Tower Issue #7 (2023-2024)

Check outseepages6and7to where this year’s seniors are going to college!

Chef Marcus Samuelsson to speak at graduation TOWER

Marcus Samuelsson, a name synonymous with culinary excellence, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming graduation ceremony for the class of 2024.

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Samuelsson grew up in Sweden, where he honed his culinary skills at the Culinary Institute of Gothenburg. Today, he stands as a global force in the food industry.

He owns and operates several successful restaurants, including the acclaimed Red Rooster in Harlem and Shoreditch, and

Whisking and wisdom:

the Marcus B&P. Samuelsson has been awarded eight prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards and even made American history by planning and executing the first state dinner hosted by the Obama administration in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Head of School

Laura Danforth highlighted Samuelsson’s embodiment of our school’s mission: “Do It With Thy Might”. She explained, “I try to make sure that all our speakers know our mission, and know that “doing it with thy might” means something here. I think he has done it with his might and that he’s definitely a power for good in the world.”

Samu-

elsson’s “power for good” endeavors extend beyond dining. He co-produces the annual Harlem EatUp festival, celebrating the neighborhood’s rich culinary and cultural heritage. Additionally, he is the co-chair of the Career through Culinary Arts Program, which is a program that empowers underprivileged youth to pursue careers in the culinary field.

For fans of culinary television shows, Samuelsson is a familiar face. He’s a champion of both “Chopped All Stars” and “Top Chef Masters” and has served as a judge on “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Top Chef,” “Iron Chef USA,” “Iron Chef America” and “Chopped.”

“It was nice to hear

I try to make sure that all our speakers know our mission, and know that ‘doing it with thy might’ means something here. I think he has done it with his might and that he’s definitely a power for good in the world.”

- Laura Danforth, Head Of School

that he has so much experience on all of these cooking shows we’re obsessed with,” said Senior Class President Sibora Sadrijaj. She continued, “He comes from such a diverse background which touches many of us.”

Danforth echoed this sentiment, referencing a portion of a previous speech Samuelsson gave. “He was a speaker at [the 2023 Teacher’s College of Columbia University’s Convocation Ceremony] and he said this: ‘If a kid who grew up in a hut in Ethiopia can be standing before you a few years later and telling my story, then, you know, nothing is impossible for you.’ That’s what I want graduates to hear every single year, regardless of the speaker,” Danforth said.

Sadrijaj expressed how Samuelsson’s message of perseverance will resonate well with the graduation class. “He’s accomplished a lot,” she said. “I think that his

drive and ambition, which led him to grow to the platform he has now, is something that would come across well in a speech.”

Hajjar wins the Anna Howe Faculty Teaching Award

As the alumni packed the Fonesca Center to participate in a dinner as part of Reunion Weekend, Upper School art teacher, Cheryl Hajjar was struck with nerves.

A few months before in March, Hajjar was selected by alumni for the Anna Howe Faculty Award, which recognizes teachers who made a difference in the lives of students while at Masters and beyond. At that dinner on Saturday, May 18, Hajjar was formally presented the award in front of the very community that selected her. Alongside her, three alumni received awards; Vittorio Stropoli ’19 won the Maureen Fonseca Young Alumnae/i Award, Sharon Nechis Castillo

‘84 won the Eliza Bailey Masters Fellowship Award, and Natasha Bansgopaul ‘04 won the Richmond Bowl.

“I felt incredibly moved and honored,” she said. “For me, coming here each day is first and foremost about the students, so I felt like it was an award that really mattered.”

Though Hajjar said she was nervous to say few words when accepting the award, she was able to reflect on her time as a teacher and a mother and the relationships she formed during her time at Masters specifically with students.

She said, “When you teach art, students have more of an opportunity to really expose more of themselves to you because a lot of

their artwork is about their own identity. So that comes out and then you create a relationship that’s not based solely on skill building, it’s also based on some of that personal stuff that they’re sharing through their work.”

Additionally, Hajjar looked back upon on what her experience has been during her 14 years at Masters as an advisor and teacher.

“I’ve always managed to be the student and learn from my colleagues, but especially here I’ve also not only learned so much from my colleagues but have developed close friendships, and that’s been a bonus.”

Former advisee of Hajjar and alumna Olivia Cao ‘14 recalled her first day at Masters in which Hajjar swooped in to save

her from being suspended.

“Obviously for her who just started to do that for me was very brave of her.”

Even years after graduation Cao connects with Hajjar often and still finds aspects of her that she appreciates.

“I admire the fact that she speaks her mind and she does it in a very polite and firm way. As I have gotten older I have noticed that is very hard to do.”

NeeNa atkiNs

ELLEN COWHEY/TOWER

CHERYL HAJJAR, HEAD OF the Upper School art department gives a speech after formally accepting the Anne Howe Teaching award. Hajjar has been teaching here since 2010.

Lucas seguiNot

MARCUS SAMUELSSON’S TEAM

MARCUS SAMUELSSON WORLD RENOWNED chef and philanthropist, is the commencement graduation speaker for this year.

Prom photos will have a new background this year: the Fonseca Center gym

This year’s prom will be held in the Fonseca Center gym rather than its traditional location, Estherwood Mansion.

According to Christina Moore, one of the seniors on the prom planning committee, the change was necessary because the Estherwood floorboards would be damaged by the few hundred students dancing.

Ed Gormley, the Upper School student activities and transportation director, said, “We suspected that we might be outgrowing Estherwood, so we hired a structural engineer to see if it was safe, and he said, ‘It’s probably not such a good idea.’ We just can’t have 200-plus students jumping and dancing.” Other dances, such as the Winter Semi-Formal, will also be moved to the gym for the same reason.

how prom would look in the gym, but she and Moore said they would make sure the gym would be fully decked out. Although some students are apprehensive, the change in location has some benefits as well.

weather permits, the courtyard will also be open to students, Gormley said.

“

I’m thinking about prom all the time. I start thinking about next year’s prom as soon as the last one ends.”

-Ed Gormley

Bianca Beriguete, another senior on the committee, said she had heard some students were concerned about

Prom won’t just be limited to the gym; food, including sushi, pizza tarts and ice cream, will be set up in the Davis Cafe, and casino games, the same from last year, are planned to be set up in the Sharon Room. The magician from last year will return, as well as the caricature portraits and the 360-degree photo booth. The tables in the Cafe and outside the gym can be used as well, and if the

In order to choose the theme, inspiration collages were sent out for a senior vote, and the winning design was handed off to a company. The possible themes included “under the city lights,” inspired by New York City, “masquerade ball,” which Beriguete described as a “black and gold type beat.” Ultimately, the winner was “night under the stars” -- Moore’s personal favorite.

Moore said of the company decorating

the gym, “It’s the same people that did the [Board of Trustees] gala earlier this year. They also already did a similar theme at Masters before, so they had pictures of the Fonseca Center looking similar to our theme. It’s kind of lucky, because they already have ideas.”

Because of the change in location, the budget for prom witnessed a hefty increase. According to Gormley, the total price has increased from roughly $1600 to $2100, primarily

because of the decorations. He explained, “Normally I didn’t spend a lot of money on decorations because you didn’t really need it in Estherwood. But this year, we wanted the FC to not look so much like a gym. I don’t know what the final total is going to be, it will probably be around $5000 [on decorations], where I used to spend about $500.”

