Tower Issue #1 2012-2013

Tower The Masters School

September 11, 2012

Volume 69, Number 1

The Masters School, 49 Clinton Avenue, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

Empire state of emergency: Shootings in New York City by Jackie Liu Tower Staff

Guns, police sirens, and shouting—sounds typical of a New York City day. The three of these elements culminated together on Aug. 24 when Jeffrey Johnson pulled a gun in front of police on the sidewalk outside the

Empire State Building leaving two dead and nine injured. Johnson, a 58-year-old fashion designer, blamed excoworker Steven Ercolino for getting him laid off two years ago. Eventually, that rage culminated into Johnson shooting Ercolino five times, killing him on East 82nd street. Bystanders said that

G. Bolisay, Wikimedia.org (Public Domain)

THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING AT NIGHT. On August 24, the building’s imposing edifice was stained with blood, painfully reminding the public of the dangers of guns.

Johnson then walked calmly down the street until two officers approached him in front of the Empire State Building. Johnson pulled out his gun and officers opened fire. Ballistic reports indicate that Johnson failed to pull a shot while the officers shot 15 times, killing Johnson and injuring nine bystanders. Coincidentally, Jane Rechtman, History and Religion teacher, visited the scene of the crime merely 16 hours prior, with her three nieces, ages 11, 9, and 6. “When we were at the top, on the crowded observation deck, it did cross my mind that some deranged gunman could shoot a lot of people up there. I found myself planning how I would push the girls onto the ground and shield them with my body. Then I thought I was being unnecessarily crazy,” Rechtman said. “I guess not!” After hearing the news, Rechtman herself was “chilled”. She debated whether or not tell her nieces of the events

Photo courtesy of Lily Schorr

FALL SEMESTER STUDENTS at CITYterm visited the Empire State Building. On a clear day, one is able to see the city almost in its entirety, giving students a sense of the city’s size and significance. This fall, CITYterm planned to go on the trip on August 28, just four days after the shooting.

that conspired after they left. “I ended up telling the older two, then feeling guilty about it,” she said. However, Rechtman continued, “They didn’t seem scared or concerned at all.” CITYterm had been planning a trip to the Empire State Building for Aug. 28 when they heard the news. The faculty debated whether or not it was truly safe for students to

go into the city. Erica Chapman Director of CITYterm said, “We called contacts in the city like the officials and officers.” “In the end we agreed that it was an isolated event,” Chapman said, “In general we feel like New York is a very safe city.” She, with other teachers, talked to students about the trip plan along with the shooting

that had happened prior and emailed all the parents. No students or parents appeared to question what they said. “They have a lot of faith in our judgment,” Chapman said. In the end, the trip occured and the students had a safe and fun time. “We have to live with our eyes open,” Chapman said, “but we can’t stop living.”

hopefully put a friendly face to the Masters name. Gillian Crane, Associate Dean of Students, explained that most schools update their advertising materials every five to ten years. “It’s always nice when someone new joins our team and gives our image a fresh look, Crane said.” It is important that the school’s viewbook is modern and interesting. The admissions department also hopes to appeal to a broader market in New York. She continued, “We want to make sure the school is also an appealing choice to students who actually live in the city.”

As Masters grows and changes, it plans to spread its mission as well as sus-

the Masters name is well known in an area of the country where independent schools are so prominent. “At Masters, Harkness is what makes us different, so it is only appropriate that we are included in the discussion when it comes to private schools.”

School launches new radio advertising campaign by Alex Minton Tower Staff

This summer, the school began new public relations initiatives including producing a radio advertisement that can be heard on WFAS. While these new strategies are promising to increase the number of applicants in the admissions cycle, the focus behind them is community outreach and recognition of the school’s name. According to the Admissions Department, it is also important that the school plays a key role in the community. The new one-minute radio spot consists of an overview of the school and its mission. Chris Downs,

new director of admissions and financial aid explained how the school is finding new opportunities for outreach. “There’s a lot of competition, especially in this area of the country. That is why it is important to get our message out there. Masters is so unique,” Downs said. More importantly, he stressed the benefit of being a larger part of the local community. Tim Kane, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement, shared that point of view. “As a non-tax paying institution that plays such a huge role in the economic life of Dobbs Ferry, it is important that we find ways to give back to our community.

