Hornet's Nest | February 16, 2022 | Vol. 7 | Issue 4

HORNET’S NEST Proctor Academy | February 16, 2022 | Vol. 7 | Issue 4 IN THIS ISSUE: Victoria Antar on International Students Jackson Downey on Maks & Carr House Thomas Johnson reviews a 3D Printer

Stewart Kane on Social Media Colin Kwak on the Proctor Pond Campbell Lucey on Callie Dwyer

The Bear Grylls of Proctor Academy

By Logan Thorne-Begland William Wamaru, Proctor’s newest DEI leader, led an entirely different life before coming to New Hampshire. Born and raised at the base of Mount Kenya, Will grew up in the outdoors.

At four and five years old he and his friends were running around fishing, hunting, and camping whenever they could. After becoming a boy scout and making his first summit attempt of Lenana Peak (approximately 15,000 feet), he was hooked.

Will knew “the mountain was the place for me.” As soon as he graduated primary school he applied for a scholarship with National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). “Once you finish high school, come to us and we’ll offer you a scholarship,” was their promise. For four years, Will worked tirelessly towards this goal. His passion for knowledge and the outdoors became well known throughout his village. “I was always at the top of my class”, Will casually states with a slight grin, “You know, they [the people in his village] would see me in the forest with the cows and I would always have books with me.”

His smile persists and I can see he remembers this time fondly even as he tells me that just as he graduated high school, NOLS closed its location in Kenya. A setback like this, a broken promise, could have been devastating, but it didn’t stop Will.

He just moved forward. He applied to be a porter carrying heavy bags, upwards of 80 pounds, into the mountains for expedition groups as a means to gain some experience. The pay wasn’t great but it gave him what he craved: time in the wilderness. After two years William Wamaru working on expeditions as a

William Wamaru Source: thecrag.com

porter, then a cook, and finally as a guide at just 19 years old, Will had begun to make a name for himself.

Being on the mountain was seen as something people did because they didn’t have a choice, not because they wanted to. Will broke that stereotype and people noticed, so when NOLS came back to Africa looking for guides to work in Tanzania, Will was once again back on their radar.

I sit back in my chair in his office and pull myself away from Will’s words for just long enough to think of how beautifully serendipitous all of this is. After years of reaching out to NOLS over and over again, paying for wifi by the minute at internet cafes, he got the recognition he deserved and was offered the opportunity he’d been waiting for all that time. As a 25-year old, Will traveled to Wyoming and began to train as an instructor for NOLS. Of course, he didn’t know then that over the next 17 years he would spend a cumulative total of 8 years in the backcountry surviving off of the skills he’d learned as an 8-year-old boy scout at the base of Mount Kenya.

Spending that much time disconnected from the real world can take its toll, it is lost time with the ones you love you’ll never get back. I asked Will if he ever regretted how much time he spent in the wild. His answer was quick and sure: “No – I feel like I almost want to spend more time . . . it’s not something you switch off, that drive . . . yeah it’s not something you switch off.”

learning English since you were little but it was like 2 hours a week or when you travel to the US, but then [at Proctor] you have to use what you’ve learned in everything, even in classes that you are used to taking in your first language like sciences or math, it’s way harder but you get used to it.”

Challenges Facing International Students

By Victoria Antar

Have you ever imagined going to school in another country? What challenges would you face? Some of Proctor’s international students attended an international school before coming to Proctor, but some of them used to study in their first language. Proctor now has 33 international students and for most of them, English is a second language.

According to one of Proctor’s International students who responded to my anonymous survey, the hardest part of coming to a boarding school is outside the classroom. He said, “If you are used to learning in English, the hard part is just socializing.” A Proctor girl who did not go to an international school before coming to Proctor commented, “...I went to a Chinese school so it took me a while to get used to learning things like science or math terms.” She shared a much more serious event from the fall, “Once they took me to the hospital to get checked and I was new here so I didn’t understand anything.”

