Tower The Masters School
49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522
VOLUME 72, NUMBER 3
Editorial The school’s zero tolerance policy is a well-intended effort to discourage destructive behavior. But the policy also has the unintended effect of discouraging open and honest dialogue between students, administrators and teachers about the realities of high school alcohol and drug use.
TUESDAY DECEMBER 15, 2015
tower.mastersny.org
“Plaque Thief Poet” claims FC theft rAjAn CuTTing Editor-in-Chief The Fonseca Center (FC) wasn’t built by former head of school Dr. Maureen Fonseca’s determination and vision alone. In fact, arguably the biggest contributions and most important to its completion were large gifts from parents, families and alumni. Donations could be made publicly or anonymously and those who publicly donated larger sums had the opportunity to have something in the FC named in their honor. While official plaques were being made, the school temporarily hung signs to commemorate the donors. According to Associate Head of School for Institutional Advancement Tim Kane, shortly before Thanksgiving break, the school began to hang the official plaques around the building, placing them below their corresponding signs. When workers returned to the plaque outside the second floor entrance next to the café they noticed it was missing and concluded it had been stolen. Fonseca Center Building Manager Brian Kaczmarek stumbled upon the plaque on Mon. Nov. 30, the day before classes resumed after Thanksgiving Break. “I was happy to have found it and that it was returned to us,” Kaczmarek said.
Allie Berdon Opinion Editor
JAKE REGELE/TOWER
THE “PLAQUE THIEF POET” defaced a plaque that commemorated a donation made in honor of a deceased loved one. The administration declined to provide the name on the plaque and Tower has blurred the name out of respect. However, while the plaque had “The Plaque Thief Poet,” alluded to He said he stole the plaque bebeen returned, it was not in a pre- the “large donation” represented by cause he saw it unattended but desentable condition and had to be dis- the plaque as “a degradation” and “a cided to return it because he had no carded. teenage source of irritation.” practical use for it. The poem was The plaque was vandalized and On condition of anonymity, Tow- supposed to serve as an explanation the donor’s name had been scratched er was able to secure an interview for his motives and also an apology. off. It was also found with a poem at- with the person claiming to be “The Continued on page 2 tached to it. The poet, calling himself Plaque Thief Poet.”
School bans sledding on Reunion Field hill Tony rosenBerg Copy Editor When Masters students realize the winter season is imminent, they typically ponder snowball fights with friends, building snowmen and sledding down the Reunion Field hill. This winter, however, Reunion Field will be closed to sledding so that it can be “game ready” for sports, according to Athletic Director Kevin Versen. Sledding at Masters has always been popular in that it is an active, enthusiastic, and thrilling escape from academics—it neutralizes stressful work in the classrooms with a playful, vigorous school environment. “At first, when the fence was installed, students were shocked and confused as to why they weren’t informed beforehand,” Boarding Student Representative Ahnaf Taha said. Although it may seem that the prohibition against sledding down the hill primarily impacts boarders, day students are equally affected, considering they have been active sledders on cam-
Racial tension rocks colleges
GAVIN KOEPKE/TOWER
STUDENTS ENJOY SLEDDING ON the Reunion Field hill outside the Dining Hall. Many are very upset that they will not be able to sled down the hill this winter. pus in past years. “I remember last year when day students came to school early with sleds in hand and sledded down the hill,” Taha said. As sledding is more prevalent amongst Middle School students, Versen is aware of their unhappiness. “I heard the kids are upset because
they can’t sled. Students in the Middle School are much angrier,” Versen said In past school years, students often used Dining Hall food trays, or brought their own sleds, in order to maximize the fun. Senior Dane Wasik said he understands students’ anger. “As an eighth grader, I remember how
much fun the sledding hill was and what a big part of recess it was. It’s sad to think that kids now aren’t going to have that opportunity,” Wasik said. “If I were an eighth grader, I’d be pissed.” Although the sledding hill will be off limits for the foreseeable future, other locations exist on campus that can compensate for this loss. “I assume they [students] can sled elsewhere,” Versen said. The reason for restricting all access to Reunion Field is so that the grass can be reseeded and can take time to grow in properly so that it can eventually act as an additional athletic field. “You have to rest the field. If you don’t rest the field, it won’t be playable,” Versen explained. He said that it takes about one year of rest for the field to be playable. The decision that the hill would be off limits and that a fence would wrap around the perimeter of the field, restricting all entry, was made during the fall. Although recent climates may arguably suggest that snow will be of scarcity this winter season, if snow were to fall, students would have to search for alternative locations to sled.
Throughout the past year, tensions have been running high regarding racial discrimination in the United States. The Black Lives Matter movement has sparked conversations around the country, including college campuses. As Masters students, especially those in minority groups, think about pursuing higher education, the topic of racial discrimination is often a leading factor in their decisions on where to go to college. Students at the University of Missouri have faced issues of racism in the past, such as the use of derogatory slurs and attacks on minority groups. Believing the administration failed to recognize this issue, Missouri student Jonathan Butler began a hunger strike and demanded the resignation of the university’s president. After the football team joined the protest by threatening to boycott a game, the president and the chancellor of the university resigned. Black students have been threatened online because of their race and activism and many are having significant trouble feeling safe on their campus. Senior Josh Bunch shares some of these concerns. “The availability of services for minority students is very important to me, especially because many prestigious universities do not have a lot of people of color,” Bunch said. “Knowing that there would be other people around who are similar to me and who support me would make me feel much more comfortable at a college,” he added. Onyx Club President Nina Hylton noted the importance of diversity in overcoming racism. “Racism starts from a fear of difference and from there it becomes a cycle of oppression,” Hylton said. “As a society we have to take out that fear of difference; we have to be exposed to different cultures and be diverse. By being surrounded by people of different cultures and ethnicities the fear is eliminated,” she also noted. Though recent events have shown a lack of support for minority students at universities, activist groups are making strides to change campus culture. “I think that schools have the capability to change. One person can really make a difference and change the whole culture of a school,” Bunch said. “With the president of the University of Missouri, who did not speak out about racism, stepping down, they can put someone in place who has a strong opinion towards racial discrimination and speaks out against it.”
After School app creates in-school dilemma Features Editor Since the invention of social media, anonymity on the Internet has provided many high school and college students the ability to speak freely in their otherwise extremely controlled lives. For the past couple of years at Masters, this freedom has been expressed through outlets, such as Yik Yak, Facebook, and ask.fm, which give students a way to speak openly without judgment from administration, teachers and parents. These outlets also enable students to discuss issues with their peers without feeling
watched or known. These social services, however, could also be harmful to students, or other members of an institution. They allow for a unique danger of cyber-bullying and harmful posts that could ultimately severely affect a school community. A new app, called “After School,” has recently drawn significant interest from the student body. The app works through Facebook and allows students to post thoughts and pictures, share compliments with each other and participate in polls about the school— all anonymously. The app was created to give high schoolers a way to voice their opinions with their fellow students without being judged
or having their comments viewed by colleges. However, the app has already started to create a variety of social issues within the Masters environment. “Hiding behind a wall of anonymity as high schoolers is a dangerous thing,” senior Gavin Koepke said. He further explained, “I don’t think that kind of anonymity has a place in our community where we celebrate acceptance.” Koepke’s fears may be well founded in that the app has already stirred some controversy. Prineville, Oregon’s local high school had a scare when a student posted derogatory statements and a threat to the school. This was all through anonymous posts in the After
School app. Many students, particularly freshman Youssef Aly, have expressed frustration toward the app. Aly’s interest in the app quickly turned to worries as he said, “As soon as I downloaded the app, I knew it would turn into a way to bully.” Aly also noted that we, as a community, know what to post. He points out, “I trust that every student is smart enough to know what to say and what not to say.”
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CedAr Berrol-young
THE TIGER ON THE After School app’s icon wears sunglasses symbolizing the anonymity of comments posted using the app. One can compliment others but some fear that the After School app has potential to be used as a vehicle for bullying.
