The Rivers Edge - Fall 2022

THE RIVERS EDGE

Ryan Dahlem named new Head of School

BY ABBY MATSUYASU ’23 CO-EDITOR

Less than a year ago, all mem bers of the Rivers community re ceived the email detailing Head of School Ned Parsons’s depar ture. Not long after the search be gan for his replacement. On Sept. 22, 2022, an otherwise nor mal Thursday, at 10:56 AM, the Rivers commu nity received a similar email an nouncing Ryan Dahlem as the school’s ninth Head of School starting next ac ademic year.

This sum mer, the head of school search committee was hard at work narrowing down the applicant pool to four finalists. The committee was made up of nine people: six trustees or alums and three internal faculty mem bers, Andrea Diaz, Samantha Vandergrift, and Krissie Kelleher. Leading the group was Commit tee Chair and former trustee Alan Rose ’87 and President of the Board Harley Lank, a past parent.

“My role on the committee was to serve as an individual, but in particular, much of my charge was to be a representative and a voice for the faculty,” said Diaz, who teaches history and is also the Upper School Dean of Fac ulty.

In addition, the wider com munity had the opportunity to share their thoughts and priori ties with the committee through a comprehensive survey sent out in the spring. There were more than 500 responses producing raw data for the committee to analyze and weigh during their decision-mak ing processes.

After evalu ating the com munity re sponses, the committee de cided their prior ities in evaluat ing applications.

“The committee was looking for someone who was going to un derstand Rivers’ values, in par ticular the core of Excellence with Humanity,” stated Diaz. “Someone who would be an em pathetic, but effective leader.”

Not only is the Head of School charged with day-to-day engage ment with students and faculty, but the Head spends a consider able amount of time working with the trustees, parents, and alumni. Therefore, the committee was also looking for someone with the skills to establish and maintain relationships with all members of the community, ranging from a 6th grader to the President of the Board.

Once the committee narrowed down the pool of applicants to four, the finalists were scheduled

Completed Haynes Hall upgrade caps major campus improvements

BY JASON GLICK ’24 ASSISTANT EDITOR

As the 2021-2022 academic year neared the annual spring break in March 2022, the Rivers community was informed that the Haynes Hall building would be closing down for the six months for major renovations.

Rivers achieved its goal to complete the updates to Haynes by the start of this academic year, and students and teachers alike give nothing but high marks to the building’s dramatic makeover.

Haynes Hall is home to the English Department, History Department, College Counsel ing department, and numerous administrative offices including

the Head of School. This meant that after spring break, students, teachers and administrators who had offices or classes in the build ing would need to relocate ac cordingly for the remainder of last academic year. For example, the English Department and History Department had to combine into one space in Hutton Commons in the MacDowell Athletic Center. Many classes were moved into different buildings around cam pus for the final few months of the academic year.

After a long and eventful sum mer, the renovations to Haynes Hall were finally completed and the building is back in use for the new year with a brand new interior look. Overseen by Tom Bourdeau,

Rivers’ director of operations, the school planned the construc tion with Bowdoin Construction Corp., a company that Rivers has used recently with the success ful renovations of the Prince and Lewis buildings.

When returning students walked into the renovated build ing for the first time, they were caught by a pleasant surprise. All around the building were vibrant new colors and materials. The floors were replaced in the style found in Revers and Prince. The flooring and walls now aestheti cally match as they are both in a new shade of gray. Addition ally, the original ceilings were swapped with new material that

Seniors gain experiences at Summer Science Internships

BY MEGAN SWEATT ’24 ASSISTANT EDITOR

Most students view their sum mers as a period for relaxation, but a group of Rivers’ rising se niors spent their summers giving up their free time to participate in one of the school’s hallmark programs: the summer science internships. From communica tions internships to pediatrics, 22 students pursued their interests in STEM through this program, and in turn used their summers for personal and educational growth. This internship program of fers a wide variety of opportuni

ties in a range of different fields in STEM. While the majority of internships this year were in med icine, other students pursued their unique interests in fields such as communication, consulting, and engineering.

While the specific fields vary, the program’s participants all re turned to the school year with an overall positive and productive experience. Seniors have now shared the details of their experi ence as interns at their respective companies in the science intern ship blog posts, available on the Rivers website, and are encour aging the next class of juniors to

sign up and take advantage of this amazing opportunity.

One repeatedly popular loca tion is the Boston Ability Cen ter. This year Jack Paul ’23 and Jack DosSantos ’23 had their turn interning at the Ability Cen ter in Natick. This center focuses on physical, occupational, and speech therapy with young chil dren, specifically holding an in tensive therapy camp each sum mer, when Paul and DosSantos interned. Instead of just studying the different types of therapy that are available to children at the canter, this internship allowed them to witness and participate in

At 7-3, the volleyball team is looking strong as they head down the stretch and maybe into the post-season.

the therapies. Each camper at the Ability Center was paired with an intern who would accompany them throughout their camp day. Each day, the child would have two therapy sessions, each one in a different type of therapy. Fol lowing the campers’ two-hour therapy session to start the day, interns got one-on-one time with the children when they worked on fine and gross motor skills by working on active or creative ac tivities together.

In addition to receiving oneon-one therapy with a clinician, the camp environment is what

The evolution of senior Charlie Thomajan’s notable artistic talents and career at Rivers.

Upper School students ease back into school year with fun and adventurous orienta tions.

Friday Night Lights! School spirit and the Rivers Fanzone have been out in full force during the inaugural season of Friday Night Light games, with each week featuring a different varsity team. Photo by Charlie Stuart’ 23.

With an unwavering work ethic, football star Kalyl Lindsey ’23 is a leader on and off the field.

Yassine Talhaoui settles in as the school’s new director of enrollment management.

Senior Jackie Lee checks on a pediatric patient.

New Head Ryan Dahlem.

Summer internships offer real-world STEM experiences News

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“allows the children to play to gether as well as with the interns in order to make some new friends and develop a sense of camarade rie,” wrote Paul and DosSantos in their blog post. At the Center it is especially clear how the interns’ dedication makes a direct impact on the life of the children they work with.

Another pair of students who held the same summer internship were Abby Matsuyasu ’23 and Jacob Sardinha ’23. Switching to the field of wet bench research, these two worked at the Burns Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital which uses zebrafish to model hu man cardiovascular disease.

Specifically, Matsuyasu stud ied genetic mutations of the pro tein filamin-C in heart muscle cells. She ran various experiments to study the impact of filamin-C on heart development in the ze brafish. Her time and research in the lab consisted of studying ze brafish embryos and their specific phenotype, geno-typing the fish, using gel electrophoresis to visu alize the DNA, and imaging the normal and mutant hearts with confocal and fluorescent micro scopes.

In addition to her responsibili ties in the lab, Matsuyasu was ex pected to read and discuss cardiac research published in scientific journals. “Although [the journals] were often challenging,” shared Matsuyasu, “I learned how to un derstand the big picture and how to interpret figures, dates, and sta tistics,” emphasizing the range of skills she received from doing this internship.

Sardinha also studied cardio vascular disease in zebrafish, but his project was to determine whether or not a certain gene was responsible for a heart defect seen in a specific mutation. Sardinha also had the chance to read and discuss scientific journal research, and as a pair they were also able to have an inpatient clinical experi ence during the internship.

From learning how to conduct and troubleshoot an experiment, interpret original research, and

experience inpatient care, it is clear that they had a full, enrich ing experience while being able to explore a possible field of STEM they would like to pursue.

Stepping into the field of tech nology and computer science, An drew Young ’23 and Cole Pierson ’23 interned at Jackpine Technol ogies, another repeat and popular location for Rivers interns. The two were first trained in handling controlled unclassified informa tion (CUI) and how to prevent the leakage of company data. They were then tasked with projects that required them to use python and Javascript code. Then they used information that the com pany already had and applied it to help keep other software develop ers secure.

“The most insightful part of this internship was getting a thor ough overview of every part of the software engineering experi ence in only a few weeks,” wrote Young. The pair was thrown into a new professional field, but with enough guidance, mentorship, and support, they became comfortable enough to share their work in a company-wide meeting.

In the related field of engineer ing, Dana Lowitt ’23 and Hunter Tuff ’23 had the opportunity to intern at Brooks Automation with its manufacturing engineers. Among other products, Brooks Automation produces robots that look like a big arm and that can move in five dimensions.

Tuff’s work included inputting test data into spreadsheets and building part of the test span for a robot movement test that would be tracked by a camera over mul tiple hours. Additional tasks in cluded helping with builds and 3-D printing new parts that would become part of the robot’s arm.

Lowitt conducted tests on the mobility and accuracy of the robot arm which came with its own fair share of problem solving. “My first lesson in engineering was about patient troubleshooting,” said Lowitt. During her time there she was also able to work with the technical writing and market ing division. After sitting in on the team’s meet ings, she wrote a memo detailing a system that lets companies re port their climate effect data for the legal team.

In the field of communica tions, Charlie Stuart ’23 and Tyler Cornetta ’23 interned for Nuance Com munications. At this software de velopment com pany, Stuart and Cornetta worked with the medi cal team testing bugs in voice recognition soft ware. Once they

found and resolved the bug, they shared their work with the team.

Back to another internship in medicine, Lucia Capello ’23 in terned at Noxon Orthodontics as their first ever non-dental school student intern. Capello spent her time shadowing two doctors in the

office, interacting with patients, and being responsible for clean ing and setting up materials for appointments. Starting from her first day when she immediately learned how digital impressions for Invisalign are made by a 3D scanner, her internship fully im

mersed her in the office environ ment. “I gained so much exposure and feel even more excited to keep learning about this field and what it may bring for me in my profes sional career,” she said.

Every student who participated in a summer science internship was able to spend their summer knowing they were directly im pacting their host company and team. Host companies showed up and supported our interns in many ways such as celebrating National Intern Day at Jackpine Technolo gies and simply taking the time out of their work every day to mentor and work with the interns.

From orthodontics and pedi atrics, to consulting and phar maceuticals, the summer science internship program is an opportu nity for rising seniors to focus on one specific STEM field and learn about the professional experience and potential career path. As the internship program and its diverse options continue to grow, interns are shaping their internship to their own interests and passions to grow as learners and young adults in STEM.

Dahlem has wealth of experience

Continued from page 1 to visit campus for a couple of days each to engage with current upper and middle school students and faculty so that they could get a sense of life on campus and the school community could get to know the candidates. However, before the final two candidates could come to campus, Dahlem received two offers for Head of School positions at other inde pendent schools and the com mittee was charged with a tough decision: continue the search process time line as intended and lose Dahlem or hire him on the spot. “Because of the com petitive landscape for strong head of school candidates, we had to move quickly,” shared Lank.

Since 2016, Dahlem has held the position of Assistant Head of School at St. Margaret’s Episco pal School in San Juan Capistra no, California. One of Dahlem’s personal strengths is his breadth of experience within education systems. In addition to his current administrative role, he has been a teacher, department chair, direc tor of admissions and financial aid, coach, and advisor–reaching almost every aspect of school life.

In addition, Dahlem already has plenty of experience with the tasks and responsibilities required as Head of School. Already, he works closely with the Board of Trustees at St. Margaret’s and he leads robust strategic planning, development, and fundraising efforts. Specifically, he founded a nationally recognized studentcentered innovation strategy root ed in design thinking.

