Issue 20

Record The Horace Mann

FEBRUARY 7 2020 || VOLUME 117, ISSUE 20

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

EWWW hosts annual Asia Night, celebrates diverse cultures Vivien Sweet Staff Writer Last Friday, after weeks of creating decorations, choreographing Korean pop (K-Pop) dances, and rehearsing runway walks culminated in East Wind West Wind’s (EWWW) annual Asia Night.

Some elements of Asia Night are kept in the program every year, such as the fashion show and the dance, which is always performed to an Asian song. This year’s show featured previously unseen presentation acts from students such as Ben Vahradian (12), who presented about his summer abroad in China; EWWW Board member Ashley Chung (10), who sang “When I Was Your Man”

by Bruno Mars; and Grace Qiao (8), who performed a traditional Chinese dance.

Unlike previous years, the planning process to put Asia Night together started in early January as opposed to early December, subsequently giving the group “a sense of motivation to get everything together as soon as possible,” EWWW Board member Rachel Zhu (11) said.

The time crunch made it especially difficult for Samantha Tsai (11) to teach the 12 dancers, ranging from freshmen to seniors, the K-Pop dance medley that she put together, she said. Unlike the dance that Tsai taught last year, this year’s dance featured six songs—some of which were popular among EWWW members, such as “Boy With Luv”

by BTS and “Chicken Noodle Soup” by j-hope and Becky G, and other songs by girl K-Pop groups that Tsai enjoyed, like “Psycho” by Red Velvet and “Snapping” by Chung Ha. The majority of the 12 dance participants were not experienced

dancers, which is typical of Asia Night dances, Tsai said. “In the Asia Night performances and dances, we’re never looking for perfection or anything like that; it’s mostly just to have fun,” she said. “[We’re] dancing while keeping in mind that it’s supposed to be fun, and [we’re] smiling throughout the whole performance; it doesn’t really matter if you do the choreography correctly.”

In order to master the choreography, the group practiced for hours on end, staying at school until 8 p.m. during the week leading up to Asia Night and occasionally going to Tsai’s house to practice.

“Individually, we knew what to do, but putting it together and making it look like it flowed was definitely difficult,” dancer Madison Xu (9) said.

This year’s Asia Night was Xu’s first. Towards the beginning of the year, she was looking to join clubs that involved Asian culture, and a couple of the EWWW Board members on the Girl’s Varsity Fencing team helped convinced her to join Asia Night, Xu said. “I wanted to join something like [EWWW]— this huge community of people that are very similar to me.”

Similar to Xu, English teacher and EWWW faculty adviser Jennifer Huang had never attended Asia Night prior to this year. Since this was also Huang’s first year as an advisor, she decided to let the EWWW Board handle most of the performance planning, she said. “I wasn’t at first completely sure what I was getting myself into, but it felt important to me that a club that’s based around this idea of Asian identity would have an Asian faculty advisor.”

Ultimately, Huang said that she came away from the night with a new sense of her responsibilities as an

EWWW faculty advisor, as well as an understanding of the “celebratory” atmosphere that was characteristic of the entire night. “I was sitting in the audience and smiling the whole time; it’s just a really nice mood in the air,” she said.

Prior to the actual show, the club hosted a dinner featuring homemade Chinese, Korean, and Indian food, an event that EWWW Board member Daniel Lee helped put together. Lee, who also participated in the fashion show and the K-Pop dance medley, said that Asia Night serves as a way to display Asian culture both to those who aren’t usually exposed to it and Asian students.

“As cheesy as it sounds, [EWWW] has helped me come in touch with my Korean roots, whether that be through discussions with other members of the club or just the activities that we do,” Lee said.

Zhu, who reached out to the South Asian Family Alliance as well as the Chinese and Korean family networks to organize performances, interviewed Japanese teacher Nobuku Weiler with fellow EWWW Board member Tomoko Hida (10).

The pair asked Weiler about the culture shock she underwent upon emigrating from Japan to America as well as her experiences as a high school Japanese teacher.

By helping put together the “enormous project” that was Asia Night, Zhu was able to connect with her fellow EWWW members on a deeper cultural level, especially in terms of their collective Asian identity, she said. “Because [Asia Night] takes so much time and effort, it really establishes such a tight-knit Asian community and fosters so many new friendships, which I think is probably the most valuable aspect of the event.”

Courtesy of Sam Tsai

Courtesy of Rachel Zhu

CULTURE Top: Students dazzle in finale; Bottom: Students interview Ms. Weiler.

To Hida, the tradition of Asia Night reflects a greater embracement of Asian culture within the school’s Asian population. “I feel like a lot of the Asians at this school can be whitewashed,” she said. “[Asia Night]

is about going back to our roots and singing songs that we’ve heard when we were kids and wearing clothing that we’ve seen our parents wear.”

All School PA Dinner announces changes for the upcoming school year Julia Goldberg and Vivien Sweet Staff Writers One day after the President’s State of the Union Address, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly delivered his address on the State of the School.

Organized by the President of the Parents’ Association (PA) Andrea Madaio P’23 and her team, the All School PA Meeting and Dinner provided parents with updates on programs across the school’s four divisions as well as notice of the PA’s future initiatives.

The PA, which serves to raise funds and strengthen the community within the parent body, is the unofficial “fifth division of Horace Mann,” a phrase coined by Kelly, Madaio said.

According to Chair of the Board of Trustees Laurence Grafstein P’11 P’12 P’15, the purpose of the dinner was to facilitate a conversation between parents and the school. “It’s important to be able to have channels of communication and transparency for the parents, so that they can evaluate and assess the priorities of the school,” Grafstein said. “It helps parents get a more granular feel for the school.”

Kelly was the “main attraction” of the night, Madaio said. “Dr. Kelly is a phenomenal speaker; everybody’s here to find out what he has to say.”

Indeed, Ian Harris P’23, whose son has been a student at the school since kindergarten, came to the dinner primarily to hear Kelly speak towards what the school’s latest initiatives are, where the administration is putting its resources, and what issues the institution

deems most important, Harris said.

The night began when Madaio thanked Kelly, Grafstein, Executive Assistant to the Head of School Anne Joao, and Director of Development Melissa Parento for their help organizing the event. Following Madaio’s introduction, PA First Vice President Sally Zhang P’26 briefly discussed event highlights from each division, which included the Middle Division (MD) and Upper Division (UD) book fairs and international food festivals, the UD faculty and staff appreciation breakfast, and the Lower Division (LD) winter festival.

Zhang then passed the microphone onto Grafstein, who introduced himself and his work at the school. Despite having never attended the school, Grafstein said he was drawn to the institution through his three sons—all of whom are graduates of the school—and his interactions with the school’s alumni during his college years. “[The alumni I knew] had more than intellect,” he said. “They all had a sense of grounded values and intellectual curiosity— and I didn’t think it could be random.”

Now, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, Grafstein said he thinks that the board’s job is to keep the school “the marvelous place that it is.” To allow the school to hold itself to a global standard, the board will continue to be supportive of initiatives from students, staff, and teachers. “We really view ourselves in support of Tom and his team,” Grafstein said.

“It’s the faculty, administration, and staff who make the magic at the school happen.”

Kelly started his speech by thanking the board, which he described as invisible yet omnipresent. “Because of their intelligence,

because of their foresight, and because of their discipline, in celebration they’re with us, and in sorrow they’re behind us,” he said. “They give us the ability to care for kids that is not the norm in other schools.”

Kelly then continued to describe the school beyond “the As and the Bs” by outlining a few changes in each of the four divisions. The Nursery Division has a new playground, Kelly began, and the LD is delving deeper into its study of diversity. “Decades ago, we would’ve said they’re too young; they’re too fragile,” he said. Now, though, the school strives to teach students as young as kindergarteners how to lead—and lead graciously.

Furthermore, the MD is changing its approach in both advisories and assemblies with the goal of encouraging students to be “awake, engaged, and excited about the topics they are exploring,” Kelly said. And by next year, within the UD, there will be 15 new courses offered to make “AP courses look pedestrian.” “If this school is going to do something, it’s going to do it right,” he said.

Above all else, Kelly’s speech furthered Bipasha Chatterjee’s P’23 understanding of the school’s new academic vision, she said. “I saw Tom Kelly’s interest in making the future for the kids quite experimental and creative, almost like a college environment.”