About half the money will come from student tickets, Gormley said, and the rest is from the junior and senior class budgets. Students with 80% financial aid will also receive their tickets with no charge. This year, some money will also come from Head of School Laura Danforth’s discretionary budget.

Gormley said, “I’m thinking about prom all the time. I start thinking about next year’s prom as soon as the last one ends, like what we can do differently.” He isn’t sure where next year’s prom will take us, whether or not it will be in the gym or off-campus. He said, “This year, we will just see how it goes.”

Emery written into a new role: Chair of English department

As Geoffrey Nelson, who has been serving as the chair of the English department for five years now, sets off for new horizons, he will be handing off the coveted title of chair to Upper School English teacher Miriam Emery. Nelson was involved in the decision as a member of the English department, but ultimately the decision was made by Head of School Laura Danforth and Dean of Faculty Sam Savage. Nelson said he believes Emery exemplifies the qualities of a good chair.

“To be a chair, you have to be a wonderful teacher first,” he said. “Any of her students would tell you she’s incredibly committed, incredibly dedicated. I see her meeting

with students almost every morning during X-band. She puts incredible care into the design of every lesson. She really is a meticulous educator.”

And it’s not just Nelson who feels that way. Stella Bilman, a junior in Emery’s AP English Language class, expressed a sentiment similar to Nelson’s.

She said, “The assignments are very purposeful in AP Lang; I never feel like I’m doing busywork assignments or anything.” She continued, “The way class is structured is always really conducive to deep conversations, and there’s a lot of time to digest and unpack complex ideas in the readings, as well as components of writing structure and preparation for the AP exam.”

Emery, who is currently in her 10th year at Masters, said that her favorite things about teaching

here are the students and Harkness.

“I think teaching in that way is the best way to learn and to have an opportunity to hear what everyone’s thinking,” she said. Emery shared some of her goals as chair. As a firm believer in advanced classes, she said she hopes to keep those offerings in the English department even if the school chooses to get rid of APs.

She also said she would like to keep the sense of community in her department. “The English department is already amazing, so I basically want to support the teachers and make sure that they stay amazing, and to foster community in the department because, as students know, if you’re collaborating with a group of people who get along and work together, that’s ideal.”

MIRIAM EMERY WILL REPLACE Geoffrey Nelson as Chair of the English Department next year as Nelson moves on to a new school. From English 9 to AP Lit, Miriam Emery has taught a variety of English classes in the Upper School.

Auror A rose Horn

ellie Hise

THE SENIOR PLANNING COMMITTEE sent three collages to the senior class representing the three potential prom themes: “under the city lights,” “masquerade ball,” and “night under the stars.” Seniors ultimately chose “night under the stars,” which corresponds to the collage above.

CHRISTINA MOORE

ZARA MURRAY/TOWER

OpiniOn

and in the greater world. Political tensions, SAT scores, and Spanish homework have all accumulated into a heavy cloud of stress on each student’s shoulders.

bro!

But no more. Summer is here. A vast time slot has opened up for you. What are you going to fill it with? Our suggestion is hard. With summer approaching, we urge you to get some rest and throw in the towel; not out of defeat, but out of satisfaction for the effort you put into this year. And counter-intuitively, taking it easy might be a path toward success. Don’t just take our word for it: according to a study conjust go to bed. With all this new free time, please don’t let a focus on your “future” drive what you do. The LMS is no longer dictating the day’s tasks. Sleep in, read a book, visit a museum. Most importantly, remind yourself of why we strive so hard in the first place – for

Appreciate each moment of each day without the need to gear it towards your future. Students have a tendency to keep signing themselves up for huge projects or resume-aligned jobs, but too often forget that the simple aspects of life can be just as fruitful.

You have your whole life ahead of you to struggle and achieve; Now, do what you need. Enjoy what you can. We will see you next year, bright and early.

Advisor tribute to senior Tower/TBN staff

Oliver is incredibly funny, a passionate defender of free speech and an original thinker who is a supportive editor, always ready with prompt and encouraging feedback.

The Tower media conglomerate has had another successful year. Our print, web, social media and broadcast news divisions have gained many new readers and viewers and we have worked hard to cover the events and issues that impact the Masters School community.

We want to recognize our senior staff members who have made so many important contributions over their years here. Tower would not be the same without their hard work, and they are all leaving huge shoes to fill. We are going to miss you all more than we can say!

Adam Bello is a floor general on the basketball court - and also had an all-star career on Tower, covering sports, and controversial issues like Kyrie Irving’s anti-semitic comments, and taking over as the sports editor for his senior year.

Aviv Emery was our go-to reporter for coverage of big social issues, from Western

ideas about beauty (still one of our top-viewed articles of all time) to her most recent piece about why young people are having less sex than previous generations. A strong page designer who was co-Features Editor this year, we are going to miss her thoughtful voice of reason when debating tough issues.

Lydia Ettinger was our second co-Features Editor. A strong writer and hard-working reporter who took on challenging topics, including politics in Israel and the immigrant crisis, Lydia also grew as a page designer.

Aurora Horn is a three-year member of the Tower staff, who has become our go-to music reviewer, willing to pick up any article at the last minute. Aurora is thoughtful, kind and caring; she helps create the sense of community that makes Tower so much fun - and she is truly the queen of AP Style in her position as lead copy editor.

Oliver Kreeger is our Opinion page lead editor. From layout nights, to tracking down teachers’ favorite coffee cups for his “Mug Shot” series,

Alexa Murphy is a world traveler, debater, political activist, poet laureate - oh, and she’s also our lead news editor and an excellent reporter whose stories about immigration in New York have won awards and explained a complicated and pressing issue.

Our senior leadership team of Xavier Rolston, Lily Zuckerman, Lucas Seguinot and Matthias Jaylen won the PSJA award for editorial leadership - and we can’t imagine a more deserving team.

Xavier Rolston is a man of many talents - from video, audio, web design, programming - and course, reporting and writing. He can do it all. We are going to miss his abilities - and also his leadership. He leaves big shoes to fill.

Lily Zuckerman leaves an incredible legacy behind her. A creative and prolific writer, she served as our chief design editor this year and spear-headed a set of new looks for Tower. She also conceived the Middle School paper, now called The Doc, rallying Tower staffers and middle school stu-

dents and teachers to turn her vision into a reality. It’s now a thriving publication and poised to last for years to come.

Lucas Seguinot is a steady presence who served as the glue that held the team together. A strong writer who was always there to pick up a last-minute story or take over a page layout, Lucas was a mentor to younger students and helped lay the groundwork for continued excellence for years to come.

Matthias Jaylen is an amazingly productive and creative reporter whose stories from the past four years continue to top our most-read list. A pro with design work, Matthias steps in to put the finishing touches on pages to make them look perfect. And, above all, Matthias is fearless when it comes to sharing his opinions, no matter the potential negative feedback. We will miss his eagerness to push against orthodoxy.

