The Dial - April 2019

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Dial

The voice of the student body Vol 121, No 5

Chiara’s Fashion

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Coffeehouse Band

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Audrey’s Coding

Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY 10591, March 15, 2019

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Midterms prepare students for college despite preceptions that they create undue stress News Analysis

Photo by Lauren Ahern

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By Matthew Traum

here is a collective groan whenever Hackley’s February exams are mentioned. It is unsurprising that students don’t like spending many hours hunched over desks studying for lengthy tests on months of material. Exams can be unduly stressful, take up time that could be spent learning new concepts, and can inaccurately reflect a student’s understanding. So the question remains: why even have exams? The answer lies in the myriad of benefits exams offer which make them a necessary part of the Hackley curriculum.

Andy King, Director of the Upper School, explained that part of the reason Hackley has exams is the valuable skills developed and tested through the exam-taking process.

“One of the skills that is assessed by exams is the ability to command larger amounts of information and applications.

Exams shouldn’t be drilling for information but practicing skills you have learned before.

In exams there is an element of trying to synthesize information and connect multiple units to build upon understandings,” said King.

One benefit exams offer is the preparation they provide for future or current exams, such as college entrance or

AP exams. Further, many college and gradu- one B on the exam makes your year-end ate school courses include comprehensive grade an A-.” midterm and final exams, and for some If the weight of exams was lowered to only classes, the exam is all or the majority of the 16% of the year-end grade this problem final grade. would be avoided, and whether exams should While the curriculum should not be en- be weighted as only 16% of the year-end tirely dictated by higher learning, Hackley grade is a discussion that has yet to be had. is a college preparatory school and it would But while lowering the weight of exams not be adequately preparing students for col- could relieve stress, it comes at the risk of lege if they gave them no experience dealing trivializing them. If exams were worth only with a high-stress test covering a wide range 16%, their impact on the year-end would of material. be substantially diminished. It would disSome students feel that exams seem to incentivize working hard and spending the only hurt their overall necessary time studying. grades, not help them.

These are the same study However, in the majorskills that students will In exams there is an need when they head off ity of instances, exams don’t have a meaningful element of trying to to college and beyond. impact on people’s yearHackley’s exams, end grades, and some- synthesize information which are inherently less times offer a chance for and connect multiple stressful, do not comstudents to raise their pletely prepare students units to build upon for college exams. Forgrades.

Exams having a pre- understandings. mer Hackley students dominantly negative explained at a recent effect is problematic for Upper School Director Andy King alumni panel how nothhigh achieving students, ing could have prepared who have mostly As them adequately for and A-s. Since exams exams, because a colaccount for 19% of the year-end grade, lege exam can cover anything in the assigned students’ exam grades need to be two-thirds work, even if it was not emphasized in class. of a letter grade different than their trimester Hackley teachers do a great job focusing average in order to have an impact on their their exams on the material central to the year-end grade. class in an effort to make them an accurate While this can be frustrating for students, representation of a students ability, and as the only solution would be to make the exams stress-free as possible. worth the same as a trimester, which would Hackley only has exams once a year and make exams needlessly stressful. gives students sufficient time and material to Students believe it’s unfair that one bad help prepare themselves. Studying for exams exam can “undo” months of hard work. is not fun. No one denies that. And while Senior Connor Thomson said, “Something the benefits of exams don’t make the hours seems wrong with the fact that you can work spent studying any better, at least the struggle hard to get three A’s on the trimesters, but isn’t needless.

Select courses design alternative second trimester assessments

By Lauren Ahern

Most midterm exams tend to follow a similar format of students sitting down for two hours taking a written test; however, some classes in the Upper School don’t follow the same flow as the rest and some classes have even opted out of midterms all together. Their decisions are based on the realization that standard written tests wouldn’t complement their specific courses.

The Post-AP Spanish class, for example, consists of only a verbal and written component. Specifically, the students are graded on a discussion they have with their teacher, Emily Washington, as well as on a paper.

Washington explained that “It doesn’t make a lot of sense for me to have a pen a paper grammar test” for her Post-AP course, as students have already spent a year training to take the AP exam. Washington instead is “trying to bridge the gap between the things they can do on paper really well and make[ing] sure they can articulate their ideas orally.”

The Post-AP course incorporates service-learning into the curricu-

lum, and depending on whether the students have completed the service component or not, the exam serves as a formal reflection on the work they have done.

During a fifteen to twenty minute conversation, students discuss the experiences they had during the entire service-learning project. It is filmed by Washington for grading later on.

Washington said, “In the end, they get a lot of good feedback…

I think the feedback that they get is really great if we are in fact using assessments as a way to both evaluate students and give them feedback for them to learn and better their Spanish language skills.”

Senior Dana Van Buren, who takes Post-AP Spanish, appreciated the break from the norm. She said, “It felt less stressful because it was something concrete to work on.

With regular exams you never know exactly what’s gonna be on it so you have to review everything.”

This year, the Advanced Bio class does not have a midterm exam.

They have a variety of assessments

throughout the course, but they do not lend themselves towards a cumulative exam. The course is very focused on labs, projects and presentations, and their kindergarten buddy system where the students have the opportunity to work with kindergarten students.

An exam was believed to limit the kinds of long term research and projects the students would be able to do.

Senior Ingrid Lauerwald who takes Advanced Bio agreed with this point explaining, “ Our class is very lab based so having a test wouldn’t benefit our learning. Usually when you study for exams you relearn stuff from the year but labs are based on real-life applications and it would be hard to test that.”

Instead of an exam, the students may have a lab practical of some sort during the same time which would include research on the lab, the inclass lab base, and a presentation.

Though traditional midterms may continue to be the norm, in the future, some classes may decide to fit the needs of their classes.

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The Dial begins transition to new publishing formats

By Yingshyan Ku

After a period of many years, the staff of The Dial will revise the style of its print edition from a tabloid format to a full-color, magazinestyle publication.

The staff plans to publish the Dial magazine three times a year, with distribution of each new issue scheduled to coincide with the end of each trimester.

This plan offers the staff opportunities to conduct in-depth reporting for articles and to increase its online presence.

“It’s a way for us to keep the quality of the writing high, if not even higher, increase the output of our online website, while also recognizing that students also have other commitments and they need manageable deadlines,” said Michael Bass, an advisor to The Dial.

Mr. Bass said, “more and more people are getting their news online, so the notion that we would emphasize our paper over the website doesn’t seem to be viable anymore.”

The Dial’s website debuted 8 years ago and has grown rapidly since,

adding social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Bass and co-adviser Anne Budlong hope the changes will allow the online edition to be even stronger.

At the same time, by allowing writers to conduct deeper reporting and more revision over the course of a trimester, the advisors hope to improve the already good quality of the articles.

“We don’t look at this as fixing a problem – ­The Dial is an awardwinning paper,” Mr. Bass said, “We look at it as a way to bring the Dial fully into the 21st century and build on its strengths.”

With the new format for the print edition also comes a new structure for the staff of The Dial, with Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors and Social Media Managers overseeing each edition.