Kelly also announced that the school will be giving students the day off for two more holidays next year: Lunar New Year and Eid al-Fitr, which helped Bharti Malkani P’23 P’27 see the the administration’s commitment to inclusivity, she said.

From Kelly’s speech and the night in general,

Grafstein hoped parents came away with two major lessons. “Number one, that there’s an openness, a willingness, to talk about almost any issue that affects either an individual child or the community more generally,” he said. “[Number two,] that there’s a genuine desire to improve, because as great as Horace Mann is, and wonderful as the traditions it has are, there’s a necessity and imperative to continue to improve.”

For Lou and Yuko Royer P’20, who habitually attend the school’s events such as musical performances and theater productions, going to this year’s dinner was especially meaningful since their daughter is a senior, Yuko Royer said.

Both Lou and Yuko always look forward to speaking with parents from other divisions who they don’t usually cross paths with, Lou Royer said.

Madaio, who has been involved in the PA since her daughter was in preschool, recognized that the school is a “commuters school,” so ensuring that parents feel connected to one another is key.

Events like the all school dinner also allow Yuko Royer to compare notes about the school’s different divisions, she said. “That’s always fun; we can tell them our experiences because many people may not know about the Dorr activities and other things.”

“We want to thank you for giving us your kids and for making us a priority,” Kelly concluded. From the ND to after college, the school will support their students and alumni, he said. “We’re here for life.”

OPINIONS

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Editor-in-Chief Julia Robbins Managing Editor Mayanka Dhingra Issues Editor Jude Herwitz Features Nelson Gaillard Gabby Kepnes Kiara Royer News Amelia Feiner Madison Li Sam Keimweiss Simon Yang Opinions Victor Dimitrov Abigail Salzhauer Lions’ Den Darius McCullough Mark Fernandez Ranya Sareen Andrew Cassino

THE RECORD OPINIONS FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Put service back in service learning

Katya Tolunsky The school’s mission of service learning (Slearn) is defined on the school website as “a pedagogy and movement which combines community service and action with education, often through curricular connections.” In my five years as a student at the school, I have had many meaningful and rewarding experiences with Service Learning; however, this year I did not feel that the Sophomore’s Service Learning Day, held last Thursday, lived up to the school’s mission statement.

The intention of this year’s workshop-filled day was to inspire students to become more involved in the Bronx community. Students missed a day of classes to engage in a variety of different workshops.

Many of these workshops involved guest speakers from nonprofit organizations and entrepreneurial founders seeking to share and advance their business agendas.

Although different and at times seeming random, the workshops were all connected through their geography. All of the organi-

zations aim to benefit various communities in the Bronx. Some were engaging, some were boring, while others felt irrelevant.

All, however, had the feel of an information session.

I have often heard our school referred to as “a little bubble on top of the hill,” implying that it is isolated from the rest of the Bronx community by the socioeconomic privilege of its student body. It is easy to forget that we are located in the poorest of New York state’s 62 counties. This message was made clear throughout the day. However, the message would have resonated more with me if we had actually left the isolated bubble of our campus. Having stayed within the confines of the “bubble,” the day lacked actual action that could have been meaningful to both the Bronx community and our students.

Over the years, the school has gradually decreased the level of service participation required in order to graduate. When my brother graduated in 2018, he was mandated to have at least 24 hours of community service. It didn’t matter whether this was achieved through joining the Slearn team or through your own means outside of school. This in and of itself is not a lot to ask from a group of generally privileged students who often have little exposure to the privations of others.

By my freshman year, the 24-hour requirement had been removed. Instead, the entire grade was divided up into different groups and sent into a variety of different settings in the Bronx to perform service.

Some cleaned up trash in Van Cortlandt Park, others gave out food at the New York Common Pantry, while others engaged

Middle Division Ben Wang Isabella Zhang Design Editors Euwan Kim Reena Ye Chris Ha

Photography Griffin Smith Ahaan Palla Jake Shapiro Faculty Adviser David Berenson

Staff Writers Izzy Abbott, Adrian Arnaboldi, Abby Beckler, Bradley Bennett, Sam Chiang, Sogona Cisse, Jack Crovitz, Adam Frommer, Andie Goldmacher, Julia Goldberg, Andie Goldmacher, Alison Isko, Avi Kapadia, Marina Kazarian, John Mauro, Yesh Nikam, Henry Owens, Oliver Steinman, Emily Shi, Samuel Singer, Natalie Sweet, Sasha Snyder, Vivien Sweet, Joshua Underberg, Talia Winiarsky, Chloe Choi, Emma Colacino, Yin Fei, Lucas Glickman, Claire Goldberg, Liliana Greyf, Lauren Ho, Walker McCarthy, Maya Nornberg, Morgan Smith, Patrick Steinbaug, Katya Tolunsky, Nathan Zelizer Staff Photographers Julia Isko, Daniel Lee, Ava Merker, Kelly Troop, Halley Robbins, Sophie Gordon, Amanda Wein, Maxwell Shopkorn, Emma Colacino, AJ Walker, Lucas Glickman, Lauren Ho Staff Artists Wilder Harwood, Sarah Sun, Rachel Zhu

I am not opposed to a day of workshops in itself. I believe that educating students about the different ways they can get involved is valuable. But it should not be a substitute for the day of actual service.

Learning is a most welcome addition to the service, which should always remain at the center of the Slearn curriculum.

I am not certain what the perfect requirement should be. Maybe the school should bring back a mandated number of hours,

Felix Brenner/ Staff Artist

ways to help. Although I understand the importance of the “learning” aspect of service learning, I do believe the emphasis should be placed more on service. But the sophomore’s day was all talk and no action.

I can’t help but feel disappointed that we are let off with lip service instead of actual service.

or perhaps it would be better to have a day or two of dedicated community service.

Whatever it is, I hope that in the future the requirement mandates actual action itself. I look forward to seeing what the Slearn curriculum brings us next year.

Learning to give animals the treatment they deserve

A&E Nishtha Sharma Eliza Poster Eddie Jin

Art Directors Annabelle Chan Gabrielle Fischberg Katya Arutyunyan

with students at local schools. Brief as it was, I found this experience to be rewarding, meaningful, and overall productive.

Furthermore, I felt that I was truly contributing to the Bronx community. Instead of hearing about all the areas of the Bronx that need our support, I was able to see firsthand and participate in providing aid.

This year’s Service Learning Day underwent even further cuts. It was reduced to simply talking about the issues and the

Ayesha Sen Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” When analyzing the human race on the basis of this quote, it is apparent that society has made little to no moral progress and that it would not be considered “great.”

For thousands of years, the human race has consumed animal meat, tested products on animals, and subjected animals to abuse solely for their own short-term entertainment. However, humanity needs to change their perspective on animals because not only do animals deserve rights, but they are also critical to society as a whole.

In the wake of the recent Australian wildfires, reports have stated that close to 1 billion animals, including koalas, kangaroos, flying foxes, and camels have lost their lives. As the fires continue to burn, concerned citizens across the world have tried to help out in several ways including making financial donations, donating goods and services, and spreading the news across various social media platforms.

However, what is shocking is that although citizens across the world have put in efforts to save animals in Australia, Australian Aboriginal Officials themselves have approved the murder of 10,000 camels. Officials have allegedly been transporting camels to a facility that kills about 250 camels a week for the past year. Their reasoning behind this was that camels drink too much water and that by shooting them, they will be saving water for humans. However, the officials’ decision to approve this was looked down upon by several activist groups as well as by the Turkish government. The fact that Aus-

tralia has organized the culling of camels for quite some time already is deeply worrying and it is critical, for the benefit of all of the beings on Earth, for us to find a more humane solution to the problem.

Another recent event that has not received enough attention is the opening of a theme park bungee-jumping ride, that honored the Year of the Pig for the Lunar New Year, in which a 165-pound pig was dropped from a 223-ft tower. Once videos of this event surfaced, social media users across the world were shocked that such an event had taken place. What is even more worrying is the fact that this appalling stunt was both publicized and legal. After reading several articles about the horrifying event, I decided that I wanted to watch the video for myself. I will never forget the horror I felt as I heard the pig screeched in distress while bouncing up and down from a bungee cord in midair. To make matters worse, in the background, upbeat music was playing and onlookers were laughing and chatting as if this were a normal event.

The fact that an event like this exists is quite hard for me to wrap my head around because living in a privileged society protects us from the horrors of the rest of the world. By not giving these horrifying events enough attention, we are in a sense encouraging them since they have no authoritative power telling them to stop.

