Tower The Masters School
49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522
VOLUME 72, NUMBER 2
Editorial The line between “privilege” and “right” can often become blurred by personal opinion. The current senior speech dilemma has sparked conversation regarding the “right” of each senior to a senior speech. But how true is this conclusion? If opportunity is present elsewhere for students to voice their thoughts and reflections, then can a senior speech really be considered a right?
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2015
tower.mastersny.org
YIYI (MIA) OUYANG/TOWER
SO MANY SENIORS HAVE signed up to give senior speeches that not everyone will be able to present at Morning Meeting. Five seniors will give their speeches in the form of musical performances during assigned Musical Mondays. In addition, the senior class presidents have proposed that students give presentations at senior class meetings in place of, or as well as, their speeches. These can be traditional speeches or more like informative lectures.
Controversy unfolds surrounding senior speeches arieL Censor Editor-in-Chief
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f you passed the Day Student Lounge (DSL) or the McKnight Room on Nov. 3, you probably heard seniors lamenting the waitlist for senior speeches. Head of the Upper School Matt Ives sent out an email informing the senior class that out of the 71 people who signed up to give a senior speech, only 50 seniors, selected at random, will be able to speak at Morning Meeting in addition to the five who will present at Musical Monday. The remaining 16 have been placed on a waitlist. If a senior who is on the list is unable to give his or her speech for any reason, including not giving it to his or her advisor at least two
weeks before the scheduled date, a classmate on the waiting list gets the spot. The new procedure has created a lot of backlash. “When I first heard about the waiting list, I was pretty confused but also pretty upset, because to me that just screams ‘poor planning’,” senior Karina Ceron said. “Senior speeches are one of the best traditions at Masters and they should have expected this many people to sign up.” No senior class has ever had so many people request to give speeches. Even last year, when an unprecedented number of seniors signed up, the number wasn’t even close to that of this year. “Everyone involved, all of the senior leadership, worked really hard to get everyone a slot, but no other class has had this many people sign up,” Senior Class President Dylan Chan said. “Unfortunately, there
are only so many Morning Meetings and the amount of people we do have signed up is pushing the limit already.” “We all recognized that the amount of people that signed up for senior speeches was too many to reliably schedule at Morning Meeting,” co-chair Tim Kaplowitz said. “I understand why people would be frustrated that they can’t give their speech, especially because I realize that many have looked forward to it since their freshman year, but this was the best solution we could come up with.” However, many seniors think that there is more that could be done to ensure that everyone who wants to give a speech is able to do so. “A lot of people on our class page on Facebook were talking about how Matters of Spirit takes up a lot of Morning Meeting time that should
be used for senior speeches and, although sometimes Matters of Spirit is valuable, I think our speeches should take priority,” Ceron said. Although Ives concedes that on rare occasions Matters of Spirit presentations are “duds,” he still believes that they are a tradition that is as valuable as senior speeches. “One of the only requirements that we still have from Eliza Masters is the religious class requirement, which is why we have everyone take World Religions,” Ives said. “Another way we honor that legacy of learning about religion is through Matters of Spirit. I understand where the seniors are coming from, but it’s an important time and not just a filler that can be replaced by speeches.” Despite the controversy it has created, Ives said that the waitlist has its benefits. “I think the waitlist helps the
people who really want to give their speech and are prepared take priority over those who don’t take it seriously,” Ives said. “We can all think of speeches where the person wrote it the night before and it’s basically been a waste of everyone’s time, so the fact that people have to write their speech at least two weeks in advance eliminates that.” While the controversy unfolds, the senior leadership is working to find solutions to the problem. “We’re looking at every possible angle to get everyone off the waitlist,” Chan said. “We can’t make any promises, but we’re looking at everything from extended Morning Meetings to mandatory meetings at break. Even if we don’t do that and seniors aren’t able to present at Morning Meeting, they’ll probably be able to do something at our class meetings.”
Students may dive head-first for diplomas Logan Toporoff Copy Editor The new Fonseca Center is finally here and open with a brand new swimming pool. There has been discussion of a graduation requirement for swimming that all students must take and pass at some point. This new requirement, if adopted, would not apply to current Upper School students, however. “There will possibly be a graduation requirement involving a developing swim test that would start next year with the incoming freshmen and continue from there,” swim coach Susan Greally said. Many other private schools and a handful
of public schools that have swimming pools also have adopted this requirement to ensure student safety. Some colleges have made these rules as well. Though this would not affect the majority of the current student body, the requirement will continue to be discussed and most likely be considered for next year. This idea originally came from Head of School Laura Danforth, who believes it is an “obligation” to make sure young people can swim. “Teaching kids how to swim is like teaching someone how to read; it is a ne-
cessity,” Danforth said. She also noticed during the senior’s first swim that some students were unable to participate because of their lack of swimming ability. But she and Athletic Director Kevin Versen are working hard to establish a solution for this dilemma. Versen will be drafting the proposal of this requirement to present to the Academic Committee. The proposal will include ideas like having Upper School students, new or in-
RACHEL SAUNDERS/TOWER
coming, take a swim test and of- wouldn’t affect them directly, confer students lessons until they are sidering they are all experienced able to pass. These lessons could with swimming. be taken Ives also at another said he school or “thinks it’s class if the helpful belessons at cause stuMasters do Teaching kids how to swim is like dents would not fit into teaching someone how to read; it is a end up cutting a student’s necessity. themselves off schedule. - LAURA DANFORTH from opportu“I think nities if they it is a weren’t able great idea, to swim.” but at the Once Verssame time I have mixed feelings en has finished drafting the proabout it,” Head of School Matt posal, it will be officially discussed Ives said. “I would hate to see a with the Academic Committee and kid not graduate just because they more details will be worked out couldn’t swim, but I do agree that from there. it is a safety issue.” For now, the coaches are just exIves also asked his advisees cited to see the development of the their opinion and they all agreed swim team and for the swim proit was a fine idea considering it grams begin.
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TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
NEWS
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Cowhey and Van Brummelen named faculty chairs mark TseyTiN Jake masTers Staff Writers At convocation, Head of School Laura Danforth announced two new endowed faculty chairs that will be held for four-year terms. The Maureen Fonseca Faculty Chair for Excellence in Teaching
was awarded to Math Department faculty member Marianne Van Brummelen. The Jane Rechtman Faculty Chair was awarded to History and Religion Department faculty member Ellen Cowhey. The Fonseca Chair was created in honor of our previous Head of School, while the Rechtman Chair was named after a retired teacher who had a profound effect on the Masters community. “When I heard my name called I
was really happy and couldn’t stop smiling. I felt really supported by the community and it felt so good to be up there,” Van Brummelen said. Van Brummelen has taught almost every level of math. She also leads the New Faculty Institute, a one-week course at the beginning of each year to help new teachers prepare for teaching at Masters. “This new position will allow me to keep doing what I’ve been doing with the new faculty and staff
ASLI NOYAN/TOWER
JANE RECHTMAN
ENDOWED FACULTY CHAIRS MARIANNE Van Brummelen and Ellen Cowhey were announced at the installation ceremony of Laura Danforth as Head of School. Van Brummelen was in the audience and Cowhey watched via livestream with Jane Rechtman.
