HORNET’S NEST Proctor Academy | November 13, 2020 | Vol. 6 | Issue 2
Restorative Justice Comes to Proctor By River Turnbull
The past few months have revealed much about the Proctor community. It began early in the summer, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, when a student posted a racially insensitive post on social media. The school responded with a number of community conversations and since then, similar posts have to come to light. After the subsequent protest and responses from the administration, we see a few significant takeaways and progress in the Green Book, the disciplinary process, and in student awareness. Cha Krupka, Assistant School Leader observed, “The largest changes have been to restructure the initial stages of action for when a report is incurred, so there is room for either education or discipline or both. Hopefully, a new committee with student representation and input will be present. Mostly the changes are to try and prevent a situation in the future ... in which Proctor was simply stuck in an awful situation.” However, this was not the only issue the student protest brought to light: does Proctor hold responsibility for educating these students in regard to harming others? If so, can restorative justice truly avert these ignorant acts of racism from happening again? Will Wamaru, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coordinator at Proctor, provided insight into this complicated matter. “Apart from transferring academic knowledge and skills, the education system plays an important role in the socialization process of young people. Through a holistic approach, Proctor aims to create an environment where young adults learn and grow into responsible, respectful, honest, and compassionate citizens...My educational and socialization philosophy is informed by Ubuntu philosophy. It is a humanistic philosophy of the Bantu people that aims to keep a community and society better by valuing the humanity of all. The values and principles that guide the practice of restorative justice are rooted in this humanist approach. Restorative Justice humanizes the process of dealing with harm with a community, whether intentional or unintentional. It allows the offended parties, community members, and the offender to see each other’s humanity and create outcomes that recognize the three parties.”
our community and for our school. It was a day of tears, unity, hope, and most importantly, togetherness. As students and faculty gathered to talk and come together we were ready to hear messages about racism. As we reflect on our movement outside of Maxwell it is important to remember the significance of looking back at what we accomplished as a student body. New junior Trinity White Hat, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, was one of the many students that spoke at the protests, sharing a powerful story about her father who attended Proctor and his experience with racism. Lori Patriacca, Native American and Multicultural Program Coordinator, agrees. “Restorative Justice is important because it builds empathy from both sides. When people are harmed and do not have the chance to be heard by the person or people that harmed them, they have to carry that pain and fear forever. This can manifest in negative ways. If the perpetrator is not educated, their behavior is likely to get worse as they get more and more comfortable pushing the edge of what is acceptable. That is a dangerous cycle to reinforce and if we can stop it with [restorative justice], we should. Building understanding between people in face to face conversations is a powerful tool for healing and growth.” This process of change is bound to be a long and laborious one. However, with the recent efforts from the student body, this change will undoubtedly arrive. Continued conversations within the community will help us truly understand the importance of how we respond to hate speech at Proctor. As Will told me, “Proctor has an opportunity to mold leaders who are joining the public life believing in the idea of restorative justice and the humanity of giving people second chances. It will create advocates in young leaders who will seek to make society more just and fair.”
In 2000 her dad came to Proctor and wore his hair all the way down to his lower back. He played basketball and there were times where students harassed him about his hair. He recalled a game where parts of the crowd were yelling at him and nobody came to his defense. Trin’s dad said that these comments didn’t make him angry but left him disappointed. It is an example of how racism is something that Proctor needed to work on in the past and in the present. When I asked Trinity what was going through her head when the school gathered outside Maxwell Savage, she recalled, “My first thoughts were all over the place and I didn’t really know what was going on. I thought it was a very peaceful time for people to come up and share what they had to say at first.” She continued, “At one point it did become very hostile and there was a moment where it felt like everyone was against the school; those were the moments that I kinda stood back, when the atmosphere changed.”
