The Polygon: November 2020/2021 Issue by Poly Prep Country Day School

POLY PREP’S Student Newspaper VOL. CVI ISSUE II November 2020 Issue

the

POLYGON

WiNTER BREAK:

Winter Break SURVEY

Summer 2.0?

How do students feel about having a month-long winter recess? TESSA MARKER NEWS EDITOR

eemingly without fail, students at Poly can look forward to two weeks off from school in winter and spring during which they can destress and enjoy time with friends and family. But, as it has done with everything this year, the COVID-19 pandemic is greatly changing Poly’s academic schedule. In a virtual Town Hall on October 20, Head of School Audrius Barzdukas announced that this year’s Winter Break will be extended from the normal two weeks to a full month. After Thanksgiving Break, students in grades 7 through 12 will attend virtual school and grades 5 and 6 will attend school in their pods with classes in Poly’s largest spaces like the theatre and the Legacy Gym. From December 18 until January 19, 2021, Poly will be closed and students will not have class. Barzdukas explained that “that month of Winter Break, we hope, will allow people to do the visiting they couldn’t do because they were being vigilant over Thanksgiving, and be back in time to quarantine for school.” Anticipating disagreement with the decision, he also said, “There was no one scenario that would make everyone happy. In every scenario, there is a little bit of unhappiness for everyone to consider and embrace.” One question echoed by several participants when the Town Hall transitioned into a question and answer segment was where students would make up the two weeks of school and what return to school will look like in January. Barzdukas said, “We are thinking of moving spring break closer to a colder time and only having one week. We are also thinking about extending the year by one week in June. We will find those two weeks.”

On the issue of returning to school in January, he said, “it’s just too far away. We are not yet ready to make a decision” but assured parents that he would have more information before Winter Break began. The one concrete thing Barzdukas could assure was that “No matter what, March 1st we are going outside.” Barzdukas also said the decision to extend Winter Break was because “People are wearing down. So, we think it’s better for us to take that time and just let everyone recharge.” However, Michal Hershkovtiz, Assistant Head of School, assured parents that the break would not lead to a “winter slide,” saying that teachers will “assign additional tests or asynchronous types of learning” if they think it is necessary. Among the student body, response to the decision to extend Winter break has been mixed. Freshman Hazel Budker said, “I was really surprised when Poly extended Winter Break for as long as they did. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t make the change.” Senior Gauri Purohit, who has been attending school virtually since the start of the year, said “I think having a longer Winter Break could be good as a way to maximize on better weather for school during the spring, but I really love having that two week Spring Break to decompress and start preparing for APs, which we won’t have as much time for this year.” The decision to extend break was not anticipated and has met mixed reactions but, as Barzdukas said, “Our ability to be nimble and to pivot as circumstances dictate we should is something we should embrace.”

polygonnews.org

Results from a survey of 117 students and faculty about their thoughts on the extended Winter Break

Do you like the idea of an extended Winter Break?

YES NO

Are you worried you will fall behing academically because of the extended break? (on a scale from 1-5 with 1 being not at

all and 5 being yes, a lot)

The 2020 eleCTiON ReSulTS How Joe Biden won the Presidential election by rebuilding “the Blue Wall” ALIDA LISSAK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

he Blue Wall refers to a group of eighteen states that have voted for the Democratic candidate between 1992 and 2012. Before the 2016 election, polls predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the Blue Wall states, giving her enough Electoral College votes to win the presidency. However, when Donald Trump won Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, the election ended quickly and favorably for him. Democrats knew winning back those states was crucial to take the victory in 2020, and those states were a huge campaigning point for Joe Biden.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, the world waited with bated breath for the results to flow in. And the results did come, slowly but surely. This year an influx of mail-in ballots was seen. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many voters did not feel safe voting in person. Mailin ballots exponentially slowed down the counting, so it was widely known that there would be no definite answer by the end of the night. As Tuesday evening came to a close, Biden led Trump in the Electoral College votes, 227 to 213. No states had flipped since the last election. The key swing states had not counted enough of their votes to be called, but

a couple states emerged as new battlegrounds in the fight for political dominance in this country. Nevada had not yet declared their winner, but they were leaning toward Biden and previous polls had predicted a Biden victory. CNN polls predicted Biden winning with 52% over Trump’s measly 42% on November 2, 2020. Fox News showed Biden winning again with 52%, but this time Trump had 44% of the population voting for him. Those are just a few polls shown on “CNN’s Poll of Polls” website, which displays many news source’s polls. The common theme throughout is Biden predicted to win the election with a

large lead. Pennsylvania had only counted 75% of their ballots, but heavily leaned toward Trump as he had eleven points more than Biden by the end of Tuesday night. Georgia and North Carolina also looked as though they would turn red. Arizona stunned the country when Biden was up by five points with 82% of the vote counted. The last time Arizona voted for the Democratic candidate was in 1996. Biden’s road to 270 votes was on track, with only 43 votes left to win. He needed to flip Georgia, Michigan, or Pennsylvania to win the presidency. Trump had a bit of a longer road ahead of him with 57 votes left, but if he won

all the states he was projected to win, he would win the race. Both sides had ways to reach the end goal, but only one could finish the race. Around two in the morning on election night, both candidates held press conferences. The messages from each candidate were drastically different. Trump claimed he had already won the election, winning Michigan and Wisconsin, states that had not yet been called. These states were also leaning blue, directly opposing his statement. He also claimed some victories that had been called already for him. After, Trump said, “This is a fraud on the American public.

Continued on Page 2

THE POLYGON

NOVEMBER NEWS

PAGE 2

Can we have class outside? A look at outdoor schooling in the U.S. 100 years ago

Students at an outdoor classroom in Brooklyn, NY. 1911 VIA LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

