The Belfield Banter
October, 2, 2023
Convocation 2023: Curiosity Grows Our Community
by Izzy Sanok and Lyra Stewart“Fulfilling our desire to question, to know, and to learn for a lifetime”
-The St. Anne’s Belfield School Core Values
Looking back on Convocation, there was an overarching theme of curiosity as each speech touched on the importance of our school living by this word. Ty Enoch and Sumner Solomon emphasized the importance of our community embracing curiosity in their speech as co-student body presidents. They discussed the need for diversity and how our school has people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and parts of the world. We must be curious to learn about each other as Ty stated: “curiosity is the gateway to empathy.” Ty and Sumner challenged us to welcome the possibility of new experiences and new friends and finished with their message to the seniors of leaving here with no regrets and staying curious about all opportunities in front of us.
Consequently, Dr. Graves’ speech also emphasized our community’s curiosity as we, the students, have so many opportunities to explore our own interests throughout all grades.
Getting Back into the Groove: Back-to-School Tips and Tricks
by Rose Ryan-ByrneBack to school season! A favorite for some, dreaded by others. The first few weeks may seem inconsequential; the workload still being fairly slow and the initial excitement of the start of school having not worn off. However, not taking advantage of the first bit could potentially cause you to work harder later on. The way in which we begin our first module will set the tone for all of the modules to follow, so it’s important we set ourselves up for success. Building good and sustainable work habits early will only help in the long run. While habits are rooted in consistency, they have to start from somewhere. For those in search of a place to start, I curated a few tips you may find helpful. Happy studying!
1. Write everything down: Finding a planner where you can write down all your upcoming assignments or assessments can be quite helpful. Or if you are someone who can’t quite stick to a planner, writing your assignments down in your notebook or even on your hand could be beneficial for your memory.
She asked us to take advantage of the times given to ask questions not only academically but more generally, inside and outside of the classroom. Our parents and teachers all hope we can grow to be resilient by being curious when we find ourselves facing a challenge. While it can be a problem solving tool, we can also use curiosity to better connect with one another as Ty and Sumner spoke about earlier in the service. The act of curiosity should be utilized as a tool of unity, bringing us together as we approach novelty in the school community. By pursuing newness with open minds, we can broaden our perspectives and try to understand one another instead of being quick to judge. She hopes we will all live curiously as we navigate our lives creating a brighter future for ourselves and our St. Anne’s Belfield community. This sentiment struck home for students across the divisions for newness surrounds us. From the module schedule to meeting hundreds of new members of the community, we continue to experience the unknown every day. Therefore, it’s more vital than ever to encounter every new moment with receptivity and empathy.
2. Preventing distractions: Creating a distraction-free environment to complete your school work is vital. My personal favorite tricks are putting your phone in a different room, temporarily disabling the internet on your computer, or listening to white noise to prevent yourself from becoming distracted.
3. Stay engaged: It’s easy to lose motivation if you fall behind in a class, but finding ways to catch up is vital. Attending teachers’ office hours, watching tutorials on the material from YouTube, or finding quizlets are all good methods to understand the material. Even having a friend explain an assignment as their assistance is worthwhile.
4. Finding excitement: The most helpful method in my own studying is finding a way to make the material in each of your classes exciting or interesting. This could make the concepts easier to learn and remember. Using your knowledge of chemistry to explain plot points in Breaking Bad, watching soccer games only in Spanish, or even imagining yourself making a Nobel-Prize-worthy discovery every time you learn a new concept in math are useful.
Faculty Feature: Anni Quinn
Director of Alumni and Faculty Engagement
by Sonia KamathNow, as seniors, this Convocation definitely felt different as it’s a beginning to an end for our time at St. Anne’s Belfield. Walking with our parents as we looked out at our younger peers, we realized how quickly time has passed. It felt like not that long ago when we saw the seniors progress down the aisle, believing we had years and years till that was us. But as we hope many of our classmates felt, we are ready to make the most of our last year as students in this school community by being curious, asking questions, exploring new opportunities, and being open to learning people’s stories.
