May 2015 Issue

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Headmaster Johnson Announces His Retirement

21-Year Tenure Leaves a Durable Legacy of Growth

Mr. Johnson dishing out valuable advice during a meeting with his advisory. Mr. Johnson’s legacy lies in and is carried on by the influence he has had on students like his advisees.

By Sydney Monroe and Alex Meyer

Headmaster Walter Johnson settles into his dark oak rocking chair just as he has done so many times before. Just from one meeting, one can witness the kind presence and relatability one might not expect to find at the absolute head of our school. Mr. Johnson, of course, has been a longtime presence on the Hackley campus. He has served as our headmaster for the past 19 years and just recently announced his upcoming retirement in 2016.

Mr. Johnson leads every major change and innovation we see in the Hackley community, from overseeing the construction of new buildings to hiring new faculty members, hes has been, in his own words, “a director of a play, if you will, setting the scene for actors and performers to exhibit their talents.”

“I’ve had the ability to both witness and foster the success of others, which has certainly been one of the most valuable aspects of being headmaster.”

Mr. Johnson

His actions in recent years have come to define the Hackley campus and community, as we know it. It was Mr. Johnson’s initiative to purchase the 172 acres from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund in 1998, which now contain Hackley’s new fields complex and cross country trail system. After the library burnt down due to a freak lightning strike, it was Mr. Johnson’s leadership that restored the beauty of the Goodhue Memorial Library while creating an interior that actually enhanced the experience for students and for teachers.

Mr. Johnson is the man behind every major action one observes on the Hackley campus.

He carried Hackley into the 21st century, keeping Hackley consistently cutting edge and modern while still maintaining the warm Hackley presence we all know and love. His tenure at Hackley has certainly left an imprint, if not just physical, but intellectual and emotional as well, as Assistant Headmaster Phil Variano noted, “his legacies are very broad.” So all of this then raises the question: who really is Mr. Johnson? Who is this figure responsible for all we see and observe around us?

To understand Mr. Johnson’s true value and talents as Hackley’s headmaster, one must first follow his journey in teaching. Before Mr. Johnson ever became the leader on campus

Photo by Sydney Monroe.

as he is today, he planted his roots in education a bit more humbly, at a summer camp counselor as a teenager.

“This job was my first exposure to the fact that teaching was really hard,” said Mr. Johnson, “I thought that it was a great job because I could work in the mornings and then go and play tennis in the afternoons. But then, by the time I finished my first day, I was so exhausted that I had no energy to play tennis.”

This experience made Mr. Johnson realize that teaching was a profession that would require diligent work and engender respect. He went on to graduate summa cum laude with a degree in English from Amherst College, and served as a teaching fellow at the University of Pennsylvania while obtaining his Masters degree.

After college, Mr. Johnson served as Associate Director & Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the Rosenbach Museum and Library, before finally settling into his first teaching position as an English teacher at the Trinity School in New York City in 1984.

He worked there for five years, until he accepted the position as Upper School Director at the Collegiate School, also in New York City, in 1993.

Mr. Johnson then traveled overseas in 1994 for a one year stint as the Principal of the High School at The American School in London. After this international job, Mr. Johnson found himself up on the Hilltop, stepping into his role in the Hackley campus in September of 1995.

It was this relationship that seemed to fit the best. Mr. Johnson quickly picked up the flow of Hackley life, serving as a teacher, friend, and mentor to many, while also catching Hackley up with the rapidly modernizing times of the late 1990s. By the year 2000, Mr. Johnson had installed a director of technology, two full-time psychologists, a director of enrollment management, a registrar, and brought needed updates to the Hackley computer labs. The Hackley website and automated library soon followed.

One thing came to be abundantly clear: Mr. Johnson was here for the long haul. He brought technology to the forefront of Hackley’s campus as a means to “enable the school to be more completely itself.”

“These new advances strengthen already concrete Hackley values and give them more opportunities to express themselves.” Hackley has become stronger in part because it is now more ‘Hackley-ish,’” said Mr. Johnson. He created a smooth system where technology became an aspect of guidance and assistance in the classroom, but not an overwhelming presence. These Continued on page 3.

The New 2015-2016 Dial Leaders Take Charge

By Lauren Fallon

T

he Dial staff is excited to announce that the 2015- to continue making the Dial and the Dial Online a suc2016 Editors-in-Chief are Marc Rod and Sonia cess. During the 2014-2015 school year, the Dial online Singh. Marc was previously one of two editors for enhanced its viewership by making frequent article and the News page and Sonia was the sole editor of the Science photo updates. and Technology page. Both Marc and Sonia worked pas- “I would like to continue the Dial’s online success by sionately their sophomore and junior years, making huge posting timely publications that will get people excited to contributions to the Dial. Everyone on staff is excited to visit the site,” Benjy added. see what they will do to make the Dial the best it can be!

He hopes to gain readership by making the Dial online As Editors-in-Chief, they hope to enhance the Dial’s a resourceful site for members on the Hackley campus. presence through social media, which has proved to be a “We want to include more photos and articles that revolve useful method in connecting with the student body this around everything happening at Hackley,” Benjy said. past year. “We will be updating our three social media acSonia added that she is “looking forward to working with counts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as the Marc and Benjy. We are all very excited to carry on the sucnew website regularly to keep students informed on the cess of the Dial. Our sole purpose is to make the newspaper latest news the Dial is covering,” said Marc. the best it can be for the Hackley community,” she said.

New online editor and current junior Benjy Renton also The Dial also has new page editors that are very excited to has big plans for the upcoming year. Benjy has played start their new roles. The 2015-2016 Dial staff is prepped an important role on the Dial staff this year and hopes and ready to go for the rest of this year and next year!

Juniors Sonia Singh and Marc Rod, the new Editors in Chief, plan the next issue of The Dial. Photo by Robert Hallock.

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Dial

Student Voices Key to Headmaster Search Committee Must Continue to Hear Community Input

Mr. Johnson has served as Hackley’s headmaster for 20 years.

Photo by Alex Meyer

The Editorial Board

As Headmaster Walter Johnson prepares to end what will be a twenty-one year tenure on the Hilltop, Hackley has begun the long and challenging task of finding him a successor.The search is being led by a thirteen-member, ad-hoc committee composed of two Hackley faculty, one administrator, and ten Trustees. The committee has further employed Spencer Stuart, an executive search consulting firm, to assist in the search.

Their task will be a difficult one. Hackley’s next Headmaster will have to be both a jack-and-master of all trades: adroitly managing the school’s financial situation, expanding its sustainability and global education initiatives, leading a tight-knit and strong community, and ensuring that Hackley continues to provide a rigorous education to its students.

“What makes this search both interesting and challenging,” Trustee and search committee Co-chair Ted Mathas explained, “is that you really need somebody who’s got the ability to go wide and go deep.”

