The Insight | June 2017

Friends Seminary

Edition 3

June 2017

Friends Hosts 11th Annual DRA Performance

Funding the Redevelopment

By JACKSON WALD ’18

Read More on Page 6

The Insight Says Goodbye to Wendy Wilderotter

By MAX TEIRSTEIN ’17

After 16 years of dedicated leadership and service, this June Wendy Wilderotter will be ending Meeting for Worship with a closing handshake for the last time.

She is retiring, moving back to Michigan to take a break from her long career as a school administrator. However, in an interview with The Insight, it quickly became clear that although Wilderotter might take a well-earned break, she will continue to put her leadership skills to

good use, potentially through community service and advocacy work in Traverse City.

To elaborate on her rationale for the move, Wilderotter took an honest look at her position as Upper School Head.

“Sometimes I think that to be in a place for too long you can get too comfortable or too stayed in terms of doing things

a certain way,” said Wilderotter, “and I think in this position, you need to have people with some energy.” Energy and passion for the job, Wilderotter might say, are vital qualities for both Will Hopkins, interim Upper School Head, and Wilderotter’s permanent replacement after Hopkins.

Wilderotter pointed out the qualities

Inside

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STUDENTS RUN ONE ACT FESTIVAL

LATINO AND MUSLIM ALLIANCE

SPRING BREAK TRIP PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

FEELING HELPLESS ABOUT POLITICS?

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The new floors atop Hunter Hall, designed to provide additional classrooms to enhance learning, and the newly titled Sky Field, a space designed for exercise, socialization and activity, were merely a dream 13 years ago. A part of Friends Seminary’s 2004 Master Plan, the current Campus Redevelopment Project’s main goals are to support the academic program, provide accessibility, and promote community. Before the renovation began in 2015, Friends compared its enrollment, total gross square feet, and gross square feet per student to other New York City schools, ranking at a low 152.00 gross square feet per student. As Friends attempts to grow by approximately 20,000 square feet—adding rooftop green spaces, a “Great Room,” new Upper School student commons and more—one of the most important questions about these expansive renovations is the origin of the funding.

Every few years, Friends Seminary begins a capital campaign to fund longterm capital projects and its endowment.

To find where the money for the Campus Redevelopment Project began, one must start at the origin of the Lift Every Voice campaign. The Lift Every Voice campaign ran from 2006 to 2010, raising $20 million for the renovations, and additional funds for the endowment. Friends Seminary also borrowed $15 million, for a total of $30 million, at a “very reasonable interest rate,” according to the Spring 2009 edition of News From Friends. The interest on the loan is still being repaid. The renovation through the Lift Every Voice campaign made possible the Academic Center, the relocation and expansion of the library, seven new classrooms, the James and Mimi Rosenquist Gallery and the central stairwell and elevator.

In 2014, Friends Seminary implemented

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2 Continued from “Goodbye to Wendy Wilderotter” in an Upper School Head for which she might look as the search for her replacement continues. Included in the qualities Wilderotter listed were decisiveness, the ability to supervise the Upper School administration through delivering and receiving feedback, and a strong sense of humor. “You’re not gonna survive here if you don’t have a sense of humor on some level,” she laughed.

Wilderotter further advised, “It’s a people place, so it has to be a people person, it has to be a person that likes people, likes kids.” She hoped that her successor would be able to make the effort to get to know the students and support them as they navigate high school and the transition to college. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Wilderotter wanted the new Upper School Head to be “someone who really deeply or authentically or sincerely buys into the values of the school, not just because it’s a nice school,

but someone who really integrates those values into how they lead, into how they make decisions, how they prioritize, and how they promote different programs or decisions.”

When asked, “What will you miss most about Friends?” “Oh, the people,” she said immediately, “People here are committed to the school’s mission.”

She cited her supportive colleagues, each committed to a common mission of the “greater good,” and reflected on the intellectualism of the people at Friends as inspiring models for keeping the school the “authentic place” that she sees it to be. Through this guidance, Wilderotter stated that she has “learned a lot just intellectually being here.

It’s a very stimulating environment.”

Such a stimulating community helped Wilderotter to grow as a leader to be more patient, more understanding of diverse perspectives, and more direct with her leadership. “When I came to Friends,” she added, “I really felt that it was aligned with so many of my values, so I have really been able to live and

work in an environment that feels just so natural to me.”

Looking forward, Wilderotter sees there to be room for growth at Friends. She suggested an expansion of Senior Projects into a period of time dedicated to Seniors’ self-exploration and experimentation with their personal interests. She also wondered if the Global Education Program could include domestic trips, in order to provide service to local communities. Thirdly, Wilderotter hoped that sports at Friends would receive more attention—to improve on the relatively low level of school pep and spirit, Wilderotter suggested that the school

consider expanding the gym or adding field space. However, she acknowledged that implementing such large-scale changes could be difficult. “This is a process-heavy school community, and it’s always, always important to check in with a lot of people before you make decisions and you think things through. It’s slow, can be frustrating,” she said, adding a final bit of advice to her successor, “but... leadership is much more of shepherding.

It’s not really about upfront, ‘This is all about me.’ It’s really about ‘How do we protect the whole group?’ I think being in a Quaker school—it lends itself nicely to that line of thinking.”

Towards the end of the interview, we asked Wilderotter to recount her favorite parts of being Upper School Head. She brought up Meeting for Worship, and the Meetinghouse. “The spirit in that room is just...I never go in there and don’t come out feeling better,” she wistfully remarked. At The Insight, we are sure that many students felt similarly about her office. Thank you for all your hard work Wilderotter, you will be sorely missed!

The Insight Says Goodbye to Jen Blum

By MAX TEIRSTEIN ’17 As many students know, this past year has been Dean of Students Jen Blum’s last at Friends. She is heading to Norfolk, Massachusetts to work as Upper School Director for The Rashi School, a K-8 school in the neighboring town of Dedham. As Upper School Director, Blum will oversee the 5th-8th grade division, working with Middle School students, teachers, and parents towards the school’s mission of social justice.

The Rashi School is a Reformed Jewish school that shares a campus with an assisted living facility. The school thereby shares with Friends a similar commitment to service and activism, as students, guided by tenant values of Reformed Judaism, work with the elderly living nearby. Blum is excited to start her work at the Rashi School, and in an interview with The Insight, she described her eager anticipation of “going from a Quaker school where almost nobody is Quaker to a Jewish school where pretty much everyone is Jewish.” However, Blum also shared some of her concerns about the potential homogeneity of such a community: “You lose a lot in terms of diversity in that and I think I will miss that aspect of my day-today life here as well.”

