Volume 10, Issue 13
5.5.2015 A PUBLICATION BY HOLDERNESS STUDENTS FOR THE HOLDERNESS COMMUNITY
2015 -16 Picador Editors Chosen By AJ Chabot ‘16 The editors for the 2015-16 Picador staff have been chosen! This year we had a very extensive and competitive group; with18 applicants and only five openings, we had to make some tough decisions. Class year, gender, recommendations of the English department, previous involvement in the newspaper, and participation in other activities on campus all played a role in the selection process. To those who applied, thank you; we are sorry we can’t make everyone editors! Fortunately, many of you who applied are underclassmen, so please apply again next year! In the meantime, we would also like all of you to be on our list of staff writers. More details on that in the fall. Now back to the new editors. Ultimately, Dougie DeLuca, Maggie Cunha, Carter Bourassa, Brooke Hayes, and Chae Hahn were chosen to join Maggie Barton and AJ Chabot as the 2015-16 editors. With three juniors and four seniors, The Picador is ready to take on another full year of news. We will definitely hear more from our
new editors next fall, but in the meantime, here are a few excerpts from their applications to help you get to know them.
been published in the LA Times and the Boston Herald – an impressive accomplishment that only strengthens her credibility as an editor.
First, Maggie Cunha’s application is probably longer than all of the written work she will do next year combined. She is “very passionate about writing and expressing her ideas on paper” and is willing “to put a lot of effort into this and work hard to make the paper as good as it can possibly be.” Maggie is also “intensely organized and detail oriented;” I think all who know her can attest to this.
Somewhere along the course of this year, Dougie DeLuca “found a passion for writing.” As Dougie’s roommate, I can 100% attest to this claim. I never knew what Dougie was doing late at night on his computer, pounding away on the keys as if he was playing the piano. I never asked—I just threw in my earplugs. But, now I know that each night, Dougie was writing “poetry, short stories, and reflections about a wide variety of topics.”
Showing readiness and enthusiasm for the job, Maggie also offered up a few suggestions for The Picador based on her experiences as a news writer for The Milton Paper. Maggie hopes to “work to involve more students in the paper, find subject matter that’s relevant and interesting to the Holderness community…[and] brainstorm unique and eye-catching subject material to draw in readers.” Previously published in The Picador, Maggie is most famous for her satirical gluten-free article. Maggie has also
Dougie is most excited to be an editor, because never before has he “had the chance to use [his] writing to actually contribute to something.” One goal Dougie has for The Picador is to make it “more fun and interactive.” With Dougie’s can-do attitude, he will be able to write about anything and everything, but he has particular interest in sports and music— along with an extensive stock of knowledge in both. Carter Bourassa will be our new junior editor, and the whole school should be
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Senior Thesis Projects By Charlotte Freccia ‘15
The cutest tourists at Disney World, courtesy of Leah Curtis.
Nikki Blair helps out at an adaptive ski program.
Jack Yanchitis catches a...yeah.
Abby Jones summits a peak in Utah.
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Cam Robertson gets technical at the wind-power facility.
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Charles Harker’s impressive panorama of the broadcast booth overlooking TD Garden (featuring Charlie Day).
Elly Bengsston makes friends with a sea turtle.
Cayla Penny’s equine companion.
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Henry Liu poses with an older, more mature friend.
Hope Heffernan’s award-winning selfie in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
Maggie Peake in Muscle Shoales, Alabama, working with songwriter Jimmy Johnson.