Finding a single individual who can fill each of these myriad and sometimes disparate roles is essential to maintaining the diversity and breadth of a Hackley education.

The school is doing the utmost to find such a candidate, as difficult as it may be. In an effort to attract the highest quality applicant pool, the search process will remain largely cordoned-off from the school community. As Mr. Mathas put it, “A fully transparent process might result in a B- applicant pool, whereas one with confidentiality [like the current one] could attract an A applicant pool.”

The need for confidentiality is important: current heads-ofschool are unlikely to apply to a job with an open, transparent hiring process because the very act of applying could damage their reputation at their current school.

While we respect the need for some confidentiality, it is absolutely essential that the search committee ensure that both students and faculty have a voice in the search process.

Failing to do so would make it extraordinarily difficult to find a Headmaster who “fits” the Hackley community.

The students and faculty are, after all, the largest two groups of people here every day. If Hackley’s next headmaster isn’t carefully attuned to their expectations and desires, they may have a difficult time earning the community’s affection and respect.

Both confidentiality and transparency are important in the hiring process - confidentiality to attract the best applicants, and transparency to insure that those applicants are satisfactory to everyone in the Hackley community.

The search is an issue of balance - the board must delicately weigh these two seemingly opposing interests during the search process.

“What makes this search both interesting and challenging is that you really need someone with the ability to go wide and go deep.”

Trustee Ted Mathas While including students and large amounts of faculty in the search process would likely deter strong prospective applicants, the board must provide a way for students and faculty to provide persistent input into the process. Furthermore, they must build trust with the community of students and faculty so that we can feel confident that this input is being listened to, and keep students and faculty updated on how the search is proceeding.

Early signs are encouraging that the committee is taking this responsibility to listen to the community seriously - Spencer Stuart, the outside firm retained by the committee, has held meetings with both faculty and student government.

But there is still cause for concern. The committee has no official outlet for persistent student input, and the faculty only compose two of the thirteen board members.

While initial meetings with the consultants show that the Board is interested in community input, they aren’t enough.

Ms. Tavakol Supports Nuclear Deal with Iran

Ms. Tavakol can offer a unique opinion on the nuclear deal

Photo by George Wangensteen

By Marc Rod

As an Iranian American who left Iran as a child, Haleh Tavakol ‘84, Hackley’s Director of Alumni Affairs & Alumni Giving, has a unique perspective on the recently announced, hotly debated tentative deal between Iran and the US, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany (collectively, the P5+1), regarding Iran’s nuclear energy and nuclear weapons capabilities, as well as sanctions on Iran by the P5+1.

According to the US State Department, the deal announced on April 2nd would halt the expansion of Iran’s nuclear program for ten years and roll back some elements of this program. It also would put in place ex-

tensive, rigorous inspections and supervision of Iran’s nuclear facilities and lifts some of the sanctions placed on Iran once Iran abides by its commitments in the deal.

However, on April 8, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei demanded that, in the final deal, all economic sanctions on Iran be lifted immediately and military sites be placed off limits to nuclear inspectors.

Ms. Tavakol strongly supports this deal. She believes that it “can really open the path for change within Iran.” She said that the deal will most benefit Iran’s young adults, teenagers, and children, who comprise 43% of the population and are “engaged... educated, [and] aware” and “want change.” Ms. Tavakol emphasized that “the circle around [Ayatollah] Khamenei, [Iran’s religious Supreme Leader,] and around the right-wingers in Iran” is “getting smaller and smaller because the population is very much in support of having a treaty and finding a road, not only to peace, but a path to removing sanctions.”

Ms. Tavakol sees the treaty as an opportunity to open Iran to the world, and allow people from the US and other nations, which have been in conflict with Iran, to experience its rich history, culture, and traditions.

Ms. Tavakol also believes that, although the deal is not perfect, “it makes no sense not to try [it],” and “even if it doesn’t open the path for change, we’re still better off having it.” In response to critics of the deal, who believe that the US should abandon it for its shortcomings, she asked, “Why would you stick with a status quo that’s not working without trying something that could possibly work?... Why not give it a shot?”

For the full interview, go to the Dial Online: hsdial.org

Longtime Math teacher and department chair Diana kaplan will serve as a faculty member of the headmaster search committee

Photo by Max Chen

Students and faculty need a way to provide regular input, and feel assured that they are being listened to.

Even if meetings with the consultants continue, if the committee itself still feels distant to Hackley students and faculty it is difficult to assure them that the committee is really listening.

While we have no doubt that the Trustees on the committee will do their utmost to find a great headmaster for Hackley, establishing personal trust through face-to-face interaction would go a long way towards assuaging the community’s concerns. Yes, the committee will undoubtedly do an excellent job on its own - but building this trust with the rest of the community is critical to maintaining Hackley’s inclusive, open-dialogue environment.

Mr. Mathas, the chairman of the committee, explained that the next head will have to be “an extremely good listener, as there are a wide array of constituencies that are critically important to Hackley.” “Having each of these constituencies heard,” he continued, “allows us to maintain Hackley’s inclusive environment.” Fittingly, the same is true of the search committee itself: if the committee doesn’t listen attentively to each and every voice in the community, the Headmaster they find may have an awfully difficult time finding his or her place in it. The committee must continue to hear student and faculty input, and work to build valuable trust. It is a difficult task, but necessary to ensure the success of the Headmaster search.

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Dial staff

Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 May 2015 Vol. 117, No. 5 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief............................................................Marc Rod, Sonia Singh Online Editor...............................................................................Benjy Renton Technical Editor............................................................................ Joe Lovinger Senior Section Editors News........................................................................................ Sydney Monroe Opinion........................................................................... George Wangensteen Politics................................................................................................ Neil Suri Feature.......................................................................................... Allie Molner Arts............................................................................................... Katie Bogart Lifestyles.................................................... Hannah Urken & Catherine Meyer Science & Tech...................................................................Kelly Castro-Blanco Sports............................................................................................. Chris Chon Photography............................................................Robert Hallock, Nick Rizzi Advisers Michael Bass, Anne Budlong, Wil Lobko Policy Opinions expressed in staff editorials reflect the majority view of The Dial Editorial Board. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the author and do not represent the views of Hackley School, its administration or its staff. The Dial invites and encourages its readers to write letters to the editor or submit contributions. We reserve the right to edit any submission for clarity and brevity, and to correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation when necessary.

We refuse to publish submissions which are unsigned, libelous, or plagiarized.

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

Letters and submissions can be emailed to: dial@hackleyschool.org.

The Dial is the official student newspaper of Hackley School.

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Dial

Headmaster Johnson Announces Retirement Continued From Front Page

Mr. Teacher, Diversity Coordinator of the Upper School, discusses the topics of the Air and Share.

