Tower Issue #4 (2022-2023)

Read Aviv Emery’s

Richard Stanton, renowned cave diver, to speak at graduation

GISELE CESTARO

Editor

Richard Stanton, an established cave-diver best known for his heroic feat on the daunting 2018 cave mission in Thailand, has been announced as the Commencement

speaker for the class of 2023. He has been doing this work for over 40 years, pushing boundaries, and exploring what is unknown to the rest of us.

Stanton and his team are best known as the rescuers who saved the lives of 13 boys from a youth soccer team. One being Masters senior Adul Samon, who was trapped along with his friends, by a rising tide in a cave for 18 days.

Stanton’s niche interest

in cave diving is credited to the element of surprise, which suits his personality of constantly being on the look-out for his next adventure. Unlike most people, he likes to explore and not know what’s on the other side waiting for him. As an unmarried 62-year-old man, who lives in a house full of diving equipment in England, he fully immerses himself in the art of cave-diving. In an interview with Don Riddell from

CNN, he said doesn’t consider his passion dangerous, but rather believes that the problem is approaching it in a careless manner.

In 2018, Stanton and his diving partner, John Volanthen, pulled off a widely publicized rescue of 13 soccer players in a four hour dive from the Tham Luang cave in Thailand. They navigated rough terrain, while not being able to see ahead of them, as the boys were two miles deep into the cave. Stanton and Volanthen weren’t able to get the boys out at first, but they both approached the situation calmly as they had been in many dangerous situations before.

The story garnered international attention, as people from all around the world waited to see if the boys and their coach who went exploring in a cave, would make it to see another day.

comment at publishing deadline.

Danforth, along with Head of School Peter Newcomb, were the administrators who decided upon Stanton. Danforth commented on how Stanton fulfills the Masters’ mission: to strive, to dare, to do, to

he would love to have Stanton address the class of 2023," she said.

Students should leave feeling inspired from their graduation. They will hear from someone who is a power for good in the world and see that we can make courageous decisions under seemingly impossible conditions. A message to seniors about trusting your training, your gut, and your instinct when you’re in a diffcult situation, is inspiring and empowering”

-Laura Danforth, Head of School

be a power for good in the world.

Josh Barshay, a senior, commented on the unique perspective he believes Stanton will bring to the community, and what lessons he will teach. “I think he’ll send a message of hope and excitement. I want to hear what he’s learned in his past, and what we can learn from it as well. I think that’s probably the most important thing that any speaker can give you,” he said.

CAVE DIVING SUITS RICHARD Stanton’s interests, as he enjoys the adventure and critical thinking involved. Cave diving has multiple purposes including extreme sports or exploration for scienti c investigations

Some of the boys couldn’t swim, so it was left to Stanton to come up with a solution to get the boys home safely. He decided to sedate them, in order to bring out the boys in a scuba mask, so they didn’t have to try and navigate the narrow passages. Even though he received pushback from an anesthesiologist on his team, he was determined to push forward, and the team brough all 13 out safely. Samon, who is currently in Thailand, was unavailable to

"Students should leave feeling inspired from their graduation,” Danforth said. “They will hear from someone who is a power for good in the world and see that we can make courageous decisions under seemingly impossible conditions. A message to seniors about trusting your training, your gut, and your instinct when you're in a difficult situation, is inspiring and empowering.”

Danforth noted that Samon still keeps in touch with Stanton and is excited about him speaking to the community at graduation. "I would never have approached Mr. Stanton about speaking without first discussing it with Adul. He and I have talked about it several times and he has repeatedly said

In 2004, Stanton and another diver also rescued six British soldiers in the Azpazat Caverns in Mexico. He has won several awards for his success as a hero from Coventry University and the University of Bristol. Stanton hails from Essex in England. He wrote a bestselling book titled “Aquanaut”, which goes into detail about his beginnings and how he became so accomplished, along with the Thailand cave rescue.

"He was the mastermind behind saving 13 lives, so I just think his character and the way he lives his life is in keeping with Masters and our mission,”Danforth said. “And I felt because we have a senior whose life he saved, it would be particularly powerful to have Mr. Stanton speak to us."

One year since the start of the Russian invasion:

The story of Ukranian Resilience

Ukraine, particularly the Kyiv region.

February 24, 2023 marks

exactly one year since the start of the Russian fullscale invasion of Ukraine and nine years since the start of Russo-Ukrainian war. According to the U.N. Human Rights Offce report, at least 8,000 civilians died as a result of the fullscale war, and more than 13,000 were injured. The report recognised, however, that the real numbers are much higher as little information can be collected from the occupied regions or the areas with heavy fghting.

On February 21, 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin offcially declared the independence of its enclaves in the east of Ukraine: parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions that have been occupied by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. Three days later, Putin offcially announced the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian missiles struck several Ukrainian cities, and Russian troops crossed Ukrainian borders with a goal of installing a puppet government in Kyiv.

Fierce Ukrainian resistance, however, diminished the prospects of Russia’s blitz victory. By March, Russia was only able to take control of about 30 percent of Ukrainian territory, including just one major city — Kherson.

In April, Ukraine won its frst signifcant victory: Russian forces were forced to withdraw from the northern part of

In June, Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports prevented Ukrainian grain from being exported to other countries and raised the concerns of a global food crisis. Four months later, Putin announced the annexation of the four Ukrainian regions, following illegal annexation “referendums” held there by Russian proxies with much evidence of voting fraud and voting coercion. Meanwhile, the successful Ukrainian counter-offensive

Nataliia Kulieshova ’23 visited Mariupol just a few months before the siege. She said, “I have a lot of family and friends who were in Mariupol back then, and it was so scary not knowing what happened to them, not being able to connect with them for months and just imagining the worst possible scenarios. And now this gorgeous city that was one of my favorite cities in Ukraine is completely ruined. And there’re so many massacres and war crimes that you cannot even imagine, and it's terrifying.”

Since February, Russia has launched about 5000 missile strikes, 3500 air strikes, and 1000 drone attacks on Ukraine. Trying to escape the Russian invasion, 8 million Ukrainians fed the country and 5.9 million became internally displaced.

one of her recent interviews, Lvova-Belova announced that she “adopted” a child from Mariupol. The real story of the child and her family is unknown.

Despite the brutal missile strikes on civilians and frequent blackouts caused by Russian attacks on infrastructure, more than 90 percent of Ukrainians said in a recent survey that Ukraine must continue to fght against Russia. After the massacres in Kyiv and Kharkiv regions and Russian terror bombing, many Ukrainians can not al-

low for major concessions to be made. There is also growing skepticism about peace negotiations considering Russia’s history of using such deals to grow in power and invade again. We had a lot of traumatic events, but that's exactly the reason to keep on fghting,” Kulieshova said. “If we give up right now, Russia … will keep [committing] all of the crimes that it did to us centuries ago. I feel like giving up will not just be wrong, but it also will be unfair to the people who had to lose their

loved ones in this war and to people who had to witness all of the events themselves, and to people who are still being terrorized in the occupied territories.” Russian full-scale invasion became a turning point for many Ukrainians and united the country as never before. As Zelenskyi said in his speech on February 24, 2023, “Instead of a white fag, [Ukrainians] chose the blue-yellow one.”

in September and November resulted in the liberation of Kharkiv and Kherson regions. In total, 54 percent of the Ukrainian territories occupied since last February have been liberated.

The story of Mariupol, a strategically important city in the south-east of Ukraine at the Azov sea, exemplifes the brutality of Russian invasion. Russian forces dropped from 50 to 100 bombs on the city every day and cut off the residents' access to water, food, heat, and mobile connection. During the four months of the siege, the constant bombardment by the Russian army destroyed up to 90 percent of the city’s buildings.

More than 65,000 war crimes committed by Russians have been documented since February, including countless deliberate attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure and many cases of murders, detentions, and tortures of civilians in the occupied territories.

According to the latest Confict Reseratory report, at least 6,000 Ukrainian children have been forcefully deported to Russia or Russian-controlled territories, cut off from the communication with their families and subjected to pro-Russian re-education. Russia was found to create a network of such re-education camps, from which Ukrainian children are then adopted by Russian families. Maria Lvova-Belova, Putin's commissioner for the protection of children's rights, is one of the Russian offcials at the center of the scheme. In

JONATHAN WILLIAMS/CNN

I have a lot of family and friends who were in Mariupol back then, and it was so scary not knowing what happened to them, not being able to connect with them for months and just imagining the worst possible scenarios.”

- Natalia Kulieshova ‘23

Viktoriia Sokolenko

Florida book bans:

closer to home than you think

AH SPR ATT

AYAL

Contributing Writer

Empty shelves. Closed libraries. Confused teachers. Worried librarians. All of these are the effects of banning books. On March 8, 2022, the Florida Senate passed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill which was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on March 28. The Parental Rights in Education Act, quickly dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay,’’ law stops children in kindergarten to third grade from being taught about sexual orientation or gender identity. In older grades, these topics must be delivered in an “age-appropriate” way, and only “in accordance with state standards.” This act sparked confusion, anger, and protests almost instantly as books were taken off of shelves and the LGBTQ+ community suddenly had no place to read or learn about people like them.

The piece of legislation, along with many others, has contributed to the problem of banned books. Images of classrooms with bare shelves circulated the internet. Teachers taught “on eggshells” said Jonathan Friedman, PEN America’s director of Free Ex -

pression and Education programs.

Lisa Green, an English teacher and director of the Writing Center at Masters shared her opinion on the book bannings.

“I think it’s terrifying,” she said, “The purported reason for this is to protect kids. But what is really going on as it is, is people sort of jockeying for political power, and I think kids are being used.”

While Masters is a school that doesn’t experience book bannings, we are still affected, according to Masters librarian Jillian McCoy.“We’re all citizens of the United States,” McCoy said,

set in the 1830’s on a sugar plantation in Barbados, follows the journey of a young enslaved person named Wash. The book does not shy away from “banned” topics such as slavery and the violence that occurred because of it, self-harm, and racism. “I got some pushback last year,” Green said, “Not so much about the fact that the book addresses slavery but because of the violence.” However, as she explained to her class before teaching the book, the violence is necessary to tell an accurate story of the time.

“and when state governments start attacking the rights of their citizens to access information that they need, that’s concerning.”

One way of pushing back against book bannings is to learn about them, gain information, and even read them. This year, Green’s ninth grade English class is reading the novel “Washington Black”, by Esi Edugyan. “Washington Black”,

In addition to reading and celebrating these books, McCoy and the rest of the library staff have put together a library policy to help make decisions about what to put on our school’s shelves. “It just helps clarify what the library’s priorities are,” McCoy said. Part of that policy also included a materials reconsideration policy, McCoy explained. If someone were to challenge a book, the policy would enable the library to consider that person’s perspective why they felt that the material should be removed from library shelves. While this portion of the policy has not been put into action yet, it is important to highlight the tools that Masters has put in place to keep our resources open and our shelves full.

IEC launches Masters Innovation Challenge for student start-ups

the problem and developing a solution for it than it is about the product that they come up with.”