JAKE REGELE/TOWER
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS
COLUMN: DANNY’S WORLD
Tensions rise as Turkey downs Russian bomber Daniel Bring Turkish F-16 fighters, claiming to protect their air space, shot down a Russian Air Force tactical bomber that was completing combat missions against Syrian insurgents in Northwestern Syria. Initially, Turkey’s actions could be seen as the rational response of any nation that fears foreign military aircrafts within its airspace, but the issue has quickly complicated. The Nov. 24 downing was the first time a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member has attacked a Russian or Soviet warplane since the 1950s. The whole event raises the question: Was the Russian plane even in Turkey’s airspace? The answer is almost certainly no. The widely accepted flight path of the Su-24M bomber did not enter Turkish airspace, and both the air-to-air missile strikes and crash occurred within Syria’s borders. Additionally, a search and rescue operation to look for the pilots of the aircraft lost a rescue helicopter to Syrian-Turkish rebels, who shot the helicopter down using missiles supplied by the United States.
Russia has been understandably livid in response to the whole ordeal, and has responded by increasing the military infrastructure it has in Syria. This includes the installation of high tech anti-aircraft missile systems. So what motive does Turkey have for attacking one of the most powerful nations in the world, let alone the region? In recent years, as the Syrian conflict has escalated, Turkey has come out strongly against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, the current ruler of Syria who is firmly supported, both strategically and tactically, by the Russian Federation. The rebels being targeted by the Russian bomber were anti-Assad Syrian-Turkish rebels, the same rebels who are actively supported and armed by Turkey and the United States. These rebels were also responsible for the downing of the Russia’s search and rescue helicopter. It seems that the shooting down was a massive misstep on Turkey’s part, as it has not only drawn the ire of Russia, but also of Turkey’s NATO allies in Europe and North America.
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“Plaque Thief Poet” claims Fonseca Center theft Continued from page 1 “‘I thought an administrator with a good sense of humor would appreciate the poem and the fact that it wasn’t a thoughtless crime,” he said. Kane was frustrated with the condition of the plaque and the poem attached to it. He said, “If someone had realized his basketball sneakers had been stolen and then found them returned with holes in them, it’d almost be like ‘what was the point of returning it?’ This whole thing was just mean spirited,” he said. According to Kane the school has not expressed a significant interest in uncovering the identity of the thief. The plaque was discovered before school was in session, likely limiting the number of suspects. If there is video
camera footage or key card activity available, that could narrow down a list of potential suspects. The Plaque Thief’s poem, referencing “a chain of crimes with no motif,” suggests this was not necessarily his first crime. Regardless, Kane said, “This was really an unfortunate thing. I’m not sure if this person thought of the implications his actions might have had, but it was something that was not only really disrespectful to us, the school, but to the family, who made a donation not in their name, but to remember a deceased family member. This isn’t something we want happening again.”
A RECENTLY RETURNED PLAQUE dedicated to one of the Fonseca Center donors was found, scratched and destroyed, in the Fonseca Center a little over two weeks ago. Along with the defaced plaque was a poem from the thief, hinting at a greater reason behind the theft. Tower was able to interview the “Plaque Thief Poet” on condition of anonymity.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE plane that was shot down was an Su-24M bomber. It is unclear whether Turkey was justified in shooting down the bomber as it is appears unlikely that the plane ever entered Turkish airspace. The downing marks the first time in over 50 years that a NATO member has attacked a Russian plane.
New York feels ISIL threat was an attempt to placate worried citizens. He said, “The threat from Jennifer Munnings terrorism is real, but we will overcome it.”Although the President did Sports Editor not reveal any new policy regarding Since the Paris attacks in Novem- national security, he did remind ber, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Americans that ISIL does not repreLevant (ISIL) threat has felt more sent true Islamic beliefs. The Presireal to American citizens. The inter- dent said, “We cannot turn against net has allowed for heavy circulation one another, by letting this fight be of ISIL propaganda threatening the defined as a war between America United States. In an online video the and Islam.” group claimed it will attack AmeriISIL’s attacks so far have been ca at its heart, in Washington DC. unpredictable: a peace rally in AnIt also released a “kill list” in March kara, Turkey, a concert hall in Parthat named states the group intends is and an ISIL-inspired attack at a to bomb, including New York. mental hospital in San Bernardino, Due to Masters’ close proximi- California. ISIL is recruiting Westty to Manhattan, a large number erners through social media by beof students frequently fly through friending them and encouraging well-known airports like JFK and them to convert to ISIL’s distorted LaGuardia, leavversion of Islam. ing students and Language parents worried teacher Abdouabout safety. laye Ngom, who Senior Eleais Muslim, said nor Fortuna said, Living so close to New York that ISIL is not “Living so close City [the ISIL threat] is somean accurate repto New York City thing I am worried about. resentation of the [the ISIL threat] - ELEANOR FORTUNA Muslim faith. is something I am “Westerners worried about.” should invest in She also said, educating people “Especially because of the San Ber- on Islam because leaving people ignardino attacks, it could happen norant is a strength to ISIS,” Ngom anywhere.” said. “They have launched an ideoThe U.S. Department of Home- logical war and violence is part of land Security claims to have re- their process but it is not the main ceived no credible threats from ISIL, thing. The most dangerous part is even though the group has demon- how they brainwash people.” strated the intent and ability to atWorld Religions teacher Brian tack American citizens. In response Cheney acknowledges the threat of to the threat, the Department has ISIL but does not feel scared. bolstered aviation security and en“When I go into the city or a pubcouraged other countries to join it in lic place, I don’t want to put up my tracking terrorist suspects and peo- guard because of the recent attacks. ple who enter and leave Syria. I do believe in the inherent goodness On Dec. 6, President Barack in all people and so I am very careful Obama addressed the American peo- to not take any precautions in that ple on the ISIL threat. The speech sense,” Cheney said.