That is why for example, residents can use our athletic facilities year round.” Kane and Downs agreed that the main goal of the radio advertising and local event sponsorships such as The Ardsley Wiffle Ball Tournament in July, is community outreach, followed by cultivating a broader enrollment demographic. “We want the school to be visible locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, each of which take separate steps toward achieving our goal,” Kane said. While the school will continue to run its ads for open houses and information sessions in local venues, new techniques, like the radio ads, will

tain a friendly reputation on a local level. Downs explained how it is important that

Opinion

Features

Sports

The Tea Party hijacks Mitt Romney’s campaign

Masters goes abroad during the summer

Graziano graces the field hockey game

Page 3

G. Skidmore, Wikimedia.org (Public Domain)

Pages 5-6

Photo by John Comforto

Page 8

Photo by Tyler Pager

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Can’t stop, won’t stop unless I shop: Stop & Shop

NEWS

revamped over the summer

by Abigail Costigan Tower Staff

Many Dobbs Ferry residents have spent the summer keeping track of the Stop & Shop renovation status. This fall, Masters students will notice the refurbished floors, widened aisles, and slew of previously unavailable offerings at Stop and Shop. The renovation took two months during which sales dropped significantly. John Grudzinski, manager of the Dobbs Ferry Stop & Shop, said, “It was a tough two months, and a lot of people said we wouldn’t make it.” Sales rose during the first week of the reopening by 20 percent, compared to the same time last year. Grudzinski explained that workers gutted the entire building and pushed back one wall, and put in all new cases and shelves along with a new receiving area.” Grudinski continued, “The renovation also included adding a self-check out station for the “convenience of the customer, and also to give them the ability to check out at their own leisure.” Sophomore Matthew Bosshart said he was not in favor of self-service, and would prefer to check out in a more traditional manner. He also said that although Stop & Shop appearance has improved, there was no significant change in the merchandise.

Photo by Johanna M. Costigan

STOP & SHOP EXPERIENCED major renovations this summer. Students will see a much cleaner and larger store this fall.

Because Bosshart goes to Stop & Shop twice a week, he was fully tuned in to the renovation. In regard to the alterations made over the summer, he said, “The changes to the store did not make much of a difference to me, but the period of time Stop & Shop was closed affected me greatly.” Cole dorm director Ed Gormley believes that the new check out system can be faster during normal shopping hours, but said, “I think during busy times it will actually slow things down. The old Stop and Shop had eight registers that were used during peak times and holidays. The new one has only six. I think this will cause longer lines because many people will be unwilling to use the selfcheck out with large orders.” However, Gormley personally enjoys using the selfcheck out system. “Not only does it save time, but my kids love to scan the items as we put them in the bags.”

Sophomore and boarder Christian Wiemer said that Stop & Shop’s new look is definitely more aesthetically appealing, but that it won’t affect his purchases. He said, “I’ve only visited the revised Stop & Shop once, and used the cashier check out system, instead of the new self-serve option, because the self-serve option is more confusing and less user friendly”. Junior Jazmine Figueroa agreed. She said, “The selfcheck out is more convenient, especially if there are only a few items I need to buy, but also is more confusing.” To Figueroa, the real trouble with the renovation is that everything is in a different place, and will have to be in Stop & Shop a lot longer to find all her items. So the next time shoppers enters those automated doors, they can at least notice a total makeover from their local neighborhood supermarket.

parents should empower their children to be a little bolder. “I think people should just be taught not to be afraid because in their lives there’s going to be a lot of things that are, you know, hidden, that we need,” Hernandez said. “I think they should be more educated more on that topic by their teachers and especially parents.” The uneasiness and embarrassment of asking for condoms still remains an obstacle for many students. “I think part of the problem is that there is this sort of stigma behind it,” said a junior. “There’s that whole awkward moment when you ask.” But now, at Stop & Shop at least, she wouldn’t have to ask. After Stop & Shop’s recent corporate redesign, many items, including condoms, have been relocated. Located in aisle 10, next to toiletries, anyone can find an array of condoms. Furthermore, another effect of the renovation is newly installed self-checkout stations. Therefore, it is more possible to maintain anonimity while buying condoms. A junior boarder admits

