Casten trip announcement:
Fall sports update:
See page four for information about the upcoming Casten trips for next spring break and summer.
Updates on the cross country, field hockey, and girls’ tennis teams’ recent games and matches.
Dial
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the
Hackley School
Tarrytown, NY 10591
October 2011 Vol. 113, No. 3
gender in balance? 9% 27%
History of Media
91%
AP Studio Art
52%
73%
English
48%
AP Chemistry
63%
37%
Gov’t and Politics
78%
22%
AP Computer Science
92%
8%
alexhersh
editorial editor hich class would you join if you were looking for a date? Students rarely choose a class for its gender balance, but the makeup of some classes significantly favors one gender over another. The attention Hackley students give that imbalance does not reflect the national attention and government legislation focused on the subject. Title IX legislation, passed in 1972, has changed gender inequities in education, yet students at Hackley simply shrug off any current gap.
VV STEM
Traditional male dominated lines of work include fields within sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Organizations of the STEM Education Coalition work to diversify the demographic of STEM professions and STEM topics in education. According to the Economic and Statistics Administration of the Department of Commerce, “Women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, [yet] they hold less than 25 percent of STEM jobs.” Half of the female workforce in America is represented in STEM professions, while 75 percent of working men work within a STEM field. Some Hackley Science courses reflect this national trend, but show equality in the traditional female fields of life science, such as biology. The AP Biology class is balanced, while AP Physics has a seven to two male to female ratio. Based on the document issued by the National Board of Education, Women in America, “Female students generally score lower than male students in
mathematics assessment tests and higher in reading assessment tests.” The Board also says that, “this difference in gender participation in science and technology fields is a global phenomenon. OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] member countries reported that in the fields of humanities, arts, education, health and welfare, women comprised nearly two-thirds of graduates; however, in science and technology, females made up only about onequarter of graduates.” Diana Kaplan’s AP Calculus AB course, with an equal balance of boys and girls, does not support this trend.
dominated. It’s not a ‘girl’ type of course.” According to the White House Council on Women and Girls, women make up less than a fourth of all technology degree holders. As the only girl, junior Christina Meyer says, “although I am the only girl in the class, it doesn’t really change what class is about, but just how I’m treated as a minority. Since I’m the only girl, I’m treated differently, and Ms. Lyons accommodates more personally for me.” Computer science teacher Jennie Lyons comments, “I don’t want her to drop the course solely because she is the only girl. As a result of that, I have to make sure that she’s comfortable taking a class with all boys.”
Boys in Majority
Girls in Majority
Although a small discrepancy exists within major courses, the true imbalance lies within elective courses. In the Digital Age introductory computer course, the male to female ratio is 31 to 2. In AP Computer Science, the ratio is 12 to 1. A n d re Ne w l a n d c o m m e n t s , “ It h a s n’t re a l l y affected our class much – I expected it to be male
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance...” —United States Code Section 20
In c o n t r a s t t o t h e i m b a l a n c e w i t h i n t h e A P Computers class, girls have the majority in the Intermediate Art class and the History of Media and Culture class. Junior Melissa Chervin says, “It is hard sometimes to focus because there are 17 girls in the class and no boys. Each girl wants specific attention, and there is only one teacher to accommodate all of our needs. On the other hand, I am grateful because boys rarely seem to be that skillful at art.” Smaller shifts in the imbalance occur annually for no particular reason. For the past two years, Spanish teacher Emily DeMarchena’s Spanish V course has been all female. “It was only about six or seven girls both years, so it wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “But this year it’s closer to a normal balance of boys and girls, which is pretty cool.” Infographic by Daniel Hoffman and Rachel Chan
2editorial
October
Voice of the student body.
Homecoming Dance: Why not Hackley?
I
t’s hard to go through a day without hearing the word “spirit” at least once. There are Facebook groups dedicated to raising attendance at school sporting events, and a large part of community council has revolved around the hopeful increase in school spirit. Hackley thrives on spirit, and school events are what ignites hope for spirit. There are the fall and spring stings, occasional dances, and games under the lights. Although these events can be looked at as substitutes for a formal homecoming, the two types of events are completely different. “What’s different about a homecoming versus the fall and spring stings is that a homecoming usually means there is a dance and an opportunity to get dressed up,” said junior Stephanie Rubin. The administration acknowledges that Hackley does not offer a formal homecoming, yet Mr. King suggests “a night game for soccer, for example, does a similar thing [to a homecoming] by encouraging the students and faculty to come out for an event.” Although both events aim to rally school spirit, a night game only lasts two hours maximum, and a formal homecoming would be a unique and timeless way to increase the spirit after the game and into the night. Mr. King did, however, explain valid obstacles when planning such a large event, especially the unpredictable nature of the turnout. “ The attendance rate at school-held dances has fluctuated over the years,” Mr. King said. “Then it becomes a question of if only 10 people are going to show up, is it worth putting the event together?” He also mentioned that having a formal sometimes places pressure on the students to go out and spend a lot of money on dresses or suits. The purpose of a homecoming is not to place stress on students to find the perfect outfit. Additionally, there is also the potential confusion of whether a formal would
become like a second prom. It isn’t the administration’s fault that school events are not as successful as what they could be. “These types of events only are successful if the students hype them up,” Mr. King said. “If you aren’t excited, then the chance of a successful homecoming is slim.” Yet many students feel like a homecoming would contribute positively to the Hackley community. “I think Hackley should have a formal because it ’s another way to bring our school together and many other schools do it,” sophomore Jill Dressler said. Sophomore Katie Mykrantz agreed, adding, “it would be something fun that I think a lot of people would go to since H a c k l ey d o e s n ’ t really have that many big events.” With so much emphasis throughout the past few years on school spirit, and co u nt l e s s co m m u n i t y co u n c i l speeches based on it, events that motivate Hackley pride should be encouraged, rather than avoided. Students should be more proactive about integrating events such as homecoming into our school year. They should take the time to pursue an idea, create a buzz for an event, or even just attend. Mr. King is open to suggestions on how to put the event together, and if the administration is willing to listen, Hackley students should take it upon themselves as a community to pursue the introduction of a homecoming into our school.
Unlike most schools in the area, Hackley does not have a formal homecoming dance.
Would you let a student wear this costume? Yes Mr. King
“Any costume where the primary adjective before it can be naughty is unacceptable.”
Ms. Randazzo
“It would not be Hackley School, but Hackley Brothel.”
Ms. DeMarchena Dr. Pierce Mr. Arnold Doc Rob
dialstaff Editor-in-chief randikramer Managing Editor ariannafirpo
No Comments?
“Trashy, trashy, trashy!” “Anything that can be affiliated with the term ‘who’s your daddy?’ is not allowed.” “Nothing funny I can think of would be remotely appropriate in a professional capacity.” “I’m thinking no.”
Hackley School - 293 Bendict Ave., Tarrytown, NY - (914) 631 0128 - September 2011 - Vol. 113, No. 3 - www.hackleyschool.org Op-ed Editor rolandrizzi
Staff Artist mollykestenbaum
Dial OnLine Editor marcbyrnes
Sports Editor shaneweisberg Sports Editor dominiquealpuche
Op-ed Editor alexhersh
Assist. Managing Editor danielhoffman
Adviser jennielyons
Feature Editor paulrapisardi
Asst. Sports Editor maxparauda
Lifestyles Editor halleyweinreb
Adviser scottboehnen
Design Editor rachelchan
News Editor jackieyang News Editor maddiginsberg
Politics Editor bobbygrusky
Arts Editor nickhallock
Politics Editor harrisonwetzler
Copy Editor annatskhovrebov
Production Editor melissawarshauer
Coordinating Editor mattmacfarlane
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.
news
Voice of the student body.