Maia Doshcer ‘21
Photo: Sam Madison ‘22
A Movement Outside Maxwell By Angelina Arcidi
October 6, 2020. It was a day that finally made our community stop and think about some social issues happening around us. It was a day of learning and listening to others and the stories they needed to share. It was a day of empowerment, a movement for
Trinity White Hat ‘22
I wondered if this protest was something that needed to happen at our school. Senior Maia Doeshcer, who was a big part of the protest and originally planned the gathering outside Maxwell, answered this question with a definite “Yes! Especially with the Green Book there were certain topics that should have been added in there a long time ago.” Along with Trinity, she shared, “Based on what people have said and everything that occured over the summer, it needed to happen.” Looking back at what we accomplished that day, we should remind ourselves that we did make progress. Trinity observed, “We’ve accomplished a lot, by having good discussions, different
groups like the Jewish community came together, but further teaching will be something that we have to make sure actually happens.’’ If we have learned one thing from the two days of protest, it is that we can make a change and we can be heard. Even though there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, Proctor is taking important steps forward. As we continue to use our voices for our community, it is important that we remember how powerful and how effective we can be together.
Maia added that the protesting students wanted a place where they could “feel safe” and she was thinking what people on campus really wanted was justice. Sydney spoke about how Proctor’s Black community wanted people to understand how they felt about this decision. Finally, when asked what the rest of the community could do to help the protest going forward, Maia said she wanted people to show up and listen and become aware of what they did not know. Sydney similarly asked people to show up, be there, and listen to what students of color have to say. Maia also stated that she wanted more people to speak about their experiences with racism while we are talking about what is going on at Proctor so we can try to change. It has been a while since the protests, but the effects still resonate. Students will hopefully continue to learn about social issues and see others stand up and fight to uphold our core values.
Sydney Clark ‘23
Protests At Proctor
By Reid Sias On Tuesday, October sixth, approximately 150-200 students gathered in front of Maxwell Savage to protest a decision made by the Appeals Committee in regard to racist posts from a Proctor student. Crowded in a massive semi-circle, the community huddled together to hear student voices, other affected groups, and the responses from administrators.
Your Student Leader By Colin Shaver
When asked what she personally wanted to get out of the protest, sophomore Sydney Clark noted she wanted the administration to know the pain that the Black community is experiencing. Maia wanted to make sure the school realized that its decision affected more people than they may have realized. She wanted a new clause added to the Green Book about offensive slurs and their punishments.
As a four year senior, Nate Murowski is one of this year’s School Leaders at Proctor. He is one of the captains of the varsity soccer team and is a saxophonist in the jazz rock ensemble. Nate has been making some big moves in his first months on campus this fall. Nate started off with helping make the decision to keep in dorm time to 10:30 on Saturday nights, and is currently working with several committees to help amend the Green Book to reflect the anti-racism needs of the community. After the protests at the beginning of the month, this is a big goal for him as a leader. “Right now our biggest challenge and our biggest goal is to form some kind of amendment to the Green Book where we can bring in the community in terms of
disciplinary actions especially around race and harassment.” Nate’s big life changing moment at Proctor came when he spent his sophomore winter off campus in Costa Rica. He enjoyed escaping the stress of high school and also became more comfortable with himself as a student and a person. He found himself more comfortable in that environment and became the “social butterfly” he is today. Nate’s advice for new members of the community? “Make sure you know who your friends are and focus on making good relationships, and make sure you are thinking about your actions and being smart about what you’re doing, and make sure you are having fun too.”
Getting To Know Assistant School Leader Cha Krupka
experience at Proctor. Prior to the protest over racist statements, the Student Leaders had only worked on keeping in dorm time 10:30 on Saturdays, which has (so far) been successful. Cha is a big fan of the community we have here at Proctor. He is very thankful for the relationships he has made with his teachers and the great friends he has made throughout his Proctor journey. His main advice for new students is to take in every moment and to take things slowly. “Not everyone’s gonna have a perfect grip right away and I think they need to remember that it’s going to take some time.” He advises new students to not try too many things early on and really take some time to get comfortable with this new community as well as who you are. Cha has not only changed a lot as a student, but he has also changed a lot as a person. “My biggest moment at Proctor was when I came out in the middle of my freshman year. It was something I had struggled with for a while and everyone was so accepting and supportive.”
By Blake Licata
As the new year is underway, we are excited to see what the student leaders have up their sleeves!
Trying to return the favor, Assistant School Leader Cha Krupka hopes that he can give as much back to the community as Proctor has given to him.