that he wouldn’t go to the local grocery store to purchase condoms, but for different reasons. “I would go somewhere where I would feel less uncomfortable or where I know I won’t go regularly,” he said. “As a boarder, buying condoms at the same place where you buy your milk and cookies is not something that goes over well.” The boarder revealed that he once got a condom from his health class, although it doesn’t happen frequently. “I got my condoms from my health class, but that was a rare incident as it was not given to the entire grade,” he said. “Masters doesn’t distribute condoms within the school at all. I think they should offer kids the availability of safe sex.” According to Rosemarie Corradina, the school nurse, the fact that Masters does not have a formal sex education course that teaches about the prevention of STDs contributes to the leading reason as to why the school nurse cannot confidentially distribute condoms to the student body. “New York States says that in order for the school

TOWER/SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

Two new buses added for New York City students this year by Sang Bae Tower Staff

The school organized two buses to pick up students from Manhattan and the Bronx. The service, which was financed by a group of parents and initiated by Joanne Romeo and Mary Schellhorn, will begin this school year. Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Chris Downs expects the service to ease the hassles of commuting for these students. He also wishes to see the buses as a way to reach more students while competing with other schools who utilize similar methods of commuting. Head of the Upper School Chris Frost is looking forward to this new service. “I think

Cartoon by Sang Bae

it’s great because there are students in NYC who want to go a school with our

facilities, especially the playing fields on campus.”

Seven new countries represented within incoming student body by Jun Hyuk Choi Tower Staff

This year, Masters greeted students from seven different nations, a sharp contrast from admissions trends of years past. Compared to last year’s single addition to the list of countries represented at Masters, Kazakhstan, this year the school welcomed Shin Wei Chew from Malaysia, Timothy Gooden from Dubai, CarlOscar Gustafson from Sweden, Victor IIlomuanya from Nigeria, Pedram Keyyani from Iran, Jennifer Munnings from the Bahamas and Leyna Zniber from Moroco.

Junior Carl-Oscar Gustafson from Stockholm, Sweden, was persuaded to come to Masters mainly to pursue his passion for singing. After successfully performing the hit song, “Titanium” in an audition, Gustafson became the newest member of the exclusive a cappella group Dobbs 16. He said, “I did not learn how to sing. I just had the talent in me.” In addition to a passion for music, Gustafson does not mind facing the challenge of a demanding workload. Iranian soccer player Pedram Keyvani, a sophomore,

is another new member of the school. A trip to Manhattan six years ago made Keyvani fall in love with New York. The school’s guarantee to provide a diverse student body convinced Keyvani to choose Masters as his second home. Both Gustafson and Keyvani are first time boarders. “I’m really nervous to meet my roommate.” Keyvani said. “I hope I will get along well with him.” Now fueled with new students and fresh cultures, the Masters community is prepared to launch the start of the school year.

Looking into student accessibility of condoms by Teerin Julsawad and Margaretha Rebbe Tower Staff

When trying to buy condoms locally, one might locate them in the grocery store next to other age-restricted items such as cigarettes or alcohol. According to reports, “Condoms were behind the counter in 83 percent of all convenience stores and 15 percent of drug stores.” Without many other accessible locations for condoms, students have limited options. Fanny Hernandez, a cashier who works at the customer service counter at the grocery store, Stop & Shop, explained in an interview earlier this year, that they have their own special corner because customers stole them on a regular basis. “The condoms are behind the counter for security purposes—to not lose the merchandise. When they were out there, they would get stolen everyday,” Hernandez said. “We would see that we would have a certain count, but when we checked again, we could see that many were missing.” Hernandez suggested that

nurse to give condoms to students, the health curriculum needs to include how sexually transmitted diseases pass from one person to another and go into that in depth,” Corradina said. “And as far as I know, that is not included in our health curriculum at the moment.” However, Dean of Students Priscilla Hindley believes that, while the school hopes and plans to expand its health curriculum further, the real reason condoms aren’t being distributed has less to do with how the health courses work and more with the school’s decision. “The New York State laws are for public school and not for independent schools,” Hindley said. “Technically, I think the school is probably allowed to distribute condoms if we wanted to. So the big part of that is about the school allowing the distribution.” According to Hindley, the topic is currently being discussed but she admits she doesn’t know why it has not been resolved. “I don’t know what the holdup is. I honestly don’t know.

