ATHLETICS:
STUDENT LIFE:
Fall Sports Season
New Food Service?
ARTS:
Arts Under the Stars
THE ACADEMYNEWS MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY’S STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER
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VOLUME XL, ISSUE I | OCTOBER 2016
EVENTS OCTOBER 29 Homecoming NOVEMBER 8 Election Day NOVEMBER 16 Conference Day
Students Work to Digest New Food Service Provider Julia Sanger ’18, Staff Writer
At around noon, on the first day of school, MKA students filed into the Dining Hall for their regularly scheduled lunch block expecting the usual array of Doritos, Rice Krispie Treats, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, and of course, Daquan’s brownies. Instead, the students found the racks stocked with an assortment of seaweed snacks and granola bars, and the freezers populated more heavily with packaged fruits and vegetables, rather than slices of cake.
INSIDE DEETJEN PREPARES FOR ANOTHER FALL SPECTACULAR Page 2 HALLOWEEN MAYHEM AND SAD CLOWNS Page 3 TRUMP CAMPAIGN UNITED? Page 4 POINT - COUNTERPOINT: KAEPERNICK Page 7
This fall, MKA introduced a new food provider to all three campuses: Butterbeans. The daily lunch offers six main options: a featured entrée, the salad bar, the sandwich bar, pre-packaged sandwiches and salads, and an alternative meal, typically some form of pizza. In a recent survey of 56 students, the sandwich bar was chosen to be the most popular among the meal options, with 25% of the votes. Each of the other meals earned 10-20% of the students’ votes, making the lunch choices, excluding the salad bar, with 3%, evenly enjoyed. For the past several years, Flik, another independent school dining program, steadily supplied lunch for MKA. However, according to Dr. Flocco, after financial disputes over Flik’s contract with the school, which would have resulted in “increased costs without a similar increase in quality,” MKA and Flik mutually
decided to discontinue their contract. A new company needed to be found, and after reviewing the top contenders, MKA decided to switch to Butterbeans. The first few months of the school year have been an adjustment period for Butterbeans. During the first week of school, long lunch lines were a cause of upset among students. However, over the first month, the lunch system has adapted greatly and now flows easily from 11:10 am to 1:00 pm every day. Rumors of a protest occurring at the MKA middle school campus have spread around the high school. According to Michele Cestone, an 8th grader, kids are increasingly bringing their own lunches, and a select few even group together to chant sayings such as, “We want pasta! We want grilled cheese! We want ice cream!” Upper School students are not nearly as bothered by the menu, and have adapted fairly well to the changes. For example, the aforementioned seaweed snacks have grown more and more popular among the student body, although a shock at first. Overall, the adjustment to Butterbeans is a work in progress, but a high percentage of students are happy enough to continue eating this food daily.
Academy News Staff: Editors in Chief:
Alex Rivlin ‘17 Rebecca Piccioto ‘18
Managing editor: Jonah Zinn ‘17
Sports Editor: Dani Wolk ‘17
Layout Editor: Miles Milke ‘17
Photo Editor:
Josh Levine ‘17
Staff Writers:
Chris Lewis ‘18 Dominic Flocco ‘18 Sarah Willis ‘18 Ethan Kuhl ‘18 Teddy bulajic ‘18 Cristina Cestone ‘18 Keenan McAuliffe ‘18 Julia Helliesen ‘19 Ruhee Juvekar ‘19
Student Life, Page 2
THE ACADEMY NEWS Bad News Brexit Abhay Bhandari ’18, Staff Writer
Brexit. A simple word that no one had heard of a year ago is quickly establishing its place in the lexicon through its political, social, and economic repercussions. Earlier this summer, the referendum passed and will lead to an eventual exit from the primary membership of the European Union, beginning in March 2017, according to new UK Prime Minister Theresa May. It is often said that Europe is a land of valleys, each with its own language, cuisine, and culture, that have a tendency to align or be at war depending on the situation. The EU has been an initiative of 28 nationstates (now 27) to create a common market for trade and employment, based on the bedrock of free movement. The development of the EU has been torturously slow but even critics agree that it has allowed Europe, as an aggregate, to develop a more efficient economy, a stronger voice in diplomacy, and enjoy peace (for the most part), since the last World War. In the last few years, however, there have been two significant developments. The aftershocks of the 2009 financial crisis created bailout needs within partner countries, which highlighted the fact that the monetary union cannot be sustained without a deeper political integration. Moreover, the Syrian refugee crisis exacerbated saddled the Union with millions of people, and not every country wanted to take their ‘fair’ share of this humanitarian crisis. The combination of the above factors has led to the increase in general popular backlash against the EU.