Dahlem successfully led the redesign of his school’s sched ules, implemented new courses, a contemporary service learning

program, a faculty innovation grant program, and created the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position at his school.

Dahlem also has prior expe rience working at all kinds of schools other than independent high schools such as working in admissions at Stanford Univer sity, and teaching and coaching at University High School in Irvine, California.

After his robust time in the west coast education workforce, he will return to the greater Boston area where he began his teaching career at Fenway High School. In addition to his career in education, he has spent time as an author and presenter for the National Association of Indepen dent Schools.

Before entering the workforce, Dahlem’s own education matches his impressive resume. He gradu ated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in psy chology, then went to the Harvard Graduate School of Education to earn his master’s degree in teach ing and curriculum.

Outside of the classroom, Dahlem is an inspired musician and passionate mountaineer hav ing climbed the highest peak on all seven continents, namely Mount Everest. Dahlem and his wife Anne have three children: Peter (age 18), Ella (16), and Co lin (8).

Clearly, Dahlem’s combina tion of experience and passion sets him up for success in enter ing his role on Winter Street next fall. “Ryan is a highly qualified leader who embodies all of the ideals of Excellence with Hu manity and who, above all else, places students at the center of his work,” said Lank.

“He really understands the ideas that we want to aspire to and that we live by at Rivers,” expressed Diaz. Even his cur rent school has a coincidentally similar motto to the core values of Rivers: Hearts and Minds. Ultimately, Dahlem “is a school person,” said Diaz. “He really wants to get to know people and he wants to be part of the day to day lives of students and faculty.”

In considering the candidates, Diaz emphasized the importance of the future of this institution in “where we are, where we’re mov ing, and where we want to go,” es pecially in terms of DEI. “I think he has the skills and competen cies and understands the values to help us continue to move forward with our goals,” said Diaz.

Through and through, Dahlem’s educational values align with Rivers’ mission and philosophy. “When I visited campus, I saw these aspirations coming to life through reflec tive senior speeches, empowered student voices in the classroom, and a spirited Red and White competition,” said Dahlem. “Im mediately, I knew this was a very special place.”

As Mr. Parsons and Rivers lengthen the list of “lasts” and good-byes with each other, the community is building anticipa tion for what is to come under new leadership.

Similarly, Dahlem is excited to join Rivers. “I am honored, hum bled, and inspired to build on the tremendous momentum at Rivers and lead the school into the next exciting chapter of its accom plished history.”

Grace Brosnan ’23 with Dr. Stein in the OR over the summer.

Jacob Sardinha’23 interned at the Burns Lab.

Much at stake for US in competitive midterm elections

BY CRISTINA GOMEZ ’23 ASSISTANT EDITOR

Any American may have no ticed a certain buzz around the country this fall, an air of antici pation as the political landscape prepares to change. Candidates are campaigning, voters are head ing to the polls, and the entire na tion is biting its nails.

Why are all of these tensions coming to a head? It’s midterm election season.

Midterm elections, as the name suggests, occur every two years, halfway in-between presi dential elections. Voters from all 50 states elect representatives for several national and state offices as terms come to an end.

Nationally, one-third of the senate is up for re-election, be cause senators serve for six year terms. The House of Represen tatives, on the other hand, turns over every two years, so every seat is up for grabs. In addition to the Congress, individual state governors, attorney generals, and other officials are elected in the midterms.

Because the president is not being elected, one might think that the midterm elections are less important than the four-year

cycle. However, the midterm elections determine control of Congress, which is extremely im portant because the political party that has the majority in the House or Senate ultimately decides which laws are considered for the entire country.

In addition, most of the laws that affect Americans’ everyday lives are passed at the state level, so local leadership is highly im portant to consider during these elections. Some of the most in fluential laws under consideration this fall include how to deal with growing inflation, foreign policy, and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

To further understand what’s at stake during the midterm elec tions, look no further than the highly contested senate races happening across the country.

The Georgia Senate race is one of the most competitive races this cycle. Incumbent Democratic senator Raphael Warnock is cur rently facing re-election against former football star and Repub lican Herschel Walker. Warnock has been a supporter of Joe Biden and has voted with the president 96% of the time, while Walker is endorsed by former President Trump. In the past few weeks,

Walker’s campaign has entered a scandal, which has thrown the election for a loop. Walker’s views on abortion rights are fur ther right than most Republicans; yet, according to the New York Times, Walker paid for an abor tion for his then-girlfriend in 2009. This new information has given Warnock a small boost in the polls, but it is still unclear who will ultimately take the seat come November.

In the Nevada Senate race, Democratic senator Catherine Cortez Mastro is seeking a sec ond term and is challenged by republican Adam Laxalt. The main takeaway from this race is that Democrats are losing support among Latinx and Black voters. Back in 2020, Biden made up the deficit of support among Black and Latinx voters by outperform ing among white college-educat ed voters; however, that is not looking like it is going to be the case during this election cycle in Nevada. Therefore, Republicans have a good shot at flipping this seat.

Republicans are favored to win the House of Representatives this year, meaning that they will have the power to run investiga tions and place committee as

Haynes renovations completed

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complement the surrounding col or scheme and design. In Upper Haynes Hall, where the depart ment offices are located, there is a brand new look to the ceiling with light brown wood slats.

“I really enjoy my classes so much more in the renovated Haynes than the old Haynes,” said Spencer Gary ’25. “I also really like the new furniture in the com mon area, which is a really nice, quiet, and productive space.”

Upper Haynes Hall saw some other notable changes throughout the process. The History office was relocated to be adjacent to the English office and across from the College Counseling office. This reconfiguration gives the History department office a much larger workspace and opens up the old space for other purposes. In ad dition, the English department office has increased in size, en hancing the teacher experience. Rivers’ English Department Chair Mac. Caplan was very pleased with his new workspace and feels that it will benefit himself and his colleagues.

“It’s really nice to be in a spa cious, well-lit office space now where all the English teachers can be together and have our own re ally nice work spaces,” said Ca plan. Before the renovations, the English office was a bit cramped. The office spaces were small and each teacher did not have a spa cious area. However, after the renovations, the English office has more space to spread out, ev ery teacher has a larger personal

area, and there is a common table in the center of the office to gather around for meetings.

“It’s still early in the year,” Mr. Caplan continued. “But having the space to collaborate while in our office with enough room for students is great. This has been such a nice upgrade over the pre vious space.”

In the open spaces in Upper Haynes Hall, there is also a more spacious area for students and fac ulty to spend time and do work. The mailboxes of students have all been relocated to the sides of the open area, leaving more space for tables and chairs for students to work at. Additionally, there is a spacious, yet secluded conference room that has been helpful for teachers and students to conduct private and productive meetings.

Lower Haynes, composed mainly of middle school class rooms, also changed its appear ance. There is new carpeting, ceilings, walls and, lighting in the classrooms with new desks and chairs that resemble the modern

Other noteworthy features in clude new electrical and plumbing upgrades and new interior and ex terior doors. Rivers also decided to add a brand new ramp, gender neutral bathrooms, new HVAC systems, sprinkler systems, and alarm systems. While the color of the building’s exterior stayed the same, the newly installed win dows create a beautiful reflection for students walking by. With these new additions, Haynes has progressed into a more modern building with eye-catching fea tures.

When comparing the old to the new building, it is clear that Haynes’s renovations have been a success. Both teachers and stu dents alike have taken advantage of the new spaces that the building offers. The buzz around campus demonstrates that students and faculty are loving the renovations and are happy to be back in the new and improved building that they know and love.

signments. However, Democrats are actually favored to win the Senate which is unprecedented as historically, trends show that the party that controls the white house, in this case the Democrats, lose congressional power during midterms. However, polling data this fall shows that Democrats are flipping many elections in their favor.

There has been serious ten sion within the Republican party around the question of which can didates to support in the primary. Some Republican party leaders have been critical of former Pres ident Trump’s endorsements of candidates who have never held public office before. As a result, the GOP has effectively split into factions: more traditional con servatives and Trump loyalists. That division has opened the door for Democrats and has tightened many races nationwide.

In addition, the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this year has energized support among Demo cratic and Independent voters. Due to the reversal, many people are extra eager to vote this year giving the Democrats another siz able boost.

These two factors have caused Democrats to become the favor ite to win the senate majority. But that’s not to say that things will not change as a lot can happen in a short period of time in Ameri can politics.

In Massachusetts, there are also a few seats up for grabs this fall, but the races aren’t as con tested as they are in some other battleground states. We will have a new governor as Charlie Baker, a moderate Republican, comes to the end of his term and has cho sen not to run for reelection.

Traditionally, Massachusetts has had a strong Democratic majority, thus it is likely that former Attorney General Maura Healy, rather than Republican Geoff Diehl, will win the seat. This is one of the more historic races happening in the country, as Healy would be Massachusetts’ first elected female governor as well as one of the first openly les bian governors in the US.

As well as voting for gover nor, there are four ballot ques tions in this year’s Massachusetts midterms. Ballot questions are an opportunity for voters to weigh in

directly on issues of law, rather than through an elected represen tative.

The two most contested ques tions are the Millionaire’s Tax and Drivers Licenses for Undoc umented Immigrants. Also called the Fair Share Amendment, a yes vote for the Millionaire’s tax would impose an additional 4% tax on incomes over one million dollars to be used on public edu cation and transportation.

Those in favor argue that the wealthiest in Massachusetts should pay their fair share so that tax dollars can be put into high er quality infrastructure. Those against the bill argue that thou sands of small businesses would be inclined to move to a state with a lower tax, and those with onetime earnings, such as the sale of a home, would be forced into a very high tax bracket that would deplete their savings. It will be interesting to see how this highly contested question plays out on election day.

The fourth ballot question asks voters if the state should keep or repeal its new law allowing un documented immigrants to get driver’s licenses. Under the new law, people living in the country illegally can apply for a driver’s license if they provide the Reg istry of Motor Vehicles with a foreign passport or consular iden tification document. Supporters argue that the policy enhances road safety by ensuring that all drivers pass a driving test, have insurance and acquire a license. Those who wish to repeal the law say that it increases the risk that non-citizens will use their licens es as false proof of citizenship and register to vote in elections. This law has actually already passed in the state congress with out Governor Baker’s approval and now it is being taken directly to the people for a vote.

With the country going through an incredibly exciting yet tumultuous time in U.S. politics, the midterm election cycle is get ting more and more heated. Es sential to a healthy democracy is an informed and active electorate, so voter turnout on November 8th is essential.

For more information on how to register to vote, visit www.sec. state.ma.us.

style of those in the Revers Cen ter.

Americans head to the polls on Nov. 8 with lots at stake. File photo.

The newly refurbished upper Haynes study area. Photo A. Palazzolo.

EDITORIAL

Despite work and stress, enjoy these autumn days

With leaves falling and the campus bustling with students and faculty, Rivers is definitely back in session. While we weren’t on campus in the summer, students stayed very ac tive in the Rivers community, especially the seniors. While 22 rising seniors were involved in the summer science internship programs, all seniors started to think more deeply about college (a process we know all too well now). The many college infor mation sessions, visits with the college counselors, and essays that have to be written have crowded our to-do lists.