EMMA SPRING MANAGING EDITOR

n January 1908, students in Rhode Island bundled up in blankets with heated soapstones at their feet, and attended outdoor school in the dead of winter. Amid a tuberculosis outbreak, none of the students fell ill, and the outdoor school experiment was a success. Today, the second wave of COVID-19 cases is ravaging our country, and schools are struggling to stay open. One of the few things generally agreed upon, however, is that there is virtually no risk of contracting COVID-19 outside — a review of 7,000 cases in China recorded only one instance of freshair transmission. Thus, many schools have turned to outdoor classes to combat the spread. The history of outdoor education began around 1905 with tuberculosis. The lung damaging bacterial disease plagued the United States, killing about 450 Americans a day, many between the ages of 15 and 44. More specifically, a large percentage of

young children in Rhode Island carried the disease. Similar to COVID-19, young carriers of tuberculosis rarely showed symptoms, but the disease could manifest into deadly effects later in life. In 1908, the government recommended that classroom windows be kept open, children would have more outdoor playground time, and schools adopted a rigorous regimen of hand washing. Spearheaded by Mary Packard and Ellen Stone, some of the first female graduates of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, schools in Providence, Rhode Island, also began inviting students with poorer health to come to school completely outside. These students were all underweight, anemic, and weak, and some had lost their parents to tuberculosis. Children arrived at school wrapped in large flannel sacks for warmth and were examined and weighed by physicians before entering the “classroom.” Students had movable desks to roll as the sun shone in their eyes, ate warm soup during lunch, and engaged in breathing exercises to strengthen their lungs against tuberculosis. As schools began reaching capacity, more schools

began opening up outdoor classrooms, some even dedicated to infected children. By 1914, the U.S. had approximately 150 open-air institutions in 86 cities. The project was a remarkable success: children gained weight and improved their health, and in a time without technology, students continued to learn and socialize. While Poly Prep is fortunate enough to have expansive field space to hold the whole school’s classes outdoors, most of New York City doesn’t. Parks, streets, and sidewalks have and can continue to be utilized as classroom space, but until the warm weather arrives, schools may not be able to move outside even if space permits. Come spring, hopefully a vaccine will be readily available, and schools won’t have to consider outdoor school as an option. Yet, the history of outdoor school and the experience at Poly proves it can be done successfully.

2020 Election Results (Continued from Page 1)

VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS a map showing which states were carried by each candidate This is an embarrassment to our country. We were getting ready to win this election. Frankly, we did win this election.” Trump claimed that the results stated so far were completely unreliable, and no matter what the news sources reported, he had already won. On the other hand, Joe Biden’s opening statement was, “Good evening. Your patience is commendable. We knew this was gonna go long, but who knew we were gonna go into maybe tomorrow morning, may-

be even longer.” Biden encouraged his supporters to have faith and believe that their hard work would eventually pay off even if it took a while. Trump confidently told the world he won when Biden was leading. Biden made no such claims. The waiting was agony for all parties involved. The world waited as the American people were tormented by the lack of clarity in their future. Wednesday brought more answers. Biden won Michigan and Wisconsin, leaving him just 16 votes short

of the necessary 270 to win the election. These victories almost fully rebuilt the Blue Wall that Trump trampled in 2016. Arizona’s electoral votes had almost certainly gone to Biden. Trump was leading Biden in all the remaining states besides Nevada, though the numbers were close. Georgia surfaced as an unexpected swing state. The percentage of votes in Georgia were almost evenly split between the two main candidates, with Trump leading. The votes from the counties in and around Atlanta, were not yet counted. Biden had a real chance to win Georgia and win the entire election. As Thursday night rolled around, Trump and Biden were tied at 49.4% of Georgia’s vote. Then on Friday, Biden pulled ahead in Pennsylvania. Trump was only ahead in North Carolina, out of all the swing states that had not been declared yet. With North Carolina’s electoral votes, Trump was still 42 votes away from reaching enough votes to win. Everything seemed to be going well for

Biden, but this election was still not over. Early Saturday morning, on an unusually warm day in New York City, the Associated Press announced Joe Biden’s win in Pennsylvania, making him the next President of the United States of America. New York City, a historically Democratic state which voted for Joe Biden, broke into cheers and sheer joy. Throughout the city, cars honked their horns and were met with screams of pleasure and applause. Washington Square Park

overflowed with NYU students popping champagne bottles and people wrapped in gay pride flags. While New York City celebrated, in places that voted for Trump, the streets were quiet, and the disappointment and frustration was palpable. Recently the future has seemed so uncertain, but with almost complete certainty, Joe Biden will be President of the United States alongside future Vice President Kamala Harris.

VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS the “Blue Wall”

THE POLYGON

NOVEMBER NEWS

PAGE 3

From Coaching to COVID:

Kristin Cannon’s Changing Role Athletics Director Kristin Cannon is Poly’s new COVID-19 Testing Site Director and is managing the school’s reponse to the pandemic CAROLINE HANNA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ristin Cannon, Head Coach of the Girls’ soccer team and athletic director, assumed the official role of the COVID-19 Testing Site Director in mid-August. She was tasked with coordinating the testing on campus and making sure that everyone stays safe. Cannon met with doctors, infectious disease experts, and scientists multiple times a day. She and many others on the COVID-19 safety team determined the labs Poly is using, the most accurate and efficient COVID-19 tests, and how to go about testing students and faculty regularly and safely. Cannon shared that the hardest part of taking on a new role was simply the fact that she had no previous experience working with testing and the virus. In order for students to be able to attend school and be on campus as much as possible, Poly had to reconfigure to adhere to the safety guidelines set forth

VIA CREATIVE COMMONS Sample Covid -19 tests by the state. Unlike other safety coordinators that might have experience working with the CDC, Cannon had no previous background in public health or infectious diseases. Cannon, however, said it was rewarding to learn about disease control and keep her stu-

dents safe. However, these challenges are far from gone. Every week there is a new obstacle for Poly to overcome, especially with the new and constantly changing testing information on the virus. Some things are impossible to plan for, and even when there is a plan, revisions

Forum Sets the Stage for a Tense Election

What you missed in the last election forum led by History Department Chair Margaret Moslander

SEANNA SANKAR STAFF WRITER

n October 30, Poly’s last election forum, “What if?” was held, discussing uncertainty surrounding the election and its outcomes. Many students and faculty decided to join the conversation to share their conflictions before the big day. Upper School History Department Chair Margaret Moslander began the forum by evaluating the multitude of meanings an image can depict about a group of people, their beliefs, and their motivations underlying the question, “What story does this tell?” She played a video on American views of the voting system and established that the next president may not be known on election night, giving attendees a sense of when votes come in and are counted, as well as narrowing down on swing states and what to expect. Mail-in ballots have become the only option for more than half of the U.S., but the debatable topic on whether the population actually has faith in this procedure is up in the air. Moslander then explained that the difference in voter counting systems by state, particularly key swing states — Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin — will probably delay election results. Additionally, she expressed how mail-in ballots are taken into account, further delaying results. In hindsight, this reveals to be true as our president-elect was not determined for days ensuing. Elections are administered by an immensely complicated electoral system. You must register to vote, as well as each state having separate voting rules, furthermore, Election Day is not declared a national holiday. Thus the U.S. doesn’t let you easily vote, bringing upon the question of why our society and system is built this way.

