The Suffield Bell
Plans for a Great Year
Caleigh Horrigan ’18
This year’s student body president is Max Toczydlowski. As he mentioned in his Convocation speech, Max has many ideas and plans to make this upcoming year great for all students. The three themes he will focus on are community, tradition, and unity. He hopes to include not only the Suffield Academy community, but also the Suffield town community by including the town in our many different school activities and fundraisers. The annual Color Course, which will be taking place this November, is an example of Max’s vision for the community. For the first time it will include the town of Suffield and promises to be our best Color Course yet. Max also plans to change up the course itself, making it a new and exciting experience for Suffield to look forward to. For the theme of tradition, he hopes that Suffield students will keep in mind all the wonderful history and traditions our school has to offer. This does not need to be complicated.
You can do this by simply avoiding stepping on the seal or by running up Bell Hill to ring the bell after your team wins a home game. Finally, Max hopes to unify our students of all grades. His goal is to make sure all students feel included in this year’s activities and to ensure that each student has a great experience here at Suffield. For Telethon, which is a fundraiser and school wide talent show, he hopes to get more underclassmen to participate. Last year the majority of the acts were performed by seniors, and by having a greater variety of people from different grades, all students will feel included in the event. Max is also planning a new campus event, a music festival, for the spring.
A fundamental belief of Max’s is to have the year consistently reflect our school theme, service. He plans to reach out to the town of Suffield and hopes to meet with the first selectman of Suffield, since the town of Suffield
is so integral to Suffield Academy, in order to help the town itself. He also plans to incorporate global service with this year’s charity, Akshaya Patra. With the help of the Suffield Academy community and the generosity of others, our community has the potential to impact the lives of thousands of impoverished children in India. Max is extremely excited about the theme of service and Akshaya Patra.
With Max in the lead, this year shows promise to be an exciting year for us all!
Photo by Amber McKenzie ’18
Photo by Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18
Introducing The Bell Staff
by Nick Vardakas ’18
The Bell Staff
Editors
Editors-in-Chief
Devina Bhalla ’18
Sarah Swanson ’18
Layout
Aashi Patel ’19
Hattie Bauchiero ’18
Contributors
Writers
Isabella Attianese ’18
Devina Bhalla ’18
Caleigh Horrigan ’18
Kate Rookey ’18
Sarah Swanson ’18
Nick Vardakas ’18
Pat Cordes ’18
Photographers
Amber McKenzie ’ 18
Faculty Advisors
Tanya Andrysiak
Molly Gotwals P’09
Design & Layout
Tobye Cook ’88, P’16
Sarah Swanson
Sarah Swanson is a junior from Tolland, Connecticut. At Suffield, she plays volleyball, squash, and golf. Also, she is the Co-head Editor of The Bell, the leader of the Pen Pal club, a Student Council member, a mentor, and a peer tutor. She lives in Rockwell dorm this year and enjoys vacationing in Quechee, Vermont.
Devina Bhalla
Devina Bhalla is a junior from Lexington, Massachusetts. She is the manager for football in the fall, swims in the winter, and plays water polo in the spring. Devina enjoys reading and watching old movies. She will be working as the Co-head Editor of The Bell this year.
Aashi Patel
Aashi Patel is a sophomore from West Springfield, Massachusetts and is The Bell’s Director of Layout and Design. She will be participating in basketball and tennis in the winter and spring terms respectively. Aashi also enjoys dance and graphic design.
Hattie Bauchiero
Hattie is a junior from Suffield, Connecticut. Hattie plays soccer in the fall, squash in the winter, and tennis in the spring. She likes to spend time hanging out with her friends. Hattie is the Assistant Director of Layout and Design for The Bell this year.