3
pi
rit ?
October
t go
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Many Students cheer enthusiastically for a field hockey game this season. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
angelamauri
staff writer When asked about spirit weeks, senior Angela Link asked, “Did we even have one last year?” As a response, Community Council President Matt MacFarlane said that this year, Community Council is planning to make Spirit Week memorable. Matt said, “Organization is the key word. This year, we have all five days, planned in advance and approved by Mr. King.” Junior President Will Walker managed the initial process of creating the week, as he assigned grade officers a day to plan and report back to the rest of Council. Spirit Week is the week to dress down and dress up. And this year, spriti week begins with Halloween. “Halloween gets everyone in the right spirit for what’s ahead in the week,” said Matt. The week was chosen, according to Matt, because it is the holiday in which the students traditionally the participate most. A part of Community Time will be devoted to a Halloween Costume Contest, taking place after the Lower School Parade. Awards will be presented to the homeroom with the most original costume and participation, with the Council members acting as judges. Tuesday will be a new event this year, creating excitement for Harry Potter fans. Led by the sophomores, each grade will be assigned a house and must dress accordingly to celebrate Harry Potter Day. Harry Potter Day will include a scavanger hunt for seven “horcruxes” scattered throughout Hackley. Prizes for finding these include: a hive shirt, other Hackley apparel, or a coupon to the bake sale held later in the day. The Three Broomsticks will come to life, as Harry Potter-related items will be sold
during the day. Well-Dressed Wednesday will be sponsored by the seniors. This event follows the traditions of last year’s Dapper Wednesday and Well-Dressed Wednesday participants. “The best word to describe it is a war between the two groups,” MacFarlane said. Thursday will “color day.” Each grade will dress up (in dress code) in their grade’s color.The seniors will dress in blue, the juniors in red, the sophomores in green, and the freshmen in yellow. Signs are already up for Friday, a school-wide blackout day to promote all the sports games that weekend. While Hackley is combining Halloween and spirit week, other schools celebrate each separately and in a different ways. Halloween is a big event at the Masters School. Their seniors assign each grade and faculty department a theme and everyone dresses up accordingly. Each group makes a video shared at their morning meetings, vying for the most spirited. At Horace Mann, the upper school has pep rallies for major sport games during their spirit week. Yet it’s mostly individuals on each sports team that dress up. Freshmen don’t know what to expect. “Hackley colors are funeral colors, we should have a One Color day,” said freshman Amanda Flock. Freshman Phebe DuPont added, “I guess we should have the usual Blackout, but maybe we could dress up as a piece of candy.” Surprisingly, senior Angela Link had the same thought, “I would like to see a pajama day in there or something to do with candy…” Link also believes, “The more people we have to get hyped up about it, the better it is.”
31 1 2 3 4
schedule
october
november
• Halloween • Contest for best costume
• • • • •
Color Day Seniors in blue Juniors in red Sophomores in green Freshmen in yellow
• Well-dressed Wednesday
• Harry Potter Day • Hunt for Horcruxes
• School-wide blackout
Seniors dare to dream
rebeccaslutsky
staff writer Say “hello” to a new end to senior year on the Hilltop. Changes projects and describe how they were impacted by the work during in the senior project program have been announced this month presentations to a panel of faculty members. “We want to give and Upper School Director Andy King assures students that them an opportunity to boast to us and tell us what was cool “this has the potential to really become a signature piece of the about the project that they did.” senior year.” The first deadline is October 31 when preliminary ideas are The new senior project program embodies the phrase “ex- due to Senior Project Coordinator and dean Anne Longley. periential education,” which Mr. King explained as, “actually Many seniors have not yet decided what they are going to do going out and learning things by doing things.” The change for their project and don’t know much about what is expected of stemmed from the lack of meaningful projects in past years. them. Dan Norris stated that, “all I know is that we have to do Mr. King felt that if Hackley was going to dismiss students something productive for 40 hours for 3 weeks,” and continued, from class work, they should make the projects substantive. “I think I am going to shadow my dad at his office.” The big change this year is that senior projects will no longer Natania Greenspan stated, “I have no idea what I’m going be optional: every senior will complete a senior project. While to do but I do know that I want to do something in the city away in the past, less than 50% of the senior class participated, now senior projects are part of the graduation requirement. There will be two distinct tracks from which students can choose. One is an academic project overseen by a faculty member. Mr. King explained that if someone really wanted to write an original play and wanted a teacher as a project advisor, or if someone wanted to design an intense chemistry experiment with a physics or chemistry teacher overseeing it, that would be a sufficient project. A second option will be to find an internship off-campus with an established business or a not-for-profit organization. Mr. King gave the example of spending several hours a day, for three weeks as a volunteer at Blythedale Hospital. Mr King believes “this would be a much more meaningful experience than going once a month on our community service trips.” Seniors will focus on their projects during the last three weeks of school. The end goal is to complete approximately Seniors filled out notecards with their initial project ideas without sixty hours on each project, according to Ms. Longley. the pressure of logical constraints. Photo by Maddi Ginsberg. As a final step in the process, seniors will explain their
from Hackley.” She also stated that she doesn’t think the senior projects are going to be more successful because “it’s going to be such a hassle.” Since seniors aren’t allowed to skip AP classes during the last 3 weeks of school many seniors still have to be at Hackley for those classes in addition to sports after school. Natania stated, “In addition to my APs and sports, I have to find a way to do a forty hour internship in 3 weeks. That’s going to be very annoying.” Maria de la Piedra, however, has a clear vision for her senior project as she explained, “I’m really into children’s museums and the way they do their exhibits and I’m also really into physics,” she explained. From that affinity, Maria decided that she would like to “try and build some sort of interactive contraption that showcases the physics laws, so that I can teach little kids, maybe the kids in the Lower School.” She added,“Maybe not this year, but in a couple years when people can start going abroad I think they will be more enjoyable.” Dan Norris also added, “We aren’t allowed to go abroad, which I would have liked to do.” Mr. King is fully confident in this new approach to senior projects stating, “I absolutely think that this year’s senior projects will be better than those in the past. This new system is going to make the senior project a real point of enthusiasm for seniors.” Some seniors have expressed worries and concerns about how everything is going to work out and are questioning why the changes are being made this year. Mr. King completely accepts and respects the seniors’ concerns about this new program, but believes this is going to become something that “seniors rally behind and get very excited about because they are going to be able to do something that’s an experience.” Ultimately, Mr. King believes that this change in the program is going to lead to projects that are both “substantive and ultimately more meaningful.”
4news
October
Voice of the student body.
Have this year’s chicken patties perished? sarahbonanno staff writer
“Do you hate it when people take away your freedom? Do you consider Chicken Patty Day a national holiday?” This heading is from a petition that 22 students signed with a common goal in mind: to figure out what happened to the chicken patties and to get them back in the lunchroom.