“This American Life: Three Miles” Provokes Reflection in the MKA Community Arianna Jobst ’20, Issue Contributer
Whether you spent your summer on the beach, sightseeing in Europe, or sleeping, you had to buckle down at some point and listen to a podcast assigned for summer homework. Most people before listening would find this a tedious task, the title Three Miles by This American Life not tempting. However, this podcast is filled with thought-provoking questions and issues. The podcast follows the life of several students attending a public school in the Bronx, and their lives subsequent to exchanging with a private school only three miles away. The students that attend the private school, Fieldston, live a much more privileged lifestyle than the students of the public school, University Heights. As the story progresses the listeners are introduced to a girl named Melanie. Part of the story follows Melanie’s breakdown after she visits Fieldston. We see that Melanie had extreme promise, teachers sure that she will go somewhere in life, with her intelligence and ambition high. Fast forward ten years and we see all of that ambition and intelligence wasted on a grocery store. Her story is only one compared to the hundreds of others who have similar stories, but due to the limited opportunities they had, they were stuck. As students of MKA, everyone is lucky to have the type of education, resources, community, and teachers that we all experience daily. Our educational lives can relate more to Fieldston students than University Heights. Although we should be grateful to be in such an amazing school, pointing out the fact that we are much more privileged than others can make one feel uncomfortable. What makes us more worthy to this education than others? Why are we luckier? These issues are real, and the MKA community hopes to create a safe space where everyone can discuss their thoughts about this podcast comfortably.
October 2016
The United Kingdom had joined the EU in a slow process and was always perceive d as a reluctant member. It had several special carveouts in its treaty agreements but enjoyed equal prominence due to its economic and diplomatic clout. The internal pressures of the policy led to Prime Minister David Cameron agreeing in 2014 to put the UK’s EU membership to a vote. He did not expect to lose, and neither did the pundits, but everyone underestimated the discontent and anger within the population and the referendum passed. Once the UK formally notifies the EU, the treaty allows for a two-year period to negotiate the exit. The key issue to discuss would be continued access to the common market for trade, without sharing the costs and burdens of the membership. The EU may also want to take a harder line to ensure this does not trigger a break-up within the entire Union. Scotland came close to seceding from the Union in 2015, but overwhelmingly voted to remain, with or without the UK. As the UK now prepares to explore the new territory that is operating as an independent nation, it will not be unique. The open question remains whether it will be able to avoid a recession, hold on to the strength of its currency, and in the long-term be better off. In this conversation, we have to constantly remind ourselves that the referendum was not lost due to economic disagreement. It was lost because the people were disenchanted with the current structure, and in a democracy, the people decide. I was in Scotland on the morning of the results and the pin-drop silence in a filled breakfast room was symbolic of it all. Later in the day, I was on a train to London- the heart of the “remain” side. An eerie silence consumed the train, until one man cried behind me what can best be described as true Londoner speak: “What the bloody hell have we done?”
Deetjen Prepares for Another Fall Spectacular John Colbert ’20, Issue Contributer
On November 3rd, the first performance of the MKA fall play will take place. Ten students will be on stage performing the result of over a month of preparation: an hour and a half of comedy. They will be performing Neil Simon’s Rumors, a self-described “elegant farce.” It tells the story of a dinner party where the host is missing from the celebration as the first guests discover. This is explained differently to all of the other guests who slowly arrive throughout the show, causing a great deal of confusion as differing stories are told to each of the guests. In reality, however, the host has shot himself in the ear and is recuperating in the main bedroom. Some have called Neil Simon the most successful playwright of all time. He has more Oscar and Tony nominations combined than any other writer, with three Tony awards and 14 more nominations. He is also the only playwright to ever win a Tony, Oscar, and Pulitzer prize. He is the author of The Odd Couple (often considered his most notable work), a play that was adapted into a successful film, television show, and several derivative television shows and plays. Simon’s plays typically have themes of marriage and family, and much of his comedy features dialogue between couples. He has ample experience to draw from for this comedy. He has been married 5 times, and is currently married to actress Elaine Joyce. Rumors has no shortage of spousal comedy, as every guest at the house party is married. This dialogue will be performed by a cast of experienced MKA actors, including Will Higgins, Jolie Curran, and Liam Gerard. Directed by Nicole Hoppe, the show will be up on November 3rd, 4th, and 5th with a matinee on the 6th.
