Inklings October 2016 Issue

INKLINGS INKLINGS

I

Vol. 88, Issue 3

October 28, 2016

INSIDE page 15

page 8

The dangers of Clinton

Molly Liebergall ’17 satirically addresses the unintended consequences of a Hillary Clinton presidency.

Tap that

Aishah Avdiu ’17 opens her own Kombucha, on tap, pop-up store on Riverside Avenue in Westport.

1 7 11 17 21

News Opinions Features Arts Sports

GRAPHICS BY CHANNING SMITH’17

Clinton holds commanding lead in Overlooked U.S. congressional Inklings poll of Staples students elections in Connecticut intensify Cate Casparius ’19 & Zach Horowitz ’19

Fritz Schemel ’17 In light of the Nov. 8 election, Inklings polled 305 Staples students on the presidential race from Oct. 4-6 around the time real ballots were cast for early voting. This is what we found.

If the election were today, for whom would you vote?

67 percent

21 percent

9.2 percent

OTHER

2 percent

>1 percent

On Nov. 8, citizens around the United States will vote for whom they think is the most qualified individual to be their next President. What can oftentimes be overlooked, however, are the other elections of candidates for positions in their state districts, including the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Both elections are extremely important because they determine the effectiveness of the new President,” George Kane ’17, who works at the Westport Democratic Headquarters, said.

Incumbent Richard Blumenthal is running for the U.S. Senate against Republican Connecticut State Representative Dan Carter. Carter received the nomination by receiving 76.7 percent of the votes from the Republican delegates. For a seat in the House of Representatives, Democratic incumbent Jim Himes is running against Republican John Shaban.

While the races are close, Noah Lomnitz ’17, a member of the Young Republicans club, predicts that Connecticut will vote Democrat.

“Connecticut obviously is a smaller state, so it doesn’t have as many representatives, and we’re likely going to vote Democrat as we historically do,” Lomnitz said. “This election is not showing signs of anything different, so not much change is on the line.”

When it comes to political opinions

More results on page 2

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

and related current events, students around Staples have strong feelings about the issues.

“Well, I think [the candidates] obviously differ on the traditional issues, the ones we see brought up every election like taxes, guns, etc.,” Eli Debenham ’17, who also works at the Westport Democrat Headquarters, said. “But the thing I love about Himes is that he’s consistently been a genuine leader in the House, leading movements and working against the gridlock they see so much of.”

On the other hand, Shaban’s supporters think change in the U.S. House will be beneficial, starting with a new tax proposal.

This proposal would increase federal tax deductions for Connecticut donations resulting in more funds available for the state, which Staples students feel strongly about.

“I think that the tax reform is extremely important for Connecticut. Shaban’s policies really encourage the development of our infrastructure because a lot of our money is being given to the federal government,” Nick Rossi ’19, a member of Young Republicans, said. “At the end of the day, our tax policies are some of the worst in the country, and our infrastructure here at home is suffering.”

Himes’ focal point in his campaign is the investment of money to the Connecticut communities. “People in Connecticut want their families and communities to be safe, healthy and successful,” Patrick Malone, the Himes’ Campaign Communication

Continued on page 2

inklingsnews.com

2

News | October 28, 2016

Cate Casparius ’19 & Zach Horowitz ’19

Continued from page 1 Director, said. “After the economic crisis of 2008 there has been a substantial recovery, but Congressman Himes believes we need more investment in our communities to continue and expand upon that growth.”

One important topic during this 2016 election is gun control. In the Senate race, Blumenthal stands by his proposal to ban high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets. “I ask my colleagues to listen to law enforcement, their police, and prosecutors who are outgunned by criminals who use these highcapacity magazines,” Blumenthal said.

“I ask that my colleagues also listen to the families of those killed by people who used a high-capacity magazine.”

The Republican Senate candidate, Dan Carter, however, is against approving gun control. Carter is, “concerned [that] the overreaching nature of [restrictions on guns] would continue to promote the growing rift between those that own guns and those that do not, especially in the Newtown community,” Carter said. He specifically voted against a gun control law passed after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2013.

Dan Carter (left) and Jim Himes (right)

GRAPHIC BY ADDIE HOGUE ’19

Overlooked U.S. congressional elections intensify

Politics BY THE NUMBERS

305 Staples students weigh in on the 2016 presidential election PHOTOS VIA WIKIPEDIA UNDER THE CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

Who is more knowledgeable on policy issues?

17% said Trump

83% said Clinton

Who has a better temperament to lead America?

said Trump

88%

31%

69%

12%

said Clinton

Who is more trustworthy?

Donald Trump (R)

said Trump

said Clinton

What policy issues are most important to you?

Do you have a favorable opinion of the candidates?

54% favorable

SOCIAL ISSUES (30%)

Hillary Clinton (D)

83% unfavorable

46% unfavorable 17% favorable

ECONOMY (25%) Clinton

OTHER (19%) NATIONAL SECURITY (16%) TEMPERAMENT (11%) INFOGRAPHICS BY LULU STRACHER ’17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Trump

News | October 28, 2016

3

Nov. 8

LOCAL BRIEFS

Election Day

On Nov. 8, America will choose its next president. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two major party candidates with Gary Johnson and Jill Stein also in the mix. On Election Day, all Westport Public Schools will be closed. In Westport, polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Westport residents can find out where to cast their vote at westportct.gov.

Adam Wenkoff ’19 Photo via Wikipedia under the creative commons license

Nov. 3

End of Marking Period One

Nov. 10 Student Volunteer

Nov. 3 marks the last day of the first marking period at Staples High School. The second marking period will begin on Nov. 4 and go until Jan. 24. Teachers usually are required to submit final grades about a week after the marking period ends.

On Nov. 10 from 4 to 6 p.m., there will be a Volunteer Expo at the Westport Public Library. Students from grades 6 to 12 are invited to meet representatives from organizations around town and learn about ways that they can earn volunteer hours. There are opportunities for short-term and long-term volunteer requirements. The organizations participating include SLOBS, Friends of Sherwood Island and the Westport Historical Society.

Nov. 5-6 CraftWestport

Nov. 11 Veterans Day

The Westport Young Woman’s League’s 41st annual CraftWestport will take place at Staples Nov. 5-6. CraftWestport offers handmade, unique art available from local vendors. All profits from this event will go to local charities supported by the Westport Young Woman’s League such as Homes with Hope and the Caroline House.

CraftWestport runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Friday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. The country will take the day to honor the individuals who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces. Staples has a veteran of its own, as Assistant Principal Richard Franzis is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve. This Veterans Day, Colony Grill is offering free pizza to any active, inactive or retired United States Armed Services member.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

4

News | October 28, 2016

WORLD BRIEFS Zach Strober ’18

TRUMP AND CLINTON FACE OFF

Photo via MCT Campus

[

]

The third and final presidential debate took place on Oct. 19. The candidates answered questions about debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign hot spots, and fitness to be president. During the debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump made racially insensitive remarks, that received mass media attention saying, “We have some bad hombres [in America] and we are going to get them out.” When Donald Trump was asked if he would accept the results of the election he stated, “I will look at it at the time.”

FACE OFF The debate drew 71.5 million viewers. This is the final debate before Election Day on Nov. 8.

[ ][ ] HURRICANE MATTHEW TEARS THROUGH CARIBBEAN Hurricane Matthew left a path of destruction in Haiti, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and St. Vincent and Grenadines as it traveled toward the United States beginning Sept. 28. Haiti, which was hit hardest by the storm, has a death toll over 1000 people. The U.S. braced for the storm by ordering evacuations of parts of Florida, North and South Carolina and Georgia. Over one million people were left without power due to the hurricane.

Many schools and universities were closed or evacuated en route of the storm, including College of Charleston and the University of Florida. Hurricane Matthew was a Category 5 storm and caused over 100,000 fluids nationwide. Though the storm ended on Oct. 10, many cities and countries are still recovering from the destruction.

CLOWN CRAZE SPREADS ACROSS THE US Recent armed clown sightings have been occurring all over the United States. There have been at least seven people faced with felony charges for making a clown-related terrorist threat in Alabama. Although much of the clown hysteria is a hoax, there is some evidence of clown-related threats across the country. The craze started with reports that clowns were luring kids into the woods. Lately, clown activity has resurfaced, as clown sightings have been reported in two dozen states. Some schools have been forced to close because of threats to students and faculty through social media. There has also been reports that the reason for all of the clowns is due to the release of a new movie.

Connecticut Representatives attempt to leap from obscurity and into the voters’ hearts Katelyn DeAgro ’17 & Jack Beck ’18

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

As reported by her campaign’s website, “The proposed Republican budget would restore funding to core social services Democrats have proposed cutting this year, while also making needed cuts and implementing new policies that generate long-term savings.”

Curry, the current Westport Planning and Zoning Alternate, is making the run for senate with the intentions of improving the public school system, capping property taxes, and safeguarding the elderly.

According to Curry’s campaign website, “We must make Connecticut a place we can afford to live. Putting a lid on property taxes is a priority that [I] take very seriously for you and your children’s future.”

One point that all candidates can agree on is that this is a pivotal election to get out and vote.

“I think there is a strong argument that local politicians have the biggest impact on your day to day life. Also your vote statistically counts for more in a local election, thus giving you a bigger voice,” Nick Roehm ’17, president of the Foreign Affairs club, said.

Currently the Democrats hold majorities in both the state Senate (21-15) and the state House of Representatives (87-64).

Jonathan Steinberg, an incumbent Democrat, expects to win reelection, while Republican Toni Boucher looks to continue as the only female Republican state senator in Connecticut.

Jonathan Steinberg (left) and Toni Boucher (right)

GRAPHIC BY ADDIE HOGUE ’19

With November fast approaching, many people are focused on the ongoing debates and rivalry between presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. However, local elections may have a far greater impact on the lives of Westport residents.

Voters will be seeing Rep. Jonathan Steinberg and Catherine Walsh face off in notoriously competitive 136th district.

Additionally, state Senator Toni Boucher will face off against Carolanne Curry for the 26th district nomination.

Olivia Payne ’18, an active member of the Young Democrats club, believes that through her involvement in the club she was able to make an informed decision on who she might endorse given the chance.

“I have many opinions that align with Steinberg’s, such as his [support] of Planned Parenthood and the CBIA, so that’s a big reason why I like him,” Payne said. “Another thing would be his experience of being a state representative and his great voting record, both things that make him a strong candidate.”

Steinberg, who has held the office for six years, has three main objectives to complete if he gains the office for his fourth term.

“I believe the budget sustainability is the top priority, which would be helped if we could convince the unions to return to the bargaining table to renegotiate unaffordable state worker pension and healthcare benefits. Secondly, decades of neglect have allowed our transportation infrastructure to crumble, so investing in our transportation system is critical.

Lastly, it is essential that we address economic revitalization in the state.”

Walsh has similar multi-point objectives that she describes as “big ticket items that need to be addressed immediately” if she were to gain the office.

“It’s the labor contracts that needs to be addressed. Secondly, there is another thing called prevailing wage which is a sweetheart deal to unions that inflates the cost of any municipal project by about 20 to 30 percent,” Walsh said.