An article from Applyboard.com that talks about the challenges of International study advises, “Locals are using slang you’re unfamiliar with and several words can be used to describe the same thing. Sometimes this makes you feel like an outsider, but take it as a learning opportunity.”

Almost all of the Proctor students took English lessons before coming to the United States. One girl commented, “You’ve been

Learning a language is a challenge, but it can also be fun. One of the girls remarked, “What I like about English is that there is a good amount of new slang and teenager’s expressions that are being incorporated into the daily life.”

I grew up speaking in Spanish, sometimes taking English lessons and practicing when I traveled, yet when I got to Proctor I had to do everything in English. The hardest part is how I have to pay attention to what people are saying so I can understand it, something I don’t have to do in my first language. But this eventually gets easier.

Living and studying in a new language can be challenging but also exciting and fun. If you hear another student struggling with the language, think about how hard it can be and try to help.

Maks & Carr House 2022 Vision

By Jackson Downey

Maks Watton is the Dorm Leader in Carr House, a star forward for the Proctor boy’s ice hockey team, and a big fan of sports.

Maks uses his leadership skills on the ice and in Carr House. He is a perfect example of a complete Dorm Leader.

Sitting down in Maks’ room, I ask him how he approaches being a dorm leader, especially in Carr House. He sighs and smiles at me then says, “You have to approach it just like any other dorm, stay positive and make good connections.” Maks loves being a dorm leader and notes the benefits are “Being able to communicate with everyone, also being able to contribute to the community in any way, and honestly, I want any leadership role I can

Maks and Greg Allen

have.” Carr House is different from some dorms because of its roster and caring dorm parent Nate Chipman. Due in part to his military background, Nate is treated with the utmost respect and we all look up to him.

Carr House is the place you want to be due to the high energy and endless fun we have. Carr house is a family and a place where you can be yourself. A fellow dorm mate, Jake Kadnar ‘23, a second-year junior, commented, “Carr House has given me a great opportunity to meet new people because all the kids have a great sense of community and really welcome you with open arms.” On weekends in the fall we grilled outside and watched football and movies; no one is left out. This shows how close we really are.

We pride ourselves on being the best dorm on campus. Maks observes, “We have to help our community in a positive way and set the bar high in everything, especially the little things.” For example, Toriyan, Cleto and I went to go help out with the Special Olympics on a Sunday morning. The hockey boys in Carr went to the Christmas skate. Most importantly, for every sports event, Carr House is there.

Maks feels that it is most important that we hold each other up when we are down, and hold each other accountable for mistakes that are made around the dorm so we can shoot for perfection. Jake noted, “I think Maks does a really good job of keeping everyone on a good note and keeping this dorm in one piece, and it’s good to have a really mature kid, not just an adult to keep Carr tidy.”

With the winter term underway, Carr House wants to have more people over and meet new people. With the best dorm leader and a great culture, come visit us in Carr House.

Monoprice Maker Select Plus 3D Printer Review

By Thomas Johnson

3D printing is becoming increasingly relevant in our world of technology.

Years ago, 3D printers were available only for huge companies, solving issues of mass production and dropping manufacturing prices. Now we have these printers available to schools of any age, free to use for aspiring engineers. I bought a Monoprice Maker Select Plus in 9th grade for $400. I quickly fell in love.

The first printer I used was a MakerBot. Knowing nothing about printers, I found it fun to use and relatively easy to work with.

The MakerBot, along with many other printers I’ve used, malfunctioned way too much.

Unsatisfied with my high school MakerBots, I bought the Monoprice. As printers go, it was very cheap, and I was skeptical. However, I have been very pleased with its performance.

The quality of the 3D printed objects it produces is much better than those of most other printers I’ve used. The plastic filament never gets jammed in the extruder mechanism - the gears that feed it into the hot metal tip that heats it up - likely because of the simplicity of its design. 3D printers are often daunting at first sight, especially super expensive ones that I’ve seen on college tours, but the Monoprice has proven very easy to work with. The simple, well-laid-out digital display is easy to use. At a current price of $330, given that I have used it in excess for more than 4 years, it is one of the most reliable 3D printers for beginners and experts alike.

