to punish low-level offenses like homeroom lates, gum-chewing, or untucked shirts, DD is the administrations’ primary apparatus for more mild rule enforcement.

The grousing about DD, when it is not simply whiny and petty, focuses on two main aspects of the establishment: the consistency with which it is handed down, and the consistency with which it is administered. In short, many students believe that DDs are assigned capriciously and enforced unfairly: one student could end up scraping gum off the bottom of desks for dropping a four-letter-word, while his friend could just as easily regularly arrive late to class and receive only a 40-minute study-hall, or even escape punishment completely. This perception of DD, while exaggerated, is certainly somewhat justified. Physics teacher and feared Tuesday DD administrator Bill McLay himself admits that DDs are “definitely not” given out with real consistency or enforced equally.

If students believe that luck can allow them to escape DD when they break the rules, or that DD itself isn’t always such a terrible punishment (many Hackley students would relish in the opportunity to do silent work, and report themselves as being much more productive during DD than at home with the distractions of social networks, TV, etc.), it is unlikely that DD will compel them to consistently follow the rules. Indeed, Upper School Director Andy King himself said that “it’s difficult to assess the efficacy of DD,” and that, “if the endgame is behavior modification, maybe it isn’t working so well.”

While behavior modification is certainly a large focus of DD, it isn’t the only one. The school, also, it would seem, has a vested interest in promoting accountability. Even if the school can’t force kids who don’t always respect the rules to always follow them, it can still demonstrate to them that their actions have consequences. That is to say: even if DD isn’t so miserable that kids change their behavior in fear of it, it still teaches them that, if they break a rule, there will be a consequence to that action.

While this theory of accountability allows for the differences in the administration of DD, it is still predicated on the idea that DDs are handed out with relative consistency.

If students can still regularly break the rules and escape punishment, they aren’t being held accountable for their actions at all. And, as aforementioned, students do at least occasionally escape punishment for breaking the rules. One student, who for obvious reasons requested anonymity, bragged to me that he had driven to school daily since he got his license — never with a parking sticker on his car.

The DD system is imperfect, with regards to both behavior modification and accountability. It’s true that the administration has only what Mr. King described as “very few arrows in the quiver” with which to punish students. Without it, the school would be forced to resort to more serious punishments, like calls home or saturday detentions, for what are only minor rule violations. This is obviously undesirable for everyone.

But the DD system could be remain intact with reforms instituted that improve the consistency with which DD is given out and administered. Mr. McLay said that, currently, “there is definitely some lack of clarity in terms of telling

February Exams Need Reform

teachers what behavior warrants DD and what doesn’t”; if teachers were given a rigid, concrete guide to when DD is appropriate and when it is not, DDs would certainly be assigned more equitably. Reform could also occur by making all three days of DD consist of the same, rigid punishment.

A change in the way DD is enforced could have tremendous effects — Mr. McLay’s grueling Tuesday DD, which began this year, has already modified student behavior by having students cleverly schedule activities for Tuesday afternoons.

If change was instituted across the board, DDs could better hold students accountable and reduce rule breaking - while simultaneously making students happier by making the process more fair and equitable. DD is rarely seen as a large enough issue to motivate students or faculty enough to push for meaningful change — and perhaps it isn’t. But if the school codified concretely what DD consisted of and what behaviors warranted it, the schools’ punitive system would see a genuine improvement.

Junior Dean and physcis teacher Seth Karpinski is notorious for his propensity to give DDs. Photo by Rob Hallock.

Have an opinion?

Write an opinion, editorial, or letter to the editor for the Dial.

Submit your article to dial@hackleyschool.org.

Seniors Tyler Curran and Cate Goldsmith study for their exams, though their tests are still weeks away.

Photo by Grant Urken.

By The Editorial Board

Each spring, Hackley truly earns its reputation for rigorous and demanding academics that push students to their limits. Just as the snow begins to melt, and as spring break beckons, students must face one final, anxiety-riddled test to escape winter: exams. Taken, depending on the year, during either late February or early March, these comprehensive (to put it lightly) exams evaluate students’ retention of information learned during the first and second trimesters, and can count for up to 1/7 of a student’s cumulative end-year grade.

Exams certainly aren’t popular among the students. Junior Sammy Mueller went as far as to say that “...exams are, by far, my least favorite thing about Hackley, and I can’t un-

derstand why,” she continued, “we spend so much time cramming for old material that we were already tested on.”

The question she raises is a valid one: what is it about exams that justifies the wasted time and anxiety they create?

The most common response given by administrators and exam apologists is that the exams prepare students for similar assessments that will be faced in college. Hackley, after all, is a member of the Ivy Preparatory League, and so must prepare its students for the realities they will face at the most prestigious colleges.

This argument, however, is predicated on the idea that students must actually face these exams in college. In reality, they often do not.

According to Keith O’Brien of the Boston Globe, even at Harvard University, one of the prestigious, competitive, and academic

institutions that Hackley purports, by its very affiliation with the Ivy League, to prepare students for, less than a quarter of all undergraduate classes actually had a final exam. In fact, the Harvard administration no longer assumes courses will conclude with an exam — professors must actually go out of their way to inform the administration and registrar if they plan on holding a final.

And it’s not just at Harvard that exams are going the way of the dodo. Mr. O’Brien concludes his research by stating that “Across the country, there is growing evidence that final exams — once considered so important that universities named a week after them — are being abandoned or diminished.”

When so many universities are abandoning their exam weeks — why must Hackley keep theirs?

The other argument given by defenders of the current exam system is that it forces students to retain information they’ve learned over a long period of time - not just cram it in for a week before a quiz. While there may be some merit to this argument, there is certainly no consensus. In fact, many believe that exams have no effect on long-term information retention; David Jaffee, a Sociology professor at the University of North Florida, says that “for many students, studying for exams means ‘cramming,’” and “a growing amount of research literature consistently reports that cramming — short-term memorization — does not contribute to retention.”

Even if, however, it is true that exams contribute to long term information retention,

Hackley’s system doesn’t make sense. If the goal of the exam system is truly to ensure that information throughout the year is retained, why would exams be held before the year is concluded? Insuring that students are retaining a year’s worth of material cannot possibly justify exams when the exams are not held at the end of the year.

Two full weeks are eliminated from the school year as a direct result of the exams, one for review, and one for sitting for the exams themselves. That’s two weeks that could be spent learning, rather than cramming old material. When we know that exams are becoming less and less popular at the collegiate level, and that this ‘cramming’ doesn’t actually promote learning, how can we justify the loss of these two weeks of school? Ten days of learning is a huge loss for students, and the administration can no longer defend it.

