June 2016 Issue

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Dial

Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY 10591

Carnism Speaker Lights Up Campus Conversation p . 2 Students Exhibit Masterpieces in Art Show p.4 Singing the Praises of Summer Music Festivals p . 5

The voice of the student body June 2, 2016

hsdial.org

The End of an Era: Legendary Headmaster Walter Johnson Leaves a Remarkable Legacy

Mr. Johnson delivers remarks at a recent cum laude ceremony in Allen Hall.

By Benjy Renton

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n this final issue of the 2015-2016 school year, The Dial pays tribute to our leader, teacher and headmaster, Walter Johnson.

The Dial reflected on his tenure and impact on Hackley and the student body. Recently, we have sought the opinions of members of the Faculty and Board of Trustees who have worked most closely with Mr. Johnson and who have borne witness to this extraordinary period in the School’s history.

The Dial would also like to acknowledge the departures of longtime Hackley faculty members Andy Retzloff (31 years), Julie Lillis (30 years) and Kathie Szabo (22 years). We are so grateful for their dedication and loyalty to Hackley and will miss their intellect and inspiration enormously. Together, with Mr. Johnson, these devoted individuals have committed a total of 104 years of service to the School.

“Transformational and transformative,” said one. “Unfailingly supportive,” said another.

“Publicly intellectual,” said a third. It is impossible to quantify the profound and immense impact Headmaster Walter Johnson has left on Hackley during his 21-year history. Aside from his measurable accomplishments (such as purchasing the 172 acres from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund for Hackley’s new athletic facilities in 1998, greatly expanding the financial aid

Photo courtesy of Suzy Akin

budget and spearheading Hackley’s centennial capital campaign in 1999), Mr. Johnson’s contributions to Hackley go “beyond the tangible.”

Throughout his years at Hackley, Mr. Johnson’s invaluable vision for the School’s future helped transform Hackley’s campus and community. As President of the Board of Trustees John Canoni ’86 said, “Walter Johnson not only improved Hackley tremendously; he did so while retaining our values and our culture, thus strengthening the Hackley community during a time of intense change.” Mr. Johnson remained true to Hackley’s core values while enhancing the School through many decades. “That smooth transformation is a tribute to Walter’s clear and thoughtful vision for Hackley and his ability to create an environment in which people can work collaboratively and cooperatively,” said English Department Chair Dr. Richard Robinson.

Although many community members know Mr. Johnson as a school administrator and leader, his fellow faculty attribute to him one of his greatest skills, that of teacher. “Walter has always remained grounded in teaching … thus keeping himself in touch with what education means today,” said Dr. Robinson. “He dedicated his [academic] career to the moral development and well-being of his students,” noted Assistant Headmaster Steven Bileca, with whom Mr. Johnson shares a genuine interest in philosophy.

Upper School Director Andy King has worked closely with Mr. Johnson during his years at Hackley and feels a “level of personal and professional gratitude” to Mr. Johnson for his guidance and support throughout Mr. King’s career — from entering Hackley as history teacher at age 22 to becoming Upper School Director at age 31. “He’s changed my life,” Mr. King said.

In addition to Mr. Johnson’s physical contributions through Hackley’s new buildings and open spaces, he has helped promote a sense of community throughout the Lower, Middle and Upper Schools. Throughout the Quad, Akin Common and Courtyard, Mr. Johnson’s “visual aesthetics” have helped to foster interactions across all three divisions and to “draw us in as a community. He has lead the redesign of the campus in a way that has expanded Hackley’s beauty while also remaining consistent to our identity,” said Director of Communications Suzy Akin.

Mr. Johnson’s many gifts to the School extend beyond not only the tangible and abstract, but also into the School’s moral well-being. In a recent article in Hackley’s Perspectives titled “Educating the Moral Heart,” Mr. Johnson expressed his view of the role of headmaster as “one for whom power is an instrument of love.”

From his plethora of English electives to conversations with his advisory, to a multitude of board meetings, Mr. Johnson left a “human legacy and impact,” as Mr. King said. “He had a very high moral character and moral compass that guided and set the path for the School,” said Math Department Chair Diana Kaplan. Throughout the many difficult and complex decisions which Mr. Johnson has had to make as part of his demanding duties as headmaster, he always kept every aspect of the Hackley community in mind. “The moral exercise of power entails not simply good intentions, but consideration of persons as well as effects,” Mr. Johnson wrote.

The remarkable legacy of Mr. Johnson will prevail long past his tenure as headmaster.

“The leadership and vision he has exhibited from 2-3 years after his arrival, have continued to grow,” said former President of the Board of Trustees Tom Caputo ’65. Mr. Johnson’s ability to take an interest in every aspect of Hackley’s operations is unparalleled - from the academic rigor of Hackley’s curriculum to the social, emotional and moral well-being of students,

faculty and staff. “Every part of the student experience is shaped by him,” said Ms. Kaplan.

“When I think about how hard Walter has worked, his work ethic and dedication to Hackley personify that phrase, ‘unreserved effort,’” according to Director of Alumni Affairs and Development John Gannon, and he could not have been more on point. Mr. Johnson has left immeasurable contributions to the School’s community, culture and character. As French teacher and former Modern Languages Department Chair Danny Lawrence said, “Walter has turned a good school into a great one. Hackley will look back on his headmastership as a golden period in the School’s history.”

Photo courtesy of Suzy Akin Mr. Johnson in The Hackley Review of 1996, after his first year as headmaster.

Mr. Johnson’s Career 1974

BA, English, summa cum laude, Amherst College 1978 MA, English, University of Pennsylvania 1984- Trinity School 1989 1990 MA, Educational Administration, Columbia University 1990- Collegiate School 1993 1994- American School, 1995 London 1995- Hackley School 2016

Construction Prompts Deforestation Concerns

By Madison Chen

Just outside the classroom windows, major construction efforts are underway, creating a new buzz of conversation within the Hackley community. With a generous gift intended to expand Hackley’s athletic center and programs, Hackley’s new construction project for the new Health and Wellness Center has been underway since late April.

However, the forest destruction has become a very controversial topic among students and faculty with many attempting to understand the balance between the benefits of a new athletic center and the clear-cutting of trees. Although the forest may have originally seemed worth replacing with this new facility, now that construction has officially begun, new and varying sentiments are rising.

Many students strongly oppose the construction and have termed it as “deforestation.”

Some even suggest that placing a camera outside the construction site would provide fruitful footage for a deforestation documentary.

While many students and faculty may find this construction upsetting, there are plans to incorporate nature and new trees into the new facility. Assistant Headmaster Phil

Photo by Alex Meyer On his way to the fields, junior Will Jones passes by the once fruitful forest that is now under construction.

Variano stated that “while it’s disappointing and upsetting to see trees cut down, many new trees will be planted to replace them, and we are hoping that the end result will be ecologically responsible and very attractive.” He adds that these plans will hopefully maintain Hackley’s environmental values and blend

with the rest of campus, saying the completed construction will have a wellness garden and “many new trees and gardens to help the facility blend into the hilltop it sits upon.”

Driving past the chainsaws and fallen trees everyday, this sentiment has especially rung true among juniors. “When I walk past the

deforestation, it doesn’t look like our school,” said junior Lila Wolfe. Junior Jack Clark added that “we cannot neglect the significance of the flora in the area. We often hear about deforestation all over the world but it’s weird to see it happening right in front of us.” Taking all the fields that Hackley has recently built into consideration as well, junior Carolyn Miller notes that there has been little renovation to the performing arts center and wonders “when there will be some improvements to the PAC such as an actual dressing room and more space backstage.”