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Outside the Holderness Bubble The adventure upward, the journey inward Paker Densmore ’15 Parker Densmore: How did your time at Holderness impact your photography and climbing? Jake Norton: I got into climbing two years before attending Holderness, but the school’s love for the outdoors and the community’s emphasis on grit and “making due with what you’ve got” really inspired me. I also had class with Franz, and he has the magical ability to make you say “Wow, look at that” to something that is normally mundane. He explains his eye for photography like this: showing that mundane things can appear fascinating, and fascinating things can be mundane. PD: Which came first, the photography or the peaks? JN: I have always loved pictures. I remember thumbing through old back issues of Nat Geo as a kid. However, climbing became my true vocation; photography has been my way of sharing my passion with others. PD: During the Alumni Association Dinner, you said you attended Colorado College and summited Everest when you were 25. What was your time at CC like, and how did you end up on Everest? JN: CC cemented my love of climbing. I got a job as a guide
on Mt. Rainier and guided there during the summers. When I was 23, I got to Nepal for the first time and guided an expedition up Cho Oyu, the sixth tallest mountain in the world. But that wasn’t the first time I had been to Nepal; I gained a love of Nepal much earlier and did my Holderness senior thesis there even before college. PD: How long were you in the area on your first Everest Expedition? JN: 85 days. We wanted to get on the mountain early, before the other groups. PD: What made your expedition so successful? JN: It was the true definition of teamwork. Many different skills—from climbing to research to logistics—were all brought together to accomplish a shared goal. PD: How many times have you been to the region? JN: I have been on 25 expeditions and treks. I have reached the summit three times and have attempted the mountain from all three faces. But while reaching the top was a great experience, I am more interested in searching
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for artifacts and taking photographs. PD: What is your motivation for climbing? JN: The humbling nature of being in the mountains. I’ve never felt that I’ve been concerned. Being on the top of a mountain gives me the beautiful feeling of utter insignificance. PD: What is your opinion on “bagging peaks”? JN: I really struggle with that. For me it’s never been about lists and numbers. It’s about the journey. PD: What has been your favorite climb? JN: My favorite was Gurla Mandhata. Our team was only the thirteenth ever to climb it; the adventure was awesome. PD: How has climbing and photography played a role in your philanthropy? JN: I believe to get people to notice an
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isue, you must pull them in with the awe of climbing, and then shift their attention to the main goal. PD: What have your major projects been? JN: Challenge 21 has been a major focus of mine. It grew out of my disillusionment in 2009, when I struggled to answer my daughter’s question of why I leave for months on end to climb. I thought, how can I make it more meaningful and give my kids a reason for doing this? Through Challenge 21, over the next 3-4 years, I plan to hike the three highest summits on all seven continents and at the same raise at least $2.1 million for our partner, Water For People, and to get at least 2.1 million people actively engaged in and passionate about the water and sanitation crises and solutions that reach Everyone Forever.
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PD: How have you been dealing with the earthquake in Nepal? JN: I have been helping with a Nepal relief project; it’s grassroots-based and is mostly made up of friends and colleagues. PD: Besides finding Mallory’s body, what have been your other greatest moments? JN: A lot of them touch different parts of me. Summiting Kilimanjaro with my mom was particularly special since I got to share my passion with her. Another has been maintaining an ongoing relationship with a very humorous client. He laughs a lot, and is out of place in the mountains at 6’6’’ and 340 lbs. Seeing him accomplish things his body shouldn’t be able to do on numerous expeditions has been incredible.
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SPORTS
Re vie wing the Fight of the Century By Tommy Chau ‘15 What could be better than watching the two best boxers in the world having a titanic clash in Las Vegas last weekend? Not only are Manny Pacquiao, eight-division world champion, and Floyd Mayweather, five-division world champion, exceptional in terms of skills, but they have created a 12-period fight where every point matters in the final judgement. Despite the closeness of the match, the judges declared Mayweather the winner, causing ferocious and angry reactions from the Pacman’s fans, many of whom accused Mayweather of bribing the judges. Who is the real winner? Before the fight, Mayweather claimed that he was the greatest boxer of all time, even surpassing Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. There is some truth to this since he holds an unbeaten record of 48-0. But as a result, many boxing fans, especially those from Asia, hoped that their idol, Manny Pacquiao from the Philippines, could deliver a heavy blow to the arrogant American. It is true that Mayweather is bold, arrogant, and supercilious in many of his actions and statements, but Continued from page 1
extremely excited to see what he has to offer; Carter is “culturally aware.” And as a day student, Carter will be able to “bring a view of subjects from both on and off campus.” He is a strong writer, and we are very excited to have him as an editor next year! Chae Hahn opened her letter of application with this powerful statement: “I believe in the power of words and that writing is the most effective method to convey one’s thoughts.” English is Chae’s second language, so
one cannot deny the skill set that has allowed him to become the most potent boxer in the world for his weight class. And it was this skill set that was completely utilized during the match when Mayweather dodged on defense and delivered lightening counterpunches on offense to surprise Pacquiao for all 12 rounds. According to statistics at the end of the match, Mayweather landed almost four times the number of jabs and 18 more power punches than Pacquiao did (67 jabs vs 18 jabs; 81 power punches vs 63 power punches). Since the winner in boxing is determined by the number of power punches and she has to “work harder than anyone else to overcome [her] disadvantage” and is “completely satisfied with [her] improvement in writing over the last year and a half.” Chae is most intrigued by “the oppression of the minorities, promotion of diversity, and women’s social standings,” but she is confident in her ability to write about anything— both on and off campus. Most importantly, Chae is “going to have so much fun,” which should make the school very excited to hear what she has to say, considering it will be filled with earnestness and enthusiasm.
