November 2015 Issue

the

Dial

Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY 10591

W d ee I nh ta ht ’is s i inss si u W h a t ’Duty s i nInsNeed i d eof Reform? .3 Is Lunch Opinion p-­­ p.2 W a t ’Talks s i nPhilanthropy, s i d e Triathlons, & More Feature p- p.7 .3 Mr.hRizzi

The voice of the student body November 23, 2015

hsdial.org

Hackley Unveils Plans for New Round Health and Wellness Center Square in

Singapore

By Alexi Sandhu

Sketch courtesty of Architechtural Resources Cambridge Newly released sketch of new Health and Wellness Center design located opposite Pickert Field and to be completed by 2018.

By Hunter Freedman

Hackley is about to get another major facelift. The next project on the Hilltop is the construction of a state-of-the-art Health and Wellness Center. While the project was announced already, administration has just started showing members of the community some of the plans for the new center. Assistant Headmasters Phil Variano and Steve Bileca and Director of Community Wellbeing, Charles Colten are the administrators in charge of this

innovative project, and based on the plans and ideas behind the design, this building is sure to be Hackley’s best investment to date.

Recently, Hackley has taken new initiatives in its approach to health and wellness.

“As an important aspect of our approach, Hackley created the position of Director of Community Wellbeing. To that end, Mr. Colten was hired 18 months ago and has been very successful in advancing new programs and initiatives which are already taking place in a variety of ways,” said Mr. Bileca.

The Health and Wellness Center came about from the bequest of the estate of Ethel Allen.

The Allen family donated three paintings, including a Monet, which auctioned off in 2012 for $43 million. “The family’s request was that the school design and construct a first-class Health and Wellness facility to enhance the physical and emotional wellness of the community,” said Mr. Variano.

For all of the outstanding athletes at Hackley, this cutting edge center fencing, Continued on page 8

On September 28th, Hackley’s six student delegates, sophomores Hunter Freedman, Kioni Marshall, Hallie Robin, Julia StewartWood, Will Zhou, and I, along with Assistant Headmaster Steve Bileca and math teacher Karen Casper embarked on a journey to Singapore to represent Hackley at the 2015 Round Square International Conference (RSIC). RSIC consists of schools all around the globe. Each conference focuses on an aspect of one of Round Square’s IDEALS (Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership, Service) — this year’s RSIC focused on Sustainability and the motto “Act Today, Change Tomorrow.”

Our trip lasted two weeks, with a four day pre-trip in Malaysia, followed by the six day conference in Singapore at the United World College of South East Asia (UWC). UWC is a group of schools all over the world run by the same organisation, with two campuses located in Singapore. The students returned early on the morning of Friday, October 9th.

After an almost 22-hour trip we arrived in Singapore early Saturday morning, but it most definitely did not feel like morning with the 12-hour time difference we experienced.

Singapore is one of the last remaining “citystates” in the world — the country is literally just one big city. While we were there, we went sight-seeing and were able to see a few temples, ate some unique food, and walked around what we thought was “Chinatown” until we collapsed in our hotel beds for a night of restful sleep. On Sunday, we went to the Singapore Zoo and Little India before saying goodbye to Singapore and leaving for Continued on page 8

Social Media Shapes New Era for Teens

By Bridget Barsanti

We all know the drill. Get home, grab a snack, check your phone. Eat dinner, do homework, check your phone. It is now a second nature for people to be constantly connected online.

Whether it be Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, social media can be all-consuming.

Teenagers are especially attached to the virtual world, undeniably affecting their day to day experiences. As more and more apps hit the shelves that are designed to encourage interaction, teenagers receive additional pressure from their “friends” or “followers” to fit in and change the way they express themselves according to what these people “like”.

As the modern teen’s daily routine becomes more impacted by social media, some consider it to be an obsession, and what causes the lack of productivity that exists within this “online” generation. According to a study of 102 students by Johnson & Wales University, 57% of students stated that social media has made them less productive. “It is a big part of my life...the rise of social media has taken over a lot of my down time,” said freshman Maddie White.

Furthermore, a study by Ohio State University concluded that college students who use Facebook spend less time on studying and have lower grades than those who do not use social media. Similar time constraints affect Hackley students as well. “It encompasses my

life and just about everyone else’s lives growing up in our generation a lot, and probably more than it should,” said senior Kelly Saxton.

Sophomore Grace Rubin agreed with Kelly’s statement, but in a more positive manner. “It is not a major part but I like that it can capture the important moments in my life and the exciting things and I can look back on them and be all nostalgic and be like ‘aww I remember that,’” said Grace.

Anthony Wagner of Stanford University researched such mental responses to posts on social media. “Each time we get a message of text, our dopamine reward circuits probably get activated since the desire for social connection is so wired into us,” Wagner stated.

People also create routines for themselves in social media, using specific patterns on when and what they post to ensure the best possible response. “I post pictures with people so then if someone looks at my profile they will be like ‘oh, he has friends.’ And then I guess kind of just showing who you are through those photos,” said sophomore Eli Hankin.

Students also reported a pressure to post their most positive selves online.“I want to seem fun, I don’t want to one of those people who always look depressed looking out the window, I want for it to seem like I do exciting things,” said sophomore Grace Rubin.

Many students dedicate a lot of time Continued on page 7

Photo by Robert Hallock A typical sight to see amongst today’s teens: a laser focus on technology rather than in-person contact.

2 editorial

November 23, 2015

the

Dial

Lunch Duty is Necessary at Hackley; However, the Upper School Should Find a More Efficient System By the Editorial Board

L

unch duty has long been a thorn in the side of Upper School students; nothing takes away from the relaxation of lunch time more than having to walk around the dining hall to clean up leftover messes while watching everyone else eats their lunch and socializes. While ensuring that the lunch room is clean and the staff are treated respectfully is important and necessary, the current system of lunch duty at Hackley is often inefficient. Students are left to walk around almost aimlessly for the majority of the lunch period, and have little interest in being forced to pick up after their peers. So long as the lunch room is dirty after meals, Hackley should retain lunch duty to keep our lunchroom clean, but should revamp the system to make it more efficient by making it shorter and more organized.

The purpose of lunch duty is to ensure that students clean up after themselves and treat the dining hall and dining staff with respect. Those who are on lunch duty are

supposed to remind the students while they eat that they should make sure to leave the tables the way they found them — spotless. Often, the students do not do as requested and those who are on lunch duty must clean up after those who did not.

Christopher Arnold, Hackley’s Dean of Student Life, organizes lunch duty, assigning each student to serve for twenty-five minutes during a free. Seniors serve their lunch duty throughout the first trimester in order to set an example for the underclassmen. As the school year goes on, each grade must endure this chore.

Mr. Arnold believes that “[lunch duty] is effective in that it ameliorates the mess left in the dining hall. I think that in the ideal we would not have lunch duty, but unfortunately, the number of students who

the

don’t bother to bring their dishes up to the window remains pretty high. Until students recognize that this is unacceptably inconsiderate we will keep lunch duty.” It is clear that lunch duty is necessary, at least right now, to help keep the lunchroom clean — students just aren’t doing it on their own.

While we agree that the lunchroom should be kept clean and treated respectfully, lunch

“Lunch Duty is effective in that it ameliorates the mess left in the dining hall.

I think that in the ideal we would not have lunch duty, but unfortunatley, the number of students who don’t bother to bring their dishes up to the window remains pretty high.