October 2016 THE ACADEMY NEWS the crisis. In the Pasco County School District in Florida, a MKA’s Political Landscape: Seniors Discuss Their perpetrating Facebook post was circulated on September 30 stating, Ability to Vote “This morning a tweet from the “Ain’t Clowning Around” twitter site Student Life, Page 3
Sarah Willis ’18, Staff Writer
With the presidential election process nearing the finish line, a select few MKA seniors weighed in on their unique opportunity to be eligible to vote on November 8th. With such a controversial presidential race, it is no surprise that the responses to a simple question, “How do you feel about being able to vote,” took many different forms: some positive, some negative, and a few outright political. Jonah Zinn ’17, in particular, took the question as a chance to discuss his self-proclaimed love for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. “I mailed my voter’s registration a while ago. I’m extremely excited and proud to elect the first woman president. I think I’m the most excited to vote out of anyone else.” And he may be right. Carly Hatfield ’17 declared that “This is the worst election to be able to vote,” because she doesn’t like either candidate, and Annie Wallace ’17 agreed that her dislike of the candidates was negatively impacting her first election season. Conversely, Zinn has felt an urge to get as involved in the political process as possible. “I’ve been campaigning. I went to Colorado to get people to vote for Hillary Clinton.” His loyalty runs deep, and apparent in his social media posts and everyday life is a strong eagerness to participate in the potential making of history. Zinn is not alone in this excitement. Regardless of political affiliation, many students seem to be excited to be able to vote. Jayson Thompson ’17 described the opportunity as “exhilarating” and Rachel Weiswasser ’17 facetiously remarked, “The country’s in my hands,” before adding (on a more serious note), “It’s exciting.” Sam Dowd ’17 shared that she feels, “…this is an election where I think people really need to step it up and vote,” and exclaimed, in direct opposition to Hatfield’s earlier claim, that, “…this is the best election to be voting in.” The scope of political action and excitement among MKA seniors in the face of 2016’s presidential race is shockingly similar to the national voter landscape, albeit quite a bit more liberal. These newly-transitioned adults, with eighteen years under their belts and many more to go, will undoubtedly be contributing to history if and when they vote this November.
Halloween Mayhem and Sad Clowns Teddy Bulajic ’18, Staff Writer
According to the International Business Times, since August 29, 17 clown sightings have been reported in America. While clowns were once intended to be a jolly addition to children’s birthday parties or street fairs, as Halloween nears, the recent disturbances have plagued the American public with fear of the once-adored entertainers, leaving many professional clowns out of work and feeling stereotyped. The first reported sighting of these criminal clowns was in Greenville, South Carolina, where two dressed-up clowns tried to lure a boy into a woods next to his neighborhood. However, the boy was smart, and ran home. However, Greenville was only the first report of the exponentially growing issue. The “Creepy Clown” epidemic next took to schools, where not only do clowns who plan on attacking schools send threats, but also students have begun to issue their own fake threats via social media, dangerously
posted a threat about high schools. We have no reason to believe it is credible or that any of our schools are in danger... To be on the safe side, all Pasco County Schools have been placed on “Alert Campus”, which essentially amounts to “See something, say something…” Closer to home, threats were made in the Montclair area. On Wednesday, October 5th, Montclair High School went into a multi-hour lockdown due to social media clown threats placed on the school. While these threats were not executed, fear sprouted in the community about public safety around clowns. Following the lockdown, the Montclair Police Department advised citizens against dressing up as clowns, for any and all purposes. The clown scare, however, is not only affecting innocent civilians. As absurd as it may sound, there truly are innocent clowns, all across the nation, who make a living off of entertaining in white face paint, a big red nose, and a colorful costume, and are suffering from the stereotypes that this epidemic has provoked. While many Americans sit around contemplating their safety because of these isolated, yet dangerous, clown incidents, this scare highlights the extreme nature of labels in our society. Keep in mind that while coulrophobia, or fear of clowns, has become increasingly more justified in the past few months, the professionals behind these masks are still the same goofy and beloved entertainers that they were before the Creepy Clown craze.
Disaster Strikes Chelsea Valeri Bejjani ’19, Issue Contributer
On Saturday, September 17, bombs exploded in both Seaside Park, New Jersey, and Chelsea, a neighborhood in Manhattan. Although the garbage explosion at the Marine Corps charity race in Seaside Park did not result in any casualties, the bombing in Chelsea had a bigger impact. The blast went off at around 8:30 P.M., injuring twenty-nine people. The man responsible is Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old who was born in Afghanistan but is a U.S. citizen. Although the bombings occurred on Saturday, he was only caught on Monday after a shootout with the police in Linden, New Jersey, where he attempted to murder an officer. According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, “we have every reason to believe this was an act of terror.” It is unsurprising that Rahami was primarily motivated by extremist Islamic ideology because this is just one example in a series of Islam-inspired terrorist attacks that have occurred lately throughout America and Europe. All anybody hears on the news today is what attack happened and where because the growing issue of extremist Islamic terrorism is becoming increasingly relevant to average people’s daily lives. In fact, these acts of terror have done their job of instilling fear so well that some people are even afraid now to travel and go out. They can no longer live their lives to the fullest because they’re living in fear of stepping into a trap. This issue is especially applicable to the current generation, including the students at MKA, because this is the world that they are growing up in. Therefore, whatever happens now will have a lasting effect on their futures. Will this time be remembered as a period of fruition, or of fear and violence? And most importantly, is this the world that the current generation wants to live in?
