Inklings September 2022 Issue

Maia

CONT ENTS

News

4 Teacher shortage

Prior to this school year, Staples hired 24 new teachers while facing a national teacher shortage.

5 Cell phone policy

On Aug. 5, Staples announced a new no-cell phone policy, requiring phones to be put in holders at the start of class.

Inklings

Editors-In-Chief

Lucy Dockter, Julia Herlyn Creative Directors

Maya Hruskar, Lily Klau, Lilly Weisz Paper Managing Editors

Mishael Gill, Ella Shi Web Managing Editors

Hannah Conn, Toby Goldfarb Associate Managing Editors

Kiswa Khan, Phoebe Miller Business Directors

Meg Enquist, Allie Gillman, Mia Kirkorsky

Photography Director Camille Vynerib Asst. Creative Directors

Shivali Kanthan, Elle Vail Public Relations Director Emily Goldstein

Social Media Manager Alix Glickman

Audience Engagement Manager

Margot Richlin Broadcast Directors

Anna Diorio, Abby Nevin

Executive TV Producers

Zach Brody, Finnegan Courtney Asst. Business Managers

Indie Ahl, Julia Leitner, Michael Pontoriero

6 Sexism at the gym

Klau ’23 discusses her experience with misogyny at the gym.

7 BeReal: good or bad? Bomback ’25 & Gaines ’25 debate the pros and cons of the app BeReal.

Opinions Features

8 Pre-college programs

Over the summer, students dipped their toes into college life with pre-college programs.

10-11 JSA welcomes all JSA plans on expanding their club, creating a non-partisan environment for debate.

Arts

12-13 Nômade opens

Gillman ’23 reviews the new multicultural restaurant, Nômade, located in downtown Westport.

14 A&E highlights

Take a look into September’s most popular trends.

Sports

15 Girls’ soccer season

Captains Chudowsky ’24, Crombie ’24, Dewitt ’23 & Franklin ’23 lead the girls’ soccer team this fall.

17 Wreckers’ football success

Breaking News Editor

Audrey Kercher News Editors

Genevieve Frucht, Paige Miller, Mia Bomback

Opinions Editors

Addison Coughlin, Ava Coyle, Ava Cordella, Katherine Phelps Features Editors

Caitlin Jacob, Lily Hultgren, Nina Bowens, Paige Tighe Arts Editors

Ava Chun, Talia Varsano, Alexandra Gaines, Ruby Kantor Sports Editors

Gabi Gerig, Matthew Stashower Web News Editors

Jolie Gefen, Siena Petrosinelli Web Opinions Editors

Nina Jones, Aidan Sprouls Web Features Editors

Audrey Curtis, Samantha Sandrew Web Arts Editors

Liora Perkins, Matthew Saw Web Sports Editors

Talia Moskowitz, William Murray Web Photostory Editors

Karlie Saed Advisors

Joseph DelGobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

More About Us

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

Opinions

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

Advertisements

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

Membership

Staff Inklings News Online @inklings.news The Wreckers kickoff the season with a 42-13 win vs. Conard High School.

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

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

Watch Inklings’ TV Show: On the Wreckord!

EDITORIAL

Have an opinion?

Write to inklingsnews@gmail.com

Cell phone policy suffers from inconsistency, ambiguity

Acommon sight in every Staples classroom this year is a blue canvas organizer, containing 30 pockets with yellow numbers. A relatively rare object in last year’s classrooms, now device pockets are prominently displayed in every classroom. The new policy requires students to place their cell phones, AirPods and other devices in the organizer for the six possible class periods each day.

Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. stated in an email on Aug. 26 that this would help students stay engaged in class, foster communication between peers and make them less dependent on electronics overall.

Though all teachers are required to abide by this policy, it goes unenforced in many classrooms. According to a survey sent out to all faculty on Sept. 15, 39 of 71 reported that they always follow the policy. Similarly, some

Graphic by Lilly Weisz ’23

members of the Editorial Board have stated that their teachers enforce the policy differently depending on the class level and grade level.

For example, some upperclassmen members on the Editorial Board report that in their AP classes, teachers hold their students to a different standard of conduct and maturity, and thus do not require these students to stow their phones in the class organizer. In contrast, underclassmen on the Editorial Board report that the policy is enforced more consistently in non-AP level courses.

Furthermore, older members of the Editorial Board have expressed the irony of stowing their phones in cubbies even though they are—or soon will be—of

age to legally drive a car, vote or join the military.