Blum was also candid with The Insight about her rationale for leaving both the

Friends community as well as her home in New York City. “First and foremost,” she said, “my husband is not a New York City person. He is a mountain person, and he has been here with me for 3 years and has tried his hardest to make it work, but [New York City] is not the place that gives back to him in a way that makes him feel fulfilled and happy.” Blum continued to say that she also is looking forward to taking this step in her career to a higher position of administration.

Blum finds herself being drawn more and more to administration at this point in her career as an educator. She enjoys the big picture and looking at the manner in which a school can go about achieving its mission.

She sees administration as an avenue for “those conversations about vision, about shaping a school environment, about what education can be, should be, what does it look like here.” Blum even said that she would have been interested in applying for Wendy Wilderotter’s job, if she were to stay in New York.

In the course of the interview, it quickly became clear that Blum’s love for and attachment to Friends is strong, and although she is excited to work for the Rashi School, her departure is bittersweet. When asked, “What will you miss about Friends?”

Blum was quick to talk about the students.

She is drawn to high schoolers because, in her words, “it’s a really interesting and impactful time, as an educator, to get to work with you guys as you kind of think through life and form your own ideas and opinions and really develop as people.”

Next, Blum talked about her fellows in faculty and administration. With a huge smile, Blum said, “I love love love my colleagues here, the people I get to work with daily are really really inspiring and exciting and warm and loving and I’m sure that I will miss them.”

When prompted to reflect on where in the school there was still room for growth, Blum was quick to point to two major aspects of student life: the schedule and the transition. She acknowledged that the new schedule leaves a truncated space for club periods, and that leadership training for these clubs might have been rushed, given the time lost due to the renovations.

“There’s always more work, right?” she reflected, “There’s always more work to be done.”

Before the interview’s conclusion, The Insight asked Blum if she had any advice for the incoming Dean of Students, Erica Jones. Blum had many helpful tips, including “finding time to get other people’s thoughts before she makes decisions or moves forward” and saying, “I don’t feel

like this is perfect, but I need to protect a little time for myself to be able to be me and do those other parts of my life that are important.” To find this protected time, Blum suggested Erica to turn her phone off, or at least deactivate her Friends email.

Finally, Blum wanted Erica to do her best to get to know students. “One piece of advice that somebody gave me,” she said, “was that for every interaction they had with a kid that was over something negative [...] they would seek out a positive interaction to balance that out. So remembering to keep that balance there to find the time to do that.”

The Insight thanks Blum for all her hard work at Friends these past four years, and wishes her luck on this next leg of her life.

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June 2017 Continued from “Funding the Redevelopment” the Light the Future campaign, which seeks to raise $40 million, of which $29 million would actually be used for the renovations, while the remaining $11 million would be used for increasing the endowment and Annual Giving. The $29 million would not only be used for improvements to Hunter Hall, but also to remodel the townhouses, which currently are not handicap-accessible and not environmentally friendly.

In a recent assembly, Principal Bo Lauder spoke on the finances of the school.

While discussing a variety of topics, he referenced the cost of the current renovation projects. As of now, $36.9 million has been raised for the Light the Future campaign.

Of that, $21.9 million has been raised for the Campus Redevelopment Project.

The Insight is committed to delivering to students a clear and transparent discussion of the finances.

Students Run One Act Festival

By SAM JACOVITZ ’18 The One Act Festival is back for the second year in a row and is one of the most anticipated events of the Spring at Friends. The festival is a completely student-run process in which students have the opportunity to direct and act in studentwritten, ten minute, one act plays. Most of the plays were written outside of school time, but a few of the submissions were written in Steve Borowka’s performing art elective, “Playwriting.” Once the plays are submitted, a panel of students with theater experience read the submitted plays, and then they provide ratings based on the texts alone (Plays are anonymous). The plays with the highest scores are eligible for the one acts.

Student directors then work with actors to prepare for the performance in late May in the Blackbox Theater. With a variety of comedies, dramas, sci-fis, and musicals, the One Act Festival was quite a hit!

To get more information on the process and result of the One Act Festival, I interviewed Steve Borowka, the head of

the Performing Arts Department and creator of the One Act Festival.

The Insight: “What is the breakdown of genre of the plays?” (drama, comedy, etc.)

Borowka: “There's a good mixture of genres among the submissions. A little more than half of them are dramas.

There are a good handful of comedies and farces. A few of them are sci-fi or take place in an alternate reality. And we have two musicals.”

The Insight: “How do the actors and directors prepare for the performance?”

Borowka: “Each play is relatively short. (Five to 15 minutes) So the rehearsal time is also short. There are three weeks from auditions to performance. The directors will meet with me once to go over their vision and rehearsal process, and I will give them some guidance and support as they begin. It's up to the directors to create a rehearsal schedule and meet with the actors. Each group rehearses around five times total plus

a tech rehearsal in the space for lights and sound purposes. Because the shows are short, the commitment is much less than one of the main stage productions.

Students who don't have time for one of the bigger productions can make this work within their schedule. I think this is a great opportunity, also, for students who may be nervous or unsure about doing the fall play or the musical. The One Act Festival is a great starting point and it can also be a great opportunity for a graduating senior who has never done a play.”

The Insight: “What do you think is beneficial or non-beneficial about the whole process being student run?”

Borowka: “I think it's all beneficial.

When students do the fall play or the musical, they learn a lot about being in a show and acting, but there are not a ton of opportunity for them to learn about directing, stage managing, or designing a show. Through the One Act Festival, student directors get a hands-on experience that is invaluable.

They will learn the ins and outs of putting on a show from creating the rehearsal schedule, conducting auditions, designing the show, and giving acting notes. And it's all within a manageable frame of the One Act Festival. It's also incredibly rewarding, as a drama director, to watch a festival that is solely student run.”

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Activists Discuss the Impact of Trump Presidency on Latinos and Muslims

By MARTÍN WILKINSON ’19 On January 31, the Latino/Muslim Student Alliance of NYC, with help from Fieldston and Friends Seminary, hosted a public forum at the Ethical Culture Society on the Upper West Side. The purpose of this event was to raise awareness about the challenges that Latino and Muslim immigrants face in the United States and the potential impact of the campaign rhetoric and immigration policies of President Donald Trump.