Student Life, Page 4
THE ACADEMY NEWS
Zebrafish, Water Purification, and More: SRH Students Embark on Experimental Endeavors Ethan Kuhl ’18, Staff Writer
The basement of MKA has once again been transformed into a galaxy of research and idea cultivation for 14 MKA students, who are enrolled in Science Research Honors, a two-year course that begins in junior year. These students have begun to create and conduct their personalized experiments in areas of biology, chemistry, or physics. This process is unique from any experimental opportunity that MKA offers prior to eleventh grade as it outsources to non-MKA members of the scientific community and provides an independence and realworld element that other projects have not. Not only do students work closely with one of the two faculty advisors, Ms. Allison Currie and Dr. Marc Tuazon, to verify that their experiment is safe and feasible, but additionally, students pick a mentor, either from within the school or from outside institutions such as Montclair State University or Clara Maass Medical Center. The mentor provides valuable experience and insight into the specific sect of science that the student is researching, and initiates the student’s network of scientific contacts. Junior Evelyn Wallace is testing different methods of water purification. She plans to use a method called ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to kill different bacteria in water. She will then test different strengths of light and measure the effects on water cleanliness. Senior Maddie Sirois will use model aquatic ecosystems to measure the effects of different concentrations of ions and chlorine on pH, zebrafish reproduction, and plant growth. She will then compare the levels found to be toxic with the levels in Montclair tap water and local creeks. None of the students know what the results of their experiments will be; however, unlocking this mystery is part of the fun. Since SRH only meets twice each cycle, students are responsible for doing much of the work on their own free time. The upcoming year will be filled with test tubes, labs, failures, and successes, but it will definitely be a fun experience.
Arts Under the Stars Sets the Bar Mia Layton ’18, Issue Contributer
On September 16, four of MKA’s arts programs showcased their talents at the never-before-seen Arts Under the Stars performance. The show was a series of a firsts for MKA. Not only was it a hybrid between a concert, recital, and Shakespearian comedy unprecedented in the MKA Arts world, but this was also our school’s first performance in the new amphitheater, a feature of the Academic Center, which was completed during the 2015/16 school year. The contrast of the amphitheater’s atmosphere and that of the Weiss auditorium is quite striking. For an audience member, the setting was cozy and casual. The purple, pink, and blue hues of the sky at dusk blended with the off-white stage lighting to set a mood that elevated the overall effect of the show. The seating, though limited, actually added to the intimate ambience of the night. Each folding chair was at a relatively close proximity to the performers, creating a different experience for audience and cast members, as compared to Weiss, where the stage creates the “Fourth Wall” that only the actor is able to break.
October 2016
Election Update: Is the Trump Campaign United? Danny Zinn ’20, Issue Contributer
After watching the vice-presidential debate, nobody was quite sure what Mike Pence was doing, just that he was doing it well. He contradicted many of Trump’s statements and quite frankly, made himself out to be a better candidate than his running mate. His views on Vladimir Putin’s leadership, stance on abortion laws, and immigration policies that he expressed during the debate seemed to leave the GOP haunted by an atmosphere of disagreement and confusion. However, there are many possibilities as to the GOP’s reasoning behind Pence’s statements. The first possibility is that they want to show undecided voters that there will be a voice of reason on Trump’s team. To an undecided voter, it is reassuring to see that there is a mild-mannered VP who won’t go on Twitter tears at three in the morning or question how heroic John McCain really is. Trump’s campaign, along with the GOP, wants to show America that a Trump presidency would not be as unpredictable and petty as a portion of voters had once thought. Secondly, Pence’s remarks could have been a subtle attempt by the GOP to plan ahead for a potential 2020 Pence presidential campaign. Considering the fact that a majority of Trump’s support is comprised of people that just don’t want to see Secretary Clinton in the Oval Office, this possibility is not completely groundless. Anti-Hillary sentiments will most likely have declined by 2020, and the GOP wants to make sure that there are not twelve or even sixteen straight years of a Democratic president. The third and most Trumpian possibility is that the GOP truly has no idea what they are doing. As one candidate says one thing, his running mate says the opposite, and consequently, the Trump campaign continues to forget what America wants: a ticket it can trust. Instead, the Trump-Pence supporters see that the ticket is at odds with itself. When Trump boasts about his “great” relationship with Putin, Pence says they will work to take him down. People want consistency and Trump’s campaign will not provide it. They want a united front, and instead find a two-faced campaign. The evening began with three of music teacher Chuck Olsen’s Jazz Band members, Alex Rivlin ’17, Josh Talbot ’17, and Jake Sasfai ’17, who all set high expectations for the rest of the night. Strings students then played an elegant set of classical compositions, some of which Mr. Dimitri Hadjipetkov, the founder and leader of the Strings program joined in on, which added to the playful aura of the evening. Both of these opening performances, as attested by the audience’s reaction, went off without a hitch. Chamber Singers followed Strings, under the direction of vocal music teacher Maria Gilmartin, with a lively performance of, “All the Things You Are” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Following a brief intermission, everyone returned back to their seats. The dull roar of small talk and friendly chatter permeating the audience was quickly silenced by the opening of a compilation of compilation of different Shakespearean scenes by MKA’s theatre veterans. The scenes were quick and humorous, and even if an actor made a mistake it was never obvious, and the audience readily indulged their recovery. Overall the night was a lot of fun, and very well executed, leaving large shoes for the upcoming Rumors production to fill.