The lack of uniformity among all classrooms undermines the authority of the policy itself. This results in discrepancies from period to period, and therefore the policy fails to achieve its goal of reducing distractions and dependency on technology. In fact, 337 of 510 students surveyed reported that they do not feel more focused or engaged in class. Additionally, the policy has potential to create confusion during emergency situations. In case of a crisis—a fire, lockdown or other type of emergency event—there are no protocols regarding the storage of cell phones in the Student Handbook.

For instance, if there were

a fire students may want to take their phones before evacuating the building, congesting the area where the phone holder pocket is located and possibly preventing other students from leaving.

While the Editorial Board acknowledges that the policy could achieve success because it does eliminate an easy distraction during class, it is rendered ineffectual by the lack of consistency throughout classrooms as well as the uncertainty regarding protocols in extenuating circumstances.

Since there are teachers who are already choosing to ignore the policy, the policy should be discontinued and teachers should regain discretion over students submitting devices during class.

e Editorial Board voted 18-5 in favor of this opinion.

The lack of uniformity among all classrooms undermines the authority of the policy itself.

Administration introduces, enforces new personal device policy

Julia Herlyn ‘23 Editor-in-Chief

Superintendent Thomas

Scarice announced the enforcement of a new cell phone policy for all Staples classrooms on Aug. 25. This policy requires all students to submit their personal devices—such as AirPods, earbuds, cell phones and smartwatches—to a designated slot in the classroom’s phone holder sleeves during instruction time.

Outside of class, students are permitted to use their devices, including before or after school, between classes, in the hallways, during free periods and in the cafeteria. However, cell phone usage during class time is up to the individual teacher’s discretion, should they find it pertinent to a lesson or activity.

According to an Aug. 26 email sent by Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr., the purpose of this initiative is to ensure that students are “engaged in classroom activities and assignments” as well as foster less

dependency on electronics to complete work, enable greater communication and collaboration among students and decrease distractions during class.

“There is a need to create blocks of time where students can rebuild their attentional skills and experience the full value of connected social interaction,” Thomas said.

According to Thomas, this policy had been in place for several years, but was only enforced in some classrooms. A survey sent out to all Staples faculty on Sept. 15 found that just 13 of 71 respondents reported that they had collected cell phones and other devices during class in prior years, and 28 respondents said that they had occasionally collected devices.

Unlike former years, this school year marks the first year in which all classrooms are required to abide by the policy, particularly due to a district-wide effort to return to normalcy with the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is a focus on rebuilding our school climate and culture across the entire system,”

Local Briefs

Oct. 15

Scarice said. “The focus is on bringing the humanity back to our schools [and] our classrooms. Minimizing technology and its distractions supports these efforts.”

Scarice said that a team of faculty and administrators largely built the policy and decided to not pursue a full “ban” on technology, but rather a reshaping of technology usage in the classroom. This “healthier approach to technology,” as described by Scarice, was studied and ready to be implemented in 2019, but was ultimately postponed by the pandemic.

Scan the QR code to read the full article.

Samantha Sandrew ‘25 Web Features Editor

Oct. 16

AWARE walkWestoberfest

The fall festival, Westoberfest, will be held on Elm Street on Oct. 15 from 12:30-6:30 p.m. The festival includes food vendors, pumpkin decorating, a street magician and live music from Amber Ancho. Festival-goers can purchase tickets for $45 in advance on the Westport Downtown Association’s website or on the day of the festival for $55.

The Assisting Women through Action Resources and Education (AWARE) organization will host a walk to raise $1,000 for breast cancer research on Oct. 16 from 11 a.m-1 p.m. The event begins with breakfast at Sherwood Island at 9:30 a.m. and donations can be given on the AWARE American Society event page.

Oct. 28

‘Pink out’ football game

The annual breast cancer awareness football game, known as 'pinkout,' will take place on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Attendants and athletes will wear pink to raise awareness of the disease. All proceeds made will go towards Pink Aid, an organization that works to support women with breast cancer.

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24

All full-time Staples staff positions filled despite national teacher shortage

Lilly Weisz ‘23 Maya Hruskar ‘23 Creative Directors

Staples has experienced increasing resignations and hiring demands as the national teacher shortage affects schools across the country. Amid a shrinking pool of candidates and many resignations, Westport Public Schools (WPS) has, for now, staved off deficits by hiring 24 new teachers for the 2022-23 school year.

Stephanie Sileo is one of the new teachers who came to Staples this year. She’s taking over for the recently retired Camille Eskell, an arts teacher. Sileo had her career altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. She had to stop her masters of arts program and in the pause decided that she would get her certification to teach in high school.

“I decided that instead of kind of sitting on [my] butt and like, you know, feeling a little sad about it,” Sileo said, “I really still wanted to teach art.”

In her process of searching for a job, Sileo felt the benefits of the teacher shortage on opportunities for new hires.