Through an unofficial poll in the hallways of school, 74% of students say that chicken patties are their favorite lunch. Sophomore Omar Momani said, “[When] I had heard rumors that chicken patties were no longer being served... I was in distress and speechless.” Echoing Omar’s thoughts, senior Rob Cacace described chicken patties as “...a national holiday, or the one thing to look forward to every month as a means to cheer ourselves up when suffering the ‘Hackley Blues.’” According to Marco Morales, the Director of Dining Services, the chicken patties went against the nutritional policy of FLIK, the company that prepares Hackley’s food. “FLIK has always had its policy: of all our food’s from Junior Alyza Ngbokoli laments over the loss of chicken patties at a library computer during scratch,” said Mr. a free period. She is one of many who is distraught over the disappearance of the chicken Morales. “Nothing’s patties. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
purchased frozen.” Nothing, that is, except for last year’s chicken patties. “Chicken patties come as a frozen product...so we wanted to prevent anyone from having an allergic reaction.” The combination of FLIK’s policy and the fear of students suffering from allergic reactions was enough for the pre-made chicken patties to be, at least temporarily, taken off the menu. However, FLIK does have a plan for correcting the menu change that Omar called “unHackley.” In response to the students’ preference for chicken patties, FLIK is going to make its own chicken patties, from scratch and with fresh ingredients, this November. They are hoping that their chicken patties will be better than the frozen products. “We aren’t going to serve something to our students that might cause them [to have] an allergic reaction...so we’re going to make our own,” said Mr. Morales. In support, Rob said, “I heard that chicken patties were not eliminated and would become organic as a result of Hackley’s initiatives to help the environment and improve dietary habits...I firmly believe that [Mr. Morales] will provide us with the best food on the market. I am not very worried about the chicken patty situation, as I believe there will be a healthier, happier Hackley.” Mr. Morales wants students to know that “we’re going to make our best effort to make a really good chicken patty ourselves...and I want to get feedback from students and know what they think.”
Students can share ideas for future Casten trips jennygelbman staff writer
2012 Casten trips: • spring: Japan • summer: Kenya • summer: Argentina + Uruguay
[Left to right:] Seniors Kathleen Sullivan and Nikki Miller work hard during their Casten trip to Senegal in the summer of 2011. Senior Amelia Schwalb transports a bucket of water during her Casten trip to Malawi in the summer of 2009.
W
hen asked why she has not gone on a Casten trip before, senior Kristen Fallon stated, “None of the trips have really caught my interest. I would love to go on a Casten trip to somewhere like Bora Bora.” John Dilorenzo said he wanted to go to Russia. Josh Pedowitz commented that he wanted to travel to Kenya, and Meredith Keller wanted to visit France. However, most students do not know that they can initiate trips. This year about 10 trips have been proposed by students and faculty, and the destinations for spring and summer 2012 will be announced before Thanksgiving. Initial trip ideas were due Oct. 1, with final proposals due Oct. 15. Usually faculty members propose trips; however, more recently students have been getting more involved. Last year, junior Ben Rosen initiated a trip to Peru, which has inspired others to do the same. He wanted to go to Peru because his mom is from there and his family still lives there.“Peru’s
dial
quotes
problems have deep historical roots that are very similar to that of Latin America as a whole. I wanted to introduce to people here the beauty and problems of a region so central and connected to America.” The trip, however, took a great deal of effort to plan. “It was quite difficult to initiate, because there is a committee that approves the trip, and there had already been a trip to Peru, so we had to convince them of the value of going with someone who is actually from there.” Ben persevered, and said that the trip was “amazing.”
Casten trip history
Every year, eager teachers and students travel abroad on the Casten Travel Program. The program operates from funds donated by the Casten Family Foundation. In each group there is one faculty member for every two to three students. Groups have traveled abroad to Belize, the Galapagos Islands, Italy, Honduras, Peru, China, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.“These trips are great because
they allow for great equity in travel and help with student and faculty expenses,” commented Global Education Coordinator and classics teacher Adrianne Pierce. After each trip, students make presentations to the student body to show others how beneficial the trips can be.
Students dream big Casten trips allow students to dream big and put their own ideas in motion. However, most students are not even aware that they can get involved in the creation and planning of these trips. Sophomore Amelia Dobronyi is currently trying to plan an educational excursion to California, since she takes computer science in school and wants to be able to explore the technology opportunities there. Her trip would revolve around visiting technology museums, historical sites, companies, and a few fun visits to the beach. She has wanted to organize this trip since her freshman year, and now it might become a reality.
Faculty dream big
When asking faculty members where they would like to travel on Hackley trips there was an array of different answers. French teacher and senior dean Anne Longley wants to travel to Haiti or back to New Orleans. Spanish teacher Diane Remenar wants to go to Costa Rica because it is a very unique country in that it had “enjoyed a peaceful existence for quite some, they have no army (just a national guard) and they have devoted a lot of energy and resources to conserving the environment.” Faculty members also want students to participate in the process of organizing these excursions. “If students have ideas for service projects we want to know them. We want to employ as many service projects as possible,” stated Dr. Pierce. She added that the ideas and perspectives learned while abroad on these Casten trips have taught students lessons which can benefit our entire hilltop community.
Will Johnson: I’m on the football team. Kristen Fallon: Wait, are you the quarterback or the goalie?
Luke Sweeney: Why are you wearing those socks? Anonymous Student: Well, why are you wearing those pants? Luke: Because they make my butt look good!
Mae Mcoll: Linguini and lasagna... all pastas sound the same. Samantha Heyward: That’s racist. Mae: Pastas don’t have rights.
Alex Hersh: Wenkai, what do you do on Mondays? Wenkai Qin: Wait for the weekends.
Dr. Pierce: The name Amazon means “having one breast.” The other was amputated to make it easier to draw back a bow. Michael Leonard: How did they balance?
After a marker runs out of ink: Mr. Davies: All the markers are dried up. Joesph Shalabi: Maybe you just suck the life out of them.
feature
October
Voice of the student body.
5
iPads in the classroom receive mixed reviews
W
gabyoppenheim Staff Writer
ith the recent death of Steve Jobs, Hackley maintains a bit of his vision with the addition of the iPad to the Upper School. This year, Hackley provides iPads in addition to laptops in classrooms. iPads and their applications have become increasingly popular. Nearly 10 million Americans currently own an iPad. “We had laptop carts for a number of years, but they were underutilized. When iPads came out, they were obviously alluring on many levels, so immediately teachers at Hackley started talking about their educational applications,” Mr. King said. Many students find the iPads to be constructive and effective in classrooms. “I think iPads are helpful because they are easier to get into and on the Internet,” freshman Isis Flores said. Sophomore Katie Mykrantz adds, “The iPads are a lot easier to carry around school because they’re much lighter than the old laptops.” Apple stores contain countless educational applications for every subject and every stage of learning. AP applications, geography applications, and mathematic problem solving applications are
available and may support students who wish to study a topic in greater detail. Some even believe that future textbooks will all be stored on an iPad. Junior Sam Alabaster thinks that the iPad is helpful “because it provides 3D models of the organs in your body in biology class.” Some students, however, oppose the addition of the iPad to the Upper School. When asked about the new iPads, several students responded with annoyance towards the product. “I hate iPads being used in class because they are distracting and inappropriate,” junior Melissa Chervin said. Students find typing difficult on the iPads because the screens are very sensitive and the autocorrect is tricky to work with. “I’d be more concerned about typing than actually writing a comp,” senior Maria de la Piedra said. Meanwhile, the new software challenges some teachers as well. Teachers who wish to conduct classes with the newest products struggle to understand the applications. “I’m not comfortable enough myself with them to use them in class,” English teacher Jenny Leffler said. “My goal is to get there by the end of the year!”
Freshman Patrick Mcdermott checks out some of the academic applications on the iPads. Comps are now written via GoogleDocs on iPads in some classes. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
Some hornets abandon nest for boarding school dominiquealpuche and isabellaberland Sports Editor and Staff Writer
At the end of last academic year, nine students in the sophomore grade left Hackley to continue their education at boarding schools. The departure of the nine sophomores was unusual in that most students choose to transfer after eighth grade allowing them to complete all four years of high school at the boarding school. For this reason, Middle School Director Alona Scott is usually involved with helping these students through the application process. “Almost all applications require a recommendation from me,” Ms. Scott said, “so I am very much aware of the students who are considering boarding school.” Overseeing these departures can be difficult because the school would like all students to continue happily at Hackley.