Student Life, Page 5
THE ACADEMY NEWS
MKA Global Experiences Reboot and Revamp for 2017 Cristina Cestone ’18, Staff Writer
The Global Experience program at MKA allows for all students to be exposed to new cultures and places. This year, nine trips, including two new ones, will be running. Over spring break, there is a new trip to Zion National Park and the Black Canyon. Similar to the California wilderness trip, MKA’s partner organization ARCC will aid students in paddling canoes from the Hoover Dam to the Black Canyon on the Colorado River and backpacking in Zion National Park through canyons and Angel’s Landing Trail. On this trip, students develop strong leadership skills. In addition, the Guatemala service trip will run, where students build homes for families living in Antigua, Guatemala. Students will also hike a volcano and explore in the evenings by themselves. While the Guatemala trip is open to all students, the France Exchange Program is exclusive to French students. Students live and attend school in the outskirts of Paris, fully immersing themselves into the French culture and language. The last trip running during March break is to Italy, where students study the rise and fall of Rome and expand their knowledge regarding the ancient Rome and ancient Mediterranean worlds. During May Term, seniors may travel to China or to France and Spain. Seniors investigate China’s history and major sites, from the Great Wall of China to the Forbidden City. In France and Spain, seniors enhance their comprehension of art and architecture in Paris, Provence, Barcelona and Madrid by studying the visual art, lifestyle, and language of these cities. This summer, students now have the opportunity to adventure to Croatia. In Croatia, students discover the challenges of development, economic growth, and social and political dynamics after the Balkan Wars. They will also study the impact of innovation, entrepreneurship, and small businesses on the country. Additionally, students may travel to Blackfeet Nation in Montana. Students engage in a partnership with the Global Volunteers organization to aid in numerous community service projects and to immerse themselves into the Blackfeet culture and nearby sites, such as Glacier National Park. Lastly, Spanish students are given the chance to engage in the Chile Exchange Program. Chilean students visit MKA in February, and in return, MKA students visit Chile in June. By taking part in this trip, students strengthen their language skills and understanding of the Spanish customs.
Overall, MKA students and trip leaders alike are looking forward to an exciting and adventurous year across the world.
Strong Reigns Victorious at the 23rd Annual Gathering Games Jonah Zinn ’17, Managing Editor
This past Gathering Games was truly one for the books. Spirits were high and the air was electric as Strong, Walden, Monjo, and Bradley took the stage to best one another in friendly competition in the festively decorated Weiss auditorium. Last year’s Strong-Walden rivalry was reignited as Strong’s Mr. Morf, now one of the nation’s top rated musical chairs players, and Walden’s Mr. Bosc took first and second place respectively in faculty musical chairs. After that, Walden and Strong both took first place in Boys’ and Girls’ arm wrestling respectively. Needless to say, last year’s rivalry is revived and well.
October 2016
Ms. Verrone: MKA’s Renaissance Woman
Ruhee Juvekar ‘19 and Navya Salwan ’19, Issue Contributers History teacher and new Dean of Student Life Kerry Verrone is the brains and the core behind MKA’s clubs, CSI’s, extracurricular events, and even Monday Meeting. She is one of the many people who keep the school running like a well-oiled machine, while simultaneously maintaining a degree of grace and aplomb that should be recognized and emulated. Before joining the MKA faculty, Ms. Verrone attended Brown University where she got her undergraduate degree in Egyptology and Ancient Studies, and then Yale university for her Masters degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. Last year she was the dean of ninth grade and taught history. This year, Ms. Kerry Verrone continues to teach history but she has also taken up the role of Dean of Student Life. Former Dean of Student Life Dominique Gerard, who now heads a school in Philadelphia, held the position most recently. Although she has big shoes to fill, she has many initiatives and ideas for this coming school year. This year she wants to focus primarily on promoting student engagement and leadership while also helping foster a greater sense of community. She wants her leaders to be confident and competent, while also being a part of the community. She has been particularly pleased with how Kojo and Brian have tweaked the Monday meetings, by introducing the topics and speakers of that meeting. Ms. Verrone wants to continue Mr. Gerard’s work from his time as the Dean of Student Life, in that he always had students as his priority, creating opportunities for them such as the house system and clubs. Ms. Verrone has helped jumpstart the new aspects of the MKA Outreach program, which now pushes a more active commitment to community service on the MKA student body. She also plans on extending the community norms committee by continuing to think about how to strengthen our community. She has also launched a new group, called the assembly committee, focusing on how to make the programs MKA offers more engaging and relevant. In regard to the transition between her role as the dean of ninth grade last year, and now being the Dean of Student Life, she said that it is definitely different, but she is enjoying it. She said that the best part of her job last year was that she was able to interact with so many of the students in the ninth grade. However, in her new position as the Dean of Student Life, she continues to interact with students but now has the opportunity to do so with students throughout all grades.
