January issue

INKLINGS INKLINGS

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Vol. 88, Issue 6

January 12, 2017

page 11 Failure proves key to success Teachers share stories of how they came to teach subjects with which they once struggled.

page 17 South Norwalk’s global eatery A new restaurant called El Segundo moves into the Ironworks Building in South Norwalk.

INSIDE 1 7 11 17 21

News Opinions Features Arts Sports

Graphic and Photo by Becky Hoving ’17

BRINGING BACK

FOUNDER’S DAY Revived tradition educates community on school history Melanie Lust ’19 & Zach Horowitz ’19

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sort of stressed,” D’Amico said.

Rho Kappa, the social studies honor society, is spearheading the effort to reestablish Founder’s Day, as they want to emphasize the importance of remembering our history.

For Staples alumni and Westport historian, Dan Woog, the issue of remembrance is pressing.

“We are called Staples High School but nobody knows who Horace Staples was,” Woog said. “You know, they think we’re named for an office supply store.”

Founder’s Day will be focused on giving students an opportunity to fully

taples High School will be celebrating Founder’s Day this year for the first time since the early 1900’s. Taking place on Jan. 31, the celebratory event will focus on recognizing the unsung founder of the school, Horace Staples.

“It’s a day to celebrate Staples a little bit, which would be fun,” Principal James D’Amico said.

All activities will center around the school’s history, including musical performances and an exhibit hall outside of the auditorium.

D’Amico is hoping to play a variety of music during each passing time and put up games in the hallways or lobby.

It will be considered a winter spirit day for all students and faculty.

D’Amico added that Jan. 31, Horace Staples’ birthday, is both a meaningful and convenient day to have the celebration. “We do a lot of things around homecoming and the beginning of the year, but January’s kind of a grey time understand the history — right out of midterms, a n d of Staples High School, which is unique, according to Woog. everyone’s just “[Staples] has a great history.

A lot of high schools don’t have a real history. This

place has really developed and evolved,” Woog said.

“Some amazing people have been part of it. As a history major, I just think it’s really important that history be preserved and passed down.”

Woog is not the only person in the Staples community interested in where our school came from.

A variety of other students are interested and appreciative of the upcoming celebration.

“I think that Founder’s Day will enable students to learn about and appreciate the history of our school,” James Gikas ’19 said. “I have always been an avid history buff, so I am especially looking forward to learning about the history of Staples High School and how it was founded.”

Depending on the success of this year’s Founder’s Day, it may become an annual tradition.

“It’s funny, once you present an idea, people make it bigger and bigger and bigger,” D’Amico said. “In the future maybe we could bring back successful or notable alumni to do speaking or things like that, or have a different theme to it each year.”

As for this year’s celebration, Staples POWER POSE The officers of Rho Kappa students can expect National Social Studies Honors Society will be a day’s worth of spearheading Founder’s Day coming to Staples activities that teach Jan. 31. (From Left to Right) Thomas Moy ’17 the school’s history. (vice president), Adam Katz ’17 (secretary) “If you don’t know and Tia Pogue ’17 (president) were elected at where you came the beginning of this school year by Rho Kappa from,” Woog said, members. “you don’t know where you’re going.”

FOUNDING FATHER Horace Staples founded Staples High School in 1884, at the age of 80, after making his fortune in lumber, shipping, farming, banking and a silk and axe factory.

Administration implements new resilience project Shaina Selvaraju ’17

Valuing student tenacity has grown within the field of education for the past couple of years, and Staples is spearheading an initiative to foster “grit” during Communication Time. The School Climate Committee created miniactivities for teachers to implement during Communication Time in order to build student resilience.

Some of these activities have included taking a questionnaire that highlights the amount of grit students possess and prompting discussions about ways to utilize grit in and outside of classrooms.

Students like Aidan Conte ’19 said that this approach to learning is more motivating as “it offers a very positive vibe.”

Building tenacity and grit was originally implemented four years ago by the Staples guidance department with a program called the Staples Resilience Project.

Coordinated by guidance counselors

Continued on page 4

STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL| 70 North Ave., Westport, Connecticut

inklingsnews.com

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News | January 12, 2017

PUSHING FOR KINDNESS

Administration seeks solution in response to demeaning bathroom graffiti Kaya Leitner ’19 & Daniel Harizman ’19

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Photos by Alice Hickson ’17 & Max Appell ’18

spate of hateful messages scrawled on the stalls of bathrooms and through the halls at Staples has forced the administration to take immediate action. Principal James D’Amico prioritized a “push for kindness” and a school-wide assembly in order to improve the climate and promote a safe and welcoming environment at Staples High School.

Anti-semitic, racist, and otherwise demeaning slogans were brought to the attention of faculty and administration. This paved the way for Teen Awareness Group’s presentation in front of the entire school, which sought to remind everyone of the high school’s guiding principles. “[The Graffiti is] not an expression of oneself or artwork; it’s offensive and someone seeking attention; it just adds to the negative climate at Staples right now,” Becca Webster ‘19 said.

The graffiti varies, at times consisting of messages that degrade specific ethnic groups, or hateful symbols --such as swastikas, -- or hurtful and disparaging statements like “Kill Jews” and “Gay Free Zone.”

Assistant Principal James Farnen considers the graffiti to be an “outlier” in the Staples High School learning environment. “The graffiti and really some of the terrible things that are being put in the bathroom are just one of many things that have caused [the administration] to pause and reflect and come together as a school and have a community conversation,” Farnen said.

Student outreach counselor and TAG advisor, Ed Milton, sees this issue as nothing but a small obstacle the student body needs to overcome and he supports the administration’s decision to turn to peer assistance.

“I think the school is looking for peer interaction and that is a smart WRITTEN ON THE approach,” Milton stated. “Right now stressing kindness and caring for WALLS Scrawled on the others is really important and there are many factors that have led to a walls of the boys second lack of kindness in this community; stress, anxiety, and the election took floor bathroom near the a toll. And what better group to address the issues than TAG?’’ bridge are hateful and As students at Staples prepare for midterm exams, Milton advised innapropriate messages. keeping goodwill in mind.

“Staples is known for having such high academic standards,” Milton said, “but like most things, Westport is at the forefront for a push for emotional and social stability and I think the students will see how high our standards for kindness is as well.”

[INKLINATIONS] Does the graffiti in Staples reflect the school’s climate?

“I think it only reflects a very small portion of the climate since a lot of other students find other means of expression rather than graffiti... sometimes you see more optimistic or uplifting responses, which represents the more supportive side of the Staples community.”

-Hannah Roseme ’18

“I don’t think the graffiti in the bathroom is representative of the student body as a whole. That said, certain individuals obviously do not have respect for everyone in our school and are unaware of the consequences their actions have on others.”

-Martin Menz ’19 “I think it doesn’t represent the school’s climate because, in general, I have found Staples to be a friendly and accepting place; so just because a few people decide to spread hate on the bathroom, doesn’t mean it represents the school. “ -Noah Lomnitz ’17 Photos by Margot Mather ’17 & Ellie Kravetz ’18

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

News | January 12, 2017

WORLD BRIEFS

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Jason Streiter ’19

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PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

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n Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump will officially become the 45th President of the United States of America. Trump, the Republican nominee, will lead a Republican-controlled House and Senate. With this majority, Trump is expected to preside over far-reaching repeals of Obama’s legacy legislation, including Obamacare. He is also expected to use the majority in the Senate to appoint several Supreme Court justices.

PAYING RESPECT Citizens created a makeshift memorial to victims of the nightclub shooting in Istanbul on Jan. 1.

Reina

[ ][ ] Photo via MCT Campus labled for reuse

IMPEACHMENT PROCESS OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT COMMENCES

On Jan. 4, the South Korean Constitutional Court formally started the impeachment process of President Park Geun-hye on charges of abuse of power, bribery, and infringement of press freedom in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar influence peddling scandal. Lawmakers voted to remove Park over a corruption scandal that saw millions of people protest over the last several months. Park has refused to testify at the trial. The court has six months to decide if Park should permanently step down or be reinstated.

ISTANBUL NIGHT CLUB SHOOTING

The terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for a shooting at a nightclub in Istanbul on New Year’s Day that left 39 dead and 70 injured. The people that died were from 14 different countries. Turkey law enforcement as well as the law enforcement officials from the neighboring countries are on the lookout for suspects.

Eight suspects have been detained since the attack.

Jan. 14-15, 17-18 Midterm Mania

LOCAL BRIEFS

The Westport Library and Toquet Hall Teen Center will be hosting “Midterm Mania!” to help students prepare for midterms. Starting Saturday, Jan. 14, groups of two or more students can reserve an hour and a half of group space at the library or Toquet Hall in advance. For $15, students can reserve the “VIP experience,” which includes drinks, snacks and two-and-a-half hours of group study. Stressrelieving activities will also be offered at both the library and Toquet Hall.

Sophie Driscoll ’19 Photo via Wikipedia under the creative commons license

Jan. 13-14

Western Region High School Festival Staples High School will host the Western Region High School Festival. Students from band, orchestra and chorus underwent an audition and had to be selected to perform. The festival is organized by The Connecticut Music Educators Association and the festival fee is $30.

Jan. 13 & 16 No School

Schools will be closed to students on Friday, Jan. 13 due to a Staff Development Day. All Westport Public Schools will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Jan. 17-23 Midterms

Exams 1 and 4 will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Exams 2 and 3 will be on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Exams 6 and 7 are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20, and exams 5 and 8 will take place on Friday, Jan. 21. Jan. 23 will be an exam make-up day.

The first exam each day will begin at 8:00, and the school day will end at 12:50.

Jan. 21

Winterfest at Earthplace Community members of all ages are invited to participate in the eighth annual Winterfest on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Earthplace. Participants will have the opportunity to make various winter-themed crafts. If it is snowing, participants will also have the opportunity to go sledding and snowshoeing. If it is not snowing, trail walks will be taken instead. Regardless of the weather, hot chocolate and a campfire will provide warmth. The event costs $5 per person.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

GOT GRIT? 4

News | January 12, 2017

Staples implements new resilience project Continued from page 1 Shaina Selvaraju ’17 Victoria Capozzi, Leslie Hammer and Deb Slocum, the purpose of this project is to find ways to reduce stress and competition in the classroom.