Until students recognize that this is unacceptably inconsiderate we will keep lunch duty.” ~Mr. Arnold duty is not nearly as effective and efficient as the administration believes in accomplishing this task. Each lunch duty period lasts one lunch period, or half an hour. How many plates could there be to pick up during first fifteen to twenty minutes of each period? Before there are plates left to be picked up, students actually have to eat. There is little point in having lunch duty before students even make a mess. Having students wander around the

Dial staff

Hackley School 293 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, NY (914) 631-0128 November 23, 2015 Vol. 118, No. 3 hsdial.org Editors-in-Chief............................................................Marc Rod, Sonia Singh Online Editor...............................................................................Benjy Renton Technical Editor............................................................................ Joe Lovinger Editors News........................................................... Sydney Monroe, Alexandra Meyer Opinion........................................................George Wangensteen, Lucy Barse Politics............................................................................................... Neil Suri Feature......................................................................Allie Molner, Roya Wolfe Arts........................................................................ Madison Chen, Joy Dracos Lifestyles...................................................... Hannah Urken, Catherine Meyer Science & Tech........................................ Kelly Castro-Blanco, Grace Henrich Sports..................................................................Chris Chon, Hope Weisman Photography........... Robert Hallock, Nick Rizzi, Max Chen, Christian Reigler Advisers Mr. Bass, Ms 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. 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.

lunchroom for twenty minutes before there is even a mess to be cleaned up is a waste of time. The school should strive to create a more efficient system.

One way Hackley could do so would be to emulate the system of lunch duty at the Riverdale Country School.

At Riverdale, during the last fifteen minutes of lunch, each advisor group is assigned to lunch duty once a month. Students go around their dining hall and ask their peers to clean up. They also have spray bottles and rags if there are still messes left on the table. “ The expectation is that students clean

up after themselves but distractions such as their friends get in the way leading to a leftover cup or napkin that someone forgot to pick up,” said Brian Carver, Riverdale’s Dean of Students Class of 2016.

Carver believes that lunch duty is an effective way for students to take ownership and responsibility. “Students have started to think while they are eating lunch about how when they were on lunch duty, they appreciated when their peers cleaned up. This thought leads to more students cleaning as a courtesy to their classmates,” said Carver.

Riverdale has already begun to improve its system with the help of its computer science class, which is making an app to make lunch duty more efficient. This app would enable students to sign in with their student IDs as opposed, to charting everything on paper, which is far less organized. Riverdale is clearly making an effort to improve their lunch duty system, leading to more organization and order. Hackley should do the same.

Have an opinon about an Editorial or Op-Ed piece that has been written in the Dial? Write a “Letter to the Editor” and submit it to: dial@hackleyschool.org.

Letters To The Editor In response to October Sex-Ed editorial It should be Hackley’s perogative to ensure that Hackley students are informed on important sexual matters and the risks that are involved. With this knowledge, Hackley students would be able to prevent some of the problems that are currently occuring in in society. ~Senior T.J. Gooley I think that sex ed is one of those subjects that should solely be discussed at home with one’s parents. Attitudes towards sex vary depending on culture and religion, therefore it isn’t necessarily a school’s job to determine what a student should or should not be informed about regarding sex. ~Senior Nur Momani It seems like the sex ed that is taught here in tenth grade is what I was taught in seventh grade. ~Head Librarian Brianna Judkins I think that discussion regarding the reform of sex education is a good thing, especially on the administrative level, but my concern is that no real, big, necessary changes will be made — instead this is all just lip service. ~Senior Sabina Thomas

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Dial

November 23, 2015

op-ed 3

South Africa’s Apartheid Ended Twenty Years Ago; However, underprivledged kids - often minorities - were left behind

By Alex Gluckman

often than not, teachers are inadequately After Nelson Mandela was released from trained and in short supply. Many teachers prison in 1990, he gave a series of speeches even fail to show up on time to, or regularly about how South Africa could become a attend, their classes. This problem needs to be democracy. His phenomenal leadership replaced higher up on their educational reform verberated around the world, and in 1994 he to-do list. Like us, South African young people became president in South Africa’s first all-race have an earnest thirst for knowledge. That election. This signified a new democratic govthirst will only be quenched once teachers are ernment system in South Africa and the end prepared and eager to inspire students and set of the harsh systematic racial segregation that them on paths towards greater opportunities. had been so prominent for fifty years before.

Employers often fail to recognize that the South Africa has changed a lot since Mandela reason job applications are unimpressive is was first elected president — and much of this not because of applicants’ paucity of interest change has been for the better. Many more peoor scant work ethic, but in fact because of ple now have access to electricity and clean water, their public school educations, which inadinstitutionalized racism is outlawed, and South equately prepared them for jobs. Chronically, Africa has joined the global economy. These sucthousands of jobs in South Africa go unfilled. cesses have made South Africa a beacon of light Reform of South Africa’s existing public edufor other countries in Africa that are struggling cation protocols is necessary for the successto develop. But the nation’s educational system hungry young population and the economy. If has not undergone necessary development. young people are well educated more jobs can During Apartheid, South Africa’s educational be filled and unemployment rates will drop. system existed in total favor of the white popuThe South African Education Department lation. Schools for black and colored children has worked to make its public education either did not exist or were in the poorest of system fairer for two decades. But, in realconditions. Schools for white children, on the ity these efforts have not caused significant other hand, were given all of the advantages. positive change. There is still a lack of acTo d a y, n o t m u c h i s d i f f e r e n t . countability among officials and teachers Photo courtesy of Alex Gluckman In 2011, my family and I visited Khayelitsha, Senior Alex Gluckman met many students during her time in South Africa. for the failure to properly educate young Gugulethu and Langa, townships near Cape children living in the poor areas of South Town. There, I met young girls who should have Africa. Teacher unions are concerned about been in school but were instead walking barefoot Awful physical conditions of township schools inhibit students protecting their members rather than actually training them. down dirt roads strewn with broken glass, carrying their new- from fully engaging in their educational experience: libraries Many teachers believe that their students’ lack of success born siblings toward scrap-metal homes. Their harsh living are sparsely filled with books, plumbing systems are improperly in the classroom is not their problem and that their jobs conditions and bleak educational futures struck me. It became constructed and school environments are unsanitary and unsafe. are to just do things by the book. This common train of clear that despite Apartheid’s abolishment, the South Africa’s As described in Kate Wilkinson’s 2014 article “Why the thought will perpetuate the lack of true results, leading more continual inability to organize and institute educational stan- Matric Pass Rate Is Not a Reliable Benchmark of Quality Edu- and more students towards a dismal educational future. dards causes of other hardships, specifically joblessness and cation,” numbers show that since Apartheid, more students Because this problem lies across the Atlantic Ocean, it can poverty. So, at the end of freshman year, I started the “South are passing the school-leaving matriculation exam. But these seem distant. But, it is not. When you attending college Africa Project.” The Project’s objective is to facilitate eye- stats don’t take into account the weaker, more disadvantaged information sessions, you’ll find that admissions officers opening dialogue about global issues, like educational inequal- students who cannot take it. Census data shows that ap- mention the college’s push for global and cultural underity, between Hackley Students and South African students proximately only 50% of South African children who begin standing on campus. Discussing global current events, like and provide resources to enrich disadvantaged South African school in 1st Grade end up completing 12th Grade. The other the educational inequality in South Africa, can help us better students’ educations. Initiating this Project made me more 50% either drop out or fail. The grades required to pass the the world in which we live. With the help of Hackley and attuned to the educational problems South Africa faces daily matriculation test are quite low. If a student passes the test, she other organizations, the “South Africa Project” was a sucand how we, Westchester-based high school students, can help. can graduate high school. If a student receives a grade just a bit cess. We brought inspiring novels and academic textbooks to There is a colossal wealth gap in South Africa. In South Afri- higher than a passing grade, she is eligible to attend university disadvantaged students. But, ultimately, the meaning of the can cities, the best schools are the ones that, during Apartheid, even though she has a low average. The matriculation test is Project lies in the cross-cultural conversations it started. It were reserved for white students. Although, now, people of an insufficient method of measuring students’ capabilities brought students from different backgrounds together to talk any race can apply to these schools, gaining entry into them and levels of knowledge. How can students be expected to about potential solutions to pressing international problems. is competitive and expensive. As described by “Class Action: move on to bigger and better things when a single test, for It is easy to focus on the apparent advancements that Why Poor Parents Increasingly Send Their Children to Pri- which they are insufficiently prepared, determines their fate? South Africa has made since abolishing apartheid in 1994. vate Schools,” a 2013 article in The Economist, the majority A teacher’s attitude, presence, intelligence, teaching style, Of course, the legal mechanisms of apartheid have been of public schools in South Africa remain as dysfunctional as and interest in making a difference completely determine dismantled, and an encouraging constitution has emerged. they were during Apartheid. Predominantly located in South how a student responds to and engages in the information But students who go through the South African public Africa’s townships, the suburbs of cities that were formerly they are provided with in the classroom. The standards set school system still fall subject to the realities of apartheid. designated for black occupation by apartheid legislation, for teachers in South African public schools are too low, so These students do not have the keys to unlock doors behind these schools suffer from poor conditions, ineffective na- students who want and need to learn simply cannot. More which lie life’s possibilities, even if they desire those keys. tional examinations, and exceedingly low teaching standards.