Although the games didn’t start until the afternoon, House Captains from all houses were in Weiss at 7 AM sprucing up the auditorium with balloons and streamers. Next, they met with their entire houses to teach them the House Cheer. For House Captains, the Gathering Games always come with a mix of excitement and nerves. Although the Gathering Games tend not to be a huge point winning event, they often set the tone for the rest of year in terms of member participation. And these Games set a very promising tone, for all houses, whether they won big or won nothing, put their best feet forward and gave it their all. And that’s what it’s all about. Any House Captain (myself included) will tell you that their primary goal for each contest is not to win, but rather to make sure that as many people as possible are having fun. And that’s precisely what happened at the Gathering Games this year.
Student Life, Page 6
THE ACADEMY NEWS
Foreshadowing Football: Past Victories, Future Possibilities Jamen Meistrich ’20, Issue Contributer
It is a warm Saturday afternoon on September 24th. The MKA football team is down by 3 against the Glen Ridge Ridgers. It is late in the fourth quarter. The ball is snapped and Dominic Romeo ’17 is handed the ball on a jet sweep to the right side. The defense charges at him. To everyone’s surprise, he catapults the ball high into the air with the pressure looming down on him. Wide receiver Quinn Meistrich ’17 reaches up and pulls down the ball one-handed and runs across the goal line, scoring the essential touchdown. That’s how the MKA Cougars defeated their longtime rival Glen Ridge High School in the season’s most important game so far. What most Cougar fans don’t realize is that this nail-biting play was a lot more than just one catch. It was the culmination of a series of bold and forceful moments displayed throughout the game, and took weeks of planning and preparation for proper execution. The team practiced the play over and over again just in case they needed to use it, and the payoff was substantial. Coming off a 10-1 season (the best in MKA history) this year’s team has a lot to live up to. Co-captain Brian Bond ’17 recognizes the high standards that the team will have to meet, and he expresses very little doubt for the Cougars’ ability to deliver. He says, “I know we lost some important guys last year and we are not as big but we still have the same mindset and we’ll be just as good.” Both Bond and co-captain Ben Yanes ’17 are very confident and plan on leading the team to as many victories as possible. Even if this year’s team cannot live up to the teams of the past, this year, MKA football is definitely something to watch.
Fall Sports Update
Chris Lewis ’18, Staff Writer
Girls’ Tennis Under the guidance of coach Bill Wing (entering his 20th season at MKA), the Cougars are sporting a 7-4 overall record, and a 6-3 conference record. The team was the third seed in the Essex County Tournament, but fell in the quarterfinals to sixth-seeded Verona. The Cougars are led by Hallie Ryan ’17.
Volleyball
The Cougars enter the 2016 season under the leadership of longtime head coach Mike Tully. Coming off of a county championship last season, the Cougars have high expectations, despite graduating many valuable players. The team is led on the court by co-captains Tyla Parker ’17 and Sam Dowd ’17. Currently sporting a 5-5 record, the Cougars will look to earn more victories in the coming weeks, especially during their annual Homecoming game.
Field Hockey
The MKA field hockey team is under new leadership this year, for the first time in a while. Taking over for longtime coach Injoo Han is Gia Nappi. Nappi served as the Cougars’ interim head coach in 2014. After graduating many key players, the Cougars look to leadership from captains Annie Wallace ’17, Kit Smith ’17, and Hannah Gross ’17. The Cougars were recently named the sixth seed for the Essex County Tournament.
Boys’ Cross Country
The boys’ cross country team, led by coach Tom Fleming and assistant coach Alden Basmajian, is off to another successful start. Captain Billy Massey ’17 leads the Cougars for the 2016 season. Recently, Massey finished in first place at the Shore Coaches Invitational.
Girls’ Cross Country
The girls’ cross country team is also led by coach Tom Fleming and assistant coach Alden Basmajian. The girls’ team is also off to a great start. The Cougars won the SEC Liberty Division and medaled at the Stewart Memorial Invitational. The team is led by captain Caylie Privitere ’17.
Better than Tasty™: Keenan’s Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies Keenan McAuliffe ’18, Staff Writer
Ingredients: Boys’Soccer - 1 cup canned pumpkin The Cougars’ boys’ soccer team is led by head coach Rob Leather and assistant coach Jordan Raper, who joins Leather after spending last season coaching the girls’ team. Captains John Baney ’17 and Jack Miller ’17 lead the Cougars on the field. Currently, the team is 5-1-2 overall and 4-1-1 in the division, good for second place. The Cougars will play Millburn on October 6, in a game that has major conference championship implications.
