The Horace Mann Record, Issue 20

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HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

MARCH 8TH, 2019 || VOLUME 116, ISSUE 20

Wellness Week opens dialogue about student health Victor Dimitrov Staff Writer

Keynote speaker and mental health advocate Hakeem Rahim shared his personal experience with mental health at the Wellness Week assembly on Tuesday.

Rahim is the President and CEO of I Am Acceptance, an organization that works towards destigmatizing mental illness, he said.

“We thought that Hakeem Rahim’s message would deeply resonate with many members of the HM community,” co-President of the Wellness Initiative Club (WIC) Emily Zeppieri (12) said. “He preaches the importance of taking a step back to prioritize your wellbeing.”

Rahim feels passionately about helping

students who may be struggling with their mental health, he said. Coming from a rigorous academic background, he understands the effect school can have on students, Rahim said.

“I want people to be able to talk,” Rahim said. “Before I opened up to my family about my struggles with mental health, I felt like I was hiding from them and could not be my authentic self.” He began his mission to create discussion about mental health in order to destigmatize how it is perceived, he said.

The Guidance and Counseling Office chose Rahim because when discussing mental illness, it can be particularly effective to hear someone’s personal journey, Upper Division Director of Counseling & Guidance Daniel Rothstein said.

Since Rahim was sharing his own experiences, he seemed like a much more

Jake Shapiro/Photo Editor

MENTAL HEALTH Guest speaker Hakeem Rahim speaks about recognizing mental health.

genuine and effective speaker, Ben Doolan (11) said. Through Rahim’s personality and use of call and response, the audience was very engaged in the presentation, Library Media Specialist Caroline Bartels said.

Rahim did a great job of emphasizing the ways that mental health issues can manifest themselves and that it’s alright to reach out for help, Gloria Khafif (11) said.

The assembly also featured the song “This Is Me” performed by Ben Rosenbaum (12), Allison DeRose (12), Juli Moreira (12), and Mikayla Benson (10). The group chose this song because it stands for being true to oneself and realizing that we all have things that we should be proud of rather than embarrassed, Bartels said.

The purpose of Wellness Week is to motivate students to continue conversations about mental health and wellness, as well as incorporate wellness into the school’s daily life, Zeppieri said.

“I hope [students] come away with the idea that they are not alone,” Rothstein said. It can be really helpful to talk about what you’re going through and not struggle alone, he said.

“We hope students engage in the activities and attend workshops to learn more about mental health and discover ways to de-stress,” Zeppieri said. The objective of Wellness Week is to create a relaxed environment more conducive to open discussions about mental health and wellness, she said.

Wellness Week comes at a really difficult time of year, Bartels said. Bartels has been working with WIC to help students relax through daily activities and snacks in the library, she said.

“I know that many students silently struggle with mental health issues and with the primary focus being on rigorous academics at Horace Mann, people feel discouraged from speaking out about mental illness,” Zeppieri said. She believes that students need a safe place to discuss these issues, she said.

For Rahim, his family provided his healing

Jake Shapiro/Photo Editor

OPEN UP Rahim recites spoken word poetry. space of acceptance. Through his presentations, Rahim hopes to encourage people to seek out help from those around them, he said.

“School for HM students tends to be stressful year-round, and I think that it’s important to provide the community with an enjoyable escape from the pressure, while also starting important conversations about mental health and wellness,” Zeppieri said.

Bartels hopes that Wellness Week will allow people to become more comfortable with their stress and realize that they have a community of support around them, she said.

Faculty and staff attend Public Purpose Conference Darius McCullough Staff Writer

Juli Moreira/Art Director

INSIDE

Faculty and Staff will attend the 2019 National Private Schools with a Public Purpose (PSPP) Conference at the Spence School next weekend.

PSPP supports schools in the cooperation among a diverse group of schools, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and businesses, with the goal of building stronger communities, according to the PSSP website. The organization holds annual conferences in different states nationwide and will be held in New York this year.

The conference will be structured as a mix of small and large panel discussions, all with an opportunity for a robust Q&A, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said. This year’s theme is “Collaborating in the Spirit of Justice,” and the conference programming will explore the intersections of equity and service, CCVA Program Associate Natalie Sanchez said.

The school will look to learn from national examples of successful partnerships and how to build partnerships that promote equity for all, Kelly said.

This is the first year that the school has attended the conference.

Mental Health

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Students discuss strategies for wellness.

Wellness Week

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In-depth profiles of workshops, students and more.

English teacher Chidi Asoluka and Director of the CCVA Jeremy Leeds will both be hosting workshops at the conference.

Asoluka will be presenting on The New Community Project, his senior English elective that focuses on social justice through the lens of literature, he said.

“I think it’s a meaningful and productive way to look at our local communities so I want to share it,” Asoluka said. He will be explaining how the functions of Love, Hate, Power, and Pride help us better understand the architecture of humanity, he said.

Leeds will be speaking with the executive director of Kingsbridge Heights Community Center about the collaboration between the center and the school and how the relationship fits into the school’s service learning program, Leeds said.

Kelly will be on the “Heads of Schools” panel to share the school’s mission statement, core values, and how public service has helped the school to fulfill its public purpose and reinforce its relationship with the Bronx community, Kelly said.

“It’s always humbling to talk about the role “service beyond oneself ” plays at

MD Female Athletes

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Sports stars Emma Chan, Bella Harrison, and Clementine Bondor.

HM, and it’s a privilege to share just how our engagement grows each year,” Kelly said. “I’m always interested in hearing about new approaches to responding to a school’s need or call for a public purpose.”

This is Sanchez’s first year working at the school, but she was asked to be a part of the Vision Committee last year, she said. This year, she worked with the committee to develop the theme and structure for this year’s conference.

“I just joined the CCVA this year and in my role, I am always thinking about our relationship with our local communities,” Sanchez said.

Service Learning committee advisor Kimberly Joyce-¬Bernard will also attend the conference.

“I am constantly considering ways in which we can cultivate what we are learning in regards to student and community partner efforts to address public purpose,” Joyce-¬Bernard said.

Teachers will look forward to the refreshing experience of coming home from a conference of this nature having learned something new, Kelly said. The conference will serve to allow faculty to remove themselves from their everyday environment and reflect on the “bigger picture,” he said.

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

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THE RECORD OPINIONS MARCH 8TH, 2019

How HM students maintain their mental health through different activities

Wrestling: slamming my insecurities through sports

Classical music: playing piano to clear my head

Jamie Berg

Nelson Gaillard

Wrestling is a sport of obsession, and from the outside looking in, it may often appear as an unhealthy one. However, my relationship with the sport of wrestling has contributed tremendously to my ability to enhance my mental and physical health.

I can understand why cutting weight, grueling practices, and the countless cuts, scrapes, and bruises accumulated throughout one’s training can be perceived as not at all conducive to a happy and healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, the camaraderie of wrestling and the spirit of shared struggle that permeates the wrestling community (not just limited to, but certainly embodied by, the Horace Mann wrestling team) generates a support system that transcends any division. Everybody is welcome on the wrestling mat, and nobody will be judged by any characteristic other than their desire to improve and passion to grow as an athlete and a person.

