Inklings November 2019 Issue

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Nov. 22, 2019

Staples High School

Volume 88, Issue 3

Locker room theft poses questions about after school security Lys Goldman ’21 News Editor

Claire Redmer ’21 Social Media Director

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tems stolen from the Staples boys’ locker room by an outsider during after-school hours on Oct. 8 have propelled conversations surrounding after-school security. Through administrators and staff discussion, members have continued to consider the balance between an open community space and a monitored building once the final bell rings.

Cross country members, who left some belongings in the locker room during practice, reported stolen items — electronics, clothes and backpacks — to the Westport Police Department around 5 p.m. on Oct. 8. Artay Drinks ’90, the alleged robber, was arrested in Waterbury on Nov. 3 and brought to Westport on Nov. 4. While he was in the custody of Westport police, the Derby Police Department also identified him as the suspect in a sexual assault case, and he was arrested by Derby police on Nov. 5.

The theft reinforced pre-existing discussions throughout the administration about after-school security. Compared to the more thorough security procedures during school hours, including multiple on-duty security guards, sign-in sheets and visitor passes, the building is much less monitored after school.

“During the day we have different protocols that we use between 7:00 [a.m.] and [...] 2:30 [p.m.],” Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. said, “so [the theft] would not have worked during the day. He would not have gained access in that way at all. After school it’s different, in terms of all the activities going on.”

According to Student Resource Officer Ed Wooldridge, the administration has been having conversations about the extent to which security guards should monitor Staples after the school day concludes for years. The recent locker room incident emphasizes the importance of these discussions.

“We’ve been discussing different things since I came here,” Wooldridge said. “The school has been discussing it before I was even here. [The Oct. 8 theft] definitely pushed things more forward though. It’s out there in the media and students and parents know about what happened, and [they] are concerned.

It lit a fire to get it done quicker.”

Drinks, a Staples graduate, was arrested after security footage caught him exiting the boys’ locker room with a bag. Drinks reportedly entered the building through the open front

doors while the lone working security guard, who mans the front desk, was on required rounds throughout the school.

After waiting at the desk for a few moments, Drinks roamed around the school and interacted with a few staff members, telling them that he was looking for the athletic director to talk about a possible basketball coaching job. However, there was no actual meeting set up between Drinks and Staples athletic director Marty Lisevick (Lisevick was not in the building while Drinks was there, nor was he aware of who Drinks was before the incident).

After talking to several people around the hallways, Drinks proceeded to walk downstairs and enter the boys’ locker room, where he allegedly stole students’ personal items. “[My] backpack with computer, wallet, calculator and AirPods [was stolen],” Gabe Maiolo ’22 said. “[I was] angry because I didn’t know what to do and how to get my stuff back.”

Thomas also acknowledged the security questions that this incident brought up, considering the building’s role in the community after 2:30 p.m. “[The building after school] is almost like a community center of sorts, so there are different security measures [...] that can be taken, but there’s costs associated with that,” Thomas said. “With that cost there’s also an idea of do we want it to be open or do we want everything to be as tight as it is during the day for security, because then you have delays and lines and things of that nature.”

Because the building transitions into a community space filled with Continuing Ed classes, sports events, club activities, school-related meetings, performances and more after the school day is over, it would be difficult, possibly even undesirable, for after-school security to achieve the same level as security during school hours. However, changes are being discussed that could be implemented in the future, but they will take time.

Strength through paints and prints: Prince pushes boundaries with art

CraftWestport showcases the hidden gems of Westport’s art community

Arianna Gerig reclaims the basketball court after ACL injury

Page 13 Maisie Prince ’20 uses acrylic paints, watercolors and prints to create mature and meticulous art pieces.

Page 14

Page 18 Arianna Gerig ’20 discusses her road back to the court and her hopes for the upcoming season.

Photo by Westport Police Department ARTAY DRINKS THEN AND NOW [ABOVE] Artay Drinks poses for his 1990 Staples senior yearbook photo. [DIRECTLY ABOVE] Drinks was arrested on Nov. 3 for allegedly stealing items from the boys’ locker room. [LEFT] As a Staples student, Drinks was captain of the basketball team and is pictured in the 1989-90 Photos from Staples 1989-90 Yearbook

Continued on page 4

Inside the issue Homecoming dance would strengthen school community Page 6 Grace Livecchi ‘21 argues that adding a homecoming dance would promote school spirit and build community throughout Staples.

70 North Ave., Westport, Connecticut, 06880

CraftWestport on Nov. 9 and 10 features many local artists and bakers with their creations.

inklingsnews.com

2 News

Nov. 22, 2019

Staples High School

Accelerated Science receives feedback in third year, continues to develop

Local T briefs Kaela Dockray ‘20 Managing Editor

Holiday NOV. 23 Open House “Terrain” will be holding a Holiday Open House from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Locals can visit their Christmas market to get started on searching for gifts, roast s’mores, pick out a Christmas tree and participate in festive family games. This event is free and open to the public.

NOV. Closing Night of 23 “Mamma Mia” Staples Players closes their t w o - w e e k e n d - l o n g performances of the play “Mamma Mia” with two closing night performances: one at 3:00 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m.

NOV. 28

rats because it’s the first time they’re doing it,” McManus said. “I feel like Editor-in-Chief [teachers] are getting better on their own and learning from their mistakes he Accelerated Science course, and how we do on certain tests.” a two year program integrating Accelerated Science teacher A-level sciences including biolo- Kristin Leahy noted that Accelerated gy, chemistry and physics, has received a Science is different from traditional mixture of positive and negative feedback courses in the way that it is taught, as it from teachers and students. In its third focuses on concept application rather year, the science department has contin- than approaching science linearly. ued to develop and modify the course. Because of that, she expressed that it While the traditional biology, may not fit all students’ learning styles. chemistry and physics courses each McManus noted the confusion require a full year to complete, Accelerated she felt throughout the course Science condenses the sciences into as a result of this teaching style.

Accelerated Science 1 for freshmen and “We would learn something and Accelerated Science 2 for sophomores. then our tests would be on something Science teacher David Rollison helped completely different, so we would have establish the Accelerated Science course to apply our knowledge,” McManus said. through its was like ““We’re constantly getting feedback. We do “It first two applying the years and surveys, we talk to the students, we talk to same concepts described but in a way the parents.” that its that just purpose is made it really to integrate - Science teacher David Rollison c o n f u s i n g .” the sciences B u t into a single curriculum. Leahy noted that many students “We were trying to make a prefer this way of learning. course that brought in all the sciences “I think we’re uncovering some together, not just by individual unit, students that we wouldn’t have seen their but within a unit to have some physics, passion or their drive for science otherwise,” some biology [and] chemistry where Leahy said, “but because we have this it was appropriate,” Rollison said. alternative pathway to the traditional Rollison added that the track, we’re finding those students.” program continues to change based But not all teachers express as on student and parent feedback. much optimism for the course. An “This is a brand new program. anonymous teacher acknowledged that It’s completely new in its content to many Accelerated Science students anything that’s out there,” Rollison feel underprepared for subsequent said.

“We’re constantly getting science courses. Although this teacher feedback. We do surveys, we talk to has not noticed differences in former the students, we talk to the parents.” Accelerated Science students’ grades AnnaGrace McManus ’21, when compared to other students in who took Accelerated Science as a higher level courses, this teacher has freshman and sophomore, expressed noticed differences in students’ mindsets. hope that teachers learn from “Doing the classwork [in subsequent previous years of teaching the course. courses] is when I saw the stress and “We were kind of like the lab anxiety [become] more prevalent in the

Audrey Bernstein ’20

Photo by Natalie Bandura ’22

Thanksgiving

Westport Public Schools will be closed from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29 for Thanksgiving Break. Teachers will not be allowed to assign homework over the holiday recess.

DEC. 5

Westport Town Hall Tree Lighting

Westport’s annual tree lighting will take place outside of Town Hall from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. After Town Hall lights the tree, residents can stop by the Westport Museum to drink hot cocoa donated by Starbucks, construct holiday crafts and take a photo with Santa. The event is free and open to the public.

BURSTING INTO FLAMES Accelerated Science teacher Kristin Leahy “cleans up” the leftover soap bubbles after an experiment in which students set a tower of bubbles on top of their hands on fire.

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

Photo by Lyah Muktavaram ’22

LEARNING THROUGH LABS The students in this period 3 class work on a lab about pH and how it impacts seashells/oysters.

Accelerated Science students,” the teacher said. “For our AP science classes, the prerequisite is a full year of biology and full year of chemistry, [for] some, a full year of physics. The accelerated class is designed to provide that, but the students came out feeling like they did not get the detail that was needed for an AP class.”

Similarly, an anonymous Accelerated Science student expressed that she felt unprepared to continue taking science courses at Staples.

“With my experience, I’ve been scared away from the science program in general. This year, I’m not doing science first semester and second semester, I’m doing Intro to Programming,” the anonymous student said. “Next year, I want to try a harder class, but I’m just not sure I’ll be ready.”

The student suggested that teachers adjust the Accelerated Science program to prepare students for higher level classes.

Science teacher Amy Parent has taught both Chemistry A and Accelerated Science and noted that Accelerated Science goes into less depth than the full year curriculums. Despite this, Parent expressed that the accelerated program equips students with valuable scientific skills and knowledge.

“The proof is in the pudding with a lot of the students who have gone on [to enroll in subsequent science courses],” Parent said. “I see those students in the hallway. They’re taking classes that interest them so they’re able to focus on electives that really excite them or they’re taking higher level classes.”

AP Environmental Science teacher Bethann Camillo described her experiences teaching students who have taken Accelerated Science and full year science courses in an AP level.

“I think that students who take Accelerated Science come out of there with a different approach to problems,” Camillo said. “They are able to look at it from different angles. It’s a little more natural than students taking the traditional biology chemistry and physics route.”

Parent noted that the curriculum has been modified to further prepare students for higher level classes.

“We know that stoichiometry, for example, is something that [students] need in AP environmental science,” Parent said, “so making sure we have enough time for kids to really grasp that and practice that in how we’re adapting things this year.”

Leahy shared a similar opinion, noting that while the course prepares students well, it is natural to find difficulty transitioning from an A-level to an AP course.

“If [Accelerated Science students] are the kind of motivated student that wants to be in an AP class, they may need to cover some units on their own.

But I would say a student that took [full year Chemistry A] and wanted to go to AP Chem would be in a similar position.”