Zara Suvanto, our outgoing co-Executive Producer of Tower Broadcast News is heading out after helping grow and shape the program, particularly with leading her three-

part series on how the Supreme Court’s decision striking down affirmative action has affected the college process in our community and across the country. Her insight, humor and keen editing skills will be missed. Finally, we want to thank our senior photographers who tirelessly took pictures at Morning Meetings, sports games, performance events and all manner of campus goings-on. Thanks to Angel Henriquez, Jack Parsons, and Konstantin Miebach. Camilo BitarRacedo served as our intrepid distribution manager all year, while Lisa Yao created beautiful illustrations for the publication. We are grateful to each of you for your generous time and talent in making Tower the strongest publication we can be.

The Class of 2024 will hold a special place in our hearts and we wish you all the best as you forge your way out in the world. Keep flexing your creativity in telling the stories that need to be told. THANK YOU!

Editors-in-ChiEf

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MattHias JaylEn

multimEdia dirECtor

XaviER Rolston

ChiEf dEsign Editor

lily ZuckERMan

lEad nEws Editor

ayalaH sPRatt

lEad nEws Editor

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alEXa MuRPHy

lEad opinion Editor

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lEad opinion Editor

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olivER kREEgER

lEad fEaturEs Editors

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Editors EmEritaE aviv EMERy

lydia EttingER

lEad sports Editor

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photo & illustration

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caMilo bitaR RacEdo faCulty advisors

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cHana kiM Jack PaRsons

konstantin MiEbacH Contributing writErs

ElEna baREtto

EunicE (siEn)Wang Mila bEnson onlinE mEdia

For more information, follow Tower on the following platforms: Website: Tower.MastersNY.org Facebook: MastersTower Instagram: @MastersTower Distribution Process Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed. A copy is sent to each of our advertisers.

scholastic Press affiliations, letters anD eDitorial Policy

THE TOWER CLASS OF 2024 leadership, consisting (left-right) of Editors-In-Chief Lucas Seguinot and Matthias Jaylen, Chief Design Editor Lily Zuckerman, and Multimedia Director Xavier Rolston, have passed the torch. The new leadership (also L-R) consists of Editors-In-Chief Rooke Wiser, Ellie Hise, and Justine Pascutti. Such a triple EIC-ship is rare.

JOSH MARKOWITZ/TOWER

TOWER BROADCAST NEWS LEADERSHIP team bids farewell to senior Executive Producer Zara Suvanto. However, TBN’s other EP, sophomore Azariah Charles, will serve one more term next year, accompanied by curreny fellow sophomore, Gus Creech.

TOWER STAFF

EllEn CowhEy & Matt Iv Es

Unite the Middle and Upper Schools

The Masters mission statement includes the value of “meaningful connection.” Many community activities are available to the Upper and Middle School, such as clubs, sports, art shows, music performances and plays.

However, the only opportunity for the Middle and Upper School to connect and bond during the year occurs on Founder’s Day when the entire school gathers on the Reunion Field to play a fun game of tug-of-war.

Otherwise, the only other chance for younger students to connect with older peers arises if a Middle School student is admitted to an Upper School sports team, or when a middle schooler visits the Writing Center at the library.

As a former Middle School student and current Upper School student, I have noticed little overlap between the Middle and Upper School during my four years.

We need to find more

ALYSSA WANG ‘25 TUTORS MIDDLE schooler Simon Buck ‘31 in the Writing Center. This is an example of one of the few opportunities for middle schoolers to connect with upper schoolers at Masters. Barreto believes that we need more tutoring and mentorship between students in the Middle and Upper Schools, like in the Doc newspaper which is a cross-divison partnership.

opportunities to work across the two divisions.

A tutoring program similar to Masters Mentors, a Middle School tutoring program that met as a co-curricular after school from Monday through Thursday during the fall sports trimester, could benefit both Upper and Middle School students. In the tutoring pro-

gram, older students could support the middle schoolers in math, engineering, foreign language, science or history.

According to an article by renowned science writer Annie Paul, teaching younger students is an effective and useful way for older students to retain the material. In addition, studies show that stu-

dents who tutored younger students scored higher on exams than those who did not, since tutoring others motivated the older kids to work harder to understand the topics.

Nartey Ephraim, a writer on children’s learning issues, also sees the benefits of interactions between younger and older students. According to

Ephraim, through cross-class interactions, older students can encourage their younger peers to pursue their goals or dreams, train them for important social skills needed in the future, and expose them to new perspectives and experiences. Older students also have the opportunity to solidify their learning and knowl-

edge while tutoring younger students.

Admittedly, there are difficulties with adjusting scheduling to provide an overlap in the Middle School and Upper School schedules. The different lengths of classes, sports times, lunch periods, extracurriculars and clubs can cause trouble when trying to align the schedules of both subsections of the school.

However, as the Writing Center in the Upper School demonstrates, opportunities for younger students to receive help and mentoring from older, more experienced students are important -- and possible. The practice of reaching out to older students and working with them will help younger students learn how to set up and prepare for meetings with teachers in the Upper School. Both Middle and Upper School students should advocate for a tutoring program, and be open to more inclusive, school-wide activities so the community can finally fulfill the last goal of the mission statement and promote a community with “meaningful connection.”

We need more Asian American recognition

EunicE Wang

Asian Americans have long been an important part of the American fabric.

As early as the 1500s, Filipino sailors traversed the seas and set foot on what would become Louisiana, while also fighting alongside the Americans in the War of 1812. From Japanese farmers and Vietnamese fisherfolk to the Chinese railroad workers, Asian Americans have contributed greatly to American society.

In my three years at Masters, I have had the privilege of attending various events ranging from Holocaust Remembrance meetings to MLK Day celebrations. These events have been invaluable in widening my understanding of the diverse cultures that have shaped the world we live in today. They were indeed indispensable as these events taught me knowledge that I wouldn’t be able to learn in

“

the classrooms.

Yet, to my despair, I have never attended a special school-wide event that is dedicated to remembering the long history and enduring contributions of Asian Americans.

While some aspects of Asian American history are touched upon in our textbooks, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act or Japan’s involvement in World War II, there is a wealth of untold stories waiting to be explored, recognized and remembered.

Why, for instance, do we not have Hiroshima-Peace Remembrance Day, commemorating the millions of civilian lives lost in the devastating atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

We see the contributions of Asian American civil rights and workers’ rights champions shaping our labor history. From the alliance formed by Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz in the creation of the United Farm Workers, demonstrat-

As a member of the Masters community, I often find myself feeling like an outsider, despite the presence of a big Asian population. It is disheartening to see our contributions overlooked and even marginalized.”

-Eunice Wang

EUNICE WANG DISCUSSES HOW in her three years at Masters, she’s attended numerous diversity and inclusivity events, but has never experienced a school-wide event dedicated to celebrating Asian-American history. She argues for more recognition of Asian Americans because Asian-American history, is American history.

ing the resistance of joint Mexican and Filipino communities and strength found in solidarity and unity, to the advocacy of May Chen, who fought tirelessly for workers’ rights and expanded civil liberties to shape our nation, these narratives deserve acknowledgment and celebration.

I sincerely believe these events are integral to understanding the full scope of our history. They deserve equal recognition alongside

other pivotal moments in American history.

As a member of the Masters community, I often find myself feeling like an outsider, despite the presence of a big Asian population. It is disheartening to see our contributions overlooked and even marginalized. I believe that each member of our community contributes uniquely to the rich American history.