Walsh gives the example of Wakeman Town Farm. This project was in excess of $100,000 and was therefore under prevailing wage law. According to Walsh, this turned a $750,000 job into a million dollar job. “And the third thing is a spending cap that was initiated back when they put in income tax back in 1991 and it was never ratified or adhered to.”

Alejandro Perez Elorza ’18 holds Walsh in high regard as a state representative candidate.

“She is willing to step up to Governor Malloy, who in my opinion has done a horrible job. Governor Malloy has increased property taxes on the middle class, forcing multiple middle class families to leave the state,” Perez Elorza said. “Cathy Walsh, I believe, can cut the property taxes and bring back those families.”

While Steinberg does have the advantage of incumbency in the 136th district, Walsh has experience through serving as the Town Zoning Chair, so this race will continue to be watched very closely.

As for the 26th district nomination, Boucher hopes to return jobs and people to Connecticut by cutting taxes, replacing expensive state pensions with 401(k)s and reducing the cost and size of the state government.

News | October 28, 2016

5

Trigger warnings have uncertain future at the high school level Claire Dinshaw ’17 & Izzy Ullmann ’17

O

Westport makes effort to foster stronger police relations Nicole Dienst ’18 & Anay Simunovic ’18

“They shouldn’t limit your learning,” Handa said. “If it is something that is super sensitive that you know is traumatic to someone, then say, ‘Oh, hey, this book talks about something that you might not be comfortable with.”

Handa said trigger warnings could be applied especially in her gender class since the class frequently talks about topics such as rape and sexual assault.

According to Colletti-Houde, trigger warnings are ultimately about respect. “[They are about] respect for your students beyond the fact that they are students who are learning material,” Colletti-Houde said. “That we do not learn in a vacuum. That we are dealing with human beings. That each person comes with an experience and we have to honor that experience.”

II PRESS CLUB

they know is in trouble.”

Jack Norman ’17, co-president of the Teen Awareness Group, also commented The occurrence of police shootings on the relationship. “It is important for across the country and widespread national police and members of the community, protests have brought police brutality to especially the youth, to have a trusting the forefront of American issues today. relationship that fosters an atmosphere of As a result, the federal government is cooperation and respect.”

The benefits of these co-partnered attempting to foster a better relationship events are felt among different branches of between police officers and citizens.

The implementation of programs the Westport community.

“In working with youth for a long time, such as Dodge-a-Cop, distracted driving events and D.A.R.E. work to establish I understand that peers go to their peers,” a mutual respect. The Westport Police Staples Student Outreach counselor, Youth Collaborative (WPYC), a local Edward Milton, said. “However, I think project funded by a grant from the it is crucial for people to recognize the state of Connecticut, aims to enhance importance of having trusted adults within their community.” communication and understanding.

Although many believe that it is One of the focal points of to these events is to involve It is crucial for people to important establish a positive police officers in student lives and activities. recognize the importance relationship among and “It has been great of having trusted adults citizens police officers, to have the two groups question come together. We within their community. some the importance of really get to know each -Edward Milton, Student such in a town like other,” Officer Ned Westport. “Seeing Batlin of the Westport Oureach Counselor as the level of Police Department said.

“I have made young friends and criminal and police activity in this town even written college recommendations is very low, I wouldn’t necessarily say that for students based off of the connections it’s the most important thing to implement strong relationships between high school I have made.”

Although the WPYC is a new program, students and police officers,” Kylie Adler multiple initiatives with a similar goal to ’19 said in an online interview.

Even so, there are many benefits to that of the WPYC already exist.

For example, the Westport Youth this initiative besides a sense of trust and Commission, Police Youth Collaborative security within a community.

According to Milton, “Kids who and Teen Awareness Group team up together to host an event known as grow up in a community that is connected “Dodge-a-Cop” every fall. Dodge-a-Cop obtain a sense of belonging.”

Furthermore, Perri Kessler ’18, is an interactive evening of competitive dodgeball between teams composed of a member of the Westport Youth Commission, believes that programs both Staples students and police officers.

Cayne Mandell ’17, who participated aimed at bettering relations between in the event last year, reminisced on his police officers and citizens are important fondness of the activity. “It’s a dodgeball within all towns and among all people. tournament, and who doesn’t like that,” “I think regardless of race, it’s important for teenagers to have good relations Mandell said.

Mandell also expressed concern with the police of their town,” Kessler regarding the importance of relationships said. “Especially considering the recent between police officers and citizens, “It shootings occurring in the U.S., the goal of is hard for a high school student to see a the Westport Police Youth Collaborative is policeman and not think they or someone especially important.”

GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH ’17

ne day during her sophomore year, Brooke Wrubel walked into English 2 Honors as former Staples English teacher Sue O’Hara was handing out the next assigned reading, “The House at Sugar Beach.”

“There was a rape [scene] in it,” Wrubel said. “And [Ms. O’Hara] was like, ‘Just to give you guys a heads up, there is a rape.’”

This short disclosure, designed to alert a reader or viewer of potentially upsetting material, is an example of a trigger warning, a concept which has recently been thrust into the spotlight following a letter from the University of Chicago which criticized their use as against its “commitment to academic freedom.”

Although most of the controversy surrounding trigger warnings lies at the collegiate level, they can be applicable at the high school level, according to English teacher Heather Colletti-Houde.

“I would say in an English class, if you are dealing with rape, if you are dealing with abuse, I think that there would be a space [for trigger warnings],” CollettiHoude said.

While there are those who support trigger warnings at Staples, there’s no official policy when it comes to using them in classrooms, and so some teachers don’t

observe them. “Teachers [at Staples] don’t really give trigger warnings anymore,” Lindsey Felner ’17 said. “The only time I can think of them was in middle school before we read stuff with the ‘n’ word in it, but not really anymore.”

According to Principal James D’Amico, Staples, as a public high school, has the obligation to alert students to controversial topics, but he acknowledges that it is up to teachers to decide whether or not they feel a trigger warning is necessary.

“We have, in the past, had challenges to course materials that some students or parents felt were not appropriate for high school,” he said. “But even in those cases, the teachers offered alternative reading assignments with no penalty.”

Caroline Cohen ’15, a sophomore at the University of Michigan — a college that supports the use of trigger warnings — feels these warnings can be beneficial.

“At Michigan there is such a variety of classes and some are so detailed and interesting. For example, seminars on psychology of sex or the Holocaust: two topics that can stir up uncomfortable emotions,” Cohen said. “It is important for students to know that at any point they are free to take a step out and take a breather from whatever a harsh topic may be.”

Jane Handa ’17, who agreed overall with the use of trigger warnings, did mention that, if taken to a certain extreme, they can have negative effects.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

6

Advertisement | October 28, 2016

Get a Score That Opens Doors.

You Can. Whether you want to attend an Ivy League school or be the first one in your family to go to college, you only need to remember one thing: With The Princeton Review, you can.

Private Tutoring Classroom and LiveOnline Prep Self-Paced Homework Help College Admission Counseling Use promo code SCORE200$ to save $200 off online and in-person ultimate courses. Don’t wait! Call us at 800-2Review or visit PrincetonReview.com to enroll!

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439)| PrincetonReview.com *Score improvement guarantees apply only to our Ultimate ACT and SAT courses. Visit PrincetonReview. com/guarantee for details. Test names are the trademarks of their respective owners The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

SAT® | ACT®

SAT® | ACT®

Opinions | October 28, 2016

7 opinions

Inklings Editors-in-Chief

Claire Dinshaw & Fritz Schemel

Creative Chief

Channing Smith

Managing Editors

Becky Hoving & Izzy Ullmann

Web Managing Editors Cooper Boardman & Molly Liebergall

Whips

Jackie Sussman & Andrew Vester

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 & Colette Lippman

Features Editors

Margot Mather & Alex Spadacenta Amelia Brown & Julia Rosier

Arts Editors

Ian Bernstein & Bailey Blaikie Ashton Dedona & Alex Reiner

Sports Editors

Jack Beck & Sydney Kaplan Izzy Blansfield & Jonathan Kaner

Web News Editors

Olivia Foster

Web Opinions Editors Megan Doyle & Jesse Levinson

GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH '17

Posting does not equate to progress

T

hirty-five percent of people 18 to 29 years old say social media is the most helpful source of information on the 2016 presidential election, according to Pew Research Center.

Inklings

EDITORIAL

However, the “information” some social media posts provide, on both the Charlie Colasurdo & Tori Lubin election and other political and social isWeb Arts Editors sues, can be misleading. Oftentimes, the Ivy Prince & Christoph Russi content flooding onto social media is Web Sports Editors unsupported and one-sided. These posts, Brendan Massoud & Alexa Moro justified using the facade of activism, Advisors taint both public understanding of the isMary Elizabeth Fulco, Joseph DelGobbo, sues and the dignity of public discourse.

Matthew Bohn & Brian Solomon “Trump sucks” and “Clinton’s a liar” Crown Finalist for Inklingsnews.com from have become standard phrases found in Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2015 comment sections and social media posts.

Silver Crown Award for Newspaper from These comments do not inherently add Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2014 to any discourse, political or otherwise.

Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Instead, they simply preach to a choir of Association 2013 already like-minded individuals while si-

Web Features Editors

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

multaneously alienating the other side.

After all, liberals tend to have more liberal Facebook friends who are likely to comment liberal thoughts on already left-leaning posts. Conservatives tend to have more conservative Facebook friends who are likely to comment conservative thoughts on already right-leaning posts.

In this way, social media can pigeonhole someone into having a singular set of beliefs.

However, social media can be a powerful foundation for activism when used effectively. Regardless of one’s viewpoint on their cause, the Black Lives Matter movement, for example, used social media to propel its case against police brutality to the national level. Similarly, the #BringBackOurGirls campaign was able to help free 21 girls from captivity in Nigeria as a result of the international attention the movement gained on Twitter.

But for any social media post or cause to achieve a productive goal, it must start a new conversation, provide a new viewpoint or attempt to legitimately persuade the public.

Even productive social media posts should not be considered activism unless

they are followed by action. Sure, a productive social media post or an echo of a powerful hashtag can add weight to any political discussion, but a social media presence must be supplemented by action if one expects to create change.

A post calling for a more environmentally friendly consumer environment should be augmented by carrying the same beliefs into one’s buying practices. A post calling for increased second amendment rights should be followed by volunteering for an organization such as the NRA. Or, following the example of some Staples students, a post supporting Himes for Congress should be complemented by canvassing for his campaign.

It is good that students care enough about political and social issues to be active online. However, this political engagement must be productive, and if it is to be considered activism, it must be followed by tangible action.

Like and share if you agree.

Political cartoon of the month

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.

I

7

GRAPHIC BY MELANIE LUST '19

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

8

Opinions | October 28, 2016

The Inklings Artichoke Satire

Clinton single-handedly demolished the country we once knew and loved Molly Liebergall ’17

T

he year is 2019. America is ravaged by chaos, and tomorrow, Jan. 20, marks the two-year anniversary of the beginning of the end. Before she took office, Hillary Rodham Clinton beat Republican nominee Donald Trump by a narrow margin to snag the 2016 presidential election.

We were doomed the moment she raised her manicured, dainty right hand and took the Oath of Office.

