The Horace Mann Record, Issue 14

The Horace Mann Record

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HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

JANUARY 18TH, 2019 || VOLUME 116, ISSUE 14

Sustainability Committee discusses future plans Griffin Smith Staff Writer

The Sustainability Committee met yesterday to continue planning this year’s school wide Green Action Week, which will be held in April.

Green Action Week will feature speakers and activities to get students thinking about sustainability.

The committee’s current focus is to help students better understand how they can contribute to a culture of sustainability at the school and in their homes, science teacher Roselle Yang said. Yang believes that a major change individuals can make to further sustainability efforts is their food choices, she said.

To further this idea, the committee is bringing in nutritionist Ryan Andrews to

speak to both the Upper and Middle Divisions about sustainable foods and how we can change our daily choices, Yang said. Andrews has worked in school nutrition programs, helps out on sustainability farms, and is planning on speaking to classes, she said.

The committee has been working with Green HM, a club dedicated to sustainability issues at the school, to bring awareness of environmental concerns to the school in an attempt to get students involved in initiatives to better our environment, science teacher Katherine Diaz said.

In December, the committee and Green HM had a joint meeting with Assistant Vice President of Environmental Stewardship from Columbia University Jessica Prata, co-chair of the Sustainability Committee Nick DePreter said. “[Prata] gave us lots of ideas on how to work as a community to reduce waste and measure

our effectiveness as a school,” DePreter said.

She also gave great insight on environmental issues and how the school can be more sustainable, Green HM member Ari MosconaSkolnik (12) said.

Following this, the committee worked with Green HM to create school-wide initiatives such as switching to paper from plastic straws.

Although only on a small scale, the initiative is helping to reduce the amount of plastic waste that goes into the environment, Noah Phillips (11) said.

“Even if it’s just for a short amount of time, we are all helping and contributing to the cause,” Phillips said.

However, some students believe that the paper straws have had a negative effect on many members of the community.

“The straws get soggy and don’t work so you’re forced to get another one,” Sam Mayo (11) said.

The paper straw’s vulnerability to getting soggy causes students to use more straws and leads to even more trash and waste, which has a negative impact on the environment, Mayo said.

Due to variance in opinion amongst the student body on how the school should respond to sustainability issues, the committee is currently using a radar chart, which is a graph used to compare multiple variables, that will gather and display the student body’s perspective on sustainability, Diaz said.

“We’re using this data to drive future initiatives,” and to more effectively reach the student body and increase student involvement, she said. “It is so important to us that sustainable practices continue to become ingrained in the daily routines of the Horace Mann community.”

Getting ready for Unity Week...

Jake Shapiro/Photo Editor

Some workshops to attend:

• Allyship and the LGBTQ+ Community, 1/24, 1/25 D & E period (235T) • Rehabilitation Through the Arts, 1/24 E & F period (150T) • MLK Jr. and the AntiApartheid movement, 1/23 G period (242T)

SUSTAINABILITY SQUAD Sustainability Committee meets to discuss yearlong initatives.

Emily Shi (10) spearheads book drive for hospital Adam Frommer and Marina Kazarian Contributing Writers

INSIDE

Emily Shi (10) will host a book drive outside of the library next Tuesday through Friday to collect texts for patients at the White Plains Hospital.

Shi’s project’s goal is to provide patients with more access to literature during their hopstial stays and increase the quality of the hospital visit, she said.

The idea for the drive began with Shi’s volunteer work at the White Plains Hospital last summer as a nursing assistant, she said.

While working the job, Shi realized that many patients did not have access to reading materials during their stay due to the hospital’s small collection of literature, she said.

After a meeting with the volunteer coordinators at the hospital, Shi decided to start a book drive at the school to give patients the option to select books that genuinely interest them and make them feel more at home, she said.

“All of the books will go to our book cart in the hospital,” said White Plains Hospital Volunteer Coordinator Laura Sobel. “The patients are always so happy to have a distraction from their day, from the medical procedure, and to engage in non-clinical conversations about the books.

“I visit a lot of patients who like to use reading as a pastime activity, but because the books [at the hospital] are mostly old and out of date, it was always difficult to find the perfect story for them,” said Shi.

MLK Day

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Victor Dimitrov reflects on using the day off to consider social justice.

In a recent email advertising the drive, Shi encouraged students to also include a summary of their book so the patients at the hospital will be able to select texts that interest them, she said. The summaries will be printed and attached to the corresponding book, she said.

“I hope that the reviews and summaries will help patients feel a connection with others while also being able to choose a specific story based on their interests,” Shi said.

To implement her project at the school, Shi met with Library Department Chair Caroline Bartels and Upper Division Dean of Students Student Delanty to discuss the logistics of the drive, Delanty said.

“I think that many of the students at the school have a wide selection of texts, but have either read them all or are never going to read them,” Shi said. “Why not donate them to the people who want and needs them?”

“Hopefully students and faculty who contribute will stop and think about the person receiving the book and review and how happy it will make the patient,” said Bartels.

Jessica Thomas (11) believes that books are something she takes for granted and that giving away her texts to the patients will help boost her happiness as well as the patients’, she said.

“Reading is a really good way for the patients to escape whatever they are going through and just focus on the plot of the book,” said Thomas.

“However, at the same time, simultaneously, the books make wyou realize that your predicament, sickness and health, is experienced by the characters in the book and to see that these ups and down is what

Big Fish

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A report on the student body’s addiction to the latest gaming crazes, Big Fish and Nintendo Switch.

Alex Crotty/Staff Artist

makes us human,” English Department Chair Vernon Wilson said.

Shi’s motivation for the drive stems from her own experiences with literature; as a child, she enjoyed receiving books and wanted to pass on that opportunity to others, she said.

“Literature helps to spread important morals and stories to various people, and each person can take away a different unique message from a story,” Shi said.

Dancing Queens

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Competitive student dancers discuss balancing training and performances with school.

@hm.record @thehoracemannrecord Horace Mann School 231 W 246th St, Bronx, NY 10471

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THE RECORD OPINIONS JANUARY 18TH, 2019

Think before you rally: discussing the Women’s March the people. It is not a reaction to specific events, it is a planned occasion, and therefore, the march lacks the passion of the people. This passion to spark true reform instead is substituted with a sense of duty to participate in something that is simply branded and sold as a “change-maker.”

Because of its shallow popularity, the Women’s March has become a day when women, specifically

Sofia Del Gatto Every year a spirit of change and unity drives people from around the world to participate in an internationally-simultaneous Women’s March. In the city, New Yorkers wearing bright pink hats and carrying posters attend a rally with speakers and then walk downtown for several miles, celebrating the festive day.

The demonstration’s intention is to empower young women to voice the issues that they face in society, whether that be the wage gap or Trump’s blatant misogyny. While I support all those participating, I urge you to think critically about its awry significance.

Historically, we have seen the success of vast social reform through non-violent mass protest and those momentous events now serve as symbols of the people’s power to make change and do good.

The problem with the Women’s March is that its symbolism precedes the event. The power lays more in the name, the date, or the location than it does in

“Because of its shallow popularity, the Women’s March has become a day when women, specifically white women, can liberate themselves from the guilt caused by a year’s worth of compliance with the status quo.” white women, can liberate the guilt caused by a year’s worth of compliance with the status quo. The media successfully aggrandizes the event so that you can make a poster, walk half a mile, and take several pictures for social media to boast about how politically-active you are. Unfortunately it is easy for many to be subject to the illusion that participating in the March will result in thorough social change.