“I don’t wanna say it’s easier,” Sileo said, “but there were more jobs available to me than the last, I would say, 10 years.”

In the past year, administrators have also noted a shrinking in the pools of potential hires.

Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. attributed a mixture of mask fatigue, low pay, inability to work from home— which was especially dangerous during the height of the pandemic—and complex contentions over race and gender identity to the reduction in teaching’s appeal.

“There hasn’t been a lot that has made us feel attractive in the last three or four years,” Thomas said, “and now we’re seeing the impact of it.”

Presently, all full-time teaching positions in the district have been filled, but administrators report increased difficulty finding qualified long-term substitutes. The English department, for one, has felt the impact.

confident could actually step into the role,” Sulzycki said.

There are some consequences to using full-time teachers to fill position vacancies. For instance, the teachers responsible for Hocking’s classes now have fewer free periods, must prepare for more classes and their existing students lose out on conference opportunities.

Ultimately, Thomas and Sulzycki agree that challenges that face the profession result in teachers who are more resilient.

“A lot of times it’s a thankless job,” Thomas said. “So you find people who are passionate in the profession, you know, because it’s not one where you get rich or get any greater acclaim.”

-Stephanie Sileo Art Teacher

English teacher Mary Katherine Hocking, who recently left on maternity leave, does not have a long-term sub to fill her classes. Holly Sulzycki, Coordinator of English/ Language Arts, explained that the smaller qualified applicant pool and the amount of fulltime employment opportunities for those candidates make filling the position difficult. As a result, Sulzycki assigned Hocking’s classes to existing English teachers.

“I asked people in the department to step up until I could find somebody who I felt

Scan the QR code to read the full article.

Teacher perspectives on post-pandemic teaching

There were more jobs available to me than the last, I would say, 10 years.”

OPINIONS

Sexism at gym perpetuates modern-day misogyny

Lily Klau ‘23 Creative Director

of a surprise. I’ve heard many boys say similar statements, all of which are false. Women go to the gym for the same reason that men go to the gym.

Why is it that women are so belittled when talking about the gym?

I recently went out to dinner with seven friends, and as we walked, the four boys engaged in a debate as they discussed and compared how much they each lift. Ultimately, they drew a truce and decided to “hit arms” together at the gym the next day.

I chimed in, saying that I was going to the gym tomorrow, too. But, instead of acknowledging me or inviting me to join them, I was immediately dismissed and they returned to admiring each others’ muscles.

“Bro, I’ve never seen a girl hit arms before,” I heard one boy say, laughing. “ ey only ever hit legs, I swear.”

en two of the boys quipped that women only go to the gym to do legs to get bigger butts so they can look “more attractive” to men.

As degrading as it was to hear them say this, none of their comments came as much

ey go to get in shape, they go to feel healthy, they go to train for a sport and, overall, they go for themselves.

Eventually, I grew fed up with the sexist comments, and I called out their misogyny. I told them that I knew just as many girls as guys who work out areas other than legs.

ey were shocked by this comment and countered by grilling me about the workouts I had done, as if testing to see if I actually knew what I was talking about.

eir statements and prejudices sounded like they were taken out of the early 1900s, before there was women’s su rage.

But the unfortunate truth is that sexism is an all-too-real pressure that women endure today.

According to Women’s Health, three out of ve women are harassed at the gym, and 92% of those cases go

unreported. As a result, about 65% of women avoid the gym due to anxiety or fear of judgment, according to a 1000-person survey by Fit Rated. at also explains why one in three women would feel safer and more comfortable exercising at a women’s-only gym, according to a study by Origym.

Ultimately, I convinced the boys to work out with me at the gym the next day. ere

were many shocked faces made at me from the boys when they saw that I was able to keep up with the exercises they were doing.

So, as we left the gym together, I felt proud that I was able to show them that women too, could be included in gym activities.

But my pride was soon deated. Just as we parted ways, one boy said he now considered me to be “one of the boys.”

I know his intention was to compliment me, but this comment is just as lled with sexism as their previous comments.

After all our discussions

and all that they witnessed, their sexism was still apparent: even their compliments minimized my femininity. I don’t want to be “one of the boys.” I just want people to respect women going to the gym.

Women who work out constantly battle sexist male assumptions on two fronts: we constantly need to defend and prove that we have knowledge of the gym and then need to ght to protect our femininity after proving our workout competence, and I’m sick of it.

If you’re a guy reading this, here are a couple things that you can do to help tackle this issue.

Start with awareness: watch out for signs of misogynistic behavior and don’t be afraid to call out others on this behavior.