“We want to get students and families to take a step back and make good decisions for their child and their family values only, as opposed to comparing themselves to everyone else and what they should do in the future.

We’re really trying hard to just get students and family to pause,” Capozzi said.

Though the concept of grit has been around for a while, it’s a value that was not always recognized by educators. The idea to foster grit in students was first implemented in 2013, when the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology officially acknowledged grit and the importance to build “perserverance to accomplish long-term or higher-order goals in the face of challenges and setbacks, engaging the student’s psychological resources, such as their academic mindsets, effortful control and strategies and tactics” in students.

Angela Lee Duckworth, a professor of psychology at University of Pennsylvania and leading researcher in Grit Resilience, conducted a research experiment where she monitored subjects from the West Point Military

Academy cadets to participants in the National Spelling Bee and even new teachers who were working in tough neighborhoods.

Of those who succeeded, she found that, “In all those very different contexts, one characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn’t social intelligence.

It wasn’t good looks, physical health, and it wasn’t IQ. It was grit,” Duckworth said.

Some Staples teachers have promoted grit resilience in their classrooms for many years. Enia Noonan, Staples Italian teacher, has been developing the idea of resilience in her classroom for three years. She implements strategies associated with growth mindset, which is a way of thinking that allows learners to believe that they can develop their knowledge with hard work over time. Her philosophy is that students should have the ability to take their own time when it comes to learning.

“It may take five weeks for someone to learn something, and it may take someone else a week, but at the end of the day, as long as we get to the same place, it doesn’t matter,” Noonan said.

It is the hope of resilience advocates that students will absorb grit strategies that will help them adjust their mindsets and make more positive life choices. As guidance counselor William Plunket puts it, resilience is not, “I can get through these 15 AP’s because I’m resilient[...]. [Resilience is] about developing coping strategies and being able to say ‘Okay, I got a D on this test. I’m disappointed. I studied really hard for it, but the world is going to move on and find a way to improve it.’”

Photos by Margot Mather ’17

LESSONS ON OPTIMISM (Top to bottom) AP Literature teacher Ann Neary prepared a lesson on optimism for her class’ weekly Communication Time. James O’Brien ’17 questions how the class can realistically practice optimism everyday.

FRIENDLY DEBATE Emily Schussheim ’17 and Nicole Kiker ’17 energetically engage in the class discussion after watch a video on what it means to be optimistic.

Gives up easily Avoids

Obstacles

Embraces

Intelligence can be developed Infographic by Shaina Selvaraju ’17 & Alice Hickson ’17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Feels threatened

Avoids negative feedback

Intelligence is static Challenges

Achieves less than full potential

Persistent

Reaction to the success of others

Feels Inspired

Criticism

Impact

Learns from it Reaches higher level of achievement Information from positivepsychology.com

News | January 12, 2017

INAUGURATION SAFETY

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Trump’s victory generates added security

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Jonathan Kaner ’18 & Alex Reiner ’18

n the midst of all of the riots and protests against president-elect Donald Trump, American citizens, including Staples students, who are planning to attend the inauguration or the protest marches in the days following the inauguration have become worried about safety.

“I believe that the protestors will get of hand,” Camille Cross ’17, who previously planned on attending the event, said. “They may try something rash and could harm the people supporting him.”

However, according to Patrick Malone, Congressman Jim Himes’ communication director, security will be a top priority.

“Whenever you have large crowds of people, safety is always a concern.

Numerous federal law enforcement agencies and thousands of personnel will be there to keep everyone safe,” he said.

The safety concern of the inauguration is, in part, due to the violence and rowdiness Trump supporters have demonstrated at his rallies. “With George W. Bush, there were lots of people in cowboy hats and fur coats,” Malone said.

“The African American turnout was incredible for President Obama’s inauguration. What kind of crowd will we see this time? Well, I think you can go back to footage of Trump rallies to see for yourself.”

According to CNBC,

the Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) began planning for the inauguration in April of 2016, and they initially budgeted $19 million for infrastructure and security costs. But once Trump won the presidency, the District of Columbia

requested for

$10 million more security purposes.

However, while more money will be spent on security, it is possible that fewer people will actually be in attendance.

The Himes administration stated it has received fewer requests to attend the upcoming inauguration than for both of president Obama’s ones in 2009 and 2013. “ We haven’t

received any indication that there is going to be a significant uptick this year,” Malone said.

Likewise, Malone added that there has been especially low interest from older students to attend Trump’s inauguration. “We have had some interest, not much, from college students,” he said.

But the inauguration is not the only event in D.C. that has generated security concerns. The Women’s March on D.C. is scheduled for the day following the inauguration, and the plan is to march from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House. However, due to the failure to receive a permit from the National Park Service in a first-come, first-serve basis, the marchers have been banned from protesting at most of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue, where the Capitol is located, according to Alternet.

For all marches in Washington, safety for the protesters is still a priority for the government. “All marches in DC have a police presence, but the security won’t be anything compared to the inauguration itself,” Malone said.

Many marchers, however, will not allow safety concerns to dampen their spirits. Audrey Putman ’17, for one, is looking forward to attending the Women’s March in order to express her disapproval of Trump. “It’s a great opportunity for women (and everyone else!) to come together to stand up for what we believe in,” Putman said.

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

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Opinions | January 12, 2017

opinions

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

Inklings Editors-in-Chief

Claire Dinshaw & Fritz Schemel

Creative Chief

Channing Smith

Managing Editors

Becky Hoving & Izzy Ullmann

Whips

Jackie Sussman & Andrew Vester

Web Managing Editors Cooper Boardman & Molly Liebergall

Breaking News Managing Editors Kit Epstein & Renee Weisz

Public Relations Directors

Becca Rawiszer & Lauren Stack

Creative Director Eliza Goldberg

Assistant Creative Directors Ellie Kravetz & Melanie Lust

Business Manager Katelyn DeAgro

Assistant Business Managers Brett Franklin & Josiah Tarrant & Kayla Sirlin

News Editors Max Appell & Alice Hickson Lulu Stracher & Frenchy Truitt

Opinions Editors

Emma Greenberg & Anay Simunovic Sophie Driscoll

Features Editors

Margot Mather & Alex Spadacenta Amelia Brown & Julia Rosier

Arts Editors

Ian Bernstein & Bailey Blaikie Ashton Dedona & Alex Reiner

Character shouldn’t be valued second to academics

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efore winter break, graffiti reading “Kill Jews” and an image of a swastika were discovered in a boys’ bathroom and reported to the administration. Since then, other intolerant messages, such as “Gay Free Zone,” have also been discovered.

Inklings

EDITORIAL In an interview with Inklings,

Sports Editors Assistant Principal James Farnen called

the graffiti an “outlier” at Staples. While these messages are certainly not a daily Web News Editors occurrence, hate messages written in Olivia Foster & Zach Horowitz graffiti and in the recent Staples Meme Facebook group have become too Web Opinions Editors common to be considered “outliers.”

Megan Doyle & Jesse Levinson While these incidents are ultimately Web Features Editors the fault of the students, administrative Charlie Colasurdo & Tori Lubin changes must occur in order to foster a Web Arts Editors more accepting environment.

To combat intolerance, concrete Ivy Prince & Lili Roman steps towards establishing administrative Web Sports Editors honesty, enforcement of current rules and Brendan Massoud & Alexa Moro ethics should be implemented at Staples Advisors High School and the Westport Public Mary Elizabeth Fulco, Joseph DelGobbo, Matthew Bohn & Brian Solomon Schools district.

Jack Beck & Sydney Kaplan Izzy Blansfield & Jonathan Kaner

Crown Finalist for Inklingsnews.com from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2015 Silver Crown Award for Newspaper from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2014 Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013 All the opinions, news and features in this paper are those of Staples High School students. Inklings, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored. All letters to the editor must be signed. The editorial board reserves the right not to publish letters and to edit all submissions as it sees fit. The editorial board determines all editorial opinions, which are authored faithfully by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health. The paper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association 70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Phone: (203) 341-1994 Inklingsweb@gmail.com

While the kindness-driven assembly on Dec. 21, 2016 was well-intentioned, it sidestepped the issue and was not transparent. A summary of the problem and a clear explanation of its effects should have been provided to the entire community. However, in this particular instance, the administration failed to both explain the content of the graffiti messages that prompted the assembly and rightfully label these messages as a hate crime. Before a problem can be solved, it must be clearly identified.

In addition to taking a more direct and honest approach, the administration must enforce the current punishments described in the Student Handbook. As of now, the student body is not aware of any punishment for the crude graffiti messages. And, while those who created the Staples Meme page were suspensed, those responsible for posting in the group were only spoken to. This lack of enforcement will breed a culture of tolerance for intolerance.

Then there is the issue of a lack of respect and empathy. As students, we have seen both the school administration and the community push for us to get higher grades and high A.P. scores, but we seldom see the school push for us to be better people. One school assembly, even

if it were to be perfectly executed, is not enough. Intelligence is only half of education; the other half is character.

To begin to really tackle the issue, there have to be significant changes in curriculum. For starters, ethics classes could be offered not only at the high school, but also at the elementary and middle schools. These ethics classes should cover not only the definitions of respect, plagiarism and honesty, but also promote understanding and empathy for other perspectives, groups and ways of life. The classes should also specifically address the concepts of racism, sexism, religious intolerance and hate, walking towards, instead of away, from difficult discussions. Ethics courses are offered in colleges, so why not at Staples?

For too long this school district has been focused solely on its reputation as an exemplary academic district, but it has reached the point where we must value character more.

The Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this opinion.

January Political Cartoon

Decisions of Inklings and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.

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Graphic by Margot Mather ’17

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Opinions | January 12, 2017

ACE

WITH THESE 5 TIPS Jackie Sussman ’17

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h, midterms. The very word adds salt to the wounds created by the first time a student thought, “I don’t have to pay attention now because I can teach it to myself later.” As a senior about to enter her final round of high school midterm mental torture, I’ve learned a thing or two on what to do and not to do.

#1.

