Tower Issue #2 2016-2017

Tower The Masters School

VOLUME 73 NUMBER 2

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

Editorial In lieu of taking space to write our opinions, we have published a centerspread that features voices from the Masters community about the presidential election. We hope that everyone takes the time to read and understand opposing views. In order to function as a cohesive school we must respect the values and experiences that drive each other’s beliefs.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2016

tower.mastersny.org

Effects of the Trump economy Jack Murray Copy Editor

PHORO COURTESY OF PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP and President Obama met last week to discuss Trump’s transition to Office. In Trump’s “Contract to the American People,” he presented his priorities as improving jobs, infrastrucutre, and the economy, though main priorites for the Masters community included the environment, immigration, and education.

Trump outlines ambitious plan for first hundred days allie Berdon Editor-in-Chief

President-elect Donald Trump led a fierce campaign, fueled by bold statements and a promise for change in America. Trump spoke broadly about improving jobs and infrastructure, and has vowed to save our economy and to “Make America Great Again.” After winning the general election on Nov. 8, Trump and his team published a “Contract to the American Voter” outlining some of the goals he hopes to achieve during his first 100 days in office.

One major goal that has been consistent throughout his campaign includes implementing plans to expand our economy by 4% each year, as well as creating 25 million jobs as a result of tax reductions and trade reform. However, to many millennials, his economic policies and tax reforms are not among their top priorities.

According to the Political Sci-

ence class’ poll data, some of the top priorities among Masters students and faculty included the environment, immigration and education.

Trump’s environmental policies are a stark contrast to those of President Obama. Trump plans to lift restrictions on energy reserves such as shale, oil, natural gas and coal. He also plans to cancel the billions of dollars that are directed to the U.N.’s climate change programs; he will do this with the help of Myron Ebell, his newly appointed head of the transition team for the EPA. Many argue that Trump’s environmental policies are a step in the wrong direction. “With President Obama we made huge strides with big corporations by implementing policies to reduce carbon emissions, and now Trump has the authority to dismantle policies that Obama and his administration put into place to help the environment,” said EFFECT leader Haley Goodman.

Another promise that Trump hopes to fulfill is his dedication to

making America a safe and prosperous country. Trump’s stance on crime is interconnected with his aggressive stance on immigration.

According to his “contract,” Trump vows to deport the country’s “criminal illegal immigrants,” suspending immigrants from “terror-prone” regions and funding police task forces to crack down on drugs and violence. Trump’s promise is consistent with former President Nixon’s platform of “law and order” dating back to the 1968 campaign. Many argued that Nixon’s campaign disproportionately targeted people of color; today, many think that Trump’s stance on immigration and crime unfairly targets religious and racial minorities. “It is not news that inner-city communities have higher crime rates, but a big part of the issue has to do with education and culture. The solution is not necessarily going to be an increase in police force, but a more innovative system,” senior Jared Foxhall said.

While education was emphasized as a top priority of the Ber-

nie Sanders campaign, it was not a great focus of Trump’s. Many millennials sided with Sanders’ approach to make tuition free at public colleges and universities, as well as alleviating some of the debt with which many college graduates are burdened. Trump, however, does not have a specific plan to relieve some of these ongoing problems. His “contract” plans to “redirect education dollars” to enable parents to send their children to private, charter and religious schools, which essentially means reducing funding for already struggling public elementary and high schools across the nation, while reducing costs.

Another promise that Trump has is to make two- and four-year colleges more affordable, although no specific policy is in place to implement this action.

Trump ran on the idea of change, and it is now up to him to appoint experienced and wellversed politicians to help him implement some of the changes he hopes to see.

Moments before the first election results came in, Donald Trump had a 20% probability of winning.

However, Trump outperformed his projections in most of the battleground states. Wisconsin, a state that Clinton was winning in the polls by over 6%, ended up as a Trump victory with a narrow margin of just under 1%.

Trump’s victory was not the only recent event to defy polling predictions. Numerous economists and analysts claimed that the market would suffer an immense hit if Trump won the presidency.

Barclay’s global equity strategist Keith Parker predicted the S&P 500 would fall 11 to 13 %. After Trump won, contrary to analyst predictions, the S&P rose steadily and the Dow Jones closed at its alltime high.

On the contrary, the global economy was not exempt from suffering a hit. After the election the Japanese stock market, the Nikkei 225, had fallen nearly 1000 points.

However, due to the U.S. stock market being stable, the Nikkei rose back to its previous position in a day.

Just because the US markets are prospering does not mean that they are stable in the short term.

Skeffington Young, the economics teachers at Masters said, “The markets calculated Clinton winning and they like stability. Trump is erratic, we don’t know what will set him off. His impact on international relations could ultimately affect the economy; it could be a good idea to move towards low-risk investments.”

Transferring to low risk investments, like government securities which almost guarantee a return, may benefit the average person’s investment portfolio. However, low-risk investments typically yield lower returns, wnear 3%.

Science Department rethinks freshman course GeorGe Weed Features Editor Over the past couple of years, efforts have been made to introduce sustainability into various aspects of The Masters School. Through the implementation of EFFECT (Masters’ Sustainability committee) and the work of the Science Department, Masters has already implemented a compost system and begun to place heavy emphasis on sustainable lifestyle.

Though Masters, as a community, is striving to ensure that sustainability continues to be prominent in daily life, Frank Greally, Science Department Chair, believes that more work can still be done. Along with science teachers Mary May, Andrew Young and William Roberts, Greally is redesigning the freshman science course around sustainable habits.

“It’s going to be a new, project-based version of the current environmental science class,” said Greally. “We want students to en-

gage more heavily with our campus, and our environment.”

Although the new, unnamed science course is still in its early stages, and the minutiae have yet to be worked out, Greally and the Science Department are working to hammer out the course before the beginning of next year.

While such a drastic change will likely have some pushback, the proposed freshman course received overwhelmingly positive feedback during the parent open house in September.

EFFECT advisor and current environmental science teacher, Mary May, is also working to incorporate the skills-based method of learning into the freshman course.

She hopes to put in place a science class that involves less homework and more involved activities and projects. “This is the direction that science is going,” said May, “the way we should be teaching it.”

“From my standpoint,” said Young, there’s a lot of opportunity to teach students about the world around them that we don’t necessarily take advantage of. It is im-

portant for students to know not only that we do compost and recycle, but how its done and why we do it,” While there is concern about ablity to pursue a career in scientific study, students will still be able to take honors, regular and AP biology, chemistry and physics during their time at Masters.

The switch may impact those who wish to take all four “core” subjects and an AP course. However, opportunities will likely be granted to students who wish to take more than one science class at once, or go straight into AP bwwiology. While many may be concerned by the effects of this new freshman course, May believes that it will help students to be better prepared for their Masters science careers.

This new course complements an EFFECT iniative, to bring sustainability into the classroom. While the science department is working hard to perfect the new course, EFFECT’s education subgroup is creating lesson plans that will be integrated into the Masters curriculum in the coming years.

COURTNEY DELONG/TOWER

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENT, Min Hyung Lee, composting. The new freshman course will teach students more about sustainable practices like compost. They will learn about how environmental science relates to their lives.

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NEWS

TOWER/NOVEMBER 18, 2016

Tuition increase concerns students and families DaviD Oks Copy Editor When Business Insider released a ranking of the 50 costliest high schools in the country a year ago, it named Masters the 48th most expensive. Not long afterwards, the school announced a 3.04% rise in tuition for day students, bringing the cost to $42,400, and a 2.84% increase in tuition for boarding students, bringing their tuition to $59,500. The average New York private day high school costs $34,400 in tuition, according to the National Association of Independent Schools, meaning that Masters is approximately 23% more expensive than the average independent day school.

As the school expands its facilities and its ambitions, tuition has risen dramatically in order to cover the cost of projects such as new buildings and expanded compensation. Many students say that Masters tuition is a huge financial burden on their family and a strain on diversity.

The average household in Westchester County makes $83,422 a year, according to a 2014 report by the Census Bureau. While this is significantly higher than the national and New York state average incomes, simply paying Masters day student tuition in full would constitute more than half of the pre-tax income of a family earning that much. This makes coming to Masters out of the question for most lowerand middle-income families. Families that do come to Masters oftentimes struggle to pay the tuition.

The consistent tuition hikes that families can expect also cause problems. For many families, earnings don’t increase as significantly from year to year as Masters tuition does.

According to statisOfficer, Ed Biddle. Howtics obtained from the ever, documents obtained Business Office, tuition from the Business Office increased by 16.2% for showed that about 48% day students and 16% of Master’s expenses are for boarding students unrelated to salary. In adbetween the 2012-13 dition, a disproportionate school year and now. share of salary costs origiAnother consequence nate from administrators. of high tuition is a negAn analysis of the school’s ative effect on socioecopublicaly available tax renomic diversity within turns showed that $1.3 milthe school. Since the lion was paid to just nine “sticker shock” of seeing administrators.