Not only does the March boost the ego of privileged white women, it also often forgets about women of color, of the LGBTQ+ community, of different religions, or of different socioeconomic status.

Going to the March is not enough for reform.

However, for many, it is seems to be just that.

In order to truly participate in meaningful

change, the Women’s March should only be one out of many protests we participate in. Many of us limit ourselves to activism which will benefit our situation. Confining ourselves to our own box only perpetuates a system of egoism and of strict separation between humans. We already know that in our society “separate, but equal” starts and ends with an oppressor and an oppressed, so we must exceed the boundaries of the expected extent of our activism. In order to uncover an egalitarian world, we must recognize that because of how our current society has been constructed, different groups of people need different amounts of assistance to have their voices heard. As we participate in various causes besides our own, converting our current system of equality to one of equity, we work towards a world where equity can again become equality.

There will no longer be a need for one to require

Wilder Harwood/Staff Artist

more help than another.

That is what intersectionality really is about: empathy, compassion, and gratitude. It is empathy and compassion for the situation of others (which also means that acceptance of everyone’s complete identity is necessary), and gratitude for what we already have and for our power to do more. So, as

we fight for and alongside others, we simultaneously develop these three virtues which will later come back to create for all a deep well-being that goes beyond a materialistic issue.

As we try to think critically about any situation like the Women’s March, the question of what can be defined as good or bad will come up. That is a good opportunity to contemplate where you want to center your personal moral compass. I often find myself taking a utilitarian perspective in these cases, basing my actions around what would create the most well-being for the most amount of people.

But, I also find it important to remain adaptable to different situations and open to significant change.

The most critical part in the process of trying to solidify your opinions is to make sure that no one is imposing their beliefs onto you, and that you take charge of where you want to focus your core principles. Although many things are out of our control, how we align ourselves internally is something that always stays with us and is something that can always guide us in life. I urge you all to think deeply about how you ground yourselves to be able to approach all situations, but I also encourage you to embrace moral change.

After going the Women’s March, consider how you can develop a fuller role in society’s struggle for equality by surpassing the comfortable boundaries that we surround ourselves in. But, before taking any action, stop and think about what kind of change you want to see. Recognize what stance you want to take on societal issues and be mindful about how those thoughts will become your actions. For whichever reason you are marching, know that it is the intention that defines the deed.

Not just another day off: appreciating MLK Day

Victor Dimitrov Martin Luther King Jr. Day has always given me a good break from school. In previous years, I unfailingly knew exactly what I would be doing on my day off. I’d be sleeping in, doing some work, and, if my schedule allowed it, even having time to relax. Unfortunately, this apathetic attitude infects many, including myself, concerning the day off. While I have nothing but admiration and respect for Martin Luther King Jr., our day to honor him has never incited an activist passion within me. I always felt like it was pretty much a meaningless extension of the weekend. As a white male who attends Horace Mann, I’m pretty

sheltered from the injustices fought by MLK. I am only actually reflecting on the massive movement brought about by MLK because I’m writing this op-ed. Designed to bring recognition to the famous activist, MLK Day is a chance to remember a man whose accomplishments continue to inspire Americans today. Dr. King led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized the Great March on Washington, and, as a whole, greatly influenced the Civil Rights movement. Writing this piece has encouraged me to learn further about the day itself.

It only took 6 million signatures, a song by Stevie Wonder titled “Happy Birthday” about Dr. King, and repeated attempts by John Conyers, one of few African American congressmen at the time, to introduce the day bill to Congress in 1986.

However, unfortunately, despite the work of many, the holiday is still often paired with a celebration of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee, born January 19.

This MLK day, I hope to break the habits of my previous “day off.” I plan to devote time to learn more about current movements as well as to better appreciate the actions and undertakings of MLK. I believe each of us should actively seek out

and engage in an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the true significance of the day. We’ve made great progress as a society since Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, but we must continue to be vigilant. Both as individuals and as a greater community, it behooves us to strive towards the ideals at the very core of Dr. King’s message.

We mustn’t let society regress because of the increasingly bigoted behavior of our country today. It often seems that we’re taking more steps backward than we are progressing forward. And for this reason, I hope to use Dr. King to motivate myself and others to more passionately seek out ways to implement change in society. This MLK Day, I will push myself to find something that promotes peace, equality, and appreciation of others.

This year, and every year, the school makes a deliberate effort to honor MLK and ensure that students are respectful and properly educated. This year, the theme of justice directly connects to MLK. However, I believe that students themselves should more actively honor the day. Change begins with a conscious effort from the individuals of a community.

This MLK day, use your “time off ” to find an issue that makes you truly passionate and try to

implement real change, or at least think about how to. The best way to recognize the actions of MLK is to continue building towards his dream of equality.

Annabelle Chan/Staff Artist

In the words of MLK, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”

Editorial

As all of you know, the first semester is coming to an end. As the Editorial Board, we feel an obligation as Horace Mann students to continue in our pursuit of knowledge inside and outside the classroom no matter how “draining” the year has been so far.

As the first year of students under the semester system, we should also take this time to reflect on this new system and the year so far. Did you engage in your classes, not only for the participation grade? Did you forge meaningful friendships with people outside of your normal group? Take advantage of the next few months to look around and find out whether you want to be nice, funny, caring or something else. Figure out your true self and become acquainted with the human being that your experiences have led you to be.

For the seniors, although second semester can be seen as a time to “slump,” we must present our school in the best light possible by continuing to be the hard-working and intelligent students that we have been over the past four years.

If anything, this time should be taken as one to appreciate the people that have been by your side throughout the year as well as to explore the beautifully intricate community that we have at Horace Mann.

With the end of the first semester, reflect on yourself. Are you happy with the person that your interactions, interests, and relationships have shown over the past four years?

Volume 116 Editorial Board Managing Editor Betsey Bennett

Editor in Chief Lynne Sipprelle

Features Abby Kanter Megha Nelivigi

News Katie Goldenberg Surya Gowda

Lions’ Den Natasha Stange Brody McGuinn William Han

Photography Abigail Kraus Ahaan Palla Jake Shapiro

Faculty Adviser David Berenson

Issues Editor Sadie Schwartz

Opinions Abigail Goldberg-Zelizer Rebecca Siegel Art Directors Juli Moreira Jackson Roberts

Middle Division Sandhya Shyam

A&E Peri Brooks Jeren Wei Design Editors Allison DeRose Caroline Kaplan

Online Editor Henry Wildermuth

Staff Writers Malhaar Agrawal, Laura Bae, Andrew Cassino, Mayanka Dhingra, Victor Dimitrov, Amelia Feiner, Mark Fernandez, Nelson Gaillard, Leonora Gogos, Jude Herwitz, Edwin Jin, Spencer Kahn, Samuel Keimweiss, Gabrielle Kepnes, Suraj Khakee Madison Li, Noah Phillips, Eliza Poster, Julia Robbins, Kiara Royer, Abigail Salzhauer, Ranya Sareen, Nishtha Sharma, Griffin Smith, Benjamin Wang, Robbie Werdiger, Simon Yang, Isabella Zhang, Bradley Bennett, Sogona Cisse, Jack Crovitz, Jackson Feigin, Adam Frommer, Julia Goldberg Andie Goldmacher, Marina Kazarian, John Mauro, Henry Owens, Emily Shi, Samuel Singer, Sasha Snyder, Vivien Sweet, Natalie Sweet, Joshua Underberg, Talia Winiarsky Staff Photographers Eva Fortunato, Iliana Dezelic, Griffin Smith, Harrison Haft, Andrew Cassino, Julia Isko, Julia Robbins, Daniel Lee, Ava Merker Staff Artists Elizabeth Fortunato, Alexandra Crotty, Gabrielle Fischberg, Annabelle Chan, Julia Roth

Editorial Policy ABOUT The Record is published weekly by the students of Horace Mann School to provide the community with information and entertainment, as well as various viewpoints in the forms of editorials and opinion columns. All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar and layout are made by the editorial board. The Record maintains membership in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association.