While some may point out that there were morning

meeting presentations on Asian-American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) recognition, they often fall short in actual student engagement. In addition, cultural celebrations such as the Lunar New Year and the Moon Festival organized by the International Club involve participation predominantly of Asian students.

I urge the school to consider dedicating more attention to Asian American history. By hosting events

that educate students and faculty about the importance of the contributions of Asian Americans in the historical context and its role in shaping our collective narrative, we can create a greater sense of inclusion and appreciation for the various contributions that enrich our society.

Only by celebrating and acknowledging the full spectrum of our shared history can we truly embrace equality for all.

LAURA YUAN/TOWER

Elaina Barr Eto

ELLEN COWHEY/TOWER

Why the Kendrick-Drake beef matters

Alex A Murphy

The Kendrick Lamar-Drake rap beef feels personal. Drake and Kendrick represent two rap monoliths who have made homes for themselves in billions of playlists, car radios and TikToks. The most involved rap fan can cite their discography by heart; the least involved rap fan, given a few minutes to think about it, probably could, too.

The feud goes back about 13 years, but it most recently erupted after J. Cole rapped on Drake’s song “First Person Shooter,” “Love when they argue the hardest MC/Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?/ We The Big Three, like we started a league.”

But Kendrick hit back, discrediting the Big Three as he rapped, “It’s just big me,” on “Like That,” a track featuring Lamar, Metro Boomin, Future and J. Cole.

He was probably right.

Kendrick Lamar is the only rapper to have won a Pulitzer Prize for his artistry, and music publications consistently name him one of the greatest rappers of all time. Outside of the critical acclaim and prestige — which is only as meaningful as you make it — Kendrick’s complex and dynamic lyricism reso-

nates with people because of its authenticity. In the album “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”, for example, Kendrick shares candid and deeply personal reflections about fatherhood, spirituality and the pitfalls of fame.

Drake himself admitted at the end of his second diss track, “Taylor Made Freestyle” (which we’ll get back to later), “In the notepad doing lyrical gymnastics, my boy/You better have a ****** quintuple entendre on that s***. Some s*** I don’t even understand, like.”

This was not the first or last time throughout the rap beef that Drake dug at Lamar’s habit of discussing personal anecdotes through his lyricism. For example, Drake rapped in the Heart Part 6, “My mom came over today, and I was like, “Mother, I—/Mother, I—, mother—,” ahh, wait a second/ That’s that one record where you say you got molested/Aw, f*** me, I just made the whole connection/This about to get so depressin.”’

The track Drake refers to is called “Mother I Sober,” featured on Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, and is not about Lamar getting molested. Instead, the song follows Kendrick’s experience with generational trauma after his family falsely accused his cousin of molesting him, rapping, “I pray our children don’t inherit me and feel-

HOW TO LISTEN TO THE DISSES

ings I attract/A conversation not being addressed in black families/The devastation haunting generations and humanity.”

Kendrick expresses a du-

ality from his half of the rap beef. On the one hand, he is clear that his problem with Drake is personal when he raps in “Euphoria”, “I hate the way that

Bubbles Burst:

you walk, the way that you talk/I hate the way that you dress/I hate the way you sneak diss, if I catch the flight, it’s gon’ be direct.” But in “Euphoria,” like in “Mother I Sober” and as is traditional across his discography, Kendrick is rapping for “the culture.” Not even two lines later, he raps, “And notice, I said “we,” it’s not just me, I’m what the culture feelin’.”

It’s more than a Freudian slip that Drake misunderstood Kendrick’s narrative in “Mother I Sober.” What Drake never understood about Kendrick’s artistry is that his clever lyricism in combination with raw, uncomfortable honesty isn’t a gimmick — it speaks to the larger culture.

Drake’s side of the beef is all gimmicks. He paid the price for pretentiousness when Tupac’s estate threatened to sue Drake over an AI-generated verse mimicking the late Tupac Shakur’s style and voice at the start of his song, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which is no longer available on any listening platforms.

Most importantly, Kendrick was right when he said in “Not Like Us”, “You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/No, you not a colleague, you a f***in’ colonizer.” At best, Drake is disingenuous, but at worst, he actively exploits the populations he wants most to relate to. If Atlanta represents

the culture Kendrick is a mouthpiece for, Drake is completely divorced from it. Drake writes what sells — that’s why he was featured in one of every three people you asked’s Top Three on Spotify Wrapped. To achieve such commercial success, Drake had to create a persona that simultaneously catered to everyone and no one, which is why the stakes of a rap beef were higher for Drake than they were for Kendrick. Drake could be whatever you wanted him to be; whatever made it easier to sing along to “One Dance” when it played at your middle school graduation. When Kendrick pummeled Drake in “Euphoria” and “Meet the Grahams,” among other records, it ruined the unattached image of Drake that made it so easy to consume his product. When Drake dissed Kendrick, the damage was trivial. Kendrick reveals himself when he raps. Anything Drake could have said about him, audiences have either already heard or already anticipated, because we know Kendrick as a complete, albeit deeply flawed, person. The rap beef mattered because it represented two sides of rap as an art form that cannot coexist: Uncomfortable authenticity versus exploitative and dishonest popularity.

Lower Westchester’s Bubble tea shops reviewed

The brainchild of Taiwanese tea shops in the 1980s, bubble tea – the sweet, creamy drink grounded with chewy, namesake “bubbles” of tapioca – has grown exponentially in popularity in the United States. National chains, mom and pops and even Starbucks have adopted their own take on the incomparable beverage.

I have sampled countless, outrageous variants of the drink. From cheese foam to popping bubbles that explode in your mouth, bubble tea in all its forms is my obsession.

Thus, I give you three boba shops in lower Westchester – reviewed.

GoGreenly: Whether you huffed down the hill illicitly during a free period for some educational reprieve, or sampled their refreshing frozen yogurt for an end-of-the-season treat with your coaches (deploying your student ID for a discount,

obviously), GoGreenly is the quintessential destination for the average Masters student. Where GoGreenly diverges from tradition, however, is in the bubble tea section of their menu’s offerings.

The GoGreenly Dobbs Ferry website’s slogan reads, “Not Just Yogurt” –but maybe it should be?

I will be the first to admit my snobbery as a pseudo-Pete Wells. Regard less, their clas sic Black Milk Tea with boba as a topping fell quite short. The powdery aftertaste I was left with following that first gulp – and first impressions are everything – left, well, a dry taste in my mouth. I enjoyed their boba, however, which was cooked to a suitable chewy-ness and dispersed a sufficient amount of brown-sugar-tapioca flavor. Where the Black Milk Tea disappointed, the Passion

Fruit Green Tea rewarded. This second indulgence effortlessly avoided the sickeningly syrupy taste common to fruittea beverages, and the boba again did not disappoint. OverGreenly is great in a pinch, especially for a post-class snack, but steer far clear from their classics. B+.