because it will give me a sense of self confidence and motivation to do more than I am doing now,” Van Brummelen said. Cowhey is currently on sabbatical, but watched the announcement with Rechtman via live-streamed video. Among other things, Cowhey has taught world religions courses, served as a dorm parent, and been faculty adviser to Tower during her 11 years at Masters. “I was surprised because I could think of a lot of faculty in this community who also open the world to our students in so many different ways and who help students ground themselves in a myriad of meaningful ways,” Cowhey said. The Rechtman Chair is awarded to a teacher who is passionate about doing the best they can to strive for the greater good and to bring positivity to our community. Rechtman was pleased with the news of Cowhey’s appointment. “I was delighted and honored to have an endowed chair set in my name and even more so that Ms. Cowhey got it because she does so much for our community,” Rechtman said. Dr. Fonseca likewise expressed her enthusiasm at the choice of Van Brummelen. “I know that Marianne has always been a role model. I love her humility and her ability to reach out to students. She is eager to grow every day. It was very important to me that the faculty were
given the opportunity to grow and learn and it feels good to know that these chairs are set up to do that,” Fonseca said. Associate Head of School for Institutional Advancement Tim Kane explained that the Fonseca and Rechtman Chairs, although created in the same year, were made possible by different types of gifts. “The Fonseca chair was created as a result of two million dollars raised in endowment funds from twenty different donors,” Kane said. “The Rechtman chair was the result of a single anonymous donor who gave a donation of committed one million dollars so long as the school matched half of it, raised an additional $500,000.” Rechtman said, “When I was writing a thank you letter to the donor I could not address him or her by their name since I have no idea who it was but I am greatly thankful.” The endowed chairs will be held for a period of four years and upon conclusion of this term the faculty will nominate new members for these same positions. Kane noted that the creation of the endowed chairs fits with the schools overall goal of growing the endowment. “It is imperative that we raise our school’s’ endowment. It is currently at about forty million dollars, so creating chairs like this will help our school a tremendous amount,” Kane said.
Students combine work with play as after school tutors JeNNifer muNNiNgs Sports Editor
Masters students strive to make a difference in the community and the world at large through their involvement in MISH and Midnight Runs. A few students in the community service co-curricular have taken the extra step and are working with Cabrini Immigrant Services, often simply called Cabrini, in Dobbs Ferry. The volunteers work with children of immigrant families in an after school program to assist them with their homework and practice
reading using Fletcher’s Place, a reading development program designed to engage and teach students through videos and games. Cabrini is a nonprofit Christian organization that provides education, language, and legal assistance to immigrants and their families. Cabrini was founded in 1998 and has been continually providing aid to immigrants within the Dobbs Ferry community to improve their standard of living. Students volunteer at Cabrini after school, working oneon-one with first through fifth graders from Springhurst Elementary School. They help them with their homework and enjoy a snack, then play games that help boost
the children’s understanding of pronunciation. MISH co-chair Boya Zhu, an international student who stud-
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I have been undergoing the same learning experience as them, so I can be more patient because I know the struggle that they are experiencing.
ied English as a second language, said, “I have been undergoing the same learning experience as them so I can be more patient because I know the struggle that they are experiencing.” Cabrini attempts to
Fishing for sister schools Naomi Nivar Managing Editor Two summers ago Masters students and teachers traveled to Dakar, Senegal, where students got involved with a sister school, Cours Sainte-Marie-de-Hann, and experienced Senegalese culture. This past summer, students journeyed to a monastery in Tibet. Dr. Robert Fish, Upper School history teacher and Global Studies Coordinator, said that over the next two years the Global Studies Committee (GSC) will create a formal relationship with the monastery which is similar to a traditional school in Tibet. Traveling to sister schools helps students practice global awareness. Zoe Kreutzer, a senior who went to Senegal and Tibet, said, “From going on both trips I got to see different cultures from my own, and I feel that I have a more expanded view and understanding of the world.” Thomas Whalen, a junior who went to Tibet, said, “No matter how well you think you know a culture, you don’t really understand it until you’ve experienced it firsthand. No amount of research could’ve prepared me for the simple, daily interactions I had with the monks in the monastery.” Elena Salzman, another junior who traveled to Tibet, said, “While traveling through western China, I connected and interacted with kids and teens my age on the other side of the planet; I understand how similar we all are.” Sister schools allow for global collaboration. Masters students can interact with students from the sister schools through
- BOYA ZHU
projects without even leaving campus. “Some projects will be with our world religions classes discussing what it’s like to have kids with different religions in the same school,” Fish said. There is planning to include projects that involve middle school students, as the sister schools also have middle and upper schools. Masters students can host visiting students. Junior Samantha Russoff and her family hosted Haruna, a girl visiting from Japan. Rusoff said, “[Haruna] was incredibly sweet and always willing to engage in American Culture. She was a great addition to our family for two weeks and we were all sad to see her leave.” Now, the GSC is moving to expand Master’s relations by considering two sister schools in the Dominican Republic, the St.George School and Babeque Secundaria, both bilingual schools located in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital. Adriana Botero, Associate Head of School for Faculty Affairs and Program Development, said the GSC wanted to add a sister school in the Dominican Republic because of Upper School teacher Roberto Mercedes’ connection with the country. In addition, the Domican Republic is relatively easy to travel to and is in the same time zone as Masters. The addition of a Spanish-speaking school would help the school’s Spanish program. “Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S., so we must give more of our students opportunities to practice their Spanish,” Botero said. Botero is excited to create a sister school in Latin America. She added, “In America, when we think international we almost forget that we have neighbors right here.”
make learning English a fun and interactive experience through the unique techniques implemented by Fletcher’s Place. Amy Atlee, Director of Community Service, said the new program was inspired by MISH’s guiding principle, “What do you all need and what can we offer?” Atlee and the rest of MISH saw a need for an interactive and engaging learning experience. So, they communicated with the directors of Cabrini and Kevin Gormley, and helped implement Fletcher’s Place. Many of the children’s’ parents do not speak English and cannot help their kids with their homework so Cabrini helps teach English to parents and children,
helping ease the assimilation process for families. The volunteers benefit from the program as well. Atlee said, “learning more about the immigrant experience” is a reward in itself. Director of Cabrini Lorraine Campanelli holds a great sense of appreciation for the volunteers. She explained that the volunteers show the children patience and understanding and “make them feel special.” Cabrini could not be productive without the help of volunteers. On an average day the program has 15 children and seven volunteers. It can be hard to manage energetic kids, yet the volunteers ensure the children complete their homework before playing games.
