Salmagundy Winter 2022

Layout by: Jianing (Jennifer) Lin ’24

SALMAGUNDY The Official Student Newpaper of Miss Porter’s School Winter 2022

NEWS SALMAGUNDY

INSIDE THE BUBBLE

2023 National Girls and Women in Sports Day: Mercedese E. “Ellie” Large ’81

By Lucy Newmyer ’23 Inside the Bubble News Editor On Wednesday, February 1st, the Miss Porter’s School community gathered in the Hacker Theater to observe the 37th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). In her opening remarks, Head of Athletics Ellen Jacobson ’23 shared that the day is recognized to encourage girls to play, be active, and realize their full potential while honoring the achievements of women in sports and their ongoing struggle for equality. Jacobson also reminded the audience that the 50th anniversary of Title IX, prohibiting discrimination based on sex in educational programs, was celebrated only last summer. She emphasized that while not all Porter’s students participate in athletics on campus, everyone benefits from Title IX and the commitment of NGWSD founders.

For the first in-person NGWSD celebration since before the pandemic, Porter’s welcomed back Ancient and 2021 MPS Hall of Fame inductee Mercedese E. “Ellie” Large ’81. A devoted student-athlete (and Squirrel!), Mrs. Large played varsity soccer at Porter’s and tried numerous other sports in her time in Farmington. Though she was cut from the MPS varsity lacrosse team, she went on to play both soccer and lacrosse for Tufts as well as squash and track and field. In 1985, she led the Tufts women’s lacrosse team to an undefeated season and became their first lacrosse player to score over 100 goals.

Students with Mercedese E. “Ellie” Large ’81 Photo Credit: Emma Thrugood via Miss Porter’s School dents are expected to avoid extremes of either casual unconcern or ostentation”—though there was a required athletic uniform of a “royal blue kilt, white blouse, team sweatshirt, navy blue sweatpants, team or white socks and white tennis sneakers.”

Even as she eventually turned her attention to her athletic career, Mrs. Large continued to focus on sports as a tool for connection, friendship, and healing after personal tragedies. She advised students to “never stop moving,” whether or not that includes competitive sports, and to “look around and make sure you know that you have friends who care Mrs. Large prefaced her presentation with general information on her for you,” because Ancients are “everywhere.” time at Porter’s, including photos of her friends, campus, and the handbook. The audience erupted with laughter at photos of Porter’s students Mrs. Large truly embodies the spirit of National Girls and Women in smoking in their dorm basements in the late ’70s, a $6,300 yearly tu- Sports Day. Athletes and non-athletes alike were captivated by Mrs. ition, and traditions like the Old Girl-New Girl Field Hockey Game. Large’s story and the honesty and humor with which she shared her Mrs. Large’s MPS dress code was not too different from today’s—“Stu- Porter’s, Tufts, familial, and professional experiences.

After playing four sports competitively in college, plus participating in skiing, rowing, and ice hockey, Mrs. Large suffered an ACL injury and turned to golf. Now, she is an accomplished amateur golfer and consistently ranks high on the women’s master circuit in New England.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

By Elizabeth Cargan ’23 Opinions Editor On January 16th, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Day took place. The planning committee created the day around Black joy, titling it “Breaking Down Barriers and Building Black Joy.” The day began with performances, which were followed by workshops and a master class, and finally finished off with an OEI photo shoot and special treat.

Princess Moore ’26, Genesis Lewis ’26, and Summer Bell ’26 kicked off the day with a show-stopping step performance. Next, Head of Diversity Zoe Brown ’23 introduced Gené Jones, who joined the community for the second MLK Community Day in a row, this time hosting a

“I Have a Dream Mural” Photo Credit: Stephen Wang via Miss Porter’s School

live performance. Gené led the audience in a meditation, and focused on her higher vibration in her music. Gené had an interactive performance, using polls to get the audience involved.

In addition to a master class led by Gené Jones, there were a variety of workshops in the afternoon including: -“Who did it first?” with Nyla Liburd ’24, Savannah Smith ’24, Alyssa Idusuyi ’23, and Nora Jean-Jacques ’23, to shed light on innovation Princess Moore ’26, Genesis Lewis ’26, and Summer Bell ’26 created by Black people. They explored cultural appropriation, and the (Not Pictured) Photo Credit: Stephen Wang via Miss Porter’s School difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.

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SALMAGUNDY -“Black Joy in Film and Media” was hosted by Zoe Brown ’23 and through media, news, policies, etc, which have caused conflict between Elizabeth Akomolafe ’23 where they explored the experiences of Black he oppressed groups. The workshop emphasized the importance of celpeople through film and media. For the first part of the workshop, we ebrating and embracing solidarity between minority groups. watched experts of media representing Black Joy and had discussions. “I Have a Dream Mural” was hosted by Evelyn Sanchez ’23 and Mar-“Stepping in the Black community; its history and significance” was shury Malla ’23. They brought the community together to create a large hosted by Princess Moore ’26, Genesis Lewis ’’26, and Summer Bell mural , serving as a reminder to embrace our identities, continue the ’26 where they explored stepping, its history, and how it developed. fight for social justice, and acknowledge how far we have come. While -“Connections Through Food” was hosted by Allana Walker ’24 and creating this mural, they also listened to music by Black artists to put Iris Cepeda ’25 to learn to bake cornbread and talk about the history of an emphasis on Black joy. the meal and the connection between food and people. They discussed the importance of cornbread on plantations and before being brought to The day had a variety of educational opportunities for students, as well the Americas. as faculty members, and performances that celebrated Black joy. To -“Relations Between the Black and Asian Community Throughout finish off the afternoon, there was a photo shoot for the heads of Office United States History” was hosted by Jenn Lin ’24, Leeah Han ’24, of Equity & Inclusion Orgs followed by cookies from Brown Butter Mary Zheng ’25, and Arianna Vasson ’26, where they discussed the Creations, a Black owned bakery. purposely created divide between the Asian and Black communities