In my case, wrestling provided me with a community that begins at Horace Mann but extends far beyond it.

Prior to wrestling, I never felt welcome in athletic settings. I was never a naturally competitive individual and was plagued for years by fears of my own inadequacies. In my mind, I was too fat, too slow, and too nerdy to play sports. I, like anybody, still struggle with my insecurities, but now I know that regardless of how I feel or how discouraged I am, I will have the unconditional support of the wrestling community.

Wrestling demands that you leave your insecurities matside, and since I started wrestling, I have found it far easier not only to leave my insecurity off the mat, but also to not let it dominate my daily life. I attribute this to the mental strength and discipline I have acquired due to the physical demands of the sport but also to the nature of my school and club wrestling communities, which offer me the support and camaraderie necessary for me to constantly push myself beyond my preconceived limits.

Composer Frederic Chopin suffered from performance anxiety throughout his career. I may not be Chopin, but I still get stomach butterflies before every concert. You’d probably think that after playing classical piano for twelve years and performing well over 100 times, the anxiety would go away, but it doesn’t. My heart beats a thousand times a second.

However, the feeling I have after I perform is well worth the stage fright. No matter how cheesy this may sound, I feel more alive and energized after I play. Music is my wellness. It excites, exhilarates, and allows me to relax from the day’s stresses.

When I began piano lessons the summer between kindergarten and first grade, I became addicted. Hours at a time, I would sit in front of the piano, and “tickle the ivories,” as my dad likes to call it. Often, my parents would have to tell me to stop because they were on the phone or dinner was ready.

In the fall of fourth grade, I began attending Manhattan School of Music (MSM) for six days a week. Each Saturday, I have an ear training class, a music theory class, and my private

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

“Classical music allows me to be in the moment, to push aside everything that made me anxious during that day.” lesson, together which occupy half of my weekend.

As I grew older and regular school began to intensify, I had less time to play. Sitting in front of the piano for 10 hours a week, learning a piece that I would perform one time, didn’t give me the satisfaction that I desired. Nevertheless, I remained a part of MSM. There, I could analyze the minute, fascinating details that went into creating such masterpieces.

Classical music allows me to be in the moment, to push aside everything that made me anxious during that day. Just by playing it in the background, I feel more relaxed. The “Mozart Effect” is known to improve mental performance simply with ambient instrumental music. Scientific studies have also shown that classical music helps you sleep better by slowing your brain activity.

The question, “Is it worth it?” looms in the back of my head.

But, the 99.99 percent of me that has devoted over 12 years to the art, not because my parents make me, but because I am genuinely intrigued, says “absolutely.” Music makes me happy, and is something that I could not imagine my life without.

Ceramics: “throwing” my stress away

Kyra Kwok When I was in ninth grade, I began taking ceramics as a way to fulfill my arts requirement. Back then, new to the school and scared by the intense environment, I was more focused on not getting my clothes dirty than making art that I even brought a change of clothes. Looking back, it’s funny to think I had such a dispassionate attitude towards one of the activities I now enjoy the most.

What I did learn throughout that first year, however, was that clay is a beautiful and calming medium through which one can express themself. You can hand clay to a five year old and they’ll press their fingertips into it, squeeze it and watch it ooze out. You don’t teach a connection to clay, it’s already programmed into everyone. In the midst of classes, homework, and assessments, I look forward to connecting to the cooling clay, its comforting weight in my hands, and its potential to become anything.

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

Fast forward three years, and now you can find me in the studio every day. Clay has become an essential part of my life, to the point where if I don’t get into the studio, I start to go a little crazy. Ceramics is my wellness because it allows me to disconnect and center myself amidst the swirling tides of everything else going on. The feeling I get after moving ten pounds of clay or wheel-throwing a mug that sits perfectly in my hands is unbeatable. Every piece I make reminds me to be proud of myself and to celebrate the small imperfections that make my pieces feel alive.

Attending an intense school means that sometimes I need to stop and find a place to breathe. For me, 401F is that place. I know that the moment I enter, no matter how bad my day might be, getting my hands on clay will help. My feelings emerge through my art, which can mean a variety of things. Sometimes after a bad test or quiz I wheel-throw a new mug that I can look forward to using or gifting. Sometimes the day after making an error in a game, I make a really fantastic bowl to remind myself of what I’m capable of. Sometimes I shatter one of my pieces on the floor (and then clean it up, of course) or cut up a mug and draw funny faces on it. Through clay, I can express myself. Having a way to process and convey my emotions, good or bad, is a huge part of my wellness.

If you haven’t gotten yourself into the ceramics studio before, I recommend you try it out. As someone who never felt a connection to making art before, ceramics opened my eyes and has become an outlet for me - maybe it will for you too!

Running: maintaining a healthy lifestyle and body image

Euwan Kim I enjoy exercising -- crazy right? Most of you reading this article must dread the occasional weight-lifting session or jog from Tillinghast to Lutnick during passing time. And, while I still might dry-heave at the top of the third-floor stairs, I happen to love the feeling after working out.

The “runner’s high” that I get gives me more motivation to study than a double shot of espresso. On particularly stressful days, my runs give me space to obsess over all the things clouding my mind: there’s not much to do while running other than compartmentalize all my regrets about my last test.

Actually, carefully thinking through each of my classes in my head without the distraction of notebooks or my phone helps me absorb information faster. Chanting to myself “mitochondria is

the powerhouse of the cell” during track practices saved not only the time I would’ve spent studying but also my biology grades.

After all, when my legs feel like they’re on fire, I have to distract myself with something, even overused science catchphrases.

Even though I wouldn’t consider myself a sporty person, I think exercise is worth the momentary pain because it helps my physical and emotional wellbeing. I’m always excited for a good workout since it makes academics a little easier to handle.

When thinking about wellness, especially in the context of exercise, it is important to also consider its not-so-silver lining: the conversation about weight and muscle mass, especially among women. On an Instagram post celebrating my second half-marathon, a follower I don’t personally know commented, “And at your weight! Congrats!” Through just one comment, the athletic milestone I achieved not for superficial validation but for personal motivation became corrosive.

What about me made someone think I couldn’t finish a halfmarathon? Who were the people I was being measured against, and why didn’t I compare? Did I automatically gain more recognition for doing something others did not think my body could do?

This is not an unfamiliar story to our generation. This post made me feel that the work I had done for that accomplishment fulfilled only a vain self-image problem, not a desire for a healthy mind and a work-life balance. Moments like these

make me reconsider my motives for working out: am I trying to make myself a happier student, or am I just trying to run off my weight?

“In the end, I will always remind myself that the personal benefits, not other people’s judgements, are and should be my motivation to run.”

It will always be difficult to balance those two sentiments.

Unfortunately, most of the time there won’t be a clear motive behind every workout. However, I choose to run because I enjoy having a clear state of mind, getting some vitamin D, and being more energized throughout my day. In the end, I will always remind myself that the personal benefits, not other people’s judgements, should be my motivation to run.