Active Minds promotes mental health awareness CourTNey DeLoNg News Editor Masters students, known for their progressive stance on issues, have advocated for female, minority, and gay rights for years. However, it is only recently that students have begun to fight for the rights of those affected by “invisible illnesses.” The Active Minds Club is branch of Active Minds, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting stigma surrounding mental illness. The club was founded last year by junior Kintashe Mainsah, sophomore Emma Friedman and former freshman Noah Silverman who has since left the school. It began holding meetings this September. The presidents have fought to make their club, advised by Ms. Kaye, a safe space where members of the community can talk about some of the hardships they face. “Everyone seems very into this club and a lot of people have come up to me and told me how happy they are,” said Friedman. What is said during meetings is meant to be kept confidential, unless a student reveals a desire to harm oneself or others, in which case the club members are obligated to contact the school’s counselor, Stefanie Carbone. Members of the community have questioned whether students are fit to tackle such complicated and serious issues.
Mental illness is not a light topic. If an advisor is not present at a meeting and a student says something that indicates potential harm to oneself or others, will it be reported? One of the first issues the club hopes to tackle is the misuse of mental health jargon, including phrases like “he’s so crazy,” “she’s so OCD.” and “I got such a bad grade. I am literally going to kill myself.” Associate Dean of Students Joyce Lewandowski said, ”The fact that Active Minds is even here, . . . that’s huge because we’re talking about [mental health] and when we don’t talk about things, that’s when the stigma creeps in and that’s when people feel alone.” Despite the new conversation about mental health, some students still feel stigmatized. Grace King, a senior who suffers from clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder, said she has both lost close friends and has been treated unfairly due to her illness. King said that she often experiences persecution as a result of her illness, even from her close friends. “The general lack of education about mental illness in our community creates an unintentional culture of discrimination,” she said. Many students, those afflicted and not, are excited to participate in Active Minds and are inspired to talk about their experiences. “I hope sharing my story might begin to dispel the notion that mental illness is something to be ashamed of,” King said.
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OP-ED
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
OpiniOn EDITORIAL
Senior speeches: An honor not an entitlement F
or the first time in school history, too many seniors have signed up for senior speeches. As a result, 17 seniors, chosen randomly, have been placed on a waiting list, hoping a spot will become available. Senior speeches are a time-honored tradition at our school, allowing every senior five minutes at Morning Meeting to say whatever they want within reason.
Some seniors have pressured administration and student leaders for a solution, specifically calling to cut Matters of Spirit and MISH time at Morning Meeting to create more time for senior speeches. As of press time, there is no guarantee what resolution will
come from this. The school is working on a solution to accommodate every senior who wants to give a speech. But the response from the senior class highlights something that our community hasn’t addressed: we’ve mistaken the difference between a privilege and a right. Although recently this is best exemplified through seniors’ responses to the waitlist, it’s a larger theme in our community. Being a student at an institution like Masters, it’s easy to forget that not everyone has the
opportunities that we have. We go to a school that not only wants to hear our voices, but also celebrates them. We have the ability to go to Executive Committee, start clubs, talk to our Head of School oneon-one, and also give senior speeches. Senior speeches are by no means the only way we can express our opinions to the school: we do it every day. Although senior speeches are a special custom and the outrage over the waitlist is understandable, it
is not as if the school is suddenly invalidating our voices. It’s important that we as students internalize our school’s emphasis on valuing everyone’s perspective, not just our own. With regard to senior speeches, they’re no more or less important than MISH or Matters of Spirit because everyone’s contribution is equally important. It’s a privilege to even be able to give a senior speech and in trying to cut other people’s time at Morning Meeting, we’re undermining what the tradition is about.
Tower 2014-2015
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Republican Party attacks Planned Parenthood Allie Berdon Opinion Editor Planned Parenthood is currently under attack by the Republican Party. The controversy began with the release of highly edited videos of Planned Parenthood employees discussing the sale of fetal tissue. While these videos provide the talking points for the most recent attack on Planned Parenthood, it is just the latest battle in the Republican Party’s war against women’s reproductive rights. In 1973 the Supreme Court issued a decision in Roe v. Wade, which made the availability of abortion a constitutional right. One way the Republican Party has tried to work around the Roe v. Wade decision is to defund Planned Parenthood entirely, thus shutting down one of the few affordable providers of abortion services. Planned Parenthood has 700 centers in the U.S. and annually serves more than five million people. The primary focus of Planned Parenthood is prevention. According to the Planned Parenthood website, 516,000 accidental pregnancies are prevented, 4.5 million tests for STIs are administered, and millions of cancer screenings such as breast exams and Pap tests are provided annually. These test are imperative in our society and, without Planned Parenthood’s affordable services, millions of men and women would go untreated. Along with providing preventative care, Planned Parenthood provides abortion services for women. Only three percent of all Planned Parenthood services are related to abortions and are not federally funded. If Planned Par-
enthood closed the doors of their clinics, millions of women would be forced to seek alternative abortion options that could potentially be dangerous. The defunding of Planned Parenthood has been a topic of debate for years but was brought to the forefront this September when, after the video controversy, Republican representatives threatened to shut down the government if the White House did not agree to cut off all federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Not only is this tactic blackmail, it also infringes on a constitutional right of women. The deprivation of funding would make it impossible for clinics to keep their doors open to clients seeking any type of care. This movement is a direct attack on women’s rights. Another way that the Republican Party is making efforts to end abortions is through unreasonable regulations and restrictions placed upon clinics and women seeking care. In certain states such as Texas and Louisiana, laws are being passed that require women to have ultrasounds 24 hours before their abortions, requiring two separate trips. Requiring women to return to a Planned Parenthood clinic twice in 48 hours is designed to make it difficult for them to obtain an abortion. Many women who go to Planned Parenthood are from low-income households and cannot afford to travel or take time off of work. Clinics are often hours apart and require women to drive hundreds of miles each way. This might be seen as a minor inconvenience for people with disposable income and free time, but these restrictions make obtaining abortions almost impossible for working class people. We cannot conform to the Republican agenda and allow millions of people to be deprived of fundamental sexual and reproductive health care.
Response to change
JaCk Murray
photo editor aSLi noyan
The lead story of the Oct. 9 issue of Tower reported on the opening of the Fonseca Center and included a centerspread highlighting numerous changes around campus. The editorial in that issue raised questions about how changes to the school, especially a greater emphasis on athletics, might change the school culture. At convocation, co-chairs Annie Canning and Tim Kaplowitz addressed the issue of change, presenting an alternative perspective. Below are excerpts from their speeches.
Annie Canning Co-Chair 2015 marks huge changes for The Masters School. We have a new Head of School, this brand new building and many new students to help break it in. Coffee, comfy chairs, and chlorine have become a new facet in the daily life at Masters. Many believe this is the greatest change from the school they have seen to date. With so many new opportunities, some may be concerned we are losing old traditions or changing our school’s culture. . . Change will always happen in a place like Masters. We are a community that challenges students to look at ourselves and take into account what we think, say, or feel. Our teachers ask us to look at who we are, where we live, and how we are raised and to question those ideas or qualities about our lives that seem static. We are thinkers and doers. Our education is providing us tools to go out into the world and make change. As we move forward, let’s embrace change and celebrate what it brings.
