April 2016 Issue

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Decoding the Unspoken Rules of “Promposals” p . 2 B u r s t i n g t h e H a c k l e y B u b b l e i n M o ro c c o p . 7 How to Take Control of College Visits p.6

The voice of the student body

Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY 10591

April 29, 2016

hsdial.org

Council Reveals its Plans for Spring 2016

By Joe Lovinger

A

Journalist Alan Schwarz and neuroscientist Dr. Robert Cantu discuss “Concussions, Athletics and Kids.”

Photo by Benjy Renton

Forbes and Szabo Lecture: Concussion Safety and Awareness in Sports

By Joy Dracos

Some people would take this news and go off the deep end, but he took it to research everything he could to learn as much as he could about concussions and post concussion syndromes,” Dr. Cantu stated. Nowinski became a client of Dr. Cantu’s and then introduced him to his old friend, Alan Schwarz.

Since 2007, the duo initiated their partnership and the exploration of the impacts of concussions commenced.

“For 25+ years, we had been yakking about concussions, written a number of papers, been to many medical meetings, but it still was this closed circuit of people who are

to the public in a way that they could assimilate and metabolize it.”

The Snowball Effect: when one The two went on to explain that little event or circumstance snowthere is no blood test or cure for balls into a massive chain of events concussions, and that no one really that eventually leads to terrible knows the magnitude of the trauma repercussions. This directly relates until it is over. However, Schwarz to concussions, more specifically, shares that, “The one thing that I when a seemingly minor decision will say unequivocally is: try to eduto play through a head injury could cate kids so that if they get a concusresult in serius injuries later in life. sion, get the hell off the field. Don’t Neuroscientist and national contry to play through it or play hurt.” cussion expert Dr. Robert Cantu The medical community has revand Alan Schwarz, Pulitzer-Prize eled in Cantu and Schwarz’s work nominated National Correspondent and commended them for their for The New York Times, were invited bravery in saying what needs to to Hackley on April 14 through the be said. Not everyone would have Forbes and Szabo Lecture series. the courage to go up against Hackley’s Forbes Lecture was “The one thing that I will major institutions, such as established in 1989 by Malcolm say unequivocally is: try to the National Football League, S. Forbes ’37 in order to bring educate kids so that if they get a and push them into changing contemporary issues of compelthe way the sport is played. ling interest to campus. The concussion, they get the hell “[Dr. Cantu] doesn’t mind Szabo Lecture was established off the field. Don’t try to play ruffling some colleagues’ feathin 1996 by friends and admir- through it or play hurt.” ers by saying what seems to be ers of revered Hackley Science obvious, but what most people ~ Alan Schwarz don’t have the guts to say,” said teachers Kathy and Paul “Doc” Szabo upon their retirement.

Schwarz. “That is the thing Dr. Cantu and Schwarz are work- truly knowledgeable about the field. that distinguished Bob from eving to better educate the public Certain things were known and erything else. He risked a lot of about the detriments of concus- understood, but it wasn’t getting relationships to educate the public.” sions. In fact, Dr. Cantu coauthored beyond that. If you’re really going to As for the Hackley commua novel called Concussions in Our make changes in the way that sports nity, coaches and trainers are highly Children, published in 2012. By are played, society as a whole has to aware in their thinking with regard doing this, he tried to empower be aware of it. That’s where Alan to concussions and concussion parents so that they could make brought this to the public,” said Dr. protocol. “It is a pretty enlightened intelligent decisions for their chil- Cantu. Schwarz explained that his group of people here at Hackley, dren in regard to their brains. goal was to give people better infor- as I would expect, and I think Dr. Cantu and Schwarz met mation, so that they can make more that they are doing a great job,” through a mutual client and friend, informed decisions for themselves. said Dr. Cantu. While the HackChris Nowinski. Nowinski played “Bob had the information and ley community understands that football for Harvard until he de- I was the amplifier,” Schwarz fur- head trauma is inevitable, it is still cided to switch to wrestling. Soon ther explained. “I was able to striving to reduce the amount of thereafter, he sustained numerous take what had been confined to forceful head contact, which is a concussions, leaving him unable medical experts and convey it great step in the right direction. to continue playing the sport.

fter a hugely successful Snowball this February, Community Council did not rest on its laurels. Instead, it headed straight back to the drawing boards to brainstorm on innovative events for the spring trimester. Senior Community Council Treasurer Eli Pinkus explained that the current Council does not simply wish to repeat the past. “At the start of the year, I sat down with the other Council executives, and we decided that we would not be content to put on the same old events of yesteryear,” said Eli. Council polled the student body at the beginning of the year to get a sense of what potential new events would be of interest. The results gave them an unprecedented look into the student body’s desires. Council hopes that the risk of trying out some new events will pay off big time, as they are devoting the rest of the year to new ideas, with the exception of the annual Field Day. A Color Run, a short race in which the competitors are doused in colorful powder, scored at the top of the list. Council plans to host such a Color Run in the coming months on the campus

road. Senior Eugene Linden expressed his exuberance for the run. “I’m typically pretty apathetic towards school events. This time, though, it feels like Council read my mind. I’ll be first on line for the Color Run!” said Eugene.

For the more artistically inclined, Council also plans on hosting a Woodstock-inspired festival this spring. The focal point of the event will be the extended-length musical performances. Students will have the opportunity to perform longer sets of multiple songs, setting the event apart from Coffeehouse.

While the musicians perform, students will have the opportunity to play casual games, such as Cornhole and Spikeball. Sophomore Alex Hayward sees it as a terrific occasion for students to further share their talents with their peers. “I think Hackley Woodstock will attract all sorts of students. The longer sets for musicians will give us a great chance to see their talents, and the lawn games are perfect for just having fun in the beautiful spring weather,” said Alex.

All told, Council appears to be dedicating itself to bold new ideas that seek to engage all types of students.

New Dial Senior Staff Takes Charge

Photo by Christian Riegler New editors Roya Wolfe, Benjy Renton and Joy Dracos look over past issues of the paper.

By Marc Rod

The Dial recently appointed its new editorial staff for the upcoming school year, led by Editors-in-Chief juniors Benjy Renton and Roya Wolfe and Online Editor junior Joy Dracos. The new editors are excited to implement planned improvements, including more frequent output, a monthly game page, and enhanced communication among staff members. Benjy, Roya, and Joy have been on The Dial’s staff for two years, serving as staff writers in their sophomore year, and page editors in their junior year.

Benjy and Roya want to increase collaboration among the members of The Dial’s staff. “We want to be able to have a lot more communication [among staff members] and consistency in what we produce, and [also] vary up our content,” said Benjy.

With regard to the website, Joy praised Benjy’s excellent work on

boosting The Dial’s online presence this year. “I think Benjy has done a really good job of bringing the website up in terms of quality. For social media, I want to get the student body more involved this year,” she said.

The Dial staff also wants to expand its audience beyond the Upper School, to Middle School students and other members of the Hackley community, according to Roya.

Benjy, Roya, Joy, and the rest of the new staff are all excited about their roles on The Dial and the improvements they can bring to the paper. “I’m looking forward to working with this incredible new staff, because I think everyone on our team is extremely talented, and they each have something unique and special to offer to the success of The Dial. I’m also looking forward to meeting the new staff writers next year,” said Roya.

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April 2016

Dial

Prom Pressure is the New Peer Pressure Do you like the public nature of many Hackey “promposals”?