Hackley’s exam policy injects the entire community with a shot of anxiety, and robs students of two full weeks of school. These are two serious drawbacks that should not be taken lightly. The exams are no longer crucial in preparing students for college exams, too, because there simply are far less college exams to prepare for. And even if exams do significantly help students retain information in the long term, which is certainly in question, leaving 1/3 of the years’ material off the exam would seem counterproductive to this goal. Given the obvious drawbacks and dubious benefits, Hackley’s current exam policy seems hard to justify. The administration should seriously consider alternatives.

feature 4

2015 February

Around the World in 33 Days: Hackley Casten Trips

T

Continued from Front Page he city is best known as a gateway location to Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. This collection of temples is sure to be an awe-inspiring highlight for many of the trip participants; as trip participant Lila Wolfe said she “can’t wait to see the architecture.” It will also help students understand the connection between religion and Cambodian power. Back in Pattaya, they will attend a cooking class offered by a Thai culinary school to discover more of the oodles and noodles of Southeast Asian cuisine. “To go see and explore Thailand is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and I couldn’t be happier about going and learning about a culture I’ve never experienced before,” Lila said. Like many trips, students will also participate in a community service element by working with impoverished children. Additionally, Hackley will be partnering with Regents International School, a fellow Round Square school, for a few trip activities. Ms. Jean hopes to show students a “deeper appreciation for power of religion in various cultures,” and a “passion for creating awareness to human trafficking. I also want them [students] to bond and come closer as a group,”

the

Ms. Jean said. This trip is sure to create a lasting impact in the Hackley community, as students share their experiences upon their return.

This summer, three faculty members and 16 students will embark on an 11-day Spanish immersion trip to Puerto Jimenez, a small coastal town in Costa Rica. Modern language teachers Jessica Spates and Sara Budde, as well as boys soccer coach Paul Aracena will accompany these Spanish speakers.

The trip is coordinated by a local language immersion program which Hackley used two years ago on the same trip. The activities on this trip include excursions in the nearby rainforest and mini-internships at local businesses. No Hackley trip will be complete without a community service component, so a service learning project has been planned. “Last time, we cleaned up a park, but I’m not sure what it [the community service project] will be this time,” Ms. Spates said. Students will be staying with local families and speaking Spanish all throughout the trip. “I can’t wait to live in an entirely Spanishspeaking community. It’ll put my Spanish speaking skills to the test, which is a test I’m ready to take,” trip participant Bujana Mulosmani said. Ms. Spates hopes students will learn to appreciate the rainforest, as the area is one of the largest preserved rainforests in the world. “I applied to go to Costa Rica for the chance to learn more about the cultures around the world,” Bujana said. This trip will provide the opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture, while also sharpening their Spanish skills.

For ten days in July, nine students will join Upper School Science teachers Seth Karpinski, Andrew Ying and Tessa Johnson on a westward exploration trip to Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks in Wyoming and Montana. During his time in college, Mr. Karpinski had a summer job at Yellowstone National Park, where he had the opportunity to explore the surrounding parks and participate in many hikes. “When I was younger, I traveled to Glacier National Park with my parents and found it to be an amazing experience,” Dr. Ying said. This trip is full of activity, as students will participate in a 20-mile hike in both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, as well as a 15-mile hike in Glacier National Park. “I want them [the trip participants] to push their boundaries and come out of their comfort zones to experience something that we don’t offer in Hackley’s formal curriculum,” Mr. Karpinski said. “I think it’s the perfect opportunity to try something new and different,” trip participant Laura Seebacher said. Phebe du Pont is looking forward to the “landscape, natural beauty, and views,” she said.

Over these three trips, Hackley will offer these students once-in-a-lifetime experiences they will never forget, in locations with unparalleled beauty and historical significance.

These trips will not only strengthen the connections between participants, but they will also engage the Hackley community in a connection to the multicultural world.

Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica, the location of the language immersion trip this Summer.

Photo Courtesy of Callye Bolster.

Dial

Ankor Wat in Cambodia, a location for a Casten Trip over Spring Break.

Photo by Benjy Renton.

Bayon Temple outside of Ankor Wat in Cambodia.Photo by Chris Chon.

Giant Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Andrew Ying.

Musical Talent Showcased on the Hackley Hilltop Samhitha Josyula

By Eleanor Henrich

F

reshman Samhitha Josyula has been playing the violin for almost as long as she has been alive. She started playing at the young age of three. At that age, the instrument was little more than an obligation.

Now, the violin has become a form of therapy for Samhitha. Playing makes her feel full of energy. The violin is a major part of her day.

Along with in-school classes, Samhitha plays her violin two to three hours each day. On the weekends, she increases her practice time to six hours a day. To make this feasible, she wakes up early to practice before school, and completes the rest of her practice time after school.

Samhitha has learned many songs; her favorite being Bach’s Air in G. In second grade, Samhitha learned the piece by herself. The song is a simple piece that she can pour all of her emotions into. To Samhitha, playing her violin gives her “a feeling like no other, and takes me to my happy place.”

Currently, Samhitha has been playing another one of her favorites, Zigeunerweisen by Spanish composer Pablo de Sarasate. The song is influenced by Romani themes; ‘Zigeunerweisen’ means ‘Gypsy Airs’ in German. This piece was first played in 1878, in Leipzig, Germany. At around eight minutes long, it is an intense song.

Samhitha had wanted to start this

song a year ago, but she spent the year improving her technique before starting this complicated piece.

Zigeunerweisen is an emotional piece; “in the beginning it is really intense, and then goes into flashy technique, then a love song happens, and then the dance which is full of weird slides and shifts and is super fast.” After playing Zigeunerweisen, Samhitha is left exhausted.

The differences and changes in this song is what makes it unique.

During performances, all of her work pays off. Like many other performers, she gets anxious before a performance. “I get super nervous and stressed before I perform, but once I start playing, it becomes very natural”

Rafi Malkiel

By Maddie Chen

G

rammy—winning musician, composer, and performer, Dr. Rafi Malkiel has had quite a run in the music industry so far.

He’s recorded with artists such as Ray Anderson, played at venues like Madison Square Garden, and his album “My Island” reached number one on the Jazz Week’s World Music Album Charts.

Samhitha Josyula plays the violin.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Taggart.

Coming from a musical fam-

ily, Rafi Malkiel’s interest in music began when he was only five years old. His father was a cantor and musician, and his sisters are both professional flutists, so he was always surrounded by music in the house.

“Music means a lot me,” said Rafi, “It’s probably the most important thing to me.”

When Rafi was only fifteen, he got accepted into his first professional jazz band. “It felt great to perform with the big guys, and to perform,” said Rafi on his first professional experience. Never doubting his passion and focus for music, his career began to take off. He joined other bands, worked on TV shows, recordings, and joined a few tours.

In his first attempt to lead a band, he created the Rafi Malkiel Ensemble.

It started as a quintet, but is now a group of seventeen musicians, many of which played on the albums that Rafi composed. Not wanting to leave his education behind, Rafi moved to New York and was accepted into The New School to study music.

Rafi is not only a musician and performer, but he’s also a composer.

“Arranging for a large band is a lot of work, but a lot of fun,” says Rafi.

Jazz and latin music are Rafi’s main focuses because he likes the improvisation aspects, the freshness of it every time he plays it, and the fact that he can dance to it.