Does Technology Use
After volunteering for peer writing, math first aid as well as being the captain of the cross country team and a member of the tennis team, Cha is more than ready to take on the challenge of a student leader. The first part of the term has not been easy for the student leaders, but they are ready to make the necessary changes in order to improve the student
dents still struggle with social media use during our two hour study block. In a survey sent out to the school, fifty percent of students said they spend thirty minutes to an hour on social media or their phone during study hall. Fifty-seven percent of students responded by acknowledging that decreases productivity. Senior Annie Walker’s comments may be typical. “During study hall I use my phone much more than I should to be honest. I get all my work done at night but it doesn’t end at 9:30, on most nights I finish around 11:30, 12ish.” Annie may represent how the majority of the student body feels when it comes to study hall at night. After spending two years at Proctor, some nights I am very productive and others I lose focus and immediately hop on social media.
Help School Productivity? By Andy Warren
Student productivity has decreased at Proctor as iPhones have been significantly more convienent, but during the fall term students have found a new use in facetime to reach out for academic help. While technology evolves at Proctor, stu-
My personal screen activity Not all technology is distracting however, phones or video calls over the computer have been increased significantly for academic work this year at Proctor. Students not only connect at night to other students for a quick study session, but even extra help
has shifted to an online format due to Covid-19. Four year senior Cooper Rice added, “I feel as if the technology format at our school this year has made me a more productive student. The convenience of being able to call a teacher actually makes my productivity much higher in that I connect with friends or teachers to be more of a one on one thing instead of going to a classroom [for extra help] where there are ten other students.” Some students may feel as if extra help is an inconvenience to have to walk to the classroom and be there for an excess amount of time to only hope your question is answered. With the new system [WebEx], you are a click away from a one on one half hour experience where you can be taught with no distractions.
tivity of their choice; The school will cycle through various sports according to the season. That way there is always something in which to participate.”Exercise is important, especially at our age, so Proctor should still continue to require students to do some sort of physical activity every day. I wondered what students prefer: be allowed to train for one sport year-round or should Proctor require students to play multiple sports? After sending out a survey to all students, I was able to gather opinions on whether or not students should be required to play a different sport each season or have the option to train for one sport year-round. After receiving about fifty responses, the following results show how many competitive sports students play at Proctor.
Even though technology has hurt many students’ productivity at Proctor, Proctor is trying hard to harness technology to help students connect with teachers and collaborate with fellow students.
Less than 8% of the students that responded play zero competitive sports, 15% of students play one competitive sport, 46% of the students play two competitive sports, and almost 31% of students play three competitive sports.
Specializing in One Sport at Proctor
After asking students the question, “Should students be required to play a different sport each season or have the option to train/ practice for one sport year-round?” 81% of students believe that students should have the option to train/practice for one sport year-round. I also asked students why they picked that option, and many mentioned how student athletes will be more prepared for their primary season if they can train more. Stay tuned for what changes we may see in specialization in Proctor Athletics.
By Carly Sipp
As the fall term is coming to a close, there have been many questions circulating about practicing and playing in one sport year-round. Since the start of the fall term, there have been new Covid-caused training sessions for winter and spring sports. Many students began to consider the idea of practicing for one sport all year to be more prepared for their season. Proctor Academy is a private school and many private schools require students to participate in three different sports each year because they want students to have physical activity in their lives. Public schools don’t require students to play a sport because of a different system and some don’t budget for athletics like private schools. According to an article “Athletics Are Not Optional” in the Private School Review by Robert Kennedy, “Private schools teach their students to enjoy exercise and to excel in an athletic ac-
Coping With a World of Uncertainty By Emily Gillis
Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed about the election, approaching finals, grades, Covid, college, or what winter term will look like? It can be tough to take a step back and take care of ourselves for a change - are you aware of some of the helpful resources on campus? Director of Wellness, Megan Hardie notes, “Not taking enough time to disconnect from the present can overwhelm us all. ‘’ Putting our technology down a little bit every day can create small pockets of peace that we can carry throughout the day. Terry Stoecker,
Megan Hardie with Victoria Morales’22
who teaches Meditation and Mindfulness states, “Taking three deep breaths, holding each for at least six seconds, then releasing can stimulate the vagus nerve that runs throughout the upper body.” Caring for our mental health is more important now than ever since we were not able to go home and see our families for fall family weekend due to COVID-19. I am counting down to when I can go home for a nice long December break to see my family. In a survey of Proctor students, unsuprisingly, over forty percent of the student body identified that academics create the most stress, and when asked how they deal with these struggles, exercising, watching Netflix, and listening to music were the common strategies. Many students said they were left feeling overwhelmed and unhappy at the end of the day. Terry suggests enrolling in her Meditation and Mindfulness class to add some relief to your day where she walks you through guided meditation you can practice any time. Many Proctor students are not only participating in typical fall sports but are also taking part in off-season practices that are squeezed in between dinner and study hall. There doesn’t seem to be time for a break. Terry and Megan both agreed that all these challenges can pile up on us, yet we can be proactive about how we approach our challenges.