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the senior editorial board. Opinion columns are the sole opinion of the author and not of The Record or the editorial board.

NOTE As a student publication, the contents of The Record are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. The Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and content of The Record, and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

LETTERS To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters to the editor should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or e-mail (record@horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed and should refer to a Record article. Letters may be edited for grammar, style, length and clarity.

CONTACT For all comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints or corrections, or for information about subscribing, please contact us by email at record@horacemann.org.

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HORACE MANN NEWS JANUARY 18TH, 2018

Students engage in Senior Initiative Projects Sam Singer Staff Writer

In advance of Friday’s application deadline, seniors have begun to plan their Senior Initiative Projects (SIPs) where they can independently explore their interests in hopes of making a lasting impact on the school.

The program offers seniors the opportunity to delve into the fields of their passions and create a unique final product, history teacher and member of the SIP Committee Dr. Kalil Oldham said in a statement to the senior class. “It is organized by a committee of faculty members and mentors that help seniors to research their interests,” Oldham said.

Some current seniors are applying to use the project opportunity to make a difference for the school’s students for generations to come.

One such student is Noah Goldberg (12), who intends to give students the opportunity to found companies using funding from the Alumni Office, Goldberg said. “I want to leave Horace Mann having created a robust program that continues for many years after me, where students can learn to unlock potential and take initiative,” she said.

Benjamin Rosenbaum (12) shared a similar perspective, saying that through his project to produce a play about toxic masculinity, “I hope to start conversations that will be consider well after I leave Horace Mann.”

Gavin Delanty (12) also recognized the importance of the project and wants to “discover myself as a writer and learn more about myself ” in his poetry-writing project, he said.

“During my time on the committee, I’ve seen

all sorts of projects done, from the creation of films to studies on utopian city design and women’s portrayals in Renaissance art,” Oldham said in an informational statement. Although

product,” Dean of the Class of 2019 and member of the SIP Committee Nick Perry said. “The subject matter is important, but only one reason we do the project.”

Abi Kraus/Photo Director

EXPLORATION STATION Student hands SIP to proposal to SIP Committee member Dr. Kalil Oldham. seniors have the opportunity to research a project of interest to them, the program is centered around the research process and its culmination, not just the subject matter, he said.

“We organize the program partially so students can experience the process of seeing a research project through and produce a creative

The committee, made up of Oldham, Perry, Dean of the Class of 2020 Stephanie Feigin, and Director of College Counseling Initiatives Beth Pili, reviews applications for projects each year and approves projects that meet the criteria to be considered an SIP. In order to complete a SIP, seniors first must

apply, describing their proposed project as well as their schedule for the fourth-quarter project, and their intended final product, Oldham said.

Students must have a possible final product and presentation and a clear and viable idea in order to take part in the program, Feigin said.

Students also request a faculty mentor during the application process, she said.

“After approving each project, we assign students to faculty mentors who will provide guidance, monitor progress, and evaluate submitted work throughout the project,” Oldham said. “The purpose of the faculty mentorship piece of the program is to help and advise students through the research and exploration process, which they likely have not done before,” he said.

“I think the mentorship aspect of the program will be very helpful to me as I go about completing a type of project I haven’t done before,” Goldberg said.

The faculty mentors, who review all of the work submitted by students, are important to the success of students’ projects and presentations, Oldham said. “Students submit journals and their progress to mentors weekly, who can make sure that they are on the right track,” he said.

After attending many presentations in the past, Feigin has been impressed with the projects that she has seen so far and looks forward to the ones that will occur this year, she said. “The projects are a way for seniors to end their time at HM focusing their attention on a project that is meaningful and pursues the life of the mind.”

Community expresses mixed reactions towards semesters Marina Kazarian & Adam Frommer Staff Writers

As the first semester comes to a close, students and faculty have express mixed reactions, many critical, as to how effectively the new semester system has fulfilled its goals of reforming workload, scheduling, and stress levels at the school.

Out of 171 students The Record polled, the majority of students, nearly 41%, responded that they would prefer the school discontinue the semester system, with 36% in support of the current system.

The original intent in the change to the semester system was to allot more time to do things with less stress in that time frame, Upper Division Dean of Students Dr. Susan Delanty said.

While the administration hopes that students are happy with the change, the only feedback at this point in the year has been anecdotal, said Executive Director of College Counseling Canh Oxelson.

Faculty and students have had varying experiences with how the semester system is able to distribute workload across a longer period of time.

42.9% of the students polled responded that semesters have been less effective than trimesters in spreading out class material, whereas 33.5% felt that the new system created a positive improvement.

World Languages Teacher Ana Mercedes believes that the semester system has made it easier for her to space out assessments, allowing her enough grades to average and enough time to teach and review material without rushing, she said.

Brigette Kon (11) has noticed that the speed at which the material is taught has decreased and due to the switch to semesters, she said.

The semester system has also worked to prevent extracurricular schedules from coinciding with busy academic periods.

With the trimester system, speech teams had tournaments during the end of testing weeks, so students’ stress grew during already difficult weeks, Head of Upper Division Jessica Levenstein said.

Although scheduling of material has become easier for some students and teachers, Mercedes has observed that many students are more stressed, she said.

Students often email her more about grades since they have both semester grades shown on their transcripts instead of an average of all three trimester grades, Mercedes said.

Unlike semesters, trimesters made it easier to adjust to the material and have grades improve as the trimesters were averaged together, Lucas Glickman (9) said.

“You’re coming into the high school not knowing what to expect and it takes a little time to get used to it. I felt this especially in Geometry with the proofs because it is a new way of

“It’s given me much more license to be creative at certain moments in my teaching ... I’m feeling the difference, and it’s a good one.”

- Charles Worrall thinking,” Glickman said.

Lara Hersch (10), however, has found that the semester grading system has made it easier to track her progress in her classes.

“I like the semester system because you get to see your mid-semester grades in all of your classes and see how you are doing without having those grades appear on your transcript,” Hersch said.

For seniors, the switch to semesters allows for more meaningful grades to be sent to colleges, Hannah Long (12) said.

“There is more runway for senior provisional grades being sent to colleges,” William Golub (12) said. “Instead of grades being sent halfway into the first trimester, grades are instead submitted halfway through the first semester,” he said.

Because the trimester calendar didn’t fit the semester schedule of most colleges, many universities sent notices to seniors about missing grades, an issue that the semester system fixes, Oxelson said.

“Seniors were really stressed about feeling that they would get a bad decision because colleges didn’t have full grades from them,” he said.