Photo by Roya Wolfe

Hackley Introduces A New Voice for Students: The Air and Share

By Roya Wolfe

On December 10th the Lindsay Room was packed, and all that could be heard was Mr. Teacher’s booming voice. As students continuously gathered into the room, whispers and excitement arose, and soon, over a hundred voices combined to filled the space.

Willie Teacher, the diversity coordinator for the Upper School, initiated a series of workshops called “Air and Shares,” intending to give all students’ voices a chance to be heard. With the help of Christopher Arnold, Hackley School’s Dean of Student Life, Mr. Teacher commenced these workshops so students could voice their opinions on current events, specifically touching on cases in the media dealing with police brutality. Mr.Teacher and Mr. Arnold attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference and the People of Color Conference from December 4 to December 6. “The non-indictment decisions were happening around Staten Island and Ferguson. And our conversations felt cathartic on our flight back from the conference. It was then decided that perhaps our community could benefit from the conversation,” said Mr. Teacher.

The first “Air and Share” was held on December 10th, 2014, when over 150 students crammed into the Lindsay Room and discussed the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases. When everyone first walked into the room, they were given a Post-It note. There were posters along the walls of the room that displayed a quote about racism, and each student had to choose a quote that interested them, and write their thoughts about it on the Post-It. “The first was amazing because so many different kids were willing to share their ideas about the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases and so many kids were willing to listen,” said Mr. Arnold. Mr. Teacher has worked hard to establish the importance of having these workshops.

On the topic of discussing issues of racism in the US he said, “It’s not our fault, but it is our responsibility.”

A variety of opinions were expressed at the workshop, including Freshman Rachel Cohen. She said, “I think that sometimes in the New York suburbs we tend to be in a bit of a bubble and I think that the ‘Air and Share’ was a good chance to make people more aware of social issues going on in the media.”

The second “Air and Share” workshop didn’t take place until three months later on March 9. This

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workshop was “more about practicing the community norms and building,” said Mr. Teacher. Only about around fifty students attended, fewer than the first time. The main focus of the second workshop was a TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian woman who discussed the danger of a single story. “The single story creates stereotypes and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story,” said Adichie. After the TED talk was shown, Mr. Teacher handed out pieces of paper with which the students were to reflect on the TED talk by creating their own stories with a bubble diagram. Sophomore Will Cotter, who attended the workshop, said “In my opinion it was more of watching a video, although I did enjoy the video, I think no one was really allowed to express what they thought. I thought it was going to be more of a discussion.”

Alexi Sandhu, the ninth grade leader for Hackley’s Diversity club UNITY, slightly disagreed. “I think this was a very good way to understand what’s going on in the world.”

The title “Air and Share” was carefully decided on. “We needed an opportunity to create a space to air our differences and similarities our questions, our thoughts, and as human beings, our feelings. That’s our air to get it out. The share is that we again as human beings are creatures of relationships; how we see one another, what we give to one another, and at times what we get from one another; basically how we share,” said Mr. Teacher.

“When’s the next ‘Air and Share’” is a question that’s been asked all over Hackley School. The buzz surrounding the workshops was enormous, and people want more.

Mr. Arnold said that he would love to have the next “Air and Share” be planned and executed by students. Mr.Teacher said, “We need to collect the data from various groups and students here on campus.” Mr. Teacher and Mr. Arnold would then use that to make a list of the next actions that they would implement “in the pursuit of change and education, for diversity and inclusion,” said Mr. Teacher. Freshman Lei Anne Rabeje is looking forward to the next workshop. Lei Anne said, “Having another Air and Share to talk about ideas we tend to push aside would be really interesting. I loved the first two, and I can’t wait for the next one.”

internal changes Mr. Johnson brought were soon followed by a series of physical changes as well.

Mr. Johnson has overseen the construction of a new Lower School, Middle School, and parts of the Upper School, all in an effort to preserve the beauty and prestige of the Hackley campus while providing students and teachers with the best means possible to succeed.

“In the position of headmaster, I’ve had the ability to both witness and foster the success of others, which has certainly been one of the most valuable aspects of being headmaster,” said Mr. Johnson, “My job is to preserve and shape the values that are so intrinsic to this community.”

His peers hold him in high regard for his calm and intelligent leading presence. His actions to more than double Hackley in size have “changed the face of Hackley athletics in the same way that other buildings changed the look of the school and the comfort of its students,” said longtime col-

league and Mr. Variano. Both alumni network was essential to Mr. Johnson and Mr. Variano Hackley’s foundation. Mr. Johnhave been at the forefront for son succeeded in creating that the upcoming project to supple- strong foundation by increasing ment these new athletic facilities salaries for teachers, causing with a new health and wellness them to stay at Hackley, rather center - “the final piece of the than going to other schools or puzzle”, as Mr. Variano calls it. pursuing other careers, and building upon our alumni network.

Mr. Johnson emphasizes efficiency and productivity, as his vast accomplishments over his twenty year tenure can attest to.

“He always says that he’s a process person,” said Mr. Variano. When matters of construction and other implementations to the Hackley

Phil Variano community need to be discussed, .

“He can be overwhelmed at times and busy, but to tell you the truth Some of Mr. Johnson’s other he handles it very, very well,” said initiatives were to increase faculty Mr. Variano. Even in those stresscompensation so better teachers ful times when Mr. Johnson would would be attracted to Hackley have a meeting almost every night, and willing to stay, and strength- he would joke in their interoffice ening the alumni network. “The mailabout the things going on. teaching is the heart of the school,” “He’s underratedly funny”, said jusaid Mr. Variano, and Mr. John- nior and advisee Meghan O’Keefe. son knew that. Having both a great faculty and a strong

“When you get down to the specific things that happened, it’s pretty incredible!”

Hack ley ’s DJ Prodigy : Cole Herlitz- Ferguson

By Roya Wolfe

Senior Cole Herlitz-Ferguson is not your average high school student. He creates his own unique music and sound as a DJ both inside and outside of school. As Hackley students can proudly attest, Cole Ferguson’s impressive talent captures his creativity and uses it to generate extraordinary music. His passion for music exemplifies itself through his unbelievably impressive work.

Cole’s involvement with music began in elementary and middle school in the concert band. As early as age 12, he started mixing music. He played the saxophone for six years before he decided that he wanted to expand his love for music and his creativity into the art of trap, an electronic-based music genre. “Not only did I love playing the saxophone, I really fell in love with the music in general,” said Cole. Being trained in music theory, Cole continued along the path of DJing with his best friend and DJ partner, Thomas Andersen.

Together they run an entertainment company, TJC Entertainment. TJC has DJed at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and 20+ proms. Cole has DJed at multiple Hackley events, and he said, “It’s nice to see how my peers react to what I play, and I love the support they give me,” but that’s not all Cole does.

