Where are they now? (p.5)
Katonah Art Museum (p.7)
Fall Sting Recap (p. 8)
Interested in art, graphic design, or animation? Blue Sky Studios, creators of Ice Age, reveal their secrets for developing an animated movie.
See where recent alumni are, what they have accomplished, and what their plans are. Look back at the games from this year’s Fall Sting.
the
Dial
voices.hackleyschool.org/dial/
Voice of the student body
Back to School 2012 | Volume 114 Issue 2
Homecoming, nowhere to be seen nickhallock
editorial editor Football night game, pep rallies, alumni, parades and a school dance. These are some of the elements that comprise a traditional homecoming event. Hackley does not usually include all of these elements, but this year Community Council will be making efforts to bring a modified version of a traditional homecoming to students. Although a homecoming in its most traditional sense represents the return of alumni, in a survey, only 1% of Hackley students felt that alumni represented the most important factor of a homecoming. A football game, a dance, and a bonfire were seen as the most vital parts of this tradition. Therefore, Alumni weekend, held on Sept. 29th, may be considered a homecoming by national standards, but not to Hackley students. The conclusion of Spirit Week, organized by Council, which will take place in mid-October, represents an event that may feel like more of a homecoming based on student sentiments in a survey. Come Oct. 15th, Hackley students will participate in a host of spirited activities – spirit week, bonfires, football games – planned by Community Council to capture some aspects of a traditional homecoming. The focal point of this effort is a bonfire, an event typical of traditional homecomings. This is one of the Council’s efforts to increase school spirit and camaraderie. “We are hoping to do a bonfire, hopefully just to get everyone excited about the games that they just watched and the two games that are the next day,” Community Council President Will Walker said. Before this can take place, it is necessary for Buildings and Grounds to approve it, which seems likely. “Most likely Council will be working with buildings and grounds to get a small grill-based bonfire going,” Will said. “We’ll set up some chairs and roast some marshmallows.
Pickert Field bleachers are empty on a Friday afternoon. Community Council is attempting to revive Hackley’s school spirit with an extensively planned spirit week, which will conclude with a modified homecoming. A bonfire is being planned for the Friday night of this week. Photo by Xiaoling Keller.
It should be a good time.” While Community Council evaluated the possibility of a dance this year on Friday after the games to further incorporate elements of a homecoming, the idea was eventually scrapped because of logistical difficulties. “We considered doing a dance, but unfortunately it didn’t really pan out to do a homecoming dance, mainly because we worry about things like if some teams lose, there would [not] be the same amount of excitement,” Will said. “In addition, it’s hard to get a lot of drive to go to the dance after a game when you just played a game and you’re really sweaty.” But Council is still considering a dance for a different season. “We’re thinking of doing
Homecoming Survey
a dance later in the year,” Will said. The prospects of planning a traditional homecoming that are typical to many schools in the nation require a lot of planning and coordination with students and alumni. Many public schools have homecoming committees that spend large amounts of time and money to create an event that defines the Fall season. Since Alumni weekend and Spirit Week are separate events, it may be harder for students, alumni, and administration to combine their efforts. However, there is neither a night football game for Alumni weekend nor for Council’s spirit week. The Saturday following Spirit Week will feature a home football game against King
Schedule of Events: 10/15 - 10/18
What defines a homecoming? other alumni (3%) (1%)
Color Wars - Monday The freshman are planning activities such as a tug-of-war tournament during Community Time. The colors for each grade are yet to be decided but signs will be posted around the school to keep everybody informed about the upcoming events.
dance (18%)
Football Game Pep Rally
football game (46%)
bonfire (17%)
Bonfire Dance Alumni Other
pep rally (15%)
America Day - Tuesday Everybody show off red, white and blue because this day will have American spirit everywhere! America day is featuring an apple pie baking and apple pie eating contest in which one boy and one girl from each grade will represent their grade to show which grade has the ultimate pie-eaters. America Day is the perfect day for people who love baking pies, and more importantly, eating them.
Hawaiian Day - Wednesday
If Hackley had a “traditional” homecoming would you attend?
Hawaiian Day, which will be planned by the seniors, won’t fail to impress. This day will have hula hooping contests, limboing contests and maybe even an Hawaiian style luau.
Movie Day - Thursday
no (21%)
This is the day to dress as a favorite movie character. Movie Day will also be a dress-down day! There is possibly a showing of a movie that night on either Akin Common or in the Media Room in Goodhue. Yes No
Blackout - Friday
yes (79%)
Every student in the Upper School will be dressed in black. Events such as a dodgeball game or pep rally on Akin Common are being considered, but neither are final.
Low Heywood Thomas. This game, despite student support for a night game, will happen during the day. Alumni Weekend also has a Saturday day game. “We have a day game for alumni day,” Athletic Director Jason Edwards said. “It’s a tradition that allows alumni to go to reunions in the evening.” These two events, held almost a month a part, depict a split between Alumni and current students in how they define homecoming weekend. Whether or not Council can bring elements of homecoming to students, it has a clear goal for Spirit Week, regardless of any national definitions. “We are just hoping to get everyone excited,” Will said.
Planning Spirit Week georgesantangelo
staff writer & council member
For about the last month, Community Council has been planning Hackley’s Spirit Week. For an entire week Hackley’s Upper School will be showing their school spirit by participating in the lineup of Spirit Days that Council has decided upon. Spirit Week will be held from Monday, October 15th to Friday, October 19th. Many ideas have been pitched such as Animal Day, Superhero Day, Twin Day and Olympics Day, but the Spirit Week days have been decided. Spirit Week 2012 will feature Hawaiian Day, Movie Day (which will be a dress down day), America Day, Color Wars, and to finish the week, an Upper School-wide Blackout. Hawaiian Day will be planned by the senior class, Movie Day by the juniors, America Day by the sophomores, and Color Wars by the freshman. These days are aimed towards increasing school spirit among the Hackley community. Spirit Week is meant to lead up to the Homecoming football game which is on Saturday, October 20th. We have been working dilligently to plan these days given our short time as a group and our limited resources in Council. Each individual grade has to plan its specific Spirit Day outside of their time in the Council meeting. Council members form a microcosm of the entire student body. It is our responsibility to express the interest of our particular grade, and although it is a responsibility, it is the reason that we are on Council. Council is just another body of people who work together to achieve a common goal, which is not just for Council members, but the entire Upper School.
2 | editorial
theDial
september
Students deserve a football night game
Enthusiastic students cheer on their peers in athletic competitions. The football night game was an event where this spirit was shown, but one that will not take place this year. Photo by Paul Rapisardi.