“Hackley was so small. Four years was a long time in the same place - I felt I needed a change of pace.” “The ideal is if we have 64 eighth graders, we want to send 64 to the Upper School,” Ms. Scott said. “[But] a portion of our job is to help them find the right fit and support them in the application process.” Ms. Scott said that the reasons students leave vary, but the common ones are family connections to a particular school
and athletics. Former sophomore Nick DuPont falls into the first category. “I knew I wanted to go to boarding school since my sister first went to Exeter,” said Nick, who now attends Philips Exeter Academy along with his sister and brother. Others, like Lucas DiPietrantonio, left Hackley to join one of the more competitive athletic programs that are a part of many boarding schools. “I wanted to play for a good lacrosse team where I could get recognized,” Lucas said. Regardless of their reasons for leaving, the students who left last year, after almost two months at their new schools, are happy and do not regret their decisions. Interviews with former students revealed that school spirit, independence, and the chance to live with friends are the boarding-school features they felt Hackley lacked. They wanted a place that would prepare them better for college, and for some students, like former sophomore Katie Rand, a place that would give them a fresh start. “Hackley was so small,” she said. “Four years was a long time in the same place—I felt I needed a change of pace.” Although these students focused on the differences between Hackley and boarding schools, Head of Admissions Chris McColl believes that Hackley resembles a boarding school in important ways. “We have the facilities of a boarding school,” he said, commenting on the campus of 285 acres. When people think of “the great tradition of boarding schools,” Mr. McColl said, “they think of the academics and the well roundedness.” Mr. McColl thinks that Hackley enjoys
summer reading wanes
a similar tradition of excellence. The third way Mr. McColl believes Hackley compares to boarding schools is our sense of community. “[We have] the same kind of intimate community that people associate with boarding schools,” he said, adding, “It’s like a small town [here].”
“I wanted to play for a good lacrosse team where I could get recognized.” Mr. McColl has not noticed a trend of families looking at Hackley as a “stepping stone” toward boarding schools. “One of the great things about being a K-through-12 school is [that] you can bring your child, bring your family, and stay for the entirety of the child’s education,” he said. Ms. Scott agrees that recent departures for boarding schools do not constitute a trend, particularly for those leaving after eighth grade. At the end of the 2009 school year, three eighth graders left for boarding schools; in June 2010, four eighth graders; and in June 2011, three eighth graders. Reviewing the numbers, Ms. Scott said that the pattern of boarding-school departures “doesn’t seem like the phenomenon people make it out to be.”
hot summer reads
20
danielhoffman
Managing Editor The summer reading ice cream party was an easy way to receive a fun reward. In order to be admitted, students were required to submit a form asking only for a brief sentence summarizing the book that the student read. The amount of students at the lunch event was slim. Head Librarian Jackson Blossom attempted to gather students who read at least one book over the summer, with ice cream as the incentive. Students who went were pleased to discover that Choco Tacos were among the ice cream selection, though. The overall turnout to the event was 37 students, representing only a fraction of students who read over the summer. Some students claimed not to be informed on the actual date of the lunch event, while others showed no motivation to actually fill out the form, despite its brevity.
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0 9th
10th
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The 37 students, by grade, who reported to have read a book this summer. Numbers provided by Head Librarian Jackson Blossom.
Mr. Blossom provided these titles as the books that more than one student read over the summer.
6politics
October
Voice of the student body.
Tsar Alexander II returns? Hackley students score low on political knowledge quiz
Q
uestion #1 Who is the current New Jersey Governor who recently decided not to run for president?
Q
uestion #2 Who is the current Speaker of the House?
60%
25%
of Hackley students correctly answered “Chris Christie.”
Q
uestion #4 What provisional government recently petitioned the U.N. for statehood?
of Hackley students correctly answered “John Boehner.”
Q
uestion #5 Which Russian ex-president has recently decided to run again?
19%
15%
of Hackley students correctly answered “Palestine.”
7.5%
of students thought the Speaker of the House was still Nancy Pelosi.
of Hackley students correctly answered “Vladimir Putin.”
70%
of students left out three or more questions.
Name five Republicans currently running for president.
16%
of Hackley students could identify five of the seven major candidates.
Question #6
Which bill does President Obama want Congress to pass “right away”?
26% of Hackley students correctly answered “Jobs bill.”
Methodology
The poll was distributed in homeroom Oct. 14, and 186 responses, representing about half of Hackley’s Upper School population, were collected by the end of the day. Although not all of the homeroom teachers distributed the polls, the poll nonetheless had a large sample size. The survey has a margin of error of ±5%.
Looking behind the numbers harrisonwetzler Politics Editor
Hackley prides itself on academic achievement. However, students’ knowledge of current events is not as evident. The Dial conducted a poll to determine Hackley students’ political knowledge. The results were not promising: on average, 27 percent of students answered each question correctly. One question in particular was answered correctly by most students.One hundred and twelve students, or just over 60 percent of the 186 students polled, correctly identified Chris Christie as the New Jersey governor who decided not to run for president in 2012. The other five questions on the poll were not nearly as well known. Only 47 of the students knew that John Boehner (also frequently misspelled) is the Speaker of the House. Fourteen students, almost a third as many as correctly answered the question, were not aware that his Democratic predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, had left office. Most Hackley students are aware of some of the Republican presidential candidates, but relatively few could name five. Most were able to get two or three, and then conjured up a few, such as “the pizza guy”—apparently a reference to Herman Cain. One sophomore declared her love for the Republican Party, despite only being able to name four candidates and incorrectly spelling two of the names. One junior, on the other hand, was unafraid to state her disgust in Republican politicians, stating, “I don’t care. They will ruin are [sic] country.” Despite this apparent lack of interest, she correctly identified the Speaker of the House as John Boehner, even correctly spelling his name. The questions students had most trouble with, and most frequently left blank, were the last three. Only 28 students, or about 15 percent, correctly wrote that Palestine recently
Q
uestion #3
applied for U.N. recognition. Puerto Rico, Pakistan, and Libya were all relatively popular answers, totaling 13 responses, almost half as many as correctly answered. The confusion over Libya is understandable, since that country has recently had a revolution. The word “statehood” apparently confused some, who thought it referred to U.S. states. Puerto Rico was therefore also an understandable mistake. Russian current events was also not a strong suit for many students. Two juniors mistook the poll as a 20th Century World quiz, thinking that Tsar Alexander II is running for re-election in Russia. Five others thought Stalin was vying for re-election, two thought it was Trotsky, and a handful wrote Gorbachev. One student wrote a name, not of a Russian leader, but a vodka brand: Smirnoff. (The correct answer was Vladimir Putin, as 35 students knew.) The president’s much-publicized call to pass his jobs bill “right away” fell on deaf ears for three-quarters of the Hackley student population. Only 25 percent were able to determine the source of the quote. Many mistook the bill as the controversial “Obamacare” healthcare proposal, or a “tax-the-rich” bill. Apparently unsure of the answers or unwilling to take the poll seriously, other respondents chose comedic guesses. One sophomore decided that Rick Astley, the famous singer of “Never Gonna Give You Up” was the Speaker of the House. Others guessed that the President had taken up the position of Speaker. Yet another student wishfully believed that, in response to Hackley students’ request for more chicken patties, the President urged Congress to pass a “Chicken Patties for All” act.
Not quite...
Which Russian ex-president has recently decided to run again?
