Inklings Back to School Issue 2023

CONT ENTS

Opinions

4 Buses park at WPS

School buses will park at Westport public schools until a permanent spot is found.

Features

6-7 Superfans Captains

Learn about what drew the new captains to the position.

Arts

8 A&E

Sip the latest tea on the summer’s greatist hits such as “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”

9 “Barbie” movie

Alex Gaines ’25 reviews Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.”

Inklings Staff

Editors-In-Chief

Genevieve Frucht, Paige Tighe

Paper Managing Editors

Ruby Kantor, Talia Varsano

Web Managing Editors

Jolie Gefen, Talia Moskowitz

Associate Managing Editors

Ava Cordella, Paige Miller

Associate Web Managing Editor

Samantha Sandrew

Creative Directors

Alex Gaines, Shivali Kanthan

Assistant Creative Director

Avery Michalowski

Business Manager

Mia Kirkorsky

Assistant Business Managers

Charlotte Berner, Rylie Cordella, Caroline Zajac

Photography Directors

Alexander Greenlee, Gabriel Hellmann, Maxwell Saperstein

Communications Coordinator

Caitlin Jacob

Social Media Managers

Ava Coyle, Poppy Harrington

Broadcast Directors

Zoe Alpert, Zoe Boxenbaum

Executive TV Show Producers

Nina Bowens, Ben Buchalter

More About Us

5 First day of school start times

Paige Tighe ’24 mourns loss of Senior Sunrise tradition due to delayed opening day start time.

Sports

10 Fall sports summer preparation

Find out what fall teams did during the summer to prepare for the season.

News Editors

Henry Watson, Sophia Reeves Opinions Editors

Angelina Matra, Katherine Phelps, Lily Rimm, Demi Sasson Features Editors

Mia Bomback, Zara Saliba, Lily Hultgren, Anna Kercher Arts Editors

Addison Coughlin, Andi Jacobs, Ava Chun, Siena Petrosinelli Sports Editors

Sophie Smith, Matthew Stashower, Sage Cohen, Madison Mayr Web News Editors

Ella Harrington, Rachel Olefson

Web Opinions Editors

Liora Perkins, Jack Robinson Web Features Editor

Ayaan Olasewere Web Arts Editor

Olivia Signorile

Web Sports Editors

Tristan Gonzalez, William Murray Web Photostory Editor

Audrey Curtis Advisers

Joseph Delgobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration, an does not allow for prior review.

Opinions

The Editorial Board determines editorial opinions that are authored by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@westportps.org. Submissions will not be edited prior to publication.

Advertisements

Inklings News reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health.

Membership

Inklings News is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.

The decisions of Inklings News 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.

@inklingsnews

@inklings.news

Welcome back letter from Principal Thomas

Stafford Thomas Jr. Principal

Dear Wreckers,

I hope you made the most of the longest summer break we have seen in a decade. After meeting with our administrators, faculty and staff, I can sincerely say that we look forward to welcoming you back for an incredible year ahead. This marks my fifth year leading Staples and the goal is to try and create an experience for you which adds on to the great experiences from the prior year with some new twists added! Well, this year why not start with day one as for the first time in our history, we will welcome the freshman to Staples with their very own morning before the rest of the students arrive after lunch. Freshmen will be able to experience a morning on their own and in their Connections classes they will hear from or see a video from last year’s seniors as they reflect on what they wish they knew as freshmen. In addition to paying it forward to future Wreckers we will gear up for another amazing fall athletic season that kicks off almost immediately before we quickly move into Spirit Week. Homecoming 10/20 and our third annual Class of ‘24 Homecoming Dance which will take place on October 21st.

As for some of those new opportunities, we have added a number of new course offerings which proved to be very pop-

ular as well as a continuation of our recently added overseas trips and experiences (Italy, Galapagos Islands, Singapore and France). For example we will be hosting 20 students from Singapore this year (be on the lookout for that!) As for extracurricular activities, our clubs or Involvement Fair as it is known, will take place earlier than ever before so you will be able to join some of our most popular (SLOBS & SLOGS) and newest clubs (Skateboarding) sooner. I cannot wait to witness your amazing fall performances for those of you who will join Players and our various music ensembles. As you enter this new year, may I suggest that one of your resolutions be to participate in at least one club, cause, troupe or team this year to truly get the full expe rience that Staples has to offer.

