Issue 6

Record The Horace Mann

OCTOBER 18TH, 2019 || VOLUME 117, ISSUE 6

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HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

Daisy Khan takes on Islamophobia in assembly Max Shopkorn/Staff Photographer

WISE WORDS Daisy Khan combats Islamophobia through education.

Henry Owens Staff Writer Daisy Khan, a prominent Muslim activist, spoke about islamophobia and Islamic identity in America at a UD assembly this Tuesday. As Executive Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), Khan educates many about the religion of Islam and advocates for interfaith collaboration.

Khan came to the school in part because of her personal connection with Daanyal Agboatwalla (11) and his family. Agboatwalla introduced Khan before her speech, talking about his own relationship with Islam and when he saw Khan speak for the first time. Es-

pecially given the negative stereotypes of both Islam and women, Agboatwalla felt it was important to have a strong Muslim woman come to speak to the school, he said.

Khan began the assembly by discussing her background as an immigrant and a Muslim. As the only Muslim in her predominantly Jewish high school, Khan was asked to give a presentation about Islam, she said. She initially felt overwhelmed and didn’t think she could speak on behalf of the entire religion. But by using a book about Islam written by her grandfather, she was able to stand before the class and present.

At 16 years old, Khan realized that she had become an ambassador to her faith, which ended up being her life’s work.

Yana Gitelman (11) appreciated Khan discussing how her Muslim identity evolved with changing public perception. “I felt like I can relate to that a lot,” Gitelman said. “In a somewhat different way, but a lot of what she said resonated with me.”

Khan dived into 10 specific misconceptions about Islam, and how each example of misinformation has negatively influenced US policy. These misconceptions include equating Islam with terror, believing that Muslims want to take over the United States, and thinking that Islamic values are at odds with American values. For each of the misconceptions, Khan mentioned specific pieces of unjust legislation, such as anti-Muslim immigration laws, that had

been passed as a result.

“There were a lot of very telling statistics,” Leyli Granmayeh (11) said.

“After talking about how much misinformation there is, I think it was good she went through some of the ideals of the religion.”

“Everything she was saying was very clear there was no vagueness in her information,” Nya Marshall (11) said.

“She was very articulate, she opened it up in a way that would had a few laughs because it’s a pretty heavy topic.”

Towards the end of the assembly, Khan talked about Islamic ideals by briefly recounting key points in the history of Islam, as well as going through the Five Pillars of Islam, which includes the important values of justice and charity.

“She emphasized that, within the text, a lot of the goals of Islam relates to peace,” Diana Shaari (12) said. “Whereas given the representation of Islam in the media, that’s not necessarily where most people’s minds go to when they think of Islam.”

“I hope that students are now more familiar with Islam, and that they understand what the religion truly is rather than how it is represented in the media,” Roey Nornberg (12) said.

Although the presentation was for the most part well received, some students felt that certain parts could have been done better.

“I thought she said a lot of very important things,” Granmayeh said. “I just think her slides were sometimes difficult to follow. She was going fairly quickly.”

Agboatwalla said it would have been ideal if there had been more time to go into specific text from the Quran that

disproved some of the misconceptions.

Nornberg and Shaari are leaders of Interfaith, a partnership between the school and Al Noor, the largest Islamic High School in New York, located in Brooklyn. Interfaith works to create opportunities for dialogue between people from different backgrounds, Shaari said. On Friday, they are screening “A Jihad for Love,” a documentary about the experiences of gay Muslims. Interfaith, along with the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, is hosting a discussion after the movie.

A major goal of both the movie and the assembly is to help facilitate dialogue.

“A common misconception about Islam is that all Islamic countries and communities prohibit homosexuality,” Nornberg said. “The movie contrasts that and shows that it is possible to be gay and a practicing Muslim.”

“I thought the movie did a really nice job and can spark a lot of important dialogue,” Shaari said.

“I’m really glad that we were able to have an assembly on it and we should also further that discussion throughout our history curriculum and through discussions,” Mikayla Benson (11) said.