Many students and faculty also believe that this goes against Hackley’s character and values. Reflecting on his first years at Hackley and describing the campus as a naturalist’s utopia, Middle School science teacher Andy Retzloff said, “It was very magical. You came in and there were overarching trees on both sides of the road … I just fell in love with the place.” Now that a lot of the forest has been cleared away, Mr. Retzloff says, “it reminds me of the Joni Mitchell song that goes “they paved paradise and put up Continued on page 3

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June 2, 2016

Digesting the Carnism Talk

Guest Speaker Sparks Conversation about Carnism with a Controversial Speech

By The Editorial Board

C

arnists are like slave owners or female oppressors. That is the message the recent HEAL guest speaker, Jennifer Greene from Beyond Carnism, left students enraged over after her recent speech about veganism.

Her presentation was supposed to be about the environmental emissions for which the meat industry is responsible. However, instead of focusing on this theme, the speaker digressed into offensive parallels that compared the mindsets and cruelty of carnists to the mindsets and cruelty behind some of the worst acts against humanity in all of history.

The Dial Editorial Board believes that the practices in the meat industry are inhumane and cruel, and even though Ms. Greene offended many, her controversial methods were able to open students’ eyes to the terrible practices they blindly accepted every day.

Hackley cannot expect to have an impactful speaker if our primary focus is pleasing the entire crowd, even at the cost of controversy.

When Ms. Greene introduced the idea that Carnists were comparable to slave owners, supporters of homophobia, and persecutors in the Holocaust, she trivialized topics that many audience members still feel connected to today, and hyperbolized the immoral practices in the consumption of meat. “She made a generalization against a whole group of people—carnists,” junior William Cotter said. “She was trying to say that there should be as much hate for carnists as there is for slave owners,” he continued, highlighting a parallel that particularly

agitated students. Freshman William Goldsmith agreed. “The pictures of Holocaust survivors and humans being whipped next to pictures of chickens dying was inappropriate, distasteful, and offensive,” he said.

Many students felt that Ms. Greene’s comparisons were unfair because she insinuated that all meat eaters were comparable to those who actively participated in these crimes against humanity. Hackley students do not raise animals in inhumane conditions, nor do they consciously go to the grocery store, pick up a piece of meat and decide to buy it because they know it was treated poorly.

However, this is why Ms. Greene’s speech was important. It touched a controversial idea and opened up the community’s eyes to the very real issue that is the inhumane treatment of livestock. It showed the community that we do participate in these practices, even if on a smaller, more passive scale.

Some members of the community agreed with The Dial’s stance on the speaker. Freshman Frances Schaeffler said, “she had interesting comparisons, and from her point of view obviously they made sense because she believes that animal rights are comparable to human rights.” However, “she did not explain herself and just threw [the comparisons] at us so we all didn’t really know what to think of it and just rejected the whole carnism idea,” Frances continued, expressing some students’ view that the the drama of the presentation eclipsed the legitimacy of the problem. However, this dramatic speech succeeded in inciting tons of conversation, which a more even toned presentation would have failed to do.

One aspect of the presentation that the Editorial Board found problematic, though, was the way that Ms. Greene responded to questions posed by the community. Following her speech, she opened the floor to questions, some of which were answered fairly and others which were simply shut down. When asked about her reaction to the speaker, senior Isabella Yannuzzi said, “I feel that in an effort to condense her presentation into 45 minutes, she ended up with something that did not relay well to the audience and came across as far fetched. Some of the comparisons she made were offensive, and her claims about the agricultural industry were unsupported because she failed to include facts or data of any kind. She made some good points, but discussed them briefly and did not back them up. Her depiction of small farms was inaccurate and her refusal to even consider them as a solution to large scale industrial agriculture came across as narrow minded and stubborn.”

Despite Ms. Greene’s inability to answer students’ questions sufficiently, the response from the student body was more avid than the response to any previous speaker; this shows that the controversy of the speaker was very effective in raising awareness and conversation about the issue. While Ms. Greene’s claims were offensive, they incited conversation and awareness within the community - the mark of a successful speaker. If the Hackley community desires to continue having impactful speakers, the community should also be open to controversy. Instead of immediate negative responses to concepts that seem radical, students should take a minute to consider the idea presented to them, and try to see it from a different perspective.

Illustrations by Olivia Weinberg

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Dial staff

Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave.Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 June 2, 2016 Vol. 118, No. 8 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief Roya Wolfe, Benjy Renton Online Editor Joy Dracos Asst. Online Editor Alexi Sandhu Section Editors News Alex Meyer, Hunter Freedman Opinion Catherine Meyer, Olivia Weinberg Politics Lei Anne Rabeje, Bridget Barsanti Feature Maddy Chen, LiliAnna Khosrowshahi Arts Hope Weisman, Claire Sukhman Lifestyles Hannah Urken, Lucy Barse Science & Tech Grace Heinrich, Georgia Panitz Sports Pat Walker, Bailey Griffen Photography Christian Riegler 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.

Dial

HEAL Intends to Educate

By Catherine Meyer and Olivia Weinberg

F

or those not present at the speech last month or unaware of the philosophy of Jennifer Greene, the speaker from Beyond Carnism invited by Hackley Earth Action League (HEAL), Carnism is the moniker she gave to philosophy of eating meat, just as veganism or vegetarianism are the names for the opposite beliefs.

While Ms. Greene presented some controversial stances on the morality of “Carnism,” the club organized this speaker with the intention of educating Hackley students about the inhumane treatment of animals in the meat industry, the emotional impact on employees in the industry, destructive emissions produced and the negative pollutants for which the industry is responsible.

To HEAL Faculty Advisor Andy Retzloff, the energy cost of industrialized business of animal products is a big concern with the industry. “I wish she could have also discussed the associated high-energy costs of an animal diet,” he said. The emissions from the meat industry account for 37% of human-caused methane emissions; a significant amount and something that every one of us can help change (UN FAO).

Other leaders of HEAL hoped Ms. Greene would highlight not only the pollution of our environment caused by the meat industry, but also the harmful impact on the humans employed in the industry. “I wish she would have settled more into the emotional trauma that the workers at slaughterhouses suffered and provided more statistics on it,” Senior HEAL Leader Dom Meneses said. Often, the worker’s experience is not as highlighted in the discussion of Carnism’s negative effects, and Dom said that “a discussion over the worker’s experience expands the negative impact of slaughterhouses onto humans, which could make others more interested and want to listen.”

While Ms. Greene received some negative reviews based on her intense presentation style, she definitely sent a message. Mr. Retzloff shared his thoughts on the success of her presentation.

“By raising awareness, I believe the speaker helped plant an important seed in the minds of our community. She certainly got people to begin talking about this issue, an issue I believe we must begin to think seriously about if we are ever going to provide, even the current human population, with an adequate diet for all,” he said.

Board of Magistrates Seeks Greater Responsibility and Power

Photo by Christian Riegler The Board of Magistrates (from left to right: Benjy Renton, Izzy Ampil, Catherine Meyer and Will Jones) attend a Council meeting.