Tim Kaplowitz Co-Chair This year is a year of sweeping changes. We are obviously in a new building, and there is a new café. These changes are not what I want to talk about today. Instead, I want to talk about the Masters Community. . . When I heard that we were getting a new Head of School, I thought about all the traditions that might go away. I thought about Head’s Dinner, eating dessert in Dr. Fonseca’s house, for example. And I was thinking about this and I was so worried until I realized that it really doesn’t matter. Masters will always be Masters as long as the community is full of students who care about each other, about the faculty around them, and about the school that they go to. So, Ms. Danforth, as you lead our community, as you take the mantle of this school that we all care about so much, I ask that you focus on these qualities of character, that you make sure that you bring up students who care about one another, who care about the world and who want to give back. If you do that, honestly, the Masters School will continue to flourish and will continue to be this amazing place we’ve all known and we’ve all loved for many years, squash courts or no squash courts.
FaCulty adviser Matt Browne
oNliNe Media
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distributioN proCess
Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers.
sCholastiC press aFFiliatioNs, letters aNd editorial poliCy Tower is the winner of the Pacemaker Award for Overall Excellence, 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 five 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 & arts Jack MuRRaY Advertising Manager The Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders, has been gaining momentum as a candidate, due to his appeal to the younger generation. Many of his democratic socialist policies mimic that of small Scandinavian countries that have recently been extremely successful. But of his appeal also comes as a result of his unique ideas that have differed from other candidates in the current election. Reasoning for support from the youth may be because of his views towards abortion and woman’s rights. In recent political debates, especially those in the Republican party, viewed these rights as a decision of the government. Sanders, how-
RaJan cutting Editor-In-Chief
ever, takes a more liberal point of view on this issue which has allowed a great deal of young supporters who share this value to give support, as Sanders stated in one of his rallies, “We are not going back. We are not returning to the days of backroom abortions, when countless women died or were maimed. The decision about abortion must remain a decision for the woman, her family and a physician to make, not
On the issues of wealth and inequality Sanders has been an adamant in his belief of taxing large corporations and billionaires since early in his political career. Sanders also plans to raise minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 dollars an hour. He is also concerned that women only make seventy eight cents to every dollar men make. However, Sanders’s primary concern is that the top tenth of one percent of the wealthiest people in the United States have almost an equal amount of money to the bottom ninety perWe are not going back. We are not recent of US citizens comturning to the days of back-room aborbined. Sanders prides himtions, when countless women died or were self on the fact that he is maimed. The decision about abortion must not very wealthy and the remain a decision for the woman, her famifact that he funds his camly and a physician to make, not the governpaign with donations not ment. from lobbyists. - Bernie Sanders With the election just over a year away, and the current attention Sandthe government.” ers has called to his name recently, Sanders also appeals to a more Sanders could very well be a big figmodern generation looking for social ure in this race. He is still trailing justice. Police Officers have killed his main democratic rival, Secretary 161 unarmed citizens in the past of State Hillary Clinton, by a large year, and many people are looking portion of the votes. However his for new candidates to take action on portrayal as the “underdog” candithis profound modern issue of police date in the media, has made some use of deadly force. Sanders wants Clinton supporters, especially in the to create more diverse police forces younger generation of voters, start reflecting the diversity of the com- to realize the potential that Sanders munities they serve. He also wishes has. After this large growth in supto revamp the way that police offi- port from young Americans, there is cers are trained to prevent the use no reason Sanders should be ruled of violence. out as our next potential president.
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YIYI (MIA) OUYANG/TOWER
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Café gives students snack options, at a price
Youth begin to feel the Bern cedaR beRRol-Young Features Editor
FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
After only being opened for a little over a month, one can already see the impact the Café is having on our campus. The starving students who used to rush to the Dining Hall during morning break only to be greeted by the lunch lady screaming, “Fruit only!” have now found their safe haven in the Café. The Café sells food and drinks to students when the Dining Hall isn’t open; but, the only catch is that it isn’t free. Now as more and more students are taking advantage of the Café the community has raised questions about where the money goes. The Café has been a great addition to the campus and it was something that was planned precisely to be a positive addition to student life. “The things I like about the Fonseca Center are it has arts and athletics in the same space, it has beautiful lighting, and it doesn’t overpower the other buildings on campus. So when we were designing the Café we wanted to make a space that really served the students and complimented the rest of the building,” Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle said. Cindy Calixto, an employee of Aramark, the company that provides the Dining Hall and Café with food, and who works in the Café notices it experiences the most activity during morning break; there is usually a line that stretches past the entrance door.
OLIVER CLAYTON
STUDENTS FLOCK TO THE Davis Café seeking snacks and drinks at times when the Dining Hall is closed, especially during morning break. The prices can’t compete with the free food offered at the Dining Hall, but the café provides more options and the school has suggested that if it turns a profit the proceeds might be donated charity. “It ranges how much students spend here. Some kids just buy a bag of chips but some basically buy full meals. I can’t
give an exact value but I’d say on a given day we can make a couple hundred dollars,” Calixto said.
In fact through an emailed document provided by Biddle, it was found that on a given day the Café can bring in as
MISH scares up funds at Halloween haunted house SOPHOMORE EAMON PEARSON AND Senior Karina Ceron dress up for the haunted house on October 30. Pearson was one of many non-senior members of Phoenix who helped the class of 2016 with the project that took pace in Estherwood Mansion. It is one of many MISH projects the senior class hopes to complete.
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Sneaker heads sell their soles for profit
MIMI SILVERSTEIN
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MIMI SILVERSTEIN
SENIOR XINGJIA(SHEILA) WANG scares visitors to the haunted house. Many seniors “acted” om the haunted house and helped scare people while others helped with cleaning, decoration for the haunted house, collecting money, running a bake sale and more. The event was completely student planned and run.
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Jacob Regele Features Editor
much as $600. Among the items listed on the menu some of them come directly from the dining hall. The bagels and brownies in particular along with all the fruits are actually the same as in the Dining Hall. This has created some controversy and students have questioned the reasoning behind this but overall they are understanding. Senior Khyle Richards-Corke who buys the bagels regularly said, “I like how the Café works with the Dining Hall and since their hours never overlap it doesn’t necessarily bother me that the Café sells some of the things that are free elsewhere.” However some of the most popular items on the menu aren’t offered in the Dining Hall and evidently are the more expensive. For example the chocolate croissants which occasionally sell out and the muffins that seem to be campus favorites aren’t offered in the Dining hall. According to Biddle the Café hasn’t made a profit yet but when it does the administration wants to purse a “double bottom-line” concept where students could direct the funds to a charity similar to what MISH does with Jeans Days. “I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to many students but I am interested in hearing their input and hearing form them what we can improve on,” he continued, “We are still figuring out the right format for the café. We really want to understand what works and what doesn’t, and will adjust our future plans accordingly.”