Be supportive: stand up for your female friends, and if a woman in your life doesn’t know how to do something at the gym, help explain and encourage, but don’t criticize.

It is imperative to make it more socially acceptable for men to work out alongside women without over-sexualizing them. Taking even these small steps can help combat sexism as a whole and promote a more equal society.

Photo by Kiswa Khan ’23

Women go to the gym for the same reason that men go to the gym.

Mia Bomback ’25 News Editor

Fourweeks ago, I uploaded my rst BeReal. I had heard murmurs about the new social media platform all summer and nally decided to try the app myself. After all, the concept HAD piqued my interest: a social media platform designed to expose the raw and un ltered truths of life? Say no more.

After four weeks of “Being Real,” I can con dently say that while the app is far from perfect, it is one of the few social media platforms that edges towards authenticity.

Created by Alexis Barreyat in 2020, BeReal is a social media platform that allows users “to discover who their friends really are.” Once a day, BeReal will send out a noti cation prompting users to post a photo of themselves at that moment. With no lters and no enhancements and once one chooses to respond to the noti cation within the 24 hour window, they are only allowed two minutes to take their picture leaving little time to do hair and makeup.

e genius of BeReal is that it provides a window into the daily lives of others. Since downloading BeReal, I’ve gotten to see a new side of my friends. Unlike other social media platforms, BeReal pro-

BEREAL USER

Mia Bomback ’25 became one of ten million BeReal users a month ago.

motes honesty and sincerity.

Contrary to Instagram and TikTok, BeReal is not a popularity contest. For me, posting on Instagram is stress-inducing. I constantly compare the amount of likes I receive on my posts with those of my friends, hyper-analyzing my pictures as I rack my brain, trying to gure out why my photos always op. Am I not good enough? Instagram seems to think so.

But my experience using BeReal has been stress free. Without the added worry of likes and followers, BeReal allows me to be vulnerable, without being judged or graded.

I’m tired of the staged, glori ed images that cloud my Instagram feed—I want to see my friends for who they truly are. e beauty of BeReal is its lack of glamor. So, the next time you post on social media, be honest, be candid, BeReal.

Alex Gaines ’25 Arts Editor

app’s features allow it to be more “fake” than it seems. e opportunity to post your daily BeReal up to 24 hours late means that you could wait until the perfect time to take your picture.

I’mcurrently ve weeks BeReal

sober. When you put it that way, it sounds like I’m aggressively against the app—I’m not—but after a summer of re ecting, I’m doubtful of my future BeReal status.

When I rst joined BeReal in May, the concept seemed perfect for me: a way to share how you are and what you’re doing each day without the hassle of constructing a picture-perfect Instagram post. As my usage of BeReal continued over the months, I found it less exciting and more exhausting to post. e feeling when you post a picture of you sitting in bed while being shown photos of people at concerts, parties and other activities that are far more adventurous than what you’re doing feels disheartening and embarrassing — even if you were hanging out with friends a couple of hours ago. However, my experience may be because of an issue with authenticity, as the

is does pose an important question—what is it to “BeReal”? BeReal’s entire premise is promoting authenticity, but if people use the opportunity to take their BeReal at “the best” time, that’s just as bad as the ltered social media lifestyle the app is against. If one’s authenticity is questioned on an app that’s all about being genuine, that makes the app have a really unhealthy environment.

BEREAL FREE Alex Gaines ’25 deleted the newly popular app BeReal in light of her skepticism with its authenticity.

FEATURES

Seniors explore on-campus pre-college programs, sample student life

Toby Goldfarb ’23 Web Managing Editor

During the pandemic, many colleges closed their doors to prospective applicants, limiting in-person tour groups from viewing classrooms and other campus buildings. Despite online o erings, such as Q&As with admissions ocers or “virtual tours,” it has become increasingly di cult to understand life on campus.

In order to remedy this issue, seniors such as Analise Vega ’23 indulged in on-campus pre-college programs, like Duke University’s Medicine and Health Care program.

“I was literally sleeping in one of Duke’s freshman dorms, living and eating on campus,” Vega said. “It was so fun to feel like a student there.”

In addition to the opportunity to explore Duke’s campus, Vega’s program exposed her to advanced educational content.

“I feel that this program prepared me for the intensity and rigor of the career I am getting myself into,” Vega said. “ is is really important for students our age to experience since [the pre-med track] is not something you entertain if you are not truly interested.”

Similar to Vega, Ariston Liu ’23 participated in the Cornell Summer College Experience (SCE) for high school students. At Cornell, Liu explored the fundamentals of engineering and programming, navigated a work-life balance and strengthened his self-dependency.