86% Yes 14% No Illustration by Olivia Weinberg

Do you think it is fair that girls are expected to say yes?

Photo by Benjy Renton Senior Eli Pinkus “promposes” to fellow Senior Caterina Moran during one of the most attended school events, Coffeehouse,with the help of 5 friends.

34% Yes 66% No

Poll Methodology Polls were distributed electronically through Upper School student emails. 210 students responded, representing approximately 53% of the student body. This poll has a margin of error of ±4.6%.

By The Editorial Board

H

ackley students have a tradition of asking their peers to prom in such an extravagant fashion that they have been likened to marriage proposals - hence the nickname “promposals.” While some new teachers don’t even know what the word means, “promposals” are a notorious aspect of the prom season at Hackley.

They increase school spirit for prom each year since they often involve many people and create a spectacle.

While some introverted students dislike this ostentatious tradition because it comes with pressure to step out of their comfort zones, The Dial believes that the tradition as a whole has become popular for positive reasons. However, the stigma that lower scale or less public “promposals” are lesser in quality than the productions some peers create is a negative one. This belief is detrimental to more introverted students, and in some cases deters students from asking anyone at the

Dial staff

Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave.Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 April 29, 2016 Vol. 118, No. 7 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief Roya Wolfe, Benjy Renton Online Editor Joy Dracos Section Editors News Alex Meyer, Hunter Freedman Opinion Catherine Meyer, Olivia Weinberg Politics Lei Anne Rabeje Feature Maddy Chen, LiliAnna Khosrowshahi Arts Hope Weisman, Claire Sukhman Lifestyles Hannah Urken, Lucy Barse Science & Tech Grace Henrich, Georgia Panitz Sports Pat Walker, Bailey Griffen Photography Christian Riegler Asst. Online Editor Bridget Barsanti 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.

all. Moreover, it can guilt girls into saying yes regardless of who asks them, even if they were planning to go with someone else who had not actually “prom-posed” yet.

Just like any proposal-—business, marriage, or otherwise—planning for a “promposal” takes courage and consideration, particularly for those who choose to ask in a public manner. It puts pressure on the individual who ‘pops the question,’ especially if the individual is concerned about the response this question will beget. In recent years, there has been an unspoken rule amongst the community that the answer to any “promposal” should be “yes”; advocates of this principle point to the brevity of prom, which is only one night and could probably be limited to a few photos and a slow dance, and (given the public nature of many “promposals”) advocates promote consideration of the asker’s confidence.

However, The Dial believes that no one should be obligated to say yes to anyone, and the public nature of prom asks should not serve as a manipulative factor in their decision. “I feel that if it is unexpected, it puts a very unpleasant, public pressure and attention on the recipient. What if she (or, I suppose he, although I don’t know whether that has occurred at Hackley) doesn’t want to go to prom with the asker?

She or he is forced in the moment to say yes to avoid embarrassing the asker, and then, I suppose, must either have a private conversation with the asker to explain why this isn’t happening or go anyway, somewhat under duress,” said Hackley’s Classics Chair Dr. Adrianne Pierce.

Of course, there are particular scenarios that seem to justify this claim more than others (having a significant other, for example), but regardless, everybody should be able to enjoy their prom with whomever they want. Just as the asker chooses

who they are asking to prom, any individual should be able to choose their response and ultimately who they want to go to prom with as well.

The apparent necessity for extravagance is the real root of all this controversy; respecting “promposal”s that aren’t so ostentatious would create a space for more reserved students to ask someone more comfortably, without feeling that they asked inadequately. Moreover, it would allow for someone being asked to feel more confident about giving a genuine answer, because their concern would not be about the immediate backlash or criticism towards themselves or the asker.

With the acceptance of less showy “promposals” should also come the acceptance of declining someone; the stigma of shame in a decline should be eradicated for similar reasons that some believe acceptance should be obligatory. Prom is just one night, and can be limited to a couple photos and a dance. If the

person asked chooses to spend that time with someone else, then it is hardly a big deal in the end. It is just one night, and if one person says no there are still hundreds of other people within Hackley and obviously many more outside of Hackley’s community who someone could invite to prom. “It’s absolutely okay for anyone to say no to prom,” says senior Kat Cucullo. “Prom is supposed to be a good time to dance with your friends and no one should feel obliged to go with anyone they don’t want to,” she adds.

The complication arises with the idea that these private prom asks would become the norm as fear of rejection does as well, and the spirit behind “promposals” would be lost altogether. To encourage students to continue this wonderful tradition, we need to be accepting of both the private and public asks, as both cater to the needs of different people.

Letters to the Editor To the Editor: I read with great interest the two winter Dial editorials concerning a proposed re-evaluation of Hackley’s current drug policies. I applaud the editors for their respectful, thoughtful, and wellreasoned analysis of the issue. It is natural and understandable to want to revisit policies and rules that do not always result in outcomes that seem fair given the totality of circumstances.

That said, re-evaluating or changing cultural norms is a delicate process that requires input from many constituencies. As Hackley is now a global member of Round Square, I would like to see more opportunities for student, faculty, and administrators to come together to create a

shared vision for the school, especially leveraging the leadership and democracy pillars of the Round Square IDEALS. I believe a number of other member schools have more robust student leadership councils with a greater say in the formulation of school policy as well as a more active role in the disciplinary process.

Perhaps the creation of an ad hoc committee with the goal to review Hackley’s current policies with respect to marijuana use, with representation from trustees, faculty, administration, and the student body, would be a step in the right direction. Having been involved in the world of debate over the past five years,

I can say with some confidence that the only way to arrive at meaningful change is through shared, respectful dialogue, where all parties all willing to listen to viewpoints with which they may disagree. The Dial editorials were a significant start to this process and I am proud to work at a school where our students have put into practice the notion of “civilized dissent.”

necessarily think that finals are a solution to the problem. High school is a stressful experience, and adding finals will simply raise the already dangerously high stress levels of Hackley students. Instead, I believe that an interesting alternative would be rewarding students who improve their trimester grades from Trimester II to Trimester III, with some sort of end of year gift. Furthermore, I agree with the editorial’s claims regarding the 11-point grading

system. Our grading system is what traps Hackley in the vicious cycle of grade superiority, fluctuating effort, and a lack of emphasis on individual growth and learning. Hopefully Hackley can make structural changes moving forward and improve the educational experience for all of its students and faculty.

Stephen Fitzpatrick Director of Debate Hackley School

To the Editor: Re “Hackley’s Grading System Is Flawed” (page 2, Mar. 18): I believe that this editorial does a great job addressing the culture that our ultra-competitive high school is a part of, while also discussing how Hackley can enact change.

It is indisputable that our grading system has adverse affects on the effort levels of students school-wide, as shown by The Dial poll showing that 60% of students noted a decrease in effort in the third trimester. However, I don’t

Seth Tilliss Hackley School

Corrections: The byline on the article “Mr Gue: Computers, Coding, Tech, and More” (Mar. 18) was incorrect; the article was written by Hunter Freedman.

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April 2016

Can You Spot the Five Differences?

Illustration by Kelly Castro-Blanco

Spring Has Spr ung Word Search

Graphic by Claire Sukhman

For the differences in the pictures, scan the QR code here and check out The Dial Online!

4 arts

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April 2016

AP Art Students Fly Off to Florence

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Captured in Florence

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Senior AP Art students visited several galleries, museums, and cathedrals on their trip to Florence, Italy.