T
he lights are bright, the crowd is loud, the grill is going and the night has settled in. The sound of the first whistle blows and the game begins. This is not just an ordinary football game, it is a unifying tradition. For one game each season the football team plays under the lights, and the excitement that surrounds this game is palpable. Each year students, family, faculty and friends, come to support the football team and show spirit. Looking into the bleachers at the night game “Go Hack!” signs are waving and faces painted with an “H” are common. The roaring cheers are erupting from full bleachers filled with spectators rooting as various plays unfold. This tradition has consistently heightened
school spirit, improved student life and generated funds for community council. However, this year, Hackley will not be hosting a football game under the lights. The athletic department claims that scheduling issues came in the way of hosting this football night game. The importance of a football night game should take precedence over these issues. In the past the athletic department has been able to work a night game into the football team’s schedule; this year should be no different. The football night game is far too important to be canceled because of scheduling. The night game means a lot to both the players and the rest of the Hackley community. “It’s frustrating because as a team we feel that we can do big things this year, and
in order to do that we feel like we need a lot of support [which we can get through the night game],” senior varsity football player Jake Israel said. Students also enjoyed attending the traditional night game. “The night game was a fun way to get our entire school together,” junior Katie Mykrantz said. “A lot of people went all out to support the team.” The entire student body, not just the football team, suffers if this spirit-building tradition is lost. In addition to generating school spirit and support for the boys’ football team, last year’s night game benefited community council. Community council set up a food and drink stand at the game, where spectators could purchase anything from burgers and hot dogs to hot chocolate and Twizzlers. The profits made from this stand supported community
council events. The distribution of the profits was decided upon by council. The more funding council has, the better they can fund events, clubs or any other ideas that students will enjoy and get involved in. By eliminating the night game, there will be fewer funds available to community council. Student reactions to the elimination of the night game show why the football night game has brought the school together. It encouraged the players to play their best, and motivated everyone who is part of our community to support their friends and show how spirited Hackley truly can be. The Dial strongly encourages the athletic department to more diligently schedule and do everything in its power to support school spirit.
Science Department hinders students’ AP ambitions
T
he Science Department has instituted changes this year in science requirements that will greatly affect the decisions of upper school students in course selection. The science department has recently decided that seniors can no longer enroll in AP Biology without having taken the new Cellular Biology prerequisite. The Dial believes that this prerequisite creates unnecessary obstacles for students wishing to pursue an extensive science curriculum and that the change should not be implemented. The department’s decision underestimates the ability of students to take on numerous challenging science classes. Currently, seniors taking AP Biology this year have not taken Cellular Biology. These students are not struggling in the class even though many are taking other challenging courses. Several of these students actually believe their stronger base in Chemistry has been advantageous for certain topics in AP Biology. Even with students exceling in AP Biology without having taken this new perquisite, the science department has argued that this new rule will deter students from merely seeking to design their course load around college admissions expectations. Sadly, this justification ignores the reality of the competitiveness of the college application process.
dialstaff
Also, for students applying to engineering, pre-medical, or other specialized programs this new prerequisite makes it more challenging to be considered for acceptance. Beyond the issues with college admissions and student readiness, this new prerequisite most importantly limits the scope of science courses Hackley students can take. Students who wish to take varied, challenging science courses have already had to make sacrifices in other areas of study. In the past, scheduling conflicts have forced students wishing to take two science courses in one year to either drop another subject or face a daunting workload. Now, with this new prerequisite, dedicated science students who wish to take courses in areas other than Biology will have to make even more tough, unfair decisions about which courses to take. Obviously, some prerequisites for challenging courses are necessary; however, in this instance, the science department should be encouraging students to take varied science courses, not deterring them from doing so. Hackley already has a fairly limited scope of AP courses, offering classes to prepare for less than half of all exams. With this new prerequisite, the science department has created an even more inflexible and tedious system for all students wishing to experience a wide-ranging science curriculum.
Senior Ben Jurcic prepares for an AP Biology qiuz in the senior hallway. Photo by Halley Weinreb.
Hackley School - 293 Bendict Ave., Tarrytown, NY - (914) 631 0128 - May 2012 - Vol. 113, No. 8 - www.hackleyschool.org
Editor-in-chief Asst. Managing Editor Op-ed Editor dominiquealpuche isabellaberland halleyweinreb Managing Editor Feature Editor Arts Editor melissawarshauer allymueller sarahbonanno Executive Editor Asst. Feature Editor Lifestyles Editor danielhoffman angelamauri carolinechmiel Design Editor News Editor Sports Editor paulrapisardi samheyward maxparauda Coordinating Editors Editorial Asst. Sports Editors alexhersh nickhallock teddymiddleton rolandrizzi evanweisberg
Science Editor Technical Editor rebeccaslutsky petergerma Politics Editor Staff Artist gabbyoppenheim mollykestenbaum Dial OnLine Editor paulathenastone Polling Editor Advisers harrisonwetzler jennielyons Copy Editors annebudlong annatskhovrebov giannad’alessio
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.
theDial
feature | 3
september
2012 Summer Casten Trips Exposed isabelhayward&jamesfirpo Staff Writer&Staff Writer
Kenya
Students were shocked to see the ways that the people from the rural parts of Kenya lived. Lower school teacher and native Kenyan, Rachel Mwakitawa, led the seven students. English teacher William Pruitt and Assistant Head of Admissions Aaron Washington accompanied them on the 10 day trip. “It really opened a lot of our eyes, and it was a great way to get out of your comfort zone,” senior Ian Parnell said. The group went to Kenya with preconceived notions, but what they were getting into was very different from what they assumed. “The media portrayals were a lot different from what they actually were from a first hand experience, and it definitely took away all the misconceptions that were just not true,” Mr. Washington said. The students and teachers traveled to Kenya with a lot of school supplies and athletic equipment, provided food, and even taught the kids in the Kenyan schools. They worked at the Fafoo School for the entire trip. Fafoo is a school where children of
Senior Ian Parnell “jumps for a wife” as Assistant Head of Admissions Aaron Washington looks on. The group participated in a contest with the Masai Mara tribe where the man who jumps the highest wins a wife. Photo courtesy of Mara Chaplin.