A Design Editor and Photography editor will be added to the staff to lead the visual aspects of both the print and online publications.

Staff writers will have opportunities to have their work published both in print and on the Dial’s website.

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March 15, 2019

Sleep-in privilege should be extended to all upper school students How many hours of sleep do you get at night?

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By The Editorial Board

hen students have first period free, it can be hard for some to understand the point of being at school without having a class to attend, missing out on the opportunity to catch up on much needed sleep.

“Senior sleep” is a privilege that allows seniors to come to school late, arriving at 9a.m., after first period, given that they have a free.

This allows students get back an extra hour or so of sleep at a time when they would not be missing any classes.

Considering the lack of sleep that the majority of students experience and the benefits of increasing the amount of sleep they get, the Editorial Board recommends that the administration extend the privilege to the entire student body.

Lack of sleep affects the success of a student in all aspects, including academic performance. Studies have shown that students are less able to concentrate in their classes if they are not well-rested. Furthermore, students extracurriculars may also be affected by a student’s lack of energy and focus.

The Dial conducted a poll via email that included a series of questions about sleep patterns.

According to the poll, 53.7% of the student body is getting six to seven hours of sleep a night, and just under 30% getting fewer than six hours, totaling over 80% of students getting significantly fewer hours of sleep than the medically recommended 9-9.5 hours of sleep per night.

In the future, the Editorial Board believes that the proper

the Dial staff Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave.Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 March 15, 2019 Vol. 121, No. 5 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief Amy Chalan

Raghav Chopra

Will Goldsmith Managing Editors Jordan Miller

Sydney Stoller Social Media Editor Sofia Graziano Section Editors

News Lauren Ahern, Yingshyan Ku Opinion Ella Jones, Tommy Larson Arts Roya Arjomand, Tyler O’Brien Feature Matthew Traum, Kylie Morrison Lifestyles Natalie Sukhman, Katy Robertson Politics Max Rosenblum, Jimmy Hefter Science & Tech Cory Gorczycki, Samantha Rosenstein, Jared Tilliss Sports Cole Wyman, Julia Thomson, James Sexton-Holtmeier Advisers Michael Bass, Anne Budlong Policy Opinions expressed in staff editorials reflect the majority view of The Dial Editorial Board. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not represent the views of Hackley School, its administration or its staff. The Dial invites and encourages its readers to write letters to the editor or submit contributions.

Contact us at dial@hackleyschool.org.

We reserve the right to edit any submission for clarity and brevity, and to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation when necessary. We refuse to publish submissions which are unsigned, libelous, or plagiarized.

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

Would you have a viable way to get to school late?

22.2%

29.1% 62.6%

53.7%

Less than 6 Yes

No

Maybe

6 to 7

8 to 9

More than 9

How interested would you be in the possibility of being able to sleep in during a first period free?

1-Not Interested

2-Kind of Interested

3-Very interested

4-Definetly would take advantage of it

16.3% 70.0% Poll methodology: Results are based on 203 responses to a survey emailed to 391 upper school students in January of 2019.

Graphics by Thomas Larson

solution is to delay the start time of school; however, extending senior sleep privileges provides a viable solution to a problem that deserves immediate attention.

Director of the Upper School Andy King agreed that the program was a good idea in theory, but he worries that it would create a further gap between students with the resources (a car, someone who’s free to drive them, etc.) and those who would not feel the benefits of its implementation.

While this may be a factor, the same poll found that close to 65% of the student body would have a viable way to get to school later in the morning.

Senior dean Melissa Stanek, who deals with managing senior attendance for the current senior class, emphasized how challenging

Letter to the Editor

this task is. With seniors forgetting to sign in and out, it’s challenging to keep track of the senior students with the current system.

According to Ms. Stanek, in order to create a system that would function for the entire upper school, more coordination in terms of attendance tracking would be required.

Seventy percent of students in the Upper School believe they would take advantage of the option to sleep in during a first period free.

Junior Dylan Wade said that she would feel more motivated to do her homework at night if she knew she could sleep in the morning after.

Sophomore Sadie Nipon, who lives in New York City, described how students on her bus on the morning takes naps because they are tired from staying up late the

previous night, and emphasized how helpful the opportunity of sleeping in during a first period free would be, especially because she and other students from New York City could carpool to Hackley later in the day.

On the other hand, junior Jimin Jung’s experience represents the 7% of students who are not at all interested in the proposition. He feels that it would not be helpful to him, as he wakes up at 6:30 every day, no matter if he could sleep in or not.

Even though students like Jimin do not see any immediate benefit from a change in policy, it would not have a net negative effect on his routine, as he would be free to come to school even if he had first period free.

While there are logistical issues that would need addressing, the

benefits from the extra hour of sleep that extended sleep offers would have a significantly positive health and school-performance impact on upper school students.

Solutions to the logistical problem could could involve filling out a from the night before coming in late, and have students added to attendance rolls when they attend their second-period class, similar to on a snow delay day where homeroom is canceled. The school could also look into moving towards students having ID cards in order to sign in.

Regardless, if the school administration should make its students’ wellbeing their priority, the Editorial Board implores them to address the lack of sleep suffered by students by granting the ability to sleep in.

Student-based scheduling limits course offerings To the Dial Editorial Board, I read with interest two articles, entitled “Diversity vs. Decolonization” and “Students seek additional English department course offerings”, and would like to provide a few comments to the student body so that, should they wish to pursue this important matter, they can do so with greater context and understanding of what change would mean for their academic experience. Sharing the view expressed by Sophie Thomas in her article that our recent strategic plan contains an imperative to offer a wider array of courses, I want to offer some thoughts about the benefits and drawbacks that could accompany a broader set of course offerings at Hackley.

In effect, the reason our course selection is limited is because we only offer year-long courses rather than trimester-long or semesterlong courses. Why can we not simply change this policy to offer more courses? The answer is complex, and has to do with something the school adopted a while back called “student centered scheduling” and is explained more fully

in the in-depth version of this letter that I have prepared for the Dial’s electronic publication.

In effect, right now Hackley prioritizes getting students exactly the courses they want over giving them a broader selection of courses to choose from. Achieving both at the same time is not possible (for reasons, again, explained more fully online).

What this should demonstrate is that studentcentered scheduling serves to promote one student-interest in particular, the desire to get exactly the classes the student wants to take.

Should the student body choose to prioritize other interests, such as a wider variety of course options or a set of courses that more fully reflects the diversity of the student body, then other scheduling options exist, just with their own drawbacks. Just keep in mind that it would mean course selection would come to more closely resemble EX-Day scheduling – you might not get exactly what you want, but you would likely get something close.

In my experience, a schedule that prioritizes course options over perfect-placement is

preferable. When I was a student, I found my own teachers responded positively to being able to offer classes that discussed the particular content that fascinated them.

This, in turn, meant that their elective classes were exciting, engaging, and, even if they were not my first or second choice, gave me something valuable I would never have encountered in broader year-long courses. This is not to say my colleagues at Hackley do not do their best teaching because we offer more year-long courses than specific trimester electives; the professional and moral standards to which we hold ourselves as your teachers does not change based on the content we bring into the classroom.