Cole and Thomas’ DJ group, Kryptic, performs gigs and concerts. Kryptic is different from TJC, and it’s where Cole and Thomas show their artistry.

Thomas and Cole continue to improve their DJ skills, and are currently enrolled as the Dubstop Music School in New York City. Dubstop is one the top five electronic music schools in the entire world. “We are constantly doing two or three mixes together to work on our chemistry

Cole (right) and his partner Thomas (left) DJing at a private event in 2014.

Photo Courtesy of Cole Herlitz-Ferguson

as well as to find transition and mashup opportunities,” said Cole. This upcoming summer Cole and Thomas may go to the Netherlands to spend a few weeks learning at the Hermwan Brood Academie. “This would be an amazing experience at an amazing school,” said Cole.

One of Cole’s favorite DJ memories is when he and Thomas were coincidentally in the Dominican Republic at the same time. There just so happened to be a musical festival at their resort. After Cole heard about the festival he messaged Martin Garrix on facebook. “I told him that Thomas and I would be there and that we would love to get together and talk music,” said Cole. Garrix, Cole, and Thomas all met at the nightclub in their hotel, and they got to mix with Martin backstage. “Then two days later he brought us on to the stage with him again, but at the festival in front of tens of thousands of people. That was truly amazing,” said Cole.

For the Dial’s full video interview with Cole, head to the all new online edition of the Dial: www.hsdial.org/?p=4431

Cole with well-known DJ Steve Aoki in the Dominican Republic.

Photo Courtesy of Cole Herlitz-Ferguson

Snapshot of Cole from the Dial’s online video interview with Cole.

Photo by Roya Wolfe

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Students Excitedly Await Prom 2015

By Catherine Meyer and Hannah Urken

Students Weigh in on “Priets”: For or Against Them?

Prom tends to be the day where you get to look your best and enjoy what you wear. For a lot of teenagers prom can be a lot of pressure, pictures are taken from every angle and posted all over social media. That’s why some girls like to go on prom diets, often referred to as “priets.” Junior Kelly Saxton said, “prom diets are fine as long as it’s done in a healthy way”. Some people like to go on juice cleanses, or just eat healthy with salads and fruit. Senior Serena Hernandez is going to prom for the second year in a row and said, “Everyone says they want to look good for prom and go on a diet, but that kind of stuff never works.”

A lot of people think that the whole thing is just crazy, “the fact that there is even a word for it is a little ridiculous,” said senior Rachel Einhorn.

“I do like hyped promposals bec a u s e i t ’s d e f i nitely a very spirited event in general, and it’s nice to get the entire school involved behind something.”

Junior Eli Pinkus

Anticipation for Promposals Leaves All Students in Suspense While the actual day of prom can be quite fun, the excitement starts with the promposals. Hackley School students seem to be very original when it comes to asking their dates to prom, whether it’s using huge signs, making funny videos, or interrupting classes… promposals here seem to be very entertaining.

Often, these promposals are very extravagant, and they are always memorable. Senior Kierstin Chu, who asked Sophomore Jackson Corrigan this year, came into Jackson’s English class in a penguin suit. Junior Kat Cucullo was asked by Junior Greg Chung in the middle of Laguardia Airport, with a long sign asking her to prom as she arrived home from her Spring Break Lacrosse Trip. Last year, one student broke through a huge sign while riding a motorcycle near the turf fields. Needless to say, Hackley students take promposals to another level.

Some people might have mixed opinions on whether or not they like the big hyped asks, but most of the students we asked were in support of them. Junior Eli Pinkus said “I do like hyped promposals because it’s definitely a very spirited event in general, and it’s nice to get the entire school involved behind something.” Exciting promposals definitely keeps people on their feet, it leaves students wondering who will pop out from hallways or interrupt a classroom.

Hackley students have shown lots of enthusiasm for prom through their promposals, so we can expect an amazing prom this year. While many promposals include at least

What Trends Will Dominate This Year’s Prom?

Prom, known as the most unforgettable night of the year, is only a month away.

Whether you just pulled off an awesome promposal, or you have been an admin of the Prom Dresses 2015 Facebook group since it began, the search for the perfect prom outfit is one of the biggest components of prom.

Coordinating looks with your date is still expected to be a trend for this year’s prom. Sophomore Jackson Corrigan, who will be attending his first prom this year,

plans to coordinate with his date, Senior Kierstin Chu. “I’ll probably wear a colored bow tie to match her dress,” he said. Senior Sofie Alabaster, who is attending her second prom this year, had a different opinion. “It’s not necessary,” she said, and she did not coordinate with her date last year.

For Hackley girls, the traditional prom dress is a long gown for upperclassmen and a short one for lowerclassmen, but these “rules” are not hard-and-fast. While each dress is unique, this year the trends are expected to be cutouts, jewel toned dresses, and neutral colored dresses. A quick scroll through the student made “Prom Dress 2015” Facebook group, which includes all the upperclassmen and any underclassmen who are attending, reflects this. For some students, “the earlier the better” is a fitting motto for their search for a prom dress. “If you start [looking for a dress] early it’s not a stressful process because you have a lot of time, but if you start well into May it could get a little stressful,” said Junior Emma Fetner, who will be attending prom with Junior Joe Lovinger.

While there are definitely trends for prom, each student has put their own spin on their prom look. Every year, the students look great, and this year will be no different.

“I’m most excited to get ready with my friends and pre prom. I can’t wait to see everybody all dressed up and take pictures!”

Junior Kelly Saxton

Photo credits (Clockwise from top): Healthy salad at Auray (photo by Alex Meyer) Seniors Natalie Gustin and Andrea McCree pose in trendy dresses at 2014 Prom (photo by Claire Meyer), Junior Greg Chung asks Junior Kat Cucullo to prom in Laguardia Airport (photo by Joy Dracos), Junior Spyridon Coffinas asks Junior Elana Stern (photo courtesy of Emma Fetner), Senior Kierstin Chu asks Sophomore Jackson Corrigan to prom during his math class (photo courtesy of Sarah Schlesinger)

flowers, some also involve other props. “It would’ve been exciting anyway,” Jackson said referring to his promposal, “but yes, the signs and the penguin suit were cute.”

Many believe that going with a date to prom is part of the experience, but it’s certainly not necessary for the date to be romantic. “Prom is about having fun so you should go with someone you will have a good time with,” said Sophomore Luisa Stalman. Having a date is only one of many components of prom, and many students also are excited for the food and especially the dancing.

All the students interviewed agreed that one thing’s for sure: prom 2015 is a definitely a night to look forward to.

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May 2015

Hackley Students Flirt With Emojis

All graphics from getemoji.com

By Katie Bogart

W

e have entered a world in which feelings can be communicated over a iPhone or laptop screen. Emojis are used in place of facial expressions, words, and now feelings of infatuation. Knowing which emoji means what is now important in understanding your possible future bae. Hackley students use a combination of emojis to signify their interest in their peers, some of which are much more classic than others.