It spread slowly at first, but sure enough, a cataclysmic neuropsychological disease pervaded our beloved American society. It was not an airborne illness, nor was it contracted through physical touch or liquid contamination. No, this deadly pathogen infected new patients through sight and hearing, and those with two X-chromosomes were especially susceptible.

Although no cure for the disease

dubbed “Intelligentia Femina” has yet been insomnia. Insomnia had been found to discovered, the Center for Disease Control mostly pertain to female college students has urged the remaining population of and young adults who also suffer from healthy citizens, known as “Patriarchus,” the paranoid belief that gender could to avoid watching or listening to President possibly prevent their accomplishments Clinton’s broadcasted speeches.

One from rivaling those of competitors with independent Y-chromosomes. study discovered These infected For generations to come, that out of 12 women spend sleepless infected patients with people chosen nights maniacally randomly from working harder and two X-chromosomes will longer than their a table of one dozen women at pass down this strand of male peers. They Starbucks, 100 are obsessed with Intelligentia Femina to percent of those answering every auditorily and question professors their offspring [...] visually exposed ask, closing more to President deals than anyone Clinton’s influence else in their office and showed signs of Intelligentia Femina just curing other diseases like cancer. hours later.

“If you ask me, these girls should be The disease rapidly attacks the host’s focusing on their own illness right now. perception of their own capabilities. Some Let the professionals with normally sized of the common symptoms are aggression brains handle cancer, kiddo,” neurologist in the workplace, delusions of equality and Benjamin Tracey said with a wink.

GRAPHIC BY CHANNING SMITH ’17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

And after so many nights spent awake and obsessive, it has started to take a toll on the appearance of these infected women.

“Boy do they look ugly the next day,” New York University student John Billington IV said while wiping Cheeto dust on his sweatpants. “One of ‘em was in my Economics 101 class, and this girl tried to wow us with this fancy shmancy presentation about the wage gap, but honestly all I noticed were the bags under her eyes.”

Billington paused for a moment to rip a bag of Doritos down the middle, ignoring the “Tear Here” imprinted in the corner above a small line of perforation.

“I mean, how am I supposed to focus on my work when there’s a freaking raccoon in my class,” he sputtered between mouthfuls.

Now, roughly 50 percent of the United States population suffers from Intelligentia Femina and its subsequent side-effects. The scariest part of this new world is not global warming or the fact that some Middle Eastern countries still impose restrictions on women’s attire; no, the most terrifying part is the widespread famine and general filth sweeping American homes as a result of maternal absence during working hours. Oh, and I forgot to mention, this disease is hereditary.

For generations to come, infected patients with two X-chromosomes will pass down this strand of Intelligentia Femina to their offspring and to their offspring’s offspring and to their offspring’s offspring’s offspring. You get the idea.

“It is most depressing to imagine a world where babies are born already infected, doomed to grow up actually thinking that they will have a shot at that big promotion or a chance of winning that Senate race or an opportunity to go to the moon,” philosophy professor Edward Benson remarked.

So, it is our job as surviving members of Patriarchus to let them down gently since there is only so much their smaller clumps of cerebral matter can comprehend.

And to think, all of this could have been avoided if we simply voted differently that fateful November.

This is what we get for allowing someone with a uterus, a reproductive organ we know less about than outer space, to reach the highest office in this country.

Dark days are upon us, my friends.

The America we once knew, in all of its former patriarchal glory, has been laid to waste by The Notorious HRC and the people she has infected, who had the temerity to demand that they be treated just like the rest of us.

Opinions | October 28, 2016

9

He lost me at Aleppo I

Izzy Ullmann ’17

am the kind of person who is always giving others the benefit of the doubt.

Making mistakes, drawing blanks and being forgetful is simply human nature.

However, I find it quite difficult to give the benefit of the doubt to a presidential candidate who simply “draws a blank” at the name of a city in the center of an international crisis.

In an interview with MSNBC news, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson was asked what he would do about Aleppo if he were elected. Johnson simply responded, “And what is Aleppo?”

To answer his question, Aleppo is the central discussion point of foreign policy.

It is the renowned city in Syria where thousands of civilians have dealt with a corrupt government and opposition forces in midst of the Syrian Civil War. Anyone who remotely tunes into the news knows Aleppo.

What would Johnson have done if he had been president during the Cuban Missile Crisis? Would he have paused and asked what exactly Cuba is? Or better yet, if it’s an acronym.

According to the Scientific American website, our brains have two types of

memories. The first one is the short-term, which stores temporary information we think about, and the second is the long-term, which holds large amounts of information gained through experience.

With that, we are much more likely to forget temporary items stored in our short-term, such as a relative’s birthday, feeding our cats or getting milk from the supermarket.

However, forgetting deeply rooted ideas, such as the Syrian Civil War, means much more than drawing a blank. To me, it paints the picture of an utterly unfit presidential candidate, especially for the 2016 election where foreign policy has been emphasized as the most important policy point by CNN and other media sites.

So if you are currently in the crowd of people who hate both Clinton and Trump, take a closer look at Johnson before hopping on the third party bandwagon.

International safety is something that definitely poses threats to the Staples community, especially being so close to New York City. So with that, it seems simple to me that our president should know not only what Aleppo is, but also the proper actions to take for the safety of our country.

GRAPHIC BY MELANIE LUST '19

How to avoid stress while applying to college Becca Rawiszer '17 Dear stressed out seniors,

All of you have probably had a collegeinduced panic attack once in your high school career. We’ve all been there. We’ve all crammed for that ACT or SAT and tried to maintain a seemingly unattainable GPA. A year from now, however, you’ll most likely wonder why you stressed so much and wish you spent more time living it up with your friends at Staples. But enough with hypotheticals.

You can avoid that regret by changing the college process from being a stressful experience to an exciting one.

My biggest piece of advice is to take a deep breath and calm down, because the college process doesn’t have to be anxiety inducing. A lot of students tend to become fixated on one school.

They start to believe that if they don’t get accepted, they won’t be happy or successful life. While I hate to burst your bubble, there is no such thing as the “perfect school.”

Many students mistakenly make their college decisions based solely on the reputation of the schools. It seems like Staples students have this mentality that if the college is not Ivy League or a traditionally popular school among past Staples students, then it isn’t worth considering. However, such closemindedness can be an impediment to the college process, because there are so many other amazing schools that could be the perfect fit. The most important aspect in choosing a school is if it is a good fit for the student applying.

In order to find schools that are a good fit, the first step is figuring out school

characteristics that are most important to you. Don’t just consider academics; keep geography, population size and social scene in mind, too. As a student who has already applied to schools and is waiting to hear back, I guarantee that multiple schools have exactly what you’re looking for.

Changing your mentality on how the college process works is extremely important. Your goal shouldn’t be to tell colleges what you think they want to hear, but you should focus on

[...] I guarantee that multiple schools have exactly what you’re looking for.

showing them who you actually are and how you fit into their unique school. Yes, in the application process your acceptance is in their hands, but in a couple months the ball will be in your court.

Receiving decisions from colleges will be a mixture of excitement and disappointment. Maybe you’ll get into all of your schools, and maybe you won’t.

But no matter what the results are, these decisions don’t represent who you are as a person or a scholar. The world will continue to spin. I believe that you’re meant to go to the school you end up at, and you will be happy where you end up.

Kevin McMullin, founder of Collegewise—a national college counseling company—discussed in a blog post that he noticed that families who encouraged their kids to attend the right colleges, prestigious or not, and have viewed this process as an exciting time, “have actually found the closest thing to a magic college formula.” There you have it; the college process doesn’t have to be stressful and can be so much more enjoyable if you’re in a positive mindset.

There’s a reason people say college is the best time of your life. So be excited about your future instead of stressed.

PHOTO BY COLETTE LIPPMAN '17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

10

Opinions | October 28, 2016

The push to sleep in

Why Staples High School needs to start later Jason Streiter '17

A

t 6:30 a.m., my alarm goes off. It’s another day of school. In the world outside of Staples High School, that would sound pretty early; however, 6:30 is actually late for many students, as I know people who wake up at 4:30 to prepare for the day. As I roll out of bed, I shower, brush my teeth and drive to school, still half asleep, drifting over the yellow line into the opposite lane where I often have to abruptly swerve back to avoid an accident.

Last year, the Westport Board Of Education (BOE) disapproved a later start time for Staples, citing that the schedules of our sports teams would not be able to match with those of our opponents; however, with the swing being made towards later start times in other districts, the BOE will be forced to make a new argument. I know that if we fight for a later start, the BOE won’t be able to fight back.

As I doze off in classes, my teachers wake me up. “Jason, why are you tired?

It’s Monday,” my teachers say. “Jason, why are you tired? It’s Friday.” It doesn’t matter what day it is. Every day I’m just tired because I can’t go to sleep until late and I have to get up too early.

Studies from Nationwide Children's and the National Sleep Foundation show that the internal clock of adolescents is moved back by about two hours during puberty, meaning they usually can’t fall alseep until 11 p.m. Additionally, the studies indicate

that between eight and ten hours of sleep is needed at night, meaning that teens shouldn’t be waking up any earlier than 7 a.m..

Other schools in the area have already started the push for a later start. Wilton High School starts at 8:30 and Greenwich Public Schools have created an ad hoc committee in order to create their plan for a later start time in the future.

As teenagers, we have stress and exhaustion that we can’t control. Going through growth spurts and all the other unfortunate and fortunate circumstances of adolescence are p hy s i c a l l y a nd m e nt a l l y draining. The stress of growing up, while also trying to remain young, takes a physical toll on our bodies, and we are incapable of staying awake and alert at times. We are so exhausted simply from human nature. The same studies from above show that mood, behavior, cognitive ability and academic performance are affected by exhaustion and lack of sleep.

Students aren’t the only people affected by early start times. Most teachers live outside of Westport, yet they are required to be at school before us. Some teachers have to wake up before 5:00 a.m. They have to sleep too. Some have young children. How can they be expected to get their children to day-care that early?

As Staples is beginning a new era under Principal James D’Amico and Superintendent Dr. Colleen Palmer, the time has come for change. We must start each day of our new era later for everyone’s benefit.

It doesn’t matter what day it is. Every day I’m just tired because I can’t go to sleep until late and I have to get up too early.

Westport 7:30 A.M.

Fairfield 7:30 A.M.

Weston

7:30 A.M.

Norwalk

7:30 A.M.

New Canaan 7:30 A.M.

Darien 7:40 A.M.

Shelton 7:40 A.M.

Stratford 7:45 A.M.

Newtown 8:00 A.M.

Wilton 8:20 A.M.

Bethel 8:20 A.M.

Bridgeport 8:30 A.M.

Greenwich 8:30 A.M.

INFOGRAPHIC BY SOPHIE DRISCOLL '19 AND COLETTE LIPPMAN '17

Double standard persists between candidates initiatives, including promoting economic equality for women, combating climate There is a massive double standard in change and advocating for entrepreneurAmerican politics. Throughout this elec- ship in growing economies. According to tion, the candidates have received contrasting treatment from the public. While both candidates have their fair share of faults and blunders, Clinton has been reprimanded more harshly for her mistakes than Trump has for his mishaps. While criticism of candidates is typical in an election cycle, the disparity of criticism between Clinton and Trump is too great not to be acknowledged.