“I think [Khan] coming out and speaking about those things very bluntly is good, because these things are uncomfortable, obviously,” said Agboatwalla. “But when you talk, and you speak to people of different faiths, I think that makes it much easier to understand, because the problem that we’re having today is a matter of misunderstanding.”

Refresh: school website undergoes complete remodeling Sam Chiang Staff Writer

The school’s redesigned website is now accessible and ready to share information about the wide range of activities offered by the school.

The school’s website receives constant traffic and is the virtual representation of the school, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said. “In September, we had over 4,200 visitors to the old website, and our web-based admissions process has run exceptionally well over the past two years through this version of the website.”

At the top of the home page, photos show students of all ages both in and out of the classroom enjoying the multitude of activities offered by the school. The new page also prominently features a descriptive video of the school and a welcome letter by Kelly. “Having a streamlined platform, one that’s easier to navigate, allows its users to spend more time exploring the depth and breadth of our program and new pages without the previous complications and formatting issues associated with our old web page,” Kelly said.

The school worked with the online design company and hosting service Finalsite to compose the updated website due to their great customer service and designers, Operations and Technical Supporter Sheryl Baker said. Finalsite created the school’s previous website around eight years ago, and the school reached out for a redesign because it recognized that the website looked old, and the website was not mobile-friendly, Baker said.

“When they updated their back-end software to be able to draw on mobile devices, we decided we would look into a redesign.”

“The website is dynamic, so if you shrink the screen, the text will shrink down and columns will realign to be viewable on a mobile device or desktop,” Technology Integrator Cassandra Parets said. The new website also allows the school to publish pop-up windows with announcements. On Wednesday, Baker and Parets used this feature to remind website viewers that the

school would be closing at 4:30P.M. The new service also provides a fancier e-blast tool that will allow the school to embed logos and even videos and photos, Parets said.

The first step to creating a new website was sitting down with a design team from Finalsite, Parets said. “We gave the logos and colors which

stead of directly changing the underlying HTML or CSS, Parets said. The tools are similar to what is offered by website building services Wix, Weebly, and Wordpress, except Finalsite offers a wider range of more precise tools.

The Katz Library has used their updated website to promptly display the basics, such as the

FACELIFT School updates website. we wanted to use to a Finalsite design team that was at the school for a few days,” she said. “They [talked] to the department heads to get an idea of what everybody wanted from their pages.”

After previewing three or four different designs based on what they had suggested to Finalsite, the school decided on an elegant and streamlined design, Baker said.

To ensure that they could continue to update their pages on their own, Parets also trained representatives from the Katz Library, Athletic Department, Admissions, Alumni, and Parents Association to use the back-end system.

Finalsite also offers a proprietary service named Composer. This tool allows trained department heads to directly edit their respective pages using text tools and picture import tools in-

catalog, databases, and periodicals, but the Recommended Reading and Cool Stuff tabs also take up a greater role. On the Katz Library landing page, students can now view curated reading selections and receive access to the school’s audio books. Library Technology Coordinator Melissa Kazan said she has been making great use of these tools as the entire layout of the library’s webpage has changed significantly. “Recommended Reads are now featured more prominently on the landing page,” she said. “The databases have also been reorganized to make it easier for students to find the resources they need.” The library landing page also features the newly created UD History Writing and Style Guide, Kazan said.

“As the library acquires more and more digital resources, the library’s website plays an expand-

ing role since it is the access point to those new resources,” Kazan said. The “Databases” tab and “eReference” tab have now been merged so users don’t need to toggle back and forth, she said.

The new website should be much more efficient and user-friendly for students doing research, Kazan said. Although there have been many changes, the library still wants students to be comfortable using the website Middle and Upper Division Library Chair Caroline Bartels said.

As one of the main sections on both the old website and updated version, a button to the admissions page is one of four central blocks at the bottom of the home page. “We’ve updated the Leader profiles, so I hope prospective families read about them,” Associate Director of Middle and Upper Division Admissions Robin Ingram said.