While visiting college counselors, seniors, along with all members of the Rivers community, have also been able to enjoy the newly renovated Haynes Hall. With classrooms on both floors and new study spaces, the re-imagining of Haynes from the past has already served as an exciting contribution to the year.

Going back to seniors on campus, while our year has been unaffected by Covid so far, something still feels off. With our freshman year cut short by the pandemic, sophomore year packed with social distancing, and junior year filled with con stant Covid variant spikes, it feels surreal that we are seniors already. But what else comes along with senior year? Many leadership roles. From debate club to sports captains, many seniors have stepped into leadership roles on campus as men tors and examples for underclassmen. The club fair was a great chance for the Rivers community to see what interests them, sign up for clubs, and begin to pursue their interests even more.

Along with the club fair, the Monday, Thursday, and Friday assembly blocks have been filled with many exciting things. Yale’s famous acapella group, The Whiffenpoofs, came and performed for the community, showcasing their singing talents and cracking a few jokes along the way.

Assemblies have also been a time for the traditional senior speeches. As seniors gear up for the year ahead, these speeches have been a time for us to reflect on our time at Riv ers and think about what’s to come in the future.

Maybe the most exciting thing this fall has been the series of Friday Night Lights (FNL) games. Almost every Friday this fall, the whole community shows up in themed spirit to join the fan zone and support our teams. Even if sports are not your thing, the spirit of bundling up and feeling the buzzing energy, spirit, and warmth radiating from the crowd should be enough to convince you to show up and romanticize these iconic high school games; because when you’re an alum, these quintes sential high school events will be gone way too soon. It’s safe to say that the inaugural season of FNL has been a hit and we hope to see these games continue for years to come and be come an established and beloved Red Wing tradition.

Other exciting events on Winter Street include the talentfilled art gallery shows boasting cookies baked to perfection as a snack while you admire the works. We also have the first Coffeehouse of the year coming up on December 2nd. Though this is later than usual this year, the holiday theme is sure to be extra cozy.

As the FNL games come to a close, Homecoming ap proaches this weekend. This year, the spirit themes are al ready earning nods of approval from students left bitter after Anything-But-A-Backpack day was cut from last year’s spirit line-up.

If you step into any senior class or hang out in Revers during senior check-in, you will likely hear multiple students articulate that senior fall is the most stressful period of their lives thus far. To be honest, this is true and there is no genuine way to sugar-coat it or even relieve the bulk of this stress. Se niors, rather than sugar-coat or downplay the ridiculous amount of work and responsibilities you have on your endless to-do list, just remember that this period won’t last forever. The fall is almost over so we just have a few tough weeks ahead as the final push. Class of 2023, this is our year, so let’s live it up to the fullest.

Opinions & Editorials

The power of family game night

BY BRYAN MANN ’23 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Something that I have always enjoyed is family game time. Who doesn’t love making your brother leave the table in a rage after he lands on Boardwalk in Monopoly? Or winning a family game of cornhole or basement knee hockey? Even having a high score in Scrabble, where my sister insists the words can’t be from the Webster’s Dictionary.

Games get my family’s com petitive spirit going and guaran tees some laughs. Games bring us together, and the losses, well, they occasionally but only momentari ly tear us apart.

For almost two decades now, there has been one game that has reigned supreme in my fam ily. One word, only three letters. Nothing gets us more revved up than that simple Spanish number: “UNO”.

The general aim of the game UNO is to match your cards with the number or color of the card on the table - and, ultimately, be the first to play all your cards. If you can’t play a card that you were dealt, then you have to pick up an additional card from the draw pile. Some special cards make play more interesting. You can make the person next to you pick up two cards, or a wild card lets you change the color. You can skip the person next to you or even reverse the order in which people play. Most notably is the

infamous +4 card, where the per son next to you loses a turn and has to pick up four cards, and you also can change the color to your desire. The most important rule in the game, where the name of the game comes from, is when you are down to one card, you need to proclaim “UNO”. Fair warning to all that you are closing in on the win.

My family loves this game so much that we have played it in more than 10 countries. A deck of Uno cards has traveled the

playing in restaurants when we were young because it helped us stay patient while waiting for our food. I bet they kept us play ing to get us off our phones, and it certainly works as we all look forward to UNO.

We have some special rulesMann Family Rules - that make the game a little more interesting. Usually, the game ends when the first person wins by placing down all their cards, the original seven dealt to them, plus any they picked up during the game. But my fam ily does it differently - we play until one person is left - crowned the ultimate UNO loser - who gets mocked and shamed. Rather than winning by being the first one out, the goal of Mann Fam ily UNO is not to lose by being the last one holding cards. Oddly, it’s more thrilling to be the second to last out, to seal the loser’s fate, than to be the first one out.

globe with us, and been part of every family vacation. We have all sorts of unique and themed UNO decks: Red Sox, The Of fice, Disney Themed, Braille, and even waterproof UNO cards.

The most popular time for us to play is at dinners out - at restaurants - after we order our meals. Whether in our hometown or a foreign country, the UNO cards come out. One bread plate is used for the draw pile, and an other bread plate for the play pile.

I’m guessing my parents started this family tradition of always

The other special family rule is simple: if Dad loses, we all win. If my father is close to winning the game, the rest of us openly communicate to find a way to buy time or make him suffer. Strat egizing and collaborating to beat Dad is encouraged. For example, my sister Rachel might brazenly and openly ask me, “Bry, do you have a red plus 2?” To which I might respond by saying, “some thing better,” and continue to shatter my father’s dreams of winning as I put down a +4 to turn his one card into 5. This rule only

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The Rivers Edge

Co-Editors-in-Chief Ava Palazzolo ’23 Abby Matsuyasu ’23 Associate Editors Dana Lowitt ’23 Natalie Kloman’23 Assistant Editors Brooke Brennan’23 Cristina Gomez ’23 Jason Glick ’24 Lexie Siegel ’23 Megan Sweatt ’24 Mary O’Brien ’23 Mia Patel ’23 Staff Writers Jack DosSantos ’23 Sarah DuBard ’25 Matt Meade ’23 Grant Ramirez ’24

Copy Editing Lucy Kapples Faculty Advisors Alex Stephens Theressa Oberts

Contributing Writers: Daniel Connelly ’25, Maggie Crowley ’25, Camille DeStefano ’24, Jackie Lee ’23, Bryan Mann ’23, Mia Wang ’26

Photography: John Hurley, Ava Palazzolo, Brooke Brennan, Jackie Lee, Jeff Nisbet

THE RIVERS EDGE is published by the students of The Rivers School. THE EDGE is an open forum for the news, events, ideas, issues and concerns of the student body. Letters and contributions from the entire Rivers com munity - students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni - are welcomed and encouraged. Unsigned letters will not be published, but names will be withheld upon request. Please send letters to The Editors, THE RIVERS EDGE, The Rivers School, 333 Winter Street, Weston, MA 02493.

Games bring us together, and the losses, well, they occasionally but only momentarily tear us apart.

Opinions

Despite the challenges, trying to affect change is worth it

BY JACKIE LEE ’23 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

I am currently staring at this blank document, two days past the original deadline. All day, I’ve been dreading the fact that I have to actually write this article. The issue? I don’t have my one idea. I don’t have my completely original topic that just… works.

And so, instead, I am now just wasting words, taking up space, and complaining about how I don’t have my so-called brilliant essay. And do you know what’s making this whole conun drum worse? I already wrote my perfect article… last year. And now, I could never live up to it. So why should I even try?

Reasons Not To Try:

1. See Above.

2. It might turn out badly.

Reasons To Try:

1. I made a commitment to.

2. It might not turn out badly.

A quote by my favorite author: “You may think it is hu mility to imagine your [writing] doesn’t matter. It isn’t. Much

the way you don’t know what a writer will go on to write, you don’t know what a reader, hav ing read you, will do” (Alexan der Chee).

I suppose I have to try now. The thing is, even if my “Rea sons Not to Try” outnumbered my “Reasons To Try” list, I would still have to finish this ar ticle at some point. But that’s not the case for diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Sure, speeches can be made about how every member of the greater commu nity has a responsibility to work toward creating a more inclu sive space, but to be honest, I don’t really think that’s true. It’s very possible to just make the conscious or unconscious choice to not try.

And perhaps that’s the safer option. There’s no risk of being seen as too “political” or saying the wrong thing or being forced into uncomfortable conversa tions. There’s no anger at the injustices that seem invisible to others, there’s no frustration about the lack of change, and there’s no feeling of helpless ness that anything you do even matters. So when the price is so high, could it be worth it? With

the guarantee that you will not be perfect and the voice that tells you “it might turn out badly,” the reasons not to try seem pretty tempting.

Yet, on something as impor tant as working toward making this school, this society, this world, a more equitable place, I

connection; something along the lines of a commitment that people we’ve never even met deserve a world that treats them better than this.

I think one of the reasons I love quotes so much is because I know I could never transcribe my thoughts better than how someone else already did; I don’t think I’ll ever be able to articu late why anyone should write— why anyone should try—better than Chee. The crime of not trying isn’t about what you may miss out on learning or what you may not accomplish. Rather, it’s about who may not stand up for or who you didn’t inspire by your actions.

have to make the argument that it is worth it. Trying is worth it. Trying is necessary. There’s no written contract, no one setting a deadline (like this draft), but this commitment is still there. Perhaps it’s the idealist in me, but every once in a while, I do believe in this intangible human

I’ve been doing a lot of writing recently, mostly for college essays, and every once in a while—sometimes out of boredom, sometimes out of the need for inspiration—I’ll look back at previous stuff I’ve writ ten. Most of the time, I cringe at the big words I tried to use or my total lack of sentence variety, but I suppose the fact that I think of my old writing as “bad” isn’t a bad thing. If I didn’t, if I wrote in the exact same way, wouldn’t that mean I hadn’t grown or

changed as a writer? With the same logic, the “skeletons in the closets,” whether our country’s, our institution’s, or our personal ones, very much exist. There is nothing we can do to get rid of them, and if we try to, it’s a disservice to the very real consequences that exist because of them today. Instead, I believe the most courageous thing to do is to look at whatever skeletons we have in the eye, as skeletons of our past selves, proof that change is possible. To do that, I also believe that a healthy dosage of forgiveness, but not forgetting, is required of your self and of the people around you. The belief that a potential skeleton (one that doesn’t have to define you) is worth the risk of stepping out of the darkness in the closet and living in this imperfect world of ours.

Under different circumstanc es, maybe this would have been a better essay. Or a worse one. Or not exist at all. But that’s the point isn’t it? We can’t undo his tory, we can’t change the current state of our culture, and we can’t even know for sure the future will get better. But we also can’t not try to get there.

A master builder awaits the Holy Grail of LEGO sets

BY JACK DOSSANTOS ’23 STAFF WRITER

The sound is unmistak able, the high-pitched rattling of plastic inside tightly closed cardboard. I wish I could say the taste had a role in my memory, but eating plastic is frowned upon in most places. Their geometric edges are smooth to the touch, connecting tightly with each other as I carefully yet forcefully combine them into miraculous works of art.

From pirate ships to construc tion machines, from spaceships to beach front houses, the sight of a colorful pile of LEGO bricks is forever seared into my memory, an endless expanse of possibility, a vast world waiting to be created.