What’s more, exercise can be a social sport; the running community at Horace Mann alone is so vast and supportive -- I can always find a friend to jog with or a coach to get tips from.

If you’re looking for a helpful psychological tool that is just as rewarding as it is challenging, exercise is a great outlet to let out some steam from our beloved academic pressure cooker.

HORACE MANN NEWS MARCH 8TH, 2018

Latin Competition at Princeton Lucas Glickman Contributing Writer

of the classroom, McCaw said.

“Students prepared out of class, but because the competition was so area specific, the classes aren’t designed solely for the Certamen,” he said.

Members of the HM community attended the second annual Latin competition “Certamen” at Princeton University for the first time this past Saturday.

The competition involved multiple rounds of questions, in which teams of schools used a buzzer system to correctly answer questions about topics in their Latin studies, Dora Woodruff (11) said.

The competition was grouped into three knowledge categories: Roman mythology, grammar, and Roman History, and students specialized in specific sections, Woodruff said.

Teams advanced by gaining points for questions answered correctly, World Languages teacher James McCaw said.

The school team did not qualify for the final rounds of the competition, but competed in three rounds, the second of which they won, McCaw said.

“Certamen provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase our Latin skills and acted as a catalyst to study the language, history, and mythology of Rome even deeper,” Jacob Rosenzweig (11) said.

The school attended the competition for the first time under the guidance of McCaw, sending teams of three to four members in both the intermediate and advanced categories, Rosenzweig said. As several students had completed similar competitions in middle school and at other schools, many expressed interest in participating in Certamen, McCaw said.

“We wanted to go to see what it was like as an exploratory experience,” McCaw said.

The school’s Classics Society, a club dedicated to classical language and culture, was founded by Bradley Bennett (10) and Wilder Harwood (11) at the end of last year and has only been facilitating student participation in Latin-related activities like Certamen for the current school year, Rosenzweig said.

Students prepared for the competition both in and outside

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

Dedicated in-class preparation consisted of questions regarding mythology and history throughout the duration of the different levels of Latin courses, McCaw said.

Woodruff and Harwood specialized in Roman Mythology.

Students collaborated more than preparing individually, Woodruff said.

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“Wilder and I made a study sheet because we were both specializing in mythology, and we spent time together outside of school reading books like Edith Hamilton’s Mythology together,” Woodruff said.

The strategy to have certain students specialize in topics was not an effective strategy for the competition questions, which were very specific, Rosenzweig said.

“It was better to have a deeper understanding of one subject than basic knowledge of the rest,” he said.

Because it was the school’s first year of participation, most students did not score highly in their categories, Woodruff said.

“We didn’t know what to expect – the protocol and buzzer system was new to many of us, and the style of questions were very different from what we do in class, since there’s a lot more time pressure,” Woodruff said.

Woodruff and other participating students plan to use questions from this year’s competition as a learning experience so that they can study more effectively for next year, she said.

“We had a lot of fun and also learned a lot about Roman classics, and now we know what to prepare for next year,” Woodruff said.

To better prepare, students hope to learn more about specific dates and legislation in Roman history and spend time getting faster at answering difficult grammatical questions, Woodruff said.

The Classics Society has further plans for the spring, including possibly hosting its own Certamen competition at the school, Harwood said.

“I know that HM at its core is a very STEM-oriented school, so the goal of going to this competition and the Classics Society in general is to broaden our perspective and reconsider the humanities,” Harwood said. “Certamen showed that the classics can have that same element of spirited competition as seen in team tests like Science Olympiad and math contests.”

Intech tutoring club works with Bronx middle schoolers

Kate Feiner Staff Writer Students from the school have a chance to give back to the larger Bronx community and help younger children succeed academically through the Intech Academy tutoring program.

The Intech tutoring program was started this year by Ishaan Kannan (11), Yesh Nikam (10) said. Kannan was working for the debate program at Intech Academy when Intech Academy’s dean Wendy Spector expressed an interest in having the school’s students come to help tutor, Kannan said.

The tutors visit Intech Academy every

Monday and Wednesday, in order to help middle schoolers who are struggling to grasp difficult concepts, Kannan said.

According to Nikam, the relationship between the school’s tutors and Intech students is very strong, he said. “Most of us see the same students every session, so over the year we’ve built a close relationship with the students.”

Many of the tutors, such as Noah Phillips (11), have had the chance to work with students from very different backgrounds, Philips said.

One of Phillips’ students spoke only Spanish, and he had to use his knowledge from school in order to teach her, he said. “When she started to get it, she was very appreciative of my help, and I felt very proud,” Phillips said.

Many of the children at Intech Academy are failing certain subjects and are sent by Spector to get help, Kannan said.

“I’ve noticed that it’s almost never from a lack of aptitude or capability but rather they feel a lack of motivation when they try to study on their own and still do poorly,” Kannan said.

“That’s why I think our program is important.”

Ahaana Shrivastava (10), who has signed up to work as a tutor during the second semester, hopes to apply the skills she has learned as a Middle Division Mentor when working with the younger children, she said.

“They may not be as fortunate as us or have the same resources as we do at Horace Mann,” Phillips said. “It is important for us to put our privilege in check and realize what is going

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 Rebecca Siegel Abigail Goldberg-Zelizer 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

on beyond what we see on a daily basis, and it is important for them that we help out and give back to the best of our ability and share as many resources as we can.”

Nikam feels that Intech gives him a chance to look at things from a different perspective, and realize how lucky he is to go to a school like Horace Mann, he said. “Personally, I enjoy helping others and Intech gives me a way to do that while growing my own leadership and mentoring skills,” said Nikam.

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, Darius McCullough, Noah Phillips, Eliza Poster, Julia Robbins, Kiara Royer, Abigail Salzhauer, Ranya Sareen, Nishtha Sharma, Griffin Smith, Benjamin Wang, Robbie Werdiger, Simon Yang, Isabella Zhang, Izzy Abbott, Bradley Bennett, Sogona Cisse, Jack Crovitz, Jackson Feigin, Adam Frommer, Andie Goldmacher, Julia Goldberg, 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

Intech gives students the ability to share the educational opportunities given to them with students who may otherwise have no exposure to the useful learning and studying habits we are taught, Kannan said.

“As Horace Mann students, we are part of an extremely lucky community that is privileged enough to receive such a high quality education and with that privilege comes a certain responsibility to give back to the community,” Shrivastana said.

Annabelle Chan/Staff Artist

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.

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THE RECORD WELLNESS WEEK MARCH 8TH, 2019

Wellness Week

Letter from wellness week organizers Hi HM!