Pokemoto:

When I first stepped foot into Pokemoto Tarrytown’s turquoise blue and nearly empty interior just a train ride away from Dobbs Ferry, I was skeptical. The flavor board listed some bold picks, all of which were a fruity derivative, and none of which were a traditional tea. This, in tandem with the lack of option to adjust sweetness, suffocated my expectations. Unsure, I opted for my default pick: lychee fruit tea with boba. Immediately after being handed my treat, I was uneasy. Where Pokemoto fumbled was not with the tea, but with the boba – or

lack thereof. A good cup of bubble tea has the trademark, thick foundation of closely-assembled tapioca balls. However, much to my dismay, Pokemoto supplied me with a thin, single-layer coating of boba that left me sipping on the liquid portion of my Lychee Fruit Tea far after the boba ran out. It was a terrible case of an off-kilter ratio.

Thankfully, the tea had a bold lychee flavor that was balanced and sweet, boasting a traditional, floral taste. While Pokemoto has the makings for a stellar shop, their product requires tweaking. Unfortunate B-.

Gong Cha: Last, but certainly not least, Gong Cha Hartsdale. I cannot tell you how many times I have schlepped from my post in Dobbs Ferry to enjoy a beverage from Gong Cha. My orders are consistent and delicately curated to optimize flavor and refreshment. Gong Cha exceeds with their Lychee Oolong and Passion-

and

fruit Green Tea, so it comes as no surprise that their Pearl Milk Tea (they call their boba “pearls,” which I personally do not understand) also lives up to the hype.

While some batches have occasionally left me with the ever-ominous powdery texture, nine times out of 10, I was in safe hands. Gong Cha

receives a special shoutout for their constant rotation of seasonal specials – spiced boba in a gingerbread man bottle, juicy mango and a Hershey chocolate series, just to name a few – option to adjust both ice and sugar levels and vast choices for toppings. Safe to say, I’m a fan. Solid A.

Allie FA ber

FABER’S NUMBER ONE PICK, Gong Cha Hartsdale, is reliable, convenient,

delicious. Lychee Oolong Tea with boba and peach jelly is pictured left, and Black Milk Tea with boba is pictured right.

ALLIE FABER/TOWER

DRAKE:

UP ,UP AND

AND AWAY!

Note: Only 90 out of the 123 students in the senior class shared their college destination with Tower. Each balloon’s color represents the colleges’ primary colors. Designed by Matthias Jaylen and Lucas Seguinot, 20232024 Tower Editors-in-Chief.

with new Shakespeare actors

Conversation with Magnolia Bing-Edwards ‘26

Spratt: What role do you play?

Bing-Edwards: I play the apothocary, the second watchman and I’m in the prologue

Q: What was the audition process like this season?

A: I didn’t really know what to expect. It was a lot of theater games and stuff I’d never done before but it was really good to get to know the people. And it was just a really good environment to introduce me to what [theater] would be like.

Q: How did you train for the fights?

A: I was in ethical violence for Wintermission which was super fun and that gave me some baseline experience that I can later build off of, but then [during rehearsals] it was just running fights over and over again after you’ve made them.

Q: Did you get to design any of the fights?

A: Yes, they are all student-designed. They also vary between the two casts. The fight choreography is super fun to come up with and how each character would act during a fight based on what kind of person they are.

Q: So what has rehearsal been like so far?

A: Now, rehearsals are like three hours long this week. It’s a little stressful because it’s coming up quickly, but it’s really fun. It’s definitely been getting better and better each time; I feel like we’re making a lot of progress.

Conversation with Gigi Wheeler ‘27

Spratt: What role are you playing?

Wheeler: I am Sister John, I’m also Page to Tybalt and I’m in the prologue.

Q: Would you tell me a bit about what auditions were like?

A: We had one week for general auditions with everyone. After that week, we got told that we’re in either spring shorts or Romeo and Juliet. And then for Romeo and Juliet, we had another week of auditions where we just played fun games.

Q: And how has acting in a Shakespeare play been?

A: It’s been a lot of fun and it definitely helps that we’re reading it in English [class] too. I’ve had an easier time [understanding the text] than I thought because we really took the time to break down the text.

Q: What’s been your favorite thing about the rehearsal process?

A: I think my favorite thing is being outside and just relaxing and talking to people while we’re watching everyone act. I’ve really enjoyed the community and how nice everyone is. I’m glad I got a chance to be with a lot of seniors before they left because everyone has been really supportive.

In fair Verona where we lay our scene... on the Graduation Terrace

“

For the Masters theater community, the annual spring Shakespeare production marks the closing of the school year. This year, theater director Meg O’Connor selected the famously tragic tale of the star-crossed lovers: “Romeo and Juliet.”

“I love the fact that the first half of “Romeo and Juliet” is like a comedy and the second half is pure tragedy. I thought it was a good challenge [for the actors],” O’Connor said.

This spring season at Mainstage saw an unprecedented number of auditionees, with over 70 partici -

pants. Auditions were held for three days and after a weekend of de - liberation, the cast list for both the Spring Shorts and Romeo and Juliet were announced. However, while those cast in Spring Shorts learned their roles right away, another round of auditions was held to determine the roles of those cast in “Romeo and Juliet”. In the end, two casts of “Romeo and Juliet” were created: the red cast and the blue cast.

and pears to attest to the fact that people have their different styles. It just comes off vastly different. In the blue cast we had Xavier and Sage, my parents, and then the other is McKarthy and Thomas. It’s just such a different energy,” Neal said.

meo of the red cast, also talked about the two casts.

derful and it’s really cool to see my counterpart, Camilo. We both have different ways of going at [the role] but I find that in rehearsal when I get to watch

portraying [Ro meo] differently than I would.”

Bing-Edwards ‘26. Since the show was set to take place on Graduation Terrace, rehearsals had also been taking place outside.

“It gets everyone’s energy up. It’s a good environment,” Neal said. meo and Juliet” marked the end of their ney. Both sets of niors, and these roles would be their final ones at

Chanel Neal ‘24, Juliet of the blue cast, performed on May 15 and May 17. She spoke about her experience with the two casts.

“[O’Connor] will say double casting is apples

the casts of “Ro meo and Juliet” had been hard at work preparing for this iconic play. Many cast members were taught the basics of stage combat and even worked on choreographing their own fight sequences, according to first-time Mainstage actor Magnolia

er said that this was particularly emotional for him since he had been involved in acting since the

“This is my last show. I have to live every single moment and not wait until it’s done. It’s my senior show and I’m doing it for myself fully,” Tucker said.

AyAl Ah Spr Att

I I love the fact that the first half of “Romeo and Juliet” is like a comedy and the second half is pure tragedy.”

-Meg O’Connor

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, seniors Charlie Gaines, Aron Tucker, Chanel Neal and Camilo Bitar-Racedo portray the Romeo and Juliets of the red and blue casts respectively dance during the Capulet ball. Colorful costumes and masks mark the festival where Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time, sparking the tragic tale of the star-crossed lovers.

ARON TUCKER ‘24 AND Charlie Gaines ‘24 lie side by side as Romeo and Juliet respectively, having just taken their own lives thinking the other was dead.

English department chair Nelson steps down

Matthias Jaylen

After five years of serving as the chair of the English department, Geoffrey Nelson will be moving on from the Masters community to embark on his next professional journey at the Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. There, Nelson will serve as the dean of faculty.

Before Nelson came to Masters, he taught at Friends Academy, an independent high school on Long Island. He first heard of Masters when one of his old colleagues came to Masters for a job interview.