The Masters Innovation Challenge, organized by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC), is a project in which students are able to create innovations and start-ups they want to develop. According to IEC Director, John Chiodo, the focus is on identifying consequential problems and developing solutions for them, rather than solely on the product. “We look for students to uncover a consequential problem that needs solving. It's really [more] about

In the initial stage, 14 Upper School student teams submitted their proposals, and the results were announced in January, with fve teams as fnalists. The fnal pitch session took place on Thursday, Feb. 16, where a panel of judges, including school administrators and different entrepreneurs, evaluated the teams' presentations. “One of the people there was a venture capitalist. One of the other people there, I believe, is in Real Estate Investment and Development. Another one has owned a number of companies but currently owns a green energy

company,” Chiodo said. During the fnalist pitch session, the students had to answer questions about their products, fnances, and long-term plans on the spot.

The winners of the competition were seniors Nataliia Kulieshove and Dayan Battulga, who created an app called Signisa that uses A.I. and machine-learning technology to teach people sign language. Sophomores Alice Fuller and Rebecca Troy came second with Nu Plastics, a biodegradable plastic, and third place was awarded to AJ Bagaria ‘25 and Bobby Callagy ‘24 for their alert system that prevents truck drivers from falling asleep at the wheel and causing accidents.

Chinese spy balloon causes the U.S to enhance air patrol

Ajet few by a suspected Chinese spy balloon as it foated off the coast in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, in the U.S. on Jan. 28. After it few over residential areas, President Biden ordered the Pentagon to take down the surveillance balloon. There has been controversy regarding why the Biden administration waited for almost a week to shoot down the balloon. The Defense Department, after evaluating the threat of the balloon, concluded, “we should not shoot it down over land, it was not a serious threat.”

This “spy” balloon has further strained Sino-U.S. relations as President Joe Biden said to the public that America will not back off. China’s vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng, in response, claimed that the U.S. has overreacted and that the balloon would not harm any U.S. citizens. This incident directly affects the relationship between the two most powerful countries in the world.

Zhu Feng, the Director of the School of International Studies at Nanjing University, said, “The greater the polarization of US politics and US society as a whole, the more politicians will attempt to use the ‘China threat’ theory as a rallying point. This

trend has been the main driver behind the growing tensions between Beijing and Washington and will continue to pose the greatest threat to US-China relations in coming years.”

Hamline Law Professor David Schultz commented on a different note, “The conficts between China and the United States globally, but especially

strengthen defenses against Chinese espionage. In fact, further in-depth investigation revealed that similar cases had happened multiple times during the Trump administration but the government failed to detect them.

Senior Aidan Meltzer, a student in the International Relations class, said, “It’s an interesting situation and I think that it kind of shows the areas in which the US government has let down its guard. They are focusing more on far higher altitudes instead of lower to Earth altitudes.

in the South China Sea and Asia, have been escalating for quite a while. This is certainly not going to do anything to lower the temperature. In fact it's going to make it an even more diffcult complex situation going forward.”

After this incident, both Canada and the U.S. became more vigilant in detecting unidentifed fying objects. So far, the National Security Council has not discovered any real threats the balloon would cause to civilians on the ground. However, it does intercept the transcontinental air traffc and may cause severe danger to civilian planes.

Biden, on Feb. 6, ordered an interagency team to investigate the real purpose of the fying balloon and to

So the spy balloon exposes some of the faults within the US Defense Department, but it also becomes a learning opportunity as well. This also offers an opportunity to try to fgure out more things on an international relations scale as the US and China continue to solve this problem and communicate with each other both economically and politically.”

Although the balloon is considered as a “spy” balloon, Chinese offcials deny the fact that the balloon is used to gather intelligence from other countries and demanded the debris to be returned once collected. They state that the balloon went in the wrong direction and was out of control, so it “accidentally,” instead of “intentionally,” few over the U.S. territory. Further investigation is still needed to deduce the true purpose behind the surveillance balloon.

We’re all citizens of the United states, and when state governments start attacking the rights of their citizens to access information that they need, that’s concerning.

- Jillian McCoy

ROOKE WISER Accountability and Media Advancement Manager

The conficts between China and the United States globally, but especially in the South China Sea and Asia, have been escalating for quite a while. This is certainly not going to do anything to lower the temperature.”

- David Schultz, Hamline Law Professor

actors, given

in anti-Chinese extremism in the United States.

MASTERS SCHOOL LIBRARY has not been affected by the widespread book bans, and continues to proudly display literature that would be considered “banned” in other states. In Florida, teachers must endure constant pushback against the literature

they

choose to

share

with students.

ROOKE WISER//TOWER NATALIIA KULIESHOVA AND DAYAN Battulga present their winning Masters Innovation Challenge project, in which they created an app called Signisa. Runners-up were Alice Fuller and Rebbeca Troy in second place, and AJ Bagaria and Bobby Callagy in third place.

International guests to arrive in Dobbs Ferry

in the New York area,” Fish said

This spring Masters will welcome four students from Japan and 13 students from Senegal as part of a cultural exchange program. Dean of Global Studies, Robert Fish, and Upper School Modern & Classical Languages Teacher, Abdoulaye Ngom, will lead this program.

The students from Japan will arrive on Sunday, March 26, and depart on Saturday, April 8. Shortly after the Japanese students leave, the students from Senegal will join the Masters' community starting on Thursday, April 13, and departing on April 30. Both of these programs are long-standing Masters programs that were, unfortunately, suspended in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The goal of the program is to expand the Harkness table,” Fish said. He continued, “ We are inviting people who are not usually part of this institution, and who are not from here to join our discussion and join our friendships and community for a few weeks. I, and many others in this institution, fundamentally believe that one of the great-

est things about Masters is that we learn from everyone else who is in the community.” He went on to say, “ When we add new voices to the community who are coming here, with very different experiences and perspectives than people who were here already, that enriches all of us.”

“It will be really exciting!

My advisor is Mr. Ngom so I've learned about Senegal and how French and Francophone culture is involved in Senegal for my entire high school career,” French Club Co-Chair Stella Simonds said. “It will be really interesting meeting more people from there.”

Each international student will live with a Masters host family. While here,they will attend some classes. Additionally, Fish will create an individualized class for the group based on their learning priorities. This will include developing their English skills. They will also have the opportunity to specifcally learn about the United States and New York through cultural immersion.

“That will be customized. I have created a general plan that will be fnalized after the students arrive. We will do things like exploring parts of Dobbs Ferry… We will visit the local stores and small businesses. This will give the students a chance to talk to people that own those stores and shop in those stores. Some days we will go off and visit different sites

The Japanese group will visit Bronx Collaborative High School, where they will participate in activities and get to know students from another school. “We are trying to arrange for the students from Senegal to visit a different school as well so that they can see two different environments,” Fish said

This program is a partnership between Jiyu Gakuen in Tokyo, Japan, and Cours St. Marie de Hann school in Senegal, Fish explained. It is the third time that students from Cours St. Marie de Hann are visiting Masters. “When we visit Senegal this summer, members of the Cours St. Marie de Hann will host our students. Most of the students coming here will be hosting Masters students when they go to Senegal. It's also a great opportunity for our kids to get to know them before they go and really create a deeper relationship and experience,” Fish said.

Fish has developed a longstanding relationship with Jiyu Gakuen. He frst visited Jiyu Gakuen over 15 years ago. “When we visit Japan, which we will do relatively soon, we will visit students from Jiyu Gakuen and stay on their campus,” Fish said

“I would like them to create a humanized, individualized element to our community's understanding of their country… There can be a tendency when you don't actually

know people from a country to think of the country in broad generalities,” Fish said. He continued, “When you actually get to meet and talk to somebody or a group of people that humanizes the country, it makes the country real. I think that has real long-term impacts on the way the students here approach thinking

about the world. I hope it creates some curiosity about other places in the world, whether it's Senegal or Japan, or just by meeting people from somewhere else.” Everyone from the Masters community will beneft from the exchange students.

“As an international school, we already are exposed to international

cultures unlike other American high schoolers. Meeting international students will give us a chance to learn about their experience and ask them questions. People can make great connections,” Simonds said .

As tuition rises, questions emerge

As the 2023-2024 school year approaches, Masters parents and students alike have received news

that the cost of education is rising once again. In a recent announcement, the school revealed an increase in the current $53,500 day-student tuition by approximately 7%. While this may surprise some, several reasons exist behind the decision to raise tuition, including sustaining our campus, hiring quality personnel, and fulflling Masters’ mission.

the Asso-

Schneider,

Andrew

ciate Head for Finance and Operations, explained that the choice to heighten fees was made to guarantee that Masters can continue furnishing a quality education and fulfll the institution’s mission. Schneider said, “As we [Masters]strive to ensure our employees are paid fair, competitive wages and are offered impactful healthcare and retirement benefts,

we tend to have annual tuition increases that outpace infation.” He noted that benefts and salaries for teachers and staff account for approximately 66% of the school’s expenses, and tuition fees generate approximately 82% of the school’s income.

In Schneider’s view, it is essential for the school’s income to align with its expenses. “Our people are the most important part of what makes Masters special, and our expense structure refects that,” he added.

The Head of School, Laura Danforth also emphasized the importance of prioritizing a joyful working environment for faculty and staff at Masters. She described that one of the motivating aspects of the tuition rise was this priority. “We want it to be a place where faculty and staff love to come,” she said. “If someone is coming to work every day and doesn’t love being here, that’s not a good thing.”

In an email to parents, Danforth provided an explanation for the tuition hike stating, “This year’s tuition increase accounts for rising expenses amid infationary pressures on our operating costs.”

While this email was concise, Brooke Nalle, the president of the Masters Parents Association, said

she found the reasons supplied in the email substantial and commented, “[The email] is an invitation to ask questions.” As a parent, Nalle mentioned that she understands that for her children to continue receiving a great education and for the Masters campus to function, the tuition price has to rise.

-

“It’s not a fun increase to pay, but I understand why,” she remarked.

Ninth grade class president, Alex Pinnock said that since the cost to attend Masters has increased, “You’re gonna have to be making sure each day is completely worth it.” He knows that parents have sacrifced a lot to send their students to Masters, and that every day will

have to be “a lot more impactful.”

“The school needs to be fnancially healthy to operate, so a certain amount of tuition dollars are required to keep things running smoothly,” Schneider outlined. According to him, it costs around $41 million to run Masters each year, of which $7 million is set aside for the school’s fnancial aid program. While the tuition increase is necessary for Masters to succeed, Schneider assures that the school’s funding for student aid will not be negatively affected.

Schneider highlighted how the diversity of viewpoints that fnancial-aid students bring to the classroom is crucial to Masters’ special and meaningful learning environment. He stated, “Masters would not be Masters without an array of unique perspectives around the Harkness table that inspire deep and meaningful learning.”

Finally, Schneider acknowledged how students who receive monetary funding are common in the Masters community and that the school is dedicated to granting aid for students with demonstrated fnancial need. In accordance with this, he said, “A sincere and rigorous commitment to providing needbased fnancial assistance is one of several important tools the school has to achieve its mission of ‘gathering as a community of diverse individuals.”

Sparks fly as a result of Ohio derailment

water sources,” said Co-President of EFFECT, Bobby Callagy’24.

On February 3rd one of America’s worst ecological disasters ensued as a result of the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous chemicals. Out of the 38 carts on the train, 11 were carrying such materials that set off a massive chemical fire, prompting Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to order an emergency evacuation for East Palestine, Ohio residents and Pennsylvania residents living in proximity of the disaster.