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OP-ED
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
OpiniOn EDITORIAL
Tower 2015-2016
Zero tolerance policy makes students uncomfortable and stifles meaningful dialogue
editors-iN-ChieF arieL CenSor raJan Cutting yiyi (Mia) ouyang
News editors
Courtney DeLong raCheL SaunDerS
opiNioN editors aLLie BerDon Leo PSaroS
Features aNd arts editors
O
Jake regeLe CeDar BerroL-young
ur school has always valued discussion. From the Harkness method to Executive Committee, Masters emphasizes dialogue between students and teachers. However, the one thing that the school isn’t comfortable talking about is alcohol and drug use. Masters seems like the least likely school to institute a zero tolerance policy, but unbelievably we have one. In the student handbook, it says “Any student who uses or is found in possession of alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs not prescribed for his/her own use on campus will be dismissed from school.” There are no ifs, ands, or buts about this; if you’re found with alcohol or drugs on campus, you will be expelled no matter what. The disciplinary process for those found with these substances off campus is much more vague; the student handbook only states that they will be subject to “disciplinary action”. Realistically, almost everyone experiments with alcohol or drugs at least once in high school. Although the school
shouldn’t condone breaking laws, it should recognize that this type of behavior is normal. If the school was able to catch every single person that has ever engaged in this behavior, almost every person would be subject to disciplinary action. In practice, the school is just punishing the people who aren’t good enough at hiding it. This is not to say that alcohol and drugs aren’t abused by some students, they most likely are. But this only makes the zero tolerance policy even more harmful. What if a student is in a dangerous situation? Of course, there is the sanctuary policy, which the student handbook says can be used when “any student concerned about his or her own or someone else’s use of drugs or alcohol may receive help without fear of disciplinary response.” But it also goes on to state that just because a student asks for sanctuary, doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily get it; it’s up to the school to decide whether they deserve sanctuary or not. Because of this uncertainty,
sports editors
Mike FitzgeraLD JenniFer MunningS many students won’t call sanctuary when they probably should, creating a very dangerous situation. Even when a student is granted sanctuary, their parents are always notified, so that even though they’re not in trouble with the school, they’re probably in trouble with their parents. Sanctuary also requires every student that requests it to attend drug or alcohol counseling and have an outside of school substance abuse professional evaluate them. This policy assumes that everyone at our school who’s caught using drugs or alcohol is an addict or has some type of dependence, when the reality is that the vast majority of students only use recreationally. In some cases, making a student go get substance abuse counseling for being caught partying seems excessive and frankly a bit ridiculous. Although some students may really need help and it’s great that our school can provide it for them, the standard policy shouldn’t deal with students as if they’re drug addicts. Masters’ zero tolerance policy does more harm than good. In order to keep students safe, the administration needs to be able to have an honest dialogue with its students, but the zero tolerance policy just makes them feel unsafe talking to administrators. YIYI(MIA) OUYANG/TOWER
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Catcalling is street harassment, not a compliment Ariel Censor Editor-in-Chief “It was a pleasure to watch you walk,” I heard a man’s voice say. I was walking alone in Times Square at around 9pm. Heading to the subway, I turned around and saw an older man, probably in his 60s, looking at me expectantly. “Um...thanks,” I muttered, trying to put my headphones in and praying that the light would change so I could cross the street. “How old are you?” he asked. When I told him I was 17, underage, he didn’t seem put off. “Oh, I was going to ask to buy you a drink. Do you still want one?” The light finally changed and I started to cross the street when I felt a pull on my arm. The man had grabbed my arm and was trying to pull me back. I was able to slip out of his grasp and run into the
subway station as fast as I could. ment showed that 70-99% of womWhen my train came, I scanned en experience street harassment at the cars for the one with the fewest some point in their lives. When a adult men in it. woman is shouted at on the street, Unfortunately, this type of ha- it’s not a compliment and it’s not rassment is something most wom- a reflection of her beauty or lack en and girls have experienced at thereof. least once, if not many times. When When I talk about being catI told my mom what happened, she called, grabbed on the subway, told me that she followed for was sorry, but blocks by this is somea guy who thing I’d have won’t stop to get used to. When a man was following yelling, “Hey When I told one me for blocks and yelling at me, I sexy! Where of my friends should have called for help rathare you gowhat happened, er than walk faster and hope he ing?” I’m he told me to would leave me alone. not humbly take it as a combragging pliment. about my The thing appearance. is, harassment happens to almost I’m trying to express how uncomevery woman, regardless of attrac- fortable and sometimes frightening tiveness. In a Cosmopolitan survey it is to be a girl walking alone in of 2,235 women ages 18-34, 81% the city. said they had experienced verbal Telling a woman to take harassstreet harassment. An internation- ment as a compliment is minimizal study by Stop Street Harass- ing her experience, something she
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most likely already does herself. When that man grabbed my arm, I should have yelled for help, but I was worried I was overreacting and I wanted to be “nice.” When a man was following me for blocks and yelling at me, I should have called for help rather than walk faster and hope he would leave me alone. When a woman encounters a potentially threatening situation, she goes through a mental checklist. Does he seem obviously dangerous? Angry? Is there anyone around who could help? We quickly determine whether to do something or look down and pretend we didn’t hear it. Most often, we decide to do the latter, hoping that whoever is harassing us is harmless, effectively risking our lives. The next time you hear a woman talking about being harassed on the street, empathize, don’t minimize. Listen to what she has to say. Dismissing her feelings only contributes to the culture that caused them in the first place.
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 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 & arts YiYi (Mia) ouYang Editor-In-Chief
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leo Psaros Opinion Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGHAN MACWILLIAMS
MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY created Adventure Program have the opportunity to take advantage of the school’s proximity to the Hudson River for aquatic adventures. One example is kayaking on the Hudson when the weather is warm enough.
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eterans Day is a day to pay homage to those who have risked their lives to protect our freedom. To do this, many public and private schools take the day off. However, every year Masters is one of the few schools in Westchester that does not. The reason for this is not ideological but one of practicalities for the school. Nevertheless, it is disrespectful to veterans and inconveniences many students. If the school takes off for Veterans Day, they have to add an extra day in the school year. Our school doesn’t have other times to do this due to exact scheduling even though we take off the Friday before winter break and snow days. The school also models its calendar with the other schools in the Fairchester League and many of those schools also do not take off for Veterans Day either, although all New York public schools have the day off. Head of the Upper School Matthew Ives said, “I think the main reason we have Veterans Day off is because you have to pick and choose, you can’t take every holi-
day off. I grew up in Maryland and Maryland schools don’t have Columbus Day off. So I think it varies from place to place what holidays we take off and the biggest problem about taking Veterans Day off would be, okay if we get Veterans Day off, what holiday would we lose? Or would we extend school?” John Sullivan, Co-President of the History Club, said, “I personally think the way we spend two to three days on MLK Day, which don’t get me wrong I have nothing against MLK Day, is ridiculous when we don’t take off for Veteran’s Day let alone have a proper observance of it. There is a disparity among the celebration of holidays. Our school selectively celebrates holidays and this picking and choosing is not the best way to go about it.” Another problem with having school on Veterans Day is that many students who take the bus have to coordinate alternative transportation because many bus companies take the day off. This means parents who have jobs and other children to care for have to spend up to an hour driving to and from school. This is also difficult for commuters because while other kids get to enjoy the day off and thank the people who serve our country, they are stuck trying to get to school. Jared Foxhall, Junior Co-President said, “Given the importance
RANDALL CLINTON/MARINE CORPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE NEW YORK
MARINES ARE WILLING TO put their lives on the line for their country, but Masters does not honor veterans with a school holiday. of veterans, why our school doesn’t because veterans risk their lives. I patriotism would be to put it togive a whole week like MLK day also think that a lot of times peo- wards Veterans Day. So if anything or even a day to veterans really ple support Columbus Day because we should have school on Columupsets me because the freedoms they want to assert their patriotism bus Day, a separate day for indigethat all Americans are given are and I think a better way to use said nous people and Veterans Day off.”
MUN uses team mindset to build success
ADVENTURE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TAKE part in hiking trips. The Hudson Valley offers many scenic hikes for adventurers of all different skill levels. Some of these hikes offer spectacular scenery, as in this photo, taken by an unknown hiker, of Thomas Whalen, Jeremy Schwartz, Ria Thakurani, Colin Weinstein, Teddy Chan, Meghan MacWilliams and Harrison Guo.
rachel saunders News Editor
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As the winter season starts, many new co-curriculars, such as swimming and playing squash, have opened new chapters here on campus. However, if you are tired of being on campus during the school day, the Adventure Program allows you to challenge yourself with various outdoor activities. The Adventure Program officially became available for students this fall. The program meets two days a week and covers basic skills like knot tying, fire building, and campsite setup on Tuesdays; students venture out for some hiking, rock climbing or kayaking on Thursdays. Admissions Associate Meghan MacWilliams runs the program. She previously studied outdoor education and served as an outdoor director elsewhere. MacWilliams mentioned the possibilities for activities like skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing in the winter season. “The main purpose is hoping that students can have a greater appreciation for outdoors and chal-
COLUMN: PHIL ON PHILMS
Film shines “Spotlight” on abuse scandal and investigative journalism Phil Minton Over Thanksgiving Break I watched a lot of movies. The most interesting and well done movie I saw was Spotlight directed by Thomas McCarthy. Spotlight follows a team of four journalists (played by Rachel McAdams, Micheal Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Brian D’Arcy James) working for the Boston Globe as they write investigative journalism stories. These stories are published in a part of the paper called “Spotlight.” Throughout the film, the four journalists investigate how the Archdiocese (the diocese of an Archbishop) of the Boston area covered up sexual abuse scandals involving priests and young children in churches all over Boston. During one of the opening scenes, the view is of all the journalists at the Boston Globe a goodbye party to a retiring journalist. This shot not only establishes the location, but it establishes the atmosphere of the work space. Showing a newspaper office in the year 2001 is not an easy task, as journalists are sometimes seen as unexciting and boring. By using
colorless costumes such as basic khaki pants and simple button downs, costume designer Wendy Chuck was able to capture the personalities of these four journalists. Chuck explained in a New York Times interview what she believed the “style” of a journalist was: “It’s an unthought-about uniform. It mirrors school uniforms really. It’s something you don’t think about when you dress. You don’t really care; you’ve got other things to think about that are not clothes. It says you’re comfortable, but nobody is going to comment on how you look or how you appear.” Throughout the film, the viewer sees the journalists working hard in the designated “Spotlight” team room (somewhere in the basement) or all throughout Boston. These shots are so basic in color and technique that they allow for the acting and the story to stand out. I highly recommend this film and would rate it an 8/10. There is no doubt that this film will come back up during all the Oscar buzz.