Assistant Head of School, Academics Michal Hershkovitz said, “Our electoral systems are so much more complicated than almost all advanced countries in our economic index category. We make voting so difficult.” Then, Moslander broke the audience into breakout rooms to discuss election concerns in a more intimate setting. After reconvening from breakout rooms, junior Ryantony Exuma expressed fear and said, “This idea of a double misinformation campaign where the system is being downplayed and made to seem as if it’s not working, but also having [it] discourage voters from voting.” Junior Gabby Perry said, “In my group, something that was shared was the special attention to this specific election, not being as usual, and very unprecedented. In the middle of a school year, school stress, protests breaking out, plus the reminder that we are in the middle of a pandemic. It’s just so frustrating to understand.” “The democracy that we put so much faith in can really shift and it’s not something we can rely on,” said Perry. As her closing words, Moslander said, “Something that we all need to keep in mind is that this election is going to affect different people differently and for some of us the fact that the election may feel like it doesn’t affect us is in that itself a privilege.” Reflecting on the forum, freshmen William Ling-Regan said, “I’ve been going to the election forums to educate myself about politics and to hear other perspectives on the election. I’ve been learning a lot, both about the process of the election and how to have political conversations with people you may disagree with. It was reassuring for me that so many people were there because it shows how much the Poly community cares and how committed we are to learning and talking about politics.”

still might be necessary. Cannon said, “With strict statewide athletic, department of health and CDC guidelines related to physical education and athletics, our team has been very creative putting together opportunities for our student-athletes to train and connect with their friends and teammates. We have had to modify all aspects of our coaching and training programs, including reimagining training sessions, live virtual workouts in the evenings, and creating an outdoor performance center for our student-athletes.” One thing that has changed a lot since the start of the year is the way COVID-19 tests have been conducted at Poly. First, nose swabs were used and now saliva tests are the primary method of testing. Additionally, the saliva tests that were originally administered on campus are now given to students to use at home, creating a safer testing environment. Also, despite testing

shortages across the city, Poly under Cannon’s leadership has been able to make weekly testing available to students. Cannon explained that her career as a coach and athletic director has helped her prepare for an ever-changing task like this. “Being in athletics and being a coach my whole life, our careers are based upon being really flexible and changing on the fly, so I think I’m pretty adaptable in those ways,” she said. “We want to continue to adapt and make our programs as high level as possible,” Cannon added. “A collective, team mentality to make virtual learning and pandemic fitness as rewarding and challenging as possible is important.” With the combination of her experience as a coach and a team of people at Poly dedicated to our health and safety, Cannon has been successful at adapting to this crazy and total change of what school is.

The POLYGON Editors-in-Chief Elizabeth Bentsianov, Honor Seares, Emily Ng Emma Spring.........................Managing Editor Tessa Marker.................................News Editor Carly Pyles..............................Opinions Editor Hailey Tobman.........................Features Editor Samantha Rodino............................Arts Editor Shepherd Dzina...........................Sports Editor Benjamin Mansfield......................Copy Editor Thalia Glyptis............Online Managing Editor The Polygon is published at least eight times a year by the students of Poly Prep Country Day School. We welcome both letters to the editor and guest opinions pieces of interest. All submissions should be emailed to polygon@polyprep.org and must include the author’s name. The Polygon reserves the right to edit all submissions for spelling, grammar, and length. Letters should be no longer than 200 words, and opinion pieces should be no longer than 750 words.

Linda Busetti...........................Faculty Advisor John Rearick.................Writing Studio Liaison

The Polygon c/o Poly Prep CDS 9216 7th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11228

THE POLYGON

PAGE 4

NOVEMBER OPINION

The 2020 Election: Future Voters Weigh In Many students worry about Trump’s failure to concede the election and the potential harm his decision could cause

LOLA PITMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

uring these tremulous times amid the coronavirus pandemic and political uncertainty, most people have strong opinions on how to move forward. These circumstances have caused people to become polarized. When the student body was asked to complete an interview about their feelings regarding this situation, they were apprehensive. Responses varied, but the majority were understandably nervous. Sophomore Cooper Flinn-Beane said, “I believe Joe Biden might win, but it’s really so up in the air which is very worrisome. I care so much about this election as I am a person of color and have a lot of family members who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, which is unsupported by our current president. I think it will be close for both electoral and popular votes, it’s scary.” This worrisome feeling was pervasive throughout the responses from the student body regardless of whether one leaned left or right politically. There is a thirst for change in our country, as well as apprehension about the outcome of the election. The presence of these feelings in our country is reflected through Poly students. Sophomore Beatrice Larkin noted, “I think the student body will be very upset and disturbed and feel like we, as kids and as people in general have no power in the system.” The sense of powerlessness is evident in the sentiments of my peers. As educated high school students, we are well equipped to voice our opinions, though we don’t have direct control over the outcome of the election since we are unable to vote. Despite this, we can make a difference by protesting, and discussing our beliefs, ideas, and feelings. It is especially important for the students to be heard by those who are able to vote. As sophomore Noah Greenberg stated, “This election can determine a lot about our future as a na-

tion.” Noah is correct in this sentiment. The election will have a dramatic effect on us, as the student body is young and will need to live in this future America. In an article addressing Americans’ feelings about the future in The New York Times, Emily Badger wrote, “Voters on the left and right say they’re concerned about the stability of American democracy.” Sophomore Eliza Shwartz shared a similar sentiment when she wrote, “I am truly scared about the state of the country (and the world) right now and how the leader has done nothing but spread fear, hate and lies to the American [people].” Most people are uneasy when speaking about our current president’s conduct surrounding the election. Following the announcement that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will become our next President-elect and Vice President-elect, Trump attempted to undermine the integrity of our democratic process by tweeting, “I easily WIN the Presidency of the United States with LEGAL VOTES CAST,” on November 6. It is clear he is implying there have been illegal votes and that Biden and Harris are not the rightful winners. He also tweeted just a day prior, “STOP THE FRAUD.” Both of these tweets were flagged by Twitter saying, “Some or all of the content shared in this Tweet is disputed and might be misleading about an election or another civic process.” In this undertaking, it is clear to many that Trump’s claims are unfounded. Even though his claims may not affect the outcome of the election, they can harm the people’s perception of America’s President-elect Joe Biden. Questioning the legitimacy of the democratic process and undermining the rightful election of a leader spreads harmful misinformation that makes people lose faith in our political system. The implication that the person leading our

VIA CREATIVE COMMONS country may not have been elected by the people is an alarming one, and it sows division between citizens. This division, which has grown under the Trump administration, is largely responsible for the student body and the American people’s anxiety surrounding this election and our future. With Biden as president, we should hope to unite America instead of extending the divide between Republicans and Democrats. As Joe Biden put it in his first speech as President-elect, “I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but to unify, who doesn’t see Red and Blue states, but a United States.”