But it is something we are definitely talking about.” With that said, Hindley has far less concern about the accessibility of condoms compared to how much the school educates students on sex. “Personally, I’m not concerned about having condoms on campus. I’m much more concerned about students being better educated,” Hindley stated. “I think we should be providing more opportunities for students in terms of sex education.” She continued, “We are not doing as much as we can and should be doing. The condom distribution is another issue altogether as far as I’m concerned.” As per the student handbook, it is against the rules of the school for students to engage in sexual activity on campus. Elisabeth Merrill, science teacher, fully supports increasing the availability of contraceptives in a school environment. “I think that the school should give out free condoms,” Merrill said. “You should be able to go to the school nurse and get a condom if you need

them because it’s important, but the awkwardness around the conversation deters kids from getting them.” Merrill believes that part of the problem stems from a lack of open discussion of sexuality. “I think the difference [from several other countries] is that we don’t want to talk frankly, about sexuality. We don’t talk about how to say, ‘If you are sexually active, this is what you should do to protect yourself and your partner.’ She continued, “We have this odd hesitancy to talk about it and, consequently, have the highest teen pregnancy rate of industrialized countries. That’s so shameful.” While Merrill believes that many teenagers are not ready to have sex, she recognizes the fact that many kids will naturally engage in sexual intercourse. “I don’t believe children in high school, for the most part, are really emotionally mature enough to have sex, “ said Merrill. “But I do believe that, if they do, they need to know how to protect themselves from both pregnancy and STDs.”

TOWER/SEPTEMBER 11, 2012

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Op-Ed

Romney Isn’t The Problem; He’s Just a Symptom For over 12 years, Mitt Romney was a staunch defender of a women’s right to choose, and a fierce advocate for stem cell research. He even developed a new health care system during his tenure as governor of Massachusetts, on which the democrats modeled so-called Obamacare. Granted, Romney was still a Republican back then, but he could be counted on to reach across the aisle, and extend a measured hand. Then, starting in late 2008, something strange began to happen: Romney’s views changed, dramatically. He lurched rightward, backtracking on his commitments and

hardening his conservative outlook. In February, he went so far as to renounce his reputation as a moderate when he commented on his past political service, saying, “I was a severely conservative Republican governor.” It’s no coincidence that Romney’s reversal was timed with the emergence of a militant Republican force: the Tea Party. Buoyed by hard-liners like Paul Ryan, the Tea Partiers hijacked the GOP seemingly overnight, injecting anger and obstinacy into the party’s rhetoric. As a consequence, commentators of both major political affiliations have taken to calling the Republicans “the party of ‘No’.” 18 percent of all

Americans identified themselves as Tea Party supporters in 2010, per The New York Times, making this group a massively important electoral demographic. When they all shout “No” to abortion rights, to debt reform, and to cooperation in general, Romney’s only political choice is to accede. Such is the power of the mob. And, remember, this is the same mob that Todd Akin, the Missouri republican who believes in “legitimate rape,” belongs to. This is the same mob that Michele Bachmann, who confused a legendary actor with a notorious serial killer, belongs to. This is a mob mired in racial bigotry (recently, a Tea Party leader joked that blacks saw welfare as “when

Everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Any five-year-old can tell you the ground rules about stopping, dropping, and rolling, stranger danger, and dialing 9-1-1. Surprisingly enough, loading and shooting a gun doesn’t usually make it to the list of necessary kindergarten safety lessons, and for good reason. Simply putting a firearm in the vicinity of a person is a risk in itself. Guns kept in the home for protection are 43 times more likely to kill a family member or friend than an intruder, according to The Washington Post. Many gun advocates argue that the exclusive function of personal ownership of firearms is protection. So why do gun proponents such as the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre describe gun control laws as “anti-freedom