KERRY HAYES/OPEN ROAD FILMS
THE FILM SPOTLIGHT TELLS the story of the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Archdiocese of Boston. At the same time, it is a movie that shows the work of investigative journalists who broke the abuse scandal story.
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School split on how to observe Veterans Day
Students escape campus with Adventure Program lenge themselves.” MacWilliams said, “Also, stepping away from the books and taking a break is good for student’s overall wellness.” To MacWilliams, the quality of this program is closely related to the effort that the student is willing to put in. She said, “The energy people put in really makes it better. If students get excited for this, there will be a lot of potential.” The program is relatively small, with only 15 people involved this fall. “I definitely think that it has a lot of potential,” said Junior Thomas Whalen, who attended the fall season and decided to stick around for this winter. “Currently it’s not very big and not super well known, but I think we can definitely make it bigger. Maybe backpacking trips for a full weekend can happen if we got more kids into it,” Whalen said. The program is young and there are still many aspects that require consideration, according to MacWilliams. For example, the possible growth in numbers of students may require changes in transportation and the range of activities offered. The program is also looking forward to cooperating with the Outdoor Club on campus.
FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
PHOTO COURTESY OF GRACE KING
THE MODEL UNITED NATIONS club, pictured here in front of the theater, continued its record of success at the recent Princeton conference and seeks to use a teamwork approach to take MUN to the next level.
Instead of rushing home to celebrate finally reaching Thanksgiving break, before traveling home to see family, before partying with friends, 25 students boarded a bus Princeton-bound. Thursday, Nov. 19, the Model United Nations (MUN) club began their four-day conference at a hotel about 15 minutes away from Princeton. They unpacked the bus and made their way to opening ceremonies, new delegate training, crisis and general assemblies. Not only had the club been prepping for this conference during almost every meeting leading up to it, but also each individual student had to learn the world view of the country they were representing or the leader they were acting as. “You’ve got to get in their shoes, and it gets hard when they don’t have a stance on a topic you’re talking about and you have to infer how they would feel about other things.” Andrew Ciacci, Senior and co-president of MUN, said, “Lots of hours, lots of time, but it’s really rewarding. The more you put in the more you get out.” Grace King, Senior and co-president of MUN also spoke to the amount of work every person does for the club, saying, “Sometimes we joke that our motto isn’t “Eat, Sleep, MUN,” it is just “MUN, MUN, MUN.” In the past, the way club leaders chose who went to each conference was based mainly on attendance but also was influenced by personal opinion, some-
thing that had frustrated Ciacci. Now the club tries to use a more formulaic approach, using a point system that includes prior conferences attended, passion and commitment in addition to attendance. “Back in the old leadership if you were a freshman you had no hope of going to a conference,” Ciacci said. He wanted to give freshmen and other underclassmen the opportunity to partake in conferences, something he hadn’t seen as much of as an underclassman himself. “This is easily the most significant change that we’ve made regarding who goes to conferences, and in my opinion it’s the most important change,” King said Between attending conferences and practicing and preparing for hours, MUN seems to be more of a team than a club. To Ciacci, however, the difference between a team and a club is full participation. “I will never be turning away a student from a conference if they’re not good enough in my eyes. The ones that work hard and put in the time, they can go to a conference.” King also believes that MUN could be a team, “We certainly put in the hours to qualify as a team, and we have the familial bond that a team has,” she said. “While MUN is typically seen as an individual, competitive, and cut throat activity, the Masters delegation is a team that supports each other one hundred percent.” Another idea has crossed club leadership’s mind: could the club turn into a class? Originally Tower was a club, and this could be a possibility with MUN. Club co-advisor Eric Shear said, “A lot of our club members are ready to take that next step and they’re hungry for it, so I think if it’s possible it would be great.”
Dobbs 16 sings for Prince of Serbia at his birthday party neha garg Contributing Writer Most high school singing groups get to sing at school assemblies. Several weeks ago, Dobbs 16 traveled to Le Cirque in New York City to sing for the Prince of Serbia, Alexander II Karadordevic, for his 70th birthday. Karadordevic, was the final heir to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia before its dissolution. The event, hosted by the Princess of Serbia, was a benefit for the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, a charity that supplies hospital materials to underserved areas in Serbia. Tickets ran anywhere from $250 to $25,000. Dobbs 16 sang at the United Nations three or four years ago and the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation works closely with the UN, which is presumably how they thought of Dobbs 16 for the birthday event. Dobbs 16 sang three songs, Happy Birthday, House of the Rising Sun, and Sign Sealed Delivered. They did not have time to learn an entirely new song on less than a week’s notice so they decided to sing these songs because they were all performance ready. The group was contacted just one week before the actual performance. The Princess of Serbia was looking for student groups to sing at her husband’s surprise birthday party and asked
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARNEVALE
THE PRINCESS OF SERBIA invited Dobbs 16 to sing for her husband’s birthday at Le Cirque in New York City.
Dobbs 16 and a few other groups to perform. When Dobbs 16 Director Jennifer Carnevale was asked if the group would be a part of this event, she was a bit nervous due to the short preparation time, but also excited. During most of the time at the event, members of the singing group were standing in a corner because they were not given a space as they waited to perform. “I am always glad to do something new and different and any and every experience of a performer helps them grow,” Carnevale said. “It was good because sometimes performers will be challenged by the space they are in and will have to find ways to make things work,” she added. Dobbs 16 was not paid for its performance but they were hoping to eat at Le Cirque. Instead they had to request food, which was brought in from Whole Foods and did not include vegetarian options. Eventually vegetarians among the group were offered pasta from the restaurant. Despite these unusual challenges, Carnevale said the performers all had “a lot of fun and would love to do it again.” Le Cirque is a prestigious and luxurious restaurant. While the Prince was eating, Dobbs 16 was simultaneously singing for him and the rest of the people who were there. “It was a really rewarding experience to be able to sing for someone so important and well known,” said Dobbs 16 member Sara Scheuer. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
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FEATURES AND ARTS
Features & arts YiYi (Mia) ouYang Editor-In-Chief
◄
leo Psaros Opinion Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGHAN MACWILLIAMS
MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY created Adventure Program have the opportunity to take advantage of the school’s proximity to the Hudson River for aquatic adventures. One example is kayaking on the Hudson when the weather is warm enough.
V
eterans Day is a day to pay homage to those who have risked their lives to protect our freedom. To do this, many public and private schools take the day off. However, every year Masters is one of the few schools in Westchester that does not. The reason for this is not ideological but one of practicalities for the school. Nevertheless, it is disrespectful to veterans and inconveniences many students. If the school takes off for Veterans Day, they have to add an extra day in the school year. Our school doesn’t have other times to do this due to exact scheduling even though we take off the Friday before winter break and snow days. The school also models its calendar with the other schools in the Fairchester League and many of those schools also do not take off for Veterans Day either, although all New York public schools have the day off. Head of the Upper School Matthew Ives said, “I think the main reason we have Veterans Day off is because you have to pick and choose, you can’t take every holi-
day off. I grew up in Maryland and Maryland schools don’t have Columbus Day off. So I think it varies from place to place what holidays we take off and the biggest problem about taking Veterans Day off would be, okay if we get Veterans Day off, what holiday would we lose? Or would we extend school?” John Sullivan, Co-President of the History Club, said, “I personally think the way we spend two to three days on MLK Day, which don’t get me wrong I have nothing against MLK Day, is ridiculous when we don’t take off for Veteran’s Day let alone have a proper observance of it. There is a disparity among the celebration of holidays. Our school selectively celebrates holidays and this picking and choosing is not the best way to go about it.” Another problem with having school on Veterans Day is that many students who take the bus have to coordinate alternative transportation because many bus companies take the day off. This means parents who have jobs and other children to care for have to spend up to an hour driving to and from school. This is also difficult for commuters because while other kids get to enjoy the day off and thank the people who serve our country, they are stuck trying to get to school. Jared Foxhall, Junior Co-President said, “Given the importance
RANDALL CLINTON/MARINE CORPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE NEW YORK
MARINES ARE WILLING TO put their lives on the line for their country, but Masters does not honor veterans with a school holiday. of veterans, why our school doesn’t because veterans risk their lives. I patriotism would be to put it togive a whole week like MLK day also think that a lot of times peo- wards Veterans Day. So if anything or even a day to veterans really ple support Columbus Day because we should have school on Columupsets me because the freedoms they want to assert their patriotism bus Day, a separate day for indigethat all Americans are given are and I think a better way to use said nous people and Veterans Day off.”