There Was An Incident — Again

Frustrations arise folowing another incident of racism and Barzdukas’ response in a schoolwide assembly, but this may be another opportunity for change

KAYLA THOMPSON STAFF WRITER

n the morning of Monday, November 2, members of Poly’s Upper School were summoned to an impromptu meeting. To say the least, it was not an ideal start to a virtual day of classes. Although the community was not in the same physical space, there was a sluggish and uncertain air that could be felt by all. Head of School Audrius Barzdukas, began one of his typical speeches: “There was an incident.” With the ongoing pandemic, looming presidential election, and all related mental and emotional strain, another “incident” seemed to fit the overarching story with ease. It was another instance of distrust, misinformation, and division. While this story is in true accordance with events worldwide, it is also not unusual to Poly. Racially charged incidents occur year after year: the defacement of student center windows in the student center, to the still pungent blackface videos that led to the growth of student activism organizations and action from the administration, to now the outright degradation of a staff member as a student used a racial slur to refer to them. While it is clear that this occurrence in itself is insufferable, it is not isolated from the collective experiences of minority students in the Poly community. In fact, this “incident,” as Barzdukas infamously dubbed it, along with all past and reemerging happenings, demonstrates

that racism is ingrained in Poly. It may be an offensive statement to some, but the truth is an offense. Part of the explanation for Poly’s disposition on race is that it cannot be excluded from the common experience of predominantly white institutions. However, while we could observe this situation in the much larger context of race relations in the United States educational system throughout history, Poly’s administration must accept responsibility for their response to events within our community. What is happening is nothing short of a phenomenon, and until Poly can respond effectively to what is happening there is nothing preventing its progress. Poly’s response takes many forms, including public statements, which is intertwined with legal action, and educational and preventative measures.

I. Public Statements

Mr. Barzdukas made it a point of duty to communicate directly with members of the Poly community that bore the brunt of the incident and listen. “I want to hear from your heart,” he would say and wait in anticipation. He was prepared to listen to others, but ironically should listen to himself. We want to hear from your heart. The speeches Barzdukas delivers tend to have a bombastic and ambiguous nature. Syllables, lifeless, are lifted from a clean sheet to drift aimlessly in the atmosphere. Sometimes, it is not the sophisticated language that registers, but the truth. Barzdukas rebutted by stating that certain details cannot be released because it would violate the privacy of people involved and the administration could be liable for lawsuit. While we

“While it is clear that this occurrence in itself is insufferable, it is not isolated from the collective experiences of minority students in the Poly community. In fact, this “incident,” as Barzdukas infamously dubbed it, along with all past and reemerging happenings, demonstrates that racism is ingrained in Poly.”

recognize that legal matters and confidentiality are of great importance, “saying what you mean and meaning what you say” does not require infringement on any level. All it asks is clarity and sincerity.

II. Education and Prevention

Behind the scenes, Poly’s administration has been planning and organizing events and curriculums to create a better understanding between students, staff, and parents alike. We may not be able to see the outcomes immediately, but it is comforting to know that Poly is not at a standstill. However, there is only so much that the administration can do. Every person has self-control, and everyone has the ability to make rational and empathetic decisions. It is an individual choice to participate and build stronger connections with members of this community. Especially in the midst of everything that is happening in this country and world today, we all need to be a part of a genuine community. As we grow and learn in this time, let us also empathize with others and recognize that everyone’s experience is different and worthy of respect. I am tired of thinking and talking and writing about the same thing over and over and over. Aren’t you?

THE POLYGON

NOVEMBER OPINION

PAGE 5

THE SUDDEN RiSE OF ‘AmONg uS’ Why Is Everyone Playing ‘Among Us’? Among Us’ sudden increase in popularity seems to be linked to a sense of nostalgia and a desire for human interaction

‘Among Us’ as a Political Tool The online game ‘Among Us’ reflects national tensions in the midst of the election, becoming a platform for political communication

KRISTINE TAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

e can all agree hat the past few months of 2020 have been hectic due to the ongoing global pandemic, as well as political tension surrounding the November election. Unexpectedly, in what seemed like an inappropriate time for lightheartedness and games, the resurgence of an indie game released in summer 2018 called “Among Us” rapidly gained popularity, breaking records on app stores and streaming platforms. What better way to de-stress than to play a classic murder mystery game with friends? Among Us is a simple alien spaceship-themed game in which players in servers from 4-10 people are given one of two roles: imposter or crewmate. The crewmates’ jobs are to complete menial tasks, which requires them to travel around almost every inch of the map. The goal of the imposter(s) is to either kill or vote out crewmates without being deemed suspicious, or in game slang, “sus”. Imposters are also allowed to sabotage rooms, which forces crewmates to come together and fix it under a limited amount of time. They are also allowed to vent, meaning that imposters can travel from room to room with the press of a button. There are 1-3 imposters in a game, requiring imposters to work together to defeat the crewmates and win the game. When a crewmate reports a dead body, players are automatically brought together in a meeting to discuss and vote out anyone who seems suspicious. If all the imposters are voted out, the crewmates win the game. One of the reasons that Among Us became so popular recently despite its release in 2018 is through Twitch streamers and Youtubers. It started off with a few streamers playing the game, which led to increasingly more popular gamers and viewers trying the game for themselves. From the start of July to August, Among Us views went from just a couple hundred views to 100,000 views per stream. Some of the most popular streamers right now are Corpse, Valkyrae, Sykkuno, and PewDiePie, several of which often play together. Their uploads and live streams have received tens of millions of views, proving to be a probable reason for the rise in popularity of Among Us. Speaking of streamers collaborating and playing the game together, Among Us is also widely appreciated for its multiplayer ability, which allows friends to join a private server by entering a code. The game’s chatting feature is mostly used by players in public servers to communicate, while groups of friends in private servers voice chat on apps like Discord. “It’s popular because you can play with your friends and it’s basically a game of who is the best liar,” said freshman Jasmine Grant-Phillips. Jasmine often plays Among Us with a group of friends at Poly during the fifteen minutes of passing time between each period. It is true when she says that being a good liar is a part of winning the game because the imposter has to be able to trick crewmates into not voting them out. Especially during times of quarantine where friends are isolated from each other, Among Us is perfect to play to make up for lack of in-person socialization. Among Us is also loved for its impressive adaptation of the classic murder mystery game, Mafia. Both games involve the same concept of a killer among innocents and teamwork and betrayal, which allowed Among Us to become so successful. “I love Among Us., I like being imposter because you get this rush of adrenaline because you get to kill people and hide in the vent. It’s also really funny when you get an innocent crewmate kicked out,” Nyla Liburd, a Poly freshman who has played the game ever since it gained its popularity, said. Her favorite element of the game is the concept and thrill of playing it, as well as the option to customize the cute alien avatars. Moving forward, the game developers that created Among Us, InnerSloth, plan to add multiple more features to the game in the future. They were originally planning to create an Among Us 2, but decided on combining the new features into the original game. These features include support for colorblind people, a system with accounts and friending, as well as a new stage/map (Henry Stickmin themed). Additionally, InnerSloth is working on fixing server issues and preventing hackers from entering the game. Many gaming enthusiasts are excited to see what’s to come, and expect nothing less for the future of Among Us. All in all, I think that Among Us’s sudden rise to fame is largely due to many’s craving for human connection throughout this period of social isolation.