What I hope, however, is that the student body continues to discuss this issue thoughtfully and with a complete understanding of what would be gained and lost in a transition to a system that afforded the school a more diverse selection of courses.

Steele Stermberg History Teacher

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March 15, 2019

Chiara Kaufman expresses her passion by designing and making her own clothing

By Julia Thomson

Junior Chiara Kaufman has been inspired by the creative and artistic influences surrounding her ever since she was rolled around in a stroller through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Chiara credits her mom, an English and art double major, for immersing her in culture and art from a young age.

“I had always loved to draw, and from an early age I started to see that as another avenue to approach art,” Chiara said. From there, this passion developed and broadend to fashion design, which became the most visible path for her.

With her spare time outside of school, mostly during long breaks, Chiara works on making her own clothes and working on various other artistic projects.

An important step in the process, where many of the ideas come from, are her sketches and drawings of clothing, patterns, and anything else that comes to mind. She begins the design process by taking measurements, then applying them to different patterns and shapes to make the initial mock up of her design in an inexpensive fabric. After making corrections to the first run through she is usually ready to work on the final product.

This lengthy process, Chiara explains, requires very meticulous work and attention to detail, something she sometimes struggles with maintaining for a long period of time. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not organized or particularly cautious about things, and with this process I have to be, so that has been the biggest challenge for me,” Chiara adds.

In addition to these steps of the process, there are many other hidden touches that require a lot of creative thought. In some of her pieces, Chiara paints the fabric and even laser prints images on for a different look.

“I always try to have multiple

Photo courtesy of Chiara Kaufman Chiara uses Photoshop to design a variety of custom prints. After Photoshopping this image, Chiara uses laser engraving to print this design and incorporate it into one of the dresses she produced.

projects in progress at once,” she said. She spent the duration of her winter break finishing her most recent project, a jumpsuit made partially from scrap fabric that was passed down from a company in New York City that Chiara interned at last summer.

“I was watching them throw all of this fabric out and I thought it was so wasteful, so I wanted to take that fabric and incorporate it into something more interesting,” she explained.

Last summer, in addition to interning part time at J&C Collections, Chiara attended a summer intensive course at Parsons School of Design. This summer she wants to work on developing her portfolios for various art schools she plans on applying to, and take a creative writing course.

As a way to put her design skills to the test, Chiara is entering a costume design contest with the help of Ms. Candelora, the head of the performing arts department at Hackley. She will focus most of her

time now on developing the pieces for this event.

“I am a very visual thinker which I think is why I gravitate towards visual art,” she said, “But I also love books and I love reading, and a lot of my inspiration, in both fashion and art, will come from a book or something I’ve read.”

Although she hopes to pursue a future in fashion design, Chiara has some critiques regarding the industry. The trouble with fashion design, Chiara explains, is that the industry has become so materialistic. “There are certain aspects of fashion design that I love,” she adds, “but not really the whole production.” Often the creative foundation of fashion design gets lost within the commercialization and media of the fashion world today.

Despite these factors and her busy schedule, Chiara constantly finds herself gravitating towards art and creative expression, and credits it as being a large part of her life and identity.

Photos courtesy of Chiara Kaufman Chiara starts off her design process with a conceptual sketch (above) to think through her creative ideas visually. Chiara completed the green dress (top) in her sophmore year. She made it using symmetric circular panels for the top, and using six layers of handpainted transparent fabric for the skirt.

Romanian foreign exchange student enjoys the progressive culture and the opportunities that are available in the United States

By Tyler O’Brien

science. “I mostly study sciences because of Going to a new school in a foreign the way our school system works and I love country speaking your second language that I’ve been able to continue that here especially with Physics can be a daunting yet and Advanced Forest rewarding task. SergiuEcology. The facilities Mihai Ciavoi travelled I love how in New York here are really good.” the 4622 miles from Sergiu also has his home country of you can become an immersed himself in the Transylvania, Romania where he spent the last American or New Yorker Hackley community by attending the Winter six weeks. He spent this simply by moving here.

Coffeehouse, Snowball, time immersing himself Sergiu-Mihai Ciavoi and AGSA meeting. in both American and “I’m very appreciative the Hackley culture. of the events Hackley has “I wanted an exchange organized while I’ve been program in the US and after looking through the various programs, here like the Snowball dance and especially Hackley was the one for me because of the the AGSA meeting which was very interesting similarities between Hackley and my school and is something we don’t have in Romania,” and how long Hackley has been around,” Sergiu said.

Sergiu has spent time not only immersing Sergiu said .

Hackley has provided a great opportunity himself in Hackley culture but also with the for Sergiu to continue what he loved back in culture in New York. He has found that he Romania, specifically his interest in studying loves being in New York and appreciates the

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Photo courtesy of Aidan Wilson Sergiu looks through a video game store with his host Aidan Wilson. He enjoyed exploring a highly developed city like New York, as well as the myriad of cultural experiences he found there.

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atmosphere that the city and its people bring.

“I like how open New York is in terms of both socially and activities to do, I wish Romania was more like that. We have a welcoming culture in Romania but I love how in New York you can become an American or New Yorker simply by moving here,” he said.

New York represents a lot of what Sergiu hopes for the future in Romania.

“The biggest difference between New York and Romania is the amount of development.

Romania has only been really developing for the past 30 years whereas New York has been developing for hundreds. It is fascinating to see what Romania can become if they keep developing like New York has,” Sergiu said.

Sergiu’s visit was not only an amazing experience for him but for his host family as well. “It was a great experience having Sergiu, I learned quite a bit about Romanian culture.

It was fun to show off what we have in New York and watching him enjoy the experience was one of the best parts of having him,” Aidan Wilson said.

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March 15, 2019

AP Photography students capture nature’s beauty

By Jordan Miller

Although oftentimes AP Studio Art’s pieces garner the most attention, AP studio art with a concentration in photography has become more popular recently. For these students, their portfolios will consist of photos showing their breadth and quality along photos of their concentration as well as two black and white drawings.

Nico Butterfield

Photo courtesy of Nico Butterfield Nico Butterfield captured many photos on a family trip to Baniff National Park in Maine. He hiked the mountain in the background of this photo and swam in the lake at the foreground. His photographs commemorate trips with his family.

Senior Nico Butterfield his creative outlet in photography after being inspired to enter the art world by his sister, Camille Butterfield ‘17.

He explained, “My sister was this great drawer, and she inspired me to get into art. I was really bad at drawing though, and photography was much more my style.”

Although he initially got into photography simply as a creative outlet he said, “Since sophomore year my passion for photography has really grown.”

Nico’s concentration focuses on landscapes and he draws his inspiration from picturesque views of nature. He photographs in different types of light and weather and in a variety of locations, capturing an array of natural beauty.

“I have a lot of family upstate and I spend a lot of time outdoors which has given me the opportunity to connect with nature. Photographing landscapes was a logical next step because I get to share that experience of nature with everyone else around me.”

Many of Nico’s pictures are of areas that he has traveled with his family. “ I photograph places that mean something to me”, Nico said.