35 students (out of 186) correctly answered “Vladimir Putin.” 9 students answered more creatively: “Stalin,” “Trotsky,” or “Tsar Alexander II.”
Some students wrote Tsar Alexander II for Question 5.
arts
October
Voice of the student body.
Artist profile: Sophomore Amanda Chung
7
dominiquealpuche
Sports Editor Amanda’s white rose has taken longer to bloom than any in nature. Six months after starting a painting of that subject, sophomore Amanda Chung continues to go to art school every weekend to work on this piece. Her passion for art makes her unwilling to accept anything less than perfection. Amanda notes always having had an interest in art, remembering her days of playing with stencils and colored pencils, but she said it wasn’t until eighth grade that she “started to think about it seriously.” While taking Hackley’s Foundations of Studio Art class during her freshman year, Amanda also began taking classes on Saturdays at an art school near her home in New Jersey. “I took it just for fun, and then I realized I liked painting,” she said. Now majoring in Intermediate Studio Art, Amanda continues to take three hours of classes each weekend, where she focuses on painting, but is learning to use different media. “I started out with acrylic,” she said. “I heard it’s the easiest to learn how to paint with,” she added, explaining how its quick drying forces the artist to work at a fast pace. After working on some watercolor and oil pieces over the summer, she still says she enjoys using acrylics the most. Amanda also credited Hackley’s art program with building her artistic talents. “Foundations was great to introduce you to everything,” she said. “And majoring gives you a chance to go more in-depth into projects and not rush through them.” Amanda notes Upper School art teacher Mark Green has been particularly helpful. Amanda, who came to Hackley in sixth grade, said that “the teachers at my old school were constricting, but Mr. Green lets us be creative.”
Intermediate studio art a major time commitment nickhallock Arts Editor
A
Sophomore Amanda Chung has worked on this painting for six months in her painting class that she attends every week. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
Looking forward, Amanda says she isn’t completely sure of how she will continue with art. Her short-term goals are to finish more large-scale pieces and submit her work to art competitions. “It would be really amazing to get recognized,” she said. Regardless of whether she is recognized in major upcoming competitions or not, Amanda has definitely been
s taking six majors requires a large time commitment, the few Hackley sophomores who choose to take intermediate studio art as a major are often the most dedicated artists in their grade. The class is offered both as a major and as a minor, so aspiring artists can determine how much time they want to put into art. While many Hackley students want to eventually take AP Art during their senior year, few have the time or the commitment to pursue it as a major. This year, only six students are taking the class. Sophomore Amanda Chung is taking intermediate studio art as a major because she is dedicated to art and has loved it for a
long time. “I remember in Middle School, I wanted to take art in Upper School and AP art as a senior and it would help me get onto that track,” Amanda said. Although taking the class as a minor is less of a time commitment, art teacher and department chair Gregory Cice said that taking the class as a minor does not limit students’ ability to continue art in the future. “Some of our best AP students in past years took it as a minor in their sophomore year,” he said. While junior Helen Ballentine genuinely loves art and wants to take the AP, she was unable to take the class as a major last year. “I took it as a minor because my schedule was very crowded,” she said.
photos of the month: The photos of the month are submitted by photographers in the three levels of Foundations, Intermediate, and Advanced Photographies, and are voted on by their peers to choose the best pictures.
Clockwise from top left: Sophomore Colleen Jones’ photo of a necklace in a hand for a close-up project from Foundations of Photo; Junior Paul Rapisardi’s photo of corks for a texture project from Intermediate Photography; Senior David Dronzek’s photo of boy wading into water for a self-designed project from Advanced Photography.
recognized by her fellow classmates for her art skills. “Her art looks professional and I aspire to be as talented as she is,” says sophomore Nia Vogel. Because academics are Amanda’s main priority, she says she doesn’t know if she will want to major in art in college. What she is looking ahead to right now: “I really want to get the white rose piece done by the end of this year,” she said. However, students taking intermediate studio art as a major have an extra three periods per cycle to hone their skills. “They get to spend a lot more time in the studio and do projects which are a little more ambitious in scale and scope,” Mr. Cice said. “They finish the year with a more developed portfolio of work and with more experience to take into their junior year.” Junior Danielle Petitti took the class as a major and thought it was helpful. “I wanted more time to work on my projects,” she said. Students also truly enjoy taking the class as a major because it serves as a respite from their academic subjects. “Now that I’m in it I like it because it relieves stress and breaks up my day,” Amanda said.
8lifestyles
October
Voice of the student body.
iLegend: Steve Jobs
Imagine life without Word, Safari, iChat or iTunes. Junior Kristen Daly can’t. “I am dependant on my Macbook and iPod, I would rather be locked in a cage with a wild bear than have someone take away my Mac.” Over 70% of Hackley students own an Apple product, according to a recent Dial poll, and many own more than just one. “I have 3 iPods, an iPad, and a MacBook,” senior Dan Norris said. Junior Chad Malinowski also owns multiple Apple products. “My family has two MacBooks, two iPads and three iPhones.” Steve Jobs’ creations have made students’ lives simple and more entertaining. “My MacBook helps me organize all the technological aspects of my life and keep them all in one place,” junior Julie Piscina said. “It’s easy to navigate through and I can find what I need at any time,” junior Lucas Seebacher adds. “I use my iPod to watch movies, listen to music or play games.” Sophomore Andrew Wolf believed Jobs was “the most innovative technology-wise thinker of this era.” “A genius of our century,” Dan Norris stated. Students acknowledge that Jobs’ works influenced their lives on a more personal level as well as academic. “My iPod is my baby,” Kristen exclaimed. “Without it my life would be silent. I can completely surround myself in my music and mellow out, especially before a game.” And consider the institutional impact. Ten years ago, the Upper School was 100 percent PC based. Five years ago, it was about 80 percent PC, and now it is approximately 80 percent Mac. “Easier to configure, maintain, and most importantly, easier to use,” according to computer teacher Jennie Lyons “Jobs created a technological revolution by introducing new, fun, savvy ways for people to stay organized, while simultaneously opening the door to new technological possibilities that my generation can take advantage of,” Julie said.
halleyweinreb
lifestyles editor
71%
Of students own an Apple Product
46%
Of students own a Macbook
45%
Of students own an iPod
41%
Of students own an iPhone Photo source Deviant Art
This survey has a margin of error of ±5%, with a 95% level of confidence.