Isabella Attianese
Isabella Attianese, more commonly known as Isy, is a junior from East Granby, Connecticut. The sports she plays here at Suffield are soccer, dance, and lacrosse. Isy, The Bell’s Head Arts Reporter, enjoys taking part in Suffield’s performing arts, watching sporting events, dancing in the PAC with her friends, or playing a casual game of Kan Jam outside the Union. She says that coming to Suffield was by far the best decision she has ever made and feels very lucky to have the opportunity to be a part of such an incredible community.
Caleigh Horrigan
Caleigh Horrigan is a junior from Suffield, Connecticut. She plays soccer, participates in Suffield’s dance program, takes an art special in the spring, and is an Arts Reporter for The Bell. In addition to being a part of The Bell, she is also a part of the Political Action club and the Pen Pal club. Her hobbies include surfing, acting, and singing.
Kate Rookey
Kate Rookey is a junior from Suffield, Connecticut. She plays soccer, basketball, and tennis. Kate also enjoys taking hikes in the area and is the Head Sports Reporter for The Bell. Be sure to say “hi” to Kate when you see her around campus!
Nicole Lee
Nicole Lee is a sophomore from Seoul, Korea. She plays field hockey, squash, and tennis. Nicole enjoys listening to music, reading, and is a Sports Reporter for The Bell. She also likes to go on Facebook.
Nick Vardakas
Nick Vardakas is a junior from Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Nick plays soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and golf in the spring. He is a member of Suffield’s Student Council, a News and Features Reporter for The Bell, and enjoys traveling the world.
Amber McKenzie
Amber McKenzie is a junior from Barbados. She is the varsity boy’s water polo manager in the fall, a swimmer in the winter, and plays girls water polo in the spring. Amber enjoys photography, playing the electric guitar, and going to the gym. Also, Amber speaks French and is the Photographer for The Bell
Changing Chapel Traditions
by Sarah Swanson ’18
Many students were moved by Katherine Kalil’s ’17 performance of the song “I Hope You Dance” at Suffield Academy’s convocation earlier this Fall, but not all were aware that her presentation was the first of many senior presentations that will make up Suffield Academy’s new chapel program.
During the 2015-2016 academic year, Mr. Cahn consulted several students and faculty members to develop a chapel program consisting of 3-5 minute presentations by Suffield seniors throughout the year. These presentations can take on any creative form ranging from traditional speeches to films and vocal performances such as Katherine’s.
Brooklynn Hayes ’17 plans to create a video to share with the school which will highlight her academic, athletic, and art endeavors during her time at Suffield Academy. Although she admits that she is nervous to present in front of the entire school, Brooklynn noted that she believes Suffield Academy’s leadership program has prepared her well for this challenge.
Not only will this new chapel program provide an opportunity to showcase the public speaking techniques taught in leadership classes as Brooklynn mentioned, but Mr. Cahn hopes it will provide “engaging programming for our school-wide meetings.” He believes these presentations will strengthen the Suffield
Academy community by allowing students and faculty members to learn more about each other. Faculty members intend for seniors to develop a deeper relationship with their advisors by discussing and preparing for their presentation. While Katherine Kalil ’17 worked on her performance over the summer to prepare for convocation, many students will present at chapel later in the school year providing ample time for this advisor collaboration process to unfold.
The guest speaker program returning students have been accustomed to has been modified rather than entirely eliminated. In fact, this year’s senior presentations will be complemented by a number of outside speakers and Suffield Academy chapel traditions. The much-anticipated Kent-Davis Speaking contest and Student Council Election will still take place during chapel in the Spring. In addition, this year students can look forward to hearing from Mark Shriver, the author of this year’s community text A Good Man
Students can expect more senior presentations in upcoming academic years, as Mr. Cahn hopes to continue this program as a new tradition at Suffield Academy. Get ready class of 2018…you may be up next!
Photos by Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18
by Tanya Andrysiak
There are many great organizations on campus. From the tiny to the huge, from those that require a strict application process to those that are open to all members, Suffield Academy provides extra-curricular options for everyone. The facing page is a list of several of our organizations, with the names of the students who serve as leaders and the faculty who sponsor them.