Graphics by Carly Mori ’18

Don’t procrastinate. Don’t do it. Don’t think “challenge accepted.” Been there done that. Not a good idea.

#2.

Take time to organize your notes. Date your notes in every subject to have some sort of chronology to studying.

This way, you learn to really appreciate how teachers organize your classes. When you start realizing, “Hey, this is why we did limits before derivatives,” those types of connections are the beginning of deeply understanding the material. If you don’t have notes, don’t sweat it. Use Schoology as a resource for organization.

classmates grade it), practice multiple choice sections—the works. My rule of thumb: better be safe than sorry, so do as much practice as possible.

#5.

Rest up. Get sleep. Eight hours. Minimum. No sleep equals no focus. Prepare all materials (pencils, calculators, maybe some final notes) the night before. Eat protein the morning of. If you have time, work out for a half-hour.

The more well-rested you feel, the more optimistic and ready for the test you inherently will be. Nerves are natural, but assuage them by knowing that you tried your best both physically and mentally.

#3.

For all of you taking A.P. courses, A.P. practice tests are your new best friends. Barronwws, Kaplan and Princeton Review books are your new spouses. College Board is your wise grandparent guiding you along the road to a 5. With any A.P., do as many exams as possible after reviewing your notes, and then focus on subject areas that need work based on how you do on practice exams.

All F.R.Q.’s are online with any subject, and I am sure teachers will be pulling similar ones (or even the same). And don’t listen to the masses when they say you can’t prepare for A.P. English midterms.

There are never too many practice essays (i.e. write a timed essay, and have your

Carnegie Hall? Practice. And talent.

But talent only gets you so far.

#4.

Make every test cumulative.

Translation: treat every test like a midterm, or at least the ones closest to the exam date. If you haven’t done this before, do it for finals this year. The more you honein on material, the easier it will be to stay focused. As they say: how do you get to

REVIEW

Abolish midterms to reduce stress to reduce student stress. Instead of making changes to the daily routine, like implementing a block schedule, eliminating midterm exams would be a welcomed and effective policy.

Creative thinking. Global thinking. Critical The stress continues when we finally make it thinking. Communication. These are the student to the week of the tests. In theory it sounds nice lens values we’re supposed to be learning in every that they’re only half days, but the time spent class. Yet one of the biggest tests of the year consists after school is dominated by studying for the of sitting quietly, bubbling in a scantron and trying upcoming midterms instead of decompressing. to remember the content crammed the day before.

Finally, the weeks after can go downhill based I don’t see that as an accurate reflection of the on the midterm results. Many students worry about skills learned in a course. Midterms are coming the fact that the midterm makes up 10 percent of the up fast and the only thing to do now is cram, but, final grade, but if you really crunch the numbers, in future years, midterms should be abolished. it won’t affect your grade drastically one way or First, let me clarify that a halfway check-in the other. The change that it can cause though is to review what we have learned is not bad. The in morale. I’ll be honest, all of my midterm grades standard midterm test, last year were significantly lower than “Many students worry any grade I had ever gotten in each of on the other hand, is the problem. Even classes. Getting bad grade after about the fact that the the Harvard Magazine bad grade, all on the same day, took reported that for classes a huge toll on my overall confidence. midterm makes up at Harvard College, The next few weeks it was hard to get 10 percent of the final focused. Even the next two quarters were “the assumption shall be that the instructor not the same. And it’s not just me. grade, but if you really just will not be giving A University of Michigan study found a three-hour final crunch the numbers, that 80 percent of college freshmen examination.”

If said that their self-worth was based on it won’t affect your Harvard College has academic competence. So, it only makes started disowning the that when academic competence grade drastically one sense traditional midterms, is shattered by bad midterm grades, selfit wouldn’t be far esteem and self-worth go way down. way or the other.” fetched for us to as well.

Like I said before, a halfway I don’t need to tell you that midterms check-in is important to make sure the cause stress and that stress is bad. The time teachers are teaching what they’re supposed leading up to the test, during the test and to be teaching and that students are learning after the test is filled with stress, which, in what they’re supposed to be learning. But for a turn, leads to other negative side effects. school that focuses on creative thinking, global The week leading up to the dreaded midterm thinking, critical thinking and communication, exams is filled with three a.m. nights, five cups there are better options than sit down tests. of coffee, eye strains and empty boxes of tissues.

Some classes have started to move away According to BBC Radio 1, exam stress actually from the traditional midterm. Particularly, social can cause “difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty studies classes have been known to give projects, waking up in the morning, constant tiredness, discussions or no midterms at all. It’s a good start. forgetfulness, unexplained aches and pains, But doing more group or individual projects, poor appetite, loss of interest in activities...” videos, designing and teaching lesson plans, handsWhile giving out cookies during midterms on labs, socratic seminars or debates, even if they’re is nice, it doesn’t combat stress. Currently, still 10 percent of final grades, could all test a classes the administration is looking for better ways content while not being as dreaded and harmful.

Amelia Brown ’18

Graphic by Tabby Burke ’19

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Opinions | January 12, 2017

The Inklings Artichoke Satire *

It’s time Trump stopped tweeting Lulu Stracher ’17

How dare seniors enjoy themselves* Senior slump distrubingly motivates student happiness and achievement

T

Claire Dinshaw ’17

he senior slump. It is something many dread every year.

Characterized by a sudden drop in senior misery, a plummet in tolerance of busywork and a decrease in student stress, it is the time of year when student motivation allegedly diminishes and a burst of enthusiastic energy spreads through the high school hallways.

“Once second semester rolls around, all the students walking into school seem happy, animated,” school principal Rosales Vickers said shaking her head with disappointment. The school just does not have that same, good old competitive, cut-throat feeling anymore.”

But seniors entering their second semester have a different view. Vicky Jennings ’17, argues that second semester has been one the best times in her high school career.

“Since getting into college, I’ve been getting about 18 hours of sleep a day, and I have been less stressed. I don’t even need to take my Adderall or meet with my $300-an-hour tutor every day of the week,” Jennings said.

But this senior-slump attitude harms many high schools as they rely on students being miserable, using tutors and consuming Adderall to raise standardized testing scores.

“All of this student enthusiasm is just very bothersome to the system,” Donald Thumfield, a professional, full-time SAT tutor, said. “Happy students are notoriously difficult to deal with and far less likely to tolerate the importance of pointless standardized testing and sophisticated busywork. I mean what are teachers who normally print out a worksheet before running to class going to do when their class won’t do the assignment? Think up a different, so-called ‘interesting,’ lesson?” he scoffled.

Even more f r u s t r a t i n g , according to Vickers, is that without the motivation to Sparknotes a book or look-up a UTexas problem set on Yahoo Answers, many s t u d e n t s simply waffle around, wasting precious time pursuing what students claim to be “legitimate” interests.

Jenny Brown ’17 has written 20 poems, Roger Frank ’17 has perfected three skateboard tricks and Amelia Shepard ’17 has read three books for the mere pleasure of reading.

“It is totally wasted p o t e nt i a l ,” Jean Menan, a social studies teacher, said after a student, who had learned to play new chords on the guitar last night, failed to turn in a worksheet that included the stimulating task of coloring in an Electoral College map.

Menan sighed with frustration but said she is willing to let him make-up the homework if he is willing to be more responsible in the future.

“It is as if students feel these independent interests are actually important, beneficial,” curriculum chair Genevieve O’Hare said. “We have structured, delineated and company-created curriculums to teach students creativity and out-ofthe-box thinking, but how will they learn to bubble in a scantron if they do not pay attention?”

Graphic By Emerson Kobak ’18

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

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After his surprise victory on Nov. 8, Donald Trump made a promise. In his acceptance speech, he declared that “it is time for us to come together as one united people.” He pledged “to every citizen of our land that [he] will be president for all Americans.”

As a passionate Hillary Clinton supporter in both the primary and general election, I was devastated when Trump won. But I knew I should give him a chance as president, and so I did.

I thought that his attitude and rhetoric would change when presented with the impending responsibility of being president.

And for two days after, his beloved Twitter account was silent. But it was a brief 48 hours of bliss. On Nov. 10, Trump returned to Twitter to rage against his protesters—insinuating that they were paid by the media and illegitimate. He said that it was “very unfair” that “professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting” the “very open and successful presidential election.”

When he disparaged one of the fundamental freedoms of our nation— the right to peacefully assemble as outlined in the First Amendment— before even taking office, I knew he was no different from the bully he was throughout his campaign.

Since Election Day, Trump has tweeted about the “poor numbers” of Vanity Fair after they wrote a bad review of his restaurant, the dishonest media and the “unfair” portrayal of him on “Saturday Night Live,” yet he has been silent on the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, the thousands of hate crimes committed in his name, climate change, the consequences of Russia interfering in our elections. You get the point.

I’m not alone in my critique of his tweets. A Quinnipiac University poll found that 59 percent of voters surveyed want Trump to shut down his personal Twitter account.

Trump defends his bizarre Twitter habits by arguing that it helps him connect with the 17 million people who follow him on the platform. And on that point, I agree. Twitter is a great way to share quick news updates and potentially connect with constituents.

But that’s not how Trump uses Twitter.

He bullies random celebrities like Rosie O’Donnell, retweets white supremacists and entertains dangerous conspiracy theories on the social media platform.

If Trump is serious about unifying the country and “making America great again,” he must dismantle the medium which gave him a platform for his most outrageous ideas—that President Obama wasn’t born in the United States, that millions of people voted “illegally” in the election that he won, that people protesting after Clinton’s defeat were actually paid actors.

As the leader of the free world, Trump should not be bashing “Saturday Night Live,” The New York Times or Vanity Fair online when he cannot even be bothered to hold a press conference or take daily intelligence briefings.

If Trump wants to earn respect from the 54 percent of Americans who voted for someone other than him, he must hand over his Twitter account to a trusted team of aides. But then again, his Twitter account is just a symptom of the larger problem- that Trump seems to lack qualities that are imperative in a President: humility, restraint and good judgment. Even if he stops tweeting, the behaviors that he has displayed in the past make it clear that he is unfit for the presidency.