“ e program made me like Cornell a lot, as it immersed me into their style of teaching,” Liu

said.“It also helped to change my outlook on other schools geographically similar to Cornell.”

Regardless of participants’ target school, on-campus offerings provide students with an opportunity to determine their priorities in selecting a college. Tavan Bhatia ’23 attended the Garcia Program at Stony Brook University, a seven-week program focused on independent research.

“Because I’m not really considering Stony Brook to attend, the biggest future clarity this program provided me with wasn’t in terms of nding a speci c college,” Bhatia said, “rather a general sense of what to look for in other colleges.”

However, students like Claire Sandhaus ’23, who attended the Broadcasting and Digital Journalism program at Syracuse University, were able to view a school of interest in a new context.

“When I was on campus back in the winter, I got a real taste of what Syracuse was like,” Sandhaus said. “Living on campus this summer gave me a completely di erent view on what the school looked like.”

Overall, the on-campus component of the programs was bene cial to the participants, providing a low-stakes introduction to college life. Whether students are left with more academic knowledge or a strengthened sense of independence, living on campus was a necessary adjustment, according to Bhatia.

“It was a really new and meaningful experience for me,” Bhatia said. “Living in dorms full-time is a huge shift, and I’m really glad I got to live that before I go to college.”

BOUND FOR MEDICINE Analise Vega ’23 participates in Duke University’s Medicine and Health Care program where she prepares for the rigorous pre-med track.

Photo contributed by Analise Vega ’23

Photo contributed by Ariston Liu ’23

Photo contributed by Tavan Bhatia ’23

FUN WITH STEM Ariston Liu ’23 visits Cornell University in Ithaca, New York to participate in their Summer College Experience Program.

MOLECULAR RESEARCH Tavan Bhatia ’23 operates a C. W. polymer blender to blend graphene nano-platelets and various biodegradable polymers at the Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces program at Stony Brook University.

Benefit of tutors rests in not overstepping

Lucy Dockter ’23 Editor-in-Chief

Upon entering Panera Bread at 4 p.m., one can nd students and tutors bent over computers and study packets, mumbling loudly. Some of the tutors are from outside the school, some are Staples teachers, some are students themselves. Although many Staples students hire private tutors at various times throughout their schooling, many wonder whether the help is necessary or even helpful. Others ponder the ne line between extra help and maintaining academic integrity.

According to the Staples academic integrity policy, cheating entails “using the services of another person (family member, tutor, etc.) inappropriately [or] having private tutors draft, dictate or otherwise do work that the student should be completing themself.”

Consequences include some form

of a lowered grade.

“We’ve seen [tutors] edit and change and write parts of student work, which is clearly plagiarism,” English teacher Brian Tippy said. “And it’s not even the student that initiates it necessarily, but the student still has to own the consequences, and so they miss out on the learning opportunity, and they run afoul of the academic integrity rules.”

Some academic departments take measures to prevent cheating and spreading of class materials to other students and tutors.

“Some of our interventions in the bio dept include [...] not giving back tests to students to take home (we keep them), if students review tests, they turn in electronics to do so,”

biology teacher

Kayla Iannetta said.

But when done correctly, outside tutoring can o er struggling students an avenue to success. Mili Green ’23,

president of Top Hat Tutors, does this with peer tutors, ensuring that their tutors, who have taken the classes that they tutor and often with the same teacher, are not just tutoring for a grade, but for learning.

“When we are introducing our tutors to the school year and are giving a brief introduction of how to tutor,” Green said, “we do have to say, ‘Make sure you’re making them learn and you’re not just making them reliant on you.’”

by AlexGaines ’25

While some districts do not allow teachers to tutor students in the same school system, Westport Public Schools only mandates that teachers cannot tutor current students in their class. Many students claim there is distinct value in Staples teachers’ rst hand knowledge.

“I think that the bene t comes from the fact that the Staples teachers do know the curriculum and do know the pacing and the depth of understanding that’s expected,” Ann Didelot, math teacher and a tutor outside of school, said.

Outside tutors often provide a di erent perspective and help students understand the material through a lens they don’t get in the classroom.

“It’s hard to make really strong connections when you have a lot of students at once,” private tutor Jessica Goldberg said. “Creating an environment of learning that’s more connected helps more productive learning to take place and more sustainable progress in a subject matter.”

Graphic by Allison Cancro ’25 & Shivali Kanthan ’24

Infographic

bridges political divide, tackles issues in time of raised political tension

Ella Shi ’23 Managing Editor

Have you ever stopped to ponder the pros and cons of showering in the morning versus at night?