I can honestly say that each year since I’ve been princi pal of the best high school in Connecticut, we have focused more and more on reducing the “largeness” of the school and focusing on student be longing. Through the COVID years I have seen first hand how Wreckers have taken care of one another and contributed to making the larger community of Westport a better place in which to thrive. That is what Wrecker Pride is all about. I hope this year is the best one in your academic career as that is what my goal is as principal and our goal is as your faculty and staff. Welcome back, hap py new year and of course....

Go Wreckers!

Photo contributed by Principal Thomas

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

BACK TO SCHOOL Principal Thomas is excited to welcome back students and staff for the 20232024 school year

Westport school buses to be parked at public schools

Siena Petrosinelli ’25 Arts Editor

Anew bus parking location was required when Westport Public Schools (WPS) changed bus companies from Dattco to First Student, forcing buses to park at designated Westport Public School parking lots until Oct. 31. The Planning and Zoning Department of WPS endorsed the temporary location change starting July 1, after Dattco did not permit the First Student buses to park in their lot, located at 304 Post Rd E.

“As a school district we are legally required to provide

transportation for our students and unfortunately, there are limited places in town which can accommodate parking buses on a daily basis,” Elio Longo, Chief Financial Officer for the Westport Board of Education (BOE), stated. Although this is currently

chance that the schools could be the long-term storage location.

“The district is in the process of considering an application to continue parking at the schools for the remainder of the year,” Thomas Scarice, Superintendent of WPS, said.

concerned regarding the accessibility of the buses. “I’m not exactly sure how easy it will be to get in the building considering the buses are now going to be parked at the Staples front entrance,” Lucy Barney ’25 said.

Staples Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. believes the new changes will ultimately have a positive impact on the town.

“We hope that there will be less disruption to routes this coming year as compared to the prior two in particular,” Thomas said in an email. “Most of the bus drivers from last year will be back

Local Briefs

Features Editor

Sept. 9 Sept. 2 Sept. 14

Toquet Hall Game Night

Toquet Hall Teen Center puts on a game night for high school students on Sept. 2 from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are available on Toquet Hall’s website and admission is free.

Wakeman Town Farms’ Harvest Fest

Wakeman Town Farms hosts their annual Harvest Fest on Sept. 9 from 6-9:30 p.m. The event will feature a dinner prepared by local chefs, live musical performances and an auction.

Terrarium Workshop

Terrain will hold a terrarium workshop on Sept. 14 from 5-6 p.m, where attendees will learn to build their very own glass-enclosed gardens. Tickets are available on Terrain’s website.

We hope that there will be less disruption to routes this coming year as compared to the prior two in particular”

- Principal Stafford Thomas Jr.

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Preserving senior sunrise: defending tradition amidst change

Paige Tighe ’24 Editor-in-Chief

Rays of golden sunlight stretching across the horizon, the sound of crashing waves as a backdrop, and a sea of senior girls decked out in pink shirts, boas, cowboy hats, and whistles – this is Senior Sunrise. It is an age-old tradition when senior girls gather by the beach to bask in the beauty of the opening school day sunrise before embarking on a collective journey to school.

But with the implementation of the delayed opening day time for sophomores, juniors and seniors, this tradition is now in jeopardy.

On Friday June 16, in an email addressed to all Staples students, Principal Staf-

ford Thomas proclaimed that on August 29, the first day of school, the freshmen will arrive at school at 8:00 a.m., while sophomores, juniors and seniors will arrive at 12:25 p.m.

At first, this change to the schedule might sound like a great idea as it gives upperclassmen a nice and easy transition from relaxing summer days into the school year. However, for senior girls, this schedule change means senior sunrise will also be disrupted.

The delayed schedule creates a substantial time gap between

sunrise and the school’s 12:25 p.m. start for seniors. Waiting four hours after sunrise, in order to attend a mere two hours of school, dampens the significance of this cherished tradition.

Some senior girls suggested rescheduling Senior Sunrise to the second day of school.

Perhaps this is a compromise we could live with, but it won’t be the same. The magical energy felt on the first day of school is singular and not to be duplicated. As a result, there will inevitably be a lost sense of excitement that will likely affect the

sense of connection and joy that Senior Sunrise always created. In an ever-changing world, traditions are the lifeblood that binds generations and nurtures a sense of belonging. As we move towards an uncertain future, holding onto the touchstones of our past becomes an act of defiance against the fleeting nature of time. Thus, to forsake SSunrise on the first day of school is to relinquish a touchstone that embodies the spirit of Staples’ senior girls: unity, their pride and their indomitable spirit. Just as a new day’s promise rekindles hope as the sun sets, the senior sunrise tradition ushers in the beginning of a new chapter for seniors: their final year of high school. This tradition belongs naturally to the first day of school, and it’s the schedule that should adjust, not our cherished tradition.