He said, “She was really one of the people who first got me thinking about Masters because she said it’s an amazing place. I really trusted her judgment. She said the kids were great.”

Though his colleague didn’t get the job, they thought Masters would be a good fit for Nelson,

and they just happened to have a position open, which pushed him to apply.

Nelson said he has felt extremely proud about his accomplishments as department chair, most notably diversifying the department’s reading list and curriculum. Nelson was able to accomplish this during his first year at Masters, even be-

fore the school implemented the “A Better Masters” racial justice plan in 2020. He said, “I’m psyched that we started this in the department my first year, in part because students said to us, ‘Hey, we love the reading list, and we love the department, but we’re mostly reading dead white men.’ That was a change

that we all agreed to make as a department in response to students saying, ‘We just want a wider diversity of voices in the curriculum.’”

The student body is what Nelson said he is going to miss the most. He said, “The shape of the community is really authentic, very homespun and feels very real to me. As far as authenticity goes, I think this is a place where people feel like they can largely show up as themselves and they don’t feel the need to be perfect. They make mistakes, we laugh together and people are supported.” He continued, “So I think that spirit of creative vulnerability, risk taking, authenticity, and the kind of the weird funniness that Masters kids are just the perfect embodiment of, is what makes working with teenagers fun.”

His impact has been felt throughout the student body, according to junior Thomas O’ Grady. He is in Nelson’s AP English Language class and said he’s

Computer science teacher Stone Yan says goodbye to Dobbs Ferry

neena atkins

allie Faber

Computer science teacher and basketball fanatic Stone Yan will be moving on to the next steps in his career after three years at Masters. Yan will continue his path as a computer science teacher, work towards goals for high school computer science education and advance side projects in California.

“I’m proud of all my students. I see the effort everyone puts in the classroom, in the gym, on the field and it gives me energy, motivation, inspiration as well,” Yan said.

Since he joined the Masters community in 2021, engineering, robotics and entrepreneurship classes have blossomed in the Innovation and Entre -

preneurship Center that opened in the fall of 2023.

Yan’s teaching techniques have positively affected his students. Principles of Engineering student William Black ‘25 said, “Instead of holding your hand through the process, he helps you un -

derstand the topic, without interfering with your thinking process.” Black said Yan advocates for working through issues instead of calling for help the second a problem arises.

Excited by his students’ endeavors and growth, Yan said, “I love hearing about all the things they are building, learning and exploring.” Some of his students’ projects include an app to decode sign language, a song recommendation algorithm, and apps that use reinforcement learning to recognize objects through a Webcam, and that visualize complex math concepts.

Yan is also a huge basketball

fan. The sport has made its way into some of Yan’s most rewarding memories from his time at Masters “Playing on scout team for varsity basketball to help them prepare for games, and watching our amazing students in all their athletic events and performances, especially the ones in my classes, dorm, and advisees,” he said. “Oh, and beating the students in the seniors vs faculty basketball game.”

Yan has left a lasting impression on his students, leaving significant pieces of advice. Black said, “Mr. Stone has preached to us throughout the year that before coming to ask him a question, you need to first identify the specific issue at hand before calling for the help of a classmate or teacher. Knowing what the issue is and being able to express it in a meaningful way is important.”

going to miss him a lot. O’Grady said, “I’m going to miss his exuberant personality and his self-deprecation. He’s very funny and he gets the science of comedy. That’s going to be something I miss.”

Nelson has reiterated to his students that just because he’s leaving the school doesn’t mean that they will now be strangers. He said, “I’m not dead. I’m just about 90 minutes to the East.”

O’Grady left this final message for Nelson, saying,“If you’re reading this, Mr. Nelson, I don’t actually think you’re a traitor. I’ve had an amazing experience in AP 11 this year and an amazing experience outside of the classroom. I never felt like I could talk to a teacher about the wide range of things we talk about. Wherever you go, they’ll be receiving a gift.”

DiVico to depart from Masters

After one year of being a parttime teacher at Masters, chemistry teacher Charles DiVico is departing from the school in search of more part-time chemistry teaching jobs. He said, “Wherever I go, I hope it will be a school just like Masters.”

DiVico joined the Masters community in September of 2023, previously working at Sacred Heart Greenwich and Rye Country Day for 30 years. There, his passion for chemistry continued to grow and develop.

“Chemistry is life.”

continued, “It helps me have a better understanding of the world around me, and I hope I impart that on my students too.”

Known by his students for having a strict yet engaging demeanor, DiVico is an essential part of the Masters community. When asked what the most memorable experience he had at Masters, he mentioned Wintermission, as well as meeting other faculty members that were new to the school.

“It gave me a chance to get to know the faculty that was new to the school like I am, and become friends with a lot of them. It’s always good to have friendly faces in a new setting.”

DiVico

Mila benson

Three teachers (Stacy Browne, Lodz PierreJuanso, and Victoria Jansen) are also moving on, but declined to be interviewed for this feature.

MATTHIAS JAYLEN/TOWER

ELLEN COWHEY/TOWER

NICHOLAS KHOURY-LEVY/TOWER

STONE YAN, A COMPUTER science teacher, is moving on after three impactful years at Masters.

CHARLES DIVICO, A PART-TIME chemistry teacher, is departing Masters after one year of dedicated teaching.

GEOFFREY NELSON, THE OUTGOING chair of the English department, is preparing for his new role as dean of faculty at Hopkins School.

But during the spring season of his

EMMANUEL HARRIS

nothing else matters. Just pushing as hard as I can and crossing the finish line.”

“It helps me deal with a lot of things like stress and anxiety,” he continued. “I look forward to practice and look forward to going to meets”

Since first trying track, he’s been running all three seasons: cross country, indoor winter track and outdoor spring track. He’s also been extremely successful throughout his short Masters career. He holds individual school records for the triple jump, 110 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles. On top of that, he’s a part of the group that holds the school record for 4 by 400 and 4 by 100 relay records.

Harris said is grateful for his teammates and coaches here at Masters and is appreciative

“It helps me deal with a lot of things like stress and anxiety.”

-EMManuel HARRIS’24

for the lessons they’ve given him. He said, “They’ve helped me grow so much. Not even just my track career but just as a person. They taught me to be like a team player and help and uplift people. There’s no other team that’s going to be like this.”

Though Harris will miss his team, he’s ready for the next level of competition. He said, “There’s a different level of competition when you get to that higher level. And I look forward to embracing that and trying to compete to the best of my ability.”

Senior co-captain of the track team, Charlie Milward said that Harris is an integral part of

COMMITTED

JakeMason‘24toDenisonCollege

One of the most decorated runners in Masters track history, Jake Mason ‘24, has committed to Denison University in Ohio to play for their track and field team.

Senior Jake Mason is a two-season runner who does indoor and outdoor track. He has been running for Masters since his sophomore year.

Mason was a natural-born athlete. He said he’s always loved playing sports, and as a kid he always knew he was fast.

Mason originally was a baseball player, but during the spring season of his sophomore year, he decided to try running track. He said, “I had a pretty successful first year. I really enjoyed it, and then started doing it my junior and senior year.”