Let’s quickly take a trip back into the past and get inside the mind of a 5-year-old Jack. I was consumed fully by the proposition of the LEGO “Star Wars Death Star”. Twenty-two mini figures; 10,188 pieces; a detachable tie fighter; and one elementary schoolers dream. I was thoroughly transfixed.

Each month a LEGO catalog would arrive in the mail, and I would spend hours flipping through the slick, waxy pages. The Death Star always dressed the back cover in all of its glory. I couldn’t help but stop and ad mire the beauty of the gray and black orb each time I completed a journey through the catalog. I begged and begged my parents for the miraculous spherical beauty. Each trip to the Burl

ington mall with them simply meant a chance for me to admire the piece of art in person. As Christmas approached, I could only think about the Death Star. I loved that set.

I needed that set.

I wrote to Santa and made sure he was aware of my ever growing hunger for the Sistine Chapel of Lego sets. But alas, Christmas came and went with no Death Star. And so it hap pened again the next year. I was starting to get angry with Santa. Each year my letters to him grew more and more hostile in hopes of convincing him I needed the LEGO Death Star more than all the other kids of the world. I couldn’t believe that his elves would have such a hard time making the Death Star appear for me; it was only ten thousand plastic pieces after all.

Finally, after three years of my feud with Santa, I awoke on Christmas morning to the Ferrari, the Michael Jordan, the Mona Lisa of LEGO sets itself, the glorious Death Star. I don’t know if I have ever been filled with more elation since that day. I was off the walls, scream ing and thanking Santa that he finally managed to pull through this year. I told my mom, “Now I know Santa is real because you guys would never get me this.”

The construction took a number of weeks, but in the end we were left with the pinnacle of LEGO creation. The set still sits proudly on a shelf in my basement, and although it has definitely collected dust over

the years, and even needed to be rebuilt at one point, it remains majestic as ever.

More important than the structured creation of sets like the Death Star is the simple yet exquisite act of finding your way through a massive pile of assorted LEGO pieces. I always make sure to keep a bin of old miscellaneous pieces in my basement for whenever I feel like I need some creativity in my life. I could spend hours rifling through pieces in the never ending quest to create the best possible spaceship or even

a magnificent car.

LEGO sets are easy; building freely is hard. It took Emmet from the LEGO movie an entire movie to figure out how to build off the top of his head, and he’s a LEGO figure. Imagine how long it takes a human being. It’s always a challenge, but it’s one I’m willing to take on.

As I move through the everintense final year of high school, I have found myself turning to LEGOs to keep me light hearted and remind me to not take myself too seriously. Whether it is building a pterodactyl or

my most recent creation, a pizza truck, LEGOs always remind me to find the child within myself and enjoy every moment I can. LEGOs also keep me closely attached to my own creativity and individuality. I like to tell myself that building a spaceship on my own will always be more rewarding than following the strict blue pamphlet with your entire future laid out in the in structions. The world is simply an endless expanse of colors and shapes with infinite possibilities, all we have to do is figure out how to put them together.

The game UNO reigns supreme

Continued from page 4

applies to my dad. Why? Because my Dad obnoxiously brags about his victories. It’s super annoying, so we band together to shut him down.

But now, as the youngest of three kids, UNO with the whole family happens less frequently because my sister and brother are at college. It is hard to go from our full family of five to just me, Mom, and Dad. The family has always been such a big part of my life, and it seemed like all of a sudden I was an only child at home.

Just me left. The personifica tion of UNO. The quieter house and the absence of siblings have made me enjoy the game time even more. We might not get to play UNO as often, but when we do, I savor it. These trea sured moments have taught me the most important lesson: the

real win is to enjoy your family time, enjoy playing games with them - win or lose. And when my siblings are home now, who both can at times be annoying, I don’t

Events

let it get to me and yell at them. I wait for the ultimate revenge in our UNO game and just put down a +4 card on one of them instead. It still feels pretty good.

This Day in History

1636 - Havard University is founded

1790 - New York sells Vermont for $30,000

1919 - Congress passes the Volstead Act (Prohibition Act)

1954 - Swedish academy awarded the 1954 Nobel prize for litera ture to Ernest Hemingway

1971 - Great Britain launched Prospero, its first Earth satellite.

1992 - Lee Jang Rim predicts the world will end. (Spoiler alert: it didn’t)

2007 - Argentine lawyer and politician Cristina Fernández de Kirchner became the first woman elected president of Argentina

Notable Birthdays

October 28, 1949 - Caitlyn Jenner

October 28, 1955 - Bill Gates

October 28 is Plush Animal Lover’s Day!

October 28 is National Breadstick Day!

I believe the most courageous thing to do is to look at whatever skeletons we have in the eye, as skeletons of our past selves, proof that change is possible.

An array of grade-level orientations welcome students

BY LEXIE SIEGEL ’23 ASSISTANT EDITOR

The low temperature of the day is 70°. School is almost close enough to start thinking about. Your summer reading books are your next conquest… after orien tation, that is. Life is good.

Late August brought about the long-awaited return of Upper School orientations in full force. Each orientation provided the chance for students to bond with their grade, teachers, and advi sors.

For freshmen specifically, coming into the year with 50 new students can feel daunting for everyone. Whether a return ing student or a Rivers first-year, stepping into high school is a huge transition. Before the academic year began, the entire freshmen class took part in two-day orienta tion on August 29-30.

“On the first day, we went to the YMCA outdoor center in Hop kinton,” said Lily Chung ‘26. “We did bonding activities and ropes courses, and it was great to get to know everyone there.”

On their second day of orienta tion, the ninth graders met senior student advisors on campus. In small groups with their advisories and peer leaders, they had an early opportunity to familiarize them selves with the high school.

“Working with the freshmen and getting to know them was an

awesome experience,” said stu dent advisor Jesse Meyerhardt ‘23. “It was also great being able to give them familiar faces at school. As a freshman, connecting with upperclassmen, especially seniors, can make a big differ ence.”

The freshman orientation aimed to integrate new communi ty members and calm the inevita ble pre-high school nerves. How ever, even in the years to come, an introduction to the school year is always beneficial. For sopho mores, this introduction took the form of an overnight trip to Wind sor, New Hampshire. The tenth grade spent a night at Windsor

Mountain Camp, a common ori entation site for Rivers for more than 20 years.

“Even though our grade also went to Windsor last year, this time around definitely felt differ ent. You got to feel more com fortable and spent time with your friends, but at the same time, it was a great bonding experience for everyone,” said Madison Ngai ’25. “It was really great to do things that we can’t do during the school year.”

With a whole-grade lake excur sion, a ropes course, and of course a campfire, the whole class had the chance to bond. As Ngai said, time spent at Windsor Mountain

as a sophomore was better than that of freshman year. Coming in already familiar with the school and peers made a huge difference, and being able to reflect on past orientation memories gave a true nostalgic outlook.

Previously, Windsor Moun tain served as the Rivers fresh man orientation site. From this three-day trip, it is filled with countless memories of awkward first interactions and painful ice breaker games. At the end of the day, it is a place that holds special memories and years of Rivers tra dition. Although a visit back may bring back the “trauma” of fresh man year for some, a revisit with

a newfound sense of identity can be a meaningful full-circle experi ence.

For the sophomores, ending their Windsor night with the tradi tion of authentic s’mores and fire side performances, the orientation was reportedly a success.

The junior orientation began with a long journey to Berlin. Berlin, Massachusetts, that is. Nonetheless, the 11th graders had an action-packed day of zip lining and climbing at Berlin’s Bound less Adventures. Outdoor climb ing is truly a common theme in Rivers’ orientation culture. Then again, an activity built on trust is extremely fitting for the classic orientation experience.

“A moment I will never forget is when a classmate was stuck on the ropes course and had to be rescued. Because our grade is so close, we were all able to laugh together through every–good or bad–experience,” said Julia Ahearn ‘24. “It was a new expe rience, but everyone had so much fun and made the best out of every situation.”

Because the junior class has spent two years together already, their orientation could skip the step of “get to know each other” activities and the frustration of trying (and failing) to learn a hundred new names. Instead, the class was able to get closer and step into their new leadership of

Continued on page 7

The sweeping impact of SCOTUS Roe v Wade decision

BY DANA LOWITT ’23 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade, sparking nationwide protests and re-opening the discussion on abortion rights in the United States. The Court’s conservative majority made its decision based on the fact that abortion is not protected under the Constitution, therefore, the federal government cannot make regulations pertain ing to abortion. As a result, the is sue was sent down to the states. That was four months ago, and a lot has happened since. But first, a little background.

A majority of Democrats have historically been pro-choice. They supported Roe v. Wade, and they support the legalization of abor tion now. However, many Re publicans used to be pro-choice back in the 1970s. In fact, many of them voted for the ERA (equal rights bill). So what changed? In the late seventies and early eighties, religious fundamental ists began to gain traction in the Republican party, and over time they pushed out northern or more moderate Republicans who might have voted pro-choice.

Currently, religious funda mentalists control the Republican party simply because they are ac tive voters and participants in the party. These people see abortion

as a core issue and won’t support candidates who aren’t pro-life. Thus, Republicans who want to be elected into office know that they must take a pro-life stance or risk losing in the primaries. And, once they are elected, these officials know that speaking out against abortion is a key way to secure their position for re-election.

Almost immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned, many states passed their own laws on abortion, ranging from the “Heart Beat Law” in Texas, which works to ban abortions once a heartbeat can be detected, to Massachusetts’ state law that protects abortion. Republican or “red” states tend to have more restrictive laws, while Democratic or “blue” states tend to be more progressive. Currently, 13 states have full abortion bans, and one state, Georgia, has a sixweek ban. After that, four states have bans a little later into the pregnancy cycle ranging from 15 to 20 weeks. In many state leg islatures that want to ban abor tion, activists have sued the state which stalls the procedures. For example, the state of Indiana’s full abortion ban will most likely not go into effect until next year, for the state’s Supreme Court will start hearing arguments in Janu ary.

About half of the states have or are trying to ban abortions; the other half either have abortion

as being legal or have put some restrictions on it. States such as Massachusetts, New York, and California, all Democratic-con trolled states, have protected abor tion rights, while Pennsylvania, Virginia, and others have placed some restrictions on how far into a pregnancy cycle an abortion can be legal.

One controversial facet of the current abortion debate is the way abortion laws in different states interact with one another. For example, states like Texas aim to prosecute any of its citizens who chose to have abortions even if they occur in other states and will seek to prosecute anyone assist ing anyone who helps someone seek an abortion. However, many states that made abortion rights legal also included a clause say ing that no person who received an abortion in their state could be prosecuted by another state. While a case involving this law has yet to occur, it may in the future, and it will surely lead to debates about the limits of state power.

Interestingly, making abortion a state issue hasn’t created a big change in voters’ mindsets. The main change that seems to have occurred seems to be that people who were pro-choice but didn’t believe that Roe v. Wade would actually be overturned now see it as a real issue. Historically, the party out of power, in this election

cycle it would be the Republi cans, wins the midterm elections, yet many Republican nominees are not polling as well as they theoretically should be. A lot of people believe that their numbers are lower because of their stance on abortion.

