T he L og thelog@taboracademy.org
Tabor Academy’s Student Newspaper
February 2018
Volume 92, Number 5
TA
Mysteries
What’s Going on in the Greenhouse? by Danielle Plunkett
Tucked away near the maintenance facilities on upper campus lives a relatively unknown but important Tabor resource: the greenhouse. According to Captain Bill, the greenhouse has been around for over 30 years. “In the past, it was used by PlantOps to grow flowers used for the campus,” said Captain Bill. “Now it’s used by students and faculty.” In recent years, the greenhouse has become an academic resource. The facility is being used across various science classes to turn concepts into tangible and easy-to-understand examples. For instance, Biology classes have used the building to grow different plants, allowing students to visualize the process of photosynthesis and understand how specific factors impact the growth of the plant. Mrs. Norris took advantage of the greenhouse with her AP Biology students earlier this year, and she hopes that the facility can be used even more by the Tabor science department. “My goal eventually would be for the greenhouse to be used...to set up experiments, examples, test runs, and independent projects,” said Mrs. Norris, adding that the greenhouse is a great resource
Photo by Photopool
for studying “ecology, environmental science, and other marine sciences.”
The greenhouse also provides Tabor with an opportunity to practice sustainable agriculture. Throughout the winter, Captain Bill will grow microgreens such as kale, carrots, and swiss chard in the greenhouse. “It’s very easy to grow the microgreens, and the Dining Hall said they’ll use anything we grow,” said Mrs. Norris. Growing these products and more for use in our own community advances Tabor’s green initiative and makes our campus more sustainable and earth-friendly. As great as the greenhouse is, there are definitely some improvements that can be made to increase its quality. “It needs some upgrades, like being in a sunnier location,” said Captain Bill. He also mentioned that the greenhouse needs to be “winterized” to handle the New England chill. He said, “[There is] no water supply when it is below freezing due to frozen pipes,” making it very difficult to maintain ongoing projects throughout the winter. Mrs. Norris agrees that a change in location would be beneficial for the greenhouse. “People forget about it because it’s not easy-access,” she
said. “It would be better if the placement of the greenhouse was better for students.” Mrs. Norris added that she would like to see the greenhouse become a place for students to go in their down time, as well. “There’s that idea that we could have one end be little plants and flowers and have a study space or a hangout space for students,” she said. Students could do some work or simply
relax together surrounded by plants and flowers in the warmth of the greenhouse.
The greenhouse is just one of Tabor’s many underutilized facilities, but with the integration of academic research and sustainability into its capabilities, our community can become more involved with this great resource as it continues to grow and develop.
The Lost Play, Found
by Tayler Rogers
The winter drama’s newest play is soon to debut, but there is something missing… a few things, actually. Whether it is something as small as a pair of earrings or as life changing as a loved one, the cast of the winter drama will be performing scenes that both they and Mr. Howland’s creative writing class have written about things they have lost in what they are titling The Lost Play.
The Lost Play is an “entirely devised piece,” as director Ms. Hawley puts it. The actors began the production process without a script or outline to guide them. Their only guidance was the theme of “things that are lost.” Everything else about the production has been created or dreamed up by the cast. Since the students have been the ones to explore and write what they believe should be in the script, cast member Maggie Adams notes that “it is Please recycle this paper.
for the most part just stories of our lives. You get to know the cast by what they are going to be performing.” On this topic Ms. Hawley expressed what she hopes will come from performing this type of theater, “I really want people to leave and think about the community we’re in.” The true stories scattered throughout the play will amount to an unmissable opportunity to get to know and support your peers. The Black Box will no longer be seats and a stage; the area will be set up to resemble a more cozy, intimate café-like setting, complete with a “gallery of lost things” to walk through on the way in. Included in the gallery’s display might be a lost earring, a pen cap, and maybe even a jacket.
Head to the Black Box February 22–24 to catch the show. Reserve tickets at the front desk to see the final product of the cast’s hard work. Opinion, p. 2. Arts and Sports, p. 4
2 by Hannah Frisch
pinion Trump: A Year in Review Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, pleasing his conservative base and making good on his promise to fill the justice position quickly. Gorsuch, a conservative, tipped the balance of conservatives versus liberals and his lifetime appointment may have lasting implications for liberals. In May, Trump fired FBI director James Comey. According to Comey, Trump had asked him to ease up on the Russia investigation, as well as to drop his investigation of Flynn. Also in May, the Justice Department appointed a special counsel, Robert Mueller, to investigate Russian meddling and any possible ties to the Trump campaign.