By Alexi Sandhu

Losing his passport on the plane was definitely not on the list of things to do while in Italy during the AP Art Trip, according to Levi DeMatteo when he left on March 17 on this year’s AP Art Trip to Florence.

On the Thursday before spring break, seven senior AP Art students: Levi DeMatteo, Isabella Yannuzzi, Nina Bethel, Alex Gluckman, Basia Van Buren, Dom Meneses, Erin Jung, Jason Traum, Lana Tager, and Stephanie Smith, accompanied by Art teachers Greg Cice and Mark Green and Biology teacher Amanda Esteves-Kraus, embarked on an exciting seven-day trip to visit Florence, Italy, otherwise known as the “Birthplace of the Renaissance.”

The trip was open to all AP Art students with no application requirement. When asked how Florence was chosen as the destination,

Mr. Cice replied, “We usually let the students choose, so when we went the first year they wanted to go to Paris and then this year we decided to do another trip and the students wanted to go to Italy.”

The entirety of the trip was spent solely in the city of Florence, where the group explored many of the city’s famous museums, galleries, libraries, churches, and cathedrals. Personal favorites included: the Uffizi Gallery, the Laurentian Library, the Church of Santa Croce, the Academia, and the Florence Cathedral. “What was also so special about this trip was actually that we did not leave Florence, so the students really were able to ‘get to know’ Florence,” explained Ms. E-K. While many enjoyed the work of world-renowned artists such as da Vinci, Botticelli, and Michelangelo and the architecturally signifi-

cant “Brunelleschi’s Dome,” some students, like Isabella Yannuzzi, enjoyed learning about the lesserknown artists of the Renaissance.

“What’s amazing about Italy is that you are literally walking through history.” said Ms. E-K. Besides visiting art museums and galleries, the entire group was also able to explore the city of Florence itself.

Mr. Cice added that, “In Italy, especially a place like Florence, the art is actually in as much of the museums as it is in the city.” From its busy covered markets and piazzas (public squares), beautiful Italian architecture, and even its delicious, original, authentic gelato, Florence has a unique culture that can only experience by visiting yourself.

However, despite the overall positive experience, there were some changes suggested that could be applied if the trip ever happened again. Time was definitely a con-

straining factor during the trip as Cice explains that, “There was so much to see in Florence, that we didn’t even have enough time to see everything we wanted to see.” “I wish we had more time to sketch because we got to see a lot of amazing things. I anticipated more time for actually just sitting down and drawing,” Isabella commented.

Levi, who had already visited Florence prior to this trip, said that if he went again, he would like to spend some time touring the Florentine countryside along with the city.

In the end, Levi recovered his passport and was able to return back to the U.S. and despite the ups and downs, everyone who went to Florence enthuistically recommended that anyone who loves art should consider taking AP Art and going on what they said was an amazing art trip.

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Photo courtesy of Jason Traum

Hackley Community Voices Opinions on The Katrina Project “I really loved ‘The Katrina Project.’ I thought it was really intense, but super eye-opening to talk and hear about.” ~Junior Amanda Patterson Photo by Benjy Renton The cast of The Katrina Project stands together at a powerful point in their performance.

“I think that ‘The Katrina Project’ was one of the strongest plays put on by Hackley School, especially in comparison to the previous ones. I thought it was really powerful and the students perfectly executed the emotions set forth by how Hurricane Katrina was dealt with, especially by Bush.”

~Sophomore Lucia Yannuzzi

Photo by Benjy Renton The cast pays tribute umbrella messages seen across the city of New Orleans while houses flooded.

“I thought it was really cool to get an inside scoop on what it was like for the people who lived during that time and hear the true stories from different families, because normally when you hear about Hurricane Katrina, you don’t really know what it was like for the people; you can only imagine. So it was amazing to see it through their eyes.”

~Senior Ally Pettiti

“It was pretty well done and showcased what has actually happened, and [the actors] seemed to all care about it a lot, which I liked.”

~Freshman Danny Casper Photo by Benjy Renton Junior Fin McCombe delivers a monologue that leaves the audience with chills.

Photo by Benjy Renton Interviewers speak to the Mayor of New Orleans, played by Beatrice McColl.

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Sophomore Celia Gooding Rises as Coffeehouse Mogul

By Hope Weisman

Every Hackley student has something special they bring to the classroom, whether it be a sharp sense of humor or the ability to connect two things that seem like polar opposites seamlessly. If you’ve ever been in a class with sophomore Celia Gooding, you know precisely what she brings - and that there is simply no one else on the Hilltop like her.

Sophomore Celia Gooding has made herself quite a presence on stage in the PAC at recent Hackley Coffeehouses, however, she spends much more time than that on the stage each week.

Performing is quite plainly in Celia’s blood. Her mother, LaChanze, is both a Tony and Emmy award winner who just finished the national tour of If/ Then, for which her performance earned her a Broadway.com Audience Award. “It’s a cliché, but my mom’s my biggest inspiration,” said Celia.

Though Celia’s mom played a huge role in her interest in theatre, her initial memories in performing are not the fondest. “At first I hated it, I thought I looked stupid in the makeup and the lights were too bright and the audience clapped too loud,” she said of her second grade debut in Romeo and Juliet. It wasn’t until the very end of Act II, in which she played Juliet, that she began to warm up to the idea of making acting a regular endeavor.

“It took a couple years to realize how much I liked acting. The fourth grade was when I knew I had to do some form of performance art in order to be happy; it became my life, and to this day I still think that nothing else could make me happier,” she explained.

Like any serious performer, Celia follows a pre-show regimen for the

Celia covers the hit song “Hotline Bling” by Drake at the Winter Coffeehouse.

final moments before the lights go down. “Personally, right before a show I check my makeup, do tongue twisters, and speed through every line I have. All around it takes about 10-15 minutes to do my final prep,” she said.

She never takes a second on

stage for granted, and handles her final moments before the curtain comes up like a true professional.

Getting ready for Coffeehouse, however, is a bit different, but is still a serious process. Celia said, “[Getting ready] involves about 10 girls trying

Photo by Benjy Renton

to fit in the PAC bathroom, so I try to stay as far away from that scene as possible to stay clear-minded.”

Despite her previous experience onstage, including work in Off-Broadway productions, Celia found it daunting to get up in front of virtually the entire

Upper School as a freshman and sing.

“Freshman year I was a bit nervous about it. I felt like I was intruding on something intended mostly for upperclassmen, but now I love it. So note to all underclassmen: don’t be afraid to perform at Coffeehouse,” she said.

Celia’s inherent ability to layer dramatics on top of raw talent is what makes her Coffeehouse performances so unique. She feels that acting and singing work hand-in-hand, and strives to bring them as close together as possible every time she steps onto the PAC stage. “I feel like in order to have a really great performance, you can’t be deadpan, even if you have the most amazing voice in the world. My pet peeve is a singer who is amazing vocally, but a complete bore to watch,” she said.

Perhaps one of the most memorable Coffeehouse numbers of the 20152016 school year was Celia’s rendition of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” back in January.

Her comfort on stage was tangible, and her acting skills shone through. “During my ‘Hotline Bling’ performance, I spaced and forgot a good chunk of lyrics, but I had to act like it didn’t affect me so I could move on and finish the song. To this day I can hear people call me ‘the ‘Hotline Bling’ girl’,” said Celia.