We hope you’ve been enjoying Wellness Week 2019! This year, The Wellness Initiative Club really tried to emphasize and drive home how multifaceted wellness is. We strongly believe that health and wellness affects everyone in our community in both big and small ways. Whether you find wellness as a matter of finding ways to destress, incorporating more physical health into your daily routine, learning more about mental health disorders, or something entirely different, we hope we helped you find a meaningful way to promote wellness in your life and in our community. This week, we’ve collaborated with students and faculty from all around the school to design workshop ideas ranging from Continual Police Brutality and its Effect on Black Mental Health to Therapy Dogs to Muraling and everything in between! Moreover, we had an awesome assembly featuring our inspiring Keynote speaker, Hakeem Rahim, who came to Horace Mann to talk about about his journey with mental health issues and his mission to eliminate the stigma around mental illness. It was an incredible week of important discussions and activities about mental health and wellness. We encourage you to continue those conversations and find ways to incorporate wellness in your daily life.

In good health, Alex Crotty, Emily Zeppieri, and The Counseling and Guidance Department

DAILY WORKSHOPS “Fierce Affirmations” Emily Shi Staff Writer In the “Creating Connections: Fierce Affirmations” workshop, students practiced lifting each other up and offering praise in order to encourage community building, codirector of the Office for Identity, Culture and Institutional Equity John Gentile said.

Throughout the workshop, students engaged in interactive activities and gave and received affirmations–statements of appreciation– among each other, Gentile said.

After a discussion on the different applications of affirmations to relieve stress, encourage emotional development, and promote healthier habits, the students learned about the five languages of affirmation in a Google Slides presentation, Euwan Kim (11) said.

“Some of the ideas that comprise the languages of affirmation include physical touch, words of appreciation, and favors. We then used these ideas and a general affirmation structure Mr. Gentile taught us to write an affirmation to someone we know,” Kim said.

“Affirmations are an important part of community building and wellness. The positive and joyful energy that is produced when we share the things that we value in others is contagious,” Gentile said.

For Bernard von Simson (11) and Katya Aru

(11), the workshop offered a new perspective on friendship. “Mr. Gentile brought out a concept of the way we approach and thank others that I wouldn’t have even thought of before because it seems like a minute detail, but it was so helpful in my personal approach to others,” Aru said.

“I’m going to try [to] incorporate affirmations in my friendships in the future,”Simson said.

Gentile has run the workshop before, and he believes that each different person brings their own ideas and experiences to the table to shape a different approach to the activities, he said.

Gentile gained inspiration to base his workshop off of affirmations from a book called “Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott,” which outlines the process of having difficult conversations, he said. Gentile used this framework and researched how affirmations impact one’s sense of self in order to develop the process of creating a Fierce Affirmation.

Gentile hopes to show students how to give and create affirmations while also gaining an understanding of their own power and abilities, he said.

“A safe space for affirmations allows us to understand our power in a broader theme of exploring and talking about the things that help us be more grounded in who we are. It is a “meta-moment” to process what we need to be better learners, community members, and friends,’ he said.

“Resilience and Mental Health” Julia Goldberg Staff Writer Peri Brooks (12), Emily Zeppieri (12), Iliana Dezelic (12), and psychology teacher Kristen Zatarski led a workshop on the relationship between resilience and mental health.

“Though the workshop was mainly targeted towards the Intro to Psychology and AP Psychology classes, other classes were of course welcome, too,” Brooks said.

The workshop included a presentation, which shared research on how resilience can affect someone’s overall well-being, Zeppieri said.

To start, Brooks, Zeppieri, and Dezelic explained that resilience means adapting well in the face of trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant forms of stress, Brooks said.They then discussed how building resilience takes confidence and motivation.

The leaders of the workshop then asked the

audience to think of times during which their friends were struggling, as well as times they themselves were struggling. The audience was prompted to consider the difference in reaction between the two scenarios.

Reflecting on how kind you are capable of being toward others can remind you that you are also capable of being kind toward yourself, and that you deserve compassion, too, Dezelic said.

Zeppieri was eager to hear from those who attended the workshop. “I’m most excited about any questions the audience may have or personal anecdotes students might be willing to share about their experience with resilience,” Zeppieri said.

For Brooks, leading this workshop is far from a chore. “Creating these psychology-focused workshops didn’t feel like busy work to me,” Brooks said. “It’s a topic I love teaching people about.”

“Mind-Body Connection” Emily Shi Staff Writer

In the “Mind Body Connection” workshop, run by School Nurse DeAnna Cooper and Health Teacher Amy Mojica, students will investigate the factors that determine their health and develop strategies to focus on the connection between their mind and body.

The workshop will be structured as an “open class” during H period today that emulates the foundational aspects of the health curriculum, as Wellness Week happens to coincide with the beginning of a new trimester of health class, Mojica said.

To begin the workshop, Cooper and Mojica plan to present a PowerPoint that teaches students about holistic medicine, interactions between the mind and body, the difference between Eastern and Western medicine, and ways to decrease stress in life,” Cooper said.

After the PowerPoint, students will evaluate their own health in a technique also implemented during last year’s workshop. The activity, typically the first one done in a trimester of health, will be based around a “wellness wheel” to evaluate students’ own health. “I used this idea

“Organization” Julia Goldberg Staff Writer For Kimberly Dutta (10) and Pascale Zissu (10), organization is the key to success. The purpose of their wellness week workshop was to inform and assist other students on how they too could use organization to thrive both inside and outside of the school environment, Zissu said.

Zissu and Dutta both feel that organization is crucial to destressing, which is a major aspect of wellness week, Zissu said. “We have fun with organization, and it’s essential to my life; I can’t do homework or study without a plan of what I need to do and a clean desk,” Zissu said.

The workshop began with an informative session, led by Dutta and Zissu, along with the workshop’s advisor, the school’s learning specialist Lisa Woody. Together, they explained why organization is so necessary, discussing the impact organization can have on grades and mental health. “We know a lot about organization, and others might not, so we wanted to help [students] by sharing what we know,” Dutta said.

Zissu and Dutta then explained tips which they

of connecting the mind and body to continue the conversation to the next health class,” Mojica said.

Finally, students will practice implementing the strategies they learned about in a meditation exercise, Cooper said.

Mojica wants students to understand how different aspects of health intersect, she said.

“Various factors come together for a person’s health. I think that showing the connection and taking a moment to talk about mental health and how it influences everything else is really important.”

Mojica and Cooper have both been engaging in their own research on the relations between the mind and body in order to prepare for the experience. However, interacting with the students each day serves as one of the best strategies to prepare for the workshop, Mojica said.

“I have the advantage of seeing the students when they’re feeling ill and can tell what some trends are among the students, and I’ve seen a lot of different symptoms related to anxiety since I started at the school this year,” Cooper said. “I hope that we’ll come up with a plan to promote mindfulness and encourage the students to take care of themselves a little better.”

personally find helpful, ranging from topics as crucial as time management to the organization of school supplies, Dutta said.

Zissu wanted to teach students how to make time for relaxation, she said. “We want the workshop to inform students of how they can acknowledge when they’re overbooked with activities and how to add time to relax into such a busy schedule,” Zissu said.

Emma Djoganopoulos (10), who attended the workshop, gained new time management skills.

“I learned a lot about approaching tasks with efficiency,” she said.