First Day Schedule

Photo contributed by Paige Tighe ’24

Graphics by Alex Gaines ’ 25

... the senior sunrise tradition ushers in the beginning of a new chapter for seniors –their final year of high school.

Superfans captains strive to strengthen school spirit

Ruby Kantor ’24 Managing Editor

Max Beres ’24, Teddy Deutsch ’24, Eliza Edwards ’24, Alex Greenlee ’24 and Morgan Tamm ’24 were selected on July 17 to be the Superfans captains for the 2023-2024 school year. As school rolls around, they will bring their utmost spirit and energy to sporting events and school-sponsored activities.

Teddy Deutsch

Deutsch is not only the perfect candidate for a Superfans captain because he is on a Staples varsity team, but also because he has the exuberance needed to excite all kinds of people. As a captain, his goal is to connect with everybody in

the school and bring together a cheerful community of fans.

“A fun fact about me is that I’m a Norwegian citizen and I’m going to be playing for their national baseball team,” Deutsch said. “Watching and participating in sports brings me true joy.”

Eliza Edwards

As a Staples golfer, Edwards knows how much school spirit can impact the turnout of a game. Her main goal as a Superfans captain is to support all teams, whether they have a winning or losing streak. She thinks she is the perfect candidate to be a Superfans captain considering she loves going to all of the sports games and

cheering on her friends and peers. Interestingly enough, Edwards has first-hand experience wearing the Wrecker

Bob costume at football games and seeing the electric energy of the Staples student section.

“I just want to get everyone involved,” Edwards said.

“I have always been the biggest fan of Staples sports.”

Photo contributed by Teddy Deutsch ’24

Photo contributed by Eliza Edwards ’24

TEAM PLAYER In addition to playing baseball at Staples, Teddy Deutsch ’24 also plays on the Time to Sign (TTS) baseball team over the summer.

SCHOOL SPIRIT Eliza Edwards ’24 serves as the President of the Wrecker Bob Spirit Squad. The club makes posters for games and spirit days. They also accompany the Wrecker Bob mascot at home football games.

Morgan Tamm

Tamm is someone who loves making others happy and excited. She felt that being a Superfans captain would give her a chance to spread her spirit faster.

“It gives me the opportunity to go up to people who are more shy and make sure that they are having a good time,” Tamm said. “I want to make

Alex Greenlee

Greenlee’s main goal as a Superfan is to get more people to sporting events and to make them more enjoyable. He feels that this is an opportunity for him to engage the entire grade and encourage people to show up for the sports that get less attention. One of his ideas is to get a budget from the PTA which will go towards Wrecker

Bob t-shirt cannons, hot chocolate for cold games and more fun activities that will stimulate a greater turnout at events.

“I feel like there were some games where our student section wasn’t as hype as the opposing school and that’s unacceptable,” Greenlee said. “I want to leave the fanbase better than it ever was before.”

sure everyone around me is having a fun senior year, regardless of how stressful it is.”

Her goals for the year are to make everyday count and to bond with students she has never interacted with before. As cheer captain, Tamm is excited to stand on her crate at games and hype up the stands.

Max Beres

It’s not hard to spot Beres at any sporting event; he is always one of the loudest and most energetic people there. As a rugby player at Staples, he is looking to promote the rugby team and cheer on his friends

who are varsity athletes. Beres’ goal is to increase the size of the student section and rally Staples fans for exciting games.

“My step sister was a Superfans captain last year,” Beres said. “It runs in the family.”

Photo contributed by Alex Greenlee ’24

STAPLES SPORTS Alex Greenlee ’24 is on the Staples boys’ lacrosse team. This is his third year of playing at Staples and eighth year of playing the sport.

Photo contributed by Max Beres ’24

ADVENTURE Max Beres ’24 goes to Ridgefield to cliff jump. Both bridge and cliff jumping are activities Beres does often over the summer.

SUMMER FUN At the start of summer, Morgan Tamm ’24 visited Lavallette, New Jersey with friends.

Photo contributed by Morgan Tamm ’24

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

highlights of the summer

Genevieve Frucht ‘24 Editor-in-Chief

This summer was filled with many exciting releases from the “Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 2, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “Oppenheimer” the movie. Let’s check them out!