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jabs landed correctly to the opponent, it is clear that the Pacman stood no chance against Mayweather. Yes, Pacquiao is arguably the greatest Asian boxer of all time for his weight class, but that was not enough against an African-American boxer with a staggering career record of 48-0. Pacman needs to train more in order to be able to bring down this arrogant Mayweather. In the future, this could happen, but for now, the fans, especially those from Asia, should calm down and appreciate the effort that their own idol exerted to make this such a tight match.
Last but not least, Brooke Hayes is “super interested in bringing creativity” to The Picador. Brooke is also a job leader; however, you won’t see her very often in Weld or giving tours since she will be having a grand time in the recycling sheds. Brooke “want[s] people to look forward to The Picador every week”—a positive and attainable goal that Brooke can hopefully achieve. We are excited to hear Brooke’s ideas about how to make The Picador a better paper, one fresh idea at a time. Welcome and congratulations, new Picador editors!
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JV Ball: The Way It Should be Played By Jack Yanchitis ‘15 There isn’t enough I can say about the elite team of athletes assembled for JV baseball this year. I really don’t even know where to begin. Should I start with fearless Coach Thompson and easy-going Baiano? Or should I tell you about PJ Brennan chucking his glove into the outfield from the pitcher’s mound the one time he took to the bump and threw two consecutive balls? Or should I start with Sean Cashel who has found himself actually playing in games for the first time in his Holderness career because he’s actually good at a sport? Our team has something for everyone. Are you a freshman who came to school halfway through the year? Well, Lars is here to comfort you and your concerns, as he did the same. Are you all about “for the boys, with the boys, boys, beauties, boys, puck, ‘chel, Day dorm, rip twine, ride pine, gems, and bice”? Well Logan Clarke, Ryan Steele, Ben Luz, and Logan “runs like he has cement blocks stuck to his legs” Bateman have you covered. Speaking of my boy Ryan Steele, I think he holds a new title on campus as the only player to ever get kicked out of a JV baseball game for having some choice words for the umpire
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at Tilton. We were down 4-0 in the third inning, and Ryan supposedly struck out on a fastball outside, had a verbal exchange with the ump, and got ejected. This ejection really riled our tight-knit squad, but they went on to win 11-9 after that. That’s team baseball. The biggest beauty and best player on our team is easily everybody’s favorite coach, Coach Thompson. Coach Thompson hits batting practice like the rest of us, runs sprints with us, and strikes out all of us during live pitching scrimmages. He thinks we’re weak, which is why he chose the hottest day of the year to run 100-yard team down-and-back sprints on the Quad. There might have been puke…. Weak, like I said. Anyway, we have poor sportsmanship, we swing for the fences, and we chirp our own team more than the ones we play, which is impressive. And we have fun. I can honestly say that in my three years at Holderness, the only team I’ve played on twice is the JV baseball team. Last year’s experience was terrible, but this year’s team is the most fun ever. Thanks, beauties, for a great last season, especially Nuche, Appalachia, James, Phil, Finn, and the aforementioned gems.