By Lei Anne Rabeje

When disciplinary infractions occur at Hackley, members of the Board of Magistrates hold the responsibility of weighing in on the situation and possible consequences. However, in recent years that hasn’t happened and the occurrence of a few vexing disciplinary issues this year has raised the question of why not, and whether the Board of Magistrates should be brought back into the disciplinary process.

The Board consists of three senior voting members, two senior alterna-

tives, and one junior clerk elected by the Upper School community. Established over ten years ago, the Board’s purpose has digressed from handling disciplinary matters to simply helping organize Community Council’s events.

Senior Julia Stevenson served as a clerk last year as a junior and is currently a senior voting member of the Board. In the past two years, Julia does not recall meeting about disciplinary matters. “I think it would have been a good idea to call the Board on some of those situations,” she said. “I think the Board of Magistrates is a valuable

resource. The outcome of some situations may have changed with some student input. It would be a good idea to start implementing it more.”

Science teacher and Community Council advisor Bill McLay believes that there would have been little change in the outcome of student infractions with consultation from the Board. “There’s a possibility that [the repercussions] could have been different. You never really know when you get that many people. I think in the end, I highly doubt much would have changed,” said Mr. McLay. “In a lot of cases, the decisions were often based on precedent events and their consequences. Because of precedent events and consequences, I don’t think there would have a different outcome even with the Board of Magistrates.”

According to the Hackley Handbook, “Disciplinary matters are handled by the Headmaster, who may, in his sole judgment, act with the consultation of the Upper School Director, Class Deans, and in appropriate cases, the Board of Magistrates.”

Though initially created for consultation on academic dishonesty and larger-scale disciplinary matters, lack of proper implementation has left

the Board of Magistrates with little to no input in student transgressions.

Junior Benjy Renton, who currently serves as the Clerk of the Board of Magistrates, thinks “it should be more of a bridge between the voices of the students and faculty, called upon when decisions concerning the students (not just disciplinary) need to be made.”

As the school year comes to an end, the deans and Upper School Director Andy King prepare for their end-of-year retreat in which the Board’s implementation will be presented as a topic. Hoping to see its success, Mr. King says, “We need to train the students who have been elected to the Board: run them through scenarios. Done well, it helps to create a peer environment where students are able to understand what the rules are and the students regulate themselves but also regulate others.”

With the election of next year’s Board of Magistrates, students hope for an improvement on its implementation and possibly consulting the Board for future disciplinary transgressions. With student input, outcome of these transgressions may possibly change to reflect the student body’s sentiment and judgement.

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June 2, 2016

Broadway Comes to Benedict: Hamilton Meets the Enlightenment

Photo by Benjy Renton Freshman Thomas Dewey refutes claims made by his opponent.

By Benjy Renton

What do Broadway sensation Lin Manuel-Miranda and Mr. Bass have in common? 1. They both went to Wesleyan. 2. They both use rap music to tell a story.

It is not uncommon to see elements of current events and pop culture embedded in Hackley’s curriculum.

Some 9th Grade Cultures in Conflict History classes have taken this fusion to a whole new level - using the record-breaking, wildly popular Broadway phenomenon Hamilton as a springboard to jump into a new take on the Enlightenment. History teachers Michael Bass and Melissa Stanek piloted this new project this past April, utilizing

Photo by Benjy Renton Freshman Jack Kneisley plays his part as Thomas Hobbes in the rap battle.

Hamilton’s intense rap battles and applying this musical form into their unit on Thomas Hobbes and John Locke.

Mr. Bass sought inspiration for this project from Hamilton’s music, specifically the song “Cabinet Battle #1.” Upon planning for his upcoming unit on the Enlightenment, he saw Hamilton’s creative music and historically accurate lyrics as the perfect fit for helping his students understand Hobbes and Locke. “I realized you could liken Hobbes’ pessimistic outlook and Locke’s optimistic outlook to Jefferson and Hamilton in the song, and that’s when I saw the match,” Mr. Bass said.

Each of Mr. Bass’ history classes was divided into three groups: one which would represent Hobbes, another which would represent Locke, and a final group which would introduce the rap battle. After reading about these two characters in an assigned article, each group featured students who played the roles of researcher, writer, annotator and performer. The final class period spent on this project culminated in a face-off, where students assigned to play Hobbes and Locke would compete in a rap battle.

Mr. Bass said implementing this project helped his students understand, retain and engage in the material.

Although he has yet to see quantifiable results with the Enlightenment unit test, he feels confident that “all the kids seemed to absorb the information. I think the fact that it was fun added an additional layer of retention,” Mr. Bass said.

Freshman Catherine Marshall noted the project’s unique benefits in its preparation. “I think that since we had to do more detailed research on the material, I was able to understand it better,” she said.

Mr. Bass believes the overall reactions from the students regarding the rap battle project were “very positive.” “One musically-inclined student said that ‘it was their favorite thing they did all year in History class,’” Mr. Bass commented. The multifaceted approach to chronicling the

history of these two influential Enlightenment philosophers helped attract all kinds of students, from the academic to the creative to the dramatic. In addition, Mr. Bass saw students who were usually not as engaged in the material take on an integral role in preparing their group for the performance.

Mrs. Stanek also saw the value of teaching the Enlightenment through rap and implemented Mr. Bass’ idea in her classes. However, she modified the original assignment description to include other Enlightenment philosophers such as Montesquieu and Rousseau.

“Since the students were looking to critique the other philosophers [in their raps], they learned about their beliefs as well,” she noted. The various parts of the assignment ensured every student, including those who did not perform, played a role in the final product.

Freshman Frances Schaeffler, a student in Mrs. Stanek’s class, enjoyed researching Thomas Hobbes online for her contribution to her group. “Doing the research yourself helps you remember everything more,” she said. Like many participants, she appreciated the final performance most, especially generating rhymes and lyrics to refute the claims of Locke, her group’s opponent.

Students were able to choose their group’s favorite rap beat to which they would sing along during the performance. “Nick Barsanti and I had tons of fun rapping to the beat of ‘Back to Back’ by Drake, which was very fitting since it was the ultimate roast song,” she said.

Mr. Bass said that there is “no question” to whether he would continue this project next year. In addition to implementing this rap battle project into his curriculum, he would certainly like to include music in at least one other activity to help students better understand new and complex material. “If anything, I’m thinking about how to do stuff like this more,” he said. At least it is easier to get tickets to see Mr. Bass’ show on Benedict than to Hamilton on Broadway.

Photo by Benjy Renton The cast of Hamilton on Broadway bows after an enthralling performance.

Photo by Benjy Renton Freshmen Thomas Dewey and Jack Kneisley face off in the rap battle.

Pik Nik Reveals Tasty Barbecue Flavors

By Roya Wolfe

Photo by Roya Wolfe Pik Nik slow cooks their barbecue each day.

Love barbecue and mac & cheese?

If so, Pik Nik in Tarrytown is the restaurant for you. With both takeout and sit-in options, Pik Nik is the hot new spot for all the barbecue lovers out there. Husband and wife Hassan and Alberta Jarane own the restaurant and have had their share of success.

The couple owns the well-known and chic restaurant, Mint, right down the street. With experience and a passion for quality food, the Jaranes have been prosperous at Pik Nik. The restaurant opened in the middle of April and they were hit with an immediate wave of customers. “In the first four days we

Photo by Roya Wolfe Alberta and son Khalil are excited to see the future of Pik Nik after their recent opening.

sold out of everything in the 7 o’clock hour,” said Alberta. This success was enormous, causing them to have to close and make adjustments for four days. “After that period of time, we sold out in the 8 o’clock hour. So we made more adjustments, and now we sell out at the 9 o’clock hour,” said Alberta. The restaurant uses a special oven to slow cook their meats, meaning that they only can make so much in one day. Some house favorites are the mac & cheese, the St. Louis ribs, and the homemade watermelon lemonade.

