Hebron Review Fall 2022

Table of Contents

Get To Know Your Proctors! 2 Meet the Class Presidents 4

Interviews

8

Sloth Lover Ms. Gervais 8

Interview with Ms. McKee 9

A Catalyst for Student Passion 10 Interview with Mr. Brennen 12 Interview with Mr. Sacco and Mr. Cockrell 13 She’s Back! 15

Interview with Mrs. Applegate 15 Interview with Dr. Yang Handy 17 Interview with Ms. Teske 19 Writer’s Block: An Interview with Ms. Dunbridge 20 Interview with Mrs. Phillips 22

Current Events

25

Why We Don’t Learn Good 25

Hurricane Fiona Hits Puerto Rico 26

The Problem with Book Banning 27 The Problem with Ye 29 Examining America’s Public Transportation 30 Never Let Me Go and Its Relation to Our Society 32 Letter of Student Concerns 34

Get To Know Your Proctors!

By Abigail McDonald ’23

As the 2022-23 school year begins, we have a new group of incoming Proctors. These eleven students are eager to make the Hebron experience as great as possible. Your Proctors can be seen everywhere on campus from classes, sports, on duty in the dorms, and running morning meetings. They’re here to support you and help you experience Hebron’s full potential. Here they are…!!

Sofia Gualtieri ‘23

She’s from Montreal, Canada.

She’s been at Hebron for two years.

Her favorite thing at Hebron is the people. She plays soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse. She’s fluent in French, and dreams of going to Paris.

Abby McDonald ‘23

She’s from Hampton, NH.

She’s been at Hebron for two years.

Her favorite thing about Hebron is meeting new people. She plays soccer and lacrosse, as well as manages GVH. She dreams of traveling to Greece. She can dislocate both her shoulders.

Nola Goodwin ‘23

She’s from Turner, ME.

She’s been at Hebron for four years.

Her favorite thing at Hebron is getting to meet new people from all over the world! She’s part of the alpine ski team and is editor of the Hebron Review. Her dream destination is Spain. She thinks moths are terrifying.

Cotton Strong ‘23

He’s from Lewiston, ME.

He’s been at Hebron for seven years. His favorite thing at Hebron is the food. He is on the ski team and does after school music. He wants to travel to Greece. He split his head open when he was three years old.

Jakub Diakonowicz ’23

He’s from Poland.

He’s been at Hebron for two years.

His favorite thing to do at Hebron is play volleyball and hike the trails. He does soccer, alpine skiing, volleyball, and lacrosse at Hebron. Although he’s never played, he was pulled to play in a hockey game last year. year.

Kaan Uslular ‘23

He’s from Istanbul, Turkey.

It’s his second year at Hebron.

His favorite thing at Hebron is the long bus rides.

His dream place to visit is Alcatraz.

Kaan plays football, basketball, and tennis, and enjoys chess and ceramics. He only chews gum on the right side of his mouth.

Beatrice Money ‘23

She’s from Kent, Connecticut.

She’s been at Hebron for four years.

Her favorite part of Hebron is its trails.

She dreams of visiting Machu Picchu in Peru.

She’s part of the soccer, snowboarding, and lacrosse teams. She loves coffee.

Anthony Lombardo ‘23

He’s from Montreal, Canada.

He’s been at Hebron for two years.

His favorite thing at Hebron is the weight room.

He dreams of going to Italy.

He’s the athletic trainer’s assistant and plays ice hockey. He loves watching curling.

Dana Patino ‘23

She’s from Mexico City, Mexico.

It’s her second year at Hebron.

Her favorite things about Hebron are the people and the sunsets. She dreams of going to the Scandinavian Lands. She plays soccer, tennis, and does skiing. She has a collection of mini Volkswagen Van figures.

Mitch Nazareth ‘23

He’s from Boston, MA.

It’s his third year at Hebron. His favorite things about Hebron are the weekend activities and his friends. He dreams of going to Seoul, Korea. He plays basketball, is the president of S.O.C.A., is part of DnD, and is building the hydrogen car. His typing speed is 85 words per minute.

Forest Pellitier ‘23

He’s from Hanover, ME.

He’s been at Hebron for 7 years.

His favorite thing about Hebron is the faculty and how caring and genuine they are.

He dreams of visiting Italy and trying all the food.

He runs track and cross country, helps with the hydrogen car, and takes part in the school’s plays. He saw a bison up close this summer while fishing.

Meet the Class Presidents

By Belle Beauchesne ’25

Senior Class

Beatrice Money

My name is Beatrice Money and I am a senior. I have been at Hebron for four years. What makes me qualified to be class president is my knowledge of what previous senior classes have done, and what works and doesn’t work. I also am willing to take peer feedback and organize fundraisers efficiently. As class president, I hope to make various senior activities, like prom and senior week, a success. Something I want people to know about me is that I am open to new ideas and suggestions.

Kaan Uslular

If you really want to be on the class council, you have to make sacrifices. I’m willing to sacrifice my time and energy to have an unforgettable senior year with all of my friends. That’s the first reason why I’m selected as a senior class president. I had ideas for fundraising, trips, senior week, proms, and so on. I was ready for this position from the beginning. It’s all about the mindset that you choose. Choose the challenging and unknown one. As a class president and part of the class council, we have two main focuses for the senior class. One of them is senior week and the other one is prom. We need to raise money for these two main activities. I’m here to plan, organize and solve the problems by discussing them with the council and faculty. At this point, the Union is closed on campus due to short-staffing. I know how fun the Union was, and we are all putting effort to find the best solution. It’s going to be a different mood when we all gather up there. These goals are going to be accomplished by the class council’s teamwork. I just want people to learn that even if I’m the president of the senior class, there’s no difference between you and me. We all have an equal chance of positive influence on the Hebron community.

Class President

Lucy Diffin

I’m Lucy Diffin, and this is my fifth year at Hebron Academy. In the context of student council, I believe I’m qualified because I have experience with handling leadership positions, I am ready to start planning and work hard whenever needed, and I try to have a good attitude towards all people and the ideas they bring. Something I would like to do to help my class is to plan a very meaningful, fun, and successful fundraiser. This would include the whole class working together, not only the council. I want people to know that I just want to try my hardest to help my class and let everyone enjoy themselves and feel free to share their ideas!

Junior Class Representative

Hannah Sullivan

My name is Hannah Sullivan and I have been at Hebron since sixth grade. I am very willing and open to new ideas on how to improve our community, and am driven to raise money for my class. I really would like to do more class activities to bring us all together, and work on some offcampus trips to explore the area. I would like people to know that I am excited about this year and the opportunities that it will bring.

Sophomore

Freshman Class Presidents

Kellen Anthoine

My name is Kellen Anthoine. This is my first year at Hebron. I am qualified to be the Vice President because I have three years of experience as a student senator at my previous school. As class Vice President, I would like to put mirrors in the weight room, and get the Williams Center open during the day. I can’t wait to represent the Hebron class of 2026!

Andrea Puszkar

My name is Andrea Puszkar, and I have been at Hebron for two years. I consider myself a great leader, and I know that people can see me as someone who they can trust, and who will listen to what they have to say. I want students to feel like their opinion and ideas matter, and I would like to be able to be the change that the students want to see. Something that I want people to know about me is that I am the oldest sibling, and the only girl in my family, and I have been speaking English since I was in preschool.

Student Photography

By Ines Lopo ’25

Sloth Lover Ms. Gervais

By Cassidy Russell ’25

Ms. Gervais joined the Hebron Academy Community this year to teach Spanish. Not only is she one of the kindest teachers you will meet, but she is funny, energetic, and brings life into all of her classes. While she may be new, she loves the community here at Hebron. She said, “the students are eager to learn and the faculty are supportive and friendly.”

Originally from Chelsea, Maine, Ms. Gervais’ life has been surrounded by education and teaching. She went to Erskine Academy for high school, followed by the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Multiple members of her family are also involved with education. Her mom owns, as well as teaches at, a Montessori school in Chelsea, ME. Her father also teaches at this Montessori school. Her grandfather was a superintendent for many years, and her grandmother was a teacher for high school science. She personally took the language route because she believes that “languages are like doors that open up to other worlds.” By teaching young people a new language, she can help open up a door to new experiences around the world. Before coming to Hebron Academy, she taught Spanish to pre-k through 6th grade students at Saddle River Day School in New Jersey. She has also tutored multiple Spanish students ranging from kids to adults. Ms. Gervais has traveled to Spain, Mexico, Peru, Canada, South Africa, and Switzerland. For about six months while she was in Peru, she was studying abroad at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru or the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, to earn her major. In Peru, she also had an opportunity to go to a sloth sanctuary near Iquitos. She took it and there she fell in love with sloths. If you walk into her class, it is guaranteed that the first thing you will see is a sloth stuffed animal. Aside from traveling, she also enjoys playing chess, writing, drawing, painting, baking, reading, running, and even listening to true crime podcasts! In the future she hopes to continue teaching, to travel more, and maybe even go back to school to earn her master’s degree.

In these first two months that Ms. Gervais has been at Hebron Academy, she has already left a mark on multiple students. Belle Beauchesne said that she “motivates me to improve what I already know in Spanish and explore the language and culture outside of the classroom.” Lucy Diffin says that she “makes Spanish class fun. I love her style of teaching; it’s new and fresh and lots of fun!” Many other students would also agree that she is introducing a language to them in a fun new way. Ms. Gervais is truly leaving an impact on Spanish-learning students.

Interview with Ms. McKee

By Belle Beauchesne ’25

Meet the new, cool, goofy, and in her own words “weird” teacher who is making English class fun for everyone, Ms. McKee! Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. McKee about her job as an English teacher and what she likes to do in her spare time. Ms. McKee is originally from St. Louis, MO and this will be her sixth year as a teacher. When asked about something cool her job allows her to do, she stated, “teaching is a really special, weird thing in that it allows me to go to work every day and feel like a kid again.” Ms. McKee has fond memories of eating lunch in her classroom and watching Marvel movies, which made her think, “Who else is watching Iron Man at lunch every day? Like that’s so cool to me.” Ms. McKee’s favorite thing about being a teacher is “getting to hang out with really funny, clever, interesting young people,” and knowing that she gets to send them out to the world while being a part of their lives.