Senior Alex Gluckman traveled to South Africa during the summer of 2015. She brought books collected by the Hackley Community to a tutoring center and volunteered.

Photos courtesy of Alex Gluckman

4 arts

November 23, 2015

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Dial

Hackley Art Students Buzz Through NYC

By Olivia Weinberg

thing that really inspired me was one artist that Hackley is fortunate to be focused on refractions and only 25 miles away from one distortions in glass bottles, of the biggest art capitals which is something that of the world, and Hackley’s I also want to work on.” visual art program uses this fa“Each gallery exhibition vorable location to its benefit. was carefully chosen for its Students in Intermediate Sturelevance to art currently dio Art traveled into the maze being done in my classes. of Chelsea art galleries to exBecause our classwork is plore a multitude of indepenrealistic in nature, many dent art galleries in the area. of the art shows involve “I like how we didn’t spend some kind of relation to the day at a museum. All realism,” said Mr. Green. of the galleries were so inThe Advanced and AP teresting and the trip was Art classes will be taking a pleasant surprise,” said trips to Chelsea to exsophomore Lucia Yanuzzi. plore the galleries in the The day started off with a area. The AP trip focuses quick breakfast and coffee in on the students’ AP conthe Chelsea Market, followed centrations. “I select the by a brisk walk to the first of galleries we visit based many art galleries in the Chelon the senior portfolios. sea area. Students observed the Each gallery that we visit art, took photos, and talked to is hand picked to match a the gallery caretakers. As the senior portfolio. We’ll go visitors moved from gallery to to a gallery and talk about gallery, they got to experience how the art relates to or the different styles and diverse inspires a specific senior cultures of the neighborhood.

Photo by Olivia Weinberg concentration portfolio,” Around midday, students Mr. Green’s 10th grade Art students pensively observe an art exhibit at a gallery in Chelsea, New York said art teacher Greg Cice. picked where they wanted By choosing galleries with art to which to go for lunch and headed off, taking hanging up in a gallery, allows students to new ways, and will often find inspiration time afterward to see the surrounding see what their art can become and gives among the many different works they see. students can relate their work, the Ad“The art trip to Chelsea was a great vanced Studio Art students can gain neighborhood or explore the High Line the big picture effect for aspiring artists.

“The Art trip was amazing and allowed experience.

Visiting the galleries gave me inspiration for the concentrations next overhead. After lunch, the group explored a few more galleries before heading home. me to relate what I am learning to pro- a sense of different art styles, mediums, year, and the AP students can gain new “The art trip’s purpose is so that students fessional artist and their work,” said a and techniques. I was really intrigued by insights for their current concentrations. can experience art in its true scale, surface Sophomore Max Tannenbaum. Students the different concepts the artists focused “I’m excited for the trip because it’s a fun quality, value and color,” said art teacher can also see how the mediums and subjects on. Some concepts were abstract and oth- day and it’s cool to go to all the galleries Mark Green. Seeing the finished product they are currently studying can be used in ers were focused and intricately planned,” and see the different styles of artwork,” said Sophomore Hannah Mark. “Some- said senior Ally Petitti, an AP art student.

Levi DeMatteo is an Artistic Triple Threat

By Lei-Anne Rabeje

can tell a story or illustrate a concept that I want Senior Levi DeMatteo is well-known around the viewer to think about. If I’m putting a ton of campus for both his compelling artwork and time into it, which I often try to do, I guess a week his captivating work onstage. Students take a and a half is a good estimate. There has not been a journey by staring at his pieces demonstrating piece that has taken more than two weeks, so far.”

His love for the arts is not bound to the art studio. dark imagery. The details spill from the page, It expands onto the stage and under the spotlights each waiting to be understood and analyzed by overlooking the Hackley community. Levi discovthe eyes. He brought Tartuffe to life with his ered his passion for performing arts while attemptwitty demeanor and vibrant energy, making the students and faculty tear up from laughter. ing to escape study hall in 8th Grade. “It was Willy Art was ingrained into Levi’s childhood. Levi Wonka: The Musical. I had never done acting or recalls his earliest memories as sketching rainbows singing before. I auditioned and they gave me the and rocketships in pre-school. Since then, Levi has lead role!” said Levi. Since discovering his passion, moved away from his childhood drawings to imag- Levi has been a part of four upper school producining more vivid images depicting his thoughts on tions, “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Tartuffe,” world conflict. “I’ve always had a passion for cre- “The Dining Room,” and “The Winter’s Tale.”

Levi attributes his passion for acting to Hackating things in general, ley’s Drama communi[but] I cringe when I look ty — or “Hacktors” as at the drawings I made in they prefer to be called eighth grade,” said Levi.

— and Drama teacher No w i n t h e A P A r t Willie Teacher. “I think Studio class, Levi uses the drama community his passion to create sohas completely changed cial commentary pieces my view on this instituon environmental crition as a whole. Once I ses, sustainability, and ” joined, I found myself in institutionalized anian accepting community mal cruelty. Focusing on of really fun people with the intensity and extent ~ Levi DeMatteo whom I feel comfortable of humanity damaging with. There’s very minithe Earth’s ecosystem, mal seniority polluting the atmosphere. Everyone Levi uses darker images to stress the severity gets along in this giant, messed-up family in the best of the situation. “It’s not so much that I want to inspire a revolution. I want people to think way possible. Also, Teach is awesome,” said Levi. how we got to this point and how our decisions His only complaint about acting is line memorizahave affected the fate of our world,” said Levi. tion, which usually takes him a week. “It’s a simple The complex details and intricacy of his works, task but it’s quite arduous,” said Levi. “Sadly, it’s which many find taxing, allow Levi to easily tran- a necessary evil that comes with doing theater.”

Aside from acting and visual arts, Levi is also a drumsition his focus. “I think having so much detail mer, often playing drums with his brother, Griffin. makes it less tedious,” said Levi. “While I have “I am working on a project with Griffin for a while a ton of tiny drawings, I can choose which ones I want to work on and transition to a different now. Our style is progressive rock music,” said Levi.

Looking into the future, Levi sees himself livstyle once I get bored. In the end, I have a piece ing a carefree lifestyle. “I want to live in a studio of work composed of a thousand different pieces.” apartment drawing T-shirts for local bands to With the intricacy of his pieces, many wonder about the amount of time spent on each work. “It make enough money to eat. Maybe have a cat and really depends,” said Levi. “Getting the pieces done a small mini-fridge. Live freely,” describes Levi. is really fast once I’ve collected images and arranged “After that, I might want to work in an advertismy composition. The harder aspect is choosing ing firm or a graphic design company. I’m not too which images I want to string together and how they worried about it though, I’m only in high school.”

Photo courtesy of Levi DeMatteo One of Levi’s expressive pieces from his AP Art Portfolio

“It’s not so much that I want to inspire a revolution, I want people to think how we got to this point and how our decisions have affected the fate of the world.

Photo courtesy of Levi DeMatteo Levi, center, gives a passionate performance with the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Photo courtesy of Levi DeMatteo Levi is always striving to better his drumming abilities

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puzzles 5

November 23, 2015

Get Ready to Fall in to Thanksgiving!