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Opinions | January 12, 2017

Grap hic b y Ca rly M ori ’1 8

Kanye’s behavior leads to unjustified speculation Zach Strober ’19

I

t all started on Oct. 2, 2016 at the Meadows Music Festival in Queens, New York. After showing up 30 minutes late, Kanye West was in the middle of performing his song “Heartless” when he suddenly halted and said, “I’m sorry. I have a family emergency.

I have to stop the show.” He then dropped the mic and sprinted off the stage and the show was over.

For the many Staples students who were at the concert, it was very confusing. For many, including myself, that confusion eventually turned into anger. The mass of people leaving the show looked like a pack of zombies wandering slowly to the exits.

The Meadows performance seemed to be a tipping point, as West only went in a downward spiral from there.

About a month later, West arrived at a performance in Sacramento, California over an hour late. After singing just three songs and going on, quite frankly, a bizarre tirade, he dropped the mic and left the stage, again.

After this performance, people then speculated about what was wrong with West.

Many began to believe that West had bipolar disorder, especially after Malik Yusef, an artist and producer who has worked with West throughout his entire career, told hotnewhiphop. com that he believes West had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and decided not to take the proper medication.

The media took this rumor and ran with it, speculating that West had bipolar disorder along with other mental illnesses and was not taking the proper medicine to help treat it.

But, is it really fair to assume that West has bipolar

m a j o r symptoms of the disorder, according to Healthline, are risky behavior and mood swings, as well as unrealistic confidence in your abilities.

Recently, West has exhibited many of these symptoms through some of his performances.

For example, he had a mood swing during his Sacramento performance when he ranted about Jay-Z and Beyoncé.

But is this enough evidence to come to the conclusion that he is bipolar? No, it’s not. With the information that the public has, there would be no way to diagnose him with bipolar disorder. We only know that he exhibits some of the symptoms.

Jumping to conclusions such as this can be very dangerous.

Diagnosing someone with a disorder this severe without all of the facts can be destructive, especially if you’re wrong.

People incorrectly dismiss bipolar as merely being exaggerations in mood, where a person experiences really happy moments followed by extremely angry or depressed moments. But there is really much more to the disorder than that. So, although it is a possibility that West has a mood disorder, it is impossible to know if he is or isn’t bipolar without knowing all of the facts.

disorder without really knowing all of the facts? Are they really looking at all of what bipolar disorder is or are they only taking the pieces that make it look like he has the disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder causes shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. The

Beyond the bubble: Westporters try to justify their lack of empathy Channing Smith ’17 Last year, I enrolled in a class on “concerned photography,” at the International Center of Photography.

I woke up at 7 a.m. every Saturday, assembled my bag, threw the strap of my 35mm Promaster camera over my shoulder and commuted to the city.

Concerned photography is a genre of photojournalism intended to draw attention to, and make people care about, a subject or problem going on in the world.

While completing a project for the class on police brutality, I learned more than I ever had in any school setting. I escaped the confinement of my class walls to attend protests, as well as interview members of the NYPD and other people on the streets of Manhattan. I felt as I had gotten the entire story.

I had no idea how wrong I would find myself.

I stood up in front of a room of eighty people and preached peace.

I preached justice.

I preached equality.

I concluded with a call to action and stood proudly in front of my work for applause,

photographs and questions.

A short boy, probably around the age of 13, raised his hand. He tilted his head up revealing his cool eyes beneath the rim of his hat.

“Have you ever experienced police brutality?” he asked, a painful note of accusation in his voice.

I responded with an answer I pulled quickly out of my back pocket. I talked about my white suburban town. I talked about the Bubble.

The “Bubble” is a term used by moderately wealthy white people to hastily fill

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

in the gaping holes in their understanding.

When lacking sympathy for those not graced with daddy’s savings account, the fault is simply placed on the “Bubble.” It sounds misleadingly wise and is often received with a grave head nod and noise of agreement, as if they had solved racial inequality forever.

However, the response is temporary; it puts a Band-Aid on a scar that runs so much deeper.

My pale skin glowed under the pressure of the fluorescent lights. I realized I could never get the full story.

I could preach peace. I could preach justice. I could preach equality.

But it made no difference because I had had all those things

handed to me on a silver platter because of the bubble protecting me from shaded streets and backstreet alleys.

I now recall my teacher, Bayete, a tall lanky dark skinned man never seen without his rugged, grey newsboy cap, and a lesson he had given on empathy.

“Any feeling—happiness, sadness, despair, regret—is about understanding,” he explained, his face coming in and out of the projected image of Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother.”

“You want people to question themselves, and ask, ‘Can you imagine?’” he continued.

I could never imagine. I could never imagine the isolation. I could never imagine the thought of knowing my potential may be limited and I just had to accept it.

We should talk about injustice. We should talk about prejudice, racism and sexism. But we should talk about them for the right reasons, with the right mindset of curiosity and sympathy, not arrogance.

There is a point where you have to look beyond the bubble.

You have to try to sympathize and imagine a life outside gated communities and sheltered living. Someday we will move out of the bubble.

Someday the bubble will pop.

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

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Features | January 12, 2017

Molly Mahoney ’18

features

Sandy Hook Promise video “Evan” provides insight to signs of at-risk behavior

A

n online video depicts two teenagers developing a secret romance without ever meeting.

The boy scrawls “I am bored” on a desk in the library, and the next day, he finds a response written in playful cursive handwriting: “Hi bored, nice to meet you.”

They continue to write secret messages back and forth as guitar music strums in the background. Then, abruptly, rapid gunfire and shrill screams echo in the gymnasium. Silence and blackness cut the scene short.

The viral video, entitled “Evan,” comes from Sandy Hook Promise, an organization spearheaded by mourning parents directly following the 2012 Newtown school shooting.

The group’s mission, according to their website, is to “prevent gun-related deaths due to crime, suicide and accidental discharge so that no other parent experiences the senseless, horrific loss of their child.”

Kayla Bilotti ’18, co-founder of the Social Activism Club, was deeply moved by the video.

“It was incredibly eerie and powerful to see a school so much like ours represented,” Bilotti said.

This particular Sandy Hook Promise release advocates the development of mental health and wellness programs that “identify, intervene and help at-risk individuals,” as opposed to focusing on firearm legislation.

After the initial blackout, the video continues and flashes back through the scenes the audience had just watched, but this time spotlights the warning signs of a planned

Graphic by Carly Mori ’18

shooting that were exhibited by another student featured in the background.

“Evan,” with more than 7 million hits, was viewed, liked and shared by countless Staples students upon its release.

Linda McClary, child development teacher and Newtown resident, mused, “I think [the video] has made a difference in terms of its impact on young people. On you guys.”

But the tragedy of Sandy Hook continues to impact school policy as well.

“The issue is not just preventing gun violence, but improving our ability to

have everyone feel heard and supported in school,” Principal James D’Amico said. “You can see this reflected in a couple of points of our Guiding Principles, especially our goals to be socially and emotionally aware, and, perhaps more importantly, kind.”

D’Amico also pointed out that Staples staff have undergone training to notice warning signs in teenagers.

“Teachers, staff members and students will often bring concerning behaviors to our attention, and we are extraordinarily fortunate to have tremendous resources to help students, especially our school

counselors, psychologists and social workers,” D’Amico said.

McClary, however, questioned the effectiveness of her training in deciphering warning signs since she failed to notice the warning signs in the first segment of the video. “How much are we missing in [students’] lives?” McClary asked. “I’ll bet you we’re missing a lot. How can a child last year commit suicide? How can that happen? Where were the supports for this kid? Where were all of us in recognizing the signs?”

Failure proves the key to success

Teachers and students overcome their coursework challenges Renee Weisz ’17 The familiar feeling of dread floods the classroom as tests are returned and students await their grades. Thoughts of failure pound in student brains: “If I fail this test, then I’ll fail this course, then my GPA will drop, then I won’t get into college…” But all may not be lost if one consults teachers and students who have survived the struggle of difficult coursework and have lived to tell the tale.

For AP chemistry teacher Dominick Messina, chemistry was always a subject that came naturally.

Yet, after years of breezing through science courses, Messina was thrown for a loop his junior year

of college with physical chemistry.

“It was so abstract that I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. I’m an organic chemist. I’m a more pragmatic person,” Messina said. “I really struggled with that class. I got a C plus in it,” he confessed.

English teacher Sam Goldberg experienced a similar shockingly difficult course in his field of interest upon entering college. For him, classes that forced him to adjust to diverse viewpoints and understand more worldly philosophies were a challenge.

“It took me a really long time to be able to understand that I’m in that class to learn something, not to reinforce my own values and ideas,” Goldberg said, “and I think that it was a huge struggle, for two or three semesters, to commit to understanding that class.”

Yet both Messina and Goldberg agree that learning to navigate these courses, despite less-than-ideal end results, proved more enriching than easily earning the golden “A.” After taking the initiative to address their failure, both were able to find strategies that facilitated understanding.

“I think that in a whole classroom, I lost myself in the masses,” Goldberg

said. “When I started to meet with my teacher more often and make it more individualized for myself, it was a conversation between two people, and I didn’t have other voices around me influencing my ideas.”

Chris Scherban ’17 also learned new strategies and resiliency through struggling in AP English Language.

“I met with [Ms. McGoldrick] until my grade improved, and I was on the right track, and I finally felt that I was in the class, and not drowning,” Sherban said. “I could have put a world of effort into that class, but without my teacher’s guidance, I would have failed. It was all about the effective studying and effective reading.”

As Messina experienced firsthand, recovery from failure can even be an asset. When interviewing for New York University dental school, Messina’s interviewer found his resiliency with physical chemistry to be an impressive feature on his resumé, and it helped rather than hurt his professional endeavors.

“If you’re a dentist, I can imagine that every procedure doesn’t go the right way all the time. I can imagine that maybe you’re pulling a tooth and a chip fragment gets stuck behind, and

you have to know how to not panic,” Messina said. “There is a decent amount of ‘ok I messed up, let’s fix it, let’s not panic, let’s be resilient.’”

Goldberg’s school struggles also helped prompt his professional career.

“I think these experiences were the backbone and driving force for me becoming a teacher in general.

No matter what, those are the types of skills that students need that will transcend the classroom,” Goldberg said. “Perseverance, resilience, self advocacy. To become a teacher and help students build those skills is the most difficult part, but also the most rewarding part of teaching.”