One important thing to Ms. McKee is having her classroom “feel like a home space,” and she really hit the mark. The whimsical style of her classroom makes for an entertaining and creative space where her students have the privilege of being able to learn in the environment that Ms. McKee has created. As a “big believer in incorporating young-adult literature into her curriculum,” she values books with an age-appropriate voice to tailor them to each of her classes, which includes sixth graders, ninth graders, and tenth graders. She feels that reading out loud to teenagers in high school is important because she wants to model bringing life to the books that her students read. During class, Ms. McKee does an amazing job of balancing teaching and learning, not only when it comes to English topics, but also topics that come up that aren’t related to her class curriculum. Outside of school, Ms. McKee enjoys hanging out with her dog, Freya, who she claims, “Instagram has deemed the Queen of Hebron,” playing video games, watching movies and TV, making crafts, and going skiing. One other thing that she enjoys doing, which is very fitting for an English teacher, is reading, specifically “garbage fantasy romance.”

A Catalyst for Student Passion

By Caden Dufour ’24

Ms. Martlock was the person who ignited my passion for music. Before meeting her, I had no interest in learning an instrument or getting involved in music. I guess I just figured that music wasn’t my thing. She introduced music in a way that got me excited and helped me realize that music can be for anyone and everyone, regardless of what age you start. The following is an interview with Ms. Martlock about her own passions and experiences growing up.

What made you choose Hebron?

What made me choose Hebron was that it was a boarding school and it was close to family. Being at a boarding school, I could assist students with all aspects of their life. When you are a public school teacher reaching out to a student at home is not accessible or appropriate. When at boarding school and the student is a boarder, I can help them through an entire challenging day. I grew up in Lewiston, and most of my family still lives in Lewiston or Turner. I wanted to be there for big moments for my family. My family is essential to me, so being close to them was a must.

Have you enjoyed your time here at Hebron?

So far, I have enjoyed being at Hebron. It is a different school culture than I am used to. Public schools are more regimented for teachers. There aren’t as many freedoms to teach the content you feel is important or how you want to teach/present the content. Public school also has less of a community feel than Hebron does.

Is your experience of Hebron as a teacher similar to your experience in high school?

My experience here is not similar to how it was in my high school. I went to Lewiston High School. The schedule, quality of education, behavior of students, and the campus were all different. We had a rotating four block schedule that had blue and white days. Our education was not the way things are now. Our lessons were old school instead of focusing on the needs of the learners. Many classes had interrupting behaviors in my school. We had lots of fights, drug problems, and we even had multiple times a year where our school would be on lockdown. We would have people threaten to bomb or do a school shooting. Sometimes it would just be crime from downtown that came onto our campus. Our campus only consisted of two buildings. We facilities were not updated. Our music program lived in the basement with the kitchen, mechanic shop, carpentry and electrical classrooms, trash, and deliveries. To get to my classroom, I would walk a hallway full of trash and broken furniture. If I had my class in the mid morning, the delivery trucks would park by the door near the choir room. The trucks would not turn off their engines, so the fumes from their trucks would enter our room during choir. Hebron is a much better environment than what I had growing up. It is truly a privilege to be here.

What made you decide to be a music teacher?

I did not want to be a music teacher at first. I planned on going to Berklee College of Music to be a jazz singer. Once I got into the school, my scholarship was not enough. I pivoted my plan and went to Southern New Hampshire

University. I majored in music education and only planned on being there to get core credits done. I got a work-study job at a private Catholic school, and that's where I fell in love with education. I fell in love with it so much that I changed my major to just elementary education. Thankfully, I had a professor who believed in my skills as a music teacher and convinced me to change back. I started teaching high school, and I loved it.

Has there been a special moment so far this year that has been significant or special to you?

There have been a few special moments in these past couple of months. A lot of them involve helping students or just spending time with them. The first moment was when the JV girls' soccer team scored their first goal. I was so proud of them, I was so happy with what they accomplished. Another moment was when I was on duty, and I had five girls after study hall wanting to talk to me about their lives. The last one has been a series of moments over time. I have had the privilege to watch students grow and change for the better. They have made incredible progress, and I think students have a lot of musical talent that needs to be set free.

Who's your favorite artist? Now? And growing up?

Picking a favorite artist is very hard to choose. My favorite artist right now would have to be Jojo. She is a pop/RnB singer. Growing up, my favorite artist was Evanescence. I still love that band to this day.

Interview with Mr. Brennen

By Martha Morrill ’24

Do you have a favorite event at Hebron Academy so far?

I love Music Mondays when the whole school is together transfixed by a beautifully performed piece.

What has been your favorite meal at Hebron Academy so far? I’m a big fan of pizza day.

What brought you to Hebron Academy? I’d been teaching English abroad for several years and the ESOL position (as well as coaching soccer and tennis) at Hebron seemed like the perfect way to come back home to Maine.

Do you have any advice that you would give to high schoolers or middle schoolers right now?

Find something that you love to do and spend time working on it every single day.

What are you looking forward to the most in this school year?

Passing through Maine’s cold and snowy months and then emerging from winter’s hibernation into the springtime tennis season.

Do you have a favorite sport or hobby?

I’ve always loved to play soccer and tennis, and have recently started playing squash. I also like to play the guitar, learn new languages, write and draw.

What is something that you think not many people here know about you?

I wrote my college admissions essay about the Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue.

Do you have a favorite musical artist or band, if so who is it?

Bob Dylan—the quality and depth of the lyrics and songs he has written over several decades is amazing.

Interview with Mr. Sacco and Mr. Cockrell

By Jakub Diakonowicz ’23

Teachers have another life; if that information is shocking then what is below will be more. Students mostly know them because they are teaching them some sort of class. We get mad at them, we expect them to grade our things quickly, etc, but we forget that they are allowed to live their lives too. I got the honor of interviewing two faculty members: Mr. Sacco, and Mr. Cockrell. When I was interviewing them I asked various questions to which I got different answers; some of which were straightforward, and others unexpected.

Why did you choose Hebron?

Mr. Sacco - “I didn't, I had never seen the campus. I hadn't really heard of it until I was looking for jobs. I was in a master's program and realized it wasn't for me, at least the project I was on, it wasn't really what I thought it was gonna be. So I realized I always wanted to be a teacher. Cause I had some really good teachers when I was in high school who inspired me. And I realized that the easiest way for me to relocate and move would be looking at boarding schools. So I started looking online and I found Hebron and looked at the campus. It was beautiful, seemed like it had a really cool community and I agreed. The mission statement and looking through the website and everything. So I applied and I saw they were looking for a math teacher. And then they started realizing, I think they were also looking for a physics teacher as well. So I sort of filled both gaps a little bit and it was nice. And when I finally arrived on campus, I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't surprised cause I had some pictures of Hebron, but very impressed. J- I don’t know about you guys but going to a job blinded seems kind of crazy, but well every physics teacher is like that Mr. Cockrell - “I was very anxious to get back to boarding. Like I had been at teaching in other boarding schools, and then I left that and I went back to grad school. And then after grad school, I needed a job and I knew it would be in teaching. And I just knew that, other than just teaching the content, I needed to be in a place where we do things like the event tonight, the installation where it's a community thing, right? I love hanging out in the dorm, like meeting the kids and the students. I love coaching hockey. I wanted a place where I could do everything. You know, they call it the triple threat. You teach, you live in the dorm, and you do some activities, and that's a whole lifestyle. And I really like that lifestyle.”

J- Honestly, Mr. Cockrell is right; Hebron is a triple threat both for students and teachers.

Mr. Sacco

What is your favorite song at parties?

Mr. Sacco - “When I was in college, I would always, not seriously, but as a joke, I would always request “Fireflies” by Owl. That was a big song when I was in high school, it was always fun to bring it back. Another one was “All the Small Things” by Blink 182. That was a classic, kind of like a jumpy song.”

Mr. Cockrell - “I like listening to Paul Simon songs, like when they come on, those come naturally to me. So Paul Simon's song, Koda Chrome.”

J- I think for us it’s a whole different world compared to what we dance to know, it’s not a big age gap, but still visible.

What would be the students surprised to find out about you?

Mr. Sacco - “When I was younger, my hair was short and straight. Yep. It was straight hair. It was blonde and I kept it short. Oh. And now it's long brown and curly. But I honestly am an open book…"

Mr. Cockrell - “ I feel like sometimes my age, they always say, Oh my God, you’re 30. Because of my youthful features. I try to be pretty open, you know, I find like the only way I can really be a good community member is to really be myself. So I don't hold a lot back.”

J- When you see Mr. Sacco or Mr. Cockrell ask them any questions you want. If they really are open books, they will answer you.

What is your biggest regret? / What is your biggest mess-up moment?

Mr. Sacco - “My biggest regret... That's tough. I try to live life with no regrets. I try to never look back thinking what if? My biggest regret is that I wish I played more sports in high school. It’s the one I can think of right now. I'm sure I have a bigger regret than that. when I think about this in a couple of hours, like, oh, why don't I say that”

J- Inspiring, life with no regrets, hard to do but it’s a good look at life.

Mr. Cockrell - “I've had tons of mess-up moments. I mean, that's a different question. Like, oh, so many like mess up moments, but that's, that's who you learn... things I remember from high school are just little things.”

J- Wow, this is kind of avoiding the questions but I think it’s okay, even if you mess up, move on from it by learning.

What is your advice for students?

Mr. Sacco - “I'd say like, be honest, be true to yourself. and yeah, it's one of those things where you get out of it what you put into it.”