SENIOR GABBY BAVARRO, CO-CHAIR of MISH, waits to scare haunted house patrons. The haunted house was a senior MISH project that raised over $270 to buy a Christmas gifts for the children at Children’s Village. MIMI SILVERSTEIN
Midsummer Night’s Dream is mid-fall hit aRiel censoR Editor-In-Chief
JACOB REGELE/TOWER
THESE AIR JORDAN 1 fragments from the private collection of junior Yuhao (Henry) Dai are one of the most coveted sneakers ever launched from the Air Jordan brand. After retailing for $165 the price shot up to $1,500 for anyone looking to buy the shoe from a reseller. widely stocked shoes that are easy to find and often sell for under retail price. Limited releases will often have only one stocking of shoe and can sell out very quickly depending
on the shoe. Kanye West’s “Air Yeezy 2: Red October” sold out in eleven minutes, after an unannounced release. Some shoes, like the Air Jordan 4 Eminem aren’t even released
to the public. Eminem 4’s, of which only 50 pairs were made, were only ever given to Marshall Mathers and his family and friends but on rare occasions can be purchased for
around $40,000. Some shoes, like the Nike SB EBay dunks, are one of a kind. These shoes sold at auction for $30,000 and will likely never change hands.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream may be the most frequently produced Shakespeare play at the high school level, but Masters’ production on October 23 and 24 managed to be both unique and entertaining. At the high school level, Shakespeare productions can be tedious and boring to watch. Often, the actors don’t truly understand what they’re saying themselves, so as an audience member it’s difficult to follow. The fall play did not have this problem: the actors spoke with conviction so that even if an audience member didn’t understand the language, she was able to understand the meaning from their tone. Sam Coppola, a junior who played the fairy queen Titania, was an exceptional example of this. Despite the complex language in her lines, her inflection made her scenes enjoyable and even comical. Similarly, the troupe of actors who put on Pyramus and Thisbe at Theseus’s wedding managed to
leave the crowd in fits of laughter despite their complicated lines. Although seeing senior Andrew Ciacci in drag in his performance as Nicholas Flute was enough to make anyone laugh, junior John Sullivan’s deadpan delivery and the troupe’s commitment to their purposefully awful production of Pyramus and Thisbe made a dated play seem fresh. In addition to the cast’s stellar performance, the choreography and costume design gave the production an edge. Senior Will Hallock’s overstated movements and ornate costume sold his character Pan’s creepiness while the fairies’ steampunk costumes added a dark element to seemingly innocent characters. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a truly inventive production that was enjoyable even for those unacquainted with Shakespeare.
◄
Oct. 21 symbolized a significant date in many ways. So called “Back to the Future Day,” the date in the future to which Marty McFly travels, has seen a few surprisingly accurate predictions. The Chicago Cubs are on their way to a world series, hoverboards are just around the corner, and perhaps, most importantly, self-lacing shoes may no longer be a thing of the future. But for some, it was actually an important day. On Oct. 21 Nike announced the re-release of one of the most coveted sneakers of all time, the Air Mag. This shoe, which fetched around $5,000 at auction, and over $6,000 at resale, is at the center of sneaker culture. There are a few shoes as sought after as Nike’s Air Mag. The Air Yeezy 2: Red October, a shoe designed by Kanye West, sells for around $4,000, almost a two thousand percent markup from its original price. Nike’s SB dunk low: “Paris” now sells for over $10,000 while the shoe, when originally bought from Nike, cost only $69. There are a few subsets of sneaker culture when considering what can make a shoe so expensive. While a majority of the people engaged in “sneaker culture” are involved purely for aesthetics and ‘hype’ there is a large community based around collecting. Collections can have any number of themes ranging from classic Air Jordans, one of the most famous sneakers of all time, to Nike SB Dunks, a shoe that has had hundreds of iterations, that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. These shoes usually fall into a few categories regarding rarity. General release or ‘GR’ is a term used for
TAYLOR KESICKI AND CLAUDIA O’CONNELL, playing the just married Demetrius and Helena in the final act of Shakespeare’s classic. ANDREW PETKUN
4
FEATURES AND ARTS
Features & arts Jack MuRRaY Advertising Manager The Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders, has been gaining momentum as a candidate, due to his appeal to the younger generation. Many of his democratic socialist policies mimic that of small Scandinavian countries that have recently been extremely successful. But of his appeal also comes as a result of his unique ideas that have differed from other candidates in the current election. Reasoning for support from the youth may be because of his views towards abortion and woman’s rights. In recent political debates, especially those in the Republican party, viewed these rights as a decision of the government. Sanders, how-
RaJan cutting Editor-In-Chief
ever, takes a more liberal point of view on this issue which has allowed a great deal of young supporters who share this value to give support, as Sanders stated in one of his rallies, “We are not going back. We are not returning to the days of backroom abortions, when countless women died or were maimed. The decision about abortion must remain a decision for the woman, her family and a physician to make, not
On the issues of wealth and inequality Sanders has been an adamant in his belief of taxing large corporations and billionaires since early in his political career. Sanders also plans to raise minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 dollars an hour. He is also concerned that women only make seventy eight cents to every dollar men make. However, Sanders’s primary concern is that the top tenth of one percent of the wealthiest people in the United States have almost an equal amount of money to the bottom ninety perWe are not going back. We are not recent of US citizens comturning to the days of back-room aborbined. Sanders prides himtions, when countless women died or were self on the fact that he is maimed. The decision about abortion must not very wealthy and the remain a decision for the woman, her famifact that he funds his camly and a physician to make, not the governpaign with donations not ment. from lobbyists. - Bernie Sanders With the election just over a year away, and the current attention Sandthe government.” ers has called to his name recently, Sanders also appeals to a more Sanders could very well be a big figmodern generation looking for social ure in this race. He is still trailing justice. Police Officers have killed his main democratic rival, Secretary 161 unarmed citizens in the past of State Hillary Clinton, by a large year, and many people are looking portion of the votes. However his for new candidates to take action on portrayal as the “underdog” candithis profound modern issue of police date in the media, has made some use of deadly force. Sanders wants Clinton supporters, especially in the to create more diverse police forces younger generation of voters, start reflecting the diversity of the com- to realize the potential that Sanders munities they serve. He also wishes has. After this large growth in supto revamp the way that police offi- port from young Americans, there is cers are trained to prevent the use no reason Sanders should be ruled of violence. out as our next potential president.
“
YIYI (MIA) OUYANG/TOWER
5
Café gives students snack options, at a price
Youth begin to feel the Bern cedaR beRRol-Young Features Editor
FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
After only being opened for a little over a month, one can already see the impact the Café is having on our campus. The starving students who used to rush to the Dining Hall during morning break only to be greeted by the lunch lady screaming, “Fruit only!” have now found their safe haven in the Café. The Café sells food and drinks to students when the Dining Hall isn’t open; but, the only catch is that it isn’t free. Now as more and more students are taking advantage of the Café the community has raised questions about where the money goes. The Café has been a great addition to the campus and it was something that was planned precisely to be a positive addition to student life. “The things I like about the Fonseca Center are it has arts and athletics in the same space, it has beautiful lighting, and it doesn’t overpower the other buildings on campus. So when we were designing the Café we wanted to make a space that really served the students and complimented the rest of the building,” Chief Financial Officer Ed Biddle said. Cindy Calixto, an employee of Aramark, the company that provides the Dining Hall and Café with food, and who works in the Café notices it experiences the most activity during morning break; there is usually a line that stretches past the entrance door.