“The wings are also very good,” said Alberta’s son, Khalil. Khalil works at the restaurant, helping take orders and operating the cash register. “A personal favorite of mine is the corn bread and I love the ability to order meat by the pound,” said junior William Cotter. “I can’t choose a favorite,” said Alberta, “everything is so good.” Not only is the food delicious, but the ambience is comforting and original. Right when you walk in, there’s myriad of barbecue sauces on your left, contemporary tables on your right, and old-fashioned bar stools along a brick wall. Pik Nik is a great restaurant with a lot to offer. If you’re interested in finding out more about Pik Nik, check them out on Facebook at Pik Nik BBQ.

Construction: Yes or No? Continued from front page a parking lot.”

Similarly, HEAL Leader Karina Franke said, “I don’t think the clear-cutting of tree-dense land and the destruction of nature trails is a step in the right direction in terms of wellness, sustainability, or environmental appreciation. This decision seems out of character for a school such as ours that regularly invests in and promotes sustainability.”

With 285 acres of land, science classes are very interactive and often take trips outside to learn about the nature and wildlife on campus. Some Biology and Ecology classes, and the 5th graders in particular, often spends class time learning from the nature on campus. In addition, the forest was an exciting play area for younger students. “When I used to run my nature programs in the Middle School, this [site] was where the kids would play hide and seek, capture the flag, and sardines.

It was just this perfect place for the kids to run wild in the forest and have fun,” said Mr. Retzloff.

Some students also seem very enthusiastic and supportive of the construction efforts and believe a new athletic center will be an

important addition to Hackley.

Sophomore Nicole Heyward compared the current gym to the new one and said, “I understand they are getting rid of a bunch of trees, but it’s to build a new gym. If you look at the current gym, the facilities are lacking, so I think it will be good to have a new gym and in a more central location.” Taking a more realist stance, sophomore Caroline Stevenson commented, “I think overall it’s been done for good intentions to get us a new gym, but I do think it’s a little disheartening to see all the trees going. In an ideal world we could create a new gym without having to do anything to the forest, but this is the reality of what has to be done.” In a similar statement, freshman Cole Wyman speaks from a greater viewpoint saying, “when it is put into perspective with the amount of trees being cut each day, or the number of trees originally cut to build the Hackley campus, the environmental effects are quite slim.” To counter the construction, however, Cole adds, “I think it would be cool to see us Hackley students give back and maybe spend a day planting trees and helping the environment somewhere.”

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Upper School Art Show Draws Crowds Mr. Cice thought the show was fantastic this year. “What I love about the Upper School show is that everything is all mixed together so you have Foundations freshmen next to AP work next to Studio work so you see a wonderful cross-section of Upper School art,” he said.

“You get to see some of the younger students who are just beginning to build confidence in

Sophomore Demetra Yancopoulos’ T-Rex drawing wows Art Show attendees.

By Claire Sukhman and Hope Weisman

On the warm spring evening of May 9, students and parents flocked to Allen Hall to attend what a handful of artists work towards all year long: the Upper School Art Show. The show promised to be a wonderful time for all members of the Hackley community, with senior Josh Greenzeig and juniors Jackson Corrigan and Jamie Leonard’s musical talents complementing the art.

“It was so cool to experience and be a part of the fusion of the two different kinds of arts, in the combination of music and studio art,” Jackson said about their two-hour set.

The show featured works from all Upper School Art classes, from Architecture and Foundations of Photo to Advanced 3D Art and the Photography major.

Although the show displayed work from the general portfolios of AP Studio Art Major students,

art by underclassmen stood out to many. “I was amazed by the level of talent in the work the sophomores produced. A lot of it was as good as the AP art,” junior Kristen Bringsjord said after attending the opening ceremony.

“I was most amazed by the high caliber and phenomenal quality of the art.” ~ Mr. Cice “As the year had been going, I’d only seen bits and pieces of other projects, but getting to see all the work come together in the art show was really cool,” sophomore Demetra Yancopoulos said.

their craft hanging right next to accomplished, confident seniors,” Mr. Cice added. “I was most amazed by the high caliber and phenomenal quality of the art.”

“It seems that every year I am amazed with the level and quality of the work that somehow gets better. It’s as if each year the students raise the bar a little bit higher and then they reach it,” Mr. Cice said.

Photo by Claire Sukhman

Many were in awe of the sophomore animal drawings, which are often regarded as the defining project of the Intermediate Studio Art classes. The drawings are charcoal on paper and require months of diligent planning and detailed work. Each piece is unique and equally breathtaking.

Demetra’s Tyrannosaurus Rex (pictured above) is a fine example of the sophomores’ artistic quality and excellence. Art teacher Gregory Cice says his son is trying to convince him to buy the piece.

Sophomore Lucas Reeber, a student in Mark Green’s Intermediate Studio Art Major, worked on his stunning self-portrait for only a month. After visiting the opening ceremony with his parents, Lucas said, “I thought it was cool to see work from a variety of different grades as it allowed me to notice a progression in skill and knowledge of art.”

Photo by Claire Sukhman Sophomore Lucas Reeber spent one month on his self-portrait.

New York City Galleries Provide an Immersive Cultural Experience

By Joy Dracos and Bridget Barsanti

As this summer approaches, get out your calendars and make plans to visit these free museums in New York City. There are many galleries to visit in New York City all throughout the summer months; Chelsea, in particular, has some of the season’s most intriguing exhibitions.

The Munch and Expressionism exhibition at the Neue Galerie is open now through June 13.

This show features paintings and prints from Edvard Munch’s contemporaries in Germany, including Max Beckmann, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and Austria’s haunted genius, Egon Schiele. In total, the exhibition consists of 35 paintings and 50 works on paper from worldwide public and private collections. The canvases depict the anxiety and urgency at the beginning of the 20th century; the curator compares the artists’ approaches to themes such as urban anxiety, adolescence, and selfportraiture. Munch and Expressionism also features The Scream, a symbol of modern angst.

Munch himself was known for his exploration of dark themes, such as alienation, sin and human vulnerability. His use of vivid color intensifies the emotional power of his subjects; this approach helped him pave the way for a new attitude during the early 20th century. This exhibition is the first study of the artist’s work in the context of his German and Austrian peers.

Another amazing exhibit in Chelsea is Beauty - Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial - open through August 21. Beauty has a wide range of items on display, from everyday objects like

Chelsea streets are always buzzing with culture and excitement.

clocks and humidifiers to fin-shaped leather jackets, sweaters from Africa and renderings from futuristic architect Sou Fujimoto. Beauty is a celebration of design as an endeavor that engages the mind, body, and senses, with a focus on aesthetic innovation. Featuring more than 250 works from around the globe, Beauty is organized around seven themes: extravagant, intricate, ethereal, transgressive, emergent, elemental, and transformative. The objects range from experimental prototypes and interactive games to fashion ensembles and architectural interventions. The idea of

Photo by Christian Riegler

this exhibit is to interpret beauty in many different ways, through this vast range of objects.