Mr. Cockrell - “Be able to fight for yourself and like, be open to, for new stuff, open to new stuff. And don't be afraid to be alone with your thoughts.”

Mr. Cockrell

She’s Back!

By Lucy Diffin ’25

Ms. Hanby is one of the best teachers I have ever had, and I know many students feel that way about her. I interviewed her on her return to Hebron Academy after being away for a year. Ms. Hanby has been at Hebron Academy since she was a student, and she has taught here on and off since 2000. When asked why she liked Hebron she said one reason was “The opportunity to create classes that can inspire students to debate and discuss,” and this is the exact type of experience you can enjoy in Ms. Hanby’s classes. Since she went to Hebron Academy for high school, she said that continuing to teach and coach here is a way to repay the school for the diverse, one-of-a-kind experience she had as a student. With her knowledge of the school, I asked what advice she would give to a new member of the community, and her response was to embrace the location; though it may be a different experience, that is a good thing. Ms. Hanby also said that it is important to meet and get to know new people and expand your circle, which is great advice to live by. Then I asked some more personal questions like what made her want to pursue a career in teaching. Ms. Hanby noted that since a young age she has been a role model for her two younger siblings. Ms. Hanby used her positive experiences as a guide and one positive influence in her life was always teachers. I also asked what she likes to do for fun. In her free time, Ms. Hanby likes to lift weights, spend time with her nieces and family, hike, snowshoe, and read. I would like to thank Ms. Hanby for being an amazing teacher and role model for everyone and for her time answering these questions.

Interview with Mrs. Applegate

By Casey Underhill ’26

Where did you work before coming to Hebron?

Mrs. Applegate: Harpswell Coastal Academy, which is a public charter school, so the structure of it is different from Hebron. I was an administrator there for two years.

Where are you originally from?

Mrs. Applegate: I grew up in Southern Maine, in the York Beach area which is 10-15 minutes from the New Hampshire border.

Why did you decide to come to Hebron?

Mrs. Applegate: After I graduated with my masters in Education, I thought for sure that independent boarding schools

would be the right sort of structure for me to be in, based on the things I care about in education and want to accomplish. Coming to Hebron, part of what was really exciting for me was the fact the administrative team has so much newness in it. I anticipated that I wouldn’t have to navigate around other people and the way they’ve done things forever. I was excited about building a new administrative team and the desire to change the school culture, and that’s why I chose Hebron.

What has been your favorite part of Hebron so far?

Mrs. Applegate: My favorite part of Hebron I think, is the work I get to do with the proctors. I think it's probably one of the most fun things that I do. It's a really helpful space for me because the proctors know so much more about Hebron than I do. I can ask questions, and we can find ways to keep different traditions going and to adjust things to make them feel more inclusive. I’ve really enjoyed that piece of my job.

How do you plan on making a better school/environment?

Mrs. Applegate: Every space I enter I want to leave better, so for me it's looking at inclusion, it’s looking at marginalized voices in our community, it's figuring out how we make sure more people are included and feel welcome. One of the things I loved about my first couple days with the proctors was that they also have this goal of helping people feel at home. I think that if we just tweaked a couple of things, that could be the experience for the majority of the people on campus.

What do you want to accomplish this year?

Mrs. Applegate: This year it’s really important for me to take a look at student leadership roles and really create some clear expectations around those. I think we have such interesting roles; we have class councils, we have house captains and then we have proctors, and I’ve definitely seen some moments where we are asking a lot from a handful of people instead of giving more responsibilities to other people.

Is Hebron similar to your high school experience?

Mrs. Applegate: Haha, absolutely not. My freshman year I went to an independent school that I helped to start. My first year of high school was just working with a group of students to hire our own faculty, rent our own building, get accredited. It was a lot of work and it was really fun, exciting, and rewarding. Then I went to public high school for the last three years, which was not a positive experience for me. On Homecoming weekend it was really interesting to me to see how many people were back on campus and excited to be in the place they went to high school at because that is not my experience at all.

What is your favorite high school memory?

Mrs. Applegate: I spent a lot of my high school experience skipping classes, hanging out in the art room and that was great. I was academically smart so I made sure I went to the classes where we had a test or quiz and I passed. All of the time I spent in the art room teaching people to shade was really great, I did like that.

What are some of your hobbies/ interests?

Mrs. Applegate: I’m a book person, I love reading and I like to write and I’ve always loved creative writing. I love trying out new restaurants and I also love to draw, specifically fashion designing like clothes and costumes.

And finally, What is something you want students and faculty to know about you?

Mrs. Applegate: I think it's important to know that they can come into my office without being in trouble, that’s totally fine! I do know the answers to some of your questions and am willing to find answers for the rest. I just want people to know that I’m excited to be here, and I’m excited to work on school culture!

Interview with Dr. Yang-Handy

By Cotton Strong ’23

A couple weeks ago, I sat down with Dr. Yang-Handy, our new Assistant Head of School at Hebron, to ask her questions about her time so far at Hebron and about her position that is both new to her and new to most students at the school. Here is that interview.

I think most people know that you’re from the Philippines, but now you’re in Maine. What led you to Hebron or where have you been before this?

I grew up in the Philippines, but I come from a multicultural and multinational background. My mom is from Finland and my dad is Filipino, of ethnic Chinese heritage. Moving outside of the country and looking for an international experience was just part of my history, my heritage, and my expectation for myself. I actually was born in Australia. I also lived in Taiwan for a little bit, then I came [to the US] for college, now almost thirty years ago, from the Philippines. I went to Clark University, so that was already in New England. I got my master's there as well. Maine was a place I visited, never really lived, until now. It's been really fun getting to know and appreciate the beautiful state that it is. I've known of Hebron before as an independent school and it has a reputation around experiential education and the love of nature and really encouraging those things in students that go to school here. All of those things are really appealing to me when this opportunity presented itself for a shift in work. It's such a privilege to live in a beautiful part of the world. I've had the opportunity to see a lot of the world in my life personally but also professionally running study abroad programs. I think that there are many beautiful places, but this is definitely one among them.

You have a doctorate in education. Did you have to write a dissertation or thesis?

Can I ask what it was on?

I did have to write a dissertation. I had a really unique program. It was education, policy and leadership where we looked at pedagogy and theory, but my specialization was in international education. In international education there are many different paths you can follow- one is really understanding education policy on a national level. My degree really focused on these policy issues. Looking at education from the standpoint of “how do different countries create systems and structures and policies of education all across the world?”

My dissertation was very different. I wrote about preparing visually impaired people for mainstream employment. I studied specifically a non-profit organization; it was a school for students who were visually impaired and blind. This was a school that was training visually impaired people to be able to have a job that actually paid them well because the options for people who are visually impaired are very limited. Typically, in the Philippines at least, you were a musician. It was like informal economy work that didn't pay very much, so many of these people needed a support system like other family members to pay for things for them. What was really phenomenal about that in relation to what I was interested in was the intersection of policy, education and disability- and then organizations that actually were advocating for the rights of people with disabilities in education and employment.

What specific thing made you want to come to Hebron?

I call myself, and others have called me, an experiential educator. I believe and have learned in my own life that being able to experience things firsthand really is the greatest teacher. Hebron has that reputation of being a school that encourages students to do things, test things out, to be embracing and welcoming of who you are as you step foot into the world because of who you are, not trying to create you or direct you to become something else as a student but how you as an individual can be nourished, nurtured, inspired, supported to find your own way.

Is there anything about Hebron that you weren’t expecting, now that you’re here? With the marketing and Instagram posts, it did seem like the school was really in touch with maximizing time with nature- like a fun place, like good things were happening. And that’s all true. But I think I’ve really come to appreciate just how caring the community is for one another. I've seen from the Last Words that people are uplifting each other. There's such deep compassion and connection. It seems like students can be who they are and still and grow in ways that are just authentic to themselves, and still feel like part of the community.

Can you explain your position and how you see yourself interacting with students?

First of all, I'm trying to work really hard to learn everybody's names. I think what's really great about my office is that when students walk by multiple times a day, I'm actually quizzing myself. I'm like, “Oh, I don’t know that kid's name.” I look them up , and then I'm like, Okay, I know that person now. The impact I hope is that they know I know their name , and that feels really good, right? In terms of the shifting of the names of the roles and who does what, Emily Carton had a big job. Really big job. It wasn't just me and Ms.Teske but also Mae Applegate and Dr. Swenton taking up pieces of her position. We're also at a very unique time in terms of what the school needs to be focusing on this year and in the next coming years because we're beginning a strategic planning process, which is just developing the long term plan for the school. There’s going to be more opportunities for students to weigh in and share their voice and opinions about different pieces in the future. We’re in the process of identifying the individual sets of responsibilities that are more appropriately Mrs. Applegate’s versus Mr. Hensley versus me and so on. But I'm always here to definitely say hello, get to know each other and support or help out if you’re confused. I hope that answer brings clarity. That’s really, really important. Because I know everyone’s thinking “Who do I go to for this or for that?”

Interview with Ms. Teske

By Casidhe Madsen ’23

I am excited to be given the privilege of introducing our new Head of Upper School, Ms. Teske. In my article, I will share how she came into education, what she enjoys doing and what she feels she is bringing to her new role here at Hebron Academy. While interviewing, Ms. Teske was very kind and open to answering my questions. I would like to add that based on my experience with her, I would say that if you ever need anything, Ms. Teske is the person to go to!

As I mentioned before, Elizabeth Teske is the Director of the Upper School. She was born and raised in New Jersey. She has a 14-year-old son named Liam. She described Liam as a very smart and kind young man. She says that her strengths are being very detail-oriented and she finds that she can make good connections with people. She also believes that she is the kind of person who can also see the whole picture. Two words that she used to describe her strengths were that she is caring and open. She noted that some of her weaknesses can be over-working but just a little too much.