He took many photos of Maine’s Baxter State Park, which encapsulate the mountains Nico hiked, the lakes he fished in and the trails he walked.

“Landscapes can often reflect emotion and it is really cool that I can express emotions through photography,” Nico said.

Kyle Spencer Senior Kyle Spencer is exploring the natural world, specifically the oceanic realm, through the lens of his camera for his portfolio.

His concentration focuses on water and its inhabitants.

“I choose water because I swim and I love the water, but it also has a deeper meaning. Water is the solvent of life. The first thing we look for in the cosmos is water. So it’s just a really important thing that I feel connected too and I enjoy it,” Kyle said.

In addition to photography, Kyle also channels his love for water through swimming on the Varsity swim team at Hackley.

He began taking photography classes with Mr. Chin his sophomore year. Kyle said, “I took photography as a means for me to satisfy and

explore my interest in the natural world.”

After taking his initial photography class, he has spent the last few summers scuba diving and taking pictures on his dives, using a SeaLife micro 2.0, a permanently sealed underwater camera. His portfolio includes images of ocean life, the water, and scuba divers.

“The ocean is a world not a lot of people get to see. It’s unexplored and a little alien and surreal. To be able to photograph scuba diving is cool. Scuba divers are kind of like superheroes, being able to breathe underwater,” Kyle said.

He enjoys being able to capture nature. “I really think that as the old adage goes, a photo can express so much emotion thought and idea through an image and I love that.”

Photo courtesy of Kyle Spencer Kyle captured this photo over the summer during one of his scuba dives, using a SeaLife Micro 2.0. In addition to capturing scuba divers, Kyle also likes to photograph sea life underneath the surface, capturing the full experience of scuba diving.

Coffee House band reflects on strenuous preparation and the experience of performance

By James Sexton-Holtmeier

Coffee House would not be possible without the hard work and dedication the house band provides each year. This year, the band is made up of seniors Richie Nuzum and Benjamin Monroe, along with Junior Maggie Broaddus. Their musical chemistry was evident in the most recent Coffee House, where they dressed up as “hippies” and performed both an opening and closing piece with enthusiastic audience participation.

“The week leading up to coffee house we have rehearsals that are usually four or five hours long, and that is when we learn all the songs,” said Broaddus.

The majority of the work that goes into the coffee house is done in this one week of rehearsals. Lengthy rehearsals allow the house band to work individually with the performers, and get to know each song a little bit better. Although the house band prefers thorough rehearsals, last Coffee House however, “we only had two days of rehearsals, and only thirty minutes with each performer,” said Nuzum.

The daunting task of arranging and executing such an event is only made possible

by Mr. Tonken’s orchestration and experience.

“Mr. Tonken is the reason Coffee House runs smoothly. We don’t know what we would do without him. He helps run rehearsals, makes the schedule, and we really appreciate all that he does,” said Broaddus. In addition, Mr. McNaughton and volunteer students help with lighting and sound on the day of the event.

One of the best parts of Coffee House is the variety of music that is performed. While this may seem like a benefit to the experience

of the audience, the house band thoroughly enjoys the diversity of music as well. “I would say Coffee House has introduced me to new artists and new genres, that I would never have discovered on my own,” Broaddus added.

The house band often plays about ten of the twenty songs performed. This is no easy task; thus, a very high level of musical experience is required.

Each member of the house band has been playing music for years and has a passion for music in general.

“I started taking lessons in middle school, but for the first couple years I kind of taught myself the basics,” Broaddus stated.

The current house band has been together for two years now, but with the two seniors

graduating, Broaddus will be left with the task of finding new members to fill the shoes of Nuzum and Monroe. “We’re looking for recruits. It’s just me as of right now, but I’m sure we’ll get some people,” she said. Despite this, she is not worried about the future of the house band, because Hackley has a number of gifted artists with diverse musical talents and interests.

The work that goes into the coffee house does not go unnoticed by the student body

that attends each performance religiously.

Junior Annabel Ives said, “The house band made the performance. They really tied the whole show together, making it a special night.”

Junior Dylan Wade added, “It’s cool to see your friends play such a big role in one of the most important events of the year.”

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March 15, 2019

Where we are shopping

By Jordan Miller

Reformation is a women’s clothing store that focuses on producing ethically and sustainably produced clothing. Their style is simple, trendy and high quality.

Senior Frances Schaeffler frequents Reformation and noted,“Although Reformation hurts my wallet I like knowing that my clothing is good for the environment.

Photo By Sophie Thomas Students danced the night away as DJ Zaya Gooding played songs requested by students. Attendees enjoyed her mix of both throwback songs and current songs.

Community Council worked extremley hard throughout the day of the event to make sure that the PAC was decorated according to the “Winter Wonderland” theme.

Excitement over school dances wanes

By Sophie Thomas

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Photo by Jordan Miller Reformation began its sustainability journey by recycling dresses.

History of New York is a Westchester based footwear and clothing store with locations in White Plains and Eastchester. Modeled after a bank, the store showcases merchandise in a glass banklike vault. It sells unisex clothes and shoes.

“The people who work there are nice and it has a really cool aesthetic,” Junior Aidan Wilson said.

Photo by Jordan Miller History’s unisex offerings make it a great shopping destination.

he scene begins with the picturesque high school experience: the school dance. The lights are dimmed, and the gymnasium is decked out in balloons, confetti, and streamers. Not a single thing is out of place and the months of planning, and labor done by the school dance committee is obvious: the room looks perfect. The night begins with everyone spending hours getting ready, planning their looks, and freaking out about their dates.

The limo arrives and the dates pose as their parents embarrass them by taking way too many pictures. Finally the moment they’ve been waiting for arrives. They enter the gymnasium and think to themselves, this will truly be: A night to remember.

Snowball, Hackley School’s Winter Formal, occurs every year between the months of January and February. This dance is run by the Hackley School student government, Community Council who takes care of all of the logistics surrounding a school dance. Community Council spends a good portion of their year planning for this event spending countless hours thinking about logistics, decorations, food, and advertising. This dance is the height of Community Council events with lots of hard work put into it, but sometimes, as is always the case with events, the effort put into it does not always translate to the amount

of interest and attendance involved in event.

Over the years, the reputation for Snowball has waxed and waned, with some years harboring large interest and praise and other years having a lower turnout and negative reviews. Mr. Canterino, a former Hackley alum and current English teacher provides a possible explanation stating, “I think it’s determined by the upperclassmen. If the Upperclassmen are excited about it and they really invest in it, then the underclassmen will take their cues from the[m].” While Community Council is responsible for spreading word about the event and garnering interest, this idea also points to fact that excitement surrounding school events stem from the older kids who make a large impact on the younger kids. Leadership emerges in all forms and while Community Council is a major leadership group in the school, the Upperclassmen represent a form of leadership as well that could help increase the amount of interest in school events like Snowball.