Staples High School

Nov. 22, 2019

News

Both Democrats and Republicans score wins in local elections voted for their four candidates, with many returning for at least their second term, Broadcast Director such as Matthew Mandell of District One, who has served for 14 years. But some new candidates secured a spot as hough incumbents filled many representatives in the recent election. positions in Westport’s latest lo- Of the 36 people elected to the RTM, Sal cal election, there are some new Liccione of District Eight, is beginning his faces coming into town leadership. With very first term as a part of the town meeting.

Representative Ellen Lautenberg three spots up for the Board of Education (BOE), Westport residents voted to elect Hendel of District Seven won the newcomer Democrats Youn Su Chao and election and is beginning her third term Lee Goldstein, who received 27.54% and on the RTM, which is made up of four 26.94% of the votes, respectively, along representatives from each of the nine local with Republican incumbent Vik Mukta- districts. Many of those elected for this varam who received 22.85% of the votes. new term are incumbents, each with their The election took place on Nov. 5. and own plans and hopes for the next few years.

“The Environment Committee is residents voted on each district’s members going to be looking at some kind of of the Representative Town Meeting pesticide regulation,” Hendel said. “The (RTM), as well as various municipal boards in addition to the BOE. The ballot included goal would be to reduce pesticides that might be toxic candidates people.” for the Board “As I watched everything unfold, I felt like to Hendel ’s of Education, I want to be a part of the solution. I know i nvolvement Board of in the I’ve been paying attention, and I have a Finance, Environment sense of how we can move forward.”

Board of Committee A s s e s sment and the Appeals, BOE elect Youn Su Chao E d u c a t i on Planning Committee and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. exemplifies the roles many representatives The school district’s tumultuous play in advocating for their constituents.

Representative Andrew Colabella year, in terms of the mold issues and ’07 of District Four is equally subsequent closing of Coleytown enthusiastic about being elected Middle School, inspired Chao and Goldstein to run for the BOE. for another term on the RTM. “[I am working on] getting the “As I watched everything unfold, Laddie Lawrence Track named after I felt like I want to be a part of the solution,” Chao said. “I know I’ve him,” Colabella said. “The Board of been paying attention, and I have a Ed passed it, so now it has to go to the sense of how we can move forward.” Board of Selectmen, then it goes to the Citizens of the eight RTM districts RTM. That’s probably the first thing I’m gonna get done in the next few months.”

The four spots in the Board of Finance were filled by Democrats Nancie Dupier Scan the QR code and Sheri Gordan, as well as Republicans to watch a satirical Jay DesMarteau and James Foster. video by Jack Republican Garson Heller secured the Dennison ’21 one open spot on the Board of Assessment about election day Appeals, after having already served and Joe Strickland 37 years on this three-person board. running for the Residents elected four incumbents to Planning and the Planning and Zoning Commission, including Democrat Paul Leboitz, as well Zoning as Republicans Catherine Walsh, Jon Department.

Lily Kane ’20

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Graphic by Kaela Dockray ’20 Olefson and Chip Stephens. On the Zoning Board of Appeals, all three candidates were elected: Democrat James Ezzes, and Republicans Liz Wong and Thomas Hood.

As election season comes to a close and the winners settle into their positions, both the representatives and commission or board members look to the future and plan out the ways in which they hope to make Westport a better place.

“We need to now go forward and make sure we are operating in a transparent and collaborative way,” Chao said. “We want to do our best.”

Photo by Jack Dennison ’21

DEC. “The 7-8 Nutcracker” Westport Academy of Dance’s 38th annual production of “The Nutcracker” will take place at Staples High School on Dec. 7 at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 2:00 p.m. This professional production includes students who are enrolled in the Academy’s ballet program.

This year, Caroline Motyl ’23 will play the role of Clara. Tickets are $20.

DEC. 14

COMMOTION ON THE CROSSING The busy intersection between Cross Highway and Bayberry Avenue became a subject of concern following a fatal car crash on Bulkley Avenue on Oct. 21. drivers of Westport to make the town safer.

“I think that all of us have to remember that even when we’re driving in these areas that seem like they’re quaint and quiet parts of town, we do have to remember that they are also active parts of town,” he said. “We have to always drive with extraordinary attention to the roads and the signs in order to make sure we’re being safe.”

While cross country athlete Max Shutze ’21 thinks the roads in Westport are relatively safe, he said that one of the best ways to improve road safety is to implement sidewalks.

Hall of Fame: “Women and War”

The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame will present a program about women and war from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Westport Museum for History and Culture. Artifacts from the Westport Historical Society related to female wartime contributions will be on display. Although there is no charge for the event, reservations are recommended. Register for the program at westporthistory.org.

Sports Editor Calls for enhanced road safety measures recently resurfaced among Westport residents following a fatal car accident involving a pedestrian on Bulkley Avenue North on Oct. 21.

The crash occurred in broad daylight, leading many to believe it was caused by distracted driving.

Town outcry began with an opinion on Dan Woog’s ’71 blog, 06880danwoog.com, written by three Westport residents concerned with the lack of road safety throughout the town.

Woog published the article because he felt that there is a problem with the way people drive in Westport and wanted to shed light on the issue.

“I thought it was important, and I wanted to generate a discussion,” he said. “It’s Westport at its essence. How we treat each other, how we drive, how we act. By putting it out there, I allowed people to talk about it.”

The post generated a lot of discourse in the community, amassing over 75 comments from concerned Westport residents and others.

One of Woog’s main points was observing the flaws in the intersection of Cross Highway and Bayberry Avenue, specifically the lack of visibility of the stop signs.

Doug Bernstein ’81, a Westport parent and lifelong resident who lives on said intersection, believes that it is up to the

Local briefs DEC. 6

Fatal car accident rekindles road safety discussions Jack Dennison ’21

3

“There have been some problems with runners running and getting hit [by cars],” Shutze said. “Just make more sidewalks so we have room to walk, I think that’s the best way to get around that problem.”

While sidewalks may help, Woog believes that there is a major issue with the way people drive in Westport. “[Westporters] don’t pay attention,” Woog said. “You look at these accidents happening in broad daylight. It’s pretty clear that people are distracted, whether they’re texting or doing something else on their devices.”

Winter at the Playhouse: A Holiday Benefit Concert

Tony Award winner Joanna Gleason will be hosting a concert to benefit the Westport Country Playhouse on Dec. 14 from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. The concert will feature performances by Gleason’s vocal group “The Montoones” along with many other Playhouse favorites. Tickets start at $50.

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

4 News

Nov. 22, 2019

Photo by Remy Teltser ’21

Photo by Emma Dantas ’21

Photo by Julia Kasabian ’21

Staples High School Photo by Eliza Barr ’21

Staples ranked #4 Connecticut public school in STEM

S

Andreas Lolis ’21 News Editor

taples High School placed fourth among Connecticut public high schools and 175th in the nation in Newsweek’s 2020 Top STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) High Schools rankings with a score of 93.95 out of 100.

Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. announced the news to the Staples community in a school-wide email sent out on Nov. 12, in which he also emphasized the strength of the arts program.

Science department head Dr. AJ Scheetz believes that one of the aspects of Westport’s education system that makes Staples a strong science school is the STEM

class that is offered at the middle school level.

“One of the things that research has shown is that the earlier in a person’s lifetime they get exposed to STEM topics, the more favorable they’ll be towards that,” Scheetz said. “We get people exposed to and thinking about STEM as an interesting endeavor earlier.”

Thomas attributes a portion of Staples’ success to being well-funded.

“The fact that […] we’re able to offer so many different things speaks to the budget,” Thomas said. “When you look at our science, engineering and math offerings, it’s impressive.”

Math teacher Phil Abraham believes that the independence of teachers at Staples enhances the learning environment of students, along

with promoting teacher cooperation.

“One thing that I really value as a teacher in Westport is the autonomy that teachers have in their classroom,” Abraham said. “We have the authority to teach the way that we want to teach, implement lessons the way we want to implement them. As a result, teachers are very collaborative.”

According to Scheetz, in order to improve the STEM program at Staples, the science department is looking to improve gender representation in science classes at Staples.

“We in the department feel very very strongly that there should be gender equity in all of our classes, and frankly, there are some classes where women are underrepresented,” Scheetz said. “We are working to get that more equitable.”

Nasir Wynruit ’21, who takes AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry and Physics Honors, appreciates the excellence of Westport schools. “[One cause of Staples’ excellence] is definitely how comprehensive the program is,” Wynruit said. “In terms of the resources we have, we can do a bunch of labs and learn in a bunch of different settings. We have so many opportunities to make new discoveries.”

STAPLES WINS STEM ACCOLADE Staples was recognized by Newsweek as having the fourth best STEM program among Connecticut public high schools.

Locker room theft poses questions about after-school security Continued from page 1

“The [changes] are things that require finances and resources,” Thomas said. “That’s something that takes time. What can we do to ensure there is more safety, more eyes on things— that conversation is happening.”

Although the theft had significant impacts in general, with regards to the police involvement and Drinks’ arrest, as

well as specifically on school policy, the incident was not shared explicitly with students or staff members. Wooldridge explained that the school was not able to publish anything right away as it might have thrown off police business; however, he acknowledged that the community may have felt safer if the school were to address the incident publicly.

“Maybe that’s something we come up with in the future,” Wooldridge said. “To say, ‘Hey, alright, we have this information, we should notify

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

everyone in a mass email or some kind of newsletter.’ That’s a topic for us to discuss.”

Another ongoing issue that was highlighted by the locker room theft is that students often leave their valuables and personal items unattended and unlocked.

“The building gets used after school by a lot of people,” physical education teacher Jeff Doornweerd said. “We try to minimize the chances of people coming in and out, but if your stuff is locked up, I don’t think we’re going to see these problems.”

While there are different paths that

can be taken in order to increase the effectiveness of after-school security and minimize the chances of theft, the goal of every option is the same.