How to propose a dream Casten Trip destination
single working mothers spend the day, similar to a day care. “Every day we walked in the room, we saw huge, lit up smiles on all of their faces,” Mr. Washington said, “and it really was a good feeling not only knowing that you’re helping them learn, but also that you’re changing their lives at the same time.” Not only did the people who attended the trip help teach the children, but the children also taught them a few things as well. “We all learned a lot about each other, we all learned a lot about a different culture, and the kids even taught us a few dances,” Ian said. Several students agree that the trip had a spiritual gain to all who attended, and seeing people live in that culture is not an easy thing. “Going to a different environment and seeing how different people live really changes the way you feel about all the luxuries we have at home,” Ian said.
angelamauri
Asst. Feature Editor
O
Argentina/Uruguay
“We took tango lessons,” junior Gabby Troya said. “Argentina was definitely big on dancing,” she added as she reflected on the summer Casten trip to Argentina and Uruguay. Eleven students spent ten days travelling under the supervision of veteran Casten trip leaders Katherine Bowers and Nicole Butterfield, along with newcomer David Sykes. The itinerary included horseback riding at a gaucho ranch, spending the weekend in Uruguay, visiting museums, and taking dance lessons. Students spent time walking around the city and visiting many museums. “We went to a museum with a lot of naked paintings,” junior Dan Chung commented, laughing. “It was eye-opening.” Though both students and teachers expected there to be major cultural differences, they were surprised by the outcome. “The surprising thing was that it wasn’t as different as we expected it to be,” Mr. Sykes said. “They listened to similar music.” “Teens in Buenas Aires are pretty much the same as teens in Hackley. They have the same drama.” Though many students had not studied Spanish in school, they still wanted to participate in the trip. “I wanted to experience the culture of a Spanish speaking country,” senior
Junior Teddy Middelton and senior Sam Bayer cheer while walking through Estadio Centenario, which is one of the most important soccer stadiums in Uruguay. Photo courtesy of Gabby Troya.
French student Bryan Yu said. “I wanted to learn more about a country with a different language and how it differed from America.” Gabby had similar reasons. “I’m half Ecuadorian, and I’ve never been to South America before. I like to travel, and I was expecting to experience a lot of cultural differences.” Upper school history teacher Ms. Bowers and English teacher Ms. Butterfield planned the trip this year. “After India [2011 trip], we wanted to do another Casten trip.” Ms. Bowers said. “I had never been to South America before, so that’s where we decided we wanted to go.” History teacher Mr. Sykes also joined in chaperoning. “They wanted me for my experience, since I had been to Argentina before,” he says. “I also know a little bit of Spanish.” Aside from learning about the Spanish culture, some found it a bonding experience among the students. “We had to share one room among nine girls,” Gabby says with a laugh. “It definitely brought us closer together. We all were able to leave our comfort zones.”
pportunities for students to get far away from campus are being considered as Casten trip proposals were due Sept. 24. Since the beginning of the school year, interested faculty and students have considered the possibilities for these trips. Trip proposals were submitted as early as June, outlining major details like itinerary and budget. “The faculty is given the chance to present a place they would like to visit,” said Assistant Headmaster Kevin Rea. Furthermore, he explained, the main purpose for the Casten trips is for the destination to provide educational benefits for the students. There is even the possibility of a studnt-inspired trip, where a student creates a proposal with the aid of a faculty member. “It is a great moment of collaboration between students and teachers,” said Mr. Rea. The proposal needs the support of two Department Chairs. Global Education Director Adrianne Pierce then collects the proposals and delivers them to a committee. This committee is comprised of Headmaster Walter Johnson, the Assistant Headmasters, the Upper, Middle, and Lower School Directors, and Dr. Pierce, who decides the final outcome of the suggested Casten trips. All students and faculty members may propose Casten trips to their dream destinations. Think of that one place you’ve always wanted to go and propose that trip, because your dream can become a reality when the The Casten trip decisions will be presented to the students in mid-Oct.
Quick tips to speed through passing your road test This fall, over 26 Hackley students are enrolled in Driver’s Ed and will soon take their road test. Additionally, sophomores and juniors soon turning sixteen will look forward to taking the road test 6 months after they get their permit. During the road test, one cannot accumulate more than 30 negative points in order to pass. Automatic disqualification can result from making a dangerous driving action, violating traffic laws, or becoming involved in an accident. Throughout the test, one must navigate through several different signs, a 3 point turn, parallel parking, left turns, right turns, and stop signs, so prepare accordingly. Below are some tips to help you pass.
1.
Practice before the test! Steve Walling from Gold Crown Driving School says, “Practice makes perfect.”
2.
Make sure to fasten your seat belt before starting the car and make sure to adjust your mirrors.
3.
Anticipate and react to other drivers. Don’t drive nervously and don’t make small talk! It is considered distracting.
4.
Accelerate and brake smoothly, and make sure to always come to a complete stop at stop signs and crosswalks.
5.
Keep an adequate space between you and other cars, and always maintaining the speed limit. Information provided by Steve Walling and the DMV.
4 | news
theDial
september
Hackley Buses Expands Horizons
New modes of transport to New Jersey and NYC samheyward news editor that are eligible for busing, but there are some towns in New Jersey are closer
A
black towncar and two six seater vans have been added to the mix of typical yellow buses departing daily from the Saperstein arch. Their appearance is not their only difference; these “buses” travel all the way to New Jersey and New York City. New York state laws provides for busing of students to private schools for a maximum of distance of 15 miles. Students living farther than 15 miles away have to find another way to school. Students in northern New Jersey and New York City can now be picked up by the “Hackley Shuttle.” Currently there is one operating for New York City and two for New Jersey. And the shuttle is not only
for students; it also transports teachers who live in New York City. Sophomore Michael Arturi is one of the ten students who take the shuttle from New Jersey in the morning. Last year Michael depended on public buses to get to school. “I like the shuttle more than my previous mode of transportation because it was very sporadic,” he said “I never knew for sure how I was getting to school.” According to Director of Admissions Christopher McColl, these services have been a long time coming. “I have been trying to get something in place for New Jersey for a while,” he said. He added that there was a strong interest from New Jersey families to come to Hackley, but there was a lack of transportation to and from school. “There are places in Rockland county
to Hackl e y, but they can’t get busing,” he said. The New York City Shuttle transports four people, both teachers and students, to and from Manhattan daily. Like in New Jersey, there have been requests for transportation to Manhattan for years. New York City has the largest concentration of alumni anywhere in the country and they are the ones requesting a bus in order to send their kids to their alma mater. “We are grateful for our alumni and we wanted to reciprocate that sense of loyalty,” said Mr. McColl. Junior Zhaneque Craig takes the shuttle to and from Manhattan. “It picks me up
around 7:00 and I get to school at 7:30,” she said. While the shuttle is more convenient, she insists she liked her old arrangement more. “I used to drive home with Mrs. Core,” Zhaneque said. “I liked it because it was more personal and we would talk on the ride home.” Horace Mann, Poly Prep and Dwight Englwood all have extensive busing programs to accommodate students who don’t live close to school. The new shuttle service has the added benefit of attracting new potential applicants to Hackley, those who would not have otherwise applied. Director of Auxillary Programs Edward Mills worked on the details of the new system: deciding the best route, working with students and parents to decide if and when they would use the shuttle, and timing in order to get them to school on time. “So far everything is running smoothly,” he said. As for expansion, it all depends on demand. There are places in Weschester county that do not meet the mileage requirement for busing. According to Mr. McColl, an area needs a concentration of people who would want the service. “We will look at areas where we are more likely in the short term where they will be able to fill a bus,” Mr. McColl said. “We hope to with work with companies and we will grow with them as the number of people who want to use the shuttle increases,” said Mr. McColl.