Graphic By Joy Dracos and Maddy Chen

Across Graphic By Joy Dracos and Maddy Chen

Word Bank Family Pie

Love

Stuffing Pumpkin Grateful Yams

Fall

Turkey

Pilgrims

Cranberry

2. What you put on your turkey 5. The people who you spend Thanksgiving with 6. You break this in two, and your dreams will come true 7. What you feel after you stuff your face at your Thanksgiving feast Down 1. Thanksgiving falls on this day every year 3. Everyone’s favorite side dish 4. Cranberry, Apple, Blueberry, Peach, oh my!

5. The most popular sport on Thanksgiving

Can You Spot the Six Differences?

Photo Courtesy og Chris Taggart. Illustration by Joy Dracos.

Scan the QR code to check your answers at the Dial’s online edition.

6 lifestyles

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November 23, 2015

Dial

Students Share their Unique Thanksgiving Traditions

By Bailey Griffen

It is hard to believe that the numerous Thanksgiving traditions that many Americans celebrate, from eating turkey to watching football and going to Black Friday sales, come from a harvest celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Native Americans almost 400 years ago.

It is equally hard to imagine that this iconic celebration did not even become a national holiday in the United States until the nineteenth century. For many people today, the holiday is marked by crazy family gatherings and large Thanksgiving feasts rather than a simple meal for giving thanks for a good harvest.

Modern Thanksgiving traditions, accompanied by food, football, and unique family gatherings, differ greatly from the first American Thanksgiving celebrated in 1621.

At this first Thanksgiving, Pilgrims and Native Americans united to help one another, and celebrated their successes with a massive feast. Every year we celebrate this cooperation, but for a long time it was celebrated unofficially. Actually, Thanksgiving was not even recognized as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it one during the height of the Civil War in an attempt to unite the splintering nation. Although this simple meal of thanks has become a huge commercial

Photos by Bailey Griffen Some traditional fun fall festivities include going to pumpkin patches, apple picking, carving pumpkins, and making scarecrows, as opposed to Black Friday shopping, watching football games or making a non-traditional turkey.

holiday, for many it still maintains its roots as a day of appreciation.

The commercial aspect of Thanksgiving was incorporated as part of the Thanksgiving tradition when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved the date of Thanksgiving during the Great Depression to increase sales on merchandise and

better the economy. Since then, this tradition has evolved into the mass commercial holiday we have today, with popular Black Friday Sales and holiday themed merchandise.

“My cousin and I like to go to Black Friday sales and we usually stay up until about four in the morning and then we go to

the sales. We regret it when we’re driving there at five, but in the end it ends up being worth it,” said sophomore Samhitha Josyula.

Sophomore Grace Rubin celebrates with her family friends, but puts a unique spin on the traditional Thanksgiving feast. “[My family friend] has a very strange

Thanksgiving dinner every year: she makes her own wrapping paper and gives us gifts and has a tofurkey, which is a tofu turkey,” said Grace.

For many people, the holiday is marked with funny traditions and amusing family gatherings, but it still has the same underlying message of giving thanks and spending time with those whom one appreciates. “[My family] gets to celebrate the values of “coming together” because it is not often that we can all be together especially now that my brother is off at college,” said senior Erin Jung.

Thanksgiving reminds people to give thanks for what they have and appreciate their values. Many people across the globe are not as fortunate, which Americans sometimes forget in our busy, materialistic society. It also provides people rare chances to spend time with their families. “[We’re] grateful for my mom for making meals for us all year so on Thanksgiving the rest of [my family] helps to cook the meal, said Erin.

While Thanksgiving has become much more commercialized, it is still an essential part of the American tradition. It allows people to spend time with family and friends, but more importantly it reminds people to give thanks for what they have.

Thanksgiving Recipes From Our Hackley Community Hope’s Homemade Pumpkin Cookies Recipe from Christian Riegler

Serves about 24 people Ingredients for Cookies 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 ¼ teaspoons coarse salt 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 ¼ cups packed light-brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 ½ cups canned solid-packed pumpkin (14 oz) ¾ cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Ingredients for Icing 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticws) unsalted butter

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Directions for Cookies: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

3. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.

5. Transfer 1 ½ cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch plain tip. Pipe 1 ½ inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

6. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes.

Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Directions for Icing: 1.Put confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

3. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners’ sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan.

4. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.

5. Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time. (all photos taken by Hannah Urken and Christian Riegler)

Fr o m l e f t t o r i g h t : Thanksgiving Herb Roasted Turkey with mashed potatoes and green beans, Simple Pineapple Cranberr y Sauce, Hope’s Homemade Pumpkin Cookies, Hope’s Cookies with icing.

Thanksgiving Herb Roasted Turkey Simple Pineapple Cranberry Sauce Recipe from Hannah Urken

Serves about 6 Total Time: 2 hrs 30 minutes Ingredients: 1 turkey breast, boneless 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp (3 cloves) garlic 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme 1 tsp rosemary 2 tsp kosher salt Ground pepper

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 °F 2. Place turkey breast skin side up on a rack in a roasting pan 3. Combine olive oil, herbs, and salt in a small bowl.

4. Spread mixture onto skin 5. Roast the turkey for about 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown 6. Cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes

Recipe from Hannah Urken

Serves about 6 Total Time: about 10 minutes Ingredients: 1 can of jellied cranberry sauce or 1 can of whole cranberry sauce 1 small can of crushed pineapple (drained well) 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine jellied cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, in a small bowl 2. Mix well 3. Sprinkle nuts on top This 3 step recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious side to your Thanksgiving Herb Roasted Turkey!

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November 23, 2015

Jason Rizzi Saves The World One Step At A Time

Seniors Were Truely Inspired by his Chapel Talk about Hackley, Philanthropy, Triathlons, and Embracing Differences

By Hope Weisman

When walking through the Alumni office hallway, it’s hard not to peek into one particular office: the very last one, filled with what seems like dozens of medals. The collection is impressive, but what’s more impressive is the man behind the medals: Director of Major Gifts, Jason Rizzi, ‘03.

Mr. Rizzi’s passion for philanthropy started well before he came back to the hilltop.

He worked with a five-year-old boy named Braylen, who was born without legs, since he was three and came to watch the New York City Triathlon, which also happens to be the Paratriathlete Championships. Braylen was eager to meet them, and they told him to go to a running and soccer clinic where he eventually met Mr. Rizzi. “Part of the Iron Man I ran in Lake Tahoe helped raise $1,000 to help him receive a new pair of legs.”

Mr. Rizzi recently gave a Chapel Talk to the senior class on his own philanthropic work, and ever since, his words have been buzzing around campus.

Mr. Rizzi was pleased to give a Chapel Talk, seeing as they were not common when he was at Hackley. “It was such an amazing way to see how seniors get this new perspective on life,” he said, “Other than just through things in classes and sports.”

After graduating Hackley and George Washington University, and living in many different cities, Mr. Rizzi became involved in philanthropic work and raised money for various charities. As an alumnus, he found that his experiences could serve seniors

well going forward, showing them the opportunities available to them after Hackley.

Mr. Rizzi wanted to make sure the senior class knew that “Life is short, and it’s good to be different.” He wanted students to walk away knowing that accepting their individuality now, especially in an environment like Hackley, can set them up for success long after they graduate.

Working in the Alumni and Development Office provided Mr. Rizzi with the perfect opportunity to give back to Hackley. He helps raise money through donations to expand Hackley’s financial aid availability. “One of the things I’m working on right now is trying to get some of the alums to work on endowing the Student Diversity Leadership Conference trip. And not just that, but diversity and leadership trips in general,” said Mr. Rizzi. His job involves figuring out creative ways to get alums involved, but Mr. Rizzi says that this challenge is his favorite part.

Looking towards the future, Mr. Rizzi hopes to raise enough money for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds to go on trips that promote the individuality he encouraged in his Chapel Talk. He likes working in a department that opens up so many windows of opportunity for all students.

Unfortunately, Mr. Rizzi’s inspiring Chapel Talk was a one time deal, open only to seniors. He said he would be happy to do another one in the years to come on a wide range of topics beyond philanthropy.