Credit to Flickr.com
On January 20th, 2018, President Donald Trump celebrated one year in the Oval Office. With his first year behind him, it is time to reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Trump’s inauguration was immediately followed by the Women’s March, with women all around the country and the globe gathering in record numbers to protest Trump’s presidency. Mr. Trump then signed an executive order on January 27 that banned travel to the United States by seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. His ban sparked global outrage and brought cries of Islamophobia.
Following the travel ban, on February 14, Michael Flynn resigned from his position as national security adviser. He resigned over controversy that he had alleged contact with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about that contact. Next, FBI director James Comey confirmed on March 20 that there was an investigation launched into the Russian interference into the 2016 elections. Trump has consistently denied Russian interference, despite the FBI’s and the U.S. Government’s evidence to the contrary. On April 7, Trump appointed
During the summer months, Trump continued to try to make good on his campaign promises, one of which was the repeal of Obamacare. On July 28, despite much debate and arm-twisting by the Republicans, Senator John McCain and two fellow Republican colleagues voted against the repeal of Obamacare. In August, after a white supremacist rally ended with the death of an innocent protester, Trump was highly criticized for his comments about the attacks: “Not all those people were neo-Nazis, not all those people were white supremacists,” he said. “You had people that were very fine people on both sides.” Trump seemed to believe that those protesting bigotry and racism were as much at fault as hate-mongering white supremacists. In the middle of August, another top
aid of the President, Steve Bannon, was dismissed from his post as White House chief strategist. Then on December 6, to the joy of the Israelis and the surprise and anger of the Palestinians, Trump announced that the U.S. now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. On December 22, Trump again made good on one of his campaign promises with what is arguably the most significant legislation Trump has passed: a major overhaul of the US tax system. Trump’s first year was marked by positives and negatives. The economy is doing well, and the stock market has reached record highs. Trump has loosened many environmental regulations, helpful to the economy, but worrisome for future generations. He has pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate accords and has fought hard on creating fair trade agreements. He has taken a strong stance against illegal immigration. At the same time, his divisive and namecalling tweets have stunned many Americans and have angered our allies. President Trump has created drama like never before. To date, he has far fewer cabinet appointees than any other president, and he has a record amount of staff turnover. He has antagonized North Korea’s leader, thereby jeopardizing the security of the United States. Time will tell if Trump has damaged the Republican party enough to move a Democratic majority into place in the next elections. One can only guess at what the next three years will look like.
Community Plunges for a Good Cause A review of the 2018 Polar Plunge by Cat Shakin
As expected, this year’s Polar Plunge in support of Special Olympics Massachusetts was a huge success. About 125 people crowded the shores of Silvershell Beach this Sunday, January 21, and 50 of them bravely took the plunge. The morale was high as people were getting ready for their descent. “It was about as upbeat as you can get for a bunch of people hanging around in board shorts and bikinis in the winter,” said Mr. Cleary, the faculty advisor for the Special Olympics club.
There was a huge amount of local support as Officer DiCarlo and Asst. Fire Chief. Denham, along with other members of the fire department, came out to support the cause. Food from local businesses like Kate’s Simple Eats and Flour Girls helped the plungers warm up after being in the chilly water. Students who participated in the plunge said that it was “great to help out such a positive cause,” and that it was a “humbling experience.” Even those who did not plunge,
Photo by Photopool
but stayed onshore and helped out, felt the value in being part of the program. “Making someone else’s day makes my day,” said Gabe Gamer, a volunteer on Sunday. In total, the event raised about $7,500, which will go towards providing programming for local Special Olympics programs—funding anything from transportation for athletes to rental of gym time.
Looking forward, the Special Olympics Club hosts their Young Athletes Program every Sunday from 2–3 pm in the Field House. The program invites athletes with intellectual impairments aged 2–8 to participate in a variety of sports with student volunteers. On February 11, Tabor hoted their third annual basketball tournament, inviting teams from all over eastern Massachusetts to participate. Tabor students are encouraged to referee and participate in any and all of these events, regardless of a Special Olympics Club membership.
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Photos by Photopool
Athletic Excellence at Home and Abroad K e ll y B r own e an d No a h F e rna nd e s re a ch inc redi b le m i les t ones by Jack Marshall
Two Tabor athletes, senior Kelly Browne and junior Noah Fernandes, accomplished incredible feats in the past few weeks. Noah, a member of the boys’ varsity basketball team, scored his 1000th point in a Tabor uniform on January 13th in the Stone Gymnasium. Earlier that day, Kelly, a member of the girls’ varsity hockey team, participated in the 2018 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship with Team USA. Saturday, January 13, was a very special day for the Tabor community, indeed.