If you don't believe me, I challenge you to compare the public’s impression of the Clinton and Trump Foundations.

In the news, the Clinton Foundation is constantly under attack by the Trump campaign for accepting foreign donations.

“It's impossible to figure out where the Clinton Foundation ends and the State Department begins,” Trump said at a rally at the end of August. “It is now abundantly clear that the Clintons set up a business to profit from public office. They sold access and specific actions by and to them for money."

However, these accusations are completely invalid. Trump’s statements paint an unfair picture of the Clinton Foundation and undermine the work the foundation has done.

For starters, the foundation has many GRAPHIC BY MELANIE LUST '199 inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Sebastian Shuken '18

Fortune Magazine, the Clinton Founda- and child survival during pregnancy for tion has raised $313 million for research 110 million people. into new vaccines and medicines and has In comparison, the sham of the Trump helped provide care to increase maternal Foundation, which Trump has used as a personal piggy bank, is shameful. The Trump Foundation claims that it has donated its money to charities, however, in reality, it does very little. As Reported by The Washington Post, not only has Trump not donated to his own foundation since 2008, but the money given to his foundation by donors has not actually been used for any charitable causes. The most he has done that could be considered charitable is spending $20,000 on a six-foot painting of himself that was displayed at a charity event. And yet, despite all the corruption that has stemmed from the Trump Foundation, there has been little attention from the public over this hoax.

So you tell me: is the treatment of the candidates fair? I think the answer is obvious.

We need to stand up and push back when we see unfair accusations being made. While I am in no means encouraging you to vote for one candidate over the other, as American citizens, it is our duty to vote informatively and not based on false accusations. As a society, we need to be more balanced in our judgement of candidates and inquire more before we make assumptions about them.

Features | October 28, 2016

Meet Avery Mendillo: the all-around prodigy Ian Bernstein ’18 & Kate Lewis ’18

W

hether she’s on the stage or the field, holding a mic or a lacrosse stick, running play lines or running sprints, Avery Mendillo ’18 has got the best of both theatrical and sports worlds.

Mendillo’s extra-curricular pursuits are driven by her familyrooted passion for performing arts and sports. “I come from a very athletic, yet artistic family,” Mendillo said. “Sports and performing come naturally to me.”

Mendillo’s passion for theater started when she was 11 when she started taking acting classes. She then applied her acting skills to her role as Donkey in “Shrek the Musical” at Coleytown Middle

Photo by Katherine Weinschenk ’17

School. Mendillo believes her the sport ever since, as it enables performance in this production her to “play a game...with friends was a pivotal moment in her and learn about the importance of theatrical success, as it served as being on a team,” Mendillo said. a catalyst for her love for theater.

However, maintaining two “One day, one of the guys in major Staples commitments the Shrek band pulled me aside is much easier said than done. and told me how “For time he could see my management, I will “She doesn’t need passion for theater say it definitely to sacrifice one of and how inspiring gets complicated,” it was for him,” said. “I her passions for the Mendillo Mendillo said. “That basically have been moment has stuck other, which is a great jumping right from with me since.” one thing to another.” thing.”

In addition D e s p i t e to being an Mendillo’s tangled -Antonio Antonelli ’19 schedule, varsity avid performer, Mendillo has lacrosse player played sports for as long as she can and teammate of Mendillo, remember. More specifically, she Abby Najarian ’18, affirms that picked up lacrosse in third grade Mendillo is able to uphold her and has remained committed to responsibilities in both activities.

“I think that Avery is able to keep the two separate,” Najarian said. “She misses some of the offseason lacrosse stuff to be able to make Players rehearsals, but she always comes to season prepared.”

Antonio Antonelli ’19, another member of Staples Players, admires Mendillo for being able to handle both theater and lacrosse. “She doesn’t need to sacrifice one of her passions for the other, which is a great thing,” Antonelli said.

Regardless of the challenge it imposes, juggling two activities is certainly worth it for Mendillo.

“I have been so lucky and thankful to be part of the lacrosse and Staples Players programs at Staples,” Mendillo said. “They have given me so much more knowledge that I can take with me through the rest of my performing and athletic careers.”

Palmer and Perillo protect our community Photo by Margot Mather ’17

Phoebe Mendelson ’17

DOUBLE TROUBLE William Perillo (left) and Ronald Palmer (right) have taken their years of police experience and applied it to protecting the Staples community.

Throughout the school day, one is patrolling the parking lot and one is inside the building.

As you walk through the doors of Staples each morning bleary eyed and tired from the previous night’s work, students are likely to be greeted by one of the two campus security guards. Ronald Palmer and William Perillo, both retired police officers and, when combined, have 55 years of police work between them.

The two former policemen are already adjusting to the Staples community. “We feel the community has been great. We have been treated with respect by the students, parents and staff,” Perillo said.

Palmer said he doesn’t have a specific favorite memory or moment at Staples thus far, but he enjoys each and every day that he spends here.

“Just meeting good people. Each and every day I meet nice folks, both student and staff. It’s really a beautiful environment here,” Palmer said.

According to assistant principals Patrick Micinilio and Rich Franzis, having two security guards comes with many benefits. “We have never had a security guard in the building before to ensure that the inside of SHS is secure. The security position has always been an outdoor position prior to this school year,” the two assistant principals wrote.

Principal James D’Amico is incredibly fond of the idea of two security guards and hopes to continue to have them in the future. “We have a

huge building at over 200,000 square feet, and being able to monitor the whole thing while keeping over 1,800 students and another 200 adults safe is a challenge,” D’Amico said.

When asked about his former career, Ronald Palmer felt destined to be a police officer. “I always had a liking for helping people, and it had kind of been within me before I joined the force. When I joined, it kind of felt like being on a big team,” Palmer remarked.

Due to Palmer’s affinity for helping others, it’s no wonder that his best memory about being on the police force was one relating to helping a child. “A young child was lost, and the mother was so out of it and sad, and when we found and returned the child to her, she was so elated, especially because we were able to return him safely and with no injuries,” Palmer recounted.

While Palmer and Perillo’s backgrounds in law enforcement are prominent and formative aspects of their lives, they also have deep roots within family and community. Palmer was raised in Brooklyn and has both a daughter and a granddaughter.

Perillo was born and raised in Stratford, and while he does not have any kids of his own, he works with children of his community through the Youth Bureau.

Whether they’re helping people in their local communities or guarding the halls of Staples High School, Ronald Palmer and William Perillo will continue to bring their smiles to work everyday.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

11

12

Features | October 28, 2016

Students debate the merit of politica Alex Spadacenta ’17 & Margot Mather ’17

The United States is an experiment.

No, not lab rats on the third floor, but a democratic experiment brought forth by the founding fathers in 1776.

But, this democratic experiment “only works if people become politically engaged,” according to AP Government teacher Eric Mongirdas.

“I define political activism as taking an interest in the political structure, as in you look at the origins of the founding fathers and democracy [...] so that they can become productive members of this democratic society,” Mongirdas said.

However, what qualifies as legitimate and appropriate activism is debatable.

Paige O’Brien ’18, a Republican, explained, “I have found [Republicans] to be a real minority in Staples and amongst this generation. So for me, political activism is spreading my beliefs and accepting others,” she said.

“Through Facebook and through Young Republicans, I’ve been able to spread my

beliefs and try to influence this generation to see an issue from both sides.”

On the other hand, Eli Debenham ’17, a Westport Democratic Committee participant, has a different definition of political activism.

“If you have a feeling on an issue you go out and fight it [...] you don’t just accept it and hope that somebody else will change it.”

Calum Gordon ’19 supports Republican nominee for President.

While he can’t vote in this election, he shows his support with paraphernalia like the hat above.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Teenagers often fight these issues in the jungle that is the world of social media, on Facebook feeds, Instagram, Snapchat stories and tweets.

Many students will recall a pro-gun Facebook post from James Allott ’17 late last year. Allott shared a Huffington Post photo days after the Orlando shooting which showed an AR-15 and was captioned “This is the weapon of mass destruction

that has killed elementary school children at Newtown, innocent movie goers at Aurora, innocent students and faculty in San Bernadino and innocent party-goers in Orlando.” Allott included his own antigun control caption, and the post quickly gained over 600 comments, catching the attention of many students who then went on to write lengthy articles with heated rhetoric.

“That was wild,” Nicole Kiker ’17 said with a smile. As more and more comments rolled in, Kiker noticed that students who had never been involved in politics were suddenly debating on this post.

However, Kiker warned that social media becomes a source for students to stand up for their beliefs simply when it is easy, and may not mean something to the person dispersing such information.

“At Staples I feel like there’s almost becoming a certain image that people try to have of being this cool activist, not mainstream,” Kiker said. She claims that doing so reflects badly on activists.

However, there are some students whose political activism takes them beyond the internet.

Politically active student George Kane ’17 runs a phone bank for presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Tuesday nights at the Westport Democratic Town

Nick Rossi ’19 also dons Donald Trump items. He attended the Trump rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield in August.

13

al activism in 2016 Committee Headquarters.

“The goal of being politically active is promoting what you believe in which is starting a conversation,” Kane said. Still, Kane struggled to label the Facebook post political activism, for he believed “it fueled a lot of anger and confusion.”

“I would not consider myself a political activist because I don’t really actively try to spread my ideologies as much as some people,” Allott said.

However, asserting one’s opinion in a public place, especially on large platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, is no easy undertaking, according to local legislator and member of the Westport Democrats, Melissa Kane.

“It’s a really important place to not be complacent—to challenge people,” Melissa Kane said. “It is kind of a statement to put yourself out there and how you feel about issues that are important to you.”

But in an age where social media is where teenagers receive much of their news, biased news sources can be a very influential factor in elections, according to Melissa Kane, George Kane’s mother.

“It’s almost like an interesting study in psychology because you see what people want to share and what people want to believe,” Debenham said. “I think [social media has] weighed pretty heavily on this

election and we will see through November 8 things being pretty heavily influenced by [it].”

Still, some people are driven by fear.

“Ninety percent of people who walk into the phone bank are scared [of the outcome of the election],” George Kane said. “They are coming in because they feel like they have to. They have like a moral ethical duty to do that because they are so scared of the possibility of having Trump as president.”

Max Kaplan ’17, president of the Young Democrats and an intern in Jim Himes’ district office, has seen this fear affect many people as well. “This year primarily is pushing a lot of people to get involved; the presidential race is a big motivator for people,” he said. “We have found that of people in general who want to volunteer with the DTC.” This ethical duty has motivated some Staples students to get involved with this election and in politics in general.

“I actually do think people have changed the way that they view political activism because [this election] has been breaking the boundaries of past elections,” Kylie Adler ’19 said.

Melissa Kane echoes Adler’s beliefs.

“Anybody can create great change,” Melissa Kane said. “One person can make a huge difference.”

Nicole Kiker ’17 backs her preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Kiker feels that political activism has become a cool, mainstream activity, which she warns reflects badly on activists.

Photos and Graphics by Channing Smith ’17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

14

Features | October 28, 2016

CAMPAIGN RECAPS

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17 With less than two weeks until the presidential election, here are the two major candidates’ stances on various issues.