policies,” per his speech delivered to the United Nations earlier this summer? In recent years, months, and weeks, it has become strikingly clear that an abundance of firearms does not, contrary to what the NRA maintains, lead to more safety for anyone. In the same speech, LaPierre remarked, “Our Second Amendment is freedom’s most valuable, most cherished, most irreplaceable idea. History proves it.” Maybe in LaPierre’s paranoid personal concoction of history, he can find proof. But considering our nation’s very real and alarming history of killings, including Colorado’s 1999 Columbine High School shooting, last year’s Arizona shooting, and the Colorado Batman shooting in July, there is an undeniable parallel between states with lax gun control policies and states that fall

victim to mass shootings. Both Arizona and Colorado have passed state law that “protects the name and personal identifying information of ‘right-to-carry’ permit holders from public disclosure,” according to the Institute for Legislative Action. In total, these three shootings injured at least 84 and took 31 innocent lives, all in the name of freedom and self-defense. In utilizing their Second Amendment rights and purchasing perfectly legal guns, gunmen are using the law to commit illegal actions. In a July 20 New York Times article, Eugene Volokh, an expert in constitutional law at the University of California, Los Angeles, explained that unless proof of gunman James Holmes’ documented psychiatric disturbance surfaces, “There’s no indication that, from his record, he is someone

by Noah Buyon

Web Editor-in-Chief

James Currie, Wikimedia (Public Domain Image)

MITT ROMNEY AND PAUL RYAN WAVE to a crowd of conservative supporters at a recent rally in Norfolk, Virginia. Romney’s decision to select Ryan was applauded by Tea Party supporters.

white folks work every day so us po’ folks can get all our benefits”) and fiscal irresponsibility (it was the congressional “Tea Party caucus” that pushed

the 2011 Debt Ceiling debate to the brink of crisis). This is a dangerous mob. Mitt Romney, then, is dealing with fire. He’s fallen victim to the flaming

idealism of the hardcore right, and has bargained away his principles. He isn’t the problem-- he’s just a symptom of greater rage in the GOP camp.

whom more restrictive screening procedures would have caught.” Yet clearly, the victims of his shooting rampage could have benefited greatly from stricter screening processes. In response to the recent shootings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg advocated for a more serious and national discussion about gun regulation on his weekly radio show. Luke O’Dell, a spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, said that in so doing Bloomberg was, “exploiting the blood of these innocent victims to advance his political agenda.” But isn’t ignoring the story behind the tragedy--the ease with which Holmes and others procured their guns--a much greater travesty than affirming an existent political tie to one side of the issue? Traditionally, Republicans have been more likely to be in favor of more lenient or

even nonexistent gun regulation. The Republican party has repeatedly affirmed their opposition to gun control, and have successfully deterred congressional efforts to regulate gun use. Back in 2008, the Republican platform stated, “Gun control only affects and penalizes law-abiding citizens.” Since then, the Republican party has only strengthened its position. The 2012 platform adds, “We oppose legislation that is intended to restrict our Second Amendment rights by limiting the capacity of clips or magazines.” This addition virtually eliminates the “self defense” justification, because no one needs excessive clips or magazines for a gun that is purely meant for emergency defense. President of the NRA David Keene told the NRA News that, “This year’s Republican platform is even

stronger in terms of dedicating a major party to the protection of the Second Amendment.” They should have learned from recent disasters. But instead they are attempting to set the country up for more of these unnecessary, unjustifiable calamities. Gun control is not an abstract issue. Thanks to leniency in firearms control, even the most unstable and dangerous of people can arm themselves. The majority of states are ‘shall-issue’ states, meaning potential gun buyers need only be over 18, live in America, pass a background check, and attend a gun/ firearm safety class. The severity of these requirements varies from state to state, but if someone passes the necessary requirements, he or she will be given a permit to carry and use a concealed gun. Arizona and two other

Editorial: Get up, speak up, before you’re shot

Mastering Style:

Tower 2012-2013

Editors-In-Chief, Print Edition: Tyler Pager and Johanna M. Costigan Editor-In-Chief, Web Edition: Noah Buyon Tower Staff: Sang Bae, Jun Hyuk Choi, Declan Considine, Abigail Costigan, Taylor Friedman Lily Herzan, Teerin Julsawad, Sofia Linden, Jackie Liu Alex Minton, Wenxuan Ni and Kiera Wilson Columnists: Max Borowitz, Ryan Rosenberg and Nick Fleder Staff Photographers: Bob Cornigans, Eve Wetlaufer and Sam Miller Contributing Photographers: John Comforto Contributing Writer: Margaretha Rebbe Faculty Adviser: Ellen Cowhey

The Masters School 49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 Volume 69, Issue 1

Distribution Process Tower is hand-delivered to the student body on the day of publication to the Upper School. 500 copies are printed, and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers.