Throughout his time at

“ THROUGH HARD WORK ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.” -BRIAN WOLFSON ‘25

Masters he’s broken multiple school records including the indoor 100 and 200 meter relay last season. He was also a part of the team that broke the school record for the indoor 4 by 400 relay. Along with that, he holds an outdoor school record for the 4 by 100 relay. Mason has also been invited to several invitational competitions and nationals for his elite performance.

Mason loves being the team captain and holding that leadership position. He said, “It means a lot to be someone that’s there for underclassmen, because sometimes when you’re starting out, it’s

hard. So you have got to be supportive and friendly.”

He continued, “You have to make sure they know that they’re welcome on the team, and that you want them to improve. It’s fun at the end of the day, because it’s a sport and you’re with a team, you’re bonding, and you get to grow pretty close to them.”

Junior track runner, Brian Wolfson spoke highly of his teammate. He said, “Everyone knows Jake is one of the fastest runners on the team, but it is also apparent that he gives all of his effort to his training. Jake has suffered multiple injuries, but he always pushes through the pain

the team and that he will be missed. He said, “I’m extremely excited for him and I desperately want to see how far he’ll go. That being said, it does make me sad that I will no longer be his teammate and I wish I had a few more seasons left with him. Nevertheless Emmanuel’s recruitment is extremely well deserved.”

Harris was shocked but excited when he first got a letter that Marist College was interested in him. He said, “After I got the offer from Marist, it was insane to me that in a year of progression, I could be running D1 track

and that was just, it was insane.” Harris had the opportunity to visit the campus and sit in on a practice, and he was wowed by the culture they had at Marist led by the assistant coach Billy Poole-Harris and he felt like he could blossom there. Emmanuel Harris said, “Coach Harris wasn’t like a traditional coach. He treats you like a family member. It was that family aspect that drew me towards the team.” Harris wanted the Masters community to remember to always keep an open mind. He said,“ You saw my trajectory. I was a basketball player for three years. Then all of a sudden, I joined spring track. And now I just fell in love with it. That can really be true for anything in life. So don’t knock any new things until you really know. Give it a chance.”

Harris looks to make

for the team. At FAA champs Jake ran one of the fastest times at the meet, earning a spot in the 100-meter final. Although Jake injured his hamstring when running in the preliminary race, he made sure to push through the pain and jog his way to the finish line, earning Masters valuable points.”

Wolfson continued, “Denison University is lucky to have recruited a runner like Jake Mason. I know that he will shine in his future meets in college and build invaluable bonds with his teammates. Jake has truly paved the way for the Masters track team, showing that through hard work anything is possible.”

Mason said he is ready for the big change from high school to college. He said, “Masters was great for four years, but I want to further

1. EMMANUEL HARRIS COMPETES IN a track meet on Greene Field at Masters. Harris is the captain of the team and holds individual records for the school.

2. JAKE MASON PREPARES TO run in another track meet. Mason recently ran one of the fastest times at the recent FAA championship.

my track career in college and be at a college with great facilities. I’m really excited and look forward to meeting new people and new teammates. I’ll miss my teammates here.”

Mason said he has his eyes on the prize and is focused on always improving, getting stronger and getting faster. He said, “We will be doing morning lifts and then practices every day. And my main focus is just getting better, getting those times down and hopefully breaking some school records there as well.”

Matthias Jaylen

Matthias Jaylen

JAKE MASON

BreakingtheNorm: Caleb Grasheim LeadsasaSophomoreCaptain

Ella Black

In high school sports, leadership is often associated with seniority, but sophomore Caleb Grasheim has defied this norm. He has stood out due to his skills, dedication and maturity and is a key part of the leadership for the Boys Varsity Tennis team.

Grasheim has been on the tennis team since freshman year and was chosen as captain because of his skills and leadership on and off the court. According to Coach Michael Moshan, “Caleb came into the season more confident, stronger and dedicated to the sport, a great example of leading by example.”

His journey to where he is now is not linear and when he started playing tennis at the age of 6, it wasn’t his main sport. When he was younger, he was passionate about baseball, but his dad, who is a tennis player, influenced him to take tennis more seriously.

The young captain shared that tennis is a key way that he bonds with his father and family in general. “When it comes to school, there are a lot of times

where my parents don’t understand what I’m going through.”

He continued, “Tennis is a way for my dad and I to connect because he’s been through similar things as me, so he understands what I’m experiencing.”

Grasheim is the number one single player for the Masters team, so he has to match up against the opposing team’s best player. This is a big burden and Coach Moshan hopes that going forward he will find more enjoyment, win or lose.

Grasheim’s biggest challenge when it comes to tennis is the mental aspect. He said, “This often occurs during single matches for me because it’s just your thoughts, your racket, and your ball.” As a captain he has to take a step back and realize that even though he may have lost the match, he has to put the team first.

He said he believes that t’s important to support and encourage his fellow teammates because they perform better

Tennis is a way for my dad and I to connect because he’s been through similar things as me, so he understands what im experiencing.”

“

-Caleb Grasheim

with encouragement. Coach Moshan said, “Caleb was typically the first to show up to practices and gave 100%. He roots for his teammates during matches and they fed off his intensity.” He also encourages his teammates during practice, helping them step out of their comfort zone and play against all different kinds of players.

He said, “If you play the same person every day, you’re not going to get better. It’s important to be exposed

to different playing styles, so you are prepared for actual competition.”

On and off the court, Grasheim is always putting in 110%, whether he’s hitting pointers or cheering on his teammates. Grasheim said he is grateful for his team because they work hard together, and celebrate together whether it’s a win or loss.

He said, “My main goal is to make sure every single person on the team feels sup-

ported and feels like they have improved.” According to Moshan, Grasheim has made a huge impact on the team and has two more years to grow as a player and captain. He said, “We’re all basically brothers and the game allows us to really connect with each other.” Moshan said, “I know he’ll work hard during the long off-season and come back as a junior even more determined and skilled and ready to lead the Panthers.”

VarsityBaseball

comes out swinging

Masters Varsity Baseball has been dominant on the field all spring, earning them their first winning season in years. After a 1-9 season last year, they finished this campaign with a record of 8-3. The Panthers came into this year with a new mentality and team culture, largely due to the help of head coach Chuck Gutierrez. Gutierrez is new to Masters this year and had previously coached at All Hallows High School in the Bronx, and has been a decorated and highly touted coach for both his time working in high school and for his travel team.

Sophomore center fielder Zach Gotthelf spoke on Gutierrez’s impact this year saying, “This season was a big change on the whole team with Coach Chuck. Compared to last season, I felt that Coach Chuck brought with him the idea of winning games and doing all things with a purpose. Overall, I saw everything come together as the season played out. The whole team worked hard and got better.”

Though Gutierrez has played a massive role in the team’s success, that is not the only thing that should be credited with the team’s successful spring. The intensity and mentality brought to the table by every member of the team is the most striking difference between this year’s team and teams in previous years.

Senior Captain and starting pitcher Henry Hubner, spoke about the difference in the team’s success this year from years prior.

He said, “In my experience this year the team

trusted each other more, and was more dedicated to executing what our coaches implemented in practice than in years past. Also -on a personal level -- this year my stats matched how I felt I performed, so I ended my high school career on that positive note.” Hubner has been with the program through its ups and downs for the last four years of his high school career and as he heads off to play at Bard College he hopes to bring what he learned from his experience here to help him at the next level.