Standardized Stress overwhelms students samanthaheyward
staff writer
T
he excitement of the opening school year can have a dark side. The breathless feeling of getting behind in work paired with the new challenge of standardized tests can cause stress to rear its ugly head. Students not only have to study for the PSAT or SAT’s, but they also must keep up their grades and participate in their extracurricular activities. Many find it difficult to do it all. According to school psychologist Linda Sadler, the most common cause of stress is being overcommitted. “Some have too much going on and they can get unorganized and overwhelmed,” Dr. Sadler said. A little stress can be positive, and motivate students to do their best, but too much can be destructive. Stress can affect students physically, by disrupting their sleeping schedule and decreasing their appetite. They can also become irritable, nervous, and suffer from headaches and stomach aches. “If students are more aware of stress causes and symptoms, they
have a greater ability to fight it,” Dr. Sadler said. The best cures? Stress is best fought through organization, prioritization, and time management, according to Dr. Sadler. In the weeks leading up to the PSAT, junior Mae McColl definitely felt the pressure. “I take six majors, and I’m in the play this fall, and rehearsals can go late. It’s hard to find time to practice for the PSAT,” she said. She wasn’t alone, as other juniors shared in her feelings of stress. “I’m super stressed,” said junior Paula Stone. “Studying for the PSAT while keeping up with homework and studying for tests becomes hectic,” she said. Paula has a novel stress-relieving strategy. “When it gets overwhelming, I usually put on music and dance the stress away,” she said. “Preparing for the SAT was stressful,” said senior Tierra Jones, who took the exam along with other seniors on Oct. 1. But Tierra doesn’t let the stress bother her for long. “I usually just sleep off the stress,” she said. Junior Julie Piscina takes a more active route. “When I get stressed,
I play sports and just focus on what I’m doing,” she said. “I also take five minutes and just talk to my friends about anything else other than work.” Anxiety about schoolwork is not confined to upperclassmen. Students of all grades felt the pressure to perform well. “I’m not a huge fan of math and science, so that usually causes me the most stress,” sophomore Meghan Philpott said. “I know I’m stressed when I feel tired and overwhelmed.” Stress can strain relationships too. “When my friends get stressed they get snippy,” said Meghan. Some students snap at their friends around them when stressed, no matter how innocent the interaction. “I don’t have a high tolerance for other people when I’m stressed,” sophomore Peter Patapis said. Hackley students are far from shy when it comes to sharing their feelings. “It’s almost impossible to walk down the hallway without hearing someone complain about how much work they have,” Peter said. Faculty agree that stress is evident. “You can see it on their face,” said sophomore dean Jenny Leffler.
5
most common reasons for stress 1. Overcommitment 2. Poor time management 3. Disorganization 4. Unrealistic expectations 5. Procrastination
lifestyles
October
Voice of the student body.
9
Looking for Paranormal Hacktivity carolinechmiel staff writer
A
ll alone, a lower-schooler wanders into the bathroom. She enters the stall as the lights begin to flicker, the pipes start to rattle, and suddenly the power goes out. It comes back on, but that doesn’t remove the goose bumps down her arms and the hairs standing up at the nape of her neck. What caused this? Some may say the rickety charm of Hackley’s historic buildings, others believe it’s the ghost of Mrs. Hackley creeping through the school. More than a century ago, Mrs. Frances Hackley was a well-known philanthropist and Unitarian. She owned a large mansion in Tarrytown, but was a widow and had no use for the land. Therefore, she donated her house and significant portion of her wealth to the creation of Hackley School. She was known to walk around the quad, visit classes, and even invite students to her home for tea. With these signs of her devotion to Hackley, the notion that after her death she would want to return and check in on her thriving creation is not too improbable, especially with Halloween just around the corner. This Halloween season is no different. Mrs. Hackley again has students looking around the corner, looking over their shoulders, or, sometimes, looking into the bathroom stall—as was the case when sophomore Katie Mykrantz was in sixth grade. She vividly remembers being spooked in the girls’ bathroom in the Middle School. “I was in the bathroom and there was a stall locked, but when I checked there was no one in it,” Katie said. “So, I went over to the sink to wash my hands, but then I heard the stall open. I turned around and saw an old woman walk out the door.” Katie has no doubt who it was. “It was the ghost of Mrs. Hackley!” she said. Sophomore Annie Berning has not met Mrs. Hackley directly, but her friend was frightened by mysterious music. “When I was in second grade, I remember my friend went up to the music room early because she broke her leg and was waiting there for the rest of the class,” Annie said. “When we got up to the room she said she heard someone playing the piano, but when she looked, there was no one there.” While the friend never saw the phantom piano-player, she was certain who it was. “She proceeded to tell everyone it was the ghost of Mrs. Hackley,” Annie said. The boarding corridor is not immune to such occurrences either. After reorganizing her collection of shoes, sophomore boarder Marisa Cedeno was interrupted by an unwelcome guest with a suggestion of her own. “I piled my shoes on one wall and sat down to do homework. The fan was blowing towards me,” Marisa said. “The next thing I knew I heard a thump. I turned around only to find my shoes on the other side of the room, in the opposite direction of the draft of the fan!” “There’s a ghost in my room!” Marisa cried, terrified. Such stories have circulated for decades at Hackley, but recent developments suggest that Mrs. Hackley intends to scare even the digital generation, lest they believe that an iPad can exorcize her ghost. Mrs. Hackley has a Twitter and a group on Facebook where many Hackley students claim they are scared of her. But sophomore Melanie Allen-Variano remains skeptical of her Facebook friend. A legend that frequently circulates on the Facebook page is that Mrs. Hackley’s ghost could be seen lingering in the background of a class picture taken early last century. “It’s not possible that her ghost was in that graduating class’ picture,” Melanie wrote on Mrs. Hackley’s Facebook wall. The reason? “She wasn’t dead yet!”
Baking with Warshy: Mini Pumpkin Pies melissawarshauer production editor
Ingredients: 18oz package cream cheese, softened to room temperature 1 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 premade, ready-to-roll pie crusts
Six of junior Melissa Warshauer’s Mini Pumpkin Pies with whipped cream and chocolate. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or use nonstick cooking spray) a mini-muffin pan. Set aside. 2) On a lightly floured surface, carefully roll the pie crust with a floured rolling pin. - Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter (approximately 2 ½– 3 inches diameter) cut at least 12 rounds out of each pie crust. 3) Carefully press each round into the mini-muffin pans. Use your fingers to round the ends into a pie crust. - Once all the muffin tins are filled with pie crusts, place the entire tray in the freezer while preparing the filling. 4) Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin and beat to combine. 5) Add sugar and beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating each until combined 6) Stir in vanilla and spices. 7) Remove prepared muffin tin from the freezer. Fill each mini-pie crust with filling almost up to the top. 8) Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove to a wire rack. Let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
10 sports
Voice of the student body.
Fall Sport Updates
October
Cross Country
shaneweisberg
S
Junior captain Lydia Roberts jogs at the beginning of a practice. Photo by Melissa Warshauer.
enior Greg Tavarez recites his motto with a determined look in his eyes. “Every morning a gazelle wakes up knowing that it has to outrun the fastest lion, otherwise it will be eaten. Every morning a lion wakes up knowing that it has to outrun the slowest gazelle otherwise it will starve,” he recited. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle, but every morning you better be running.” These are the words that Greg, a member of the cross country team, lives by. These words motivate him, and many other runners, to keep running. “There is a real family feeling on this team,” Greg said. Freshman Anthony Nikic agreed, “It is tough, but it’s worth it because the team is so close. We’re like a family.” Cross country provides a chance for underclassmen to feel more comfortable in the Upper School. “Cross country allows underclassmen to cultivate relationships,” junior captain Pietro Moran said. New freshman Frank Medici agrees, “It’s a great workout, but you also get to meet great new people.” In his second year as a captain, senior David Dronzek knows exactly how they feel. As a fresh-
man, David admired the seniors he was running with. “Now I have taken the position of the people I looked up to,” he said. As David has moved through the ranks, from a new freshman to a captain, he has witnessed a huge change in the way the team works. During practices the team has become much more efficient, filling the same amount of time with more work. The increased efficiency and hard work has paid off; this year the cross country team is more successful than it has been in years—even with the graduation of many key runners. Senior captain Natania Greenspan believes that their recent success should silence critics who do not see cross country as a sport. “The amount of conditioning we do and the intensity of our workouts is the reason we have improved so much,” she said. David agrees, “Hard work is the most important thing. Hands down, hard work,” he said. Senior Anderson Garcia, who has been on the team for three years, has noticed that the team is “getting more credit as a legitimate team.” Junior Dylan Ophir has noticed the same thing, “We have gotten stronger as a team.” Recently, all the hard work is paying off. The team
sports editor has had impressive results to start the season. “All of our runners who have been running for two to three years are starting to pick up the intensity,” Greg said. “Everyone is starting to hit that high point in their running career,” Anderson added. For the first time ever, both the boys’ and the girls’ team won the Big Red invitational in Somers. Four boys placed in the top 10 in the division II five kilometer race. For the girls, junior Lydia Roberts came in first place, and sophomore Ally Mueller came in fourth. The team placed well in the Manhattan Invitational, an event that drew over 25,000 of the top runners from across the country. In group D, junior Chris Cacace finished in 47th, junior Kieran McEvoy finished in 60th and junior Joe Shalabi finished in 80th. Pietro and senior Bobby Grusky also finished in the top 100. The girls’ team competed in group B. Ally finished 24th and Lydia finished 26th. Anderson expects this success to continue throughout the rest of the season and into NYSAIS. “We will definitely finish in the top two this year,” he said. Both David and Pietro agreed that the team should finish second behind the powerhouse Collegiate. “We have a window,” Pietro said. “We have to win now!”