For those of us who believe in a more classic approach to emoji flirting, using the kissy face or the heart eyes is a great choice. “When flirting, I’d obviously use the kissy face or the smirk face,” said Sophomore Iz zy Sellon. “When flirting, I use a combination of the kissy face and the winky face,” said Freshman Homer Gere. “I most often use emojis when flirting, with a combo of the heart eyes, the kissy face, and the guy with his tongue out,” said Freshman Lucas Reeber. Senior Andrea McCree said, “I use the kissy face with the heart on the side to let people know that I’m flirting.” “I use the smiley face with the heart eyes because it’s funny and makes them think that you like them,” said Freshman Will Waterhouse. “My favorite flirty emoji is the kissy face,” said Junior James Hjerpe. Freshman Liam Bogart said, “I don’t really flirt, but if I was to choose one it would be the hearty eyes because it’s hearty eyes.”

For a more suggestive or openly flirty emoji, go for the winky face or smirk face. These emojis show your texting partner that you are more openly into them, and ready for the next step. Sophomore Sam Rinzler said, “I use the winky face when flirting.

The smirk is like next level flirting.” “I most likely use emojis when flirting, and use the winky face, obviously, or the heart,” said Senior Derek Rosen-

A typical texting conversation between two juniors, George Wangensteen and Carina Burroughs. Photo by Katie Bogart

zweig. Junior Nkechi Nwokorie weighed in on the question, saying, “I don’t try to be flirty, but I think that the smirking emoji is the most flirtatious.”

“I like the smirk face because it’s actually suggestive,” said Junior Nick Gutfleish. Junior Alexander Delia reaffirms this point, saying, “Definitely the wink emoji, because it’s like ‘get what I’m saying’ or ‘catch my drift’ wink.” Junior Luka Yancopoulos also aggrees, saying, “The smirky face emoji because he is the perfect amount of sexy and serious.

He hints that he wants to play but is not showing emotions. Something rancid behind his little eyes.”

Though the winky, kissy, heart eyes, and smirk face are classics, there are still a ton of other really sensual emojis that can positively convey your interest in the person you are texting. Junior Elana Stern said, “I really like using the lipstick mark when flirting, it makes it flirty but not super serious.” Junior Spyridon Coffinas said, “My favorite flirtacious emoji is an airplane because it signifies my love flying to a whole other level.” “I use the blushy face emoji when flirting,” said Senior Amanda Rosenstein. Junior Anna Meyers said, “Really any combination of hearts is right up my alley.”

Whereas, Junior Carina Burroughs said, “The bride emoji because marriage is the only flirting I know.”

“The steaming coffee cup, because it shows that I’m both nice and hot,” claims Molly Harmon. Physics Teacher Mr. McLay uses the ghost pirate emoji.

And then of course there are those of us that plainly and simply do not like emojis. If you are like this, then you can certainly relate to Junior Kat Cucullo, who said, “I don’t use emojis ever to be flirty, because people who use emojis are weird creatures.”

Michael Tarantino Concentrates on Urban Destruction in AP Studio Art

By Madison Chen

One of Michael Tarantino’s concentration pieces for the 2014-2015 school year.

Photo by Nick Rizzi.

Michael’s drawing of a fire hydrant, fitting with his urban concentration.

Photo by Nick Rizzi.

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e n i o r a r t i s t M i c h a e l so eminent that he was able to Tarantino’s interest in skip Intro to Studio Art and art was only realized jump into the Intermediate a f e w ye a r s a g o , b u t class. So in sophomore year, he he’s already taking AP Studio took Intermediate Studio Art, Art. While many artists may and he knew that he wanted find their passion for draw- to continue art in the future. ing while doodling on noteNow in the AP Studio Art pads during class, Michael’s c l a s s , M i c h a e l h a s d e c i d e d a r t i s t i c i n t e r e s t w a s a c t u - to base his concentration on ally sparked in a 3D sculpting urban settings and the destrucc l a s s d u r i n g f re s h m a n ye a r. tion of objects as they’re being built. “My concentration focuses on the reconstruction of society as it deteriorates. “[I like it] for the freedom of Which is why I make my drawexpression and being able ings based on an urban and industrial environment. It shows to do whatever I want.” the developing world as the old

Michael Tarantino and worn out pieces of it are taken out of it,” said Michael.

Pe r h a p s h e d e c i d e d o n t h i s Even though his enthusiasm concentration because he lives f o r a r t s t a r t e d i n s c u l p t i n g in the city and he draws from class, Michael says he didn’t his surroundings for inspiraenjoy the hands on aspect of tion. His favorite aspect of art the class. However, Ms. Coble is his freedom of expression. noticed his talent for drawing Michael said, “[I like it] for the a n d s u g g e s t e d t h a t h e t a k e freedom of expression and bes t u d i o a r t i n s t e a d . I n f a c t , ing able to do whatever I want.”

Michael’s artistic talents were

On top of the hours of homework he has every night, each piece of Michael’s concentration takes him around six to eight hours. When he reaches a challenging spot or he doesn’t know how to do something, it might take even longer. But he says he always manages to find a way to fix it and works through it. “[Studio Art teacher Mark] Green has always been there to give me tips on how to get through my work and to help me push past whatever obstacles I faced,” said Michael.

Besides Mr. Green, Michael looks up to artist Mark Paul Deren. In his words, “Mark Paul Deren is my inspiration, he’s the man.” Deren’s art style i s s i m i l a r t o Mi c h a e l’s c o n centration because one of his focuses are abstract landscapes.

Michael has dedicated so much time to art in the past few years, and his passion for ar t has only grown. “I definitely am planning on minoring in studio art or fine arts once I go to college,” he said.

Michael Tarantino’s interpretation of a stair, fitting with his theme of urban destruction and development. Photo

Courtesy of Michael Tarantino.

Michael’s drawing of an architectural brace, as part of his urban concentration.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Tarantino.

6 science & technology

May 2015

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Dr. Ying Pioneers New Research Program

By Grace Henrich

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n exciting new program has been created at Hackley for students who want to take their science classes to another level: the Independent Research Program, or the IRP. The Independent Research Program allows Hackley students during their sophomore, junior, and senior years to be creators of an experiment of their own design, analyze their results, and present their findings.

The three-year program teaches students the foundation of laboratory research “such as performing literature searches, reading peer reviewed journals, designing experiments, methods of data analysis, and presentation skills,” said Dr. Ying, the leader of the Independent Research Program. During the summer, students take part in internships where they can further their experiments they performed at Hackley with state-of-the art equipment available at universities.

“Students who are passionate about science, engineering, tech, math, and want to delve deeper into a subject, will have the opportunity to contribute to novel and cutting edge research!”