Masters’ large tuition Biddle added, “If you can easily dissuade lowcompare our tuition to iner- and middle-income flation in education and infamilies from applying, flation in healthcare, we’re the tuition skews the being very reasonable.”

Masters population toThe problems associated wards the wealthy. with high tuition have sent While this may be many schools in search of beneficial for Masters’ a solution. Private schools, coffers, an inadvertent such as Billings Middle exclusion of lower-inSchool in Seattle, Washingcome families can have ton, as well as universities, a negative effect on such as Michigan Technoschool culture. “I think logical University, have Masters likes to discuss experimented with a “plaissues as if we really teaued tuition,” in which have a full understandthe tuition students pay DAVID OKS/TOWER ing of them, but many of in their first year of school TUITION HAS RISEN RECENTLY, causing financial strain among many Masters families. these issues affect lower is unchanged for the rest economic classes, which of their time at the instiisn’t a large percent of our school pop- families.

Treasure Brooks, a senior, said, “I’m t u t i o n . While this would not solve ulation. It’s great that we’re always “My mom, a single parent, works on a full scholarship and have received the issue of high tuition, it would slow open to discussion, but we have to extremely hard so that I can go to Mas- specialized scholarships due to my ac- the growth in tuition that has harmed keep in mind that not all perspectives ters, and I’m on scholarship and finan- ademic and artistic performance, but Masters families’ checkbooks. are present all the time,” said Amanda cial aid,” Victoria Graziosi, a junior, even with so much aid there are sev“I think we, as a community, should Taylor, a junior. said. “It’s really difficult for my family eral small fees, like the school’s health be hearing out the merits of any polFinancial aid, to which Masters de- to pay tuition, even with the help Mas- insurance, that cause additional finan- icy that helps out Masters families,” votes $5 million a year, can alleviate ters provides.” cial stress on my family.”

Biddle said on the idea of plateaued some of the difficulties that students Even for students covered by full “Setting tuition is always a balance tuition. face. However, when spread across a scholarships, Masters can still prove between fairness to parents and the growing student population, it can fall dauntingly expensive through hidden need to adequately compensate our far short of what’s needed for many costs. faculty,” said Masters’ Chief Financial

Signs point to shift in the Masters brand Owen Lieber Sports Editor The new signs around the Masters campus are only one of many changes that make up the rebranding project that was launched three years ago by Bob Horne, Director of Marketing. New signs have been installed all around the school, from Morris Hall and the Middle School to the corner of Broadway and Clinton Avenue, with the goal of navigating Masters campus more easily. The biggest most complicated sign can cost up to $5,000, although the large majority of signs will be significantly less.

The project’s cost was estimated at $100,000. Masters plans to fin-

ish all 40 signs by the end of this school year.

On changing the school’s image Horne said, “Our goal was to remain true to the school’s heritage while adding a more contemporary and consistent look and feel to our visual identity.” With the completion of the Fonseca Center last year, the look of the school changed. Horne said, “We think that by expressing ourselves this way, it will be a good investment now and for years to come. It is also another way to showcase and take pride in our campus.” Horne also commented that the signs “add a better reflection of our refreshed brand as well as provide more directional help for people driving by the school and visiting the school.”

Reviews from the students have been mixed. Senior John Epley

said, “I’ve become used to the more low key architectural style on campus. These changes stick out. The new signs are signifying a change in the overall attitude of the campus.”

On the other hand, Sophomore Dylan Canell said, “I like them.

They add a good touch to the campus; plus the signs have a cool style.”

While the signs have already made an impression on campus, there is more to come. Horne mentioned that the marketing department is looking into bringing the Masters brand into the Fonseca Center. The first floor will showcase pictures of students participating in either athletics or the arts. “This is all part of taking the school to the next level,” Horne said.

Christina Camardella appointed

ALEXANDRA BENTZIEN/ TOWER

NEW SIGNS HAVE BEEN placed around the campus in efforts to help new students, families and visitors navigate Masters’ campus better.

Trump EPA pick causes alarm

News Editor

LOgan TOpOrOff Features Editor

Masters recently welcomed new Development and Engagement Programs Director Christina Camardella. Though Camardella only started on Nov. 4, she is already familiarizing herself with her surroundings and the Masters community.

“I’m really enjoying it, trying to immerse myself in the school culture as much as possible,” Camardella said.

“I’m especially looking forward to spending time in the classroom and getting to know students, parents, alumni, and teachers.”

Camardella oversees all fundraising activities and parent and alumni engagement programs. She manages the Parent Association activities and helps to grow Masters’ Annual Fund, to finance programs not covered by tuition. In the past, The Annual Fund helped create the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, the Global Studies program and Ethical Leadership. It also helps to pay for capital improvements at Masters, like heating and cooling in the dorms. The Advancement Office also produces the annual report, which summarizes milestones at Masters, recognizes community members and organizes Alumni Weekend.

As a new member of the Development Office, Camardella wants to focus on strengthening the relationships between members of the Masters community. “I want to help partner faculty and leadership and bridge relationships between alumni

As President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Americans across the country begin to wonder what the United States will look like under his presidency. As he begins to make his first post-election decisions surrounding the country’s environmental issues, many people are left unhappy with some of his first executive decisions. Trump believes that creating jobs is one of the most important issues to focus on currently, and does not prioritize the environment in his platform.

His choice to appoint Myron Ebell to run the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seems to share these values. Ebell, the director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute, calls climate change “nothing to worry about.” He is also chairman of the Cooler Heads Coalition, a group of nonprofits that “question global warming alarmism and oppose energy-rationing policies,” as described by Scientific American.

As their first decision, both Trump and Ebell have vowed to repeal some of the policies discussed and implemented throughout Obama’s presidency, including the Clean Power Plan to cut power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions. Repealing Obama’s environmental actions would jeopardize important ocean areas as well as forests throughout the country.

The team has also discussed the idea of “clean coal,” which is the pro-

aLexanDra benTzien

ALEXANDRA BENTZIEN/TOWER

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT Christina Camardella joined Masters on Nov. 4. Most recently she worked at Cardinal McCloskey Comm. Services. and faculty. It’s important to meet as many people as possible in order to put a parent, alumnus or donor in touch with their passion and engage in it at Masters,” she said.

Camardella is also working to establish a bridge for Masters to its future as a school. “I want to ensure that Masters is able to achieve its mission, bring to life the Board of Trustees vision and Ms. Danforth’s vision and create a plan to strategically realize their ideas,” she said.

Prior to Masters, Camardella headed fundraising outreach at Cardinal McCloskey Community Services, a social service agency in the Bronx and Valhalla that provides early childhood education, foster care and support services for the develop-

mentally disabled.

“Ms. Camardella brings deep development experience from the non-profit world to Masters. She is excited to be here and is already bringing an enthusiastic energy to the office,” Associate Head of School Tim Kane said.

Camardella noted that she feels lucky and excited to work at Masters.

“I think Masters is a very special place with a culture that celebrates diversity. This school has a really wonderful community and my goal is to be supportive of that community and enhance and amplify it,” she said. Just a week in, Camardella is already making herself comfortable with Masters’ energy and is looking forward to advancing the school.

cess of producing coal that gives off less harmful emissions; however, this coal still releases greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere that result in acid rain and many other harmful additions to the environment. The team is also looking into the quickest ways to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate agreement as well as repealing environmental regulations and cutting climate funding. Climate scientists warn that proposed policies so far will be disaster, creating lasting harm to everything from global biodiversity to food availability.

Environmental science teacher and EFFECT advisor Mary May said, “We have been given a challenge to make a personal impact in a different way then we thought before. We need to write to legislators, we need to make sure treaties are maintained.

Hopefully the students at Masters see these issues and let their concern for the environment push our movement towards an environmentally sound infrastructure forward.”

EFFECT will continue to address this issue in later meetings as well as use these problems to implement the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into the group’s curriculum.

These 17 goals include, ending poverty, hunger and maintaining good health and well-being. Finally, May added, “Now we have a chance to rebuild; people committed to the environment have to put in more than just words now and begin to put forth actions.”

OP-ED

TOWER/NOVEMBER 18, 2016

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OpiniOn

Why the new dress philosophy tears the original fabric of the Masters Community Phil Minton Opinion Editor

Clothing has always been a social status determinant. In high schools around the world, teenagers will spend hours deciding on the right outfit to wear. Originally, Masters required that its students wear uniforms. However, over time this phased into a strict dress code. Recently, students have traded in collared shirts for sweatshirts and graphic tees. The slips of paper teachers once gave to students to punish them for violating dress code have now become obsolete.