Features | October 28, 2016

Bilingual students bring multiple cultures to Staples Charlie Colasurdo ’18

I

Bar ’Bucha brings a new flavor to town Avdiu opens a new Kombucha cafe near the Westport train station Sydney Kaplan ’17 Aishah Avdiu ’17 is not your typical senior girl. While many students spend their afternoons playing sports or spending time with friends, Avdiu has started her own business: a Kombucha cafe.

Bar ’ Bucha, a name penned by Avdiu, is a cafe and store located at 601 Riverside Avenue that serves Kombucha, which is a fermented drink made with a black tea base.

The fermentation of it is “very similar to the beer making process” according to Avdiu.

There happens to be a 1-2 percent alcohol content in the drink due to this process, but Avidu explains that “it’s negligible and doesn’t qualify as being alcoholic.” In fact, the teas may be consumed by minors.

Kombucha comes in a variety of different flavors. Avdiu plans on carrying the more basic flavors like ginger and mixed

berry, as well as more unique flavors like lavender chamomile and citrus hops.

Avdiu claims Kombucha is not only flavorful, but is also healthy. “It aids in digestion, it’s good for your skin, it has antioxidants and so many more health benefits as well,” Avdiu said. “I’m curating different brands from all over the country... just like a microbrew beer, every brewer has a different flavor,” Avdiu said.

Though it has only become popular on the East Coast in the past couple years, Avdiu originally learned about Kombucha 10 years ago when her mom introduced it to her family. Avdiu came up with the idea for this store over the summer.

Maddie Jones ’17, a close friend of Avdiu, looks forward to the opening.

“So many adults drink Kombucha as a health tonic, and it will be a really cool attraction [for the town],” Jones said.

Contributed by Aishah Avdiu ’17

n a New York Times article entitled, “Why Bilinguals are Smarter,” author Yudhijit Bhattacharjee reported, “Speaking two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world.” Living with one foot in two different cultures, a few Staples students speak and think in two or more languages.

Growing up 5,000 miles away in the Middle East, Efe Hazar ’18 has been immersed in another culture since he was a child. “I lived in Turkey for 12 years. The main language in Turkey, being Turkish, made it preferable [to English],” Hazar said.

In addition to speaking Turkish at home, Hazar has, along the way, picked up a mastery of the English language.

What’s more surprising, however, is Hazar’s interest and aptitude for Spanish.

“I started Spanish when I was in second grade, taking it because it was mandatory, but now I actually enjoy speaking it.” At Staples, he’s now enrolled in AP Spanish, and believes that it’s “good to have another language in the back of my head.”

At home, Hazar still speaks Turkish with his family. Despite living in the US for over three years, Hazar says, “I still love eating Turkish foods such as kebabs and Turkish sweets.” On the other hand, when it comes to adapting to Westport life, he says he’s “mixed into the Westport culture between with the ‘white Nike socks’ and Vineyard Vines, and [...] my European culture in me.”

For Luiza Cocito ’19, moving to the United States five years ago was a turning point for a multitude of reasons, the most prominent being having to learn a new language. Mastering English proved to be an especially challenging task. “I remember every day after school in sixth grade, my mom had to sit down with me for four to five hours so that we could translate what I had learned throughout the school day,” Cocito said.

Immersing herself in conversations, along with enrolling in English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes, allowed Cocito to understand the language. Today, she is a capable English speaker, as she feels “it was much easier to learn English when I was actually forced to speak it and listen to it.”

Though born on the same continent as Hazar, Cece Hong ’18 was raised worlds away from Turkey. Hong moved to the U.S. over a decade ago, but she was born in South Korea where she grew up in a household that spoke Korean, and where many Korean cultural traditions were observed. Hong says that it’s important for her to keep “part of my heritage and culture with me even as I live in a foreign country because it keeps me connected with the people and things I love most.”

Korean, comprised of characters instead of Roman letters, is spoken by upwards of 80 million people. For Hong, “It’s not that hard being bilingual, mostly because Korean and English are so different,” she said. Spending summers back home in South Korea’s capital, Seoul, Hong prefers her native language to English. “It’s a lot easier to voice your opinion more bluntly in Korean,” she says. However, when it comes to speaking her mind in Korean, Hong says she thinks it’s “like I’m using a secret code that no one else knows, which is really nice.”

Despite the difficulties of learning a second language, Hong and the other bilingual Staples students make a compelling case for learning two languages.

15

TEA TIME (Above) Aishah Avdiu ’17 visits the construction of Bar ’Bucha on Riverside Avenue to check on its progress towards the November opening. Customers can choose to drink Kombucha from the bottle or from teas on tap. (Below) Avdiu plans on stocking multiple brands and flavors of the fermented tea, making her store a one stop Kombucha shop.

Avdiu said her store is special because “there is no store that is a retail experience where you could go and have access to over 15 different brands of Kombucha at once.”

Avdiu was happy to land a prime location at a reasonable price, but that was only the beginning stages for opening her business. “The minute I got the go ahead that I got the space, for two weeks I was in constant contact with the health department, zoning department and building department to pull the permits that I needed. That was probably the hardest part so far,” Avdiu said.

All the behind-the-scenes effort she has put into the business has been worth it to her. “I don’t think of it as work. Because I’m so passionate about it. It’s not something that feels like a struggle to me. [All the hard work] feels like another step toward having this actually happen, which is something that I am really excited to do,” Avdiu said.

Avdiu plans on running the business herself after school along with the help of volunteers. “I’ve taken all the finance and business-related classes that Staples has to offer, so I am perfectly capable of handling the store’s accounts,” she explained. A part of the process that Avdiu has had to deal with is the financial aspect of starting her own business. Avdiu explains that she is completely self funded and that she is using her own money. “I’ve financed it myself with the idea of paying myself back as the store is profiting. It’s not a huge initial investment. While it’s a lot of money in terms of being 17, it’s not a lot to have to cover everything in the end. A huge battle has been being cost effective,” Avdiu said.

She saved money by getting a lot of her furniture and decorations second hand. “I bought a bar from a restaurant that closed down and I bought all my cabinets from the Garelick and Herbs on the Post Road that closed down. Doing things like this made me able to keep all of my overhead [costs] really low so that I can start profiting as soon as possible” Avdiu said.

Close friend Tess Rubin ’17 is impressed by Avdiu’s ability to balance all of her responsibilities. “Aishah has worked really hard to make this business come to life, and I am really proud of her for being able to balance everything along with it,” Rubin said. “She balances her schoolwork and her social life well with all of the time and energy she spends on her business.”

In the future, Avdiu hopes the store will prosper enough for her to hire full time staff and managers so that, while she is in college, she can just be an overseeing owner. She hopes to study business in college to further her knowledge, and loves the idea of possibly creating even more Bar ‘Bucha’s in the future if her first one does well. “It’s been amazing to watch the transformation of the store,” Avdiu said, “and it’s very surreal to be the one managing everything and putting my ideas into something real.”

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

16

Features | October 28, 2016

Parker captures photos around the world

I

Molly Mahoney ’18

ICELAN

nstead of tanning at a yacht club or strolling in the sand at Compo Beach, Jessie Parker ’18 opted to see the world this past summer. With a keen eye for art and a desire to travel, Parker flew 2,700 miles to Iceland and embarked on a 21day photography program through the country.

When Parker was little, her favorite after-school activity was art class. “My brother did technology and my sister did sports. I just thought I excelled more in arts than in other things,” Parker recalled.

However, she did not hone in on photography until she enrolled in Digital Darkroom her freshman year with teacher Jonathan Nast. Parker cites Nast’s teaching style as an inspiration for her interest in photography.

“I have attempted to formulate artistic problems that allow students to think critically and creatively while presenting them with enthusiasm, patience and experience, ” Nast says of his teaching style. “It is a success when students develop a unique vision[...]and can view their work with pride and integrity.”

In June and July, two years after completing the class, Parker and 12 other teenagers travelled Iceland’s Golden Circle, a popular route that shows visitors many of the country’s most popular attractions.

They captured countless moments as they hiked a glacier, snorkeled in Silfra and went whale and puffin watching.

Along the way, Parker improved her pre-existing photography skills while learning new ones. “I learned how to manipulate the aperture, exposure, white balance, shutter speed and more on the camera to capture the best possible picture,” she said. “I also learned how to edit in Lightroom and Photoshop, as well as a little about the history of

D

photography.”

Rochelle Kaper, Parker’s peer during her time in Iceland, attributed the group’s growth largely to their instructor’s teaching style, which mirrored Nast’s.

“Instead of our instructor simply showing us how a slow shutter works, we got into the van or walked to a nearby waterfall with our tripod. It was very interactive,” Kaper said.

Parker longs to go even further in her photography career. In the month of October, she plans on entering competitions, including the More Than Words exhibition and the annual Art Slam exhibition.

Both take place at the Westport Arts Center, where Parker is an active member of the Teen Arts Council, a group of local teenage ambassadors

Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19 Contributed by Jessie Parker ’18

for the arts organization.

After that, the aspiring artist hopes to continue improving her skills and hopes to learn “how to capture a moment or feeling.”

Girls who

CAPTURED Jessie Parker ’18 uses apperture and shutter speed in order to capture wider depths of the icey landscapes of Iceland, resulting in photos like the one above. Parker and her group also explored the numerous waterfalls, grassy plains and volcanoes.

Programming club encourages Staples girls to learn code

Ge rsh owi tz

’19

possible by, “teaching girls to use computer science to impact their community.”

Emily Ritter ’17, an active participant in the club, decided to join “because as our generation is increasingly making huge advancements in science and technology, [she] felt that having some basic knowledge of coding could be very helpful.”

Although it’s unlikely that every member will embark on a career in programming, Ritter says it’s “important to support the idea of women being treated equally to men in science/technology careers.”

And according to the founders of y the Staples chapter, Girls Who Code sb provides this opportunity and fosters oto h P a love for programming.

“Sixty-five percent of CODE MODE participants say they are (Top) Clare considering a major or Woodman the minor in computer club advisor science because and computer of Girls Who science Code,” according teacher, to official data helps out from the Girls the club Who Code presidents organization. to teach Bria nd, the girls.

Barnett and the (Bottom) 12 Staples girls Julie Kaplan are part of a much ’17 works on bigger movement: her animation a movement that project that she Barnett believes will learned from the ultimately “close the Girls Who Code. gender gap in technology.” inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL Ju lia

for programming and sense of female empowerment to Staples. Briand enlisted the help of her friend, Sarah Barnett ’17, Giselle Briand ’17 continued to and formed Staples High School’s own learn over this past summer, as she chapter of the nationwide Girls Who Code attended the Girls Who Code Summer organization. According to Briand, the Immersion Program at Goldman mission of Girls Who Code is to “continue Sachs in New York City. The program spreading knowledge and aspiration is an initiative that introduces young about coding and all the cool things that girls into the world of programming. can come from knowing how to code.” In Given that women hold less than meetings, which are held every Tuesday, 25 percent of Briand and S.T.E.M. jobs, “Every lesson is a new concept Barnett mimic according to the curriculum in programming and ultimately, the U.S. Department of the summer of Commerce, by the end of the curriculum, the p r o g r a m . national and state lesson girls will build a project/program “Every governments aim is a new to increase female in themselves based on everything concept represent at ion programming they learned in the club.” in S.T.E.M jobs and ultimately, by establishing by the end of -Giselle Briand ’17 p r o g r a m s the curriculum, aimed at the girls attracting young women to the field. will build a project/program “It was an amazing experience and themselves based on everything they I learned more things about coding that learned in the club,” Briand said.