Dr. Andrew Ying

The IRP is designed for students who love science, technology, or math, or people who are considering having a career in engineering in the future.

“With this program, we are just providing an opportunity for students to pursue something they are passionate about in high school, instead of waiting until they are well into college” said Dr. Ying.

The in-depth focus on research and experimentation and the connections students form via internships and mentors are highly beneficial to those who take part in the program in college and beyond.

Dr.Ying preparing for an experiment involving magnetism.

The major drawback of the program is the time commitment.

The students taking part in the program add another major to their schedule for their sophomore, junior, and senior years.

As a result, they might have to limit other classes they would like to take, as well as extra-curricular activities and minors such as sports, music, and arts.

Despite the amount of time during the day, the IRP won’t add to a student’s daily homework because it doesn’t have homework, tests, quizzes, or an exam.

Photo by Christian Riegler

The time commitment is not a huge worry for the students who applied for the program. “I am willing to spend the time, as science is something I enjoy,” said Connor Larson, one such applicant.

The IRP is a highly selective program with a limited number of applicants and an even smaller number of students who will be accepted.

The creation of the Independent Research Program enlarges and enriches the science department, and gives opportunities to students passionate about science.

Teen Demonstrates Potential of 3-D Printer

By Kelly Castro-Blanco

P

Banjeree holding the Braille printer.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons user Nbanerjee

rinting papers for the blind has never been easy or cheap - until now. Shubham Banerjee, a 13 year old student started out with a science fair project idea to build a Braille printer using legos. His amateur invention will soon be making Braille printers much more widely available and affordable.

Banerjee initially purchased a robotics kit costing around $350 and built a model in about a month. His creation continued to win more prizes and gain fame. Blind children and their parents started contacting Banerjee soon after and asking if they could buy the printer off the shelves.

The popular response to his project prompted the young inventor to make a prototype using parts from a desktop printer and an Intel chip with wifi and Bluetooth.

Intel was highly impressed and a fe w months later the company announced that they would back his company with an undisclosed amount of money.

The heads of Intel seem to admire both the creation and the intent. Edward Ross, director of Inventor Platforms at Intel said that Banerjee is solving an actual problem while disrupting an already established industry, and “that’s what it’s all about.”

In addition to being an inventor, Banjaree is now the CEO of his own company. His mother Shubham made a prototype using parts from a desktop printer and an Intel chip with wi-fi and Bluetooth.

He showed what he created to Intel. “They were really impressed,” Banerjee said. Banerjee helped his son set up a company with Shubham as the founder.

His ameteur invention will soon be making Braille printers much more widely available.

Malini Banerjee, Shubham’s mother, assumed the role of CEO, and Neil became a member of the board. They called it Braigo Labs, a combination of Braille and Lego.

A few months later, Intel announced they would back Shubham’s company with an undisclosed amount of money.

Braigo Labs has hired several professionals to work on the project and enlisted an industrial design firm. Banerjee intends to make the product available to the general public soon.

Mysterious Puzzle Baffles Online Users

By Irene Kim

T

hree years ago, a mysterious series of online puzzle called Cicada 3301 presented itself to the code geniuses around the world, looking for “highly intelligent individuals” for their recruits. It excited many of the coders but also baffled the online users.

Cicada 3301 is not a hacker group, spy organization nor a government agency. According to their own communicator, they work for human rights like “liberty, privacy, security.” This secret society ensures the privacy and anonymity of its own members.

One of the few members that have decided to go public about this secret society include current college student Marcus Wanner. Growing up home-schooled in a strict Catholic family, Wanner was not allowed to have unsupervised computer time prior to 2012, the year he got his own laptop.

Soon after Wanner found the puzzle from Cicada 3301. A simple message appeared to him, reading “Hello. We are looking for highly intelligent individuals. To find them, we have devised a test. There is a message hidden in this image. Find it, and it will lead you on the road to finding us. We look forward to meeting the few that will make it all the way through. Good luck.”

Wanner recruited few other coders around the world. 15 year old Tekk, 16 year old math prodigy Wakeen, 26 years old Norwegian hacker Henrik joined in, creating the group named #decipher.

The complex process of deciphering the message led to challenges including 75 combinations of numbers, the romance poem “The Lady of the Fountain,” and list of 13 numbers that gives coordinate for the location of the group all over the world.

Though Wanner managed to have success in decoding the message, many members involved dropped out due to fear. Some cite warning notes from 3301 tellings them they shared too much about the secret cyber organization as the reason for this sudden departure.

According to Wanner, Cicada 3301 use the symbol cicada considering it a creature of master encryption, and a twin prime number 3301 forward and backward. They do not publicize themselves and did not clarify what and who they are.

Online coders are anxious to see if new recruit message for 2015 is coming up. However, if you’re interested in attempting to figure out who is behind the society, you may not be welcomed with open arms. According to Rolling Stone, an anonymous author who had been part of Cicada 3301 for decades warned, “Stay away.”

A poster with a QR code for the Cicada 3301.

Photo courtesty of Wikimedia Commons user Afrodo

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May 2015

Hackley Students Elect Council Leaders 2015-2016 Council Leaders: President: Ally Petitti Vice President: Joe Lovinger Secretary/Treasurer: Eli Pinkus

Juniors Eli Pinkus and Brian Schmitt deliver their speeches. Eli Pinkus went on to win the position of treasurer.

By Joy Dracos Community Council has accomplished some admirable things this school year. Student Council President Ryan Walker assisted

by Student Council vice-president Ally Petitti were a power duo that took on the school year with high hopes in increasing school spirit. There were traditional events such as the school favorite, Spirit Week, and the seasonal sporting events. The newer events, for instance selling candy grams or valentines, and the Mario Kart “Showdown” appealed to all kinds of students and were unique in comparison to the traditional Community Council Events.

A popular way that students spread the word about schoolwide events is through social media. There is a Facebook group for upper schoolers at Hackley called The Hive. When spirit week was approaching, the dress-up schedule was posted for everyone to see. The ideas were original and fun to take part in, such as Cowboy day and Pirate day. Each year council tries to switch up the themes and improve so that the students are enjoying themselves as much as possible.

Photo by Robert Hallock

The candidates who ran for school president were Luka Yancopoulos and Ally Pettiti. Luka’s older brother, Damis, ran the school only two years prior to Luka’s running. The role of student body president is to better the school in every way possible. The president listens to other members of council and their ideas, and then does their best to make the ideas a reality. Sophomore Chris Thompson (who was president for the Class of 2017 several years ago) ran against Junior Joe Lovinger for the spot of vice president.

Junior Julia Stevenson became a member of Community Council this year for the first time in her high school career.

Coming from a council-rookie’s point of view, “The people this year brought a lot of really original ideas to the table”. Ideas such as the Snapchat geotag are unique from from what has been seen in the past. Julia also mentioned how much work is put in behind the scenes. According to her, “It takes a lot more work to do the things that we (the student body) get to enjoy”.