The evening included a panel of experts and activists who discussed how the recent wave of anti-immigrant sentiment in our country has affected these communities and what can be done to overcome the xenophobia.

The panel of speakers included Moustafa Bayoumi, a professor at Brooklyn College, Chaumtoli Huq, a social justice lawyer and professor in the City University of New York, and Carlene Pinto, the immigration campaign manager at the New York Immigration Coalition. The panel also included Friends Seminary alumna Rebecca Press, an attorney at Central American Legal Aid. Bayoumi spoke about how Muslims in the United States face religious bigotry and hate crimes on a regular basis. “Every hate crime is one too many,” Bayoumi said.

“But there are other markers, there are other ways that Islamophobia also manifests itself and some of those ways are actually more consequential on a daily life level.

Unemployment discrimination is huge.”

Bayoumi talked about a study in which fake resumes with equal qualifications but different names were created, and results showed that the candidate with the worst chance of being hired was one with a Muslim-sounding name.

Other panelists discussed the ways that activists within the Muslim and Latino communities are working to address the problems of discrimination. Chaumtoli Huq described her professional work as a lawyer focused on social justice. Carlene Pinto focused her talk on the future implications of working for justice in the realm of immigration, given the priorities of the Trump administration.

Press addressed the legal dimensions of the Latino immigrant experience, as well as the plight of Latinos to gain citizenship.

Accompanying her was Nico, a 19-yearold undocumented immigrant boy, to share his journey coming to the United States.

All the panelists said they believed the rights of Latino and Muslim immigrants are in greater danger now given the current

administration’s approach to immigration policy.

Pinto recalled a gathering of her staff immediately after the November election when everyone broke into tears “knowing what work looked like these next 4 years.”

Since that moment, she and her team have had “so many sleepless nights and weeks and weeks without any days off” in order to prepare for the next era. But they have not given up hope, Pinto said. With her team, she has organized numerous street demonstrations and other public protests.

Press gave advice to the audience on how to actively stand up for immigrant rights, stating, “It is important to come to meetings like this. It is much more important to be active. Especially the young people.”

Since then, the Latino/Muslim Student Alliance has organized follow-up events, including a trip to the mayor’s office of immigrant affairs to find out what the city is doing to help immigrants.

For more information on the alliance, write an email to latinomuslimalliance@gmail.com.

David Medine Talks Privacy

By CORDELIA FOSTER ’20 On February 16th, Friends Seminary welcomed noted alumnus David Medine to speak at an assembly about his experience working on matters of privacy and American civil rights. After two decades working in the private sector and in other federally-sponsored agencies on matters of privacy and American liberties, Medine took on the job of trying to ensure our country’s equal commitment to both the civil liberties and the security of the American people. Working full-time as the Chairman of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board from May of 2013 until July of 2016, Medine was given the opportunity to review the law in order to protect the democratic value of privacy, particularly at a time of heightened security measures.

Medine guided the Upper School audience along our country’s journey into this age of technology and terror, a time in which it has become increasingly easy to violate individual privacy. In an attempt to standardize the answer to the age-old question of whether the ends justify the means, Medine outlined how the Oversight Board created parameters by which they can judge government programs intended to intercept terror activity. The board’s “methodology,” explained Medine, “is to look at legality, constitutionality and efficacy and then strike the right balance.”

Medine put great emphasis on the importance of not valuing national security at the expense of our privacy rights, giving us the opportunity to reevaluate our own priorities.

Millennials were born into an age of terror. After the aerial terrorist assaults of 9/11, the American public’s sense of safety was shaken. Because of the fear of recurring attacks, many people justified increased security measures at the expense of their personal privacy without considering the consequences. There exists an inverse relationship between the security of a nation and the privacy and civil liberties of the individual; the more power the government has to surveil and collect private information in an attempt to thwart potential terror attacks, the less safeguarded one’s privacy is. Without civil liberties, we don’t have democracy, and if terror results in our compromised liberties, then it consequently compromises our democracy. Can we really thwart terror?

And if so, what are we willing to risk?

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June 2017

The Russia Connection, Explained

By CAMILO DURR ’18 From the start of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, to his election as President, to his first days in office, a controversy regarding alleged ties to Russian interference in the election has stuck to the President’s administration. With prominent political figures from all sides of the political spectrum either decrying or defending the White House, the facts behind the controversy are hard to discern.

The Insight breaks down one of the most intricate and talked about political scandals since Watergate. At the center is the idea of abuse of power, and the possibility that the President of the United States and his staff are complicit in helping Russia interfere in the United States’s free elections. At Friends we are dedicated to being informed to bring about the world that ought to be, and a possible collusion to undermine American democracy.

The Players Donald Trump

The question investigators of the controversy are asking is, “How much did the 45th President of The United States know about any ties showing his campaign or administration supported Russian interests?” As a candidate, President Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a superior leader consistently during his campaign. As early as 2007, he claimed the Russian leader was “doing a great job in rebuilding the image of Russia and also rebuilding Russia period.” His comments regarding Putin have called into question his administration’s relations with the Russian Federation.

Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn

Former National Security Advisor to President Trump who had to resign 24 days into office due to his meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, which he failed to disclose. Flynn also did not register as a foreign agent. The White House stated that his resignation was due to his breach of trust with Vice President Mike Pence, whom he mislead regarding his meeting with Kislyak. Flynn has offered to testify to investigators in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Attorney-General Jeff Sessions

One of President Trump’s earliest political supporters, the former Alabama

Senator denied ever knowing of, or taking part in, any meetings with Russian officials.

The Washington Post reported that Sessions met with Kislyak twice in 2016, something he denied during his confirmation hearing and in subsequent statements. Following the report, Sessions recused himself from any investigations relating to Russia.

Carter Page

Top Trump Campaign Advisor who met with Ambassador Kislyak during the Republican National Convention in July.

However, Page told CNN that he “never did anything improper” with regard to Russia.

Paul Manafort

Campaign Manager for the Trump Campaign, the New York Times accused Manafort of accepting $12.7 million in secret cash payments from a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. A Ukrainian lawmaker further released documents showing that the former campaign chairman also received laundered payments from Ukrainian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. As more allegations and evidence surfaced against the former Trump campaign manager, Manafort resigned on August 19, 2016.

