Tower Issue #1 (2021-2022)

TOWER The Masters School

VOLUME 78, NUMBER 1

49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Editorial As we reunite as a school community and return to campus, let us move forward with a renewed sense of appreciation of all of the opportunities around us.

tower.mastersny.org

A decade later, zero tolerance policy reformed Kira Ratan

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Editor-in-Chief

fter years of conflict and contention, Masters’ current one-strike policy regarding drug and alcohol abuse will be removed and replaced by a broader policy not limited to automatic academic dismissal.

The one-strike policy, also known as the “zero tolerance” substance abuse policy, was first instituted in 2011 under Chris Frost, the head of Upper School from 20012013. Leading up to its implementation, some substance abuse issues had developed on campus, according to current Head of Upper School Peter Newcomb. In the Fall of 2010, a student nearly overdosed in his classroom, on illegal drugs sold to him by an upperclassman. A policy had to be put together quickly, and above all, one that could be enforced.

The one-strike policy, as found in the 2017-2018 Upper School Family Handbook, specifically states that, “Any student who uses or is found in possession of alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs not prescribed for his/her own use on campus will be dismissed from school. Any student who sells or makes available to others alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs will be dismissed from school.”

Additionally, the policy allowed random searches to be conducted without prior notice if a faculty or staff member had reasonable suspicion, and it outlined Sanctuary, now called Amnesty under the new policy, in order to make the language used in the

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program more all-encompassing. The sanctuary policy states, “Any student concerned about his or her own or someone else’s use of drugs or alcohol may receive help without fear of disciplinary response. Sanctuary is a non-disciplinary response to situations in which student safety is compromised.”

The health center and counseling office, who work closely with the policy, specifically those in Sanctuary, declined to comment, as they said they, “have not been informed of any of the changes” to their roles within the program.

Newcomb explained that the administration is always looking to revisit policies and procedures and reevaluate what works for the community. He said that administrators decided this shift in their substance abuse policy “felt more in line with the School’s mission and values and approach to learning happening best within a supportive environment.”

“We didn’t think it felt right to be cutting people off from a community as they struggle with substance abuse,” he said.

The new policy that has been put in place this year, according to the 2021-2022 Upper School Family Handbook, states that, “Any student who violates this policy while on campus, at a school-sponsored event, or on a school-sponsored trip will be subject to disciplinary action from The Masters School up to and including dismissal. Repeated violations of this policy will result in a separation from The School.”

Dean of Students Jeff Carnevale noted that the several Family Handbook policies

We didn’t think it felt right to be cutting people off from a community as they struggle with substance abuse.”

- Peter Newcomb, Head of Upper School

have been changed significantly within the past three years, with the goal of creating “student-centered” guidelines for the community, including the sexual misconduct policy, the anti-racism policy and, now, the substance abuse policy.

“If our goal is to help students, and we recognize that this is a time of learning, the zero tolerance policy didn’t align with that,” Carnevale said.

Questions about the one-strike policy and its alignment with Masters’ mission had gained traction in recent years. Several incidents which occurred over a year-long period prompted students to begin speaking up about their qualms.

Masters alumna Nora Fellas ‘20 was an active voice in the Masters community against the one-strike policy throughout her senior year. She explained that in earlier years, she hadn’t really been aware of the policy and didn’t have strong feelings one way or another. So, when several students were dismissed for substance abuse on a school-sponsored trip to Thailand in the summer of 2019, Fellas said that, to her, it felt like the administration had “suddenly decided to enforce a rule where there had previously been a perception of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ situation.”

That same October, 16 students, predominantly boarders, were suddenly taken out of school and faced possible expulsion for violating the zero tolerance policy in the dorms, but later moved into the Sanctuary program under the old policy.

Senior Marbod Faure was one of the 16 students involved. Faure entered into the Sanctuary program and was only permitted to return to Masters three months later, upon the completion of the required programs.

“I was breaking the policy in order to escape my own reality, which was really hard for me to acknowledge,” Faure said. “But, there was so much grey area in that hand-

book; we never really knew what was going to happen to us.”

Angry and impassioned about both incidents, Fellas did what she said students at Masters have been taught to do. She brought her doubts to the attention of the student government, in the form of an Executive Committee proposal. A similar proposal had been brought to Executive Committee in 2017 by alumnus Elijah Emery ‘19, which sparked a wider discussion surrounding the validity of the policy, but didn’t lead to any tangible change. Fellas’s statement of rationale outlined ten reasons as to why the zero tolerance policy was ineffective and harmful to the community, including but not limited to its failure to reduce the number of drug users, its inability to differentiate between drug addiction and casual experimentation and its disproportionate effects on lower income students.

Dozens upon dozens of students came to Executive Committee’s town-hall style meeting to discuss Fellas’ proposal, m a n y with differing o p i n ions. Although a vote was never taken

ELLIE YANG/TOWER

THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY, adopted in 2011 following a student’s near overdose on campus, stated that any student who uses or is found in possesion of alchohol or illegal drugs would be dismissed from school. This policy has been altered as a result of administrative and student urged reform.

Hurricane Ida storms though the Fonseca Center Sabrina Wolfson

Lead Opinion Editor

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n the night of Sept. 1, as the entirety of the East Coast was hit with Hurricane Ida, the buildings at The Masters School attempted to hold the rain out, and while some were successful, others were not. The main athletic buildings at Masters, the Fonseca Athletic Center(FC) and Strayer Hall, suffered severe flooding on their bottom floors. The bottom floor of the FC is home to the gym, fencing and dance studios, various classrooms and faculty offices in addition to training rooms. In Strayer Hall, there is a gym and various performing arts studios. All of these

spaces suffered fairly extensive damage. When these spaces flooded, those who work in them were forced to survey all items as quickly as possible to see which could be salvaged and which had to be thrown out.

Upper School Dance Teacher and Director of Masters’ Dance Company Shell Benjamin came in on Sept. 2, the morning after, to gather all of the belongings she could.

Benjamin said, “Everything was drenched.

Things had moved around and were out of place and I had to go through and sort costumes, posters, documentation, music, books, dresses, tutus, and these were all things that could never be replaced.”

The Dance Company had spaces in the Fonseca Center as well as in Strayer Hall which were both flooded on Sep. 1. As such, Benjamin

and the bill was not officially passed, awareness from the school community skyrocketed, and the policy became a major point of contention for the remainder of that school year.

“Throughout the year, there were speeches about drug use and the strict policy in place at Masters, but people continued to use drugs. That’s what really drove home for me that the policy doesn’t work,” Fellas said.

Policies are ever-evolving at Masters, especially ones that tackle issues of student safety and health on and off campus. Newcomb hopes that the new policy will provide more breadth to treat each situation with the specificity it may need, and that it will lower barriers for students to solicit help for themselves or their friends when it’s needed.

Newcomb said, “My hope is that the student body sees this change in the manner it was intended.

Not advocating substance use, but instead putting the focus back on student learning and growth at large.”

packed up and moved most of the remaining items into the Experimental Theater on the top floor of the Fonseca Center, converting it into a temporary dance studio with portable mirrors and portable bars.

Dance Company was not the only group at Masters affected by the flooding, as the water also damaged many of the athletic faculty offices. Logan Condon, director of athletics, experienced extensive flooding in his office. Condon was forced to move into a new temporary space in McCormack dorm. He said he thought about the students and this would affect them.

Condon said, “Because our team’s seasons were about to begin, we wanted to make sure that our athletes could move forward and have everything that they need; that was my first priority.”

Even spaces in the Fonseca Center that were built to withstand water were impacted, such as the training room on the first floor of the building. Kalya Medina, the head athletic trainer was also forced to leave this area for a number of days.

Medina said, “The drains and tile floor meant I didn’t have much damage, but I had to leave due to the air quality so I packed up my stuff and turned my golf cart into a mobile office for the time being.”

Although this flooding took the school by surprise, the faculty and staff are determined to make the most of this experience.

Benjamin said, “We can’t allow ourselves to be defeated just because something didn’t go as planned. We need to focus on solutions instead of dwelling on our problems so we can look forward and make the most of the future.”

Inside this issue:

ANDREW MITCHELL/TOWER

ANDREW MITCHELL COMMENTS ON his experience “bike-packing” across the United States and what he learned.

Opinion, Page 9

ALEXA WACHEN/TOWER

GISELE CESTARO COVERS A few students and their life-changing experiences at Semester Away programs.

Features, Page 10

MATTHEW IVES/TOWER

ROWAN MCWHINNIE COVERS THE refusal of many neighboring private schools to play field hockey against boys.

TOWER

ON THE NIGHT OF Sept. 1, the first floor of the Fonseca Center suffered severe flooding on the first floor, damaging the fencing and dance studios, various classrooms and faculty offices. Since then, the Maintenance Department has been cleaning and repairing the damage. The clean-up is to be completed up by December break.

Sports, Page 12

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TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2020

NEWS

School community reacts to this year’s loosened COVID-19 restrictions and protocols

LILY ZUCKERMAN/TOWER

JUNIOR DAYAN BATTULGA (BACK) and Youri Lee serve themselves food in the dining hall.

Lily Zuckerman Advertising & Distribution Manager and Assistant Social Media Manager Due to COVID-19, The Masters School removed many of the community’s most beloved elements - the things that made Masters Masters. The dining hall, which had options ranging from a soup bar to a whole dessert table, was reduced to packaged lunches, with much less room for choice.

Additionally, the Harkness tables which are a huge selling point for the school – were replaced with individual desks. Sports were also streamlined to hour-long practices with very few games.

Now that Masters is requiring vaccines for all those who are eligible, most of these selling points” are back. For example, the dining hall has restored all of its past food stations, Harkness tables have returned to the classrooms, sports games are back, and vaccinated community members don’t have to wear masks outside. The real ques-

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I feel much more comfortable with vaccinations.

It feels more natural [lunch tables]. I try to follow all the regulations that they give to us. I do love to take my mask off when I’m eating and talking with people. It’s an improvement, I can actually hear my friends” - Oliver Kreeger ‘24

tion is, how are these community members dealing with this return?

Without the strict restrictions, students feel secure. Sophomore Oliver Kreeger enjoys the round lunch tables. He said, “I feel much more comfortable with vaccina-

LILY ZUCKERMAN/TOWER

JUNIORS COSIMA HANSEN, LENA Merck, Linnea Jørgensen, and Nataliia Kulieshova (left to right) chat in the Ford common room after quarantine. Although the restrictions are loosened, they still need to wear masks.

tions. It feels more natural [lunch tables].