Note: If you are part of an organization that is not listed (or you have a correction), please contact The Bell advisors, Ms. Andrysiak and Ms. Gotwals.
Campus Activities
Too Cool For School?
by Pat Cordes ’18
As we all know, the Presidential election is around the corner. With the election drawing closer, it seems the subject comes up more frequently in our classrooms and around school. Whether it is in history class or just in casual discussion in the hallways, this matter frequently arises. This is an important subject because it not only allows us to share our ideas and opinions in class, but it lets us talk about real world scenarios.
When we discuss politics, we must do so with caution. In the classroom one must realize that people have different points of view, and one should be respectful of everyone’s opinions. People have been raised differently. Our two-party system in the United States tends to reflect the division between those who have (and wish to conserve) and those who have not (and wish to liberally redistribute). Additionally, at Suffield, we also have the wonderful perspective of our international students who are concerned about how the next US President will interact with other nations. Controlled debates are great to have in the classroom to keep students intrigued and active.
This year’s election is definitely different from all the ones in the past. Unlike others, students from preschool through high school are very aware of this year’s politics. All around the world students are bringing their political views to the classroom. Teachers can bring the matter into school by linking the past and the present. Even outside the classroom political beliefs arise and are debated. From my experience, the Presidential elections have been a hot topic at our lunch tables. If the table is not very talkative, when in doubt, bring up politics. You are sure to spark a conversation. Politics is bound to surface in any scenario. The classroom is a great place for these discussions to occur because it is within a controlled environment. The last thing anyone wants is for there to be fights over political views. Keep staying up to date on the politics, and know what your favored candidate will do for you, our country, the economy, and our global neighbors.
Photo by Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18
ACADEMY TUTORS
Academy Tutors
Alumni Leadership Committee
Chapel Committee
Chinese Club
Christian Fellowship
Cycling Club
Discipline Committee
Dorm Proctors
Environmental Club
Film Squad
Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
Girl Up
Global Initiatives
Headwaiters
International Student Association
Investment Club
Jewish Organization of Students (JOS)
Knitting Club
Leadership Teaching Assistants (TA)
Math Club
Mentor Program
Model UN
Multicultural Association (MCA)
Penpal Club
Performing Arts Center (PAC) Managers
Political Action Club
Quiz Team
Student Council
The Bell
Tour Guide Leaders
FACULTY SPONSORS
Mrs. Sych, Mrs. Strong
Mr. Riegel
Ms. Yeager
Mr. Yuan
Mr. and Mrs. Pepoli
Mr. DesBois
Mr. Lynch
Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Adelsberger
Mr. Zanussi
Ms. Kim
Mr. and Mrs. Caginalp
Ms. Reed
Ms. Kim
Mr. Dugan
Mrs. McCarthy, Ms. Picciotto
Mr. Lowe
Mrs. Adelsberger, Ms. Balaban-Garber
Mrs. Henle
Mr. Rockwell, Mrs. Adelsberger
Mrs. Henle
Mrs. Warren
Mr. Strong
Ms. Warren
Mrs. Adelsberger
Mr. Dugan
Mr. DesBois
Mr. Yuan
Mr. Lynch
Ms. Andrysiak, Ms. Gotwals
Ms. Samunek
STUDENT LEADERS
Kirill Dolgin, Arseniy Dolgin, Leo Oh, Emma Paul, Sam Seo, Nick Yan
Chris Ennis, Morgan Islam, Zach Mooney, David Emerson, Chloe Rogalin, Tyreek Scott-Grayson