While she’s still performing on the Hilltop, there is one teacher she’d love to sing a duet with: “Mr. Temple. If you’ve ever heard him sing, you’ll understand why.”

The Hackley Upper School has the privilege of looking on as Celia’s career moves forward at a mile a minute.

She will be playing Ms. Pennywise in a Broadway-level production of Urinetown, but aspires to be the first woman to play Aaron Burr in Hamilton in ten years’ time.

Coffeehouse Tribute to the Class of 2016

Scan below for more Coffeehouse photos

Hackley seniors (Class of 2016) perform at their last Coffeehouse as students in April.

Photos by Benjy Renton

6 lifestyles

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April 2016

How to Get the Most Out of a College Visit

HEAL Instills Awareness

Dial

By Alex Meyer

In honor of Earth Day, Hackley’s HEAL club hosted sociologist Jennifer Greene to speak to the community about the immoral aspects of Carnism and its impact on the environment. Later in the day, she also attended Mr. Bileca’s Moral Philosophy class to discuss with the students in a smaller setting about the dilemma of Carnism.

In the spring, HEAL is also planning numerous events to keep the community engaged with its program and to stay mindful of Hackley’s environmental impact every year, such as a sports equipment drive and Crayola marker drive. Senior Karina Franke, the leader of HEAL, is optimistic about their events planned for the end of the year and their progression as a group. “I’m really excited about how HEAL looks for the end of the year and for next year, as some of the underclassmen will take on leadership roles in planning the upcoming events,” she said.

Ways to Contribute to the Environment: A good way to be conscious about the environment on Earth Day is to pick up litter and be extra attentive to trash on the ground. Every day it can be easy to simply walk past trash on the ground and not give it a second thought, but for this Earth Day try to pay attention to the garbage around you and pick it up!

Photos by Benjy Renton and Hannah Urken Clockwise from top left: UCLA campus during Spring Break, Main Quad at Bowdoin, Central Library at University of Richmond.

By Lucy Barse

The busy schedule of a Hackley student leaves little to no time to visit colleges, but Spring Break is the perfect time to get some of those visits out of the way. College visits allow students to see what the college is like on a normal school day, as well as offer a great opportunity to find out information about the school that it may not provide online. Many colleges offer tours led by the students themselves, who can provide great insight into how they feel about their own experience at the school.

Although you may have heard specific things about certain schools, it is important to go into each visit with a completely clear perspective.

When attending an information session, although it may feel like the speaker is just throwing out facts and statistics, it can be very beneficial to take notes on the content that interests you. More specifically, a list of pros and cons would be helpful to remember both the positive and negative aspects of the school. It’s important to consider what sets that school apart from others in order to prevent your memories of the visits from molding together. Oftentimes,

many schools will leave time at the end of the information session for questions. This is a great opportunity to ask about any curiosity you may have. Senior Ally Petitti says, “It’s a good idea to ask questions about not only the academic life, but also about the campus life.”

When on the campus tour, if you stay towards the front of the group, the guide might talk to you and answer any questions you may still have. If you have more time after the tour is over, go see parts of the school that the tour did not show you. If you enjoyed your tour guide, it is always a good idea to ask for his or her email in case you come up with more questions and want to contact a student in the future.

Try not to lose the handouts that the school might provide for you as they usually have some useful information and will remind you of what you heard at that college.

If you happen to know a student who attends the college you are interested in, whether a Hackley graduate or from your town, reach out to that student. Maybe they are willing to meet up for coffee or food or even spend the night with them. This will give you a chance to hear new opinions about the school that may be a little more

honest or realistic. Senior Elana Stern says, “Message people you know that go to the school you’re visiting to meet up with them and ask them questions that you didn’t get to find out on the tour.”

Although you won’t be able to visit every school, it is very important and helpful to visit any schools you are seriously considering. Junior Jack Weyndling, who visited two schools all the way in Scotland, says, “If you are considering an international school, going the distance to visit it is definitely worth it and you get to see the international programs that they have available for students all over the world.” Seeing the environment that surrounds the school might help you decide whether or not that school is for you.

The college process can get very stressful, especially when all you know about a school is what you see on their website. In the end, it is crucial to make sure that you find the school whose surroundings as well as classroom environment work for you. Visiting schools will help you figure what you do and do not want in a school, hopefully making this significant decision a little easier.

Try to use less water and conserve as much as possible. Turning off the sink while brushing your teeth is a great way to save water, as is taking a shorter shower. A four-minute shower uses up approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water. To save water when brushing your teeth, do the same when you are brushing and rinsing.

Use a metal or reusable water bottle as opposed to plastic storebought water bottles. Not only is doing this environmentally conservative, but it is also financially conservative. Purchasing a $10 Nalgene water bottle once conserves thousands of dollars annually that would be spent otherwise on disposable plastic water bottles.

Earth Day is a great opportunity to start a compost in your backyard by putting a bin where your trash is stored. Put leaves, weeds, and garden waste into this bin and fill it with your organic waste. Try to avoid putting bones, toxic materials, or animal waste into your compost! After you’ve collected a bin full of compost, wait a month or two and you’ll have rich compost on the bottom that is ready for use.

Photo by Lucy Barse Red tulips planted by the Hackley community in the fall bloomed this April.

P r o m D r e s s Tr e n d s f o r 2 0 1 6 Two Piece

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Illustrations by Olivia Weinberg

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April 2016

Hackley Students Immerse Themselves in Moroccan Culture

By Lei Anne Rabeje

Photo by Lei Anne Rabeje Hackley Casten trip members gather for a lunch at the Ambassador’s house in Rabat, Morocco, where they met and ate with the Ambassador.

“Throughout the trip there was a cultural and language barrier, especially when visiting the orphanage. Even though we didn’t speak their language and their way of life was a lot different from ours, our ability to communicate with them through laughter taught me that people are greater than the barriers that separate them.”

~Alex Hayward

On March 18, 12 Hackley students along with four guardians embarked on a Casten trip to Morocco. Intent on learning about religious diversity - the relationship between Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism - the trip was abundant in visits to mosques and synagogues.

The 12-day journey around Morocco began and ended in the economic capital of Casablanca. From there the group traveled to Rabat, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Fez, Er-Rissani, Ouarzazate, and Marrakech. Easy transport between the cities, which were often 5-6 hours apart, was alleviated by the sleek, black Mercedes-Benz vans provided by H.E. Mr. Abdeslam Jaidi, Morocco’s Ambassador.

Travelling throughout Morocco, the existence of the “Hackley

“I think we really covered religious diversity, especially through our tour guide at Chefchaouen. We learned how they encouraged—and welcomed—all kinds of religions to promote coexistence. For me that was really important to hear because we stigmatize Africa so much.”

~Christina Wang

Photo by Lei Anne Rabeje Students visited the Hassan II Mosque on the first day.

“I knew it would be an experience unlike any other I had the moment our caravan of Mercedes vans left the airport for our hotel in Casablanca. My first sight was the beautiful palm trees surrounding the road and the massive wall closing off the airport.”

~Amin Mustefa Photo by Lei Anne Rabeje Sophomores Alex Hayward and Christina Wang visit a Moroccan orphanage.

“My most memorable experience from Morocco was the moment we mounted our camels and began the trek into the desert. The overload to the senses was amazing: the vibrant orange of the sand, the lack of any real smell, the sight of nothing but sand dunes in all directions, the sounds of tranquility from the the openness and the powdery soft feel of the sand.”