For years, Masters students have rebelled against the dress code. Last November, students came together on Facebook to change the dress code, describing it as “damaging.” They explained in the petition that the language in the dress code reflected misogynistic views on campus. The initiative was based on the perceived over-sexualization of females, and claimed that the language of the dress code enforced the idea that women distract others from learning if they make certain clothing choices. At the end of the petition, it read that “The dress code seems to be a direct contradiction of the core beliefs of Masters.

If we students are going to ‘do the average school day. it with they might’ to the greatMany students argue est extent, it is obvious that we that Masters is a place should be trusted enough to where students are allowed dress ourselves in a way that is to express themselves and beneficial for us as individuals that the former dress code in a learning environment.” prevented students from By the end of the 2015-16 doing so. However, the idea school year, the seemingly-outthat Masters’ dress code disdated dress code had been recouraged kids from expressvised many times in Executive ing themselves is completely Committee and eventually befalse. Many students take came a “dress philosophy” that advantage of the new phiwas implemented the following losophy by wearing sweatyear. It states that “The Maspants or sweatshirts. Our ters School allows students to community fosters the idea wear a range of styles as long as of self exploration through the clothing worn does not deHarkness discussions, clubs, tract from our educational misteam sports and even hair sion.” But where will the line be color. drawn?

Expressing oneself is not ARTWORK: LEO PSAROS/TOWER When school started it became THE STUDENT-INTIATED DRESS CODE PHILOSOPHY limited to the clothing one clear that students were abus- approved in Spring of 2015, has unleashed a parade of wears. When any student ing the new philosophy. People pajamas, sideless shirts and baseball hats. steps foot on campus, the walked to Morning Meeting student must realize that he sporting their brand new outfits made poorly made a much smaller profit of or she is in a supportive environup of Adidas track pants, t-shirts and $680,000 whereas those dressed nicely ment and that any rule is only to beneven blue jeans, regardless of the day made $2.1 million. efit their education. It is amazing to go of the week. According to a study reRecently, Gold Key, the admissions to school and be surrounded by a comported by the Wall Street Journal, 128 club on campus, sent out an email re- munity like the one here, but there men were split up into groups — one minding tour guides to come to tours comes a time when students need to dressed in sweatpants and sandals, looking presentable. The reminder understand that how they dress will and the other in suits and were told begs the question, however, as to why either positively or negatively affect to “buy and sell” within a simulated tour guides should look presentable their education and even his or her market environment. Those dressed when that’s not what they wear during self esteem.

editors-iN-ChieF Allie Berdon courtney delong leo PsAros News editors Alex Bentzien MichAel FitzgerAld opiNioN editor Phil Minton Features editors logAn toPoroFF george Weed sports editors oWen lieBer MArk tseytin MaNagiNg editor cedAr Berrol young advertisiNg MaNager JAck MurrAy desigN editor JAke regele Copy editors JAck MurrAy dAvid oks FaCt CheCker toMMy MckennA web editor eMMA luis

COLUMN: ELI’S ELECTION

Electoral Kindergarten eli eMery The Electoral College, which should be called the Electoral Kindergarten, is blamed for being unrepresentative and unfair. This was displayed in our recent election when Hillary Clinton won almost 2,000,000 more votes than Donald Trump. The Electoral College allows the loser of the popular vote to win the presidency. This has happened in 5 out of 57 (9% of) presidential elections. Even 1% of these elections would be unfair and undemocratic. We shouldn’t have a system where this is possible, much less one where it is frequent. Some argue that since the system is one in which states, rather

than individuals, vote, the presidential candidates will pay more attention to the needs of Middle Americans rather than just wealthy urbanites. But the truth couldn’t be more different.

Because the Electoral College guarantees each of our two parties the votes of different states, the presidential candidates spend all of their time in “swing states” during election season, making the race one of the states of Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Ohio, as the candidates only need to cater their platform to these states. This means that the majority of Americans will not have their concerns

COLUMN: WHAT’S ON MY MIND

Empathizing provides a reality check nina hylton I don’t hate Trump and I don’t hate his supporters, but I am honestly hurt. I fell asleep before finding out the election results and had a prophetic dream: Donald Trump had won the election.

However, I never actually woke up from that dream. On Wednesday morning I woke up to it being a reality. I sat in my environmental class with red, tearful eyes and forced myself to respond to my teacher’s question about rainfall and vegetation.

The next day, I thought I was done with tears, but my political science class only triggered that same emotion. In both of these situations I felt embarrassed above anything else. Not only was I was loosing my strong facade in front of my peers, but I had the realization that I am a citizen of a country that can overlook my fear and my struggles in pursuit of whatever the majority decides is more important than my life and my God-given human rights.

I don’t blame them either, ac-

tually, I completely understand.

Why should I expect people who don’t live my reality to empathize with all that I’ve endured and prioritize the struggles of my community? For me, going to school at Masters makes it easy to wake up and feel more privilege than struggle, more happiness than sorrow, but that Wednesday was one of those days that I was due for a serious reality check. No matter your party identification, it is simply not your place to tell someone, especially a marginalized person, how to deal with a tragedy.

It’s not your place to say we must accept this, and move on, or even that we must change this anger into action. Though it might sound inspirational and motivational, unless someone asks you for your opinion, it will probably not help. People need time to heal, come to terms with this election and decide what it means for themselves and their families.

addressed during election season.

Furthermore, the system causes the overrepresentation of small states in presidential elections. Every state gets one electoral vote for each of its representatives in the house and two more for each of its senators. Each voter in Wyoming (1 electoral vote for 194,718 people) has almost quadruple the voting power of each voter in California (1 electoral vote per 705,454 people). It is possible for a candidate to win the presidency with 21.8% of the popular vote. Additionally, there is the ability to win with less than 1% of the popular vote because the Constitution doesn’t expressly force the popular vote to take place, meaning that the 538 electors are the only people that expressly need to vote.

The Electoral College allows for the possibility of a tie, with electoral votes split 269-269. If this happens, there is no elected president. The election goes to the House of Representatives, where each state gets one vote that is

allocated by all of the state’s representatives, even if they disagree with one another.

Our current system makes it almost impossible for a third party candidate to win. Even Ross Perot, who won a whopping 19% of the popular vote in 1992, did not win a single electoral vote. When 100,000 people in Florida voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, Al Gore, who was most likely the second choice of these voters, lost the state to George Bush, and, consequently, lost the election.

So what can we do to ensure that the presidential election is representative? Three things come to mind: 1.

Abolish the Electoral College system.

2. Abolish primary voting. And 3. Conduct elections with the alternative, or instant runoff, voting system, which is a ranked system where citizens get to reallocate their votes. These last two changes will be discussed in the next column.

No time is sacred henry WilliaMs Opinion Editor It’s 10:20 on a Monday and a familiar scene is playing out in the hallways — students rushing from classes to meetings, trying to squeeze in some time to socialize or go to the bathroom in their brief respite. At Masters, a systematic encroachment of classes, meetings, activities and athletics has built an environment of constant turbulence, one in which students must attempt to cram time to eat, rest and talk in their eroding “free time.”

Originally, morning break was to be a time for students, during which they would have a chance to decompress and take time to get through their morning classes. Today, break is a mess of peer groups, club meetings, teacher conferences and panicked last-minute homework. The increasing demands of teachers, parents and peers have pushed students away from times to rest and reflect, even as speakers and advisors preach the importance of mindfulness.

How can students possibly gain a sense of perspective on their lives if every waking moment is painstakingly scheduled and achingly busy? As

the school charges forward, the hours in the day dwindle, and students are pushed away from sleep and proper dedicated mealtimes—critical fixtures of a healthy and balanced student experience.

Teachers too are affected by this crunch. Initially, flex lunch was created to allow teachers time to work with student groups, presiding over club meetings. Now, this time is almost entirely dedicated to faculty meetings as the demand on faculty and number of programs on campus continues to increase.

There’s a clear path out of this problem: unified, coordinated scheduling between all parties at Masters with clear limits on how much can be asked of students and teachers in any given day. A similar problem with testing was solved in a similar manner by setting test days for each subject. Ultimately, this is a good problem to have and it means that as individuals and as a community we are deeply involved in all manner of activities and occupations. But we must address this challenge as a community, or students and teachers will continue to rush through their lives without getting a break.