Hackley’s campus the set of a major motion picture heathervega staff writter This summer, campus was crawling with people carrying cameras, putting on makeup, and practicing lines. Students came in to catch a glimpse of big name movie stars who were preparing to shoot scenes from the movie Admission, which is scheduled to premier in 2013. Tina Fey plays a Princeton admissions officer who is faced with a tough decision should she let the son she put up for adoption fifteen years ago into this prestigious university or live with the guilt of letting her son down yet again? “Mid-April, I got a call from the production company,” said Assistant Headmaster Phil Variano. Talk and negotiations between Hackley and Depth of Field Production Company finally led to an agreement of $10,000 for use of the school. Movie sets were spread throughout the campus on Monday, June 25. The crew set up the Friday before and some lingered on Tuesday to clean up. “I think they shot seven to eight scenes at Hackley. We were one of 25 locations used in a 32-day film shooting schedule,” said Mr. Variano. The stage directors got creative using the space. The Tuck Shop was converted into a bedroom and Allen Hall was used as auditorium space. The movie also stars Paul Rudd and Michael Sheen who, like Tina Fey, attracted some students to campus. Junior Meghan Philpott and senior Mae McColl were among those who spent the day trying to catch a glimpse of the stars. According to Mr. Variano, it was hard to get close to the
“
action because of crowd control necessary for the more well-known actors on set. “I came because I knew Tina Fey would be there. I love Tina. She’s my role model,” said Meghan. “[I was there because] Paul Rudd was going to be there. And I love Paul Rudd,” said Mae. The girls got their wish and took a photo with Tina Fey. “I got to meet Tina and she was so nice. I was so star struck,” Meghan said. “Its very easy to say that you’ll be fine when you meet them [a famous person] but when you get there you totally freak out,” she said. Junior Harry Lieblich, who was working as a member of Bulidings and Grounds did not have the same luck. “The security guard blocked me from taking a picture with her [Tina Fey],” he said. Meghan was surprised at how much work and people and equipment go into making a movie. “There were so many different people around, and so many different types of equipment, that I’d never really thought about while watching a movie before. It was definitely an eye-opening experience.” While spotting the big-name stars was a little difficult, Meghan was able to talk to one of the costume designers on the set, Windsome. “She let us come inside the wardrobe trailer and look at the different outfits, and she talked to us for a little while about how she got into this line of work,” said Meghan. “Windsome shared anecdotes of how she first had set off to be chemistry major but found her
“I got to meet Tina and she was so nice. I was star struck”
~Meghan Philpott
passion working behind the scenes in theatre productions and films,” Meghan added. While Meghan doesn’t think she’ll be taking center stage anytime soon, she does want to work with drama in the future. “And I love theatre, but I don’t think I’m talented enough to have a career in it, at least not on stage. But I’d definitely consider doing behind-the-scenes work, especially in college!” she said. Students were also able to mingle with the multiple extras on the set. For Mae, the day had special significance for an aspiring actress who saw how people start off small and work their way up in the acting world. It’s not the first time Hackley has been the set of a movie or film production. Last year a New York University student shot a film at Hackley and both Mae and sophomore Jeffery Guzman along with, senior Allyson Blackburn, and last year’s graduates Ben Pundyk, Dorthea Trufleman, and Nadya Klimenko were part of the short film, Fitted. Fitted’s producer is a Hackley alumus and while it was obviously on a much smaller scale than Admission, Jeffrey said the atmosphere was very professional. “[As an extra] they were very nice to us and tried to get us in as many scenes as possible, but that obviously wouldn’t happen in a much bigger production,” he said. Other projects have been filmed at Hackley, “but there hasn’t been any big motion picture in ten years,” shared Mr. Variano. Presumed Innocent (1990) and Tales from the Darkisde: The Movie (1990) were both filmed at Hackley. While no big name motion pictures have been filmed on campus, a couple of well known store brands, Polo Ralph Lauren and Brooks Brothers, have shot their catalogues here more recently. There are no definite plans for the immediate future, though Hackley is “considering a request from another student filmmaker from NYU,” Mr. Variano said.
theDial
news | 5
september
Alumni Day celebrates graduates of all ages
Joshsua Marks leads the Alumni Day Goodhue Procession in 2010. Each year an average of 400 alumni attend the activities. Picture courtesy of Haleh Tavakol.
Where are they now?
meganmark staff writer
I
magine. The year is 2063 and the members of the class of 2013 are returning to the Hilltop for their 50th reunion. This is what it will be like for members of the class of 1962 as they come to celebrate their 50th reunion. This year Alumni Day is on September 29th. Alumni Day is a tradition at Hackley which celebrates all of those who have walked through our halls. Every year Alumni and Development work to organize this event and come up with new activities. According to Director of Alumni Relations and Alumni Giving, Haleh Tavakol, every year in September, Hackley welcomes an average of 400 alumni back to the school to reminisce and to see how it has progressed since they were at school. The 400 include people from as early as the class of 1949. “The fact that the school is a beautiful place and is doing extremely well these days with their mission of education also helps alumni to feel proud of being a part of the Hackley community,” said Head of the Alumni Association William Roberts. “I miss some of the teachers. I had great respect and affection for a number of teachers who really stood out for me,” he continued. “The helped teach me how to learn and enjoy things that have been important parts of my life right to the present time. Some were also pretty hilarious.” Mr. Roberts believes that the most important draw for Alumni is the connection to the people with whom they shared the Hackley experience; both students and teachers. On Friday, September 28th, alumni are encouraged to walk through the halls during the school hours. That night, the class of 1962 has their 50th reunion class dinner off campus. That same evening, alumni and students will gather on Pickert Field for the Dave Allison Memorial Girls’ Varsity Soccer Game. And, for the first time, Alumni Day will begin at 8 a.m instead of 9 a.m. At 8 a.m., alumni will start trickling in and gather for the 5K run/trot on the new Allison Trails. The day presemts a very busy itinerary. From 10 - 12, the annual meeting of the
Alumni Association is held. As Director of the Alumni Association, Mr. Roberts’ job is to foster a sense of interest in the Alumni community. At this meeting Honorary Alumni are inducted into the Honorary Alumni group, and there is a memorial service for the alumni who have died during the past year. Lunch is served in the Dining Hall where alumni can relive the old lunch ritual and sit with old friends to catch up. However, the class of 1962 will celebrate their 50th reunion with a special luncheon in the Tuck Shop. From lunch to the evening activities, there is a wide variety of things to do. All day, student art will be on display. The Hackley archives will also be available for viewing. The archives contain pieces of Hackley’s history, specially meant for people who have their special reunion (5th, 10th, 15th, etc). This includes yearbooks, Dial editions, and if available, prom tickets. Science teacher Tessa Johnson will be teaching a biology class in the outdoor classroom. Starting at 2 p.m, a number of sports games will be played, including Girls’ Varsity Tennis, Boys’ Varsity Soccer, Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey and Boys’ Varsity Football. That evening, the Headmaster’s Reception will be held in Allen Memorial Hall. “This is probably the favorite event of the attendees because people more of a chance to catch up and get to know each other,” said Ms. Tavakol. Alumni Day celebrates all the people who make up Hackley’s long history of class families. According to Ms. Tavakol, it is always a success because of how much alumni love Hackley and want to come back each year to celebrate their years at the school. “Hackley’s a community that will be here long after you graduate. Alumni Day is a day when teachers, coaches, and alumni return to the Hilltop and reconnect, because they love the school,” she said. “As alumni we care about the well-being of the school, its teachers, coaches, and students. When alumni return to the Hilltop, you invariably hear the same thing: I love Hackley, and it’s good to be back.”