Scholastic Press Affiliations and Letter Policy Tower is an award-winning member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalist Educators, and Quill and Scroll. E-mail Tower@Mastersny.org to send Letters to the Editor. See the subsequent page for information regarding letters to the editor. Published approximately eight times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of the Masters School, is a public forum, with its editorial board making all decisions concerning content. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the editorial board.

continued on page 7

Transitioning Back into the Fabric of School

by Ryan Rosenberg Columnist

Since my time at The Masters School, it has always amazed me that there seems to be no outward recognition among the student body of the fact that it is a place that pours over a colorful palate of style with each passing figure in the hallway. Yet, perhaps it is this lack of acknowledgment that makes fashion at Masters something even cooler than the pages of Harper’s Bazaar or the excitement of carrying a shopping bag, because it is effortless; the way we dress is merely a part of who we are and no one is ever overlooked. It’s as simple as that. Everyone at Masters, whether they “joined the club” or not, is a part of a “fashion world” that is composed of what we choose to put on every sleep-deprived

morning. You don’t get this kind of all-embodying inclusion when you walk down Madison Avenue. I feel that shedding some limelight on our “little fashion world” will strengthen Masters’ sense of fashion appreciation. In writing my column, which will eventually feature photographs, I plan on doing some detective work in order to pinpoint trends that are circulating throughout campus, in addition to quieter fashion statements. As we start the school year anew, it is arguably the most interesting time to observe the transition from season to season, in addition to thinking about the ways we do or do not choose to make statements about ourselves, as well as asking questions about how to draw from and incorporate

inspiration into our lives in an honest and thoughtful way. I can guess that many of us embarked on some sort of journey this past summer that made an influence on the way we dress, whether it was a trip abroad, a challenging job, or trying hard to visualize a day in the life of Martin Luther. Observing the way we will share our stories (from this summer and beyond) will be nothing short of thought-provoking.

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tOWER/ September 11, 2012

FEATURES

5

FEATURES

Teaching and serving, learning and working, students and faculty utilize summer break as an opportunity for growth Pack your passports: Students travel the world by Taylor Friedman Tower Staff

Over the summer break, many students spent their time visiting new countries and familiarizing themselves with the different aspects of a new place. Whether one is traveling for community service or just to enjoy themselves, a summer trip is a great way to involve oneself in unique ways. “Traveling is a worthy experience for teenagers,” Amy Atlee, Director of Community Service, explained. Students who want to travel often come to her to seek out small grassroots programs with local people. “It is important to do meaningful and worthwhile projects that provide help that is actually needed,” Atlee said. Junior Ben Finkelstein traveled to China’s Unan

province for six weeks this summer. He participated in a program in which he was required to attend four-hour classes daily. Finkelstein explained that his homestay experience was what allowed him to, “adjust to the Eastern culture, since it is very different from our own.” Finkelstein accredited the value of his trip to the sharp contrast between American and Chinese culture. Certain aspects of living in China were different, such as the toilets, which were only a hole in the ground. Finkelstein said, “This was a valuable experience that gave me a wider perspective of the Asian world.” Lieber journeyed to Australia and Fiji for a month this summer. “I loved the idea of visiting Australia and Fiji. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to become immersed in their cultures and

spend time with the local people,” Lieber explained. Her trip combined community service acts and adventurous experiences, such as going scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef and whitewater rafting. Lieber also volunteered at a wildlife refuge center, working with animals and planting trees in Australia. She continued, “In Fiji we had the privilege to stay in a village with Fijian families where we built a footpath and taught English to the children.” Lieber explained that the satisfaction of her trip was due to the fact that the people she was with had become extremely close with each other. Lieber added, “I would definitely do this trip again. It was a great mix of adventure and service that gave me a glimpse of another part of the world.”