CAPTAIN CALEB GRASHEIM RECEIVES a top spin cross court forehand from a fellow camper at his sleepaway camp that he attended over the summer of 2022.

CONNOR TOPOROFF-RICHMAN GETS ready to bat against York Prep during one of their final games of the season. Toporoff-Richman has been a vital part of the team for 4 years.

CAMP ANDROSCOGGIN PHOTOGRAPHER

adam BEllo

ETHAN KATZKE

SportS

Hubner hits a homerun to Bard

Masters

ace

pitcher Henry Hubner will be moving on to the next level to pitch for the Bard College Raptors. Hubner has achieved many milestones throughout his Masters career, including a monumental complete game where he shut out the Wooster school and recorded 10 strikeouts and allowed just one hit. That game was his first career Masters win and complete game.

Hubner is a tall 6-foot-3 right-hander, weighing 165 pounds with a nice arsenal of pitches. He can throw an 84-mile-per-hour fastball along with a nasty slider and change-up that sits in the 70-mile-per-hour range. This year, he’s also developed an effective curveball that he’s been throwing live in game as well.

This season he has pitched 27.2 innings, and owns a 1.265 ERA along with a 0.867 WHIP and a monstrous 54 strikeouts. Along with his stellar pitching, Hubner has also been

an effective hitter. Thus far in the season, he has been hitting .391 with an OPS of 1.012.

Hubner said he has dreamed of playing college ball for a long time. He first picked up a baseball at 3 years old and has been playing ever since.

He said, “I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. The first team I played for was tee ball when I was 3 for the first time.” He continued, “After tee ball I played on a Little League team, then in middle school, high school, and now college. I’ve always just wanted to play baseball.” Hubner has always loved playing baseball and didn’t want to give that up, which is what motivated him to play hard and get recruited for college ball.

Hubner has been the captain of the Masters team for the last two years and has embraced being a leader on the field. He said, “As you become an upperclassman, your speaking role on the team changes, whether it’s in the dugout, or in huddles. I feel like I’ve tried to step into

that as best I can. From making the younger kids feel welcome to trying to make ev erybody feel like we’re here working together, striving towards something. It can be really fun when everybody buys in and we succeed.”

Fellow senior and co-captain Connor Topor roff-Richman has been play ing with Hubner since their freshman year. He said, “It’s been great to have the op portunity to play along-side him especially as a co-cap tain for many years because he’s always had immense talent and is so knowledge able about baseball that his ‘Baseball IQ’ rubs off on the entire team. I am super excited for Henry to continue his baseball career at a higher level and I hope he’s able to continue to grow as both a pitcher and an overall baseball player.”

for the last two years.

for the opportunity and ready to show off his skills in the Liberty League.

Hubner said he is grateful for all of his coaches and mentors through his journey, but he is especially grateful for his late father who introduced him to baseball.

He said, “My dad was the one who I first started playing with. He passed

away the summer going into my junior year. He’s totally someone I’ve thought of all the time since and he put me on to baseball, and started playing catch with him in the backyard.”

Hubner is excited to work hard and be a part of the Bard team. He said, “I’m so excited; for the first time, I’m living with the guys that

you’re working out with. I’ll be around the guys working out together, eating together, playing together. I think it’s going to be the most structured experience in baseball I’ve had.”

Bard College is an NCAA Division III school and plays in the Liberty League. This season the Raptors closed their sea-

son with a record of 6-26 and a win percentage of .062% Hubner looks to add strength and stability to the team’s rotation while working to get better and increase his pitching velocity.

Bello bounces to Bowdoin College

MAtthi AS JAylen

Standing at 6-foot-2 and hailing from the Bronx, point guard number 11, team captain

Adam Bello will be taking his talents to play basketball for the Bowdoin College Polar Bears.

Throughout his four-year Masters career, Bello has made several crucial contributions to the Masters basketball program, both on and off the court

as a leader and as the team’s star player.

Bello has been honored by the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) and New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) for two years in a row.

In his junior year, Bello was awarded with an honorable mention from both leagues, and for his senior season he was a NEPSAC honorable mention and took home FAA first-team

honors.

This season he has averaged 16.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block per game.

Beyond his accolades, Bello was also able to lead the team to their first playoff appearance and playoff win in five years with his stellar offensive and defensive production.

Before developing into the player he is today, Bello did struggle during his under-

classman years on the team. He said, “When I was in ninth grade I came in at 5-foot-2 and in tenth grade was 5-foot-7. I was struggling in 10th grade to produce at a high level. Though I did start, I wasn’t scoring a lot. I didn’t really blossom till last year and that’s when coaches and I sat down and said, okay, I can actually play in college.”

Bello is a true floor general. He’s a major threat and is a three level scorer. He’s automatic from three, whether it be a catch and shoot or off the dribble opportunity. Bello’s also a quick guard that can blow right by his defenders for easy layups or can pull up and shoot in the mid-range.

His teammate, junior guard Eddie Tam, said he never doubted Bello’s destiny to play college basketball. He said, “We all knew he was going to play college ball. Everyone was just waiting for him to commit. We all saw it coming.”

Tam said he is going to miss having Bello around as his teammate. He said, “I’m going to miss him. He’s a really good teammate and a really good leader. He’s also a really great friend outside of basketball and is really caring. He’s a well-

raised kid.”

As a player, Bello has great court vision and can always orchestrate the offense and find the right play for his teammates to get scoring opportunities.

On the defensive end, he’s a monster on the perimeter and is always contesting and blocking shots from the three.

Bello said of playing college basketball, “I’m really excited about the opportunity. I’ve talked to Coach Loyd and Tyler a lot about what they are looking for from me. All that’s on my mind is proving myself. I’m trying to prove to them what I can be for this team and that I deserve a spot on this team and this is where I’m supposed to be. I’m going to work as hard as I can all summer and all fall so when I step foot on campus in September I’ll be in the best form I can be.”

Bello said he is grateful for all of his coaches and mentors that have been a part of his basketball journey, like Masters Head Coach Joey Kuhl and his AAU coach, Zach Kuba. Bowdoin’s team is currently an NCAA Division III school and plays in the NESCAC league. Last season, Bowdoin finished with a record of 9-15. Bello hopes to make an immediate impact on the team his freshman year. He said, “I want to work my way into the rotation, be a consistent player for the team, be a floor general, be someone who controls the pace of the game and gets his teammates involved. I’m hoping I can do that and am given the opportunity to.”

Despite being focused on basketball, Bello reflected on making sure he does well both on the court and in the classroom. He said, “I hope to do well academically. Bowdoin is a hard school academics-wise. I want to show that I’m not only a basketball player. It’s student first. I have a lot of academic goals that I want to achieve during college.”

AyAl Ah Spr Att

MAtthi AS JAylen

HENERY HUBNER AND COACH Neil Jaggernauth celebrating his offical signing to Bard College Baseball. Hubner has been a vital part of the baseball program for the last 4 years and has been the teams starting pitcher

Hubner is extremely excied

MATTHIAS JAYLEN/TOWER