From the Periodicals to the CT Superior Court: The Legal Journey of Porter’s Mock Trial Team

By Yulisa Ma ’26 Staff Writer Spotted: Formal business suits, majorly black and white, professional-like. A mysterious Porter’s crowd was seen behind the Dance Barn on Friday, January 13th.

Far from a “cursed” day, it was the Porter’s Mock Trial Team’s annual Trial Date—the big conference day when they go to court and fight for justice. The group had been preparing for this since the beginning of the school year; the witnesses’ memorizing, the affidavits reciting, the lawyers preparing cross-examinations, the heads organizing meetings and giving instructions, and countless breakfast preparations. Their hard work paid off, and the “young lawyers” were debuting on their first trial in the Connecticut Superior Courthouse.

What made the experience more special was the team. Due to unexpected circumstances, Porter’s green team, which consisted of returning members, was unable to compete. Therefore, Porter’s white team, which was comprised of novices, had to compete with other schools’ advanced teams instead. The members all just started this year, yet now they carried the burden of facing competent opponents. However, they went through the trials calmly, not overwhelmed by the other team and pressure, and tried their best while learning from the experience.

In the morning for the first round, the white plaintiff team encountered Fairfield High School’s advanced team. They were shocked by their perfection: professional terminologies that they had never heard of, harsh and critical questions, fully recited rebuttals, etc. The first time experiencing a real trial, the team sometimes panicked without knowing what to do, or how to proceed. The opposition raised all kinds of objections that inundated the team. But they did not lose faith, and were not beaten down; they put aside their anxiety and bravely carried on.

The team united and cheered each other up, remained organized, and moved on step by step till the very end.

The Mock Trail Team, Photo Credit: Miss Porter’s Communications ties of the trial. Not affected by the rival team, they followed their steps, gradually moving on. Things went on smoothly, until the cross-examination. Witnesses got a bit nervous and slipped their tongues. Little incidents did not bring the team down; on the other hand, they confidently moved forward and tempted to trap the other team’s witness, ended up impeaching one of them. “I’m super proud of all of our lawyers. Even though we didn’t win, we managed to get a witness impeached and we had super strong opening and closing statements. It was an amazing experience for everyone. Next year will be even better!” said Anya Kumar ’26, a witness on the defense white team.

It was a fruitful day for the mock trial team. All their work, collaboration, and support for each other contributed to their amazing performance.

Despite not getting into the regionals, they still learned, practiced, and progressed. The “lawyers” gained so many valuable experience and successfully made it through their first appearance in court. They startIn the second round in the afternoon, the white defense team competed ed from the Periodicals and ended at the Connecticut Superior Court. against Kingswood Oxford’s red team. This time, the lawyers and wit- This is just their first visit on their journey in the legal field, and would nesses were more prepared after understanding the process and formali- not be their destiny. We shall wait and see the informidable growth of the fighting daisies in the future!

Riley Brewster’s Prescott Speech

By Annabelle Horst ’26 and Addy McNear ’26 Staff Writer “The field is the binder, the field is the encompassing space, energy, into a personal world from Brewster’s art. Not only did Brewster’s being that holds and gathers everything else inside of it. It’s the thing paintings give him a sense of solidarity in numerous ways, but also a that things emerge out of and back into.” sense of connection with others. Furthermore, Mr. Torrence said that —Riley Brewster the shape and color of the work gave the art a sense of presence.

In early December, students and faculty of Miss Porter’s School gath- Zoe O’Dea ’23, a former studio art student, interpreted Brewster’s art as ered in the Hacker Theater to listen to the meaning behind Prescott abstract. Both Torrence and O’Dea’s interpretations connect with what speaker Riley Brewster’s art.

Brewster was trying to convey with his paintings. In his presentation, Brewster states, “my work constitutes… are not things, not images, not Riley Brewster is a talented artist, who is currently an art professor surface description of things, not even of walkable spaces.” His work is at Western Connecticut State University and has previously taught at abstract, not a fixed object, which is part of the beauty of his art. There many colleges and universities. Brewster is also a dear friend of our are innumerable interpretations of Brewster’s work: every single perArts Department Chair, Mr. Grier Torrence. Brewster’s work delves son can see, be, or feel something different when they observe his art. into the world of color and texture. His work brings the observer into an entirely different world and is able to be interpreted in many ways. After we interviewed Mr. Torrence on Brewster’s art, we asked him to When interviewed, Mr. Torrence talked about how he was transferred expand on their friendship and Mr. Brewster as a person overall. Tor-

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ferent, as the former has more of a representation and figuration style, while the latter takes on a more abstract form. However, Mr. Torrence said this was not always the case. Torrence and Brewster both studied the same art and even had some of the same classes during graduate school at Yale. They also took inspiration from great artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gaugin, and Albert Pinkham Ryder. This caused them to have a similar art style at first. Mr. Torrence described this style as figuration, representation, and romantic impressionism.