~Jason Gilley

bubble” continued to persist, showing itself in different moments. “As it manifested on the trip, I think that increasingly students and faculty became more aware of such a bubble,” said English teacher, Wil Lobko. “It’s like an obstacle to overcome.

It’s a bubble that you can reach through, stretch or break. I think you want to not have a bubble - you will always have something like that, but you can see it as something to overcome” Similarly, Christina Wang felt the “bubble” distorting her experience of Morocco. “Obviously the ‘bubble’ has to exist for our general safety when travelling thousands of miles away from home. I think the main reason I wanted to go to Morocco was because I wanted to go to a continent that’s so misunderstood by our media,” said Christina. “Because of that bubble, I only got to see the westernized, glamorous side of it. Traveling with the bubble has its good sides but it would have been more authentic if it were not there.”

Arriving in Morocco on March 19 at 8 a.m., the intrepid travelers kicked off the trip with a tour around Casablanca and a visit to Hassan II Mosque, the world’s third-largest mosque. From there, they drove to Rabat and visited the Kasbah of the Udayas, Mausoleum of Mohammed the V, and Chella. For lunch, the students and guardians dined with the Ambassador and his family in their extravagantly designed home filled with elephants.

The next day was marked with a trip to the picturesque “blue city” of Chefchaouen, a four-hour drive from Rabat. “The most memorable moment for me - besides the Sahara - was visiting Chefchaouen,” said Lucia. “Every single house and building— everything— was painted blue to mark where the Jewish people lived. It’s really amazing that they continue this tradition. It’s

“[the ‘Hackley bubble’] is like an obstacle to overcome. It’s a bubble that you can reach through, stretch or break. I think you want to not have a bubble - you will always have something like that, but you can see it as something to overcome.”

~Mr. Lobko

Photo by Lei Anne Rabeje Students visit Marrakesh and take in Moroccan culture.

Photo by Lei Anne Rabeje Hackley students visit a market in Casablanca where they toured around and tried authentic Moroccan food including various olives.

what makes it one of the more unique places in the world.”

After an eight-hour drive through snow-capped mountains and deserts, the group arrived in the Sahara Desert where 16 camels sat awaiting their arrival. “Riding the camels in the Sahara Desert and watching the sunset was the most memorable part of the trip,” said Christina. “That moment in the desert when I didn’t have my phone on me made me feel so connected with everyone and honored and grateful to be there.”

The Sahara Desert easily became the students’ favorite moment of the trip. From “glamping” in the desert—where each room was lined with floor-to-ceiling carpet with a shower and toilet—to taking a night walk under the blanket of stars, the Sahara was undeniably the most breathtaking part.

The journey ended with a service project at an orphanage near Marrakech. Through its partnership with Round Square, Hackley students worked with the Elaraki School to paint the orphanage’s classrooms. Their visit further stressed the language barrier, yet it had very little impact in the experience of the group as they painted the classrooms and played with the kids. “Even though we didn’t speak their language and their way of life was a lot different from ours, our ability to communicate with them through laughter taught me that people are greater than the barriers that separate them,” said Alexandra.

8 feature

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April 2016

Dial

After 12 Years, Dr. Elliot Smith Leaves the Hilltop

Photo courtesy of Chris Taggart Dr. Smith accompanies student vocalist.

Dr. Smith’s passion for history is evident in his teaching, always making his classes engaging.

Photo courtesy of Chris Taggart

By Lilianna Khosrowshahi

at the beginning of 70 minute history and allow them to When a student walks through the hallways of Goodhue, let loose. Dr. Smith makes a noise and the whole class, some hear music coming from Dr. Smith’s classroom and that’s one by one, has to imitate that noise as best they can. not a surprise. Between his infamous “noise game”, his impactful Dr Smith said, “I love graduation because every year you presence at coffeehouse, and his friday morning detentions, Dr. get to see the new group be launched out. If you teach for a Smith has played an essential role in the Hackley community. long time you have seen a lot of graduations, but there’s still As many students already know, Dr. Smith has recently that feeling of excitement for the kids. Along with graduation, decided to move to Houston, Texas with his wife who is look- because I’m a musician, I’ve always enjoyed seeing Hacking to follow her teaching career. “My ley kids perform in one way wife is changing jobs, so she got a job in or another whether it’s theHouston. It’s a kind of exciting, differ- “I enjoy teaching young people and Hack- atre, music, or coffee house.” ent job. She’ll be the founding head of ley’s students are wonderful. In a larger Ever since Dr. Smith has a new upper school there. She got a rare sense I’ll miss the community as a whole and been at Hackley, Coffeehouse opportunity and she started to get excited its different components. Hackley is more has evolved into a big event. about it and so did I. So we went down, Dr. Smith loves coffeehouse not knowing much about Texas, and we of a concentrated community with more because he feels that teachactually really enjoyed it,” said Dr. Smith. opportunities to get to know each other ers have learned to “give as Considering Dr. Smith has been such a and that is one thing that I will miss for sure.” much of the control of cofhuge part of the Hackley community for ~Dr. Smith feehouse as we can to students 12 years, not only is there a lot that will be in a way that the students feel missed about him, but certainly a lot that that they have ownership.” he will be missing. Dr. Smith said, “I’m going to miss the stuWhile Dr. Smith’s time at Hackley has been important to dents first because I enjoy teaching young people and Hackley’s the whole community, his future in Texas holds a multitude of students are wonderful. In a larger sense I’ll miss the communi- opportunities. Dr. Smith is looking to continue his teaching ty as a whole and its different components. Hackley is more of career, but he is also trying to maintain and balance his music. a concentrated community with more opportunities to get to “I’m going to do a variety of things there, at the moment I’m know each other and that is one thing that I will miss for sure.” not sure, but I do know that it’s highly unlikely that I’ll just sit Dr. Smith has had many memorable times at Hackley, around next to the pool, so I probably will do some teaching, but some of his favorite memories include: his very own but I’ll also be doing more music. I’ll want to do some more noise offs during 70 minute history, students’ Coffeehouse playing, writing, and some more recording. I’d love to see if performances, and graduation. The noise off is a game I could balance that all out a little bit more,” said Dr. Smith. that was created by Dr. Smith made for students to relax

Photo by Christian Riegler Dr. Smith engages students in history classes.

Photo courtesy of Chris Taggart Dr. Smith is always a hit at Coffeehouse.

Hackley’s Soup Kitchen Club Fights Hunger in Westchester

Club members make delicious meals for the low-income families in White Plains.

By Hunter Freedman

Hackley’s Soup Kitchen Club is one of many hidden gems in the Hackley community. Members experience the joy of community service by doing much more than just making soup. The club travels to St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in White Plains one Sunday a month to prepare

Photo by Roya Wolfe

and serve a salad course, an entrée, desserts, and beverages for 30 to 40 people. Senior Mackenzie Price and junior Roya Wolfe are the leaders of the club and have successfully helped guide the members through the process of volunteering at a soup kitchen.

Preparing for the soup kitchen takes a lot of planning ahead. The week before the club

goes to St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Mackenzie creates and posts a recipe in the club’s Facebook group. Then the members decide which ingredients are to be brought in by whom. “Sometimes it’ll be chili, sometimes it will be spaghetti bolognese, it’s been beef stew in the past,” said Mackenzie.