Alumni Day Schedule Septmeber 28th
7 p.m Dave Allison Memorial Soccer Game September 29th 8 a.m 5k run/trot on the Allison Trials 10 a.m Annual Alumni Association meeting 12 p.m. Lunch 2 p.m. Girls Varsity Tennis Game 2:30 p.m. Boys Varsity Soccer Game 2:30 p.m. Girls Varsity Field Hockey 3 p.m. Boys Varsity Football Game
Alumni Edition
Liza Murray ‘04
Two weeks after graduating college, Liza Murray flew down to Jamaica to join the Peace Corps. During her 27 months there she worked at the Ministry of Health on public health. Her focus was reproductive health and HIV work, both testing and counseling. She believes that going into the Peace Corps right out of college was the best thing she ever did. “I learned lessons and perspectives that inform everything I do,” she said. While at Hackley she went to Casten Trips to Belize and China. “They were experiences I wouldn’t have otherwise,” she said. “They made me want to get exposed to the world.”
Peter Barrett ‘11
Peter Barrett used his passion for sports to his advantage. While only a sophomore at Gettysburg College, he wrote an article on college basketball player Corey Weiseman and it was picked up by the New York Times. But Peter remains humble, “It was a thrill to be published on The New York Times website. But Cory Weissman, did all the work… all I did was tell his story,” he said. Pete has also interned and freelanced at the MLB Newtork, where he edited video and contributed to MLB network’s programming. He recalled his time at Dial shaping him as a writer now. “Most of my greatest memories of Hackley happened at Dial,” he said.
Amanda Cooke ‘09
Instead of the classroom, Amanda choose hands on volunteering in Peru at a wildlife rehabilitation program and rainforest conservation following her graduation from Hackley. She then spent time at an organic farm in Ecuador, working on sustainable ways of living and teaching permaculture. She currently attends Colorado College, where she is the co-chair of the student-run organic garden. The produce they grow is sold to the dining hall, increasing freshness and reducing transportation. She recalled her relationships with former upper school history teacher Shakar Link. “Mr. Link was a huge environmental activist, and he helped me get HEAL off the ground,” she said.
Zac Petkanas ‘03 As the Senior Communications Advisor for the Nevada State Democratic National Party, Zac Petkanas is currently surrounded by national and state politics. He currently focusing on two campaigns, the re-election of President Barack Obama and Representative Shelly Berkley’s campaign for the US Senate. His favorite part of the job is appearing on TV to debate the opposition and advocate for his candidates. “It’s a major adrenaline rush that—while challenging—never gets old,” he said. He cites Head of the History Department Bill Davies as the teacher whose teachings has had the most influence on his career. “[Mr. Davies] not only fed my love of politics with his unique insight and biting commentary but deepened my understanding of how the current American political process fits into the broader scope of world history,” he said.
6 | politics
theDial
september
Who has read the Hackley Handbook this year? A poll was distributed to the student body on Tuesday, Sept. 11th. It was distributed via homerooms and the results were collected by the end of the week. The poll had 133 respondents, approximately one third of the student body. All Upper School grade levels were represented in this poll. The poll has a margin of error of ±7%.
The handbook guides Upper School life
jojomiller staff writer
The Hackley Handbook is a 48-page document that states all of the terms, conditions, and regulations in the Upper School. The document is revised every year according to what the school feels is necessary to call attention to for the upcoming school year. When the school switched from semesters to trimesters, for example, Upper School Director Andy King and Assistant Director of the Upper School Peter Latson had to change a series of regulations about the grading system. “Mr. Latson and I go through it every year and think about things we want to add, for example the responsible use policy. There were many allusions to it before, so it ties it all together,” Mr. King said. The responsible use policy is a promise that Hackley students make to use technology properly. Many teachers even spoke about this section in the handbook on the first day of school.
Majority has not read the handbook
When asked if they have read the Hackley Handbook, only 23 percent of students responded “yes,” while 77 percent of students responded “no.” Even though Mr. King is very happy with students’ behavior within the Hackley community, there are still rules that get broken.“Generally speaking, punctuality and timeliness are minor infractions that get broken more often, but I am very happy with the community overall,” Mr. King said. In other schools, there are more serious cases involving bullying, plagiarism, and drugs and alcohol. However, at Hackley, Mr. King says there are “rarely any of those cases.” “If I had to pick, I would much rather have kids making minor infractions [regarding punctuality, timeliness, and gum chewing] over kids doing drugs, drinking alcohol, or plagiarizing,” Mr. King added. Mr. King is very proud to say that when an incident does occur and he has to address it with that class, the students are very receptive and aware of the issue. He believes that they try their best to learn from the situation.
Do you know these rules?