ARTWORK: JAKE REGELE/TOWER

photo editor soPhie BuchAnAn

CoNtributiNg writers cAthArine Boothroyd Michele dennis MiriAM eMery sArAh FABer ionA McWhinnie AndreA MinoFF george “PAPou” PsAros CoNtributiNg photographers cArine verschueren huston WAtson

FaCulty advisers MAtt BroWne ellen coWhey

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sCholastiC press aFFiliatioNs, letters aNd editorial poliCy Tower is the winner of the Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, a finalist for Editorial/Opinion Story of the Year from NSPA, an award-winning member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA) and Quill and Scroll. We encourage Letters to the Editor, which can be submitted to the following email address: TowerEditors@MastersNY.org. Published approximately six times a year, Tower, the student newspaper of The Masters School, is a public forum, with its Editorial Board making all decisions concerning content. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tower and its Editorial Board or its advisers.

Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of The Masters School, faculty, or staff. Unsigned editorials express views of the majority of the Editorial Board.

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FEATURES AND ARTS

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/DISTRIBUTION

MASTERS SPEAKS OUT

IN RESPONSE TO A RED WHITE HOUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE THEIR STORIES LAYOUT BY JACOB REGELE

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What Trump means for steel

onald Trump promised the citizens of West Virginia that he would bring back the steel and coal industries. They were once the bedrock of the mountain state’s economy. That is no longer true and the state has suffered.

Unemployment is higher than the national average and its population continues to decline. Why? I started my career as an electrical engineer in 1964. I was employed by the Weirton Steel Company as an electrical maintenance specialist. At the time Weirton Steel was a fully integrated steel mill (fully integrated means the process starts with raw materials, such as coke and iron ore being charged into a blast furnace and being processed into steel at the basic oxygen plant). The steel from the BOP was then processed into galvanized coils (think, autos and appliances) or into tin plate coils (think cans).

Weirton Steel employed 8,000 workers and was the largest producer of tin plate in the world.

Today Weirton Steel employs 800 workers, buys their raw steel from other steel producers and only processes tin plate.

What happened? In my opinion the American steel industry has become old and complacent. It is reaping in the profits but not reinvesting enough to continue to modernize.

After WWII Japan and Germany built new, modern plants. After becoming a general manager, I was able to visit these countries and tour their mills. They were modern and efficient. China has now become the behemoth of the steel industry. They have modern plants, lower wages (although rising) and less government regulations (air pollution, etc.).

The older American plants also had enormous “legacy costs”.

They continued to fund retiree pensions and healthcare. To rebuild the American Steel industry would require enormous amounts of capital. Who will invest and what will be the return on investment? High steel import tariffs and renegotiated trade policies could help.

What plan does Mr. Trump have to rebuild the steel industry? He has not revealed one and I doubt he has one. He offered a plethora of bloviating and slogans during his campaign with little to no specificity on policy. Not once did he mention how he would rejuvenate the steel industry.

Let’s talk about the coal industry. Decades ago coal heated our homes and cooked our meals.

Under-privileged families would send their children to the rail tracks transporting coal to collect

coal that fell from the trains for home use. That’s not done anymore.

Coal started a resurgence with the growth of the steel industry and the emergence of coal powered plants producing almost all the nation’s electricity. That’s not done anymore. We have already covered the demise of the steel industry; now let’s discuss the coal fired power plants.

What happened?

Many reasons, ranging from renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.) to environmental regulations. Again “legacy costs” proved to be a burden on the coal producers, retiree pensions and health care. What did the coal producers do? They closed their mines and passed on the cost to the government.

After I retired from the steel industry then Governor Cecil Underwood (WV) appointed me to “chair” the West Virginia Steel Advisory Commission. This gave me an opportunity to visit West Virginia University (my alma mater) on a weekly basis. This provided me the opportunity to talk to the university professors engaged in “clean coal technology” research. A solution to the problem was never found.

The main reason for the demise of the coal industry is plentiful, cheap natural gas.

The landscapes of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania are littered with gas wells developed by the “fracking process.” Other states have also developed pockets of fracking.

Most of the coal-fired power plants are converting from coal to gas. Coal (expensive and dirty) vs. gas (abundant and cheap).

How is Donald Trump going to save the coal industry? He never put a plan forth! He claims he’s going to save the coal industry.

How? Trump was a marvelous used car salesman that tapped into the fractured psyche of the laid off or struggling blue-collar worker, but he has never offered a solution. “Making something great” is a slogan, not a solution.

To be fair and balanced in this article I have to quote Hillary Clinton, “I am going to put the coal mines and coal industry owners out of business.” How would you feel if you lived in this state?

Vote for Trump, which they did.

The loss of the steel industry and the decline of coal have changed the color of the mountain state from blue to red. If Trump does nothing in four years (the likely outcome), that could change.

Will he bring the steel and coal industry back? Time and hope are eternal.

-George “Papou” Psaros

5

“

1930s Germany echos now I The world did not end on Nov. 8

“ “ “ “ T

his is about something bigger than Donald Trump. While I’m as upset as anyone that a pathetic, cheeto-dust cloud of a boy is in charge of one of the biggest powerhouses in the world, the reason this election is so important is because it has exposed that we haven’t come as far as a nation as we thought we have. The people that cast a vote for racism and xenophobia and misogyny last Tuesday aren’t all gun-toting southern rednecks, but the people among us; people who wear suits and are educated and drive their kids to school like everyone else and say “I don’t know who I’ll vote for, they’re both awful.” Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, islamophobia, and any other hateful ideals that Trump (and Pence) has come to represent are present in people that aren’t necessarily outspoken about it. There is so much silent hate among

Tolerance and empathy are needed

I

have never really been very political and if anything, consider myself a centrist, always interested in hearing and understanding the merits of both sides of any issue. Perhaps that is why I am so disheartened by this election. And it’s not just a result of who was elected. It is because of the vitriol that has been let loose throughout and, in particular, after the election was over. Ironically, such demonizing speech is usually ascribed solely as emanating from those on the right, but when it does come from the left, it is somehow completely justified with a self-righteousness that is troubling. How can one claim to be tolerant, non-judgmental, inclusive, and open-minded and yet, in one broad brush stroke, paint 60 million people as misogynist, xenophobic, bigoted, homophobic, and racist? When did we become so arrogant that we would presume to “judge” what goes on in the heart of another? Some would argue that this very tendency, run rampant in American politics, to shut down discussion or difference of opinion is what paved the way for someone like Trump and really lost this race; and it’s not just in the political arena, but also in schools like ours. People are tired of being told how to think and silenced if they dare to hold a divergent opinion. As an educational institution, we owe it to ourselves to practice what we preach and to not just allow but rather foster diversity of thought. Empathy and love will only flow when we become truly inclusive, not just in words but in deeds also.

-Michele Dennis

us that I don’t think we as a country has realized is present; but I believe that Americans will channel our frustration and put it to further reform. Americans have never been known to stand still in the face of adversity, and this election is a to work harder to resolve issues that we’ve been working towards forever. Next election, almost everyone currently in the upper school will be able to vote. Millennials are so passionate and so ready for positive change that in 2020 our ideas will be represented on the ballot. Marriage. Right over your own body. Being paid a living wage. These are not radical liberal ideas; these are basic human rights. Trump’s election is not the end of America, it is not the end of progress, it is the beginning of a new era.

-Sarah Faber

Not Trump; Not Clinton

I

t’s funny how liberals and democrats loathe Donald Trump because of the derogatory words he’s said about women, Muslims, LGBTQ people, etc… However, the minute someone defends Trump, that person is immediately targeted and is labeled a racist, a homophobe, or a “white privileged *insert curse word here*.” (Need I remind you that when Barack Obama was running for president, he opposed gay marriage but look how that turned out.)

At Masters, we like to display our community which fosters inclusiveness, open mindedness, and judgmental-free zones. Unfortunately, for the minorities at this school who do not define themselves as democrats or liberals, this statement is far from true.

On November 9th, I was baffled when I was asked numerous amount of times if I needed a hug or if I was okay. I was okay. People just assumed that since I live in New York, since I go to Masters, and since Trump was not seen as the favored candidate until Nov. 8th, that I was somehow unable to be okay with the results. The minute I expressed my feelings, I was bashed by my friends- even some teachers rolled their eyes.

I am not a Trump supporter, but I am also not a Clinton supporter (that includes Bill as well… remember when he cheated on his wife? Right. Trump isn’t the only one who has disrespected women.)

I understand that Trump’s campaign has been very hard on many people. However, adversities are not dealt with by acts of violence and offensive words/behavior. If Masters really wants an inclusive community, then maybe it should try and promote inclusiveness towards all views, and not just for the [liberal] majority.