MUN uses team mindset to build success
ADVENTURE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TAKE part in hiking trips. The Hudson Valley offers many scenic hikes for adventurers of all different skill levels. Some of these hikes offer spectacular scenery, as in this photo, taken by an unknown hiker, of Thomas Whalen, Jeremy Schwartz, Ria Thakurani, Colin Weinstein, Teddy Chan, Meghan MacWilliams and Harrison Guo.
rachel saunders News Editor
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As the winter season starts, many new co-curriculars, such as swimming and playing squash, have opened new chapters here on campus. However, if you are tired of being on campus during the school day, the Adventure Program allows you to challenge yourself with various outdoor activities. The Adventure Program officially became available for students this fall. The program meets two days a week and covers basic skills like knot tying, fire building, and campsite setup on Tuesdays; students venture out for some hiking, rock climbing or kayaking on Thursdays. Admissions Associate Meghan MacWilliams runs the program. She previously studied outdoor education and served as an outdoor director elsewhere. MacWilliams mentioned the possibilities for activities like skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing in the winter season. “The main purpose is hoping that students can have a greater appreciation for outdoors and chal-
COLUMN: PHIL ON PHILMS
Film shines “Spotlight” on abuse scandal and investigative journalism Phil Minton Over Thanksgiving Break I watched a lot of movies. The most interesting and well done movie I saw was Spotlight directed by Thomas McCarthy. Spotlight follows a team of four journalists (played by Rachel McAdams, Micheal Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Brian D’Arcy James) working for the Boston Globe as they write investigative journalism stories. These stories are published in a part of the paper called “Spotlight.” Throughout the film, the four journalists investigate how the Archdiocese (the diocese of an Archbishop) of the Boston area covered up sexual abuse scandals involving priests and young children in churches all over Boston. During one of the opening scenes, the view is of all the journalists at the Boston Globe a goodbye party to a retiring journalist. This shot not only establishes the location, but it establishes the atmosphere of the work space. Showing a newspaper office in the year 2001 is not an easy task, as journalists are sometimes seen as unexciting and boring. By using
colorless costumes such as basic khaki pants and simple button downs, costume designer Wendy Chuck was able to capture the personalities of these four journalists. Chuck explained in a New York Times interview what she believed the “style” of a journalist was: “It’s an unthought-about uniform. It mirrors school uniforms really. It’s something you don’t think about when you dress. You don’t really care; you’ve got other things to think about that are not clothes. It says you’re comfortable, but nobody is going to comment on how you look or how you appear.” Throughout the film, the viewer sees the journalists working hard in the designated “Spotlight” team room (somewhere in the basement) or all throughout Boston. These shots are so basic in color and technique that they allow for the acting and the story to stand out. I highly recommend this film and would rate it an 8/10. There is no doubt that this film will come back up during all the Oscar buzz.
KERRY HAYES/OPEN ROAD FILMS
THE FILM SPOTLIGHT TELLS the story of the sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Archdiocese of Boston. At the same time, it is a movie that shows the work of investigative journalists who broke the abuse scandal story.
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School split on how to observe Veterans Day
Students escape campus with Adventure Program lenge themselves.” MacWilliams said, “Also, stepping away from the books and taking a break is good for student’s overall wellness.” To MacWilliams, the quality of this program is closely related to the effort that the student is willing to put in. She said, “The energy people put in really makes it better. If students get excited for this, there will be a lot of potential.” The program is relatively small, with only 15 people involved this fall. “I definitely think that it has a lot of potential,” said Junior Thomas Whalen, who attended the fall season and decided to stick around for this winter. “Currently it’s not very big and not super well known, but I think we can definitely make it bigger. Maybe backpacking trips for a full weekend can happen if we got more kids into it,” Whalen said. The program is young and there are still many aspects that require consideration, according to MacWilliams. For example, the possible growth in numbers of students may require changes in transportation and the range of activities offered. The program is also looking forward to cooperating with the Outdoor Club on campus.
FEATURES AND ARTS
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
PHOTO COURTESY OF GRACE KING
THE MODEL UNITED NATIONS club, pictured here in front of the theater, continued its record of success at the recent Princeton conference and seeks to use a teamwork approach to take MUN to the next level.
Instead of rushing home to celebrate finally reaching Thanksgiving break, before traveling home to see family, before partying with friends, 25 students boarded a bus Princeton-bound. Thursday, Nov. 19, the Model United Nations (MUN) club began their four-day conference at a hotel about 15 minutes away from Princeton. They unpacked the bus and made their way to opening ceremonies, new delegate training, crisis and general assemblies. Not only had the club been prepping for this conference during almost every meeting leading up to it, but also each individual student had to learn the world view of the country they were representing or the leader they were acting as. “You’ve got to get in their shoes, and it gets hard when they don’t have a stance on a topic you’re talking about and you have to infer how they would feel about other things.” Andrew Ciacci, Senior and co-president of MUN, said, “Lots of hours, lots of time, but it’s really rewarding. The more you put in the more you get out.” Grace King, Senior and co-president of MUN also spoke to the amount of work every person does for the club, saying, “Sometimes we joke that our motto isn’t “Eat, Sleep, MUN,” it is just “MUN, MUN, MUN.” In the past, the way club leaders chose who went to each conference was based mainly on attendance but also was influenced by personal opinion, some-
thing that had frustrated Ciacci. Now the club tries to use a more formulaic approach, using a point system that includes prior conferences attended, passion and commitment in addition to attendance. “Back in the old leadership if you were a freshman you had no hope of going to a conference,” Ciacci said. He wanted to give freshmen and other underclassmen the opportunity to partake in conferences, something he hadn’t seen as much of as an underclassman himself. “This is easily the most significant change that we’ve made regarding who goes to conferences, and in my opinion it’s the most important change,” King said Between attending conferences and practicing and preparing for hours, MUN seems to be more of a team than a club. To Ciacci, however, the difference between a team and a club is full participation. “I will never be turning away a student from a conference if they’re not good enough in my eyes. The ones that work hard and put in the time, they can go to a conference.” King also believes that MUN could be a team, “We certainly put in the hours to qualify as a team, and we have the familial bond that a team has,” she said. “While MUN is typically seen as an individual, competitive, and cut throat activity, the Masters delegation is a team that supports each other one hundred percent.” Another idea has crossed club leadership’s mind: could the club turn into a class? Originally Tower was a club, and this could be a possibility with MUN. Club co-advisor Eric Shear said, “A lot of our club members are ready to take that next step and they’re hungry for it, so I think if it’s possible it would be great.”