“Everyone has the same concern and want: to keep everyone safe here,” Wooldridge said. “After hours, anyone can walk in and out of here. We need to make it so that it’s safe and we trust the people that come into this building after hours. [...] We are actively trying to come up with ways on how we can secure the building and make it more safe.”

opinions Inklings News

Nov. 22, 2019

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STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

www.inklingsnews.com inklingsnews@westportps.org (203) 341-1499 or (203) 341- 5192

Editors-in-Chief

Audrey Bernstein & Allie D’Angelo

Managing Editors

Kaela Dockray & Dana Perelberg

Web Managing Editors Sophie Casey & Eddie Kiev

Business Directors

Caroline Donohue & Emily Stone

Creative Director Poppy Livingstone

Associate Managing Editors Lia Chen & Siri Kanter

Social Media Director

Claire Redmer & Emma Van Riper

Assistant Creative Directors Roxy Augeri & Brooke Dembin Eliza Barr & Olivia Valante

Broadcast Directors Lily Kane & Serena Ye

Assistant Business Manager Ella Bloomingdale

News Editors

Natalie Bandura & Molly Gold Lys Goldman & Andreas Lolis

Opinions Editors

Samantha Felner & Abby Fleming Lia Gordon & Chelsea Strober

Features Editors

Lucy Arrow & Remy Teltser Reilly Caldwell & Carly Kaplowitz

Arts Editors

Katie Simons & Tallula Stvan Tierney Kugel & Evi Tarshis

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Locker room theft raises concern surrounding school security

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46 year old Staples alum entered the building, wandered into the boys’ locker room and, entirely unnoticed, allegedly stole items including cash, electronics and other valuables from unattended backpacks on Oct. 8.

In light of this incident, the Staples community must reevaluate its interpretation and practice of on-campus school safety.

We commend the efforts of our administration to keep us safe. We are fortunate to have two security guards and a school resource officer always present to survey the halls and entrances during school. Moreover, the front desk is consistently monitored and visitors must be buzzed in prior to entry when school is in session.

But while we praise these efforts, there remains a significant deficiency in our security system. Although our in-school

Sports Editors

Madison Andrews & Jackson Lev Jack Dennison & Rebecca Kanfer

Web News Editors

Annabelle Iannone & Rachel Suggs

Web Opinions Editors

Jake Navarro & Anastasia Thumser

Web Features Editors

Lauren Hassell & Marlo von der Ahe

Web Arts Editors

Julia Kasabian & Giselle Oldani

Web Sports Editors

Alex Massoud & Lexie Moskovit

National Arts Blog Manager Maya Reiner

Advisers

Joseph DelGobbo & Mary Elizabeth Fulco Editorials and letters to the editor All opinions in this paper are those of Staples High School students. The editorial board determines editorial opinions which are authored by the editors-in-chief. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@westportps.org. Submissions will not be edited prior to publication.

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

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

Distribution Inklings News, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored.

Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration and does not allow for prior review. Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions. 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.

policies have effectively functioned to keep us safe, these efforts diminish once the 2:15 p.m. bell rings. It is imperative that the administration apply a stringent attention to safety after school as well.

After the end of the school day, students and faculty continue to occupy the building, whether it be for play practice, club meetings or sports games. Despite this high level of activity, Staples presently employs only one individual to monitor the school after hours. This person has the duty of sitting at the front desk and making

rounds throughout the building, often leaving the front entrance unattended.

Such leniency in our policy is unsettling.

During after school hours, the front doors are accessible and unlocked, allowing easy access for visitors into the school. This permissive policy does not provide ample protection for the abundant community remaining in the building after hours. Therefore, we propose that there be one person monitoring the front desk and have that person be provided a complete list of all activities occurring on campus that day to ensure consistent awareness. A second monitor should be hired and have that person roam the halls.

Moreover, the implementation of student ID cards would ensure that only registered members of our community freely enter the building after school.

These cards should have the ability to open designated doors within the school as well, including the entrance to the locker rooms and other locations readily used by teenagers. Modeled after faculty key cards, student ID cards could operate during a specific time-frame every day.

However, the responsibility to keep our community safe does not fall solely on the administration. As students, we must remain cognizant of the risks imposed by leaving our personal items unattended.

Currently, a nonchalant mentality prevails over much of the school community, as students abandon laptops and phones on tables, pile bags in the cafeteria and leave valuable items strewn across the floors and benches in open locker rooms.

This inattention to security also manifests in our tendency to instinctively open doors for both familiar and unknown individuals without properly considering the ramifications. Although the majority of

[inklinations]

SOPHIA CHECKER ‘22

“Students should promote school safety by not making a bunch of jokes about school shootings.”

these visitors may be known faces, simply notifying a security guard in every instance could mitigate potential risks posed by unwanted and unmonitored visitors.

While it is critical that we remain wary of our surroundings, we understand why a relaxed mindset is prevalent within our school and acknowledge its validity.

Westport is a safe community relative to many other towns and does not require an extreme level of precaution. However, this sense of comfort does not give license to abandoning all safeguards..

As students, we must strive to uphold the safety measures our administration has provided us as they were intentionally created to protect us. We recognize that the issue of school safety is complex and praise the ongoing discussion surrounding the pressing issue; however, last month’s event must prompt change.

Situations compromising our security will continue to arise or escalate until safety measures evolve to accommodate those who remain in school after hours.

There is nothing more critical to the future of Staples than the safety of its students and staff both during and after the school day.

We hope dialogue surrounding it continues and promptly encourages change.

The editorial board voted 22-3 in favor of this editorial.

Scan this QR code to visit the Inklings News website.

HOW SHOULD STUDENTS PROMOTE SCHOOL SAFETY?

A.J. KONSTANTY ’20 “I think mentioning to our school resource officer what’s going on in school would be a good idea, also the security guards[...]it’ll help them deal with our situations better.”

HANNAH KAIL ’22 “I think that one way students could make the school safer is to not let people in from outside of the school and not order Uber Eats.”

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

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Opinions

Inklings News

Nov. 22, 2019

The Artichoke Inklings Satire *

Logan Gornbein ’21

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Staff Writer

hanksgiving is a highly anticipated time of the year, where families in every state have a massive feast and ridicule each other’s lives—errrr, I mean,“share gratitude.” Needless to say, this meal can get a little awkward.

Here are a few tips on how to make it through the feast.

First, when choosing seats at the dinner table, never sit next to anyone old. If you do, you will get caught in political talks or conversations about which pills to take for cholesterol.

Thankfully, there is an easy indication of

oldness: if they smell like butterscotch and moth balls, run the other way.

A second tip for making it through the actual dinner portion of this holiday is to never go on your phone at the table.

Looking at Instagram or Facebook in front of your family members will most certainly guarantee a barrage of questions like, “Who is that?,” and “Is that your Girlfriend?,” or “Is that the girl who you talk about in your dreams?” If your family has no boundaries, then your inappropriate uncle might even say, “She’s really 16?”

Lastly, maintain short and sweet conversations with all relatives you have not seen since last Thanksgiving. When unwillingly shaking hands with each of your family members, you’re going to want

Homecoming dance would strengthen school community

to move along very quickly. If you talk to someone for even a second too long, you will get trapped in an awkward conversation with a relative so distant, you’re not sure if you’re actually related or if they just wandered into your house for a free meal.

If you follow these three simple rules, you will make it through Thanksgiving in one piece. And if all else fails, grab a breast of turkey and lock yourself in the bathroom and quietly eat between sobs and tears so no one disturbs you.

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

*Three tips that will save your life—and your Thanksgiving

Gradewide assemblies prove only lipservice

Grace Livecchi ‘21

Staples is pretty grade-segregated. The cafeteria is allocated into grade-assigned sections as a result of an unspoken rule that no student dares to question. But the extent of this issue is far more than While scrolling through my Tik just lunch waves: students who only take Tok “For You” page last week, my feed A-classes are limited to having only peers was flooded with flawless homecoming their own age in their classes. Although transformations. I sighed as I watched extracurriculars such as sports and videos of girls my age wearing cozy clubs are open to all, not every student sweatpants and sweatshirts and, with participates in them, and they are really a jump-cut transition, transform into the only way in which people in different wearing one-of-a-kind Homecoming grades are able to get to know each other. dresses. Disappointed that I couldn’t hop Most schools have various dances on the trend, I wondered why Staples open to multiple grades, like a winter didn’t have a homecoming dance. formal. However, Staples’ dances such Homecoming dances are a great way as Red and Whites, Counties and to show school spirit, something Staples both proms are all limited to one certainly has a lot of. grade only, which would make a Upperclassman pounce junior and senior homecoming on Spirit Week, football dance unique for Staples. games and pep rallies The Prom Committee to display their school should take action pride. But after the in organizing a homecoming football homecoming game, opportunities dance, using for students to display money raised their spirit abruptly come by Student to a halt. Why stop there?

Assembly and Traditionally open themselves.

Last to juniors and seniors, a year, the Prom Committee homecoming dance would sold lanyards when there promote a stronger Staples was insufficient funding community.

Interactions for Junior Prom, which between different grades worked since the Staples should be regularly encouraged community was eager to by the school, as it would make support their peers. Students Staples a more friendly and open would most likely be just as community, unifying all students, willing to support fundraising not just those in the same grade. for a homecoming dance.

Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21 Staff Writer

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

Emma Dantas ’21

blindly follow administrative protocol.

The truth is, the same, typical Staff Writer senior shenanigans took place. They still drank. They still rode rowdily in the backs of trucks without seatbelts while blasting music and filming videos on their phones. They still attended the game under the influence of alcohol. And, actually, they still injured As I entered the auditorium on the themselves: one senior broke her ankle first day of freshman year, I felt like a running in the parking lot at the beach small fish in a big tank. The red cushioned before the motorcade (maybe that will auditorium chairs were packed with become the new joke the administration previous Bedford and Coleytown students uses in the future to ineffectively who were now representatives of ‘The Class warn the next generation of seniors).

So, when we met in Connections of 2021.’ As we anxiously took our seats, the first gradewide assembly commenced. and we listened to the principal’s In this case, the gradewide assembly congratulatory note on the good built a sense of camaraderie between behavioral demonstrations at the students and effectively set administrative Homecoming game, it was a compliment expectations for the student body. But not that, in my mind, was given by tainted eyes. Were the congratulations from the all gradewide assemblies principal rooted are so effective, and only in the fact many ultimately fail If the administration really that we were to influence student wants to crack down on loud, proud and, actions in the long run. misbehavior, they should ultimately, not For instance, this year, the principal called implement police presence at caught in the act of pregaming? a gradewide assembly motorcade.

If the prior to the homecoming game on Oct. 26. Principal Thomas administration really wants to crack opened by encouraging the juniors and down on misbehavior, they should seniors to be loud and proud Staples implement police presence at Motorcade Wreckers but then shifted to remind or have breathalyzers at the game. these policies would them about the importance of safety. Employing Ultimately, this reminder had little actually deter students from making effect on the majority and instead it poor choices and keep students safe. felt like the assembly was called only to Any less of an action is only lip service.