Recent studies show that nearly 70% of Americans support abortion, so it makes sense that Republican candidates in “pur ple” states (those neither solidly Red or Blue) are walking the line. They need to be pro-life to get their core voters but also moder ate enough to get the fringe voters needed to beat their Democratic opponents.

As for people who are prochoice, will the overturning of Roe v. Wade motivate them to vote? We don’t know, but we do know that if they do vote it, it will be for Democratic candidates.

Going back to Republican platforms, a few GOP candidates in the midterm elections have brought up the possibility of a country-wide ban on abortions. If Republicans win control of the Senate, the ban would definitely be proposed, but will it pass? His tory teacher Arturo Bagley says no. As he explained, to get this ban passed, Republicans would have to beat the filibuster, basi cally, a procedure where a person or a group of people stalls proce dures by holding the floor. Unlike

the House of Representatives, where there is no option to filibus ter, and laws only need a majority to pass, a senate filibuster requires 60 votes to break. Sixty votes that Republicans don’t have, for Democratic senators are unlikely to be in favor and Republican sen ators like Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) are solidly pro-choice. So, while Re publicans could most definitely propose a nationwide ban it is very unlikely to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass.

Another issue that has been brought to light after the over turning of Roe v. Wade is gay marriage. Recently, the Supreme Court stated that it will be review ing gay marriage in the coming year. Gay marriage, like Roe v. Wade, rests on the right to priva cy, so many people fear that if that right to privacy isn’t enough to protect against abortions it won’t be enough to protect gay mar riage. This is an issue that educat ed voters should be watching for over the next couple of months.

Like America’s current politi cal climate, the country is deeply divided on the issue of abortion. Furthermore, the impact of the Court’s conservative 6-3 majority may be felt in a number of other privacy issues America has ad opted, which may further fan the flames of division.

Members of the Class of 2024 get ready to climb the elements at Boundless Adventures. Photo J. Bailey.

Features

Talhaoui brings diversity of experiences to Admissions

BY AVA PALAZZOLO ’23 CO-EDITOR

At the start of this year, the Rivers community, especially the admissions team, welcomed Yas sine Talhaoui as the new Director of Enrollment Management. With his interesting background, dedi cation to the student experience, and excitement to get started on compiling next year’s incoming class, Talhoui has already made a positive impact in his role in just a few short weeks.

Talhaoui was born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany. Within two hours from where he lived, Talhaoui could be in five different countries. Talhaoui attended high school in Germany and later went to Johannes Gutenberg Univer sity for his bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Education. Talhaoui later came to the U.S. for graduate school where he attended Clark University in Worcester and re ceived his master’s degree in Eng lish.

Talhaoui started his teaching path as he taught in Spain while also playing basketball semi-pro fessionally in both Spain and Ger many. “I loved playing basketball because of the shared passion and connections I had with other peo ple. I made lifelong friends along the way, so I essentially have a second family in Spain and Ger many,” said Talhaoui.

Outside of teaching, Talhaoui

has found great joy in traveling and living in different places. He also speaks five languages (Ger man, Spanish, Berber, French, and English), giving him great travel ing flexibility. Talhaoui has lived on an island off the coast of Spain called Minora for a year. He has lived in Cuba for a month and he has spent a lot of time in France, too, but he holds Spain and Ger many closest to his heart. To this day, Talhaoui only counts in Ger man, not English.

Talhaoui started working in independent schools as a teacher, teaching middle school French and upper school Spanish. He slowly began to move into more administrative positions as the years progressed. Talhaoui was originally the director of equity and social justice at the Watkinson School in Hartford, CT, where he also served on the Commission on Diversity at Independent Schools.

He was later asked to join the Hotchkiss School community in Lakeville, CT, as the associate di rector of admission and the direc tor of multicultural recruitment, and later as the director of diver sity and inclusion. Talhaoui also helped lead the Student Diversity Leadership Council and was the boys’ varsity basketball coach. Talhaoui truly loved working in both the admissions areas and holding roles directly involved with student life.

“I love having a good sense of

what the lived experience is like for students. To avoid the danger of overpromising and underdeliv ering on the admissions side. It comes down to making as many connections as possible within each community,” Talhaoui re marked.

Although Talhaoui has only been at Rivers for a few months, he already feels at home within the community. Outside of admis sions, Talhaoui enjoys working with students, especially as an ad visor, so he can get to know more about student life at Rivers.

“I love just getting to know about the student experience at a school so that I can speak about it on the admission’s side in a way that is informed and not just some thing you can read in a magazine,” Talhaoui stated.

Talhaoui only had positive

things to say about the welcom ing student and adult community at Rivers. “Sometimes when you interview, a school can try to show its best side, but I’ve been very impressed with Rivers as everything has been true so far,” said Talhaoui. “Students pres ent as very well-rounded. I love the fact that it doesn’t matter the time of day, but I am bound to see someone working out in the gym or hear music coming out of the conservatory. I love that students pursue their passions at a high level and are academically really challenged here.”

As he steps into his new role as the Director of Enrollment Man agement at Rivers, Talhaoui has a specific mindset to bring to the position.

“As admissions officers, we want to enroll and attract the brightest and most diverse class of students who want to be part of a kind community as good citizens, contribute to the community, and take advantage of all the opportu nities available. That’s our goal,” he said.

Talhaoui loves being an admis sions officer because he gets the chance to meet new people, and he enjoys interacting with adults who are genuinely interested in exploring future educational op portunities for their children.

Sabrina Particelli, the assistant director of admissions, was eas ily able to comment on Talhaoui’s

contributions to the community. “You can’t miss him –– his laugh, energy, and enthusiasm are con tagious. We are delighted to have his years if teaching, advising, coaching, coupled with his exper tise in DEI and admissions join our team,” Particelli said.

As part of his work in the ad missions department, Talhaoui is looking forward to composing a new class for Rivers as he looks at how future students will work together and help each other prog ress as students and people. Talha oui acknowledges that compiling a class requires essential consider ation for the diversity of the stu dents attending. “I don’t want to compose a class where everyone thinks the same, looks the same, and comes from the same town,” he said.

With his first year working in admissions on the way, Talhaoui is excited for the new cycle of ap plicants to come through. Through his emphasis on student life, di versity and inclusion, and shaping Rivers into a home for potential students, Talhaoui has already made a positive mark on campus with his influential role.

“For me, I see it like this. Many students are leaving their old schools because they see some thing that they can gain at Rivers,” he said. “Being able to open up the door for these students to oppor tunities is a really rewarding and exciting job.”

New co-editors look to take The Edge to greater heights

BY MIA WANG ’26 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

When Abby Matsuyasu ’23 and Ava Palazzolo ’23 started writing for The Rivers Edge, they were nervous and didn’t know where to start. This year, after countless articles and interviews, they enter their final year at Riv ers, taking on many leadership roles, including being co-editors of the award-winning student newspaper, which is now in its 53rd year.

A multitalented and versatile student, Matsuyasu can be found on the turf, in the ice rink, and in the classroom. This year, she serves as the captain of both varsity field hockey and softball. She is also a student advisor, and she runs the multiracial affinity space. As if that’s not enough, she is an integral part of the Honors Big Band and plays the saxophone.

Matsuyasu started writing for the Edge during her sophomore year. “I knew I always loved writing,” recalled Matsuyasu. “But I was kind of intimidated by the Edge, I didn’t really know how to write journalism. No one teaches you how to do it, you just get thrown in and you write something. You learn by doing.”

Though Matsuyasu didn’t know where writing would take her, she eventually found out that she enjoys writing about topics

beyond just Rivers.

Matsuyasu’s first couple articles were about the Supreme Court and healthcare in the US. She discovered that she was interested in politics, but writing about this topic can add some difficulty.

“I get to do research and learn new things that I don’t normally wouldn’t learn about,” Mat suyasu said. “Good journalism is unbiased and I think that’s one of the harder components.”

Likewise, Palazzolo, who also has many interests and talents, entered Rivers as a basketball and field hockey player. She eventually discovered a love for running and is currently lead ing the cross country and track teams. She is a co-leader of the Rivers Givers Club and Math Club, and is also a member of Red Key.

Like Matsuyasu, Palazzolo started on the Edge her sopho more year. She wrote her first article on Mr. Runkle, who was her math teacher at the time.

From her experience, Palazzolo has learned some fundamental components of journalism.

“It’s important to get a variety of views and perspectives on a single story,” Palazzolo said. “Rivers is made up of a variety of students and faculty with dif ferring perspectives.”

Now in the third year of her Edge career, Palazzolo has gone

from being a contributing writer to a co-editor, taking it on as one of her many leadership roles this year. She also recommends that any student interested in writing reach out and join.

“The Edge community is so supportive and really pushes you to become and even stronger writer,” Palazzolo remarked.

Alex Stephens, the faculty advisor for The Edge, describes the duo as very intelligent and well-rounded. “They clearly can handle a lot and are very capable,” Stephens said.

This year, it is clear that Edge Nation has been left in good hands.

Upper Schoolers’ orientations a hit

Continued from page 6

being upperclassmen. Now in their last half of high school, each bonding experience translates into how they begin to lead the school. With an overwhelmingly positive report on their community-filled orientation, they appear to be well-suited for the job.

Stepping in as the “big kids on campus,” however, is the Rivers senior class. Their year kicked off with the long-anticipated raft ing trip. This August, two buses of 12th graders embarked upon a trek to North Creek, New York. There, accompanied by their advi sors, they spent their first day at an overnight camp. Tubing on a spar

kling lake and competing in heat ed World Cup games on the soc cer field, they enjoyed their very last Rivers orientation together.

The following morning, the same two buses set out to New York’s white water rapids. Se niors, dressed in wet-suits and life vests, eagerly boarded inflatable rafts and spent day two conquer ing rapids.

“I was scared at first, but raft ing was so much fun,” said Ellie Handler ’23. “It was definitely a great start to senior year. The only thing I maybe wouldn’t do again would be eating the peanut buttercornflakes wraps they gave us for lunch.”

Though the peanut butter wraps may have sparked light contro versy (more so for those with nut allergies), the overall takeaway for rafting was extremely posi tive. There is certainly a reason for Rivers’s yearly return, and the hope is that this trip continues for years to come.

While orientations have been replaced with class presentations in the previous weeks, there is no doubt that their foundations set the positive tone of this school year. But maybe if Rivers can fi nally see the benefits of integrat ing s’mores into the curricula, a partial balance can be restored.

Co-editors Ava Palazzolo and Abby Matsuyasu. Photo by J. Lee ’23.

New Director of Enrollment Management Yassine Talhaoui.

Arts

The evolution of talented visual artist Charlie Thomajan

BY MAGGIE CROWLEY ’25 and CAMILLE DESTEFANO ’24 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Anyone walking through the art galleries across campus will see some masterful still life paintings and drawings on display. Anyone peering into the drawing studio in Revers will no doubt see a committed artist hard at work. This is the dedication of Charlie Thoma jan ’23 who has become extremely well known for his poignant and engaging con tributions to the visual art com munity at Riv ers. His playful and innovative style has been continually por trayed through his creative art and his presence on campus. Before Thomajan even began his spectacular art career at Rivers, he spent his childhood exploring different styles of art. As Charlie grew up, he found his love for the visual arts, primar ily through doodles and draw ings on his school papers. He was thoroughly inspired by Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes watercolor comic books. Ad ditionally, he looked up to his grandfather, who had done many

artistic works of drawings and car designs himself throughout his life.