To modern-day adolescents, gum is similar to currency in many schools. Consequently, rules against gum chewing affect Hackley students. If a student is caught chewing gum during school by a teacher, the teacher often tells the
student to immediately spit it out; however, many students are excellent at hiding their gum and continually attempt to get away with it. “I have to admit, I don’t see gum as readily as other teachers do, and I am not as good at catching it,” said Mr. King laughing. “Some teachers can spot it a mile away.” Hackley also draws attention to the slightly awkward topic of public displays of affection (PDA). The rule clearly states: “Commonly referred to as ‘PDA’, physical contact that may be interpreted as sexual is inappropriate in a school community and is prohibited on campus and at school-sponsored events. Examples of such behavior include kissing, sitting on another student’s lap, and lingering hugs. More extreme cases may incur major disciplinary action, as may repeated instances of ‘PDA’.” Several Hackley students begin to date in the Upper School and are involved in romantic relationships. With teenage hormones running high, Hackley intends to remind students that public displays of affection are not appropriate for the learning environment.
Interesting Clauses •
“Shoes that are or resemble Crocs, rubber flip-flops, or five finger toe shoes are not acceptable.”
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“Pierced ears are acceptable, but other facial piercings and other visible body piercings or tattoos are not.”
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“Students may not bring or use laser pointers.”
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“Commonly referred to as “PDA”, physical contact that may be interpreted as sexual is inappropriate in a school community and is prohibited on campus and at school-sponsored events.”
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“Examples of PDA behavior include kissing, sitting on another student’s lap and lingering hugs. More extreme cases may incur major disciplinary action, as may repeated instances of PDA.
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“Board games and card playing are not permitted on school grounds during the school day.”
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“Boys’ hair may not fall below the top of the collar of a collared shirt. Boys may not wear earrings or have any visible body piercings or tattoos.”
Consequences for breaking the rules
If the rules are violated, there are consequences. At Hackley, there have been very rare occurrences of major PDA. violations where students had to be severely punished. “Usually, the biggest consequence is embarrassment,” says Mr. King. “One time, I had to call a parent to tell her daughter to stop making out with her boyfriend in the hallway.” Overall, the Hackley community takes the Handbook’s policies seriously. Although there are some minor dress code infractions, gum violations, and the occasional punctuality mishaps, students are generally very well behaved, and tremendously respectful of their peers, teachers, and learning environment. “Hackley has very few rules, but lots of expectations; those expectations only sound like rules,” Mr. King added. In saying this, Mr. King implies that any student that is a part of Hackley does not have a complicated set of rules that he or she must look over (in the Handbook); instead, there are fewer rules, and each student is only expected to use their common sense to the best of their abilities.
Obama: 2016 film examines our president gabrielleoppenheim politics editor
2016:Obama’s America analyzes Obama’s past and its influence on his career as president.
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ith the presidential election looming, candidates must act cautiously and according to plan, as their every move will be subject to the scrutiny of the public. But the release of 2016: Obama’s America, a documentary focused on the possibly harmful effects of the president’s reelection, is surely not part of President Barack Obama’s campaign plan. Directed by conservative author Dinesh D’Souza, president of The Kings College, the film explores “the roots of Obama’s rage” by examining the relationship between the president’s upbringing and alleged anti-colonial beliefs. Throughout the film, D’Souza interviews both friends and relatives of Obama, as well as political experts. He links Obama’s childhood struggles, such as his father’s disappearance, with his actions as president. Half of the documentary focuses on Obama’s past, while the other half focuses on his future. D’Souza also analyzes Obama’s memoir Dreams from my Father, published in 2004. “I am not trying to bash Obama in a crude way,” D’Souza said, in an interview with the Washington Post. But is this film a persuasive means of propaganda for partisan conversion, or is it simply preaching to the choir of conservatism? “Propaganda can always sway people, but
it depends on what you use to make a decision as a voter,” Upper School Director Andy King said. “It might enhance cynicism rather than making someone more supportive of Romney or more supportive of Obama.” The documentary has grossed $26 million, making it one of the top five political documentaries of all time, according to the Examiner. It has received mixed reviews from movie critics. “It would convince anyone to not vote for Obama because it makes him seem dangerous. It will sway voters because of its popularity,” sophomore Jules Oppenheim said. Others do not see how one movie can be influential in changing a viewer’s opinion. “The movie made some valid points and I think it is really important to see, but I doubt any Hackley students will be swayed by it,” junior Daniel Shaw added. “They have already established their own views and those are not very easy to change.” Though some disagree on the documentary’s capability of encouraging partisan conversion, most feel that Hackley students should see the film in order to be well-informed about D’Souza’s perspective on the country’s future. “I have not seen the movie but I want to soon so that I can know what is being put out there. Knowing what is going on is most important,” junior Katie Mykrantz said.
theDial
arts | 7
september
Arts from abroad: Casten Trips
clairemeyer staff writer
Museum Hopping: Behind the scences of Ice Age’s art animation sarahbonanno arts editor
[From left to right]: European inspired architecture from the streets of Argentina. Photo by Sam Heyward. Students from the Brookhouse school working with Hackley students in Kenya. Photo by Angelina Xing. Argentinian masks displayed at a museum. Photo by Sam Heyward.
Surrounded by cultural dance, music, sculptures, and paintings, students who spent their summers on the Argentina and Kenya Casten Trips returned to Hackley having seen many different types of art. Assistant Director of Admissions Aaron Washington, who accompanied the students on the Kenya trip, said, “I didn’t really know what to expect when we got there. Culturally, it was really different. I think dance plays an important role in their culture.” The group went to the Mesai village, in the Masai Mara. Both men and women villagers were eager to show their dancing, which appeared to be a large part of their culture. The group was able to participate in the dance. “It was really simple, and we were able to pick it up in a few minutes. It was cool just to be a part of it,” Mr. Washington said. Junior Sonya Kuzminski said, “We did one dance with all of the men in the village, and it was like a competition for who could jump the highest, so we would all run in a circle and dance and the men would take turns jumping. With the women’s dance, we walked in a snake pattern and swung our arms around.” The Kenya group also went to a school called Brookhouse, where they observed visual arts such as pottery and sculptures that reflected Kenyan culture, along with jewelry with colorful beadwork. “There were a lot of things that were hand carved and made of things like sandstone and ebony—things that are local to Kenya,” Mr. Washington said. Senior Mara Chaplin enjoyed the African arts she saw on the
trip as well, “There was a really cool African box that was shaped like Africa and each state was painted a different color. If you took Kenya out, it would open, but if you didn’t take Kenya out, it wouldn’t open.” The group also participated in art with children. “We did arts and crafts with them which was really fun. The kids made cats out of paper cups,” said Mara. Another interaction the group had with art was painting a school. Sonya thought that there would be more drumming and music on the trip but “the only music we really participated in was the music that Angelina [Xing] brought. She taught the kids to play the recorder and taught them songs,” Sonya said. Students who went to Argentina had similar involvement in the arts, such as learning to do Spanish dance. “They are really big on tango, and one night we went to a tango place and learned a bunch of different dances. They had teachers walking around giving lessons that you could just join into and learn,” junior Gabby Troya said. Gabby enjoyed visiting museums where she observed Toulouse-Lautrec artwork. “He’s someone that I studied a lot in school and being able to finally see his artwork in person for the first time and being able to recognize his artwork without seeing his name on the plaque next to it was interesting,” said Gabby. Gabby was surprised to see such artwork in the architecture. “It looks like you walked into Germany or Italy. Not many other countries in South America are like that. The artwork around the city itself was amazing.”