PERSERVERING PROFESSORS Sam Goldberg (at left) and Dominick Messina (at right) struggled with classes in classes before they became teachers.

Messina received a C plus in physical chemistry, however, now teaches various levels of chemistry.

Photos by Charlie Colosurdo ’18

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

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Features | January 12, 2017

Grap h

ic by

Cha nnin g Sm

ith ’1

A

7

cademic integrity lost.

Consequences of an act punishib goes unpunished. goes unenforced.

Photo dramatization b

Becky Hoving ’17 & Thomas Nealon ’17

T

he last four answers for tomorrow’s Scantron test. Your sister’s old Econ notes. A Google Doc shared with two-thirds of the class. All of these academic strategies can be identified as cheating under Staples’ current Academic Integrity Policy, yet they are everyday occurrences for many students.

“Usually you don’t face the consequences, and you think to yourself, I can get away with this,” an anonymous senior boy said. “Nearly everyone gets away with it.” In a survey with 45 students, about 67 percent claimed that they have cheated.

The Staples High School 2016-17 student handbook explicitly states a range of consequences for a student’s first offense that might include a grade reduction, receiving a zero or whatever the teacher deems appropriate for the situation.

However, the handbook also states that “for any subsequent occurrence in any course at Staples High School, the student shall immediately be dropped from the course and receive an “F” for a final grade.”

Due to these extreme measures, teachers choose not to “start students down that path,” according to Principal James D’Amico. “A lot of teachers didn’t think

the policy was helpful to students as a learning tool, so they don’t use it,” he said. “If no one is using the policy, there is no policy.”

In response to these complications, D’Amico has established the Academic Integrity Committee, which plans to develop a revised policy for approval by April 2017. The policy hopes to “explicitly align to Westport’s guiding principles, create a system prioritizing learning opportunities over grade-based consequences, and establish tiers of responses focused around problems that may lead to cheating or plagiarism,” according to Kemen Zabala, a Spanish teacher and the chairwoman of the committee.

Zabala later identified the Committee’s main issue with the current two-strike policy.

“It restricts the ability of the school to

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

have the policy be a meaningful teaching and learning tool,” Zabala said. She also noted that the current policy lacks clarity on what precisely qualifies as cheating, leading some students to claim that they

don’t even know where to draw the line.

At first, when an anonymous junior girl was asked if she had cheated before, she reported that she had not. However, upon reflection about essay help and group notes,

Features | January 12, 2017

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Cheating by the numbers Survey out of 50 students

67% of students claim they have cheated.

47.5%

ble by failing

by Channing Smith ’17

she changed her answer.

“I guess I have cheated then,” she said. “Maybe without even realizing it.”

This lack of intent is also what D’Amico hopes to address in the revised policy, and he recognized that the academic stresses at Staples can lead to somewhat drastic measures.

“A lot of incidents don’t come from the malicious intent of cheating—they come from the fact that a student has three other papers due that day, or the class is too difficult for them,” he said. “A lot of the times the pressure or the stake or trying to take a shortcut is what leads to cheating, [and] not a student trying to do something necessarily bad.”

Alyssa Hyman ’18 echoed this sentiment on her end. “People take things really seriously now in [the] face of college applications and higher stakes, and they’ll do anything they can to get the grades that they need.”

The new policy aims to counteract

this culture by identifying not just how cheating is unethical but how doing one’s own work and own research is better for a student’s learning, according to D’Amico.

However, a new policy wouldn’t necessarily rid Staples of cheating or the stigmas, both positive and negative, that come with it, according to D’Amico.

Two anonymous senior boys, for example, felt that the consequences of cheating did not loom that heavily over them.

“Yeah, I have cheated on the SAT before, and I consider it one of my greatest accomplishments,” one boy said.

“It’s like stock trading,” the other senior boy said. “You evaluate the risks and the gains, and if you can get away with cheating successfully, I think you’ve earned the grade.”

D’Amico acknowledged that this culture might still persist at Staples, even after the new policy is introduced.

“As long as there are rules, someone will break them. I don’t think we will totally squash cheating so to speak, but we can definitely make changes to a culture of cheating,” he said. “Cheating is something we want to see outside the norm, not the norm.”

He also hopes to accompany the policy by fostering a teaching culture more focused on “the teachable moment,” one that focuses on the importance of ethical behavior and honesty.

“There are instructional shifts that need to be made, too,” he said. “It’s not just the policy.

That is long, hard work, but it is worthwhile.”

of students claim they did not face any consequences.

7.7% of students re-did their assignment.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

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Features | January 12, 2017

15

Women’s March on Washington advocates for all human rights I

Jackie Sussman ’17 & Anna Rhoads ’19

t’s 1995. First Lady Hillary Clinton just finished her speech at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Though her goal was to discuss women’s rights in China and around the world, Clinton’s words would end up shaping the modern feminist movement.

“Human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights,” she said to a cheering crowd.

Thousands will chant those same words during the Women’s March on Washington, a march motivated by worries about women’s and minorities’ treatment under the Trump Administration. It will take place on Jan. 21— Trump’s first day in office.

“The Women’s March on Washington is not simply a march to speak out against the threats we as women will continue to face through the new administration,” Sydney Sussman ’15, a Staples alum who attends George Washington University and is planning on marching, said. “We are marching to bring universal awareness to the protection of human rights, safety and basic health for minority groups that may not be able to speak out for themselves.”

The march will commence at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Independence Ave. and Third St. SW in Washington, D.C. near the U.S. Capitol. Comprised of independent coordinators at the state level, the effort is headed by national co-chairs Tamika Mallory, Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour and Bob Bland. A program featuring public figures will be released in coming weeks.

In addition to these leaders, it is estimated

that 200,000 marchers may participate, according to The Washington Post.

The mission of this protest as elucidated by these organizers follow the five “principles of Kingian nonviolence,” which dictate that 1) nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people, 2) the “Beloved Community” is the framework for the future, 3) people must attack forces of evil and not evil persons and

4) people must accept suffering without retaliation and avoid internal violence.

The third principle of nonviolence —people must attack forces of evil, not persons doing evil— coupled with the political timing of this protest has sparked debate about the true intentions of this march.

Some Staples students support the march. James Allott ’17, for

Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19 Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

instance, believes “that grievance is righteous” and Madison Malin ’17, a member of Young Democrats, supports the march’s printed purpose to confront the “rhetoric of the past election cycle [that] has insulted, demonized and threatened many of us,” according to the official protest website.

“It shows that women aren’t going to be walked upon by a president-elect that has made misogynistic comments in the past,” Malin said. “It shows that we will still fight.”

However, other Staples students, like Evan Feder ’17, recognize the constitutionally safeguarded freedom of assembly, but challenge the protest’s belief that women’s rights are under attack.

“While Trump has said some pretty nasty stuff about women, that’s more of his personal attitude,” Feder said. “I don’t think women’s issues other than abortion will really be threatened by the presidency.”

While the protest was initially accused of being exclusionary given that the first leaders were all white females, the march has since publicly declared its inclusive stance. Bland told The Washington Post, “We welcome our male allies. We want this to be as inclusive as possible while acknowledging that it’s okay to have a women-centered march.”

Zachary Gallin, a male student in the class of 2020 at Georgetown, plans on participating in the Women’s March. In response to criticisms questioning the goal of the march, Gallin feels “the march will show the Trump administration that there are millions of people on his doorstep who are willing to take political action to stop his unconstitutional policies.”

In defending the protest, Gallin stated, “Our goal isn’t to ease the tensions in this country—it’s to bring them to the surface and to force the presidency to deal with them.”

‘Scheming’ and DM’s slide into Staples

Advancement of social media trumps interpersonal relationships Daniel Harizman ’19 & Lili Romann ’19

The excitement that comes with winning over the heart of another is often an endeavor associated with the young and young-at-heart.

However, as society has changed, and especially with the evolution and growth of social media, the game of young love has morphed into “scheming,” or the process of initiating and developing a relationship solely over social media.

“When my parents went to school, the guy would come to the front door for a date, caring a lot about the opinions of their date’s family,” Cole Brockwell ’19 said.

“Society has changed. People care less about reputation now. But now, you’re not social unless you use social media.”

Teens use Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook as tools for scheming.

These platforms offer direct messaging (“DMing”) which enables teens to reach out to one another on a more personal level, otherwise known as “sliding into someone’s DM’s.”

It is very common for a boy or a girl to find a person’s online profile and proceed to direct message them, although the

anonymity that comes along with the use of social media can permit a false perception of character and can often lead to a botched understanding of personality.

However, many teens see negatives associated with this trendy dating method.

“Dating is a lot less serious now. It’s kind of a more laid back deal, especially now that people can be a ‘thing’ with someone,” Luke Welch ’19 said.

Welch said he believes in the foundation of a relationship and that it should be based mostly on real life con nect ion, as opposed to being based mostly on social media i nteract ion.

Alexa Stiegler ’19 feels that beginning relationships over social media can cause worse relationships between partners.

“With technology, people don’t feel the need to meet new people in person, as well as have a conversation with them in person,” Stiegler said. “It makes it harder for someone to talk to a person face to face when they can just text or Snapchat them.”

Social studies teacher Nell-Ayn Lynch believes that the relationship culture has significantly evolved since she was young, and specifically notes a decline in interpersonal, devoted relationships.

“Now with social media, the relationship is at the touch of your hands.”

- Nell-Ayn Lynch

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

“We didn’t have social media, so when you saw someone cute, you would go up and talk to them wherever you were, whether it be at a party, through mutual friends or on a blind date,” Lynch said. “Now with social media, the relationship is at the touch of your hand.”

Even some teenagers are dissatisfied with the interference of social media in relationship development.

Gabriela Vega ’18, for one, is a firm believer in the importance of the archetypal personal relationship.

“It may be easier to get to know someone over social media, and easier to be in contact with them all the time, although, I think that a relationship should be more personal rather than over social media,” Vega said.

The youth, along with older generations, have collectively recognized the ways in which relationships have evolved due to social media, and most have found these up and coming customs rather negative.