When the members of the club arrive at the soup kitchen on Sunday with the various ingredients for the meal of the day, they immediately put on gloves and get to work chopping, mixing, and cooking. The salads go out first and then the entrées, complete with the main dish, a side, and a piece of bread. After everyone has received their food, seconds are served and some people request take home boxes for their families. Finally, dessert is served and the Soup Kitchen Club members begin to clean up the kitchen as well as the eating area. People who attend the soup kitchen usually help with the cleanup process to show their gratitude toward the volunteers.

The Soup Kitchen Club is unique due to the interactions members have with the people they are serving and how the volunteering goes beyond preparing meals. While serving the dishes and preparing take home meals, many of the attendees chat with the Hackley students and form a bond that is important when doing community service. “My favorite aspect of the club is talking to the patrons of the soup kitchen. They’re all very nice and it’s eye-

opening to talk to people outside of the Hackley bubble,” member Nicole Heyward said.

Between last year and this year, Hackley’s Soup Kitchen Club has evolved and changed immensely. Last year with Jeffrey Guzman and Jeremy Anderson leading the club, a woman named Ramana would prepare rice, beans, and chicken every Sunday the Hackley club went to St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. “But after Jeffrey and Jeremy left, then Ramana left as well. So now it’s Hackley kids literally cooking meals,” said Mackenzie,”it’s a really involved process.”

The Hackley Soup Kitchen Club is still an unknown part of the Hackley community, and the leaders as well as the members want more students to know about the many benefits of community service. “Keeping it on our minds that we do have a soup kitchen club is a great thing. Now that all of this interest has been taken in the Soup Kitchen Club, I think that it’s almost time to expand the club to soup kitchens in different churches or in different parts of Westchester,” said Mackenzie.

Hackley’s Soup Kitchen Club is an amazing way to participate in community service, while having fun with friends. Members of the club find satisfaction as well as happiness in providing for the community by making and serving food as well as interacting with the people who attend the soup kitchen. The club continues to evolve and can always use new members who want to give back to their community.

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April 2016

Social Media: A Hotbed of Political Commentary

By Sydney Monroe

It would surely be an understatement to describe our current election season as unprecedented. In recent memory, political rhetoric has never sounded more divisive, never have political parties seemed as conflicted, and never have young people and their technology played such a role in creating and shaping a nation’s opinions.

Hackley students know firsthand how vital a role social media has played in this election, as a majority of Upper School students engage on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and other outlets of social media, where talk of the election has become commonplace.

Facebook in particular has become a hotbed of political commentary, and has led to many discussions and conflicts among students at Hackley.

“I see more and more people expressing their opinions on Facebook as the election goes on,” said senior Arielle Stern, “I find it really interesting to see what everyone is thinking on Facebook.”

The rest of the country reflects a usage of social media similar to Hackley, as one Pew poll found that 38% of all social network users have posted material relating to politics or social issues.

Presidential candidates are taking advantage of these new communication channels as well. Borrell Associates predicted in February that politicians would be allocating over 9% of their media budgets

Illustration by Hunter Freedman

towards digital and social media, which totals an estimated $1 billion. This is how eager politicians are to win over the millennial vote, much of which comes down to relatability and transparency with the younger people of this country.

The newest developments in the political usage for social media have come with the recent burst in the popularity of Snapchat, an app that allows users to see compiled “live stories” of pictures and videos posted by other users of certain events happening around the world.

Many presidential candidates have capitalized on this ability to instantly reach out to a younger, engaged audience. Politicians from John Kasich to Bernie Sanders have been featured in “stories” that occur during specific primaries, in attempts to motivate local citizens to vote.

Snapchat also releases filters regularly updated with the results from each state’s primary. Throughout the season, Snapchat has become a platform for users to be updated on the presidential election. In the recent New York Primary, Snapchat

also released a new filter promoting Bernie Sanders’ campaign.

“I think a lot of times people become aware of the primaries happening and the overwhelming support for candidates, specifically from the Snapchat stories. It shows the demographic of who people support. I think Snapchat has led to an increased awareness about the election and the trends and demographics,” said sophomore Ellie Grueskin.

Senior TJ Gooley said, “I think Bernie Sanders’ use of social me-

dia leverages a key advantage in the election - he seems more relatable to young adult voters who he is trying to appeal to.”

“Social media can actually be really honest, and shows people in their most authentic light,” said sophomore Elon Middleton.

“Usually most people don’t have access to these kinds of personal videos of candidates and can’t really figure out for themselves their true feelings on a candidate. Social media can highlight some negativity that we might not see otherwise.”

These online platforms have also highlighted the polarizing nature of the election, as popularity has shifted away from mostly centrist and establishment figures to more radical and outsider perspectives, such as those of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. “I’ve definitely noticed more fights on social media because more and more people are expressing conflicting political ideas,” said senior Dom Meneses.

Clashing political ideologies aside, one thing is inherently clear: Hackley students, (as well young people nationwide) are more politically engaged than ever before, in part because of their opportunities to freely express their opinions on social media platforms. “I’m always really impressed by how passionate and intelligent people come off when I see their posts on Facebook, whether I agree with them or not,” said Arielle.

Navigating Election Jargon

By Neil Suri

Poll methodology: Polls were distributed electronically through Upper School student emails. 210 students responded, representing approximately 53% of the student body. This poll has a margin of error of ±4.6%.

As the political climate intensifies in the middle of presidential primaries, so too does the language describing our state of political affairs. A cursory search through a news article covering the election will yield terms like “contested convention,” “battleground states,” “superdelegate,” and “endorsement.”

A common criticism of the coverage of the presidential election is that it has tended to estrange viewers unfamiliar with political jargon. Understanding the use of such vocabulary will prevent voters from feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of political information in the news.

The GOP has recently made headlines with talk of a potential contested Republican convention.

While in most election years, a presidential candidate wins a majority of the delegates before entering a party nominating convention, pundits speculate that a contested convention could be likely due to the closeness of the race.

In a contested convention, with no candidate having accumulated a majority of the delegates, convention delegates would repeatedly vote until one nominee hit the “magic number” of 1,237 — the amount of delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Roughly 95% of delegates as of now are “bound” to candidates - that is, they have pledged their support for a nominee. During the convention, they are required to vote for that nominee in the first round of voting. If no majority of delegates is reached during the first round of voting, these delegates are “unbound” and free to vote for other candidates dur-

ing subsequent rounds of voting.

The Democratic side of the race is complicated by the presence of superdelegates. Superdelegates are unpledged delegates who aren’t beholden to the results of the primaries, and are free to support the candidate of their choice at the convention. Because superdelegates generally cast their ballots for candidates according to popular support in the state, the superdelegate count will most likely go to the candidate with the most pledged delegates.

When it comes to the candidates themselves, much has been made about the use of PACs and SuperPACs in corporate sponsorship.

PACs (Political Action Committees) are organizations that are designed to raise campaign contributions for candidates. There are currently about 4,600 active PACs that are connected to labor unions, large businesses, and trade groups.

Unlike PACs, which have caps on spending contributions, SuperPACs can raise unlimited funds

for candidates, but can’t directly donate money to the candidates that they support. Both Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders have spoken out against the use of PACs and SuperPACs with respect to campaign contributions.

The election race has also narrowed from a significantly larger pool of candidates, with fifteen Republican candidates and four Democratic candidates having either suspended their campaigns or dropped out of the race. The distinction between dropping out of the race and suspending a campaign is an important one; candidates like Marco Rubio and Chris Christie who have suspended their campaigns can technically re-enter the race at a later date.

