T he L og thelog@taboracademy.org
Tabor Academy’s Student Newspaper Volume 94, Number 4
January 2020
(Polar) Plunging for a Cause by Grace Mead
The temperature the day of the plunge was in the mid-forties at Silvershell. The sun created tiny blips of warmth, which were abruptly taken away by a gust of wind. The tent flapped around, leaning precariously. It was winddyyyy. Nonetheless, the plungers arrived. Laine Celderholm ’20, one of the Special Olympics Board of Directors, checked participants in. She remarked that “Almost seventy students had registered to plunge, and the Tabor community had raised over $6,000.”
she explained. When I asked her if she was ready to plunge, she grinned, “The wind is really throwing me.”
Jake Carlson ’21, another member of the Board of Directors, said he originally got involved in the Special Olympics by the encouragement from his sister, Tabor alum Lilly Carlson ’18. Along the way, he discovered how much he loved the Young Athletes Program and how “it’s a great way to help people.” Jake has raised 300 dollars. The biggest fundraiser of the day was Andrew Mottur ’21, who raised 1,130 dollars for Special Olympics Massachusetts.
Soon, the participants lined up along the water, and the countdown began. The plungers rushed towards the icy water, some shuffling in, others diving. Plungers included faculty members like Mr. Heavey. Even Mr. Quirk plunged, wearing a Tabor football uniform. Kiley Smith ’21 stayed in the harbor the longest and seemed relatively unfazed when I asked her how it was. “You just get used to it at some point,” she said. Moreover, because a group of students stayed in the water longer than Dr. K, he will be making a generous donation.
“Money is used for equipment for teams, Yes, Polar Plunge is a fun challenge, but and the Young Athletes program, so kids it signifies something much more than can keep playing and enjoying their sports,”
Photo by Photo Pool
On Saturday morning, my advisory gathered in the Dining Hall for the Holiday breakfast. I turned to Anna Olson ’20, who is on the Special Olympics Board, and asked her about the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Massachusetts the following day. She explained that the participants had to raise one hundred dollars to the Young Athletes Program to plunge on Sunday, emphasizing how much she loved the program. “It means a lot to me because my brother has autism. I like how we can teach people to work with someone who might not look the same— they still love to play sports, love to have fun, and it [Young Athletes Program] means a lot to them every week— they look forward to it.”
that. With the necessary funds, the Young Athletes program can maintain and help the Special Olympics athletes to continue playing sports, develop their independence, and build their confidence.
You can still donate to the Special Olympics, by searching “2019 Tabor Academy Polar Plunge donor drive.”
Creativity through Clothing by Izzy Cheney
Photo by Photo Pool
Towards the end of the fall trimester came preparations for this year’s Winter Musical, Mamma Mia! While the actors were auditioning for their roles before Thanksgiving Break, the costume design crew was beginning to plan and organize for the busy
winter trimester. Their season officially started with a complete reorganization of the costume closet, and they have already laid out much of the framework for the coming months.
For those who are unfamiliar with costume design, senior costume designer Peter Cheney ’20 gave a brief outline of his crew’s process. Peter explained, “We begin by going through the expansive costume closet and pulling every piece of clothing that we think will fit the cast members and the needs of the play to get an understanding of what we have and what we still need.” The designers then measure the actors and piece together specific outfits for those who participate in the December photoshoot. After Winter break, they fit the rest of the actors and carefully consider how the costumes work for each individual’s comfort level and the cast as a whole. Peter mentioned that they encourage the characters to come back from winter break with pieces of clothing they would be comfortable dancing in. All of the costumes are set two weeks before the show, after which small touches are made often up until opening night. The crew carefully watches the dress rehearsals to ensure that no costume clashes with another and that all actors have the appropriate accessories. continues on p. 2