However, artists grow, change, and develop throughout their careers.

Torrence stated that eventually, Brewster’s work started to focus more on simply the paint, which made his work become more abstract. We asked Mr. Torrence why he did not bring in any more of his past pieces, as presenting his past works would show us his development as an artist. Torrence responded that “he wanted to give you a slice of the Photo Credit: Stephen Wang via Miss Porter’s School present time.” rence and Brewster met in first grade, with their friendship continuing for 63 years filled with fond and fun memories. Mr. Torrence stated Mr. Torrence said that he hopes students took away a feeling of encourthat Brewster’s dedication was a major inspiration to him, and also de- agement from Mr. Brewster’s visit—listening to their inner self and scribed Mr. Brewster as exceedingly authentic and even heroic. When following their passions, just as Brewster had done. He also hopes that asked about how he chose Mr. Brewster to be the Prescott Speaker, Mr. the community comprehended the sense of being present and in the moTorrence replied that he knew that the time was right for Mr. Brewster ment that Brewster’s art tried to convey. Everyone can find the shape, to speak to our school and inspire our community. He also informed texture, and colors of their personal world, and through that follow their us that Mr. Brewster will be critiquing the works of current studio art own creative path. Mr. Torrence said a quote that we think truly encapsulates Brewster’s passion and dedication, that “Brewster lives for his students in the spring. work”. Riley Brewster is a role model to us all, as he is someone who It may seem that Mr. Torrence’s and Mr. Brewster’s work is very dif- is immensely passionate about his craft, and has astonishing dedication.

OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE

Universal Design: Creating Accessible Cities for Everyone

By Katherine Rosenorn ’24 Outside the Bubble News Editor In the 1940s, Jack Fisher petitioned the city manager of Kalamazoo, MI, for people of all ages and abilities to access and navigate the building. to make its sidewalks more accessible. When the first gradually sloped sidewalk called a “curb cut” was installed, the idea of Universal Design To simply have UD is not enough, it needs to be affordable to all. Many (UD) was created. A “curb cut” allows individuals in wheelchairs or on building and design industries responded to this need for change and bicycles to smoothly transition from streets to walkways. As accessibil- accessibility by producing “special” products and places for special ity laws became more common, society progressed towards an import- groups at a premium price. The history of UD consistently shows a ant idea: making public and private societal spaces easily accessible for need to go beyond this. According to UD principles, each space should all. Disability rights activists built off of this in the 1960s when protests be designed so that all people can use it to the greatest extent possible— were staged to pass legislation that became the foundational ideas for every faucet, every door knob, every entrance, and every telephone.

UD. Laws such as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 and the Re- Ashton Rohmer, an ancient of Miss Porter’s School and a PHD student habilitation Act of 1973 established minimum requirements to protect at George Mason University who specializes in city planning, elaboratpeople with disabilities from discrimination in society. This is where ed on this point by saying, “While I hope that universal design strateUD was born. gies are increasingly adopted as baseline standards in urban planning and engineering circles across the country, I want to see the underlying UD is a principle that strives to create products and spaces that are thinking applied beyond simple design tweaks to our built environment. accessible to all, both physically and financially, which mainly focuses . .We need to consider how the entire system operates in order to ensure on benefiting those with disabilities. There are seven core principles of our communities truly benefit everyone.”

UD which include equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort and Accessibility is essential to an inclusive environment and creating acappropriate size, and space for approach and use. The act of installing a cessible physical spaces, electronic content and learning environments, lever design instead of a round door knob is a fantastic example of UD. requires additional thought and planning at the beginning stages. It is Just changing the type of door handle allows those with restricted mo- much easier and cost effective to plan for accessibility at the outset than bility to more easily open a door, making it accessible for people with to attempt to retrofit an inaccessible space, program or course to make arthritis, people in wheelchairs, or a small child to nudge the door open. it accessible. UD benefits a wide range of people with varying learning As renowned Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa said, “The door handle styles, preferences and abilities and could be an essential step towards is the handshake of the building,” and it signals how easy it might be creating systems that include everyone.

ART & TRAVEL SALMAGUNDY

INSIDE THE BUBBLE

Student Diversity Leadership Conference 2022

By Leeah Han ’24 Outside the Bubble News Editor The Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is an annual con- are typically student leaders who seek to learn how to better and more ference held by National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) effectively implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) into in conjunction with People of Color Conference (POCC). Last year’s their respective school communities. In all, there were approximately conference, which was held in San Antonio from November 30th to De- 1,600+ students at the 2022 SDLC, from independent schools across cember 1st, marked the 29th anniversary of SDLC and had a theme of the nation and even across the globe. These 1,600+ students were sep“We The People: Leveraging Our Community to Preserve Our Human- arated into “family groups”, all of which were named after influential ity.” The Miss Porter’s students who attended the 2022 SDLC were: and inspirational figures throughout history; these family groups usuZoe Brown ’23, Evelyn Sanchez ’23, Leeah Han ’24, Mary Zheng ’25, ally consist of about 70-80 students and allow for deeper and personal Georgia Achilles ’26, and Makoto Suzuki ’26. Those who attend SDLC connections between students.