Girls’ Soccer
October 2016
- 1 cup white sugar - 1/2 cup vegetable oil - 1 egg - 2 cups all-purpose flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 1 teaspoon milk - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract - 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. The MKA girls’ soccer team is off to a 3-7 start overall, and a 2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground 1-5 record in the very competitive SEC American division. At the helm cinnamon, and salt. of the Cougars is Christie Welsh, a member of the US National Team 3. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. from 2000-2008 and an assistant coach at the University of Oregon. The 4. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Cougars are led on the field by co-captains Maddie Sirois ’17 and Kerri McGuire ’18. 5. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. 6. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.
Student Life, Page 7
Point:
Ethan Tse ’18, Issue Contributer
October 2016 THE ACADEMY NEWS Colin Kaepernick Takes a Knee: A Necessary Protest or Defiance of US History? Counterpoint: Dominic Flocco ’18, Staff Writer
During the August 26 pre-game national anthem, before the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers took the field, quarterback Colin Kaepernick gained attention for a simple, yet bold action. He kneeled while everyone else stood, as a response to the influx of racial discrimination, and allegedly wrongful deaths, of African Americans around the country. In a tweet shortly after the 49ers’ opening game, Kaepernick said: “I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football.” While we could go into an endless debate, as the world certainly has, on the racial problems Kaepernick is addressing, the real point of interest is the way in which the quarterback took a stand. Immediately after the first game, the public responded with both support and disdain for Kaepernick’s actions. Many have taken to social media, interpreting the protest as an act of disrespect toward American values. This outcry displays the many arguments against Kaepernick’s actions; however, before you echo the hostile tweets that hope he tears his ACL next game, remember that the conversation must also address this very pertinent question: does Kaepernick’s behavior hold any validity? Constitutionally speaking, the quarterback’s actions are protected under the First Amendment right to free speech and expression. Kaepernick’s conduct is technically not an abuse of his liberties as an American citizen. President Obama even stood up for the 49er during a press conference in China on September 5th: “[Colin]’s following his constitutional right to make a statement . . . I think there’s a long history of sports figures doing so.” The President continued to praise Kaepernick on the sincerity of his belief for these issues, and “if nothing else, he’s generated some conversation around some topics that need to be talked about.” With this, Obama spotlights an important point within the Kaepernick debate: provocation is sometimes essential to the growth of our nation. The American public’s tendency to dismiss important societal issues, especially those of racial controversy, needs to be called out every so often in order for us to confront the problems in the country and move forward. So in the end, was Colin Kaepernick wrong in showing such disrespect to his own country, or was his display of resentment justified? The answer is still very much debatable, but a few things are clear. Yes, there were plenty of other ways for Kaepernick to express his discontent, a majority of them in a much more respectful manner; however, the quarterback certainly had the legal right and to some extent, an ethical obligation to protest the way he did and address the issues that are of much relevance in today’s society. While one may or may not fully agree with Kaepernick’s opinions, or the means in which he took a stand, or more accurately, a kneel, it is honorable of him to use his stature within the sports world to draw attention to issues that are more life-or-death in nature than the 21-10 loss of the 49ers by the Packers on that historical August day.
As a high school football player, nothing evokes a greater sense of ecstasy than standing on the sideline, helmet off, hand on your heart, gazing at the American flag in the distance. The sweat trickles through my typical pre-game goosebumps as the silence extinguishes the butterflies cavorting throughout my stomach. I stand side by side with my teammates as the national anthem echoes throughout the stadium representing the liberty that Americans are so blessed to have and the sacrifices brave men and women make every day to protect it. I think of figures such as George Washington, Rosa Parks, and Susan B. Anthony who fought tirelessly for one common goal: freedom. So, when I see professional athletes, such as Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe, sitting or kneeling during the national anthem, I can’t help but feel enraged, as they insensitively disregard everything that the red, white and blue emblem seen on MKA’s own front lawn represents. I’ll be the first to admit that America has problems. However, the flag and anthem run deeper in the veins of American pride than the societal issues that America is experiencing today. They uphold the values established by the Founding Fathers and the revolutionaries who defeated the oppression of Great Britain in 1776. They demonstrate respect for those who participated in the seemingly endless battle for the abolition of slavery in the 1860s. They verify that the fallen ally soldiers of the First and Second World Wars died for a purpose. They stand for the visions of an equal democracy that activists of the 1960’s Women’s Rights Movement and Civil Rights Movements struggled so perseveringly to sustain. In all of the dark times of American history, patriotic symbols such as the flag and the Star Spangled Banner acted as umbrellas under which all Americans could unite, not divide. So when Colin Kaepernick, a public figure whom both children and adults look up to, disrespects the legacy of America, he only accomplishes one thing: adding fuel to the fire of an already antagonistic culture. In order to come out of the hardship of the present, the country needs to join together like the figures of the past. Otherwise, we force ourselves to try and fix a disorderly country while maneuvering down another road to disaster. Therefore, I hope that Colin Kaepernick will consider the men and women, past and present, that he is disrespecting next time he removes his helmet.