“I was most worried about local people and people in the proximity of the actual accident because from what I’ve heard a lot of the chemicals in the carts being pulled leaked into local streams and local

East Palestine authorities agreed to allow Norfolk Southern to burn the chemicals flowing from the carts to avoid exacerbating damage by leaving the situation uncontrolled.

The New York Times reported that five of the carts were transporting vinyl chloride, a colorless gas incorporated to manufacture plastic products, that can cause headaches, dizziness, and drowsiness from short term exposure, and a rare form of liver cancer after extended exposure. In addition butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers were released into East Palestine’s water sources, air, and soil as a result of the initial fire and the burning of such chemicals.

As a result of this release, 43,000 fish have died across 7.5 miles of stream, reported News 5 Cleveland. Norfolk Southern is being held responsible for decontaminating the area and is being sued by many residents for a situation

that “was 100 percent preventable,” according to Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board Jennifer L. Homendy in a Washington D.C conference . WFMJ reported that Norfolk Southern has deracinated 4,800 cubic yards of soil and collected 1.7 million gallons of liquid for disposal.

In response to the disaster as a whole, legislation sponsored by representatives Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania and Ro Khanna of California was introduced to congress on March 7th. The Bill proposes to broaden the definition of “high hazard” cargo, so companies transporting hazardous materials can be subjected to federal regulations to avoid any further damage.

In regards to Norfolk Southern, the materials train carts were not considered by Transportation Department standards ‘high hazard”which prevented federal regulation.

Callagy hopes for change. He said, “they should focus on sustainability efforts and try to enforce policy to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.”

ALYSSA WANG/TOWER

NEENA ATKINS

Contributing Writer

THE TRAIN DERAILMENT IN East Palestine, Ohio resulted in a large emittance of fumes from the railcars and their cargo. Local residents of the working class town in the Midwest have complained of slow action from many levels of government, from municipal to federal. Former President Donald Trump recently visited East Palestine after the explosion, and President Joe Biden has also announced plans to visit, along with Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg.

MASTERS STUDENTS WILL BE given the opportunity to spend two weeks this summer with a host family from our sister school in Dakar, Senegal. While there, they will immerse themselves in Senegalese culture and visit important historical sites in the country.

As we [Masters]strive to ensure our employees are paid fair, competitive wages and are offered impactful healthcare and retirement benefits, we tend to have annual tuition increases that outpace inflation.”

Andrew Schneider

LYDIA ETTINGER

Social Media Manager

JENNY XU/TOWER

ABDOULAYE NGOM/TOWER

INCOMING MASTERS TUITION RISES in the 2023-2024 school year, beginning this September, are set to see the cost of attending school here rise by 7%. This incoming rise is concerning to some students, while the administration says the raises are natural with the tight budget of maintaining a school. They point to strong faculty salaries and bene ts as a reason.

OpiniOn

EDITORIAL

“Catastrophe reveals character.”

W

2022-2023

editors-iN-chieF Maia BarantsevitCh ellie yanG

MarketiNg director

Carlos heredia

News Lead editor Gisele Cestaro

A

hen was the last time you thought about what is going on in Iran? China? Between essays, sports, and time with family and friends, we are often caught in the chaos of our own lives. However, it is also important to recognize our place as global citizens in the world. Recently, Turkey and Syria experienced a devastating earthquake that killed over 47,000 people. For the past two years, Iranian women have been protesting for their freedom and gender equality. The ongoing war in Ukraine against Russian imperialism has continued to disrupt many communities. As Covid-19 measures loosen in Chi -na, the Chinese and world economy has seen and will see fluctuation for months, if not years, to come. These are just four prominent events which we cover in this paper, however there are many other struggles both domestically and around the world which are equally dire though they may not be a headline.

Some of these events may be viewed through an optimistic lens as China’s reopening brings promise against rising inflation. And the Iranian women march in the hopes of effecting real change. Others may seem devastating and overwhelming to those not directly affected, and even worse for those caught in these tensions. Both are

events that exist beyond the articles in this paper and influence the lives of many just like you and me. -

The looming sense of guilt and need to help in the face of such huge problems may be daunting to those who have not yet contributed towards justice. However, it is never too late to begin. History is in never-ending repetition of itself, and there can only be hope of breaking out of the repetitive cycle or advancing it if we are willing to pay attention to not only those in our immediate community, but also those in the larger world far away. Because the reality is, it’s not so far away.

Whether it is through responsible consumption of me -

dia, involvement with nonprofit organizations, or everything in between, activism can start from your phone and move out to impact the lives of strangers in need.

In addition, observing the past, to weather the future, is a consistent source of knowledge we must use to recognize the main causes of distress in our environments. Being informed is the first crucial step toward helping. When was the last time you watched the news? Or read a New York Times article? We are given so many resources and options for information consumption that can fuel our drive to help, there is no better time than now to pick them up and use their power for good.

Iconic children’s author’s work censored

classics include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda” and “James and the Giant Peach,” have been rewritten in an attempt to render them as less offensive and more inclusive.

sorship.” This public backlash has resulted in the publisher announcing that it will continue to publish the original texts alongside new edited versions.

tative from the author’s estate, new editions of the legendary works of best-selling British author Roald Dahl, whose children’s

ccording to a represen-The news that these changes have been made has sparked widespread criticism and outrage from many novelists, such as Salman Rushdie, the prizewinning author of “Midnight’s Children” and “The Satanic Verses”. Rushdie described the revisions as “absurd cen-

More than 300 million copies of Dahl’s books have been sold, and they have been translated into 63 different languages. His works have also been widely adapted on both the big and small screens.

Dahl died in 1990, aged 76. An evaluation of his works began in 2020, before Netfix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the author’s copyrights and trademarks. The estate had worked with Inclusive Minds, a group that promotes accessibility and diversity in children’s books. While noting that the group did not “write, edit or rewrite texts,” Inclusive Minds said they “provide valuable input when it comes to reviewing language that can be damaging and perpetuate harmful stereotypes.” The Telegraph, a British newspaper, reported that at least 10 of

Dahls’ 19 children’s books had hundreds of words modifed or erased, including descriptions of characters’ appearances, races, and genders. Additionally, language relating to weight, mental health and violence had been removed or modifed. As part of this, descriptions that used the colors black and white as well as adjectives such as “fat” and “ugly” were eliminated.

Chief executive of PEN America, Suzanne Nossel, reacted angrily to the news about the revisions on social media. Nossel posted on Twitter that the organization was “alarmed” by the changes which had been implemented in “a purported effort to scrub the books of that which might offend someone.” She wrote that “If we start down the path of trying to correct for perceived slights instead of allowing readers to receive and react to books as written, we risk distorting the work of great authors and clouding the essential lens that literature offers on society.”

Matthew Dennison, who wrote a biography of Dahl, said that the author had a history of having problematic relationships with his editors and despised anyone who tampered with his work. Dennison remarked that Dahl always “resisted unnecessary sanitizing” and Dahl recognized that changes made to his books were a result of the political atmosphere that represented adult sensibilities rather than children’s concerns. Mr. Dahl once said, “I never get any protests from children. All you get are giggles of mirth and squirms of delight. I know what children like.”

The censorship of books within school districts is a timely issue. Recently in my English class we discussed

the New York Times article, My Young Mind Was Disturbed by a Book. It Changed My Life. In the article, Nguyen argues that if schools ban books, children will be deprived of learning important values and historical events. Another thing he argues is that the reason books get banned is because of the parents, not children. It’s the parents who have an issue with the content of the books, and don’t want their children reading about it. I found this really interesting, and something that I never thought about, but agree with completely. “And perhaps that’s the real reason some people want to ban books that raise complicated issues: They implicate and discomfort the adults, not the children. By banning books, we also ban diffcult dialogues and disagreements, which children are perfectly capable of having and which are crucial to a democracy…Perhaps we will eventually have less war, less racism, less exploitation if our children can learn how to talk about these things,” Nguyen said. By banning books, we are just avoiding topics that need to be talked about. This got me thinking, why do some books get banned while others don’t? How do people categorize a “good” book that kids can read, vs. a “bad book” that kids cannot read? What content in books is considered bad? I believe that no books should be categorized as “bad.” Roald Dahl was indeed a controversial person, and many of the things he said and wrote troubles and offends me. Yet I don’t think censorship is the answer. I agree with author Philip Pullman who told BBC Radio 4 that Dahl’s books “should be allowed to fade away” and not be rewritten if judged by modern society to be offensive.

I wouldn’t like to thank the Academy, Grammys, Globes, and Oscars

better to choose winners than people who pursue music for a living?

E

Who won record of the year and how did Harry Styles win Album of the Year? No disrespect to either artist because their work was great and they deserved the nomination, but there are better options for both of these awards. This isn’t a stand-alone case, though. These award shows, especially the Grammys, have a history of making controversial and in my opinion wrong decisions on winners.

Voting:

First, it is important to recognize how the winners are chosen. In regards to the Grammys, winners are chosen by members of the Recording Academy. To ensure fairness, Academy members (fellow artists, producers, and more) are tied to a category in which they participate and vote in. In theory, this does make sense; who

very year award season comes around and embarrasses itself. From the Golden Globes in the beginning of January to the Academy Awards (commonly known as the Oscars) which usually takes place in March, there is a new scandal. This year’s Grammys takes the cake for me, though.Masters even uses similar logic in the concept of Community Council; peers recommending appropriate consequences for fellow peers. Currently the Oscars follow a voting structure almost exactly the same as that of the Grammys. So why is it so faulty? There is no exact reason. The only reason that can be possibly attributed to this is personal bias or lack of knowledge on there section. Nevertheless, something needs to be done to revamp this system. Only 12.4 million viewed the Grammys this year compared to 2012’s 39 million people, and for the Oscars 15.3 million watched in 2022. This is a 24 million drop in viewership compared to the 39 million in 2012.

Famous Mistakes: What truly demolishes my view of these awards are the snubs and notable losses. One perfect example of this is Macklemore beating Kendrick Lamar for Best Rap album in 2014. Macklemore’s album “The Heist” won five Grammys that year and deserves its flowers, but Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, Mad City” is known as a generational storytelling album about Kendrick Lamar’s life growing up in Compton, California. Even Macklemore agreed that Lamar

should have won the Grammy. “You got robbed… It’s weird and sucks that they robbed you.” These are the exact words Macklemore sent over text.

On the Oscar side, one perfect example is one win in 11 nominations for legendary director

Stanley Kubrick. He was nominated for four movies including “Clockwork Orange,”Doctor Strangelove or: How I Stopped “Worrying and Love the Bomb,” Barry Lydon, Full Metal Jacket and lastly “Space Odyssey.”His only win was “Space Odyssey,” for

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which he won Best Visual Effects. To make matters worse, Kubrick didn’t receive a nomination for any of his parts of “The Shining.”

Lastly, the Golden Globes didn’t nominate the 2019 film Roma for Best Picture because there was a rule that non-English films couldn’t receive nominations in that category.

In comparison, “Roma”was nominated for 10 awards and won three at the Oscars. They received a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars but fell short. Thankfully they change this rule in 2022. This rule is a disgrace to all non-English language movies in the past and it is appalling to see how long it took for such a prominent body as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to change this rule.

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What can these awards do better in the future? Well, the goal is to return to the glory days when viewership was the highest. Some controversy is all right, but only scenarios that don’t harm the reputation. What they should do is review the winners and oversee who can vote. After horrible voting, those people shouldn’t be able to vote again. Also, the glitz and glamor of iconic hosts and tributes made these events more special. I look forward to hopefully seeing the

glory days return.