Inklings News

Nov. 22, 2019

Opinions

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More student feedback on teaching effectiveness required Sophie Casey ’20

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into their curriculum were most conducive to a productive learning environment.

One of my former teachers modified his lessons every year based off of student input and his own observations of student performance, allowing the whole of my class to benefit in the clarity of his teaching.

W hen teachers are able to adapt their lessons based on student feedback, learning is optimally sustained.

Learning should be a lifelong task: both teacher and student can exchange insight for mutual improvement.

In order to improve the current state of academics, teachers and students have to be accountable for one another.

D O O G

BAD

Graphic by Chloe Murray ’22

we deem particularly important to the forefront of classroom discussion.

Web Managing Editor Students also have the most complete perspective on instructor performance.

Students cannot help but observe teachers’ daily ability to instruct, engage and raditionally, teachers are re- encourage. Collectively, we can convey garded as the sole providers of the degree to which our diverse needs are learning. They are the bridge be- being met if given the chance, and we can tween knowledge and their students. suggest ways to bridge identified gaps.

Feedback can confirm and validate A true learning institution, however, recognizes education as a continuous teachers’ areas of strength, and also process. Teachers are not singularly propose areas to improve upon.

By means of its evaluative nature, suited to dispense insight, nor are students merely suited to receive it. student feedback can enhance the Students possess a valuable perspective academic experience and allow for too, particularly about the effectiveness perpetual improvement in the classroom.

Teachers who only gauge student and relevance of the academic process.

Therefore, more student feedback satisfaction at the end of the year are missing an should be incorporated opportunity to in every course to Teachers who only gauge improve. While input help improve the student satisfaction at the at the end of a course educational experience end of the year are missing an allows for students to for everyone at think retrospectively Staples High School. opportunity to improve. and offer a summative The student vantage point is an invaluable one. assessment of the year, those same Students have the most comprehensive students will not always be the recipients view on the ways in which a curriculum of subsequent course enhancement.

Instead, student input should meets or does not meet our goals, expectations and experiences. be requested mid-way through the Certainly, students may not be able course, in addition to its conclusion, to teach AP Physics or Multivariable so as to ensure that students are the Calculus, but we can offer feedback beneficiaries of their own advocacy.

In my personal experience, classes when it comes to how we make meaning of coursework, as well as raise issues that incorporated student feedback

Graphic by Roxy Augeri ’20

Later school start times ineffective, cause problems Lia Chen ’20 Associate Managing Editor

Often, when it is still early in the morning and the sun hasn’t risen, I dream (sometimes literally) about school starting later, at 9 or even 10 a.m.

However, later, when I am fully awake and alert, I realize that starting school at a later time could turn into a nightmare.

Recently, the district has been considering pushing back the school start time for Staples to help improve student mood and academic performance.

Although I greatly appreciate sleepingin during my first-period frees, there are certain factors that need to be considered before adopting a later start time for the entire school.

A later school start time may exacerbate already poor traffic around Westport. According to Greenwich Time, Greenwich High School, which has had a later school start time since the 2017-2018 school year, has found that the change caused traffic complications and has been forced to take additional measures in response.

In Westport, from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m., there is already traffic from all directions on roads leading to Staples—often, it will get bad enough that people artificially make two lanes in one-lane streets. If Staples were to start even later, this congestion will coincide with even more people trying to commute to work around 8 a.m., creating a perfect recipe for stand-still traffic, road rage and higher possibilities for accidents, especially with an increased number of student drivers on the road.

Additionally, athletes, musicians, actors or students with after-school commitments such as volunteering or clubs will feel some of the worst drawbacks to ending school later. Already these students have to stay at school for hours after the last bell of the day; changing school hours would only delay their schedules even more.

For example, Inklings layouts at times can go until 8 p.m.—if school were to start an hour later, editors would be getting home and starting their work at 9 p.m., pushing back their entire evening and defeating the whole objective of giving students more time to sleep.

Athletes especially would encounter difficulties with the change. Although Staples may push back their dismissal time, that does not necessarily mean other schools will, and many games will still begin at the same time. Thus, athletes would need to miss even

more class than they already do at the starts later, as changing the start time does end of the day to get to their games, not change my poor time management harming their academic performance. skills—I am late no matter what.

Most importantly, even if the other While there may be those who have stated issues were remedied, I don’t believe better habits than I do and would benefit later start times would be very effective in from a later school start time, I think improving student health and performance. my experiences may apply to enough Drawing from personal experience, other high schoolers to be a concern. when I know I am able to wake up at a later time the next day, I take that delayed wake-up time as an excuse to stay up even later the night before—I may even get less sleep than usual.

In other words, delaying when my day starts does not give me more time to sleep.

Rather, it just pushes all of my activities back.

I am not more likely to be on time if school Information from livescience.com Infographic by Abby Fleming ’20

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

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Nov. 22, 2019

Opinions

Inklings News

Logan Gornbein ’21 Staff Writer

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hen a student chooses to take the bold leap from an A or honors-level course to an AP class, they are often presented with a heap of obstacles. The AP class is likely to be more extensive and require more work. But this year, AP students faced even more pressure, as they had only the first two months of school to decide whether or not to take the ominous AP test that is administered in May. Taking the AP test has always been optional, and the test has benefits and drawbacks. If you pass the test, you

may be eligible to earn college credit, but at the same time, each test carries a hefty price tag: $95 each. Given the pros and cons of the test, it was nice when students were given until March to decide which tests they would want to take.

However, the College Board changed its policy this year, moving the registration due date for all tests to Nov. 15. This decision put a burden on students because they were rushed to make a decision that they may later regret.

There is so much time in between November and May during which students may change their minds about taking the test. For starters, in between those seven months, you may learn that you are not comfortable enough with the material. It is also possible for some students to find out what college they’re going to in those months, and learn that some of those colleges won’t even accept the class credit.

If the early registration wasn’t bad enough, College Board has also implemented a penalty for students who decide to withdraw from taking the test.

If a student pays the $95 and later decides not to take the test, the student won’t get a full refund. College Board will keep $40,

or close to 43%, of the money.

And still, it gets worse: if a student misses the Nov. 1 deadline, and later changes their mind and decides to take the test, they will be charged 143% of the original cost.

They will be charged the normal $95 registration fee in addition to a $40 late fee, thus making the total cost for taking the exam $135. This is an injustice. In the past, students were able t o take six more months to decide whether or not to take the test, without incurring a late fee.

Students should not be obligated to make the decision to take the AP test after just two months of being in the class. This new deadline for AP students is simply a ploy for the College Board to scam people and make more money. But now that the Nov. 15 deadline has come and gone, all we can do is hope we made a decision we won’t regret.

Photo by Lia Chen ’20

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

Graphic by Adam Greenlee ’20

Making AP students choose by Nov. 14 complicates a difficult decision

features Inklings News

Nov. 22, 2019

9

‘Tiki Week’ entertains with chaotic humor on Youtube Most popular videos

film. Their videos have ranged in genre, parody, where I had to edit in realistic including the likes of horror, film noir, glowing lightsabers and sounds. It Creative Director reality TV, mockumentary and space epic. took me several months to make.”

The “Tiki Week” team have “We all pretty much show up at someone’s house, chill for a bit, and get a even taken up entrepreneurship to hey say that the internet is forev- general idea for a plot,” Danny Chu ’21, expand their channel, purchasing a er, and six Staples juniors are us- a full time member of “Tiki Week,” said. YouTube ad that aired for three days ing this fact to their advantage. “None of it is scripted. It’s all improv.” in 2018 to publicize their videos.

“People would come up to me in The spontaneity of this creative Over the course of the last six years, the junior boys have created process is apparent in their videos. Their the halls and be like, ‘Hey, I saw your nearly fifty videos for their channel, most popular sketch, “Gamers Rise Up ad. I can’t believe you did that,’” Gray “Tiki Week,” gaining a fanbase of over (A Documentary),” emanates chaos as said. “It actually gained us publicity 200 subscribers. The channel features the team splits up into two exaggerated [and] increased our views by a lot.”

The channel took a two-year-long parodies of popular genres and films, teams: jock-inspired Chads and the based off of everything from black and titular Gamers. The video begins as a break in 2016 and 2017, but the creators white noir films to reality tv show “Shark classic mockumentary before devolving now have no intention of stopping.

Tank.” With a focus on absurdly comedic into a rapid-fire showcase of silly voices, In fact, they’re planning a crossover humor inspired by internet trends, pop prolonged shrieking, uncomfortably long event to tie their entire channel culture and YouTube legends, the Tiki handshakes and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it together in a series called “Big Fight.”

“All the ‘Tiki Week’ videos are Week crew have found their niche. pop culture references. The chaotic humor “We’ve all really grown up with of the video seems to have paid off, as it has connected in the same universe, like the YouTube,” co-creator Dustin Gray ’21 said. garnered over 750 views since its creation. Marvel cinematic universe,” Noble said.

Though the videos are chaotic and “‘Big fight’ is where they all combine “We all had or still have our own channels, where we made Minecraft videos spontaneous, the road to uploading and all our characters return, and the is long, complicated and technically good guys from every video and the bad or comedy bits guys from every video fight. Stretch impressive. Each video takes about Ph and that kind oto Armstrong is the main villain.” five hours to film in full, and the of thing. by Po These ambitious plans are editing process takes much longer.

Early on, we pp yL only part of the “Tiki “I edit all the videos,” Noble said. were inspired ivi Week” team’s vision for ng “We did a video last year, a ‘Star Wars’ a lot by Ryan sto the c h a n n e l ’s ne Higa and Smosh ’21 future. and people They remain like that.” t i g ht-l ipp e d T h e about what longstanding else they have channel was in store but created when promise their the YouTubers subscribers were in the sixth have much to grade.

Though look forward to. their individual “We just channels were want to keep entertaining in increasing the their own right, the comedy and the group of friends quality,” co-creator saw comedic Beck Eliasson ’21 said. potential in “We don’t have plans forming a team. to stop any time soon.”

“We see The tight whatever’s knit friendship shared popular on by the group ensures Reddit and that the channel will Instagram continue indefinitely. and try to make “You’ll have to content based on that,” Jack THE CREW (LEFT TO RIGHT) Dustin Gray ’21, Jack subscribe to see what’s Lindsey-Noble ’21 said.