VIA INSTAGRAM @SettleforBiden

Among Us references used to promote Joe Biden for president

LUCAS BASHAM STAFF WRITER

e all know video games. We all know politics. We all like to keep them separate. But sometimes things piece together whether we like it or not. The wildly popular video game Among Us has brought millions of people together during a time of uncertainty, but it has still found a way to collide with this year’s divisive election. Almost three months ago, the murder mystery game Among Us blew up rapidly all over the world after sitting on less than thirty players for two years. The game is an escape from the confusing reality that we live in. However, politics, like an imposter, managed to find its way into the tension free atmosphere. Only a week or two after the game’s surge in popularity, political memes began popping up. In particular, “orange sus, vote him out” became a popular catchphrase. In these cases, the orange character in Among Us represents President Trump. People began creating memes paintingTrump as an imposter, implying how he was neglecting his duties as president. In Among Us, this is referred to as “faking tasks.” Tasks are missions that players, excluding the imposters, must complete before the imposters eliminate enough players. Interestingly enough, professional Fortnite player FaZe Sway tweeted “orange faking tasks” on October 12. One of Trump’s old tweets from 2015 said “signing my tax returns,” and it was attached to the thread. The most commonly used feature of Among Us is the multiplayer option, in which players communicate using the chat feature. Before the election, it was common to find players in public servers named “Trump2020” or “Biden2020” having political debates in the chat. In general, video games tend to be a barrier for politics, and these commonalities emphasize the power of the current political climate and its growing role in the lives of young Americans. On October 12, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, two democratic congresswomen, played Among Us with eight of the game’s most popular creators and streamers, including DrLupo, DisguisedToast, and JackScepticEye. Ocasio-Cortez streamed the game on Twitch, a video game live streaming platform, to more than 400,000 viewers, aiming to increase voter turnout among young voters and promote the website iwillvote.com. Nonetheless, many interpreted the effort as a campaign strategy for Democrats and didn’t like the way Twitch and Among Us were utilized to promote any sort of political agenda. DrLupo, a streamer with 4.3 million followers on Twitch as of early November, received large criticism from his viewers. One follower stated that he would end his subscription to DrLupo’s channel after almost 2 years, explaining that “this political move is unacceptable.” Another also ended his support for DrLupo’s channel after 28 months simply because DrLupo affiliated himself with Ocasio-Cortez. The entire night of Ocasio-Cortez’s stream strained the connections between the creator industry and politics and questioned how creators should utilize their unique influence over the younger demographic, Our divided political climate has extended itself into the world of Among Us, its effects ranging from political arguments between players to its popular streamers playing alongside politicians. Politics has been acting as an imposte among the light hearted and humorous conversations that are always present in gaming.

The Pros and Cons of In-Person Learning Some possible ways to improve Poly’s outdoor in-person learning experience

CHELSEA LIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

n-person school is interactive and fun, while virtual school is comfortable and less stressful, and even though I believe that Poly Prep’s hybrid model could be improved, it has still been a successful alternative in the face of the pandemic. Instead of attending school five days a week with designated lunch breaks, now we study outdoors from Monday to Thursday and remotely on Fridays. We resort to virtual learning when the weather conditions are deemed unsafe as well. However, after Thanksgiving, we will fully transition to virtual learning. Poly has tried to accommodate the community’s desires throughout this time. On Election Day, the Poly community decided to close in order to give families an opportunity to vote. To account for the missed class time, they switched Tuesday and Friday schedules in order to

avoid missing the opportunity for on-campus learning. The administration has been listening to the students’ desires to be at school. Poly has also decided to add another two weeks of Winter Break and extend the school year in June in order to have less time learning virtually and more time being on campus. However, there have been a few suggestions that I’ve come up with to improve in-person learning during the spring. It can be difficult to learn in-person when the weather is unpredictable. For example, on October 26, there were hazardous weather conditions due to heavy rainfall. Although students were on campus that day, we left campus half an hour earlier. I also suggest providing the teachers with speakers in order for students to more clearly hear their instruc-

instructions. Finally, I understand that to better support social distancing, there is no designated time for lunch when we are on campus. However, during the days that we go virtual, on account of unsafe weather conditions, it would be much more ideal to have a slightly different schedule that allocates a specific time slot for lunch. There could be shorter breaks in between classes to allow for a designated lunch period. Although there are things that I hope change when we return to campus, the Poly faculty have made our return to school as smooth as possible, and I want to thank them for allowing us back on campus in a safe manner.

THE POLYGON

NOVEMBER FEATURES

“This isn’t our school”: ASPIRATION vs. ACTION

PAGE 6

In the wake another instance of racism, students contemplate responses from the adminstration and student body and consider possible next steps toward change

HONOR SEARES, LIZ BENTSIANOV, EMILY NG EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

acism at Poly — a topic too frequent in the Polygon. In 2018, the former editorial board published “How We Talk When We Talk About Race,” a groundbreaking piece about improving conversation with our peers. In 2019, the paper covered the blackface scandal and the school’s response, pushing for effective administrative action. All of these pieces were major editorials. At the end of 2020, we write another one, and hopefully, the last. An event like this should not always translate into an article to educate peers, however. The fact that we are responding to another incident emphasizes the need to improve dialogue in between the string of events that the community has faced. When something happens, the student body doesn’t hesitate to respond, yet after becomes an afterthought. Do we simply forget what occurred and let it brush aside, allowing a vicious cycle to arise? How do we contextualize these events into daily conversations to prevent them from repeating?