With the school year back in full swing, we find ourselves welcoming a whole slew of fantastic new faculty members into our community. Today, we are featuring one of these newcomers for our faculty spotlight: the Director of Alumni and Family Engagement, our very own Anniken Quinn.
Mrs. Quinn joined us as a faculty member in July, but her history with St. Anne’s Belfield School goes back much farther. A sandbox kid, and fourth generation legacy student, it is safe to say that her ties to our community run deep. After speaking with Mrs. Quinn on multiple occasions throughout the first module of the school year, I wished to learn more and happily set up an interview. Right off the bat, I was surprised to learn that Mrs. Quinn was not born in the United States, but in Norway, where she lived until she was five years old.
‘12,
Global Events: Floods in Libya
by Lovissa PriceOn September 18th, 2023, Libyans from the city of Derna stood chanting in front of their burning mayor’s house. This act of insurrection was the first of many that took place over a week after Derna was obliterated by floods. Reportedly, over one thousand people were found dead, while thousands more remain unaccounted for. Devastated by the loss of family and friends, Libyans took to the streets, protesting in major landmarks of the city to demand the demolition of their negligent government.
Her family then moved to Charlottesville, her mother’s hometown, and sent her to St. Anne’s-Belfield, where she graduated in 2012. In hopes of exploring the world outside of Charlottesville, she found herself in Maryland for college, where she met her husband John only two weeks into her freshman year.
Since 2011, Libya has faced numerous political, environmental, and economic struggles which have accumulated to reach this devastating climax. After the overthrow of their tyrannical ruler, Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libya broke out into a civil war that formally ended but wrecked Libya’s economy and general peace. This left cities with questionable authority figures such as the former mayor of Derna, Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi. For several years before the storms that fractured the two dams intended to protect Derna from the Wadi Derna River, officials had been warned of their dilapidated structure knowing they needed reparations. These alerts had been issued predating al-Ghaithi’s administration but ignored for years including by the most recent mayor. According to him, the city experienced torrential rains in previous years with no more than occasional and minor flooding, the reported reason for his negligence. This may seem dreadful, but al-Gaithi and his other political counterparts failed in yet another sense. When Derna officials were warned about not just the dams overall, but the estimated damage this storm would cause the city, they issued a curfew instead of an evacuation. This irresponsibility reportedly caused most of the human casualties. Although politics play a major role in this catastrophe, climate change adds to the destruction.
Since 1961, Libya’s main export is oil, making their greenhouse gas emissions per capita the highest in Africa. This majorly contributes to global warming which has evidently had a staggering effect on hurricanes worldwide; when water heats in the ocean, it creates the conditions for a “perfect storm.”
She then moved to DC for 7 years, where she got a graduate degree from George Washington University, and had her daughter, who is now nearly 10 months old. She says that as a St. Anne’s student, field day and chapel took the cake as her favorite traditions, and that she gave not one, not two, but three chapels during her time at our school. Though she noted that math and sciences were not her favorite subjects, language classes were her specialty, and her Spanish teacher inspired her to pursue a career in education, her goal since middle school. Though she has pivoted from desiring to be a Spanish teacher, she concludes that she still fulfills her goal of working with students in her current role. She is a delightful presence in Lee Duval, and wants to let people know that they should not be afraid to come up and say hi when they see her around campus!
Little Women: A Look into the Fall Play
by Cadigan Perriello
The fall play of Little Women is in full swing, and as the drama builds on stage, the excitement for this production rises in the cast, crew, and student body. Beginning before the school year opened, the audition process proved an exciting and nerve-racking experience that produced a dedicated cast. From the first rehearsal, a traditional read-through, the excitement and anticipation of this production were quickly revealed. Since the announcement last spring, and even preceding it, every student involved in theater was overwhelmed by the excitement of bringing a production of Little Women to the Saints Stage
Recent studies have shown that climate change worsened rainfall in hurricanes by 10%. This was true for the Mediterranean storm Daniel that struck the coast of Libya as a category one hurricane which, although not the worst type, was still highly detrimental considering the conditions. As climate change has worsened, although total Mediterranean storms have decreased, their intensity has increased, resulting in more immediate destruction of that area. While storm Daniel was one of only ten Mediterranean hurricanes in 2023, it was one of the worst that Africa has ever experienced based on the death count, and had been made 50% more likely by global warming..