I try to follow all the regulations that they give to us. I do love to take my mask off when I’m eating and talking with people.

It’s an improvement, I can actually hear my friends” On the other hand, Upper School English teacher Darren Wood has suffered with his children being unvaccinated, and living on campus with them.

His family had to adjust to eating outside. He said “I don’t, I don’t know what will change when the weather gets colder and like I don’t think we’ll be eating indoors.” Wood enjoys the dining hall culture. He said, “I think it’s been really nice for our family to have the dining hall, again, we really love coming down and eating with the community, it feels very safe.”

Similarly, Arlene Casey, Upper School math teacher spoke on her dining hall experiences this year.

She said, “There are times where it feels unsettling, maybe not because it’s actually unsafe, but just because it’s been so long

PCR testing to continue

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I don’t really know what a “normal” Masters year even looks like. I know that they’ve put in a lot of effort to try and make it as normal as possible, it feels like I might be missing a piece of my senior year…

I still feel like a junior.

- Camille Smith ‘22

since I’ve been in a crowd.” Similarly Casey experiences the overcrowded dining hall everyday. She said, “Walking into the dining hall at the peak of lunchtime can be a little discomforting.”

Junior Chris Nappo, who was online for the majority of last year returned to harkness, along with seeing the whole school.

He said, “You have so much more engagement with your teachers when you’re in person.

You have so much more engagement with your classmates, because you’re all around the table, you can actually have discus-

Boarders welcome Jayde Bennett Matthias Jaylen Sandoval Social Media Manager

ETHAN YANKEY/TOWER

STUDENTS DROP OFF COVID tests during lunch. The School is continuing pooled testing through the end of the semester. Masters’ testing results can be found on the New York State COVID-19 Report Card.

In initial communications sent by the school at the beginning of the year, pooled Sophia Van Beek testing was set to end after the week of Oct. Editor-in-Chief 11. Adams said that this recent change is due to a combination of factors, including Weekly pooled testing, which The Mas- that boarding students are back on campus ters School has participated in since Oc- in full capacity and many sports teams are tober of 2020, will continue until the end traveling to other schools for games. of semester one, Di“We’re thinking rector of Health Serit’s wise to continvices Sue Adams anue to test athletes…

nounced in an email I feel very fortunate that Many schools we’re on Oct. 7. playing want everywe’re doing the maximum we can body to be vaccinat“Ms.Danforth just decided, and we ed. If you’re not vacto keep everyone safe.” spoke about it with cinated, say you have our health advisory an exemption, they - Director of Health Servicesteam, we decided want a test within 72 Sue Adams that we’re going to hours,” she said. go through to the Additionally, on end of the semester and probably until af- Sept. 2, it became a New York State reter winter break,” Adams said. “We’re just quirement for schools to test every unvacgoing to continue to monitor what’s going cinated member of their community, which on locally, what’s going on in the state, and is a majority of the Middle School. what’s going on in our school.”

Adams said that pooled testing would

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make it much easier to contact-trace those who came into contact with positive cases. If vaccinated individuals come within three feet of someone who tested positive, they would need to take a Covid test three to five days after the initial contact, but they do not need to quarantine.

Having weekly pooled testing at school makes this much more accessible to the community.

“We don’t want people to miss [school] unnecessarily – it’s one thing if you’re sick, it’s another thing if you’re just waiting on a test,” Adams said.

The School’s pooled testing results can be studied in more depth on New York State’s School COVID-19 Report Card, which has been linked on email communications about pooled testing results.

“The goal is just staying open and keeping kids in school,” she said. “I feel very fortunate that we’re doing the maximum we can to keep everyone safe.”

sions, and everyone is just a lot more focused and present in the classroom.”

For some seniors, it’s their first time experiencing a “normal” year at Masters.

Senior Camille Smith, joined in tenth grade. Her first year was cut short, last year was hybrid, and now it’s her senior year. She explained how strange it is to never experience a full year at a school until senior year.

Even though many restrictions are loosened compared to last year, students are still struggling with even the slightest constraints.

Jayde Bennett said, “I never wanted to leave, I was trying to figure out ways to stay at Masters.

I felt very much like it was my home for those two years. It was the first place in a long time that felt like home. I was used to moving every two years and being here just felt like I didn’t want to do that anymore. When I got the opportunity, it was a no-brainer, it was like coming home.”

Jayde Bennett, head of residential life and associate dean, known around campus as Mx. Bennett, is a returning member of the Masters community.

Bennett worked as the dean of residential life in CityTerm, a semester-long boarding program at Masters, before the program ended.

Once CityTerm was shut down, Bennett went to The Browning School, where they worked as the Assistant Director of Middle & Upper School Admission and Parent Engagement Officer, before returning to this campus.

Bennett really enjoys how the Masters community is such a diverse place when it comes to politics, ideas, gender, race and religion. Bennett went to a boarding school and they pointed out a very major difference between their high school experience and Masters students’ experiences.

They said, “My school was a more restrictive place in terms of who I was allowed to be and

who some of my friends were allowed to be.

I think Masters students are very lucky. Your faculty, staff and everyone is really supportive in allowing you to develop into whoever you want to be.”

Bennett came into their position with many goals already in mind. They hope to improve the boarding life for the students to create a more robust environment for all. They want to focus on bringing more activities into the evening hours, especially for upperclassmen, who have free time from 8-11 p.m. Bennett said that there’s not much for students to do during that time and they want to drastically improve that aspect of the boarding life experience.

Bennett said, “I think right now students are afraid of me, you know, because I have the title as associate dean and director of residential life.

So I think there’s an organically established relationship set up where it’s like – I’m in a position of ‘power’ and so students feel they need to fear me – but I don’t want that. I think we’ve been breaking down those walls over time.”

Bennet emphasized that they want their relationships with students to grow individually but also as a larger community. “I’m not as scary as I look or seem. I can be very intense, but when you get to know me, I’m really just here to make sure that you are all having a good time, a good experience. I really want to get to know everybody. The greatest joy and part of this job are the students for me. I’m a very student-centered person and so I’m always going be open to conversations with students,” they said.

ELLEN COWHEY/TOWER

JAYDE BENNETT, THE NEW director of residential life has returned to Masters; they used to work with CITYTerm. A product of boarding schools themselves, Bennett has committed themself to aim to be the person who wasn’t there for them in their high school years.

TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

NEWS 3

Time for reflection as accreditation process begins School, works on the student life and community committee as well as helps to answer general questions as a school administrator.

Lead Sports Editor In an interview with Tower, Newcomb relayed the value of honest reflection during en years removed from their this self-study process.

2011 New York State Associ“It’s super important that this process ation of Independent Schools reflect who we are, not who we want to be,” (NYSAIS) accreditation pro- Newcomb said. “It needs to be an honest apcess, Masters is required to complete the praisal, and there will be things that we do program once again. Originally delayed a really well and there will be things that are year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the ac- identified as like ‘Hey, this is something you creditation process, which is required for all need to look at.’” independent schools within the NYSAIS, Along with the student life and commuwill take place over the next year. nity committee, various other committees Over the coming months, administration have been created for the accreditation proand faculty will come together in order to cess in order to address certain aspects of help complete this reflective accreditation the school, such as financial sustainability process. In order for a school to attain ac- and teaching and learning. In order for those creditation, many facets of the school are committees to meet, Masters has implementexamined, ranging from its curriculum to ed three two-hour delayed starts to make its finances to its mission statement. This time for Middle School and Upper School year’s accreditation teachers to come process will be headtogether to address ed by Jason Hult, an those topics. upper school histo- Despite the fact It’s [about] getting lots of ry teacher and the that the process is director of learning different constituencies involved being led in school initiatives. Although in the process. [It’s] part faculty by faculty and adthe process poses ministrators, Newquite a large proj- voice, student voice, administra- comb voiced that ect for the entire tive voice, and I believe there’s a the process is meant school community, to be a reflection Hult spoke to the parent voice component to it as in which the entire importance of going well. school community about this process can participate. thoughtfully and dil“The leader- Peter Newcomb, Head of Upper ship team, we talk igently.

“Honestly, we about accreditation School could do this [acin our meetings creditation process] and consider where relatively quickly if we needed to, but it’s there are parts that we may need to focus worth spending time on it because I think it on, but by and large the work is being done will help us chart the future of the school,” collectively,” Newcomb said. “It’s not like Hult said. “Hopefully, what this process a top-down, just administrators are going will do is it will define the questions that to research this. It’s [about] getting lots of most deserve our time for the next five to 10 different constituencies involved in the proyears.” cess. [It’s] part faculty voice, student voice, Peter Newcomb, head of the Upper administrative voice, and I believe there’s a

Ethan Schlapp

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DOSI WEED/TOWER

TEACHERS ARE COMING TOGETHER to finish the NYSAIS accreditation process, while reflecting on diversity and equity along the way. The accreditation process happens every ten years. Several subcommittees have been created in order to evaluate the school’s curriculum and mission ahead of the accreditation this year. parent voice component to it as well that will go out in the form of a survey later.”

Although much of the accreditation process is similar to that of the 2011 process, the 2021 study holds a couple of key differences regarding certain areas of focus, one of which relates to equity and justice. “[One of] the two big differences between 2011 and 2021 in my view are better questions about equity and justice and that’s just a thing that schools are thinking about… in different ways,” Hult said.

Hult also noted that the role of a mission statement constituted another main difference between the 2011 and 2021 accreditations.

“At the time that that [the 2011] study was conducted, we didn’t have a mission that

felt perfect for the school and so one of the things they recommended was to create a mission and so now we have this mission that feels really central to who we are,” Hult said.

In terms of what that difference looks like in this year’s self-study, Hult spoke to the fact that the content of the accreditation is much more geared towards a school’s mission statement.

“The other thing that’s different is it’s much more about alignment with your mission, so every section asks you to think about the answers to those questions with regards to your specific mission,” Hult said.

As for the impact of NYSAIS in the future, the effects are far-reaching. Newcomb outlined that this accreditation process will help guide the process when creating

the next Master Plan. Furthermore, Hult expressed his desire that the accreditation process will facilitate conversation in the future about the ways in which the school community can better itself.

“What I actually think is more important than that is that it’s a process that helps us sustain conversations about school growth and change,” Hult said. “It’s really important that we give time to process and we have meetings that feel democratic and lively, so that at the end of this process we have a group of educators who are excited to not say ‘thank God, NYSAIS accreditation is over,’ but who are excited to continue to build on the things that we discover as areas for growth.”