Well Staples JSA (Junior State of America) has, along with more serious current topics such as abortion rights and gun laws.

e three G’s of JSA: Co-advisors and English teachers Brendan Giolitto and Sam Goldberg, along with President Maia Gubitz ’24, plan to lead the club

in debate, activism and collaboration in a time of raised political tension and societal division.

“During club meeting times, we work on debate skills,” Giolitto said. “We debate current topics. We do outreach. We do charity work. It’s really just to get kids into politics and having a safe place to debate political issues.”

is year, the Staples chapter of JSA hopes to attend more state and national meetings, which were mostly canceled due to COVID-19.

“ e conference trips are really what draws kids in,” Giolitto said. “It’s usually a weekend either in Boston, New York City, Washington, DC. And they’re a ton of fun just to have, you know, hundreds of kids from around the country interacting together debating issues face to face.”

Gubitz has been a part of

edges the individual bene ts

the club since her freshman year, and has also held the positions of PR Manager and Vice President. Currently, she is the Northeast chapter’s Lieutenant Governor. Gubitz acknowledges the individual bene ts gained from being in JSA.

“[ is club is great for] someone who’s interested in public speaking — politics, especially,” Gubitz said. “ ere’s so many opportunities to work across party lines, learn more about your party.”

JSA

students to practice debate.

“It’s really exciting to see the kids engage in their community and with other kids and think about these ideas that are so they get to have this kind of low-stakes environment where they get to discuss them and play around with these ideas.”

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot of public speaking skills and how to voice my opinion.”

- Julia Weber '23

member, Julia Weber ’23, has felt the positive e ects of the club, which

welcomes people of different political beliefs.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot of public speaking skills and how to voice my opinion, even if other people disagree with that,” Julia Weber ’23 said.

10 |features IMPORTANT LEADER Since her freshman year, Maia Gubitz ’24 has been involved in JSA. As Lieutenant Governor, she is second in command to the JSA State Governor of the Northeast.

While the club hopes to have a prominent presence on the state and national level, they also have local plans such as voter registration stands and door-knocking as midterm elections approach.

However, the ultimate goal for JSA is to create a non-partisan environment for

Graphic by Oliver Saitz ’23

D.C. SPEECH Maia Gubitz ’24 presents at Spring States in Washington, D.C. and discusses JSA and its impact.

STRONG LEADERSHIP Alyssa Lee ’24 (left) and Ben Enos ’24 (right) are the co-vice presidents of the JSA Staples Chapter.

CLUB ADVISER Cabinet member Kate Barnes ’24 assists in presenting an introductory slideshow about JSA at the club’s first meeting of the year.

FIRST MEETING JSA meets for the first time this year on Thursday, Sept. 15.

JSA COMMUNITY (left to right) Last year’s Mid Atlantic Mayoral Director of Debate Joey Lescht, Northeast States Lieutenant Governor Maia Gubitz ’24, Mid Atlantic States Vice Mayor Megha Rastogi and Mid Atlantic States Vice Mayoral Director of Chapter Internal Affairs Riya Patel attend the winter conference in New Jersey.

Photos by Caitlin Jacob ’24

Photos contributed by Maia Gubitz ’24

ARTS

Nômade Westport distinguishes itself with global appeal

Allie Gillman ’23 Business Director

As you pass up a short ight of stairs, you enter a space with beautiful North African tones: white stucco walls and simple tan wood tables and chairs complement the wicker pendants that hang from the ceiling and bedeck the main seating areas. If it feels like a refreshing Med-

Westport opened its doors to guests on Aug. 16. Co-owner and General Man-

ager Patrick Jean partnered with co-owner Ciara Webster to bring a comfortable and global dining experience to Westport.

“When we came to the restaurant,” Jean said, “we were trying to open a place to make people comfortable and like they are somewhere on vacation, like St. Tropez, Ibiza or Morocco.”

Nômade’s menu culls food options from the Mediterranean basin to the Paci c Rim. On top of boasting an impres-

sive global menu, Webster and Jean imported the restaurant’s furniture, glassware, dishes, hanging wicker baskets

dapest’s Michelin restaurants while getting his degree at the Aranybika Culinary Institute.

“I had one of the specials, a Chicken Paillard with a fresh salad on top with cucumber and tomato,” Staples parent Georgette Geller said. “ Nômade is de nitely THE place to be seen in Westport right now.”

“The Nomads keep going from place to place, and that’s what our menu is about.

We don’t stop anywhere; we just keep walking on.”

- Patrick Jean Co-owner, General Manager

worked in a handful of Bu-

The restaurant’s name comes from the term “nomadic”, which describes a lifestyle of constant movement from place to place. In the same light, word of Nômade’s success has spread throughout Faireld County, drawing people who want to experience the chic indoor sensibility and vacation-like atmosphere.