Viktor Yanukovych

The disgraced former President of Ukraine was ousted by pro-western protesters in the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution. He was accused of abuse of power, corruption, persecution of protesters, and election fraud. Since his ousting, Yanukovych has been in exile in Russia. The ex-president is accused of laundering money for the Trump campaign.

FBI Director James Comey

The director of the Federal Investigations Bureau made election news in late 2016 when he announced the FBI would re-investigate Hillary Clinton’s email scandal a few days before votes were cast.

Comey testified to the House Intelligence Committee that the FBI was investigating if the Trump Campaign had colluded with Russia. In May of 2017, Comey was fired by the President. The White House cited Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions recommendations that Comey would be fired.

Robert Mueller

The former FBI Director under George W. Bush and Barack Obama was appointed Special Counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election. He had previously served as Acting Deputy Attorney General and Assistant U.S. Attorney in California. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) praised Mueller

What Happened The allegations into Donald Trump’s campaign began in June of 2016, after the cybersecurity firm hired by the Democratic National Committee posted a notice that their computer network had been hacked by two groups associated with Russian intelligence networks. Two Russian-backed groups called “Cozy Bear” and “Fancy Bear” hacked the DNC system.

However, a blogger named Guccifer 2.0, whom US Government intelligence services have identified as a Russian military intelligence front, claimed that he was responsible for the June hacking.

Trump advisor Roger Stone contacted Guccifer 2.0 privately through Twitter, exchanging messages with the cyberpseudonym, and defending the hacker on Breitbart News.

On December 29th, the Obama Administration announced new sanctions against Russia and expelled 35 Russian diplomats over the in interference in the U.S. election. During this time Ambassador Kislyak and Flynn have been in contact, speaking on the phone and over text. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer confirms that meetings occurred between the two, and Vice President Mike Pence says the two men did not talk about sanctions.

However, Flynn cannot say that he did not speak to Kislyak about sanctions, contrary to the statements made by both Pence and Spicer. Furthermore, Flynn was engaged in work that would have required him to register as a foreign agent. Citing that he misled the Vice President, Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor.

On January 6th, 2017, a few days before the inauguration of President Trump, U.S. Intelligence Agencies released a report concluding that President Putin ordered a cyber attack to aid Trump by hurting Clinton’s campaign. The report detailed that Russian military intelligence “used the Guccifer 2.0 persona and DCLeaks.com” to release damaging material to help the Trump campaign.

In May, former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, whom Trump fired for not following an illegal executive order on immigration, testified to a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee, saying she warned President Trump about Flynn being compromised by Russia. At the same Senate hearing, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified that he left it open to FBI Director James Comey to inform him about ongoing investigations into the Russian collusion.

Then, days after he asked for more resources for the Russia investigation, FBI Director James Comey was fired by the President. Deputy Attorney Rosenstein stated that he advised Trump to fire Comey because he believed Comey had not been doing a sufficient job as director. In a private dinner some days earlier, Trump had demanded Comey show his loyalty to the President and assure him that he was not under investigation. Comey refused.

At a Senate Intelligence hearing Acting Director of the FBI stated, “Director Comey enjoyed broad support within the F.B.I. and still does to this day.” The acting Director also told the committee that Comey’s firing did not interfere with the ongoing Russia investigation.

In a meeting with Russian Ambassador Kislyak and Foreign Minister Lavrov, the President called Comey a “nutjob”.

In that same meeting, it was leaked to the Washington Post that Trump shared classified intelligence material on ISIS and counter-terrorism measures in the middle east with the Russians. Politicians from both sides of the aisle condemned the President’s actions, and though Trump can legally declassify any document he wants, his actions seriously could damage intelligence strategy and foreign relations, especially since The New York Times reports that the documents shown to the Russians were from Israeli intelligence networks.

The story of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 elections is still unfolding, with news breaking everyday. But if it comes to light that the President, or members of his staff knew or tried to cover-up a possible collusion, the very idea of free elections in this country come under attack. Bob Woodward, one of the journalists that broke the Watergate story that caused President Richard Nixon to resign, once said, “We’re not going to have another Watergate in our lifetime. I’m sure of it.” How we all hope that’s true.

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Dancers Responding to Aids Raises Over $3,000

By ILANA LEHRMAN ’19 Most students at Friends know that Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA), is an annual dance performance in the Meeting House that suggests a donation of $10 to help raise money for AIDS research. Many students don’t know, however, that DRA is one of the nation’s largest fundraising organizations for AIDS research. Started in 1991 by the famous choreographer Paul Taylor, DRA has since raised over $285 million for AIDS-affected individuals across the United States.

Barry Blumenfeld, longtime dance teacher, started the annual tradition of DRA here at Friends in 2006. “The idea came from a collaboration with a student, Lucy Greer, and we wanted to do an evening concert of some kind and I wanted to make sure that something in the dance program was connected to service in some way. DRA was the obvious organization that we could do something charitable for,” Blumenfeld said. DRA has also significantly evolved at Friends since it was started 11 years ago. “In the old days, it had a much more casual feeling, while today, it looks like a much more curated and formal, more professional dance concert. I think the work is more crafted and shows a higher level of knowledge of choreography to begin with, and now that we’re adding the Middle School it’s really truly an all-school dance program presentation.”

When prompted to consider some of the highlights of DRA over the years, Blumenfeld responded, “My favorite part of DRA now is watching it myself and watching all the work. Sometimes even more fun is to watch the video afterwards, and I can just sit back and be so proud and amazed at the work all the students do.”

To create the show, Blumenfeld works alongside his choreography class that runs the whole school year. This class is an opportunity for students interested in dance and choreography to work with one another to learn about and create their own choreography. They also create the majority of the dances seen in DRA. Every year, the class holds auditions for interested Upper and Middle School students. The dancers are then assigned to the student choreographers, who work with their groups until the performance in early May. Last year, for the ten-year anniversary, Blumenfeld danced his own piece. He performed a tap solo to the audio of letters written to him from his landlord many years ago, a piece that all received enthusiastically.

DRA had its 11th show on April 27.

The Meeting House was packed full and the evening raised over $3,000. The show was comprised of the eight student choreographers’ pieces, a guest artist’s

A Panel on Substance Awareness

By DENIS SEIDALIEV ’20

piece, an alumni duet, the class pieces of the third and fifth grades, and a piece that the student choreographers all choreographed and danced, for a total of 13 pieces. There were 23 student dancers in total, ranging from seventh to twelfth grade.