Some other comments that might explain why Snowball does not always garner the best reputation is explained by sophomore Odessa Buell, a new student at Hackley this year. “Some[times] it’s [just] a little bit awkward, [especially] if people go with people that are not their friends, [like] as a date.” This second explanation is yet another example of how years with low interest in Snowball could stem from natural

components of the student body.

Finding a balance between providing a space for student enjoyment but also limiting the uncomfortable aspects of the general high school experience is a difficult one to navigate and is often unavoidable. Part of being in high school and having events like these automatically means that things could be “awkward”, a component that may or may not have the ability to be remedied.

Also, in settings like these, new social pressures surrounding dates and dancing in front of peers settle in, another possible reason why the “awkward[ness]” might occur.

Nonetheless, Odessa Buell expressed her excitement for the possibility of the fun night that would occur and she was looking forward to experiencing it.

In terms of room for improvement, a suggestion by Charlie Rudge, sophomore at Hackley School, was made that Snowball be turned into a Homecoming Dance. He praises the prospect saying, “[Homecoming] is awesome at other schools, and you [get] to have a dance [that lets] people meet each other and come together at the beginning of year.”

This idea provides the possibility for new students to become quickly immersed into Hackley culture early on in the school year. This is an idea that already exists as is seen through bonding activities during First Friday like the Freshman Boat Regatta, but would be expanded to a higher level, including the entire Upper School.

“It just seems like an awesome way to ring in the school year,” he continues.

Having events like these earlier on could lead to some more bonding and opportunities for the entire Upper School to gather and spend more time together.

Keeping in mind the areas for growth, Snowball however, often receives large amounts of praise for the events and activities offered like the photo booth, great food, and good music. Senior Ismene Germanakos raved about the great pictures from the photo booth and the raffle activity that has occurred in numerous years with prizes such as gift cards to restaurants in Tarrytown. Components like these allow the Snowball experience to be more enjoyable and unique in a way that’s different from other schools, especially with the tradition of student DJs, like senior Zaya Gooding.

Overall, with positives and negatives, every person interviewed highlighted the importance of having events like these and gave their praise of the event stating it as a way for the student body to make unforgettable memories. Mrs. Washington, current Spanish teacher and Hackley alum, summarized this concept perfectly in stating, “It’s a good space to have everyone at an even playing field.

You provide a space for kids who are really into dancing to show and bust a move in front of everyone, a place where everyone can be themselves and hang out.”

Instagram museums provide trendy settings for photos

By Kylie Morrison

Recently, pictures of colorful places and outrageous art fills most people’s Instagram timelines. The sudden outburst of “Instagram Museums” has attracted thousands of onlookers to go simply for purpose of taking pictures for social media.

These museums do not focus on history or the importance of art, but rather on the appearance of art itself, which might be why they attract so many teenagers.

Though the art is perfect for making one’s Instagram feed interesting, there is concern for the need of these museums. Many people even question if they should be considered museums at all. Instagram Museums seem to be taking much of the attention away from renown museums.

Although young adults are attracted to these trendy museums rather than renowned art museums, there are negative aspects of this appeal. Many young people just don’t find museums interesting. “I was just indifferent.

It was nice, but there was nothing that really stuck out to me. I just think I could’ve seen it anywhere else; I could’ve opened up our history textbook and seen it there,” recalled Emily Afriyie about her experience at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Heavenly Bodies exhibit.

Photo courtesy of Hadley Chapman The Dream Machine is a museum in New York City that many teenagers visit for its cool backgrounds and set-ups to take photos for their social media profiles. It features washing machines and dryers.

Permanent art and history museums seem to represent a piece of the past when compared to the futuristic and colorful appeal of the trendier museums popular on Instagram.

Senior Saisha Malhotra said, “I was expecting it to be a lot of fun because it was sold out and booked for a lot of days. But you

go in there, they are giving you like 5 seconds in each room, there are way too many people going through.”

Not only do the crowds hinder the experience, but the small amount of time spent in each room makes the experience seem like a waste of both money and time.

Often, there is not enough time given to even appreciate the art; the purpose was solely to take a photo and leave.

“It was just very disappointing because every single room or attraction was only for instagram pictures, so after you took your picture there was no point of being there,” said Audrey Lee. “I think these museums show the extent people are willing to go to for social media and how social media makes people do crazy things these days like spend money to go and takes pictures,” she continued.

Both Instagram Museums and renowned museums seem to hold their own imperfections in the eyes of young people.

However, the idea of a perfect museum experience proves to be possible. Saisha Malhotra also recalled, “I went to the Museum of the City of New York… I really liked it.

The exhibits were more interesting because they were current. There weren’t any tiny cards next to the paintings that no one reads. It was a lot more history, background, and context. It was a lot more relatable because it was pretty and nice to look at and it was more current so people today will care about it.”

According to students, an ideal museum seems to be a place that can be both aesthetically pleasing and thought provoking.

6 politics

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March 15, 2019

Ben Aybar creates super PAC support candidates Super PAC running against corrupt incumbents Showdown

By Max Rosenblum

The phenomenon of rallying to fight monetary corruption in politics has persisted throughout the history of the United States. In the 1870s, New York reformers came together to challenge William M. “Boss” Tweed’s rampant corruption through his political machine, Tammany Hall. Yet it’s not everyday that a fifteen-year old gathers the organizational infrastructure to engage in such a fight.

Sophomore Ben Aybar, — founder, chairman, and Assistant Treasurer of the Mets Are a Good Team Political Action Committee — did exactly this, simultaneously landing media coverage from Sports Illustrated in the process.

A Su p e r Po l i t i c a l A c t i o n Committee, colloquially known as a super PAC, is a political committee organized to raise unlimited sums of money to advocate for or against certain candidates, without donating directly to a given campaign, according to OpenSecrets.org. Most are used by corporations, unions, or wealthy individuals to fundraise, not by high school students. As a result, a 15-year-old’s position as the founder of a super PAC is a rarity.

A quirky, intelligent, politically involved individual, Ben first had the idea to found a Political Action Committee in early 2018 after becoming frustrated with the principle of super PACs in the first place. After tabling his idea for most of the year, he decided to establish the Committee in early October, when the midterm elections cycle was in full swing, much to the excitement of him and his friends.

Ben had his reasons for this unprecedented move. He explained, “I’ve always been a proponent of campaign finance reform and I thought it would be a fun, sarcastic

jab at the FEC if I formed a super super PAC has a website, Instagram, PAC in five or ten minutes.”

Twitter, credit card, bank account, Indeed, it only did take him a and a PayPal for donations. few minutes — after gathering It also has a Board of Directors the necessary information (bank consisting of other Hackley account, credit card, name and sophomores, including Henry address of a bank, committee name) Knapp, Matt Bridger, Nick Khoo, and filling this information into an Arjun Dayal, Alex Goldman, Charlie online form, Ben received a response Rudge, and Anthony Pizzolatto, from the federal government in 10 whose political identifications minutes confirming the approval of lie across the political spectrum. his new Super PAC. These students act as promoters, “It was much more complicated, treasurers, and in their position as and this I think is sort of atrocious, Board members, decide collectively for me to get a bank account in my on super PAC decisions (such as own name than to form a super which candidates to support).