Lindsey-Noble ’21, Eugene O’Brien ’21 and Beck Elison next,” Noble said. “Maybe ‘Tiki Once an idea is formed, ’21 are the full-time producers of a YouTube channel Week’ season 20 will be coming the “Tiki Week” gang bands called “Tiki Week,” creating comedic short films. at you in 2036. Who knows?” together to create their short

Poppy Livingstone ’21

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122 views

496 views

716 views

Scan this QR code to open the “Tiki Week” YouTube channel and watch some of their latest videos.

Not just another passerby: student-staff bonds help build sense of community Theresa Vandis ’22 Assistant Business Manager During the 1,170 hours spent in school each year, students and teachers see each other five times a week in the halls and between classes. But outside of the classroom, there are many non-teaching staff members who also cross paths with students.

After first quarter, many positive student-staff relationships have formed, defying any traditional superior vs. inferior perspectives.

Student Resource Officer Ed Wooldridge came to Staples last year. But has already formed close connections with students and staff. Wooldridge understands that while it takes time to build a comfortable relationship with someone, the effort pays off in the end.

“I feel that if [students] don’t trust staff enough

to go to them with their issues, then it’s not going to be a safe learning environment,” Wooldridge said.

Jared Leonard ’22 believes that Officer Ed is a positive addition to Staples.

“I think that having a friendly officer like Ed who is good with students is a good way to create a good relationship between teenagers and law enforcement,” Leonard said.

In addition to Officer Ed, Staples Health Assistant Christine Boyer is

constantly interacting with students.

“You need somebody during the school day that you know you can trust and go and talk to,” Boyer said. “[Students will] come and get water. They sit, we chat, they tell me how their day is. Sometimes they say, ‘Oh, this made my day. I’m so happy I came and talked to you.’ So, that makes me happy.”

E m m y Marcus ’22 believes that it is important for someone’s m e n t a l health and

well being to have these connections. “[Faculty] can reduce your stress no matter what they do in the school,” Marcus said.

Grade level assistant and girls’ track coach, Jessie Mcray, likes to get to know the students’ aspirations and activities because it allows him to better understand students.

“From the coaching aspect of it, I think that we spend a lot of time away from the classroom at practices, meets, on weekends, on trips,” McCray said. “You get to know each other better. It’s always nice to see students in a different light.”

Photo by Natalie Bandura ’22

ED’S FRIENDSHIP Officer Ed Wooldridge (left) and Justin Honig ’21 (right) have developed a strong relationship over the last year since Wooldridge began in 2018. Students feel they can go to him for advice and when they need a trusted adult.

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

Graphics by Olivia Valante ’20

151 views

10 Features

Nov. 22

You sent us your best Thanksgiving stories.

Inklings recently sent an email to Staples students and faculty asking for their funniest, craziest and most embarrassing Thanksgiving stories.

We got a variety of submissions.

Here are some of our favorites.

Scan this QR code to see more Thanksgiving story submissions.

Dad knows best

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n typical Thanksgiving fashion, the oven caught fire. My mom put the turkey in one of those flimsy catering tins and when she pulled it out some of the grease spilled into the oven causing it to catch. Naturally, each one of my siblings panicked then swore they had a great idea as to how to put the ever growing fire out. Between salt being poured over everything and baking soda filling the air, it finally took the billowing smoke to reach my father who calmly got up, walked into the kitchen and simply shut the oven door to put out the flames. ~Kelly Shamas, health teacher

“Lettuce” eat

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he fourth Thursday of November: a time full of familiarity, warmth, and obviously, thanks. The consistency of the holiday itself is what gives Thanksgiving its charm, from the date, to the history and of course the food. In the Avdiu family, we tend not to abide by the rules of food conformity. As a household filled with vegetarians, vegans, picky eaters and pescatarians, the element of Thanksgiving food is one that has never been consistent. So, every year when Thanksgiving rolls around, the table is overflowing with everyone’s cravings. Previous years favorites include empanadas, Chinese takeout and Freshii. Why not? ~Nadia Avdiu ’22

Graphics by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Trolley track troubles

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

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t was a spontaneous trip. Our plan was to visit Amsterdam for Thanksgiving, but at dinner one night at our hotel, we talked ourselves into a road trip to Belgium. The next morning, we piled into the nine-person rental van. Pia and I were just getting comfortable when the vehicle abruptly jolted upwards and we watched with increasing horror as we sped down a trolley lane.

The wrong way. My mom’s scream suddenly filled the air. “Oh my God, Teddy! Get off the trolley tracks, you’re gonna kill us!” That’s when we spotted the trolley coming straight for us. ~Allison Gillman ’23

Features

2, 2019

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Yammy whammy

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ne Thanksgiving day, my parents were in the kitchen happily preparing our holiday feast. I was in the living room playing Monopoly with my siblings and watching the Macy’s Day parade on TV. My sister suddenly grabbed one of the pieces and started running around the dining room table. As I chased after her, my father didn’t notice when he walked in with a scalding hot dish of candied yams. I ran right into him. The dish went flying out of his hands and the sugary syrup spilled all over me leaving blisters and burns. Kids! I still love yams!

~Lauren Bullock, media teacher

A tiny guest for dinner

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ix years ago, my family encountered a very strange Thanksgiving. One day prior to the Feast of Feasts, we had an unexpected visitor. A small mouse had climbed into my grandmother’s pantry and we are still not sure how long the mouse resided there. Anyways, we didn’t discover the mouse until a small pile of half-eaten Doritos had been found on a shelf.

Almost like the famous Squirrel scene from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” my father and uncle kneeled in front of the pantry and for almost a half-hour, attempted to get the mouse out. Our entire family was gathered in front of them until finally, the mouse jumped out of the pantry.

~Finnegan Courtney ’23

Spewing thanks

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our years ago, my mother’s side of the family joined us for Thanksgiving. To our surprise, my aunt, who lives in Dubai, surprised us by coming. I was excited to see her but the chaos which ensued was not fun. During our Thanksgiving dinner, my dad spontaneously decided to get tickets to see the Patriots play the Jets the next day. As he was talking about how we would get there, I felt a grumble in my stomach. I slowly got up and ran to the bathroom but ended up vomiting all over the floor. I had no idea why I was sick because the only thing I ate was some cold pizza from the fridge for breakfast. Turns out I got food poisoning from the pizza and didn’t make it past the second course.

~Hamza Islam ’20

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

12 Features Photo by Maya Reiner ’21

Westport Library renovations create ideal communal area Abbie Goldstein ’22

M HELPING HAND Abigail Judge joins the Staples community as the new school psychologist. She is looking forward to her transition between elementary school and high school and is excited to help older students.

Community grows with new school psychologist Carly Kaplowitz ’21

Staff Writer

any students have trouble finding a place to study, engage with others and pursue their interests, but the renovated Westport Public Library, found at 20 Jesup Road, may be the solution to all three problems.

The Westport Public Library has been an available resource for citizens of Westport since it first opened in 1986. The building was under renovation since 2017 and fully opened for the public this past summer after two years of anticipation.

“There are a lot of new resources the library has that are helping students, and just the whole reorganization of the library is beneficial,” Annie Bowens ’20 said.

The library offers many new advancements throughout the building for visitors. The large conference meeting rooms and individual

study cubicles give students the opportunity to interact with others or the possibility to focus and work quietly.

In addition to studying spaces, the library offers an array of items to help people pursue their interests in music, engineering and arts. The public is welcome to use new recording studios, editing systems, a performing stage and an advanced MakerSpace.

Jennifer Bangser, the Director of Strategic Community Partnerships at the library, emphasized the importance of social connection that came with the remodeling.

“Three of the words that were thought about in the redesign were flexibility, openness and innovation, and all of that leads to better opportunities for people to connect,” Bangser said. “To connect with their community, their fellow students, and to connect with our collection.”

The large meeting spaces in the library have become the main location for conferences and big events in the

COFFEE BREAK The Library has an updated cafe area which offers coffee, candy, baked goods and Mystic Market sandwiches and salads.

Features Editor The Staples guidance department has 10 counselors, one intern and four support staff. But the community continues to grow, with the addition of Abigail Judge, the new school psychologist.

After working at Greens Farms Elementary School for 15 years, Judge decided it was time to move on and work with older students to help them throughout their high school experiences.

“I loved being at an elementary school, and I know some of the Green’s Farms kids, so it is really great to see them here,” Judge said. “But I just love the age [of high school students].”

Judge graduated from Barnard College in 1996 with a degree in psychology. She worked at a Child Development Center in New York before deciding to continue her education and get certified to work in systems as a school psychologist.

“I really loved working at the elementary school level working with children and parents through the transition from preschool, as well as the transition out to middle school,” Judge said. “There’s a tremendous amount of growth that occurs in elementary school, so it was a very rewarding experience.”

Some of her current colleagues worked alongside her at Greens Farms Elementary School, providing Judge many familiar faces here at Staples.

“Dr. Judge is very calm and great with kids,” Jessica Lennon, special education department secretary, said.

“I also worked with her at Greens Farms, so it is fun to see her now. She is excited to work with the students.”

Judge differs from the guidance counselors because she does educational testing and psychological evaluations, along with working with other teachers and administrators directly.

“I think she is another great resource students have to go to when they need support,” Emmy Bassler ’21 said. “She seems very passionate about working with high schoolers and has many years of experience, which makes her more approachable.”

Judge is ready to kickstart her high school psychology career working closely with students. She said she is eager for a new chapter in her life and excited to indulge into the Staples community.

“I’m excited for the next chapter working at the high school level,” Judge said. “Staples is a great community and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the guidance team.”

Staples High School

Nov. 22, 2019

STUDY WITH A VIEW The ground floor has large, cushy chairs with attached desk surfaces to facilitate studying. They overlook the Saugatuck River, creating a picturesque view for students and Westport residents while they study or work. The downstairs area was open before renovations and is still one of the more popular study areas.

Pho tos b y Ch arlo tte

COLLABORATIVE WORK Teresa Shahin ’21 (left) and Samantha Taylor ’21 (right) utilize the collaborative study room which accommodates all types of Library users.

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

community. Using their website, citizens can schedule a block of time to use a meeting room and invite people to join. “[The library] can be a place for meetings, and I’ve been to a bunch of social gatherings there,” Ella Hansen ’22 said. “It’s a great place to have everyone come together.”

Many students have also traveled to the library to take advantage of the quiet study spaces and to work in a peaceful atmosphere outside of their home. They enjoy having this space to concentrate on their studies.