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The purpose of the conference is to show and teach student leaders the importance of practicing empathy, communication, and analysis with themselves and the world around them. Furthermore, all of the student training at SDLC revolves around an understanding that intersectionality, a concept used to describe the ways in which the various aspects of one’s identity overlap and cumulatively affect one’s experiences, is present and necessary in all DE&I work. More specifically, the conference explores “eight core cultural identifiers” (Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality, Religion, Socioeconomic Class, Age, Ability, and Family Structure) and the unique ways in which each identity shows up in one’s life. In examining and learning about the intersectionality of our own identities as well as the identities of other attendees through a variety of activities, students were able to gain a deeper understanding of how lived experiences and subconscious biases contribute to the treatment that one gives and receives in society.

The 2023 SDLC will be held in St. Louis, Missouri. At Miss Porter’s, six attendees are chosen each year to attend the conference: the sophomore, junior, and senior Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) representatives, the Head of Diversity, and two students who are randomly selected from the general student body; it is the shared responsibility of SDLC attendees to bring back and imbed their gained knowledge to the work they do within their school community.

The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Family Group at SDLC 2022 their respective schools. The environment at SDLC is—very purposefully—one of an incredibly diverse set of identities; this ensures that there exists, in the space, a myriad of similar experiences. Because of this incredibly inclusive community, attendees are able and encouraged to fully and transparently connect with others.

I believe that the full SDLC experience can only be felt by those who are truly vulnerable and embrace the ensuing uncomfortability. Though I can SDLC is an experience that is unlike any other. The level of excellence, only speak from personal experience, I can state with confidence that I left the 2022 Student Diversity Leadership Conference not only having gained love, community, and passion in the conference space is unmatched and a multitude of crucial DE&I related knowledge but also with a place in continues to inspire and resonate with attendees long after they return to something resembling a second family.

Looking Without Fear: The MPS Photography Club’s Trip to Wolfang Tillmans’ MoMa Exhibit

By Addy McNear ’26 Staff Writer “I see my installations as a reflection of the way I see, the way I perceive or want to perceive my environment, they’re also always a world that I want to live in.”

—Wolfgang Tillmans, To Look Without Fear On December 11th, the Miss Porter’s Photography Club took a trip to the world of Wolfgang Tillmans, in his exhibit at MoMa titled “To Look Without Fear.” Students observed a layout of photographs, from polaroid to poster sized works aand fuzzy photos with friends to photos that captured a movement, which were all placed to convey Tillmans’ idea of looking without fear. These photos explored multiple genres; encapsulating memories, politics, and other events curated by Tillmans. This visit exploring the mind of Tillmans was arranged by the heads and faculty advisors of Photography Club: Madison Donelson ’23, Jaya Magavi ’23, and Annika Mannix ’23.

Photo Credit: Addy McNear ’26 I interviewed Annika Mannix ’23, asking a few questions about her experience and opinion on Wolfgang Tillmans. Mannix first discovered Tillmans after hearing Arts and Photography teacher, Josh Bezdek, mentioning the name in Photography class. She was then inspired by Tillmans’ “comfort to shoot such a wide variety of subjects in such a wide variety of subjects and in such different ways.” Mannix felt that Tillmans’ less prominent style showed her that she can “shoot whatever [she wants] whenever [she feels] like it.” She also shares Tillmans’ passion of capturing nature, and hopes that she and other students will mimic his use of editing and angles. Mannix shared that choosing a favorite work of Tillmans was difficult as she felt all of the photos worked together to create a feeling. That being said, one photograph that captures the crashing of a wave (shown below in Image 1) stuck out to her and absorbed her attention for a few minutes.

Mannix’s amazement with Tillmans’ work was shared among many of the photography club students that day, as many students felt inspired as they looked at the curation of Tillmans’ work. Mannix hopes that students enjoyed the trip, and that the unconventional exhibit will cause students to feel more comfortable in their journey of exploring their photography styles even in ways that society may not deem as normal.

Photo Credit: Addy McNear ’26

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The Juniors’ 2023 AIS France Trip

By Jianing (Jenn) Lin ’24 Editor-in-Chief The Juniors’ trip to France was filled with croissants, beautiful architec- A very important aspect of our trip was being a traveler instead of a ture, memorable meals, and incredibly windy weather. For 12 days, we tourist. This means fully immersing ourselves in the areas we visited. explored Provence, a picturesque region in the south of France By the end of our trip, the general consensus was that it truly felt like we were living in Avignon, rather than just visiting. Everyone in the group had favorite restaurants, shopkeepers they were familiar with, and places they loved to visit. One of our favorite activities was the DIY meals. This is when the chaperones gave us each a budget and we were free to find our own food and we were able to explore the town all on our own. Some other activities that allowed the class to fully explore the area were scavenger hunts, murder mysteries, and “spot the Virgin Mary” games with our guide Julien. According to him, there are so many Virgin Mary statues embedded in the buildings of Avignon because they were where the locals gathered when churches were not available.