For Rafi, some of the biggest achievements he’s had in his career so far is not classified by what famous people he’s played with, or the venues he’s played at. Instead, he’s more concerned about his internal achievements, and what he’s been able to learn about music.

“The most important achievement for me is what I got to learn on my instrument by sitting down and practicing, and what I got to learn about music,” said Rafi, “When you manage to compose a good tune, or you play a successful performance and make people feel something, that’s a big achievement for me.”

Rafi Malkiel, now a Hackley teacher, plays the euphonium.

Photo Courtesy of Rafi Malkiel.

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news 5

2015 February

Snowball Hits it Out of the Park for the Second Year Continued from Front Page One special addition to this year’s Snowball was the photobooth. Groups posed in the photo booth all night long, making funny faces while wearing oversized sunglasses and tiny hats. Photographer Chris Taggart operated the photo booth, and couldn’t help but smile at the all of the fun the students were having — he even joined a few photos! Eli Pinkus, junior class repre-

Juniors Darius Inzar and Grace Carroll at the Snowball.

Photo by Sonia Singh

sentative on Council said, “I thought the... photobooth was awesome.”

Several students agreed that the night

was a hit, including freshman Javon Coleman, who said that his favorite part of the Snowball was “definitely hanging out with people.” Junior Meghan O’Keefe couldn’t agree more as she described how she loved “dancing and hanging out with her friends.”

Another popular success was the music.

Sophomore Seth Tilliss, a class representative on Council, served as DJ for the first hour and said, “It was really fun. It was my first DJ’ing experience. It was cool seeing kids from different grades, and the setup was pretty sick.” Students danced the night away, whether it was to an R&B classic like Lip Gloss by Lil Mama, or to modern hits, such as the energizing new song, Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. Senior Cole Ferguson, a very experienced DJ, took the turntables off of Seth’s hands around 8:00, and controlled the music for the remainder of the dance, and entertained the students with his fun and lively stage presence. Cole said, “When I got there it was pretty easy, all I had to do was play a couple songs and then listen to some requests, and I really was able to get everybody going. It was a lot of fun.”

In the middle of the dance, Cole took a break from DJ’ing so Senior School President Ryan Walker could lead Council’s exciting raffle. Junior Nkechi Nwokorie struck luck twice, winning both a pair of Yankees tickets and a visitors’ parking pass for one week. The other winners were senior Abhay Dave, who won a Chipotle gift card, freshman Ellie Arnold who won a ‘Get out of DD Free’ pass, and senior Serena Hernandez who won another pair of Yankees tickets.

The council was rightfully proud of their performance. Junior Domenique Meneses, the boarding representative on Council said, “Council worked really hard to make it a fun experience and I think we succeeded.”

The amount of work Council put into the

Freshman Chrissy Barrett poses with Juniors Kelly Saxton, Nur Momani, and Julia Medici at the Snowball.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Saxton

Eli Pinkus asks Serena Hernandez to Snowball during Chapel homeroom.

dance completed the overall spectacular night. Ryan said, “There was a great turnout and everyone had a fun time. The past two

Photo by Marc Rod

years, the snowball has been a big success and I’m sure community council will continue to host the snowball in years to come.”

Administration Undergoes Big Changes 2015 Exam Calendar 13 February

Review Day: English and Science

February

Review Day: English and Science

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February

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English Exams

February Mr. Bileca, the future Assistant Headmaster.

Photo by Robert Hallock

Mr. Rea, the outgoing Assistant Headmaster.

Photo by Robert Hallock

By Sydney Monroe

Just from any brief conversation with Middle School Head Steve Bileca, one can appreciate how integral a part his middle schoolers play in his life. “There’s something truly special about these middle schoolers; they’re both on the cusp of becoming really cognitively aware, but still maintain a sense of innocence.” Mr. Bileca has served at Hackley’s Middle School Director for the past two years, and is ready for his next step. Next school year, Mr. Bileca will leave his position in the Middle School to replace Kevin Rea as Assistant Headmaster, and Fifth Grade Dean Cyndy Jean will move up to take over Mr. Bileca’s position as Middle School Director.

The change does not sound too daunting to Mr. Bileca. “I’ve kind of done it all,” said Mr. Bileca. He has spent 14 years working in schools around the world, including serving as the head of a history department, the head of a middle school and even a college professor.

“I basically worked my way backwards, starting with college students, then teaching high school students, now working with middle school students,” said Mr. Bileca.

He decided to accept the position of Assistant Headmaster because he desired to further explore and experience the Hackley community. His new position will connect him to the entire Hackley campus, entailing responsibilities that cover many aspects of Hackley’s community. Mr. Bileca will now oversee the boarding program, head diversity initiatives inside and outside classrooms, work with John Gannon with

development and fundraising, work with the Hackley’s surrounding community in Tarrytown and oversee all communications and media.

Though his new work will distance him from his beloved middle schoolers, Mr. Bileca knows he will create the opportunities to interact with his students. Working with students is, after all, the main purpose of his line of work. “I have to, it feeds me. It keeps me going,” said Mr. Bileca.

Mr. Bileca’s move is bittersweet for the Hackley community, as it must also bid goodbye to Mr. Rea. Mr. Rea, who served as Assistant Headmaster for five years, was named the next President of Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School, an independent school in Pennsylvania. Mr. Rea has played an essential role in the Hackley community during his time here, helping bring Round Square to Hackley and connecting with students through his elective classes like his course, Pakistan: Behind the Veil. He is especially proud of introducing Hackley to Round Square. “Hopefully [Round Square] will bring generations of Hackley students and faculty opportunities to travel and engage with other students from all around the world,” said Mr. Rea. Mr. Rea has no plans to forget his Hackley experience any time soon. “It has been a privilege to serve in this role,” said Mr. Rea, and he knows that this is not the last time he’ll see his Hackley family. “We will only be two hours away and I plan on coming back for visits!”

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Review Day: Language, Math, and History

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Review Day: Language, Math, and History

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6 lifestyles

the

February 2015

Dial

NFL Scandals Perspective on

74.5 75%

believe Sony should never have canceled “The Interview”

$30 million

have already been collected from this film According to CNET and Slash Film

By Catherine Meyer

One of the biggest mysteries of 2014 was the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which simply went off the radar in March on its route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing carrying 239 people. It is believed the flight went down somewhere in the Indian Ocean, where they were last contacted. Unfortunately, due to the large quantity of fuel on board the plane and the potential change in the flight path, the search area for the plane and its passengers has a radius of about 2,500 miles.

Some theorize the plane likely turned around and deviated from its course, further broadening the search range. Yet due to the lost signal from the air traffic controllers’ radar, experts are unable to know exactly where the plane went.

The lack of evidence is certainly not due to a lack

Ray Rice, a running back for the Baltimore Ravens, provoked national headlines after TMZ leaked a video of Rice punching his wife in an elevator, subsequently dragging her unconscious body out. The incident occurred in February 2014, but an incriminating video of the event was leaked in September 2014, which sparked a media frenzy and directed public attention toward Ray and Janay Rice. “I watched the video [of Ray Rice abusing his wife, Janay],” Hackley Varsity Football member Junior Sumail Morton said. “I think it will have an extremely negative effect on football’s future reputation, and Ray Rice should not have been reinstated because abusing women should not be tolerated by the NFL.”