In addition to alignment with college schedules, the semester system has impacted students’

testing weeks and concentration of assessments during certain weeks.

Nearly half of the 171 students polled indicated that the semester system has increased their overall workload, while 30% responded that they experienced no change in workload from the trimester system.

Some teachers have added assessments when trying to combat students’ concern for each grade, which has adversely increased the stress of many students, Golub said.

“A promise of the semester system was that we were going to go from nine assessments during the year to eight, but instead we went from nine to ten in some classes,” Golub said.

Long noticed that instead of having a week of testing in every subject, she has about two assessments every week, allowing for a more consistent schedule, she said.

“It has been kind of difficult to be always on your game because you have assessments all the time,” she said. “With the semester system, you never really get a break.”

However, Sam Singer (10) has found that some of the natural testing weeks still exist, as there are inevitable times where teachers test, like the weeks before and after winter break, he said.

Math teacher Charles Worrall believes that having intense testing weeks sometimes teaches students important life skills, he said.

“I actually think in some ways it’s wholly appropriate to teach kids you know what you’re not always going to be able to reach the platonic ideal of preparation for every single project in your life,” Worrall said. “Time is limited.”

Both students and faculty have found that despite its challenges, the semester system has allowed less pressure and more flexibility in the classroom.

Having more of a buffer to get acquainted with classes through longer academic periods allows students to do better than they would have had with the pressure of having just one assessment, Long said.

“If I were given the option to go back to the trimester system, I would not because semesters have made everything more spaced out for me,” Pascale Zissu (10) said.

“It’s given me much more license to be creative at certain moments in my teaching in the sense that if I want to spend three or four days on something then I’m not as likely to have to worry,” Worrall said. “I’m feeling the difference, and it’s a good one.”

Should the school continue the semester system?

No Preference

No

Yes Percentages from 171 students polled.

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

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THE RECORD FEATURES JANUARY 18TH, 2018

Harry Bauld Henry Owens Staff Writer

While many students at the school may simply know Harry Bauld as their English teacher, they may be surprised to know that throughout his life, he has played many other roles, including a college admissions officer, magician, chess-player, poet, and writer.

Throughout high school and college, Bauld played basketball and baseball. For Columbia University’s baseball team, he played First Team All-Ivy shortstop, and led the league in hits,

Juli Moreira/Art Director

doubles, and stolen bases. When he first came to the school in 1981, he was a three-season coach.

Before he worked at the school, Bauld also had a career in admissions at Brown and Columbia. After working at these schools for several years, Bauld began his career at the school in 1981. He left four years later to work as a freelance writer in Massachusetts, writing about a range of topics, including food, wine, sports, and art.

He was invited back to the school by one of the school’s college counselors the following year to give a talk to the seniors about writing college applications based on his previous experience in admissions.

“I gave them the whole rap about the college essay, one that I had developed while working at Brown and Columbia,” Bauld said.

Davis Parzick (12) Natalie Sweet Staff Writer

For most students, summer is a time to relax, go to the beach, or work at a job or internship.

Davis Parzick (12), on the other hand, spent his summer doing something that not many other students can boast about: being an instructor for an American Ninja Warrior Course.

Last summer, Parzick worked six hours per day at Challenge Camps in Hartsdale, New York for three weeks. Challenge Camps is an academic summer camp for gifted children ranging from ages four to 14 who would like to learn about diverse subjects outside of their regular classes during the school year, he said.

“There were 3D drawing sessions, LEGO animation activities, Junior Entrepreneurship programs, and environmental science classes,” Parzick said. “When I wasn’t working as a Ninja Warrior instructor, I helped kids make pinball machines.”

Parzick originally decided to apply for the job after suggestions from his parents, he said.

“I wanted to do something productive during my summer, and Challenge Camps was 15 minutes away from my house, so the commute was pretty convenient,” he said.

American Ninja Warrior is an extremely difficult obstacle course that athletes from all across America can compete in on live television, Parzick said. As an instructor for a smaller version of the course, Parzick focused his teaching mainly on physical conditioning.

Activities varied from running long distances, doing push-ups and pull ups, using sling shots

Humans of After his talk, a member of the audience who knew Maureen Dowd, who worked at The New York Times, called Bauld and asked to write a story about his college advice.

Bauld was hesitant at first, especially because he had been working on a book of the same subject at the same time, and did not want to give information away. Eventually, he agreed, and following the article’s publication, HarperCollins reached out to him, Bauld said. He wrote his first book, On Writing the College Application Essay which was the first in the field of writing college essays, Bauld said. It has been in print for the past 30 years.

“It’s secretly a book about writing, even though it’s attached to the whole college process,” Bauld said.

Apart from imparting his college essay wisdom, Bauld co-authored Horace MannBarnard: The First Hundred Years with Jerome Kisslinger, published in 1987. In honor of the centennial, Bauld and Kisslinger wrote the book to cover the history of the school, Bauld said.

Since Bauld returned to the school, he has not only taught English, but has also learned skills from various students. Bauld’s love of magic, for instance, came from Alex Posner ’13, he said.

“I’m in the cafeteria, and here’s a seventh grader, cherubic little guy, at one of the tables doing a cascade with cards,” Bauld said. “He goes, ‘pick a card.’ So, I pick a card. He says, ‘put it in the middle of the deck.’ He snaps his fingers, turns over the top card, and there’s the card I just put in the middle of the deck.”

This lunchtime encounter led to Posner becoming Bauld’s teacher in magic, he said.

Bauld now regularly performs magic tricks— which are not limited to card tricks—for his students in class.

Bauld also learned another skill from a student: chess, which Amir Moazami ’18 taught him. Moazami is a nationally ranked chess player who began teaching Bauld two years ago.

“Amir became my teacher. He really taught me. He gave me chess books, he showed me videos, he put me through drills, like on a basketball court,” Bauld said. “We met regularly all year long.”

Even after graduating, Moazami still teaches Bauld through email and online chess.

Currently, even as a full time English teacher, Bauld continues to write. His book of poetry, The Uncorrected Eye, was published in September 2018.

to shoot at targets, and jumping through hula hoops, he said.

For Parzick, the job was rewarding because it taught him leadership skills and helped him develop his discipline. “I feel that the kids left camp with ideals of hard work that I tried to teach,” he said.

One challenge that Parzick faced as an instructor was taking care of the children, especially since they were always running around in an unsafe manner, he said. He also learned how to take care of bee stings and other injuries that require basic first aid, he said.

“American Ninja Warrior was a unique experience for both the kids and the instructors at Challenge Camp,” he said.

Juli Moreira/Art Director

Vikram Ostrander (10) Emily Shi Staff Writer

For Vikram Ostrander (10), sports are truly a way of life. His experience in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling has shaped his mindset in both sports and academics.

Ostrander’s experience with martial arts began when he was 12 years old when his mother signed him up for a general martial arts course as a mechanism for self-defense. From a young age, he tried several

Courtesy of Vikram Ostrander

different types of martial arts, attempting kickboxing, taekwondo, and karate before finally choosing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2015.

“Instead of pure aggression and strength, in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you learn from your opponent’s momentum and leverage to win matches, whereas in the other arts I focused on just aggression and pure force,” he said.

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specifically, an important strategy Ostrander employed was observing his opponents to

find their strengths and weaknesses.