BARZDUKAS’S SPEECH: INTENT V. IMPACT

On an unassuming Monday morning, students received an email asking them to attend a “mandatory division meeting” during their first period classes. Uncertainty hung in the air as hundreds of students joined a Zoom call with the administration, for such a spontaneous meeting was unprecedented. Head of School Audrius Barzdukas began his speech with the now infamous words: “There was an incident.” Barzdukas spoke for nearly thirty minutes, but due to legal reasons, he never clarified what the incident was and left the student body in the dark. His words expressed sorrow toward the recurring moments of racism, and he encouraged the Poly community to be more actively anti-racist. However, many students found his speech to be hollow and insincere. To them, this was simply another attempt to bury a potential scandal rather than to incite real change. During his speech, Barzdukas stressed that “This isn’t our school.” The statement struck a chord with many who believed this is our school. To most, this was a seemingly blatant denial of the racism deeply imbued in Poly’s culture. A sense of mistrust toward the administration pervaded the student body and called attention to an important division: intent versus impact. While the speech was likely an administrative attempt to communicate openly with the student body and begin a dialogue, students left the assembly feeling hurt, angry, and confused. Due to the lack of clarity found within the assembly, rumors ran rampant as students spoke among themselves, trying to find answers. When asked about what his goals were in his speech, Barzdukas said, “It was a moment where we all needed to be reminded that there is a legacy of intolerance, privilege, and racism at our school. And if we are going to change that, we all have to do something.” Barzdukas noted, “I know I came into some criticism when I said we are not that kind of school, but what I said was aspirational. I believe in our students and faculty.

I think we can become that anti-racist institution, but we have to work on it every day.” Assistant Head of School, Academics Michal Hershkovitz echoed this sentiment, saying, “There was the speech, and there was also the way the speech was heard and understood. Those aren’t often the same thing, and that leads to even more pain. So I can hear certain things and understand what I think is the intention, but the words are understood differently by different people. To some extent, this is unavoidable. When he [Barzdukas] said, ‘this is not our school,’ it was clear to me that what he meant was ‘I don’t want this to be our school.’ I think what, understandably, some people heard was that that did not represent their experience at this school and that the incidence of racism is very much present in our school. It is an indication of how sometimes words fail us when we are trying to articulate events and feelings that are heavy. It shows us that by the nature of our positions in this institution, we experience things differently. I experienced the words ‘this is not our school,’ in the way I believe he intended them, which is aspirational.”

PERFORMATIVE ACTIVISM AT POLY

Yet another source of concern is the place performative activism holds in our facilitated discussions and overall community conversations about racism. The past few months of the Black Lives Matter movement and the subsequent increase in the sharing of anti-racist media caused many members of the student body and faculty to think about the difference between an activist wanting to increase their social capita and an activist genuinely dedicated to the cause. This performative activism is reflected when students fail to call out their peers’ racist actions. Often, students will post about antiracism on social media, but they are unwilling to cause any discomfort by actively holding their friends to that same standard. Barzdukas said, “I guess the thing that is a little disheartening is when you hear kids say that they hear things like this all the time, but they don’t tell anyone. They say that they won’t tell anybody because we won’t do anything. And I would say that that is just not true.” This examination of performative activism continued long after the initial protests during May and June, as many students and teachers pointed out that antiracism forums are always filled with the same people. Additionally, the outspoken participants of affinity groups following Barzdukas’s address were very similar to the participants of the open antiracist forums. When asked about this, Hershkovitz identifies two main reasons. First, those participators are naturally engaged in conversations about social justice. Second, they do not have the luxury to refrain from attending an open forum. “It is a luxury to not attend a racial and social justice forum,” Hershkovitz said. “It suggests that these issues may not affect you as much as other people, or that you don’t feel you have any agency to change these issues. Both of those are troubling to me as an educator. As a community, something that affects one of us ought to affect all of us, especially something of the caliber of racism. One of the motivating

aspects of my teaching is that I believe I am educating a future generation of change agents and leaders. And if you all do not feel that or don’t think you have the capacity to change the world through your minds, we better reexamine what education means.” In some cases, there is an exemption to be made for scheduling or other prior commitments. However, the large difference between forum attendance and the mainstream uploads we see daily on social media is certainly the outcome of performative activism at Poly. There arises a new question: how do we as a student body address the surface level participation in a respectful and productive manner?

life reveal themselves even more. Before students set foot on campus, many racist tendencies have already stemmed from nurture. It is not the result of Poly’s curriculum, leaving us wondering whether teaching antiracism in class is adequate if the same sentiments are not enforced at home. Hershkovitz said, “As a history teacher, I think students are very much taught about this. The question is, why is the teaching of history not seemingly relevant to students in terms of understanding their current world. Many of us in classes draw contemporary connections. And, sometimes we feel that we want our students to make those connections for themselves, but when it is clear that some number of them don’t feel like that is happening, then maybe I do need to step in and explain the relevance of history. I do believe that our history teaching is very much geared towards helping our students understand the current moment in addition to the past.” If history teachers believe that their work is essential to addressing the concerns of racism at Poly, how do we as a community make people care about learning it? Is it our responsibility to constantly point out the relevance of historical documents that explicitly address racism, or do we, as students, feel that school and life outside of school are two separate entities?

‘Restorative justice as a form of disciplinary action could inspire larger community-based solutions rather than simply removing individuals and creating bitter divisions. Ridding the looming fear of expulsion, this system would encourage students to be more willing to call out racism that occurs behind closed doors, knowing that it will be a positive opportunity for growth and honesty’.

ARE CURRICULUM CHANGES NEEDED?

Many students look to curriculum changes or additions to address most racism at Poly. Over the summer the faculty worked on assembling an internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee to interview candidates for the unfilled DEI director position, create a statement of values surrounding Poly’s stance on diversity and racial justice, and speak with numerous consultants about how to further their anti-racism efforts. Hershkovitz and the rest of the administration hope to introduce some of these consultants to the entire upper school. One consultant, in particular, focused on the importance of language and, specifically, the terms we typically use to talk about race. Hershkovitz said, “What she did for us was frame some definitions that are so commonly assumed that everyone understands the same way. Systemic racism. White privilege. We think we know what they mean, but it is sometimes important to check our beliefs and to ensure that we are all speaking with a common language.” Curriculum changes are often a source of frustration that many students, including staff members at the Polygon, direct toward the administration. During affinity groups following the Monday address, the sentiment that the administration is not doing enough to teach us about the manifestations of racism and how to eradicate it from our community was a widely popular and well discussed one. And we agree that we wish more clarity accompanied administrative efforts to address racism, as we are typically left confused about what to discuss and focus on. However, in our experiences, the discussions within history classes and English classes serve to address modern racism. So, when the overwhelming student frustration stems from revolves around the fact that we aren’t taught about how to be anti-racist, the complexities of school and home

A POSSIBLE SOLUTION

Our community is now looking for concrete plans of action. During conversations, one question is always repeated: What do we need to incite real change? Despite many efforts, something at Poly is clearly not working. These “incidents” keep occurring and have become a part of the school’s reputation. While there is no obvious blame to be placed, reconsideration of our disciplinary system may be necessary. Poly’s punitive approach to racism has not been effective. Currently, the method has been to simply remove the one “bad apple” in the community and hope that racism will be eliminated. While the process of restorative justice is uncomfortable for all involved as it forces victims to confront their offender, it could just be the solution to Poly’s problem. Restorative justice as a form of disciplinary action could inspire larger community-based solutions rather than simply removing individuals and creating bitter divisions. Ridding the looming fear of expulsion, this system would encourage students to be more willing to call out racism that occurs behind closed doors, knowing that it will be a positive opportunity for growth and honesty.