Piper Morrison ’19, a student in the choreo lab class, explains why she chose to be in the class: “I love working with Barry and I wanted to be exposed to the other side of dance after being choreographed on.”

Like many students in the class, in addition to showing her own choreography, Morrison danced in multiple other student dances that were shown at DRA. “There’s a different sensation of being on the stage and watching the piece, and I think both are great but watching a piece you’ve made come to life is really amazing to be able to see people’s reactions.

Several of the student choreographed pieces shown were created as statement

pieces to carry across a certain message.

Morrison commented on the piece that stood out the most to her. “Daysia’s piece was my favorite because it was beautiful and powerful and I hope it made people think about dance in a social context and the importance of diversity in the dance world.”

DRA this year was a resounding success and the inspiring work showcased holds much promise for the performances to come.

On February 23rd, 10th grade students and their parents attended the annual substance awareness panel to familiarize themselves with the sensitive topics of drugs and alcohol. Prior to the panel, students were able to send in questions that they may have been uncomfortable to ask in front of a large group. Additionally, students were required to interview one of their parents to introduce them to the topic using guided questions such as, “What are the most important things that I should know about alcohol and drug use in order to stay safe and healthy?” and “What are our family rules around adolescent alcohol and drug use?”

Guided by school counselor Lila Margulies, the two hour panel was filled with various speakers who shared their experiences with drugs and alcohol. The panel included Misa Kobayashi ’13, Isabeaux Mitton ’13, Matt Critchlow ’09, Paul Critchlow (Matt’s father), Lucas Salame ’17, and Adolescent Substance Counselor Jared Morgenstern. To kick off the panel, Kobayashi told inspirational stories of her struggles with addiction for several years after graduating from Friends, and her hard work at staying sober. Mitton gave a different perspective, sharing her high school decision against using drugs or alcohol. Next, Matt Critchlow shared his on-again off-again struggle with marijuana throughout high school, which affected his performance in school and on the soccer field. His father, Paul Critchlow, provided the perspective of a parent whose child struggled with addiction, and although he statedly did not represent all parents, he hoped his story can help others.

Penultimately, Morgenstern talked about his experience working with adolescents who struggle with addiction. Finally, Salame, the first current Friends student to speak on the panel, opened up about his struggles with alcohol and the support he has received from his friends and family.

The panel was a great learning experience for the students and parents who attended. It provided useful information on handling future situations regarding drugs and alcohol, but most importantly, it helped the students and parents present become more comfortable with each other on the topic as the students continue to navigate their way through their next two years of high school.

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June 2017

Black Mirror: A Review of Psycological Horror

By JAMES BURGE ’20 Many horror movies can be thrilling, but only psychological horror affects the mind so powerfully that you ruminate in agony for days after watching. Psychological horror movies often generate fear through the raw display of human nature, such as characters’ questioning their own sanity or struggling with subconscious desires. The protagonists of these films are commonly unreliable or mentally unstable, causing viewers to be more engaged by an unpredictable plot. Not only is psychological horror frightening, but many movies and TV shows in the subgenre contain strong subtext that challenges viewers’ perceptions of their own realities.

One popular psychological horror TV show, Black Mirror, uses extremely realistic settings to create an even more unsettling yet intriguing experience for the viewers.

The show takes a plausible modern day reality and creates a story with plot twists and characters with whom viewers can empathize. These episodes leave viewers emotionally shaken up, leading to lots of time spent thinking about different themes, messages, and disturbing scenes.

Each episode centers around the impact of technology in these environments and presents the dangerous effects of technology on humanity in frightening yet plausible ways.

Black Mirror has left many in our community contemplating its episodes, characters, and dark subtext. “After finishing the first few seasons of Black Mirror, I was left thinking about my connection with technology and its effect on me. It’s scary that this is not too different from our reality” says Cypress Hubbard-Salk ’20. Joey Healey ’20, agreed. “I couldn’t stop thinking about how the seemingly preposterous world of Black Mirror is actually like my own life.

My situation isn’t too different from some of the protagonist’s stories, and that freaks me out,” he said after finishing season three.

The empathy that viewers feel and the thrill as the plot unravels are part of what make Black Mirror a successful psychological horror show. Black Mirror depicts an evolution of technology into something we cannot control. It finally leaves the viewer picturing other ways technology can change our lives for better or, more likely, for worse.

Theater for Social Change Takes on Toxic Masculinity at Friends

By MAX TEIRSTEIN ’17 On Monday, May 22, Friends students filed into the Meetinghouse for a mysterious assembly. Marked simply as “Assembly” on the Meetings and Events schedule for the week, and then changed last minute to a Meeting for Worship, many were unclear as to why they were called into the Meetinghouse at all. After everyone had settled in, Steve Borowka, Chair of the Performing Arts Department, introduced the assembly as a showcase of the work of students in the Theater for Social Change class. Theater for Social Change is a new course offered for Performing Arts credit that meets four times a cycle and delves into both acting technique and the history of theater that has been formed with the intent of inciting social change. Students of the class this year worked for the second half of the semester on a final project: a performance piece to bring to light the effects of toxic masculinity and misogyny on our community.

The piece was almost entirely testimonial theater, a form of drama in which the words— including all stutters, “um’s” and “uh’s”—and physicality of an interviewee is recorded and then performed by an actor for an audience. Students of the class spent weeks interviewing a diverse group of community members, from teachers to alumni to lower schoolers, on their perspectives on how toxic masculinity, or rigid definitions of masculinity that encourage emotionlessness and aggression, has affected Friends Seminary. In order to preserve the confidentiality of the students involved, the piece did not include the names of any of the individuals whose words were used.

To learn a bit about the process behind the project, The Insight interviewed Elizabeth Ely ’17, a student in Theater for Social Change. Ely was candid about the difficulties of the project, stating that the hardest part for her “was doing my best not to pass judgment or inject my opinion on the interviewees words.” She also had concerns about the reception of the project, saying she was afraid “of how this piece was a reflection on the performing arts department at Friends.” She continued, “I didn't want us to come across as preachy or in a position of moral power simply because we had insight into something the audience didn't. I don't think people saw it that way, and I certainly didn't feel that way during the performance. But who knows.” The impact that the piece had on her, however, was more clear. Ely was particularly compelled by the voices she previously hadn’t heard,

but was able to amplify through the process of interviewing so many members of our community. “Hearing these interviews and forming this piece only reaffirmed my knowledge of sexism at Friends, but also introduced me to some of the more positive sides of gender relations in the Friends community.” She added, “I would, however, have liked to hear more from other people...there are specific people I had in mind, particularly female students, that would have added another interesting dimension to the piece and perhaps shift my understanding of sexism at Friends that much more.”