Group Picture of the AIS Global Experience France Class in an Ancient Palace Photo Credit: AIS Global Experience France Class

During our time in Avignon (a small, historic town in the south of France), we had the pleasure of meeting and learning from many different locals. They taught us not only about the history of the region but also about the culture. From our favorite local, Elsa, we learned all about “Le Mistral”, the wind that blows in the South of France, an essential part of the local culture. We also kept going back to the focus of our class, which is cities, and how people live in city environments.

One essential question that we tried to address throughout the journey was: how do we make choices about what we preserve and what we change? Specifically looking at this question through the lens of city planning and urban design.

The view of Avignon from the tallest point in the city Photo Credit: Jianing (Jenn) Lin

Although this trip was filled with fun experiences, the group also learned a lot! We explored topics such as urban planning, the preservation of art and history, transportation, sustainability in cities, and much more. The last half of our trip was mostly dedicated to doing research on topics such as transportation, art, architecture, sustainability, and pollution for our trip projects. However, instead of googling architecture, we walked outside of our hotel room and looked around at the historic architecture that surrounded us. We were able to collect first-hand information on the topics that interested us, this included everything from graffiti to bike paths in cities. After putting our projects together, each group took turns presenting them. Some groups did walking tours of the city, while others wrote picture books.

A Picture of a small fisherman’s village in the middle of the city of Marseille Photo Credit: Jianing (Jenn) Lin ’24

To learn more about cities, we got to fully explore Avignon, we even took day trips to three different cities and towns in the area, including Marseille, Uzès, and Arles. Visiting historic towns, taking cooking classes with chefs, and sketching the city all taught us something related to our coursework and learning objectives. We even took three different types of trains to Marseille, including a bullet train and the metro, in order to learn about French transit systems!

One group of students with their project - a picture book on graffiti Photo Credit: AIS Global Experience France Class

This trip allowed students to explore their own interests while tying together the content of our coursework. Stay tuned for our Demonstration of Learning exhibition to discover more about our trip and all we’ve Students on one of three types of trains the class took to Marseille learned!

Photo Credit: AIS Global Experience France Class

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SPECIAL COLUMN

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PORTER’S BEHIND THE SCENES Behind the Scenes: William Fletcher, Dining Hall Staff

By Nina Carvalho ’24 and Audrey McDaniel ’24 Staff Writers Serving at the creation station, William Fletcher always greets every- “[I love] seeing you guys come in and getting excited about what I make.” body who walks through the dining hall—students, faculty, staff, and the small children that can barely see over the counter—with a warm Other than the preparation of food, Fletcher has many other interests, smile. Curious about this friendly dining hall staff, we interviewed one of which is being an avid Disney fan. Not only does he have a Fletcher on what his daily life looks like and got to know him more as Mickey Mouse tattoo, but he also wears a Mickey Mouse necklace ala person. most every day. What’s more, he also has around twenty Mickey Mouse plushies (big and small) at his house.

Fletcher’s day starts off with an alarm ringing at 6:30 AM that ensures he is in the kitchen by 7:00 AM. From then on, he prepares food for Unlike the Mickey Mouse tattoo that stands out on Fletcher’s forearm, lunch until 10:00 AM and, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM, he is “right he claims that “[he has] a lot [of other tattoos] that [we] can’t see”. there in [his] spot, [the creation station.]” After lunch, Fletcher has a Fletcher’s first tattoo was a small rose, now faded, placed on top of short break until 2:00 PM, before cleaning up and finishing his day a scar. His most recent tattoo, collected over break, was his baby anaround 3:00 PM. gel tattoo: “there’s not really a meaning; I like it.” Fletcher has a few more, including a mermaid, which features his zodiac sign, Pisces, and Though Fletcher is new to the community, he is seasoned in the food a scythe. He explains the latter by saying: “I wanted to get the Grim industry. Fletcher studied cuisine in college, because he believed that Reaper, but it hurt so much I told him to stop.” Though Fletcher does “anyone can be a cook” and the degree would allow him to “get paid have more unrevealed tattoos, he concluded by describing the last ones more, and taken more seriously” in the field. After college, Fletch- visible on his forearm—an eye and his birth year, 1996. er worked in various restaurants around the Hartford area including Panera, Friendly’s, J. Timothy’s Tavern, Doro Marketplace, and more. To continue this series of understanding and getting to know who influFletcher begun his work at Porter’s only four months ago,: he discov- ences the Porter’s community, we asked Will who he thinks we should ered the job opening online, walked in for an interview, and was hired interview next. He left us with the description of a man who is “buff, on the spot. When questioned about the decision to work here, Fletcher with a chiseled chin, kind of bald, smiles a lot [and is] really friendly.” responded, “I was in the restaurant business for a long time and I decid- Will says that this “buff guy” is in the dining hall every morning, and ed that I wanted to go at a slower pace”. This slower pace has allowed wants to make sure that when we interview him, we ask him what his him to feel more comfortable and connected with the Porter’s commu- workout routine is. Though we do not know his name, we hope to disnity and his food. “I like making people smile with my food,” he says, cover who he is so we can bring his stories to the rest of the community.

Stay tuned for our next article in the Spring Issue!