Eva Crouse, Kaelena Daniels, Hannah Durhager, Sam Henderson, LJ Luba, Drake Muth, Brandon Qiu, Jerry Tang, Ivan Zhakharov, Luca Curry, Maddy Kauffman
Tonny Geng Zhu, Sabrina Hang, Nick Yan, Joey Zeng
Mike Trevallion, Petch Arpornpattanapong
Amelia Hern, Ashley Sarris, Garrett Stephenson, Ben Toczydlowski
Harry Hildreth, Nick Mayo, Liz Sacco, Katherine Kalill, Jayda Reisman, Megan Varney
Jason Louro
Abi Mulhern, Jack Pumphret, Breana Gibbs
Caroline Gingold, Hannah Arthur
Jayda Reisman, Liz Sacco, Anna Wilson, Sedley Benitz
Laura De Los Santos, Luc Dutranoit, Alli Hayden, Amelia Hern, Jae Woo Lee, Riley Miles, Daniel Mittelman, Ashley Sarris, Graham Shannon
Maggy Skaugen, Ping Virameteekul, Brandon Liao, Ameera Moumina
Brian Daddario, Sam Seo
Jeremy Greer, Jonah Perry, Jayda Reisman, Ben Toczydlowski
Laura De Los Santos, Emma Paul
Unified Sports (Special Olympics)
Yearbook (Pioneer)
Mrs. Krasemann, Mr. Patterson
Ms. Kim
Ben Toczydlowski, Graham Shannon, Kayla Rosenkrantz, Jonah Perry, Alli Hayden, Brooklynn Hayes, Ian MacTaggart, Hannah Arthur, Cari Cyr, Benji Hart, Ping Virameteekul
Brooklynn Hayes, Sam Seo, Andrew Robitaille
Alex Clarke, Katherine Kalill, John Lopez, Leyza Okojie
Sarah Swanson
Cari Cyr, Matt deHaan, Laura De Los Santos
Ben Godin, Brian Daddario
Jeremy Greer, Peter Kelley, John Kuzmeski, Max Toczydlowski
Sarah Swanson, Devina Bhalla
Hannah Arthur, Will Burke, Becca Collins, Cari Cyr, Jae Woo Lee, Peter Kelly, Kristen Kertanis, Kirsti Koko, Griff Kornaker, Daniel Mittelman, Tanner Moore, Ryder Mosby, Jonah Perry, Graham Shannon, Maggy Skaugen, Garrett Stephenson, Anna Wilson
Isabelle Ricke, Kirsti Kokko, Tori Repka
Isabelle Ricke, Marissa Flevotomos, Sarah Pajouh, Anna Wilson, Jason Louro, Liz Sacco
MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Approval of Faculty Sponsors
Annual Application for Seniors
Annual Application for Seniors
Open to all
Open to all
*Open to all
Annual Election
**Annual Application
Open to all
Open to all
Open to all
Open to all
Open to all
Annual Application for Seniors
Open to All International Students
Open to all
Open to all
Open to all
**Annual Application
Open to all
Contact Faculty Sponsor
Open to all
Open to all
Contact Faculty Sponsor
Contact Faculty Sponsor
Open to all
Open to all
Open to all
Annual Application for Writers (guest authorship available)
Annual Application for Seniors
Open to all
Open to all
2 of 414: John Kuzmeski ’17 & Jermey Greer ’17
by Nick Vardakas ’18 and Sarah Swanson ’18
John Kuzmeski is a senior from Hadley, Massachusetts. As the school’s Boarding Representative, he helps provide the perspective of boarding students at the Student Council meetings. In other words, he is the voice of the boarders at school. John says that he is “a very approachable guy” and wants students to feel comfortable finding him to talk about their lives and any issues that may arise during their time here. John plays water polo in the fall, squash in the winter, and lacrosse in the spring. Most of the time, he likes to hang out in the union with his friends, so if you ever see him there, give him a wave! When asked some random questions about life, John had the following to say:
NV: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
JK: That’s a really tough one actually; there are way too many places that I want to go and see, but if I had to pick one, I want to retire and live somewhere on the Cape.
NV: What is your biggest fear?
JK: Styrofoam rubbing together. I don’t know if this counts, but if not probably really, really big spiders.
NV: What is your proudest accomplishment?