Group of volunteer faculty fly to PortAu-Prince to lead teaching workshops by Kiera Wilson Tower Staff

Photo courtesy of Sophie Lieber

Masters students have always been highly involved in community service, but this summer four faculty members, Comforto, Botero, Fonseca, and Raabon, joined in and traveled to Haiti to do what they do best–teach. Head of School Maureen Fonseca flew to Haiti for the one-week trip to teach 14 Haitian administrators how to effectively educate their students. Adriana Botero, Associate Head of School for Faculty Affairs and Program Development, joined Fonseca in her journey south. “We would arrive around 8 a.m. and hold highly interactive workshops until about 4 p.m.,” Botero said. Faculty worked to pass as

SOPHIE LIEBER, furtherst on the right, interacts with Fijian children on a trip she took this summer to Fiji and Australia. Many students took advantage of their summers to travel internationally.

much of Masters’ philosophy along as possible by teaching Haitian administrators the constructivism method. Botero said, “Constructivism follows the belief that teachers facilitate learning but students are responsible for their knowledge.” She continued, “Sort of like how you learn here -- through discussion, experience, and reading.” Constructivism is just one of the new methods faculty shared with the Haitian educators. French teacher MarieSuzanne Raabon, who joined Botero and Fonseca on the trip, felt that the goal was to introduce new approaches to learning. “We were showing them different ways of teaching the ‘modern ways’ of teaching,” Raabon said. “By influencing teachers, we are also influencing students.”

Raabon both led workshops and worked as a translator for the group, due to her understanding of French and Creole, the local languages. “Since the earthquake I was very saddened by what we saw on TV,” Raabon said. “I wanted to do something.” Both Botero and Raabon feel that the experience taught them as much as they taught the administrators. “It struck me what a proud people they are,” Botero explained. “Above all they maintained such positivity.” Botero hopes to bring this enthusiasm to learn and live back with her. “It’s easy for us to fall into complaining,” she said. “I hope to bring the warmth and openness of the people there back for myself and for others.”

Sacco supports rehabilitation in Haiti

College motivates students to experience life away from home during summer break by Sofia Linden Tower Staff

Photo courtesy of Dylan Etzel

DYLAN ETZEL WALKS outside of his dorm at Harvard University. Etzel was one of many students who attended a college summer program this summer.

High school students now have multiple summer opportunities to experience and learn something new, such as living and learning on a college campus. Many Masters students took advantage of this possibility, and spent a few weeks in a campus life, taking classes, sometimes even with the schools own professors. Director of College Counseling Kathi Woods explained the different reasons students attend these programs. “I think one reason students choose a summer

program at a college is to check out campuses and professors because the student is thinking about attending,” Woods said. She explained that some professor’s write excellent letters of recommendation and some students go to build portfolios, but it does not aid in admission to the specific university. “It’s what you do with what you learn at the program... take courses that you are interested in then take what you learned back to your school and use it to do good,” she said. She explained that these programs have to do with the knowledge you gain and how you use it.

Senior Dylan Etzel had the privilege of attending the Harvard Secondary Program. He took an introduction to macroeconomics course and a summer seminar in international law and human rights. Etzel studied with a Harvard professor and said it was surprisingly similar to what he was used to. The style, he added, was quite reminiscent of the Harkness method. “I’m going to try and take the AP macroeconomics class from what I learned. I think it’s definitely something you should do to experience college,” he said. Sophomore Marlee Baumberg had the chance to

study business at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a program called Academic Study Associates (ASA) and marketing at the University of Wisconsin with American Collegiate Adventures (ACA). “I got to see what it was like to live on campus without my parents,” she said. Baumberg did exactly what Woods recommended, attending the program for the sake of adventure. “I was thinking about what I wanted to do and I wanted to get the experience of trying what I enjoyed. I wasn’t thinking about getting into college.”