The Insight also reached out to a student whose words were used in the piece (who will remain anonymous), and Kyara Mahlen ’18, an audience member, in order to gauge the student reaction to the piece.

Mahlen was unsure of the long-term effects of the piece; although she felt that the piece was “a step in the right direction,” she was unsure of whether the piece’s message would “rest in the subconscious of friends Seminary students.” Mahlen felt that “at times it is hard for our community to take information they are given and soak it up or apply it to their lives in the long run.”

When reflecting on the specific reactions she overheard after the performance, Mahlen observed, “Most of the comments were not reflective on our community or one's individual role in sexism at Friends, it was more a comment on the performance or presentation.”

The student whose words were used in the piece offered feedback in the way they (gender neutral pronoun used to conceal the gender of this student) were represented. “I heard a lot of my own voice in the voice of male actors who spoke my words,” said the student, but felt differently about the female actors who portrayed their words. “My voice became warped when it was spoken by a woman in some cases.”

However, upon reflection, they felt grateful for the opportunity to share their opinion on the subject. “All in all it was a great experience,” they reported, “and I was very happy to hear my voice in this setting, giving it a platform and amplifying it.”

If the purpose of the project was to create long-lasting change within the community around the way we condition the male students, the effects have yet to be seen. Mahlen commented, “I believe that the show did a great job in identifying our school's specific type of sexism, which is a bit more subtle than sexism in the world or on a broader scale.” According to Mahlen, the piece “redefined what it means to be sexist,” a clear piece of evidence that the piece has, at the very least, started a conversation about sexism here at Friends.

Hopefully these conversations will continue as we, as a school, strive to bring about the world that ought to be.

Basketball Champs: 1,000 Points Congratulations to Jared Hodges ’17 (left) and Jevaughni Pegues ’18 (right) for both scoring 1,000 career points this year. Pegues is only the third player in the past 28 years to reach this milestone in his Junior season!

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Friends Goes to Colombia and Morocco over Spring Break

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June 2017

5 Things to Do if You’re Feeling Helpless About Politics

By BEN WERTHEIM ’19

Whether it’s the Travel Ban imposed in late January, the mysterious ties to Russia, or the gutting of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the commotion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the past few months has been overwhelming to say the least. It has often left people wondering, “What can I do to mitigate the situation?”

1) Keep Yourself Informed on News Whether it is electronically or through paper, it is crucial to be updated on news in order to take steps forward in any direction.

With news notifications, people know what issues to focus on specifically, and they know how to approach their activism.

2) Volunteer for Organizations Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) need volunteers in order to thrive. On their website (action. aclu.org), they have a survey that displays options for involvement like “Online activism,” “Grassroots lobbying,” and “Research.” They also include availability times and the option to become a free New York ambassador. Human rights organizations play a pivotal role in issues like immigration policies, reproductive rights, and voting rights. With volunteering and funding, these groups can gain support.

As seen with the ACLU and the Travel Ban, they can bring unjust orders to Federal Court.

3) Protest Protesting helps bring about more confidence to tight-knit communities. It might not initially change laws already in place, but protesting publicizes political issues and increases activism within local communities. If something or someone violates human rights, then advocacy is key to spread your message to others. The bigger the better, but any size protest is a start.

4) Think Towards the Future The midterm election season starts soon.

Electing new representatives is the key to winning the legislative majority. Actions like canvassing and donating to campaign funds will help people become aware of new candidates for the House and Senate.

5) Call Representatives: Local, state, and federal Calling representatives is critical to getting the voice of the people heard. Calls demonstrate that citizens care about the state of their country and that the decisions of our elected officials matter. Local and state representatives can also have direct influence on congress people, and, with our help, can influence their decisions. You can find phone numbers at callthemin.com (includes scripts for specific issues), house. gov, and whitehouse.gov.

Little Big Horn Goes Uptown

By WILTON BOMPEY ’20 On February 25th, many of Friends Seminary’s jazz players descended upon the Calhoun School for the first annual festival of workshops and performances, featuring jazz groups from schools around the city. The day started with multiple workshops, hosted by professional jazz musicians and teachers. Although Bob Rosen was unable to host a workshop, the workshops offered were still incredibly interesting and insightful. After two workshops of 45 minutes each, the Calhoun School Jazz Band performed four songs. Following their performance, they faced a critique from the audience and the professionals. Next, Little Big Horn, the

Jazz 1 band here at Friends, performed three songs and received critiques. Rosen stated, “The critique that was received from the students and teachers alike was much more helpful than hearing critique from people in fancy suits in Berklee.”

The Berklee Music Festival is a festival that two of our jazz bands usually attend but this year, unfortunately, there were no vacant slots for Friends’ bands. After Little Big Horn performed, Trevor Day School presented a quintet. The overall experience was overwhelmingly positive, and students hope for a continuation of this festival.

Chamber Players Persevere Through Fire Alarm Testing

By COCO GRUSON ’20

On March 1, under the direction of Rochelle Itzen, the Chamber Music class held its Spring concert from 7-8:30 pm.

Cellist Javin Bose ’17 and violinist Rachel Wolchok ’17 kicked off the concert, performing a brilliant set that ended with “Oblivion” by Astor Piazzolla, with the piano accompaniment of Jacob Eisner ’17.

They were, as Itzen remarked, “A wonderful book ending.” Four piano players, four flutes, seven violins, four cellos, and one clarinet performed a total of 21 pieces.

All 21 pieces were beautiful and unique.

Chamber music is about communication and team effort and the evening was a wonderful display of both. The inspiring music taught the participants and audience members a lesson on overcoming the unexpected; the school alarm system was undergoing a test that evening, which meant that the deafening sound of the fire alarm sounded at random intervals. Such unforeseen circumstances would have been enough to throw any performer off his or her or their game, but our chamber musicians played through the alarms without missing a beat. The great deal of practice and dedication that went into preparing for the concert was evident, and the performers were poised and confident.

Ultimately, the unique circumstances made the evening even more memorable. The audience forgot the sauna-like temperature of the room, the sirens outside, and the intermittent alarm, and was engulfed by the beautiful music.