Ms.Teske started teaching right out of college. She knew she wanted to have a job in education because her senior year of college she loved working as a peer tutor. She graduated college with a degree in Chemistry. In her early years, she thought she might want a job in genetics, but later decided to come to Hebron Academy because she fell in love with the feeling of community she found here. She also enjoys talking to all of the students and other faculty here at Hebron.

In her free time, Ms. Teske enjoys crafting, baking, and knitting. She also loves to go for hikes and walks. When I asked her what three words her students would use to describe her she proudly stated that they would say she is helpful, kind and sometimes a little strict. I also asked her what three words her colleagues would use to describe her and she stated that they would use the same three words: helpful, kind and sometimes a little strict.

Ms. Teske's favorite place to be is her couch. She said she loves to be cuddled up on the couch with a good book and some tea. She also said that she doesn't mind some conversation while she is cuddled up on the couch. When I was wrapping up this interview, I asked her: who is your hero and why? She was so stuck on this question that she asked if she could email me later, which she did. In her email, she said her heroes are the early female scientists, “who often ‘managed' their husbands' laboratories or who had to sneak into lecture halls or who were otherwise overlooked when they came up with original ideas. Science is such a rich field and the idea that anyone couldn't do science or couldn't find space at the table for science was awful. So, kudos to science pioneers!”

I really enjoyed my time getting to know more about Ms. Teske and her role here at Hebron Academy. I hope that you have enjoyed learning a bit more about her work and her personal life.

Writer’s Block: An Interview with Mrs. Dunbridge

By Cotton Strong ’23

Mrs. Dunbridge is Hebron’s new Director of Academic Guidance. I sat down with her to discuss her history and what led her to Hebron Academy, as well as what drives her passion to pursue academic guidance as a field. This is what she had to say:

"I began my career in nursing, and then transitioned to education. I continued my education and got a degree in interdisciplinary education, which means teaching from early childhood through eighth grade, and then I expanded into secondary education.

I'm very much about valuing the voice of students and that we learn best through collaboration, and not a hierarchical experience. I think that teaching and learning flow best when they run down the same stream, they share the same water and the same obstacles.

I discovered a place called Regio Amelia, in Italy, along the way in 1992. In Italy they allowed each providence a certain amount of funds to do something with their township or their community. So in Regio Amelia they built a school block by block from the demolished buildings left in World War II. During the time of Mussolini education was stifled. Thinking for yourself was never accepted. It was a time of regurgitating knowledge. So no one ever advanced.

And the part of this pedagogy they use in Regio that resonated with me was- the moment you're born, you are a citizen of the country. If you're an immigrant, you're a citizen of the country. Your rights are the same as any adult. You had the right to education. You had the right to speak your mind. You had the right to imagine, the right to discover. These were innate rights, they weren't something that were offered as privileges or gifts. My time there gave me a little bit of an experience to relate to some of our ESL students, because I went there with almost no Italian.

After that, I got accepted into grad school for sciences of learning, curriculum and instruction, and was hired by Upper Iowa University to start teaching educational methods classes. Also, around that time, I found out through diagnosis that I have ADHD.

It made a lot of sense because I could hyper focus and became a master at many things I wanted to know, right? So as I was in grad school, I found that. There's an underrepresentation of neurodivergent students in schools. It's like having to learn another language because your language isn't okay for others to speak.

You know, all brains have to be able to learn in a way that they can feel confident, you know? And I mean I think everyone knows what it feels like to get stuck. What does it feel like when your writer's block? It’s frustrating. Incredibly. And you get fixated on that frustration. You're just having so many thoughts. How do we get into one thought and move it forward ? Well, we do that by using different strategies. So I may actually bring a sheet to you and say, Hey, you have all of these things in your brain. Let's write them all out. Now that you have all of them, find a theme.

Which one of these feels right? Awesome. Write three more words that connect to that theme. Great. Now you have three paragraphs right there that are ready to go. Now that flow of writing is going to happen, and it's not going to be forced. It's going to be authentic. Why? Because you could see how capable you are. You already knew you could do it. Something up here was stopping it, but once we found what that communication was, it was okay. That is basically what I do.

My thesis was on supporting neurodivergent learners in the inclusive classroom because inclusion is important. Why is inclusion important? We all learn best when we learn together, right? Your experiences are different from mine, but mine aren't any better than yours. Bringing inclusion into the classroom is something I have dreamed about.

What I really want for AGC is for it to be more about academic growth and development and being aware of the kind of learner you are so that you can tell your teachers, “I learn best this way””

Interview with Mrs. Phillips

By Louisa Strong ’26

Mrs. Phillips is a new teacher at Hebron this year, but is already appreciated by much of the student body. Since joining the Hebron community, she has found that she loves the campus and the people in it. Mrs. Phillips has also been enjoying living in Maine, as well as living in Allen House, and is excited to host students and faculty in the future. Besides having people over to Allen House, Mrs. Phillips is looking forward to snowy walks on the trails and decorating for Christmas in this upcoming holiday season.

Her Algebra 1 students have many good things to say about her. One student said that Mrs. Phillips is a great teacher and is exceptionally good at helping people when they are stuck in class. Another student said that Mrs. Phillips is an astronomically energetic teacher, and that they are never bored in class. She has wanted to be a teacher for her entire life, and her love for teaching clearly translates into class. Her favorite parts of teaching are seeing the “Aha!” moments when a student understands what they’ve been struggling with. She strives to see students work together in class and develop new questions about what she is teaching.

Mrs. Phillips has been able to pursue multiple passions in her life besides teaching. Early in her teaching career, Mrs. Phillips took a full year off to paint and now has her art shown around the country. The year after that, she moved abroad to teach at an American school in Switzerland, from which she learned the importance of broadening your horizons and getting to know as much of the world as possible. She has brought her energy and life experience into the classroom, bringing her welcoming vibe to every interaction.

Student Artwork

“Shadows in the Attic”

By Autumn Tracey ’24

“Easy Listening”

By Nora Tobey ’24

“The Cave”

By Nazar Vialichka ’25

“Cup of Joe”

By Louisa Strong ’26

Why We Don’t Learn Good

By Cooper Phillips ’24

The American education system is full of flaws. This is an irrefutable fact, and is easily backed up by almost any measurable statistic. For example, despite spending nearly eight times more on education than any other country, the U.S. is ranked only eighth in math and seventh in science. Many test-based surveys place the U.S. even lower in these categories—often nearly 30th in math or science. Are American children simply less intelligent? Or does such a large-scale epidemic of low results highlight the question of whether the system itself is to blame?

I prefer to believe that we as a country are not entirely morons. Although we may certainly have a unique American stubbornness, that should not correlate whatsoever with nationwide idiocy. Instead, I lay the blame at the feet of our entire educational system.

The primary issue I take umbrage with is the obvious priority of the institution- from a student’s perspective, the goal is not learning or even comprehension, but simply achieving a meaningless grade. If these grades were accurate representations of knowledge, then this would be of no consequence, but they only serve to display to what degree a student is willing to waste their own time. The concept of rewarding hard work over actual skill, or in this case knowledge, is a long-standing American ideal most commonly referred to as “the American Dream.” However, hard work doesn’t always pay off in the real world, and is certainly not the only factor in determining success. Why, then, is it the only thing measured by our schools?

Consider a scenario in which a student knows all of the material that a class covers. This student receives 100% on all the tests and even aces the final, but they do not feel that they should have to do the homework or participate in class because they already know everything. Based on the nationwide average weight of homework and classwork grades (35% when combined), this student only receives a 65% in the class. A student in the same class that tries—does the homework, participates in class—but only manages to get 80% on all of the tests and the final will still end up with an 87% overall class grade. The less knowledgeable student received a letter grade two entire letters higher than the student who did not get a single question wrong on any assessment.

Kastelic, M. Image of students in class. Fair Observer., https://www.fairobserver.com/region/ north_america/us-education-system-history-american-news-headlinestoday-48059/.

I myself have performed an experiment based on this concept. Several years ago, I decided that doing homework was serving no purpose other than maintaining grades I viewed as worthless. I performed the calculations and realized that in order to maintain an A- in geometry, I only had to do one out of every three homework assignments for the rest of the year. However, I also had to get 100% on every remaining test. This balance between effort and measurable comprehension should not have been necessary.

I am not arguing that homework should be done away with in its entirety. I simply believe that grades should not be directly affected by homework. Instead, your grades should correspond to whatever you receive on your tests and quizzes —an adequate argument can be made for class participation as well—and homework’s only impact would be as a studying tool. Students that struggled to learn the material in class could rely on the homework to reinforce understanding, instead of being required to devote valuable hours of their day to repetitive, mindless tasks. They’ll do enough of that once they grow up and get a job.

Hurricane Fiona Hits Puerto Rico

By Kali Salazar Perez ’24

In the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, Puerto Rico has been left in shambles. Not only the towns, and homes of innocent people, but also their trust in their very own government. With history as a witness, Hurricane Irma, Katrina, and Maria are prime examples of natural disasters in which the United States government ran to protect its people and valued communities. So what is different about Puerto Rico?

For starters, Puerto Rico is unlike any state in the United States. Puerto Rico is in fact an unincorporated territory, meaning that it is US territory with no voting power in congress nor presidential elections. This is a major factor in the discontent coming from Puerto Rico; they don't get the choice to vote for who is supposed to help them. After the Category 1 storm hit Puerto Rico, it was after twelve days that President Biden came to visit the victims of the storm. His visit left Puerto Ricans skeptical and concerned for the future of their homes. According to NBC News, Biden only visited a small part of the Island with no official plan of action. Just the hopeful remarks that the people of Puerto Rico “deserve every bit of help your country can give you,” “That’s what I’m determined to do.” Keep in mind that the financial help for the last major storm, Hurricane Maria, is only now beginning to reach Puerto Rican communities.