The turtle that’s a part of Nômade’s logo represents the various flavors and inclusions of the Mediterranean Basin, the Pacific Rim and other territories which are featured throughout the menu.

“We are not focusing on only one country, and that is where the name comes from,” Jean said. “ e Nomads keep going from place to place, and that’s what our menu is about. We don’t stop anywhere; we just keep walking on.” For Jean, the unity of his team— from the chef to the bartender to the wait sta —is just as important to Nômade’s success as the international feel and arresting aesthetics.

“My job is to create the team and make sure we are the right team that works together,” Jean said. “It’s not perfect, but it’s really getting there, and people feel it.”

PICTURESQUE LOCATION

Located on 150 Main Street, Nômade opened its doors to customers on Aug. 16. The restaurant features menu items from the Mediterranean basin to the Pacific Rim, and is surrounded by elegant Moroccan furniture. Nômade is open for brunch, lunch, dinner and late night cravings all week, but is closed on Mondays. They are currently taking reservations over the phone.

Photos by Allie Gillman ’23

Mango Michelada Mocktail $12

Cheese Board $18

Scan here to visit the Nomade website.

Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice $18

Highlights of September

Jolie Gefen ’24 Web News Editor

Despite

the disappointment of summer coming to an end, exciting events and trends in pop culture have ourished. From recent concerts, to the most popular fashion trends, September and August have left us going into fall with a fabulous summer to remember.

Harry Styles ‘Love on Tour’ in MSG

As was evident by the thousands of feather boas around NYC, and the countless tiktoks ooding everyone’s For-You pages, Harry Styles has made his mark on pop culture for the months of August and September. Harry Styles’ Love on Tour 2022 in Madison Square Garden began Aug. 20 and ended Sept. 21, totaling 15 shows.

After the release of his newest album “Harry’s House” in May 2022, combined with his already massive fanbase, Harry Styles superfans in the northeast ooded to MSG for 15 nights of fun.

StellaLibman ’ 24

“My experience at the concert was so amazing,” Stella Libman ’24 said. “I love seeing people go to the concerts all over the internet because everyone dresses up and goes all out.”

Hailey Bieber Nail Trend

roughout all August and September, the newest nail craze has been, without a doubt, Hailey Bieber’s glazed donut nails. ese shimmery, donut-like nails are all over every social media platform including Instagram, Pinterest

and Tiktok. is simple but chic trend has inspired people to duplicate the model’s e ortless glowy look.

“I love the new Hailey Bieber nail trend,” Annika Reddy ’24 said. “I think they are so pretty and go with every out t and occasion.”

Scan below to listen to a sample of Billboard’s Top 10 songs of September on Spotify.

The Latest Beats AS IT WAS HARRY STYLES

BAD HABIT STEVE LACY

SUNROOF NICKY YOURE

wallen

Graphics by Jordy Greenspan ’24 & Elle Vail ’23

Photos contributed by Annika Reddy ’24 & Stella Libman ’24

Girls’ soccer turns pressure into ‘diamond’ goals

Genevieve Frucht ‘24 News Editor

The girls’ soccer team is back on the eld after a successful 2021-22 season where they secured both the state title as well as the FCIAC title. It is natural to feel pressure after such a successful season.

er, Captain Evelyn Chudowsky ’24 knows that the stress will help her and her teammates to play harder.

“Being state champions was a huge step forward for the program, but having all eyes on us can be a lot,” Chudwosky said. “Luckily for us, we embrace that pressure and use it to raise our standards higher in terms of what we can accomplish this season. You know what they say: pressure makes diamonds.”

So, this season, they went into tryouts with enthusiasm and a ready eagerness for new victories.

Captain Coco Crombie ’24 recognizes the new talent that will enhance the team in addition to the skilled players returning from last year.

“It was very high intensity throughout [tryouts], and everyone brought

their game,” Crombie said.

Head coach Barry Beatie has worked with many talented players who use pressure to improve their playing skills. He feels that these accomplished players have left the team in a spot that will help them to continue being successful.

“ e girls that have come through Staples GSOCC in the last 10 years have put us in a position [where] we can compete for top honors every year,” Beatie said. “As long as the kids do what they know they can, we will be in the mix for more titles.”

While the team had many highlights from last season, they also endured some struggles. Captain Charlotte Franklin ’23 was out with a torn ACL, but that didn’t stop her from experiencing last year’s highlights.

“I would say my favorite highlight watching [last] season was the PK [penalty kick] shootout against St. Joes,” Franklin said.

For both returning and new players, there is much to look forward to this season such as pasta dinners, bus rides and winning as a team.