One thing Mr. Rizzi wants the whole Upper School to hear from his talk is a quote

Photo by Roya Wolfe Director of Major Gifts and Hackley alumnus Jason Rizzi, deligently reviews his daily tasks.

taken from a TED Talk by journalist Andrew Solomon, which captures the essence of what he wanted the seniors to walk away with: “When we’re ashamed, we can’t tell

our stories, and stories are the foundation of identity. Our greatest personal challenges can be used to consciously create meaning and purpose in our personal identity.”

Social Media: We Hate That We Love It

Photo by Robert Hallock Senior Nick Gutfleish, frequent social media user, scrolls through his Instragram news feed as he takes a break from studying in the library.

Continued from Page 1 to their social media to create an overall theme or aesthetic. They genuinely want their followers to like what they post. For many people, likes are an obsession - they need likes in order to build self esteem or even create an affirmation of popularity. “It’s all about the likes,” said sophomore Michael Mezzacappa.

“I think that ‘likes’ are a big part of the social media hype, because whenever you get a ‘like’ you’re getting approval from people for whatever you’re posting,” said Kelly.

These “likes,” or lack thereof can influence the self-esteem of a teen greatly. “I don’t want to say I care, but I do kind of care. If I think that a photo is really cute and then it doesn’t get as many likes as I usually get, I’m like oh did nobody like it? Was it not that good of a photo? It makes you kind of self conscious, and it shouldn’t, but it does,” said Grace.

Some students are able to separate value from the “likes” and comments on social media. “It’s just a sign of approval from someone else,” said Eli. Sophomore Alexis Thorpe agreed. “I don’t care about them but I do notice them,” Alexis said.

A study run by Dr. Stephanie Tobin from The University of Queensland’s School of Psychology found that going offline for a few

days to stop posting has a negative effect on one’s “personal well-being.” Another study from Dr. Tobin had people post to social media, but kept them from receiving responses or feedback. These people also felt that the experience negatively affected their self-esteem.

There’s also a larger push for students to maintain an appropriate and non-controversial profile.

“Social media is open to the public... it’s important to keep a clean image and profile because you never know who’s gonna see it,” said Kelly.

Another interesting observation about today’s youth with social media is the great difference in participation online between younger and older teens. In Hackley families like the Thomases, who have a senior, Sabina, a freshman, Belle, and a middle schooler, Sophia, there are clear differences in their relationships with social media. “We differ [in social media] because they [her younger siblings] had Instagrams and Facebooks before I had them. It’s also different in the way that they use it, they use of Instagram a lot more than Facebook, which seems to not be a big thing anymore..Instagram seems like their primary use” said Sabina.

Most freshmen were first introduced to social media in sixth grade, while seniors who mostly shared that they first participated in social media in eighth grade. “I’ve had it [social

media] since a younger age and I’m going to have it for longer and sometimes I know stuff that she [Sabina] doesn’t, sort of ” said Belle.

The rise of social media has not only affected the way we present ourselves to the public online; it has also changed our relationships with people in real life. “[Social media] has had a huge effect on how me and my friends interact with one another. One big thing about being attached to social media is also being attached to your phone, so whenever my friends and I are hanging out, we’re always looking at instagram or snapchatting people. Sometimes when we’re out eating it gets so hard to carry on a conversation that we make a rule that everyone has to put their phone in a pile, and the first one to cave and go on their phone has to pay for the meal,” said Kelly.

Maddie White, however, viewed the correlation between social media and relationships in more positive manner. “Sometimes if you see something on social media, you want to go and talk about it with your friends the next day so sometimes it gives you a little conversation starter,” she said.

This continuous growth of social media is bound to change the future of our generation.

With more and more apps being released, kids will continue to be exposed at younger ages, changing the way they mature and grow up.

Illustrations by Olivia Weinberg

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November 23, 2015

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Alexi Sandhu Recounts Her Journey to Singapore

Photo courtesy of Karen Casper Hackley students brainstorm and take notes about sustainability at the Round Square conference.

Photo by Alexi Sandhu The Hackley travelers stopped at local river to admire the scenery.

Photo by Alexi Sandhu Many of the travelers were in awe of Singapore’s beautiful landscape.

Hackley Students stop at a market to have local Singapore artists decorate their hands and arms with henna.

Continued from Page 1 a place called Taman Negara, home of the oldest rainforest in the world (yes, it’s older than the Amazon!).

After a very interesting experience on an overnight train ride and then a two-hour boat ride to the middle of the jungle, we arrived in a remote yet beautiful resort. After getting over the initial shock and horror of not being able to access our Snapchats and Instagrams on shaky wi-fi that depended on the weather, we settled into our small bungalows quite comfortably, with our gecko roommates.

Our native Malaysian guide Lina filled our days in the jungle with laughter and screams. We met the resident tapir, took a ride on the rapids, and went on a canopy walk and a night safari where we observed walking stick insects, glowing mushrooms, and the fear-inducing hunter spider and scorpion.

“I don’t want them to touch me, I don’t want them to look at me, I don’t want to feel their presence, I don’t want to. Just no,” said Kioni, of her encounters with these animals. Luckily I was the only one bitten by the bull ants, but was thankfully saved by Kioni’s leadership and a handy alcohol swab provided by Will.

All in all, Taman Negara was a unique experience very different from anything available in the media and technology saturated US. “My favorite part was really getting completely immersed in the real nature and jungle… no wi-fi, no internet,” said Will.

Finally, we returned to civilization in Singapore the night before the conference began on October 1st. The first day of the conference was relaxing yet chaotic, as many schools were just arriving and sleeping students could be found everywhere recovering from their flights.

Meeting our host families at the end of the day was a new experience to us all. The next day we dressed formally and met up at the Opening Ceremonies where Will, our flagbearer raised our flag during the Ceremony of the Flags. The biggest surprise of all was shaking hands with the King of Greece- we were all fangirling afterwards!

Throughout the next few days, we talked about the United Nations’ goals and how they relate to sustainability, as well

Photo by Alexi Sandhu

as listened to keynote speakers who told us their stories about how they made an impact on the world. “Having our Barazza leaders… talk to us about it [sustainability] and teach us different problem solving techniques really expanded what I know about sustainability and about how we [can] create a more sustainable school,” said Julia.

We met many students from places around the world, including Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa. It was a pleasant surprise discovering that they knew many of the songs, movies, and tv shows that we knew as well! In these groups, we discussed sustainability goals of the United Nations, and met students from different places around the world, including Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa.

One day was a service day, where we did community service projects with younger grades, such as visiting a home for the elderly, dancing with disabled people, and organizing trash at a recycling center. Another day was “Discover Singapore Day”, where we participated in a scavenger hunt throughout the city, visiting landmarks including the Singapore Flyer (think London Eye, but bigger) and the Gardens-by-the-Bay. On our last day of the conference, we came up with an action plan to bring back to our school to improve our sustainability. Will explains one of our goals on the action plan is to “get a report on... how much food we intake during lunch versus how much is actually wasted”.

Will said, “I felt that what was really important to me was getting to meet people from literally everywhere around the world … and getting to make new friends and learn about their life...this was really an eye-opening experience for me and it’s really a once in a lifetime opportunity to socialize with people to get a broader view of their life and their culture.” Kioni, for one, received “life experiences that I will always remember and I will look back and think, this trip to Singapore really gave me a new outlook on life”.

“Round Square is just a great opportunity to meet students from all over the world and connect with them while learning about a topic that interests yous” said Julia. If that type of experience sounds interesting to you, think about signing up for 2016 RSIC, in Switzerland and Germany!

2018 Health and Wellness Center Plans Revealed Continued from Page 1 wrestling, and weightlifting, a competition gym, and an indoor running track with views of the pool and squash courts. There will also be places specifically designated for physical education classes.

“Some of the ways the center might support wellness programs include spaces that could potentially be used for dance, yoga, martial arts, and meditation,” Mr. Colten says.

Along with the impressive athletic facilities are important areas dedicated to wellness. “A smoothie bar/café could serve the nutritional needs of athletes who are interested in performing at their peak. There is also the potential for incorporating garden spaces and walls that support plants and water elements, all of which would clean the air,

provide oxygen, and contribute to an environment that is peaceful and conducive to healthful practice and creative reflection,” said Mr. Colten.