Janay and Ray Ri month after the ta leased, which spa controversy. In he with Matt Lauer wh the Today Show on 1st, 2014, she claim video portrayed a incident. “Ray kno said. “You know, I’m to sit there in sile something happen God forbid, in fr

20

Flight 370 Leaves Public in Shock

Malaysia Airlines was investigated following the missing flights.

million iPhone 6 units sold in United States

By Catherine M

TAYLOR SWIFT: 1989 Billboard names the album

Top Selling Album of 2014

Photo Courtesy of Community Table.

of contributed resources. From Australia alone, more than $50 million has been funnelled into the massive search that commanded the media’s attention for months. This multinational search took over the media and dominated news programming last spring. Despite this search being the most funded history had seen, no concrete evidence regarding this mystery has been found.

As the plane that embarked on Flight 370 still hasn’t been discovered almost ten months after the pilot of Flight 370 spoke the words, “Goodnight Malaysian three seven zero” at 1:19 AM (local time) on March 9th, the outlook is certainly dire.

As of January 29, 2015, the missing flight has been officially declared as an accident, and the official search for survivors has ended.

Taylor Swift in the “Shake It Off” music video. Photo Courtesy of Just Random Things

the

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lifestyles 7

February 2015

70%

s Offer New n the Sport

Meyer

ice wed one ape was rearked some er interview hich aired on n December med that the an isolated ows me,” she m not going ence and let to me - and ront of my

child, just like, let it happen?” she continued. However, those who doubt the validity of this claim are critical of her choice to follow through with the marriage plans.

Just days after Ray Rice video leaked, Adrian Peterson, a running back for the Minnesota Vikings, turned himself in to Montgomery County for beating his four-year-old son with a switch. In response, the NFL suspended Peterson for the remainder of the 2014 season.

The two scandals forced the NFL review and reform their policy for domestic violence to create stark guidelines, funds for counseling, expanded services for victims and violators, and most importantly an exclusive council for handling these types of scandals.

55%

of Americans believe that ISIS is capable of attacking the United States

of American women hold a less favorable view of the NFL after the domestic violence scandals

Statistic Courtesy of CNN

Statistic Courtesy of Public Policy Polling

made an outstanding $11 million in a single day

14

Statistic Courtesy of Business Insider

Ebola Epidemic Strikes the U.S. in 2014

By Lucy Barse

8,833 deaths have occurred from Ebola as of January 26, 2015 According to The Center for Disease Control

Ebola certainly caught everyone’s attention in 2014. Ebola first entered the United States on September 30, 2014 when a man visited Texas after coming from West Africa. Since this initial incident, Ebola awareness has dramatically increased, with Americans starting to fear for their own health. Both the general public’s lack of education concerning Ebola’s transmission and the severity of Ebola’s symptoms led many Americans to have irrational fears about obtaining the disease. Despite the actuality and unfortunate outcome of many Ebola cases, the name of the disease became a joke to some, especially on social media.The Ebola virus can be transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of the infected and not through the air. The virus can be avoided by simply washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

A nurse who returned to the United States after she treated Ebola patients in West Africa, Kaci Hickox, refused quarantine and was eventually forced into quarantine against her will. A similar situation happened to a young third grader from Connecticut, Ikeoluwa Opayemi, who came back from a family event in Lagos, Nigeria and was

Hospitals are forced to take new precausions following epidemic.

Photo Courtesy of Mashable.

banned from her elementary school for 21 days even though Nigeria was no longer an Ebolainfested country after October 20th, according to the World Health Organization. The family filed a lawsuit against Milford Public Schools as they believe that the school’s decision was solely based on fear and not confirmed medical information.

As of now the Center for Disease Control has reported no active cases of Ebola in the United States. Despite this, medical facilities along with international airports have taken strict precautions to keep the United States Ebola-free.

8 science & technology

the

February 2015

Dial

Windows, Apple, and Google: Who’s on top?

Mr. Sykes refuses to switch to using Apple products, and loves his Dell laptop. Photo by Claire Meyer.

By Joe Lovinger

For those of you who spent the holidays trying to navigate through the seemingly endless array of new laptops, phones, tablets, and wearables on the market in hopes of finding the perfect gift, I feel your pain.

Apple, Microsoft, and Google have relentlessly advertised their latest products in hopes of gaining control over the consumer technology market. In the process, each has created its own ecosystem of devices and software, making it increasingly difficult for the consumer to decide what to buy.

While most companies’ software is available on multiple platforms, it is often far more intuitive on native devices. For this reason, choosing which product to buy often comes

down to which ones you already own.

Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses; in this sense, there is no one best product for every buyer. Instead, it comes down to what matters most to the individual consumer.

In the future, our cars, doors, lights, even washing machines will be controlled by our personal devices. Bill Wassik writes for Wired, “This is the language of the future: tiny, intelligent things all around us, coordinating their activities. Coffeepots that talk to alarm clocks.

Thermostats that talk to motion sensors.”

As technology advances and becomes cheaper to produce, products that were previously unconnected will be filled with sensors, allowing them to connect to our phones, tablets, and computers.

Just as current tech companies are pushing to make their products and services ecosystemexclusive, it appears that the same will happen with the “connected home”. Apple recently released HomeKit, a single software platform with which smart appliance manufacturers can work to integrate their products into Apple’s iOS software.

Apple, Microsoft, and Google’s respective offerings all have their strengths and weaknesses. Each company has the advantage over the other two in one of the three main device categories (phone, computer, and tablet).

Microsoft dominates the desktop and laptop computer market, far outdoing Apple’s Mac and Macbook line and Google’s Chromebooks.

Microsoft has struck a balance between what set apart Apple and Google’s offerings; its newest computers have the design aesthetics of Apple’s computers, and the affordable prices of a Chromebook. Microsoft took the initiative to license its operating system to manufacturers at aggressively low prices, paving the way for

low-cost, high-quality Windows computers.

As far as phones go, Google’s Android operating system reigns supreme. Just as Microsoft has done with computers, Google has combined quality and affordability with its phones.

Touted for being more open and customizable than its competitors, the Android operating system incorporated features such as the notification center and custom keyboards years before Apple and Microsoft added them to their phone offerings.

In recent years, tablets have grown from accessories into primary devices for many consumers. Right here at Hackley, the freshman class is spearheading an experiment into the utility of tablets in the classroom.

The administration made the right choice as to which tablet to buy—the Apple iPad. Bolstered by Apple’s industry-leading App Store and unrivaled ecosystem for accessories ranging from keyboard folios to styluses, the iPad is the poster-child for the tablet’s new image.

People are using tablets more and more to get work done, not just as an on-the-go substitute for their desktop computer, but as their only computer.

The iPad combines the intuitive iOS operating system, gorgeous hardware, and the capacity to handle the heavy work people now expect of their tablets.