-Anonymous Student

“

Trump is no truth teller

E

veryone has a right to his or her opinion--and Freedom of Speech has long been the foundation upon which the United States can claim a superlative record. This First Amendment right, in its original intent, bolstered the right of citizens to rail against a government without fear of imprisonment or retribution of any kind. Of course, the Declaration of Independence insists that people have not only a right, but an obligation to do so. But, free speech and the right to voice one’s beliefs and convictions is not the same as the propagation of cancerous lies. Freedom of speech as it is laid down in the First Amendment may include the right to insult others with vitriolic hate speech--and I defend my right to be offended--but only if other American Constitutional Laws are not violated.

Donald Trump is hailed for his politically incorrect “truth”; But in fact, Trump’s presidency has been fueled by fiery lies.

His political career rose from a series of HUGE lies including the “birther” lie, the fabricated information that immigrants are disproportionately responsible for crimes in the U.S.; and that global warming is a Chinese (or left wing?) hoax. The following is the theory of the “große Lüge,”or “Big Lie,” coined by Adolf Hitler: “Tell lies so colossal that no one would believe that someone could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.’” Goebbels later strategized, “the State must use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

The Alt-Right, Trump’s dark Stormtroopers, are the extremist forces within America who spin colossal lies. In 2016, as always, telling the truth remains a revolutionary act.

-Miriam Emery

didn’t know I was Jewish until I was 11. I knew my grandparents were German, and that they had come to Canada in the 1940’s, but I never questioned why. In fact, most of the family friends who regularly came to cocktail parties or bridge games were European immigrants. It was just my reality.

On Kristallnacht, my grandfather was arrested— he was a Jewish business owner. My grandmother went into preterm labor and delivered a son, who was denied the care he needed because he was Jewish. The story of how they survived when most of their family didn’t is too long to tell here. But when they came to North America, they changed their last name and assimilated as best they could—and one way they felt they could achieve this was to bury their Judaism. When my mother was born they had her baptized and never spoke German in front of her. She learned of her roots at age 8. Despite the fact that I was born over 30 years after World War II ended, I was also baptized and kept in the dark about my heritage.

This is what fear does. I used to say I couldn’t begin to imagine what the lives of European Jews were like in the 1930’s as Hitler came to power (or, for the survivors, after). But in this past week, I think maybe I have an inkling of the sinking fear, the astonishment at the level of hate other humans can possess, the seeming need to lay blame on someone or some group, and frankly, utter disbelief. And yes, maybe that makes me incredibly naïve (and shows my privilege) for not having experienced this sooner. And I can’t stop questioning how I am going to raise my sons in this world.

-Catharine Boothroyd

People should accept election results

A

lthough many people within The Masters School community feel differently, I feel that it is important for me to express that I am happy with the results of this presidential election because there are some people in this community who don’t feel safe doing so.

Barack Obama has been President for two terms now, and although some may say that he accomplished a lot, I believe that there is an even greater need for change within our government. Donald Trump is planning on reforming immigration, installing a less expensive and more effective form of healthcare and lowering taxes for Americans. With the Republican majority in Congress as well, the government will be able to create change more effectively.

Although Mr. Trump can sometimes be quite sexist and racist, I think that the way many people have reacted to this presidential election is extreme. If Hillary Clinton had won in the manner in which Donald Trump won, every Hillary supporter would be rejoicing as Trump supporters are at this time.

And it would be fully within their rights. But if Trump supporters began to react as many liberals are now through rioting the streets chanting “Not My President” and “Lock Her Up,” as well as through the resentment of the Electoral College system, they would be deeply criticized. It is important at this time for Americans to remember that even with the diversity of opinion, we are a unified nation and have to respect the fair results of our Presidential election.

“

-Iona McWhinnie

Community feeling effects of a Trump presidency

M

y brother, a staunch Republican, said that the election of Trump will not have an effect on our lives – his and mine. My brother is very smart, he graduated in the top of his class from Harvard Business School, but I cannot understand how he could believe such a thing.

The appointment of Stephen Bannon as Chief Strategist further confirms Trump’s support of “White Nationalist” positions and a desire to return to a 1950s-era mentality when white Protestant men dominated the country; when a woman’s place was in the home and they had no right to choose.

Trump has not even taken office and I am waking up in a panic at 2 am, so the president-elect is already disrupting my sleep patterns.

Dismantling the Affordable Care Act will affect many low income Americans, including my daughter in graduate school, by eliminating her affordable health care premium.

If we pull out of the Paris “Climate Control” Agreement, it will impact the positive momentum of the action taken – for the first time by 196 nations -- to focus on the negative impact of greenhouse gases. If I am lucky, I will be alive maximum another 30 years. But my daughter and the young have a much bigger stake in combating climate change.

Trump’s recent tweet about “professional protesters” is only one demonstration of his disregard for factually accurate information. On “60 Minutes”, he said that there are two to three million criminals among illegal aliens. Is that supported by any creditable documentation?

There is so much more … about guns, the Supreme Court… and I may be overreacting, but that remains to be seen.

-Andrea Minoff

4

FEATURES AND ARTS

FEATURES AND ARTS

TOWER/DISTRIBUTION

MASTERS SPEAKS OUT

IN RESPONSE TO A RED WHITE HOUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE THEIR STORIES LAYOUT BY JACOB REGELE

D

What Trump means for steel

onald Trump promised the citizens of West Virginia that he would bring back the steel and coal industries. They were once the bedrock of the mountain state’s economy. That is no longer true and the state has suffered.

Unemployment is higher than the national average and its population continues to decline. Why? I started my career as an electrical engineer in 1964. I was employed by the Weirton Steel Company as an electrical maintenance specialist. At the time Weirton Steel was a fully integrated steel mill (fully integrated means the process starts with raw materials, such as coke and iron ore being charged into a blast furnace and being processed into steel at the basic oxygen plant). The steel from the BOP was then processed into galvanized coils (think, autos and appliances) or into tin plate coils (think cans).

Weirton Steel employed 8,000 workers and was the largest producer of tin plate in the world.

Today Weirton Steel employs 800 workers, buys their raw steel from other steel producers and only processes tin plate.

What happened? In my opinion the American steel industry has become old and complacent. It is reaping in the profits but not reinvesting enough to continue to modernize.

After WWII Japan and Germany built new, modern plants. After becoming a general manager, I was able to visit these countries and tour their mills. They were modern and efficient. China has now become the behemoth of the steel industry. They have modern plants, lower wages (although rising) and less government regulations (air pollution, etc.).

The older American plants also had enormous “legacy costs”.

They continued to fund retiree pensions and healthcare. To rebuild the American Steel industry would require enormous amounts of capital. Who will invest and what will be the return on investment? High steel import tariffs and renegotiated trade policies could help.

What plan does Mr. Trump have to rebuild the steel industry? He has not revealed one and I doubt he has one. He offered a plethora of bloviating and slogans during his campaign with little to no specificity on policy. Not once did he mention how he would rejuvenate the steel industry.

Let’s talk about the coal industry. Decades ago coal heated our homes and cooked our meals.

Under-privileged families would send their children to the rail tracks transporting coal to collect

coal that fell from the trains for home use. That’s not done anymore.

Coal started a resurgence with the growth of the steel industry and the emergence of coal powered plants producing almost all the nation’s electricity. That’s not done anymore. We have already covered the demise of the steel industry; now let’s discuss the coal fired power plants.

What happened?

Many reasons, ranging from renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.) to environmental regulations. Again “legacy costs” proved to be a burden on the coal producers, retiree pensions and health care. What did the coal producers do? They closed their mines and passed on the cost to the government.

After I retired from the steel industry then Governor Cecil Underwood (WV) appointed me to “chair” the West Virginia Steel Advisory Commission. This gave me an opportunity to visit West Virginia University (my alma mater) on a weekly basis. This provided me the opportunity to talk to the university professors engaged in “clean coal technology” research. A solution to the problem was never found.

The main reason for the demise of the coal industry is plentiful, cheap natural gas.

The landscapes of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania are littered with gas wells developed by the “fracking process.” Other states have also developed pockets of fracking.

Most of the coal-fired power plants are converting from coal to gas. Coal (expensive and dirty) vs. gas (abundant and cheap).

How is Donald Trump going to save the coal industry? He never put a plan forth! He claims he’s going to save the coal industry.

How? Trump was a marvelous used car salesman that tapped into the fractured psyche of the laid off or struggling blue-collar worker, but he has never offered a solution. “Making something great” is a slogan, not a solution.

To be fair and balanced in this article I have to quote Hillary Clinton, “I am going to put the coal mines and coal industry owners out of business.” How would you feel if you lived in this state?

Vote for Trump, which they did.

The loss of the steel industry and the decline of coal have changed the color of the mountain state from blue to red. If Trump does nothing in four years (the likely outcome), that could change.

Will he bring the steel and coal industry back? Time and hope are eternal.