The new Health and Wellness Center will have positive benefits for the students, faculty, and families of Hackley, both physically and mentally. The center will encourage the community to come together in exercise, learning, and competition. “It will allow us to foreground the crucial importance of the right kinds of habit formation on the development of mind, body, and character in Hackley’s students,” said Mr. Bileca.

Coaches are looking forward to the using the new facilities for their teams. Some are looking forward to having places that can help with team discussions. “I’m

Photo courtesy of Architectural Resources Cambridge A blueprint sketch of a bird’s eye view of the new Health and Wellness Center.

excited for a dedicated locker room for each team that can also serve as a meeting space,” said field hockey and soccer coach Jenny Leffler.

Others are excited for fundamental spaces that will benefit the students on their teams. “If the new center does have an indoor track, when the weather’s not looking good they can get in there and do a

complete workout,” said cross country and track coach Seth Karpinski.

Students don’t know what to expect, but they definitely have some ideas of what they want to see. “It would lift up the Hackley Hornets’ spirit even further with a newer locker room that’s more clean, more efficient, and more inviting,” said junior Marisa Nakagama.

While the construction schedule for the new Health and Wellness Center has yet to be confirmed, Mr. Variano, Mr. Bileca, and Mr. Colten are working diligently to get this amazing project underway for the welfare of the Hackley community and completed for the 2018-19 school year.

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Board of Magistrates Revamped for the School Year

Photos by Max Chen Board of Magistrates members are eager to address academic dishonesty this year through Council. From left to right: seniors Allie Molner, Jason Traum, Julia Stevenson, Karina Franke, Will Pundyk.

By Patrick Walker

When academic dishonesty occurs at Hackley, a select group of Hackley students have the responsibility to weigh in on the consequences. When given the opportunity to hear cases by Hackley’s administration, members of the Board give recommendations for punishments for students who commit academic dishonesty. The Board’s overall purpose is to develop punitive, but fair, disciplinary responses, and offer crucial input on community matters through Community Council meetings each Tuesday night. The members of the Board this year are

“One of the main responsibilties that the people on the Board of Magistrates have is to have a role in addressing community attitudes towards academic dishonesty and to think about what role they can play as student leaders in trying to engage the community in a thoughtful dialogue...”

~Mr. Arnold

seniors Allie Molner, Julia Stevenson, and Karina Franke and along with alternates seniors Will Pundyk and Jason Traum.

This year, the Board’s participation in Council has been very involved under science teacher Bill McLay and Director of Student Life Chris Arnold’s supervision in comparison to prior years. Mr. McLay and Mr. Arnold guide and assist in Council meetings and activities.

“I was the Clerk to the Board of Magistrates as a junior and I’m a member this year, and overall everyone is encouraged to participate more this year and I think that council meetings have been more productive and engaging [because of that]” said Board member Julia Stevenson.

Although the Board of Magistrates has an important role in the Upper School, most students do not know much about it, likely because the Board has not been called to discuss disciplinary matters in several years.

However, Hackley’s faculty expects the Board to play a greater, more active role in disciplinary actions and the Hackley community in general as this school year progresses.

“I think it’s a really underused concept throughout the years that I’ve been here. I can’t remember the last time the Board of Magistrates was actually given a case and I think it would be interesting to see if that started to change and if they started to have more of an influence on disciplinary decisions,” said Community Council Treasurer senior Eli Pinkus.

“I like the idea of the Board of Magistrates, but I don’t think they have enough power. If they did more stuff [in] the community, I think it would definitely have a great impact on all of us,” added junior Jack Weyndling.

Chris Arnold is responsible for the resurgence of the Board’s role in Council. “One of the main responsibilities that the people on the Board of Magistrates have is to have a role in addressing community attitudes towards academic dishonesty and to think about what role they can play as student leaders in trying to engage the community in a thoughtful dialogue about attitudes towards academic dishonesty, understandings of academic dishonesty, and ways to prevent it,” said Mr. Arnold.

All Board of Magistrates members have the opportunity to contribute during Community Council meetings and all possess the power to vote in any of the decisions that Community Council makes.

“While we don’t have as many specific council responsibilities, like making announcements during Lindsay room or posting in grade-wide Facebook group[s], as grade reps and president do, we can still voice our opinions or suggest an idea like all of the other members,” said Julia.

“I think it’s really important for students to have an opinion on matters relating to academic dishonesty and I’m really glad Mr. Arnold has started an initiative to make the board more active, because it has not convened in many years,” said Allie.

Overall, the increased participation of the Board of Magistrates in Community Council has helped Council become more efficient and effective when planning school wide events like bonfires and game-time concession stands. The Board also stands ready to evaluate any disciplinary cases in the event that they arise, although academic dishonesty is, thankfully, very rare at Hackley.

Government & Politics Students Take on D.C. and USDA use of GMO’s and agricultural biotechnology in general, and (2) if labels should be put on raw food products with GMO’s.They presented and discussed these issues with representatives from the USDA. In addition to their presentation, the class visited some of the sites in Washington. They visited the American History and Natural History Smithsonian Museums, and saw the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, and Supreme Court. “My favorite was the Natural History Museum, I loved seeing the exhibit on early human life and getting to see the Hope Diamond,” said senior Ella Charkes.

Mr. Fitzpatrick hoped that, after learning more about departments of the government like the USDA, his students were able to see an alternative view of how the govern-

ment works and have a greater appreciation for how tax dollars are used, a subject he believes has been undercovered due to the media’s focus on the Presidential race.

“This is crucial knowledge for members of a democracy so they can make informed decisions about selecting their leaders and following the issues of the day. Furthermore, it helps put a face and real world experience to the kinds of issues we discuss in class on a daily basis,” said Mr. Fitzpatrick, about his students and their work in the coming months.

The class took an Amtrak train home, arriving in Grand Central at about 10 p.m., after a very exciting day full of new learning experiences, that they will be sure to keep in mind as they continue throughout the school year.

Photo by Emma Fetner Junior Will Cotter visits the Department of Agriculture Headquarters.

Photo by Emma Fetner Senior Spyridion Coffinas poses at the Washington Monument.

Photo courtesy of Charles Colten The Government and Politics Class visited the USDA building to debate Genetically Modified Organisms.

By Georgia Panitz

On Wednesday, Oct. 21, history teacher Stephen Fitzpatrick, and his U.S. Government and Politics class, as well as chaperone Charles Colten, Director of Community Wellbeing, began their journey to Washington D.C. from NYC at 7:15 am. They took a subway to Penn Station, and then a three-hour Amtrak train to our nation’s capital.

While in Washington, the class had a unique opportunity to deliver a presentation to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a debate format, about the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) as food in the United States. The USDA works to regulate GMO’s with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr. Fitzpatrick was able to organize this special opportunity for his students because his brother-in-law works for Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture.

“Even though the USDA may not be the most visible or newsworthy cabinet post, the Department of Agriculture does an extraordinary amount of work for the country,” said Mr. Fitzpatrick. The USDA’s cabinet post is also important economically — the U.S. is the largest exporter of food products in the world, and the USDA has over $100 billion in its budget and employs over 100,00 people.

During the week leading up to the trip, the nine Gov students were divided into teams and prepared a short debate style presentation in class, researching the topics and developing them. In their presentations, they debated two main issues: (1) whether the USDA should support the development and continued

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Mrs. Butterfield and Christopher Swain:

Dynamic Duo Raises Awareness About Waterway Pollution

Photo Courtesy of Christopher Swain Mrs.Butterfield kayaks on the Gowanus Canal, helping her friend Christopher Swain advocate for clean water regulations..

By Grace Henrich

S

wimming in water polluted with toxic sludge, chemical runoff, and potentially deadly pathogens is not most people’s idea of how they want to spend a Saturday morning, but on October 17, clean water activist Christopher Swain did just that. Swain completed the 1.8 mile swim through one of the dirtiest waterways in the country — the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY. He was followed and helped by English teacher and Upper School Community Service Director Nicole Butterfield, who kayaked behind him and served as a safety team.