Because of the rigorous environment of the sport, Ostrander gained determination by continuing to persist even through difficult times, he said. When he looks back on his experience with Jiu Jitsu, Ostrander focuses on the experience as a whole rather than specific wins or losses, he said. He looks back fondly at all his competitions, thinking about how his ability to strategize improved with every match, he said.

Last year, Ostrander decided to join the wrestling team when given the opportunity at school. “I wanted to try a new sport and wrestling was pretty similar to what I was doing at the time,” he said.

After quickly developing a passion for wrestling, Ostrander decided to stop doing Jiu Jitsu in order to focus on the new sport. “Wrestling builds the same mental fortitude and persistence as Jiu Jitsu does, but to a further degree,” he said. “I find it more fun.”

Ostrander’s choice to join the wrestling team was the team’s “most pleasant surprise,” wrestling Coach Gregg Quilty said.

Despite Ostrander’s preference for wrestling, he remains appreciative of the life lessons in perseverance that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu taught him. He reflects on Jiu Jitsu with a positive outlook as well; both sports taught him to appreciate his natural abilities and try his hardest to strategize in competitions, he said.

Ostrander has improved his wrestling skills because of his own efforts as well as relationships formed with other members of the team. He excels in scoring points through being a leg rider and doing takedowns efficiently, Quilty said. In addition to his own abilities, older members of the team helped Ostrander improve his technique and mindset through working out with him, Quilty said.

Ostrander also uses skills from the martial arts as a way to deal with academic rigor, he said. “The mental drive I learned from both of these sports helps me focus on my work,” he said. He also views wrestling as an escape that allows him to immerse himself in doing something he loves during stressful times.

Priyanka Voruganti (11) Vivien Sweet Staff Writer

If you meander downtown to the Lower East Side you might find Priyanka Voruganti (11) acting in one of Good Cap Arts’ studios’ three plays, curating an art gallery at Chinatown Soup, or writing a publication for sale at the New Museum.

Most of these activities focus on feminism, a topic that has been important to Voruganti since she was young, she said. “Feminism is just being a good person; believing that equality is effective and being considerate and empathetic and open-minded,” she said.

“I started acting because I started taking acting classes with this company, GoodCapp Arts. When high school came around, they were casting for the play Slut, and I auditioned and got in,” she said.

Slut is about the direct effects of rape culture or toxic masculinity in a community, Voruganti said. Voruganti believes the production illustrates the problems that anti-feminist behavior causes in society.

However, performing Slut can be scary, especially at schools, and the cast tends to receive rude responses and backlash, Voruganti said. During one of the shows at Andover for the freshman class, a lot of boys made clapping noises to drown out the dialogue, she said.

“We have a brother play called Now that We’re Men with an all-men cast that deals with masculinity, a topic that is just as important,” Voruganti said. “But when Now that We’re Men performs, no one disrespects them or says anything rude to them, even though we’re talking about the same issues, which I find shocking and disturbing.”

Additionally, Voruganti acts in A Day in the Life, and One Click Away, which discuss sex trafficking.

Voruganti’s interest in feminism also extends to the literary world. “I started writing poetry on my own and eventually decided to take it more seriously, and now I’m a bi-weekly writer for an online publication called Speciwomen,” she said. Voruganti has her own column at Speciwomen which focuses on self-identifying females, and she wrote the foreword for their first print issue, which can be found at the Brooklyn Museum and the New Museum bookstores, she said.

“I don’t always write about feminist issues, since often I submit poetry that’s just about my life, but coming from a brown female girl, I think in every column I write there’s a bit of feminism in there,” she said. “I really like the narrative of the female poet and I think that’s it’s inherently feminist, unless you’re a

female misogynist, which I don’t think exists.”

Voruganti has been interning at a downtown art gallery called Chinatown Soup since eighth grade and began by working with an artist in residence named Ashley Yang Thompson, she said. In 10th grade, she curated a show called Soon: South Asian Evocations and Becomings. The gallery was centered around technology and the future with South Asian artists,

Courtesy of Priyanka Voruganti

Voruganti said.

“I’m not a visual artist; I don’t paint or draw, but I like looking at and analyzing art,” Voruganti said. “Working at a gallery is the perfect place for me because I get to help really creative people and be inspired by them,” she said.

Voruganti also worked with another collective called South Asia Arts. “There were about 100 people there and artists from all over the world sent us their work.”. She will be curating another show in June, she said.

Feminism is extremely important to Voruganti since gender is a huge part of her identity, which encouraged her to pursue these various galleries and productions, she said.

“Everyone knows what feminism is; by now, we’ve eroded the concept that it means ‘obliterate men,’” she said. “No one is born to hate. People learn to hate, and that’s something that feminism can start to change.”

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HORACE MANN FEATURES JANUARY 18TH, 2018

Switch hitters and fish to fry John Mauro Staff Writer As Facebook’s Big Fish catches on and Nintendo Switch smashes its way to popularity, students have become attached to the lure of trending videogames.

“You can take the Switch anywhere and go. It’s very portable,” Andre Dang (12) said. “On Fridays during G period many people who have switches meet up and play together in the library. Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros Ultimate are great to play with your friends during free time.”

Besides the library, the student lounge has also become a hotspot for Switch activity.

“We originally would all play Super Smash Bros around a small Wii console, but there were too many people around the small screen, so a few people and I connected a Switch to a monitor so we could play better,” Mitchell Yu (10) said. “We’re pretty open to everyone; there’s people from all grades playing. If you don’t have anything to do, many people will gather here and play games together.”

In a recent poll of 206 students, 12% responded that they own a Nintendo Switch, and another 14% responded that they use their friends’ Swtiches.

“In a high stress environment like Horace Mann, it’s a good idea to have an outlet where people can relax,” Lowell Finster (10) said.

The student lounge, which is open to every high schooler, often has more male students playing videogames there rather than girls. In the same poll, while 75% of male respondents answered “yes” to the question “Do you typically play video games?”, only 31% of female respondents answered that they played.

“Although we’re inclusive to all genders, I feel like there are more boys than girls playing Nintendo switch games since that’s the audience that Nintendo is catering to when they create their games,” Ryan Peng (10) said. “I suppose the action style and characters of Super Smash Bros are more enticing and familiar to guys.”

Girls might be less likely to play the Nintendo Switch with other male students because “they may feel uncomfortable with not fitting in,” Celine Owens (10) said.

Students at the school have also quickly hooked on the latest Facebook craze: Big Fish, which has quickly spread throughout the school. Nearly 40% of polled students responded that they play the new game.

The game involves buying and combining smaller fish to acquire larger ones and placing them on a track to earn more money and continue buying fish.

“I first opened the game because a friend sent it to me a while

Julia Roth/Staff Artist

back, but I didn’t really see the point as I hadn’t been it playing correctly,” Emily Shi (10), one of the first people to play it at school said. “Around two weeks ago, another friend sent it to me, and once I played, I shared it with a few people from our school.

After that, it just blew up.”

Abi Kraus/Photo Editor

HOOKED ON BIG FISH Students play the popular game in the library.

“Sharing the game with your friends with rewards has definitely driven all of the obsession with it at our school,” Natalie Sweet (10) said. “Essentially, you can tap to share the game with your friends, and everyone receives rewards.”

Sharing links with friends is a faster way to advance one’s position in the game, as the player can buy fish immediately without having to wait for their money to increase over time.