A well-known collection in Chelsea is Picturing Prestige: New York Portraits, 1700-1860 at the Museum of the City of New York, open through October 11. In the 18th century, New York City’s elite began to commission paintings of themselves and loved ones to display in their homes to indicate their status.

Portraits were often created to celebrate or commemorate a moment in someone’s life, such as marriage. Picturing Prestige features 160 years of portraits in New York City.

This collection captures the characteristics of the rising merchant city as it grew to be the most populated and important port in the United States. In addition to capturing the change in the city, the exhibit captures the changing work of portraiture and artistic patronage. Among this collection are George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John E. Brooks, the founder of Brooks Brothers.

This Place at the Brooklyn Museum is open through June 5. Twelve photographers visited Israel and the West Bank between 2009 and 2012 to see the troubled region up close. Featuring more than 600 photographs, This Place offers a complex and fragmented portrait, displaying ‘the rifts and paradoxes’ of this place, rather than a single, simple vision. Over the years, the photographers travelled throughout the region and engaged with a variety of individuals and communities. Although the exhibition consists of twelve varying perspectives, several common themes, such as family, identity, home, and the environment, are present. The images presented in this exhibition are beyond divisive political debates to treat each subject with humanity. It inspires viewers to raise questions and engage viewers in conversation.

If you are looking for a break from the sweltering hot summer sun, these museums are the perfect places to go. With a variety of exhibits on offer, Chelsea is the ideal locale to spend a day this summer.

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Summer Hot Spots

By Georgia Panitz

Rockefeller State Park

King Kone

With over 1,400 acres of land available for recreational use, Rockefeller State Park is a great place to experience the forests and landscapes of the tri-state area at their peak.

There is a seemingly endless number of trails in the park, ideal for running, walking, and exploring. Rockefeller also allows dogs in the park, so it is also a fantastic opportunity to bring your whole family for some exercise and spend time enjoying the summer weather.

This well-known northern Westchester ice cream and food stand serves everything from creamy soft-serve to fried alligator bites.

They are most famous for their namesake King Kone, a giant swirled mass of softserve ice cream, offered in chocolate, vanilla, or a swirl of both. In addition to desserts, savory foods such as hamburgers, falafels, lobster rolls, fried pickles, and barbequed pork sandwiches are also on the menu.

Pleasantville, NY

lifestyles 5

June 2, 2016

Somers, NY

Seniors Share Hopes for Hackley’s Future

Photo by Benjy Renton Florry Arnold, an active participant in Hackley’s performing arts program, performs in the English Speaking Union Shakespeare Competition.

By LiliAnna Khosrowshahi

Photos by Benjy Renton and Georgia Panitz Clockwise from top left: Bridge at Rockefeller State Park, Smorgasburg’s famous Ramen Burger, and Manhattan Skyline.

Shakespeare in the Park

Smorgasburg

Performances of “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Troilus and Cressida,” sponsored by Manhattan-based arts organization, The Public Theater, will be performed throughout the summer in Central Park. Shakespeare in the Park is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a free performance highlighting the theatrical genius of William Shakespeare. The Public Theater always creates amazing performances with interesting adaptations; with the stage shaped like an amphitheater, all audience members have a terrific view.

Attracting hundreds of foodies every weekend, this flea market and food extravaganza is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the schoolyard of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Greene on Saturdays and on the bank of the East River in Dumbo on Sundays. With over 150 food vendors including Dough’s delectable doughnuts, the famous Ramen Burger, and Belgian-style Home Frite, this Brooklyn gem is a perfect destination to get your fill of the best food New York has to offer.

Manhattan, NY

Brooklyn, NY

Five years from now, students will be flying through the halls on hoverboards, cars will be driving themselves to the supermarket, and the seniors will come back to their second home: the Hilltop. Many graduating seniors have been questioning whether Hackley will follow through with its big plans for the new Health and Wellness Center, and are eagerly awaiting Hackley’s new and expanded athletics and music programs.

Eager for a new Performing Arts Center, Hackley actors, actresses, students, and teachers are hoping that the theater and arts program will expand in a new direction.

Senior Florry Arnold is looking forward to seeing the acting program enhance as the Performing Arts Center progresses. “More people should do Hackley Acting because the program is getting really strong and will only continue to grow with a new PAC and if more people keep doing it,” said Florry.

A Special VIP Pass Into the Culture of Music Festivals

By Olivia Weinberg

As the weather starts heating up, people everywhere congregate in huge venues all over the country to hear their favorite artists play in the age-old phenomenon known as music festivals. Dating back to the Newport Jazz Festival in the 1950s and Woodstock in 1969, music festivals have been a way for people to listen to performances from their favorite artists while eating food and spending time with friends. Julia Medici, a senior who attended Governors Ball last summer said, “I just really enjoyed the atmosphere and how everyone was there to enjoy the music. It’s connective in a sense and makes it a good time for everyone involved.”

These festivals occur anywhere from California to Chicago to New York City.

At Coachella, a three-day music festival staged on polo grounds, attendees can either commute back and forth from the venue or camp out in tents. Electric Daisy Carnival, a festival that indulges fans of EDM and Trap House music is happening in three different locations this year. The Las Vegas location is on a speedway, decked out with neon-lit

carnival rides and stages. The Peach Music Festival and Camp Bisco, both organized

by Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., take place at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where attendees can listen to music and camp on the ski hill, as well as enjoy the waterpark on the property.

Some festivals such as EZOO and Electric Daisy Carnival cater to specific types of music, while others book a variety of artists. Alan Ostfield, a representative from Live Nation, the company that recently purchased Governors Ball, spoke about the objective of music festivals. “We ask what kind(s) of music is the community void of that we can fill it with and then when we decide what we are trying to do, we start with thinking about the headliners. Once we have a good sense of the headliners, we figure out what style of music we want to incorporate that day or that weekend. We want to do something that fits the people. We want to create the experience. They want something more than the music, they want the culture.”

These festivals can be a great way to see certain artists who are not touring, like

Another passionate senior, Akira Shindo, cannot wait to see if the music department thrives in new facilities when he comes back to visit. Akira has been playing the trumpet since he was in fourth grade and has a passion for music that he wishes more of the Hackley community could value. “When I come back to Hackley I really want the music department to expand, because there is a lot you can do with music and I feel like it’s too small right now. I think that if there is any way to increase interest in the music program in general, that would be great, and I know the new Performing Arts Center will definitely help with that,” he said.

Along with the desire for a new Performing Arts Center, there will be a new Health and Wellness Center that will include a larger swimming pool, increased space for fencing, wrestling, and weight room along a gym, double the size of our current one. With these new athletic advancements, winter sports teams specifically, will grow as a whole. They will have more places to practice, events to watch, and most importantly more stands for Hackley students to cheer on their friends.

Senior Sammy Mueller has always had a passion for sports. “With the new sports facility, I think that the athletic programs in general will really excel and I’m really excited to come back to that and see how that plays out,” said Sammy.

Senior Will Larkin is excited to see Hackley’s squash program succeed when he returns to Hackley in the future. “Because of the general lack of support for the squash team despite its success this season, I think it will be really fun to come back and see that the team has been brought to prominence again because of the new squash courts and facilities,” he said.

Ms. Judkins’ Top 10 Summer Reading Books

Kanye West, the headliner on Sunday, June 5 at Governors Ball. They can also introduce concertgoers to new artists and genres. Sophomore Ellie Arnold shared her experience at Governors Ball last June, “I really liked the smaller non-headlining performances; I thought it was more fun to have room to dance and to be able to get closer to the front without getting shoved. I look forward to going to performances like that again this year.”