The safety team was extremely important for Swain’s well-being during his swim. “Most of the time, I had to be on high alert, watching the waterway both ahead and behind for boat traffic and other hazards” said Mrs. Butterfield. Her job was very stressful. “There is one narrow, blind passage on the Gowanus, and that made me nervous because if a large boat had come toward us from the other side, we might not have been able to see it in time to get Christopher out of the way,” she said.

While Mrs. Butterfield helped Swain avoid larger obstacles, a puncture-resistant suit that covered him up to his neck, water-repellent gel on his face, earplugs, and a swim cap protected the Swain from the toxic waters of the Gowanus.

Photo Courtesy of Christopher Swain Mrs.Butterfield (back) keeps watch for boats and other threats to Christopher Swain (front) as he swims.

Swimming in such polluted waters posed severe threats to Swain’s health. Police officers and health officials worried about the effects on Swain’s personal health, as well as any contaminants he might bring out of the water that could affect public health, but Swain could not be dissuaded. “He advocates for clean water by putting himself out there. His direct experiences of these waterways allow him to speak much more meaningfully about them,” said Mrs. Butterfield.

A team of scientists also followed Mrs. Butterfield and Swain, taking samples of the canal water. These samples will be given to different elementary schools in the area so students can study the Gowanus Canal and the effects of pollution on the environment.

Swain swam down the Gowanus Canal to raise awareness for the lack of work that is being done “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters” as was promised in the 1972 Clean Water Act. “I dream of a day when the Gowanus Canal — and all the impaired waterways of New York City — are hailed as urban jewels,” Swain said of his reasons for swimming in the Gowanus.

That lofty goal will take years, and millions of dollars to achieve. The Environmental Protection Agency’s current

project involves scooping the toxic mud from the bottom of the canal, and is projected to last at least until 2020.

This project will cost a minimum of $506 million dollars.

While this is a step in the right direction, Swain wants the water to be completely clean; he said “I want this whole waterway to be safe enough for swimming”.

Swain’s swim cap, on which he had written #HOPE in bold letters, shows that he refuses to give up on his dream of creating clean water in New York City.

Mrs. Butterfield first met Swain in college, when they were on the Wesleyan rowing team together. “He is way more than just an athlete. He is a committed environmental advocate, and a dynamic public speaker with a great sense of humor,” said Mrs. Butterfield.

Five years later, they worked together during Christopher Swain’s 200 mile swim down the Connecticut River for his Swim for Human Rights to raise awareness for the non-profit organization he created, The Human Rights Company.

Since then, Mrs. Butterfield and Swain have worked together closely — Mrs. Butterfield has aided him on several of his river swims, and Swain invited Mrs. Butterfield and her class to the launch of the United Nation’s International Decade for Action “Water for Life” which Swain designed.

Science Students Beautify The Hilltop based program that engages students around the globe in tracking wildlife migration and seasonal change. The students have noted the day they planted the garden and will date the moment the first tulip emerges and the day the first tulip blooms sometime next spring.

The data will then be reported to Journey North and compiled with data from people across the country in order to establish trends and observe the impact of various climates on tulip growth. Mr.Retzloff hopes to keep the project going for years to come to track data over multiple years.

Mr. Retzloff brought the proposition to the administration and was granted permission to pursue the project on Hackley grounds. He then Photo by Nick Rizzi coordinated with HEAL to Senior Eli Pinkus plants a Red Emperor Tulip bulb with the guidance of his Biology teacher, Ms. Johnson. use part of their budget to

By Kelly Castro-Blanco buy the tulip bulbs. Buildings and Grounds provided them with topsoil and the students dug seven Though winter is just around the corner, Hackley stu- inch holes deep for each Red Emperor tulip bulb. dents are already planning for the blooms of Spring. Led by Each Ecology student was paired with a younger kinderMiddle School science teacher Andy Retzloff, science teach- garten buddy who they planted the tulips with. “It was ers Tessa Johnson’s Ecology class and science teacher Kerry really fun and rewarding,” said senior Carina Burroughs, Clingen’s Biology classes, in partnership with kindergar- a member of Ecology this year, “I had such a great time teners in the Lower School, are planting tulip bulbs along with them and they were so cute. I’m really excited to the new staircase entering the library from Akin Common. work with the kindergartener I was paired up with later.”

The project, in addition to making Hackley’s campus even Indeed, Mr. Retzloff agrees that the experience was a more beautiful, has been an fun and engaging teaching beneficial experience for all the students involved and tool for both the Lower Schoolers and Upper Schoolers. plans to continue the project in coming years. “Not only Mr. Retzloff spearheaded the project, an initiative from are they paired up for this, they are also paired up for Journey North, a program he has been utilizing on his the salamander study we do. They recognize each other own for over a decade. Journey North is a free, internet- so it’s kind of neat. They had a ball with it,” he said.

AG SA Club Pus he s fo r Re fo r m

By Lei Anne Rabeje

It’s no secret health reform is a contentious topic on the Hillltop these days. In response to this, AGSA led an open discussion surrounding the improvement of the Health curriculum on Nov. 4. Attendees proposed suggestions for the improvement of the curriculum with topics ranging from rape culture to mental illnesses.

With the help of Ms. Katherine Hannon, the Head of the Science Department, and Director of Community Wellbeing, Charles Colten, AGSA took charge in a student-led initiative to improve the Health curriculum. “It really came from the students. There was an AGSA meeting during the previous school year that evolved into a conversation about what they wanted to see in Hackley’s Health classes,” said Ms. Hannon. “I told the leaders, ‘If this is important to you, we should pursue this.’”

Sexual education for both heterosexual and homosexual relationships is a major focus for AGSA, but there are other topics that the club wants added to the curriculum as well. Topics proposed by other students dealt with societal perceptions of virginity, rape culture and consent, mental health, and alcohol. “It’s important for us to learn about the rape culture and alcohol,” said freshman Amy Chalan.

“We need to know about these for our future relationships.”

Students also voiced suggestions on the approach of health education, proposing outside speakers, an additional senior health workshop, and a gender/sexuality minor relating to health as an alternative or secondary option for students.

“I think it would be great to have minor courses on gender and sexuality,” said sophomore Beatrice McColl, “There are a number of people who don’t know about the different [gender] labels, or even the fact that there is a spectrum.”

Seniors Nina Bethel and Morgan Connor proposed speaking to individual peer advisory groups about topics often neglected in Health class. “It was a great place to bring awareness to the freshmen, so I think that would be a [good platform] to bring awareness to topics we don’t cover in Health classes,” said Nina.

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November 23, 2015

Athletes Finish Successful Fall Season With High Hopes for Winter

Photo by Robert Hallock Freshman Will Crainer practices butterfly. Will is poised to be one of the strongest memberso f this year’s swim team.

By LiliAnna Khosrowshahi As the fall sports season wraps and winter sports begin, Hackley sports are looking stronger than ever.

Hackley Girls Varsity Soccer brings home the trophy!

The fall season started off a little rocky for the team, but they quickly made their way up to the top by beating two of their biggest competitors in the league, Trinity and Riverdale leading them to the NYSAIS quarterfinals.

Hackley Girls Varsity Soccer had not beaten Riverdale in two years, but that bad streak came to an end at the David Allison game, thanks to the support of the Hackley community. Hackley Girls Varsity Soccer was the number four seed going into Nysais. They played Columbia Prep in the quarterfinals and beat them 2-0. HGVS played Rye Country Day School in the semifinals and beat them 3-1, putting them in the finals against Dalton. Hackley beat Dalton in overtime with a beautiful goal by Sammy Mueller to win the game. Sammy is the top goal scorer on the team, and scored all of the team’s goals in the tournament.

She feel great about how the team ended the season with a bang “I’m overall very proud of the team and what we accomplished. We definitely peaked at the right time, and deserved the win.” said Sammy.