Taking place in Massachusetts in the 1860s, this show is the first genuinely historical piece St. Anne’s-Belfield has put on since before the pandemic. Following four sisters through their formative years, this timeless story explores the themes of sisterhood, love, betrayal, and women’s struggles. The play follows Jo (Sonia Kamath), a headstrong author, Amy (Amalie Hendricks), an independent painter, Meg (Sofia Tache), a caring eldest sister and mother, Beth (Cadigan Perriello), an empathetic pianist, and their charismatic neighbor, Laurie (Spicer Edmonds).
Because of the gradual inflation of political and environmental issues in Libya, they crossed over into needing immediate restoration for the sake of their citizens and the rest of the world. However, there is a bright side: sixteen of the politicians in Derna thought responsible have been arrested and several nonprofits and major world peace organizations are working to mend the city and prevent situations like this in the future.
Builiding Community: A Look into the Football Season with Members of the Leadership Council
by Hadley BoothThis football season for St. Anne’s Belfield started strong with a 35-7 win against Fork Union Military Academy and a 47-22 win against Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy. With the season in full swing, I discussed with members of the football team’s Leadership Council, consisting of two seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, two freshmen, and one eighth-grader, to talk about their excitement for the remaining season. Head Coach Joe Sandoe describes the Leadership Council as “one of the largest honors in our program.” First, I spoke to Sumner S. ‘24 to talk about his final year of High School Football and what we, as a student section, can do to help the players be their best while they compete.
HB: “Having been a part of the football program for four years, what are some changes you have noticed this year compared to the previous years you have been on the team?”
Since the first rehearsal, the cast members have worked tirelessly to embody these unique characters and, with the help of set and costumes, hope to transport the audience back in time. As the production slowly comes to life, so do the individual characters and their emotions. Whether you associate more with Jo, Beth, Amy, or Meg, this play showcases many other uniquely deep and complicated characters that surely touch the hearts of many. With much of the creation of the fall play still to come in the next month, the cast continues to put in countless hours and hopes that the final product will reflect the emotion and energy put in. On the evenings of November 3rd and 4th and the afternoon of the 5th, all of the hard work and determination from the cast and crew will come to life on stage, and they hope that everyone will come out and support Saints Stage’s production of Little Women!
Hi Barbie! The Feminist Film of the Decade or a Masterclass in Marketing?
by Sofia TacheI wouldn’t dare claim that a single pop culture event could define the summer of 2023, but in my own experience, the phenomenon of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie certainly stood out. Like many of my peers, I chose to go see it in theaters, but unlike most, I attended the movie four times, in varying combinations of friends and family. This gave me plenty of time to observe both the details of the movie itself and my fellow pink-clad consumers. I dressed in pink for two of my viewings and allowed myself to enjoy the lighthearted, even childlike experience I shared with my friends and family, playing dress-up as if imagining ourselves as the dolls about to come to life onscreen. My initial perspective on the popular Barbie-viewing dress code saw it as nothing deeper than a fleeting trend, a chance to hop on a glittery little bandwagon and share some enthusiasm with the others in the theater. I doubt that any of us curated our pink outfits with the intention of demonstrating the power held by the corporations but I’ve come to wonder if those executives’ intentions matter more than ours. The millions of dollars pouring into eager box offices in the opening weekend alone seem to say so.
SS: “After being a part of the football team for the past 4 years our team has gained not only a level of competitiveness and a need to win but also a brotherhood that wasn’t there before. I think one of the biggest reasons for this is that we all know our potential this year and want to prove it to the community.”