New IEC begins construction on Evans Field Alejandra Pagano Photo and Illustration Editor

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he Masters School broke ground on Evans Field in order to begin the construction of the new Inno-

vation & Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) building on campus. The building will be used by engineering students, providing them with more space and new surroundings on top of Evans Field playing field.

Sophomore Teddy Meyer, a student who has attended Masters for four years,

first got into engineering after joining the robotics club. “[The building is] old and decrepit, with no room, making it harder to work,” Meyer said.

He believes that even though the new building will potentially solve this problem, the construction of the building may disrupt the ability to work in classes due to noise issues and other distractions.

Sophomore Konstantin Miebach has only been doing engineering for a year but he finds it hard to work in a small space. “It’s a small room and there isn’t much space to work if you’re building projects with a team” Miebach said.

The one project the engineering class did, involving a catapult, couldn’t function as well as they had wished because the item being launched kept hitting the walls. Konstantin believes with a bigger space it would help the projects to work better.

Upper School engineering teacher John Chiodo has been working at Masters for 12 years; he began as a math teacher, but transferred to the IEC six years ago.

He said, “ There are going to be a lot of capabilities [of the IEC], and anyone will be able to use it. We will be able to make things on a larger scale.” He added, “We’re in borrowed space and it’s time for us to have a permanent home.”

The project has been talked about for three years and they found it easier to build a new place than to renovate an old space. This being said the building funds and placement

have sparked some disagreements among the Masters community.

Sophomore Xavier Rolston, chose to speak on behalf of those students. They described the situation as complicated, stating, “I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the new IEC building, for a couple of reasons.”

Some of the reasons being, there are other things to focus on financially, like the flood damage that had been done to the lower level of the Fonseca Center and student financial aid.

That being said, among the community it was also where the donation was coming from and what it was going towards.

The building takes away a main playing field and has lots of money going towards it which has bothered other students.

Xavier believes that the Masters school could put money towards the IEC program-

ming and improving it but doesn't believe it needs a whole new building in general.

In addition, the placement of the building isn’t the most ideal because it would be blocking the Hudson River view from campus from certain angles. They said, “I definitely think it’s unfortunate because that was one of the beauties of Masters, the Hudson River scenery.”

The building will be used for any Masters student whether they are in the engineering program or not. The Engineering faculty is not positive with what the students can do with it when it’s finished, Mr. Chiodo, stated, “The biggest hurdle is letting people know about what they can do with it. It’s not just for IEC students, it's designed for everybody.”

THE NEW IEC BUILDING is set to be completed in Fall 2023.

The building broke ground on Evans field in October. The new IEC will bring better opportunity to work in a larger space. The building isn’t just intended for engineering students, but for the whole student body. The building is being funded by a donation by alumna, Diana Davis Spencer

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Opinion

TOWER/OCTOBER 26 , 2021

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TOWER 2021-2022

Editors-in-Chief Kira Ratan Sophia Van Beek Chief Design Editor Ellie Yang

EDITORIAL

Pulling traditions into the future with gratitude

News Editors Gisele Cestaro Marianna Gu Opinion Lead Editors Sabrina Wolfson Rowan McWhinnie Opinion Editor Maya Phillips

It is no secret that the past 18 months have taken a hit on community life at Masters, which is heavily dependent on shared physical and mental spaces. Losing Harkness, sports games, boarding life, performing and visual arts and morning meeting all in one fell swoop affected everyone, albeit in different ways and at different times.

The 2021-2022 school year so far has been, for returning students, a homecoming, and for new students, a welcoming. It’s not so much that the Department of Performing Arts is opening a live production for the first time since February 2020, (although, indeed, they are) or that boarding students can participate in lip sync challenges again, or that the old Delta v. Phi rivalry is back, or that (most) of the Upper School is together for Matters of Spirit and MISH presentations – although these traditions hold a sacred space in the School’s culture – it’s that there is community buy-in.

The most beloved parts of Masters life had become so regular that they almost began to fade into the background. Now, we have gathered again and re-established our values and habits as individuals within a larger whole.

We have not gone back to normal. Rather, we have moved forward with a renewed sense of appreciation for what sets the school apart and brings us together, and this is something to be celebrated. What had once been taken for granted, we now experience with a shared gratitude. Let us take this spirit with us through to the end of year.

Features Lead Editors Lexi Wachen Kwynne Schlossman Features Editors Maia Barantsevitch Lucas Seguinot Sports Lead Editor Ethan Schlapp Sports Editor Noah Kassell-Yung Social Media Manager Matthias Jaylen Sandoval Web Editor Carlos Heredia Staff Writer Aurora Rose Horn Photo Manager Alejandra Pagano Advertising & Distribution Mgr, Asst. Social Media Mgr. Lily Zuckerman Executive Producer, Tower Broadcast News L. Leys Carol Queiroz

Mixed-gender playing betters the game Kwynne Schlossman Lead Features Editor

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thletics for boys and girls have been played differently from the start because of outdated norms and stereotypes built around the genders - boys are more aggressive and girls are more timid. As society has evolved and advancements have been made in the workplace and in politics, sports have made slower progress in regard to gender and acceptance. Allowing boys and girls to participate in coed sports allows girls to build up their confidence and strength in the sport while going up against stronger athletes, and it allows boys to focus on their technique and possession. In the eyes of a field hockey team, there is no reason why boys and girls should not be able to play against one another since the boys are able to adapt in the sport, as are the girls.

Girls team sports tend to be more geared to possession and technical skill while boys sports are primarily fixed on teaching the players to be more aggressive. After encountering coaching from both gender perspectives, I have come to the conclusion that from the beginning the fundamentals of sports are presented differently depending on which gender is being coached and therefore boys and girls become different kinds of players for the most part.

The reason behind this difference stems from the education about gender that was deeply ingrained from a young age, both inside and outside the world of sports. As girls, we are constantly told that we are weaker than boys, which may be true in some aspects from a biological standpoint, but does not mean we have to translate that into being meek while competing within our own gender. The stereotype of the “weaker-than-the-boys” girl, which is often reinforced, even if in a subtle way, by faculty and teachers has resulted in girls tending to be less aggressive on the field. A prime example of this is girls vs. boys lacrosse. It would be dangerous for a girl to play in a primarily boy dominated lacrosse game but it would not be dangerous for a girl to play in a girls lacrosse game where boys’ rules are applied. The dilemma in the current world of sports and in society is that the message that boys are stronger than girls is often translated into girls being weaker players in general.

My own experience playing soccer with boys from a young age has made me a better, more aggressive player, though as a girl who is told she is “too aggressive in the field,” I admit that I have sometimes played into the idea that girls are weaker than boys and should be more timid on the field. Compared to other girls on the soccer field, I am seen as more aggressive - though if I were placed in a boys game, my aggression would not be frowned upon, not because of my strength

News Lead Editor Andrew Mitchell

Associate Producer, Tower Broadcast News Hanna Schiciano Staff Photographers and Illustrators McKarthy Grimes Charlie Cooper Alpha Zerfu Ryan Guan Ethan Yankey Patrick Phillip Haoqing Shi Tim Yang Joshua Markowitz Phoebe Radke Dosi Weed Sonali Rao Sydney Starkey Faculty Adviser Ellen Cowhey Matt Ives Online Media

For more information, follow Tower on the following platforms: Website: Tower.MastersNY.org Facebook: MastersTower Twitter: @MastersTower MATTHEW IVES/TOWER

SOPHMORE BOB JIAO, HACKLEY senior Colin Ives (LEFT) and Senior Lexi Wachen (RIGHT) participate in a Field Hockey game. Although field hockey is typically a female sport, both teams have male players. There has been recent controversy regarding male players on field hockey teams. against the boys, but because of my willingness to step to the ball and face it in one-on-one contact on the field. This is because I have had the experience of playing against boys, allowing me to be more comfortable fully using my body on the field. This would not be possible without my introduction to coed soccer, mainly because of the fundamental limitations I felt at a younger age regarding the way girls play.

As an experienced athlete who has been involved

“

As girls, we are constantly told that we

are weaker than boys, which may be true in some aspects from a biological standpoint, but does not mean we have to translate that into being meek while competing within our own gender.

-Kwynne Schlossman ‘22

in coed and gender seperated sports, I’ve noticed that games are played very similarly when coed for girls at a higher level. However, for boys, the games tend to

be much more contact heavy and calls are made less often when the games are gender separated. After having the opportunity to play coed soccer with D1 athletes as a junior in high school, I have realized that at a certain skill level, the game comes down to technique and confidence. When boys and girls play together, the sport incorporates more skill and less aggression on both sides. Though there is contact present, the contact levels are less than in a primarily male-dominated game. Boys may be stronger than girls, but there is no proof boys are capable of having better technique and skill than female players.

As I became more aggressive on the field, my coach’s immediate reaction was to move me to defense since, “I was too aggressive to play up top.”

This is due to the fact that there is a general lack of aggression on the field from the girls and,in turn, I stood out. Because I was exposed to playing with boys early on, I have had the freedom and opportunity to develop more assertive skills on the field.

Allowing the Masters Field Hockey Team to be coed allows both the girls and boys on the team to benefit from working together on the field as the girls will be able to become more confident stepping to the ball and the boys to work on their technique. Permitting the team to play as coed is a step in the right direction to allowing girls to become more confident on the field.

Distribution Process

Tower is hand-delivered on the day of publication to the Upper School. 650 copies are printed and one is put in each faculty member’s mailbox. In addition, a copy is sent to each of our advertisers.

Scholastic Press Affiliations, Letters and Editorial Policy

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

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

TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

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FEATURES

Fall play returns with Dracula Ellie Yang Chief Design Editor

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fter over a year of adapting to COVID-19, the Masters fall play is back. Through the pandemic, the theater program, like all other programs at Masters, has been forced to reinvent itself in many ways and adjust to performing maked in front of an empty audience. Now, as the school returns to normal, Mainstage, the Masters theater company, is preparing for its first real play since 2019 -- Dracula.

The play, adapted from its namesake novel, follows the journey of Jonathan Harker as he discovers and battles Count Dracula, a vampire. Filled with suspense, the play tells the story of not only the protagonist but also his connection with those around him. Sander Peters, who plays Jonathan Harker in the show, said,“The play centers around the idea that love conquers hate, … [it’s about] connection and reconnection.”

Though still rehearsing masked, the company will be allowed to perform maskless to an vaccinated audience. This adds to the cast’s excitement for the theater to be filled with set, props and life.