-George “Papou” Psaros

5

“

1930s Germany echos now I The world did not end on Nov. 8

“ “ “ “ T

his is about something bigger than Donald Trump. While I’m as upset as anyone that a pathetic, cheeto-dust cloud of a boy is in charge of one of the biggest powerhouses in the world, the reason this election is so important is because it has exposed that we haven’t come as far as a nation as we thought we have. The people that cast a vote for racism and xenophobia and misogyny last Tuesday aren’t all gun-toting southern rednecks, but the people among us; people who wear suits and are educated and drive their kids to school like everyone else and say “I don’t know who I’ll vote for, they’re both awful.” Racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, islamophobia, and any other hateful ideals that Trump (and Pence) has come to represent are present in people that aren’t necessarily outspoken about it. There is so much silent hate among

Tolerance and empathy are needed

I

have never really been very political and if anything, consider myself a centrist, always interested in hearing and understanding the merits of both sides of any issue. Perhaps that is why I am so disheartened by this election. And it’s not just a result of who was elected. It is because of the vitriol that has been let loose throughout and, in particular, after the election was over. Ironically, such demonizing speech is usually ascribed solely as emanating from those on the right, but when it does come from the left, it is somehow completely justified with a self-righteousness that is troubling. How can one claim to be tolerant, non-judgmental, inclusive, and open-minded and yet, in one broad brush stroke, paint 60 million people as misogynist, xenophobic, bigoted, homophobic, and racist? When did we become so arrogant that we would presume to “judge” what goes on in the heart of another? Some would argue that this very tendency, run rampant in American politics, to shut down discussion or difference of opinion is what paved the way for someone like Trump and really lost this race; and it’s not just in the political arena, but also in schools like ours. People are tired of being told how to think and silenced if they dare to hold a divergent opinion. As an educational institution, we owe it to ourselves to practice what we preach and to not just allow but rather foster diversity of thought. Empathy and love will only flow when we become truly inclusive, not just in words but in deeds also.

-Michele Dennis

us that I don’t think we as a country has realized is present; but I believe that Americans will channel our frustration and put it to further reform. Americans have never been known to stand still in the face of adversity, and this election is a to work harder to resolve issues that we’ve been working towards forever. Next election, almost everyone currently in the upper school will be able to vote. Millennials are so passionate and so ready for positive change that in 2020 our ideas will be represented on the ballot. Marriage. Right over your own body. Being paid a living wage. These are not radical liberal ideas; these are basic human rights. Trump’s election is not the end of America, it is not the end of progress, it is the beginning of a new era.

-Sarah Faber

Not Trump; Not Clinton

I

t’s funny how liberals and democrats loathe Donald Trump because of the derogatory words he’s said about women, Muslims, LGBTQ people, etc… However, the minute someone defends Trump, that person is immediately targeted and is labeled a racist, a homophobe, or a “white privileged *insert curse word here*.” (Need I remind you that when Barack Obama was running for president, he opposed gay marriage but look how that turned out.)

At Masters, we like to display our community which fosters inclusiveness, open mindedness, and judgmental-free zones. Unfortunately, for the minorities at this school who do not define themselves as democrats or liberals, this statement is far from true.

On November 9th, I was baffled when I was asked numerous amount of times if I needed a hug or if I was okay. I was okay. People just assumed that since I live in New York, since I go to Masters, and since Trump was not seen as the favored candidate until Nov. 8th, that I was somehow unable to be okay with the results. The minute I expressed my feelings, I was bashed by my friends- even some teachers rolled their eyes.

I am not a Trump supporter, but I am also not a Clinton supporter (that includes Bill as well… remember when he cheated on his wife? Right. Trump isn’t the only one who has disrespected women.)

I understand that Trump’s campaign has been very hard on many people. However, adversities are not dealt with by acts of violence and offensive words/behavior. If Masters really wants an inclusive community, then maybe it should try and promote inclusiveness towards all views, and not just for the [liberal] majority.

-Anonymous Student

“

Trump is no truth teller

E

veryone has a right to his or her opinion--and Freedom of Speech has long been the foundation upon which the United States can claim a superlative record. This First Amendment right, in its original intent, bolstered the right of citizens to rail against a government without fear of imprisonment or retribution of any kind. Of course, the Declaration of Independence insists that people have not only a right, but an obligation to do so. But, free speech and the right to voice one’s beliefs and convictions is not the same as the propagation of cancerous lies. Freedom of speech as it is laid down in the First Amendment may include the right to insult others with vitriolic hate speech--and I defend my right to be offended--but only if other American Constitutional Laws are not violated.

Donald Trump is hailed for his politically incorrect “truth”; But in fact, Trump’s presidency has been fueled by fiery lies.

His political career rose from a series of HUGE lies including the “birther” lie, the fabricated information that immigrants are disproportionately responsible for crimes in the U.S.; and that global warming is a Chinese (or left wing?) hoax. The following is the theory of the “große Lüge,”or “Big Lie,” coined by Adolf Hitler: “Tell lies so colossal that no one would believe that someone could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.’” Goebbels later strategized, “the State must use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

The Alt-Right, Trump’s dark Stormtroopers, are the extremist forces within America who spin colossal lies. In 2016, as always, telling the truth remains a revolutionary act.

-Miriam Emery

didn’t know I was Jewish until I was 11. I knew my grandparents were German, and that they had come to Canada in the 1940’s, but I never questioned why. In fact, most of the family friends who regularly came to cocktail parties or bridge games were European immigrants. It was just my reality.

On Kristallnacht, my grandfather was arrested— he was a Jewish business owner. My grandmother went into preterm labor and delivered a son, who was denied the care he needed because he was Jewish. The story of how they survived when most of their family didn’t is too long to tell here. But when they came to North America, they changed their last name and assimilated as best they could—and one way they felt they could achieve this was to bury their Judaism. When my mother was born they had her baptized and never spoke German in front of her. She learned of her roots at age 8. Despite the fact that I was born over 30 years after World War II ended, I was also baptized and kept in the dark about my heritage.

This is what fear does. I used to say I couldn’t begin to imagine what the lives of European Jews were like in the 1930’s as Hitler came to power (or, for the survivors, after). But in this past week, I think maybe I have an inkling of the sinking fear, the astonishment at the level of hate other humans can possess, the seeming need to lay blame on someone or some group, and frankly, utter disbelief. And yes, maybe that makes me incredibly naïve (and shows my privilege) for not having experienced this sooner. And I can’t stop questioning how I am going to raise my sons in this world.

-Catharine Boothroyd

People should accept election results

A

lthough many people within The Masters School community feel differently, I feel that it is important for me to express that I am happy with the results of this presidential election because there are some people in this community who don’t feel safe doing so.

Barack Obama has been President for two terms now, and although some may say that he accomplished a lot, I believe that there is an even greater need for change within our government. Donald Trump is planning on reforming immigration, installing a less expensive and more effective form of healthcare and lowering taxes for Americans. With the Republican majority in Congress as well, the government will be able to create change more effectively.

Although Mr. Trump can sometimes be quite sexist and racist, I think that the way many people have reacted to this presidential election is extreme. If Hillary Clinton had won in the manner in which Donald Trump won, every Hillary supporter would be rejoicing as Trump supporters are at this time.

And it would be fully within their rights. But if Trump supporters began to react as many liberals are now through rioting the streets chanting “Not My President” and “Lock Her Up,” as well as through the resentment of the Electoral College system, they would be deeply criticized. It is important at this time for Americans to remember that even with the diversity of opinion, we are a unified nation and have to respect the fair results of our Presidential election.

“

-Iona McWhinnie

Community feeling effects of a Trump presidency

M

y brother, a staunch Republican, said that the election of Trump will not have an effect on our lives – his and mine. My brother is very smart, he graduated in the top of his class from Harvard Business School, but I cannot understand how he could believe such a thing.

The appointment of Stephen Bannon as Chief Strategist further confirms Trump’s support of “White Nationalist” positions and a desire to return to a 1950s-era mentality when white Protestant men dominated the country; when a woman’s place was in the home and they had no right to choose.

Trump has not even taken office and I am waking up in a panic at 2 am, so the president-elect is already disrupting my sleep patterns.

Dismantling the Affordable Care Act will affect many low income Americans, including my daughter in graduate school, by eliminating her affordable health care premium.

If we pull out of the Paris “Climate Control” Agreement, it will impact the positive momentum of the action taken – for the first time by 196 nations -- to focus on the negative impact of greenhouse gases. If I am lucky, I will be alive maximum another 30 years. But my daughter and the young have a much bigger stake in combating climate change.

Trump’s recent tweet about “professional protesters” is only one demonstration of his disregard for factually accurate information. On “60 Minutes”, he said that there are two to three million criminals among illegal aliens. Is that supported by any creditable documentation?