HB: “What is it like to be in the last year of high school football?”
SS: “It’s awesome to be playing with such a great group of guys. I wish I had more time with them. When I’m out there, I try to take everything in, from sights, sounds, and smells because I never know when it might be my last game.”
HB: “How does the energy from the sidelines and stands affect how you play?”
SS: “The energy in the stands energizes me and makes me want to play so much harder because I feel like I have to prove something to everyone who comes out to support us. When the guys have your back and trust you to do the right thing, you feel like you’re unstoppable.”
What is Barbie about anyway? Is it about playing with dolls? Is it about patriarchy and the shared experiences of womanhood? Is it about Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in neon Jazzercise gear and roller skates? The strange intersection of all of these facets makes the movie an undoubtedly entertaining watch. The story does its best to sell itself as a feminist wake-up call in a glossy package, leaving its heroine, Stereotypical Barbie, ready to own her womanhood and help shape a world decidedly not made for her. It cartoonishly dresses down stereotypes of masculinity, assembles an Avenger-esque alliance of women who heroically thwart the rise of patriarchy in the fantastical and hyper-feminine Barbieland, and pairs it all with catchy tunes by Dua Lipa and the Indigo Girls. In a way, Barbie attempts to give its target audience everything it wants in the easiest-to-digest way possible: nonstop, fast-talking comedy; whirlwinds of motion, from car chases to dream-sequence dance numbers; high-budget sets and outfits to gawk at; a cast list bursting at the seams with celebrities and “star power”; and a sense of accomplishment at the end that in watching the movie, you’ve learned something about being a better feminist.
Each member of the football team chose a specific word to focus on throughout the season. I discussed with Matthew M. ‘25 what his word means to him, along with what excites him about this new team.
HB: “What is your word of choice? And what does it mean to you?”
MM: “My word of choice is ‘Devoted’. This word means a lot to me, as I have been working on my craft for years, and have traveled 3,620 miles with the main reason being to play better football and chase my dream. For this reason, I know many would describe me as devoted. I felt ‘devoted’ was a culmination of hard work, discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and a couple of others - choosing ‘devoted’ as my word would sum it all up perfectly.”
HB: “Coming from other football teams in the past, what excites you about this football team and season?”
MM: “The thing that excites me the most about the team this season is how focused everybody is, and the collective desire to improve day after day—
It’s difficult to point out my concern without referring back to the film’s own satire—if you don’t know or remember the plot well, it concludes with the greedy Mattel executive conceding to a supporting character’s feminist agenda at the first mention that it will lead to more money in his own pocket. Yes, the movie makes fun of this idea in its own script, but to me, examining Barbie’s success in theaters must also mean marveling at its success in producing a two-hour commercial, enticing viewers with spectacles and encouragement to become the spectacle themselves. Even if we accept that Barbie promotes female empowerment as the life lesson we learn along the way, we shouldn’t ignore its greater mission of rebranding a toy sold by a company that fears losing its 8-and-under audience to iPads and streaming. I absolutely don’t mean to rain on anybody’s hot pink parade—someone who learned all the words to “I’m Just Ken” has no right to do so, after all—but I want to emphasize that pop culture moments like Barbie don’t emerge from a vacuum. I’d encourage everyone to remember the bright red stamp of Mattel’s logo that appears on the screen before any hint of story and to consider what that has to tell you about the creators’ intentions with your attention.
“-whether someone has had a good or bad day, their attitudes and mindset are nearly always first class! Another thing that stands out is the community aspect of the team. Everybody gets along with each other, and it is just an amazing atmosphere to be around and be a part of!”
HB: “What are your goals for the rest of this season?”
MM: “I have many goals for the rest of the season, but the two that are the most important to me are to constantly improve on my technique in my positions and to start to garner attention from some college coaches. With only having up to 12 games in a season (and a scrimmage) to showcase your in-game talent and technique, this is something I am deeply focused on, and a thing that aside from school plus the work that goes along with it, all my time and energy goes into.”
by Carter Kelly