Adam Frommer (10), who also attended, said he learned how to divide his work into smaller portions. “I did learn a lot about how to better manage my time; Pascale and Kimberly talked about ways to address finishing tasks, and one way that stuck with me was taking large assignments and making to-do lists for them,” Frommer said.

“Breaking up tasks allows overwhelming ideas to feel much more manageable and [also] makes you feel much more productive. I’ll definitely try to use this system more,” Frommer said.

5

HORACE MANN WELLNESS WEEK MARCH 8TH, 2019

MARCH 4-8, 2019

Students seek help to discuss their mental health Bradley Bennet and Natalie Sweet Staff Writers In a school where academic, extracurricular, and social pressures can mount quickly, some students turn to therapists for help.

Students have the option to speak to a counselor in the school’s Office of Counseling and Guidance before reaching out to an out-of-school therapist.

“Though we are all trained psychologists, our office is tasked explicitly with providing counseling and guidance - not ongoing therapy - to students at the school,” Counseling and Guidance Office Psychologist Dr. Ian Pervil said. “We are ready to help those who are dealing with problems small and large. That can encompass a range of challenges including difficulties with friends or family, the ways we think and learn, stress or anxiety, depression, and many other mental health concerns,” he said.

“At school, we will work hard to make sure

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

students get connected with the help that they need, and sometimes that can mean reaching out to parents, therapists, or other professionals,” Pervil said. “By contrast, students can work with therapists in an ongoing way outside of school in a space that is removed from the environment at Horace Mann.

For many students, there is still a stigma around

the idea of seeking help.

Sandy* worries that students would judge her for using a therapist, “especially if that would be some people’s first impression of me.”

Carl* also requested anonymity because of his concerns that people make assumptions when they hear that someone is in therapy. “I don’t want my friends to pity me or want to talk about it, since I’m fine now,” he said.

Especially for men, there is this societal expectation that men are supposed to hide their problems inside their heads instead of speaking out, Carl said.

“For me, I try to act really energetic and happy to hide my problems,” he said. “The toxic culture that tells men that they always need to feel strong definitely affects how and why men hide their feelings,” he said.

Carl often finds that he is not given the time at home to manage these stressors.

“Going to see a therapist helps you to cope with the problems you have and really allows you to relax,” Carl said.

Bethany* uses a therapist because of family issues combined with an eating disorder similar to bulimia and anorexia, she said.

Liza* started seeing a therapist after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, conditions that worsened in high school, she said. “During my sessions with my therapist, we talk about ways to stress and ways to feel better about myself,” she said.

For Patricia*, talking to her therapist helps her recognize her feelings and deal with them in a safe and healthy way, she said. Patricia first started seeing a therapist because she worried talking candidly to her mother was making her mother feel she was not a good parent, and she wanted someone else to talk about her problems with outside her family, she said.

One common theme among students who use therapists is the overwhelming sense of competition and pressure at school. According to Wellness Initiative co-President Alexandra Crotty (12), this is ingrained into the culture of the school.

“Students who have any form of mental illness will probably struggle in high school,” Crotty said.

“Even some people who are perfectly mentally healthy face the same stress.”

For Crotty, therapy became a weekly routine after she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in ninth grade, she said.

Many students especially appreciate the outsider perspective that a therapist brings to the table.

“A therapist is not a part of your family, not a friend, so they don’t really know the faces or any of the context, but they also just have a really good objective input,” Trixie said.

Sandy shares a similar perspective. “It’s important that there’s someone who’s not afraid to call you out, for example, if you’re doing something selfdestructive,” she said.

Another aspect of outside of school therapy appealing to students is the increased sense of privacy they have as compared to using the school’s Office of Guidance and Counseling.

“The basis of any counseling relationship is trust and a sense of privacy,” Upper Dxqivision Director of Counseling and Guidance Dr. Daniel Rothstein said. “However, we always want to be upfront about the limits of confidentiality. When we are

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

concerned about a student’s safety, we may have to contact a parent in order to make sure a student gets the outside help that they need.”

“Even in that instance, however, we are very careful about personal details – we talk it through with the student, and tell them exactly what we will say, and give them as much control as possible about what we need to share,” Pervil said.

Carl appreciates that the school’s guidance office can help him with his problems in school, he said.

“We help facilitate conversations between students and teachers when they find themselves in difficult situations,” Pervil said.

Feeling down, looking up

Pascale Zissu I have always been a sensitive person, but around November of 2017, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I began feeling sad on most days rather than once in a while after a specific event upset me. My friendships with my best friends from middle school had been dissolving for some time beforehand, but things got worse as time progressed. In the first week of October, I got pneumonia and missed an entire week of school, which put me behind in my school work and with my friends. I felt overwhelmed by the amount of work I had missed, and the time away

from my friends made me feel more left out than I was before. I have always been a hard worker and loved school, but I began to put too much pressure on myself, and I didn’t like school anymore. I started feeling sick on Sunday nights because I was nervous about the week of school ahead, and every morning I was very anxious. Between this pressure and getting used to social changes, my feelings were valid, but I was embarrassed because I believed my feeling depressed was abnormal and that I was alone.

It was clear to my family that I was feeling down, so I opened up to my mom and she suggested that I visit the counseling and guidance office. I began going there once a week to talk about ways to make myself less anxious about school and dealing with rough times with my friends. While this was very helpful, my sadness and anxiety did not get much better after a few months, so I began going to therapy outside of school. This is the best decision I have ever made. My life did not immediately transform,

School counselors can also assist students with finding the right therapists outside of school, Pervil said.

“At school, we will work hard to make sure students get connected with the help that they need, and sometimes that can mean reaching out to parents, therapists, or other professionals,” Pervil said.

“When you hear other people talk about seeing therapists, it makes you feel better about seeking help because you know you have a common option,” Bethany said. “This normalization is very important for many students who want to see a therapist, but are worried about being judged for it,” she said.

“In most cases, I wouldn’t want to start with the presumption that someone ‘needs’ a therapist, except in cases where there is danger of harm to

nor is it perfect almost a year later.

I still have difficult days, but I have made tremendous progress and I am overall much happier and calmer now.

My mom is a psychologist and my grandmother and stepgrandfather are both psychoanalysts, so I have grown up aware that mental health is a normal and real issue. Unfortunately, even though cognitive well-being is just as important as any other health matter, there is a stigma surrounding mental health that it is not a real issue and not important, and that struggling with it makes you “weak” or “lame.” In my experience, my entire family and most of my friends have been very supportive. I know that not everyone is as fortunate, which can make it hard for people to open up about their feelings, but telling my family how I felt let me get the help I needed, which was the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even though speaking up may be uncomfortable and scary, it is beyond worth it.

self or others,” Pervil said. “Instead, I’d rather have a student just come in for a conversation, and then we can think together about what they might want and need, and we can talk honestly and openly about the ways to get that. Sometimes that may mean working with a therapist.”

“No matter how much your mental health affects you, it is still very important, and to have someone to listen and understand what you’re going through is always helpful,” Patricia said. *Names have been changed at the request of students.