“It’s really refreshing and rejuvenating to now come here in my second year at Masters and to be able to do a full, physical play,” said Angel Henriquez, a sophomore who is set to portray Dr. Jack Seward.

Meg O’Connor, director of the fall play and all other Mainstage productions, echoed Henriquez’s sentiments. “To be able to finally just work together with each other has been very fun.” she said.

With a two-year gap, the theater community is also

welcoming many new students who, with the returning members, make up a large cast and crew of 45 people. “One thing I love about the particular script is that we’re doing interesting roles all the way down. There are kids who don’t have that many lines but

still have an interesting character to play. Nobody is unimportant in it,” O’Connor said.

Henriquez said, “There are a lot of new actors that get to be a part of a huge role. It’s really breathtaking to see what they can present on and off the stage during rehearsal and during the show.”

Samantha Weber, a freshman who is new to both Masters and acting said, “I wasn’t really sure what people were going to think but they are all really nice and very kind to me.” She will play Cneajna, the youngest of the three vampire sisters, in the show.

Dracula is set to premier on the weekend of Halloween with three consecutive shows that will welcome anyone with a proof of vaccination. This date and the spooky nature of the show is no coincidence.

When O’Connor looked at that weekend, she said the thought came to add some more Halloween spirit to the holiday. “Halloween is such an important holiday to Masters...and it is a chance for the whole community to really get back together,” she said.

The past year and a half forced many readjustments within the theater community at Masters, and this show will be the relative return to normality that Peters said they have been hoping for since the start of the pandemic. He said, “There’s a lot of loss MAIA BARANSEVITCH/TOWER in this show but I think through the loss, the hope that ANGEL HENRIQUEZ ‘24 AND Natalia Shane can arise from it streams through nicely. I really hope 22’ rehearse for Dracula. They play Dr. Annika that these two counteracting emotions can resonate with the audience.” van Helsing and Dr. Seward, respectively.

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FEATURES & ARTS

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TOWER/OCT

Homeco Clubs make long-awaited comeback

ternational students back on campus, Cooper runs Masters Recreational Basketball, holding games on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Web Editor Zhu is now not only able to hold meetings for the Philosophy Club in-person, but also has a clear schedule for when he can do them. He said that, “the fter more than a year-long pause, clubs 50 minute period is definitely helpful for us because are back in full-swing and finally making a we have to do a lecture first and then discussions, and comeback around campus. This year’s club that gives us a lot of time.” fair had more than twenty clubs, of a total In total, at least 68 clubs have been renewed or creof nearly 70 renewed this year, on the quad with hunated this year. These clubs, varying widely in topic, dreds of signups as people circled the tables. have given students another opportunity to get “It’s the first normal school thing that’s experience in leadership positions and explore happened to us in the past two years; it was a interests: whether it’s making art, playing pleasant experience,” junior Tyler Paik said. chess, eating barbecue, or even ghost-hunting.

“It wasn’t like last year when literally nothing Clubs are now also given club time again: a 50 happened, where it was so monotonous and minute period on Day 4. every single day felt like a repeat of the last.”

Joe DiDonato, assistant coordinator of stuDue to the pandemic, many clubs last year dent activities/transportation, said, “Clubs were unable to operate or were heavily regive a choice for your own sense of belonging, stricted. “I tried to run Sports League last you can find what interests you and be a part year but it didn’t start because of Covid, we of that with like-minded people or friends, or couldn’t figure it out,” junior Charlie Cooper strangers that you want to get to know. The valsaid. ue is limitless, it keeps you involved, it’s just Senior Luke Zhu, co-president of Intersomething of your choosing to look forward to national Club and co-chair of Philosophy after school..”

Club, said that, “For philosophy it was a lit“When the kids have a year of being neglecttle rough, because of the online setting it was ed certain privileges at school that they’re so hard to consistently hold meetings because used to -- that are just normal -- when they get people were distracted or stressed.”

MAIA BARANTSEVITCH/TOWER that back, the spirit is even more than it was beDespite the difficulties last year, many THE CLUB FAIR WAS back in full swing on the quad this fore”. clubs also figured out new ways to keep events September, after a year away. The student body gathered to and activities running. Zhu said that the Inexplore new and old clubs returning to campus. ternational Club still managed to celebrate some

Carlos Heredia

A

festivals like the Lunar New Year festival and hosted one or two international karaokes, singing songs online. He added that, “We also kept a blog on our website to give people an opportunity to share what was going on in their lives. [For Lunar New Year] volunteers would send videos, little reflections, or photos of them celebrating. We also made a video as a club and presented it to the whole school on Morning Meeting to show where we were and how our families were celebrating the Lunar New Year.”

This year, with fewer restrictions, and more in-

International students return Lucas Seguinot Features Edtior “I am from Ghana… it was fully remote [last year]. I was given the opportunity to come, but there were some issues with the embassy back home,” senior Daniella Appiah said. “I feel like I am still in this phase of shock, I haven’t fully come to terms with the fact that I am on campus.”

Appiah’s transition to campus has marked the start of her time on the Masters campus.

Appiah first enrolled at Masters as a junior during the 2020-2021 school year, but due to COVID-19, Appiah never got to step foot on the 96 acres that is Masters.

With the new Covid rules, Appiah didn’t even get to start school on opening day due a mandated five-day quarantine.

For many of the international students, this autumn was their first time on campus.

Some share the same experience with Appiah, having their whole first year online, while others get to have their full boarding experience as new Masters students this year.

The Masters boarding community wel-

comed 65 international students coming from 22 countries. This is the first time the boarding community has been at full capacity since the school was shut down on March 6, 2020, due to the pandemic.

In the spring of last year, Masters invited a select number of boarding students back to campus. The international students faced problems with not only Covid, but external problems like the immigration process.

With the return to normalcy, classes have become a little bit easier but still the transition for international students is a difficult process. However, international boarders have support systems through both the fellow students and upperclassmen.

Robert Fish, dean of global studies at Masters, explained how international students get the help they need. Through the help of the returning international students, the international peer leaders were formed.

“It is a student-led group focused on activities because sometimes it helps to have other students that have been through the process that the new international students are going through,” Fish said.

Additionally faculty support is given through routine meetings at the beginning

of year hosted by faculty members that live in the community.

For Appiah, all this support has definitely helped.

“Honestly they [Masters faculty] are the best, whenever I get lost I can just ask any of them… in the dorm they are very friendly and very nice,” she said.

Senior George Chang, who was a virtual student all last year, expressed his love and appreciation for the school community saying “Overall, it is really nice to be back in the dorms where you are always around friends.”

ELLEN COWHEY/TOWER

JENNY XU AND ELIZABETH Fletcher tried their hand at “ninja” during the annual Dorm Olympics on campus. The boarding community is back together at Masters after more than a year apart.

FEATURES & ARTS

TOBER 26, 2021

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oming: 18 months later Cushing houses mixed genders Marianna Gu News Edtior

T

he Masters boarding community welcomed its first co-ed senior dorm––Cushing––this year. Cushing used to be a dorm designated to accommodate CityTerm students, but since the program ended last year, Cushing is now the sixth dorm available on campus.

When Masters became a co-ed school in 1996, all dorms on campus were separated into dorms for male-idenfying or female-identifying students. Thus, the creation of a coed dorm brings anticipation as well as concerns to both the boarders and dorm faculty members who are trying their best to adjust to the new living situation.

Jayde Bennett, the director of residential life, said that the primary intention of opening the co-ed dorm was to even out the number of students in each dorm in response to the New York State Protocol for COVID-19. However, in consideration of student’s different levels of familiarity with certain rules within the boarding community, the School decided to open it as a seniors-only dorm in order to reduce the possibility of students violating these restrictions. So far, students have been adjusting pretty well.

Cushing’s senior proctor Chad Zhao says, “The school did a good job in ensuring that boys and girls cannot en-

ter each other’s dorm by having all the boys live on the third floor and girls on the second, and imposing locks and security cameras on each floor, but the common area is a place shared by all to increase a sense of community.”

Having a senior-only dorm enables students to be immersed in a familiar environment, where a group of people are aiming towards the same goal and giving each other strength during this significant stage of their high school life. Senior Marie Kyo said, “I really prefer Cushing over my previous dorms because the overall environment was respectful and less chaotic. Having someone next door who’s going through the same thing as I am makes me feel less lonely and more positive towards the future because we are in this together.”

New dorm parent Arlene Casey also enjoyed living with the seniors, and as one of the youngest dorm parents on campus, she said, “Although this is my first year being a dorm parent, I never felt overwhelmed by having to repeat the rules and procedures to the kids in our dorm because they are mature and sensible in taking care of each other and the dorm as a whole.”

The school does intend to give senior boarders a little privilege in having their own space on campus by decorating and renovating the dorm.

Additionally, unless invited by a senior, students from other dorms are not allowed to go to Cushing, which helps the residents to prevent disruptions.

Bennett said, “We wanted the seniors to enjoy their last year on campus in a nice environment, so we also redid the common room to make it more comfortable.”

Although Cushing will most likely not be a senior dorm in the future, the school is considering to keep it as a coed dorm as they hope to not only accommodate male or female identifying students, but also provide a safe and inclusive environment for non-binary students. Diversity, equity, and inclusion have always been prioritized in the Masters community and their significance will also be reflected in the dorm arrangements.

Bennett said, “I would love for us to continue to have a space for the co-ed dorm because it’s the best way for the school to serve all of our students in an equitable manner; we should not force non-binary students to choose one way or another, instead, allowing them to be authentic and confidant to their own identities.”

RYAN GUAN/TOWER

FOR THE FIRST TIME, Masters has an all-senior, co-educational dorm. Cushing Dorm became available after the end of the CityTerm program, and now is home to students of all gender identities in an effort to make the boarding program inclusive.

One lunch: Easy meetings, long lines Maia Barantsevitch

E

Features Edtior

very day at 12 p.m., 519 hungry students rush to lunch. The dining hall soon becomes a frenzy; lines reach as far back as the salad bar, forks run out in minutes, and the commotion at the tables makes it hard to hear anything. For the 20212022 school year, Masters’ administration has decided to return to an Upper-School-wide lunch period for all ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students. The new schedule, which is a return to the school’s practice up until last year, has received varied reactions from students, as well as from faculty and custodial staff members.

Students have reacted both positively and negatively to this change, explaining that they do not have enough time to wait in long lines, as well as eat their food. “I felt very overwhelmed

the first few times I walked into that dining hall the first week of school,” junior Morgan Young said. The initial reaction soon became realization that there are advantages to all high school students having one lunch period. “I really like that I can walk into lunch and not have to worry if any of my friends will have lunch the same period as me because we all have it together now,” Young said.