Spongebob the Musical

By Tenley Davis ’26 and Evana Jang ’26 Staff Writers Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREP- In terms of costume design, Margo Feely ’23 has been the main person working on creating the colorful and wild costumes. She picks out the ANTS! costumes from “The Cage,” which is a giant closet full of costumes at Spongebob the Musical was chosen for the 2022-2023 winter trimes- Porter’s. Her main role as a costume designer is to design the costumes ter, featuring both Miss Porter’s School and Avon Old Farms School. with the character’s most memorable design traits. She uses clothing During rehearsals, the actors are submerged into an underwater paradise that she has access to and uses creativity to make them into costumes known as Bikini Bottom, where they get lost in depths of the whimsical that people can recognize as the characters. Because Feely is an actor and comical adventure of performance like none other. Everyday, they and a designer, it’s hard to find time to dress people; however, Ms. come together and rejoice in the alluring tunes sung by themselves and Couch has been helping tremendously in making the process smoother. their fellow cast members.

Because the show is fast paced, the actors are required to make quick Some of the most popular songs they sing include “Bikini Bottom Day,” costume changes, set changes, and often dance in major numbers that “I’m Not a Loser,” and “When the Going Gets Tough.” The musical can take a lot of energy and focus to perform. This can be hard eswill be performed from February 23-25 at the Avon Old Farms theater. pecially after a long school day, however the cast has been nothing To get ready for their big day, the cast of Spongebob the Musical meets but supportive of each other so they can create a magical show from up at the AOF theater during the weekdays, where they rehearse from the depths of their hardworking hearts. They also demonstrated an immense amount of teamwork and trust within this experience, as the ac3:45 to 6 PM. Rehearsal includes singing songs, dancing, and acting. tors created a supportive atmosphere in which each and every person can count on one another to give their best each day!

We interviewed the director of the Spongebob Musical, Gwendolyn Couch, and asked her a few questions regarding the logistics and beOverall, the actors are having fun, and reaching outside of their comfort hind the scenes life. She said that she and Mr. Lea, the AOF music di- zones to create this play. Their hard work and talent will shine through rector, chose the idea of Spongebob because they wanted to produce a and be displayed for all to see. show that “has heart and allows the actors to bring simplicity and truth to the stage.” The show’s main plot will be about the characters having to face potential destruction of their home, Bikini Bottom.

The actors might be the main focus of the play, but there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes. The tech crew has been working hard, creating the “wild and wacky world of Bikini Bottom.” This play is trying to emphasize the importance of taking care of our environment, similar to how Mr. Krabs symbolizes large corporations who cause environmental harm and pollution and how Spongebob, who could be interpreted as a kitchen sponge discarded in the ocean, symbolizes waste and pollution. Because the show addresses environmental issues, the crew has been reusing materials found at home like using plastic cans as flowers, and using old hanging light fixtures as jellyfish. As a whole, the show conveys the message that we should take care of our environment.

SpongeBob Photo Credit: AIS Global Experience France Class

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ARTS & TRAVEL

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SALMAGUNDY

The Women Behind Your School Day

By Cate Callahan ’24 and Savannah Cox ’24 Staff Writer There are many aspects of the school’s daily operation that seeming- member of Porter’s for eight years. At first, Ms. Angle worked in ly remains a mystery to the students. We thought that it is important attendance and faculty hiring. She was also in charge of waking up for the students to attain a better understanding of who ensures the students who were late for classes..Ms. Angle’s current position at proper functioning of the school. So, we decided to explore the be- Porter’s is the registrar and Academic Office Coordinator, who is in hind-the-scenes of Miss Porters through a series of interviews by charge of collecting all grades, teacher comments, and ensuring that selecting a couple of community members whose positions are not all students complete their graduation requirements. She also managgenerally recognized. es the school calendar and puts together all students’ schedules. Ms. Angle informed us that she is “currently doing all the course requests We began by interviewing Lehanne Fenton, who is the Academic for next year.” She then went on to explain her roles beyond her Office Assistant for Porter’s Center for Global Leadership (PCGL). normal requirements. Ms. Fenton is also the organizer behind gradWe started the interview by hearing in her words what her job re- uation, banquets, award ceremonies, and faculty events. Despite her quires. Ms.Fenton explained that she mainly works in attendance, demanding job and being mostly unknown by the student body, Ms. and is tasked with following up and recording tardies, absences, and Angle says that she “generally [enjoys her] work.” To close the indetentions. For PCGL, she helps with travel logistics, forms for the terview, we asked why she has continued her work at Porter’s. She summer programs, the global seminar series, and the South Africa explains that Porter’s is a “very great environment to work in,” and program. When asked if there were any times her job felt particularly that she finds passion in her work and the mission of the school! overwhelming, Ms. Fenton responded that while working on the advertising campaign for the South Africa summer program, she often We began the process of this article excited to learn more about fachad “hundreds of emails pouring in” with questions. She did all this ulty members who work behind the scenes, and were surprised to while having to manage Mr. Quinn’s schedule and maintaining her learn just how much of daily school life is coordinated and organized prior duties. by these two women. Seemingly minute details of our day such as tardy emails or course requests are actually extensive operations that To stay on top of her job, Ms. Fenton says that she “is a visual per- wouldn’t be possible without the work of Ms. Fenton and Ms. Angle. son. . . [and has] to write things down.” She prefers to do so on sticky Though students may generally take their work for granted, without notes: “If I have a task to do then I’ll put it on a sticky note. . . I love them, the lives of our community would look very different (and checking things off my list so then I can throw that sticky note out probably far more stressful). We are so inspired by our conversation when I’m done! Mostly it’s about visuals, because if I don’t see it with these women, and we encourage Salmagundy readers to come then it doesn’t exist to me!” stop by on the second floor of Main to get to know these impressive women yourselves!