OLIVER CLAYTON
STUDENTS FLOCK TO THE Davis Café seeking snacks and drinks at times when the Dining Hall is closed, especially during morning break. The prices can’t compete with the free food offered at the Dining Hall, but the café provides more options and the school has suggested that if it turns a profit the proceeds might be donated charity. “It ranges how much students spend here. Some kids just buy a bag of chips but some basically buy full meals. I can’t
give an exact value but I’d say on a given day we can make a couple hundred dollars,” Calixto said.
In fact through an emailed document provided by Biddle, it was found that on a given day the Café can bring in as
MISH scares up funds at Halloween haunted house SOPHOMORE EAMON PEARSON AND Senior Karina Ceron dress up for the haunted house on October 30. Pearson was one of many non-senior members of Phoenix who helped the class of 2016 with the project that took pace in Estherwood Mansion. It is one of many MISH projects the senior class hopes to complete.
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Sneaker heads sell their soles for profit
MIMI SILVERSTEIN
◄
MIMI SILVERSTEIN
SENIOR XINGJIA(SHEILA) WANG scares visitors to the haunted house. Many seniors “acted” om the haunted house and helped scare people while others helped with cleaning, decoration for the haunted house, collecting money, running a bake sale and more. The event was completely student planned and run.
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Jacob Regele Features Editor
much as $600. Among the items listed on the menu some of them come directly from the dining hall. The bagels and brownies in particular along with all the fruits are actually the same as in the Dining Hall. This has created some controversy and students have questioned the reasoning behind this but overall they are understanding. Senior Khyle Richards-Corke who buys the bagels regularly said, “I like how the Café works with the Dining Hall and since their hours never overlap it doesn’t necessarily bother me that the Café sells some of the things that are free elsewhere.” However some of the most popular items on the menu aren’t offered in the Dining Hall and evidently are the more expensive. For example the chocolate croissants which occasionally sell out and the muffins that seem to be campus favorites aren’t offered in the Dining hall. According to Biddle the Café hasn’t made a profit yet but when it does the administration wants to purse a “double bottom-line” concept where students could direct the funds to a charity similar to what MISH does with Jeans Days. “I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to many students but I am interested in hearing their input and hearing form them what we can improve on,” he continued, “We are still figuring out the right format for the café. We really want to understand what works and what doesn’t, and will adjust our future plans accordingly.”
SENIOR GABBY BAVARRO, CO-CHAIR of MISH, waits to scare haunted house patrons. The haunted house was a senior MISH project that raised over $270 to buy a Christmas gifts for the children at Children’s Village. MIMI SILVERSTEIN
Midsummer Night’s Dream is mid-fall hit aRiel censoR Editor-In-Chief
JACOB REGELE/TOWER
THESE AIR JORDAN 1 fragments from the private collection of junior Yuhao (Henry) Dai are one of the most coveted sneakers ever launched from the Air Jordan brand. After retailing for $165 the price shot up to $1,500 for anyone looking to buy the shoe from a reseller. widely stocked shoes that are easy to find and often sell for under retail price. Limited releases will often have only one stocking of shoe and can sell out very quickly depending
on the shoe. Kanye West’s “Air Yeezy 2: Red October” sold out in eleven minutes, after an unannounced release. Some shoes, like the Air Jordan 4 Eminem aren’t even released
to the public. Eminem 4’s, of which only 50 pairs were made, were only ever given to Marshall Mathers and his family and friends but on rare occasions can be purchased for
around $40,000. Some shoes, like the Nike SB EBay dunks, are one of a kind. These shoes sold at auction for $30,000 and will likely never change hands.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream may be the most frequently produced Shakespeare play at the high school level, but Masters’ production on October 23 and 24 managed to be both unique and entertaining. At the high school level, Shakespeare productions can be tedious and boring to watch. Often, the actors don’t truly understand what they’re saying themselves, so as an audience member it’s difficult to follow. The fall play did not have this problem: the actors spoke with conviction so that even if an audience member didn’t understand the language, she was able to understand the meaning from their tone. Sam Coppola, a junior who played the fairy queen Titania, was an exceptional example of this. Despite the complex language in her lines, her inflection made her scenes enjoyable and even comical. Similarly, the troupe of actors who put on Pyramus and Thisbe at Theseus’s wedding managed to
leave the crowd in fits of laughter despite their complicated lines. Although seeing senior Andrew Ciacci in drag in his performance as Nicholas Flute was enough to make anyone laugh, junior John Sullivan’s deadpan delivery and the troupe’s commitment to their purposefully awful production of Pyramus and Thisbe made a dated play seem fresh. In addition to the cast’s stellar performance, the choreography and costume design gave the production an edge. Senior Will Hallock’s overstated movements and ornate costume sold his character Pan’s creepiness while the fairies’ steampunk costumes added a dark element to seemingly innocent characters. A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a truly inventive production that was enjoyable even for those unacquainted with Shakespeare.
◄
Oct. 21 symbolized a significant date in many ways. So called “Back to the Future Day,” the date in the future to which Marty McFly travels, has seen a few surprisingly accurate predictions. The Chicago Cubs are on their way to a world series, hoverboards are just around the corner, and perhaps, most importantly, self-lacing shoes may no longer be a thing of the future. But for some, it was actually an important day. On Oct. 21 Nike announced the re-release of one of the most coveted sneakers of all time, the Air Mag. This shoe, which fetched around $5,000 at auction, and over $6,000 at resale, is at the center of sneaker culture. There are a few shoes as sought after as Nike’s Air Mag. The Air Yeezy 2: Red October, a shoe designed by Kanye West, sells for around $4,000, almost a two thousand percent markup from its original price. Nike’s SB dunk low: “Paris” now sells for over $10,000 while the shoe, when originally bought from Nike, cost only $69. There are a few subsets of sneaker culture when considering what can make a shoe so expensive. While a majority of the people engaged in “sneaker culture” are involved purely for aesthetics and ‘hype’ there is a large community based around collecting. Collections can have any number of themes ranging from classic Air Jordans, one of the most famous sneakers of all time, to Nike SB Dunks, a shoe that has had hundreds of iterations, that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. These shoes usually fall into a few categories regarding rarity. General release or ‘GR’ is a term used for
TAYLOR KESICKI AND CLAUDIA O’CONNELL, playing the just married Demetrius and Helena in the final act of Shakespeare’s classic. ANDREW PETKUN
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
OP-ED
6
Holidays offer stress relief racheL saunders News Editor It’s not only the pumpkin-flavored Starbucks coffees that mark the transition from summer to fall. When October hits, the theme of the month becomes “Halloween.” So quick is this transition, it sometimes seems that I have missed the month of September altogether. Out come the skeletons, the Halloween-themed kid shows and the ‘it-was-scary-when-it-firstcame-out’ re-runs. When Halloween ends, the whole country quickly transitions to Thanksgiving. Each month has a theme, it seems: November is Thanksgiving, December is Christmas and Chanukah, January New Years Day and February Valentine’s Day. Why do we, as students, teachers, and members of a community, have such tendencies to look toward holidays, preparing excessively for massive feasts and parties? Magazines, newspapers, advertisements and merchandise reflect the holidays, showing us upcoming excitement, reminding us of the smell of turkey, the look of the lights wrapped around pine trees, and the taste of mystery chocolates. We associate these memories with happiness and warmth. I believe, however, that the media
isn’t responsible for our tendencies to turn so quickly to the next holiday as the weather starts to cool. Summer is, for most, stressfree. The sun is shining, the grass is green, and there is no demand for homework 24/7. The transition from summer to school can be difficult and, as the coldness peaks its frosty head from behind the lowering curtain of summer, depression, sadness and stress creep up on us. No longer are we able to go outside without a jacket or sweater; we’re restricted. Perhaps this is why we are so inclined to look toward the next holiday. We associate the holidays with happiness; even holiday songs highlight warmth, love and family. The difficulties of these early school months bring about a need for warmth and happiness associated with holidays. In October, school has just begun to dull and the excitement of seeing friends again and being in new classes has left. We look forward to Halloween, maybe, because we need something to be excited about. We cling to our holidays, always awaiting and preparing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Years—warm, family-oriented holidays—during the coldest time of year. Perhaps our running from one holiday to the next with such speed is a coping mechanism to deal with the stress and fatigue that accompanies the coming months.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RANWEILER
OUR SOCIETY IS OBSESSED with the holidays. Once a holiday is over, a new one quickly engulfs magazines, television and other forms of media. This can leave many dependent on the holidays for happiness while leaving others tired of the constant barrage of ads and holiday spirit.