Dobbs 16 sings for Prince of Serbia at his birthday party neha garg Contributing Writer Most high school singing groups get to sing at school assemblies. Several weeks ago, Dobbs 16 traveled to Le Cirque in New York City to sing for the Prince of Serbia, Alexander II Karadordevic, for his 70th birthday. Karadordevic, was the final heir to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia before its dissolution. The event, hosted by the Princess of Serbia, was a benefit for the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, a charity that supplies hospital materials to underserved areas in Serbia. Tickets ran anywhere from $250 to $25,000. Dobbs 16 sang at the United Nations three or four years ago and the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation works closely with the UN, which is presumably how they thought of Dobbs 16 for the birthday event. Dobbs 16 sang three songs, Happy Birthday, House of the Rising Sun, and Sign Sealed Delivered. They did not have time to learn an entirely new song on less than a week’s notice so they decided to sing these songs because they were all performance ready. The group was contacted just one week before the actual performance. The Princess of Serbia was looking for student groups to sing at her husband’s surprise birthday party and asked
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARNEVALE
THE PRINCESS OF SERBIA invited Dobbs 16 to sing for her husband’s birthday at Le Cirque in New York City.
Dobbs 16 and a few other groups to perform. When Dobbs 16 Director Jennifer Carnevale was asked if the group would be a part of this event, she was a bit nervous due to the short preparation time, but also excited. During most of the time at the event, members of the singing group were standing in a corner because they were not given a space as they waited to perform. “I am always glad to do something new and different and any and every experience of a performer helps them grow,” Carnevale said. “It was good because sometimes performers will be challenged by the space they are in and will have to find ways to make things work,” she added. Dobbs 16 was not paid for its performance but they were hoping to eat at Le Cirque. Instead they had to request food, which was brought in from Whole Foods and did not include vegetarian options. Eventually vegetarians among the group were offered pasta from the restaurant. Despite these unusual challenges, Carnevale said the performers all had “a lot of fun and would love to do it again.” Le Cirque is a prestigious and luxurious restaurant. While the Prince was eating, Dobbs 16 was simultaneously singing for him and the rest of the people who were there. “It was a really rewarding experience to be able to sing for someone so important and well known,” said Dobbs 16 member Sara Scheuer. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
OP-ED
6
COLUMN: THE OKS BOX
Deficit reduction, soybeans, and corporate jets DAviD oks Due in large part to costly healthcare, military spending and large tax cuts, the government finds itself with a massive deficit of $439 billion. This deficit constitutes a grave danger to future economic stability as it increases the national debt each year, seriously threatening federal finances. Closing the deficit is thus a national priority, requiring both a decrease in spending and an increase in revenue. The part of the government most deserving of being cut is likely the Department of Agriculture’s farm subsidies. The farm subsidies, which cost $24.8 billion in 2015, are practically useless. Created during the New Deal, they do little to help the oft-rhapsodized “small farmers” they were created to aid. One watchdog estimates that 72% of farm subsidies go to the richest 10% of farms. The subsidies do substantial harm, standing in the way of trade liberalization, discouraging agricultural innovation and exacerbating the environmental damage done by farming. The Cato Institute has suggested wholly ending the subsidies, a wise course of action that should be implemented. Another area ripe for reform is
special tax breaks. Decades of special-interest lobbying has had a corrupting effect on the tax code, creating dozens of loopholes allowing for wealthy individuals and companies to avoid their share of taxes. These include benefits for drilling by extractive industries, a reduction benefiting owners of yachts and second homes, provisions allowing companies to write off the cost of meals, entertainment, and corporate jets, and a loophole allowing self-employed people to establish “S corporations” to avoid Social Security and Medicare taxes. In addition to wasting vast amounts of money, the loopholes are frankly undemocratic and un-Jeffersonian. Eliminating those benefits would, according to the Center for American Progress, save $189 billion over ten years. These savings alone justify the elimination of these tax breaks, but would also represent a triumph of egalitarianism. These reforms are civic-minded and faithful to the values of the early republic, and will help close the deficit. They confront one of the most serious challenges of our times.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKI COMMONS
DUE TO CIVIL WAR in Syria, European nations have opened their doors to refugees seeking safety. The United States has been less willing to accept refugees due to fear of terrorism and have put systems in place to inhibit immigration.
The land of the free should open its borders JAck MurrAy Ad Manager Due to nearly unbearable living conditions caused by civil war, millions of Syrians have fled their homes for safer living conditions. While many European countries such as England, France, Germany, Sweden and many others are opening their borders to refugees, many American state governments are in strong opposition to allowing them refugees into their borders. While states have no legal authority to prevent people from coming into our country, they have the power to make the process as difficult as they please. The concern the 31 governors who oppose the resettlement of Syrian refugees share is that the people entering our country include terrorists. While it is nearly
impossible to know someone’s intent, the government can perform rigorous screenings to make sure that the people entering have no history of family or friends becoming terrorists, in addition to other screening procedures to prevent the threat. The White House has made a pledge to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees into America, most of whom are families. In order to enter a country such as the United States, a refugee must first apply for refugee status. This process is done through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. To become a candidate in this process, one must prove that he or she lives in unstable living conditions as a result of a “well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.” Once approved for refugee status, one
may apply to live in the United States. After this, the candidate goes through multiple screening and interview processes with the National Counter-terrorism Center, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State and the Department of Defense. The process the Syrian immigrants must go through is a tougher immigration process than any that previously existed in the U.S. The concern is largely “what if” statements, which are completely unnecessary. The government has devised and revised the process to cover any discrepancy that could be discovered while evaluating a person’s application in order to prevent any possible terrorist threat. The only reason people are concerned is because of the magnitude of people coming in at once when the truth is people migrate from Syria every year.
We must open our eyes to animal cruelty GAbby DAvies Web Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA, EDITED BY YIYI(MIA) OUYANG/TOWER
THE NOVEMBER ATTACKS IN Paris led to an outpouring of support around the world for victims of those terrorist acts. Unfortunately, similar support and media coverage were not given to victims from attacks in Turkey and Lebanon.
Recent terror attacks draw uneven media coverage Asli NoyAN Photo Editor On Nov. 13, when a New York Times message lit up on my phone screen telling me that dozens and dozens of innocent people were killed all over Paris, I quickly went online to find out about the senseless and inhumane actions that were taking place in a city that I had recently visited. The more I read, the higher the death toll went. Reading about the events that took place at Paris made me feel utterly hopeless for the future of our world. I was deeply disturbed by these vicious actions however I could not help but notice the huge amount of attention Paris received in the media. All types of websites including YouTube, Facebook and Amazon had added the French flag on their website to acknowledge the lives lost in Paris. Many countries lit up their landmarks in white, blue and red to show support. All these acts of support made me question why my country, and many alike, did not receive anything near the attention France
was receiving. When 102 of my people were killed by a double bomb attack in the middle of Ankara, Turkey, no country bothered to light up its monuments in support, no social media platform acknowledged the pain and suffering we felt. When 43 were killed at Beirut the day before the Paris attacks, Lebanon received no attention other than a few news articles with the sole purpose of reporting. No one seems to know about the hundreds of lives lost in the cold waters of the Mediterranean Sea while trying to escape terror-stricken Syria. This lack of attention and the westernization of the media gives the message that Middle Eastern people do not really matter. Cities are being bombed all over the Middle East however these inhumane acts are considered “the norm.” I understand that many people can relate to a life in Paris more than a life in Ankara or Baghdad. However, this does not mean that western countries deserve more attention than eastern countries. Human life is extremely valuable and lives lost all over the world should be given the same value and attention. We should pray for a world free of hate and terror, not just a peaceful western world.
Three weeks ago, the school community watched in shock as science department faculty member Elisabeth Merrill revealed the truth about where our meat comes from. Although many people were disturbed by what was shown in Merrill’s presentation that does not mean we should ignore it. Unfortunately, the inhumane slaughter of animals is a reality we must acknowledge. It may be easy to see the idyllic farm printed on our egg containers and believe the chickens actually live in that nice red barn, but that would be naïve. Instead, the truth about where we get our eggs from is the polar opposite of what companies show us. Female chickens are kept in battery cages smaller than a sheet of paper. According to the Huffing-
ton Post, battery cages can make the chicken’s body deteriorate from lack of muscle movement and lead to anxiety and depression. According to the Watt Executive Guide to World Poultry Trends, six billion egg laying hens were born worldwide in 2014. Six billion male chicks were also born but, because these male chicks cannot bring in profit, they are slaughtered and mashed up to become animal feed or cheap human food. Something has to change. I realize that giving up animal products can seem daunting, especially when they are popular in our culture. But this should not stop us from trying to give the cows that make our milk or the pigs that end up on our plates the treatment they deserve. These animals are living, breathing organisms like us, not products to be treated in the most convenient way for mass-producing companies.