Throughout the course of my life, as I have read about events like this, I became more and more convinced that something needed to be done. I believe that by simply spreading the word about the horrible events involving that occur worldwide, you can make a significant impact. While social media may only seem to be a source of entertainment, with the help of users across the world, one message can reach thousands of users and can create change. Additionally, simply living by the “If you see something, say something” rule can make a huge difference. Never be afraid to speak out. If you think that something may be immoral, stick with your gut because you can never be too safe, especially when it comes to the welfare of living beings.

I, myself, have recently become a vegetarian after years of eating meat. This decision was easy for me to make, as I had been wanting to become a vegetarian for a while.

However, because my entire family eats meat, it was difficult for me to transition and there were worries that I wouldn’t get enough protein. We eventually worked it out, however, and it has definitely made an impact on my life. I feel a lot more free and clean and I no longer need to feel guilty while eating and thinking about animals at the same time. I urge anyone who is even considering be-

coming vegetarian to take the first step and try because the satisfaction that it gives is unparalleled to anything else.

Additionally, although cats, dogs, and rabbits are amongst the small group of animals who are treated well, they always do need help finding a permanent home. I have volunteered at an animal shelter in Manhattan called Animal Care Center since 7th grade, and the work I do has been extremely rewarding. When I visit the shelter, I typically interact with the shelter animals, photograph them, video them, and then eventually write a bio about them. Helping out in ways like this plays a huge impact because if an animal isn’t shown enough attention, they may be sent to another shelter. The problem with this is that some of these other shelters may euthanize the animals it receives simply because they did not receive enough attention or because there wasn’t enough space. This practice is deeply inhumane and although we must try to end it, we can also try to prevent animals from reaching such a condition. If you are at all interested in helping out, as I have please do not hesitate to get started, as these animals need all of the help that they can take.

The most important thing to remember is that we, as a society, must stop normalizing the abuse of animals because if we continue to turn a blind eye towards the gruesome events that are going on throughout the world, we will never be able to progress as a society.

Gabby Fischberg/Staff Artist

HORACE MANN NEWS FEBRUARY 7, 2020

MUN wins individual awards at Harvard the most competitive conferences that we go to.”

The conference also serves as practice before the largest, most competitive one of the year. “The most competitive conference we go to is in 11 days, at Georgetown,” Kumar said.

Faculty advisor and Biology Lab Manager Alison Woolford led the trip along with Kumar, and Secretary Generals Eliza Bender (12) and Noah Fawer (12). 25 students attended: eight seniors, seven juniors, seven sophomores, and three freshmen.

“Being one of the freshmen on the trip, it was a really educational experience for me, and I learned a lot from being there,” Jacob Silverstein (9) said.

“The championships are important to determine the team’s ranking, and there’s more competitive schools that go,” said Ria Chowdhry (10). “Overall, they’re just more competitive than the others.” This conference was also before the team’s biggest of the year, which, according to Chowdhry, will have many competitive teams, including Dalton, HM’s rival.

The team had an eventful weekend. “We competed Thursday night, all of Friday, all of Saturday, and Sunday morning,” Kumar said.

According to Chowdhry, each day was full of activity. “We had committee sessions every day, and after that we did moderated caucuses, the more formal debate. After that, we did unmoderated caucuses, the non formal version.”

“Everyone on our team who went to the competition represented China. My topic was terrorism in the age of the internet,” Kumar said. “Other team members talked about similar concepts from the Chinese point of view such as possessions of nuclear weapons, and a student talked about issues in Crimea.”

Clio Rao Contributing Writer The school’s Model United Nations (MUN) team competed in a conference at Harvard University from Thursday, Jan. 30th to Sunday, Feb. 2nd. Seven members won best delegate awards, nine won outstanding delegate awards, and three won honorable mentions.

Harvard was one of their largest conferences in terms of the sheer number of competitors, according to Secretary General (SG) Arman Kumar (12). “It’s a championship conference, and it’s always held at Harvard,” Kumar said. “It’s definitely the largest, and one of

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According to both Chowdhry and Kumar, the tournament was an opportunity for the team to bond. “It’s just such a great time being with the team, and it’s so nice to be together spending a weekend away from school together,” Chowdhry said.

The SGs had a lot to organize before the conference. “We planned out restaurants, logistics, hotel rooms, curfews, and we were in constant communication with the advisers,” Kumar said.

“We started to prepare on December 24th. That was the day we sent out assignments.”

“It’s nice how close they are, and their work ethic is so good.

They always do everything together, and it’s really sweet that they’re so close” said Ayesha Sen (9).

“We have two mottos as a team: ‘Continue the Legacy’ and ‘Join the Family,’ so spending time with our Model UN family is always fun,” Kumar said. The MUN team continued their legacy due to the outstanding individual delegate awards at the conference, Kumar said.

While it was filled with triumphs, the MUN team also faced challenges at Harvard. “A hard thing about competing is maintaining stamina,” Kumar said. “It’s really long and you can’t give up, so you just have to keep debating, all four days.”

“Committee can be really hard sometimes, especially with competitive delegates, and sometimes that’s hard to deal with. Also, it’s tiring, and you don’t get a lot of sleep, and there’s not much time to relax,” Chowdhry said.

“Overall, it was a really fun trip,” said Silverstein. “It was a great experience, and everybody had a really good time.’’

SCIOLY makes states Zachary Kurtz Contributing Writer

The school’s Science Olympiad (SciOly) team qualified for the state competition last Saturday after competing in a variety of scientific tests and events at The Bronx Science High School of Science and placing sixth at New York City West Regionals.

This was the first year that NYC high schools were split into two regions for SciOly: East and West. The school is in the west region of the city, so some of the team’s competition included Bronx Science, Collegiate High School, Regis High School, Hunter College High School, and The Spence School.

“It was very intense,” co-President Malhaar Agrawal (12) said.

“These are very strong science schools.” Many of the other schools have class periods during the school day designated towards Science Olympiad, he said.

While the competition was fierce, the team managed to qualify for states after squeaking into fourth place behind Collegiate, Bronx Science, and Hunter College. Each school that participated brought two teams each, but only one team per school could qualify for states. The best overall finish for the school was sixth, but due to the rule of one team per school, they were bumped into the top four.

Agrawal placed third in Dynamic Planet, a test that covered concepts about the Earth’s oceans with Steve Yang (9), and fifth in Water Quality with Erin Zhao (11), which was a test event covering aquatic ecosystems and life in water.

The team has been preparing since November, Agrawal said.

“Preparation involves taking practice tests, reading textbooks. This content is not really covered in school and if it is, this science event takes it one a one and a half steps further.”

“You have to do a little bit extra studying,” co-President Reha Mathur (12) said. Mathur placed first in the Chemistry Lab with Yang, first in Code Busters with Arden Chen (12) and Isha Agarwal (12), which involved memorizing different ciphers and decoding phrases, fourth in the Machines Lab with Chen, and fourth in the Circuit Lab with Emily Shi (11). For Machines Lab, students had to build a compound machine to measure the ratio of three masses,

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and to develop the deployment mechanism for the parachute,” Mignone said. She was proud of her overall performance and worked hard to achieve second place, she said.

“I competed very well and certainly the team did very well. So that’s great news, clearly, it’s a testament to how strong the team was,” Agrawal said. There is significant interest in the SciOlyteam at the school, he said. “Those folks who are interested really put their A-game towards studying preparation building.”

“Science Olympiad is not an individual competition but rather a way for HM students to come together as a team,” Agarwal said.

“The experience is similar to a sports game in that I feel immense school pride and want to do the best I can as a representative of Horace Mann.”

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and Circuit Lab required students to take a test about circuits, electricity, and magnetism.

The school also took home first place in Sounds of Music thanks to Agarwal and Chen. For Sounds of Music, students had to build musical instruments and then take a test regarding the physics of sound. Agarwal and Chen built pipes that when blown into would make different sounds, Chen said.

Catherine Mignone (10) placed second for building a Ping-Pong Parachute in an event where participants had to build a rocket, using liter-sized bottles and tape, that would deploy a parachute with a ping pong ball in it. The judges determined the winner by how long the rocket and the parachute were in the air.