PAC. It took a week and a half for Indeed, the super PAC’s objective is me to get a bank account in my firm: to support candidates running own name. It’s far too easy right against corrupt incumbents. Even now to do something that should though the super PAC is new, it has be far more already done just complicated to this: the super do.”

PAC supported Ben further It was much more Antonio expressed his Delgado, frustration with complicated...for Ammar Campa the FEC that a me to get a bank Najjar, and Nate super PAC with Mc Mu r r a y i n such a “ridiculous account in my own t h e m i d t e r m name,” as he put name than to form a elections it, was approved through small in such a short super PAC. donations. These period of time. candidates were Ben Aybar Nevertheless, he chosen because concedes that their opponents the FEC is trying to crack down. received large corporate donations, He, along with other super PACs used campaign funds for personal with more vulgar names, received expenses, and engaged in insider a letter in the mail in December trading, respectively. about the humorous name seeking Ben also claims that the confirmation that the super PAC committee’s existence also serves as was real. a platform to voice his criticism of “What we say is, just as the Mets money in politics. are underdogs and no one really “[In terms of campaign finance supports them, we only support reform,] I believe Citizens United candidates who are not incumbent, should be overruled through a we support underdogs over big, bad, constitutional amendment or other corrupt people...it’s a metaphor.” means because I don’t believe in the But as much as the name is idea of [donating] infinite amounts entertaining and unusual, the super of money when you are not the PAC doesn’t exist just for kicks. candidate, as Mike Bloomberg has The digital infrastructure exists: the done...what ends up happening is

“

”

that this can take a lot of the voice away from people that can only afford small donations…[super PACs are] a tool that the rich use to keep politicians under their thumb.

I don’t think it’s good for America if we’re representing only the rich’s interest over the middle class.”

Although another super PAC itself does not directly solve the issue of corruption in politics, it is a way for him to raise awareness to the flaws he sees in the system.

Other efforts to fight corruption have included calling out politicians on social media, educating the public as to why corruption is problematic and who perpetuates it, and the American Anti-Corruption Act advocated for by the group RepresentUs. After forming his own super PAC, Ben’s concerns have flowed into a different realm: a newfound concern over the ease of access to voter information. This concern emerged after he discovered the ease and rapidity with which he could access the personal information of voters (by law, his non-profit status gives him access to this information) Looking towards the future, Ben’s tentative plan is to fundraise through cheap robocalls in the 2020 cycle. “Although we probably won’t focus on the 2020 presidential election, we are looking to help less heavily funded folks fighting corruption.”

This makes sense, given Ben’s political opinions and initial interest in the 2016 presidential election in eighth grade. Aside from the super PAC, he has also harnessed another passion of his, computer science, into creating a political model through Java and Google Sheets to predict election outcomes.

For other high schoolers aiming to find their niche, Ben’s path of following his interests should serve as a helpful inspiration.

These three super PACs raised the most amount of money in the 2018 election cycle. OpenSecrets classifies the Senate Majority PAC as liberal and both the Congressional Leadership Fund and Senate Leadership Fund as conservative.

Images from the Congressional Leadership Fund, the Senate Majority PAC, and the Senate Leadership Fund, respectively.

New York State Senate passes progressive legislation

By Sydney Stoller

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo populated Twitter feeds with a thirtysecond video highlighting the nine pieces of legislation that he has signed since the State Senate convened in January 2019.

The New York State Senate held elections this fall for 63 seats – one for each of the state’s districts. For the first time since 2015, the majority of the Senate is Democratic and Democrats have wasted no time in passing bills after less than a month in office.

The RHA bill, also known as the Reproductive Health Act, claims that abortion is a complex and personal decision solely reserved for a woman and her healthcare provider, which codifies the Roe v. Wade decision in New York law. In addition, RHA helps to save women’s lives by avoiding the issue of having to go out of state in order to receive a late-term abortion. RHA, also known as Senate Bill S240, was signed by Governor Cuomo on January 22nd, 2019 after passing with the support of 38 senators, all of whom are Democrats.

In addition to the abortion initiative, the New York State Senate also passed a series of bills called GENDA, also known as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act. GENDA says that gender can not be a factor in making decisions in the workplace.

On January 25th, a law banning conversion therapy was passed by a 53 vote margin.

Conversion therapy practitioners purport to be able to “cure” people of being gay, but

Illustration by Sydney Stoller The New York State Senate has passed numerous pieces of progressive legislation since the start of the new legislative session. Such legislation, including GENDA and the RHA, could not be passed in previous legislative sessions due to the alignment of certain Democratic senators with Republicans through the Independent Democratic Conference. With many former IDC members unseated, New York politics are solidly blue not only in party identification but also in the policies passed.

the practice has no basis in science and can be traumatic. This law states that engaging in conversion therapy on patients under the age of 18 by mental health professionals is considered professional misconduct.

In addition, the Senate also passed a bill ensuring the end of gay and transgender

discrimination, specifically in the process of job applications.

Another act that demonstrates the dramatically progressive shift in the State Senate is the anti-gun legislation that was passed on January 30th, 2019. This series of bills, supported by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, includes

the Extreme Risk Protection Orders bill, the Effective Background Control Act, the Bump Stock Ban, the Preventing School Districts from Allowing Teachers to be Armed bill, the Gun Buy Backs act, and finally the Out of State Mental Records bill. These bills allow actions including, but not limited to: the ability to disarm someone who is potentially harmful, the ability to outlaw a device that accelerates the rate of fire, and an increase in regulations for gun buybacks.

The RHA, GENDA, and anti-gun legislation passed by the New York State Senate in January 2019 are part of a push to achieve a progressive agenda in response to the request of their constituents. Since the election of President Trump in 2016, many liberal but politically passive New Yorkers were galvanized and became more politically active. In addition to working to combat President Trump’s agenda, many have also directed their focus towards state government. These officials have passed progressive legislation quickly and efficiently thanks to the fact that New York already had a democratic assembly and governor, in contrast to the newly elected Democratic majority in the House of Representatives who can only pass legislation as a way to demonstrate what they would do if they win the White House and Senate in 2020.

Spirits are high among Democrats basking in the glory of newly-elected officials who are efficiently pass legislation. Thanks to rising political stars in the State Senate, 2019 is the year of New York.

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March 15, 2019

Sophomore Audrey Pizzolato uses her love of computer science to benefit her local community

By Samantha Rosenstein

Although sophomore Audrey Pizzolato is known to many as a light-hearted, hard working, varsity athlete who can often be found giggling in the Sophomore Bubble, many have yet to learn that since she was 10 years old, she has spent countless hours and weekends learning how to code.