We also sat down with Brie Angle, who has been an important

SPORTS SALMAGUNDY

Messi Walk to Messi Sprint

By Mary Zheng ’25 Sports Editor On December 18, 2022, a total of a billion plus viewers worldwide around the field, setting up opportunities for his teammates to attack. tuned into the World Cup showdown playing out between Argen- More so, Messi’s slow and ostensibly purposeless rhythm soothes tina and France at Lusail Stadium, Qatar. They had their attention defenders into a state of lethargy, which leaves them hapless to his— transfixed on a small man walking back and forth. Lionel Messi, the blink and you miss it—attacks.

Argentine star striker, moseyed about the pitch, scoring three goals, assisting one, and ended up lifting the most desirable title in profes- One such example would be Messi’s sixty-fourth-minute goal for sional football ---“Champion of the World.”

Argentina against Mexico in a group-stage clash. It was a magical long-distance strike from twenty-five yards out of the post that resSome may guess that Messi has a magical way of keeping the ball cued the team’s then-teetering standing and broke ties with Poland under his feet despite his penchant for walking. However, to their and Mexico. As his teammates worked the ball towards the penalty surprise, statistics show that the 35-year-old ambler can be found off area, Messi snuck into the center of the pitch while slowing down the ball 85 percent of the time; often simply strolling around while his gait when reaching an area empty enough that he could lie down looking mildly uninterested. Such behavior is often connected with and take a nap. Then, he suddenly turns the harmless pacing into a selfish and opportunistic forwards—those who remain indifferent scuttle as the Argentine left forward Angel Di Maria sends the ball to and only cherry-pick goal-scoring opportunities. Messi, arguably, is Messi’s side. The next moment, Argentina lead. Messi scores. one of the most fruitful scorers of all time, winning a record number of Ballon d’Or, the international award given to the best soccer Statistics from the Athletic say that Messi is the sole player who has player of the year. His seemingly mysterious yet innocuous habit of walked more than anyone in the 2022 World Cup. By dawdling eframbling is not a sign of entitlement; it rather speaks to his high level fectively instead of sprinting full field, he saves energy and reduces of professionalism and efficiency regarding energy expenditure. the risk of injury, thus lengthening his career. Sauntering his way to Argentina’s World Cup triumph, at the age of 35, Lionel Messi reTo understand the game, any experienced coach or tactically-adept mains one of the world’s most valuable players. sports commentator would suggest one to keep their eyes off the ball.

Shifting focus from the local to the global is key to fully unraveling a labyrinth. “He is not running, but he’s always watching what happens,” Pep Guardiola, Messi’s former coach at Barcelona, a Spanish Premier League club, once said in an interview, “He smells the weak points in the back four. After five, ten minutes he has a map in his eyes, in his brain, to know exactly where is the space and what is the panorama.”

For Messi, consistent walking parallels observing and strategizing.

As he trudges back and forth, watchful opponents are often dragged

Photo Credit: CNN

Page 8

OPINIONS

Winter 2023

SALMAGUNDY

Saving Pandemic Teens’ Sleep Habits: Later Starting Times for School

By Mae Fourticq ’24 Staff Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the sleep sched- ticipate in extracurricular activities, many teens spent more time in their ules of teenagers. Due to the widespread closure of schools and the shift bedrooms and may have had trouble winding down and getting to sleep. to online learning, many teens have found their sleep routines disrupted.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the sleep schedules of teenagers, leading to changes in sleep timing, increased stress and Inadequate sleep is linked to a host of negative outcomes in youth, includ- anxiety, and disruptions in their social lives. The pandemic also offered a ing greater risk of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension as well as depres- unique window into observings teens’ sleep schedules when teenagers no sion, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse. It is also largely associated longer needed to commute to school, and in some cases, did not have to with deficits in attention and memory skills. In addition to mental and do their work at a specific time of day. Researchers found that teens were physical damage, sleep deprivation hinders academic success. In a study sleeping more because they could sleep later into the mornings, and felt done in the United States, teens who have irregular or poor sleep quality more rested and alert during online schooling, due to the flexible schedule may have worse grades and be absent or late more often. and extra sleep they were benefiting from.

One of the most common effects of the pandemic on teens’ sleep schedules is a delay in the timing of their sleep. With the absence of a regular school schedule and the increased amount of screen time from online learning, many teens were staying up later and sleeping in later in the morning. This shift in sleep timing can have negative consequences for their health, as it can disrupt their circadian rhythm and interfere with their ability to fall asleep and wake up at a consistent time.