The school’s athletics page also received an upgrade and is now cleaner and significantly easier to use. “It’s really easy to navigate now,” Armaan Kakodkar (11) said. “If I wanted to navigate to the soccer team’s page on the old website, I would have to take four maybe five steps. Now, it’s a simple two-step process.” Seasonal sports teams are now featured on the school’s athletics landing page, which shows pictures taken over the years.

The new format of the athletic page also features a schedule of all upcoming matches and more prominently displays tabs such as Sports Medicine. The page is more noticeable, Upper Division Physical Education Chair Amy Mojica said. “I would hope that people recognize the multifaceted comprehensive approach that needs to be taken to be prepared for safe athletic participation,” she said. The page features various tabs ranging from Strength and Conditioning, which has a PDF version of the FIFA 11+ Warm up, to Concussion Management Information.

Overall, the new aesthetic of the website has satisfied many students. “I remember the previous website as old and cluttered,” Oliver Lewis (10) said. “I think the new and improved version is a step in the right direction for our school.”

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 OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

The consumerization of cancer awareness Amanda Wein/Staff Photographer

Sam Keimweiss This year’s pink week was amazing, and before I tear it apart, I want to thank everyone who contributed to making it the awesome celebration it was. We had cookies, donuts, hot chocolate, a bake sale, and events that showed our support for those going through breast cancer. We brought our community together again in the fight against a deadly disease. In my pink week op-ed last year, I talked about how valuable awareness is and all the good pink week does for people; however, I also gave some poor advice. I told you to wear pink.

Pink is the color of breast cancer because Estee Lauder wanted to make money. In 1992, Self Magazine partnered with Estee Lauder, which is owned by Evelyn Lauder, in a publicity campaign during breast cancer awareness month. They chose pink to copy the peach ribbon that was popularized by breast cancer activist Charlotte Haley.

Due to eventually accurate concerns about commercialization, she refused to allow her ribbon to be used. The magazine campaign

was successful, however, and pink quickly superseded peach.

There was good intent behind the campaign by Self. It has done a ton of good, including the launch of Evelyn Lauder’s Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for research and is Charity Watch’s #1 ranked breast cancer charity. However, it also started a trend that other companies have taken advantage of: pinkwashing, the commercialization of breast cancer awareness for profit, has become a huge problem. Shoppers are more likely to buy pink products or spend more money for a product if they think it supports breast cancer. Companies don’t have to pledge any money to cancer research in order to sell pink-branded items. Even when they do, it usually pales in comparison to the huge profit they are making. Giving ten cents for every dollar made on an item that has been marked up 20% because of the pink brand still benefits the company disproportionately.

Some breast cancer activists have argued that the best way to combat that problem is to avoid pink altogether and instead focus on fundraising, but I disagree with that approach. Especially in communities like that of our school, awareness is still important.

Wearing pink is an essential way to make breast cancer stand out from other issues.

However, when you buy your “real men wear pink” shirt, make sure most of the money is going towards research.

Even when you donate to a foundation, these problems come up. Each foundation uses donated money differently, and if you want to be sure you’re donating to the right

Amanda Wein/Staff Photographer

Middle Division Ben Wang Isabella Zhang

Art Directors Annabelle Chan Gabrielle Fischberg Katya Arutyunyan 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

place, you have to do your research. Every foundation has its downsides. If you want to donate only to breast cancer research, you have to choose between Memorial Sloan Kettering, which researches all cancers; the American Cancer Society, which focuses on treatment and care; the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which donates both to research and to lobbying for government funding; and dozens of other options. Some foundations are downright scummy; the Breast Cancer Society, for example, was just a scam. (It has since been shut down.) Others have complicated histories and goals that make evaluating them difficult.

The best example of this is Susan G. Komen, a foundation founded in the 1980’s that brings in hundreds of millions of dollars each year. At first glance, it might seem worrying: after pulling out of Planned Parenthood mammogram screenings in 2012, it was revealed the only 20% of Komen’s funds go to research, while the CEO made over $650,000. People were up in arms, and the CEO resigned, and the mammo-

gram screening funding was restored. The new CEO still makes almost $500,000.