Students are not the only ones being affected by this lunch period, though. Kitchen and custodial staff now have to prep and prepare food for hundreds of students coming in to eat at the same time. Lee Bergelson, responsible for dining services at Masters has been working with the school for five years. “We obviously deal or do whatever we need to do in order to get out of the lunch and we won’t allow a schedule issue or change or impact how we can serve” The kitchen staff is always prepared to serve students, faculty, and staff following a specific routine each time. “When it comes to the process of preparing food and serving in the dining hall it is obviously about flow.”

This lunch change was not done randomly.

Administration had to make choices that were beneficial to faculty as well as students. Sara Thorn, Associate Head of the Upper School has been working at The Masters School for the past and explains that last year was the first year administration decided to do two different lunch periods for the Upper School. Thorn alluded to the fact that this may be the reason students feel overwhelmed in the dining hall.

She said, “I think it feels like a lot because we did have two lunch periods last year. We only began the year with 16 more students than we began the previous year with, So it’s not that many more human bodies in that space. I think after having some time with lunch periods, we may have forgotten what it felt like in that time.”

The process of forming the schedule is one that must include ways to optimize what is best for students, faculty, and staff.

Thorn continued, “All schedules are a compromise, we just try to do what’s best for the most people.”

ETHAN YANKEY/TOWER

STUDENTS PACK INTO THE tables filling the Dining Hall. With the schedule for the 2021-22 school year, all Upper School students eat lunch at 12 pm, which has created several issues of overcrowding by the food lines and at eating spaces, as well.

Illustrations by Ellie Yang Design by Kira Ratan

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TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

FEATURES

FAST FASHION MAYA PHILLIPS

ast fashion” is dominating the fashion industry and sweeping the world. Propelled by technology and social media, fast fashion is capturing market share and having a significant impact worldwide. “The industry is gaining momentum and is expandings its base of consumers,” Giselle Meskin, Co-Chair of Beyond Threads, Masters Fashion Club said. Though this business model is profitable and accessible, the fast fashion industry has serious harmful effects on society and on the environment.

The fast fashion business model is designed for consumers to quickly access clothing that was worn during fashion shows before being made available to the average consumer. The clothing is manufactured in large quantities at a cheaper cost. It is produced at a rapid rate and delivered on a fast track to consumers. This process allows customers to purchase ‘trendy’ clothing that is not only accessible, but also more affordable. This has led to a increase in consumerism: encouraging shoppers, especially young people, to keep up with cycles of emerging styles at an incredibly fast pace.

KWYNNE SCHLOSSMAN/TOWER

CULTURE & TRENDS HUMAN RIGHTS I

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lothing is now considered disposable after just a few wears. “I think fast fashion is centered around impulse. One loves a piece for a little bit and then it’s completely useless.

It’s kind of like a ‘live fast, die young’ situation,” Tyler Hack, the co-chair of Effect, Masters’ sustainability club said.

n the Spring of 2021, Masters Effect organized a thrift store, encouraging sustainable practices and the reuse of clothes. This stands in contrast with the fast fashion companies which quickly create knock-offs of more expensive items from high-end brands.

“That creates a competitiveness within the market of those companies and within young people themselves. You then have the competitiveness of kids from low-income areas who don’t have the money to buy from brands like I.AM.GIA, House of Sunny or Revolve, versus those who are buying Shein just so they can keep up with trends,” said Ayala.

In recent years, the online clothing brand, Shein, has grown increasingly popular. According to Euromonitor International, it’s now the largest online-only fashion company in the world.

The brand is notorious for its fast turn around from factory to consumer. On average 3,000 new styles are added its website ocial media and the internet, particularly Instagram weekly.

On applications such as Tik Tok, consumers post Shein and TikTok, fuel the problem. These applications hauls, totalling to many hundreds of dollars, supporting Shein platform new trends everyday, many of which only and furthering consumption of unethical brands. Consumers last a couple weeks. Influencers are constantly keeping people have a choice to spend their money on fast fashion, which does up to date by posting new trends on their social media feeds. not last or purchase fewer items from sustainable brands which “A lot of social media influencers encourage the are of higher quality and will last. idea of never repeating an outfit,” said Aimee AyaA 2017 report from the International Union for Conserla, co-chair of Upcycle, Masters sustainable fashion club. vation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35 percent of all miUntil the mid-twentieth century, the fashion industry croplastics in the ocean came from the laundering of synthetic had four seasons – fall, winter, spring and summer. Fashtextiles like polyester. ion designers would work for months to plan for each sea“Trend cycles and fast fashion are incredibly wasteful. Things son based on predictions of the styles they thought cusgo out of style so quickly. It causes an endless cycle of buying tomers would desire. Today, the fashion industry is and throwing away clothing,” said Ayala. producing about 50 “micro-seasons’’ per year.

The fashion industry alone accounts for about 10 percent of “Clothing has really evolved over time. Fast fashion has global carbon emissions, and about 20 percent of wastewater. In given a lot of people the means to be able to wear whatever they 2015, 79 billion tons of water were used by the fashion industry. want, whenever they want, at a really good price,” Meskin said.

Upwards of 10,000 liters of water are required to grow about 2.2 Approximately 1.7 billion people worldwide now belong pounds of cotton, a plant typically produced in regions heavily to the consumer class, which is composed of people who buy affected by droughts.

On average it takes about 660-713 gallons items that are not essential and are not part of their basic needs. of water to make one t-shirt and over 10,000 liters of water to “A closet nowadays is not about havmake a single pair of jeans.

This process produces an estimated ing nice pieces that are special to you. It is 33.4 kg of carbon. more about quantity than quality,” said Meskin.

“When the high-end fashion industry turns over a trend into According to Insider, consumers bought 60 dupes, the quality of the garment goes down, and with it, so do percent more garments in 2014 than in 2000. labor standards,” said Hack.

“Instead of clothing being a form of expression

S

where you express your unique and personal style through the clothes you buy, it just becomes an idea of who looks best…It feels very competitive,” said Ayala.

ENVIRONMENT W

hat’s more, labor rights are negatively affected by fast fashion in many ways, which, in turn, hurts both consumers and factory workers. Harmful chemicals such as benzothiazole that are linked to cancer and respiratory illnesses have been found in fast fashion clothing that is manufactured.

In addition to toxicity, fast fashion relies on international labour.

The industry has turned to low-income countries like Bangladesh, India, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines to exploit workers and produce clothing at a cheap rate. An Oxfam 2019 report found that no Bangladeshi garment workers, and only 1 percent of Vietnamese garment workers, earned a living wage. Garment workers, typically women and children, are forced to work strenuous hours with unfair wages. They also suffer abuse in the workplace. The fast fashion industry is not only harmful to the environment. It also violates basic human rights.

Meskin offered several ways members of the Masters community could find alternatives to buying into this consumer phenomenon.“Masters students can help address these problems by shopping cautiously. They can emphasize thrifting, using Depop, Poshmark, The RealReal and other websites. They can support small businesses, and find the source of the clothing items they purchase.” She continued, ” It is important to educate yourself. The environmental impact, the impact on the fashion industry, the impact on small businesses and the impact on our world is just not worth it at the end of the day for 15 pieces that are going to last you a few months,” Meskin said.

An enlightened consumer can have a big impact.

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TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

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OP-ED

Shifting Gears: reflecting on my trip to the Deep South

I

Andrew Mitchell Lead News Editor

biked into Yazoo City, Miss. after 10 hours of trekking through the American Southwest in 120 degree temperatures, greeted by a dozen oil drills and a welcome sign that was more graffiti than sign. This was the fourth of nine states I would have to pedal through as I “bikepacked” my way across the United States.

I entered Yazoo City with a lot of preconceived notions — my expectations formed around simple facts that I could gather on the internet: 49 percent of Yazoo City’s population lives below the poverty line, meaning half of the residents don’t make enough money to get by. As of 2019, the average household income was $24,688, meaning that an entire family usually makes less than $100 a day. I knew that the majority of jobs in the general area contributed to the drilling, transporting and selling of crude oil. I knew that my political beliefs and religion would have to be concealed in order to protect myself. I knew that I was entering the poorest city in the poorest state in America.

As we approached the end of our ride for the day, we arrived at the church where we would be staying that night. The caving

roof, chipped paint and cracked window only confirmed what I expected. I worriedly dug my nails into my handlebars, as a worn down jeep truck approached us, its engine roaring like thunder.

“I bought y’all some gatorade,” yelled a man from out the window. “I admire what y’all are doing. Keep on chugging,” he added as he pulled away.

We all sat stunned as he drove away with two busted tail lights, taken aback by the purity of the interaction.

The southern hospitality embraced us more warmly as our time in town went on.

In the span of two hours, we had families offer to do our disgusting laundry, cook us a “Mississippi-Style Dinner,” and give us blessings. I was overwhelmed by the unadulterated kindness and generosity flowing through the streets of Yazoo City.

That night was “taco salad Tuesday” at the church, and my trip mates and I gathered with the congregation to say grace and to then to resupply the thousands of calories we had lost that day. As I was distracted by the food, my friend, Abe, asked about the oil drills we saw entering town.

“What’s the deal with all those drills?” he asked with an urban innocence.

I braced myself for what I thought was coming — a rant about how America’s economy is fueled by oil or a

speech about how climate change isn’t real. Instead, I was met with a sigh, and a simple statement from the Pastor.

“That’s the only work we got ‘round here, besides being a Pastor of course.

It’s the only way to put food on the table.”

That night as I blew up my sleeping pad and shimmied into my sleeping bag, I forced my tired body to stay awake for a moment of introspection. I thought about the expectations I had coming into that question at dinner — and the South at large.

I realized that almost everything I expected was shaped around my homogeneous communities back home, my reaffirming news sources, and subconscious desire to label a place I knew little about with sweeping generalizations. I expected something “other,” and all I found were human beings.

I left Mississippi with two realizations that persisted all the way to across the rest of my journey and back into my life in New York. The first comes at face value: kindness doesn’t need to stem from anything but kindness. I met the most selflessly generous people, who, despite the money they had or didn’t have, gave whatever they could, even when that was just a blessing.

The second realization comes with a suggestion to the Masters community: an individual’s politicized beliefs does not allow an onlooker to categorize them baseds-

COURTESY OF ANDREW MITCHEL/TOWER

ANDREW MITCHELL AND GROUP bike pack across America. Mitchell went on a six week journey through nine states from Charleston, S.C. to San Diego, C.A. solely on that basis. I know that statement seems obvious, but I found in myself that it was not. I hold the strong view that we need to stop using fossil fuels for the sake of our world; however, now that belief comes with some nuance. Prior, I thought, “How could anyone not believe this too?”