While these festivals can often be pricey, with single day tickets upwards of $100 (not including travel and food costs), there are ways to save money. Governors Ball offers a deal to people 18 years and older, where they work a minimum of 15 hours during the three-day duration of the festival and can then spend the rest of their time enjoying the festivities, free of charge.

The culture of music festivals is unlike any other. Mr. Ostfield sums up the idea behind the creation and continuation of these events: “The whole basis is the culture, the feel, the sense of community and that is really what we focus on when creating the festivals.”

Illustration by Lucy Barse

1

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

by Rebecca Skloot

2

Americanah

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

3

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War

by Daniel Ellsberg

4

Eleanor & Park

by Rainbow Rowell

5

The Nightingale

by Kristin Hannah

6

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League

by Jeff Hobbs

7

Where’d You Go, Bernadette

by Maria Semple

8

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

by Candace Fleming

9 Audience members dance and sing along during Florence and the Machine’s performance at Governors Ball last year.

Photo by Lucy Barse

10

I’ll Give You The Sun

by Jandy Nelson Make Your Home Among Strangers

by Jennine Capó Crucet

6 science & technology

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June 2, 2016

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Should the Government Have Ms. DeMichele: Working Access to Private Information? Behind the Scenes

By Grace Henrich

By Alexi Sandhu

The Bourne Identity. The Dark Knight. The Truman Show. 1984. What do all these movies have in common? They all feature personal invasion of privacy through surveillance. For years, Internet privacy and government limitations of surveillance have been featured in popular culture and have become highly debated subjects, especially in light of recent events.

The issues of privacy and surveillance have been in the spotlight recently in the wake of the Apple and FBI encryption dispute. After the mass shooting and attempted bombing of the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California on December 2, 2015, a man named Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik were deemed responsible. The shooting resulted in the death of 14 civilians and the injuries of 22 others. Despite taking the precaution of destroying their personal phones, the couple forgot to destroy Farook’s work-issued iPhone 5C before they were killed in a police shootout, shortly after their attack.

On February 9, almost two months after the attack, the FBI announced that it was unable to access the iPhone that could possibly provide critical information about the case. The FBI asked Apple for access to software that could break into Farook’s iPhone.

Despite constant pressure from the FBI and an official court order, Apple continued to defend its position. The FBI even proposed it would only use the software for the San Bernardino case, and even asked Apple to create a software that would be compatible with Farook’s iPhone. One of the reasons Apple said it would not provide the software, was that such software could be used by the government in similar circumstances, and more importantly, third parties could then be able to invade private digital information.

Apple explained that there was no way to completely erase a software once it’s created, “Once the information is known, or a way to bypass the code is revealed, the encryption can be defeated by anyone with that knowl-

Illustration by Georgia Panitz

edge… Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices,” said Apple in a released statement.

On March 28, the iPhone was unlocked by the government without the help of Apple. It was opened with the use of software bought for more than $1.3 million from the Israeli technology company Cellebrite, which creates data extraction devices for mobile technology.

A poll sent out to the Hackley student body reveals a mixture of opinions with 43.8% supporting Apple, 23.9% supporting the FBI, and 32.3% as neutral to the positions.

“I believe strongly in the importance of encryption, for both the role it plays in ensuring confidentiality in business (and within the government), and also I think people should be able to protect their private communications from the government, companies, and criminals,” said junior Owen Friesen, who sides with Apple’s stance. Junior Akash Samad offered a different perspective and supports the government’s stance, “If national security is in question then a company should be forced to cooperate with the government. If there is no threat to national security then the government has no power to push a company to do anything.” While there are varying views on whether software and data which protects personal information should be shared with the government, it is important that the issue is being discussed and debated.

While it may seem like materials for labs appear magically in a classroom before a lab, it is actually the work of Lynn DeMichele, Hackley’s lab assistant. As a lab assistant, Ms. DeMichele helps the science teachers by ordering supplies and equipment, setting up labs beforehand, and cleaning up afterwards.

She mainly works with the Chemistry and Biology teachers, but also helps out the Middle and Lower School teachers. It’s not a job for the weak-hearted, or the weak-stomached: the fridge is full of dead animals for dissecting and one of the labs requires Ms. DeMichele to blend a cow liver so specific enzymes in it can be used. She said emphatically that it “was the most disgusting thing ever.”

Ms. DeMichele took an interesting path to the Hilltop. In 1995, Hackley was having trouble finding a lab assistant and a former lab assistant and Hackley teacher suggested she apply for the job. “She said to me, ‘you’re really good at following a recipe, you should be a lab assistant.’ So I came and Mr. Variano hired me on the spot,” said Ms. DeMichele laughingly.

She has worked at Hackley since then and ab-

solutely loves it. Her job combines many of her passions, like biology and gardening, and she has become good friends with her colleagues.

Before Ms. DeMichele worked at Hackley, she had a very different job: a Broadway seamstress. She travelled across the country with the musicals Annie and Evita and went on an international tour of Sophisticated Ladies, stopping in major cities like Paris and Tokyo. But Ms. DeMichele started her work close to home; her first job was at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford.

She loved the excitement of travelling with the plays and she loved sewing, something her mother taught her as a child. However, the constant travelling was not conducive to having a family, so she left show biz and settled down. Working as a lab assistant, only a part-time job, still allows Ms. DeMichele time to use her talents in other ways. Biology teacher Tessa Johnson proudly displayed a purse that was made of recycled materials and a stuffed animal, both of which were created by Ms. DeMichele. As much as she loved working as a seamstress, Ms. DeMichele absolutely loves working at Hackley; “I’m not going anywhere for a while” she said.

Photo by Christian Reigler Lynn DeMichele works preparing a lab for students involving the observation of mixed solutions.

Latin IV Digs Deeper into the Ancient World

Photo courtesy of Adrianne Pierce Latin IV students excavate artifacts at their new archaeological dig site.

By Georgia Panitz

On a Day 4 during the 70-minute period, if you venture down to Hackley’s Tennis Courts and walk left towards the woods, you may come across a group of six teenage boys with shovels digging in the dirt, accompanied by their teacher. This scene is the Latin IV class and Dr. Pierce working in their carefully planned and curated archaeological digging site, which has been excavated since last spring.

After attending a Professional Development seminar at the State Museum in Albany two years ago, Classics Department Head and Latin Teacher Dr. Adrianne Pierce began incorporating archeology into all of her Latin classes. She then decided to make it a large focus of the Latin IV

curriculum and to open up an archeological dig site last spring.

“It was sort of a mutual decision with the Latin IV class to do more archeology, and it was so much fun to do the little archaeological experiments we did in class, that it seemed logical to do more and to also open up a dig site so we could have some practical experience,” said Dr. Pierce regarding the class’ decision to focus more on archaeology. The class has found various artifacts at the dig site, such as pottery, dinnerware, glass, metal, a fully intact bottle, and a coin from the year 2000, allowing them to date part of their dig site. They have even found rocks which have been identified as volcanic by Middle School Science teacher Ms. Melissa Boviero, suggesting that in the past

there has been some sort of burning of organic material at the site.

In addition to reading Cicero’s first Catilinarian Orations, learning about rhetorical techniques, and studying the poetry of Horace, Catullus, and Ovid, the class has been learning more about the world of archaeology. The Latin IV students are taking a MOOC class (Massive Open Online Course) through the University of Portsmouth which focuses on the excavation efforts of archeologists of the ancient Roman port “Portus”.