Having had just this printer for 4 years, it is about time for an upgrade.

The next printer I want needs to have dual extrusion, meaning there are two spools of plastic that feed into two separate extrusion mechanisms. This allows you to switch plastic in the middle of a print, which is amazing because it means the prints can be in multiple colors or even in multiple types of plastic. The importance of two different types of plastics is that one of them can be used as the primary for the actual object, and the other can be used for the support material

that would hold up an overhanging piece of the object. Dissolvable support material is the coolest thing to ever exist. Instead of printing your object and having to break or sand off the supports, all you have to do is put the object in water for less than an hour and the support material disappears.

The dual extrusion also means that you are able to simply select the extruder with your desired plastic filament already cued up and ready to go. There are many downsides to dual extrusion of course, such that it may double the printing time, and jam or malfunction much easier. The biggest problem with single extrusion printers is the annoyance of having to take out the filament in order to put in the new one. This drives me crazy. The ability to effortlessly switch between my two favorite plastics would make a world of difference for me.

Most newer, more expensive printers, also offer a built-in covered enclosure. I made my own out of a poster board and clear plastic window insulator. The metal frame and hard plastic or glass walls allow the operator to have a perfect view of the interior of the printer, but more importantly, it regulates the temperature while printing. Consistent and precise temperature is very important for ensuring a flawless print. If the extruder piece that heats up the plastic filament to the perfect gooey consistency changes in temperature at all, it could cause a visible deformation or even a weak spot in the print.

Fumes are also omitted by the heating of the plastic. Inhaling these fumes can be problematic for your health. That being said, I’ve had my printer in my room for years, sometimes printing for days on end, and I have yet to experience health issues.

Whether you are experienced in the world of 3D printing or not, Monoprice was a great investment. I never had to buy replacement parts or pay to get it fixed. The user face is friendly yet intricate, allowing for customizable settings to fit your needs. Time is always an important factor. When I finish designing something, I want it right away. This printer operates faster and at a higher quality than many others I have used or researched.

The Monoprice Maker Select Plus is no longer available, but for my next printer, I’ll look closely at Monoprice.

What da Phone Do?

By Stewart Kane

Fifty-nine percent of the Proctor community would rather fight one horse-sized duck as opposed to 100 duck-sized horses. With one student reasoning that “It’s logically easier to defeat one big angry flappy bird than a hundred tiny buff quadrupeds with daggers for feet.” Along with asking about non-existent animal fighting preferences, the survey’s main focus was on the use of screens and social media in the community.

I received eighty-three responses from the survey sent to students and faculty. I learned that Proctor’s average screen time (self-reported time spent on screens daily) is slightly below average. However, the use of social media (Snapchat, Instagram, Tiktok, etc) is above the U.S. average.

As of August 2020, DigitalMarketing.org reported the average social media usage in the US is two hours and three minutes; nineteen minutes below our community-wide average. However, according to Statista, (a free website with statistics on anything you can dream of), the average American (18 or older) spends five and a half hours on their phones per day, not counting work-related phone use.

This means that Proctor’s average screen time is thirty minutes less than the national average. However, the community-wide social media use is 19 minutes more than the national average. I would hypothesize that the younger students at Proctor are the reason we see the above-average social media use. The community-wide average for screen time is below the national average possibly because Proctor students are in classes and sports for about six hours every day.

Finally, I asked in my survey, “Do you wish to change your social media use?” Fifty-two percent did not want to change use and the other 48 percent did. It is interesting to see that just over half the Proctor people are satisfied with their phone use; it is also interesting to see that most of the satisfied responses were from the people using their phones the most.

In other words, it was the people with two to three hours of screen time who did want to change their habits. This hints at a sort of confirmation bias where a person who uses their phone more may see evidence of other people spending lots of time on their phone.

This can cement the idea that what they are doing is perfectly normal.