If there is one piece of advice I can provide in respect to finding the best device, it is this: there is no one product that is perfect for everyone. There are pros and cons to every product—Macbooks are overpriced, Windows phones have no apps, Android phones are unstable, etc.

The point is, it really comes down to what you want out of your devices, and what you can afford (keep in mind, all of this stuff is expensive). In the end, as much as I wish I could, I can’t shop around for each and every one of you. You’re going to have to figure out what constraints matter to you, and go from there to find what makes the most sense for you.

Seniors prefer to do work during a free period on their Apple Macbooks. Photo by Lauren Fallon.

Technology Affects Teens’ Communication

By Alex Meyer

Seniors all on their devices during a free period instead of talking.

Photo by of Robert Hallock

Teenagers today are affected by technology in almost every facet of their daily lives, and for many, putting down their phone can be an incredibly difficult task. The lack of face-toface communication and the severely increased amount of screen time that teens rack up on a daily basis is mainly due to the use of texting and social media which teens today use to communicate with each other. The immense decrease in face- to- face communication is beginning to alter the social skills of teenagers and the way they keep involved in the world, for both the better and the worse.

The social impact of technology in teenage lived is sometimes most easily recognized in a large groups of people.

Junior Arielle Stern observed that, “in a large gathering, if the conversation stops for a little bit everyone takes out their phone and goes on social media and other apps.” Snapchat, Whatsapp, and Groupme are a few of the “other apps” that have increased in popularity, and teenagers are constantly using in addition to texting one another. Expandedramblings. com found that as of July 28, 2014, 71% of Snapchat users were under the age of 25, displaying that the use of Snapchat is largely a “teen” movement.

Junior Arielle Stern believes that the issue that arises with the increase of usage in apps such as Snapchat and messaging apps is “when everyone takes out their phone, it tends to cut off the flow of the communication in the gathering”.

Sophomore Luisa Stalman similarly said, “if I didn’t have any technology in my life it would be much easier to communicate face to face with others.” She also said, that if she didn’t have her phone with her all the time, she would be “more concentrated on actually having a conversation with someone.”

If some students feel that their communication would improve without the distraction of technology, why can’t they come to terms with the idea giving up their phones in these social situations? Sophomore Luisa Stalman speculated that people don’t want to give up their devices in social situations, “because everyone’s so obsessed with their phones and there’s constantly notifications popping up.”

Technology and social media go hand in hand, as teenagers are obsessed with constantly checking the multitude of social media sites available.

“Everyone is so obsessed with their phones!” ~ Luisa Stalman Another detriment to using online apps and websites to communicate, is that when teenagers use texting or other communication apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Groupme, or Whatsapp rather than speaking to one another face to face, tone of voice is not present and information can easily be misconstrued and then misunderstood by the recipient. An improvement in the app was created to help facilitate a more significant conversation that can come with speaking, instead of just messaging.Whatsapp implemented a voice recording function, which allows people to record their voices and send them to their intended recipients stretching communication with one another further than simply from behind a screen.

But, do people actually use this function? Is is really much better than simply typing a message?

NASA is Now Simulating Life on Mars in Hawaii

By Christian Reigler

With the billions of dollars put into Mars exploration each year, why not have a replica-filled simulation right on Earth?

NASA has launched a project called the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) in which six astronauts will being experiencing the silent and isolated lifestyle of living on Mars. For 2015, NASA will have a projected budget of almost $18 billion. “I believe that they should be spending the money given to NASA on efforts to actually reach Mars, instead of wasting time and money simulating what it would be like on Earth,” said freshman Katie McVeigh.

NASA’s goal is for the simulation to act more as social experiment rather than a study about sustaining resources for life

The Life on Mars dome in Hawaii. Photo Cour tesy of NASA.

on another planet. The astronauts will be tucked away from society in a one-thousand square foot dome. The eight-month duration of the simulation will be testing the abilities of an equally gender divided group of astronauts to tolerate each other’s company.

All factors of life on Mars will be accounted for, including a twenty minute communication delay, the amount of time it would take for a signal to travel between Mars and Earth.

“I think it’s great to see how much technology has evolved throughout time, literally to the point where we’re seeing whether people can move to Mars, like that’s so cool” said sophomore Marisa Nakagama.

the

Dial

Have You Seen “The Interview”?

Seth Rogan and James Franco appear in a screen capture of “The Interview”

Photo Courtesy of Venture Bear

Continued from Front Page Columbia Pictures edited the film, “The Interview”, from the time of the threats in June 2014 until the movie was ready for distribution. In November, the Guardians of Peace hacked Sony Entertainment Pictures computers releasing hundreds of private emails and photos. The controversy was directed back to North Korea as an act of retaliation against the movie despite numerous denials of this by spokespeople for the country. In mid December, Sony cancelled the release of the film after the group threatened attacks on any movie theaters playing the film, including major attacks at premiere showings. However, on December 23, Sony announced that they would go forth with it’s Christmas Day release in various small theaters across the country, as well as on YouTube and Sony.com.

The unofficial spokeswoman for North Korea, Kim Myong-chol,

politics 9

2015 February

said that the film “shows the desperation of the US government and American society ... a film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the US has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine,” on June 20, 2014.

Some people who saw “The Interview” believe that the reaction

by North Korea was completely unmerited and a waste of the country’s time. Sophomore students Seth Tilliss and Stephen Tannenbaum both saw the movie, having planned to see it well before the controversy.

“I loved the film. I’ve never laughed harder,” said Stephen, “Most people should know it was just a joke.”

Seth took the same side as Stephen, saying that the film was “stupid, but entertaining.” He also added, “I think Sony made the right choice.They put minimal lives at risk by not having many theaters release it, but they still got the movie and the message out.”

Students Favor Online News Over Print Media

By Joy Dracos

Buzzfeed, The New York Times, BBC, The Dial! It is 2015 and there are so many ways to access news.

Whether it’s glancing at a CNN alert on an iPhone or logging into a NY Times online account, staying up-todate is a part of the daily routine for many Hackley students and faculty.

Though newspapers used to be the main news medium, more and more people are turning to online sources.

Junior Ella Charkes expresses her love for online news explaining that “it is so much easier to go online these days because almost everyone has a phone or computer on them.”

The accessibility and variety of online news has left popular print-only sources to adapt to the digital age, offering their news online as well. One prominent example of this is the NY Times, a newspaper that offers an online subscription for an introductory rate of 99 cents a week for 4 weeks,

and up to $11.25 per week thereafter.

Sites such as this work for many who prefer serious and structured news articles but leave others craving a more lighthearted Cliffs Notes version of current events. Kristen Bringsjord, a sophomore who turns to BuzzFeed for “fun” news “excessively,” says she believes “it’s good for fun purposes, but whenever I want to know what is going on in the world, I’ll click the news page.”