“I had to do many trials in order to get the rocket to be efficient

1. Two, three, and five, but not one 2. Neither covalent nor metallic 3. Triangle theorem 4. Dry and barren 5. What Elsa slams 6. Another name for Kim’s husband 7. They’re used for deception 8. Minimal exertion 9. They keep the score 11. Glare at 12. Not current 13. A period of time 14. Where kangaroos keep their joeys 17. The Indy 500 20. Used to comment on a foolish or stupid action 22. Largest city in Morocco 26. …

30. Can’t talk now, but soon 34. Colleges want you to demonstrate this 38. Slope sideways 39. Origin of the phrase, Take the L 40. Often paired with lemon 41. Not tame 42. Alors, en anglais

by Abby Beckler

Across

43. Told alongside a joke 46. Taylor Swift’s latest creation 49. An ancient greek prophet 50. Relating to odors 52. Ohio State tried to trademark it 53. Speedwalk 54. Not an amateur 56. I did not need to know that 60. The night before 64. What I asked you to like 67. German athleticwear company 70. That is to say, …

71. Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances 72. Symphony played every winter by the HM Orchestra 73. Fly or mosquito 75. They host a gala in May 76. Music genre 77. Drink holder 78. Projects voices when speaking 80. Approaching or reaching (a particular condition).

1. Where you’d find a leaning tower 5. 10th President of the United States 10. How HM students feel all the time 15. Sound made by a pride 16. A female cow 18. Large event where goods are displayed 19. Not outside 21.To erase a mark from a surface 23. After three strikes 24. Do, re, …

25. Bro 27. Not a Golden Globe 28. Unit of measurement for anesthesia 29. Brain stimulation therapy 31. It powers a generator 32. Is, en español 33. I didn’t see you there 35. Expressing motion in the direction of a particular location 36. TV drama taking place in Orange County 37. The Weird Yankovic 39. I believe I can 41. Time spent relaxing and not working 42. Stereotypical sleepover party 44. @ 45. Famous Olive 46. A Stooge 47. All evil villains have one 48. A member of the K-Pop band, BTS

49. Double-reeded instrument 51. Home to 18 miles of books 54. The art of dealing with media 55. Video game where one destroys blocks 57. What one does when giving someone the silent treatment 58. This or the truth 59. Reckless people 61. Enclosed abbr.

62. Software, synonym 63. Movie theater chain 65. Injection device to deliver fluid to the body 66. Primate 68. This is for you 69. Scalp bugs 71. Out of 36 73. __ Mine 74. First word of a two-word beauty brand 75. A person in the House of Lords and House of Commons 76. A location at HM where hand-eye-coordination comes in handy 79. First word of a Stevie Wonder song 81. I messed up 82. How someone might describe frozen yogurt, oranges, or sour cream 83. Desktop appliance

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THE RECORD FEATURES FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Familiar Faces, U

Olive Keegan Liliana Greyf and Jillian Lee Staff and Contributing Writers

In her 30 years here, Olive Keegan has had enough experiences to “write a book.

A good one,” she said. Keegan is the bubbly telephone receptionist who is adored by students and faculty in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divisions. Keegan is the person who says “Horace Mann School, may I help you?” when the phone rings, but her job is much more than that.

Keegan was born in Ireland, and lived there for most of her childhood. In 1965, Keegan immigrated to New York along with several family members including her mother and father, twin brother, and younger twin siblings. Some of her older siblings were already living in America at the time.

Living in Ireland during Keegan’s youth was difficult, she said. “We only ate vegetables; there was never any meat. It was just too expensive,” she said. The gap between the wealthy and working classes was significant and widening further, creating tough times for Keegan’s family. “You were either rich or poor,” she said. “And the rich got everything.”

Life in Ireland was hard, but Keegan never let it get her down, making the most of what she had, and always keeping a sense of humor. Keegan was once at a store buying tea, when a woman in line behind her became extremely angry with Keegan for purchasing the last packet of tea. In response, Keegan

filled a tea packet with turf and waited for the rude woman to open it. “I had a good laugh,” Keegan said. “I knew she would get turf instead of tea!”

The move to a new country was shocking and a difficult adjustment, especially because the city experienced a major blackout only

Belle Beyer/Contributing Photographer

a few days after Keegan arrived, she said.

“I wanted to go back home the next day,” Keegan said. However, with time, she began to appreciate her new home. “I was delighted to be here, surrounded by all these different backgrounds,” she said.

Jimmy Ostuni Hanna Hornfeld and Ethan Katzke Staff and Contributing Writers

“Jimmy embodies the kind of person I want to be,” Paul Wang (12) said. “He’s a model of a good person.” Jimmy Ostuni loaned Wang his maintenance department uniform to wear as a Senior Absurdity Day costume. Out of admiration, Wang had asked to dress up as him. On his cell phone, Ostuni has a photograph of the two in matching uniforms, and whenever he looks at it, it brings tears to his eyes, he said.

Two years after graduating high school, Ostuni was living in Riverdale, within walking distance from the school, and heard about a dishwashing job opening from friends who were working at the school.

35 years ago, he began work in the Lower Division (LD), a very different environment from the South Bronx public school he attended in the 70s and 80s, he said.

“Everybody just seemed happy [at HM], and I sort of fell in love with the place,” he said.

“It’s been my home ever since.”

Ostuni originally expected that his job would be temporary, and he would eventually move on to do something else.

He started helping one of the maintenance workers at the time — an older man who would soon retire — and eventually took over his role. After 20 years at the LD, Ostuni stepped into his current job in Middle/ Upper Division maintenance. “I came for the dental coverage, but it ended up being an exciting and rewarding career,” he said.

Now, Ostuni starts every day by punching in, getting a cup of coffee from the maintenance office, and beginning that day’s tasks. He does the recycling, cleans up the school and outer campus, and checks his cell phone for texts or emails about anything he might have to do for special events that day, from PA meetings to Homecoming.

Ostuni is a unique and valued member of the staff; he takes pride in his job and in the school community and readily completes tasks without even being asked, Director of

Facilities Management Gordon Jensen said.

He also has a keen memory and tremendous knowledge about the facilities. Whenever his coworkers don’t know where something is, they ask Ostuni.

Among the maintenance staff and beyond, Ostuni is known for his love of recycling, Jensen said. Part of Ostuni’s job involves sorting through the garbage bags and separating recyclables from trash, a task into which he pours his whole heart, Jensen said. “Even before he comes and punches in, he’s out there taking care of the garbage,” he said. “That’s something the students should know about him: if they’re not doing it, he’s doing it for them.”

Ostuni spends so much time recycling that people refer to the recycling center in the basement of Fisher Hall as his office, he said.

In this “office,” Ostuni keeps photographs of things he holds dear, from coworkers to students to musicians like Frank Sinatra and Keith Richards. One of these pictures is of a young girl in the Nursery Division whose father played foosball with Ostuni in fifth grade. Ostuni keeps that photograph as a reminder of how long he has been at the school and all of the memories over the years, he said.

Ostuni cares deeply about the student body and always tries his best to help them, he said. Michael Shaari (10) remembers being introduced to Ostuni by his older siblings when he was in sixth grade. At the time, his parents told him that he was the person to go to if he ever needed help. The following year, Shaari lost all of his props for an English project and emailed Ostuni who found the materials lying around campus and brought them to him the next day.

More recently, on Japan day, the same thing happened, and Ostuni came to the rescue once again, Shaari said.

Lucas Alexander (10) worked with Ostuni over the summer as part of the maintenance staff. During that time, the two grew close as Alexander and Ostuni spent considerable time talking and joking with each other.

Alexander recalls that even before they developed a friendship, Ostuni would always

Keegan went to school in Ireland and earned her high school equivalency (GED) here in New York. She then enrolled in college courses and settled down. She worked at the New York Telephone Company and soon after became a receptionist at Horace Mann.

This year is Keegan’s 30th at the school.

Keegan is usually the person that answers the phone when someone calls the school, and will either answer a question or route the call to another line. “She is always so helpful with whatever is needed,” Administrative Assistant to the Head of Upper Division Diana Gonzalez said. “She answers the phone calls, keeps track of the calendar, and lost and found. It’s a whole array of things.”

A lot has changed since Keegan’s first moments here in 1990. Her office used to be on the second floor of Olshan, near the library. Because there were no telephones on the third floor, Keegan would have to run between classrooms to deliver messages.

Now, Ms. Keegan is situated outside of the main office and communicates messages via switchboard.