When Thomajan came to Rivers his freshman year, he was well aware of his passion for creating and experimenting with art, especially cognizant of his interest in drawing and the 2-D arts. His growing interest in these specific mediums has not wavered since then, even as he began to chal lenge himself with some photography courses and 3-D art forms, such as sculpture. Every semester since his fresh man year, he has dedicated himself to tak ing a new art class to learn new techniques, grow as an artist, and experiment with his style.

Over the years, the Rivers visual art program has helped Thomajan expand from strictly drawing to incorporating paint ing in his repertoire. His favorite class so far in high school is painting. Currently, Thomajan is taking Advanced Art with Jeff Nisbet, who has supported him throughout his artistic journey. Although Thomajan claims

he hasn’t fully found his style yet, trying original designs has helped him “express and learn about different aspects of himself” as each piece offers him the chance to portray himself in a new light. To fellow students interested in the arts but are hesi tant to attempt something new, he would advise to “play around with different styles and try new things.”

Thomajan also expressed immense appreciation of the supportive and attentive teachers at Rivers. With the help of all his teachers, Thomajan learned to expand his techniques and vary

his application to new works. He reiterated how much he values the “encouragement, help, and interest in [his] work from [his] teachers,” specifically comment ing on advice he has received throughout his time at Rivers from Nisbet and his fellow art teacher Nicole Winters.

“I appreciate how Mr. Nisbet and Ms. Winters will always show me artists that they think I would be interested in,” said Thomajan. “The support from the teachers at Rivers inspires me to keep creating new art, too.”

This recognition and appre ciation is reciprocated by his

teachers as well. Nisbet ex pressed his admiration for Char lie’s creativity and openness to trying new genres of art. “What’s most impressive to me is just his openness to try new materi als and explore new ideas,” said Nisbet.

During his time at Rivers, Thomajan has played around with several different mediums, gravitating towards more “stylis tic” still-lifes or portraits rather than a solely realistic approach.

“He really explores a variety of marks and styles which I think makes for really interesting

Continued on page 9

From gallery exhibits to music, the arts are in full swing

BY ABBY MATSUYASU ’23 AND AVA PALAZZOLO ’23 CO-EDITORS

The opening of a new school year means a new opportunity to showcase the artistic talents of Rivers students. The student art that was on display in the Bell Gallery in Campus Center and the Baldwin Family Arts Commons in the Revers Center reflected a wealth of talents.

“The student art show in cludes artwork created last year by current 7th-12th graders, and the show was installed before orientation trips in late August and was up through mid Octo ber,” said Timothy Clark, the Visual Arts Department Chair. “The work on display was cre ated during 2021-2022 school year.”

With art ranging from 3D printed ceramics pots to detailed drawings of students’ shoes, the Rivers community certainly has showcased a multitude of talent in the visual arts for the past few weeks.

All students, faculty, and members of the community were able to visit both galleries during lunch to admire all of the work on display. These showcases took place for both the opening and closing of the gallery.

The Rivers community is truly lucky to have the chance to admire all of the work in the

visual arts areas of both students and faculty alike. With the stu dent art show wrapping up, both the Bell Gallery and the Baldwin Family Arts Commons have some exciting shows in their futures.

“The next show in the Bald win Family Arts Commons will be a solo exhibit of Ms. Winters art. Next in the Bell Gallery will be the annual Art Faculty show. Both shows will be on display through December 9,” said Clark.

Rivers also has plenty to celebrate on the performing arts side. Primarily, the Honors Big Band has a packed schedule of concerts and competitions lined up for a busy year. The band, led by Philippe Crettien, is the top jazz band at Rivers and is well known in the Boston area as a powerhouse jazz program.

This year, Jack Benson ‘24 and Evan Lanzendorf ‘23 lead the trumpet section, while seasoned trombone lead Jason Zermani ‘23 rounds out the brass section. Though trained classical ly, Ethan Kasparian Weisman ‘24 expertly leads the woodwinds with his highly technical impro vised solos and his unmatched versatility in his ability to play almost every single instrument in the band. Though he claims he has no favorite instrument, Ethan primarily plays alto saxophone and clarinet. To hold the band

together, the rhythm section fea tures Jon Snow ‘23 and Mason Klein ‘24 on the drums and Noah Springhorn ‘24 and Jack Wil lard ‘24 on the keys. To continue the Manasseh legacy at Rivers, Nathan Manasseh ’24 plays the bass alongside Bryan Mann ‘23 on the guitar.

Already, the band had its first performance at the Sanctuary jazz club in Maynard opening for the Philippe Crettien Nonet made up of all Rivers School Conser vatory faculty. The band per formed three pieces composed and arranged by Rivers alum Joe

Nedder ‘18 who will be com ing to campus soon to workshop and direct the band playing his music.

“The band is off to a great start this year. We have strong soloists in every section who elevate our playing. More than anything, I think people are hav ing a great time playing this year and that’s what matters most,” said Snow.

Coming up, the Honors Big Band is scheduled to perform at various open house events and arts nights leading up to their competition season. The band

will be competing in the Charles Mingus High School Competi tion, the Essentially Ellington Competition & Festival, and the Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education competition.

From orchestra to select combo, all the performing arts groups have quite the year lined up with plenty of opportunities for the community to hear some fantastic music in and outside of school.

“Keep your eyes peeled for the next band announcement at assembly and come out and sup port jazz,” said Snow.

Senior Charlie Thomajan works on one of his drawings in the art room. “What’s most impressive to me is just his openness to try new materials and explore new ideas,” says Mr. Nisbet. Photo J. Nisbet.

Some of the spectacular student artwork that was on display in the Revers Gallery. Photo A. Palazzolo.

Arts

“Radium Girls” sure to be provocative and entertaining

BY NATALIE KLOMAN ’23 ASSOCIATE EDITOR

After an amazing return of live theater last school year with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mamma Mia!, and Matilda, the Nonesuch Players are back for yet another spectacular fall play. This year, the fall play is Radium Girls, an inspirational and mov ing show that captures audience members and brings attention to important events from history.

The plot of Radium Girls, by D.W. Gregory, is based on actual historical events and takes place over a couple of decades, but primarily is set in the 1920s in New Jersey. The show follows female factory workers who work for the U.S. Radium Plant. Workers, however, begin expe riencing radium poisoning as a result of unsafe working condi tions. Instead of remaining silent, the women devote themselves to fighting for justice and to getting their rightful day in court.

“Radium Girls is a play I’ve known about for a long time. We have never done a historical drama before, and I thought it would be really interesting at this moment in time,” director Juliet Bailey said.

The cast of the show con sists of eleven students from across all grades, and almost every cast member is playing three or four roles each. There is a mix of returning actors and actresses, along with a bunch of new, talented Nonesuch Play ers. Additionally, there are many students involved in the behindthe-scenes production. Ainsley McAnena ’23 is stage manag ing, the legendary Jon Snow ’23 is working the lightboard, and Sagine Cazimir ’26 and Zimon Li ’26 are helping out with crew and costumes.

In addition to the talented students on board this fall, Juliet Bailey is the director of the show and Julia Auster-Hogan ’06 is the producer. Middle School Latin teacher Cathy Favreau is creating all the fabulous costumes for this period piece, and Ben Leeming

is back at it with his amazing set design and construction this year. The set of the show is extremely minimalistic yet powerful, as the characters move through differ ent historical events in time.

Another new year of produc tions also means another year of an amazing group of drama cap tains. This year, Crystie Frometa, Brooke Brennan, and Sarah Stein, all seniors, have filled the positions and have already begun making an enormous impact on the theater program at Rivers. The three girls are all extremely talented and experienced actress es who have been participating in the drama program since their freshman year at Rivers.

“I started acting in ninth grade as a way to get out of sports, but as I acted in more shows, I developed a love for theater,” said Stein, when reflecting on her drama captain role. “I love being able to share that passion with other students, especially the lowerclassmen, and I want to create a safe space where students can go outside of their comfort zone and explore new activities.”

Putting on a show brings endless challenges that audience members don’t stop to think about when watching the show;

but in reality, the cast puts in an enormous amount of effort dur ing rehearsal periods to hurdle over these obstacles and bring the show to life.

“I think the most challenging component of this play is know ing that every character is based upon a real person,” said Fro meta, a skilled veteran of Rivers theater who portrays Adele Roeder, president of the United States Radium Corporation, throughout the show. “There’s a constant pressure to do justice to the history of the radium girls in a way that respects their stories and preserves the integrity of their adversities. Portraying these characters authentically within a relatively contemporary produc tion is definitely a challenge, though each cast member has stepped up to the plate.”

“You have to put yourself in the shoes of the people in that time period,” added Brennan.

Additionally, the show requires a lot of small techni calities, such as intricate onstage movement and having cast members perfect a variety of dif ferent accents, from New Jersey to Polish to German.

“The accents are really fun, yet challenging,” remarked Xavier Massarotti ’25 who plays

both Tom Kreider, the fiancé of a radium girl, and Raymond Berry, the lawyer for the radium girls. “During rehearsals, we rehearse by picking up on certain words in the script and switch randomly to the accent in the middle of talking.”

While all of the Rivers theater productions are nothing short of spectacular, the performances for Radium Girls this fall will be truly one of a kind as a historical

drama has never been performed before at Rivers.

“We are trying to capture that spirit of the 1920s and 1930s when the show takes place. We want to show an image of injustice and the importance of finding a voice and using it,” said Bailey. “We want to bring to life a historical movement that had an incredible impact on a lot of lives and began to change the narrative of what businesses can and cannot do with their work ers.”

The play demonstrates the idea of pitting the individual against society and the power dynamic between the female working class and the power held by the upper class.

“The cast has worked really hard to make the show come to life in a powerful way,” remarked Frometa. “We tell the story of hard-working and strong-willed women who stand up to authority when they feel taken advantage of. It’s a time less story and a production that tells the raw truths of the work industry.”

So, Rivers, come visit the Black Box in Haff on Nov. 10-12 at 7 PM for a truly moving his torical story brought to life right before your very eyes.

Thomajan making the most of his artistic career at Rivers

works of art,” remarked Nisbet. Nisbet also emphasized how Thomajan has never restrained himself to his comfort zone and is constantly willing to take risks and challenge himself with his art.

Seeing and interacting with other people’s art inspires Thomajan to create. He hopes that his art, alongside his innate talent and openness inspires oth ers to pursue the arts and create new works of their own.

Currently, Thomajan is work ing on his memory project in Advanced Art class. Though he is unsure of what exactly he wants to do with this project, he thoroughly enjoys playing

around with different ideas and techniques.

Thomajan is looking to con tinue his art career throughout college and into his future, fully supported by his teachers. “Char lie is making the most of his time in the studios here at Rivers which will set him up nicely for studying something in the creative world in college,” said Nisbet. While Thomajan aspires to attend a college with a strong visual art program, he is also very focused on his academic pursuits.