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Album Reviews

By JACKSON WALD ’18

DRAKE - MORE LIFE After releasing Views, Drake’s commercially successful yet wildly disappointing fourth studio album, he returned with a self-proclaimed “playlist” titled More Life. While Drake may be attempting to be unique by titling his release a “playlist,” rather than an album or mixtape, he subtly implies that this collection of songs should not be taken as seriously as either of the two options would be.

The “playlist” may have its strengths, but it ultimately drowns in its flaws. “Drowns” is the operative word here. The playlist is over 20 songs and an hour and 20 minutes long, and at the end of listening to the full project, the audience can not help but feel as if they were just paddling to keep afloat in a sea of fake patois, bland lyrics, and mediocre dance-hall.

Songs that exemplify this feeling are “No Long Talk (feat. Giggs),” in which Drake begins his lengthy culture crisis, a recurrent theme throughout his whole “playlist.” Drake leads off the track with a cringe-worthy British accent, transitions into his famous Jamaican-Toronto-faux patois accent, and then back into the British accent. Giggs delivers a supremely underwhelming verse on the second half, adding cringey one-liners and mediocre hooks. Drake was also not able to mend his reputation as a “culture vulture,” someone who imitates the sound of lesser known artists, with his track “KMT.” This track blatantly rips off of XXXTentaction’s hit track “Look at Me!” with the most upsetting part being that Drake does not even perform well on the track, as his flow seems clunky and unnatural. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the project are not these two tracks in particular, but the overall blandness and lack of effort in the second half. Many of the tracks, including “Teenage Fever,” “Can’t Have Everything,” and “Since Way Back,” seem as if Drake was trying to meet his quota of 22 tracks by sounding gloomy and sulky or, in the case of “Teenage Fever,” as if he is copying an old Jennifer Lopez song. However, the bright spots on this playlist are noteworthy. “Passionfruit” is Drake’s grooviest track, a smooth pop song with a hint of house. “4422” is a beautiful ballad performed

by Sampha, who released his debut LP, Process, this year. The only critique of this particular song is that it may have fit better on Sampha’s aforementioned LP than Drake’s record.

“Gyalchester” and “Portland” are legitimate bangers; “Gyalchester” perfectly blends a touch of grime and aggressive lyrics, and “Portland” has a great hook from Quavo of the rap trio Migos. Finally, “Ice Melts” features an absolutely incredible feature from Young Thug.

5.5/10

KENDRICK LAMAR - DAMN.

DAMN., Kendrick Lamar’s fourth studio album, was shrouded in uncertainty before release. It followed two critically acclaimed albums: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, which told a comprehensive story of a boy growing up and surviving in Compton, California and To Pimp a Butterfly (TPAB). TPAB was Lamar’s anthem—an introspective, jazz-influenced masterpiece that went in depth on race relations in the United States. After these two successful albums, many fans wondered, “What will Kendrick Lamar do next?”

DAMN., more than any other Kendrick project, conveys a wide range of emotion and self-doubt. It offers, in addition to a storyline, a series of subtopics—respect, love, religion, politics—that Kendrick discusses and compares.

One minute into the album, Kendrick revives major themes from his last project. The first track, “BLOOD.”, is an eery and soft-spoken story about an encounter Kendrick has with a blind woman, believed by many to be Lady Justice, the personification of America’s judicial system. Lady Justice ultimately murders Lamar, a black man.

The next track, “DNA.”, touches on one of Kendrick’s major themes: respect. An aggressive banger, Kendrick boasts about how special his DNA is: “I got millions, I got riches buildin’ in my DNA,” and how his adversaries lack his DNA,“Problem is, all that sucker s**t inside your DNA.” Later on in the track, Kendrick discusses his perception of himself as a black man in comparison to the way the rest of the world views him, especially Geraldo Rivera from Fox News. At the end of the track, Kendrick delivers an explosion of a verse, a powerful message aimed at the prejudicial view of his critics.

His next track, “YAH.”, is a somber, crooning ballad wherein Kendrick dives into his relationship with religion. However, the following track “ELEMENT.” is a complete shift, in which a boastful Kendrick asserts himself as the best rapper in the game.

Whereas the album is generally strong, highlighted by introspective tracks “FEEL.” and “PRIDE.”, which includes fantastic guitars by Steve Lacy of The Internet, there are some lackluster moments. “LOYALTY.”, although a serviceable radio hit, breaks the cohesion of the album.

The album regains steam near the end, with the centerpoint of the album “FEAR.” standing out the most. “FEAR.” tracks three parts of Kendrick’s life—ages 7, 17, and 27. The first segment, focused on Kendrick at age 7, features a recitation of his mother’s verbal abuse toward him, reminding him to stay in line and be obedient or she will beat him. He then transitions into a segment centered around his life at 17 years old. Kendrick describes the adverse circumstances he was involved in—namely, parties, gang relations, and purchasing narcotics—and how those circumstances will lead to his premature death. Lastly, he speaks as a 27-year-old, wildly successful artist who is still afraid of losing everything: “I’m talkin’ fear, fear of losin’ creativity // I’m talkin’ fear, fear of missin’ out on you and me // I’m talkin’ fear, fear of losin’ loyalty from pride.”

DAMN. is a complicated, diverse album. While great in its own right, when comparing it to his previous work, it comes in slightly behind.

8.5/10

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June 2017

Letters to the Editors The Ways in Which People Are Helping The Environment Dear Editors, I glance at the front page of my parents’ newspaper, I occasionally read some of the DailyMail articles on Snapchat, or I overhear the news from the television in the background of my living room every morning. Almost every day, these news sources remind me of the issues with our environment and its constantly declining quality. Sometimes, it is easy to believe that nothing can ever be done and that nothing is being done about the issues with our environment.

In the last two editions of The Insight, I discussed the serious problems with air pollution both here in New York City and in other parts of the world. Being aware of these issues is extremely important, but understanding the changes that are being made to help the environment is equally valuable; otherwise, one might think that some of these issues are so bad that they are unapproachable and unfixable. However, there are leaders of the environmental movement worldwide who are making progress in the fight against climate change.

One of the many inspiring people who take action every day to help preserve the planet is Vandana Shiva, founder of the Navdanya Research Foundation. The Navdanya Research Foundation strives to help the planet through science, technology, and ecological research. Shiva is especially inspiring because she also sheds light on more marginalized victims of climate change, like

local farmers and fishermen living in remote locations whose livelihoods are threatened by large industries that are harmful to the local ecosystems. She argues that the growth of organic food and maintaining healthy soil will play a huge role in the future resilience of our planet.