“Big Fish is a game that brings people together through teamwork,” William Golub (12), who has been particularly vocal in Facebook groups and in real life about the game. “One cannot succeed in the game without working with others.”

Although Big Fish has gained popularity among many students, there is some opposition to this new trend.

“I play and enjoy the game, but while doing homework I would be distracted sending messages to people,” Euwan Kim (11) said.

“So, if I knew I had a test, I would still study as hard; it doesn’t take enough of my time to affect my overall semester grades.”

Often, many students would open their phones to see dozens of links to Big Fish.

“I receive a lot of links from people with enticing messages telling me that I’ll also get rewards if I’ll help them,” Lorenzo Hess (12) said. “From what I understand of the game, it doesn’t require any strategy, nor do you gain any skill from playing it, compared to a game where you would have to manage resources. It’s really just the most banal and useless game people can devote their time to.”

Instead of ignoring the trend, however, Hess decided to add humor to the situation through original memes on a Facebook page.

“I think he’s really creative in using his memes,” Vincent Li (9) said. “He conveys his meaning through humor.”

Hess uses his memes not only to poke fun at the game, but as “a more passive reminder to people, through humor, that what they’re doing is useless,” he said.

Fishin’ for friends

William Golub

Humor Contributor “Do you play Big Fish?”

I was walking down the second floor of Tillinghast, heard these words, and stood dumbfounded. Here was a kid I had never met, asking me about a game I had only heard of yesterday, gleeful as a middle schooler on $1 burrito day.

“Play big fish? My life is Big Fish!” From then on I knew. I knew that Big Fish is not a game about fish breeding, coin collecting, or leaderboard climbing. Big Fish is a game about community.

About branching out. About engaging with the world. I know it seems counter-intuitive that we bury our heads in our phones to connect with those around us, but it’s true.

By my estimation, in the past four days, I have interacted with 297 people through Big Fish. 297. Let that sink in. So often, we end up engaging with the same small subset of our community. That’s a crying shame. In an upper division of 737 brilliant, passionate, and engaged students, we can, should, and must push ourselves to engage with those we don’t already know closely. Big Fish has allowed me to engage with many more of these students than I ordinarily get to interact with, and for that I am grateful.

In a stressful testing cycle, Big Fish has allowed many in our community to come together and share in some wholesome de-stressing fun more than any other game could.

We often only allow ourselves to do something when there is a specific product that is helpful: refining a three pointer to win the championship, learning to write well for college, developing leadership techniques for a job at McKinsey, that we don’t take time to actually partake in the joys of life. As a community, we should encourage things that give us simple joy, even if they outwardly look silly.

To be an opponent of big fish is to fight against our shared values of community and the enjoyment of life, and in that I cannot partake. Respect the fish.

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

Why do you think games like Big Fish and consoles like the Nintendo Switch have recently gained popularity?

“They are just fun ways to relieve some stress. I think that in a way the fact that people think Big Fish is a game that doesn’t require effort is actually a positive thing because it is something fun to help you relax.”

“It is an opportunity to fill the emptiness that consumes our day to day lives. It is an escape from monotony.”

“Because the devices used are mobile and can be played virtually anywhere.”

“Big Fish is popular because people’s friends are playing.”

“Memes surrounding them.”

“They remind us of our childhood and are great methods of escapism and the feeling of success.”

“Nintendo Switch makes Nintendo games transportable and more easily accessible.

Nintendo has some of the best games of all times, and being able to play them on a handheld device would attract anyone.”

“Big Fish is momentarily addicting but will soon burn out.”

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THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT JANUARY 18TH, 2018

Zoe Maltby ‘10 looks back through the lens: then a student, now a filmmaker Andie Goldmacher

Staff Writer

Zoe Maltby (‘10) is an actress, filmmaker, and playwright, who used the lessons she learned from Art of Film and the friends she made in the HMTC (Horace Mannn Theatre Company) to establish her career.

Maltby is currently attending graduate school at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, which is the first public film school in New York.

At Horace Mann, she participated in the HMTC, the HMDC (Horace

Mann Dance Company), The Record, Model UN, and the Women’s Issues Club.

“HMTC was a really nurturing and safe environment” in a necessary time of development in a teenager’s life, she said. Within the HMTC, she made lifelong friends and she currently collaborates with many of her former HMTC peers. Her friend Elizabeth Power (’09), who she performed with in the show King Lear as a sophomore, is now her roommate and directs most of her plays.

Her junior and senior years at the

Juli Moreira/ Art Director

school, Maltby took the advanced dance class and Theatre, Dance, and Film Studies Chair Alison Kolinski described her as very committed to both the HMTC and the HMDC. Kolinski went to see several of the plays she wrote and called Maltby the real deal and a terrific writer and brilliant actor that could play any role.

Maltby also took Art of Film with theatre, dance, and film studies teacher Joseph Timko, which blew her mind, she said. She loved how engaged he was with the material.

Her final project was to do a scene by scene breakdown of a moment in a film, which she learned more from than two years in undergraduate, she said.

Timko described Maltby’s acting skills as bringing something to show rather than just telling her what to do, he said. In Art of Film, they also made a film in which aliens were transported to the school out of the air dryers in the bathroom, and Zoe played an alien, he said.

Currently, Maltby is primarily a filmmaker and a writer. She prefers to work specifically with the director to develop the script and pick out actors, she said.

Maltby still performs, but she has found it difficult in grad school, as she is studying to be a full-time director.

Maltby has performed in

Two Gentlemen of Verona in Williamsburg, where she met many actresses she would like to cast in her movies, as well as Juliet in a production of Romeo and Juliet in Chicago, and various original plays.

Maltby’s writing process usually starts with a character or a story, and it involves a lot of sitting alone in her room thinking about who the characters are, what they mean to each other, and what they want, she said.

She will not start writing the play until she has the spine of a conflict, meaning an outline of the main plot, she said. She then takes a week to write the play and revises for over two months.

Maltby wants to perform in her own plays in the future, but she finds it difficult to write a part if it is for her to perform, she said.

Maltby’s original plays include My Parents are Here Tonight, which is a 90-minute comedy inspired by the school’s production of King Lear, Rational Creatures, which Maltby wrote for last year’s alumni show about the real-life story of the Fox Sisters, who tricked the nation into thinking they could talk to the dead, and a monologue called Bear Lake about two young women and a lake monster.

As a filmmaker, Maltby loves that the actors come from all over the world in all walks of life, but at

Courtesy of of Zoe Maltby ‘10

SMILING INTO CAMERA Zoe Maltby ‘10 poses for camera the end of the day, they are all one and are working towards the same purpose. Maltby also appreciates the movement to let women, people of color, and marginalized people be included in film, she said.

Maltby is in the process of writing a short film for graduate school that will be a small-scale ghost story, she said. Her goal in the next two years is to shoot a full-length film, she said.

A day in the life of a student dancer Talia Winiarsky

Staff Writer

Skilled student dancers turn, jump, and leap through each day. Dance is an activity that, when pursued on a serious level, requires a significant time commitment, which can be challenging to balance with the rigors of school and other activities.

Student dancers practice their passion during the school day by participating in dance physical education (PE), followed by dance after school at dance studios.

Julia Roth/Staff Artist

Although Nisha Sahgal (12) is eligible to sign a sports contract to be exempt from PE, she opts to take dance PE, she said. “It’s a welcoming community that I don’t want to miss out on,” Sahgal said.