Distribution Process Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed. A copy is sent to each of our advertisers. scholastic Press affiliations, letters anD eDitorial Policy 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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Lucas Seguinot

PASCUTTI BELIEVES THAT CENSORSHIP is not the answer. Although Roald Dahl is a controversial gure Pascutti does not support rewrites. She is alarmed by the distortion of the author’s work.

LUCAS SEGUINOT ARGUES THAT award shows need drastic reform.In recent years there have been various voting mistakes. Seguinot believes that the winners should be reviewed. Additionally, he claims that the voters should be changed.

Become a global citizen

- Abhijit Naskar, When Call The People: My World My Responsibility

Masters robotics team triumphs in FIRST Tech Challenge

omously park at the requested spot.

Despite numerous setbacks, the Masters robotics team managed to present their robot at the FIRST Tech Challenge at East Fishkill, New York and even won third place in the Design category of the award ceremony. Out of all teams, the Masters team was the only one who hadn’t already competed this school year. In fact, this competition has been the frst in-person one for the team since the start of COVID-19 and has proven to be quite competitive with 28 teams competing for 12 hours.

The FIRST Tech Challenge consists of fve matches, each with an autonomous section in which a robot performs a pre-programmed mission on its own and a teleop section when a team operates the robot with remote controls. The main task for the teams was to build a robot that would be able to pick up the cones and put them on different level junctions. In addition to that, it should respond to specifc signals and auton-

For Ella Dundas ’23, the team’s oldest member, the most memorable part of the competition was the third match, when the team replaced their not-working batteries with the new ones that they borrowed from other participants. Dundas said she felt very excited to see the full potential of their robot when it had all working parts.

“Our autonomous code worked really well and got us to exactly where we needed to be. And we actually got more points than the robot before us,” Dundas said. “And what was really exciting about that game was there’s an element where, in the last 30 seconds, you can cap one of the polls with a specifc capping element that you design, and that will give you bonus points. Sam, the driver, capped it when it was like a millisecond to spare. We made it [in the very last seconds] and that was a really good moment.”

Besides Dundas, Sam Scheinbach ‘23, Rebecca Troy ‘25 and Leo Shatzoff ‘23 worked on the hardware of the robot, while Nataliia Kulishova ’23 and Nate Borwick ’23 wrote the code. Robotics Faculty Advisor Stone Yan said, “There’s a lot of collaboration [between the coding and building teams]. When some-

With a new year should come a fresh start, but instead the public is reminded of a tragedy our world continues to face: gun violence. It is March

thing happens, it’s not just one team’s problem. Both teams can do things to fx the problem. As they’re working, they’re talking and bantering, and it’s generally a very positive environment.”

Since the start of the academic year, the team experienced several challenges. Many of the materials they needed were outdated. Moreover, with the ACR requirement not covering robotics, very few underclassmen were able to join the team this year or receive training in the years prior. Most of the older members, however, were only in their frst or second year of robotics and had not had much experience building robots before. Out of the six members, half were new to the team. The time restraints raised another concern.

“Another challenge is timewise, we can only spend about three and a half hours a week doing robotics, unless, sometimes closer to the competition, we will come in early during club time, too,” Dundas said. “But other teams are spending upwards of 10 hours a week on their robots. So we’re at a big disadvantage because we just have much less time that we’re capable of working on.”

Despite their many struggles, the students managed to get through all of

of 2023 and there have been over 70 mass shootings in places including but not limited to gas stations, parades, colleges and schools. Normal life grinds to a halt for those who are scared for

the competition requirements. Yan said that the team’s creativity helped them to compensate for their limited resources. For example, to minimize the robot’s weight, they wanted to get the least number of motors possible and decided to build the robot with a spring-loaded claw and triangular chassis (base frame). Several years before, the Masters robotics team had already tried to make a robot with such a chassis, but struggled to ft all the elements on top of a triangle. For three years, older members “left” it to Dundas in the yearbook Senior Will Statement. Now a senior herself, Dundas said she feels happy to fnally make a triangular-shaped robot. Although both the triangle chassis and spring-load-

themselves or their loved ones. For a prospective college student, being far away can start to feel daunting as teenagers become afraid that they will become the unlucky victims of a gunman’s rage. Campus gun violence is rare in the United States, but gun violence itself is not. There have been nine mass college campus shootings since 1966, but this only takes into account where four or more people have been killed. As seniors start to mentally prepare to move away from their friends and families next year, they must continue to worry about their safety. This includes safety protocols that the colleges implement, as well as mental health resources for students. The recent shooting that took place at Michigan State University, which killed three people and injured fve others, is only one example.

It is unclear why the perpetrator targeted Michigan State because he took his own life right after the shooting.

The most deadly spree shooting that has occured since 1966 was in 2007 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where 32 people ranging in age from 18 to 76 were shot and killed. The school still holds annual remembrance rituals, such as three mile runs, a candle ceremony and a wreath laying to honor the lives that were taken.

Senior Claress Bahamundi, co-president of Mental Health at Mas-

ed claw complicated the coding and building process, such a design made the end result even more rewarding.

“We really think outside the box,” Dundas said. “We tried to have a creative

robot because we don’t have enough time to make it absolutely perfect like the other teams do. So we differentiate ourselves with our unique designs.”

ters, talked about how daunting it is to go off to college in the state that our world is in. “When I go off to college it is something that is defnitely going to be on my mind. I always feel anxious in crowded spaces, and I know that being far away from home is going to exaggerate that fear,” she said. Bahamundi takes into consideration the college safety protocols in order to ensure that if an act of gun violence did occur, the university would be well prepared to protect its students and faculty.

“It’s important that colleges teach their students what to do in the worst-case scenario, as well as implementing new procedures that push for better student safety. Considering the fact that gun violence is a possibility means that it should be addressed the impact it can have emotionally on students as well,” Bahamundi said.

The perpetrators of the incidents on college campuses normally have a connection to the school, typically because they attended that university or they are a teacher. For example, a biology teacher, who previously had a history of violence, killed three people and injured three others after being rejected for tenure. The shooters also tend to be men who communicate that they are planning to attack, whether that be through social media or said directly to acquaintances.

This is why it is imperative to

know the warning signs of violence, so if portrayed, friends or family can report that person. Some examples are always being alone, bullying, selfharm, access to weapons, and withdrawing from those around them. These signs can help save the lives of multiple people, as they are typically expressed before a tragic incident.

Ashleigh Woodruff, a senior who is committed to Stony Brook University, is vigilant about what can occur, and has talked to family about what to do in certain situations. “My family and friends always tell me to travel in pairs, but most of the advice about gun violence I receive from school systems, and the administration around me, is to stay hidden. ” she said.

Stony Brook sent an email inviting their future and current students to a webinar so they could learn their security systems, which help with safety and security on campus. For example, they have an SP alert broadcast system that tells the community of a potential threat and emergency situations. But even with the protective methods, it is still a scary thought for Woodruff. “A college is basically your home, and I’ll be staying on campus the whole time, so for anybody, having your home disrupted in such a violent way, is terrifying to think about. Especially, because of the aftermath and not feeling safe in your community,” she said.

NATE BORWICK, SAM SCHEINBACH, Eleanor Dundas, Nataliia Kulieshova, and Leo Shatzoff photographed at First Tech Challange. after a total of 5 matches, they were awarded second place in design.

VIKTORIIA SOKOLENKO/TOWER

Headlines from around

MISH lends a hand in Turkey and Syria

ELLA BLACK

Contributing

Writer

hen nature takes on humanity; kindness prevails. On Feb. 6, citizens in Turkey and Syria were awoken by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Thousands of people were killed and there was destruction across Turkey and Syria.

As the Masters community heard about

this devastating event, questions on how the school help arose. Elena Olivieri, the faculty advisor of MISH, heard about the earthquakes and knew that MISH and the Masters community had to get involved; however, she struggled to think about how. She said “We want a culture of being a power for good, and we want everybody involved in service work.”

WOlivieri frst decided to write a newsletter talking about the earthquakes and gave everyone a list of organizations that the community could donate to. An organization highlighted in the newsletter was AFYA.

Oliveri recently led a weekend trip to AFYA, an organization that donates critical

medical supplies to underserved health systems globally. Originally, Olivieri was supposed to drive the bus that dropped Masters’ volunteers off at AFYA’s warehouse, but she decided to join the volunteers inside. Olivieri quickly formed a relationship with the founder, Danielle Butin. After word of the earthquake, Olivieri’s relationship with the founder inspired her to rally our community to donate. “If it has to be monetary, at least we know where the money is going. We know it’s a trusted organization”

After the second earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Charlie Manzano, the president

this year is to strengthen the connection between the Masters School and the foundations and allow for more engagement on Masters’ part.”

A bake sale is planned to raise money for those impacted by the Earthquake.

Olivieri said that the easiest way is to volunteer at places like AFYA. One can also lend support to students in our community who may be impacted by this event . Peter Newcomb, head of The Upper School, recently led a moment of silence in solidarity to those impacted at Morning Meeting. Oliveri said, “It doesn’t need to be a $1,000

Turkish government plays a role in earthquake death toll

MAIA BARANTSEVITCH & ELLIE YANG Editors-in-chief

As immediate relief and rescue continue to play a crucial role in the weeks after the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey, questions have arisen regarding the long-term recovery of the region. Along with this are concerns about how one can contribute their support and ensure that it is going to the right cause.

Turkey is currently under an authoritarian government, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as head. The Turkish government has had strong control over the country’s media and judicial system, enacting many years of oppression and opposition between Turks and Kurdish groups. Series of baseless accusations and investigations ensued among politicians, journalists, and even human right defenders in Turkey.

The internal corruption of the Turkish government has caused countless disruption of communities, abuse of power in the parlia-

ment, and lack of safety for many Turkish citizens.

This internal corruption has seen an especially deadly result in light of the recent earthquake. Under Erdoğan, a pillar of the Turkish economy was construction and real estate. However, only a small circle of Erdoğan’s acquaintances were granted rights to infrastructure projects, and often built homes and infrastructure without following the proper safety codes. This led to massive damage in the earthquake and the complete collapse of many residential buildings, government buildings, hospitals, and even airports. These ties between the corruption of the Turkish government and the deaths in the recent earthquake has prompted skepticism regarding the government’s rescue and disaster relief efforts.

Turkish Philanthropy Funds (TPF) is a community based non proft organization in New York City. They partner with over 70 organizations and have been involved in disaster relief since the earthquake. Seline Green, communication director of the fund, said that it is important to donate to the organizations which are transparent and helping local communities. “It is really important to make sure that people are donating to the right places. We at TPF stand

behind our transparency and we also stand behind our vetted partner organizations,” Green said.

This is an issue which will remain persistent, especially as the regions affected by the earthquake continue to recover long-term. “This is going to be a long-term recovery. We are looking at not only addressing the immediate needs right now, but also the long term needs,” Green said. All across Turkey, displaced people are in need of support to rebuild their lost homes. “We also work on building lives or rebuilding homes, and ultimately getting people back on their feet,” she said.