While at Rivers, Thomajan has found that he has thoroughly enjoyed his demanding math classes. He remarked that he found it interesting and contra

dictory that his favorite subjects were art and math, alleging that most people don’t usually see these subjects overlapping. “Usu ally, people see the connection between English and history or math and science classes,” said Thomajan. “But I have really enjoyed my math and arts classes during my time at Rivers.”

Like every senior, Thomajan is embarking upon his last year of high school. However, his talent and dedication to art will leave a lasting impression on the Rivers community. It is evident that Rivers has allowed Thoma jan, along with many other aspir ing artists to grow and learn from all that the studios and teachers have to offer.

Members of the talented cast of Radium Girls rehearse a scene in the Black Box. The play will run Nov. 10-12. Photo by Ainsley McAnena ’23.

One of Charlie Thomajan’s still lifes, a subject matter he has enjoyed delving into with his artistic talents.

Director Juliet Bailey (center) works with the actors on a scene for the upcoming play, “Radium Girls”. Photo by B. Brennan ’23.

Sports

Strong boys’ soccer team in the hunt for championships

BY DANIEL CONNELLY ’25 CONTRIUBTING WRITER

With an explosive start to the season, boys’ varsity soccer - the reigning ISL champions - are sit ting atop the league again with an overall record of 9-2.

Despite losing stellar senior from last year’s team, new lead ers have emerged. In particular, captains Jacob Sardinha ’23 and Jack Dossantos ’23 have been critical to the team’s leadership and success.

“Jacob is a quiet leader, but his attention to detail and profession alism make everyone want to be better. He’s the kind of leader that other people just respect. No one wants to disappoint him, because he’s such a quality person,” said head coach Stephen Schechter. “Jack is a more vocal leader, but his play also sends messages. He is so full of life and passion. His work rate is awe inspiring.”

With last year’s great success, the team’s chemistry and relent

less work ethic seem to be focus points. “This year the team is re ally focused on coming together as a family,” said Sardinha, who has committed to play at Johns Hopkins. “Every player is there for one another and this has helped make our season both more fun and competitive.”

“Hard work is definitely a core value of ours. We always try to bring it every day in practice as well as in games too,” added Dos santos.

The team is definitely working hard as can be seen in their first game of the season against New Hampton resulting in a 6-0 win.

Next, Kimball Union and Tabor couldn’t handle the heat as the Red Wings won both matches 1-0. Although the boys lost to Phillips Exeter (0-1) and St. Sebastian’s (1-2), they quickly left the past behind and took each game with a newfound level of grit.

“I keep encouraging them to focus on the details and the quali ty of each performance in training

and in matches,” said Schechter. “Focusing on the actual product and not obsessing on the results is key.”

This reimagined approach made Schecter and assistant coach Matthew “DC” Dias Costa very happy with each consecutive win. They took down Governor’s

Girls’ soccer looks to finish strong

BY SARAH DUBARD ’25 STAFF WRITER

Despite many triumphs and tribulations in the 2022 season, the varsity girls’ soccer players never lose their game faces.

The team of 21 is composed of many familiar faces and sev eral new additions to the Riv ers field. Led by captains Lucia Capello ’23 and Ami Vithianan than ’24, as well as head coach Susanna Donahue and assistant coach Meredith Caplan, the team is not lacking in leadership. This year, leadership has taken on a new meaning for all of the play ers. Nine out of the 21 players, including six freshmen, are new to the team.

“Lucia and Ami, as well as all of the returning players, have shown incredible leadership in building a supportive environ ment for all of us,” said returner Lauren Simon ’25. Having such a young team, Rivers has had their fair share of challenges on the field as they adjust to playing with one another.

They started the season off with a 1-1 tie against Phillip’s An dover, with a clean goal scored by Ella Kaufman ’24 off of a cross by Simon. Goalkeeper Ali Shure ’25 displayed an impressive de fensive front in the net, and the team put up a strong fight against one of their most difficult oppo nents.

Still working hard toward a win, the team tied once more and has lost six games so far. Morale was dampened after an unexpect ed 2-1 loss to Winsor School, but as Shure puts it, the players “saw the game as an opportunity to re flect on how [they] wanted to play as a team.”

Since the loss, the players have made significant improve ments with teamwork on the

field; connecting more passes, displaying team coordination, and most importantly, remaining optimistic for future games. “The endless amount of effort shown by underclassmen each day and the enthusiastic leadership dem onstrated by the juniors and se niors has really kept us pushing toward a win,” said Capello. “I am so proud to be part of an end lessly supportive team.”

Girls’ varsity soccer also re ceived an outpouring of support from the Rivers fanzone, crowded with students dressed head-to-toe in red apparel, during their “Fri day Night Lights” game against Tabor in September. Despite the 2-0 loss, the game was packed with spirit and enthusiasm from both the fanzone and the players.

“Having energy from the fan zone to feed off of gave the team

and me a boost of motivation to power through to the end of the game,” said Shure.

With the big Homecoming game tomorrow, Rivers stu dents are prepared to go all-out in their support for this Red Wings squad. The team will challenge St. Mark’s School in what is sure to be a fiercely competitive game.

The final game of the regular season in November is senior night against Nobles, during which all five seniors - Nicole Baldwin, Lucia Capello, Amanda Freeman, Skylar Holmes, and Mary O’Brien - will kick off the competition on the field.

“Our last home game is going to be very bittersweet,” remarked Capello. “But I can’t imagine having better fellow senior team mates to celebrate with.”

(4-0), Belmont Hill (3-1), Groton (5-1), BB&N (2-0), Brooks (3-1), and Thayer (7-1).

A closer look at the roles the players hold could also explain the team’s success. Even after losing many senior players, the team has no shortage of talent.

“Obviously Jack and Jacob make

up the heart of our midfield de fensively. They need to play 90 minutes consistently under pres sure. Sardinha makes us tick, and Dos is a relentless ball winner who also makes fabulous deci sions,” commented Schechter.

With such a dominant mid field, the rest of the team fills the gaps. Jared Ross ’23 and Jesse Meyerhardt ’23 are vital to their defense. Offensively, Charlie Stu art’s ’23 physicality and tough ness always makes it difficult for defenders.

“Lastly, senior Matty Abrams has a huge role,” said Schecter. “He’s been superb between the pipes. He’s the ultimate team guy, and we couldn’t be where we are without him.”

The boys can’t wait to keep building off their success.

Said Sardinha: “The success we had last year was amazing, but we’re looking to build off our great season and become a team that consistently competes for banners each year.”

Talented volleyball eying the post-season

BY GRANT RAMIREZ ’24 STAFF WRITER

Rivers varsity volleyball is off to a stellar start this season with an impressive 7-2 record. Lead ing the team is new head coach Gary Patch and assistant coach Betty Bloch. While Patch is new to Rivers, he is a veteran of the volleyball world, coaching at the high school, club, and col lege levels over the past 30 years. This season, the team brings back eight returning players. Two vet eran players, Gretchen Kerfoot ’23 and Vanessa Xue ’23, captain the team and remain focused on creating a close knit, united team.

Patch’s philosophy is to work with the players and find out what their strengths are or could be, and what they can bring to the team. “We do not worry about [which teams are] strong or not,” said Patch. “I believe in develop ing our own players to be the best they can be so that in our practices we are pushing each other to play our best. We encourage them ev ery day to fight for playing time.”

Under Patch’s direction, the season began with a 3-1 win over Worcester, which was quickly followed by a 3-2 win over Ta bor. The Red Wings carried the momentum from those wins and harnessed the team’s strengths to beat Governor’s Academy 3-0.

The team only has two losses this season, both 0-3 to Phil lips Andover and BB&N, “two Class-A opponents.”

The team has carried their winning momentum to a stream of wins against Dexter Southfield (3-0), Groton (3-1), Brooks (3-1), and Thayer (3-0).

“I think our team is really close with one another and we all really

want to win. This year we have a really close-knit group and every one cares about everyone,” com mented Xue on the team’s fantas tic start. “Our coach really pushes us to become better players and we all want our team to succeed which I think has been one of the major factors in our success.”

In addition to the seniors, starters Maddie Ngai, Liz Farren, Grace O’Sullivan, and Kate Pa quette have helped lead the way, along with a strong group of play ers coming off the bench.

Patch stated his goals for the season are “to rebuild the program and have the student-athletes who love to compete and work hard represent Rivers on the volleyball court.” He feels strongly that if the team puts in enough effort and pushes themselves during every practice, it will pay off. So far this strategy holds true as volleyball has their best record since 2017, which they won the ISL, and is positioned to have an exceptional end to the season.

Junior Adam Prince controls the ball during the Red Wings’ 3-1 win over Belmont Hill. Photo by John Hurley.

Junior Elizabeth Farren rises up for the kill shot during one of the team’s matches.

Jasmine McNish ‘26, one of the strong freshmen players, receives a pass and heads toward the net. Photo by John Hurley.

Sports

Strong talent and leadership powering field hockey team

BY MARY O’BRIEN ’23 ASSISTANT EDITOR

Led by head coach Megan Shea-Poli and assistant coach Sarah Freeman, varsity field hockey capitalizes on their ener gy as the season goes on. With a 5-4 record, the team grows every time they touch the field led by captains Cailyn Murphy ’23 and Abby Matsuyasu ’23.

With a “young team and new coach, we are learning so many things and growing exponential ly,” said Murphy. “Every day at practice we get better and push one another to work harder.”

Losing seven seniors and gaining seven new players meant a transition for the team. As a result, every player on the team has taken on a different form of leadership.

Shea-Poli, a former Univer sity of New Hampshire player and assistant coach, is both new to the team and to Rivers. SheaPoli was an outstanding fouryear field hockey player at UNH and received All-American Third Team recognition as a senior. At the time of her graduation, SheaPoli was ranked third on UNH’s leaderboard with ninety-nine ca reer points and fourth in career goals with forty-two points. She

was named the America East Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. With such an accomplished and passionate leader setting the pace, the team is in good hands.

“Coach Meg has done an in credible job using her resources to create a great environment for all grades to thrive,” said Izzy Chitkara ’23.

The team started the season off with a 3-1 win over Worces ter Academy and a 4-2 win over

Dexter Southfield. From there, the team lost in a tight 2-3 game against Tabor followed by a 4-3 win over St. Paul’s. Next, they fell 1-3 to Governors but re sponded well with a strong 8-0 win over Dana Hall. The team suffered two close losses to BB&N (3-4) and Brooks (1-3) the following games, but came back in their most recent game with a 2-1 win over Thayer.

The team is anchored by both

captains playing defense and goalie Caroline Chung ‘24. Mov ing up the field, sophomores run the midfield, especially Lindsay “Mo” Morin and Morgan Boyce handling the ball, often making runs up and down the full length of the field.

“Mo is everywhere, it’s cra zy,” said Matsuyasu. “Whenever she gets the ball, which is very often, I trust that she will abso lutely do something good with it.

From her consistent ariels to her ability to dribble through entire teams to her shots on corners, Mo is really special.”

Up front, their offense is led by center forward Cece Lesper ance ‘25 who is known for her lightning speed as she catches up to big hits up the field and charg es to the cage. On either side of her are the young and gritty for wards including 8th grader Anna Matsuyasu and freshman Lily Chung.

On that note, the team sports the most pairs of sisters in pro gram, and possibly school, histo ry: the Matsuyasus, the Chungs, and the Chitkaras. Clearly, the team has bonded to the point of sisterhood, literally.