I didn’t know before and was able to This concept extends beyond implement my new skillsets in projects and the Staples community. The national new ventures,” Briand said about Girls Who organization has over 40,000 participants Code. During the program, Briand worked who attend summer programs and collaboratively with two other girls clubs at their respective schools. to design an online shopping-efficiency The club also works to “build teamwork website. Their work was impressive enough and leaderships skills” as well as provide for Twitter to take notice, and Briand the opportunity to “join the sisterhood of and her team were “flown out to San supportive peers and role models,” Barnett Francisco [to] pitch our project to them.” said. The 12 girls in the new club have a After such a positive experience, passion for coding and a goal to diversify Briand wanted to bring her passion the S.T.E.M. field. Barnett believes this is inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Izzy Connors ’18

Arts | October 28, 2016

Arts

17

Released

Top albums and movies to look out for Alyson Murray ’19

2016 has been filled with plenty of new, interesting art, like "Life of Pablo" by Kanye West and plenty of movies to indulge in, such as "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Suicide Squad." There are still many songs and movies to binge on, so make sure to check these out before 2017.

ALBUMS:

“Starboy,” The Weeknd (SET TO RELEASE NOV. 25, 2016) The Weeknd released his first single since “Beauty Behind the Madness,” titled “Starboy,” which immediately found success.

Sam Little ’17, an avid Weeknd fan, said, “I am excited for the new album, because ‘Starboy’ is unlike any of the other beats he has created.”

“Two Vines,” Empire of the Sun (SET TO RELEASE OCT. 28, 2016) The electronic duo, Empire of the Sun, headlined the popular Meadows Music & Arts Festival. Daken Gulbransen ’19, who attended the festival, commented that “although I didn’t know them before I saw them, and I basically accidentally watched their whole concert, they had a huge crowd and were incredibly sick performers," Gilbransen said. "I’m really excited for their new album.”

“Joanne,” Lady Gaga (SET TO RELEASE OCT. 21, 2016) Following “Artpop,” which released almost a full three years ago, the successful pop star is ready to release her next studio album, “Joanne.” According to Billboard, Gaga says that the album is named after her late Aunt Joanne, and that her aunt was one of her greatest inspirations.

“Lady Wood,” Tove Lo (SET TO RELEASE OCT. 28, 2016) Tove Lo became an instant pop star with her hits “Talking Body” and “Habits (Stay High),” making her a fan favorite around Staples. “Her first album delivered some cool, vibing hits, but based on "Cool Girl," I think her new songs will be so much more relatable and just overall fun to listen to,” Zarah Ahmad ’19 said.

MOVIES:

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” Based on the best-selling book by Ransom Riggs, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” which released Sept. 30, 2016, delivers a journey following a magical place that cares for children with peculiar powers. “The movie keeps you on your toes at all times and is one of the coolest thriller movies I’ve ever seen,” Anna Rhoads ’19 commented. The main character gets to the home through clues that his grandfather gave to him, and realizes his power might be the only thing that can save the children.

“The Girl on the Train” The new must-watch mystery/thriller, “The Girl on the Train,” which released Oct. 7, 2016, follows the story of a commuter, Rachel Watson, who watches a ‘perfect’ couple from the window of the train. But one day, she notices something shocking occur in the couples’ backyard. She goes to report this suspicious act but is unable to recall everything she saw on the train. So she begins to investigate the mystery by herself.

“Baywatch” Based on the beloved 1991 TV show, “Baywatch,” releasing May 19, 2017, follows the lifeguards of the Los Angeles County beaches. They are forced to join together despite their differences in order to save their beach from a devastating disaster. The movie is completed with a star-studded cast, incuding Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson.

Graphic by Alexa Moro '18

New documentary looks back at Sandy Hook tragedy Jack Shapiro ’19 & Bailey Blaikie ’19

Graphic by Christina Dear '17

Sand y Hook 12/14/12

“Newtown,” a documentary about the 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, has already been released to New York, Los Angeles and Orange County, but it will be available nationwide on November 2, 2016. Filmed over the course of nearly three years, the film contains unseen testimonies about the shooting, the struggles of the aftermath and the town’s fight for national gun reform.

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut is regarded as one of the most horrific days in American history.

On Dec. 14, 2012, 20 children and six teachers were killed.

“This tragedy affected every single person in Newtown; there was no one that was not personally affected by this event,” Linda McClary, a current Newtown resident and child development teacher at Staples, said.

“Newtown” played at the Greenwich Film Festival on June 13, 2016, where U.S. Congressman Jim Himes, the representative for the fourth district, was in attendance. The following day, he enacted protests in favor of stiffer gun control laws. Himes walked out of

the House chamber during a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando gay nightclub shooting and cited that his inspiration was watching the film.

The film has received praise from many, including The New York Times, which reviewed “Newtown” as being “powerful and illuminating.”

Some students are making plans to see the film when it is officially released.

“I’m definitely going to see this movie when it comes out,” Layla Wofsy ’19 said. “It seems like it is going to be a very interesting documentary.”

However, for some, the documentary’s subject matter may stir up emotions that are still very raw. “I feel as though it may be an [invasion] of our town, in the sense that people who have lost someone may not want the media to re-create the terrible events,” Julie Raigosa ’19, a former Newtown resident, said.

There are still others who believe the tragedy of Sandy Hook is a story that must always be told. “I think that this subject matter is timeless, so no matter when it comes out, it will still have significance,” Lauren Chasnow ’17 said.

Oliver Lindenbaum ’19 agreed. “I think it is easier now because of [how the town] has bounced back,” Lindenbaum said. “They’re resilient.”

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

18

Arts | October 28, 2016

“MORE Than Words” exhibit encourages resilience and change Alice Hickson ’17

T

“

his is what Leslie LaSala, Photo contributed by Westport Arts Center artists do, they Director of make something Marketing and visible.”

C om mu n ic at ion s These are the at Westport Arts words of Gerr y Center anticipates Snyder, Dean of the the “I Am More” Pratt Institute School ex hibit ion w i l l of Art and curator of be more persona l the the “MORE Than in nature as Words” exhibition. st udent a r t ists The exhibition, are encouraged which premiered on to submit new or Sept. 9 at the Westport previous artwork on A r ts Center a nd subjects that address will run until Oct. both the struggle and 29, features worldstrength required renowned artists like to face all aspects of Andrea Bowers and bullying and power Carry Leibowitz. The disparities. focus of the exhibition “The dichotomy Our goal for the exhibition is to raise is a response to between the two bullying in a broad exhibitions could be awareness, drive positive change and cultural context. seen as a ‘zooming “Our goal for foster an open conversation around the out’ view on a t he ex hibition is national level for the emotionally charged topic of bullying. to raise awareness, curated show, and drive positive change ‘zooming in’ on the - Derek Goodman and foster an open community level conversation around for the juried ‘I Am the emotionally More’ show,” LaSala charged topic of said. bullying,” Derek Goodman, a Westport Amanda Innes, executive director of the stereotypes or personal identity. The call The submissions are judged by Snyder, parent and Westport Arts Center Board Westport Arts Center, said. “It’s really, for entries is officially closed, but the Pamela Hovland and Ward Shelley, who really powerful that that can be visualized chosen works will be displayed in the are all artists themselves. member, said.

Much of the artwork is contemporary, in this exhibit.”

Westport Arts Center starting Nov. 11.

“No matter what our age or the In response to “MORE Than Words,” ranging from articles of clothing to looped Hannah Schmidt ’19 took advantage context, unkind words and actions digital files to felt pennants. Beverly the Westport Arts Center accepted entries of the new junior category and submitted have the ability to puncture us, leaving Semmes’ featured work is an enormous from the public for their next exhibit called her acrylic painting entitled “Hear My emotional wounds that may or may not dress cloaking the wall, meant to embody “I Am More.” For the first time ever, they Silence.” heal,” Hovland, a senior critic in design the myth of female appetites and desires, had a junior category for middle and high “I have always wanted to bring my and a professor at the Yale University schoolers, 17 and under who wanted to art outside of my room or the classroom,” School of Art, said. “At various times in while also commenting on gender roles.

“There will always be a group that’s submit a work of art that spoke to the issue Schmidt said. “So I thought this would be our lives we need to remind ourselves that marginalized and pushed to the side,” of bullying, whether it was addressing a great place to start.” we are more than words.”

“

”

Witches and ghosts make room for Harambe and Harley Quinn Four most anticipated Halloween costumes Caroline Blevins ’18 As the Halloween season approaches, pressures rise to find the right costume.

This year, avoid the tired and clichéd personas of princesses, athletes and cops, and instead follow one of these hot 2016 Halloween costume trends.

1

Harley Quinn from "Suicide Squad" On Aug. 5, 2016, the popular movie “Suicide Squad” hit theaters. Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn will definitely dominate Halloween with her iconic super villain look. The blue and red dip-dyed wig adds authenticity to the costume.

Makeup-wise, all that is required is red lipstick with blue and red eyeshadow. To complete the look, pick up black shorts an dtights, Harley's blue and red jacket and, of course, her "Daddy's Little Monster" shirt.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Harambe After the controversy over the shooting of Harambe, there are high expectations for an abundance of gorillas this Halloween, which is sure to keep Harambe’s spirit alive and well this Halloween. Make a statement by adding angel wings or a halo. For those who are going for a more gory look, paint on fake blood. This unique costume will catch eyes and hearts as the memory of Harambe continues.

Pokemon Trainer The app, Pokemon Go, was released on July 6, 2016 and instantly became a hit.

Staples students traveled all over Westport trying to catch different creatures for their collection. Well, gear up to catch some critters and candy this Halloween by dressing up as your favorite Pokemon Go character. Just wear leggings, an athletic jumpsuit, gloves, a belt, a baseball cap and sneakers. Pokemon trainers are frequently dressed in the colors yellow, orange, blue, purple, white and red. Athletic jumpsuits, spandex and a long sleeve shirt can all do the trick. Regardless, this costume idea would be greatly appreciated by those who spent so many hours running around town for Pokemon.

GRAPHICS BY CAT GRAHAM '19

Puppy Dog Snapchat Filter Snapchat is loved by many Staples students and became even more popular when they added filters. Everyone loves the puppy ears, throwing up rainbows and the big eyed deer effects. Snapchat filters are a great way to subtly dress up this Halloween if you’re not into the goall-out idea. There isn’t much that needs to be worn, but it will take some handiwork.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take in order to complete this costume: Create felt cutouts of the ears.

Attach the ears to your headband.

Attach the puppy nose to your own nose using wardrobe tape.

Hold up a felt puppy tongue using a popsicle stick.