Noah is the only player since 2003 to reach this 1,000-point milestone. When asked to describe the feeling of making the historic basket, Noah said, “I honestly can’t describe it because it was so amazing.” Noah needed 22 points to notch the big 1K, but he wasn’t sure he was going to score enough against Andover: “I wasn’t sure I was going to get to 1,000 in that game, but I also wasn’t going to change my style of play just to score.” It is a huge accomplishment to score 1,000 points in basketball and Noah has done so in just two and a half seasons. Noah and the rest of the boys’ basketball team will continue their 2017-2018 campaign against some of the best high school teams in the country for the rest of the season. Before Noah scored his 1,000th point, Kelly Browne was competing for a gold medal with Team USA, across the earth in Russia, in the 2018
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Under-18 Women’s World Championship. In the semifinal game against Canada, nine minutes and thirty-six seconds into the third period, Kelly netted the equalizer, forcing overtime. She reports that scoring the tying goal “felt amazing because we were down 3-2 and tying the game up was a very special moment...I will always remember that goal in that game.” When asked about what the experience of winning gold was like, Kelly said, “Winning gold with Team USA was an unforgettable experience...being able to play with and against the best players in the world is truly something special and doesn’t happen very often. I will never forget the moment when we won and threw our gloves in the air.”
The IIHF Women’s Under-18 team was made up of the most talented women’s hockey players from across the country. The team only played one tournament together; in the final, they beat Sweden 9-3 to bring home the gold to the States. These two accomplishments are only a few representations of this successful winter sports season. Good luck to all of the Tabor athletes and teams during the final few weeks of the season!
Around the World in One Night Lo o k i ng f or ward to Internat i o n a l D i n n e r by Sophie Browning
It is that time of year where the winter blues start to kick in and boarders feel a longing for home. However, at the mention of International Dinner, people spring up with the excitement of being able to cook foods from home--or to enjoy those foods. Tabor’s International Dinner gives students an opportunity to cook traditional dishes that bring a piece of their home to everybody on campus. This special night recognizes the diverse cultures of Tabor and the importance those cultures have within our community. Every year, this dinner is a huge hit, with crowds spilling out the doors of the dinning hall into Lillard Living Room. As soon as the doors open, every student, faculty member and child rush to travel “around the world” in one night. It is not every day that you have the opportunity to eat food from India, Oman, China, and many more
countries all in one meal. The energy that surges through the student body is truly something that nobody wants to miss. This year’s International Dinner will be Wednesday, February 21 and from 5:00 pm-6:30 pm. It will feature all kinds of cuisine from Thailand, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, and Vietnam. Do not miss out on the Karaage (fried chicken), Yaki Soba or mochi from Japan, or a grilled lamb skewer, Chinese cabbage noodle soup, braised pork and sugar-coated fruits from China! You can even take the opportunity to help cook and learn the special recipes. This is truly a time when the whole school comes together to celebrate our diversity by feasting on the foods of one another’s cultures.
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Featured Artist The Cult(ure) of
Junior Varsity Anna Douglas by Abby LaCasse
by Owen Sughrue With research from Mary Hanrahan and Annie Waters
Anna Douglas is a natural at photography. Whether you see her snapping shots from the sidelines of every game or you see her pictures at All School, her dedication to her craft resonates with you. Anna is inspired by her favorite artists Richard Avedon, Anne Lebovitz, Keith Harring, and Mr. Doodle. She says their work has inspired her to think outside of the box when it comes to taking photos.
Anna briefly talked to me about how she thinks of ideas for new projects. She says whenever she falls asleep, her mind naturally begins to brainstorm ideas. Whenever she sees these ideas, she “immediately writes them down” so she will not forget the intricate thoughts. Anna says these ideas are never cohesive, however, so they require her to be creative to make them into concrete photo projects. Anna told me that one of her most vivid idea dreams occurred when one night, she dreamed about “an eyeball bouquet.” She said that while she has not done anything with the idea yet, she is working on incorporating it into a project. Anna also has gone to opposite sides of the world to capture pictures of animals and the culture of nations. She attends a lot of National Geographic Trips, as well. On one of these trips, Anna went to Bhutan and took photos of animals in the safaris there. One of those pictures was published in a National Geographic Magazine, which is one of her proudest accomplishments. She loves to travel with her family to Australia and Bhutan, where she continues to capture pictures of traditional dancers and people. The way Anna is able to capture natural beauty in her photographs is breathtaking and her devotion to her craft is just as admirable.