With all of this up in the air, the roads and homes of Puerto Rico are submerged in the aftermath of Fiona, with civilians spending up to $50 a day just to maintain their generators running. If this brief example of how natural disasters and politics go hand in hand brings you anything, it should not just be an iota of knowledge, but the ability to open your eyes beyond just what the media and presidential speeches are presenting.

Nouvelage, Elijah. “A Destroyed Road and Home Are Seen in Guayama, Puerto Rico, Days after Hurricane Fiona Dropped over 20 Inches of Rain on the Island.” CNN, https://www.cnn.com/ 2022/09/24/us/puerto-rico-hurricane-fiona-aftermath/index.html.

Works Cited

Acevedo, Nicole. “Puerto Rico Hurricane Survivors Remain Hopeful and Skeptical after Biden’s Visit.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 4 Oct. 2022, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-hurricanesurvivors-remain-hopeful-skeptical-bidens-visit-rcna50472.

Lewis, Rachel. “Is Puerto Rico Part of the U.S?” Time, Time, 26 Sept. 2017, https://time.com/4957011/is-puerto-ricopart-of-us/.

Khalid, Asma, et al. “Will Disaster Response in Puerto Rico Improve under Biden?” NPR, NPR, 23 Sept. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/09/23/1124822808/will-disaster-response-in-puerto-rico-improve-under-biden.

The Problem With Book Banning

By Forest Pelletier ’23

America, the land of the free? Despite our signature catchphrase in the last couple of years there has been a surge in book censorship not seen since the 1980’s. Throughout the country various groups have successfully pushed for the banning of books they disagree with in their districts. Many such books include topics of gender, sexuality, and race. Regardless of the intent behind a book's content, groups of differing viewpoints have sought to remove them from their local schools and libraries.

Historically, book banning has been used in many different places as an attempt to suppress an opposing viewpoint. Many of the groups leading the charge have argued that it is within their freedom as parents to get rid of the books from their children's schools, but is this not restricting the freedom of their child to read what they would like?

Many of the targeted books come from a diverse range of authors representing groups that are often not portrayed in literature. These books act as resources for young adults to tread through their feelings and feel as though they are seen and have support. However the reading of these stories does not only help those who find similarities in their own story, it also improves the emotional intelligence of the reader. Reading fiction and non-fiction books that follow the perspective of characters in a story has been shown to increase a person's empathy along with their ability to tackle tough problems by keeping an open mind to new information and perspectives (Djikic et al, 2013).

Oftentimes the age and maturity of the reader is brought up as an excuse to get rid of books from a school. They argue that books including sexual content, assault, rape, racism, homophobia, genocide and various other mature or downright horrible things are too much for young adults. Within an unguided and naive child, they may very well be right. However that is not a reason to isolate them from learning of these things that they eventually will come upon themselves. Books are a form of sharing and remembering the experiences of others in a form that lets us learn from the past. Depriving young adults of the ability to learn of such things is an injustice to their development, leaving them ill prepared for their future in our world where this content very much exists. If the worry is truly that they are not mature enough to tackle these issues alone, then the focus should be on guiding the younger generation through these tough topics that plague many of us today.

“Collection of Frequently Banned Books.” USA Today, https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/ books/2021/09/27/banned-books-week-the-bluest-eye-harry-potter-1984-handmaids-talegoosebumps-golden-compass/5758877001/.

Works Cited

Djikic, Maja, et al. “Opening the Closed Mind: The Effect of Exposure to Literature on the Need for Closure.” Researchgate.net, Gravity Research Journal, Apr. 2013, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ 247163935_Opening_the_Closed_Mind_The_Effect_of_Exposure_to_Literature_on_the_Need_for_Closure.

Friedman, Jonathan. “Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools.” Edited by Nadine Farid Johnson, PEN America, 19 Sept. 2022, https://pen.org/report/banned-usa-growing-movement-to-censorbooks-in-schools/.

The Problem with Ye

By Jake Paderewski ’23

On Sunday October 9, 2022, Kanye West was banned on Twitter and Instagram for making an anti-Semitic statement. His words threatened the Jewish community, while simultaneously justifying the sentiments through his own experience as a Black man. His opinions, he said, were being silenced by the opposing side. Being a Jewish person myself, I am no stranger to comments like this but this worries me because this shows that this is a man who needs help.

Kanye is no stranger to controversy, having over and over again done less-than-ok things. This was seen on Instagram and Twitter after his split with Kim Kardashian, with him telling the platform that “White supremacy [is] at its highest” after Kim filed for divorce. The most talked about moment with Kanye happened in 2009, when he went on stage during an award show and interrupted the winner of “best female video,” Taylor Swift. He then announced that Beyonce should have won before walking off stage. In another instance, he called slavery a choice, and then went on to wear a “white lives matter” shirt.

Seeing as he has made outrageous statements time and time again, it can be inferred that this will continue to carry on unless Kanye receives professional help. He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but uses it as a crutch instead of owning up to his mistakes. Unless there is some sort of intervention, this will continue.

Examining America’s Public Transportation

By Mitchell Nazareth ’23

In America, public transportation is the backbone of the population, as it is responsible for transporting many people both inside and outside of major cities. Without public transportation, there is no basis or expectation for the movement of the American people throughout individual states, and the country as a whole. Although this is such an integral part of the American experience, public transportation has been disregarded as a result of rising car infrastructure, and an influx in suburban planning, wreaking havoc on the planning and execution of public transportation. Despite this disregard, public transportation has come back as a way to resolve many of the issues regarding transportation’s effectiveness, and emissions, as climate change becomes an increasingly important factor in deciding how people move around the globe. Because of this, it is important to be informed about why public transportation is so important, what caused it to fall out of the spotlight, and what changes can be made to better our environment, and citizens.

Suburban planning and car infrastructure is the number one destroyer of public transportation in the United States of America. This is evident as it is found that over ninety-five percent of American households own a car, and over eighty percent use their car to commute to work, as reported in 2010 by the article “Does Everybody Own a Car?” by Robert Chase. This number can be quite staggering, as it is one of the highest in developed nations around the globe, especially when compared to nations with strong public transportation, like Japan, Germany, Korea, and Norway. Cars becoming so widely available in the United States may sound excellent for the American economy, as it means more people making large financial investments, but the reason for these investments may cause turbulence in that train of thought. Currently, more Americans are invested in cars than ever before, especially as advancements in electric cars are on the rise. However, this interest in cars dates back to the creation of the United States suburbs. Suburbs began after World War II, when Americans wanted to move out from urban inner city apartments into sprawling homes, with large and winding streets lined with single family homes, a backyard, and a family. The American dream was finally attainable for working class white families, who moved into the suburbs in flocks, only going back into the crowded city to work or buy necessities. Cars allowed people to live wherever they pleased, and as a result, roads were paved and homes were built with the expectation that everyone living inside them would have a car. However, this notion has become increasingly false.

Cars have an undeniable effect on the planet and its temperature, as they directly spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing heat to be retained in the Earth's atmosphere. This change in temperature has been observed and marked by NASA, in their long running article “Global Temperature,” which gives accurate data regarding the recent heating of the Earth. This article shows a large increase in temperature readings since the 1880s, showing the result of industrial expansion, and includes an extreme spike from the late 1940s that was previously never apparent. This spike can be partly attributed to the expansion of car culture and increasing development of the United States,

where many areas were deforested and paved over to create the suburbs we see now. Since then, there has been legislation from the United States which hopes to curb the tailpipe emissions that are directly contributed to car’s. While these are all good things to observe and contribute towards, it does not exempt the overarching issue, which is that cars are not an efficient form of transportation for any large population of people. They weigh multiple tons, and waste too much energy for the transportation of one person. The problem of weight can be reduced by the use of carpooling, but the fact remains that there are better means of large scale transportation in cities and suburbs.

The solution to this problem is a more developed public transport system. Having wider bus networks, which run more regularly, with intermittent stops between high population centers, increases the usability of those buses, and also contributes to lowered traffic congestion. Additionally, the use of subways in cities within the United States, like Boston and New York City, have proven that implementation is possible and successful. Expanding the interconnectivity of a subway system like in Japan or Europe would help encourage people to get out of their cars and walk down the street into a subway, which also provides cheap and simple transportation for children or the unlicensed. If people had to worry less about the distance of their location from the closest subway, and worry more about the cost effectiveness of the subway system in comparison to their car, America would have much more travel through public transportation. Currently, only five percent of the American population travels the country through public transportation, as reported by Robert Chase. This number proves that American public transportation is a shell of its potential, and is the leading cause of American car culture.

Image of American Highway. Builderspace.com, https:// www.builderspace.com/5-reasons-why-u-s-roads-are-inbad-shape.

If people truly want to reduce climate change, car traffic, and lower the potential for climate change, it begins by building upon the insufficient foundation of public transportation that is available today in the United States of America. Updating our infrastructure, bus routes, subway availability, and train infrastructure, is crucial to move citizens away from the car dependent lives which many lead today. Without these things, nothing will change the circumstances many Americans are saddled with, as they are forced to buy cars to maneuver throughout society.

Works Cited

Chase, Robin. Does Everyone in America Own a Car? Embassy of the United States of America, Mar. 2010, https:// static.america.gov/uploads/sites/8/2016/04/You-Asked-Series_Does-Everyone-in-America-Own-aCar_English_Lo-Res_508.pdf.

“City and Suburb.” National Museum of American History, National Museum of American History Behring Center, 15 Apr. 2019, https://americanhistory.si.edu/america-on-the-move/city-and-suburb.

“Global Surface Temperature.” NASA, NASA, 20 Sept. 2022, https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/globaltemperature/.

Never Let Me Go and Its Relation to Our Society

By Robert Schroder ’24

The world we live in is a very cruel place. In order for anyone to gain, someone must lose something. In the novel Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, the main characters live in a world where people are willing to go much further than what we would consider “ethical.” After a big war, they have created a way to cure many diseases we currently think of as incurable. However, the process in which they do so is not in any way morally correct. They raise clones of humans solely to harvest their organs when they are old enough. This idea would be unimaginable to our society today. But, as Ishiguro put it, “How can you ask a world that has come to regard cancer as curable,...To put away that cure, to go back to the dark days?” (Ishiguro 263). This book is extremely related to our world, mainly in our sense of greed and selfishness, how we turn a blind eye to all of the bad things happening around us, and the ethicality of such things.