Students are always using their computers or mobile devices in some way or another, providing an immediate and direct connection to the world outside the walls of Hackley. While this can often be construed as a distraction, it can also serve as a beneficial avenue for students to pursue their interests in various new topics. Junior Julia Morgenstern agrees, stating that it is “a lot easier to have quick access to

news that is live...the current news.”

Julia reads from The Huffington Post and occasionally BuzzFeed, both online sources. It seems that the sheer speed and scope of online news continuously supersedes that of print sources.

Besides the speedy manner in which one can obtain news online, it is also often free of charge. Sophomore Salik Awan listens to AOL News, reads the New York Times online, and has the BBC app on his phone. Salik states that it is a lot more effort to access a paper, and, “With the newspaper you actually have to purchase it.”

Junior Sophie Slutsky was one of the only students who expressed that she still likes reading the news in print.”I’m not a fan of everything going online because I like to flip through and take a glance.”

Graphic Courtesy of Buzzfeed

Graphic Courtesy of The NY Times

Bridge ConstructionUpsetsResidents

Roving Reporter: What did you think of “The Interview”?

Protesters voice their opinion about proposed site.

I watched it because of the hype... it was pretty funny.

Spyro Coffinas

I thought it was hilarious. I love James Franco.

It was not funny and the plot was not well developed.

Shayan Ahmad

It was all talk and no game.

Emma Fetner

Elijah Maynes

Graphic Courtesy of BBC

By Chris Chon

Although the media coverage lately has been largely centered on national issues such as racial inequality and fiscal problems, another storm is brewing just across the river. When the new Tappan Zee bridge is completed in 2018, over 500 people per hour could be using a new, proposed walkway entrance, called the SUP Terminus site. “SUP Terminus” means “the end of a Shared-Use Path.” The impact of this new walkway could cause heavy traffic, possible evictions, and an influx of people in both Tarrytown and the quiet town of South Nyack.

Photo by Chris Chon

On November 25, 2014, the NY State Thruway Authority released projections regarding the number of visitors expected to show up and use the walkway and scenic 3-mile bike path that runs along the river in South Nyack. The report predicted 59% people will arrive by car with two passengers, 22% will walk, 19% will bike, and 1% will take mass transit. This influx of visitors would require 151 parking spaces — 97 in Westchester and 54 in Rockland.

For South Nyack residents, this development only extenuates an inconvenience that they have been experiencing since the construction of the bridge started last year.

Saul, a resident of Elmsford, who has relatives and friends living in South Nyack near the bridge construction, stated that “residents that live near the bridge construction have already had to get all their windows replaced with soundproof windows, provided by the state, so that they wouldn’t be bothered by the banging of the new bridge’s support that is being built.” This is just one of many inconveniences that residents living near the bridge have had to deal with. On top of this, some residents living in the rental condominiums along the river in South Nyack may need to relocate if a proposed plan with building the walkway near the condominiums passes through the state.

In association with this anger and annoyance, protesters recently covered the area of the proposed construction site of the new walkway and its parking lots with protest banners. One of the banners spanned twenty feet and read, “This is the WRONG SUP Terminus Site.” Other smaller banners read, “Save South Nyack” and “State Lied.”

Brian Conybeare, a special advisor on the $3.9 billion project, said that the state came up with several parking options, most with input from the community. These ideas will soon be presented to the public as federal environmental assessment is required before releasing viable solutions to the construction site.

For the local residents of Tarrytown, the main concern will be the amount of parking spots as the pathway parking lot will also be occupied by a Thruway maintenance facility.

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Acting III Plays Take the Lunch Period by Storm

Acting III class preforms 5 Ways To Survive A Zombie Apocolypse during lunch.

Photo courtesy of Waits May

By Grace Henrich

I

f you have ever wondered what to do during the Zombie Apocalypse, or who exactly were the so-called wise men at Christmas, then look no further than the plays put on by the “Hilltop Hacktors”, Hackley’s newest acting group.

This year, members of the Acting III class formed the “Hacktors” in a successful effort to encourage acting and performing arts at Hackley. The drama troupe puts on semimonthly short plays during lunch as a part of their “Lunch and Learn” series. The growing attendance totals at the past two plays, “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” and “Epiphany,” show a growing school-wide appreciation of the Hackley drama program.

“The audiences have been great!” junior Sophia Bannister, a member of the Acting III class, said. “The specific students and teachers who come to watch seem to be returning patrons, which is very encouraging.”

The engaging subjects, especially the riveting apocalyptic

portrayals, and their comedic content has made the plays a hit with audiences. The crowds enjoy watching the mini-plays just as much as the actors enjoy acting them out. About seventy students went to the plays and not one person came out of the play without at least a grin. The cake and juice boxes, an added bonus, were surprisingly popular even with people over the age of seven, helped make the plays a huge success.

One of the goals of these skits is to expose the majority of Hackley to drama. The plays allow people to watch theater during lunch who otherwise would not have the time or inclination to stay after school or go on the weekend to the larger fall and winter plays, and smaller one-act spring plays.

Having the plays during lunch, and located in easily accessible locations like the Lindsey Room and Allen Hall, allows as many people who want to see the plays the opportunity to be able to.

Bettie-Ann Candelora, the new head of the Dramatic Arts department, hopes theater will expand at Hackley. “Every student at Hackley can benefit, both now and in future careers, from the skills learned in acting and performing. Our hope is that the program expands to include many more Upper School students and that every Hackley student takes the opportunity to study with Willie Teacher or perform in a production,” she said.

The Acting III class also develops the students’ acting. The short plays with smaller audiences, compared to larger winter and fall plays, give actors confidence, and are good practice for the upcoming seasonal productions.

Each acting class from Acting 1 to Independent Study goes a step further in teaching the students to be better actors. Acting 1 is an intro to acting, and focuses on breaking bad habits, such as speaking too fast, Acting II develops the actors creatively, with unique interpretations of scenes, and Acting II, with the formation of the Hilltop “Hacktors”, gives “practical application in and for the community,” Willie Teacher, the teacher of the acting classes, said.

The class is small — only six people — so each actor has individual time to

work on their needs. “I have gotten to strengthen the places I’m weak in and stay consistent where I’m strong,” said junior Alexis Arnold, another member of the class.

Acting III does more than develop the students’ acting abilities, it also helps people who want to have a career in acting.

“Acting III is teaching me the ins and outs of the business side of acting, as well pushing me to make bolder choices in my acting,” senior Sophia Bannister said.

Acting outside of Hackley is taught further in the independent study course, which concentrates on real-world acting and the “power of performance,” Mr. Teacher said.

The date of the next “lunch and learn” mini play is uncertain, but Mr. Teacher assures that “the Hilltop Hacktors have a few more artistic surprises in store for the Hilltop community.” In the meantime, Mr. Teacher is hopeful that all students attend the winter play, The Dining Room, on Thursday February 12 through Saturday February 14 in the Chapel.

Upcoming Events to Watch For 2/21 The Best of Looney Tunes - Jacob Burns Film Center

2/22 Oscar Awards

The Student Behind The Artwork:

By Hannah Urken

T

he disorder and mayhem of senior year may be stressful for most students, but Lexi De Pol turned it into an incredible art concentration.