Just like anything in life, phone use and especially social media should be approached with moderation in mind. Social media is a magnificent tool that can connect massive groups of people over amazing causes. There is also reason to believe that social media has been a major contributor to the rise in depression since the popularization of smartphones. So try deleting all social media apps except one because as a wise faculty member said about fighting a horse-sized duck, “I prefer a focused fight…”

The Winter Past, Present, and Future of Proctor Pond

By Colin Kwak

The Proctor pond is one of the best places to be outside during the winter. When it’s snowing and the ice is thick enough to skate on, it’s a great sight to see and everyone can have some fun.

The Proctor Pond looks better and better every year thanks to George Faran, the rink manager. George, who does a lot of things at the rink like sharpening skates, also makes us laugh in the locker room when he visits.

George tests the ice to make sure we can skate safely. He noted, “If the ice is two inches or less don’t walk on it. I would even say don’t walk on three inches because you never know. You can walk on 4 inches or thicker

of ice and you will be fine. If you don’t know how thick the ice is just ask an educated person like me and I can measure it with the right tools.”

The Proctor Pond is used for more than skating.

It can also be used for broomball which is the best game to play on Saturday nights. I asked Peter Southworth, a faculty Peter Southworth member, about a memory on the Proctor Pond. He replied, “One of my favorite memories is when my Johnson House dorm participated in broomball games vs. other dorms after study hall ended (students used to have 30 minutes to go outside after study hall). We likened ourselves to a horde of warriors rolling down the hill, hollering and ready for a fun battle. The games were intense and when the snowbanks were high, lots of students ended up laughing and sprawled out in the snow.”

Not that many students have truly experienced the Proctor Pond because of COVID-19, but now this year we will finally get a chance. I asked three year junior Andy Warren Andy Warren what his favorite memory was about Proctor Pond. He recalled, “During freshman year as the manager of the hockey team it was fun getting out on the ice with the boys. That truly made my whole winter when Walshy ok’d me to get out there and skate with all of my friends.” I also asked Bridget Everett, a three-year junior, what her favorite memory was about the Proctor Pond. She said, “It was during my freshman year and I didn’t really know any of the girls well yet. One day we had practice on the pond and the ice was a little rough so everyone was falling and we were all laughing and it helped start conversations to get to know each of them better.”

The Proctor Pond is a staple to the community because it helps get people outside and make new friends. Be sure to put a lot of clothes on to play around in the -5 degree weather. The pond is meant to have a laugh with your friends or a cry after you fall on the ice and bruise your knee, either way, you’re having a good time. I hope I hear your amazing story from this winter.

New Beginnings for Callie Dwyer

By Campbell Lucey

Callie Dwyer is an exciting new addition to the math department. Along with teaching, she will also be the Girls Varsity Lacrosse coach this spring.

As a student in her Precalculus class, I know she’s an energetic teacher and cares about each of her students. When I asked Callie why she chose to teach at Proctor she responded, “I first knew Proctor had an opening for the varsity head lacrosse coach and I’ve been coaching for club lacrosse for four years and I’m a director for the program so I was interested in that. Then I found out they had a math teacher opening as well, and I learned about the learning skills program and it was a perfect fit for me.” At Assumption College, Callie majored in education and math while playing NCAA Division 2 lacrosse. Her favorite class in college? “Probably Calc 5, it was hard but rewarding.”

Once COVID-19 hit, she decided to get her master’s degree in Special Education.

Callie graduated last year. As a younger teacher, I asked her if it was difficult teaching high school students at such a young age.

She explained, “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be, it’s actually easier to relate to the older students because of our closeness in age, but at the same time there do have to be boundaries set in place because of our similarity in age.” Students are able to approach her without any hesitation.

About the upcoming season for Girls Varsity Lacrosse, Callie said, “Obviously winning is fun, but that’s not the priority of this year.

It’s more of building lacrosse skills, being good people, being good teammates, and having a positive attitude. There are things more important than lacrosse.” I could hear the enthusiasm in her voice, and Callie is going to be a great addition to the Proctor community not only as a teacher but as a coach too.