Photo by Photopool
Tabor has some of the world’s most talented teen-aged athletes. From hockey to soccer to squash to basketball, Tabor’s sports teams are some of high school’s most fun to watch. But what about the athletes that might not go pro at a particular sport one day? While future Olympians and college athletes are certainly a treat to see, Tabor’s JV sports culture is a great experience for many Seawolves. The JV-B Boys Soccer team, for example, has earned something of a legend-like status, with its entertainment value quite close to that of some varsity sports. Additionally, the THL, perhaps a tick down in level from the NHL (although it does have practices at 6:30 in the morning–how’s that for commitment?), sparks some of the winter’s most exciting “tilts” consisting of kids who have as much fun as anyone else. Says THL Assistant Captain Nolan Butler on JV sports culture at Tabor, “You don’t have to try, so it’s less stressful.” Part of the philosophy behind after-school co-curriculars is that they give students an opportunity to work off some of the stress that accumulates during the school day. Many students find playing at the JV-level an effective way to de-stress, maybe an even more effective way than playing varsity sports. While many athletes enjoy striving to compete at the varsity level, for some, JV is the perfect destination. Jack Flynn, for example, enjoys both “hav[ing] Mr. Runyon as a coach and ‘hitting dingers’” playing JV baseball. Ashley Clarke, on a bit of a different note, was even a little sad to make the varsity field hockey team this year. “I don’t want to be someone who is mad to make a varsity team,” she said. “But this was different. I hate running. I counted down the Mondays and Thursdays (the running days) all season.” Ashley credits that countdown to what got her through the fall.
Photo by Photopool
Undoubtedly, playing varsity athletics is an incredible opportunity at Tabor. But for many people of all levels, whether it is an off-season sport or a fun hobby, the JV level is a perfect fit. While perhaps we will not be seeing Tabor’s JV athletes playing on TV, the JV sports culture at Tabor enables athletes of all levels to enjoy a season with a little change of pace from— and a little less pressure than—a varsity sport.
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How to Stay Warm and in Dress Code A senior's guide to winter at Tabor by Lillie Lovell
With Tabor’s New England location (and on the water no less ), we are subject to elemental extremes in the winter. Follow these tips to ensure your warmth this season without racking up points for dress code infractions: Check the weather! With the convenience of access to weather reports right at your fingertips on your mobile device, it takes seconds to know what the weather will be like on any given day. Considering the inconsistency of Marion weather, this makes all the difference. Take it from Julia Peterson ’18, who often struggles to align her outfit with the weather. After being reminded for the thousandth time that a light jacket and a skirt are not warm enough for Marion’s below-freezing temps, all she had to say was, “I get it. I should have checked the weather!” Sweaters are cute! They come in all different styles, colors and textures, and look great on both boys and girls. And boys, on an extra cold day, you can even wear your cozy sweater with a simple turtleneck underneath and you will not only look put together with absolutely no effort whatsoever (just please try to match the sweater to the turtleneck), but you will also be toasty warm!
Socks are key! Having warm wool socks or even fuzzy socks brings the feeling of warmth not only to your feet but your whole being. Ditch the midcalves, they’re boring and not warm in the slightest. Get some socks that are not only warm but stylish as well. They can pull a whole outfit together. Besides, you can tell a lot about a guy from his socks.
Hats! Although they’re a no-no when you’re in the Acky, having a knit hat (don’t expect a baseball cap to have the same effect) will make all the difference in your cold walks to the dining hall from upper campus or even from your dorm to the Acky. Despite possible hair repercussion for the ladies out there, according to this season’s issue of The Wave, messy and effortless hair is in-fashion right now, so no need to worry about that slightly tousled look: Having warm ears is way more important. Scarves! As Izzie Reid ’18 says, “Scarves should not be overlooked.” They make all the difference in providing warmth for your neck and face and blocking the wind from entering your coat. For both boys and girls, scarves offer so much opportunity to step up your outfit, often providing a pop of color, pattern, or new texture. Coats are cool! I know you may want everyone to see your cute outfit, but it’s time to bundle up. Not only is being warm more comfortable for you, but honestly, you look ridiculous wearing no coat in the frigid temperatures rather than have one partially cover your outfit.
Bonus tip for the underclassmen girls: Wear tights! Also, take advantage of the opportunity to wear pants with this year’s more lenient dress code. You no longer have to suffer like we all did as underclassmen with bare legs because you forgot to check the weather that morning and didn’t put on some tights. Although it may not be as fun as wearing bright colors, sundresses or linen shirts, winter fashion can be fun and warm! Use your warmth to get excited for all the fun and fashion that spring will provide.
Color in the missing stripes!
Design your own sweater!
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Survey
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T he L og Co-Editors: Danielle Plunkett Madison LaCasse Managing Editors: Sydney Farrell (Layout) Hannah Frisch (News) Mary Hanrahan (Opinions) Abigail LaCasse (Arts/Features) Owen Sughrue (Sports) Photography: Photo Pool Faculty Advisor: Helene Sughrue