“It’s a really nice place for people to go where they can do their work undistracted,” Oliver Clachko ’22 said.

The goal of the library is to strengthen the community and provide a friendly environment to learn and ask questions. Many believe it is exceeding its expectations.

“There are endless ways for people to get involved in here,” Bangser said, “and to discover more about themselves.”

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HARD AT WORK Eliza Oren ’21 studies in the common area of the library. The area is on the main level and is open to everyone whether they are working, chatting or browsing. The library also provides many resources that the visitors are able to use. This includes computers, printers, textbooks, recording studios and a wide selection of books.

’21

ADDITIONAL STUDY SPACE With the renovations, the library now has a bridge overlooking the common room. Students using the second floor desks can watch the big stream or performances happening on the lower level stage.

RECORDING BOOTH The library now offers a miniature recording studio which sits in the quiet area of the main level lobby.

Attendees can use this equipment to create podcasts or music. The tools with the backdrop can be used to video record as well.

Staples High School

Features

Nov. 22, 2019

13

Strength through prints and paints: Prince pushes societal boundaries with art Staff Writer

ar Guth rley Cha 2

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t all started when a young competitive soccer player realized shooting and scoring was not enough for her; she needed a creative outlet. She started with two art lessons per week with private art teacher Cathy Ross and found that painting and printing were the missing pieces in her life.

Maisie Prince ’20 is an avid aspiring young artist whose mature and profound art tests the boundaries of a more contemporary art style.

Mainly working with acrylic paints and the printing press, Prince creates floral detailing around female figures to empower and raise awareness about the wrongful promotion of a single, idealized female body.

“I love to really experiment with the human form in ways that challenge perceptions of women on social media, [like the] sexualization of women, body

image and beauty standards,” Prince said.

Prince added that her art is made in an attempt to empower and block the negativity and misinformation that social media platforms convey to users.

“I think a lot of things on social media have made me question how I look at myself and how I view myself,” Prince said.

Even Prince’s art teachers at Staples, Angela Simpson and Camille Eskell said they have great respect and appreciation for Prince’s art and energy.

“Maisie is serious about her art and her professional tone carries-over in her classroom citizenship,” Simpson said. “[She] has some of the most mature work I’ve seen by an artist her age. Her mark-making is bold and expressive.”

Prince’s art m e nt o r s believe t hat

to by Pho

Emma Smith ’22

her maturity in her art is advanced as she presents controversial subject matters through abstract pictures.

“Nothing seems to hold her back,” Eskell said.

“She always goes that extra mile.”

The process of creating art, according to Prince, can be a love-hate relationship, especially when dealing with printing.

“If you mess up with acrylic paint, you wait for it to dry and paint over.

But printing is hit or miss, which can be the most frustrating part of the whole process,” Prince said.

Even some of Prince’s art teachers notice her struggle but are impressed with her ability to overcome and move forward after a setback.

“Sometimes Maisie will ask me for help, but she has this drive and independence to her that allows her to problem solve for herself,” Eskell said.

Some of Prince’s art pieces will be displayed the first week of December at the Cherice gallery in New York City, and her Instagram and website is full of her art @ maisieprincee and @maisiepri nce.squa respace.com.

SELF EXPRESSION Maisie Prince ’20 uses acrylic paints, water colors and prints to create mature and meticulous art pieces.

She often paints to shed light on issues pertaining to female sexualization in modern society.

Photos contributed by Maisie Prince ’20

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

arts Inklings News

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Nov. 22, 2019

CraftWestport showcases hidden gems of art world Serena Ye ‘20 Broadcast Director

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low buzz of ambient chatter and the soft shuffling of shoes fill the spacious gymnasium. Leaving the crisp, chilling November wind outside, visitors were welcomed by a whirlwind of bright colors and prints. The warm golden glow of string lights connected each booth to the next, from unique trinkets to plaid wool coats to organic sun-dried necklaces.

The annual CraftWestport had no shortage of hidden gems. Taking place on Nov. 9 and 10 at Staples High School, this flea-market-styled shopping fair featured booths by over 200 American artists and bakers.

Presented by the Westport Young Woman’s League, the art booths showcased unique designs and original art in forms of pottery, ceramics, prints, photography and jewelry.

Meanwhile, in the Staples cafeteria, attendees were free to walk around and sample a wide variety of foods ranging from gourmet pastries to spicy horseradish.

Self-taught artist Shenna Shepard found her biggest inspiration from her childhood memories growing up in California where recycling was highly valued.

“I think my inspiration comes from the heads of objects that I find,” Shepard said. “I use repurposed goods like salt shakers, tea pot headers, liquor decanter heads, silver butter dishes and pitchers.”

Weaver Kathleen Litchfield was eight years old when she discovered her lifelong passion for color and fabric.

On a field trip to the Old Sturbridge Village with her Girl Scout troop, she witnessed clothes being made from scratch in old looms. Fascinated by the process, she took her first few classes in her twenties and soon fell in love with making scarves, ponchos and vests.

“I love the designing aspect, and so I think with me you’ll find that color is my main form,” Litchfield said. “I love combining colors together you might not think would go together, but in the finished piece they really do come together in a nice unit.”

She draws her unique color combinations through her travels around the world. While taking walks in everyday nature, Litchfield is inspired from the sky, the trees and transitioning colors during the seasons.

Litchfield’s business continues to grow as she participates in more and more higher-end shows such as CraftWestport.

“It’s great to have people really embrace your work,” she said. “There’s nothing that feels better. It’s amazing.”

SMILING SCARVES Kathleen Litchfield dons one of her own original woven pieces, inspired by vibrant nature walks. Litchfield began making her own clothing when she visited Old Sturbridge Village and became fascinated with the process of cloth making.

STOCKING STUFFERS The mice are from the company ‘A mouse in the House,’ who sold their products at the event. Along with these products, the event featured paintings, clothing, jewelry and sculptures.

JOHNATHAN’S SPOONS Utensils made from a multitude of wood types were sold at CraftWestport, which happened Nov. 9 and 10.

The event was flea-market-style, with all sorts of different knick-knacks for buyers.

A BEAUTIFUL DANCE Paintings of a vibrant street are framed with a heart and more colorful flowers in this booth. CraftWestport featured several artists, who use different paint styles.

Check the full article, showcasing several local artists, by scanning this QR code.

COLOR ON COLOR Handmade by Zibu sold a plethora of their colorful and handwoven accessories, including vibrant table mats.

Photos by Serena Ye ’20

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

Staples High School

Nov. 22, 2019

Arts

15

Graphic by Ava Porretta ’22

Morris reveals the everyday life of managing schoolwork, subways, saut de chats Editor-in-Chief

I

t’s 11:15 on a Monday morning, and the school day has just ended for Cate Morris ’22. Morris packs her bag filled with some of her necessities for the rest of the day and heads to the 12:03 p.m. train to Grand Central in New York City. On the train, she carefully unzips her backpack and pulls out a brand new pair of pointe shoes and a sewing kit. With delicate hands, she unravels pink ribbon from her spool and sews it to her shoes.

Everything in Morris’ life is about routine, down to the very minute. Since eighth grade, Morris has attended the School of American Ballet (SAB), the associate school of New York City Ballet, at Lincoln Center. Ever since, Morris has learned everything from taking the right subway line to mastering the perfect arabesque in her life.

“I’ve grown to love dance more with this program,” Morris said.

“Everyone is so passionate there so it made me love [ballet] more.”

With numerous levels, SAB emphasizes musicality and dance technique that can be put to practice on stage. SAB trains students from ages four to 19 in the Balanchine aesthetic, style of ballet, preparing them for performing on the New York City Ballet (NYCB) stage. Morris decided to audition on a whim after seeing an Instagram advertisement appear on her phone.

“The experience of trying out, going to Lincoln Center was amazing to start with,” Morris said.

This year, Morris attends school for four morning periods and leaves halfway through the school day to continue her education in the world of ballet.

Morris takes online classes to substitute for the afternoon classes missed.

At SAB, Morris has participated in shows including “The Nutcracker” where she danced in the role of a candy cane on the NYCB stage. Morris performed in the 2017 show with the children’s division in the eighth grade, where she danced in 25 shows from Black Friday until the end of December. Morris hopes to perform in shows including “Swan Lake,” “A

Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Jewels.”

Today, Morris takes six classes at SAB: technique, adagio, pointe, variations, character and piano to help her understand the rhythm of the Balanchine music Morris dances to.

“It’s supposed to help me with the musicality and learning the tempo with dance,” Morris said.

SAB, located next to the Juilliard School, has levels ranging from the children’s division to advanced groups with a live pianist in most classes.

No photos or videos are allowed, and parents can only sit in on their children’s classes once a month. Dancers with perfect hairstyles and pristine pointes flood the halls anticipating their upcoming classes. Yet, regardless of the unique environment, you can hear teenage dancers still talk about normal teenage issues: boys, school drama and weekend plans.

Alex Wasserman ’22, a friend of Morris, noted her constant dedication to SAB and ballet since a young age.

“She’s always loved to dance,” Wasserman said. “It’s so inspiring because she is so dedicated to it. She goes every single week, she misses half of the school day to go [...]

I’m so impressed by her.”

Morris takes the train home from Monday to Saturday at 6:13 p.m or later and spends the rest of her night doing her homework. Morris spends her day off on Sundays catching up on her assignments and hanging out with her friends.

“I think it is incredible how she balances going to school, ballet and hanging out with friends,” Lauren Hess ’22, a friend of Morris, said.

Although SAB decreases in class size as levels advance, Morris still hopes to pursue ballet in the future, and strives to dance professionally while continuing her academic studies.

“If you really love it,” Morris said, “then it’s worth it.”

Photos by Allie D’Angelo ’20

Allie D’Angelo ’20

Check out a photo story on Morris’ daily life by scanning this QR code.

Photo contributed by Cate Morris ’22

DANCING THROUGH THE DAY (ABOVE) Morris takes five dance classes and one piano class at the Samuel B. And David Rose Building at Lincoln Center.

(DIRECTLY ABOVE) Each day Morris takes the train into Grand Central and then the subway to Lincoln Center for training at the School of American Ballet (SAB) .

(FAR LEFT) Morris decided to audition for the SAB in 2017 and has taken two years of summer classes at Boston Ballet. (LEFT) Prior to dancing at SAB, Morris danced at the Westport Academy of Dance.