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 2

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season Two premiered on July 14 after a surprising trailer. The trailer reveals that Susannah has passed away, and Belly is not as close with Jeremiah and Conrad. The trailer also included “Back to December (Taylor’s Version),” the first reveal of Taylor Swift’s new album.

“I really enjoyed Season 1 of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” but felt Season 2 fell a little short. Nonetheless, I suffered through all the new episodes because it’s still a fun show that epitomizes summer.”

“Oppenheimer”

“Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was released on July 7, and it came with a few changes from the original album. Swift changed a controversial lyric in “Better Than Revenge,” and a few songs were added from the vault, including “I Can See You” and “Foolish One.”

“As a long time fan of Taylor, I was super excited for the “Taylor’s Version” of one of my favorite albums, and it did not disappoint. It was amazing to hear her old songs with more mature vocals, but I did feel that some songs lacked the emotion behind the originals.”

“Oppenheimer” was released on July 21, and had the same opening weekend as the “Barbie” movie. Because the two movies were released so close to together, many viewers saw both on the same day, totalling about five hours of viewing time. “Oppenheimer” follows theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in his life leading up to, during and after working on the Manhattan Project, an effort to create the first nuclear weapons.

“I don’t go to the movies often, but I was really excited to participate in Barbenheimer. I went to see ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ on the same day, and I loved both movies.”

“Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

Graphic by Alex Gains ’25

Photo contributed by Jordana Greenspan ’24

Photo contributed by Defne Merih ’24

Photo contributed by Ryder Levine ’25

Alex Gaines ’25 Creative Director

Idon’t think I’ve ever seen as much hype and traction for any single movie as Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie”. Even before stepping inside the theater, my eyes were flooded with pink— not only from the eye-catching posters but from the moviegoers themselves. About half of the audience members at my opening night “Barbie” showing— myself included—were wearing perfectly curated outfits ranging from a simple pink t-shirt to a floor-length pink gown.

I couldn’t help but notice that most of these pink-wearers were women. Although the trailers claimed that the movie was for everyone, I could sense that girls were the main target audience for the film, and went in expecting a fun, feminist comedy. Surprisingly, the movie went on a much more insightful path.

“Barbie” tells the story of one of many Barbie dolls (Margot Robbie) and her personal Ken (Ryan Gosling). Robbie’s Barbie, referred to as “Stereotypical Barbie,” lives a perfect life in the entirely female-run society of Barbieland until her feet fall flat and she starts to consider the possibility of death, leading her to travel with Ken to the real world, where she encounters real-life gender biases and inequalities. It’s Greta Gerwig’s directing that truly ties the movie together, who is known for directing movies that feature

and Barbie is no exception. Underneath the incredibly fun visuals and comedy of the movie, "Barbie" attempts to show a much deeper meaning of what it means to be a woman or man in modern-day society. Showing both the highs and lows of womanhood, the movie tries to explain how girls today are raised to never be on the same level of success in the public eye as men. In addition to its striking plot and emotional depth, “Barbie” also succeeds with a killer soundtrack, including tracks by Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice. Eilish’s song, “What Was I Made For?,” beautifully soundtracks one of the emotional high lights of the movie that had me tearing up in the theater. The movie was shockingly on point with its humor as well, with Gosling’s entire presence as Ken and Michael Cera’s per formance as the painfully awk ward Allan making me laugh. both humor and introspective moods throughout the movie created an intense contrast between certain scenes, and I found myself having emo tional whiplash as the movie very quickly transitioned from a dark and insightful moment to light, sil

ly one. This resulted in some of the movie’s more important themes lacking depth.

Regardless, “Barbie” brings women together in a way that I didn’t know I needed. I found myself feeling all warm and fuzzy seeing all the girls gathered in the movie theater bathroom afterward and truly appreciating the ran-

dom old woman on the bench that I saw on my walk home.

The second the credits started to roll, I texted my Mom and made a note that "a mandatory Barbie viewing with her, my sister and my grandma had to be planned as soon as possible." Whetber you call it girl power, feminism, or simply Greta Gerwig—it's a must see.

shows true feminist colors, more than just pink

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Sports captains organize practices prior to fall season

Paige Miller ’24 Associate Managing Editor

Over the summer, Staples athletes have been tirelessly preparing for the upcoming fall season. The captains of various fall teams have found beneficial ways to keep their players motivated and ready for the start of the season.

Field Hockey

The field hockey team is preparing and training to win another state championship this coming fall.

“We’ve had lots of captain’s practices, running workouts for our fitness tests and lifts in the weight room,” Captain Kathryn Asiel ’24 said. “We also went to an overnight camp at UConn and got to play in drills and tournaments together.”