In addition to this online course, the class is reading Latin passages about Portus. They are reading the works of Pliny, Vitruvius, and Cassius which give background on the port, in order to gain more insight into what Portus was like during the height of the Roman Empire. Regarding the link between their archaeological digging and their classwork, Dr. Pierce said, “We are sort of mirroring what they are doing at Portus in a way right here at Hackley.”

Dr. Pierce and her Latin students have also been reading about archaeological techniques and how to evaluate their artifacts, as well as how to properly curate and catalog them. Additionally, they have been learning about various archaeological sites around the world and the groundbreaking work archaeologists are doing by reading archaeology magazines, news articles,

and watching episodes from the archeology program, “Time Team.”

“Doing archaeology in Latin class raised my awareness about the importance of looking at our past. Archaeology also was a great change of pace in our class. I think it would be a great thing to continue doing, and other classes and departments should do it too,” said sophomore Latin IV student Liam Bogart. The students have found the process of finding artifacts and identifying them interesting and thrilling. “The actual digging process is very fun even when we don’t find any artifacts, but when we do, it is very exciting because it tells us something about the environment of the area we are digging in,” said sophomore Vinay Bijoor. While they utilize the dig site to learn more about the work

archaeologists do and how to search for artifacts, they are also hoping to learn more about Hackley and its history through the artifacts they excavate. “We are looking for any type of artifact which could tell us anything about Hackley and its history,” said Vinay.

As the school year comes to a close, the current Latin IV students will miss digging for artifacts and learning about the world of archeology. But as Dr. Pierce lays a tarp over the dig site for the summer, it will be removed in the fall for a new group of eager Latin IV students to use in the hopes of finding artifacts, gaining more insight into the work of archeologists and uncovering the secrets of the ancient world.

Photo by Georgia Panitz Th e c l a s s c a re f u l l y c at a l o g s a n d organizes their artifacts in a box.

Photo courtesy of Adrianne Pierce Sophomores Giovanni Crispi and Vinay Bijoor observe a possible find.

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June 2, 2016

Meet the New Council Members Student Critique of 2016 Election

“Lesser of Two Evils”: The 2016 Presidential Election

By Clay Sullivan

Photos by Benjy Renton From left to right: Juniors Salik Awan, Alex Meyer, and Amanda Stern captivate the audience with engaging election speeches in the PAC.

School-Wide Offices • President - Alex Meyer • Vice-President - Amanda Stern • Secretary/Treasurer - Salik Awan Class of 2017 • Class President - Kevin Kim • Class Representatives - Tyler SextonHoltmeier and Seth Tilliss • Class Agent - Olivia Giacomo Class of 2018 • Class President - Pat Walker • Class Representatives - Michael Mezzacappa and Georgia Panitz • Class Agent - Lei Anne Rabeje Class of 2019 • Class President - Amy Chalan • Class Representatives - Mikhaila Archer and Isabelle Thomas • Class Agent - Philip Bonanno Boarding • Representatives - Bujana Mulosmani and Eli Hankin Board of Magistrates • Magistrates - Izzy Ampil, Benjy Renton and Catherine Meyer • Alternates - Will Jones and Roya Wolfe • Clerk - Francesca Docters

Presidential Election Key Dates Summer 2016 June

24 July

18 July

25 Sept

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District of Columbia Primary Republican National Convention Democratic National Convention Presidential Debate

By Hunter Freedman

Alex Meyer - President Alex Meyer has large shoes to fill as Community Council President next year, but she has the right tools to succeed. She enjoys collaborating with other Council members and cannot wait to increase student involvement in Hackley events. Some exciting ideas Alex has in mind for next school year include having mini events before major ones, such as a Mario Kart tournament before Coffeehouse, and continuing the ever-present spirit in The Hive, the Facebook page for Upper School students.

“Usually people think that if a girl president is elected, they’re not going to bring as much spirit. I really want to change that assumption,” Alex said.

Amanda Stern - Vice-President As school-wide Vice-President for the 2016-2017 school year, Amanda Stern is looking forward to connecting with the student body. She is going to focus on creating a Hackley email newsletter and sending out more questionnaires in order for the Hackley community to be more involved in Council. “Hackley has been such an amazing place for me, and I want to make sure that it is that way for others,” she said.

Salik Awan - Secretary/Treasurer After a successful year of being a Junior Grade Representative, Salik Awan felt that he was ready to take on the school-wide position of Secretary/Treasurer.

He is excited to use his organizational skills in Council by making spreadsheets and establishing set prices for concession stands. “I’d also like to increase school spirit by selling Hackley scarves and entertainment packages at games,” he said. Salik is eager to make enough money in the 2016-2017 school year to fund events such as a pool party and a mini golf tournament.

I like to say that if you don’t like how your government is set up, and you didn’t vote, then you don’t really get a legitimate reason to complain - unless you voted for Al Gore in 2000 and watched George Bush win instead, despite Gore winning the popular vote. As a result of the two party system, people have historically had to choose from the “lesser of two evils.”

The 2016 election season has once again polarized this country’s politics, leaving little to no room for anybody to rise through the middle. To the amazement of foreign organizations like the Canadian NDP and the UK Lib-Dem Party, an anti-establishment candidate has been able to rise quite high in the ranks of the Democratic Party.

Despite having the deck stacked against him, Bernie Sanders has been able to capture the minds of the forward-thinking youth de-

mographic by fighting for people suffering from crushing college debt and the 99%, and fighting against the unfair attempts by the political establishment to suppress his message.

Sanders, however, has failed to secure enough delegates in order to win the Democratic nomination, despite the fact that he has repeatedly polled stronger against GOP candidates than his Democratic opponents.

If the people in this country did not have to restrict themselves to two parties, there would be opportunity for more left-leaning and centrist politicians. With our political system in its current state, there is no easy path to change without first regulating where politicians can get campaign money from, eliminating media bias and manipulation, and replacing the electoral college with a more open and democratic popular vote.

By Chris Thompson

tacks being more frequent, they still feel threatened by illegal immigrants taking their jobs, and they feel like America has, in part, lost its greatness.

Whether any of this is true is unimportant. Donald Trump has highlighted the establishment’s inability to make progress in regard to these problems, and has made people want a change in leadership to combat these perceived issues. The same kind of effect can be seen by Bernie Sanders’ campaign. Sanders has invigorated a similar group to Trump, one that is tired of being lied to by politicians and demands honesty and results. The difference, of course, lies in the policies that each group wants to achieve.

While the race is far from over, we can clearly see that what we once thought of as a politician has become unappealing to the voters, in favor of private citizens with fresh perspectives. Whether or not this trend will be better for the American political system remains to be seen, but it will almost certainly be welcomed, compared to what we have now.

Rise of the Radicals: Recounting Trump and Sanders’ Success Well, it happened. Donald Trump will almost certainly be the Republican nominee, despite the GOP’s best attempts to take him down. What’s more, with each passing day Hillary Clinton appears more and more likely to be the Democratic Party’s nominee.

Each of these two candidates have abysmally low favorability ratings, causing most people to vote for who they perceive to be the lesser evil.

Despite the less than satisfying candidates, this election cycle has the potential to cause massive upsets to American politics. The level of success that Democratic and Republican candidates have received has shown the shift in public opinion of the American people.