2 3 4

Arts | October 28, 2016

19

Staples Players presents “The Music Man” for fall production

T

Shaina Selvaraju ’17

his fall, Staples Players will perform the Tony Award winning musical, “The Music Man.” The musical centers on a con man named Harold Hill, played by Jacob Leaf ’17, who sells instruments to people in River City, Iowa with the promise that he will teach them how to play them. The irony is Hill does not know how to play instruments and plans to skip town with their money before the town has a chance to find out his secret. However, his plans are foiled when Hill falls for the town’s librarian and true music teacher, Marian Paroo, played by Zoe Mezoff ’17.

Co-directors David Roth and Kerry Long said they chose this musical because of its endearing message about community.

In a sleepy town that does not know it needs to be awakened, "Harold ultimately brings the town together, loosens them up and allows them to really live and enjoy their lives," Roth said.

Roth believes that with all of the violence and unrest in the country, "we thought that doing this show about the power of coming together as a community and the joy that that can inspire has a great message for this current climate,” Roth said. “We all have the power to come together.”

Other important lead characters include Mrs. Paroo, played by Brooke Wrubel ’17 and Sophia Sherman ’18; Marcellus Washburn, played by Charlie Zuckerman ’18; and Mayor Shinn, played

by Remy Laifer ’17 and Antonio Antonelli ’19. The cast of over 65 will also be joined by two eight-year-olds, Cooper Guisick and Ari Frimmer, who are double cast for the role of Winthrop.

Audience members will be exposed to a wide variety of music as “there [are] patter songs that resemble something close to an early form of rap, huge dance numbers, beautiful ballads and even a barbershop quartet,” Mezoff said.

Furthermore, the pit orchestra will perform all of the original scores from the musical, which is not frequently done.

Often, high school pits will use simplified or arranged music, however, the Staples pit will tackle the original Broadway orchestrations for the entire show.

Staples Players is also touting their set to be quite the showstopper as it will have over 37 set pieces. “For this show, unlike our other shows, we do not have a stationary set but one that will be constantly moving,” Michael Dodd ’18, a crew member, said. “We have a lot of flats

hanging from the ceiling and all of the pieces are either moving around or flying in and out from our fly gallery.”

All in all, with main characters that defy the stereotype of the leading man and woman, good music and lot’s of dancing, Mezoff says that "audiences will love

seeing this show. It's a classic and is still very accessible today, which is not the case with all Golden Age musicals."

Tickets for “The Music Man” will be available on October 22, 2016. The performances will be showcased at the Staples High School auditorium on Nov. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 13 and 18 at 3:00 p.m.

Photos by Kayla Sirlin '18

STAPLES PLAYERS (Clockwise from top) Zoe Samuels '17 amd Remy Laifer '17 respectively practice as the town's librarian/music teacher and Mayor Shinn. Players learn dance routines from a hired choreogrpaher. Antonio Antonelli '19 and Riley Thrush '17 pose for a picture between scenes as Mayor Shinn and Eulalie Shinn, respectively. Tucker Ewing '18, Maggie Foley '19 and Nick Rossi '19 practice their scene as Buster Prickett, Rachel Mason and Marcellus.

Melanie Lust ’19 When Cece Hong ‘18 entered the first round of the American Chamber Orchestra’s concerto competition, she never imagined that she would win the elite tournament.

But earlier this year, she did just that.

“The first round, I thought I did really poorly,” she said. “But [I] ended up picking myself back up, and I got better as I went along.”

She added that the experience meant more to her than just a prize. “It was a big landmark for me, because I always have trouble playing in big crowds,” Hong said.

"It was kind of a way for me to forcefully get over my fear, which made me more willing to do more competitions and perform in front of people in the future.”

Hong has played flute since the second grade, where she recalls resorting to music after not finding an alternative hobby in sports. “I went to the music store and picked up the shiniest thing I could find, which was the flute,” she said.

And years later, it seems that the real shining star has been Hong. She studied at Boston’s Tanglewood Flute Workshop, was selected to perform i n t h e Connecticut A l l S t a t e Concert Band

and played i n G a r y Schocker’s Flute Master Class.

But Hong says that although participating in these ensembles constantly pressures her to keep improving, playing the flute is an enormous stress reliever.

“It’s like a way for me to keep in touch with a more relaxed, more artistic version of myself,” Hong said.

To embolden her artistic side, Hong turns to famous flautists like Jasmine Choi for inspiration. As they are both Korean women, Hong said she hopes to emulate Choi’s attitude and prowess. “It’s empowering to see another Asian woman dominating a stage,” she said.

For now, Hong is content with her high seat in the Norwalk Youth Symphony, where last year she was also a finalist in their concerto competition. As for the future, she says flute playing is something she’d like to pursue in adulthood.

“I’d like to continue even as a college student and an adult. I don’t know if I want to major because I do have other interests, and it’s kind of something that I use to offset my academics. But I really do love it,” Hong said. “It’s something that’s been with me for almost my whole life. If I can do something with it in the future, then I’d love that.”

Photo by Margot Mather '17 and Graphic by Melanie Lust '19

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

20

Advertisement| October 28,

Stand uP for Stand uP for “Quinntessential Comedy” “Quinntessential Comedy”

CoLIn QuInn CoLIn QuInn Saturday Saturday november november 12,12, 2016 2016

at Westport Country PlayhousePlayhouse at Westport Country for tickets and information:

for tickets and information: www.hwhct.org or 203.227.4177

www.hwhct.org or 203.227.4177

Homes with Hope’s mission is to support the homeless and those at-risk of homelessness in the communities they serve by providing food, safe emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing and the supportive services needed to HwH_CQ_PlayBill_2.indd 1 8/23/16 8:21 AM achieve a more independent and self-sufficient life.

All proceeds from this event will support the mission of Homes with Hope. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Championship A Preview Football

Ari McCoy ’17 & Shane Rabacs ’18

s the fall sports season winds down, Inklings takes a look at the teams who have aspirations to play for championships.

5-2

After going 7-2 before losing in the playoffs to Darien last season, the football team has started the season strong at 5-2. Captain Julian Ross ’17 attributed much of the success to the strong play of the offensive line and dominant rushing attack. With games against Darien and Greenwich coming later this season, Staples has some crucial games on the horizon. Citing Ridgefield and Darien as top competitors for the FCIAC and state titles, Ross said the team is focussed on the task at hand first.

“Every game is a must-win,” Ross said.

Boys’ soccer

Girls’ soccer

7-3-6

After losing in the state playoffs to Hall on penalty kicks 2-1 last season, head coach Dan Woog and his team started slow in 2016, going 1-2-2.

However, the team has performed better recently, bringing their record to a respectable 7-3-6. “We have started to catch fire,” Woog, who is in his 13th year as head coach, said. This team has a lot of depth, and it’s been a next-manup mentality with injuries to Matthew Engler ’18 and captain Josh Berman ’17.

11-2-2

Returning this year from an appearance in the state playoffs, the girls’ soccer team is nearing the end of the season well at 11-2-2. With great depth at all grade levels, the team is persevering through the loss of captain Lydia Shaw ’17 to a torn ACL. The team “rallied around her and took it upon ourselves to not let it get us down,” captain Charlotte Rossi ’17 said. They are looking to fight contenders such as Glastonbury and Ridgefield for a state title.

Girls’ cross country Field hockey Boys’ cross country 8-7 15-0

The Wreckers boys cross country team is on the top of the FCIAC standings and ranked number one in the state.

“Ever since we beat Danbury, potentially our biggest competition, in our first dual meet without two top-five runners, we knew this team could be special,” captain Brandon Harrington ’17 said. After many seniors graduated, and with captain and number two runner, Harrington, out with a broken foot, many juniors have stepped up. “Ben Seiple [’18], Sunil Green [’18] and Will Landowne [’18] [are] really having huge breakout seasons and emerging as some of the best runners in the state,” captain Brian MacCordy ’17 said.

The Staples girls’ cross country team sits at 8-7, placing them fifth in the FCIAC West division. It’s a young team this year, with only two upperclassmen. After losing All-American Hannah Debalsi and AllState runner Angie Parmar, who graduated last spring, a heavy burden has been put on the underclassmen. “Some of the younger runners [have been injured and] have missed a few meets as they get used to the higher intensity training,” coach Amanda Morgan said. The team looks healthy now and is trying to squeak into the playoffs to make some noise as a contender.

11-0-2

While last year’s field hockey team had a great season, this year’s team has blown expectations out of the water. The team’s record is 11-0-2, one tie coming against top contender Wilton. With top players such as captain Colleen Bannon ’17, midfielder Christine Taylor ’18 and Kyle Kirby ’20, the team has dominated on offense and defense.

The coming playoffs, however, will be filled with a number tests versus the top tier FCIAC teams. “The teams that we will probably have to face in the playoffs will be Norwalk, Darien, New Canaan and Wilton,” Bannon said. After a dominant regular season, the Wreckers are preparing for an intense run for the state title.

PHOTOS BY ELLIE KRAVETZ ’18 AND OTHERS CONTRIBUTED BY STAPLESRUNNING.COM

Training for boys’ soccer amplifies success Brendan Massoud ’17 & Lili Romann ’19

Coming off a bit of a slow start, the Staples boys’ soccer team is beginning to flourish with their polished mindset and intensified fitness as the air becomes chillier and the leaves begin to turn. Sitting at 7-3-6 currently (as of Oct. 25), the Wreckers are looking to succeed as the season continues.

Following first round losses to Darien and Hall last year in the FCIAC and state tournaments respectively, the team is back with a new vengeance for this season.

Captain Josh Berman ’17 is confident that this year’s squad has the tenacity needed to thrive in November. “The biggest change is our change of mindset, and that mindset is now a much tougher one than it has been in recent years,” Berman said.

In addition to the mental toughness

that the Wreckers have developed, the Henske works on the physical fitness and team went through vigorous off-season Kurt Dasbach is working individually with the players. training in order to “We just tried to be a prepare for this year’s better coaching staff,” Dan competition. A new Woog, the head coach, said. fitness test has been Although there have added, requiring certainly been some each player to run a changes to the way the two mile distance in Wreckers approach their less than 12 minutes Dan Woog business, players have and 20 seconds. responded incredibly In-season well. “They are working running further enables the Wreckers’ success. “We’ve very, very hard,” Woog said. “They are been doing more fitness in practice starting to believe in what we’re doing.”

Among a number of key players on which is helping us end games and outlast teams,” Will Birch ’18 said. the Wreckers’ lineup, Woog considers In order to successfully enforce Thomas Nealon ’17 as a significant these changes, the coaching staff split standout. Having played with the up responsibilities. While Chris O’Dell, Beachside Soccer Club in seasons prior, a former freshman coach, focuses on Nealon decided to join the Staples roster the mental aspect of the team, Tom for his final year and has made both

“They are starting to believe in what we’re doing.”

tactical and technical contributions.

Other notables include Teddy Lawrence ’17 and Sam Kantor ’17, both anchoring the defensive end and goalie Ziggy Hallgarten ’17, as he has let up only nine goals thus far.

After playing a solid regular season, the Wreckers are certainly confident they can go deep in the FCIAC and state tournaments.

The Wreckers are looking to carry out their success in the remaining time they have left, as well as post-season competitions.

Berman, for one, seems confident about the team’s future.