“It’s not a relationship unless you have some sort of interpersonal skills,” social studies teacher Drew Coyne, said. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

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17

Arts

EL SEGUNDO A global eatery bringing street foods to South Norwalk

EL SEGUNDO

IN REVIEW

Charlie Colasurdo ’18

A global eatery brings street food to South Norwalk

F

Photos by Charlie Colasurdo ’18

Charlie Colasurdo ’18

or an incredibly fun culinary trip across the globe, you don’t need a passport or a plane ticket. Hop in a car for the short trip to the restaurant El Segundo, located in the newly-refurbished Ironworks Building in South Norwalk.

This eclectic new eatery, featuring corrugated steel walls graffitied and plastered with passport stamps, is one of the most relaxed eateries around. Created by Chef Carlos Baez and partner Chris Hickey, who also created the award winning restaurant The Spread, El Segundo offers global street food with a very reasonable price point. A refreshing respite from the fancier restaurants in the area, there are no white tablecloths here. All food is served on paper trays with plastic utensils or chopsticks, and lots of the options, like Turkish Kofte Kebabs and Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches, are eaten by hand, just as you would eat them on the street. The action in the small but bustling kitchen is visible from the open dining area, and if you come solo or with a friend, it’s fun to watch the chefs at work.

Opened about six months ago, this loud, street food-inspired restaurant provides a unique and festive setting in which to chow down on inexpensive and diverse culinary options from every continent. I started the evening with fresh Tuna Spring Rolls (a savory twist on a classic Vietnamese dish) with fresh tuna and julienned veggies, accompanied by an umani soy-mayo dipping sauce. Next up, Chef Carlos’ signature dish: Pork Pastor Tacos, a dish inspired by his hometown in Mexico. The pork is slow cooked on a spit with fresh pineapple, served with cilantro, onion and arbòl sauce on a corn tortilla.

One of my favorite dishes on the extensive menu is the Nua prik thai nahm jim, from the Phillipines, chunks of marinated skewered ribeye with a green chile sauce. Another option is the Jamaican jerk patties stuffed with tender ground beef, but be forewarned: these are accompanied by a side of blindingly hot-pickled scotch bonnet peppers, and a little goes a long way. Keep your fresh-squeezed lemonade nearby. Another satisfying choice is the arepas—tasty pockets of braised pork which sandwich fresh avocado, queso fresco and salsa verde.

When you go, sharing is encouraged, so bring a group of friends. The more in your party, the more of the tapas-style, mix-and-match fare you get to sample.

Although I was stuffed to the gills by the end of the night, I was told that the Churro Sundae was not to be missed. I was glad I ordered it, because out came a huge sundae with softserve vanilla ice cream (they have their own machine on site), topped with gooey caramel sauce, chopped walnuts and, the piece de resistance, hot, crispy churros, just out of the oven.

I enjoyed the experience immensely and plan to bring friends PACKED FULL OF FLAVOR El Segundo features a grungy next time to join me on a culinary interior (above) along with a diverse array of cuisines, with expedition across the globe. Bon Mexican Pork Pastor Tacos (top left).

Appetit! Buen apetito! inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

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Arts 12,22, 2017 Arts| |January November 2016 Graphic by Cat Graham ’19

“MANCHESTER

BY THE SEA” —

IN REVIEW “Manchester by the Sea” unconventionally leaves audience devastated Christoph Russi ’17

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“

anchester by the Sea,” written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan (“Gangs of New York,” “You Can Count on Me”), is structurally unconventional, to say the least. It’s a story you watch in order to meet and understand its characters, only to leave them before their character arcs are finished playing out.

It is, however, the most honest film I’ve seen this year. Lonergan is not at all afraid to sadden the audience.

The film follows Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) after the death of his brother.

Assigned custody over his teenage nephew (Lucas Hedges), Lee’s past is revealed in flashbacks, each sequence capturing a darker and more heartbreaking moment from his life until it finally reaches the breaking point. If you’re hoping for an overtly happy ending to a sad tale, this movie is difficult to recommend.

“Manchester by the Sea” twists the harsh reality of tragic loss into the gut of the audience.

But Lonergan respects his audience.

Hollywood movies often prod their

viewers with loud whooshing sounds and twinkling lights to show going back in time. This movie expects you to watch, listen and figure it out for yourself. For fans of modern filmmaking, the influences on the director are there to be discovered.

First, Hayao Miyazaki’s (“Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke”) style of bringing characters to life through the way they move—small stumbles, buckling knees, the picking up of small sticks while walking for no real reason—is evident and potent in making the individuals behave and feel like real people. Next, Wes Anderson’s (“Moonrise Kingdom,” “The

Grand Budapest Hotel”) quirky sense of visual humor is present and fans of “Moonrise Kingdom” will surely recognize Kara Hayward and Hedges.

There is no formula here. Each 20 minute sequence opens the story up for reexamination, and it will keep you on the edge of your seats for all 137 minutes.

With career-defining performances by Affleck, Michelle Williams, Hedges and Kyle Chandler, paired with a masterful and captivating score by Lesley Barber, Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea” will hurt you and heal you, leaving you stranded breathless somewhere in between.

“American Housewife” receives criticism for Westport portrayal Cate Casparius ’19 “American Housewife” is a comedy based on Westport and attempts to portray its daily lifestyle. In doing so, some of the jokes and stereotypes have offended Westport residents. The first episode aired on ABC on Oct. 11, and ten more episodes have aired since.

The pilot episode of “American Housewife” features main character and mother Katie Otto, played by Katy Mixon,

staring out of a window while reflecting on her neighbor moving. She said, “You see, my neighbor Fat Pam is giving up and moving to Vermont. She’s had enough of the skinnies in this town.” Otto is constantly hating on the fit mothers and criticizing her own body image.

A mother in Westport commented on the weight subject. “I think the main character mom is hardly what I would call ‘fat.’ She is very pretty, clever and average looking in terms of weight,” Alison Feuer said. “I know so many smart, successful, altruistic, hard working moms in

Photo by Emma Greenberg ’18 and Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Westport of all shapes and sizes. I hated how all Westport moms were lumped together into a group that spend all day dieting and working out.”

Also in the pilot, the Otto’s neighbor wore two fitbits and was made out to be a crazy, workout-a-holic, stay-at-home mother. Juliette Schwebel ’19 evaluates the accuracy of this hyperbolic portrayal. “[It] was a far stretch, like the neighbor with two fitbits [was] ridiculous,” Schwebel said.

Another controversial scene in the show lies in episode five, “The Snub,”

where Otto was talking to her son about working to pay for the shirt he wants.

The son eventually contended, “This is Westport, kids around here don’t do things like that.” This stereotype frustrated some youngsters in Westport who do in fact work. “[The] majority of my friends including myself do work,” Lexi Wetmore ’17 said. “While Westport is a wealthy town, not everyone gets everything they want handed to them, [and] kids do put in the time and effort to make their own money.”

The later episodes in the show attempt to portray that it is acceptable to not be perfect in a town where everyone is flawless. However, some Westport residents still deem the show’s overt criticism of their town inexcusable and, therefore, not comedic.

“I was kind of embarrassed when I saw the ad for the show as it portrayed Westport by its worst qualities not its best. Sure we are a wealthy community and some members of our community are selfish, but the majority of people I know are not,” Feuer said. “After watching, I think I was disgusted. In general the show was sad and stereotypical and ugly. Not what I want to be associated with.”

From a perspective outside of Westport, an article on Bustle was written about the show. Writer Lindsay Denninger wrote, “I don’t think that it’s fair that American Housewife paints the Westport moms with such a wide brush — they are wealthy, sure, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own problems.”

Arts | January 12, 2017 Photos by Ellie Kravetz ’18 Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

19

THEATRICAL BEINGS (from left to right) Ben Gross ’20, Chloe Delgado ’20 and Gavin Berger ’17 are members of Staples Players.

Theater audition process gives insight into actors’ preparations Kaya Leitner ’19

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ervous actors pace and calculate hypothetical situations that might make or break the chances of getting cast. There is a panel of judges consisting of familiar faces: student judge Kayla Bilotti ’18, director of Staples Players Mr. Roth and assistant director Kerry Long. Red tape marked in an “x” indicates where to stand, and those who audition announce their carefully chosen song

and the show from which it originates.

The directors give chorus teacher Luke Rosenberg the go-ahead with a slight nod. The piano plays and the nerves kick in as the actor prays the audition goes as practiced.

The performers of Staples Players undergo this process for every show. For months in advance, they work feverishly to prepare for a single showing: the audition.

“It’s super stressful to only have one shot to get something as perfect as you want it to be,” Juiette Schwebel ’19 said. “It’s so hard because you are always comparing yourself to others prior to entering the

audition room.”

Bilotti recognizes the efforts shown by the student actors. “They start by picking and practicing their audition song, usually with a voice teacher. Often they practice over a month in advance. Then, during audition week, they have two days of auditions: dance and singing,” Bilotti said.

However auditions, while important, are not the only contributing factor to being cast.

“The two other elements that play into casting besides auditions are how much effort they put in the last production [if

they were cast] and their commitment to the organization, shown through tech hours,” Bilotti said. “If someone puts a lot of effort into the show process, it [is acknowledged] and rewarded.”

While the audition process may be stressful, some actors believe it is worth the pain and effort.

“Having played other sports at Staples, Players auditions [can] be the most nerveracking moments and are incomparable to others,” Amanda Samuels ’19, a Staples Player, said. “Making the show and performing in it makes up for any amount of nerves leading up to the audition.”

Why New Year’s resolutions inevitably fail Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

Izzy Blansfield ’18 It’s Dec. 31. The clock strikes twelve, the ball drops, fireworks burn and people all over the country tune into the news to marvel over the commotion of New York City’s Times Square. As people gape at the crowds, confetti and celebration, they formulate their New Year’s resolutions, disregarding the inevitable failure that will most likely follow.

Many Staples students fall under the 92 percent of Americans who fail to reach their resolutions, including Amanda Samuels ’19. Samuels experienced the struggle last year to complete her 2015-16 resolution to run more often.

“It worked for around three weeks and then slowly the everyday schedule turned to every other day, every other three days, and so on,” Samuels said.