However, some aspects of the school have remained constant. The spirit of the school community has always motivated Keegan throughout the years. It has always been an uplifting and positive environment. “It’s a joy to see the kids; the laughter in the hallways.” Keegan said.

Hannah Katzke (9) said that Keegan makes a huge impact on our community as a receptionist.

“She always brings joy to our community through her friendly greetings,” Madison Xu

(9) said.

Keegan is known for her bright smile and generosity, Bill O’Sullivan, Senior Supervisor of Public Safety said. He described Keegan as a wonderful coworker. “I always love when Olive is here to help out. We are usually here on a lot of Saturday mornings when the SAT or ACT is being administered, and she will always pick up fresh bagels for everyone,” O’Sullivan said.

Gonzalez has been friends with Keegan for over 15 years. Because the two live in the same neighborhood, they often commute to and from school together. “She is always a very friendly face,” she said.

“It’s a happy family place,” Keegan said, describing the school. Family is very important to Keegan. She values all of the friendships and connections that she has made in her time working at the school.

As for family outside of school, Keegan is a loving grandmother who frequently attends her grandchildren’s basketball and softball games, she said. Two of her grandchildren visited Horace Mann to wish Keegan a happy birthday a couple of weeks ago, O’Sullivan said.

Some students say hi to Keegan every morning, Jessica Thomas (12) said. “I love that woman!”

Although Keegan loves many things about the school, her favorite moments always include the kindness of the community. “I love it when students stop by and say hello!” she said.

greet him in the hallways, he said.

Ostuni makes it a point to say hello to everybody and learn all the students’ names, which is one of his most admirable qualities, Wang said.

Remembering over 30 years’ worth of names is a big challenge, but Ostuni tries his hardest, he said. Ostuni’s genuine care for individual students makes all the difference, Jensen said. Jensen recalls a recent episode when the two were sitting in the cafeteria and a student with a sprained ankle walked by. Not only did Ostuni ask him how he

not working, I put smiles on people’s faces.”

Additionally, he feels that this kindness is returned by the community. Ostuni’s favorite part about working at the school is the smiles and the kindness of the students and faculty. “Everybody is easygoing and happy,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by nice and appreciative people.”

The school has recognized Ostuni for his friendliness and caring personality. In 2013, the Mannikin was dedicated to him. The next year, students in Visual Arts Teacher Kim Do’s Video Production class created a short film about Ostuni. Ostuni cherishes both these events. He still has the CD of the film and is touched every time he watches it.

Outside of work, Ostuni prefers to keep himself busy rather than staying at home.

Every weekend, he goes on long distance runs, because it keeps him active and healthy. “It’s more fun than running around in a circle like a gopher,” he said. “If you set a goal that you’re going to run long distance you can’t get lazy and stop. I wish I ran when I was younger but I’ll make up for it now.”

When Ostuni retires, he wants to move to Thailand with his wife. He thinks she would appreciate moving back to her home country after having lived in the United States for 25 years. Additionally, Ostuni likes the idea of the peaceful life his wife’s family leads as farmers.

After graduating, Wang is certain he will keep in touch with Ostuni. “Any time that I visit I’ll look out for him,” Wang said. “It’s inevitable that he’ll greet me. He’s one of the amazing people at HM.” Ostuni doesn’t have kids of his own, so to him, the students are like his children. He loves getting to know students, watching them grow up, and building friendships with them. At graduation, he feels as though he is watching his own children leave and go off to college. “I’m always in the back of the tent with tears in my eyes because I have to say goodbye,” he said.

Courtesy of the Horace Mann Flickr

was, he greeted the student by name and already knew that he had sprained his ankle in a fencing match. “It’s not just words with Jimmy,” Jensen said.

Six years ago, when he was applying for the position of Director of Facilities Management, Jensen interviewed with members of the maintenance staff. Ostuni asked about his music taste, which struck Jensen. Such a question showed the value that Ostuni placed on understanding people’s unique personalities, Jensen said.

Ostuni believes that kindness is important. “It takes more energy to be mean to people, so it’s better to be kind. When I’m

5

HORACE MANN FEATURES FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Unfamiliar Stories Margo Kennington Lauren Ho and Emily Sun Staff and Contributing Writers

Every student at the school has gone through the application process, and every student who has had an interview or called the school with questions has exchanged hellos with Margo Kennington, the school’s Admissions Office Manager.

“She’s the glue in this office,” Associate Director of Middle and Upper Division Admissions Robin Ingram said of Kennington.

Kennington has worked at the school since 2001. Before her employment in the admissions office, Kennington worked for U-Haul, and then at an alarm company for over 10 years. She had studied mathematics in college. “I always thought I’d either be a pediatrician or a teacher,” Kennington said, “but life happens, I had my kids, so I didn’t go the medical school or teacher route.”

When the alarm company started to downsize, she needed to find another job.

Since she just had her second child, Michael Miller ‘15, Kennington decided it would be best for her to go into the school system as she had originally planned. This way she would have a flexible schedule and be able to raise her son as she worked, she said.

Kennington became a lunch aide at The David A. Stein Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy (MS-HS 141) and settled into a daily routine of working with and getting to know the kids, she said. “Even though it wasn’t teaching, [the job] was still in education, so I felt comfortable.” Kennington learned of the admission office manager position at the school from one of her MSHS 141 coworkers, so she applied and got the job, Kennington said.

Behind her desk in Spence Cottage, Kennington manages several aspects of the admissions process. She answers questions for prospective families, processes applications into the school’s Ravenna application platform, and greets visitors to the school, she said. During the admission season from September to February, Kennington is always very busy. “[She is] friendly nonstop to incoming families,” Ingram said.

Kennington said that she enjoys guiding people through the application process, which can be overwhelming.“There are some families that don’t [know about applying to independent schools], so I find it satisfying [that] I’m there to be knowledgeable about how they can get through this process,” Kennington said.

Her son began kindergarten at the school in 2002. Kennington’s experience with her son applying and being admitted to the school gave her first-hand experience on how to navigate the system. “[This information] helped to inform families and make them comfortable and make them feel welcomed,” she said.

Kennington’s favorite part of admissions is meeting different families and learning what they have to offer to HM, she said.

Although she does not conduct interviews, she has met interesting families through the years and is even on a first-name basis with some of them. “It’s like a friendship almost develops, even if they don’t get in,” she said.

Kennington also helps Ingram with the Student Ambassador Program, where Upper Division students lead tours for prospective families and speak at open houses. Student Ambassador Leader Amiya Mehrotra (12) said that whenever she goes into Spence Cottage to give a tour, Kennington is always

Barry Mason Claire Goldberg and Alex Lautin Staff and Contributing Writers It’s likely that students have seen him at sports games or performances, and they might even know him as “the person taking pictures with the two big cameras,” but students probably don’t know all of the ways that School Photographer Barry Mason contributes to the school. Not only does Mason photograph school events, but he is also a fine arts painter, and has his own art gallery in Mount Vernon.

Mason has worked for the school since 2008. He originally filled a position in the photo department for Art Teacher Keith Renner while he was on paternity leave, and has covered for every single visual arts class offered in the past 12 years. On occasion, Mason has also covered art history classes as well.

“Upon returning it was clear that Mr. Mason was more than a sub,’” Renner said.

“The students gained unique perspectives on their artwork and moved forward in positive and unexpected directions that can be traced directly to their interactions with Mr. Mason.”

Visual Arts Department Chair Dr. Anna Hetherington said that Mason has not only subbed for a few of her classes, but also has chaperoned many of their field trips. “Mr. Mason is an extraordinary, wonderful, thoughtful, helpful, and amazing person,” she said.

Renner originally discovered Mason’s talent at Renner’s ceramics gallery in Mount Vernon and suggested that Mason apply to work at the school, Renner said.

“First impressions can go a long way and

Mr. Mason’s kindness, generosity, calm and dedication to the arts was immediately apparent,” he said. “It wasn’t until after our initial meeting that I learned of his innovative approaches to painting and his tremendous talent as an artist.”

Currently, photographing events is Mason’s main job at the school. “I love covering all events, but the hardest to cover is probably sporting events,” Mason said.

“For a football game, I try to get into the

Halley Robbins/Staff Photographer

quarterback’s head and anticipate their next play so that I can go and stand in the perfect place.”

Charles Simmons (12) runs track and feels that having Mason take photos of him at a meet makes it seem more professional, he said. “It feels really cool to see him come take photos,” he said.