After a long day of school, Ella Franco (9) looks forward to dance each day as a method of relieving stress, she said.

“Dance is a way to express myself,” Franco said. Avery Lin (9), who has been dancing since she was a toddler, agrees, adding that dance is a part of her identity. “Dance is the perfect balance between an art form and a sport,” Lin said.

Most weekdays, Lauren Song (9) attends dance practice, which may consist of ballet, theatre, modern, jazz, contemporary, and ballroom genres. Song also participates in competitions, she said. “When I perform, I feel as if I have accomplished something,” Song said.

Balancing school and dance is manageable, because Lin is able to apply the discipline that she learns from her ballet class to her schoolwork, she said. Song always completes her assignments in advance in case her schedule changes, she said.

“Knowing that dance is in your life is very important because for all of your life, that’s all you want to be doing,” Sahgal said.

Sahgal conditions and builds core strength and stamina for long competition days.

Dancing requires mental strength, Sahgal said.

“When you are tired or stressed, you still need to dance full out,” she said.

This also puts dancers at risk for injury. Yana Gitelman (10) has pulled several muscles, as well as developed Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, due to the pressure of turing out her legs, which is a repetitive-use injury that causes a painful lump below the kneecap.

Gitelman enjoys dancing recreationally

LEAPING INTO ACTION Allison DeRose (12) dances in competition. despite her injuries, she said. “I’m stronger in lot of ways, physically and mentally,” she said.

Mikayla Benson (10) has also been injured, tearing cartilage in both of her knees, which causes her pain during daily activities, such as walking up the stairs, she said.

However, dancing has increased her bodily strength and intellectual capacity to learn quickly, Benson said.

Not only is dance physically challenging, it is mentally demanding as well. Allison DeRose (12) has sacrificed sleep for dance, she said.

During the school week, practices run late, and competitions on the weekend can last through

Courtesy ofAllison DeRose

midnight, DeRose said.

DeRose has also suffered sprained ankles, cut feet, torn ligaments and tendons, in addition to constant soreness. When a dancer suffers an injury and must take time off, it can lead to setbacks in progress, she said.

Although dancing has its risks, DeRose enjoys dancing because she gets to spend time with her friends doing a hobby she loves, while getting a workout. “I can’t imagine my life without dance,” she said.

HORACE MANN MIDDLE DIVISION JANUARY 18TH, 2019

Eighth Grade Trips This Week

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Students see To Kill a Mockingbird live Julia Goldberg Staff Writer

The entire eighth grade had the opportunity to travel to Shubert Theater in midtown Manhattan to see a matinee performance of the Broadway production of To Kill A Mockingbird on Wednesday. In addition to the 153 eighth grade students, 20 faculty members, including eighth grade advisors and teachers, attended the show as chaperones.

The eighth grade reads To Kill a Mockingbird every year, and sometimes classes will gather together to watch the movie. “To Kill a Mockingbird coming to Broadway was too perfect of an opportunity to miss,” English teacher Morgan Yarosh, who organized the trip, said.

“Broadway shows are an incredible teaching tool, especially

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

when they align with students’ readings,” Head of School Dr. Thomas Kelly said.

Last year, the eighth grade attended Dear Evan Hansen.

“The success we had with that trip really gave us the comfort of looking at the possibility of using one Broadway show a year as part of the eighth grade curriculum,” Kelly said.

To Kill a Mockingbird was written in 1960 by Harper Lee and is set in the early 1930s. However, playwright Aaron Sorkin has adapted the production to address more contemporary issues of race.

“I’m a huge fan of live theater, and I really can’t wait to see Aaron Sorkin’s interpretation of Harper Lee’s book,” Bailey Hecht (8) said prior to the trip. “It’s such a mature story told through such a juvenile point of view, and I’m interested to see how Scout will continue as a narrator in the play.”

“I’m hoping to learn how interpretations of the book might differ,” Willa Davis (8) said. Since young children will be portrayed by adults, she’s interested in seeing if they’ll truly be able to access their childlike sense of wonder, she said.

Students from the school weren’t the only ones in attendance.

Dr. Kelly invited the seventh graders of De La Salle Academy in New York City as well. Prior to the play, students from De La Salle Academy wrote letters to characters from the novel, and these letters were distributed to the school’s eighth grade English classes. The eighth graders then had the opportunity to write back to the De La Salle students, posing as the characters. The De La Salle students received and read the letters on Tuesday.

“I responded to a girl who wrote a letter to Miss Caroline, Scout’s teacher,” Willa Davis (8) said. “She asked about Miss Caroline’s backstory, and I found it both entertaining and puzzling to think about how exactly Miss Caroline would respond.” Davis was able to put her imagination to work during this activity, she said.

“All of the letters were well thought-out and gave myself and my classmates the opportunity to reflect more on To Kill a Mockingbird; it was a fantastic experience,” Henry Levinson (8) said. De La Salle students chose to address their letters to a variety of characters, ranging from the schoolteacher, Ms. Gates, to Mr. Ewell, the antagonist. The range was truly remarkable, Levinson said.

Yarosh was certain seeing a reenactment of To Kill a Mockingbird live would be a wonderful experience, she said.

However, she also hoped the students understood how fortunate they were to have this opportunity, she said.

“We want the students to know that our access to this caliber of theater is a privilege,” Yarosh said. Dr. Kelly is underwriting the cost of the play, and she hopes the students are appreciative, she said.

After seeing the production, students reflected upon their initial reading of the book.

Credits to Bailey Hetch

STAR SELFIE Bailey Hecht (8) stands with cast member.

The beauty of To Kill a Mockingbird is that everyone reads it differently, Levinson said. “The production did not deepen my previous understanding of the book per se, but it made me think about the other equally intriguing ways of analyzing To Kill a Mockingbird,” he said.

Instead of trying to incorporate every single supporting character’s role, the director chose to develop the personality of a few specific characters, Yui Hasegawa (8) said. She appreciated the emphasis the production put on Dill’s character, she said.

However, she thought the production overemphasized the trial, and in doing so neglected details central to the book, Hasegawa said.

Though he originally had seen the book as a series of approaches for finding oneself at odds with the majority, after seeing the play, he became more intrigued by Calpurnia’s story, Lewinson said.

“Discussions of the book and its themes, including those centered on racism, also fit perfectly with the upcoming Unity Week celebration,” Kelly said.

Students serve at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen Samuel Chiang & David Maydan Contributing Writers A group of eighth graders traveled down to Chelsea to the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen to serve around 1,000 New Yorkers on Monday. In a program that is offered two to three times throughout the school year and fulfills their out-of-school service learning credit, eighth graders have a chance to volunteer at the soup kitchen by distributing food at the kitchen.

“Despite the vast selection of offered programs, students consistently choose the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen because they recognize its tremendous impact on the community,” Middle Division (MD) Service Learning Coordinator Caitlin Hickerson said. “Visiting the kitchen and conversing with the guests is a humbling experience because it humanizes hunger.”

Luke Millowitz (8), a student who went on the trip, thought it was quite different to see how a lot of other people lived, prompting him to think about how he could spend more of his time helping out others, he said.

As New York City’s largest emergency food provider, the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen combats hunger and homelessness in New York City. Not only does Holy Apostles serve meals and offer counseling or referral services, but it also guides its beneficiaries towards long-term self-sufficiency by maintaining an environment of humanity, compassion, and dignity, Hickerson said.