Dr. Nelson brings interdiscplinary interest to Performing Arts Dept. sarahbonanno arts editor
Dr. Nelson hopes to bring more interdisiplinary courses and an electronic music program to Hackley. Photo by Xiaoling Keller.
N
ewly appointed Performing Arts Director, Mark Nelson, defines music as an interdisciplinary course that relates history and philosophy to music. In the few months he has been on campus he has noticed he is not the only one on the Hilltop to take an interdisciplinary approach. “A number of staff members seem to share some of my enthusiasms for interdisciplinary inquiry,” he said. “While clearly an established school, [Hackley] seems intent on rigorous self-assessment and program improvement,” he said. “Music itself is an interdisciplinary field,” Dr Nelson explains. “If you want to learn something about Mozart or Radiohead, you want to study history. It’s also probably not a bad idea to study philosophy and literature because these people have read interesting things.”
Dr. Nelson has degrees in music composition from Yale, University of Illinois, and Princeton and is working towards a second Ph.D in ethnomusicology. He has experience as a choral and chamber singer, as well as composing music for chamber ensembles. Dr. Nelson describes his musical interests as “eclectic” ranging from Bach to Bartok to Philip Glass to Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, and deadmau5. Dr. Nelson particularly enjoys electronic music and has composed an array of pieces for electronic media. In addition to developing interdisciplinary courses at previous schools, Dr. Nelson has installed electronic-music studios and started electronic music programs. As an interdisciplinary course, electronic music involves science, history and visual art. “One of the first things I do with my electronic music class is to show them reproductions of futurist art,” he said. “To work in electronic music, you need to know something about acoustics, how machines work, and something about electricity,” Dr. Nelson said. “A composer working in that medium has an interesting idea of how music should go.” Dr. Nelson also has developed a course that connects music and history. “In a comparative world’s religions and spiritual traditions course I’ve taught, it focused on seminal texts, musical traditions of these, and how music is deeply philosophical. We then looked at literature, drama, and visual art as well,” Dr. Nelson said. “I learned a lot from my students in teaching that class,” Dr. Nelson said. “The principal thing I learned is what really great things students can do if I just get out of their way. I started to ask students to do a creative project in any media they wanted, to demonstrate their understanding of the material.” Dr. Nelson believes that students need to develop a personal relationship with the material. “If you give [students] the space to cultivate and pursue and develop their own relationship to the material, that’s what I think education is. Or education at its best,” he said. This year, Dr. Nelson plans on observing activity in the department and making recommendations so that “the department can work collectively to articulate its mission and hone its programs,” he said. In the future, he would like to develop a digital media program and support the coffee house. Dr. Nelson also looks forward to attending concerts, plays, museums, and dance programs in New York City.
The Kahtonah Art Museum’s sculpture garden displays artwork made from materials found in the garden. Photo by Sarah Bonanno.
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tudents who have seen any of the animated Ice Age films have an unusual opportunity to discover the behind the scences artistsic process that uses studio art, scuplting, and media. Bringing together animation, sketching, sculpture, storytelling, and media, The Ice Age to the Digital Age: The 3D Animation Art of Blue Sky Studios Exhibition is on display at the Katonah Museum until Jan. Blue Sky Studios works on bringing fantastical films to life, such as blockbusters Ice Age, Rio, and Robots. Blue Sky’s main goal is to bring artistry and technology together into one final product of a film. The exhibit follows the development of the animation process. The exhibit mainly focuses on character animation. Studio art is used in the preliminary sketches, which act as the base for character development. The next step involves a scuplture creating character busts to start the 3D process. Video monitors that show various animation techniques, such as how to make animal fur move or how to change facial expressions. Laurie Forte, Producer of the Ice Age Films, considers not just animation art, but the entire process leading up to the final product. “If you look at every single piece of the movie, it’s art...an artist has painstakingly drawn out each frame...just looking at some of the design work, the character work, all the sculptors are contemporary art and we live in a contemporary age,” said Ms. Forte. For this exhibit, the Katonah Art Museum has collaborated with the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville. The center will be showing blockbuster Blue Sky Studio films such as Robots, Horton Hears a Who, and Rio during the month of October. At the Burns’ Education Center, there will be classes on animation, voice acting, and the art of storyboard for teens. Chris Wedge, co-founder of Blue Sky will also guest lecture about the art of animation. “This exhibit helps to show people art beyond what they normally think art is. Each frame of each of our movies is art and when people watch them, they don’t realize that. I hope this will help people to recognize that it is art, even though it’s not a painting or a sculpture,” Ms. Forte said.
Letter from the editor This is a first of a series of articles that will review local art museums and limited art exhibits. Students will be introduced to new art mediums as well as shown techniques students learn in art class in a professional setting.
8 | sports
september
theDial
Hackley teams taste success at the Fall Sting Boys’ Soccer
by David Cummins Hackley boys’ varsity soccer played with no signs of fear against an undefeated, unscored upon Collegiate team, tying them 2-2 in Saturday’s game. Collegiate scored early in the first half, but Hackley handled the situation well. They came back to force a penalty kick, and senior Lukas Seebacher buried the ball in the top right corner. Before the half, a Collegiate player scored on a header off a cross into the middle. Even though Collegiate had a 2-1 lead going into the second half, Hackley fought back and showed that they are “a team that believes in itself,” according to junior captain A.J. Cortese. Eamon Levin received a great through-ball and converted this opportunity by shooting the ball right past the goalkeeper to the left side of the net. After a tremendous defensive effort by a backline that consists of juniors A.J., Daniel Shaw, Ian Mook, and sophomore James Firpo, the game ended 2-2. After the game, junior captain Zach Morant expressed his happiness with the team’s performance. “This was the best unified effort so far this season against the best team in the league,” Zach said. A.J. believes this game was crucial for the team’s hopes of reaching a title. “We really grew up in that [Saturday’s] game and showed the fight and defensive solidarity to be among the best in the league,” he said. “This is a team that believes in itself and after today’s game, every team in the Ivy League will be a little more scared to play Hackley this year.”