Now, I simultaneously consider, “How could I cut off Yazoo City’s only source

of income, knowing how they struggle financially and are kind wholeheartedly?”

I still firmly believe that we need to stop using fossil fuels now. However, I am much more empathetic to those who don’t have the privilege to believe the same: those who need oil to support their families and put food on the table.

I am not in the position to judge them.

Latino voice affirms need for accurate casting decisions

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Matthias Sandoval Social Media Manager

asters Theater Company is hoping to perform the production “In the Heights” for this winter’s musical. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong.

Last June, Director Lin Manuel Miranda released a film version of the critically acclaimed

Broadway musical, In the Heights. Though the film failed to draw crowds to the theaters, what it did receive was a lot of backlash for not casting more dark-skinned and/or Afro-Latino actors, because Washington Heights, where the show is set, has lots of Afro-Latinos. That movie underrepresented a minority group.

What is responsible casting you might ask? Responsible casting, in my opinion, is a non-debatable thing, where characters should

be cast by their race and/or their ethnicity to accurately represent the group of people that character is supposed to play in that show.

There are 11 main characters in this show, ten of them being Latino and one of them being Black. Imagine if Masters cast the 11 main characters of that show as white students. That would be disastrous and some, if not many, community members would even find that offensive to their culture. Placing privileged white students who don’t understand Latino and Black culture into the roles of underprivileged Latinos and Black people is not responsible casting whatsoever.

Though theatre companies around the world have been able to get away with not casting responsibly, it was wrong back then and is still wrong now. There are many very talented and qualified Latino and Black actors, singers and dancers in our community.

I spoke to the Director of the Masters Theatre Company, Meg O’Connor and she shared the same sentiments as I, saying, “I think the first, most obvious, and easiest thing to avoid is not having white people play roles that are identified specifically as roles for people of color. I think that’s just the number one thing. I think that’s something that

has not always been done, I’m talking about theater at large and also sometimes in educational theater as well.” O’Connor also noted that the only reason the Theatre company is planning on doing In The Heights is because students of color have taken the initiative and asked her to do a show with mainly people of color.

Even if you think that it doesn’t matter how you cast a show, if you don’t cast a Latino role with a Latino actor you’re doing a disservice to the quality of the entire show. In a show like “In the Heights”, people who are even the slightest bit familiar with the culture the show represents would watch and realize that it’s not accurately represented and it especially takes away from the authenticity and quality of the show.

Now I understand that some may say that “actors are just actors” but even then it should not matter. Most famous shows like Macbeth, Hamlet, Dracula and Dear Evan Hansen, have all had main characters that represent white people. White students and actors have had more than enough opportunity to play roles that represent their own race, culture and history.

When a show like In The Heights comes around, where all of the

characters are people of color, it should be undisputed that people of color play those roles.

Latino and Black actors have seldom had the opportunity to play roles that are representative of their race and culture. Creating these equal opportunities, the same way white people have always had the opportunity to play a role representative of themselves, is very important to push the charge of social and racial justice in the realm of theater. The only way to create these equal opportunities for this show and fu-

Editorial Note

As of publication, the Department of Performing Arts and Masters Mainstage are only planning on performing In the Heights if enough students of color express interest in the musical in order to ensure an accurate and culturally responsive representation of the show’s themes, characters and setting. ture

shows is to cast responsibly.

STEVE PISANO/FLICKER

POLY PREP PERFORMS IN The Heights, on Feb. 4, 2016 . High school performances have taken place but issues about race and casting make staging the production problematic at Masters.

Music industry icon reclaims what’s rightfully hers

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Aurora Rose Horn Staff Writer

ove her or hate her, Taylor Swift has been one of the most prominent figures in the music industry since 2006.

Be it country, pop, or indie folk, Swift has released award-winning albums that never fail to make me feel emotions I never even knew existed before. With over 46 million monthly listeners on Spotify, it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere anytime soon either.

It’s safe to say that Swift’s lasting impression on the world is due, at least in part, to her relatability. Senior Anna Drattell, who has been a fan of Swift (or a “Swiftie”, as we’re called) since around 2010, said that “We’re two completely different ages and grew up in two completely different decades, but I just feel like she understands what I’m going through even though we’ve never met ever.”

As a dedicated Swiftie, I can confirm that this is a sentiment many of us share. There’s something quite comforting about listening to her breakup songs, whether I’m listening to “All Too Well” and crying or screaming along to “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.”

Of course, Swift’s time in the industry has not been without scandal. When Swift was 15, she signed on to Big Machine Label Group, which led to the group acquiring a massive net worth of $300 million. Once her 13-year deal with BMLG expired in November of 2018, she signed on with Universal Music Group and Republic Records. Big Machine was subsequently bought by Ithaca Holdings, a company owned by Scooter Braun. Despite her wishes, Swift could not buy back the master recordings of her first six albums, meaning that every time someone streams her old music, the money goes not to her but to Big Machine. It also means she has no control over her work. In November of 2019, Swift accused Braun and Borchet-

ta of blocking her from performing her old- and a vault in the background, and her fol- so now she owns her heartbeat again. writer myself, I know about the sanctity of er songs at the 2019 AMAs and from using lowers then decoded these to figure out the Senior Teddy Diamond spoke of the writing as a form of expression, and I can’t them in her 2020 documentary Miss Ameri- names of the unreleased songs. This cryptic- significance of Swift’s re-recordings. “She’s imagine what it must be like to not own cana. Frankly, I wouldn’t put it past them to ness is, of course, one of Swift’s trademarks. taking back a part of her that is powerful, that one’s own words. I have nothing but redo that; clearly the only value they connect to When it comes to making and releas- is a form of self exspect for Swift Swift’s work is the value of ing music, “swift” is the exact word pression, and she’s as a writer, the money it makes them one might use to describe her taking that back I applaud

She’s taking back a part of her that and and they have no respeed. Red (Taylor’s Version), and she’s making it her for takis powerful, that is a form of self expresspect for the blood, the next of her re-recordings, hers. She will own ing matters sweat, and (someis set to release on Nov. 12. the recordings. It’ll into her own sion, and she’s taking that back and she’s times literal) tears The Red album includes be hers, and it’ll hands and making it hers.” she puts into it. some of Swift’s more pop- permanently belong claiming her It seemed ular songs such as “22” to her,” he said. music to be - Teddy Diamond ‘22 that the only way and “We Are Never Ever I could not her own again. for Swift to regain Getting Back Togeth- agree more; as a control of her er,” as well as older works was fan favorites to sign back to like “All Too Big Machine and Well.” Red carearn them back, ries a lot of meanone for each new aling for me because bum she made. I find it I listened to it a lot disgusting that they did during hard times in my that to her, especially life and it really helped when she was only 15 and me. The intimateness didn’t know any better. Art and relatability of her should belong to the artist music makes it feel alwho created it, not men who most as if the songs are had no part in the creative proaddressed directly to cess yet reap the benefits anyway. me, and that’s a quality Swift’s contract with Big Mathat keeps me coming chine stated that she could re-reback to Swift’s music. cord her music starting NovemAnother re-reber of 2020, so she seized this cording came out of the opportunity to reclaim what was blue: “Wildest Dreams rightfully hers. The first of these (Taylor’s Version).” re-recordings, Fearless (Taylor’s The song is a hit single Version), was released this past from her 2013 album April and included six previously 1989, and the re-reJAZILLS/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/94347223@N07/8588950448/ unreleased songs “from the vault.” lease of this song is a big The way she revealed these “vault” deal to Swift and Swifties TAYLOR SWIFT PLAYING AT her RED TOUR on March 13, 2013. The singer is rerecording tracks was actually really interestalike, because she used and rereleasing her RED album to own her work again, after a debacle with her past execing; she posted a video on her social a recording of her heart- utive producer. media accounts with scrambled words ELLIE YANG/TOWER beat in the track,

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TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

FEATURES

Fact or fiction? In media, the line is blurred Lexi Wachen Lead Features Editor

W

e are experiencing a new virus. But unlike Covid, there is no vaccine to stop the spread. It is contagious. It is manipulative. Media Bias has overtaken the planet.

Media bias occurs when publication reliability is skewed, and when opinions get in the way of how and what is being covered.

There has been a rapid rise in media bias over the past five years due to the recent political climate – specifically a division between the American people. However, this is not new: as long as American politics have been around, so has the famous saying, “fake news”.

It started in 1807 when Thomas Jefferson talked about recent coverage in American newspapers.

He said, “Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper.”

200 years later, “fake news” has become the phrase of the era. In an attempt to defend his administration from critical coverage, Donald Trump noted the “tremendous disservice” of the public press to the American people.

He said, “I’ve never seen more dishonest media than, frankly, the political media.”

Colleen Roche, a political science and history teacher at Masters, noted that it was during the 2016 presidential election when misinformation through social media hit a dangerous peak, referring to the Russian creation of fraudulent social media accounts used to influence American voters.

Roche said, “I think that’s when we first became aware of the ability of these platforms to be so grossly manipulated.”

52% of American people receive “news or news headlines” from Facebook.

Among teenagers, 50% use Youtube as a primary news source. Of these 50%, 60% say they receive their information from celebrities and influencers as opposed to news networks on the platform.

Following the 2016 presidential election, Stanford History Education Group released a report noting students' inability to determine the credibility of information found on the internet. Sam Wineburg, founder of SHEG, said, "Many people assume that because young people

are fluent in social media they are equally perceptive about what they find there... our work shows the opposite to be true.”

Stanford’s Graduate School of Education conducted a study where they shared two different posts declaring Donald Trump’s candidacy for president to a group of high

PHOEBE RADKE/TOWER

school students. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate their news literacy and judgement when using platforms like Twitter and Facebook. One post was from Fox News, while the other came from an account that “looked like Fox News.” While 25% of

students recognized the difference in the blue checkmark, 30% actually found the second account to be more ‘reliable’ given their usage of “key graphic elements”.

Senior Kwynne Schlossman, social media manager of Tower for the 2020-2021 school year, reflected upon her experience posting to a younger targeted audience.

She said, “Social media can be very misleading. After having the opportunity to work in the field for a little, I got to see how much research you must do to make sure the information you are sharing is correct and accurate.”