On the other hand, the Hackley Varsity Boys Soccer team was fairly consistent and successful this season. They had a record of 13 wins, 2 losses, and 3 ties. Aside from their substantial record this season, they were also the

number one seed going into the NYSAIS tournament.

They beat Friends Academy 5-4 in the quarterfinals putting them in the semifinals. HBVS had a tough match in the semifinals against Unis. The game went into double overtime and then penalty kicks It was a tough way to lose for the boys they were still very proud about how they did this season as a whole. Senior, TJ Gooley says, “Well obviously we didn’t want to go out as early as we did especially after coming so close to the league title and missing out. We played our hardest but ultimately once it got to penalties, it becomes pure luck and we just didn’t get lucky. Even though we got knocked out earlier than we would’ve liked, we can still hold our heads high and know that we had a great season.”

Varsity Field Hockey was arguably Hackley’s most successful team this fall. They were the only varsity team at Hackley that went undefeated. Not only were they very strong with their perfect record, but they were also the top seed in the NYSAIS tournament and took home the win. HVFH beat Fieldston in the quarterfinals 8-0 and beat Nichols 5-0 in the semi finals. They had an extremely challenging game against Rye Country Day in the finals and took the win after going into double overtime with a score of 1-1 and finally to penalty shots. Seniors Katie Bogart and Anna Meyers both have similar opinions on how the season went for the team. “Since the beginning I felt really confident. We’re ranked number 9 for West-

Photo by Robert Hallock Sophomore Max Tannenbaum spends time at the squash courts working on his serve.

chester field hockey and we filled our schedule with very hard teams this season, and the whole time i was feeling good and knew we could pull through.” said Katie. “We did really well this season, and I am incredibly proud of the team, we went undefeated in our league and we played some really challenging competition” said Anna.

Cross Country stepped up its game this season as well.

“It was a really strong season overall, for both varsity and jv. On the team scale and individually, everyone’s made a lot of improvements since the beginning of preseason and I am so proud with the outcome of this season.” Said senior, Julia Stevenson. Along with girls soccer and field hockey, cross country also won gold.

Finally, Boys’ Varsity Football did exceptionally well this season. The team went 8-2. “I think we’re did a great job.

Everyone played hard. The younger players really stepped up.” said senior Sumail Morton.

Diving into swim season, sophomore, Liam Bogart is confident in the new season for the Hackley Varsity Swim Team. “We have a good team and are all really close and hopefully we gain a few younger swimmers to step up and fill the roles of the graduated seniors” said Liam.

On the wrestling mats, sophomore, Giovanni Crispi will help contribute to the wrestling team on the road to victory. “I think the team will be pretty much the same as last year, if not even better,” said Giovanni.

The Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball teams are in very similar situations — both have new coaches (Antione Johnson and Margaret Scarcella, respectively), and each had only one player graduate last year. Both teams are optimistic about the upcoming season.

“I’m feeling very confident. Everyone on the team that I know of this year is an upperclassmen with at least one year of playing experience. We do workouts 2 days a week and are all looking forward to getting into the season.” said senior Alexander Delia. “I think we’re definitely going to improve this year, between the new talented younger players and our new coach,” said junior Kristen Bringsjord.

On the squash courts, the Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Squash teams are both already excited to take on nationals. Junior Tucker Van Eck is extremely confident in the upcoming squash season. “We’re going to be Ivy League contenders with Poly Prep. We have a really strong top five and should be winning the majority of our matches.

We should finally be giving Poly a run for their money,” said Tucker. Hackley is looking to defeat Poly Prep, the defending Ivy League champions, after Hackley’s previous tough losses to Poly.

As for the Girls Squash Team, senior Kelly Saxton has great improvement in herself and her teammates around her during her four years on the team. “I’m really excited for this season. It’s been great to see our team grow as one cohesive unit,” said Kelly.

Underclassmen Excel in Off-Campus Sports

Photo courtesy of Kit Greenberg Kit Greenberg, a nationally ranked diver, often wakes up before dawn to train for diving.

By Claire Sukhman

Photo courtesy of Danny Casper Danny Casper spends two hours curling at Ardsley Country Club every day.

also been a member of North Jersey Avalanche, a team that was ranked in the top ten in the country.

What started as a family bonding experience became a lifestyle for this competitive sophomore. “I started playing hockey when I was six years old because my grandpa used to always talk about the Rangers and we would watch hockey on T.V. together. Now, I love how fast paced it is, and the non-stop action. I’ve made countless memories and met some of my best friends playing hockey. I love getting to compete against some of the best kids in the country because it inspires me to work harder so I can improve as a hockey player,” said Spencer.

Freshman Danny Casper excels at something that you don’t hear about every day. He curls for the Ardsley Curling Club at the Ardsley Country Club. He comes from a family of curlers. His cousins and his uncles have been to Junior Nationals, and his uncle actually coached one of the Olympic teams.

Danny practices for two hours every day, but he doesn’t have an actual practice schedule. He competes as a junior (ages 12 to 21) on a team of four people. His team has won a lot of events and is doing well.

“Ranking wise, you really only win or you don’t. If you win a lot of events people start to know who you are but you are not ranked,” said Danny.

Curling takes up much of his time, but for Danny, it’s worth it. “I love the strategic aspect of the game. What bothers me the most is that people don’t think it is physically challenging, but it requires stamina, balance, and strength,” said Danny.

Photo courtesy of Spencer Diaz Spencer Diaz spends three days per week at the rink practicing with the New York Saints, one of the top 30 teams in the country.

Hackley’s underclassmen have already shown off their athletic talents on the fields this fall, but some, like freshman Kit Greenberg, sophomore Spencer Diaz, and freshman Danny Casper, have hidden athletic talents that they do not have the chance to show off at Hackley.

When she’s not horseback riding or playing Hackley Varsity Tennis, Freshman Kit Greenberg is in the water. Kit is a dedicated young diver who was ranked sixth overall at AT&T USA Diving Nationals last year. She dives with the High Dive Champions, who train at Purchase College.

Kit trains every day, waking up on Wednesday mornings before 6 a.m. to dive before school. Her competition season begins in the winter and lasts throughout the summer. She has earned her rankings through regional and national meets all over the country and in Canada.

This past summer, Kit ranked nationally 21st on platform, 20th on the one meter springboard, and ranked 18th on the three meter springboard. “When I was six,I started by diving off my uncle’s house in Wisconsin, and then my mom saw an ad in the paper, and the rest was history,” said Kit; she loves the adrenaline and rush she gets while flying through the air.

Sophmore Spencer Diaz is a key member of the New York Saints ice hockey team. He practices in Monsey, New York three times a week, but he travels all over the country and even to Canada for games with his team. The New York Saints are ranked within the top 30 in the country. Spencer has

12 sports

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November 23, 2015

Hackley Girls Dominate NYSAIS

Girls’ Cross Country, Field Hockey, and Soccer Emerge as Champions

Dial

What’s In Your Sports Bag?

Photo by Robert Hallock Senior Arielle Stern dishes out an assist to Senior Meghan O’Keefe. Arielle scored HVFH’s game winning goal against Fieldston in quadruple overtime.

Athletic Tape

Football player Sumail Morton uses black athletic tape to prevent injury to his wrists when breaking through the offensive line.

Photo courtesy of Michaela Riegler Senior Laura Seebacher runs her last 100m of Hackley Cross Country.

Photo courtesy of Michaela Riegler Senior Julia Stevenson runs the 5k, in which she placed first with a time of 18:37.

Nuun Tablets

Cross Country runner Julia Stevenson uses Nuun tablets to help her properly hydrate before and after races and long runs.

Photo by Robert Hallock Senior Sammy Mueller sprints to steal the ball from Rye Country Day School. Sammy scored all six of HGVS’s goals in this NYSAIS championship game.

Insulated Bottle

Senior Gabriella Zak looks to pass the ball to her teammate.

Photo by Robert Hallock

Tucker van Eck uses an insulated water bottle that can keep water cool for 24 hours to stay hydrated.

Photos by Chris Chon, illustration by Olivia Weinberg