Mason coordinates which events to photograph with the help of Audio, Visual,

there to match families with the Student Ambassadors. “[Kennington] basically helps the program run,” Student Ambassador Leader Diana Shaari (12) said.“I think that having her present is very comforting for a lot of families and ambassadors when they begin touring families.”

“The hardest part of being an Admissions Office Manager is how it is busy, busy, busy, every day all day,” Kennington said. The months between September and January are Maxwell Shopkorn/Staff Photographer

a whirlwind of activity as she needs to keep up with all the prospective families, she said.

Once the decisions are sent out to families in February, Kennington helps coordinate visiting days for the accepted students.

Afterwards, she finishes the admission process on the school’s side. The office “is a

and Technology Associate Marcio Moreira.

“A lot of times there are conflicting events for which we have to prioritize,” Mason said.

For Mason, the school’s unique atmosphere makes the job special and fulfilling. “Everyone is so warm and pleasant, and that makes my job a whole lot easier,” he said. “Teaching here has given me the chance to give back and share what I know. As students learn from me, I learn from them. It’s really humbling.”

Photography and the arts have been a part of Mason’s life ever since he was a child. “I would always draw and build things as a little boy; I love putting things together,” he said. Mason drew throughout high school, and his drawing of President Jimmy Carter even ended up in the yearbook his senior year. Working on the yearbook his senior year is also how he became involved in photography, Mason said.

Mason is from Snowhill, Maryland, a rural town without a museum in sight, he said. The total population of Snowhill was around 2,000 when Mason was growing up, he said. For most of his childhood experience, Mason only learned about famous paintings in his classes.

“The first time I went to a museum was in 1979, when I was attending Indiana State University, and I was driving the 18 hours home,” Mason said. “I stopped in Washington D.C., and I got to see the huge paintings that I had only learned about in class. From just seeing something that massive, like that a lightbulb went off in my head. I was blown away.”

In 1982, after Mason received his BFA at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C., he moved to New York and began working for Central Broadcasting Services (CBS). “I was doing computer graphics there before people had even heard of email. There

little less busy,” she said.

Outside of the admissions process, Kennington answers phone calls, updates address profiles for current families, and takes care of Spence Cottage and everyone working in it. “I maintain the supply for the office, whether it be of stationary or coffee,” she said.

An aspect of the job which Kennington treasures is the close connection she shares with other faculty members in the admissions office. “We really work together like a family, not just coworkers,” she said.

“We can laugh and socialize, and we’re pretty close here. We know each other pretty well.”

Kennington’s presence is much appreciated in the admissions office. Ingram and Viviana Carrillo, Administrative Assistant for Nursery and Kindergarten Admissions, both said Kennington has a great sense of humor. Ingram has known her for over 18 years. ”She’s an unbelievably hard worker, and she’s just always patient,” she said.

Carrillo has worked with her for almost two years, and “Mrs. Kennington, is a team player, dedicated, respectful and always willing to help others,” Carrillo said. “She’s a trusted colleague and a good friend,” Jason Caldwell, Head of Admissions, said.

After working at the school for nearly two decades, Kennington has seen many changes to the admissions office. At the beginning of her time here, she used a typewriter to type up contracts and mailed acceptance letters out by hand. Now, the process takes place on an online database or by email. One thing that has remained constant is Kennington’s dedication to her job. “She’s one of the last people to leave the office,” said Caldwell.

“I started in admissions and I’m still here; hopefully I’ll retire here as well,” Kennington said.

were only a handful of people working on computer graphics at the time, and we also made different slides to be broadcasted on the network,” Mason said.

In addition to covering the Olympics in 1984, sports, and the news with CBS, Mason also has photographed many celebrities, he said. “I’ve photographed Larry Bird, Curt Thomas, Barack Obama, and even [the] late Michael Jackson.”

When photographing the president of his family, there is strict protocol to follow, Mason said. “The U.S. secret service checks you out and their bomb sniffing dogs look through your photo gear before you begin to photograph,” he said.

By 2008, CBS had downsized and Mason began teaching, painting, and photographing full time in Mount Vernon.

“My studio has been open for the last two, three years,” Mason said. “I’m known for shaped canvases. I cut and shape lumber in various, odd shapes then I stretch the canvas over it. I do mostly abstract art.”

Mason has always had an interest in experimenting with shapes, he said. “When I was little, I started drawing the basics, like a pencil holder or a spice rack, which have now turned to bigger shapes and ideas, like my canvases,” he said.

Mason’s shaped canvas paintings are “adventurous,” art teacher Mr. Kim Do said.

“Barry is one of the nicest people on the planet, we’re lucky to have somebody of his caliber working here.”

Overall, Mason feels that working at the school has been a huge opportunity for his growth as a photographer, artist, and teacher, he said. “It is an honor and privilege to document the great things that go on here at the school.”

6

THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Rap as a release in ‘Teens of Denial’

SCREENAGERS Actors stare at their screens

Abby Beckler and Max Chasin Staff and Contributing Writers “Bad, bad, bad. Really bad, bad, bad,” a teenage boy chants as he swaggers onto the Black Box stage donning a chain, Supreme t-shirt and a variety of other hypebeast accoutrements. Though he penned these words in reflection upon his turbulent relationship with his girlfriend, they also appropriately describe his rap skills.

“Teens of Denial,” a play written by Eliza Bender (12), follows the journey of Jeff, a fashion-obsessed high school student played by Spencer Kahn (12), who pursues a rap career on Sound-

Cloud despite his lack of both musical talent and intelligence. He encounters self-proclaimed music intellectuals, Parker and Genevieve, portrayed

by Ishaan Kannan (12) and Bailey Hecht (9), and through a chain of events, the teens work together to help him with his rap beats and lyrics.

“On the surface, it’s a play about music, but looking deeper, it’s a play about authenticity, and how much we value what others think of us,” assistant director Dylan Chin (12) said.

The play features many high energy scenes, filled with jokes, theater teacher and director Haila VanHentenryck said. “The play is always making fun of itself, and making fun of its generation.”

“A lot of the characters in the show are very stereotypical, but on purpose. A lot of comedy comes from that,” Kannan said.

“Jeff is a stereotypical hypebeast; he’s very into hypebeast culture, Supreme clothes, Soundcloud,” Kahn said. “That’s what this show is: a time capsule of 2018 and he’s a product of his time.”

Genevieve was different from roles she has portrayed in the past, Hecht said. “In other productions, I’ve been cast as the comic relief,” she said. “Typically the characters that I play are overtly funny, like a Disney Channel show, smiling and looking at the audience while waiting for a laugh. However, this time my character is inadvertently funny. It’s a different sense of humor.”

All of the raps in the play were written by Bender, often in under 20 minutes. “When I get really stressed, one of the things that I’ll do is freestyle rap to myself in the bathroom,” she said.

The play deals with some controversial topics, such as the appropriation of rap culture by the white community. In order to make sure the actors properly understood the history of rap music, dramaturg Isaac Brooks gave the cast a workshop about the culture of rap.

“We did bring up several topics that are hinted at/referenced in the play; among them was the use of the N-word and the tacit understanding of who can use it and who cannot and to whom it may refer,” Brooks said. “Additionally, we discussed the inherent misogyny in many rap lyrics and how many people in the arts form despair at its prevalence.”

“There’s a lot of elements of Jeff ’s character where, in the parody of the hypebeast culture, he just misses the emotional connection to rap,” Kahn said. “He doesn’t understand a lot of the history behind it, so a lot of what you hear in the show is someone with a very surface-level understanding of rap which makes it very entertaining but also possibly problematic.”

“In the play Jeff, or J-Boy is a dilettante, and not worthy of the title “raapper” in the play,” Brooks said. “He’s a sort of clown character that is using and is used by those who like to identify with the rap community for their own personal gain or a feather in their cap of identity.”

Bender was conscious of the history of rap while writing the play, but it was not her top priority, which was to make the play enjoyable and humorous. “I know a lot about the history of rap, but I didn’t really think about it while I was writing this play because it’s not all about indie music versus rap; it’s about teen culture and fads,” Bender said.

The play also centers around a knowledge of music theory and musical terminology, which were difficult for the cast to understand at first.

“A whole plot point is centered around one rap which has ‘a parallel perfect interval,’ and I didn’t know what any of those words meant in a musical context,” Chin said.