“I’m excited to see the girls get back out there competing and enjoying themselves as they represent the school and the town of Westport,” Beatie said. “Winning more trophies would be fun too.”

Howevthey

Photos by Katherine Phelps ’25

DEFENDER (above) : Sami Dewitt ’23 corner kicks at her Sept. 15 practice.

CAPTAINS (below): (left to right) Sami Dewitt ’23, Charlotte Franklin ’23, Evelyn Chudowsky ’24 and Coco Crombie ’24 lead the team.

PRECISION PRACTICE (right) Charlotte Franklin ’23 works hard at perfecting her passes before their next game on Oct. 1 at Warde.

Senior captains splash, sprint, surge into spirited seasons

Emily Goldstein ’23 Public Relations Manager

Fallsports are always full of excitement and determination as athletes head back to the pool, eld and track after the long summer. It is at last the class of 2023’s turn to lead the Wreckers with pride and achieve success. It is always an adjustment returning without last year’s graduated athletes, but regardless, spirits remain high and the current senior leaders are ready to jump right back in.

Kai Ross ’23 boys’ water polo captain:

Q

: What is your biggest goal for the season, and how is the team handling the loss of seniors from last year?

A: “My biggest goal for the season is to break the all time single season scoring record. We lost a lot of great players and teammates this year, so it will be interesting to see how our playstyle and chemistry will react to our new team. I’m excited to see where this team is headed and hopefully we will take home many wins still.”

Tyler Kocadag ’23 boys’ cross country captain:

Q: Is there anything you’re nervous about for the upcoming season and any weaknesses you see in the team?

A: “I am de nitely nervous about the fact that we don’t have as much depth as we did last year. If anyone in our lineup gets hurt or sick, it is going to be extremely hard to replace them. is is probably our biggest weakness so far as we get back into the season.”

Emma Madoff ’23 girls’ swim captain:

Q: What’s your favorite team tradition that you hope to lead this year?

A: “One of my favorite team traditions is Saturday morning zumba classes.

Our coach takes zumba classes and brings his instructor to our Saturday morning practices sometimes, and it’s a really fun bonding moment for the team.

I can’t wait to introduce it to the new swimmers and watch everyone have a good time together.”

Witt Lindau ’23 boys’ sailing captain:

Q: How is the role of being a captain making your experience di erent this year? What do you hope to do with the team?

A: “Being a captain of the team means an added responsibility in coordinating, planning and leadership. In addition to trying to perform well as an individual sailor, I’m also committed to the success of the team as a whole, which involves planning practices to optimize our training and motivating everyone to try their best and work together, especially as we will be getting into team racing in the spring season.”

Photo from Staples’ Water Polo website

Photo by Olivia Signorile ’25

Photo by Addy Coughlin ’25

Photo by Ella Shi ’23

Six returning football starters look to lead young team

Mia Bomback ’25 News Editor

TheWreckers’ football team spent the summer preparing to take on their rivals this season. Captains Will Holleman ’23, Jack Whittle ’23, Tyler Clark ’23 and James Hillhouse ’23 led pre-season practices, implementing technical skills and analyzing the strategies of the opponent during the weeks leading up to the season opener against Conard High School.

is year, pre-season preparation was especially imperative. With only six of last year’s starters returning to play this year, the Wreckers faced additional challenges of learning how to communicate and play together as a relatively new team.

While these new players are sure to alter the team dynamic, Holleman has no doubt that the Wreckers will have a strong season.

“While we have [fewer] varsity returners than a typical team, we have the athletes to ll those holes,” Holleman said. “We are all super close as a team, and we are excited to show what we have.”

Among these new starting athletes is quarterback Caleb Smith ’24. Fresh o of an undefeated season with junior varsity, Smith was excited to make his varsity quarterback debut. e key to a successful season, he says, is “patience.”

Smith’s proactive attitude allowed him to be successful in his rst game on varsity, scoring three touchdowns,

and rushing 120 yards for the Wreckers in the rst half.

After a victorious opening game, the players have their sights set on winning a state championship.

“We know our expectations for this year, and we aren’t going to let ourselves come up short of them,” Whittle said.

For O ensive Coordinator Matthew Jacowle , this season is about making Staples proud and ghting to uphold Staples’ winning tradition.

“We have a tremendous group of leaders who have pushed their teammates and will do whatever it takes on the eld to sacri ce for this program and each other,” Jacowle said. “I am con dent that there will not be another team in the state that plays as hard as our team will play.”

SEASON KICKOFF Captain Tyler Clark ’23 helps the team reach victory as a wide receiver.

Photo by LaylaRetcho

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