Exercise is key Will Han In eighth grade, I tore my Anterior Cruciate Ligament, which required reconstruction surgery. It was during the months of healing and rehabilitation afterward that followed when that I realized the importance of exercise for my own well being.

Physical exertion is my outlet for my daily tribulations, the way in which I release any pent up stress or energy. Having been a competitive swimmer for many seasons, training is part of a daily routine that keeps me grounded and provides structure in my day. The time I spend in the water simultaneously challenges and rejuvenates my body and mind. I love the adversity because I feel that I am improving my discipline, diligence, and mental toughness.

In order to perform at my own highest level, I also need to feel my best.

Being in tune with my body is extremely important for me. I am constantly asking myself if I am getting enough sleep, if I am pushing myself to my limits, and if there are other strategies I can employ to strengthen myself.

This constant goal search to improve drives me each and every day, giving me a sense of purpose and confidence.

6

THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 8TH, 2019

Orchestras and Wind Ensembles perform in annual Winter Concert

Lauren Kim & Morgan Smith Contributing Writers

With composer Eric Ewazen watching on in the audience, students performed in the UD Winter Wind Ensemble and Orchestra Concert directed by Music Teachers Michael Bomwell and Nathan Hetherington in Gross Theatre on Thursday.

Both the wind ensemble and sinfonietta played pieces by Ewazen,

a composer at The Julliard School, said Cynthia Kaiser (12). One of the reasons a Ewazen piece was chosen was because of his planned visit to the school, Kaiser said.

“This is a special circumstance, as we have a guest composer visiting, so I had to choose a piece of his that we could perform and prepare for the concert this month. I did some research into his works, and ultimately chose a piece that I was

Abigail Kraus/Photo Editor

IMPERIAL PERFORMANCE Orchestra performs Princess Leia Theme.

familiar with,” Bomwell said.

The wind ensemble played Ewazen’s “A Hymn for The Lost and The Living” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” said Lorenzo Hess (12).

A “Hymn for the Lost and the Living” is dedicated to the victims of 9/11, an event to which Ewazen has a personal connection to, said Kaiser.

“He recalled when his trumpet playing friend, who was also a volunteer firefighter, began playing ‘Taps’ in the rubble,” she said.

Kaiser found it beautiful to hear the meaningful relationship behind the piece, she said.

“For sinfonietta, I feel like it’s a really special moment because this is one of the few times we’ve gotten to work with a living composer which as you can imagine is rare in the classical music world,” Adrian Rogers (12) said. Ewazen was incredibly friendly which made working with him a special experience, Rodgers said.

The orchestra played a Star Wars suite composed by John Williams, said Mandy Liu (10). Specifically, they played the Princess Leia theme, throne room theme, and end credits theme.

“At least for the senior class, Star Wars has always been something that we’ve really wanted to work on,” Rogers said.

The Star Wars suite proved to be quite difficult, but rehearsing for it was very fun, Rogers said. “It might be one of the hardest things we’ve ever played in orchestra. It requires a lot of skills we’ve learned through the years...it’s like a big culmination of everything we’ve been working

Abigail Kraus/Photo Editor

SOUND OF MUSIC Wind ensemble performs on stage led by music teacher Michael Bomwell. toward as orchestra students,” he said.

Another difficulty faced was the allotted time slot. “I think it was really challenging to see how much we could prepare in a short amount

of time,” said Kaiser.

“I’m really excited for the students to have this experience of a composer residency, as it’s an opportunity that they won’t have very often as ensemble players,” said Mr. Bomwell.

Abigail Kraus/Photo Editor

DROP THE BEAT Student showcase musical talent at annual concert.

Fisher Gallery features works from HM 246 Program Liliana Greyf Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Diana Shari

246 WHO DO WE APPRECIATE? Students and faculty observe the works of the participants of the HM246 program.

The school’s second annual HM 246 Gallery, which showcased a diverse and colorful selection of art ranging from paintings to handmade catapults, opened this past Wednesday in the Fisher Gallery.

HM 246 is a community service program led by the Center for Community Values and Action (CCVA) in which students design and teach lessons in 14 different subjects to younger students from Bronx community organizations such as Kingsbridge Heights Community Center and the Henry Ittleson Center.

“HM 246 opens our doors to our local partners every Wednesday afternoon. In the second trimester, we had about 100 elementary- and middle school-aged participants from four local agencies,” Director of HM 246 and Director of the Center for Community Values & Action Dr. Jeremy Leeds said.

The event serves as an end piece for this trimester’s programs, displaying what the students accomplished during their three months of classes.

“The HM 246 Gallery Show presents the artworks of students from the HM246 after school program. Art being in its broadest terms, including painting, calligraphy, ceramics, puzzles, elevator pitches, videos of the students debating, acting, etc,” Sarah Sun (10) said.

The gallery represented the culmination of the work that students have been doing in various fields in the program.

“HM 246 offers a variety of courses that allowed children of the

Bronx to explore their academic and vocational interests. Among them, the Entrepreneurship class provided a space for students’ voices to be heard by guiding the participants through the process of creating their own business plan,” Tyler Jonas (12) said.

Student curators Tess Abraham (10), Sasha Matt (12), Leonora Gogos (11), Diana Shaari (11), Arya Patel (10), and Sun organized the event, each of whom was responsible for collecting items from three to four HM 246 classes.

“I specifically was in charge of collecting objects from the programs Women in Science and Engineering, Math Magicians and Chinese,” Shaari said.

“The objects collected are meant to showcase what the respective programs have been working on throughout the semester. For example, we will be displaying Chinese calligraphy on behalf

of the Chinese program, and catapults from the Women in Science and Engineering program,” she said Dora Woodruff (11) led a course called ‘Mathemagicians,’ in which students participated in “creative, interactive projects related to math,” she said.

The students were allowed to invite any friends and family who they wanted, and the opportunity for them to display their work in a gallery setting was exciting, as they worked so hard, Gogos said.

“I think the purpose of the gallery is to make all of the students who worked hard over these past few trimesters in HM 246 programs feel really proud of what they’ve done and feel like there is a communal moment of celebrating what all of the programs have accomplished.”

Visual Arts Department Chair Dr. Hetherington said.

Juli Moreira/Art Director

7

HORACE MANN MIDDLE DIVISION MARCH 8TH, 2019

Profiles on stand-out female athletes

Emma Chan

Bella Harrison

Clementine Bondor

Yesh Nikam Contributing Writer

Lauren Ho Contributing Writer

Vivien Sweet Staff Writer

This past month, the Middle Division (MD) swimming season came to an end, and Emma Chan (8) broke the previous record for the second best time in the 50-yard backstroke.

She received high praise from coaches and teammates for her achievements.

“Emma is always positive and has a tremendous work ethic,” MD swim team coach Caroline Surhoff said. Chan also has a smooth and efficient swimming technique, she said.

Chan’s teammate, Yui Hasegawa (8), thought Chan’s prior competitive swim training and her hard-work makes her a strong swimmer, she said.