“I really enjoy the friendships I’ve made and the fun times we’ve shared,” Hecht said. “It was great to act alongside and be directed by the more experienced upperclassmen, and it’s been a great experience being a part of the HMTC.”

Student-Wri

‘Will You Take This Rose?’: the reality behind reality TV Frankie Dogramaci Contributing Writer Despite reality television’s promise of giving viewers an intimate look into what happens behind closed doors, the martinis flung, tables flipped, and hearts broken may not be as candid as they seem. “Will You Accept This Rose,” a One-Act written by Everett Kagan ’19, explores that world, diving into such themes as authenticity with a lighthearted satire of reality show, The Bachelor.

The play takes the audience behind the scenes, as competitors expound their motivations for

LOVEBIRDS Actors pretend like they are in love

joining the show and cameras navigate unfolding drama. It stars contestant Brook Santino, played

by Amelia Feiner (12), who enters the competition in search of fame and fortune. Towards the end of the play; however, she has a change of heart and decides to live more authentically rather than in the pursuit of popularity, student assistant director Henry Owens (11) said.

The play’s humor provided a contrast to other shows in the festival which are more serious, Jordan Ferdman (11), who plays one of the crew members, said.

“It’s not just a humorous adaptation, because it has some meaningful things packed into the lines,” Theatre teacher Halia VanHentenryck

said. The way that the play is able to touch upon important issues and still be a funny and playful show is what makes it so unique, she said.

“Everyone has stereotypes about the show and we’ve discovered a lot in researching,” VanHentenryck said. While researching what it’s actually like to be on The Bachelor, the cast discovered that the contestants are isolated and their actions are controlled.

Learning how manipulated the scenes are changed Feiner’s perspective on the show, consequently altering her performance, she said.

Though The Bachelor is portrayed as a reality TV show, it isn’t reality, Owens said. By exposing the audience to how participants are pressured to behave in ways which they may not normally, Owens hopes that people will think more critically about the shows, he said.

One of the most interesting concepts in the play is at the end, when it breaks the fourth wall, VanHentenryck said. “This concept goes off when we are performing and how we perform for others” she said. Spencer Kahn (12), who plays the show’s host, Chris Harrison, sits with the audience and performs a monologue about being genuine, Owens said.

Although VanHentenryck is the director of the play, the cast and the student director contributed greatly to the vision of the show. “In the beginning I led rehearsals and took the lead, started things and got them going, and then I set them free,” VanHentenryck said.

Since a lot of actors have been out sick, everyone in the cast is always ready to step up and read their lines and be there for missing cast members, Ferdman said. Actors from different plays are always willing to help, Owens said.

The students involved with the play are constantly stepping up and doing whatever necessary to make everything run smoothly, Ferdman said.

As well as being in the cast, Bailey Hecht (9) participated in stage crew, working alongside upperclassmen to build the set. She enjoyed seeing

all of the different parts of the play come together to create a cohesive work, Hecht said.

Being able to see all the lights, choreography, and set come together to create something beautiful is what makes all the hard work worth it, VanHentenryck said.

7

HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Meditating on misogyny in ‘Advanced Placement’ Ayesha Sen Contributing Writer Months of hard work put in by actors, directors, set designers, costume designers, and shop keepers will be showcased on Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th in a captivating performance about feminism and how it developed over time through art and daily experiences.

“Advanced Placement,” penned by Charlotte Pinney ’19, takes place in a community that students at Horace Mann are quite familiar with—a classroom.

The story follows seven female characters—a teacher and six students—as they get to know each other and develop as their own women in an AP Art History Class over the course of the year, Director Haila VanHentenryck said. “It is also about art and feminism and the way that women depict themselves in art versus how the world represents them,” she said.

“The play explores how the male gaze has evolved over time from the context of paintings from thousands of years ago to the characters’s lives today,” Jordan Ferdman (11) said. Ferdman plays the character, Jackie, in the play.

Towards the middle of the play, the audience finds out that one of the students, Kat, had previously sent explicit photos to her boyfriend, who had become abusive towards her, Emily Sun (9), who plays Kat in the show, said. However, when she tries to break up with him, he uses these photos as blackmail to force her into staying with him, Sun said.

“Kat’s experience shows how violent the male gaze is, and brings the consequences of it out of the theoretical art world, into real life,” she said.

“In AP, the power of confronting the gaze that is perpetually projected onto females in art is really important,” student director Kyra Mo (12) said.

“The actors were so ready to be vulnerable on stage, which was a huge step to unpacking and exploring the psyches of their characters.”

“We have an amazing relationship with Kyra,

who is the best and has made this process infinitely more wonderful than I could have imagined it being,” Ferdman said.

“Directing ‘Advanced Placement’ specifically was beautiful for me as a female director because I was able to direct an all-female cast with a female assistant director, which is not an opportunity that you get a lot,” VanHentenryck said.

“The cast is so invested in this text and their characters,” VanHentenryck said. “I am so proud of the way that they developed this story,” she said. However, the topics that the play explores are intense, and “it has been hard to deal with heavy and somber emotions every single rehearsal while still keeping a positive rehearsal room,” VanHentenryck said.

“I think that the cast has done a really good job of balancing the heavy topics that the play is concerned with,” Ferdman said. “Towards the beginning of the rehearsal process, there were a lot of tears and I think that really serves as a testament to how powerful the script is,” she said.

Every rehearsal was emotionally deep and the cast had frequent discussions about how they feel as actors about the issues, Ashley Dai (12) said. Dai plays the character Marnie in the play. “We definitely explored topics that I had to dig a little bit deeper into myself to fully understand how my character would feel,” she said.

“What is really great about the show is the friendships that I have with the other actors, because the play covers really heavy topics, so having a close relationship helps us deal with things together,” Sun said.

From the beginning of the rehearsal process, the cast bonded through their connection to the text and the characters, Mo said. “Even outside of rehearsals, the actors would come up to me in the hallways and tell me about a new idea that they had been thinking of for their character,” she said. “I just feel so incredibly grateful to have a cast that is so close and so supporting,” she said. “I really feel like

LOOK UP Actors diligently watch their peers it is a reservoir of strength and enthusiasm. It was such a joy to work with the actors,” Mo said.

“A lot of the rehearsal process and being a part of such an emotional play really brought us closer together,” Dai said. “In a lot of the rehearsals we just cried together. Getting through a lot of these emotional scenes really helped us bond,” she said.

Ferdman had never worked on a show in which she was so intensely connected to both the cast and the characters. “It’s really great that we support each other especially when someone has a particularly hard day and the subject matter is a little too much,” she said. “Each role is very emotionally demanding in very different ways and I think that supporting

itten One-Acts

each other through them has been a very special part of the process,” she said.

“We have a group chat that is very active and we make memes and TikToks about the show that wouldn’t make sense to others,” Ferdman said. “I come to school every day and I am most excited to see that cast,” she said.

The entire process has been student-driven which is terrific, Van Hentenryck said. “The underlying theme of authenticity and what we perform for other people is so powerful and I can’t wait for everyone to see it,” VanHentenryck said.

‘Ode Of’: Generation Z’s take on tragedy Hannah Katzke Contributing Writer “Ode Of ” is a student-written One-Act play by Evann Penn Brown (11). Contrary to the other plays’ humorous plots, “Ode Of ” tells the story of the tragic loss of a close friend. “The entire show is composed of different meaningful odes to that character,” performer Luke Weber (12) said. Performer Emily Sun (9) characterizes the play as “serious, sentimental and emotional.”

“Ode Of ” is a story about moving on while remembering the value of what you have. The play concentrates on “how to continue after a huge personal loss, and how to be a good friend when you are in so much pain,” the play’s director Haila VanHentenryck said. Each of the characters mirrors one of the five stages of grief, and together, as a group of friends, they try to learn how to move on after the tragedy strikes.

Students run every part of the production from the writing to the acting, directing, blocking, set building and lighting.

“One of the main advantages of being directed by students is there is a mutual trust and respect already existing between people involved,” Weber said.

“The amount of work that goes into every production is incredible and something I never even thought about before I joined,” Ishaan Kannan (12) said. “Evann wrote all the words but we did our best to complement those words with body language, eye contact, and pauses,” Weber said.

“It’s our job to take what she wrote and light it up on stage by making it as personal and natural as possible.”

Weber found that one of the most important things for him to develop his character was to use his castmates. He finds them a great source to help make his lines more vivid and emotional, he said.