Bauer Optical 45 Main Street Hastings-on-Hudson NY 10706
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PHOTO COURTESY OF PLAISANTER, EDITED BY LEO PSAROS/TOWER
THE NRA HAS SPENT millions of dollars on advertising and other communicative expenditures, especially for the past two decades. This has made it nearly impossible for the government to adopt stricter gun laws or any type of reform.
The NRA grips Congress Leo Psaros Opinion Editor Mass shootings in America have occurred so frequently that they have, according to President Obama, become “routine.” We hear about the shooting, watch it on the news and see the public outcry for stricter gun laws, but nothing changes. The main reason for all of this is the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA has such a significant influence on Congress when it comes to passing stricter gun laws that it prevents any progress from being made. Its influence on Congress is so great that even the president criticized the NRA’s grip on Congress. In the wake of the mass shooting in South Carolina, President Obama said, “Unfortunately, the grip of the NRA on Congress is extremely strong.” He added, “I don’t foresee any legislative action being taken by this Congress.” The media can point fingers at whoever they want but until Congress passes laws to prevent gun violence these shootings will continue to be routine. The Second Amendment of the Constitution gives American cit-
izens the right to bear arms. The amendment was written when America was just created and did not possess a formal army. As a result, states had local militias and men were responsible for buying their own guns. Nowadays, progun organizations like the NRA use this amendment as their main argument to protect gun owners. But what exactly is the NRA? The NRA is a pro-gun “non-profit” organization that advocates for gun rights and engages in political lobbying. The group receives millions of dollars in donations, primarily from gun manufacturers who wish to protect their businesses. According to the Violence Policy Center, from 2005-2011, the NRA has received almost $39 million from the firearms industry. This money goes directly to various politicians in Congress to protect gun owners and prevent even the simplest gun laws like universal background checks from being passed. According to The Center for Public Integrity, the NRA and its allies have poured almost $81 million into campaigns for the Senate, House and presidential races since 2000. The NRA’s influence is reflected in a vote on a bill proposed by Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey to require background checks for
all commercial gun sales. To pass the bill, the vote needed a 60% majority but it ended in a 54-46 split. Of the 46 senators who voted against the bill, 43 received money from pro-gun organizations. If information like this is available to the public, how does the NRA get away with lobbying and supporting candidates to protect gun ownership? In 2010, the Citizens United ruling of the Supreme Court held that corporations and labor unions were allowed to spend an unlimited amount of money on candidates. Though companies cannot directly contribute to the people running, the money can be used for ads and other forms of media to promote the candidates. So while the NRA cannot donate large amounts of money straight into a candidate’s pockets, they can fund their means of communication to further spread that candidate’s message and ultimately its pro-gun agenda. If the NRA continues to lobby like it does, Congress will never be able to prevent mass shootings from happening. If we allow candidates funded by the NRA to continue to thrive in our political system, the victims of Sandy Hook, Umpqua, Columbine and countless other mass shootings will have died in vain.
SPORTS
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
7
Field hockey surges to winning season and playoffs Jackson Myers-Brown Staff Writer The girls’ varsity field hockey team, after a season of change and development, had their first winning season in ten years and made it to the playoffs. The team, captained by seniors Annie Canning and Julia Sandler, found itself with many new members to replace six key players who graduated last year. They ended the regular season with a record of six wins and five losses. The season started with a win against the Brearly School and, after tough losses against the Fieldston School and Hackley, it ended with key wins against the Chapin School and against Riverdale Country School, in their senior game. For Canning, who was introduced to field hockey at Masters when she was in middle school and has been on the varsity squad for her entire time in high school, this final season was crucial.
MICHAEL FITZGERALD/TOWER
GIRLS VARSITY FIELD HOCKEY team defend their successful season. This year was their first winning season in ten years and the team made the playoffs for the first time in school history. This is a step forward in the development of the girls athletics program. “Every year I’ve seen our team get
better and better, and it’s been really
great to see the progression. We’re play-
ing teams successfully,” Canning said. She notes that while they have lost some of their games, they have been closing the gap against schools that they would have lost to her first year, like a close 2-1 loss against Fieldston. “The program has evolved and changed so much. We’ve become a stronger team,” Canning said. Co-captain Sandler has also seen some change. “This year we’ve done a lot of specialized practices based on how we did in games,” she said. The team has also been taking a more personalized approach to practice by emailing and communicating with each other and Head Coach Skye MacFarlane about what they could do to improve. “We’ve had some really good communication and team bonding,” Kendra Cooper-Smith, a freshman and new team member, said. Cooper-Smith, who has been playing field hockey for two years now, said that while the team has done a great job with bonding and communication, they could also work on practicing passing and conditioning as two simple things to work on.
Varsity volleyball rallies until the end
ASLI NOYAN/TOWER
The girls’ varsity volleyball team faced a great deal of adversity this season. Up until their fourteenth game, the team had yet to win. Though the team has faced a difficult season, team members are optimistic for next year and appreciate their fan’s support and enthusiasm from the stands.