Looking forward, the team hopes to gain a few more wins with the hopes of a chance at playoffs.

“Though there was a lot of change this season with a new coach and a young team, we have all adapted really well,” said Matsuyasu. “We have a great bal ance of focused hard work and fun team bonding. With a strong backfield of all upperclassmen and a bunch of young and ener getic forwards, I am so excited for all the potential we have.”

Despite recent loss, football (4-1) has high hopes for season

BY MATT MEADE ’23 STAFF WRITER

To say Rivers football gives anything less than a industrious work ethic day in and day out would be a gross understate ment. After gaining motivation post last year’s Moose Bowl loss versus Dexter, it is no wonder the Wings started off the season with a stellar 4-0 record, includ ing an OT win over Belmont Hill.

So how did last year’s Bowl game loss fueled their training over the off-season?

“It has been the main motiva tor,” said senior captain Kalyl Lindsey. “We view every game as a stepping stone to get back there and win this year”

And they are certainly on track, despite a tough loss to Brooks under the lights last Friday.

The Wings pounded their first three opponents and claimed wins against St. George’s (427), Groton (38-&), and Tabor (52-7). Their fourth game of the season presented the first real test for the squad: Belmont Hill at Belmont Hill’s homecoming. Having been the first time Rivers football was scheduled to face a “large school” in more than a decade, many fans and individu als across prep football thought it to be unlikely for Rivers to notch a win. But Rivers secured the 38 - 32 win in overtime when Max Stevelman ’23 found Amir Lindsey ’24 in the endzone, again demonstrating their relent

lessness and determination.

Clearly, the Red Wings’ of fense is firing on all cylinders as quarterback and captain Max Stevelman ‘24 has thrown 9 touchdowns, in addition to the team’s 10 rushing TDs, and a total of 691 passing yards so far. On the receiving end, Kalyl Lindsey leads the team with 218 yards, followed by his brother Amir’s 141 yards and junior Jer emy Kiefer’s 148 yards. Their running game is just as strong as running back Nick Santani ello ’23 leads with 378 rushing yards.

Unfortunately at Friday Night Lights, Rivers fell to Brooks 3428, but the enthusiasm was still high from the Red and White Fanzone, leaving them at 4-1 for the season, and the chance to rattle off some wins in their final three games.

A major key to the boys’ domination is their pin-point precision and execution on either side of the ball. “We make sure that once that ball is snapped, whether offense or defense, we’re downhill and making the tackle or getting to the end zone,” said Santani ello. Their tenacity on defense has been quite obvious, since they’ve only allowed their oppo nents seven points each in three of their first four games.

Stevelman has played a major role in leading the of fense to scoring a minimum of thirty-eight points in the first four games, including throw ing five TDs in a single game.

Stevelman’s poise along with his options at wide receiver and running back are two factors that have led to the teams early success.

Key to the offense’s success is a strong line anchored by Matt Maloney ’23 and Brendan Coakley ’24, among others. The team also boasts plenty of speed and skill in the receiver corps. And that size and talent rounds out a stout defense that gave up just one touchdown per game in

the first three matchups.

Simply put, “Offense or defense, we execute,” added sophomore corner Nate Olson.

Even to the naked eye, the team’s disciplined and caum rauderous culture seems to be special, even compared to recent seasons. “The team culture is an inspired brotherhood. We play for each other,” said Lindsey.

Santaniello added, “We are straight up dawgs who go out there and have fun.”

Every player seems to agree that the common goal for this season is to win a champion ship… nothing less. With a bal ance of skilled younger players and experienced veterans, this group outworks their opponents on a weekly basis, and plans to not just prove people wrong, but also to take over the ISL and be come the most feared opponent in prep football as a whole.

Star midfielder Lindsay Morin ‘25 passes an ariel ball upfield during a recent game. Photo John Hurley.

Running back Nick Santaniello’23

eludes a tackle during the Red Wings’ big win (52-7) over Tabor Acad emy. Photo by J. Cummei.

Boys’ XC on a tear

BY SPENCER GARY ’25 STAFF WRITER

Known for their grueling work outs, varsity boys’ cross country is off to a strong season with all of their runners seeing great im provement. Led by captains Sam Lyons ’23 and Tyler Cornetta ’23, the team has had their hard train ing pay off with many high fin ishes throughout the early stages of their season.

Led by top runners Henry Buckley-Jones ’25 and Lyons, the team has a well-rounded group of runners. The team’s first race was the Michele Dufault Memo rial Invitational run at Nobles, fol lowed by their first ISL race at the Governor’s Academy. Rivers won 18-41, with an extraordinary five Rivers runners in the top six spots overall. The team followed up their ISL opener with wins against St. George’s (22-35), Lawrence (18-45), and Thayer (19-42).

Behind their workouts and suc cessful race results are the veteran coaches, Mr. Paluseo and Mr. Kar asch. Both coaches, with many years of experience in cross coun try, have received high praise from team members for their coach ing methods. “Without carefully planned practices to help us im prove daily, motivation, and large amounts of planning, the team would not be nearly where it is today,” remarked Buckley-Jones.

Workouts, throughout the week, are the main pillar for this team’s success. Health and im provement are at the forefront of training methods.

“Our practices and workouts are going well. What we do is individualized,” noted Paluseo.

“Depending on who the person is, they may run farther and/or faster on a given day, but each day’s workout is designed to help that person prepare to race as well as possible and stay healthy and feel ing well throughout the season.”

Not only do the intense work outs prepare the team for race days, but the team spirit of this bonded group of runners has also powered high-placing finishes. Karasch alluded to the importance of their seniors regarding the team spirit: “Lots of outstanding lead ership from our seniors keeps the team spirit high.”

“Our team spirit is built through training and racing as well as we can and supporting one another through the daily challenges pre sented in the training and racing. The effort required to be a full par ticipant in this sport requires each person on the team to contribute his best effort and to also be a sup portive and caring and responsible teammate and competitor,” said Paluseo.

This cohesive group of endur ance athletes has built a strong foundation for the rest of the sea son, with many more victories sure to come in the final weeks.

Sports

Girls’ XC runners show promise

BY BRADY JOHNSEN ’23 STAFF WRITER

The girls’ cross country team has undergone a major transfor mation since its last season; many new freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have supplanted the pre vious season’s departing athletes. Seniors Natalie Kloman and Ava Palazzolo have assumed the responsibility of captainship. As Coach Nisbet noted, these leaders “are committed day in and day out, and through that consistency the team has greatly benefited.”

“This year’s captains have been instrumental in furthering our culture of joy in running and training,” continued Nisbet. “Our sport is very challenging, both mentally and physically, and the captains have been bastions of optimism for their team. I truly believe our team chemistry and tight-knit togetherness is an ex tension of the incredible attitudes that Ava and Natalie bring on a daily basis. As a coach without an assistant, I lean heavily on the leadership and guidance of the captains.”

Fresh blood on the squad has allowed its roster to grow to fourteen runners despite seven girls departing since the previ ous season. “It was definitely a big loss for the team having our seniors leave last year,” reflected Kloman. “They were also amaz ing captains who helped com pletely transform the girls’ cross country team here.”

But with nine new runners, underclassmen now comprise over half of the varsity-level team. Even after this massive change in the roster, Kloman praises the effort and potential that these new runners bring to the team: “Everyone is super ex

cited to run every day, and all our new runners are amazing athletes and people,” she said. “Even the girls who are completely new to running still come with 100%

“Everyone is super excited to run every day, and all our new runners are amazing athletes and people. Even the girls who are completely new to running still come with 100% effort every day.”

-Natalie Kloman’23

effort every day.”

Nisbet further extolled each new runner’s contributions: “Our two dynamite freshmen, Angelina and Anya, are huge additions. The new sophomores, Maggie,

Reagan, Mairin, Juliana, and Taylor, bring an infectious energy that the team thrives on.”

A few standout runners have tendered remarkable performanc es in races thus far; team captain Palazzolo and Maggie Crowley ’25 finished in the top ten in five of the last six meets. But, Palaz zolo points out, athletic achieve ment is not the ultimate goal: “I think we definitely have poten tial, but a main focus is building the program and creating an even more positive running culture at Rivers.”

Mutual support is the key to this team’s success, now and in the future. “Training as an endurance athlete is not easy,” observed Nisbet. “But when sur rounded by teammates who lift you up and support you through out the entire process, suddenly what seemed impossible isn’t so daunting.”

Lindsey’s tireless work ethic seen on and off the gridiron

BY MIA PATEL’23 ASSISTANT EDITOR

As a five-year vet on the varsity football team, returning captain Kalyl Lindsey ’23 has certainly left his mark on and off the field. This season, wide receiver and Brown University commit, Lindsey leads the team as they continue their 4-0 unde feated season. However, Lindsey was not always this dominant.

His father, Head Coach Randdy Lindsey has watched Kalyl’s development over the course of his high school career. He “came from being 5’5”, 115 lbs, getting tossed around like a rag doll and having the smallest voice in the huddle, to 5’10” 195 lbs delivering punishing hits, making spectacular catches and being the outright leader of the team,” said Coach Lindsey.

That said, this change did not happen overnight. Kalyl has consistently been work ing to improve his ability to do well on the field. He can often be seen getting to school hours

before check-in to get in an early morning workout and is always the last one off the field getting in as many reps as he can before dark. He reminisces on “way too many, early mornings and late nights,” starting his day at 4:30 AM and still working past mid

night. Reflecting on all his hard work behind the scenes, Kalyl notes that his commitment to the sport was “100 percent worth it.”

Kalyl’s commitment to the sport goes far beyond any and all of his practices, games, and workouts. His dedication to

leadership is what sets him apart from the rest. “Kalyl has always been someone that strives for perfection,” his dad said. “He is his biggest competitor and critic. He expects nothing but excellence from him self which in turn drives others around him.”

Kalyl’s work ethic pushes his teammates to achieve their best. “

Kalyl demonstrates that being a leader doesn’t mean that you are the best player but being the best human possible,” stated Coach Lindsey. “Kalyl leads through love, hard work, accountability, and resilience.” Kalyl has been a role model for everyone on the team, demonstrat ing his drive not just for victories but for the team to work together as one.

Kalyl committed to Brown University to play division I football. He also takes the academic half of student athlete

seriously as he thrives in his STEM classes hoping to major in engineering and physics. However, his process to play college football was not an easy one. The college football recruit ing process during his junior year was put on hold due to the COVID pandemic, so he decided to reclass, giving him more time to be recruited. Kalyl’s efforts were actualized as he went on to receive a plethora of offers to play football at the next level.

Other than football, his next plan would be to “design cars.” With all eyes on Kalyl as he moves forward in his athletic ca reer, he remains focused on being the best he possibly can. In his own words, he is “not finished.”

Coach Lindsey, doubling as Kalyl’s father, advises him to “continue to be a great human being. Lead with love and ac countability.” But for now, Kalyl is concentrating on finishing off his Rivers football career on a high note as the season ap proaches its final games.

Brown commit Kalyl Lindsey ’23 always a work in progress. Photo Hurley.

Maggie Crowley ‘25 and Ava Palazzolo ‘23 lead the pack on race day. Photo by student intern.

Henry Buckley-Jones ‘25.