Our greed and selfishness have been a part of us as far back as you can look in history. One of the greatest examples of this are conquerors. All throughout history, the world has been conquered and fought over. We waged war and destroyed civilizations, killing millions, if not billions, of people. All of this to claim land and gain wealth. It is no surprise that Ishiguro depicts society in his book just as greedy, if not more greedy than us. The extent that society has gone to just to get organs for transplants is morally wrong. However, if we had the same technology in our world, there would be, at least in secret, the same thing happening. There is no way to stop people’s greed. Time is the most valuable thing we are given, and if people have a way to get more of it, they would go to any extent to get it. In Never Let Me Go, the society cares solely about themselves and their family, and not at all about the people being sacrificed to give them organs. As long as it’s not affecting them or hurting them in any way, they don’t care what happened to the clones.

We, as humans, constantly turn a blind eye to things we don’t want to confront or think about. Politicians, world leaders, companies, and even society in general ignore the things they do not want to face. Some examples of this are how we constantly ignore climate change. Companies ignore the amount of pollution they are creating, while consumers do not even realize how much they themselves are producing. We ignore the invasion of Ukraine because it’s on the other side of the world and doesn’t affect us. We act like Covid didn’t even happen, even though millions of people died. This is because it is easier to look away than to open our eyes.

In the case of the clones, society has already gotten used to being able to cure incurable diseases. They would rather keep their eyes closed, and imagine that the organs just appear out of thin air, and were not stolen from human beings who are raised to think of their “donations” as a normal occurrence. “What I'm not sure about, is if our lives have been so different from the lives of the people we save. We all complete. Maybe none of us really understand” (Ishiguro, NLMG Movie). This quote perfectly captures how little the clones know about the real world. Even though they know their lives are quite different, they still think their lives are still similar to a normal person’s. This shows how innocent and unknowing the clones actually are.

The ethicality of the “project” discussed by Ishiguro is nonexistent. The concept of raising clones of humans in order to kill them and harvest all of their vital organs is not even close to morally acceptable. With this said, Hailsham was still the closest way to do such a thing ethically. They allowed the clones to have a childhood and experience the real world at the cottages for a few years. However, even with this, “There are students being reared in deplorable conditions, conditions you Hailsham students could hardly imagine” (Ishiguro 261). This shows how awful the conditions for the clones really were, and how they were basically treated as lab rats and science experiments.

Overall, Never Let Me Go reflects our world very well. This could even be a possibility one day, if we lowered our morals enough. But it’s not that far off. We, as the human race, have done many terrible horrors that still affect us to this day. The biggest one, somewhat obviously, is slavery. Slavery is, in principle, quite similar to the clones’ lives. Children born into slavery are raised to believe that their lives are normal, just to all have the same fate. This, for slaves, being indefinite servitude, and for the clones, donating all of their organs. However, one thing that people don’t realize is that slavery still exists. According to End Slavery Now, “There are an estimated 21 million to 45 million people trapped in some form of slavery today.” It cannot be emphasized enough how well Ishiguro painted a picture of our current society. The greed, evil, and lack of morals that exists in our world is immeasurable. “I saw a new world coming rapidly. More scientific, efficient, yes...But a harsh cruel world” (Ishiguro 273). This relates to how even when we make a new discovery, or a step in the right direction, we will always be held back by the cruelness, selfishness, and greed of the human race.

Keenan, Jamie. “Cover of Never Let Me Go.” Goodreads, https:// www.goodreads.com/book/ show/

Works Cited

Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. Faber and Faber, 2021.

“Never Let Me Go Quotes by Kazuo Ishiguro.” Goodreads, Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/ 1499998-never-let-me-go.

“Slavery Today: Different Types of Human Trafficking.” End Slavery Now, http://www.endslaverynow.org/learn/ slavery-today.

Letter of Student Concerns

By Beatrice Money ’23 in collaboration with others

When the students found out we might not be going to Sunday River for the 2022-2023 ski season, we were devastated. However, we did not let this initial sadness get to us, and wanted to do everything in our power to change the minds of the administrators that made this decision. We wanted them to see our perspective on the issue. We did this through a letter. The letter states our distress, the reasons we should go to Sunday River, and a solution that would work for everyone. After reading the letter and taking our ideas into account, the administration decided that we would go to Sunday River. We could not be more pleased with our hard work, as it truly shows the power that students’ voices can have. Below is that letter. - Bea Money

To Whom it May Concern, Hebron has always been a community that values student voices and perspectives. We relish the relationships with teachers and administrators at this school. Together we have overcome all sorts of obstacles and challenges by working together. In addition Hebron education empowers students to use their voice to implement positive change. We are grateful for the independence and problem solving skills we have learned here and to that end we would like to unite our voices to try to invoke change. Finally we have grown to love this part of Maine. Hebron has taught us to value the outdoors and the competitive atmospheres we surround ourselves with.

Skiing has always been a critical part of the Hebron Academy experience. It is a winter sport that around a hundred students enjoy every year. Of that group of kids, several competitively ski and snowboard for Hebron. In past years we have seen kids ski at both the regional and national level. We believe that the administration and faculty at Hebron should be supporting these athletes to the best of their abilities, which we don’t think would occur if we skied at Pleasant Mountain. We understand the argument that it will be challenging to adjust the schedule and provide transportation to and from the mountain; however, the benefits of skiing at Sunday River vastly outweigh the negatives.

To begin, Sunday River and Pleasant Mountain are incomparable in terms of size. Pleasant Mountain has just one peak, six lifts, and a mere forty-four trails. Sunday River, on the other hand, has eight peaks, eighteen lifts, and 135 trails. In this way the mountains are incredibly different, and Sunday River would offer more terrain for both advanced skiers and beginners. For example, Pleasant Mountain only has four double-black diamonds (the most advanced trail), while Sunday River has twenty-three. Advanced skiers and snowboarders need this type of terrain in order to improve, and Pleasant Mountain will not provide this. Pleasant Mountain has three terrain parks, Sunday River has seven. Snowboarders and skiers who enjoy parks will not be fulfilled by Pleasant Mountain, especially if they are working towards bigger features. Sunday River even has an Olympic-sized park, which would allow snowboarders to improve and learn how to ride larger features. Sunday River also has a boardercross feature. Boardercross is a pump-track style feature primarily used for snowboarding, but also skiing. One of our representatives planned to compete in this event this coming season, due to past successes.

Taking into account the shift to Pleasant Mountain, students hoping to compete in these events may be forced to pay for lift tickets to a completely separate mountain, which could be a huge obstacle.

We understand that making the switch to Sunday River from Pleasant Mountain is very last minute, but as students we will do anything possible to make it happen. Scheduling is one issue that has to be addressed. The current schedule would only allow us forty-five minutes at Sunday River, which is obviously not enough time. However, based on schedules from previous years, we have several ideas as to how daily and weekly schedules would work, while still making it to the mountain on time. For example, on a Wednesday and Friday, we could start classes at eight. That would allow us to fit five fifty minute classes into the day, and still end our academic day by 12:30. With this schedule we would have plenty of time to eat and get on the bus, allowing us to arrive at Sunday River by 2-2:30. The day would run like so:

A Block: 8-8:50

B Block: 8:55-9:45

C Block: 9:50-10:30

D Block: 10:35-11:25

E Block: 11:30-12:20

Depart for Sunday River: 1:00

It is clear that the day would be busy, but definitely not overwhelming as many students have freeblock to compensate. Learning how to work through a vigorous schedule will be an important lesson for students before college and careers after college. Another point being brought up by administrators is that this schedule would not benefit non-skiing students. But in actuality, it absolutely would. Many athletes on the Varsity Hockey and Basketball teams have games that are very far away. For example, several teams play Northfield Mount Hermon, which is over three hours away. With the day ending sooner on Wednesdays and Fridays, it would allow these students to miss fewer classes and be more academically successful.

Another reason we should go to Sunday River is the unhappiness surrounding the decision. After sending out a petition to the whole school, we found out that ninety students wanted to go to Sunday River rather than Pleasant Mountain, which is a vast majority of the students planning to participate in the Hebron ski program. This statistic shows where the student body wants to ski, and their disappointment at the change.

After morning meeting last week, the idea of traveling to Sunday River and other, larger ski mountains was presented. While we understand and appreciate that compromise, we also believe that that suggestion is not feasible in the long run. While purchasing a season pass to Sunday River pays off in the long run, especially because of the amount of time we have spent on the mountain in past years, lift tickets on their own are incredibly expensive. For many people, buying a single ticket is not worth it, and is not necessarily financially feasible. After looking into it, we found that the prices for a season pass at Pleasant Mountain, with Hebron’s deal, are not significantly cheaper than the price would be for a pass at Sunday River. Therefore, paying extra for weekend tickets, when we could be skiing at Sunday River every week for a similar price, not only does not make sense, but is a serious additional cost for students hoping to improve their skills.

As a student body we are not asking for immediate change, as we know it does not work that easily. However, we would like to have a reconsideration meeting, as many students have not had a proper voice in the decision process, especially considering the decision is going to severely impact our season. We would like this meeting to have two or three students and Ms. Stokes present. She is our current Alpine Race Coach and has been a part of the greater snow-sport industry for thirty years, she would provide unbiased and relevant information to our conversation.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, The Student Body

Student Artwork

“The Cabin”

By Jillian Applegate ’25

“Raku Vases”

By Mitchell Nazareth ’23

“Dragon Notan”

By Liam Snodgress ’26

“Mr. Frog”

By Abrielle Johnson ’23

“They’re Making Jam”

By Kate Dilworth

’25

A Fresh Start - Writing Contest Winner

By Long “Jack” Ngo ’24

Summer has ended! The heat, and sunny days of the city were coming to an end. Everyone started to feel the breeze. The campus started to be crowded with students and faculty. Another year has come! Last year was the beginning of exploration. There was a hole in my heart filled with sorrow and loneliness. A difficult start with a variety of barriers was a brief description for the past school year. Yet, my sophomore year had ended successfully. I’d made new friends and integrated with the new environment. This junior year is a fresh start. There is no longer sorrow and loneliness in the heart. A new beginning is waiting for me!