The internal corruption of the Turkish government and the role it might play as Turkey slowly rebuilds after the earthquake are both important topics on which students might raise awareness. By addressing the issues these non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are providing relief for, students, and many others, are able to improve the lives of many Turks currently living in

Ninth grade required reading provides context for protest in Iran

CHANEL NEAL

Writer

Contributing

Recent protests that have struck in Iran relating to strict government mandates around restricting women’s dress and activity is contextualized in nineth grade required reading of “Persepolis.” The novel is about a young girl, Marjane, growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, which provides context for the injustices that still persist today. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1978, an authoritarian regime has taken over the Islamic Republic of Iran. More recently, in 2022, an Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini was detained and murdered by officials after going in public improperly observing hijab, some of her hair being visible, a direct violation of one of the regime’s laws.

Her death led to a rise of protests throughout the nation, making Persepolis an even more relevant reading in our community.

English teacher, Miriam Emery, said that the reading along with the revolts has been a complete coincidence. This reading has been taught alongside other memoirs such as Trevor Noah’s “Born a Crime”, meant to analyze how political events can shape the course of one’s upbringing. Emery said, “On the surface, someone who hadn’t heard of the graphic memoir, or of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, might think, ‘I don’t think I’m gonna like this. I’m not into politics, and I know nothing about Iran and that part of the world.’ And by the end, almost every student did like the book and would see a lot of connections between themselves and the characters.”

Ninth grade have been able to more effectively analyze the recent spark of protests in Iran because of Perspolis’ appeal to teen life as it relates to growing up in political turmoil. Chloe Mackay, freshman, who read the novel, said that it was a relatable story about “finding ourselves and coming to terms with

a corrupted country.

Alumni have been carrying the school’s mission statement post graduation. Nil Sera Gungor ‘20, a college senior at Babson College, said, “I don’t think it’s gotten nearly the amount of media attention it should,” She’s passionate about the cause because she has many family members from Turkey. Though her family wasn’t directly affected, she said “If one person feels pain, we all feel it.” Gungor believes that the death toll of the earthquake could’ve been lowered if Turkey had earthquake proof buildings. She believes that the best way our Masters community can help is spreading awareness

who we are,” no matter how different those circumstances may seem. Mackay further explained that the novel debunked misconceptions that she and many of her peers may have had about the Islamic Revolution in terms of women’s role, religious implementation, and government regimes in general.

She said, “It definitely gave me more context and it was easier to empathize with the character knowing that she was around my age. It could have so easily have been you,” Mackay said.

Persepolis is set during and after the Islamic Revolution, but the themes of the novel are present in Iran today. Emery’s neighbor, Nazanin Mahallati, is an Iranian woman now living in Hastings-on-Hudson, who spent 18 years of her life in the midst of post-Islamic Revolution Iran before moving to the United States, speaks to these similarities.

When it comes to the recent protests in Iran, Mahallati said that her experiences as a high school student involved being “punished for little things” that she and her peers should not have been, which makes the recent protests

(while at a larger scale) familiar. According to Mahallati, the required reading of Persepolis is a step in the right direction. She went on to say that spreading awareness on this issue can be done effectively through literature. Mahallati said, “Through introducing books that are written by Iranian young immigrant writers who have been in the country and experienced it, they can voice their experience through their literature and through their writings. Personal experience, either verbally or written, speaks better than other people talking about it who haven’t experienced that themselves.”

Designed by: Lucas Seguinot, Ellie Yang and Maia Barantsevitch

around the world

New look at “War and Peace” : why we need to recognize and study Russian imperalism

When I come across the “aesthetics” reels on Instagram about Anna Karenina or see my American peers put

communist symbols on their laptops, I wonder if they would similarly celebrate the British empire or the US colonists. When I think of the USSR and Russia, I do not see the cute images or political ideals. I think of their imperialistic policies, my family, my people and many other nations, whose history and culture was either stolen or ridiculed and who were subjected to endless poverty and persecutions by Moscow rulers.

The challenge of recognizing Russian colonial imperialism is a direct result of the mostly West-centered view on the issue. In the more well-known examples of British or French Empires, colonization was rooted in racism, which was not always the case in Russia. Moreover, the conflict between Russia and the West caused many to

associate the former with being an anti-West and, thus, anticolonial power. While the first assumption is not false, the second one is far from being true.

In the early 20th century, when colonialism finally started to lose support in the West, Moscow began to broadcast an image of itself as an anti-colonial champion to international audiences. Lenin even famously named colonialism the final stage of capitalism. Putin in his recent speech about the illegal annexation of several Ukrainian regions called Russia’s actions “decolonization” and in 15 minutes mentioned the word “colonialism” 11 times. Despite such rhetoric, the Russian empire, the USSR and now Russia have continued to build typical colonial structures inside their borders.

The prominent feature of imperialism is the economical and social divide between the center (Russia/Moscow) and the periphery (Eastern Europe, Baltic States, Caucasus, and Central Asia). Such inequality is usually achieved through the centralized control and disregard for the needs of the colonized regions, economic and social oppression, and forcible assimilation, which leads to identity loss and cultural erasure.

For example, both the USSR and Russian Empire, have long imposed “the great” Russian language and culture on many indigenous and subjugated peoples forcing them to lose their cultural identity. The execution of a whole generation of Ukrainian writers known as “The Executed Renaissance,” the massive deportation of Ukrainians to isolated parts of the USSR, and the Ems Ukaz (edict) that prohibited publishing of literature in Ukrainian are just a few examples of Russia’s colonial policies against Ukraine. Similar examples can be found for any other nation subjugated by Moscow.

Colonial imperialism would have been impossible to sustain without the belief system it promoted. To justify the oppression of other countries, the empires such as the USSR or Russian Empire often reinforce the

idea that their people are superior to other nations and, thus, have some inherent right to rule and oppress them. The propaganda of such ideas often elevates the colonizers’ culture and ridicules and simplifies to cliches the culture of the colonized people. For example, in Soviet and Russian media, the language of the oppressed countries has often been portrayed as stupid, aimed for the village or at most for the family dinners, while Russian language has been depicted as intelligent, the language of science and education. Such propaganda becomes so deeply ingrained in the minds of people who live in the empire that it is impossible to point out the media produced by the empire’s center that does not somehow support those stereotypes. Russian literature is no exception.

While recognizing the imperialist ideas in the works of many Western writers, most American and European readers prefer to ignore similarly dangerous ideas in the Russian literature. For example, many Western audience do not know that their beloved Dostoyevsky in his “Diary of a Writer,” celebrates Russia’s victory in Turkmenistan (another Russian colony) and expresses his hope for people “all the way to India” to “become convinced of the invincibility of the white tsar.” Tolstoy in his novel “War and Peace” disregards the perspective of Polish people and modifies the actual history of Vilnius meeting Tsar Alexander I to further elevate the Russian army. Lermontov in his novel “A Hero of Our Time” repeatedly describes the indigenous people of Caucasus as uncivilized and tries to construct a sympathetic character out of the Russian officer Pechorin, who kidnaps and abuses a Circassian woman. Virtually all famous Russian writers helped to justify Russia’s imperialist policies, promoted Russian exceptionalism or excluded the voices of oppressed nations. For many years, this literature has shaped how the West viewed Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Baltic Countries and led many to neglect the actual history and culture of those regions.

Unlike in other known empires, in the USSR and the Russian empire, and now in Russia, no work has been done to recognize their imperialist past and present and counteract it. From the incredibly popular comedy TV series “My Fair Nanny” that ridicules Ukrainian culture to constantly using ethnic

slurs for almost every single ethnicity, the imperialist mindset is alive and well in Russian culture. Such ideas are reflected in Russians’ attitude to their former colonies that they consider worthy of respect only if they cooperate with Russia.

Russia’s imperial ambitions towards its former colonies have already resulted in Russia’s wars in Chechnya and occupation of Ukrainian (in 2014) and Georgian territories (in the 1990s and 2008) and eventually has led to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that started in 2022. The overwhelming support of Russians for the invasion comes from the prevalence of imperialist ideas such as that Ukrainian people (being “less educated”) need the help of Moscow to succeed. Being used to the caricatured image of stupid Ukrainians or the idea of “brotherly” relationship between Ukraine and Russia, Russians struggle to comprehend that their former colony can actually exercise its right of self-determination and not accept Russian “help” with open arms.

The West has turned a blind eye to Russian imperialist policies for centuries and now has to deal with the consequences. Without recognizing and counteracting the Russian imperialist mindset, we can not hope for the cultural revival of the subjugated nations within Russian borders or for political independence of Russia’s former colonies.

If the Slavic departments of American universities keep centering Russia at their course offerings and research, the culture and history of former Russian colonies will continue to be disregarded. If high school World History curriculum or college courses about colonialism continue avoiding the topic of imperialism in the Russian empire, the USSR, and modern Russia, Americans will keep falling to Russian propaganda and being “surprised” at Russian chauvinistic views.

Instead of idolizing Pushkin or Tolstoy, obsessing over Russian culture or praising Soviet leaders, Americans should educate themselves on Russian imperialism, critically analyze what they think they know about Russian history or culture, and amplify the voices of formerly subjugated nations. Only this way can they counteract imperialism around the world and help create the platform for all the nations colonized by Russia.

“Made in China”

China’s economy as its borders open

dropped as a result of decreased output from its factory in China under Covid-19 restrictions.

“Made in China.” This is the phrase we see on our clothes, computers, toys, jewelry and the list goes on. However, what is the economic market that is behind these three words? How has the pandemic and the recent reopening of Chinese borders influenced its production?

MAIA BARANTSEVITCH & ELLIE YANG Editors-in-chief

Astudent walks into the Apple store in hopes of obtaining a new charger for their computer, but to their surprise, Apple is out of stock. This might have been the case for you last year, when Apple’s stock

Since the start of the pandemic in 2019, many Chinese factories have stopped production, causing a decrease in China’s manufacturing output. In 2020, China’s annual GDP growth rate dropped to 2.2% compared to the previous six percent in 2019. This number increased in 2021 to 8.1% when the pandemic in China stabilized, and is predicted to drop back down to 3.3% in the upcoming 2022 data. Now, with the recent reopening of Chinese borders and an increase in international trade,

the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted a GDP growth of 5.9% for 2023.

These predictions correlate with the increase in Chinese products in the international market as factories return to full capacity. For example, metal processing companies around the world are seeing the reopening of the Chinese economy and borders in a positive light. China’s non manufacturing PMI has increased from 41% in 2022, to most recently 54%, showing an increase in employment, inventories, and production. Senior Youri Lee, head of the economics club, said, “Iin terms of opening trades, it is definitely a positive for both China and the world. Especially in the United States, as China opens up the exports, it will decrease the price of the goods in America, which will help America’s objective to decrease its inflation rate.”

However, behind this positive trend of the moment, many western companies have begun to, and are shifting their factories

to be located in southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia. This could be a result of many factors: including the pandemic, Chinese foreign policies, and the price of labor. Lee said, “Contrary to common knowledge, Chinese labor price is actually rapidly increasing at a point that the Vietnamese market is becoming more attractive.”

Politically, China’s international policies and stances have also prompted some companies to move out as fear of tense foreign relations arise. Sam Scheinbach, senior and student in the economics course, said, “China’s economy is likely to grow in the near future, but if they keep making the wrong moves with Taiwan and other foreign policies, then it will probably go downhill in the future.”