Photo by John Comforto

MARIE-SUZANNE RAABON in the process of teaching in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. She and three other faculty members spent a week in Haiti this summer running teaching seminars.

by Kiera Wilson Tower Staff

Photo courtesy of John Comforto

FROM LEFT: JOHN COMFORTO, MARIE-SUZANNE RAABON, MAUREEN FONSECA, AND ADRIANA BOTERO training Haitian teachers over the summer. The group spent five days of their summer to help these teachers learn a new way to instruct their students.

After the earthquake tragically hit Haiti in 2010, Masters has been trying to help and support the island in rebuild itself. The school has worked closely with the AFYA Foundation, which has been assisting Haiti earthquake victims since the tragedy in a variety of ways, including holding t-shirt days to raise money. This summer, Mikelle Sacco, Assistant Athletic Director, traveled to PortAu-Prince to work handson in clinics with AFYA. “Since I’m a physical therapist, I knew I would love to do that,” Sacco said. She traveled the three-hour distance in hopes that she would find

a new community service opportunity for students. During her stay, Sacco worked in clinics, hospitals and orphanages, training medical technicians and assisting in other interactive ways. “AFYA does a great job of teaching the people there how to be self-sufficient so that they can get their own jobs.” A new clinic fostered additional excitement for Sacco. “They’re setting up a new clinic with a school attached to it,” Sacco said. She hopes that this is where she can involve students. “I want to create a Masters Camp at this new school,” she said. Sacco wants to coordinate with AFYA to send 14-16 students and even

alumni to Haiti each summer, starting as early as 2013. Masters students would teach the children English through educational games and leadership activities. “We still have a lot of planning, but I believe our students can pull through,” said Sacco. “We would need to hold a drive to donate camp items, games, and educational tools. I think it would be more powerful than Jonestown.” Through this experience Sacco was energized to do good and teach within the global community. “The people there are so grateful,” she articulated. “But there’s still so much that we have to do.”

Making milestones in summer trip to Morocco: Students and faculty experience a new culture across the ocean by Teerin Julsawad Tower Staff

RICHARD SIMON AND CHERYL HAAJAR LED the Morocco trip this past summer. The group spent three weeks in Morocco learning the culture and language. Simon said, “I can’t wait to do it again.”

Macy Sorgenstein LOOKS at a magazine with native Moroccan. The students had many opportunities to immerse themselves in the culture by living with a Moroccan family during the trip.

Students traveled over 5,000 miles to Morocco and had the opportunity to not only visit famous tourist sites and landmarks of the exotic North African country, but to engage and immerse themselves into the Moroccan culture. “The purpose of the trip was to give students a connection to a culture vastly different from their own in a way that was not touristic and involved meeting as many people as people as possible,” said Richard Simon, the Chair of the Modern and Classical Languages Department. Many members of the group naturally experienced huge culture shock within the first few days of arriving

in Casablanca. “Everybody got traveler’s diarrhea within the first two days,” Simon said. Despite the initial disorientation, the travelers quickly adapted to their new surroundings and fully immersed themselves into different aspects of the Moroccan culture and way of life. “By the time the first week was up, everybody was incredibly into it. And by the time the second week ended, people were worried that we only had one week left.” In addition to exploring the cities of Casablanca, Fes, and Marrakech, some of the highlights included learning Arabic, experiencing henna paintings, and doing community service work. Students also stayed with local homestay families during the trip.

Sophomore Kennedy Whittington-Cooper found meeting the local Moroccan people one of the most exhilarating aspects of the trip. “It was refreshing to be around such nice and generous people who are so open and welcoming to foreigners,” Whittington-Cooper said. “The homestay family is the best part of the trip for me. Without them, I would honestly say the trip would be just good and not great.” Simon praised the group of students for their ability to step outside their comfort zone in order to adapt to the new environment. “Everybody was pushed past his or her comfort zone and in the end, everybody grew stronger to expand it,” Simon said. “It was a huge success.”

Photos by Sam Miller

THE MOROCCO GROUP, which was composed of seven students ,two teachers, one faculty spouse and one faculty child, leapt on the beach at Caves of Hercules in Tangiers. Sophomore Kennedy Whittington-Cooper said, “It was refreshing to be around such nice and generous people who are so open and welcoming to foreigners.”