Integration is important in every environment whether it is domestically or internationally. The first couple of weeks last September were tough and hard for me. I struggled in understanding a new language that although I had studied for years, I had yet to use on a daily basis. I was lost on the campus, in the dining hall, or even in my own dorm. I started to close my heart to everyone. My personality transformed into an introvert from an extrovert individual. I didn’t have any friends and always ate alone in the dining hall, or rushed to my own room holding a plate filled with food just to pretend that I was busy. Honestly, the first couple months were tough. I struggled to adapt to the new environment, and new country; however, the rest of the year was better. I started to make new friends, and created some good memories with them. The year ended successfully in both daily life, music, and academics. I sometimes forget that I had a really tough year. When I look back, I always criticize myself for making my life harder. I was shy, and scared. I didn’t have the guts to make friends.

“Variety of Music Notes.” Pinterest, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/ 389209592767956831/.

This year, everything is different. I picked up the new year by making friends. I started to meet new people. Many of my friends left the school, or graduated, yet the new people are the perfect replacement for the holes. I am more active, and extroverted than last year. In order to avoid the mistake that I’ve made, I need to be on the active side. Indeed, I no longer feel the loneliness, or lost on the same campus, and in the same dining hall I was last year. No more pretending to be busy, or rushing just to avoid loneliness. The first couple weeks of my junior year are as successful as one half of my sophomore year. I found the direction, or the path, every morning. I am no longer lost in the crowd that I was afraid and scared of.

Music is my passion, and hobby. I enjoy playing the piano, yet I had to stop for a long period of time. That was from last year. Because of being introverted and shy, I didn’t have the courage to touch the keyboards on the piano in LePage. I just looked at the piano with desire but also with a lack of confidence. That long period of time along with my struggle was boring and tasteless. I struggled to find joy in academics and daily life, but then I got to meet with Jake, who inspired me to play the piano. That was also the start of my enjoyment in academics, and music.

This year is a new beginning. I kicked up the new year playing the piano on my first day at LePage. I realized that playing my favorite instrument despite others’ feelings toward myself is always better than avoiding my hobby because of being such an introvert. This year, I picked up on the success that I had made by playing the piano. This year is going to be another successful year in terms of music. I played my first Music Monday, and big events like the Homecoming Event, which I had never had a chance to play in September.

In a nutshell, this brand new fall season marked a fresh beginning. The old school year had gone and all the mistakes and mischances stayed in my Sophomore Year. Junior Year is important, which is why I would enhance a better version of myself who won't make mistakes, or miss the opportunities to make my journey even better. A fresh start and a new beginning is waiting to be explored ahead.

That Old September Feeling - Writing Contest

Winner

By Manuela Anton ’25

I knew this school year would be different from the rest and like nothing I had ever experienced before. I was not ready to live on a whole different continent for nine months and thinking about it made me feel overwhelmed and nervous. However, I couldn’t help feeling excited because of everything I was going to do for the first time: flying by myself, visiting the United States, studying at a boarding school…

I perfectly remember the last days before leaving. I had spent all summer convincing myself that I had many days left until the start of the school year. Quicker than a blink of an eye, September had already come and I had only one day left. People had asked me before if I was feeling nervous about going to school away from home on a whole different continent, and every time, my answer was the same. I always responded that I was not feeling nervous at all and that I still had time to enjoy my last days in Spain and spend them with my friends and family. When people asked me the question again on September first, I wanted to give them the same answer and appear confident, but I knew it was not that way anymore. I was terrified of taking such a big step. My grandfather was ill and I was scared he would leave us while I was in America. I didn’t want my friends to forget me and exclude me when I came back. I was scared of missing fun things and regretting it. I had negative concerns in my mind that I couldn’t make go away.

On September 2nd there was no going back. I had to be positive and take the huge opportunity that was being offered to me. I woke up early to get ready. I trembled a little while closing my suitcases. My parents took me to the airport and there we all said our goodbyes. They had told me they would definitely cry, but to my surprise, they just waved bye and gave me the biggest, most reassuring and comforting smile. My heart stopped for a minute and tears formed in my eyes, but I didn’t let them escape. “My parents can’t see me like that. I have to be strong,” I thought. Before turning back, I looked at my sister, the only one that had said she wouldn’t cry. She was almost crying. I couldn’t believe it. We fought a lot over the most stupid things, like all siblings do, but at the end of the day we knew we loved each other tremendously, and that moment really made it clear for me. I knew I was going to miss her a lot, but she was excited for me and what I

was about to experience. Thinking about this moment is making me cry right now, and I never thought I would drop a tear thinking about my little sister, the one person that gets on my nerves the most and perfectly knows how to annoy me. But I can’t help it; I absolutely adore her.

When I arrived in Hebron, I was a little uncertain and homesick. Nonetheless, I tried thinking about all the opportunities I would get from this experience. I had a chance for the fresh start I always wanted. A new country, a new school, and new friends. Everything would be new. The first few days here were way better than I expected. I was terrified of having trouble making friends, but I was surprised by how fast I formed a bond with most people I met. I felt very comfortable and started getting to know more people everyday and discovering more about the place in which I was going to live and make memories.

“Image

The first full day of classes was very nervewracking. Before I came to Hebron, I imagined myself lost because of the language barrier, and being left out because no one I knew was in my classes. I realized that was part of the experience and I had to learn how to deal with those situations and make the best out of them. I approached everyone I could in my classes, and even though it is true I found it easier to talk to the people that spoke Spanish, I forced myself to speak to those who didn’t as well.

Another thing that worried me was the fall sport. I had signed up for soccer but never played before, and all my friends were doing field hockey. I decided to think of this as an opportunity to force myself to get to know new people and develop a new skill or a hobby that I didn’t know about before. Also, since soccer is very big in Spain, I believed this would keep me connected to my origins, culture and family. In Spain I always used to watch soccer games with my parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, grandparents and cousins. I remember the stress my family and I felt when the team we supported was not winning. Trying soccer for the first time has made me realize that we can enjoy something we never thought we would.

I started this school year with a question: “How can I make the most out of this year?” I have thought about it and for this year to be successful, I would like to accomplish many goals I proposed. Mainly, my goal is to work on my English. I want to improve my writing skills, and maybe even speak English just as well as I speak Spanish. I also want to make friends I will keep for many years and make memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. Given that I am only staying for a year, I want to experience fun and unforgettable adventures. I always wanted to go to an American Football game or a NBA game, attend a School Ball, and visit the biggest cities in the USA, like New York, Boston, Chicago. Maybe this is something I can cross off my bucket list this coming year.

of Hebron Academy Campus.” Strava, https://www.strava.com/clubs/hebronacademy-601283.

Another Beginning - Writing Contest Winner

By Alexandra Hounsell ’27

It’s another beginning, another fresh start, where the end and start isn’t far apart.

The air fresh and new, blowing with leaves, That flip and twist gradually off its trees. The people start arriving, New stories are told,

Another year making the others feel old. I sit in the benches, just like last year, The memories are still there, fresh and clear. But something feels different, Not quite sure yet, Maybe because I don’t feel the miserable weather we fret. Or maybe more knowledge than I had months before, Or maybe feeling older, or opening new doors.

But either way, feeling old, feeling new, One thing doesn’t feel unfamiliar or askew.

With the new faces that shine and unity making its work of art,

A promise of a new beginning, another fresh start.

Catch Flights, Not Crutches

By Kali Salazar Perez ’24

Sprinting across the pine green turf of Hebron Academy, as my team and I approach our victory against our rival school Kents Hill, the smile on my face could not be wiped away. The wind blows my unruly braid away from my face just as it blows the rest of my troubles away; it feels as if I’m flying. The only thing that matters at this moment is the field hockey ball and the net. As I write this, I can once again feel the euphoria of my endorphins pumping. Except that never happened. I did not get to play, my troubles were never blown away, and that illusion of flying never came. Instead, I was left with the colossal weight of my crutches dragging me down.

The first time these specific crutches made an appearance in my life was when I was about nine years old and my father was hit by a car. Every time they have re-entered my life since, my life seems to freeze before my eyes, and never return to how it was. With their five-and-a-half pound aluminum build, scratches along the sides, and purple phone pouch attached to the right handle, their chilling aura never fails to disconcert me. When my father recovered from surgery, I thought I had escaped the burdensome anxiety of these crutches, but even after five years, they could not seem to leave me alone.

With the feeling of flying racing through every joint in my body as I passed a lacrosse ball with my best friend, nothing could’ve been more perfect. I might mention that I was new to this sport and I honestly had no idea that catching a lacrosse ball in the tiny weaved pocket of a lacrosse stick could be so difficult, nor that it could hurt so much. The sun began to set as we started getting into more difficult drills with the rest of the team. With pink, purple, and orange hues painting onto the sky and the breeze flowing through my tightly braided hair, my first practice was going better than expected. This was until my teammate was injured. I distinctly remember the feeling of my heart plummeting to my stomach as her knee made a wretched cracking sound. The thunderclap of her knee folding over initiated the darkness that began to smudge the colorful hues that the sky once showed. As the practice ended early and our teammates carried her to the car, I felt like I was frozen. I watched her dad panic about how much the medical bills at urgent care would cost as her little sister started crying at the sight of her now purple knee. I later found out that her ACL had been torn, and that she would not be returning to practice. This accident was once again followed by the dreadful crutches I had seen my father use before. No matter how fast I tried to run, the crutches latched on to me just as my knee brace had.