Lexi has been creating art from a very young age, her inspiration with art beginning to develop when she was just three years old.

Lexi explained, “There’s a video I used to watch and at the end of the video an artist drew a logo, and one time I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and I sat down and drew it with him. To this day we still have it

framed, and I’ve been drawing ever since.”

It is clear that Lexi started art at a young age because of the talent and realism shown in her artwork.

In detail about Lexi’s current concentration, she said, “My concentration is basically the emotions that come with the chaos of senior year. All of my faces out there in the hallway are the different emotions that are supposed to be associated; so exhaustion, stress, and moments of relaxing when I’m having a good day.” Lexi makes tons of artwork, yet she only uses a pencil for every single one of them.

Lexi De Pol self-por trait.

Photo by Lauren Fallon

This is not the first time Lexi has drawn her own face; as years have gone on she’s become more successful with the outcomes of her self portraits. When she was deciding what she wanted to do for her AP concentration for senior year, she decided to do something that involved herself so she could get much more practice and familiarize doing portraits.

“After doing a lot it kinda turned into doing a lot of different emotions, and then it became… why don’t I do a senior year documentation of all these emotions,” Lexi said while deciding what to do for her concentration. Not only does she love to do art

Drawing by Lexi De Pol of herself and M r. Cice’s daughter.

Photo by Rober t Hallock

in her free time, but some of her exceptional doodling in classes inspire her artwork.

One of Lexi’s favorite art piece of her collection is the one she drew over the summer.

You may be able to see it in the hallway somewhere, but it is a drawing of herself leaning over her desk with her whole room is in the background. She said, “I also love the one I wanted to do for a while, which was basically a photo of me and Mr. Cice’s daughter, Lena, who’s like a sister I never had.”

Beyond the life of Lexi’s high school career, she hopes to study art in college.There is much still to come from artist Lexi De Pol.

Lexi De Pol self-por trait.

Photo by Lauren Fallon

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2015 February

Students and Families Buzz at Winter Sting Hackley comes out on top with 6 wins, 2 losses

Sophomore Alex Meyer attended the Winter Sting to cheer on friend and Girls Varsity Basketball player Kristen Bringsjord at her game against Fieldston.

Photo courtesy of Sam Rinzler.

By Joy Dracos and James Firpo

O

n Friday January 9th Hackley held their annual Winter Sting, where almost every team dominated in their event. Fencing, Boys’ and Girls’ basketball, squash and swimming participated throughout the evening.

Not only was there non-stop action, but thanks to the HPA there were food and drinks available along with a bake sale.

Sophomore Fernando Docters only had one word to describe all the baked goods: Fantastic. While the games were going on, people would grab a quick snack then go back to the entertainment.

The Sting is the most highly anticipated event of the sports season. Junior Kat Cucullo said, “Definitely the most fun I’ve had since Fall Sting. We got super rowdy (which was is expected at the home field/court) but we all were having a

great time.” All teams love to play in front of their classmates and use the sizable crowd to fuel them in being the best that they can be.

“There’s no comparison to an athletic event during the winter at Hackley than the Winter Sting. The atmosphere is electrifying...louder, and just more exciting. It’s not just any game; it’s the designated event for the school,” Winston Britton said.

The crowd was constantly on their feet to support their peers. The energy of the fans helped in making the teams so successful.

Junior Luka Yancopoulos spearheaded the cheers this year and tried to keep the crowd rambunctious at all times. “My goal is to make those games as absolutely bonkers as possible and I think we did a pretty damn good job. We tried to give the athletes all the support we could by screaming and chanting for them and I think it really helped,” said Luka.

This year, Hackley tried a new cheer called “Silent Night” for the boys games. As Luka explains, “There was absolute silence for the entirety of the first quarter and then when they scored that tenth point the gym erupted with excitement and noise...

The highlight for me was probably the moment we scored that tenth point and the room went from absolute silence to chaos in a split second. Silent Night is classic and nothing is better.”

They also did the classic cheers like “Defense” and “I Believe!”.

Not only do the people participating in the sting enjoy it, but the fans do, too. Sophomore Class President Kevin Kim expressed, “It was nuts, everyone was going crazy and it was just a great time.”

Hackley Girls Varsity Squash faced the RCDS Boys JV team after their match against Dalton was cancelled. Arielle Stern, Meghan Chen, Maddie Chen, and Riya Mital all won their matches giving Hackley had their 6th consecutive win. Senior captain Andrea McCree said, “It showed our teams ability to compete, even midway through the season.”

The second-to-last game of the night was Girls Varsity Basketball at 6:00 PM vs. Ivy League competitors Fieldston.

After the half, Hackley was up 25-22 on the Eagles with an impressive 14 points from junior captain Sammy Mueller.

Hackley pulled away with the 42-35 win over Fieldston.

Mueller finished the game with 22 points, scoring more than half of the team’s total baskets.

Hackley Boys Varsity Squash won their meet against their Ivy League competitors Dalton. Every member of the team won their match besides 8th grader Will Ezratty who played the #2 ranked U15 squash player in the country. Will is ranked #3 in the country for U15 and had previously beaten the same opponent one week earlier.

Hackley wrestling faced Collegiate during their winter sting match. Although Collegiate did not bring a full line-up, the Hackley team made the most of the meet. Sophomore Tai Smith and Juniors Julio Sanchez, Fesseha Michael, and Greg Chung all fought hard for their victories that night. Hackley School won the overall match with a score of 62-6.

Hackley Boys Varsity Swimming raced Brunswick in their

The Boys Varsity Basketball team awaits their upcoming game against Fieldston while watching Girls Varsity Basketball.

Photo by James Firpo.

annual Winter Sting swim meet. Senior captain Tyler Curran won his 200 yard freestyle as well as his 500 yard freestyle.

Freshman Liam Bogart won his 200 yard individual medley and Senior Erik Bostrom won his 100 yard freestyle. Hackley pulled away with the win over Brunswick, even winning all of their relay races.

Hackley’s fencing team had a successful match against the Storm King School. Both boys and girls Foil fenced an intense match and ultimately came out victorious. Boys’ Saber also won their meet. Senior captain Jules Oppenheim took his team to victory in Boys’ Epee. This was the first year in a long time that fencing has participated in the Winter Sting.

Hackley came out on top with the win.

Hackley Girls Varsity Swimming raced against Greenwich Academy. Seniors Rachel Einhorn and Ashley McGrath placed 3rd and 4th respectively in the 200 yard freestyle, and junior Sarah Schlesinger placed 1st in the 200 yard free. Senior captain Kierstin Chu finished 1st in her 100 yard freestyle. Unfortunately, the Hornets were unable to come out with a win.

The final game of the night was Boys Varsity Basketball at 8:00 PM vs. Ivy League competitors Fieldston. After a good effort and an intense half, the boys were tied 22-22.

Unfortunately, Fieldston pulled away with the 50-44 victory over Hackley. Darius Inzar put up 18 points for the Hornets, followed by a game of 16 points by senior captain George Santangelo.