With all of the research and knowledge of the relationship between teenagers and sleep, it is clear that adjusting school start times could greatly improve the performance and mental health of teenagers. Schools that have implemented late start times have been largely successful, with students reporting more nightly sleep and less sleepiness in the classroom with later start times. While pushing back start times would benefit students greatly, teens can also maintain healthy sleep habits by establishing a regular sleep The pandemic also disrupted the social lives of teenagers, impacting their schedule, limiting screen time before bed, and engaging in relaxation acsleep patterns. With fewer opportunities to socialize with friends and par tivities such as exercise and meditation.

Why do people hate the Brittney Griner deal?

By Claire Kaplan ’23 Staff Writer

On December 8, 2022, an innocent American returned home after spending nine months unjustly imprisoned in Russia. Brittney Griner, eight-time WNBA all-star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested last February for possession of two vapes and half a gram of hashish oil while playing in the Russian Women’s Basketball Premier League during the off-season. President Joe Biden successfully negotiated a deal wherein the United States returned Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer, in exchange for Griner’s safe release.

In that case, the question becomes, did we pay too much by releasing notorious arms dealer Victor Bout?

Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, was wrongfully detained in Russia four years ago on espionage charges, and still has not been released. But the notion that the U.S. could choose from among several Russian-detained citizens was flawed from the start. For whatever reason, Russia is refusing to release Whelan under any circumstances, and there seems to be nothing we can do about it.

There is so much to be proud of with this deal. As President Joe Biden remarked upon Griner’s release, “she represents the best America.”

Let’s go back to 2008, the year Bout was arrested. One would assume that the removal of such a dangerous man made the world safer, but according to the Congressional Research Service, international weapons trafficking sales the next year increased from approximately $82 billion to $90 billion.

To find the reason for this uptick, we can look to the narcotics trade, where I was pleasantly surprised to see the news of her release plastered on head- similar trends have been observed. In the illegal narcotics trade, once a lines in nearly every American newspaper. After all, an innocent woman major player is removed, there is space in the market for people to enter was reunited with her family after spending nearly a year in hell. What’s the trade. Trafficking becomes less localized, and sales increase. not to love?

Though counterintuitive, it’s possible that allowing Bout to participate in Apparently, a lot. I was shocked by the hatred and vitriol spewed all over the illegal arms trade would have kept the world safer. the internet. One anonymous Reddit user wrote in a since-deleted comment, “I hope every interview she’s asked how does it feel to have blood With that said, Bout was never as big a threat as headlines would suggest. on your hands. But they won’t”. I predicted that some people would be Just before his arrest, he was worth about $6 billion. The estimated profit dissatisfied, but nothing could have prepared me for the utter contempt that margin for arms dealing is approximately 30%, so it can be assumed he spills through the lines of such comments. sold around $18 billion worth of weapons over his entire career, though likely less. In 2015 alone, Russia and the United States sold over $170 I wanted to understand. billion in arms to developing nations. As Matt Potter, a journalist featured in the 2014 documentary “The Notorious Mr. Bout” writes in his piece I spent hours perusing opinion pieces on both sides of the political spec- for Time Magazine, “The uncomfortable truth is that those dealers are not trum, and found that the controversy boiled down to three questions. glorified man-with-a-pickup sole traders like Bout. They are larger players with names like Russia, China, Serbia, France, Italy, Israel… and the U.S.” Why didn’t the United States put its efforts into releasing longer-held Bout was never in the position to vastly influence the market, and he defiAmerican citizens such as Paul Whelan? nitely won’t be in a better position after 11 years in prison.

Brittney Griner was born and raised in Houston as the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and deputy sheriff. She spent her high school days on the court, working tirelessly to dunk like Michael Jordan, and, in doing so, revolutionized Women’s basketball. She grew up to not only become one Some experts say Russia is waiting on a potential trade for arrested oper- of the greatest basketball players in the world, but also an outspoken advoative Maria Butina. Others say Whelan can be freed through other means, cate for the rights of all Black women and members of the LGBTQ+ comsuch as the relaxation of economic sanctions. But at the end of the day, all munity. Brittney Griner exemplifies everything America strives towards: we can do is guess. perseverance, tenacity, and altruism. And now she is home.

The fact remains: the only reason Paul Whelan is still in a prison cell is that None of the reasons for critiquing Griner’s release hold up under scrutiny.

Russia has refused to release him, despite significant efforts over the past So I am left with only one reason for the outpouring of hatred, the same four years from two separate presidents and their administrations. reason that has plagued America since its conception. It is the only reason an Olympic gold medalist would be treated with such spite compared So why Brittney Griner? to another innocent person in much the same situation, or considered so much less valuable than an arms dealer.

The answer is simple: because we could. There is no queue to return home from Russia; those who are imprisoned first are not guaranteed to be re- At the end of the day, the only explanation for such vitriol towards this hosleased first. Was the U.S. supposed to hold off on Griner until Whelan’s tage trade is racial bias. Perhaps I was naive for hoping there was another, release could eventually be negotiated? How long would that take? Are we better rationale, and for wasting so much time trying to understand. And supposed to leave an innocent person in prison because she was detained yet I would rather be naive than abandon my belief in America’s potential. three years too late? We release who we can, when we can. This was never I’ll continue to read the news everyday, expecting the “best of America”. an either/or scenario.

And someday I’ll be right.