“We’ve done some very strange stuff that isn’t in the script in putting it together, especially with [my] character, and it works beautifully,” Kannan said. “Our characters have to choose what to see and remember in order to move on from tragedy, and I want [my character] to seem almost like a memory while still maintaining a very real presence in the way he affects August,” he said.

The play has a uniquely supernatural aspect about it. Sun’s character, the deceased August, can see a ghost that the other characters do not see, “so it is up to the audience how they want to interpret the ghost,” Sun said. The ghost in the show is played by two actors who are on stage at the same time, which provides different, unique versions of the ghost.

VanHentenryck has incorporated Philip Glass’ music “to make [the play] feel a little somber, and mysterious,” she said. The music ties together All art by Gabby Fischberg/Art Director

the theme of loss and tragedy.

The theme of authenticity unites the four oneacts. “Ode Of ” conveys that theme by “looking at something and seeing the surface and what’s actually deeper,” VanHentenryck said. “Grief is so revealing that this is a really unique play,” she said. “When we reveal our true selves to others we learn how to live a genuine life.” “‘Ode Of ’ is a really important play to see because… everyone has some sort of grief in their life and everyone has to go through some struggle at one point or another, and the characters in this show provide examples of how people cope with tough times,” Weber said.

“It is a very sad play so it is challenging to have rehearsals and have the actors go to very dark places,” VanHentenryck said. “The script is

beyond emotional and could only be written by someone who truly feels and displays empathy every single day towards everyone she knows, and that’s Evann,” Kannan said.

“The cast is a family, support system, and incredibly close friend group all in one. In my time at HM, I’ve never been part of a community like it,” Kannan said. The cast has been working and rehearsing weekly since November. “I hope a lot of people come to see the show,” Sun said.

“We didn’t make it to be liked by an audience, we made it because it’s beautiful, and I hope people think it’s beautiful as well,” VanHentenryck said. “I’m so excited for the playwright Evann to see her play on stage, it’s such an incredible opportunity for her.”

A DESPONDENT DAZE Characters in the play mourn the death of their friend

Lions’ Den Record Sports

Congratulations to Ella Anthony for becoming the Third All-time Leader Scorer in Horace Mann Basketball History with 1,623 points and to Girls Varsity Basketball for clinching the Ivy League Championship!

FEBRUARY 7TH, 2020

Wrestling wins the Ivy League Championship Josh Underberg Staff Writer The Varsity Wrestling team finished the season with a 13-2 record, winning the Ivy League and nearly matching last year’s undefeated record. The Lions placed first in the Ivy League Prep Tournament with 14 semifinalists, ten finalists, and four champions.

While team members were disappointed with their loss against their rival Poly Prep, during the regular season, they avenged the loss by beating Poly in the Ivy League Prep Tournament, Captain Liam Futterman (11) said.

Futterman, Nicholas Moreira (11), Patrick Stinebaugh (10), and Ross Petras (9) all placed first in their respective weight classes at the tournament, according Coach Gregg Quilty.

The team has come through in close situations during each of their last two games with electrifying performances from Jaden Picarillo (10) and Harry Lowy (10), Elias Romero (10) said.

“The highlights of the season were seeing the younger wrestlers start to win tough matches that they weren’t winning previously,” Futterman said. “The best moment for me was when first-year wrestler Annabelle Chan /Art Director Jaden Picarillo got his first ever win against a senior and team captain

from Trinity who has been wrestling for four years,” he said.

Moreira also stepped up big this year, winning three individual tournaments, Jacob Schorsch (11) said.

The team overcame various obstacles over the past year, losing four seniors from last year’s team and, at times, playing without Futterman or Romero, who missed time with head and elbow injuries, respectively, Schorsch said. Through all of this, “Captains Bernard Von Simson (12) and Liam Futterman have continued to embody a culture that entails the idea of grueling practices leading to success and always wrestling for one another,” he said.

“They both hold this team on their backs and have become such inspirations and muses to who the wrestlers on the team want to be,” James Thomas (10) said.

Everybody on the team looks up to the captains, aspiring to wrestle and serve as leaders the way that they do, Thomas said.

“Me and Bernard led by example of working hard in practice, but we didn’t get on the teammates who didn’t have as much drive to put in work because that would have led them to become discouraged,” Futterman said. “Wrestling is better when you aren’t forced to love it.”

Futterman has wrestled dominantly all season long, and any time he wrestled, his teammates almost knew they were guaranteed the win, Romero said.

Futterman placed top three in three out of the four matches he

8

CIRCLE UP! Wrestlers prepare for a meet participated in, Quilty said.

The Lions will do all they can to continue their high level of wrestling as they look forward to the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) qualifying tournament this coming weekend, Romero said.

“While we were not able to stay undefeated this season, I have full confidence that we will win NYSAIS,” he said.

Liam Futterman (11): Pinning his legacy in school history Arushi Talwar Coming from a wrestling family, Liam Futterman’s (11) decision to start wrestling in Staff Writer

the seventh grade came instinctively.

His recent successes, such as winning first place at the Ivy League Wrestling tournament, stem from years of hard work and training. When Futterman started wrestling for the Upper Division (UD) team freshman year, it took time for him to become accustomed to the more competitive dynamic of the team and grow to become the athlete he is now.

“My freshman year was a hard season,” he said. ”I was getting beaten by older kids, and lost a lot of matches. I had more losses than wins and I wanted to quit.”

“This year I’ve stepped into more of a leadership role and I’ve been doing really well,” Futterman said. “It showed me where my hard work has brought me.”

Because of weight training, Futterman has better honed his skills and is now in a lower weight class, giving him an advantage, Coach Gregg Quilty said. This substantial improvement has helped Futterman place in almost every tournament and become more aggressive on the mat, teammate James Thomas (10) said. “(He) has not only grown physically in his ability to overcome adversity, he’s also almost definitely grown mentally in his ability to face challenges,” Patrick Stinebaugh (10) said.

As a captain of the Boys’ Varsity Wrestling Team, Futterman hopes to cultivate a hardworking culture on the team, something that cap-

Courtesy of HM Flickr

tains from past years had enforced. Living up to the example Jamie Berg ‘19 set last year as the captain of the team is a major inspiration for how he carries himself, Futterman said.

“At the same time, I do feel like I’ve done it differently than the past captains,” he said. “I try not to be a stickler because I feel like wrestling is a sport where you get the most out of if you’re the one who makes yourself work hard.”

Fellow athletes on the wrestling team feel the same sense of effort and initiative Futterman puts into every practice and match, Thomas said. “Liam is the bond that turns us from a team into a family,” he added. “We all look up to him and his work ethic to always improve.”

With many new members on the team this year, Futterman aims to create an encouraging environment during practices and to build a strong connection with the team. “As long as I can make people on the team feel like they have a good support system and they can have someone they can look to as a role model, it will also help me work hard,” he said.

Numerous teammates feel the benefits of Futterman’s guidance and partly attribute their success to him. “He is a natural leader, I love how he cares about every kid on the team and always goes out of his way to make everyone feel comfortable and important,” Quilty said.

Aside from practicing at school for the regular season, Futterman also practices at a wrestling club called Edge in Hoboken, New Jersey during the spring and summer. He goes to the club three times a week, practicing regularly with people who wrestled in college. This

extra personal time is a great chance for more intricate focus on technique and training, he said. Futterman has shown significant improvement in technique from last year to this year because of this extra practice, Quilty said.

This year, Liam has had more experience and practice competing in large competitive tournaments, particularly with the competitions every Saturday in January, Quilty said. “He has learned from previous mistakes and now he is prepared to dominate in our postseason tournaments.”

Futterman often looks to Coach Quilty, who has over 50 years of wrestling experience, for advice, as well as his dad and brother who used to wrestle, his earliest inspirations. His admiration for them originates from their hard work and commitment, both qualities he hopes to keep throughout his wrestling career, he said.

As Futterman has wrestled since Middle Division, his love for the sport is truly evident in his desire for improvement. His aspirations to wrestle in college, alongside the pride he has in the team, plays a significant role in his life at HM, he said. He hopes to reach the city and state championships next year, he said.

The added stress and effort that comes with the sport gives Futterman a sense of purpose. “I like the mutual satisfaction of knowing that you make it through the tough matches through hard work and you can look back and feel proud of it with the support of your team,” he said.