As we enter the home stretch of the primary season, a full grasp of the vocabulary used by political pundits, commentators, and candidates will become increasingly pertinent and useful.

Illustration by Lei Anne Rabeje

10 science & technology

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April 2016

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Seniors Discuss Excitement For Scientific Projects

By Grace Henrich

James Mattei prepares for his senior project at Regeneron.

Photo courtesy of Isabella Yannuzzi Isabella Yannuzzi works at Stone Barns Center bundling herbs.

Photo by Roya Wolfe

Photo by Georgia Panitz Morgan Connor looks forward to her internship in sports medicine.

For students who love science, the senior projects give them opportunities not usually afforded to high school students: assisting doctors, shadowing professionals, even conducting their own research.

Three seniors, Isabella Yannuzzi, James Mattei, and Morgan Connor, are doing senior projects in environmental studies, pharmaceutical research, and sports medicine. Isabella Yannuzzi is working at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising “public awareness of healthy, seasonal, sustainable food.”

At Stone Barns, Isabella will be helping collect food for the restaurant at the Center through foraging for indigenous edible plants and picking produce in their garden.

Isabella will also spread Stone Barns’ mission to Hackley using the skills she learns there to help the Hackley community. She will plant native wildflowers and plants that will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Many of the plants are also edible and will serve as an addition to the Lower

School garden, teaching students about foraging and sustainability.

“I love working at Stone Barns, and I think it would be nice to plant indigenous perennials around Hackley,” said Isabella. She hopes that her project will continue to enrich Hackley’s environment as they will regrow each year.

Five Hackley students are interning at Regeneron, a pharmaceuticals company in Tarrytown, for their senior project, but each is focusing on a different aspect of the company’s research. James is going to work in Regeneron’s Purification Department with Rachael Barton, a research assistant at Regeneron.

This department works to separate antibodies produced by genetically altered cells from cellular waste. These antibodies can then be used to create new drugs. James will be working with Rachael in understanding this process, and doing research to help facilitate it.

James chose his senior project because of his sisters’ influence, both of whom are currently working in fields of science. “They have acted as my window into seeing what the

bio med and research sciences have to offer and they inspired me to try and land the internship at Regeneron in the first place,” said James.

For her senior project, Morgan Connor is going to be interning at both Greenwich Sports Medicine and Stamford Twin Rinks.

At Greenwich Sports Medicine, Morgan will be shadowing sports medicine doctors and performing basic tasks, allowing her to acquire skills and learn information specific to that profession.

The innovative ways in which technology and medicine are combined at Greenwich Sports Medicine, from a compression machine that helps flush out lactic acid to electric acupuncture, is what excites Morgan about working there. “Working at the rink will be the most exciting part of the internship for me because I want to be a Sports Medicine doctor for a NHL team someday,” said Morgan. Her work at the Stamford Twin Rinks and at Greenwich Sports Medicine combines Morgan’s two passions—medicine and sports—as well as preparing her for the job she hopes to have in the future.

Dr. Ying Spearheads Research and Summer Programs

By Georgia Panitz

Hackley’s Science Department has tailored its course options to offer a large number of classes so that each student can pursue a path in the sciences which is best for them and also piques their interest. One of the newest options for Hackley students is the Independent Research Program, taught by science teacher Dr. Andrew Ying, and now in its first year.

The program offers students who are extremely interested in science, and even a specific field, the opportunity to pursue science research at a very high level. “I thought this would be a great way to get them (students) involved in currently what is happening in a field they are interested in, and hopefully be able to participate,” said Dr. Ying about the program.

The program is a major class which meets six out of the seven days of the cycle, and runs from sophomore to senior year. The class currently has four sophomore students enrolled: Vinay Bijoor, Sean Malcolm, Samhitha Josyula, and Connor Larson.

The main focus of the first year of the program for the students, is learning about their topic by reading published papers which have been peer reviewed by scientists. By reading these papers, the students learn vital information about their field, but also decide what they want to focus on as they continue their research. For example, Vinay, who is studying multiple sclerosis, and Samhitha, studying brain tumors, have decided to focus their research on the drugs and therapies in their fields. Sean Malcolm, who is studying

fusion and plasma physics, said, “My favorite part of this program is that it is very relaxed and you can decide what path you want to choose, but it also brings about the challenge that it is very hard to make a decision that you must stick with for 3 years.”

Dr. Ying has also spearheaded efforts to introduce all Hackley students to summer science course opportunities at universities across the country, such as MIT, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins. These summer courses offer a large variety of options, but the format for the programs vary between a more intensive and a less intensive option. The more intensive courses are research heavy, where students get to work in a lab for at least 6 weeks conducting experiments, collecting data, and then presenting their findings. The shorter courses are about one to two weeks, and are more curriculum driven and classwork based, but also include lab experiments.

With the Independent Research Program and summer course options, Dr. Ying is hoping to provide greater opportunities for Hackley students who are really interested in science and wish to gain more knowledge, in addition to what they learn in school. “It starts with how enthusiastic they are about science.

If they are really gung-ho about being in a lab and working and getting that experience, then this three-year program is a great option. If you generally like science and you want to learn about a lot of different things, then advanced course work (which Hackley offers) is a good option and one of the one or two-week summer programs is really good too,” said Dr. Ying.

As the research and findings in the scientific world are becoming more vast and advanced, Dr. Ying has done an exceptional job of helping develop the available science opportunities for current and future students at Hackley, so they can pursue their scientific interests and make contributions to the scientific field.

Photo by Georgia Panitz Independent Research Program students (from left to right): Samhitha Josyula, Vinay Bijoor, Sean Malcolm, and Connor Larson.

The Evolution of the iPhone: Where It All Began

By Max Chen

The iPhone 4 was a major upgrade and redesign compared to its previous model, the iPhone 3GS. This model had much higher processing speed and resolution.

Apple added a front-facing camera and the apps FaceTime and Game Center during this release.

2007 Released in 2007, the original iPhone has a storage capacity of 4 GB, 8 GB, and 6 GB. It was a revolutionary advancement because it had a unique design that laid the foundation to smart phone technology. Back then, the App Store was non-existent, meaning third party apps could not be downloaded.

2010

The iPhone 6 was a technological breakthrough. It had a larger screen with better screen resolution, a clearer camera than previous generations, and a longer battery life accompanied with a faster processing chip. This iPhone also introduced Touch ID to streamline and personalize security.

2012 Released with the iOS 6 software, the iPhone 5 redefined the iPhone by enlarging the screen and updating the camera capabilities.

Pictures were improved through the addition of autofocus and face detection and users were now able to add geotags to their photos.

As Apple’s newest product, this iPhone has the same capabili-

2014

2016 ties of the iPhone 6S, but reverts to a smaller size. This is significant because Apple was able to kept the processing capability even with a decrease in size. This amazing feat of technology will be in stores at the end of May. Illustrations by Olivia Weinberg

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sports 11

April 2016

Spring Sports Trips Bolster Excitement for Season

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By Bridget Barsanti and Pat Walker

Spring Track Over spring break the Track and Field team went to California for intense training and team bonding.