Upon closer examination, however, Susan G. Komen is still a strong charity, receiving a score of 80 out of 100 from Charity Navigator (the other top charity watchdog site—Charity Watch being the first). Although only 20% of its funding goes to research, 79% is spent on services with only 11% going to administrative costs and 10% to fundraising costs. So for every dollar you donate, 80 cents will go towards Komen’s mission. Unfortunately, this means you don’t know where a portion of your money actually goes.

Giving money saves lives. It may not all literally go towards care, but the money always helps. Awareness is great, and it certainly brings communities together in support, but it can’t hold a candle to the good of cold hard cash. Your money has value, so make sure that you are confident in where it is going. This means that if you are buying things for pink week, make sure your money is going towards the cause you want it to.

It’s a service learning privilege, not a requirement

A&E Nishtha Sharma Eliza Poster Eddie Jin

Design Editors Euwan Kim Reena Ye Chris Ha

Gabby Fischberg/Art Director

Julia Goldberg By now, most of us are aware that the service learning requirement for sophomores, juniors, and seniors has shifted from an ongoing community project to a one-day event; however, it’s still up to us to decide how we want to respond to this shift. Although I still don’t entirely agree with the new policy, a day at my temple (which just last year served as my own project) helped me envision the possibility of a positive outcome.

Since ninth grade, I’ve worked at Temple Emanu-El in collaboration with other high schoolers to assist students, in grades pre-K through six, with their class work. A few Sundays ago, two teens and I introduced these students to City Harvest, which will be our recipient for tzedakah (donations that the temple gathers) this fall. After briefly discussing City Harvest, I asked students why they believed we should donate. In a seventh grade classroom, one student of many that day answered that he believed tzedakah mattered because it was a mitzvah. When prompted, he translated “mitzvah” as my temple typically does: as his “(adult) Jewish responsibility.” His teacher then asked me for my take: should we view the act of giving tzedakah as a predetermined responsibility, as our translation of the term mitzvah implies, or as a deliberate choice made out of love?

I wasn’t sure. In the moment, I couldn’t really decide between the two options, so I instead mumbled a sentence about how it could be seen as both, because we should feel responsible to care for our communities.

Upon further reflection, I still believe that giving tzedakah is the conscious choice to accept my (Jewish) responsibility. Moreover, I think that this perspective can be applied to service learning as a whole: we should think of participation in service learning as a responsibility––but as one we’ve created for ourselves, not one thrown upon us.

From this perspective, the term “service learning re-

quirement” doesn’t seem an apt description. Though “responsibility” and “requirement” often have similar connotations, “responsibility” puts the emphasis on those we are acting to help, whereas “requirement” places us in the forefront, and our own interests awkwardly take precedence in situations meant encourage just the opposite.

I understand that it’s designated a requirement because it’s a prerequisite to graduating, but that doesn’t necessitate tacking on the word “requirement.” Labeling service learning a “requirement” for HM students further separates us from the communities we’re working with; that makes it sound like we view service learning as a chore.

Furthermore, I take issue with the actual reality the “requirement” encompasses. As of this year, the minimum is just one day of service. For the vast majority of students, this day will not be nearly as meaningful as completing a project of their choice would be. For me, the most gratify-

The easier decision, then, was to replace the project requirement with a simple day of service learning.

But the easier choice is not always the right one, and I believe we could have found a compromise between a one-time event and the standard enforced in previous years. I understand that it’s difficult to sort through projects, but the real toll is most definitely on the organizations that have lost our help. The UD is a community of ~750 students, and that’s certainly large enough to create an impact.