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

16 Arts

Nov. 22, 2019

Staples High School

Latest fall TV presents binge-worthy material Graphics by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Remy Teltser ‘21 Features Editor

W

e’re in the heart of the fall season. The leaves have turned completely orange and blanket the ground, the temperature never reaches above 50 degrees and every single food product has a pumpkin-spiced version.

It’s too brutally windy and cold to leave my house, so therefore November is the perfect time to curl up on the couch and binge watch some Netflix shows.

On Nov. 1, the third season of “Atypical” was released on Netflix. “Atypical” follows Sam Gardner, an 18-year-old high schooler on the autism spectrum, and focuses on his social struggles.

Given the production’s fulltime consultant is on the autism spectrum, the show has been able to accurately give viewers a solid look into Sam’s brain, enabling them to empathize with him and better understand the way his world works.

While season three of “Atypical” prioritizes Sam’s experience in college, it simultaneously steps out of its comfort zones from seasons one and two by featuring Sam’s sister, Casey, Sam’s therapist, Julia,

and both his parent’s problems with friendships, affairs and self development.

I applaud the producers of this show for making the supporting characters’ battles equally as interesting as the primary character’s struggles.

Additionally, I appreciate the balance “Atypical” has in presenting the difficulties of being a teen with autism and still being a light-hearted series.

Four days later, Netflix released season two of “The End of the F***ing World.” In the first season, we met 17-year-old James who believes he’s a psychopath.

He is tired of killing animals and wants to try to kill a human, and picks a classmate, Alyssa, as his target.

It has been a painful two years since season one left viewers on a huge cliffhanger: James running from a loud gunshot.

Season two seems unfitting and out-of-line. The show introduces a completely new character, Bonnie, who essentially tells a pointless postlude. This season tries too hard to expand the story from season one.

The production value is high, as we’ve come to expect from Netflix, but the plot of the season misses the mark.

They should have ended the show with season one’s cliffhanger, leaving the denouement open for interpretation.

The third season of “The Crown” was aired on Netflix on Nov. 17.

This historical drama follows Queen Elizabath’s life, starting with her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947 and continues into the present day.

Dedicated watchers are able to observe the Queen’s character development and understand the life of royalty — not just the luxuries but its hardships as well.

Season three begins in 1964 with the election of a new prime-minister. As with the first two seasons, I commend the show for its historically accurate plot, set, costumes, acting quality and trademark cinematography.

This specific season is seemingly jam-packed with twists in the storyline and more theatrical dramatization of the royal family than before, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats and intrigued.

Out of all three new shows, I must say that “Atypical” season three had the best character development, most intriguing plot line and the greatest variety of conflicts and struggles, making it the best new fall show this year. I definitely recommend a watch.

Reflections Art Contest paints endless opportunities to showcase creativity Photo contributed by Rachel Varsano ’21 music composition and film production, the annual contest sets few restrictions Staff Writer on how students might want to express their thoughts and feelings on this year’s theme of “Look Within.”

While not everyone considers “I think that this contest is a great way themselves an artist, the Reflections Art to get students thinking and open up their Contest, a primarily digital PTA-run creativity,” Emmy Marcus ’22, a participant national art competition with upwards in this year’s contest, who hopes to succeed of 300,000 participants annually, gives in the visual arts category with a makeup students an opportunity to express their look, said. “The theme ‘Look Within’ can inner creativity. From traditional forms be taken figuratively or literally and it of art, such as literature, photography will vary for everyone that enters, which or visual arts, to more unconventional is very interesting to see what people ones, including dance choreography, come up with. I am excited to enter and see what I come up with as well.”

A l l submissions are due on Jan. 8. The art submissions may accumulate up to 40 total points: 10 points are awarded for artistic merit, 10 for technique and 20 for the interpretation of the theme. A total of six students have the potential to move onto the state level, one student from each category. Judging at the state level happens in the middle of March. The winners of states then have the opportunity to progress to nationals that will be judged in May. Multiple Staples students have had Graphic by Poppy Livingstone ’21

Karina Murray ‘22

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

success in the c omp e t it ion in past years, including Greta Gilbert ’20, who placed at nationals for her writing two years ago. “ [ M y f avor it e part of the c omp e t it i on was] probably just not expecting much and then just getting those emails that you’re continuously moving up,” Gilbert said. “Personally for me, I didn’t think of myself as a writer. I kind of just thought that it was a hobby I had. But then when I placed at these contests and got published, that’s when I thought of myself as a writer, so it was just one of those personal growth things.”

Gilbert enjoyed participating in the contest and encourages others to do so as well.

“Some people say, ‘Oh, I’m not an artist,’” Anne Alycone, manager of the Staples contest, said. “Well, you know, an artist is just creating things; it isn’t math.

So, your self-image can change; you don’t have to already see yourself as an artist.”

According to Alcyone, the Reflections Art Contest is driven by participation;

THE EYE OF CHANGE Rachel Varsano ’21 was one of the winners of the Reflections Art Contest last year. Her piece (ABOVE) expresses her feelings of urgency regarding the frequent school shootings in America. The eye represents the student voices being heard. the more participants, the more potential for success at the state or national level the school obtains.

“You can learn a lot about yourself,” Alycone said.

“It’s introspective, it’s fun and it’s a really nice way for the community to connect.”

Staples High School

Arts

Nov. 22, 2019

17

‘The Nutcracker’ production hits Staples’ stage

r ’21

edme y Claire R Photos b

Tierney Kugel ‘22 Arts Editor

T

his December, the Westport Academy of Dance is bringing captivating sets, dazzling costumes and Tchaikovsky’s classic holiday music to the Staples stage for this year’s production of ‘The Nutcracker.’

The Academy will perform their 38th annual production of ‘The Nutcracker”’on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. It will be held at Staples High School and is two hours long with an intermission. The show features students from first grade to 12th grade. Tickets can be purchased online.

Although ‘The Nutcracker’ is a popular winter production performed by dance companies across the nation, the academy’s production is different.

Because they do not have any male students, the Westport Academy of Dance hires professional dancers to perform

the

male leads.

However, director and A c a d e m y owner, Nancy H y l a n d Zindell, believes there are other qualities that also make the Academy’s production of “The Nutcracker” unique.

“The energy and the color of our costumes are amazing,” Hyland-Zindell said.

“Everything is very bright and energetic.”

Kit Meszaros ’20, cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy, has been dancing at the Academy for 12 years.

Throughout this time, she has worked closely alongside other dancers and has developed her skills and abilities.

“We have a strong community and we have all worked really hard to create this performance,” Meszaros said. “We are all very dedicated and invested in the performance.”

In addition to the hard work and many hours of rehearsal from the cast, audience

members can look forward to the show’s festive storyline with lively choreography.

The production stays true to its timeless story through the relationships between the characters and the classic plot line.

“I really love when Clara wakes up to the Prince and they do a dance together,” Meszaros said. “It is a nice moment that represents some development in a [meaningful] relationship.”

Zoey Rosier ’20, cast as Mother Ginger, has also been dancing for 12 years with Westport’s Academy of Dance.

She enjoys participating in the show because of the cast’s fun energy and the animated environment backstage.

“We are all so excited to be a part of the production and to put our own personal touch on our dances,” Rosier said. “It is always fun to see everyone in their costumes and to be on stage [at dress rehearsal.] By then, everyone is well into the holiday spirit, which just adds to the excitement of the show.”

Over the years, Rosier’s skills have progressed as her classes have increased in difficulty. The annual production highlights the growth and hard work contributed by the dancers and teachers at the studio.

“This year’s performance is especially exciting because it is my final ‘Nutcracker.’

I look at the first graders and I can remember when I began,” Rosier said. “It’s special because it is an annual production, and everyone knows the story.”

Overall, the show’s positive energy, hardworking cast and classic holiday storyline all culminate in a vibrant performance.

“There’s just something about our show,” Hyland-Zindell said. “It has a magical quality.”

MAGICAL PERFORMANCE This is the Westport Academy of Dance’s 38th production of the traditional holiday ballet, ‘The Nutcracker.’ The performance features high school students in addition to professional dancers. Caroline Moytl ‘23 plays Clara in the production.

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

sports Inklings News

18

Student athletes must fulfill CIAC academic requirements Annabelle Iannone ‘21 Web News Editor

F

ive days a week student athletes sit in class until 2:15, then run off to their practices. However, they wouldn’t be going to practice if they were failing their classes.

Student athletes at Staples must fulfill necessary academic requirements in order to participate in their sports.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) requires freshman to take seven classes while sophomores through seniors must take six. Along with this, athletes must pass at least four of their classes in order to participate in practice and games.

“I think these rules definitely have an impact because everyone loves football and wants to play,” football captain Jake Thaw ’20 said.

While most teams abide by the state standard, it is up to the coaches to decide whether or not to set even higher standards so long as these changes are discussed with Athletic Director

Marty Lisevick before enforcement. “[Coaches] can have a tougher standard for the kids, which I would applaud,” Lisevick said.

The football team is known for going beyond the state standard.

Every two weeks, each player must get a grade report signed by a teacher.

“We’ve got hard workers to begin with,” Thaw said, “but the grade reports definetely are an extra reminder to stay on track.”

As exemplified by the grade reports, these rules are meant to serve as a motivator to push students to perform as best they can in the classroom.

“I think everyone on the team generally performs better during the season because time management becomes better,” girls’ field hockey captain Grace Cooper ’20 said. “When we get home from practice [...] attention and focus is increased.”

To ensure that all students are meeting both their academic and athletic potential, the administration and athletic department work closely together.

“Our kids do a very good job; I think they take academics seriously,” Lisevick said. “The objective here is to get them [...] to the next level. I think everybody between the teachers, coaches, administrators and athletic department, we all work hand-in-hand to make sure that we get to that point with everyone here.”

Graphic by Alisyn Kercher ’20

Gerig reclaims the court after ACL injury Betti Kobak ’22 Staff Writer

As the leaves begin to fade and the temperature continues to decrease, the winter sports season is just around the corner. Four-year varsity player and captain of the girls’ basketball team Arianna Gerig ’20 is more eager than ever to get her final season underway.

The summer after her sophomore year, Gerig tore her ACL playing basketball. This injury took a toll on her, both mentally and physically, as it meant she would have to spend her junior season watching from the sidelines while her teammates attempted to compromise for her absence.

However, she remained focused on the positives of recovery and getting back to the court as quickly as possible.

“It was hard for me to accept that I would not be able to play basketball my junior year,” Gerig said, “however, I stayed focused on my recovery with my senior year season as motivation to get through it.”