JK: Being interviewed by The Bell of course! Haha, no kidding either! Also, being accepted to Suffield or coming in 2nd place in the Liquid 4 last year are some other big accomplishments in my life.
NV: What motivates you to work hard?
JK: I hate people telling me I cannot do something. Also, I hate losing.
Jeremy Greer addressed the student body just last Spring in an election to become the Day Student Representative and has already gone on to become a driving force in efforts to improve existing Student Council events including his favorite, the color run. He is currently working with other officers to develop plans for Suffield’s first music festival this spring. Jeremy hopes to
“improve the reputation of Suffield Academy throughout the town” by inviting members of the Suffield community to all three of these Student Council events. In an effort to address the existing divide between boarding and day students, Jeremy plans to draw students to the union between dinner and study hall with new attractions including “increased projector access, music, and even a foosball table.” When asked for insight into his life Jeremy shared:
SS: What is your dream travel destination?
JG: I would have to say either the Swiss Alps or the islands of Greece.
SS: What is the grossest food you have tried? The best food you have tried?
JG: Grossest is probably beef tongue. Best... it’s kind of weird but duck hearts are amazing.
SS: What is your greatest memory from your time at SA?
JG: Passing Mrs. Vasilenko’s honors precalculus class.
Photo by Amber McKenzie ’18
Is The Transition Worth It?
by Devina Bhalla ’18
Transitioning into a new environment and living at school is an extremely difficult process. Professor Joy Schaverien was quoted in The Independent, a UK newspaper, discussing the damages of boarding schools, “Children need to grow among people who love them.” Professor Schaverien studied the psychological effects of boarding schools, titling her studies “Boarding School Syndrome.” Though the Professor’s opinions of boarding school are dismal, she does point out that there are many success stories through boarding schools. How does Suffield Academy work to make sure each student is one of these success stories?
Marla Adelsberger, Heather Dugan, and Christine Londraville are three of Suffield’s school counselors. They play important roles in students’ transition into boarding life. Even though the fall term is in full swing, many new students are still adjusting and our counselors are constantly helping students transition and assimilate. They discussed that the hardest part of
transitioning to Suffield is different for day students and boarding students. Many day students have trouble because they “feel like they are missing out because they do not live in the dorms.” In contrast, boarding students often say that “they miss the comforts of going home after school each day to refuel.” Suffield has implemented a full structure for each student’s day, from classes to sports and, for boarders, study hall at night. Though this structure “is intended to help students stay accountable,” it can also create stress and tire many young students out. However, through the combination of support from mentors, proctors, advisors, and their peers along with the Counseling Center’s Transitions Group (facilitated by upperclassmen who talk about their own experiences transitioning to SA) the school provides the help needed to ease stress as students become familiar with the routines here. The counselors’ final pieces of advice to students are to “jump in and try to connect right away,” to get involved, “to remember that you are not alone,” and to “give it time” to adjust and find the right friends. However, they believe it is most important to take advantage of the resources on campus, which include the Counseling Center, advisors, coaches, teachers, proctors, mentors, and friends.
Acclimating to any new environment as a developing teenager is a monumental task. Through discussions with the Suffield Counselors, it was clear that this is hard in different ways for every student. Yet, Professor Joy Schaverien was still not able to convince me that the pitfalls of “Boarding School Syndrome” are enough to not board or to not go to Suffield Academy. The Counseling Center has provided plenty of areas of comfort for students to grow within, and that is only the Counseling Center. Many parents are hesitant to send their children to live at a boarding school. However, with the right environment surrounding them, the potential for personal growth for each student is too great an opportunity to turn down.
*Lakhani, Nina. “Boarding is as damaging as being taken into care, says therapist.” The Independent , April 23, 2011. Web: October 1, 2016.