Audrey began learning the basics of code seriously during the summer of 2012, which she spent at Camp Summertech over the course of a month. Here, she learned how to code in Javascript, HTML, CSS, and Java. Audrey reflected back on her time at camp commenting, “This camp truly incited my love for coding that I have today. I doubt I would have even entered computer science classes at Hackley without this experience. I really hope one day I can give something back to this place because it means a lot to me” At Hackley, Audrey expanded upon her love for computer science by entering numerous clubs like the FLL Robotics Club in the middle school. With the help of Mr. Lipin

Photo by Samantha Rosenstein Audrey has pursued her passion in coding and has not only been a part of AP and Post-AP Computer Science, but she has also done many summer courses. This has allowed her to expand her knowledge in the field and meet new people who share the same interests.

and alongside other members of the club, Audrey spent six hours a week for five months coding a robot to complete numerous tasks atop a game board. Both years Audrey participated in the club, Hackley’s team advanced to Regionals and

was one of the very few nonhomeschooled teams.

Since middle school, Audrey has continued her loved for coding and robotics through her involvement in AP and Post AP Computer Science classes. Having now acquired this

knowledge, Audrey comments, “I now want to give back to the community that incited my love for computer science in the first place.

To do this, I have been working with my Girl Scout leader, Mrs. Edelston,

to partner with the Hudson Scholars on a coding workshop.”

In order for Audrey to achieve the highest honor as a Girl Scout, The Gold Award, she is required to identify and solve a problem in her local community. Audrey believes that while the STEM field is highly innovative, it lacks gender inclusivity. Audrey hopes that through her workshop, she can inspire young females to begin their own passion for coding.

Wo r k i n g w i t h b o t h M r s .

Tranchida, Hackley’s Computer Science teacher, and Mr. Sykes, Leader of the Hudson Scholars club, Audrey is currently working to develop a Computer Science class geared towards middle schoolers.

Audrey references her project stating, “I am really excited to get the project off the ground. I am hopeful that it truly makes an impact on the student’s perception of STEM and allows them to see themselves one day doing this” Audrey encourages all Hackley Upper School students to join her this summer at the Hudson Scholar Program, helping inspire a new generation of coders.

A passcode might keep others Sounds Good? out, but not major companies

There are a wide range of wireless earbuds that can suit many different purposes and lifestyles

75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from apps whose users enable location services to get local news and weather or other information. Several of those businesses claim to track up to 200 million mobile devices in the United

One clear example of privacy exploitation was in October of 2018 when social media giant Facebook Eighty-eight percent of teenagers announced the launch of its newest own cell phones. However, many of project: The Facebook Portal. The these teenagers do not understand release was met with cynicism and the pressing privacy issues that distrust from both social media and can be associated with this perspective customers. technology. According to A product given the the Pew Research Center, access to see and record as many as 71% of social the inside of one’s home media users post the city or -especially from a town where they live, while company with previous 92% use their real name privacy issues -- was within their profile. One unnerving to the general thing is for sure: users are population. sharing more information The information about themselves now than that the portal gleans they ever have before. from your home is Companies have a also used in guiding significant monetar y advertisements. As a incentive to find amd sell Facebook spokesperson their users’ data. As the explained, “we may world becomes increasingly use this information to reliant on technology, inform the ads we show businesses are looking you across our platforms.” everywhere to reap the Facebook also has and benefits. exercises the ability to sell “Companies are using this data to advertisers, a cornucopia of sources profiting on what they see to capture and process in one’s home. While the customer data on metrics, portal is still on sale and from demographic data continues to be purchased to behavioral data,” said daily, not all consumers director of data science are aware that Facebook for the firm Elicit, Liam may be watching inside Hanham. your home.

He concluded that The importance of “c u s t o m e r d a t a c a n Illustration by Raghav Chopra giving away data to be collected in three While owning smartphones has become more and more companies is understated. ways – by directly asking commonplace, the security of our phones from outside Although the majority customers, by indirectly companies has not been ensured. From companies that of teenagers do not tracking customers, and by have global popularity to those that are small-scale have been known to share personal data with third-party think twice before they appending other sources of all assocations. post something to the customer data to your own,” Instagram or Twitter, said Hanham. “A robust business there is an underground “black States — about half of those in use strategy needs all three.”

These companies will go to last year. The database reviewed by market” full of companies hoping surprising depths in an effort to The Times reveals “people’s travels in to monetize off of their users’ most learn as much as possible about their startling detail, accurate to within a personal information. users. According to a comprehensive few yards and in some cases updated study by the New York Times, at least more than 14,000 times a day.”

By Jared Tilliss

By Cory Gorczycki

The number of headphones and earbuds that were bought in 2017 was around 368 million globally, with that number nearing 400 million this past year. Now, the type of technology that manufacturers are focusing on is creating bluetooth earbuds to replace the wires. They are at a point now where almost every major audio and tech company has tried to create their own version due to their rising popularity. Some of the following choices are the best in their class and have a wide variety of features.

Apple’s AirPods have likely been the catalyst behind the booming popularity of wireless earbuds in recent months, and certainly a solid option for those who want a reliable set of earbuds that are part of the Apple ecosystem. They feature the best and quickest pairing with an iPhone, and they are also lightweight. The carrying case is small and equipped with a charging feature.

Overall, AirPods are an easy choice for Apple users because of the things that characterizes Apple overall –– ease of use and a strong internal ecosystem. However, given that AirPods are sold at $159, some argue they lack features that should accompany the price. AirPods do not sport a long

Photo by Samantha Rosenstein The AirPods sport a compact, unique design with a slim profile case.

battery life when compared to other brands, as they can only go for about 2.5 hours on a charge. Some reviewers report that the sound could be better, and level of comfortability is subpar. There are not many controls from the earbuds themselves, and any type of noise cancelling is absent from them.

Another strong option whose price rivals AirPods are the Jabra Elite 65t.

These wireless earbuds have a much more understated design, as they look and feel less flashy and bright.

However, this do excel in all of the added features they possess. They feature a very respectable sound, especially given their small size. Additionally, they have different modes, like a wind noise reduction mode and another mode that lets the surrounding sound in, too. They are known to be great for voice calls, and when combined with a strong connection and very good battery life at about 4-5 hours on a single charge, they are a great overall package. Unfortunately, the pairing is not as swift as the AirPods, and it is $20 more to get a better water-resistant and sporty design for workouts, making them cost $179.

While wireless earbuds have certainly risen monumentally in popularity, many find the high price point and tendency to get lost frustrating.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless are an example of earbuds that, at $69, are relatively inexpensive, but have Bluetooth with a neckband design so that the earbuds can always stay on your neck and near you. They have a very fast charging system, great sound and fit, and an automatic on/off switch that activates after individuals connect the two buds together with magnetic backs.

In a world where more and more devices, namely smartphones, are leaving the headphone jack out of their devices, wireless headphones have become a pragmatic option.

8 sports

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March 15, 2019

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Coach Brown shares wisdom and love for basketball with JV Girl’s team, leading them to victory

By Hadley Chapman

“How different the world would look without the game,” second-year JV girls basketball coach Sam Brown said, “That court with all the lines, rules, and regulations, that rim, that backboard, sneakers squeaking against the wood floor, the sound of a shot as the ball goes through the net, the feel of leather against your palms and fingertips; it would be boring. Basketball is my life and it has impacted it greatly.”

The Hilltop welcomed Sam Brown last year, bringing new coaching strategies to the Hackley girls basketball program.