While the “Made in China”’ tags seem to push the prominent role the country plays in the global supply chain, the country’s high population and demand might also be

an important factor upon its reopening. There have been concerns surrounding the pent-up demand in China after three years of pandemic restrictions. Many fear that global inflation might worsen as demand, in particular for energy and gasoline, rises since China holds the second largest consumer population in the world.

From water bottles to keyboard circuits, China’s manufacturing power has continued to hold power over our country’s consistent consumerism. Looking forward, there are positive, negative, and mixed predictions for the future as China reopened its economy. But one thing is for certain, after the ups and downs of pandemic policies, “Made in China’’ stickers are coming back. Lee said, “As China opens their borders and increases manufacturing, it is almost certain that it can help the global economy in the near future.”

VIKTORIIA SOKOLENKO Staff Writer

Illustrationby:AlyssaWang/TOWER

Junior named Westchester County Youth Poet Laureate

pushed this passion for poetry further. “It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I tried out to join Outspoken,” she said, “and that kind of threw me headfrst into this poetry scene that I hadn’t been aware of.”

Exploring the necessity of the swim test

Our very own Alexa Murphy ‘24 has been appointed Westchester County’s Youth Poet Laureate. An application was sent out at the beginning of this year to youths in the county by B.K. Fischer P ‘24, the current Poet Laureate, as well as by the Youth Board; Murphy was chosen for the position along with Harmony Hopwood. Murphy and Hopwood were considered among 14 candidates.

Fischer said, “Her work has spirit, urgency, and relevance. She speaks passionately in her work about both the social and natural worlds, about the heart and the mind, and about the role of women. She connects with her audience on things that matter.”

Murphy is honored to have been given this opportunity to share poetry with others in the county. “I think my love and passion for poetry was what motivated me to apply,” she said. “Poetry has been such a deeply formative part of my life, and if I can do something to make that part of me which is so important more accessible to other people, then I’m going to take that opportunity and take it as an honor.”

Murphy has always loved poetry; from a young age, her mother introduced her to many important authors. “My mom is not someone who reads a lot of poetry except for mine,” Murphy said. “She is an avid reader, and I respect her so much for it. It’s kind of just been her and I having this connection via the literature we read, because it’s such an important part of both of our lives, and so that’s kind of where that came about.”

About her lifelong love of poetry, Murphy said, “I think there was always this understanding that it was a very beautiful and delicate and unique form of art.” She cited her membership in Outspoken, Masters’ spoken-word poetry club, as what

Murphy continued, “The frst show case, last year, I had presented a poem called ‘The Women Poem,’ and I had never been prouder of myself for anything else. It was so well-received; I had people coming up to me and telling me how much it meant to them. That feel ing—that I created something that could really resonate with people and resonate with people for a long time, because I still hear feedback about that poem that I presented last year—was what made me fall in love with poetry all the more, and what made me realize how important it was to make it something that can reach everyone.”

According to a letter sent to Mur phy by Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Alexa’s duties as Youth Poet Laureate include “a myriad of activities ranging from creative writ ing, spoken word poetry, playwriting and flm making.” She will also be able to “collaborate with educational insti tutions such as schools and colleges, local libraries, after-school programs.”

Murphy said, “To be real, a po sition like poet laureate is largely sym bolic. The county made the youth posi tion to show that they were invested in the youth’s accessibility to the arts. But to me, it means so much more. It means that I get to go out and take what I’ve learned about an art that I’m so deeply passionate about and turn it into some thing more tangible. In short, it means a lot to me to be able to make some thing real out of a symbolic position.”

ALEXA MURPHY ‘24 RECITES

poetry at an Outspoken showcase. Murphy has been in Outspoken since her sophomore year.

year, swim lessons will be booked. Before they are able to pass the test, the aquatics ademic day. They won’t need to continue taking swim lessons after they pass the swim test. And if students do not pass the swim test before graduation, they will

Students have different ideas about tial skill; however, I don’t believe that sure that every student can swim. I fnd it frustrating to use up valuable school time for swimming, getting cleaned up, and changing into dry clothes before returning to class. Additionally, many wear in front of their classmates, which adds to the inconvenience. Overall, I believe that the swimming requirement can be more of a hassle than a beneft for many students,” senior Youri Lee said. ions on the swim test, the requirement of the swim test seems to be a done deal and there is little possibility of ry” requirement is the school’s desire

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MATT HI A S JAYLEN XAVIER ROLSTON Opinion & Web Editors

Fernando and Priscila

Mendoza run the deli and restaurant Los Ferchos right here in Dobbs Ferry, a business they bought around a year ago. Their slogan is “the best tacos in town,” but do they live up to that reputation? Tower decided to fnd out.

Los Ferchos is located at 90 Main Street in Dobbs Ferry, and is named after Fernando’s nickname from his hometown, “Fercho.” They serve a wide variety of Latin dishes and products. From their specialty Mexican dishes to their daily Dominican lunch and dinner specials, everything that we’ve tried, (and we tried a lot) was to die for. For all you dessert lovers, they even make homemade favorites like passion fruit, mango, and blackberry ice cream.

Another great part of Los Ferchos was their display of imported and hard-to-fnd Latin American snacks and drinks.

The frst thing we noticed was how fresh the food was. After every order was placed, we could watch the kitchen staff pulling out ingredients and cooking everything fresh on the spot for all of their customers.

The bistec taco was a strong start to the meal. The taco was served on a smaller corn tortilla, typical for a Mexican-style taco, but was loaded up with small chopped up pieces of steak. The mix of bright-green cilantro and white onions, alongside their signature green chile salsa, tasted fresh and acidic. Those bright favors paired perfectly with their saltier grilled steak. the only drawback was the tortilla: the tender grilled steak deserved a better vessel than the relatively boring

corn tortilla it was placed upon. With a freshly made tortilla, these tacos would be unstoppable, but these were still nothing short of delicious. We rate these a solid 9.5 — blown away!

Another great dish was the Costilla de Res Guisada, one of Los Ferchos’s specialty Dominican dishes containing stewed beef ribs plated alongside rice and beans. The portion size was very large and flling, which earns them some points.

The beef ribs were very savory and the meat was so juicy that it fell right off the bone. There was also a nice favorful balance between meat and fat. Because the ribs were slow-cooked for so long, you were able to suck on the bone and get all of those juicy favors into your mouth. The rice and pinto beans were a perfect and flling balance to contrast the salty and favorful beans. For such a big and favorful plate of Dominican food we gave a rating of a great 8.5/10

Our favorite dish on the menu by far was their chorizo burrito flled with spicy pork sausage. The burrito came out of the kitchen piping hot and it was calling our names. and tasted like a sliver of heaven. Inside was their spicy chorizo wrapped with their signature rice and beans that were to die for. All of that mixed with their guacamole, cheese, and fresh greens made for a tremendous burrito. Everything was fresh, hot, and tasty. There are no

downsides to ordering this. On top of that, the burrito was a monstrous size. Two people could share that burrito, though it’s so good that you

might not want to share. For 11 dollars, it’s certainly a steal, and it’s by far the best dish at Los Ferchos and the best burrito in the river towns. 10/10

Another candidate for best item on the menu is easily the torta al pastor, a Mexican sandwich flled with pork The sandwich is flling, it’s deeply layered and complex in both texture and favor — there’s nothing more a diner could ask for.

All tortas are built on delicious telera rolls (comporable in size and favor to a typical Portuguese roll), which are toasted beautifully to get a nice charred texture on the bread, Miraculously, the bread remains light and soft on the inside while still supporting all the contents of this massive sandwich. Other toppings include freshly sliced avocado, which adds a layer of creaminess and fattiness, Oaxaca cheese (which for anyone who hasn’t had it, is a cheese similar in favor and texture to a fresh mozzarella, though a bit stringier and softer) which melts beautifully and adds some much-needed saltiness to the sandwich, refried beans, and some tomato and lettuce which add crunch and another dimension of freshness.The best part of the sandwich, though, is the al pastor — a beautifully marinated boneless pork shoulder that is slowly cooked on a spit and sliced thinly with pineapple. The meat, which is PILED onto the sandwich, is super

greasy and saucy, and insanely tender. It has a nice spicy and smoky favor, which is balanced out by the sweetness of the pineapple and the acidity of the tomato. Every bite is nuanced in both texture and depth of favor. It is hard to fnd anything negative to say about the torta at all. There is no amount of description that can explain how delicious this meal was, and with no doubt, this earns a 10/10. Our experience at Los Ferchos was nothing short of mesmerizing. While describing our experience with this food may be informative of one aspect of our experience, it cannot possibly encapsulate all the delights of dining there. The owners of Los Ferchos, and all the staff, are some of the most genuinely kind and joyful people. The ambiance is friendly, and the atmosphere of the place is cozy and welcoming, albeit a bit cramped for space. Los Ferchos’ staff go out of their way to make conversation with customers, greet everyone with a smile, and put that same love into the food they prepare, laughing and having fun while doing their jobs the whole time. Being around that positive energy, while also getting some of the best food Dobbs Ferry has to offer, is a no-brainer. In addition to the delicious food and excellent service, everything offered is very affordable. With tacos being only $4 each, and our filling portion of Costilla de Res Guisada coming in at only $11, customers are getting the most bang for their buck possible. It’s hard to find an offer cheaper than that — especially so in the Rivertown area. Los Ferchos’ slogan, “The Best Tacos In Town,” is undeniably true. But our verdict extends beyond that: Los Ferchos is a must-try, hidden gem — that may perhaps be the best restaurant in Dobbs Ferry altogether.

Ohio train wreck derails health in East Palestine

chloric acid and phosgene, which have been used as gasses in chemical warfare.

For residents of East Palestine, the fall of COVID-19 had alleviated much of the anxiety associated with the small Ohio village’s response to public health emergencies; they lowered their guard as the rest of the world did. But hopes for healthful normalcy went up in smoke at about the same time 38 Norfolk Southern train cars did, on Feb. 3, having derailed and released toxic chemicals from fve tankers into the village’s air and water.

It is the responsibility of government to provide each of its constituents with those necessities essential to survival, in order to lay the framework for a functioning and free society. These necessities are food, water, shelter, and needless to say, air. In East Palestine, minimal federal regulation of rail, poor railroad working conditions, and delayed executive response has threatened access to every one of these rights.

One of the toxic chemicals in question is vinyl chloride, of which offcials opted to control the burn . When burned, vinyl chloride yields hydro-

Other chemicals spilled and burned include butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and isobutylene. There is little to no research regarding how these chemicals interact with each other, adding to the frightening uncertainty of current events in East Palestine.

Despite the many vagaries of the chemical spill, there is one thing we know for sure: exposure to the chemicals being burned in East Palestine right now has extremely adverse effects on human health. Residents of the village are reporting nausea, headaches, irritation, and vomiting, among other symptoms.

There are no answers. Fears of unsafe drinking water linger, as well as the long-term effects of exposure to contaminated air. At a Feb. 15 town hall, where hundreds of Ohio residents gathered to voice their concerns, company offcials backed out of attendance at the last minute. People in the area are angry, and sick—despite the EPA telling them that their air and water is completely safe.

Though the East Palestine derailment is unique in its widespread coverage and detrimental impact on the local environment, the issue of railroad mismanagement is not. In fact, as recently as March 4, another 28 Norfolk Southern cars derailed near Springfeld, Ohio. Though there was apparently no hazardous material onboard, this fright-

ening turn of events reveals the extent to which American demands for rail reform have fallen upon deaf corporate ears, with the reason being a fundamental lack of accountability within the industry.