The New Year represents a new beginning, which is the perfect opportunity for people to make changes in their lifestyles. Common changes include weight loss, increase in exercise, quitting bad habits or working harder in school.

However, these New Year’s resolutions often remain unachieved. In fact, according to New York Magazine, “A little more than half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent of

those who do succeed in meeting their goals.”

Brynn Schumacher ’18 also experienced a failed resolution as she aimed to do better in school.

“Last year when I made this goal, I did get straight A’s for one quarter, but then the next quarter I slacked off because it was getting closer to summer and I was tired of school,” Schumacher said.

One leading cause of failed resolutions

is the expectation to participate in the resolution craze itself. “The association of the New Year drew me to feel like I needed to make a change because everyone around me was and it was kind of nerve racking,” Samantha Pacilio ’19 said. “A new year meant a new me.”

However, taking action to make a change because of an expectation is not the proper motivation. According to the website conversation.com, “The very fact

that we’re using the new year to spur us into action might indicate that we’re not really able to do the hard work of changing.”

Additionally, Beverly D. Flaxington, a writer for psychologytoday.com, explores other reasons why New Year’s resolutions fail. She emphasizes that the problem stems from the fact that many resolutions are unrealistic.

“It’s great to make resolutions that will challenge you a bit and allow you to grow and learn new things in the process, but taking on too much will only exhaust and dishearten you, making you more likely to give up,” Flaxington said.

Additionally, social psychologist and Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy recognizes the negative effects New Year’s resolutions have on individuals.

“Failing to meet the unreasonable goals we set for ourselves can in turn take a negative toll on our self-worth.”

Livestrong.com takes this into consideration as they formulate a solution to prevent the negative effects that may derive from failure. The site advises those struggling with their resolutions to make their goals measurable and to prepare and plan in greater depth.

The website conversation.com keeps it simple when giving New Year’s resolution advice, “Don’t wait until the New Year; and don’t be overambitious.”

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Arts 12,22, 2017 Arts| |January November 2016

New Starbucks drive-thru does NOT LIVE UP to hype

Photos by Eliza Goldberg ’17

Nicole Shapiro ’18

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ot having to leave your car in 14 degree weather to get your cup of coffee at 6 a.m. seems like the ideal scenario for any coffee lover. Although the new Starbucks drive-thru allows for that perfect scenario, it is not living up to its initial expectations.

The new drive-thru that opened in October moved from 925 Post Rd East to 1000 Post Rd East. According to Michael Bloomberg, Starbucks drive-thrus account for more than 40 percent of company-operated stores and have a higher-than-average sales growth compared to non-drive-through locations.

Jordie Lynch, a barista at the new Starbucks, explained that the drive-thru was incorporated to speed up the process of getting your daily cup of coffee. Staples students seem to think otherwise about the efficiency of the new drive-thru.

“The new drive-thru serves the customers that walk in first so if you go through the drive-thru it takes extremely longer,” Emily Bass ’18 said. “If you end up going inside all the baristas are flustered trying to fit in all the orders from the drive-thru, so walking in doesn’t go much faster either.”

On the other hand, some coffee addicts like the new drive-thru, but think

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

NOT SO “GRANDE” AFTER ALL A customer orders at the new Starbucks. The establishment has not been highly favorable among Westport coffee goers.

it could use some improvement.

“I really do like the drive-thru because sometimes I'm just too lazy to walk inside,” Lily Howes ’19 said. “[However] the line is so long and takes forever.”

If waiting for your coffee isn’t ideal, the new Starbucks drive-thru isn’t the

best fit. If, however, you don’t mind it's inconvenient operating speed, the drivethru is a place to get your coffee without having to leave your car.

“I’m addicted to Starbucks coffee, so drive-thru or not, I’ll probably be there,” Howes said.

HGG

INKLINGS | January 12, 2017

21

sports

Winter Sports Update Jackson Daignault ’18

Boys’ Ice Hockey 1-3

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he Staples-Weston-Shelton (SWS) co-op team looks to rebound from a heartbreaking loss in last year’s Division III state championship, with the hiring of new coach Chris Avena. The team has moved into Division II, which should be a challenge for SWS. The team will be headlined

by Sam New ’18, a three year starter and one of the top scorers on the 2016 team. The Wreckers lost two major contributors in Staples’ Jesse Greenspun ’16 and Weston’s Ryan Johnson ’16. Aside from New, the Wreckers will need a strong supporting cast to fill the hole left by Johnson and Greenspun. “We need every man to step up this year,” New said, “some in particular are Aiden Conte [’19], Casten Ernberg [’18], Chris Cyr [’19] and Rob Wehmhoff [’18].” The Wreckers will also be relying heavily on goalie Zack Bloom ’18 and captains Sam Zaritsky ’17 and Sebastian Zeman ’17.

Photo contributed by Staples boys’ hockey’s website

CONTINUING A LEGACY Varsity hockey goalie Zack Bloom ’18 looks to improve upon the team’s 1-3 record and gain a shot at the state championship.

Photo by Dylan Beck ’19

The wrestling team has many more members than in years past with 26 wrestlers. As a result of this increase, the team has high hopes for its returning wrestlers. “This year we are hoping some returning wrestlers such as Dominic Arciola [’18] and Dylan Marone [’18] can play a big role in winning matches,” Kieran Clarke ’17, one of the three captains, said. “The kids that wrestled last year were all tough, many of whom placed at FCIACs.” The Wreckers also lost a large senior class highlighted by captain Jonathan Maragos ’16, who wrestled in the 160 pound weight class alongside fellow captain Joe Tuccinardi ’16. Staples hopes that Clarke and fellow captains Ryan Mahoney ’17 and Colin Hunter ’17 can fill the gap left by Maragos and Tuccinardi and carry the team to another FCIAC playoff berth.

Boys’ Wrestling 2-5

Photo contributed by Staples track and field’s website

WRESTLING TO SUCCESS Dylan Marone ’18, a critical component of the Staples varsity wrestling team, hopes to win the Jan. 11 meet at Norwalk High School.

Boys’ Track and Field

The Staples boys’ indoor track team will look to build off the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). The boys placed 22nd at nationals and plans to make another deep run during the indoor season. Important contributors like captain Zak Ahmad ’17, a University of Pennsylvania commit, will hope to lead the team to success for the second straight year. The Wreckers hope to have injured captain Brandon Harrington ’17 back in time for the season.

BIG SHOES TO FILL After placing 22nd at nationals, lead runner Benjamin Seiple ’18 hopes to achieve a similar level of success with the Staples boys’ indoor track team.

The Wreckers look to recover after losing star runner Hannah Debalsi ’16 to Stanford University. Captain Katherine Coogan ’17 and others will look to continue where they left off last year, qualifying for both state and FCIAC playoffs. Amanda Neckritz ’18, a returning varsity runner, has high hopes for the season. “Our Captains are really motivated to do well this season,” Neckritz said. “We have been pushing ourselves really hard.”

Girls’ Track and Field

Photo contributed by Staples track and field’s website

OPTIMISTIC FUTURE Jael Jean ’19 competes at the CIAC LL 2016 State Championship. After the loss of Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Month Hannah Debalsi ’16, Staples girls’ indoor track attempts to swiftly recover and continue to lead the team to victory.

Boys’ Ski Team

The Boys’ Ski Team had a strong year in 2016 led by senior captain Campbell Ashman ’16, finishing second in the FCIAC and third in Connecticut. This years team will rely heavily on its strong senior class, spearheaded by Burke Anvari ’17, Timothy Chiang ’17 and Harrison Ross ’17. Ryan Smith ’19, a returning varsity starter, will also be a crucial piece in the Wreckers success.

SKI TO SUCCESS Staples boys’ varsity ski captain Burke Anvari ’17 aspires to repeat 2016 success this season.

Photo contributed by Staples ski team website

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Sports | January 12, 2017

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

SHOOTS

FOR A BETTER RECORD Photos by Ellie Kravetz ’18

Alexandra Sprouls ’19

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fter finishing last season with a 7-13 record, girls’ basketball looks to improve this year’s record and, according to head coach Paco Fabian, “prove everyone wrong.”

“This is going to be a very exciting year. I can already tell. We have a good chance to win more games this year than we have in the past five seasons,” Fabian said.

The team began the season with a 4328 home win over New Canaan on Dec. 12, and since then has lost only twie=ce.

“In the New Canaan game we definitely played the way we wanted to because we worked together and passed the ball. We are going to try and apply this strategy to future games for more positive outcomes,” Amanda Troelstra ’18, a returning varsity player, said.

Before break the girls were able to take

down Ludlowe and St. Joseph, inching out a win in both games by less than 10 points.

Over holiday break, they took on Trinity Catholic and Manchester, adding two more wins to their current streak.

“I think that the team had some trouble in the first half in both the Trinity and Manchester games, but we came out stronger in the second half and pulled out a win for both. I definitely believe that we are a second half team right now,” returning varsity player Sophie Smith ’18 said.

New to the roster this year is freshman Arianna Gerig ’20, along with her sister, Virginia Gerig ’17, who has returned to the

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

team after taking the past two seasons off.

“So far this season, coming in as a freshman, all of my expectations have been met. I enjoy going to all the practices and games, and the team dynamic is really good.” Gerig ’20 said.

Of the 43 points scored against New Canaan, Arianna scored 10 of them herself. Julia Brower ’17 contributed to the high score for the Wreckers, getting 10 points on the scoreboard as well.

Returning players are also looking forward to a winning season. Elle Fair ’19 started a few games on varsity last year as a freshman and is even more excited to play this year.

“This year I think the attitude of the

“I am really excited to be captain this year, and the team so far has done great; we are already 5-0,” w - Olivia Troy ’17

team is really different from last year.

I think we are all willing to make a connection with each other on and off the court that was not there last year,” Fair said.

Returning to the court along side Fair is captain Olivia Troy ’17, who has recently committed to play lacrosse at the University of Connecticut. “I am really excited to be captain this year, and the team so far has done great; we are already 5-0,” Troy said.

As they return from break, girls’ basketball will look to stay undefeated when they play Danbury and Fairfield Warde, both away games.

“These past five games we have played really well together,” Fair said. “We

are playing each game as a way to get closer to our goal of making it to the tournaments later in the season.