Students watch Julio Sanchez during the Boys Varsity Wrestling match.

Photo by Catherine Meyer.

Sophomore Maryrita Curcio takes a foul shot in her Girls Varsity Basketball game against Fieldston.

Photo by Catherine Meyer Boys Varsity Squash plays against Dalton.

Photo by James Firpo.

sports 12

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2015 February

Dial

10-year-old Hackley Runner Sets National Records Continued from front page.

Jonah Gorevic interviews with the press after running his race. Gorevic finished first with a world record setting time for ten and unders of 5:01.

Photo Courtesy of Jason Suarez

“I spent a few weeks considering what that meant and consulting my family and decided to go for it. We launched the team this summer with 11 athletes. Our roster now contains over 30 athletes.”

“All the kids show up excited to practice no matter what the weather, which I know is a testament to Coach Curran’s charisma and attitude. It’s always a nurturing environment that pushes the kids to do better while incorporating an element of fun. Jonah and the whole group’s results have definitely proven that the system is working,” said Hackley graduate Pietro Moran, who worked at the Club last summer as an assistant coach.

Jonah, like all the Tailwind athletes, is backed by sustained parental support.

“My parents are very supportive of my running career. They both run. My Dad has run three marathons and my Mom has run one marathon and five half-marathons,” said Jonah.

Coach Curran expressed gratitude for all the parents who consistently support their athletes at Tailwind. “My team parents are amazing. I couldn’t do it without their help.

They have helped me with the incorporation, all registration/ administration, organization of kids at meets and allow me to focus on coaching.”

Outside of running, Jonah enjoys playing soccer and taekwondo. His future goals are very specific: “I definitely want to run varsity cross-country in high school.

When I grow up I’d like to be a professional athlete, hopefully a pro distance runner.”

In the last month, Jonah qualified for the under-12 800m run at the Millrose Games (the premier indoor track meet in the country) by winning his qualifying race at a time of 2:22. Jonah is also preparing for USATF Indoor Nationals where he hopes to qualify for the 1500m and the 3000m. In the summer, Jonah will attempt to break five minutes and capture the 11-year-old boys’ record in the mile, which currently stands at 4:55.

Jonah Gorevic has a commanding lead over the rest of the pack. He lays it all on the line as he comes down the final stetch.

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Moris

Three Hackley Wrestlers Fight Hard at Eastern States

By Greg Chung

Early on in January, three of Hackley’s finest wrestlers had the opportunity to wrestle in one of the most prestigious wrestling tournaments in the Northeast. On January 9, junior Elijah Ngbokoli, along with senior captains Milo Lempert and Sam Welch, travelled to Loch Sheldrake, NY to compete at the 2015 Eastern States Classic. The tournament, which is widely regarded as one of the toughest high school wrestling tournaments in the nation, featured approximately 600 wrestlers from 148 schools in six states, including nearly two dozen who were nationally ranked.

Junior Elijah Ngbokoli boasts great accolades. He was the 2014 Ivy League Champ, as well as the 2014 New York Private School State Champ. He also received a Prep Nationals bid at 160 pounds. Elijah picked up the sport in 7th grade, simply because, “[he] felt like [he] should try something new and wrestling sounded pretty interesting.” For an

Elijah Ngbokoli goes low to take down his opponent at Hackley home match. Elijah would go on to win his match by way of pin, and earn Hackley 6 points.

Photo courtesy of Alexander Delia

athlete who does not wrestle in the off-season, Elijah has been incredibly successful in his career thus far. Head Coach Fran Stanek said it best when he said, “Elijah has it all: speed, strength, agility, technique.”

Milo Lempert is one of the senior captains on the wrestling team this year. With 4 years worth of varsity experience, Milo, too, is well credentialed. Milo placed 2nd at the Ivy League Tournament, and 3rd at the Private School State Tournament last year. He also won both the Ardsley and Yonkers tournaments, competing at 182 pounds. Milo was also voted “Most Outstanding Wrestler” at the Rye tournament earlier this season.

Although it is only Milo’s fourth year as a wrestler, Coach Stanek praised him highly when he said, “Milo has a natural ability to pick things up quickly. He is very good on his feet and leads the team in wins (16) and takedowns (38).”

Sam Welch is one of the senior captains on the varsity squad for the 2014-2015 season.

Sam has been wrestling for nine years, and this is his fourth year on varsity. He was introduced to the sport at a young age. “My dad wrestled as a kid all the way through college, so it was sort of a family requirement when I was a kid. But I’ve grown to love the sport,” he said.

Sam’s father had a very successful career wrestling at a top-notch Division 1 program in Cornell. Sam was unable to compete last year due to a knee injury. However, as a sophomore, he won the Brunswick Invitational Tournament at 126 pounds, and placed 2nd at the Ivy League and Private School State Tournament respectively. So far in his final year of high school wrestling, Sam has been named to the All Tournament Team at the Woodlands Tournament. Coach Stanek described Sam as a “very technical wrestler,” who has “some

Sam Welch leaves the mat after defeating opponent at the Brunswick School. Despite Welch’s win, Hackley would go on to lose the match.

Photo by Greg Chung

unfinished business to take care of.”

From January 9th to January 10th, Elijah, Milo, and Sam had the opportunity to wrestle against some of the top wrestlers in the country. Many coaches will argue that it is more difficult to win an Eastern States title than it is to become a state champion due to the fact that the tournament includes out of state teams and combines Division 1 (large school) and Division 2 (small school) wrestlers. However, despite the inherently exhausting nature of the tournament and the caliber of many of the competitors, the Hackley wrestlers showed that they can hang with the best of them.

Elijah received the 14th seed at 170 pounds.

Milo received the 13th seed at 195 pounds.

Sam entered the tournament unseeded. After a combined nine matches and two grueling days, the Hackley wrestlers left the tournament not only improved but also with a near unparalleled experience. Elijah, Milo, and Sam, each went 1-2 at the tournament.

Elijah had high praise for the Eastern States Classic. He said, “It was an honor to be selected to wrestle at this tournament because it really gave us a chance to go against some of

the best wrestlers in the nation, as well as represent Hackley Wrestling. The wrestlers there were amazing, but the three of us showed that even though we go to a smaller school, we have just as much determination and fight as do the kids at the top level.”

Wrestling at this tournament was a learning experience for Elijah. “From this tournament, I realized that there is still more I need to improve on before the post-season. It also showed me that the only way to get better is through motivation, experience, and hard work.” he said.

Milo too regarded his experience at Eastern States as a good one. “The kids there were definitely tough,” he said, “But wrestling there was a phenomenal experience. I definitely learned a lot and grew as a competitor, despite the brevity of the tournament.”

Sam also saw the value in taking a trip up to Loch Sheldrake. “It was tough coming out of such a small league and seeing these kids who are just so much more experienced,” he said, “But being able to wrestle at Eastern States was an honor and a great opportunity for me to see on what areas in my wrestling I needed to improve on.”