We as a community must make a stand against the cruelty we choose to ignore. We could show that we care about this issue by avoiding buying from factories that support the mistreatment of farm animals. In response to the unjust way our society chooses to treat these animals, I have taken on the vegetarian lifestyle. Surprisingly the change of diet was nowhere as hellish as I pictured it to be. As we live in a society that tells us to rely heavily on meat as a source of protein, a vegetarian diet can seem unhealthy. However, I have learned that this is not the case and hope that other members of the Masters community can learn this too. Anyone reading this can choose to ignore this uncomfortable issue, but if you face it head on, the burger on your plate will never be as appetizing once you know its history.
GABBY DAVIES/TOWER
IN THE DINING HALL students are presented with a variety of food options including meat products such as hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, ground beef, bacon and sausage. A recent Morning Meeting presentation by science teacher Elisabeth Merrill educated students about animal cruelty and urged community members to consider making changes in their dietary choices.
SPORTS
TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
7
COLUMN: PLAY BY PLAY
Golden State Warriors go for gold Owen Lieber You often hear the saying it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. But let’s be honest, a strong start is a good place to finish from. With that in mind, the NBA has never seen a stronger start then that being recorded by the 2015-16 defending champion Golden State Warriors. In an NBA that celebrates superstars (Lebron, Kobe, Durant and the like), the Warriors are winning as a team. Sure, they have their star, Stephen Curry, but he is an unlikely candidate for that role. He is skinny, not tall for the NBA, and did not come from a big time college basketball powerhouse, and for sure nobody predicted that he would be the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Let’s be clear, Davidson College is not Duke University. But that’s the joy in Golden State’s success. As much as it pains me as a die-hard New York Knickerbockers fan, this is the way that basketball was meant to be played. In the NBA, most coaches use the traditional setup when constructing their starting five. It includes two smaller guards, a mid-sized forward,
and a bigger and taller forward/center to protect the paint. But Golden State took the road less traveled. They use a smaller lineup that is built for shooters and scoring but, maybe even more importantly, those who are willing to pass and share the ball, all directed towards the greater glory of the team. So maybe having the biggest and tallest players isn’t an advantage. Maybe it’s not all about size. Draymond Green, the starting power forward for the Warriors, stands at 6’7”, an unusual size for that role. Looking back, there were other players who took the same approach to their game. Charles Barkley, an 11-time All Star, was 6’6” and averaged over 11 rebounds a game. The Knicks own Charles Oakley (1988-1998) also played bigger than his height. He could barely jump, but averaged ten rebounds for his career. So let’s celebrate this moment in NBA history. The Golden State Warriors are setting records as a team rather than as five individuals on the court. It doesn’t get any better than that.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RACHEL SALZMAN
JUNIOR FIELD HOCKEY PLAYERS Saskia Sackner-Bernstien and Elena Slazman, flanked by Assistant Coach Yolanda Nyero and Head Coach Skye McFarlane, were honored with selection to the WNEPSFHA all-star game.
Field hockey all-stars shine Mark TseyTin
New facilities will help fencers foil opponents JacksOn Myers-brOwn Staff Writer With a new players and a new facility entirely dedicated to fencing, the varsity fencing teams are off to a good start in a season of high hopes. Both the boys and the girls teams had strong first matches against Riverdale Country School, with the boys winning 24-3 and the girls winning 18-9. The new facility in the Fonseca Center has and will continue to have a huge impact on the success of the teams. “The new facilities change everything,” Coach Francisco Martin said. “A good facility gives you the opportunity to work for longer. You don’t have to set the room up before practice and put everything back at the end. Everything is already in place and it’s wonderful.” Martin also noted that the new metal fencing strips help give fencers the best environment possible. “Adequate facilities are more encouraging for people to practice. If you’re
in a beautiful environment with good light, good sound and good equipment, it’s more enjoyable to work in.” The new facilities have been a huge addition for both returning and new students and has helped bring new prospects. “Our teams this year continue to be very strong,” Martin said. “Our program is attracting a lot of players from overseas and they are actually coming to the school.” One of the new students who came to Masters for fencing this year is Nicole Wong, who is a junior from Singapore. Wong was on the national fencing team for Singapore. “The facilities are really good for a school,” Wong said. The new fencing facilities not only are great for current fencers, but also are helping to attract new students to our school. The girls’ squad suffered a tough 14-13 loss on Dec. 9 against Marymount but will look to rebound on Dec. 15 in its away match against Rye Country Day. On Dec. 12 the boys’ earned a close victory of 15-14 against St. Benedict’s Prep. Senior captain Shomari Moore said, “Even though it was close, we’re still going to be undefeated this season.”
Girls’ basketball seeks to build team chemistry Jake regeLe Features Editor Consistent with the unofficial theme for the year, the varsity girls’ basketball team has undergone much change this season. After graduating some key members, the team was faced with challenges that have become all too familiar to the Athletic Department: how to assimilate new members and create strong chemistry. Assistant Coach Eric Shear has identified working together and good ball movement as the keys for this year’s success, two things that walk hand-in-hand with team chemistry. This is only his second year coaching with the team but he thinks the program is in a position to become more dominant. “We definitely have the talent. Now we just need to work on some things and become more competitive,” he said. Regardless of the challenges created from losing players, the team is grateful for some of its new
additions. Freshmen Kendra Cooper-Smith, in particular, has become a key member and especially, a formidable offensive threat. On Dec. 12 against Leman Manhattan Prep School, she scored 32 points and led the team to a 54-42 victory, bringing the teams record to 2-3 for the season. The team will look to raise its record to .500 and repeat its recent success at the Storm King School on Dec. 15. Cooper-Smith’s contribution to the team is invaluable and has made her its leading scorer. The Athletic Department as a whole has increased its initiative to bring in young talent like Cooper-Smith so that it can develop and grow over the years. Nevertheless, it isn’t the individual talent that defines this team, but its overall performance. Cooper-Smith said, “One thing that’s really good about our team is that we all share the same goal. We want to win games and become more competitive and that shared goal is very important for teams. We don’t care who gets the credit or who makes the shot, we just want to win.”
Staff Writer Juniors Elena Salzman and Saskia Sackner-Bernstein earned the honor of being the first ever Masters students to play in the Western New England Prep School Field Hockey Association (WNEPSFHA) All-Star Game at Suffield Academy in Connecticut. “Coach Skye [McFarlane] emailed both me and Elena and then my parents told me that we had been selected and it was really cool,” Sackner-Bernstein said. “We only had a few days to process it before the game so it didn’t really have time to sink in,”
The game had representatives from many schools across New York including some of Masters’ greatest athletic rivals. “I was pleasantly surprised when I got selected to play in the all-star game. It was an honor to be able to play with such talented kids and represent our school,” Salzman said. Both players saw action only in the first half, but while they were in Salzman started the passing sequence that led to the only goal of the first half and Sackner-Bernstein got a shutout. This year the field hockey team had their first winning season in a long time. Masters’ athletic success seems to be changing for the better and this year’s field hockey team is a prime example of that.
“We had a terrific season. It’s the first time in a decade that we came out with a winning record, so to do that we had to adapt to the shortage in substitutes and everyone had to step up,” Salzman said. McFarlane, who coached the field hockey team to its historic season, said, “It’s my fourth year coaching and this group of juniors is really special to me. I had them in 8th grade and I have them all the way through until they graduate, so I am very proud of everyone on the team.” Sackner-Bernstein said, “Considering that we barely had enough people to field a team, we did a great job of working together throughout. It all wouldn’t have been possible without our coach Skye. She is awesome,”
MICHAEL FITZGERALD/TOWER
Junior Lucas Curran drives to the basket in traffic and dishes the ball to freshman Ugochukwu Kachukwu in a 55-45 home win against Leman Manhattan Prep School on Dec. 12. The victory evened the varsity team’s record at 1-1 to start the season.