Among people like Shiva are those who use their fame to encourage others to take action. For instance, celebrity actor Leonardo DiCaprio started his own foundation to protect some of the Earth’s greatest untouched wildlife areas through grants and campaigns on social media. DiCaprio even mentioned the environmental problems plaguing our planet in his 2016 Academy Award acceptance speech. Julia LouisDreyfus, another star actor, took a stand against the Keystone XL Pipeline when she appeared in a video to then President Obama urging him to veto the proposal. Actor Cate Blanchett is also an extremely outspoken environmental activist. A long time member of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Blanchett has lobbied for a carbon tax to limit greenhouse gases and help climate control.

These are some of the many figures that continue to inspire Friends Seminary students, and show that taking action and being aware of what can be done is just as important as being informed of the problems that face our planet.

Sincerely,

Daphne Darwish ’19

Antiobiotics May Kill Us All Dear Editors, I’ve been pondering recently how the end of humanity may not result from robots, nukes, or opposing political parties, but rather lowly bacteria. Before the 1928 discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, getting a bacteria-related disease or infection was oftentimes a death sentence. Thanks to antibiotics, many people do not need to worry about dying from an infected wound.

However, this complacency will change, perhaps very soon. A Nevada woman died on January 13th this year after contracting a bacterial infection. The bacteria proved resistant to every single antibiotic the hospital could acquire, including Colistin, a drug so powerful it frequently destroys the kidneys. According to the CDC, about 2 million people contract illnesses caused by antimicrobial resistant organisms and over 23,000 people die from them in the US every year. The World Health Organization believes antibiotic resistance to be “one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today.” If the necessary steps aren’t taken to solve this issue, common injuries may once again be much more fatal.

So what causes these antibiotic resistant bacteria to pop up? Whereas antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally, the liberal use of antibiotics has allowed for resistance to them to become much more prevalent.

Up to half of modern antibiotic usage is

completely unnecessary. Many people believe that antibiotics are effective against viral illnesses such as colds or the flu, when in reality, antibiotics are completely useless in killing viruses. Overthe-counter availability of antibiotics and unwarranted demands for health providers to overprescribe antibiotics result in a lot of drug misuse. The farming industry is also a huge culprit, since farmers saturate crops and livestock with antibiotic treatments, even in the absence of any illness.

The discovery of new antibiotics could slow the rate at which bacteria become resistant. However, there may not even be any more antibiotics to discover, so humanity can no longer rely on this as a solution. Societal and personal steps must be taken to ensure this problem doesn’t become cataclysmic. The WHO and the CDC advises people to not take or give antibiotic medications unless prescribed and to strictly follow the prescription.

Encourage the government officials to place restrictions on non-emergency usage of antibiotics by the agricultural industry.

Regulation of medications, including antimicrobials, needs to be tighter.

Sincerely,

Bryan Ireland ’17

Behind the Curtains: Into the Woods

By BEN LANZI ’19 As most of you may know, the Upper School Musical this year was Into The Woods! Officially debuting in 1986 before being adapted into its well known movie version in 2014, Into The Woods tells the story of a baker and his wife on their quest to start a family. The show incorporates characters from a variety of fairy tales such as, “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Rapunzel,” and “Cinderella.”

To find out more details regarding the production of the musical, The Insight interviewed two of its cast members: Tyler Burston ’19 and Daphne Adam ’19. Below are excerpts from their interviews.

The Insight: What component of the musical were you most excited to showcase?

Tyler Burston: The insane amount of talent everyone has. This show is an

opportunity for us as a cast to showcase all of our skills, from acting to singing to dancing, and bring them all together to tell this story. We have a great group, and I was really excited to see us shine, while at the same time entertaining y’all. It’s a beautiful thing.

The Insight: Did Steve Borowka incorporate anything special into the plot like when he swapped gender roles in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’?

Burston: We made some subtle changes to certain subplots to make the show less long and a bit less problematic. However, on the whole, we were pretty faithful to the original.

The Insight: What was most challenging in the process of rehearsing?

Daphne Adam: Probably the most challenging thing was really embodying

the character you're playing even if you're not speaking—just constantly being that person no matter what situation you're put in.

The Insight: What component of the musical were you most excited to showcase?

Adam: Really the way all the characters interact with each other. Because most characters don't know each other in their day to day lives, it's really interesting to watch how different characters interact with ones they have never met before, like, for example, Cinderella and Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.

The show this year was a huge success, and we at The Insight would like to congratulate the cast and crew on a fantastic run!

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Backpage

CROSSWORD

By TESSA DEFRANCO ’17

ACROSS

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2 Wendy replacement 5 Used as goals in courtyard 6 Outdoor cafe, in other words 8 The most common word to appear in New York Times Crossword 9 Competitor to Uber 11 _____ and carrots 12 Normally on a Monday. now on a Thursday 13 Triton replacement 14 Scafolding in courtyard replaced by 15 Sillicon Valley facing scrutiny

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DOWN

1 Primary Friends Cafe 2 Those who will be missed 3 Contracted by many twelth graders 4 AEIOU and _____ 6 Common cafeteria grab 7 Worse than the fifth floor of the annex 10 Room lost by highest grade

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SUDOKU 7 5 1 6 2

6 7 9

2016 & 2017

Writers

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6 7 9 4 8 3 7 2 9 4 5 9 1 5 8 7 4 9 2 7

Alex Weremchuk ’20 Amnon Scharia ’20 Ben Lanzi ’19 Ben Wertheim ’19 Camilo Durr ’18 Coco Gruson ’20 Cordelia Foster ’20 Daphne Darwish ’19 Denis Sedialiev ’19 Gus Bahl ’19

Chief Editors Isa Skibeli ’18 Jackson Wald ’18 James Burge ’20

Martin Wilkinson ’19 Max Khadem ’20 Nahid Mahmud ’17 Nate Weisberg ’19

Max Teirstein ’17 Zara Schreiber ’17

Designers Coraya Danu-Asmara ’17 Maeve Woollen ’18 Morgan Rosenkranz ’17 Zara Schreiber ’17

Rachel Hodes ’17 Tessa DeFranco ’17

Advisors John Galayda Deanna Yurchuk