THE POLYGON

Q A &

NOVEMBER PEOPLE

PAGE 7

Poly Teachers Adapt to the PandEmic

How have teachers adapted their teaching methods to outdoor and virtual learning? SEANNA SANKAR STAFF WRITER

How does the pandemic, safety guidelines, and the precautions taken, affect your role in the Poly community?

Charles Polizano:

“We began to plan for return to campus back in the spring in order to be ready for September, and some of those precautions and protocols required the use of technology, such as temperature scanning and health screening each day. There are also additional challenges given the restrictions on sharing/loaning devices and providing support to students and faculty who are spread out throughout the campus and at home, but the tech team has really risen to the challenge.”

Sarah Bates:

“To hold school in person during a pandemic has affected almost every aspect of my work in the Poly community. For example, the schedule needed to be redone in order to enforce health and safety guidelines, like longer breaks between classes and mandatory study halls during free periods. Lunch, in addition, could not be scheduled as we would have wanted but rather students eat in class. Individual meetings with students and the ability to “catch up in the hallway” has been transformed. In addition, the absence of in-person community time has also been a significant loss for us.

How have your responsibilities changed considering your role?

Charles Polizano:

“I would say many of the responsibilities are the same, but with different obstacles. We’re still supporting technology and services for faculty and students, but now we’re doing them outside which includes so many more uncontrollable variables than when working indoors. That said, it’s been a great opportunity to really think about the future of technology on Poly’s campuses, and put systems in place that will benefit us both during and after the pandemic.”

Ira Feldman:

“Greatly, It requires a whole new style of teaching and assessing students. It also requires many, many more virtual meetings with my students, and trying to overcome difficulties that no one saw forthcoming. It requires thinking about paperless activities - and in geometry of all subjects. Doing electronic journals and assessments is something totally new, and getting it right the first time is very important.”

How do you manage switching between virtual and outdoor learning?

Dr. Virginia Dillon:

“I think I actually like being able to switch between the two. Initially it was a bit of a challenge to restructure a lesson for a virtual class that was originally planned to be in person, but I’ve gotten used to it. And there are definitely some activities that work better in each of the two settings.”

Sarah Bates:

“I am currently teaching a section of 10th grade history for our all-virtual students and the differences between in person and virtual are significant. It’s very hard to read a student in the virtual space--something that teachers become experts at. While the technological developments are incredible, I’ve found that lessons that worked really well in person fall flat in the virtual space. It takes a lot of time and energy to re-envision a daily lesson plan, even for the most experienced teachers. Extra help, for example, is difficult--typically you can sit next to a student and work with them on a problem set or essay, but with social distancing protocols, new ways to work with one another needed to be developed.

Is managing harder? What does the workload look like?

Dr. Virginia Dillon:

“It’s definitely harder. In some ways, it’s like being a first year teacher again. All of the things that had become second nature—reading the room, guiding students to and through discussions, keeping the energy up so everyone feels more engaged—they’re no longer natural. I still try to do all of these things, but it takes much more effort. And this is true both under the tents and on Zoom.”

Ira Feldman:

“It is far, far harder. Although I certainly spend less time commuting, the time I spend preparing and planning on how I will teach my subject virtually is exponentially greater. Physically in Poly, teaching meant grabbing materials off my desk and walking down the hall to teach my students a particular concept. But now, I need to take that same goal and figure out how to present it in an entertaining, and effective way - on a computer screen. And I have to do it in a way that allows my students to ignore all the distractions that interfere out in the field. Way more difficult. Every night I do algebra homework with my granddaughter who lives 10,000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains. She eats dinner and calls me to MEET and look over her homework. This is a very new thing, but it will still happen even after the pandemic is over. I’m meeting my doctor this week in a ZOOM session so he can examine me for a knee replacement. I would not have even thought of that before the pandemic. So, you see, it’s not a simple answer. Everything is going to change. Nothing will be as it was before. Guaranteed.”

Personal Faculty Experiences

Ira Feldman:

“Not getting out and seeing friends and family is the hardest. Since March when we as a country began to take this as a serious threat, I have lost friends to COVID-19, have not seen my life-long friends, did not celebrate Easter or July 4th, or Labor Day, or birthdays, with friends or relatives, have not gone on long trips, have not visited my daughter in Massachusetts, and have not been able to have my granddaughters visit me. Thanksgiving and Christmas this year will not be like those holidays were in the past. Our house is ordinarily the destination to some twenty five people who visit us from all over the country. Not this year. I hate not being able to see my students and tell my Feldman ‘mathy’ jokes. When I do, I see only screens of muted students, a few with grins. Those jokes simply do not elicit the same groans and giggles when delivered over a ZOOM screen. The days are longer and making sure I am effective is more tiring than it ever was before. In truth, it is depressing.” l

Rebekah Sollitto:

“With regard to my role in admissions, our job is to help applicant families learn more about the incredible students, faculty and programming at Poly Prep. This has been fundamentally different during the pandemic. For many families, seeing our campus inspires awe and possibility...it helps students start dreaming about what they might try or who they might become at Poly. So I miss our Blue Key led student tours very much! Virtual events have an upside too, though more families from around the city, country and world can easily zoom in to meet our team and learn what makes Poly special. We worked on other changes in admissions this year too - updating our application questions for families in order to make our anti-racist values more clear and to give families a chance to respond to the way that this work aligns with their family’s own values.”