MD Swim Team coach Michael Duffy felt that Chan played a big role in a very successful middle division swim season, he said.

Chan personally felt the swim season was successful for her, she said. “I was able to beat some of my personal times, and I really enjoyed spending more time with people who I don’t usually talk to.”

Despite her success, Surhoff still thinks Chan has room for improvement. Over the season, she worked with Chan to perfect her favorite stroke, the backstroke. “I’ve recommended to her to work on her turns specifically,” Surhoff said.

Chan’s contributions extended outside of the pool.

Hasegawa, who felt that her friendship with Chan grew over the season, felt Chan supported her throughout the season.

“She supports me endlessly and is always cheering others on,” Hasegawa said.

Chan is also extremely respectful to teammates and coaches, Surhoff said.

Chan started swimming frequently when she was six and joined the JCC, she said.

Chan has always had a passion for swimming, she said. “I like this sport because it’s both a team sport and an individual sport,” Chan said. “You get to be on a team with other swimmers, but you are racing to beat your own time.”

Chan hopes to join Varsity Swim as a freshman next year.

Surhoff has high hopes for Chan’s future as well. “I hope she is Ivy League champ in the 100 yard backstroke,” she said.

A key player of the Seventh Grade Girls Basketball team this past season was Bella Harrison (7), a point guard whose fierce competitiveness and great ball handling skills helped to bring the team to a three-and-one season.

One of Bella’s main strengths is that she’s fast off the dribble and shoots well, Coach Chris Nelson said. Additionally, Bella helps to set the tempo by pushing the ball up the court in transition, which helps the team play better overall, he said.

“What makes her stand out is the focus she brings to the sport,” Nelson said.

Harrison began playing basketball when she was in first grade. “One of my friends was obsessed with basketball and urged me to play,” she said. “I really liked it and I’ve been playing ever since. I have been on a number of different teams before joining the school team, as well as several East Coast tournaments.”

“Bella has brought her previous experience with her and has added to the team by helping those who are not as experienced in basketball learn,” teammate Sarah Angevine (7) said.

“One thing that was awesome was that after she broke her arm, she could still make three-pointers,” Angevine said.

Coach Nelson also felt that Bella learned from her mistakes quickly, being able to correct herself over the course of the season, he said. “During our first game, she got into foul trouble playing defense aggressively. She learned quickly from that experience, but I think it is a constant balance of knowing when to pressure and knowing when to play it safe,” he said.

Although Harrison and her teammates had an impressive season, she still believes that she has much to improve on, she said. “I think I did a good job of controlling the court as point guard, but I would like to improve on my passing and shooting abilities when under pressure,” she said.

Harrison hopes to also achieve her goal of playing basketball through college, and hopefully going to Division I, she said.

This past season on the Middle Division (MD) Crew Team, Clementine Bondor (8) rowed her way to the top and cheered on her fellow teammates along the way.

Despite having no previous experience, Clementine was immediately drawn to rowing on the erg, she said. “After the first day of tryouts, I knew it was going to be my sport,” she said.

Bondor was an exceptionally hard worker this season, which made her stand out, MD Crew Team Coach Chelsea Ernest said. “She’s really one of the athletes who pushes herself when she sits on the machine,” Ernest said. “You can see the difference in how she rows rather than just being there and going through the motions.”

According to Bondor, even though the crew team never competed against another school, they often divided into teams and raced against each other. “It was always my goal all seasons to work towards being one of the faster people on the team,” she said.

Not only is Bondor an exceptional rower, she is also a supportive and motivated teammate, Coco Trentalancia (8) said.

“Even when some of us are in practice and it’s not our best day for us, she always finds a way to stay positive when it comes to competing against others on the team,” Trentalancia said.

Bondor actively encouraged her teammates which fostered a strong team environment, Ernst said. “You can tell that she’s always pushing herself which in turn pushes the people around her,” she said.

Bondor will continue to improve her times and row in the offseason, she said.

“I like the sport because I think it’s the perfect mix of technique and strength,” Bondor said. “With most sports it’s you do whatever you can to get the ball in the basket, or you have to perfect every little technical aspect of the game, but crew is a good combination of both of them.”

Students spread the joy of books on service trip Claire Goldberg Contributing Writer A group of eighth grade students are participating in service learning project Project Cicero to fulfill their service learning requirement today and tomorrow. The students will take a bus to Hotel Pennsylvania in Midtown to have a hands-on learning experience while helping New York City public schools, a trip facilitated by Middle Division (MD) Service Learning Coordinator Caitlin Hickerson.

Project Cicero redistributes donated books to public school classrooms. The organization receives book donations from schools all across New York, including the school.

Project Cicero’s main goal is to donate books to the libraries and classrooms of under-resourced schools. Project Cicero has books for children from pre-K through age 18, of all different genres. They accomplish this goal by receiving thousands of gently used books that have been donated by various schools.

Pre-registered teachers from different NYC public schools sign up for one hour shifts and gather as many books as they can and take them back to their school, Hickerson said.

When the students arrive, they will encounter thousands of books in boxes, and their job is to organize the books into categories, Hickerson said.

“The students will get rid of the books that are not usable,” she said. “That means books that have been written in, have broken pages, or are just destroyed.” In addition to helping sort the books at the hotel, the school has also been donating books for over eight years. According to Middle and Upper Division Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels, every year the school receives a list of needed books from the organization.

“This year we saved around thirty cartons of books just left over from the book sale alone,” Bartels said. “We always have books that don’t get sold, so our goal is to get them out into the hands of children that need them,” Bartels said.

According to Hickerson, in addition, this year the MD has been executing a book drive, in order to make a connection for the students between giving and doing.

Project Cicero is a special service-learning trip because it is a trip that focuses on underserved educational institutions, Hickerson said. “While the other organizations are more community organizations, this is a more direct way to get resources into the public school classes.”

“I chose this trip because I thought it would be fun to help teachers find books for their classrooms,” Athena Spencer (8) said. “I am looking forward to suggesting books that I love. I think it will really help young students learn to love reading.”

“I am looking forward to helping sort books with my friends,” s Bailey Hecht (6) said. She thinks that it is important to be good at reading because it helps you learn more and teach others, she said.

Parker Wischhover (8) wanted to go because she loves the satisfaction of helping others, she said. Wischhover is also looking forward to spending time with her friends.

Hickerson is excited for this trip because it is an opportunity for our students who attend a well-resourced school to see that not every institution is as well resourced, she said.

“There’s also a lot of teamwork in service that the students will practice,” Hickerson said. “It’s also just an amazing opportunity for the students to look at books and discover what’s out there to read,” she said.

Jackson Roberts/Art Director

Lions’ Den Record Sports

8

MARCH 8TH, 2019

Tight-knit Boys Swim Team finishes strong season

Masa Shiiki Staff Writer

The crowd in the newly built stands roared as the swimmers raced neck to neck in the pool. As co-Captain Ben Hu (12) finished the race, his teammates cheer him on and a bright smile lit up his face.

The Boys Varsity Swim Team finished their season with a record of 6-0 and every member contributed to the successful season, Varsity Swim Team Assistant Coach Caroline Shannon said.