Ever since freshman year, Gerig has proved her place on the varsity team.

Throughout her career, she has learned the fundamentals of what it means to be a good player and teammate. In just her freshman year, the team made FCIAC’s and states

for the first time in over 20 years, which was a very rewarding experience for her.

With Gerig’s height of six feet, she is expected to be a strong rebounder and finish around the rim, however, the forward can shoot just as well as the guards on the team.

As far as recovering from her injury goes, Gerig has prepared for her return over the summer and fall with the Connecticut Premiere team. She has high hopes for Staples this season, having made the FCIAC and state tournaments each of the last three years.

“My goal for this year is to put together hard work and talent to make it farther in these tournaments,” she said.

Not only has Gerig been a valuable player on the court throughout her career, but she has also impacted her team off the court.

“She’s always been someone who is so supportive of the team and especially to the underclassmen,” Jen Westphal ’22 said. “She’s totally encouraged me and came to every practice and game last year even when she couldn’t play.”

Playing basketball in college has always been a goal for Gerig, which is why she is ecstatic to be continuing her career at Williams College. She looks forward to playing at the next level as it will improve her game, as well as provide new challenges that she can’t wait to conquer.

Although Gerig faced a difficult year with the absence of basketball, her optimism fueled a greater understanding and love of the sport. PLAY BALL Gerig has been on the varsity “Recovering was challenging,” Gerig said, basketball team since her freshman year. However, “but I think it gave me she was unable to play her junior year because of a new appreciation for an ACL injury which forced her to sit on the basketball and showed me sidelines. While this injury was upsetting, it made how much it meant to me.” her realize just how much she loved playing.

Photo contributed by Arianna Gerig ’20

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

Nov. 22, 2019

Field hockey team raises money for new playing turf Molly Gold ‘21 News Editor

The field hockey team is raising money in hopes of funding a high quality replacement for Ginny Parker field. The current turf is over 12 years old and scheduled to be replaced next year.

While the town is contributing $740,000, the team is hoping to raise an additional $500,000 of their own in order afford a new turf composed of elliptic monofilament.

Thus far, the team has raised $31,635.

“Underclassmen including myself are very passionate about this turf as we will get the opportunity to play on it,” Ava Ekholt ’22 said.

The current field is made out of crumb rubber which was banned by the RTM in October 2018. Crumb rubber comes from used tire rubber, meaning that these turf pellets have been exposed to potentially harmful chemicals. According to Mt. Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center, exposure to toxins found in crumb rubber at high levels can cause birth defects, neurological and developmental deficits, and, in extreme cases, cancer.

According to Athletic Director Marty Lisevick, if the team fails to raise their goal amount, they will build a turf field similar to the new stadium and Wakeman B fields.

Both the elliptic monofilament turf as well as the town-approved and funded turf will not contain crumb rubber.

The field hockey team is pushing for the new field due to its health and gameplay benefits, such as providing the smoothest possible surface for both field hockey and lacrosse.

“If we are able to get this turf, we will have the best high school field in the state,” Julia DiConza ’21, who plays field hockey and lacrosse, said.

“It will be a great improvement for the field hockey team because the surface you play on can have a huge impact on individual skills and the team as a whole.”

However, some players are worried that the proposed turf may negatively impact lacrosse players, as it causes the ball to move faster on the ground and is more painful if they fall. Emma Ashe ’21 plays both field hockey and lacrosse.

“I think that it might be a little bit harder for the lacrosse team to get used to because it’s going to make picking up ground balls harder,” Ashe said. “But the more we practice on it, the better it’s going to make us in the long run.”

NEW TURF The lacrosse and field hockey turf field was set to be replaced, but the field hockey team took it upon themselves to raise money for a better version. Although the new turf has many benefits for the field hockey players, it has some drawbacks for lacrosse players.

Photo contributed by fundraising page Transform the Turf.

Nov. 22, 2019

Inklings News

Sports

19

Maya Wofsy demonstrates running devotion by participating in marathon this race, Wofsy adapted a series of superstitious pre-race rituals, ranging Sports Editor from her food choice to her hairstyle.

“On Friday nights, before my long runs, I always have a poké bowl from Fresh Market,” Wofsy said. “My hair also always has to be in a braided high ponytail.”

Wofsy’s usual running routine begins with a period dedicated to stretching before her run. Then she typically begins the run with a number he tightens her laces, secures her of laps around her neighborhood. braided ponytail and departs to run Along with her calculated pre-run numerous miles. This may sound formalities, Wofsy has worked to ensure like an Olympian that running preparing for a big has become race, but it’s a typical a common Saturday morning part of her for Maya Wofsy ’21. day-to-day This routine has alroutine since ways been the same, a young age. ingrained in her since “When my she first grew to love family moved running in elementato Westport ry school. Now, after [when I was completing numerseven], we ran ous 5k races, multithe Minute ple half marathons, Man 5k, and a duathlon and a triit became a athlon, she is ready tradition to to take on her first run it every ever full marathon. FUN RUN Wofsy ran the Fairfield Half year,” Wofsy Wofsy recently said.

“My Marathon in 2018. An assortment of her completed her mom kind longest race, a 26.2 family and friends gathered along the of forced mile run called sidelines to support her. [r u n n i ng] the “Rock n’ Roll u p o n Marathon” on Nov. 17 in Las Vegas. She my sister and I.” ran with her mom in celebration of her Wofsy’s dedication to running is mom’s birthday. During the marathon, shown in all aspects of her life, and has athletes ran at night along the Las Vegas become more of a priority for her this school strip. Wofsy, being one of the youngest year. She decided to stop playing for the runners who competed in this race, came Staples field hockey team and also quit the in 1,283rd place out of 2,194 people. winter track team in order to focus on her “Crossing the finish line made personal running goals. Her commitment me [feel] so accomplished,” Wofsy to running is obvious to all who know her. said. “I finished before a lot of people “I spent summers with Maya at who were older than me which just camp and we would always run together,” made me even more proud of myself.” Jules Davis ’21 said. “She always knew Prior to every run leading up to how to encourage and motivate me.”

Rebecca Kanfer ’21

S GOT THE GOLD Wofsy received a

medal at the finish line of the New York Half Marathon in December 2018.

GOING THE DISTANCE Wofsy competed in the TriFitness “Seaside Sprint Triathlon” in Connecticut, in which she swam 0.5 miles, ran 3.1 miles and biked 10 miles.

Photos contributed by Maya Wofsy ’21

ENDLESS EFFORT Every Saturday morning, Wofsy prepares herself to run. She participates in numerous runs including marathons and 5k races.

PRE-RACE RITUALS Wofsy partakes in numerous rituals prior to her races. She eats a poké bowl the night before and wears her hair in a braid.

Photos by Remy Teltser ’21

inklingsnews wants your work.

Email any art, photos and articles to be featured in the newspaper or online.

Submit to: inklingsnews@westportps.org

inklingsnews.com • Staples High School

20 Sports

Nov. 22, 2019

Inklings News

Hard work pays off for Staples athletes at state championships

A

Maya Reiner ’21 National Arts Blog Manager

s the fall sports season comes to a close, each team is now able to see how its season went in comparison to the goals set out at the beginning of the year. Here are the results as of Nov. 20.

The Wreckers boys’ soccer team had an impressive win beating Glastonbury in the first round of states. Glastonbury was the number one seed in the tournament, while the Wreckers were seeded 17th. This game led the Wreckers to the state quarterfinals, where they lost 2-1 to the Trumbull Eagles on Nov. 15.

“This season has been the best season I have been a part of,” captain Sam Liles ’20 said. “Not only did we make it as far as we have in 10 years, upsetting the defending state champions and number one seed on the way, but the relationships on the team were better than they ever were in my previous seasons on the team.”

The girls’ field hockey team was named co-champions with Darien in the FCIAC tournament, and the team is hoping to accomplish that same success in the state tournament.

If the team wins this year, it will be their fourth state championship in a row. Last year, they beat Cheshire 2-0; in 2017, they defeated Darien 1 - 0; and in 2016, they tied 0 - 0. The girls have been solid throughout states thus far, defeating the No.13 seed New Milford, 4-1 in their quarterfinal matchup. Next, the Wreckers defeated the No. 5 seed in New Canaan by a score of 7-2. On Nov. 19, the girls took on Norwalk and won 3-0. The Wreckers will take on the Darien Wave on Saturday, Nov. 23. “Going into the state finals, I know I’m super excited and I’m sure the rest of the team is as well,” Captain Grace Cooper ’20 said. “For me, this is probably the biggest state final game of my high school career because it is against Darien, our

After winning the FCIAC title, the girls’ soccer team looked to come out of States with the same result. The Wreckers came in to the tournament as the number two seed, and began their road to the throne with a matchup against McMahon on Nov. 14, who they defeated 2-0.

In the quarterfinals, which took place Nov. 16, the girls once again did their job, defeating Farmington 4-0.

The Wreckers then met Glastonbury in the semifinals on Nov. 19, and lost by a score of 1-0. Overall, the girls accomplished a successful season which saw many of their goals come to fruition, including an FCIAC championship and getting to the state semi-finals. “Every practice, game, and everything else was to prepare us for states, and unfortunately we couldn’t pull off the win. The game was both exciting and nerve wracking,” Riley Dembo ’21 said. “The first half was pretty even in terms of possession, but in the second half, I have to complement Glastonbury for their great playing.”

The girls’ volleyball team fell to Newtown in the first round of the State tournament, losing 3-0. Although the result did not work in favor of the Wreckers, they fought a strong game and were determined through it all.

“I’m really proud of how we played against Newtown,” captain Mallory Legg ’20 said. “I know that anyone on the team would agree that we are happy ending the season on that note because we came together as a team and put into motion everything we have learned mentally and physically all season.”

Graphic by Olivia Valante ’20

Staples High School • inklingsnews.com

For the boys’ cross country team, their whole varsity team competed, which consists of seven people. As a team, the Wreckers placed second at Class LL. Individuals also placed, as the Wreckers had Morgan Fierro ’20 placing third, Nick Taubenheim ’20 placing 12th and Teddy O’Kane ’20 placing 19th. Based on how Fierro and Taubenheim placed in the state tournament, they were both named All State athletes.

“Overall we worked really hard and supported each other throughout the season and had a lot of fun doing it,” Fierro said. “So in the end I think we were happy to have run together, we’re a really close team so we try to have fun no matter the circumstances.”