In the short time that Brown has been on the Hilltop, the JV girls basketball team has had two outstanding seasons, winning the Ivy-League two years in a row.

Brown first became interested in basketball as a fan. Julius “Dr. J” Erving was the player he gravitated towards because of his high flying dunking ability and overall performance. Brown then started going to the parks in his Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn neighborhood to try to emulate Dr. J. “In my neighborhood of Bedford Stuy Brooklyn in the early ‘80s and 90s let’s just say it wasn’t the greatest area to raise a child in. But I survived due to basketball and various other sports, which kept me out of a slew of troubles that others my age had succumbed to,” Brown said.

Basketball taught Brown humility as he transformed from a top player in his neighborhood to being a benchwarmer in high school. However, he relished his role on

the bench as a practice player and as a pseudo assistant coach to his high school coach.

“I loved my teammates and my coaches despite not getting my needs of playing time met. I refocused my energies into helping others. I would work as hard as I could every practice and in games; I’d cheer on my teammates from the bench as loud as I could to motivate them,” Brown said.

Brown has gained life-long friendships and relationships from basketball. He helped five of his high school teammates become division one basketball players through working with them throughout his high school career. Two played overseas and one went on to play in the NBA. To this day his high . school teammates Sam Brown credit him with their success in basketball.

“I guess that might of been my first coaching job? Had I been the star ballplayer that I dreamed about being rather than a benchwarmer I might not have ever coached all the great kids that I have over these years,” Brown said.

This is now Brown’s 20th year of coaching.

Coaching the Hackley Girls team was Brown’s first time coaching girls basketball since 2003. His decision to coach girls at Hackley stemmed from watching his daughter’s 8th-grade basketball games. He sat in the bleachers never saying a word, only cheering the team on. Yet he would watch the girls give their all only to come up short at times. When he saw the job on the Hackley website he thought it might be his opportunity to get the JV girls coaching job.

I survived due to “basketball and various

othe r sp orts, which kept me out of a slew of troubles that others my age had succumbed to

”

Photo by Hadley Chapman Coach Brown offers advice to younger players on the importance of layups. He encourages the team to prioritize high percentage shots. This is Coach Brown’s first coaching job with girls since 2003.

The JV team has won their league for the past two seasons. The team’s success comes from playing unselfishly and hard.

They pressure the ball to create turnovers which they turn into offense. Their motto is “defense is our offense”.

Brown gives his players a simple game plan that they can execute and understand with freedom inside of that structure to showcase their talents.

“It’s been great having Coach Brown as my coach for the past two seasons. He has motivated me to be the best at basketball I could possibly be,” Sophomore JV player Jessie Bard said.

“Thank God for Dr. James Naismith and this great game he invented. I couldn’t even imagine where I’d be right now without it,” Brown said.

Sports betting increases in popularity among students despite risk of addiction

By Cole Wyman

I

n May of last year, the Supreme Court overturned a 1992 federal law that banned sports betting.

The ruling did not legalize sports betting, but it did allow individual states to legalize it with their own specifications.

Despite sports betting being illegal in most states, recent observations have shown a decline in strict enforcement of those laws.

While only eight states currently have full-blown legal sports betting, and two, including New York, have recently passed bills to legalize it, sports media across the country have more openly incorporated gambling into their product.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, there seems to be a rise in casual betting and that includes among teenagers.

Our reporting indicates a definite cohort of Hackley students who enjoy the practice, though exact numbers are hard to know.

It is not just the legal landscape that is encouraging sports betting.

Fox Sports airs a sports talk show centered around sports betting called “Lock it In” every weekday at 4:30 p.m. Other mainstream sports outlets such as Bleacher Report and Fansided have also started to produce content surrounding sports betting as both apps have channels for gambling advice.

Even ESPN and CBS sports, two of the main services a casual fan would look to simply to see live scores or future events feature Vegas betting lines next to all contests when available.

Despite the enthusiasm, dangers accompany the new prevalence of sports betting.

For example, “Lock it In,” like other betting advice platforms, was intended to educate the average fan betting on sports.

However, some argue it actually creates a false sense of confidence that the odds are in the bettors’ favor when in reality they are far from it.

The fact of the matter is that in sports betting the public loses money on average. The public loses money through the ≈10% cut the house takes on every bet.

Vegas bookmakers are incredibly savy and create lines on games that are truly 50/50: so when placing a bet, even if someone with experience claims it is a “good bet,” the outcome of the bet does still remain a toss up.

What this means, is eventually the laws of statistics will catch up to you and a 10% loss can be assumed over the long run. Because the cut is a factor of the bet itself, this fee is minimized by small bets and maximized by larger wagers. The fact of the matter is that financially

the better is at a loss, however when that loss is small, many hackley students believe that the candy bar priced loss is worth the fun and camaraderie surrounding sports betting.

Despite the risks, some people, including Hackley students, argue that sports betting is overall worthwhile for the enjoyment it

to learn “mI ohave re about the

consequences of gambling, but so far I have been winning so I have no reason to stop.

”

Anonymous Hackley Senior brings them.

Beyond making money, the supposed fun of betting is said to come from making picks with friends, doing research, as well as talking about picks and sharing opinions with friends.

Another positive, according to bettors, is that having money on the line can make games with no rooting interests fun and exciting.

Most Hackley students that do engage in the betting craze tend to lean more towards daily fantasy sports or DFS. DFS is similar to sports betting but instead of picking the outcome of a game you select individual players each night and their statistics are compiled into points accumulated throughout the night.

DFS is inherently a low risk game because most contest’s entry fees are under $10 and while host sites do still snatch a 10% cut, simply doing more research and spending more time with a lineup can move the odds closer and closer in a bettor’s favor.

A senior who asked to be kept anonymous very much enjoyed DFS but found himself starting to accumulate a lot of losses, and then decided to quit.

When asked about his decision he said, “It was tough, I kept thinking I would win but when I finally realized how bad I was I just had to give it up.”

Some Hackley students do admit to having a problem with sports gambling.

A different senior who also requested anonymity, admitted that he is regarded by his friends as someone with a betting issue.

“I have to learn more about the consequences of gambling,” he said, “but so far I have been

winning so I have no reason to stop, but if I were losing money I think I would stop.”

Winning never lasts forever, but risk assessment and rationality are not abundant in the minds of gambling addicts.

In fact, Ferris Jabr, writing in the Scientific American, cites a 2003 Yale University study and a 2012 University of Amsterdam study, both of which yielded results suggesting that gambling addicts “had unusually low levels of electrical activity in prefrontal brain regions that help people assess risks and suppress instincts” (Jabr).

Such low electrical activity in the aforementioned region of the brain is also consistent in drug addicts (Jabr).

Whether someone is an “addict” or not is not a clear call, hence the challenge in knowing when a harmless pastime is shifting to a dangerous habit.

While sports betting can be an enjoyable and safe activity for some, it is extremely dangerous to engage in such betting. In the United States alone, approximately 10 million people have a gambling addiction (North American Foundation for Gambling Addiction Help).

Many are interested to see what happens when presumably even more states legalize the practice.