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Humans of hOLDERNESS What Will You Miss the Most? The Departing Faculty and Staff Share Their Thoughts By Charles Harker’15 Each year, the warm spring weather is met with excited anticipation; however for some of us, it means moving on from Holderness. This year, in addition to the departure of the Class of 2015, there are several faculty members and their families who will find themselves in a new place come September. Some of the departing members of the community have been here as long as 10 years, and some only one. Nonetheless, their talents and contributions to Holderness, no matter how big or small, will be missed in the coming years. Mr. Skelley, Mr. and Mrs. Cirone, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, Ms. Hood, Mr. and Mrs. Magalhaes, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Gosselin, and Mr. Troy will all be moving on to new, exciting places next year.
enced while in that building has been amazing to witness. From the sparsely attended early morning weekend breakfasts, to the very busy cafeteria style dinners, the men and women of the Weld kitchen staff will always be remembered for their friendly spirit, welcoming demeanor, and unwavering kindness.
Mr. Stubbs: Two things: The first is time spent outside of class with students--time in the dorm, time in the mini-busses on Dunks runs, time on the trails, time in Assembly, and time in Chapel. The second is Weld Hall. Mrs. Mags:
Below are their responses to one simple question. What will you miss most about Holderness? Mr. Cirone: As we get closer to the end of the school year and the end of our ten years at Holderness, there are many things I will miss. My colleagues, the GVH team, and my awesome Hagerman corner classroom all come to mind. However, the thing I will miss the most is Weld. Besides all the great food (omelettes, salmon, wraps, pasta mania, sizzling salad, and the list goes on), I will miss Gayle and her staff. The way they interact with our three young boys and the joy the boys have experi-
remarkable opportunity. To see the depth of the support, playfulness, and joy in the community—leaving that is very difficult.
Mr. Lewis: In addition to the soft serve machine, it’s the people and the gregarious kindness of the community that make Holderness such a hard place for us to leave. It is what I will miss the most. I have to add that as much as I have loved Holderness for myself, for me and Mrs. Lewis, experiencing Holderness as a parent was, by far, the most
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I’m not gonna lie—Larry’s carrot cake and red velvet woopie pies rank right up there. But, I realize that those are actually just symbols of what I’ll miss the most—all the little things that make this place a home. First and foremost, my children are happy, safe, thriving and loved by everyone in this community; the way this community has taken us in as a family is what I will miss more than almost anything. But, ultimately our departure also has everything to do with those two little boys. Our hope is that they will become not only bilingual, but citizens of the world. Our chance to have them start that journey is one we just can’t turn down. I will of course miss the students of Holderness, who, over these past seven years, I have found to be open, funny, engaged, smart, accepting, and willing to not only grow and learn from me Continued on page 12
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An Obscure interview with the presidents By Charles Harker’15 Here are some obscure questions AJ and I chose to ask each other in an interview for your entertainment, or lack thereof. Charles Harker: What do you think about when you stretch? AJ Chabot: I think about how I am hitting all the knots in my body and really just releasing all the stress that builds up on a daily basis. CH: What’s your favorite animal? AJC: A monkey. I always wanted to be one when I was very little. I would climb trees and I loved the monkey bars. I just wanted to be a goofy monkey, ya know? CH: What would your name be if you were a monkey? AJC: I would be “A jota” (Spanish for AJ), King of the Jungle. CH: If you could open a jar and have anything be in it, what would be in the jar? AJC: Gummy bears, a nice pencil— Harry Potter series—ski tuning stuff CH: Which house would you want to be in if you went to Hogwarts? AJC: Hufflepuff. It promotes dedication, patience, and tolerance.
CH: Any advice for an outgoing president who is unsure of his future? AJC: Make sure you find a first lady. AJC: Any tips for an incoming president? CH: Try to be funny, and then just be yourself. AJC: What was your favorite part of the job and your least favorite part of the job? CH: Favorite part: having Reverend Dales tell me I needed to learn how to hug better after thirty awkward hugs that happened in front of the school at
last year’s leadership chapel. Least favorite part: being impeached (or in my case, imappled). AJC: Is there a place you consider to be your personal “Oval Office” on this campus? CH: The Outer Loop on the trails. AJC: Who out of your “cabinet” will you miss working with and why? CH: Interestingly, no one but me knows who my cabinet members are, but I will surely miss all of them dearly; however, we will stay in touch over secret communications.