There is so much more … about guns, the Supreme Court… and I may be overreacting, but that remains to be seen.

-Andrea Minoff

6

FEATURES

TOWER/NOVEMBER 18, 2016

Features & arts Dance Company explores individual styles GEorGE WEEd Features Editor Expressing your own true self can often be nerve wracking. Faced with embarrassment, or not living up to expectations, many choose to conceal their true feelings in an effort not to expose parts of themselves that they don’t want others to see.

For the dancers in the Master’s Dance company, however, this feeling of exposure and vulnerability is something that they explored in a large way in their last performance, “This Is Me.” This past Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12, the Dance Company performed what was the culmination of numerous hours of choreography and countless more of rehearsing.

The process of constructing a dance piece begins with an idea. For this year’s themed production, each choreographer had to come up with an idea that corresponded to a part of their inner personality or a past experience that they wanted to share with the community. For senior dancer Treasure Brooks, she based her piece “Revelation 18:23” on her father’s cancer, and how her father’s vulnerability affected her. For other dancers, such as junior Campbell Ives, the dance performance was an outlet to express an idea.

“I tried to explore what energy, dynamics and freedom look like in dance,” said Ives. “Getting to see my choreography come to life last week, up on our stage with full costume and lighting was a really incredible feeling.”

Each act in the show was expressive of a distinct aspect of human character that really came to life on the stage.

The choreogrphers also made use of lighting and costume that promoted the individuality of each piece, and the vision of the choreographer. The combination of pure dance with the ambiance that the lights and costume provided an experience that was pure and unique.

Part of the brilliance of the performance, though, was that it was not exclusively dancing. In between acts, behind-the-scenes video was projected.

This video offered insightful and comi-

FLICKR

THE GROWING REFUGEE CRISIS has left many across the world displaced and distressed. New teacher Jessica Bogart will be direct a play about the crisis called Asylum. Students can contribute acting, writing and other things.

Bogart finds “Asylum” in the winter play Emma Luis Web Editor

GEORGE WEED/TOWER

DANCE COMPANY MEMBER ISABELLE Davis performs a piece in This Is Me, the fall dance show in the Claudia Boettcher Theater.

GEORGE WEED/TOWER

CAMPBELL IVES, MEMBER OF the Masters Dance Company, danced in and choreographed for the recent dance company show. cal transition between acts.

The Dance Company extended their inside look with a section called Conversations with the Choreographers after the show. The conversation section provided insight into each individual choreographer’s inspiration

for their piece, and the entire process of going from idea to performance. In the two months that the dance company had to pull together ideas and forge them into performances on the stage, the Dance Company did a brilliant job.

“Asylum”, the upcoming multi-media winter play, was imagined by Drama, Dance and Public Speaking teacher, Jessica Bogart, to honor and bring attention to the Syrian refugee crisis.

The piece, set to premier the weekend of Feb. 4, is a compilation of letters from refugees, scenes from plays and student-produced works, ranging from poems and skits to videos.

Bogart, director of “Asylum”, chose the name when she found that it was a perfect fit for what she was trying to convey. “The dictionary defines the word ‘asylum’ as ‘the protection granted by a nation to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee.’” Bogart added, “The word asylum also evokes the definition of insanity.

That it is crazy that so much of the world is letting this happen without jumping in to help in a dramatic way.”

The Syrian refugee crisis, composing of more than 13.5 million people, began with a violent civil war in Syria, forcing millions of refugees to flee to other countries. Bogart is trying to bring more awareness to the crisis, adding “Our country in particular doesn’t have eyes on it, and doesn’t understand how insane this crisis is. As a world, we ha-

ven’t seen numbers like this since the Holocaust.” The United States has let in around 10,000 refugees as of Aug. 2016, but many, including President Barack Obama, believe this number isn’t enough.

“I think that ‘Asylum’ will help make the community more aware of the growing need to allow more refugees into the United States” said junior Chloe Barshay. Barshay, among several of her classmates, will be participating in the winter play, and are hoping to make strides to promote immigration and the aid of refugees.

Bogart hopes to theatricalize all the different elements of the show, making them come together simultaneously in a beautiful tribute to the refugee crisis.

“I’m allowing cast members to be a part of a core ensemble, but bearing in mind many students’ time constraints, anyone can be a contributing member, and bring something to the piece.” Bogart said. She emphasized the importance of putting a “Masters’ student lens” on the crisis in order to make the winter play as powerful and empowering as possible. “When I started researching the crisis, I couldn’t believe how much I was learning and changing just by researching it. I thought, ‘Imagine what that would be like for Masters students.’”

TOWER/NOVEMBER 18, 2016

FEATURES

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Our community shines in “Our Town” Logan Toporoff Features Editor This year’s fall play was “Our Town,” a three-act play originally written by playwright Thornton Wilder whose mother Isabella Thornton Niven Wilder in fact, was educated at what was then known as The Misses Masters’ Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies and graduated in 1893.

The cast had their opening night on Oct. 27, and closed on Oct. 29.

The performance consisted of mature ideas, played out in a small town in New Hampshire called Grover’s Corners.

It is told through the experiences of the town’s everyday citizens. The play was performed without a set and minimal props, as the scenes were primarily acted out through body language and pantomiming.

Senior Sam Coppola who played the part of Stage Manager, the narrator in the performance, said that “This play was mostly for the benefit of the actors rather than the audience. It is not a typical spectacle show that sells tickets, but more so a show where the actors get to learn a lot.”

The actors got the opportunity to perform a show that conquered difficult scenarios that very few cast members, if any, have really experienced.

For example, its plot included death, marriage and children.

Considering that the play was more entertaining for the actors themselves, the show did not see as big of a turn out as years past. In addition, the play also had a larger cast this year, creating a new environment for the actors.

Head of the Drama Department Christopher Briante said, “We picked this play for many reasons, I was intrigued that the department had not

thought to do this play in the past, as well as the fact that the show did not require any cuts which is always good because everyone can be a part of it.”

Coppola also added, “I am really proud of this cast and their ability to do a show like ‘Our Town’ at high school level. It shows how great and mature they all are. To take a show like this, that is really just the basics of life, and have 14-18-year-olds be so invested in it tells a lot about the theater department at Masters and the students in general.”

Junior Laine Philipps, who played Myrtle Webb, also added, “The show had many underlying plots and lessons, like learning not to take the small things in life for granted and enjoy the simple things, that we were initially concerned the audience would not understand, though we now feel the show went very well.”

OLIVER CLAYTON/TOWER

THE CAST OF THE fall play “Our Town” preforming a scene where main character Emily passes away and goes to heaven.

ONYX club returns to its roots with new mission Leo psaros Editor-in-Chief ONYX has returned to its roots with a mission statement that focuses on black culture and empowerment. In past years, the club has focused on diversity; a topic pertinent to Masters’ diverse student body. The club has, and still does, also focused on intersectionality, the way that social categorizations such as race and class overlap and their consequences.

However, the clubs’ leaders felt that having a space to specifically discuss black culture and issues was necessary to the Masters community.

Last year, ONYX was an umbrella club for diversity at Masters. According to president Kintashe Mainsah, the club discussed everything from gender-diversity to religious tolerance and racial issues. However, this broader focus on diversity strayed the club from its original priority of black culture said Mainsah.

Oliver Clayton, treasurer of ONYX, remarked, “It was really hard to dis-

NINA HYLTON/TOWER

NINA HYLTON, OLIVER CLAYTON and Kintashe Mainsah, leadership of the ONYX club, pose for a photo for the Confidence Campaign, a social media campaign that encourages embracing different identities. cuss all different kinds of diversity, and we got a considerable amount of pushback for not being able to meet everyone’s needs. Many people in the meetings felt they were not being appreciated because we mostly focused on black issues. Now that we are fo-

cusing solely on black empowerment, we can really break down black culture and have deep and meaningful conversations about it.”

With a renewed concentration on black empowerment and culture, ONYX is hoping to continue to pro-

mote intersectionality, but not detract from their primary mission on the black experience.

“ONYX wants to continue our Confidence Campaign, which is about empowering all individuals in our community and helping them real-

ize the beauty in their identities. We also want to continue to talk about tough issues like police brutality and black misrepresentation in the media,” Maisah said.

The club has already had its first meeting, with great interest from black underclassmen, a demographic that was prevalent in the club’s past.

According to Oliver Clay, like many clubs, ONYX is looking to increase membership across all races, and also the energy that comes with it.

Clayton said, “When I was a freshman, ONYX meetings were packed with people and energy. We want to continue this enthusiasm with things like our 90’s rap party and other impactful events.”