Mr. Arnold, who has been a faculty advisor to Student Council, says that this year, there has been a real focus on do-

Obama Promises College Education

By Neil Suri

Thousands of cash-strapped parents breathed huge sighs of relief as President Obama unveiled his new proposal for a two-year guarantee of free tuition to community college. The plan, named “America’s College Promise,” which attempts to make the price of tuition more affordable, is designed to give lowincome students the extra financial padding they need to attend community college in the first place.

The plan comes after a successful dry-run in Tennessee, where the state government implemented the “Tennessee Promise,” a program aimed at subsidizing tuition for community-college going students.

According to the Education Advisory Board, the program has received applications from 90% of seniors in Tennessee public schools since its inception.

Obama intends for the program not only to remove financial barriers to access to college education, but also to alleviate the burgeoning student loan crisis, a $1.3 trillion problem. With students shouldering less of a financial burden, they should rely less and less on student loans to cover the high cost of tuition.

Some critics have voiced concerns about Obama writing a blank check- would students to whom community college is easily affordable also receive the benefit of free tuition? However, President Obama’s free tuition plan includes control measures that place a cap on participants’ net family income at $200,000 annually.

Obama’s plan for free community college tuition also includes other measures to ensure that students’ persistence doesn’t decline. Students attending community college under the program must maintain a 2.5 GPA and actively remain on track for a college degree.

Concerns over excessive government spending, however, still remain. “America’s College Promise” is expected to cost the federal government a total of $60 billion over a decade. Many wonder whether the increase in access to community college education will outweigh this hefty price-tag.

This is compounded by the fact that many students who enroll in community college tend to drop out.

ing things that are beneficial for the community as a whole.

In the past few years, Council has evolved from a lot of positions to fewer position. This is so these fewer people could be very dedicated to their work and have more of an impact.

He said that something that council should still try and work on is not letting the bulk of the work fall on only a few people. Mr. Arnold expressed, “When someone runs for council, they are not just committing to showing up on Tuesday nights. They are also committing to give up their time to make sure that things run smoothly”.

Current junior Ally Petitti was only a sophomore when she was elected to be Student Council Vice President the proceeding year. She has been a part of council for all of her high school experience and loves it. Ally feels that “being Vice President as a junior was really fun and also a lot of work, but it was definitely a different step that allowed me to do a lot more for Council and to get more involved”.

For her fourth and final year participating in student government, Ally ran for student body president. She first got inspired to be involved with council because she love planning events, leading the school, and coming up with fun ideas for everyone to take part in. Ally will continue to create great events like the Snowball 2014 and 2015, as well as annual events like the Bonfire. Ally doesn’t see a future in politics for herself, but hopes to pursue student government throughout college.

As elections approach, students will be asked to vote for who they think will make their school year the most enjoyable and who will best represent the student body at Hackley.

Council has done a great job this year, but as Mr. Arnold pointed out, there are always things that can be improved upon. Yet, the very essence of student government is that, with a new slate of officers coming into the fold each year, an opportunity for improvement similarly comes around annually.

Mandatory Voting

By Max Chen

Obama revealed plans for free community college tuition.

Photo courtesy of Chuck Kennedy (Official Whitehose Photo)

While community colleges are touted as gateways to careers and graduate degrees, the New York Times reports that 45% of enrollees drop out after attending community college for five years or more. Indeed, the opportunity cost of dropping out of college as compared to directly entering the workforce after high school is high.

Junior Karina Franke believes that America’s College Promise is a step in the right direction towards equal education opportunities. She said, “I think that Obama’s program for free community college tuition is a good idea, especially since many students seeking to enroll in community college cannot afford to do so.” However, whether America’s College Promise is an effective investment remains to be seen.

On March 18, 2015, President Barack Obama proposed the idea of mandatory voting. Obama believes that in the 21th century, every citizen should vote so that each demographic can be represented.

“It would be transformative if everybody voted -- that would counteract money more than anything,” Obama said. Mandatory voting would increase the the voter turnout. According to CNN, more than 144 million Americans didn’t vote during the 2014 midterm elections.

“The people who tend not to vote are young, they’re lower i n c o m e , t h e y’r e s k e w e d m o r e h e a v i l y t o w a r d s i m m i grant groups and minority groups,” said President Obama.

Some experts argue that having compulsory voting may actually be good for our democracy. Simon Jackman, a professor at Stanford University maintains that- since there is a correlation between socioeconomic status and voter turnout- passing compulsory voting laws may actually “remove socioeconomic differences in electoral participation.”

Although studies show mixed results of the benefits of compulsory voting, it contradicts our notion of freedom. Forcing people to vote undermines their right to choose, making it feel like a burden.

What happens if the people don’t vote? In the 26 countries that have compulsory voting, around half of the countries actually enforce this. Depending on the country, the government fines those who do not vote and if they don’t vote, the punishment may be jail time.

Looking at the American system, History and Government teacher Stephen Fitzpatrick believes that compulsory voting will not pass in Congress.

“My guess is there will be a lot of congressmen and senators who are going to oppose it because they do not want to see a higher turnout,” he said.

The question remaining is whether compulsory voting will make the government more representative. In our current political system, Mr. Fitzpatrick believes “congressmen and senators take advantage of the fact that there is low turnout in voting and they get re-elected over and over again.” Mr Fitzpatrick suggests the possibility of “a better reflection of the democratic rule of the people” if compulsory voting passed.

Hackley students share concerns about Obama’s Proposal. Senior Erik Bostrom said, “I believe that mandatory voting is a noble goal and would greatly increase the political awareness in our country. However, people will not look at the political issues facing our country and just vote randomly.” Junior Will Larkin predicts that Obama’s proposal “will be interpreted the wrong way in a sense that... people will view it as infringing on their rights.” Whatever the concern is, President Obama needs to create a comprehensive bill if compulsory voting is to be implemented.

8 sports

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May 2015

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Spring Sports Teams Set High Goals for Season

By Chris Chon

This spring season on the hilltop, teams are buzzing with excitement.

The Track team is trying to capture its fourth consecutive NYSAIS championship. Senior Ross Hoch, a long distance runner on the team said, “Our goal is purely to win Ivies and NYSAIS.” This year, the team is looking bright as they have both young and old talent that are improving and thriving in the long distance, short distance, and throwing programs. Junior Alexis Arnold is looking to break the current Hackley discus record, after shattering the shot put record last year. The 4x100 team is looking to break Hackley history as well, already having the

Hackley runners excel in the 800m race.

Photo By Max Chen.

Junior golfers Allie Molner and Meghan O’Keefe pose for the camera.