Elijah Emery ‘19 worked as a social media manager during the campaign of Andom Ghebreghiorgis, a left-leaning candidate for New York’s 16th congressional district election in 2020. Emery talked about how from a political lens, when looking for detailed information, social media isn’t the most effective source of information.

However, if one is looking for a popular opinion, it can be a very productive resource, and it’s up to the audience to decide which information to digest and which to scroll past.

Emery said, “There’s tons of information out there and much of it put out by the vast majority of credible people is not going to be inaccurate. The question: are they more accurate than a competing narrative?”

But, it’s not just teenagers. Due to the rapid posting, resharing, and spreading of information in the media, any social media user may have a challenging time discerning reliable information posted online. As mentioned in a MIT 2018 study on social media incredibility, “Falsehoods on social media are 70% more likely to be retweeted than the truth.”

Despite the evidence supportingmedia illiteracy among the American people, Roche noted how the vast majority of Americans still lack the ability to distinguish reliable to unreliable information shows that we have a lot more work to do.

She said, “[On a nationwide level,] we might ask what the individual person is doing about it? Not a lot.”

A semester away:

students taking a deeper look into the natural world

Gisele Cestaro

M

News Editor

asters students Lexi Wachen, Declan Myers-Brown, and Kayla Shelley left their friends and families for a whole semester to make new discoveries in the mountains of Colorado and Idaho. The High Mountain Institute (HMI) and Alzar are both semester away programs that strive to educate by participating in outdoor expeditions that make students more cognizant of the natural world surrounding them. Both programs have strict schedules that make time for educational activities and fun with peers.

Wachen, a current senior, spent the second semester of her junior year at the Alzar School, which was located in Idaho (instead of both Idaho and Chile, as is the usual program, due to the restrictions of COVID-19). School days at Alzar lasted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, with activities for two hours afterward academic classes, and then evening study hall to conclude every day.

“It was a really long school day. It was definitely like the second you put your head on the pillow you were out every day,” Wachen said.

Every part of Wachen’s day was filled with an expedition

or activity, which meant no time for miss- and I was finally understanding what I ing her phone which was taken away for want and how to get there,” Wachen said.

Myers-Brown and Shelley attended the beginning part of the trip. Although it seemed stressful at first, it was a way HMI their junior years during separate seto get in touch with the real world with- mesters. Although they weren’t present at out the presence of social media for her. the same time, they had similar academic “I think it just made connections so and expedition schedules. Classes were not full time, because much more genevery three to four uine and wholeweeks students some since evwould take a trip erything wasn’t into the mounbased around

Just completely embracng this new tains or desert. social media,” enviroment allowed me to learn so much more “My first Wachen said. about the wolrd around me, and I grew in more expedition was Before leavways than I could’ve imagined.” into the Colorado ing for her trip, Rockies, where Wachen had we summited a doubts, consid- Alexa Wachen 23’ few fourteeners ering it was her [14,000 feet]. junior year, but Our second and also wanted a third ones were change of pace.

Looking back on it, she said she in the desert in Utah,” Myers explained. has grown immensely and acknowledg- “We would go into the Canyonlands, es she wouldn’t be the person she is to- and we would bring our own foods, stove day if she hadn’t taken the opportunity. and look for water.” Over the course of “I noticed I didn’t get stressed over that week, Myers-Brown and his classthe little things, mates would backpack over sixty miles.

Shelley, having gone to

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HMI during the winter months, had a ski expedition as well. She was there for two weeks during one of the biggest storms in Colorado at the time, the temperature dropped to -20 degrees Fahrenheit and 26 inches of snow fell. “It was the most insane thing I’ve ever done.

We put up tents in the snow, built kitchens and made quigloos,” Shelley said.

Quigloos are shelters that are made from loose snow, which are then hollowed out. It was blizzarding most of the time, so the quigloos weren’t too helpful when it came to keeping the students warm. Following the night's harsh temperatures, the students would go on an early sunrise ski.

Despite all three students being in different places at different times of the year, they still had the same battle to fight, which was Covid. As full as their experiences felt, they knew they were missing out on certain activities. “We couldn’t go into the town of Leadville like a normal HMI semester since there were so many cases,” Myers said.

Safety precautions were taken such as social distancing, and wearing masks inside, but regardless, 36 out of 46 of the

people in Shelley’s cabin got Covid. Shelley was in the hospital for a couple of days, and she lost both her sense of taste and smell.

“We would quarantine for ten days but the issue was one person would test positive this day and then five days later, someone else would test positive,” she said. Being quarantined for a whole month meant Zoom school and not being allowed to leave the cabin, but on the bright side, she said it made her become closer with her friends.

All three students returned to Masters with more knowledge about themselves and the world around them. Getting to be on social media again after months of taking off was overwhelming and all three students preferred the time without it.

Being able to immerse themselves in a new environment and get used to change taught them more than they expected.

Wachen said, “Just completely embracing this new environment allowed me to learn so much more about the world around me, and I grew in more ways than I could’ve ever imagined.”

TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

SPORTS

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Justine Pascutti: the first-year girl who created a racquet “It’s pretty awesome,” she said with a smile on her face. “Me being the youngest to play singles is incredible.”

Although Pascutti herself has been playuring the hot summer heat, a young ing for years, tennis is very much a family girl spent her days outside, sweat affair. dripping down like tears, a look of “We’re kind of a tennis family, I guess you can say,” Justine said. “It’s something we can all bond over and is something we can all do together.”

While tennis is a huge passion for her, she also loves to read, bake, and play the violin. She finds that there’s a lot of similarities between tennis and playing violin, specifically practice.

“Practice really impacts your game or your performance,” Pascutti commented.

“Practice is just key. It’s so important.”

Despite this being her third year at Masters, due to the pandemic, she has never been able to play for the Panthers; her experience on the girls’ varsity George Chang tennis team is her FIRST-YEAR JUSTINE PASCUTTI HITS a forehand in a match against Fieldston on Wednesday, Sepfirst time playing for tember 29. Although the team lost a close competition by a score of 3-2 and struggled for most of the Masters and playing season, they recently secured their first victory against Sacred Heart on Tuesday, October 19. competitively.

D

Serena Sharma Contributing Writer

concentration etched into her face as she swung her racket to meet the yellow ball.

For first-year Justine Pascutti, this scene is normal. Pascutti, who began her tennis journey at age seven, is the only first-year on the girls’ varsity tennis team to have played in singles matches this season.

“Because of Covid-19 last year, I don’t learned so much over the summer. For exthink we were able to do any sort of sports, ample, I learned how to serve. Before the otherwise I would have definitely done ten- summer I could barely serve!” nis,” Pascutti said. “I don’t think we were Though Pascutti was at first nervous to able to in 7th grade either for the spring, play for the girls’ varsity team, she spoke which is a shame since I was looking for- about how her teammates made her feel ward to doing tennis for Masters.” confident and good about herself.

Luckily for Pascutti, after lockdown, “Having such a great team and great tennis was one of the sports that was able to coaches makes it [tennis] such an amazing stay open because of the social distancing. experience,” she said. “My team is just so During this past summer, the first-year supportive.” participated in a camp, which taught her a Furthermore, she talked about how her lot about self-worth and persevering. passion for tennis and supportive team“This program was very intense,” She mates has made her look forward to every noted. “All these people played in tourna- practice. ments and I felt super intimidated, and I “I had so much fun, even when it was was by far the worst extremely hot one there.” out and I was exAlthough Pascutti hausted and tired.

Having such a great team and felt like she was the With any other weakest player de- great coaches makes it such an amazing sport, I just havspite being the olden’t felt that way, experience. My team is just so supportive. but there’s just est at the camp, she spoke about how this something about was both a mental tennis,” she said. and a physical chalThough the - Justine Pascutti, ‘25 lenge. tennis season is “I could’ve easicoming to a close ly been discouraged and the team will and just given up,” change next year Pascutti admitted. “When it first started, when the seniors leave and new freshmen I felt really bad about myself like, oh, why come to join, Pascutti is grateful for the am I not as good as they are since I’m old- time she has spent on the team this year. er than them! I should not be worse than She said, “Unfortunately there are only them!” two weeks left which is crazy to think about Pascutti talked about how that brought and I’m really disappointed that it’s comher down, but she managed to push ing to an end, but I’ve enjoyed every through and realized that her worth isn’t moment of it.” about being the best, but instead about giving it her all.

“As the summer went on I soon realized that it doesn’t matter if I’m older and they’re much better than me, it just matters that I’m improving, I’m having fun. I

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Elaina Spencer discovers motivation through supportive atmosphere explained how important it is to practice drills to improve stamina and technique.

Every practice, the team takes part in Contributing Writer different activities such as running up hills, longer distances, and faster short o be a good runner, like in many distances, to improve in different areas sports, consistency is key. For of the sport. cross-country, consistency is Practices are only half the battle, as challenging because the team participates it’s not only physiin races often. These cally demanding, but

Cross country is not an easy tend to be quite diffimentally demanding. cult, but Spencer has Sophomore Elaina sport. But practicing every day is picked up many stratSpencer knows this super important because everything egies in order to powfact all too well. we do is for a reason. er through. She adds Spencer runs for that she focuses on the Girls’ varsity listening to footsteps, - Elaina Spencer ‘24 cross-country team. cheering, coaches, She gave insight into and her teammates the difficulties of as well as looking for cross-country and what she has learned mile markers. Contrary to the idea that along the way. running is very individual, Spencer be“Cross country is not an easy sport. lieves that the team dynamic is just as But practicing every day is super imimportant to her motivation. portant because everything we do is for “We bond over the love of running. a reason,” she said. Spencer, who has Every day I look forward to running bebeen running since the fourth grade, Jennica Pereiras

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cause of how great our team is.” She describes the team as “uplifting” and “supportive.” Spencer appreciates that her teammates help push each other.

She is also grateful for her coaches, who give helpful corrections often.

Running has always been a priority in life for Spencer, as she has continued to run for the past seven years. Although she enjoys the fun of running, she spoke to a couple of the lessons she has learned.

“One thing I always have to keep in mind is [that] I won’t see improvement right away,” she said. She also believes in the importance of doing her personal best at every practice, instead of comparing herself to others, which has allowed her to improve her running over the years.

Despite being derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Spencer is putting in the work in order to regain her skills.

She said, “Covid affected my running a lot and I am currently working hard to get back to where I was before.”

Ryan Guan/TOWER

SOPHOMORE ELAINA SPENCER RUNS during a practice on Tuesday, Oct. 19 on Greene Field. Spencer, who has been running for the past 7 seven years, spoke about how much she loves running for the Masters cross-country team.