“Image of Crutches.” Clipart Library, http://clipartlibrary.com/pictures-ofcrutches.html.

Fourteen months after this incident, I step onto the field for a game against Kents Hill. Although I am without crutches, my heart no longer pumps with the endorphins of flying. I am left with the needless fear, anxiety, and depression that heightened as I was ridiculed for being the “knee brace girl.” Stepping onto the field,

after months of physical therapy and a grand total of eight months on crutches, I remember what happened after I was carried to the car. I remember the fathomless anxiety I felt leaving my room and the despairing feeling as I watched my friends play the game I loved. Then, finally, I remember when those feelings dispersed and I could walk with my own two legs, except that ability to walk did not last.

Once again, as soon as I thought I was rid of those horrid crutches, they returned. As I slipped while taking a step down, the thunder of my knee collapsing struck again. I have replayed this moment in my mind every day since it happened. I replay the crack, the agonizing pain, the embarrassment, and finally the flood of feelings I thought I had surpassed. As I was wheeled to my car once again, further away from all the things that brought me joy, the crutches seemed to be there waiting for me. The crutches came everywhere with me from then on; up the Senior Path and down to the fields. Not only did they carry my phone, but they carried me. As I re-learned how to bend my knee and how to walk, no one understood the crippling depression that was brought to me by these crutches.

“Fall Leaves.” Clipart Library, http:// clipart-library.com/free/ fall-leaves-transparent-

Then the whistle was blown and the game began, fourteen months after the initial return of the crutches. I had carried these crutches with me for so long that I could not remember how to run, nor how to play this game I had once loved. The familiar anxiety of re-learning something I had once enjoyed stays at the front of my mind. My crutches no longer carry me, but I think that I might always carry them.

Take the Red Pill

By Kaan Uslular ’23

When I came to the United States for the first time, I made strong eye contact with the border officer. She looked at me and asked, “What’s the purpose of the visit?” I was so excited because I had prepared for this simple question during the ten-hour flight. I was ready to say complex sentences with flawless grammar and an American accent. The anticipated moment came, she asked the question, and my mind suddenly stopped.

Thinking–hesitation–and then simply: “Education!” All the sentences I practiced during the flight flew from my mind. I wanted to say more to show that I’m better than just “education.” I wanted to say, “ My purpose of visiting is to become a neurosurgeon.” She would look at me in a confused and amazed way. At that moment, I realized that I did not know anything about what I was about to go through. My family was thousands of miles away in Istanbul, I was overthinking my language barrier, and most importantly, I was not quite sure what the future would bring. I promised myself: If you want to learn how deep the rabbit hole goes, don't be afraid to pursue your dream and take the red pill.

I needed to accomplish the first hard part: pursuing the truth about what I believe. For example, I always hesitated when

Do I need to choose the hard path in order to grow? What would happen if I just took the blue pill?

I was engaged in other people’s thoughts about my religion. The fear of exclusion kept my words stuck in my tongue when I wanted to share new perspectives to shape their thinking. In my imagination, untruthful rumors from people, social media, and the news had misled the Western population about Islam.

One day, a teacher who is responsible for diversity on campus wanted me to give a speech about Ramadan and fasting at a school assembly. I almost got the blue pill to continue to believe in the fear of uncertainty. Then, my promise echoed in my head as if the border officer had whispered the purpose of my visit. Believing in my religion was part of my personality. The time arrived to take the red pill, especially at this moment when I didn’t want to step up.

I went onstage in front of all the school with a wild heartbeat. I realized the negative energy that I carried before was a barrier to revealing the real me. When I explained the reason why we fast, the audience looked at me with pure focus. After sweating through that life-long ten minutes, my peers smiled at me as if the story of myself opened a new door in their thinking. At the same time, delivering this speech opened my own eyes to the importance of a little suffering along the way to finding the truth about myself.

That fire of fear inside me was burning away all the doubts along with the growth of my personality. Grit was the only thing that kept me conscious so that I could find the courage to escape from the illusion of truth. My uncertainty turned into confidence. The people who were listening taught me that nothing will be real if I don’t attempt to conquer my fear, which sometimes means choosing the harsh way. Speaking the truth about myself was just one of the steps I needed to take to pursue the right path.

Take the red pill.

Spinning in Place

By Barbora Prochazkova ’23

“Image of Red and Blue Pills.” Psych Alive, https:// www.psychalive.org/red-pill-or-blue-pillwhat-you-dont-know-may-hurt-you/.

Have you ever felt like there’s one thing in your life more powerful than anything else? I always have this feeling on the ice. I spend the best times in the cold, laughing, dreaming, and flying somewhere where no one exists–that is what ice means to me.

My dad taught me how to skate when I was tiny, and I immediately fell in love. As soon as I improved my skills, I joined a figure skating club and found my passion.

Coaches dragged me to competitions out of my comfort zone, and their only goal was to make a “champion” of me. Because of those expectations, I was put under enormous pressures that I could not escape from. These goals turned into abusive practices: diets, schoolwork, and a chaotic schedule. The most extensive advice I was given to keep up my incredible jumps was “One pound down, five inches up.” If I were skinnier, boneless even, that would be a perfect weight for my performance.

Unfortunately, this motivation did not help as much as it should have. My anxiety from it did not leave; it haunted me, and I created an unhealthy relationship with food. Every day I had to measure my weight; after each practice I was unhappy because instead of losing the weight, I gained–again! The reasons why I should quit overwhelmed me until there was nothing else left. My health was the first priority, but I was crying, thinking ‘what if,’ missing my comforting place. I felt I had no purpose as the failure I thought I was.

Months of wondering and dealing with all the emotions I had suppressed for ten years led me to philosophical questions like “What do I do now?” I was primarily worried about my future without my passion. Without figure skating, I felt I had no hope left. Feelings of blurry numbness filled me every day, with no reason to wake up in the morning.

Finally, though, my parents wanted me to pick a new sport. Out of nowhere I answered, “Hockey.” So I started training as an ice hockey player. I thought that the transition would be easy, but that was a colossal understatement. Still, I thought I would be on the top sooner or later.

The problem was – should I stay or give up? I am very stubborn, and there is no way back when I set a goal. So I convinced everyone, even myself, that I could do this and prove everyone wrong. That was my motivation at first–until I realized how much I loved it, how excited I was to finish my online classes during Covid-19 to go skate with my brother on the frozen pond and feel the peace I always get when I am there.

It is never about the people I am on the ice with. It is about standing there–having a place for myself, and getting anything I have in my head out. Alone, nonetheless not lonely, on the ice–creating my favorite place in the world.

Student Project

By Kate Hashiya ’24

Kate Hashiya’s astonishing English project in response to The Catcher In The Rye expresses a sophisticated understanding of the novel and brought tears to Ms. Van Buskirk’s eyes reminding us of the incredible power of literature.

Student Artwork

By Aaron Han ’23

“Climbing up the Walls”

Inspired by the song

By Sara Levy ’23

by Radiohead

“It’s everywhere” is what was said, noticing the shadow below.

“There’s only light,” The voice echoed from ahead.

“It’s everywhere.”

An exasperated sigh was heard: “What is seen and what is there are different, there’s no similitude from both, they’re separate.”

What does that mean? Is this hard to understand?

“Then, what is the blackness in the floor that follows me around? What are the eyes from it that insist on seeing me and only me?” The rasp in the voice is present. There is something impalpable to everyone but “Me, it will only watch me.”

“It’s called paranoia.” The man in glasses was as ludicrous as the pick breaking the iced mind.

“What you describe is but a two dimensional shadow created by the light upon you.”

“There’s no light upon me. There is nothing but a lasting reflection in a closed basement.”

“How can there be a reflection in an empty place?” The question remained unresolved. There is not anything known of this but the mind knows it exists.

“It’ll never leave, it remains locked in crypt as it follows me in this other shape you speak of.”

“A shadow?” A question meant for understanding, yet without any empathy or cause of it.

“It’ll always follow behind.”

“Behind who?”

“Me, no one else but me. Everywhere and everywhen. Time and place are the same. It watches and one day, I’m sure of it, it will strike.”

“If it’s everywhere you go all the time, then what’s the point in securing the house and windows? If it goes with you whenever then this shape is inescapable.”

“It can climb up the walls but not come in, it can watch me, but I’m safer inside.”

“There is nothing there, I need you to understand that.” A hitched breath “Your irrational fear is but a mere delusion. Everyone is safe and nothing will attack because it’s just an empty space.”

The shutting of the door is what came next along with a blurred eyesight and an indescribable feeling.

Unbelievable how little people believe.

For all of this is true as the shadow in the floor smiles. “We’re friends ‘til we die,” it says but nobody hears it, nobody but me.

“Climbing up the Walls Cover Image.” Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/ track/2PDQReEXBViVwkrbQ34vd7.

Friendship Long Island

By Charlotte Hilton ’23

Friends since second grade, Spent the night alone But together On an island in Maine.

Lobster boats rumble by At 5am, When they decide to go For a morning swim.

Old crusted over traps Covered in dried fish guts Line the side of the docks.

The first girl takes a deep breath, Getting the smell of pine and salt In the air.

Taking careful steps To not get splinters From the old wharf.

The sting of Cold salty waters Engulf her body.

The screaming, laughing, giggling Girls wake the rest Of the island.

If they weren’t already woken by The lobster boats.

Gulls screech just As loud as the girls. But the birds are Not as happy.

Since they did not Have cheesy eggs For breakfast.

Editors: Nola Goodwin ’23 Cotton Strong ’23 Junior Editors: Hannah Sullivan ’24 Erin Keville ’24 Graphic Designers: Julia Lopo ’23 Nora Tobey ’24 Ines Lopo ’25

Faculty Advisor: Barbara Waterman

Fall 2022