“What you’ll fnd, though, is that whenever there’s an incident, you can almost be certain that someone wasn’t following the rules. So you have a lot of these federal regulations and laws, but the question is whether they’re fully followed or not. And then there’s always been a fairly contentious relation with the unions, who are an extremely powerful player politically. They’re also a very major player in all of this,” former president of Metro North and current transportation consultant, Howard Permut said in an exclusive interview with Tower.

When Permut refers to unions, he speaks of the historically dominant role labor advocates have held in political decision making surrounding rail. Railroad unions are particularly actors today, as Biden signed a bill in Dec. 2022 which would prevent an economy-damaging railroad strike. Critics argue that prolonged labor mobilization will likely increase the ineffciency and unsafety of rail development. However, more often than not, unions mobilize as a result of their company’s sidestepping regulations which make accidents, like the two most recent Ohio derailments, more common.

“The main issue is that there

aren’t enough safety regulations for freight companies from the federal government, like there are restrictions for passenger rail. In passenger rail, sensors are much more frequent, so they can detect issues and stop them more effciently. Obviously on MetroNorth, they have sensors on every stop, or sometimes twice between stops, depending on how long it is. Freight companies often don’t have this, because they do not like spending money, but they love making money,” resident train enthusiast Theo Knauss ‘24 said. “It’s just a matter of implementing federal regulations, but it’s diffcult to get policy written for this, because it’s all privately owned. So it’s just hell, essentially.” The tug-and-pull relationship between federal decision makers and railroad giants has posed a threat to American welfare since the 1890s, but we may be entering an entirely new era of uncertainty. Now, unions and labor advocates are mobilizing to curb the spread of a new approach to railroad economics, which is quietly swiping the jobs of tens of thousands of workers.

“About ten years ago, this guy by the name of Hunter Harrison came up with something called ‘precision railroading.’ That’s a fancy term for not investing a lot and giving money to Wall Street, so he made himself a fortune, then passed away. Any-

way, there’s a belief that I suspect to be true that between that and COVID, the railroads have reduced their workforce dramatically. There’s really a question as to how much safety has been compromised because they’ve cut of the workforce,”Permut said.

It is unacceptable that only now that railroad mismanagement is tangibly affecting the environment and welfare of American citizens are we beginning to demand higher levels of transparency

within the railroad industry. To ensure the minimization of rail mishaps like that which has continually affected the residents of East Palestine, the federal government must enforce both a safe and effective level of staffing in the industry and the standardization of tanker and rail construction. Americans should not have to trade their safety for the survival of the free market; productivity should never come at the expense of citizen welfare.

Earthquakes leave Turkey shaken up

dards. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s cronies were given amnesty for compliance with the building codes in exchange for large political donations to Erdoğan’s Justice and Development party (AKP).

ruption is to strengthen the civil society and independent media. Turkish officials need to be held accountable for their crimes. That starts with exposing malfeasance.

rupt the U.S. intent. An alternative would be to give the money to international NGOs. This would allow the funds to be monitored.

On February 6, an earthquake erupted in Hatay Province Antakya, Turkey. So far there have been over 40,000 deaths with an unknown number of people still buried under the rumble. The U.S. pledged 185 million dollars for earthquake relief. The Turkish government has proven itself to be callous, negligent, and corrupt. The high death toll from the natural disaster was a result of the government’s failure to enforce building codes and stan -

Turks are enraged by the earthquake response. With national elections coming up in May, Turkish voters may punish the AKP. If elections are free and fair Erdoğan will lose the popular vote, although there are doubts that Erdoğan will allow all ballots to be counted. Many of the peoples’ views are not effectively represented in the national government. Smaller contractors have been rounded up and scapegoated, indicative of the widespread negligence and corruption that exist within the Turkish government. The way to minimize cor -

Journalism and media can play an important role in highlighting corrupt practices. Turkish media are owned by conglomerates, diversified companies with construction interests that benefit from government contracts. The Turkish government awards them big contracts, buying their silence. Independent media has been suppressed or punished with taxes and other penalties, if they go against the government.

The U.S. is faced with a dilemma: it wants to help earthquake victims but is wary of giving it earthquake assistance to the government which could steal the funds and cor -

The U.S. shouldn’t neglect human suffering, but also, doesn’t want to be ripped off. Some question whether the US should be donating its funds in the first place. As a world power, the U.S. should play a role in saving victims. However, they need to set up monitoring and accountability mechanisms. In order to help the Turks, the international community must work through NGOs to circumvent the Turkish government and cooperate directly with the earthquake affected population.The humanitarian imperative is greater than concerns about Turkey’s integrity.

XAVIER ROLSTON/TOWER

FERNANDO AND PRISCILA MENDOZA, the owners of Los Ferchos have been in business for the last year. They serve a vareity of foods for fair prices but also sell snacks, desserts, and many types of convenience products. Before settling their business in Dobbs Ferry, the Mendoza’s cooked up Mexican food for catering events.

ALEX A MURPHY News Editor

TAR A PHILLIPS Features Editor

ALEXA MURPHY DEMANDS THAT there should be more accountability and transparency when it comes to the East-Palestine train derailment to keep all of its residents safe.

ALEX PALL ‘03

drew a lot of people in; everyone wanted to be around and hang out with him.”

smokes the music industry with the chainsmokers

Alumnus Alex Pall ‘03 won the Senior Superlative for being “the most studious” of his graduating class in 2003, what he didn’t win was “most likely to win a Grammy.”

Pall is the DJ and producer in the duo with Drew Taggart (the singer), The Chainsmokers. The duo won a grammy for their hit “Don’t Let Me Down” featuring Daya in 2017. Since then, they have been nominated for and won several iHeartRadio Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. In an email interview, Pall said he was not interested in having a music career when he attended Masters.

At Masters, Pall was a member of the Boys’ varsity basketball team, Community Government, and the boarding community. Despite being the DJ for a few school dances, Pall wasn’t involved in the musical community at Masters.

“I did not ever think I would make a career out of being a DJ so I never really pursued anything in that capacity in high school,” Pall said. He continued, “More generally speaking the school really developed me in ways that would become essential to my success, in particular, my focus and dedication to things I applied myself to.”

Director of Upper School Admission Andrea Fischer class of ‘02 was in the same social circle as Pall. She noted that they were both boarders and were in a large friend group with both boarders and day students. Fischer recounted what Pall was like in high school. “Alex was really fun, loving, and kind. He was always the life of the party and fun to be around,” Fischer said. She continued, “He had the type of personality that

New

History teacher Greg

Lesser recently welcomed a new addition, Amelia Max Lesser, to his family, so taking his place in the classroom until early May is Martin Gilbert, who has been teaching since 1984 at schools such as Hackley and Byram Hills.

Gilbert said that he was inspired to become a teacher by his own AP US History teacher in high school. “I started out in college as pre-med,” he said, “but I wasn’t particularly interested in medicine. I only did it because it was what my family wanted me to do; my father was a physician. But I always loved history in high school, and I had a really special AP US teacher. That was an important part of my decision.” In addition to teaching history, Gilbert has also coached basketball and been the faculty advisor for clubs such as mock trial and quiz bowl.

In his time as a teacher, Gilbert has crossed paths with many people. Some of them have gone

After Masters, Pall attended New York University and majored in art history and music business. Pall noted that he always had a passion for music and hosting events. He said, “One of my greatest joys in life is bringing people together to have a great time and DJing really satisfies both of those passions. It goes without saying but the music-making side is always the best as well, it’s a very cathartic experience–writing songs deeply personal to us– and then seeing people have their own unique and exciting experiences with them.”

Just eleven years after Pall graduated high school, The Chainsmokers released their debut single “#Selfie” in 2014. The single was charting on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

Soon after their debut, the Chainsmokers started to make headlines. They began collaborating with notable musicians like Coldplay, Bebe Rhexa, and Halsey.

Fischer remembered the feeling she had when she realized Pall was behind the Chainsmokers.

She said, “Even when I heard it, I had no idea that it was him until like, I didn’t know, he was part of The Chainsmokers until somebody else from Masters had said, ‘You know that’s Alex, right?’ And I was blown away. Because last I’d heard from him, he was in, like, a club scene and promoting and just in a very different space. I didn’t know he was actually an artist and creating music.”

Junior Gabriel Heller also enjoys producing music in his free time and has recently been DJing as well. Heller has found major inspiration in Pall who has walked the same halls as him.

Heller described how Pall has made him grow and inspired to be a more dedicated musician. Heller said, “Since school takes away so much of my creative side which includes music production, I

on to become famous, such as David Harbour, who you may know as Jim Hopper in the hit Netflix original series “Stranger Things,” and Amanda Nepo, who at the age of 16 went on Penn and Teller’s show and fooled them with her original magic tricks. “But really,” he said, “it’s the everyday successes that I’m sometimes inspired by. Sometimes a student will say ‘That was the best lesson,’ or ‘I’m curious to know more about

know that I need to continue to nurture that creative side of myself and cope with school, just like Pall did. Especially because I know music will be a part of me for the rest of my life.” He continued, “Pall’s reputation is usually centered more around his public image as a professional DJ and he often does not receive the credit he deserves for being such a talented producer and musician all around. I am not only inspired by the fact he went to Masters, but by his music in general, which only encourages me to keep working on mine and continue improving.”

Furthermore, Pall hopes that Masters students interested in pursuing a musical career should “hone in on what area of music excites them and expose themselves to the business side, the performative side, and the song-writing side, and really get a sense ofwhat brings themost joy,“ Pall said. He noted that once they have a sense of the aspect that brings them the most joy, “They should work harder at that than anyone else and share their work with the world.”

history,’ and I know I’ve done my job well when that happens.”

Gilbert’s teaching style differs from Lesser’s in that he often brings in stories from his own life; for example, when his eleventh grade US history class started their unit on the Gilded Age he told them about Madam C.J. Walker, our country’s first self-made Black millionairess, and how he passes her mansion, Villa Lewaro, every day on the way to work. He also showed the class that the sign outside of Villa Lewaro is in disrepair and needs to be replaced or, at the very least repainted, and he hopes that his students will take action to get this done.

“Students need to take charge,” he said. “Sure, good grades are important to college, but they also want people who take action to make the world a better place.”

All in all, Gilbert has been received warmly by his students. Mila Benson, a freshman in his World History class, said, “Mr. Gilbert keeps us on our toes and asks us a lot of questions.”

Gharvin Ramnarase: Veteran of foil fencing

OLIVER KREEGER News Editor

F or the boys foil fencing team, it’s been a season of growth and learning. Gharvin Ramnarase ‘24 has seen a lot change in the realm of foil fencing at Masters since he first started getting involved some years ago. That moment for him was in the early years of middle school, when students don’t pick sports to do but are given a rotation of athletics throughout the year.

“Ever since I started doing it in fifth and sixth grade PE, I just loved it. I think what makes fencing so fun to me is that it’s just really stimulating to your mind and your body,” Ramnarase said. “You have to think how to outsmart your

opponent plus you have to have all the techniques and athleticism.”

Fencing is much more of an individual sport than most team athletics, and in a match you can score up to 15 points against your opponent. Ramnarase has always felt like this fundamental structure of fencing makes him enjoy it more.