“What makes our team successful is that from the starters to the last man on the bench, everyone has a role,” Berman said, “and everyone plays their role exceptionally.”

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

21 sports

INKLINGS | October 28, 2016

22

Sports | October 28, 2016

O

Nicole Shapiro ’18

ver the last few months, Staples athletes have been committing for various sports to many different colleges. The listings below are the most recent students who have committed.

Josh Berman Emory University Josh Berman ’17 committed to Emory University for soccer this past summer. Berman started playing soccer in kindergarten on the Westport rec league and played center back for three years on Staples’ varsity soccer team. “Staples soccer has a long and rich history, and I’m very happy that I’m part of that. Soccer has also been something that I can always look for,” Berman said.

Berman is looking forward to taking advantage of what Emory has to offer and being part of a team that is made up of a really close group of friends. “I chose Emory because it has outstanding academics, I got along with the coach very well and the student body and soccer team are very welcoming,” Berman said.

Imi Ratcliffe University of California, Berkley Imi Ratcliffe ’17 committed to University of California, Berkeley (U.C.B.) for rowing last month. Ratcliffe started rowing in the London at Tideway scullers school but then joined the Saugatuck Rowing Club. She currently rows in seat 4. “I’m excited to be a part of a big team at a big school,” Ratcliffe said. “I’m also excited to meet people from other sports.” Ratcliffe will be following in her mom’s footsteps who also attended U.C.B. “Rowing is a very hard sport which I don’t think many people understand, but it’s a sport that is very rewarding,” Ratcliffe said.

Katharine Johnson Notre Dame University

Chad Knight Duke University

Chad Knight ’19 committed to Duke University for baseball as a pitcher and corner infielder on Sept. 2, 2016.

Knight chose Duke because he thought it was the right combination of academics, baseball, weather, location and student life. “Duke has a culture where sports are a major part of the school’s atmosphere, so you don’t have to sacrifice being respected as a student to be an athlete and vice versa,” Knight said. He said he is definitely excited to play the sport he loves on the next level, but he is even more excited to create amazing friendships.

“While I have loved playing baseball throughout my life,” Knight said, “I have loved even more the fact how it has introduced me to some of my closest friends.”

“I knew in my heart that Notre Dame was the school for me,” Katharine Johnson ’17 said. Johnson started to row as a novice in the spring of her freshman year at the Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club. She moved to Westport the summer before sophomore year and at the beginning of her sophomore year, she started rowing as a varsity rower at Saugatuck Rowing Club.

She currently rows in bow seat of the varsity 4+. Johnson committed to University of Notre Dame for rowing on Sept. 5, 2016. Johnson is especially looking forward to the tradition and spirit that is embedded in the culture of the school. “I am excited to see where the positive environment will take me in the future,” Johnson said.

Photos by Ellie Kravetz ’18 Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

George Goldstein Middlebury College

Committed about a month ago for baseball, George Goldstein ’17 will attend Middlebury College next fall.

Goldstein started playing baseball when he was three with his dad in his backyard. In his high school career, he has been on Staples varsity baseball since sophomore year.

“I absolutely love playing varsity baseball. The senior leadership has always been top notch. You really feel like you are part of a family,” Goldstein said. According to Goldstein, the Middlebury campus felt very comfortable and just like home. He not only loves Middlebury for its top-notch baseball and athletics programs, but also loves the school for its quality academics. “I am excited to join a program that has a new and very invested coach with good young talent where I can attempt to make an impact from day one as a freshman,” Goldstein said.

Robert Stone Holy Cross University Robert Stone ’17 has been playing baseball since he was three when he was on the t-ball team. Stone has been on Staples varsity baseball since sophomore year as a pitcher. “As a sophomore, we had a strong senior class that guided me and made me feel a part of the family and ever since then, I’ve been able to incorporate that into how I interact with the younger players on the team,” Stone said. He committed for baseball to Holy Cross University around mid-August. Stone said he connected with the coaches and loved the campus like no other college he visited. Among all the colleges that were looking at him, Holy Cross was the best academically.

Stone said he loved the sense of family that the college team had and he said he is most excited for, “living with and spending every second with my teammates.”

Staples field hockey looks to make playoff push Cooper Boardman ’17 On Oct. 31, 2015, 39 seconds after Norwalk’s Marissa Mastrianni deflected a loose ball past Staples’ goalie Jodie Baris, the Wreckers trudged off Testa Field with their FCIAC season over, thanks to a 1-0 loss in the final minute, a horrifying result on a frigid Halloween morning.

That day, as Norwalk celebrated in front of its home crowd, Staples’ field hockey head coach Ian Tapsall stood motionless on the sideline, watching the mob scene.

“It’s mind-numbing,” he said.

Three-hundred and sixty two

days later, the Staples Wreckers are not only back in the FCIAC playoffs— they are back with a vengeance.

After going 10-6-1 in 2015, the Wreckers posted a regular season record of 12-0-2 in 2016. The numbers are staggering: they have outscored opponents 70-2, notched 12 shutouts and won seven games by five goals or more.

It’s been the kind of season where even opponents have taken notice; after Staples scored a goal in its 14-0 rout of St. Joseph for its sixth victory, an opposing parent simply whistled and muttered the word “mercy” in bewilderment.

It has been a fourteen-game

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

performance underscored and explained by a single word: dominance. Tapsall believes this stems from the team’s chemistry. “The entire group is so fit and so united,” he said.

The Wreckers captured their first FCIAC divisional title since 2014 as the top team in the FCIAC West and enter the league playoffs attempting to reach the championship game for the first time since 2011, a victory over Wilton. The FCIAC race is the deepest in the state, with Wilton, Darien and Norwalk all ranked in the top 10 in Class LL, and an FCIAC finalist has reached the state championship in each of the last four seasons.

Nonetheless, Staples was one of

just two teams that escaped the FCIAC gauntlet unscathed with an undefeated record in league play. If the team’s regular season performance is any indication, it will contend for an FCIAC title.

Season record:

12-0-2

Sports | October 28, 2016

23

Kirby aims towards a dominant future in field hockey Isabella Didio ’18

J

ust a week after beginning her freshman year at Staples, Kyle Kirby ’20 started in Staples varsity field hoc ke y’s first game and led the team with two Isabella Didio ’18 goals scored.

Kirby, who began playing field hockey for Westport PAL in fifth grade, didn’t always enjoy playing.

“My back always used to hurt. I had never played, so I wasn’t used to bending down and squatting a lot, and so after every practice, my back would be so sore,” Kirby said with a laugh.

Eventually as the season went on, Kirby became used to the physical strain of playing field hockey and now, “I don’t even notice it,” she said.

Outside of school, Kirby plays for a club field hockey team called FC United.

Kirby also plays club lacrosse for the Connecticut Grizzlies and hopes to play for Staples lacrosse in the spring.

Although she played for Westport during her elementary and middle school years, Kirby only went to Westport schools until second grade, then attended Ridgefield Academy up until this year. The transition from a private school to Staples has been pretty easy for her, thanks to her older teammates. “They were especially welcoming, and they made sure that my first day of school was good. It was a really easy transition,” Kirby said.

On the field, it was Kirby’s hard work and determination that led her to claim a starting spot for the Staples varsity team.

According to junior captain Christine Taylor ’18, “Kyle has a drive in her which is hard to come by. She always pushes herself to do more and it is evident on the field.”

“

I believe you can achieve as much as you want to achieve.

Kyle Kirby ’20

” Photo by Zoe Barnett ’19

Kirby’s dedication to field hockey is apparent to her coach as well. “Kyle is an aggressive, incredibly motivated player who brings passion and energy to every game and practice,” Ian Tapsall, the Staples field hockey coach, said.

Even though she is only a freshman,

Kirby has started thinking about colleges.

“Since I can remember, I have always wanted to go to Notre Dame,” Kirby said.

She says she is certain in her desire to play either field hockey or lacrosse in college.

“Notre Dame only has lacrosse, but either one I would love to play in college,” she said.

Kirby’s dedication for both lacrosse and field hockey are evident, but what drives Kirby to perform at such a high level is her belief in herself and her teammates.

“I believe you can achieve as much as you want to achieve,” Kirby said, “because you shouldn’t ever let anything hold you back.”

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

24

Sports | October 28, 2016

Rhoads paves a road for dancing Lauren Stack ’17

W

hile most high school seniors’ work day ends at 2:15, Elizabeth Rhoads’ ’17 day just begins as she laces up her ballet shoes and makes the four hour, round-trip commute to New York City.

Rhoads began dancing in third grade at the Westport Academy of Dance but currently dances at Ballet Academy East on 92nd and 3rd avenue in New York City.

“I loved the chaos of hundreds of little dancers running from class to class, parents fixing their kids’ hair and music echoing out from the studios,” Rhoads said.

After auditioning and getting accepted into the program, Rhoads was thrown into the draining schedule of commuting six days a week and dancing a minimum of 22 hours per week, and that was only when she was not practicing for an upcoming show.

Although dancing has been a part of Rhoads’ life for a long time, it certainly hasn’t been a walk in the park. It has taken perseverance and motivation for Rhoads to keep up with the demanding commitment that dance requires.

“The biggest obstacle I’ve had to overcome is trying to maintain the dichotomy between my school and dance lives,” Rhoads said. “I somehow have managed to fit in tutoring for the ACT, hanging out with my friends and getting my license. But in the end, it’s my decision to go there, and it’s worth all of the stress and long nights.”

Rhoads described her dance school as “any [dance] school here but on steroids.”

The academy expects a lot from its dancers and holds them to a very high standard.

The school requires perfect attendance, even if a dancer is sick. Any dancer who misses a rehearsal will face the threat of being cut from a show. Another key aspect to maintaining the academy’s stellar reputation is having all dancers abide by the dress code policy, which includes asking permission before dying hair.

Despite all the strict expectations, Rhodes finds a lot of rewards. “Every time I’m exhausted and I don’t feel like commuting, I think of my friends at ballet who are waiting for me and who get me through every class,” Rhoads said. “I have made friendships with the girls, the guys, the younger students, the pianists, my teachers, the custodian and the secretaries at the front desk. Being there makes me feel important,” Rhoads said.

This year, Rhoads intends to audition for ballet companies but plans to pursue a career in something other than ballet in college.

“I plan to dance through college, and it will always remain a part of my identity,” Rhoads said, “but I can’t see myself giving up college for a lifelong career in it.”

Even though Rhoads does not consider ballet to be her life calling, it is still a passion. For Rhoads, ballet elevates life through grace and beauty. “[Ballet is] an art,” Rhoads said. “You don’t barrel your way through a performance; you take every moment to present yourself as gracefully and musically as possible.”

INSIDE THE ISSUE

page 21 CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW A look at all the fall sports teams heading into the post-season.

Photo by Ellie Kravetz ’18 Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

JUMP FOR JOY Elizabeth Rhoads ’17 has been dancing for nine years, most recently at Ballet Academy East in New York City.

page 21 page 22 BOYS’ SOCCER RE-ENERGIZED COLLEGE COMMITS Boys’ soccer looks to bounce back Six athletes committed to colleges. from a poor campaign last season.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

page 23 KYLE KIRBY The freshman earns a starting spot on the field hockey team.