The team’s preseason was the last week of summer, starting on Aug. 21, and ran from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. In addition, the team will have a play day against nearby towns.

Asiel is excited to play against strong teams during the season and to see the team’s effort pay off.

“I’m most excited to host our Wilton and Greenwich games at home because it’s always a blast to play those competitive games on Ginny,” Asiel said. “Everyone has been working so hard and is ready to come back together after the off-season.”

Boys’ Golf

The boys’ golf team had tryouts from Aug. 14-17 in order to determine the team and then they began preseason practice shortly after. Prior to tryouts, Captain Harrison Browne ’24 was already impressed by the team, as many people played in tournaments throughout the summer to prepare for the season.

“I know a lot of guys, especially the younger ones, have been playing local tournaments to get comfortable in that competitive environment,” Browne said. “I’m really impressed with the work ethic I’ve seen from a lot of the underclassmen.”

Browne believes preseason is a great way to help players, returning and new, get into the rhythm of things and get to know each other. Browne is excited for the season and anticipates it will be a strong one.

“This year is the most optimistic I’ve been for our team ahead of the season, so I’m really looking forward to competing for an FCIAC and state title,” Browne said. “Though at the end of the day, I’m just trying to have a good time on my final ride.”

Girls’ Soccer

The girls’ soccer team spent a lot of time prior to the school year preparing for the season. They hosted numerous captain’s practices with various themes to keep players excited.

“During captain’s practices, we try to keep it fun and high energy with different types of games and drills,” Captain Evelyn Chudowsky ’24 said. “It’s a great way to get to know everyone, especially incoming players. We also play in a summer league with teams from all over Connecticut.”

Additionally, in order to create a community among players, the team had dinner together to do some extra bonding.

“My favorite part of preparing for the season is getting to train again with the team,” Chudowsky said. “We spend a lot of time on the field together [about two weeks of preseason and tryouts], and I always enjoy the excitement it brings.”

Photo contributed by Kathryn Asiel ’24

Photo contributed by Harrison Browne ’24

Photo contributed by Evelyn Chudowsky ’24

TEAM CAMP The field hockey team attended a camp at UConn this summer where they prepared for the season. Their first game will be on Sept. 7 at Trumbull

TEAM SPIRIT The boys’ golf team builds a strong bond every season and enjoys cheering each other on at matches.

ENTHUSIASM ON FIELD The girs’ soccer team celebrates on the field after every goal. They will do the same at their first game on Sept. 7 at Ridgefield.

Back to School |

Contributed by PJ Loranger ’24, Kai Seo ’24, and Ella Tobben ’24, Scan the QR code above to play the crossword online and check your answers!

ACROSS DOWN

1 I ______ (instructions for a meetup)

5 Key to admission

9 Companion of “dark”, “damp”, “dank”, etc

12 Crunchiest part of the apple

13 In ____ of

14 It’s ___ from me; common phrase from TV investors

15 Touch your ____

16 Bibliographic word

17 Rank above col.

18 Authoritarian dogma

20 Legal form to prevent snitching

21 Special care: abbr.

22 Digital place of residence?

24 Bout enders, for short

27 Driving byproduct, abbr.

28 Teacher in Hebrew

29 Essay’s head

31 They have cells

32 Tenant’s contract

33 Parents’ council in the educational system

35 Accompaniment to crumpets

36 Fasting periods

37 Sigh of woe

39 Absolutely wicked

40 One of January’s occasional early-morning gifts, for a student

45 Wrath

46 Slang for a couple

47 Indian drama?

48 Scout Finch’s author

49 Carter and Sadie ___, or, the title of their chronicles

50 Sharpen

51 Mormon’s old denomination, abbr.

52 Treebeard’s kin

53 Rented homes: abbr.

1 Passing in DC?

2 Like some points

3 Length x width

4 Inventor of the alternating current

5 Bottom of a pillar

6 The partner of abetting, in the law

7 Goes out with

8 Strawberry jelly and peach preserves; or, 11D, 24D, and 19D in a phrase

9 Old-timey Looney Toons profanity

10 Nauseating

11 Da Vinci’s enigmatic subject

19 A phrase you might say while describing a song you’ve forgotten the name of

23 A noise that might come from a sheep or a child

24 2003 Tarantino martial arts film, source of an iconic siren sound effect

25 How Van Gogh ended up

26 These passengers aren’t allowed on school buses

30 Q___U

33 A glossy dress shoe’s leather