Field Hockey
evanweisberg staff writer
A
t the beginning of the 2011 season, the Hackley varsity field hockey team had 10 new girls taking the field. With the graduation of eight seniors, a very new and inexperienced team, and the transition from the grass field to the new turf fields, the varsity field hockey team had a long road ahead of them. Last year Hackley’s varsity field hockey team played and practiced on grass fields. At the beginning of this season, they transferred to turf fields, which was a big change. Junior Xiaoling Keller likes playing on turf better. “Turf is much smoother and easier to play on, the passes go a lot further, and it is easier to dribble.” Senior captain Carolyn King said, “We didn’t know what to expect with the changes, but we have done surprisingly well.” The team started out the year with a 1-0 win against Holy Child, and then a tough 2-1 loss at the Fall Sting to Horace Greeley. But since then the team has gone 6-4, including 2-0 wins against Ivy League rivals Horace Mann and Fieldston. Leading the way have been juniors Melissa Chervin and Veronica Qu, who have five goals each, and junior Katie Gallop and sophomore Caroline Chmiel, who both lead the team with three assists. The team has also gotten consistently strong defensive performances from seniors Kathleen Sullivan and Claire Gambee along with junior goalie Kathryn Harmon. “The team has gotten a lot stronger as the year has gone on,” head coach Jenny Leffler said.
Kathleen, a captain, agrees: “The team has really come together nicely.” Currently their recent performance has placed them among the top teams in the Ivy League. Xiaoling said, “we’ve had a great season so far. We have good chemistry both on and off the field.” The team pushes themselves very hard, “but we are supportive and not overly competitive,” Carolyn said. The Field Hockey team has five remaining games before NYSAIS and the postseason, and although that is a lot, the players feel they can keep making a run, playing strong, and winning. Carolyn said that their goal is, “to keep going strong and to play Rye and beat them.” Rivals Rye Country Day beat them 2-1 in the preseason, and the rematch is scheduled for Oct. 28th at Hackley. Coach Leffler though, looks at a successful season differently. “We will have had a successful season when we can perfectly come together as a team.” Junior Katie Gallop believes that the team has an advantage going into NYSAIS. “We have seen most of our competition,” she said, “but we will still have to work hard to position ourselves in the place we want to be. No matter what the final scores are, we will have done well as a team because every member of the team has been working hard all season.”
Junior Katie Gallop takes the ball up the field in their game against Riverdale. Photo by Paul Rapisardi.
Girls’ Tennis Senior Miyuki Sasada prepares to hit a hard forehand down the line. Photo courtesy of Chris Taggart.
D
uring one day this season, the girls’ varsity tennis team played a match against Trinity at Flushing Meadows, where the US Open is played, while all-time great tennis player John McEnroe watched all of their matches. Sophomore Corinne Alini says, “It was amazing to have one of the best tennis players actually standing on our courts.” A typical girls’ tennis practice usually consists of a short run and stretch, some mini tennis, and then drills or points from the baseline. However, during that one day, the team was standing on the very court that the professional tennis players play on. So far this season the team, coached by English teacher William Pruitt, and his assistant, history teacher David Sykes, has had a record of two wins and five losses. Coach Pruitt says that, “both [of us] are strong tennis players with extensive backgrounds in the sport and can provide plenty of helpful
allymueller
advice and challenging practice for the team.” This year the team is small in comparison to other schools and members include: seniors Jenny Gelbman, Sarah Knoll, Miyuki Sasada, juniors Halley Weinreb, Amelia Dobronyi, sophomores Isabella Berland, Corinne Alini, and freshman Francesca Johnson. This is due in part to several players leaving due to schedule concerns. Coach Pruitt believes that some quit because “the season’s match and practice schedule cannot accommodate the schedule of tournaments they must play in order to increase their regional and national rankings.” Mr. Pruitt adds that the tennis schedule can be grueling on top of the college application process, even if the players aren’t competing in outside tournaments. Coach Pruitt finds it troubling when he loses some of his best players because “across all of Hackley’s teams, seniors almost never feel they have to choose between their high school sport and the college application process.” He also thinks their staying on the team
staff writer would be beneficial because it would give the team a greater chance for success. Also, the frequent matches and competitive players in the league give all of the girls an opportunity to improve. Nevertheless, Coach Pruitt is still very proud of the eight young ladies who have committed themselves to the varsity tennis team, because they have shown great dedication and have maintained their competitive drive and team cohesion, even having lost so many of their teammates. In addition, according to Coach Pruitt, “They are all very talented tennis players, and every match we play this season is winnable. Our team’s players have competed fiercely in thrilling matches against very worthy opponents. ” Overall, Mr. Pruitt says, “With a bit more flexibility on Hackley’s part, and greater school pride and commitment on some of our players’ parts, Hackley can get back to having a team that best represents its tennis talent. And no doubt, league titles will surely be the result.
11
sports
October
Voice of the student body.
Quidditch sweeps through Hackley’s halls petergerma
staff writer Every Monday and Wednesday on Akin Common, you may find 11 high school students running around in a mad frenzy pretending to ride brooms and hitting each other with balls. You may think they are crazy, but they are actually playing the magical game of Quidditch. A sport depicted in the famous book Harry Potter is sweeping the nation school by school. College Quidditch is described as an extremely rough contact sport, but it is non-contact in high school, played by wizards and witches. Matches are played between two teams of seven players riding flying broomsticks, using four balls and six elevated ring-shaped goals three on each side of the Quidditch pitch. In the universe of Harry Potter, Quidditch is considered to be the globally popular sport like American football is in the US. The sport has been adapted for Muggles under the name ‘Muggle Quidditch’. Since 2003, Harry Potter fans have played games resembling the famous Harry Potter sport. In the US, teams from more than 200 colleges are affiliated with the International Quiddich Association and play tournaments. Some of these schools include Bucknell
University, Boston University, and Dartmouth College. Quidditch co-captains Mae McColl and Charlotte May along with advisor English teacher Raegan Russell lead the Hackley team. Some elements of the game have been changed because they defy the laws of physics: the snitch is a student being chased by the Seekers and the bludgers are balls thrown at wizards, causing them to have to run back to the goalposts. All the other positions are the same, and players must have a broom between their legs at all times to simulate flying on a broom. Mae McColl, admits that “I am not much of a sport person, but Quidditch is something I can get behind because I like Harry Potter and it is fun to play with my friends.” While the Quidditch team seems to be headed in a very positive direction, some students see it as a waste of money and time. Junior Ben Rosen said “I’ve had enough of the announcements: I’m never going to a Quidditch match.” Another anonymous student said that “all money spent on Quidditch should be used to buy gear for the other ‘real’ sports...the brooms in Quidditch don’t even fly.”