On a typical day the team would get up around 7:30 a.m.; distance would go for a run at Crystal Cove State Park, while sprinters and throwers headed out for a track workout at Orange Coast College. Postworkout, the team had free time at Laguna or Huntington Beach until another track workout with the entire team later in the evening. One of the highlights of the trip was the Point Mugu State Park mountain run, a nine-and-a-half-mile run with beautiful views of the Pacific Coast and good endurance training!

Meanwhile, sprinters took an afternoon off from hard workouts and bonded at the Santa Monica Pier.

Photo courtesy of Seth Karpinski

Boys’ Golf

Baseball Baseball players were stationed in Port St. Lucie, Florida again this year. Sophomore Daniel Hernandez said, “My favorite part was probably just being around everybody. It was my second year on the trip so it was fun being back together with everyone and then getting to know the new freshmen. The most interesting part of the trip was that we decided to buy this gnome and I took videos of it with some music and each time the bass dropped I zoomed in with my phone which was very funny. Overall the trip was fun. Even though we didn’t play our best baseball, it was fun to be with everybody again.”

Photo courtesy of Ryan Smith

Girls’ Lacrosse

Boys’ Golf woke up at 6:30 every morning to get an early start on the course. Charlie Hite loved the beautiful course, fantastic meals, and being able to drive carts each day. After putting competitions that the coach set up for them each day, going back to the hotel and chilling by the pool was the most relaxing activity.

“Overall the trip was a lot of fun...The course was beautiful, each meal was fantastic, driving carts everyday was great. The only boring part was when we only played one round a day and had nothing else for the remainder of our time.”

Photo courtesy of Charlie Hite

Girls’ Lacrosse kicked off their season in Clearwater, Florida. Everyday around 6:30 a.m, they woke up for breakfast and had two grueling practices a day with a scrimmage at night. The girls often went out to dinner, where they were able to bond and become closer with new teammates from other grades. After a day of lacrosse and fun under the Florida sun, lights out was 10:30 p.m.

Freshman Maddie White especially cherished her experience of becoming a part of her new team. She said,“My favorite part of the lacrosse trip was the karaoke we did together as a team. That night was a really fun night.”

Softball

Boys’ Lacrosse

Softball went to Disney World to sharpen up for the upcoming season during Spring Break. Every day, players would practice in the morning or afternoon depending on their games, would play at 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. For one game, the team plays under the lights. Right before the late game, they spent the entire day at the different Disney parks until game time. After the game, they went back to the hotel and either traveled to other Disney parks again or hung out in their rooms and played team bonding games.

To junior and lacrosse player Shayan Ahmad, the motto of the lacrosse trip was: “No pain, no gain.” Each day, the team would wake up at 7:00 every morning, and immediately would launch themselves into two practices a day: two hours in the morning, a 45-minute lunch break, and another two hours in the afternoon.

They had some downtime until scrimmages at night, and would go back to the hotel around 9:00 p.m., where they would then eat and hang out. Freshman Ben Meyers reflected on his trip as a new member of the team. He said, “I loved the team bonding with the upperclassmen.

They are a great bunch of guys.”

Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Price

Photo by Bridget Barsanti

Photo courtesy of Shayan Ahmad

12 sports

April 2016

Hackley Teams Get Excited for the Sting

By Bailey Griffen

Get out the face paint and your school spirit! This year the Spring Sting will return on April 29, showcasing many of Hackley’s talented athletes and successful varsity teams.

The event will kick off with Boys’ Varsity Tennis playing at 4:00 p.m. against the Harvey School. With one win and two losses this season, this should be an exciting match.

Later, on the Upper Fields, Hackley will face off against Riverdale in a series of games starting with baseball at 4:15 p.m. followed by softball at 4:30 p.m.

Girls’ Lacrosse will play against this rival school at 4:45 p.m., providing another exciting lineup for the Hilltop. The team has been undefeated so far this season and is eager to face Riverdale again during the Sting following a game they played earlier this season, having beaten them 18-4. The team is thrilled to continue playing together and facing challenging opponents later in the season.

“The lacrosse team has been super fun so far…the chemistry on the team is awesome because everyone is friends and you can really see it on the field,” said senior Kat Cucullo, excited for the Spring Sting. “I love the Spring Sting because it’s finally warm and it’s awesome to have the support of other teams that we usually don’t have,” she remarked.

The evening will culminate with Boys’ Lacrosse playing at 6:30 p.m. against Stepinac under the lights on Pickert Field.

The Spring Sting is one of three major sporting events during the year in which many varsity teams will

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Sting Lineup: 4:00: Tennis vs The Harvey School

4:15: Baseball vs. Riverdale

4:30: Softball vs.

Riverdale

Hackley’s Boys’ Varsity Baseball team getting excited for a game during last year’s season.

play at home games attracting large audiences from around the community. Everyone has something to look forward to, from the athletes to spectators of all ages. Typically, there is an array of food and crafts and games at the event to partake in while cheering Hackley’s teams on.

For this reason, the Spring Sting, as well as those in the Winter and Fall are some of the most highly anticipated events and bonding experiences for the community. They are examples of how sports can bring people together and hype up the

school spirit during a time which can be challenging academically.

“I think the Spring Sting this year will be a huge success with the promising spring teams, the overwhelming support the Hackley community shows to its athletes, and the contagious school spirit that will cheer the teams onto victory,” said sophomore Ellie Grueskin in anticipation of the event.

While not all spring sports teams participate in the Sting, many of Hackley’s other athletics programs have big plans for the weekend of the 29. Boys’ Varsity Golf will be play-

Photo by Benjy Renton

ing against Fieldston on Wednesday, April 27 and Girls’ Golf will play the following day competing against Greenwich Academy. Several members of the Track and Field team will also have a big weekend, competing at the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia. A series of JV teams will also play away games against Riverdale on the 29th, including the Boys’ and Girls’ JV Lacrosse, JV Baseball, and Boys’ JV Tennis.

Be sure to come support the many Hackley teams and enjoy sports, food, and fun!

4:45: Girls’ Lacrosse vs. Riverdale

6:30: Boys’ Lacrosse vs. Stepinac, under the lights on Pickert Field

Hackley’s Rising Stars Shine on the Athletic Field

By Pat Walker

Charlie Hite - Freshman

William Waterhouse - Sophomore Will is a high-impact long stick defenseman and middie for the Hackley Boys’ Lacrosse team.

Although he has played baseball in the spring for most of his youth, he decided to make the switch to lacrosse and now has the potential to play at a collegiate level.

Charlie is seeded in the #2 slot for the Hackley’s Boys’ Varsity golf team and is a major reason for their successful start to the season. With a handicap of three while only being a freshman, Charlie looks forward to the start of a prominent season.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Hite Freshman Charlie Hite uses his nine iron to get the ball on the green.

Photo courtesy of William Waterhouse Sophomore William Waterhouse looks for a pass.

Luisa Stalman - Junior

Dana Van Buren - Freshman

Despite only being a freshman, Dana is the ace of Hackley’s Varsity Softball team and is already excited about the improvement of the team as a whole from last year. The girls have started off their season undefeated with three wins, and plan to keep it that way.

Luisa, great at both short and mid-distance, plans to help her team in the 400m and 800m races. Her current PRs are 1:00.39 in the 400 and 2:21.96 in the 800.

With her skill, the track team could have a another successful year on the Hilltop.

Photo by Benjy Renton Junior Luisa Stalman runs in the 4x400m relay.

Photo courtesy of Dana Van Buren Freshman star Dana Van Buren throws a pitch on the softball field.