Suffield’s Olympian
by Kate Rookey ’18
Most athletes can only dream of becoming an Olympian, but for Julian Fletcher ’09, this dream became reality at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Julian competed in the 100m breaststroke and finished with a time of 1:02.73. While he can remember wanting to become an Olympic swimmer since a young age, it was not until Julian attended Suffield that he developed the work ethic needed to reach his goal. He credits much of his success to the coaching staff at Suffield, who mentored and helped him continue his swimming career at Southern Methodist University. A particular memory from Julian’s time at SA was on the swim team’s spring training trip to Florida when alumnus Alex Holdridge ’03 came to coach and motivate the team. Hearing all of Alex’s accomplishments and knowing that Alex had been in the same shoes a few years earlier further
motivated Julian to continue pursuing his dream. Although Julian was faced with obstacles along the way, the hard work paid off when he finished his race and spotted his family and friends in the crowd, who were waving
Bermudian flags and smiling. Julian said, “That feeling was indescribable and something I will never forget.” After the race, Julian claims that he was a little disappointed that he came in 40th place and expresses that he didn’t have his best performance. Despite this, he recalls that traveling around Rio allowed him to enjoy the experience because he feels as though, “you get more out of the journey than you do from your results.”
For any aspiring Olympians, remember that there will be challenges along the way, and you will doubt why you chose to become one of the world’s top athletes, but according to Julian, “perseverance through difficult times is key.” Your dedication and determination will pay off, and it is important to believe in yourself and to know that your coaches believe in you.
Photo by Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18
Photo: bernews.com
Hallelujah! This Year’s Musical is Sister Act
by Isabella Attianese ’18 and Caleigh Horrigan ’18
This year Suffield Academy’s fall musical is Sister Act, which steers away from the gloomy yet incredibly powerful tone of last year’s production of Spring Awakening and follows a more upbeat and comical direction. It is a feel good musical comedy written by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner and was first performed on October 24, 2006. The show is female oriented and was chosen because of the many strong, talented female actors who are participating in the musical this year. The show is based on the hit movie that starred Whoopi Goldberg and included original music by Tony and 8-time Oscar winner Alan Menken, known for his work with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Enchanted, and Newsies. Sister Act is about a disco diva named Deloris Van Cartier, portrayed by Katherine Kalill ’17, who is a witness to a murder that completely changes her life. She is then hidden as a nun in a convent under protective custody and under suspicious watch of the Mother Superior, played by Ashley Sarris ’17. Deloris then helps her fellow sisters find their voices, which ultimately leads to the rediscovery of her own voice. It is a tribute to the power of sisterhood, friendship, and music and consists of fun Motown songs and dance routines. The
cast has been working extremely hard to learn the lengthy dance numbers and songs, as well as to memorize all their lines. Alongside them, the faculty and crew have been working in order to teach the musical numbers, build the set, find the right costumes, and teach the cast how to portray
their characters. The entire ensemble has put in numerous hours during and outside of rehearsal in order to perform to their best ability. Sister Act is a fun and funky musical and, if you are not already a part of it, be sure to come and support your classmates this winter!
Spotlight On New Art Classes
by Caleigh Horrigan ’18 and Isabella Attianese ’18
This year the Arts Program at Suffield Academy is expanding to include two new arts classes. The first is a public speaking class taught by Mr. Dugan. This class is speech performance oriented and will help students to develop public speaking skills that will be useful in the future. Students review and learn different types of speeches, ranging from political addresses to wedding toasts. The course is an exciting addition to Suffield curriculum. Another new arts class this year is the graphic design course, taught by Mrs. Graham. Mrs. Graham says the course is “framed around the understanding of the fundamental principles such as contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity. It teaches students critical skills in graphic design.” Students work with different industry programs such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop and learn about how layout and style send powerful messages. The class explores topics such as logo development, typography, mixed media design, and creating and printing the school art and literary magazine. This is a great course for students interested in the design and advertising industry and it gives these students the opportunity to explore their creativity. Both of these arts classes provide students with important skills and are exciting additions to the strong arts program at Suffield Academy.
Photo by Amber McKenzie ’18