Hannah Schapiro sets sights on successful soccer season

W

Rooke Wiser Contributing Writer

ith an assertive and confident personality on the field, junior Hannah Schapiro can’t remember a time when she wasn’t playing soccer.

“Ever since I first touched the ball, I’ve always had a love for it.” Schapiro, who currently plays on the girls’ varsity soccer team, recently got admitted to the US Soccer Youth National Training Center and plans on playing throughout college.

“Honestly, I just want to see how far I can take this game,” said Schapiro. “I want to be the best player I can be whether that is high school, clubs, college, or even higher. I’m not going to limit myself. I just want to see how far I can take it.”

This season, Schapiro’s focus is on getting into and winning the FAA and NYSAIS tournaments.

“We’ve had a few losses which have set us back, but we’re still in the run of it, so we’re hoping to make it,” she said.

Nevertheless, her competitive character is not the only basis for playing; it enables her to go out and socialize.

“Everyone’s been so close and keeping these friendships,” said Schapiro. “Having a good time playing soccer with my friends, honestly, that would be a successful season

for me.” She simply wants a team that works together and has fun.

There is no doubting that soccer has pro-

vided her with an important mental outlet: it alleviates pressure and anxiety.

“Whenever I play soccer, it takes me away

Isaac Cass/Communications

JUNIOR HANNAH SCHAPIRO DRIBBLES the ball in the girls’ varsity soccer team’s first game of the game against Greenwich Country Day on Tuesday, September 14. Although the team lost, Schapiro was the star of show, scoring the team’s lone goal.

from all my worries,” said Schapiro. “What- varsity soccer team played against Greens ever’s going on, I just stop thinking about Farms Academy. Only a minute or two afit. It’s kind of a safe ter starting, Schapiro haven for me.” scored the first goal While soccer has of the game. ThroughI want to be the best player provided Schapiro an out the game, Hannah outlet for improve- I can be, whether that is high school, coordinated and comment, it has also served clubs, college, or even higher. I’m not municated with teamas an opportunity for mates, and ended up going to limit myself. I just want to see scoring both of Masgrowth. While Hannah ters’ goals that night. has many strengths, how far I can take it.

While they may not she’s not one to shy - Hannah Schapiro ‘23 away from areas of imhave pulled out a vicprovement. She said tory that evening, the she is focused on imcamaraderie and drive proving her tactical awareness on the field of the team was evident. and vigilantly works on her physical fitness.

The benefits of playing soccer have affectTo check out other sports ed Schaprio’s life off the field as well. She stories, visit said, “I have to stay very focused and manage my time wisely.”

Schapiro also emphasizes soccer’s importower.mastersny.org tance as a team sport.

“We’ve realized that you need a good strong team bond to honestly succeed,” she said. In a sport where communication Follow us on social media! is vital, it is challenging to work collectively when a team doesn’t know one another and Facebook: @MastersTower chemistry is lacking. This concept of the importance of communication plays a role in Twitter: @MastersTower her life, both on and off the soccer field.

Instagram: @masterstower Schapiro’s technical skills, dominant personality, and leadership abilities have not disappointed either. On Oct. 7, the girls

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Sports

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SPORTS

TOWER/OCTOBER 26, 2021

Athletics re-enter the FAA as competition kicks off one of the top teams in the FAA and have an impressive enough record to merit an invitation.

NYSAIS operates a little differently. Once Sports Editor the regular season is complete, Masters will send in their results and apply to compete in the postseason. All games that Masters plays fter two years out of the Fairchester against New York schools count for NYSAIS, Athletic Association (FAA), The Mas- while all games against Connecticut schools ters School has rejoined the league count for NEPSAC. Since the FAA has schools and competition as sports fully return to cam- in both Connecticut and New York, competipus. tion spans the border.

Masters’ athletic program as a whole is a According to Condon, a part of the agreepart of the FAA and competes in both the New ment to re-enter into the FAA was that Masters England Preparatory School Athletic Council would not compete in postseason play for three (NEPSAC) and New York State Association of years in order to allow Masters’s programs to Independent School (NYSAIS) competitions. build up to a level competitive enough with the “[The decision to rejoin] was so that we had other schools. The programs while rebuilding an opportunity to get our students to get rec- will still compete and be competitive in NYognized through All-New-England and FAA SAIS. First and Second “We need to teams, and it enbuild those proBeing in the FAA does not only give ables us to have, grams to be comus something to compete for, but it come postseason petitive within time, up to three the FAA while gives our student-athletes a platform on opportunities to being able to which to showcase their skills. compete, ‘’ Athcompete within letic Director NYSAIS immeLogan Condon - Juan Cobos, Athletics Operations Manager diately,” Condon said.

Having said. multiple comWhile this petitions allows was a general athletes to show their abilities on a broader agreement, the league has allowed for some scale. “Being in the FAA does not only give us teams to still compete, including several fall something to compete for, but it gives our stu- season sports such as boys and girls soccer, dent athletes a platform on which to showcase girls volleyball, and cross country. For the wintheir skills,” said Athletics Operations Manag- ter season, the school will compete in the FAA er Juan Cobos. for boys and girls basketball, and both swim The Masters School is one of 12 schools teams. In the spring boys tennis, baseball, and that compete within the FAA. The top four track will compete in the FAA. While some teams after the regular season go to single athletic programs at Masters will need a few elimination playoffs, semifinals and then finals. years to strengthen and become competitive NEPSAC is a competition that includes schools in the FAA, those programs will still be able to from New Jersey all the way up to Maine. To be compete with potential postseason play. eligible for NEPSAC, Masters must finish as While some programs will have to wait

Noah Kassell-Yung

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Isaac Cass/Communications

SENIOR DANIEL HELLER SHOOTS the ball during boys’ varsity soccer’s win over Greenwich Country Day School (GCDS) on September 21. The Panthers crushed The Browning School by a score of 7-1 in their first win of the season. The boys’ varsity soccer team, now 8-1-1 on the season, is one of the handful of teams at Masters that competes in the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA). three years to compete in the playoffs, the FAA does not acknowledge boys volleyball, fencing, and indoor track so those teams do not have FAA play. The Masters’ girls tennis program competes in the fall while the FAA holds girls competition in the spring so the team does not compete in the FAA. Having a competitive season back for the first time in over a year and a half was met with excitement and anticipation from athletes and

coaches alike. Adding an additional prestigious competition to the schedule added fuel to an already blazing fire.

“Now that we’re playing for a championship everyone got a lot more serious,” said Boys Varsity Soccer captain Kyle Benson. “I think we can win everything. There’s three championships we’re working towards, we have a very solid team, and I’m very confident with the players we have that we are capable of accom-

Panther Commits!

Co-ed field hockey team defends against pushback from other schools boys playing on the field hockey team, and said the team.

“If there is not a paired sport, like baseball and how touched and proud he was of his team after hearing their decision. softball, boys and girls are allowed to play on the Lead Opinion Editor “They can play, but because of us, they don’t,” same team, they just have to go through a clearJiao said. ance process,” Condon said. This process entails Of the situation, Coach Alexis Di Domeni- a physical fitness test, a skill level test, and more. or the first time in school history, the varsi- co said, “They do The reason the boys ty field hockey team has boys on their ros- not want to comare playing on the ter. Although co-educational field hockey pete against boys We, as a team, decided that we’re one girls team is because is generally accepted within the sport and is com- – they’ve made that hockey is not a team. And without those two members, we’re field mon in college, many local high schools are less clear. They think it’s paired sport, meanaccustomed to this change and have decided not dangerous…We, as not a full team. So, we’re going to play as a full ing Masters does to compete against a co-ed team. a team, decided that team or we’re not going to play at all. not have a boys field Masters’s team of 16 girls and two boys were we’re one team. And hockey team.

- Alexis Di Domenico, scheduled to play a home game against Riverdale without those two Condon stated, Country Day School on Friday, Oct. 1. However, members, we’re not “The NYSIAS mixed Varsity Field Hockey Coach Riverdale refused to play, citing the issue of boys a full team. So, we’re competition rules being on the team. The varsity team was given the going to play as a full are in place to prooption to continue and play without the boys on team or we’re not going to play at all.” vide opportunities for all of our students to parthe field but the team collectively decided against Before the 2021-2022 school year had be- ticipate in interscholastic competitions without it. gun, the boys had received clearance from the excluding from competing due to sexual identity.

Pinqi Jiao, also known as Bob, is one of the two Head Athletic Director Logan Condon, to play on These opportunities are for students who participate in specific sports that do not have the male/ female equivalent.”

Schools have said they are concerned for their players’ safety when it comes to competing against boys because of their genetic build. Di Domenico, though, thinks coaching is the key to playing a safe and fun game.

“I think it is okay if I play with girls. We follow the rules and don’t hurt others…..we will play schools who want us [the boys] to play,” Jiao said.

Condon sent out an email to all of the schools Masters’ field hockey team was scheduled to play against in the upcoming weeks. All the Fairchester Athletic Association schools (FAA) have replied and continue to keep their games scheduled regardless whether or not the boys play.

However, the Ivy League schools, including Riverdale and Horace Mann, have yet to reply.

Tower reporters have reached out to the Athletic Directors of the Riverdale Country School and Horace Mann but have not heard back at time of this publication. A player on the Horace Mann field hockey team, who asked to remain anonymous, stated that their Head of School, Matt Ives Dr. Thomas M. Kelly, met with the team and SOPHOMORE SHAOQUAN “JEROME” CHEN shields the ball from an opposaid it, “wasn’t their choice” to play against boys. nent in the varsity field hockey game against King on October 13. The Panthers Every other player on the Horace Mann team has lost the game 4-0 in their first competition in over three weeks. This marked the refused to comment and was not comfortable team’s fourth ever game being co-ed. with an interview.

plishing our goals.”

The addition of the FAA to our athletics will have a large impact on and off the field for Masters.

Condon said, “I’m super excited because it gives us more opportunities to compete which means more time on the field, which means more recognition for our student athletes, and most of all, it means participation in postseason play.”

Sabine Godwin, ‘23 committed to Johns Hopkins Lacrosse ‘27

Rowan McWhinnie

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I just wanted a good academic school so I can be set up for life. . .and also they [Johns Hopkins] just happen to be a top 20 [lacrosse] program.

- Sabine Godwin, ‘23 Photo courtesy of Sabine Godwin

Camille Smith, ‘22 committed to Lehigh Soccer ‘26

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I chose Lehigh University because I was going to be pushed academically and pushed athletically.

- Camille Smith, ‘22

George Chang