Terry Stoecker with former student Nils Holland’20
Self-regulation is a key component to being a balanced student-athlete and listening to your body. Ang Arcidi, three year junior and standout soccer player says, “Having a busy schedule as a varsity athlete can be stressful, but I think it’s important to take time for myself both physically and mentally so that I can succeed in the long run.” Support each other through these stressful and uncertain times to keep your balance!
program. They tried to rent a lodge/AirBnb on a farm to live and learn about sustainability and agricultural practices. This was overturned and finally cancelled when the possibilities of flying there became increasingly risky.
The Off Campus Programs Search for COVID Friendly Options
Thankfully, Ocean was able to sail this fall, and after going through many precautions, they have successfully sailed down the coast. Brooks explained that to begin, the school “Had to communicate to the students how important it was to stay safe and distance over the summer. Then, like at Proctor, the students had to arrive at Camp Kenwood with a negative PCR test. Once here they were then retested. It was our good fortune that everyone tested negative.”
By Casten Crosby
The Euro and Mountain Classroom programs are ‘taking it’ to the Southwest for a different type of experience. Spain and Costa Rica are canceled. Ocean Classroom is revived.
Proctor has figuree out an adapted winter Ocean Classroom. According to Brooks Bicknell, the Director of Ocean Classroom, this could include going to “St. Croix doing outreach and community service while taking marine science, history and literature of the Caribbean and learning navigational math and learning to sail the schooner Roseway.” A communication recently came out offering the experience to eight lucky students.
With everything that is going on in the world surrounding COVID, we have to make sacrifices for some opportunities we wanted. We were lucky enough to return to campus to see all of our friends and faculty, however some of our off campus programs are taking different approaches. Derek Nussbaum Wagler, the Dean of Academics, says in order for us to have an off campus program, it means we have to “[minimize] the exposure of the group to the broader public as much as possible. This is relatively easy to do with trips like Ocean or Mountain but is much more difficult with a trip like Spain or Euro.” As a result, Spain and the Costa trips were canceled and Euro changed their plans almost completely. Proctor was initially working on an alternative plan for the sophomore Costa Rica
Ocean also had to make sure the professional crew hands were also healthy, so they had to undergo social distancing and testing as well. When they arrive in ports, they minimize contact with the outside world. For European classroom, Derek explained, “We are looking at shifting it to the southwestern United States where students can still produce art and live in a sort of art colony but where they aren’t as exposed to the risks of international travel.” Similar to Euro, Mountain classroom is looking at basing in southern Utah and doing their
experience in that region. Typically, Mountain takes the students through many states in the West, but with COVID, the plan is to rent a base camp while exploring the deserts and mountains of Utah. Although they can’t go to every state they were planning, Utah is beautiful and offers plenty of adventure. Although the programs this year were not what we intended or expected, we are working with what we have and making the most of it.