Sports | January 12, 2017

Staples Girls’ hockey unites with neighboring towns to stay competitive

23

Ski team starts the season off strong Alexandra Sprouls ’19

Photos contributed by SWS girls’ hockey website Graphics by Channing Smith ’17

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Cate Casparius ’19

lmost all of Staples’ sports teams are solely made up of Staples students. One team, however, is a combination of students from four different schools. Due to a shortage of participants along with limited places to practice, the girls’ hockey team has students from Staples, Stamford, Westhill, and Academy of Information and Tech Engineering.

“When some students hear that there is a girls’ hockey team they are quite shocked we actually have one,” Elizabeth Fay ’19 said.

The team is run by co-head coaches, John Fay and Phil Miolene, both of whom are not teachers. The girls usually practice during the week at the Terry Connors Ice Rink in Stamford and at the Westport Police Athletic League Rink at Longshore.

Their “home” games are also held at the Stamford rink.

SKATING TO SUCCESS (Left to right) Jessica Xu ’18, Erin McGroarty ’18 and Elizabeth Fay ’19 lead the Staples girls’ varsity hockey team to success in their 2017 season.

“Being a team that draws from four schools in two separate towns gives us a diverse group of players,” Coach Fay said.

“A few of our players compete against each other in soccer, field hockey and lacrosse; come ice hockey season it is all about working together as one group.”

The players agree that competing on a team which combines with other schools is beneficial.

“We’re all super close because we love coming from different schools and when we’re together we don’t have to deal with any outside drama,” Ida Nevstad ’19 said. “We can just focus on playing and not worry about other things. It’s a nice escape, actually.”

Staples co-captain Erin McGroarty ’18 added, “Some of my best friends live in Stamford and I think it’s an incredible experience.”

A great amount of effort and hard work went into preparing for the 2017 season. Coach Fay admitted he was

impressed with the progress made during the off-season. Co-captain, Emily Gitlin ’20, shared how the team prepared themselves for the season.

“We prepared for the season with our boot camp. For two weeks we had an hour of on-ice and an hour of off-ice. The off-ice was either yoga or conditioning, depending on the day. This really helped all our players focus on basic skills and all of our new players to learn the game,” Gitlin said. “We hope to succeed this season as long as we put in the extra effort to overcome losing our goalie [Claire Parry].”

One concern for this season, though, is the loss of players due to injuries.

However, Fay ’19 thinks the team can work through it.

“Unfortunately we have lost two key players because of injuries, but, as they are on the mend, they will be healthy and back on the ice soon,” Fay added. “I think that we should do well this season.”

Super Bowl traditions foster comradery Alexa Moro ’18

Intensely watching the game, eyes fixed on platinum screens and hands dripping with hot wing sauce, the Super Bowl is like a holiday for most people. No matter which teams make it to this year’s pigskin showdown, the Super Bowl brings friends and families together.

According to VoxNews, an average of 47 percent of the American population watch the Super Bowl each year. Staples students prove that the ratings aren’t only due to avid football fans. Students have traditions that they carry out every Super Bowl game, whether it’s having trouble wiping hot wing sauce from their fingers or shooting friends with Nerf-guns, the game isn’t always what they look forward to the most.

Every year, Harry Azadian ’19, Matt Brown ’18, Luc Yokoi ’19 and their families gather at the Azadian’s house for the big

game. “We have a dope Nerf-gun fight during halftime,” Brown said. “[The tradition] is a lot of fun.”

Azadian agreed. “It makes me look forward to the Super Bowl even more,” he said.

The boys like the fact that their families have continued with this tradition over the years. “It’s really special that the Browns, Yokois and our family have been doing the same thing for so long,” Azadian said.

B r y c e Reiner ’17 also spends game day with his friends, but sticks to more traditional activities on the Super Bowl. “Every year, I hangout with my friends, eat wings and watch football,” Reiner said.

Reiner is not alone. Olivia Troy ’17 also looks forward to eating chicken wings, but she does not necessarily do the exact same thing each year. “Sometimes we have people over, but sometimes we go

to other people’s houses,” Troy said.

She’s happy though as long as wings are present. “The wings are 100 percent the highlight,” Troy said.

As it turns out, most of America agrees. The National Chicken Council estimates that 162.5 million pounds of chicken wings were eaten on last year’s Super Bowl Sunday.

Elle Fair ’19 also enjoys the food on Super Bowl Sunday. “It’s like a second Thanksgiving at my house,” Fair said.

But her favorite part is spending time with her family. “We always have a catch outside during halftime,” she said.

No matter which part people look forward to, Fair sums up the Super Bowl for most viewers.

“It’s a great day to spend with family and friends,” Fair said.

With the wind whooshing against their chests, the ski team carves their way through Mount Southington in Plantsville, Connecticut after triumphantly concluding their extensive five week preseason.

Without any snow on the ground during preseason, the boys and girls teams participate in dryland training to get in shape for their upcoming season. “[Dryland training] helps establish who the racers are that are willing to dedicate the time to training, rather than individuals who just want to ski. How racers participate in dryland speaks a great deal about what we can expect from them once we are on the hill,” girls coach Rebecca Anderson-Furlong said.

Squats, wall sits, pushups and ab workouts are all part of their daily exercise routines that take place at Staples. They also partake in human slalom which replicates ski racing on land.

“Skiing requires you to use different muscles than you usually use throughout the year and therefore you have to prepare them so that you are ready to hit the slopes as soon as the snow comes,” boys coach Courtney Ruggiero said.

Without junior varsity ski teams, athletes can get cut at tryouts, even after participating in dryland training.

While Ruggiero understands how it may be upsetting to participate in dryland training and end up not making the team, she holds a strong belief that “it would be more unfair to not help all athletes be physically prepared for time trials [...]. All of this helps kids start off on a more even playing field before we get on snow.”

After weeks of training, the skiers hit the slopes to take part in tryouts consisting of time trials where potential members are timed as they race down the Mount Southington Giant Slalom course.

Practicing on the slopes largely depends on the amount of snowfall.

“Snow is 100 percent the biggest thing that affects our season,” Hope Penwell ’17, a captain of the girls ski team, said.

There are very rigid margins for practice because when there is too little snow, the mountain will be closed, and when there is too much snow, school can be cancelled resulting in a lost practice.

“Last year the lack of snow made us uncertain when practice was, when race day was and when tryouts were,” Timothy Chiang ’17, a co-captain of the boys ski team, said.

This is the first time in the past four years that tryouts are being held before December break due to an increase of artificial snowmaking and snowfall at Mount Southington.

“We have some amazing racers on our teams,” Anderson-Furlong said. She would “encourage everyone to come up to Southington. Not only to cheer on these great racers but to see what an exciting and intense sport it is.”

Graphics by Melanie Lust ’19

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24

Sports | January 12, 2017

Life isn’t always Fair: an epic comeback Lauren Stack ’17

Within Staples’ ultra competitive athletic environment, getting cut from a team has become a norm. For athletes who have committed to in season and out-of-season practices and endless camps filled with blood, sweat and tears, being cut from a team can be devastating. But how disappointment is handled often shows a person’s true character.

As a freshman, Matty Fair ’17 tried out for the Staples freshman basketball team. Fair loved the competition, the comradery and the game itself.

When the roster was announced, he was devastated to learn he was not on it. “It really deterred me from playing basketball,” Fair said. “It was tough for me to wrap my head around getting cut, so the only way I knew how to forget about it was to kind of stop playing the game.”

At first Fair was so discouraged he didn’t think he would ever try out for the basketball team again. But he had a change of heart in his senior year.

“I love the game too much not to give myself a chance to play again, so I tried out,” Fair said.

He is now one of the newest center/ forward players on the varsity team’s starting lineup.

The journey to make the team was not an easy one. Fair spent hours at the gym working on cardio and other physical training in order to get in shape for the season. He also regularly played basketball with his friends.

“From Matt’s pre-season work ethic and ability he showed at tryouts, I knew Matt would be a key member of our team,” coach Colin Devine said.

Fair understands the work required to get one of the few spots on the team and doesn’t take it for granted. In recognition of his persistence and tenacity, his coach praised his defensive skills and said Fair has shown his hard work in practice.

“Matty is an incredibly hard worker and a great inside player. He’s going to be an incredibly valuable player this year,” Sean Pritchett ’17, teammate and veteran forward, added.

Making the transition onto a relatively small team who has spent the past three seasons together could be daunting. However, Fair’s integration was smooth and effortless.

“The team and the coaching staff really made it easy for me. They all welcomed me with patience and helped me kind of get back into running plays and playing defense,” Fair said. “Without their patience and help, I think it could have been really hard.”

Fair’s passion for the game and positive personality made him immediately fit in with the team.

“It feels like Matty has been here all four years, and his transition into the starting lineup has been seamless,” Pritchett added.

The team’s outlook for Staples basketball is optimistic as a result of its positive team dynamic.

“We have a really close-knit group. The seniors on the team, like Brendan Massoud, Sean [Pritchett], Justin [Seidman], and myself have been playing together since fifth grade, so we all know each other’s game,” Fair said.

Fair believes that the tight relationship between the seniors and talented underclassmen could help their overall success.

“There is nothing like getting on a court with all your good buddies and competing. It’s a feeling you can’t get anywhere else,” Fair said.

Coach Devine has an equally positive outlook, as he believes the impressive senior leadership will reach their goals and play to their highest potential.

“The dynamic has been pretty consistent, but

“THERE IS NOTHING LIKE GETTING ON A COURT WITH ALL YOUR GOOD BUDDIES AND COMPETING.” -MATTY FAIR ’17

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M

i c h a e l Jordan. A household name that even the biggest sports haters can recognize. The famous NBA player

Photos by Ellie Kravetz ’18

Matty certainly brings an air of confidence with him,” Devine said.

Pritchett added, “And it permeates throughout the whole team. We’re looking to do special things this year, and Matty has just added to the already high potential we have as a team.”

SWISH (above) Matty Fair ’17 works on his free throw before the game. This is one of his many pre-game rituals that helps him compete to the best of his abilities. (left) Fair has been an integral part of the teams success so far, with a 3-4 record on the season.