Boys’ hoops continues success Mike FiTzgeraLd Sports Editor This season the boys’ varsity basketball team hopes to continue its recent dominance over the rest of its conference, in which they have won both the regular season and Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) championship for two consecutive years. They were invited to the New England Prep School Athletic Conference (NEPSAC) Tournament for the first time since 1999, entering the tournament as the five seed. This season they face a tough task of replacing four of last years’ five starters and several key bench players. “Players graduating and transferring will affect any success, so it’s vital to form team chemistry from the new players on the team. My primary concern is if they get together successfully,” Head Coach Matthew Kammrath said. Despite the loss of several key
players, the team will be helped by the infusion of new talent. New players include junior Lucas Curran and freshmen Ugochukwu Kachukwu, nicknamed Kach, and Eddie Sanchez. Kach agrees with Kammrath and believes the team has already become closer. “A lot of us have never played with each other and are starting to figure out each other’s tendencies and habits. Once we develop a strong chemistry, we’ll be unstoppable,” he said. The team has also acquired a lot of new players from the junior varsity team which has been another obstacle. There is a big difference between a JV and varsity athlete and the team has faced the challenge of developing individual talent. “We have a younger team this year, with a lot of kids coming up from JV, but we’re assimilating well thus far,” senior captain Josh Bunch said. “Our expectations are high as usual, as Coach Kammrath has built a program where success is something we expect and work for, and we hope every year is more successful than the last. This
year it will be highly important for players to learn from their mistakes and immediately correct them, as it’s vital we execute to the best of our abilities.” Despite a new, young roster, Coach Kammrath is hopeful that the team can build on its past success. Sanchez has become a valuable asset to his offense. “We are a talented team that has a lot of strengths, and we need to work on further strengthening those areas and developing on our weaknesses,” Sanchez said. Kammrath said, “I have been very pleased by this team’s ability to not take anything for granted. They are aware of the recent success but understand that last year’s team’s success is not given, and they’re not resting on expectations, or taking them lightly.” The team has dealt with loss before. There have been players who’ve graduated and who’ve unexpectedly left the school. The team has faced adversity and is confident it’ll continue to uphold the culture of success it’s created.
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TOWER/DECEMBER 15, 2015
SportS
Swimmers start landmark season with victories logaN toporoff Copy Editor After months of planning and preparation, both the girls’ and boys’ swim teams came out victorious in their first ever swim meets. Their accomplishment silenced some critics who believed the program’s lack of experience would hinder its success. The girls’ team had its first meet on Dec. 9 against the Chapin School, winning by a final score of 73-71. Coach Susan Greally went into the meet with an open mind and didn’t expect much. “There weren’t really any expectations for that meet other than the girls trying their best, preparing for their events, working hard and being on time,” Greally said. In the starting relay senior Clara Parkus did the backstroke, sophomores Charlotte Peterson and Scarlett Horton did the breaststroke and the butterfly, respectively, and freshman Alexandra Bentzien finished the race with the freestyle. The group quickly pulled ahead and led the team to a strong start by winning the event. The team also
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BOTH SWIMS TEAM WON their inaugural meets, proving their lack of experience won’t mean much in terms of their success. The teams are prepared to build off these meets and continue to be strong competitors. won the next event, the 200 freestyle, holding on to its lead. The boys won their first meet on Dec. 11 against the Dalton School in the first meet hosted at Masters.
While it was the boys’ first meet, it was the first combined girls’ and boys’ meet as well. The girls’ team gained its second win as the boys’ picked up their first.
Parkus, Horton, Peterson and Bentzien again won the first event against Dalton. While the boys’ lost their first event, falling behind .3 seconds in the relay, they won the
overall meet. With both teams off to a strong start, Greally is optimistic for the rest of the season. “We’re expecting a lot of improvement throughout the season and hope everyone gains experience and is able to become better swimmers,” she said. The strong start comes as a surprise even to some members of the team. “Because we’re a new team I think people didn’t think we would be capable of winning, but we have good swimmers,” senior Khyle Richards-Corke said. Even though the program is brand new, most of its members are experienced swimmers. According to Richards-Corke, this has definitely contributed to its success and will continue to do so. He finds that swimming is a physically demanding sport and that helped bring together a strong group of athletes. Richards-Corke said, “I never swam before but I signed up knowing it was going to be a lot of work. Part of why we’re good is because everyone who is on the team, regardless of his experience, is there because he wants to be. Masters should get ready for the championship we’re bringing home.”
Girls’ varsity squash eager to gain experience asli NoyaN Photo Editor
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THE GIRLS’ SQUASH TEAM played on brand new squash courts in both its first away match at Convent of the Sacred Heart and at home in the Fonseca Center. The team is looking forward to gaining experience and developing skills in its first season.
This year there have been many changes and additions to Masters and our varsity girls’ squash team is just one of many examples. On Dec. 3, the team had its first game ever in Masters’ history against Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich. Though the first match was challenging and resulted in a loss, the team members got a lot out of the experience. “It was a lot harder because we were playing at a varsity level and none of us had played squash competitively before,” junior Riya Nakum said. According to a recent article in the Greenwich Time, Sacred Heart’s squash team placed 10th at nationals in January 2015. On the other hand, many of the Masters’ players have just started playing this winter season. The team’s biggest obstacle is its
lack of experience, with some of the members having little to no prior experience. Senior Sibella Graylin never played squash before this year but is optimistic for the future. “We’re only a couple of weeks into the season but we’ve already improved a lot. We’re all pretty much new to this sport and new to each other as a team but all that means is that we need to work harder,” she said. Despite losing their first game, Nakum echoed Graylin’s sentiment, “Now we know what we have to work on and we are very confident that we will improve and win future games. A lot of us are really dedicated and this game has made us want to try harder for the next game,” Nakum said. Coach Robert Fish has only been supportive and encouraging to his team. “All I tell them is to stay positive and encourage each other to improve. I only expect them to work hard, to play hard, to compete hard and to represent Masters in the way they should.”
Boys varsity squash notches two wins in opening match Jake Masters Staff Writer On Friday Dec. 5, Masters celebrated a new milestone, the first boys’ varsity squash match in the school’s history. Masters hosted the Browning School on the Fonseca Center’s four brand new squash courts for this groundbreaking event. Out of the eight matches played, two Masters players were able to come away with wins. The school’s first ever win was claimed by Jacob Vietorisz. Vietorisz is a relatively new player to the sport, but was very excited to be contributing his skills and knowledge to the team. “It feels fantastic to have the first ever win. I really feel like part of the community,” Vietorisz said. He won his match three games to one. After getting off to a slow start and losing the first game by a score of 11-9, he rallied to win the next three games 11-4, 11-6 and 11-2. The second win belonged to Youssef Aly. Matched up against
Browning’s top player, Aly also got off to a slow start and lost his first match 12-10. He was then able to get back into the match and won the last three games 11-6, 11-7, and 12-10 to get the victory. Aly has played for the Canadian Provincial Team and the Egyptian National Team, giving Masters an experienced player to look to for leadership. “It was a good first warm-up match for the season and I hope to continue to improve. Everyone worked really hard and I am happy to be a part of the team,” Aly said. “The focus today wasn’t who won or lost, it was to feel competitive and keep morale up,” Assistant Varsity Coach Skeffington Young said. “Starting a new sports team presents a variety of challenges as well as opportunities. It’s really difficult to figure out the environment in which you will be competing,” he added. The match received a very large turnout from the community. Masters teachers, parents, and students crowded the hallway outside of the courts watching as players fought hard through their matches.
JAKE MASTERS/TOWER
PLAYERS AND COACHES LINED the perimeter of a new squash court in the Fonseca Center as Masters prepared to play its first-ever match against the Browning School. Although Browning won the overall match, Masters earned two individual wins.