The upperclassmen were huge sources of motivation for the underclassmen, Jonathan Mong (10) said.

“Allen Park (12) demonstrated dedication by moving to the fastest lane and it showed through his steady improvements throughout the season,” co-Captain Leonard Song (12) said.

“It was all about the team effort. The 10 seniors really made teamwork an emphasis from day one,” Boys Varsity Swim Head Coach Michael Duffy said.

The practices were long and demanding, but the seniors tried to make them fun and interactive, co-Captain Colin Mark (12) said.

“The atmosphere was very intense and training was brutal at times, but I enjoyed it,” Sean Koons (12) said.

“People are jealous of not being able to join a tight-knit group like us. Therefore they consider

Profile on Lauren Gay

Avi Kapadia Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Eva Fortunato

SPEEDY SWIMMER Colin Mark (12) competes in a swim race. us a cult,” Mong said.

“Everyone wishes that they could dress up in team spirit and be part of our swim bondings and parties,” Koons said.

The team is special because it has a lot of depth and a high level of energy that allows them to work together and strive forward, Shannon said.

The team broke school records in the 200 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay, and also was third all time in the 400 free relay record.

It was a highlight and a privilege to be a part of

two relay records, Park said.

The team is really talented, and every single member is unselfish, Duffy said. “They do what is best for the team.”

Throughout the year, the team performed very consistently, but the highlight was beating the team’s rival Trinity in a dual meet, Koons said.

Unfortunately, the team finished second place at the Ivy League Championships, losing to only long time rival Trinity.

“This team’s ability to fight and grind no matter

Last weekend in Ocean Breeze, Staten Island, Lauren Gay (10) faced off against the fastest runners in New York for the State Championship. She set a new personal record in the 55m dash of 7.38 seconds.

This season, Gay won the 55m dash and 55m hurdles in the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) championship and the Ivy League Championship. These two times qualified her for the State Championships.

“Lauren’s performance this year has made her more than deserving of recognition,” Indoor Track Coach RJ Harmon said.

Gay also finished second in long jump in the Ivy League championship and third in long jump for NYSAIS. Of the three events Gay competes in, her favorite is the 55m hurdles. “To run the hurdles requires a lot of attention and focus on technique,” said Gay. “I love the fact that there is always room to improve and it’s also really

satisfying for me to complete a hurdles race without tripping over a hurdle.”

At States, Gay faced approximately 40 other girls in the 55m dash. “It was a new level of competition and I found it enjoyable to compete against everyone,” Gay said.

In the 55m hurdles, Gay clipped a hurdle for the first time all season but still managed to earn a time of approximately 8.7 seconds.

Lauren’s running form and drive to win are what separates her from the rest of the pack, Harmon said. “Relaxed muscles are effective muscles and Lauren is a relaxed runner,” he said.

Gay embraces challenges and always possesses the utmost focus mentally and physically, Harmon said. “She has a fire inside of her to compete.”

Gay’s success is a direct product of her hard work and mindset in practices and races. Gay said that she always tries to maintain a positive

Girls Squash rocks first season Joshua Underberg Staff Writer The Girls Varsity Squash Team recently finished their first season, with a winning record of six wins to five losses.

Notable highlights include reaching the semifinals at NYSAIS and placing fourth in their division at nationals.

The team was comprised of eight players: two juniors, three sophomores, and three freshman.

Rhea Sanger (11) and Chloe Kim (11) led the team as co-captains.

The lack of players trying out accounted for the small size of the roster. “We could have more but we only had a few people that tried out,” Girls Varsity Squash Head Coach Olufemi Salako said.

Despite players’ varying levels of experience, teammates enjoyed playing with one another and spending time together, Alex Nathan (9) said.

“Some of us, such as myself, did not have a lot of experience playing squash,” Nathan said.

“Other girls were very competitive players, and often they would play again after practice, which is crazy. Still, no matter what our experience level was, we all had a great time playing with each

other.”

Unsure of what exactly to expect, the team goal was to compete at the highest level possible.

“I think that we didn’t start the season with any specific goals, just to establish ourselves as a new team this year and be able to be competitive with other girls teams in the area,” Sanger said.

“We were very happy with how we did, as we placed above our seeding at both Nationals and NYSAIS and every single player achieved their individual goals,” Sanger said.

Nora Balidemaj (10) achieved her individual goal, playing squash for the first time, she said.

“This season was the first time Nora had ever picked up a squash racket, but she worked hard and by the end of the season she was consistently hitting accurate shots,” Kim said.

Kim credits Balidemaj for her positive energy and motivation.

“Nora was also constantly serving as a source of laughter for the team - always cheering everyone on from outside the court,” Kim said.

Some standout players included Sofia Jiang (10) and Ria Chowdry (9), filling the team’s first and second spots.

what the circumstances led to the successful season,” Shannon said. “It was all about the grit and grind.”

“This team was willing to put in the time and dedication to succeed. We were able to go from a 3-3 team last season to an undefeated team this year,” Duffy said.

The tremendous energy that the seniors brought to the pool made them a special group, Mong said.

“I will miss the seniors hard work and determination to achieve their goals. Their goal was to have the best possible record and they did a great job achieving that through work ethic and motivating the underclassmen,” Shannon said.

Many of the seniors swam for all four years which gave the seniors a strong connection and bond, Koons said.

“Being part of the HM swim team allowed for me to build some of the strongest friendships, memories and times that I will never forget.”

Song said.

This team made each of the swimmers feel like they were part of something bigger than swim, Mark said.

“I definitely will miss this team. I wish the team the best for the years to come,” Park said.

“The swimmers all brought inspiration and joy into their passions,” Duffy said. “This aura of the swim team is becoming a tradition.”

mindset, but inevitably gets anxious before her meets. “It’s the good type of nervousness that makes me run my best,” Gay said.

Last year, Dana Jacoby (12), former NYSAIS champion, Ivy League champion, and States qualifier, took Gay, a freshman at the time, under her wing. “Since Dana also competed in 55m hurdles, she was able to share her experience with Lauren and give her tips,” Harmon said. “The two pushed each other past their limits all season long.”

Even though she is only a sophomore, Gay has made incredible strides and assumed a leadership role on the team. “Lauren is a key component in keeping the team together and happy,” said Maya Freeman (12) said.

The whole team had a successful winter.

“Everyone on the team was amazing and I had the best teammates who helped make running track fun everyday,” said Gay.

Courtesy of Gabrielle Moussazadeh

ALL SMILES FOR SQUASH Members of the Girls Varsity Squash team assemble for a photo.

“Sofia played our number one spot and she also plays national tournaments often,” Sanger said. “Ria plays national tournaments as well, and she had an undefeated season playing number two for the team.”

The teammates were satisfied with the results at the end of the season, and they enjoyed being

a part of the school’s very first girls squash team, Balidemaj explained.

“The games went pretty well. We won some, we lost some but I think that we were all happy with the results, Balidemaj said. “We showed the school that we are a real team.”