ASLI NOYAN/TOWER
ASLI NOYAN/TOWER
Girls’ varsity soccer finishes on high note raJan cutting Editor-in-chief naoMi nivar Managing Editor
The girls’ varsity soccer team made it to the playoffs, ending its season with a 5-3 loss to Greens Farms Academy (GFA) during the quarter-finals of the Fairchester Athletic Association tournament. Taking the seventh seed, the girls qualified for the tournament for the first time in recent years. GFA, the third seed, advanced to the semifinals. Goals were scored by the three captains, senior Laura Silva and juniors Sam Coffey and Ingrid Hirt. Besides Silva, the team is only graduating one senior, Micah Frenkiel, so next year the team for the most part will remain identical. This year the girls’ program was revamped with a brand new coaching staff. The new coaches emphasized team work and winning attitudes. Even though they lost in the quarterfinals, the season was a success. Junior Nina Hylton has played on the team for two years and noticed the positive difference this year. “I feel like this has been one of the best seasons we’ve had so far in terms of team unity and the pride
that we feel to be a part of this program. We definitely had ups and downs but we went through it together. Our new coaches set a very positive and encouraging tone for us, they changed the ‘losing’ culture that this team was accustomed to,” Hylton said. The accomplishments of this team’s season coupled with field hockey’s first winning record in ten years outline the growing athletics program, especially the girls’ programs. In recent years, athletic success has been predominately from boys’ teams. For example, boys’ soccer won the FAA for the first time in school history and boys’ basketball won the FAA consecutively for two years and qualified for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) tournament. Overall the community is pleased with the amount of growth the program has displayed in the past years. This year the team succeeded while adjusting to an entire new coaching staff. Only saying goodbye to two members, the team and community have high expectations for next year’s season. “I’m so proud of everyone on the team, from each of the freshmen to our departing seniors. I am so honored to have been a part of this team, and although it was by no means easy at times, everyone played their own part in making this team click. Next year is another year to get it right,” Hirt said.
8
SPORTS
TOWER/NOVEMBER 17, 2015
SportS
Cross country team sprints to the finish line Michael Fitzgerald Sports Editor The Masters Cross Country teams have improved vastly in recent years, and this season they enjoyed another excellent finish. The girls’ cross country team had their highest finish in school history, in 4th place out of nine competing schools. “The girls’ team has really bonded this year. We push each other to be our best, and Coach Galgano is always there to motivate and encourage us on and off the field,” sophomore runner Elizabeth Mitchell said. Mitchell finished in 20th place in the FAA Championship meet. The top runner on the girls’ team, Emily Guzzardi, came in 9th place in the FAA meet. Guzzardi was thrilled with the team’s improvement and sees a bright future for the program. “This year we started off strong, but ended even stronger due to great coaching and lots of teamwork from every runner. I think this is just the beginning of the girls’ team’s suc-
JENNIFER MUNNINGS/TOWER
GENE PERRY RACES TO the front, outpacing his competitors from Hopkins, Rye Country Day, King, St. Luke’s, and others. cess,” she said. The boys’ 4th place finish was not a team best, but it was led by junior
Gene Perry, who took first place with a time of 17:19 at the team’s meet at Sacred Heart. He won by an astound-
ing 25 seconds, finishing in first place at the FAA Championship meet. However, despite his first place
finish, Perry is not satisfied with his season. “This has actually been somewhat of a down season for me. Back pain has inhibited my training and racing, and I am not happy with my improvement since freshman year,” Perry said. “It has not affected my finishes this year, however I hope it doesn’t hinder my future as a runner,” he added. Perry credits his success to his training routines, as well as summer workout programs that his coaches provided. “There’s no real offseason for a runner, so it’s vital to find a good balance of time to rest and recover, while also training,” he said. Perry credits various teammates for stepping up and improving their times and was impressed with the team’s season. Senior Chris Brakey contributed with an impressive 15th place finish in the FAA meet. With many impressive finishes, personal records, and improved times, the cross-country team seems to have a bright future.
Squash team sets to begin its inaugural year tony rosenberg Copy Editor Squash, a sport of rising popularity predominantly in the northeast, is now offered to Masters’ students thanks to the establishment of the Fonseca Center (FC). Students who plan on being a part of the team are eager to begin the first season in the program’s history. Attracting players to be members of the squash team has yielded a diverse squad. One student who has been playing squash for a majority of his life, junior John Epley, is particularly optimistic about the first squash season at the school. “When I was notified about the team last year, I was really excited but knew we probably wouldn’t be competitive for a while because of the lack of experience,” Epley said. Regardless of how the season plays
out, it most certainly signifies a new direction in the Masters’ athletic program. “We are also reaching out to different communities to bring kids who are interested in playing at a high level,” Athletic Director Kevin Versen said. “It is such an international sport that we feel we will gain interest from our international kids as well.” Versen has brought in Sahel Anwar, who has coached both John and Sam Epley (’15), to become the school Director of Squash and the head coach for both the girls’ and boys’ squash teams. Anwar has an extensive squash background, including teaching various top 10 U.S. nationally ranked juniors, and as one of the coaches for U.S. Junior National Team. “I plan to make Masters School my squash hub, where we will attract juniors not only in the local areas but also from Manhattan and Connecticut,” Sahel said. “I
would like the students to develop a passion for the game,” he added. Although exceptionally optimistic about igniting the squash program at Masters, Sahel is aware that in order to make the program successful, he and others will need to cope with obstacles along the way. “There will be some initial growing pains, as we will be playing in our first season in school history. However, over the season, we plan to set goals for ourselves and will strive to improve,” Sahel said. “When people know who is coaching here, people will want to come to this school so Sahel can be their coach,” Versen said. Overall, the addition of squash at Masters as a new option for a co-curricular and competitive sports team is a landmark for the sports program. “It is definitely a step in the right direction for the school athletically,” Epley said.
JENNIFER MUNNINGS/TOWER
YOUSSEF ALY PRACTICES SQUASH in the new squash courts in the Fonseca Center. He played on the Egyptian National team in 2011 and on the Canadian team in 2014. He was recruited to play squash for the school this upcoming season.
New swim team hopes to make a splash asli noyan Photo Editor For the first time in the school’s prolific history, Masters will start this winter season with a swim team. Our athletic program has provided students with a myriad of new opportunities and swimming will add to that. The new pool in the Fonseca Center is specifically designed for competitive swimming as it has built in touchpads that are connected to the score boards. The two experienced coaches for the upcoming winter season are going to be Susan Greally, the middle school gym teacher and field hockey coach, and Jay Porteus. Porteus has been coaching at Empire Swimming for the past four years and has been training swimmers of all ages at The Fonseca Center’s pool since its opening. Greally, on the other hand, has coached swimming at a year-round program and at Hackley for eight years before coming to Masters in 2005. “I went into this with no ex-
ASLI NOYAN/TOWER
MANY STUDENTS WHO WILL participate in the swim team this winter are currently doing the swimming co-curricular, preparing for the upcoming season. Greally often gives them special workouts to get ready for swim meets during the season.
pectations other than knowing that we are going to have a lot of different levels of swimming and that everybody who joins would have a great experience” Greally said. Though there are challenges to running a first year team, Greally said “Being that this is the first year, it is exciting for me as a coach and it is exciting for the swimmers.” There are currently fifty students signed up to be on the team. One of the experienced swimmers on the team is Scarlett Horton, a sophomore who is a part of England’s national water polo team. Horton started playing water polo in 2012 after she came to the United States and said that she is still training at the Greenwich YMCA. There are many advantages of being part of a new team and many swimmers will be record holders after our first home meet on December 9. Though the expectations for the team vary, Horton said “I think that we will do pretty well and I am glad that I have the chance to be a part of the swimming team for its first year.”