2015 All-School Summer Read A Light We Cannot See: A Novel By Anthony Doerr
“This page-turner focuses on 2 young people, one German and one French, coping with WW II and its implications. The boy is a math whiz whom the Germans recruit to design a technology to find spies. The girl is blind and dependent on others as she lives out the war in a town off the coast of France. Mix into this the mystery of a rare jewel and you have a fabulous story of two teens whose personal destiny involves the other. ” - Bruce Barton
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In The Community Cam Robertson: Don’t Miss Your Chance Remember that dashing young man, who wore a tux to the first sit down dinner? That was Cam Anderson. Now that he has expedited his stay at Holderness, your time to get to know him is quickly dwindling. But he is not someone to just let slip through your fingers. I asked him some questions we were all wondering, but I encourage you to ask him more. Maggie Barton: What’s your favorite on-the-go snack?
CA: Sukhmail Mathon. MB: What is Thomas Roberts like as a roommate?
Cam Anderson: Oranges.
CA: We’re both really messy, but neither of us minds, unless the room starts to smell. He’s easy going and just an overall great guy.
MB: If you were President of the United States, what’s the first thing you would do? CA: I’d change the national anthem to “Oh, Canada.”
MB: Do you have any siblings? If so, what are they like?
MB: What is something the whole school doesn’t know about you?
CA: I have two younger brothers and a younger sister, so there’s a chance that another Anderson will attend Holderness in the near future. My sister is 12, and she’s the most athletic and competitive of the four of us. My brothers are 10 and 15; they both go to the same school that I did.
CA: I’m banned from a go-kart place in Montreal. MB: What’s your favorite article of clothing? CA: My ski boots. MB: Who’s your role model? CA: Forrest Gump. MB: What’s it like to be Canadian and not play hockey? Do you still feel a part of the Canadian community? How is Holderness different than school in Canada? CA: I’ve actually played hockey since I was four, but I chose to ski for Holderness. Canada and hockey definitely go hand-in-hand at this school, so I feel as though I don’t fit the Canadian stereotype. I went to an all-boys’ school for 12 years before Holderness. One thing I’ve noticed is that with girls, school is a lot calmer. MB: What will you miss the most about Holderness? CA: Definitely the friends I’ve made. MB: What will you miss the least about Holderness? CA: Waking up for Payback and Sunday work.
rhetorical device?
MB: What’s your favorite
CA: Onomatopoeia. MB: Do you like grapes? Red or green? CA: Grapes are great. I like the green ones most. MB: Calzones or pizza? CA: Definitely calzones. I have yet to order a pizza this year. MB: Who is your favorite teacher? CA: Even though I’ve never had Alan Thompson as a teacher or coach, he taught me the most this year. MB: Who is your best friend on Snapchat? CA: Channing Tatum.
MB: Who do you think is the funniest person at Holderness?
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A Grain of Salt: Tips for Finals Week (From a Senior with no Finals)
By Jack Yanchitis ‘15
When it comes down to it, you will be tested on a semester’s worth of material in a test made to be taken in under two hours. That means that there are overall, big themes that your teachers are testing you on, not the infinitesimal details. Find those points and learn them. Then use the test to your advantage by answering questions you are unsure of with details from other questions on the test.
Sleep You really don’t need that much of it. Getting in bed before 10 PM for an 8 AM final is very overrated. The best score I ever got on my ACTs—the one that got me into Miami and Maryland—came after a night of camping at Jones Pond back home in Saranac Lake, NY. I didn’t even have a shower or anything. I just drove straight to my old high school and nailed that test. You should aim to get at least six hours of sleep, but anything more than that is just a waste. Wouldn’t you rather be spending time with your friends during the last week of your school year? Studying Another incredibly overrated expectation during finals week is spending hours and hours studying. This isn’t college where you need to be jacked up on Mountain Dew in the library learning a semester’s worth of organic chemistry in one night in order to keep thousands of dollares in scholarship money and maintain the respect of your family and your girlfriend. I find that at Holderness—unless you can’t keep your eyes open listening to Mr. Cabot wax poetic on Stonewall Jackson and the boys of history in the greatest nation the world has ever known or you didn’t read a page of Ragtime—excessive studying is unnecessary.
in at least the “B” range, then you did something wrong. Somehow, somewhere you just didn’t spend those two combined hours of studying effectively. Perhaps you can’t retain information because your brain is fried? Possible, after a busy final quarter. Or perhaps you studied all the little stuff? You should know at this point in your studying career that this isn’t going to be on your exam. Focus on the big picture. Or perhaps you thought that by listening to this banter you could chill on Snapchat for two hours while your math textbook was in front of you? No. Not really. I repeat. Study for your finals the night before.