Child that our team would channel the frustration we all had and use it to charge our desire to win against Marymount,” senior captain Kathryn Harmon said. Winning is just what they did. With goals from seniors Allyson Blackburn, Katie Gallop, Xiaoling Keller, and Melissa Chervin (2), the team came out on top over Marymount with a score of 5-0. Sophomore Serena Hernandez thought the team’s execution was what led to their win. “We communicated a lot during the game and we saw the field really well for open passes,” Serena said. While the team is celebrating their win, they do recognize that it wasn’t the toughest game on the schedule. “Last year we beat Marymount 3-0 so our expectations weren’t very high,” Kathryn said. Even though the game wasn’t very close, it was a way to restore the team’s flow and energy, and the Fall Sting was a great place to do that. Kathryn agrees that the win provided a mental boost. “We all wanted a win to revive our confidence,” she said.
Girls’ Tennis
by David Cummins Girls’ varsity tennis had a two-match lead over Poly Prep and only needed one more win to secure the victory. It seemed like Hackley had the win in their grasp, but unfortunately,
they were mistaken. Hackley’s number one singles, junior Corinne Alini, over-powered her opponent in a 6-3 6-2 victory. Corinne was pleased with her performance at the Fall Sting. “ I was nervous going into the match but I gained confidence as the match went on,” she said. “I really felt comfortable and consistent out there.” Senior Gabby Urken and junior Isabella Berland played number two doubles and did not give their opponents any breathing room. They dominated at net and took a 6-3 6-0 victory. The team’s number two singles, senior captain Halley Weinreb, lost a tough match in three sets. Although she lost, Halley was optimistic about the way she performed. “Not every match is going to end up the way you want it to,” she said, “but I kept myself in the game for as long as I could and I fought back when I was down.” After losing the first set and being down 4-5 in the second, freshman Sonia Singh battled her way back to win the second set 7-5. However, after some disputed calls, she lost in the third set. Sophomore Cate Goldsmith and freshman Allie Molner, who were playing doubles, also lost in a tough three set match. Poly Prep’s coach Bill Martiri summed up Hackley’s heartbreaking loss perfectly. “Luck was just in our favor today.”
Girls’ Soccer by Adin Rinzler
The Fall Sting game is one of the most important of the year for Hackley teams, and HGVS did not disappoint with a 6-0 win against Holy Child. The game was never in doubt, with first half goals from sophomore JoJo Miller, juniors Laurel Cassidy and Jill Dressler, and freshman Sabina Thomas. The second half was more of the same, with a second goal from JoJo and a goal for sophomore Sofie Alabaster. The Hackley defense, led by senior captains Dominique Alpuche and Sarah Cassidy, made sure life was easy for senior goalie Julie Piscina, who shut out Holy Child. Jill and JoJo created multiple opportunities from the midfield, and kept Hackley looking dangerous the whole game. JoJo believes this win came from great coaching. “Coach Hopp and Coach Sonneborn really emphasize how important it is to play a possession style game and use tons of creativity,” JoJo said. “Our movement was good, and we were able to find some sneaky balls in for each other for attacking opportunities.” The win brought the team to 4-0 on the season, with an away game at Trinity on Monday where the Hornets will look to stay undefeated.
Field Hockey
by Teddy Middleton There’s nothing like a tough loss to get a team back up on their feet and to work as hard as they can to get better. After losing a close one earlier in the week, the girls’ varsity field hockey team had only one goal in mind: winning. “I was hoping that after suffering a disappointing loss against Holy
[From left to right]: Senior Lukas Seebacher dribbles the ball down the field in the team’s game against Collegiate. Senior Sophia Carpiniello challenges her Marymount opponent in the team’s 5-0 win at the Fall Sting last Saturday. Photos by Paul Rapisardi.
Coach Patierno revolutionizes Hackley sports maxparauda
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sports editor ver the course of this past humid summer, Hackley’s campus was virtually barren. There were no students or faculty to be seen, and the only thing that could be heard outside was the sound of construction being done at Hackley’s entrance. But if you went inside the Zetkov Gymnasium, you would be able to hear the sound of athletes training for their upcoming seasons, with the booming voice of Sam Patierno instructing them what to do. Coach Patierno is Hackley’s trainer, whose knowledge of conditioning is revolutionizing the way Hackley athletes prepare to excel in their respective sports. He has been successfully helping both athletes and others obtain their goals for over ten years, and he hopes to bring his experience in conditioning to all of Hackley’s athletes. Over the summer and so far this school year, Coach Patierno has had the boys’ basketball and football teams doing workouts specified to improve the players’ explosiveness. In addition, he’s been working with the girls’ field hockey and soccer teams to increase the players’ agility as well as core strength. The players think that the work they put in at the fitness center will go a long way in determining their success this year. “Our team always used to be younger and weaker than our opponents, but with the help of [Coach] Patierno’s natural ability to motivate and his great workout plans, our team is expecting to win the league this year,” senior football captain Jack Ellis said. Fellow senior captain Ben Jurcic agrees with Jack. “The training I do with Patierno in the offseason is just as important as the practice in-season,” he said. Senior girls’ field hockey captain Kathryn Harmon believes that Patierno’s knowledge has paid off for the team. “He’s shown us some new dynamic stretches for
warm up which have been helping us because they mimic vation to condition themselves for their sport. “I truly game situations,” she said. “Also the pivots and sprints he believe that the culture here is beginning,” he said. “This worked with us on have helped get our mid[fielder]s and summer I had much more athletes as well as alumnae forwards to recover to defense with more ease.” training at Hackley.” New boys’ basketball coach Jeremy Fink has been collab“To me that is an indication of the pride they have orating with Coach Patierno about training the team. “He for their school. They want to be here.” [Coach Patierno] has been great with meeting the academic rigors Hackley students go through,” he said. “He has been instrumental in our preseason and offseason workouts.” Coach Patierno has high hopes for the way Hackley teams will develop their training in the near future. “I have been happy thus far that more athletes are utilizing the fitness center,” he said. “My hopes and goals are that eventually every team will train throughout the summer and off seasons.” In addition to the work Coach Patierno has put in with the athletes, he’s also added more weight choices for certain exercises, so that anyone can practice any workout. He also worked with Head Athletic Trainer Doug Sawyer on adding devices like bands and straps. “We think it is very important for the athletes to constantly work on their flexibility and injury prevention,” Coach Patierno said. Coach Patierno is excited about Sam Patierno shows senior Leo Barse the correct form for a hang clean. Leo has been training the shift in Hackley athletes’ moti- in the weightroom this fall for the upcoming basketball season. Photo by Paul Rapisardi.