Trump has swept the Republican Party in part by spreading his populist message, but also by appealing to the public’s general frustration at the political establishment’s inability to solve the problems plaguing America today.

People feel less safe with terrorist at-

World Leaders Voice Concern Over U.S. 2016 Presidential Election “In Europe, we are concerned about the U.S. possibly turning toward a more isolationist orientation. That would not be good for United States, good for Europe, good for the world. We need the U.S. engaged in global affairs in a constructive, positive way.”

“However much people recoiled from George W. Bush or have been disappointed by Obama, they see Trump as off the Richter scale. The reason for that is not that he must be stupid — nobody thinks that — but that he’s disdainful, unscrupulous, prepared to say anything to harvest the populist vote. ”

- Olli Rehn Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs

- Lord Peter Mandelson Former British Cabinet Member

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Friends of Europe

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Policy Network

“People say, ‘Well it is an election campaign and when things come down to governing after the elections, they are often changing because there are some realities that simply one has to take into account.’”

- Andris Razans Latvian Ambassador to the United States

[On the topic of accepting Syrian refugees,] “Ultimately, being open and respectful towards each other is much more powerful as a way to diffuse hatred and anger than, you know, layering on, you know, big walls and oppressive policies.”

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Valsts kanceleja/State Chancellery

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user A.k.fung

- Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada

8 sports

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June 2, 2016

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Hackley Track and Field Races Spring 2016 the Thrilling Steeplechase Athletics Highlights

By Pat Walker

Photo courtesy of Akash Samad

Senior Lindsay Schechter jumps over the wet barrier in the steeplechase at the Suffern Invitational.

By Bailey Griffen

While watching a track meet, one might wonder what is going on as runners come through the line soaked and exhausted. As they look across the track, just inside the first lane they might notice a water pit and people stumbling over a black and white hurdle causing a trainwreck of runners struggling to make it to the finish. They soon discover that this fun spectator sport is actually a track event. It is the steeplechase.

Although most people know that track and field consists of running, jumping, and throwing events, fewer people outside of the running community are aware of the steeplechase, a true test of athleticism which combines running and jumping into this one arduous discipline.

Despite the challenges that it presents for athletes, the steeplechase is freshman and avid steepler William Crainer’s favorite event, as it “combines the fun of running and racing with the thrill of hurdling over the barriers and jumping over the water pit.” He enjoys the sense of accomplishment that the steeplechase provides. “When you finish it is a much greater sense of accomplishment than just running a 2000 or 3000 because you have [completed] it with barriers. The feeling of running

the steeple is one unmatched. It burns your legs and you can feel the adrenaline pumping through your body,” he said.

In this race, which originates from the popular steeplechase contested on horseback in Europe, competitors run either a 2k or a 3k (just over five laps around the track or seven-and-a-half laps) while clearing hurdles and one water barrier each lap. In a 3k race, runners face 28 dry barriers and seven water barriers throughout the race, while in the shorter 2k event, runners jump 18 hurdles and clear five water jumps.

The steeplechase proves to be particularly strenuous, as competitors not only need the endurance to run these distances, but must also have the strength to continue to jump over the barriers.

The hurdles are taller than those in a shorter hurdling event and the water barriers present a particularly difficult obstacle. While most athletes tend to jump over the dry barriers, the wet barriers generally require a different strategy.

These water pits are usually a few feet right underneath the hurdle and become more shallow further away from the jump. Runners jump on top of the hurdle, push off, and try to clear the most distance possible in an attempt to stay dry. Oftentimes, this is hard to do

and athletes may fall in the water or get splashed by water making it tricky and tiring to complete the rest of the race.

Spectators frequently flock to the water barrier to watch runners tackle this obstacle as it proves particularly entertaining.

Junior Akash Samad enjoys competing in this event as well. “Having confidence in yourself and your ability to get over the steeple are some of the most important qualities for athletes running the steeple,” he said. He divides the event up into three stages: the first being fear, the second, a feeling of confidence after clearing the first barrier, and finally a sense of accomplishment after finishing the race. He also added that “the mindset [he] has towards steeple helps him off the track, teaching the importance of effort and that pushing through gets you where you want.”

Given the determination and willpower required to run the steeplechase, excelling in this event is a very impressive feat. This year at Track and Field’s NYSAIS Championships on Wednesday, May 25, several Hackley runners ran and placed in this event, scoring points for the team. Senior Julia Stevenson is exceptionally talented in this race, and has competed at the national level.

Overall, it is a very exhilarating event for both spectators and athletes.

Girls’ Lacrosse • NYSAIS and Ivy League Champions • 16-1 Record • 15-0 in League Games Boys’ Lacrosse • NYSAIS and Ivy League Champions • 12-4 Record • 11-1 in League Games Baseball • 10-7 Record • 8-6 in League Games Softball • 10-3 Record • Won first three official games Boys’ Golf • Ivy League Champions • 12-0 Record Girls’ Golf • 3-3 League Record Track and Field • Boys’ and Girls’ NYSAIS Champions • 2nd place in Ivy League (Boys’ and Girls’) • Girls’ DMR: 12:22.3 - new school record Boys’ Tennis • 5th in the Ivy League • 8-7 Record

Photo by Benjy Renton Coach Arnold motivates the Boys’ Lacrosse Team at halftime, helping them to capture an overtime win against Stepinac.

Junior Marisa Nakagama, Hackley’s Martial Arts Star

By Christian Riegler

Photo courtesy of Marisa Nakagama Marisa Nakagama practices karate at the Ooyama Dojo.

Junior Marisa Nakagama has a hidden talent, and it involves a black belt.

Since Marisa was young, she has loved the martial art of karate. “I have been doing this since I was eight; it’s a way to stay in touch with my Japanese heritage,” said Marisa.

Marisa was born and raised in the United States and as all of her relatives are in Japan, she has found it rather difficult to understand a big part of herself, her Japanese identity, and karate allows her to do that.

Her biggest inspiration to start karate was her father, who has been involved with karate since college at Hiroshima University. “When I was younger, I always saw him practicing with other cool older kids and the coach and I thought it looked so cool,” said Marisa.

Marisa usually practices in New Jersey at the Ooyama (which translates to“Big Mountain” in English) Dojo (literally meaning “place of the way”) three times each weekend - once on Saturdays and twice on Sundays.

However, with a busy junior year in the way and countless hours of community service, she has found it difficult to keep up with this rigorous practice schedule.

This dojo has a special place in Marisa’s heart. “My shihan (teacher) is really close friends with my family and he also teaches me kickboxing on the side, which is so much fun because the combination of kickboxing and karate really helps me improve and get stronger. It also allows me to stay more active,” said Marisa.

It is quite the process to receive a black belt in karate and Marisa knows this process well. To move

onto higher belt level rankings, the student must complete a set of “dance” routines consisting of different sets of karate moves known as “katas.” “It’s almost like a game, I was always inspired to keep moving on and getting to that new color belt.” says Marisa.

For Marisa’s black belt test, she was required to fight fifteen people who are also trying to earn the black belt ranking. With no breaks and tough competition, this test was not an easy one, but one she took and overcame.

Karate is Marisa’s form of leisure and meditation. “Karate lets me get away from the stress and teaches me how to relax, but also to focus on something else,” Marisa said. No matter how busy her life gets, Marisa still wants to continue with karate and she cannot wait for the day that she wins against her father.