Photo by Sonia Singh.

number one state time and being invited to several national tournaments, most notably Penn Relays. The distance team, led by senior captains Tristan Jung and Claire Gomba, is looking to break records in the 800m, mile, two mile and the 4x800 relay as well as running fast times at Ivy and NYSAIS championships.

Similarly, the Boys’ Lacrosse team has one and only one goal: To claim the NYSAIS title for the fourth year in a row. Sophomore Will Jones said, “Although we’re looking to claim the NYSAIS title for the fourth year in a row, it’s definitely going to be an uphill battle.” With the loss of key players, such as Damis Yancopoulos, one of the leading scorers of last year’s team and Harry Wechsler, the goalie of the 2014 NYSAIS champs last year, to Colgate and Georgetown, respectively, younger stars are having to fill in their shoes this year. New goalie sophomore Dave Streit, has manned the goal well early in the season.

“He’s grown a lot since the beginning of the season and has improved an innumerable measure,” explained Will Jones.

“It’s definitely going to be a process, as Harry was a huge part of our team as our previous captain and amazing goalie, but Dave is working hard and doing a great job to fill his place.”

For the Girls’ Lacrosse team this year, it’s all about revenge. Last year, Rye Country Day got the best of Girls’ Lacrosse at the NYSAIS championship game by winning a thrilling game in sudden death in double overtime. This year, the team is ready to take the title back. “This year, we have a new, young group that is reenergized and ready to take back the NYSAIS title,” said sophomore Meghan Cunningham. But recently, the NYSAIS championship game teams from last year, Hackley and Rye Country Day, had a rematch in a regular season game. Although Hackley lost by one point, 16-15, the team sees it not as a loss that will define their season, but rather a learning experience that motivates them. “Although the loss was disappointing, we’re ready to move on and make our way back to the NYSAIS championship where we’ll bring Rye Country Day down,” added Meghan.

The baseball team’s morale is high after going 4-1 in spring training in Florida. The team had wins over other private and public schools, notably Newark Academy and Montclair Kimberley Academy, both private schools in New Jersey. According to Freshman Lucas Stalman, the team’s goal is to “win as many games as they can and hopefully win the Ivy championship.”

Recently, Hackley baseball fended off Riverdale in a ten inning marathon, eventually winning 5-2 by scoring three runs in the tenth. Sophomore Sam Rinzler said, “This win and the effort the team put into this game shows that we have the endurance, durability, and capability to win games and outlast other teams in our league. Hopefully this game will help spur us to continue to win games and use the momentum we gain to make a long run in the playoffs and win the championship.”

For the Boys’ Golf team, this year is an exciting year as many young players are taking on bigger roles. Led by co-captains junior James Breen and sophomore Wyatt Khosrowshahi, the golf team is looking to “place well in Ivy standings and play well in the NYSAIS championship,” said Wyatt. Additionally, Wyatt has other goals in mind. “Not only do I hope that Boys’ golf makes a run for the NYSAIS championship, but with great performances during the season and at NYSAIS championships, hopefully some teammates and I will be able to make Federations.” Currently, the Boys’ golf team is 2-2

in the Ivy Preparatory League, having wins against Riverdale and Dalton and losses to Horace Mann and Poly Prep.

Girls’ Golf, led by Senior Captain Lauren Fallon, is also in a similar situation as Boys’ golf as they are also priming younger talent while aiming for a championship. Freshmen Cosima Boettner and Alexi Sandhu and Sophomore Rina Jung are all new to the team this year. Junior Meghan O’Keefe, a member of the Girls’ Golf team said, “The Girls’ Golf team are excited to have impressive underclassmen joining the team and can’t wait to see what the season has in store for us.”

Senior George Santangelo winds up to throw a pitch.

Photo courtesy of George Santangelo.

Sophomore Will Jones looks for the opportunity to score a goal.

Photo courtesy of Will Jones.

Hackley Sports Stars Recruited by College Teams

By Hope Weisman

To many, the recruiting process is a rather mysterious thing. Those who don’t directly experience it seem to believe that “getting in” has a completely different meaning when you sign with a collegiate sports program- but that’s not the case.

Many Hackley students have been recruited by top colleges over the past few years for their exceptional talents both in the classroom and on the field. In this year’s graduating class, seven students committed to colleges, including Tufts University, American University, and Cornell University. However, the recruiting process doesn’t always start just before your senior year.

Junior Sammy Mueller will join the University of Virginia’s Class of 2020 as a Division One Women’s Lacrosse player. Her recruitment process began in the summer before her sophomore year.

“I started getting attention from college coaches during the summer going into my sophomore year, and some more at the beginning of sophomore year. But the

majority of schools started showing interest in the beginning of the summer going into my junior year,” Sammy said.

She began playing lacrosse after she and her sister, Ally Mueller (Northwestern University Lacrosse), were given sticks for Christmas by their uncle, a former professional lacrosse player.

Soon after she got her first lacrosse stick, Sammy entered into the Pelham Rec program and then moved onto a small travel team. Now, she plays for a “pretty intense travel team known as Metro Magic.” Her team practices once a week and attends tournaments all throughout the Spring and Fall. Sammy has also been a member of the Hackley Varsity Lacrosse team since her Freshman year.

In the summer of 2014, her recruiting process came to a close after a marathon of camps and tournaments. “I had basically 21 straight days of lacrosse,” she said. On July 3, she verbally committed to UVA, but had made her decision a few days prior.

Sammy said that the Hackley Girls Varsity Lacrosse coaches, Ms. Leffler and Ms. Stanek, were invaluable in her recruiting process and that she’s “very thankful for all they’ve done.”

Her outside coach was also incredibly helpful.

As far as school this year goes, Sammy has to maintain good grades and make sure she stays out of trouble to ensure her spot. This fall, she will sign a National Letter of Intent to make her commitment to UVA official. When it comes time to apply, she still will have to submit an application.

“Many people think that my admissions process is incredibly different, however, I basically have to apply

Junior Sammy Mueller wears Virginia gear to represent the school that recruited her before her sophomore year.

Photo by Christian Riegler.

like everyone else. The difference is, I only apply to one school, and I know what the letter is going to say when I open it.”

Sammy is not the only student to commit as a Junior.

In February, Morgan Connor announced that she will be playing Field Hockey for the College of William and Mary, another Division One school. Last year, Joanna Miller committed to American University to play soccer.

“Many people think that my admissions process is incredibly different, however, I basically have to apply like everyone else. The difference is, I only apply to one school and I know what the letter is going to say when I open it.”

Sammy Mueller

This year’s recruiting class includes the following: Joanna Miller, American University Soccer, James Firpo, Tufts University Lacrosse, Kiersten Chu, Northeastern University Swimming, Tyler Curran, Emory University Swimming, Erik Bostrom, Johns Hopkins University Swimming, Sam Welch, Cornell University Lacrosse, and Claire Gomba, Middlebury College Track and Field and Cross Country.