Student Life, Page 8
October 2016
THE ACADEMY NEWS
MKA Welcomes Eight New Faculty Members to the Student Spotlight: Casey Borella To Display her Upper School Talents in a Self-Produced Music Album Julia Helliesen ’19, Staff Writer
Dani Wolk ’17, Sports Editor
No stranger to MKA, History Teacher Tim Cook comes to the Upper School this year to teach 11th grade History, after having attended MKA from 5th-9th grade. He also attended the University of Michigan for his BA in History. After college, he played professional hockey for four seasons. Mr. Cook tells The Academy News that he is looking forward to “instilling a love for history [in his students] and equipping them with some of the tools necessary to be critical thinkers and truth seekers!” He also looks forward to coaching hockey and Middle School Lacrosse.
Casey Borella, a current sophomore, is an incredibly talented musician, singer, and songwriter. Casey is a member of Unaccompanied Minors and Chamber Singers. She began writing music in first grade at Brookside, and she started taking singing lessons in fourth grade.
New Associate Director of Alumni Relations Ms. Allison Shearin is also not completely new to MKA this year, as she worked part-time in Annual Giving last year. She is a graduate of Washington and Lee University where she majored in Mass Communications and minored in Environmental Studies. Ms. Shearin is excited to coach girls’ varsity lacrosse and soccer, as well as co-advise tenth grade girls. Also joining the faculty is Mr. Eric Gutierrez as our Director of Alumni Relations. He earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration and his Master’s Degree in Tourism Administration from George Washington University. Previously, Mr. Gutierrez worked at George Washington University in the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, where he served as the Assistant Director for Business School Alumni Relations. Dr. Tuazon will be teaching various Biology courses at the Upper School. Previously, he taught biology laboratory courses to college undergraduates for 5 years and conducted research over the past 7 years while a Ph.D. student at Rutgers University and a postdoctoral research fellow at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Tuazon loves science so much that his daughter, Maya Lynn, was partly named after the “myelin sheath.” Dr. Tuazon is excited to co-advisor Shades of Color. Dr. Hickman will teach Statistics, Computer Science Fundamentals, Intro to Programming, and Java Programming at the Upper School. Dr. Hickman earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisville and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Another addition to the MKA community is Ms. Charlotte Lillard, who will oversee all aspects of the Upper School admissions process. She comes to us from the Purnell School where she was an admissions associate and, later, the Associate Director of Admissions. At Purnell Ms. Lillard handled all aspects of the admissions process. Ms. Kyle Salkin will teach History 2: Revolutions and and U.S. History at the Upper School. She previously taught History at the Windsor School in Boston, MA. Ms. Salkin earned a B.A. in History and an M.A. in Education and Human Development from George Washington University. Ms. Yingqian Xiao will be teaching Chinese at the Upper School this year after joining us from the Middle School, where she worked as a maternity leave replacement.
Casey plans to release an album in mid-October. The album is a compilation of seven songs that she has written over the past year. The album was completely recorded in her closet. A typical summer day for Casey consisted of her in her closet with a microphone, her guitar, and recording equipment. Making an album was a very spur-of-the-moment decision. Casey posted on her “finsta” (fake Instagram) asking her followers “If I made an album, would any of you listen to it?” She received an overwhelming number of responses in favor of the album, so she decided to go for it. In addition to the music, Casey’s album will include images for each song. The album art is by Sophia Nuñez. Casey sends Sophia the songs and gives Sophia a moderate idea of what she wants the images to look like. When Casey writes music, she listens to artists who write in a fairly similar style to what she wishes to create. Casey is inspired by Joni Mitchell and Bright Eyes. If you want to listen to some amazing music by an artist who you are lucky enough to pass in the hallway, check out SoundCloud in the near future.
A Short Note from the Editors Dear Readers,
Here at The Academy News, we have a mission: to deliver relevant and comprehensive stories about the events that take place in and around MKA. However, this duty also tasks our reporters and editors with the job of keeping pace with the continuously evolving nature of this community. Just as MKA has updated, The Academy News will be making some changes as well. This year The Academy News will be focused on improving our layout and content. Despite its new look and material, The Academy News will remain a constant at MKA. While we do have new ideas and goals, we will still deliver the most important news to the student body regarding MKA life and beyond. As we renovate our structure, we assure you that our priority of student life coverage will be preserved. We will continue to address key topics in our community, but we will also expand our reach and report on current global events and how they relate to MKA. We hope that you enjoy the changes that will come with this newspaper makeover, and if you have any comments or questions, feel free to contact academynewsmka@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
The Editors-in-Chief