“This year we had our first individual tournament ever since COVID happened. So basically what that is, instead of playing as a team, you’re playing for yourself and your ranking in the league,” Ramnarase said. “I lost 12-15 to the number two place in the league, so I think, honestly, that’s probably my moment I’m most proud of so far.”

There are three forms of fencing - saber, foil, and epee, that each fencer chooses from

Girls Basketball looks to the past and plans for the future

to practice. Ramnarase is a foil fencer, which distinguishes itself as the form where a player scores points by hitting your opponent’s torso with your sword’s tip. After all these years of practicing foil, Ramnarase thinks he has a few tricks up his sleeve. “I like to jump around a lot when I’m on defense. I might just look like I’m twirling my blade around but I’m looking for pairing so I can get right away and start attacking,” he said. When looking to the future, Ramnarase says he sees even more growth for his boy’s foil team. “Last year, our team was three seniors and me. This year, the team is almost all freshmen. We’ve been doing alright, we’ve had a lot of close matches but we only won one match…I’m going to practice over the summer and once the season’s over.”

In years prior, the Masters Girls Varsity basketball team has been extremely successful winning their most recent League championship in 2019. Though yet to fnd the same success from that year, the team has slowly brought themselves back into championship contention by making playoffs for the frst time in three seasons.

has left her mark on this program by leading her team in scoring, averaging 21 points per game, and becoming a 1000 total career point scorer.

Making the playoffs is no easy feat for any team but is extra special for this team. The team went through a lot of adversity this year but rallied together and bounced back when it mattered most. Junior Forward and focal point of the team Nayia Chrysanthopoulos, was in and out of the rotation this year due to a concussion.

“

JUNIOR GARVIN RAMNARASE PREPARES for a fencing match. He has had a great season and honored for his great play at the winter sports awards where he won the boys fencing team’s Coaches Award for his exemplary performance this season. He is has been fencing for a long time rst starting when he was 12 years old.

Throughout the four years since their championship, the team has seen a lot of change to both their teams roster, and their coaching staff. Senior captain and the team’s leading scorer, Dakota Daniello is from that championship team. She talks about her time on the team saying, ”Being that our team consisted of a lot of upperclassmen at the time we had a lot of energy and hunger to win since most players on the team were graduating and we had never won the championship. Being that I was the youngest on the team at the time, my time consisted of a lot of learning from the upperclassmen.” In Daniello’s last season with the team she

I’ve really been thankful that I’ve been able to connect with every single player on this team, even if it’s their frst year or their fourth year.

- Stella Simonds ‘23

Her injury, along with the injuries of a few other players, often left the team short staffed going into games.

Chrysanthpoulos said, “I was only out about four or fve games but I just wanted to play. We were having a very good year and after I got hurt it was just sad to watch my team

play without me.” In multiple of the teams’ contests this season they only had six active players on their roster.

Chrysanthopoulos describes her team’s resilience and relationship with one another this year by saying, “During the entire year the team showed growth and teamwork. We had a strong connection off the court and when that was brought on the court we had a lot of success.”

Though the team wasn’t successful in winning the championship after a tough game against Saint Luke’s, the future of the team is looking bright. Not only does the team have players like Juniors Nayia Chrysanthopoulos, and shooting guard Zara Suzanto, but they also have three promising Freshmen. Freshmen Zaria Charles, Maddie Barnes and Emma Barnes have been key contributors to the team this year helping the team rack up wins throughout the season. Maddie Barnes has been one of the team’s most prolifc scorers averaging 10.8 points per game (the team’s third leading scorer). With continuous growth of the contributions of all the underclassmen, the team is bound to be championship contender in the coming years.

From all stars to no stars: Durant and Irving leave the Nets

MAYA PHILLIPS

Opinion Editor

This NBA trade deadline left many basketball fans speechless. On Feb. 6 All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving demanded to be traded from his former team, the Brooklyn Nets. This came as a shock to the Nets front office with Irving set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. On the final day of the trade deadline, the NBA fandom was in disbelief once again when it was reported that Kevin Durant was being traded from the Nets to the Phoenix Suns. The Net's once star-studded roster was destined for greatness. Durant, Irving, and James Harden were supposed to bring a championship to Brooklyn, but they had little success.

The demise of the trio marks the end of a promising but ultimately disappointing era for the Nets, marked by constant scandal, frequent absences, and internal descent.

“It was pathetic. They had everything in their favor and they just blew it. I don't understand how that happened,” said avid Nets fan, Cameron Lovett ‘23.

Irving’s tenure with the Nets will be remembered more for his off-court controversies than his

on-court contributions. Irving’s first season in 2019-20 was uneventful, as he played in less than a quarter of the games due to injury. In 2020-21, Irving played in only 29 of the Nets’ 72 games because he refused to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Additionally, Irving became injured during the playoffs. Before Irving’s final season, he requested a trade. However, Irving rescinded his trade request and opted into the final year of his contract.

Following Irving’s antisemitic actions the Nets still found a way to be successful on the court, allowing Brooklyn’s management to look past the off-the-court drama.

Despite the Nets' success, Irving demanded a trade days before the trade deadline.

In exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris, the Nets received Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith from the Dallas Mavericks, in addition to two future second-round picks. That package was meant to complement Durant and win a championship. However, Durant did not have the same vision. He requested a trade shortly after the completion of Irving’s trade and was ultimately sent to Phoenix.

The Nets received Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson from the Suns, as well as four unprotected first-round picks and a future pick swap. This was part of

a four-team deal, including the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. Durant was a constant star player for the Nets. He almost single-handedly willed the Nets past the eventual champion, Milwaukee Bucks, in 2021. “You have got some of the greatest basketball players of all time on one team and you couldn’t bring home one championship,” said Lovett.

In a press conference, Irving received a question about Durant’s move to the Suns. He disdainfully responded, “I'm glad he got out of there."

This trade deadline marks one of the greatest disappointments in NBA history. Although the Nets lost their star players they now have the opportunity to rebuild their team. “I am glad that we have Spencer Dinwiddie back on the Nets. Brooklyn does really well with an underdog team. We had a lot of ball-dominant players on one team and that was definitely not working. Now the younger guys can get more playing time… I honestly have more faith in this new team. They have a much healthier dynamic,” Lovett said.

RYAN GUAN/TOWER

Lead

ADAM BELLO Sports Editor

THE BROOKLY NETS ARE shown here huddling together after a timeout. The nets organanization stated has had a long history of failed superteams starting in the early to middle 2010’s where they assembled a team with now Hall of Fame players Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnet. Like Irving and Durant, these two excption players wrent able to bring Brooklyn a championship either.

I’m glad he got out of there.”

- Kyrie Irving

“

JOSH MARKOWTIZ/ TOWER

For more sports stories, visit Tower.Mastersny.org

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL POSES for a photo after their senior game. In this game senior Dakota

Daniello, number twenty three, played extremly well leading her team to a commanding win. She ended the game with thirty four points and reached her 1000 career point total.

Attwell makes waves, in and out of the pool

AURORA ROSE HORN

Lead Copy Editor

Meet Nat Attwell ‘23, one of the captains of the swim team. Attwell has been swimming for 12 years; his parents enrolled him in swim classes when he was a youth, and he’s just continued with it. Part of why Attwell has stuck with swimming for so long is because “It’s good to be able to improve at things, and there are not many things in

life where you can see your progress as explicitly as in athletics.”

He also said that swimming is “a good outlet for whatever emotions you had in the day.”

Attwell cited Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps as an inspiration. “Pretty standard guy,” he said, “but he’s a big role model, just because of how good he is, but also in his work ethic and things like that.”

When he’s not in the pool, Attwell enjoys working on his car (he has an old truck), as well as playing video games like Minecraft. Career wise, though, Attwell has his mind set on going

into biomedical engineering. Attwell’s best times are 22.39 seconds for the 50 yard freestyle, 48.97 seconds for the 100 yard freestyle, 1 minute, 47 seconds and 67 milliseconds for the 200 yard freestyle and 4 minutes, 57 seconds and 24 milliseconds for the 500 yard freestyle.

Squash team wraps up season with nationals in Philly

CARLOS HEREDIA Marketing Director

The Masters Boys Varsity Squash team wrapped up its winter season this February having enlisted in nationals for the first time in three years, competing in Division 5. They won two games and lost two games at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia. Their last game was on February 26, and their final practice was on March 2.

Reflecting on the season, co-captain and senior Mir Ahmed said, “I’d say every match we had, even though there are a few that we lost by blowouts, we were all competitive in them. As the season went on, the bot -

portive, cheering as loud as they could. Both of the teams, our team and our opponent, were trying to one-up each other at sound and cheering. So it definitely made me feel good, shouting ‘You can do this!’, ‘Let’s go!’, ‘Come on!’, ‘One more point!’ And ultimately, I didn’t win, but it was really nice to have my teammates there.” Despite the loss at the end, co-captain and senior Ian Stein was also happy about the team’s performance this season. “We had a bunch of matches where we were the underdogs. And we were able to push through that as players with maybe less experience or technique, and all in all just come out with a lot of spirit. I think that’s something that’s notable about this team. The spirit we have talked about, the lead-up to Nationals, and as well

“I have to say that the group of guys we were with made it very easy to be a captain, because everyone was here to support each other and grow as human beings. It takes a lot of mental clarity to stay focused in a game like squash because it’s so intense physically. Especially when therare a lot of guys and spectators watching you.”

- Ian Stein ‘23

tom half of the team definitely closed the gap in skill, and we improved overall as a team a lot.”

Coach John Boyer expressed a similar outlook and noted the challenges facing the team, “The most exciting moment was actually a low light. I mean, our third match came down to three all and in matches, and two, all in the deciding match and 10 all and points in that game. And we ended up losing that game, but people were so excited. It was really, really cool to see how very supportive they were of each other.”

Boyer noted that the wide variation in squash can make it challenging to come across teams on similar skill levels.

“It’s a struggle to find teams that are at the right level to have a nice close match which are the most rewarding. And so that was one of the really nice things about nationals because teams come from all over the country and you’re going to end up playing teams that are at your level.”

Gus Creech, a freshman who played in one of the matches, said that, “They were really sup -

as how that kind of turned out.”

“Seeing everyone around campus, knowing that we’re headed to nationals in Philadelphia, this past Thursday night was a real bonding experience because we knew what we were going into. So we had to put the hard work in beforehand.”

Having played squash since the 8th grade at Masters, Stein added that, “It’s honestly a bummer that it has to come to an end, because this has been one of my most valuable experiences here at Masters, the community that we’ve built on the squash team. And the friendships that I’ve made as a co-captain with Mir, who I couldn’t have done it without as well, have been tremendous. I have to say that the group of guys we were with made it very easy to be a captain, because everyone was here to support each other and grow as human beings. It takes a lot of mental clarity to stay focused in a– game like squash because it’s so intense physically. Especially when there are a lot of guys and spectators watching you.”

SENIOR NATHANIEL ATTWELL STANDS atop the podium after winning. The star swimmer led the varsity swim program to third in NYSAIS– breaking school records in the process.

SENIOR IAN STEIN SERVES the ball in a match at Masters. Stein is a captain of the boys varsity squash team along with fellow senior Mir Ahmed. Stein, Ahmed, and underclassmen Hassan Saad led the team to nationals for the rst time in three years. The team competed in nationals coming nishing 7th out of 16 teams.

JOSH MARKOWITZ/PHOTO EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAT STOICA