Though intersectionality and diversity are an important part of the Masters, ONYX provides black students with a much-needed medium to discuss the black experience.

President Nina Hylton elaborated, “Being an outlet for many black students is more of our focus this year, rather than being a club that everyone attends to discuss controversial issues.”

SportS

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SPORTS

TOWER/NOVEMBER 18, 2016

Boys varsity soccer advances in NEPSAC tournament Mark tseytin Sports Editor After beating Greens Farms Academy (GFA) in a nail-biting game for the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) championship, boys varsity soccer defeated Vermont Academy 2-1 in the first round of the New England Preparatory Soccer Association Council (NEPSAC) tournament on Nov. 16.

Sophomore Andy Lomeli scored both goals for Masters, with the winner coming on a penalty kick with only seven minutes left in the game.

“Our team has a bond that no one else has. Even after the other team scored, no one put their heads down; the team never gave up. I was really proud of them throughout the whole game,” Lomeli said.

The next game of the tournament is tomorrow at the Wheeler School in Rhode Island.

The road to the NEPSAC tournament was not easy. The FAA championship game went through regulation scoreless. It then went into two ten-minute periods of overtime and the score remained 0-0.

After a scoreless overtime, the game went into penalty kicks to decide who would be crowned FAA champion. First GFA scored a goal and Lomeli missed one. Then, in the second round, Diego Medina saved a

MARK TSEYTIN/TOWER

SENIOR THOMAS DAVOREN RETRIEVES the ball from out of bounds trying to resume the action during the FAA championship game at Greene Field. Masters went on to win the game 1-0 (4-3 pens) in the fourth round of penalty kicks. shot and Oladayo Thomas scored one.

Following that, additional rounds of goals put the teams at 3-3. In the final round, GFA hit the cross bar and junior Joost-Olan Sheehan scored the championship winning goal.

Sheehan said, “I was so nervous that my body was shaking, all the way up until it was my turn to shoot.

My coach told me, ‘it just needs to be a bad pass to the goalie.’ Right after I scored, adrenaline rushed through

my veins as I ran to my teammates and the fans to celebrate the victory.”

The win meant that, for the first time in school history, the boys soccer team qualified for the prestigious NEPSAC tournament.

The ecstatic fans swarmed the field with shouts of joy to celebrate the win.

In addition to being excited about the win, fans got the chance to listen in on the head coach’s speech to the team about how much they deserved this victory. Head Coach Rich Franklin talked about how much they have worked to earn the championship and how much effort it took for them to get there, from team meetings in the Dining Hall to hard practices on the field.

“I have been watching the team all throughout the season and I’ve seen them develop the whole way. They definitely deserved the championship.

It’s been an awesome season,” team manager Dylan Lavigne said.

Senior Geoff Fox said, “To win the championship a second time and especially in my senior year is one of the greatest feelings anyone could ask for.”

“I hope we give it our all at the NEPSAC’s,” Fox said. “It is Masters’ first time ever making it into this tournament, so I’m more than satisfied with that, but for me and for most of my teammates, it will be about winning the tournament. It’s one thing to just make the tournament, but other teams are thinking we are just some lucky team that made it and won’t match up to them. They couldn’t be more wrong.”

Ndiaye makes name for Girls varsity soccer gives it their all himself at Pangos Camp DaviD oks Copy Editor

JaCk Murray Advertising Manager Abdou Ndiaye from Senegal had the opportunity to play in the Pangos AllEast Frosh/Soph basketball camp on Oct. 29-30. The camp takes around 200 of the top freshmen and sophomores on the east coast and allows them to demonstrate their skills to some of the top scouts across the country, and gives them “top-rate” fundamental instruction. At the camp, Ndiaye was selected and started in the top all-star game known as the “cream of the crop game.”

“Everybody at the camp was great, but they only selected 30 people at the camp to play in the all-star game and it was an incredible honor to be selected

and be able to start,” Ndiaye said.

Ndiaye, who has been playing basketball for just three years, will start as a forward for the Masters Boys Varsity Basketball team. In the past, Masters has put the tallest players as center, the position primarily focused on grabbing rebounds and making layups. Forward is a more fundamentally focused position, requiring the player to have a higher skill for shooting and dribbling, techniques that Ndiaye has demonstrated to an exceptional degree at the camp and at school practice.

Senior Jon Klein said, “He is one of the most skilled basketball players I have ever played with and he also has one of the highest basketball IQs I have ever seen.” Klein later said, “He is exactly what this team needs to succeed.”

COLUMN: PLAY BY PLAY

The curse is over: Cubs celebrate World Series win shawn FarhaDian After 108 long years, the Chicago Cubs celebrated their sweet World Series victory with a parade along the fan-filled streets of their beloved city on Friday, Nov. 4. The Cubs began their procession at their home on the far north side of the Windy City, Wrigley Field, which happens to be almost as old as the Cubs’ championship drought at 102 years old and standing. From there, they proceeded down the most famous street in Chicago, Michigan Avenue, as they crossed the DuSable Bridge over a blue dyed Chicago River to the city’s “front yard,” known as Grant Park, where the rally and final ceremony was held.

A number of star players and heads of the Cubs’ front office, such as team chairman Tom Ricketts, spoke to the millions of baseball fans watching across the nation who have wanted a Cubs title for decades. “Almost every single day, a complete stranger comes up to me,” Ricketts said, “and

they always say the same thing. ‘Mr. Ricketts, I’m 71 years old, please win the World Series before I die’…for the thousands of people who have said that to me, and are still with us, there you go.” World Series MVP Ben Zobrist said to the crowd, “This is a team full of MVPs, and we’re in a city of MVPs.” The ball from the final out of Game 7 was given to Ricketts before the team, and the celebration ended with a singing of “Go Cubs Go,” the team’s official song.

The Cubs’ future still looks very bright, with a core of strong position players that are all 27 or younger. In addition, the club won a league-leading 103 games out of 162 this year, Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo shared his excitement with many other Cubs fans saying, “It happened, baby. It happened!”

The Masters Girls’ Varsity Soccer team, after a victory over Hamden Hall Country Day School, qualified for the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) championship playoffs but lost in the first round.

Having recovered from a brief rough patch early in the season and

on a three-game winning streak, the team needed a victory in a home game against Hamden Hall Country Day School in order to qualify for the FAA playoffs. After a hard-fought battle from both sides, Masters won 1-0 on a goal scored by Isabelle Alexander, one of team’s captains along with Willa Dow, Ingrid Hirt, Sam Coffey, Giselle Garvey and Hannah Regele.

Dow, a senior and the team’s goalie, said that “we are all playing better as a team. Players are connecting and

are really playing smart. Our players who are new are making real positive impact and have shown tremendous improvement in the recent weeks.”

Having qualified for the playoffs, Masters played against Rye Country Day School in an away game in its first match of the tournament on November 7th, but lost 1-4, ending its competition in the tournament.

“We’re very proud to have made it into the playoffs,” said Hirt, a senior.

Field hockey brings best effort at playoffs Courtney DeLong Editor-in-Chief For the second year in a row, the Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Team was one of eight teams who advanced to the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) playoffs. The team lost 0-5 to the School of the Holy Child.

“We tried hard but Holy Child was the second seed,” Saskia Sackner-Bernstein, one of the team captain’s, said. Despite the loss, participation in playoffs is still a sign of success. “I’m extremely proud of the team for making it,” said co-captain Elena Salzman. The team had to ap-

ply to the tournament and was selected due to its high season and scoring records.

Captains Sackner-Bernstein, Salzman, Samantha Russoff and Sophia Gutfreund, along with fellow seniors Jordan Rusoff and Alison Marouk-Coe and manager Alex Lewin have played for Masters for at least three years. Their leadership, along with team sleepovers and a big sister program, have allowed the team to grow close both on and off the field.

Each year, new additions to the team are assigned a big sister, often an upperclassman, who will help them manage life as a varsity student-athlete.

“I think that everyone on the team is amazing and everyone is friends

with each other. I think that we’re all very tight knit. We’ve done so much bonding,” Bernstein said.

The girls’ closeness translates into on-the-field chemistry. “In most sports, people get frustrated when [teammates] don’t play how they want them to. That doesn’t really happen a lot on our team compared to others because we’re all so close”.

Even though they lost, the girls are still proud because this was the second year in a row they made the NYSAIS playoffs. They celebrated the end of the season with a friends and family game on Nov. 9.

Next season looks like it may be even stronger. “The future is bright because of all the new players we had this year,” Salzman said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARING VERSCHUEREN

SOPHOMORE EMMA LUIS BATTLES for the ball as Masters fights for posession on the offensive side of the field. Masters went on to lose 1-0 in a tight game at The Fieldston School.