I’ll leave you with this. There I was, mid-term week of my sophomore year, my first set of finals at Holderness; I played FIFA with Jack Herrick and Ben Chapin for hours upon hours—before my finals, during lunch, after exams, you name it. We played blindfolded, upside down controllers, same-team games, etc. A huge highlight of that game, by the way, was when Ben Chapin scored a bar down goal from inside of midfield while blindfolded, because Jack Herrick told him “have one from there.” Anyways, I took my Algebra 2/ Pre-Calc midterm, rocked a 94—the highest grade in my class—and called it a day. Point being, you’re gonna be fine, y’all. Don’t sweat it. It’s only your future you’ve got to worry about…
For years I’ve woken up late on reading day to find students in Weld studying in the same position they have been in since 6 AM. Say you have your math test Monday afternoon. You should go to the review session Sunday night and review formulas Monday morning. If that combined effort doesn’t put you
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Continued from page 8
but also willing to, on more than one occasion, teach me. I have also had the great privilege to work with, learn from, and play with some amazing colleagues. Some I only knew for a short time, but they made unbelievable impressions on me. Others, I’ve been side-by-side with for all these seven years. I will miss all of these people who have marked my life. Holderness has also afforded us the ability to have Baiano stay home to be the primary caregiver to our boys, and our move back to Brazil will find Baiano back at work as a nurse. I will forever be grateful to the Holderness community for providing us with the opportunity for the boys to have their dad home at such young ages. That, I will miss.
will miss the most are the students of Holderness. Ms. Hood: 1. Larry’s desserts; 2. Head’s Day hikes with Ms. Disney; 3. FH 8 v 8 tournaments; 4. Rathbun common room conversations; 5. Lesson planning with Ms. Sparkman; 6. Softball shenanigans; 7. Sheppe making fun of my car; 8. Winter afternoon naps in front of the fire; 9. A 100-yard commute to “work;” 10. The people: my friends, colleagues, and students who have permanently and profoundly impacted my life.
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Mrs. Cirone: I will miss so many things! Some of them include: • •
The girls’ varsity hockey team Brownie nights in Sargent-Day
PO Faculty humor My mentors and neighbors Jeff, Derek, Tony, Donne, Kathy G. All the adults and students who have befriended and raised our kids On behalf of Cameron: Paul’s omelets at brunch and all the HCS Holderness faculty kids On behalf of Nico: the swing set, all the White Mountain Montessori pre-school and kindergarten faculty kids, and roof ball on the Sargent porch On behalf of Matthew: White Mountain Montessori, Tillie, Pedro, Parker, the Lewises’ ride-on toys... and the girls’ varsity hockey team
Mr. Larry Gosselin: I think I will miss the kids the most.
But, as we wind down these final weeks, I can’t help but count my blessings. It’s with mixed emotions that we bid farewell—and with a hopeful heart that we will one day meet again. Maybe over some of Larry’s cheesecake? Mr. Mags (Biano): It will always be deep in my heart the way I was received and the help that Holderness gave to me and my family in our time here. Mr. Skelley: For me it’s always been about you guys, the kids. So for me, the thing I
Overheards Compiled By Parker densmore ‘15 Antarctica looked lonely. You wouldn’t say that’s...too much tuna? No, we aren’t going to the café. Happy Mother’s day, bro. That’s so aggressive.
Senior Editors Youngjae Cha Tommy Chau Parker Densmore Charlotte Freccia Charles Harker Jack Yanchitis Junior Editors Maggie Barton AJ Chabot Layout and Design Moti Jiang Keying Yang
Faculty Advisors Ms. Magnus Mr. Herring Contact Information Holderness School Chapel Lane P.O. Box 1879 Plymouth, NH 03245 Phone Number: 603.536.1257 Email: info@holderness.org