“The service done for the community is priceless, including the simple act of talking to homeless people who are ignored, bike messengers, or workers for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation,” Hickerson said. Students help prepare the food

to be distributed, and clean up after the guests, she said.

“I enjoyed helping out and seeing the smiles of the people I helped,” Millowitz said.

Although MD trips to the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and other volunteer destinations certainly expose students to their community and the process of service learning in general, Hickerson worries about the lack of a formal reflection process, she said.

The MD offers a variety of opportunities at different locations and at different dates throughout the year. Since students complete their requirements at different points during the year, it is difficult to coordinate discussions or reflections in an advisory setting, she said.

However, Hickerson plans to eventually integrate a more meaningful reflection system into the eighth grade service learning curriculum, such as conversations within advisories around the different kinds of ideas, mixed group settings where students can talk about the different activities they’ve done and compare them, or gathering students who’ve been to the same activities and talking about how those experiences affected them, she said.

While the service learning requirement should not be the primary motive for students to volunteer to aid their community, the requirement can still be seen in a positive light as it forces kids out of the comfort zone to try a new experience, Hickerson said. After completing the program, students are inspired to continue to contribute to their community, she said.

“Service inspires me to use my free time for something different and to help out the community,” Millowitz said.

Juli Moreira/Art Director

Lions’ Den Record Sports

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JANUARY 18TH, 2019

Girls Varsity Basketball looks to continue hot streak Joshua Underberg Staff Writer

Halfway through their season, the Girls Varsity Basketball team has earned an impressive 12-1 record due to the efforts of a tenacious squad, including wins against Poly Prep Academy and Dalton, teams the Lions have not defeated recently.

One of the 12 victories included a 38-point rout of Leman Manhattan Preparatory School.

Upperclassmen have been integral to the team’s success.

Co-Captains Olivia Kester (12) and Kate Golub (12) provide leadership and experience for the younger players.

Kester explained that the team’s strength stretches way beyond just the seniors.

“Our juniors, Ella Anthony (11), Julia Robbins (11), and Halley Robbins (11) have really stepped up with integrating the new freshmen into the team and leading them on and off the court,” Kester said.

The three juniors have been starters since their freshman year.

“Those three have really all come into their own this year,” Girls Varsity Basketball Coach Ray Barile said.

“They have experience and are great shooters, ball handlers, and defenders,” Golub said. “[The Juniors] all average double figures, are athletic, and have pretty high basketball IQs,” Anthony said.

Anthony currently leads the team in scoring.

“She has been having a sensational year, averaging twenty-plus a game,” Barile said. “She’s shooting the ball exceptionally well from outside, and she’s finishing inside.”

Barile also noted that “Ella has taken a big step from last year to this year.”

The players value Anthony’s presence on the court due to her playmaking abilities at point guard, as well as her hustle. She

pushes her other teammates to work hard.

“Her ability to see several moves ahead on the court is incredible, as well as her passing and shooting,” Natalie Sweet (10) said.

“Not only is she the central playmaker on this team, she also is arguably the best three point shooter in the league,” Vivien Sweet (10) said.

The success of the girls team can also be attributed to the positive attitude that each player has, as exemplified by Kester.

“Our one loss was by 10 to the number six team in the entire state for AA, which is the most competitive league and we play mostly in the C and sometimes in the B class,” Kester said. “We were recently just ranked number two in the tri state area for independent schools.”

“Our loss revealed how well our team plays together. We came close to defeating a team known statewide for their girls’ basketball program,” Julia Robbins said.

The hard work and hustle traces back to productive team practices. The typical practice involves an extensive group of activities.

“We start with warmups, like layups and shooting drills, then we usually scrimmage and go over plays on both offense and defense,” Vivien Sweet said. “Occasionally, after game days, we rewatch the game on Krossover [a game replay website] and go over what we did well and what we didn’t, which helps all of us acknowledge how we can be a stronger team.”

The overall unity of the team has become more evident this season, exemplified by the Lions’ practice chants.

“Practice ends with the quietest person that practice leading the team in a cheer that goes one two three team, four five six family,” Natalie Sweet said.

The team has made great progress this year, and their ultimate goal is to win the league.

Andrew Cassino/Staff Photographer

POST UP Girls battle againts Riverdale Falcons.

“If we continue to work as hard as we’ve been working by going hard in practice and watching film, I have no doubt that we will finish the regular season 22 and one and win NYSAIS in the postseason,” Anthony said.

The Horace Mann Girls Varsity Basketball team has not won the Ivy League in roughly twenty years, Barile said.

“As a team we just want to continue to stay positive, energized, and never get too comfortable,” Halley Robbins said. “Our coaches always remind us to take every game as seriously as if it were a championship game because we want to be a championship team.”

MAX CHASIN (8): Future Water Polo Olympian Darius McCullough Contributing Writer Max Chasin (8) was only in the third grade when he discovered his passion for water polo. Last weekend, Chasin was selected to compete at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in North Carolina and join the final 14 kids on the National Olympic Development team.

In 2018, Chasin was nominated by the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program to train at the Olympic Water Polo facility in Colorado Springs.

In North Carolina this past weekend, Chasin advanced through multiple Olympic Development Camp qualifying rounds, and was one of 30 players selected to compete for a spot on the USA Water Polo Northeast Zone Olympic Development Team.

This summer, Max will compete in the Junior Olympics in Southern California as a member of the National Olympic Development Team, he said.

Chasin has been playing Water Polo yearround for the past five years. “It has been really fun to watch Max progress as a water polo player,” Max’s father, Matt Chasin P‘21 ‘23 ‘26 said. “We did not know really anything about the sport before Max started playing five years ago, so we have been learning with him,” Matt Chasin said.

“As I got older, my parents told me that I had to cut down on the number of sports that I played.” Chasin said. His parents wanted him to try a unique sport, so he chose water polo.

“As I practiced, I realized that I just had a natural talent for the sport. I kept playing and developing my game, and here I am,” Chasin

said.

Chasin enjoys the flow of the game and the friends that he has made while playing, he said.

“Max has been playing for a long time. I just started last year so he has given me lots of tips to help me improve,” Jared Contant (8) said.

It’s been a long journey for Max, and his family has been supporting him the whole way. Chasin’s parents, Matt and Pamela Chasin P’21’23’26, are fortunate to be able to watch Chasin in all of his tournaments, Matt Chasin said.

Ben Chasin (10) has supported his younger brother throughout the process. “Before he went to North Carolina, I was encouraging him to just keep his head up and, no matter what happens, to just go out there and play hard,”

Ben Chasin said.

In addition to his Olympic aspirations, Chasin is currently a star player on the Middle Division Water Polo Team.

“Playing kids of the highest level of competition across the country will just make [Chasin] an even better player,” Water Polo Coach Michael Duffy said.

“In the future, I would like to improve and develop my shot further, and work on my ability to see the whole pool while I am swimming.” Chasin said.

Max Chasin hopes to see his hard work pay off when his travel team participates in the Snowball Showdown Water Polo Tournament at Chelsea Piers at the end of January, he said.

Courtesy of Max Chasin

Courtesy of Max Chaasin

GOING FOR THE GOAL Max Chasin (8) shoots to score.

TRAINING TIME Max Chasin (8) trains at the Olympic Water Polo facility in Colorado Springs.