River de Vink (left): Student Leader of Outdoor Activities
View of Andover, NH from Kearsarge (All photos taken by Patrick Duffy)
Make Proctor Environmental Again By Patrick Duffy
The harsh wind tried to push me back as I ascended the peak of Mount Kearsarge. From the top of the watchtower, the surrounding valley was like a Bob Ross painting; bright reds, yellows and oranges sprinkled the woodlands on this pristine New Hampshire fall day. On the way down from the peak, my group, consisting of two students and a faculty member, talked with each other about many things. One common concern however, was, “Why aren’t there more Proctor kids enjoying the outdoors?” Proctor Academy takes pride in its history of the connection between campus and the surrounding woodlands. The school owns over 2500 acres of land stretching from the ski hill up the back side of Ragged Mountain, with miles of hiking and biking trails. Proctor also has a cabin, a student built lean-to, and off-campus programs dedicated to sailing and backpacking out West. Despite this, many people, especially long-time faculty members, believe that student activity outdoors has decreased at an alarming rate. According to Peter Southworth, a past instructor of Mountain Classroom and an outdoor enthusiast, “The number of students getting… up to the cabin… which may be concrete proof that students want to hang out around a fire and get away, that’s way down.” From my own personal experience, spending a night at the cabin with friends is one of the best things to do over a weekend. Unfortunately, most Proctor students have never gone up to the cabin and experienced it firsthand.
Not all hope is lost, though, especially when seeing the trends of enrollment in Mountain Classroom, another indicator of student interest in the outdoors. In regards to this, Peter stated that, “There was a time… in the 2000’s, where we struggled to fill the program.” Today, the idea of Mountain Classroom not filling up is absurd since it’s one of Proctor’s most popular off-campus programs. When It comes to getting students back outside on campus, however, outdoor enthusiasts and faculty are beginning to get more creative. In an effort to encourage students to experience the outdoors, Proctor has a new Outing Club, a group dedicated to organizing outdoor-related activities. According to River de Vink, the student leader, “Students who aren’t really into outdoor activities… don’t realize that they like it until they try it.” River believes that students would be more inclined to spend time outdoors if they actually went outside. River wants to take advantage of Proctor’s woodlands to create a safe and fun experience for students. He noted, “I think a camping trip to Elbow Pond would be awesome.” Ezra Taylor, another student at Proctor who loves the outdoors, believes that kids should be given more freedom to go outside. According to him, “If students had more free time, then they would be more likely to go on a hike or a bike ride outside… Over my time here, I walked to Mud Pond over one hundred times, mostly in my freshman year thanks to the extra time.” Proctor has great potential to provide its students with outdoor activities that are engaging and fun; and with a combination of extra free time and organization, students will be flocking to the woods.
WEEKEND Love
FRIDAY | NOVEMBER 13
5:15 - 6:15 PM: Dinner at the Dining Hall 6:15 - 6:45 PM: Shuttles go to Ski Hill parking lot - leave from outside of the dining hall drop off circle 6:45 PM: Bonfire at Parking lot of Ski Hill (prepared by Woods Team) Introduce the keeper of the spirit! 7:00 - 8:00 PM: Dance Show is Live streamed on Big screen by Ski Lodge 7:00 - 8:00 PM: Food!
Thank you to the Weekend Team and dining hall for providing burgers and fries, hot chocolate, and cookies! 7:15 - 8:00 PM: ManHunt on the Nordic Trails run by Student Govt. 8:00 PM: Shuttles return to campus 8:00 - 9:00 PM: Jazz Rock live streamed in Wise 9:00 PM: In Dorm time for all!
SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 14
VS.
2:30 PM: Boys Varsity Soccer vs Holderness 3:00 PM: Boys JV Soccer vs Holderness 3:00 PM: Cross Country vs Holderness 7:00 PM: Moritomo Take out dropped off under the tent Limit 10 orders 7:00 PM: Open Gym 7:30 PM: Speedball on the Turf 7:00 PM: Fire Pit and S’mores 8:00 PM: Movie in the Wise 8:30 PM: Hornet Grill featuring Dylan’s late night eats under the tent by the dining hall: Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Taquitos, Potato wedges and Cheesecake Chimichangas
SUNDAY | NOVEMBER 15
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Horseback Riding - Leave from Carr Field - please sign up through email 12:00 PM: Dunks To Go - Limit 10 orders 12:00 - 1:00 PM: PA Open Skate - Skates available no hockey 1:00 - 3:00 PM: Smoothies in the wise 2:00 PM: Bike Ride with Brooks 3:00 - 5:00 PM: Dorm Meetings Questions? Suggestions? Get Involved with Student Activities! 4:00 - 6:00 PM: Open Gym Contact Erica Wheeler, Student Activities Director at wheelerer@proctoracademy.org. 5:15 PM: Sunday Sundaes Follow proctorstudentactivities on instagram for all of the up to date info