Senior Marc Byrnes, the only male member of the Hackley Hippogriffs, the school quidditch team, chases after the quaffle during a game on Akin Commons. Photo courtesy of Charlotte May.
Tailgate club and Hive combine to bring fans to games teddymiddleton staff writer
At school, one of the best ways to show spirit is by supporting and cheering for your team at a sporting event. At Hackley, the level of support at games has always been strong, especially at the various night games that teams play. However, a fan base can always grow stronger. Seniors James Curland and Brad Roberts, and sophomore Damis Yancopoulos are taking two different approaches to making the sports fan base stronger. While James and Brad are approaching it through food, Damis is taking the approach through organized participation. When asked why the interest, they all responded with the same answer: “To get more people at Hackley games.” James Curland is one of the head coordi-
nators as well as a co-founder of the Tailgate Club at Hackley. “My brother Michael and I started [the Tailgate Club] two years ago. We thought it’d be fun,” James said. The Tailgate Club offers food to encourage people to go to games. Senior Brad Roberts runs the Tailgate Club along with James. Brad’s father is the owner of a chain of Checkers Restaurants. This relationship allows Checkers to be the sponsor of the club. “As the sponsor, Checkers supplies us with hamburgers at a fraction of the expense,” James said. He added that since it is a school club, anyone could attend, even though it is privately funded. Another club that demonstrates an effort
to raise Hackley spirit is The Hive, which is a group that was started by sophomore Damis Yancopoulos. “I got my inspiration for The Hive from a group in Yorktown called The Crop. The Crop goes to every home football game, takes up a section of the bleachers, everybody gets loud, and it’s a blast,” Damis said. “For the one year that I have attended this school, I have been disappointed with the turnout at games, so I thought that by starting a group, I could get more kids to cheer on our school,” Damis said. Another purpose of this group is to “pump up” athletes playing in games. “If you’re a player at a football game and you see a crowd of kids cheering for you, that’s going
stat
corner Distance of Luke Sweeney’s and Omar Momani’s kick returns in the 47-20 win over Kingswood-Oxford Number of players who have hat-tricks for the boys’ varsity soccer team this year Receiving yards by junior Ian Parnell in the varsity football game against King Low Losses by the boys’ varsity soccer team on the new turf field Losses by the varsity field hockey team to opponents out of the Ivy League Number of runners on the boys’ varsity cross country team with 4 kilometer times under 15 minutes
topimpactplayers
70 4 145 0 1 6
topperformances Kieran McEvoy and Pietro Moran hold the second and third fastest 4 kilometer times in school history. Kieran ran a14:09 and Pietro ran a 14:19. Luke Sweeney gained a total of 188 all-purpose yards and scored 4 touchdowns in a 47-20 victory against Kingswood-Oxford. Dan Norris scored 4 goals in a 7-0 victory against Riverdale Carolyn King scored a goal and had 3 assists in a 4-0 win against Brearly.
to get you hyped up,” Damis said. The Hive was started on September 15, and already the group has over 150 members. “Of the 20 kids, give or take, that tell me they’re going to a game, about half show up, but in the end it’s better than nothing; and it’s a start,” Damis said. One of the many things to worry about when starting a club, according to James, is what kind of feedback it will get. “We have a suggestion box and the feedback thus far has all been positive. People enjoy our tailgates, and sports teams enjoy people, so it just makes sense: everyone wins,” James said. “People are going to games. Hackley is winning games. That’s the formula,” James said.
selected by the Dial sports staff
seasonrecords
Girls’ Soccer
stats accurate as of 10/25/11
Alyza Ngbokoli
Field Hockey: 8-5-0
Boys’ Soccer Dan Norris
Football: 1-4
Football
Girls’ Soccer: 2-8-2
AJ Wolf
Field Hockey
Boys’ Soccer: 9-4-0
Katie Gallop
Girls’ Tennis
Girls’ Tennis: 5-7-0
Jenny Gelbman
Cross Country Lydia Roberts
Senior linebacker AJ Wolf.
Pietro Moran
upcominghomegames MON.
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Boys’ soccer vs. NYSAIS
SAT.
31 1 2 3 4 5
Girls’ soccer JV boys’ soccer vs. vs. Rye County Day Stanwich
Field Hockey vs. NYSAIS
Football vs. St. Luke’s
12sports
October
Voice of the student body.
Girls’ flag football game causes controversy maxparauda
S
assistant sports editor ince 2008, junior and senior girls have journeyed to Pickert Field after school in the middle of the fall to play a game of flag football, known to some as the “Powderpuff Game.” The event came not only with its fair share of drama and trash talking by both female and male students, but also with stress for senior girls applying to colleges. This year, the girls’ flag football game will look much different than in years past. The flag football game will be played in the spring during a community time period. The day’s schedule will be arranged so that community time is the last period of the day, and the game will possibly overlap with team practices. Rumors about this change have been going around since last year, but last year’s game still ended up being played in the fall after team practices. “Last year, we tried to play the game during community time by moving the period to the end of the day,” said senior Arianna Lavelli, who helped organize the event. “But most available community time periods were booked for this fall.” The thinking behind moving the event was that the senior girls were overwhelmed by the college process in the first half of the school year, and that playing a flag football game on a fall night was a waste of potentially productive time for working on applications. Not only was the change meant to reduce the stress for senior girls, but the weather conditions in the spring could possibly be better for the game than if it were in the fall. In addition, the event has the potential to be more organized and “hyped” now that it is in the spring. School President Matt MacFarlane was greatly involved in the changes made to the game, for he was not pleased with how the event was run in the past. “We want to be able to schedule the event at such a time as to allow for the greatest
photos by paul
participation not just on the part of the girls involved, but on the part of everyone who wants to go watch and support the event,” Matt said. “I am not happy with how the game was run in the past, and I have no intention of hosting such an event at all unless I am confident that it will be wildly successful.” He continued, saying that “pushing it back into the spring guarantees that the girls’ flag football game will receive the Council’s, and hopefully the school’s, full attention.” Seniors have mixed opinions about the change. “It’s sad that we can’t have it [the girls’ flag football game] in the fall like we have in the past,” said senior Kallie McAndrew. “But honestly, I wouldn’t want to have it if it wasn’t going to be organized. I think it’s unfortunate that we have to move the event, but I think it’ll be better this way because we’ll have more time to plan it.” “For me, it [the timing of the game] is less stressful because of applications and everything,” said senior Natania Greenspan. “But football’s in the fall so it just makes sense to have it in the fall. It’s gotten to be too big of a deal and should’ve just stayed the way it was.” However, many juniors are not happy with the game being moved to the spring. “It’s going to be tough for me because the spring will be stressful enough with all the exams I will be preparing for,” said junior Katie Maguire. “I’m really worried that the game is going to conflict with the amount of work I’m going to have.” Upper School Director Andy King understands the controversy surrounding this event. “There’ll always be reluctance to change when something is set in stone, but I also understand why senior girls were pushing for this,” he said. “There’s never a good time for this event, but it’s something worth making time for,” he added.
Junior photographer Paul Rapisardi captured shots of boys’ varsity soccer, girls’ varsity field hockey and varsity football. Sophomore Joey McDermott (upper left) lays a bone-crushing hit on a Hamden Hall receiver. Senior Dan Norris (upper right) evades a slide tackle from a Dalton defender. Senior Claire Gambee (lower left) steals the ball from a Riverdale forward. Sophomore Mustafaa Dais (lower right) attempts a leap of faith into the endzone after a Hamden Hall defender ensnared his ankle.