THE POLYGON

PAGE 8

NOVEMBER ARTS

VIRTUAL COFFEEHOUSE Poly’s annual open-mic night was handled virtually with student and faculty performances SAMANTHA RODINO ARTS EDITOR

NOVEMBER PLAYLIST

by Olivia Harrison

n November 20, Poly held its first Virtual Coffeehouse of the school year. Run by Ms. Wyatt, Ms. Hutchcraft, and senior Kayla Thompson, this Coffeehouse included many talented and new acts from both students and teachers. Some of these performances included dancing, singing, and reciting short stories and poetry. This year’s emcee was junior Soph Cimmino, who started off the Coffeehouse with an SNL styled monologue. Cimmino reflected back on past performances from Coffeehouse, stating that it was their first time not performing. “When I accepted the offer to be emcee, I genuinely was not sure what I was going to do. I felt a pressure to live up to the precedent of our last host- I didn’t want to seem like the ‘second choice’ host,” Cimmino said. A guest appearance was made by Ms. Whalen, the founder of Poly Coffeehouse, who recently went on maternity leave. She was accompanied by her newborn son Oliver. Senior Charlotte Knutsen presented a virtual performance of the song “Cooler Than Me,” which was sung and recorded by Harmonics. “I prefer in-person Coffeehouse because of the encouragement we can give each other in the form of applause,” Knutsen said.

Whataya Want from Me by Adam Lambert Make You Feel My Love by Adele 100 Bad Days by AJR Ironic by Alanis Morissette Dreams Tonite by Alvvays Mess Her Up by Amy Shark Illustration by Coffeehouse board.

VIA KAYLA THOMPSON

Senior Robert Magnus also performed at Coffeehouse, singing a capella and adding in background music when needed. “I prefer in-person Coffeehouse because you can more easily feel the energy in the room and know that your audience is enjoying your performance,” Magnus said. Though we all do miss in-person coffeehouses, this season’s was indeed a success. Even though we couldn’t

have the applause and see everyone at once, the Zoom chat was flooded with support and encouragement from students, teachers, and staff members. “It is such a hard time for artists right now- especially performing artists- and I am so grateful to the Coffeehouse team for keeping the spirit of the arts alive with Virtual Coffeehouse,” Cimmino said.

THE QUEENʼS GAMBIT: REVIEW Is Netﬂix’s newest limited series worth the watch? JORDAN MILLAR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

he popular 1983 novel The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis has been adapted by Scott Frank into a seven-episode mini-series on Netflix. Since its original premiere date of October 23, the Gambit has remained in the number one spot on the platform’s most-watched list, making arguably one of the best shows of this year. Although chess, the main aspect of the series, is not the most compelling game, The Queen’s Gambit makes for an incredible and entertaining watch. Taking place in the late 1950s and 1960s, the show follows the life of chess prodigy Beth Harmon (as a child played by Isa Johnston), who is sent to a local orphanage in Kentucky after the sudden death of her mother. It is a depressing place that keeps girls calm and obedient by feeding them tranquilizers once a day. Eventually, the pills are banned, but Beth continues to grow more and more dependent on them. One day, after being sent to wash erasers in the basement, she stumbles upon the orphanage custodian, Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp), playing a game of chess by himself and Beth is immediately drawn to it. Eventually, he teaches her the basic rules, and quickly takes notice of her undeniable talent. Despite being socially awkward and introverted, chess acts as a major form of escape for Beth, as she spends her days practicing, and the evenings visualizing chess moves on the ceiling of the dormitory. As a teenager, Beth (now played by Anya-Taylor Joy) is adopted by the Wheatleys, a distant, married couple who have never previously had any children. Over the next few years, the world begins to notice her prodigious skills as Beth Harmon continues to rapidly climb the ranks of the professional chess world. She does so all while battling her addiction issues, a situation much more challenging than any chess match. The limited drama perfectly fits the mold of a classic sports story and embodies the characteristics of a coming-of-age film as Beth struggles

to succeed in a world dominated by both men and her own inner demons. Director Scott Frank did an incredible job in bringing the underrated sport of chess to life, making the matches between two people at a small table, moving around wooden pieces and punching the clock every few minutes, as tense and compelling as any other great sport. From the hallucinations of chess games on the ceiling to the dreary and muggy scenery of the orphanage, the various visual elements of the series are incredibly detailed and captivating. The elaborate costumes and set designs go a long way in providing a much needed “retro” aesthetic and creating an accurate picture of the 1960s. However, aside from the visual aspects, it is the quality of the acting that keeps The Queen’s Gambit in its well-deserved top rank on Netflix. Lead actress Anya-Taylor Joy brings the introverted yet powerful character of Beth Harmon to life through her eloquent facial expressions, hand movements, and short but memorable dialogue. Her mannerisms and style perfectly and convincingly match the ’60s. The supporting cast is also great, who all make a major contribution not only to the character development of Beth but also to the show as a whole. Bill Camp, who plays janitor Mr. Shaibel, has a serious nature and very few lines, yet his role is very significant, as he is the one who introduces the concept of chess. Marielle Heller acts as Alma Wheatley, the adoptive mother and main confidant of Beth throughout the show. During her time at the orphanage, her closest friend, Jolene (played by Moses Ingram), is extremely memorable, as she provides a fresh, witty yet knowledgeable perspective that everyone else seems to lack. The remainder of the cast, who unfortunately get limited screen time, are also important additions to further develop the plot and drive the story forward, making it an overall hit. While there have been several sports and coming-of-age productions, many seem to lack a woman as the central character, and The Queen’s Gambit empowers those not just through the game of chess but also through the journey of Beth Harmon.

Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick Bad Day by Daniel Powter I Love You by Avril Lavigne If I Die Young by The Band Perry In My Life by The Beatles Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line l See the full playlist @polygonnews.org

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

Due to the pandemic, actors from the 11th and 12th grade play ﬁlmed their Shakespeare scenes outdoors around campus CHARLOTTE KNUTSEN FEATURED WRITER

he 11th and 12th grade play, Love, Shakespeare, relied on a new video-based method of production that challenged its actors to perform in two-person scenes- alone! Due to the dangers of acting without masks in close quarters, actors filmed their lines pretending that their scene partner is with them, a difficult task when managing the intricacies of comedic timing or the emotional depth of tragedy. With the help of director Caleb Goh, though, the 10-person cast had a fighting chance of pulling it off-- Dr. Goh’s work in previous Poly shows such as Fools and Urinetown have proved his strength in both comedy and in more serious scenes. Rehearsals had been mostly over zoom, a new experience for the actors. In victorian-era costumes provided by new costume designer Hannah Chalman (who has worked on Broadway (Come From Away)), and at the Public Theatre (Shakespeare in the Park), the cast performed scenes from plays including but not limited to Hamlet, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, at various outdoor locations around Poly’s campus. The finished production was then live streamed at 7:00 on November 20th, during a zoom webinar. Regardless of the virtual medium, though, audiences experienced a night of good old-fashioned theatrical fun, with betrayals, star-crossed lovers, not-so-star-crossed lovers, and murder.

VIA INSTAGRAM @POLYPREPARTS

Zoe Feuer ’22 as Viola/Cesario and Chaliya Holder ’22 as Olivia