However, as this change has already been implemented, I think we should attempt to view this policy in the most positive light possible. Instead of viewing the shift as a “requirement” or burden that’s been lifted, we need to view the absence of mandatory projects as an opportunity. Now, any community service work that a student at this school completes (outside of the one-day event) is

Sarah Sun/Staff Artist

ing aspect of my work is not what happens on the first or second or even sixth week; it’s later on in the school year when students open up and you’re able to form real, lasting connections with them. Moreover, the amount we can help others in one day is fairly insignificant. For that very reason, participating in a one-time event, whether it be a run to spread awareness or a visit to a hospital, would’ve been denied as a project last year. If we choose to view service learning as the fulfillment of a responsibility, as I suggested earlier, then we’re currently saying we’re only responsible for volunteering one day a year, which feels inadequate.

This is not to say I am blind to the reasoning that prompted this change. To sort through hundreds of individual projects from UD students and decide whether they are of the proper caliber is a time-consuming and cumbersome process, and to ensure every student follows through with their project doubles the pain of the task.

not because it was required of them, but rather because they chose to accept responsibility. Because of this, I think the students who choose to stay involved in their service learning activities, knowing they’ve chosen to be there, will receive more from their experiences. And, of course, the organizations that students choose to remain working with will continue to benefit from their help.

So, if you were considering joining a new organization and are now wavering, or even if you’re already involved but considering dropping out, I encourage you to participate in some form of community service. I know we all always have a ridiculous amount of upcoming assessments, but try to find the time in your schedule. One day will not convince you of much, but try a week, a month, a year–– wait until you see a change—and I think you might find it’s worth the effort.

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HORACE MANN NEWS OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

ACT sparks controversy: in fall 2020 will allow students to retake individual sections Vivien Sweet Staff Writer As the college admissions process becomes increasingly competitive every year, the ACT has offered solace to current underclassmen and future generations of students who struggle with standardized testing required for entry to most elite colleges. Last Tuesday, ACT officials announced that starting in September 2020, once students have taken one full ACT test, they will be allowed to retake individual sections of the ACT without repeating the entire exam.

The ACT, which lasts for almost three hours and consists of multiplechoice questions covering four sections (English, math, reading, and science) and an optional 40-minute essay, has become a popular alternative to the SAT in the past decade. Each section is scored out of 36 points, and the section scores are averaged for a holistic score.

Around 1.9 million U.S. seniors in the Class of 2018 took the ACT, while 2.1 million took the SAT, according to an article from the New York Times.

Suzana Delanghe, an ACT chief commercial officer, said in an article from the Washington Post that according to the ACT’s research, students’ scores when they take individual sections are consistent with those received when they take the entire test at once.

“We are simply offering new ways to take the ACT, saving students time and giving them the ability to focus only on subject areas needing improvement,” Delanghe said.

Although the new retaking policy should ideally benefit all ACT test takers, Lowell Finster (11) said that he is concerned that the policy will disadvantage students with fewer resources to prepare for and retake the test.

“The whole point [of the ACT] is to see how you do under this time pressure,” Finster said. “If you take the test once, you can effectively do poorly on all of the sections, but if you have the time and money to spend on retaking all of these individual sections, you can engineer a 36.”

The ACT has not yet released the

price of retaking individual sections, but currently, including the optional essay, the ACT costs $68 to take.

Finster also believes that the new policy diminishes the overall value of the ACT and standardized testing, which—prior to the introduction of the policy—acted as a “blank slate” upon which colleges could judge students, he said. But now, students can throw more tutoring and money into retaking a particular section to essentially cater the test to their own needs—only if they are wealthy enough, he said.

However, Alexa Watson (12) believes that the ACT’s new policy does not amplify the pre-existing advantage that wealthier students who can afford to retake standardized tests multiple times have. “Theoretically, if you can afford to retake the entire test, you most likely can afford to retake one section, so it’s the same overall issue,” she said.

Watson, who took the ACT twice, thinks it is absurd that a student should have to retake all four sections if he or she is struggling with just one, she said. Since many colleges have gotten rid of some standardized test requirements, such as the SAT subject tests (multiple choice assessments that test one’s knowledge on a specific subject), Watson believes that the ACT retake policy should have been implemented sooner.

For underclassmen such as Ethan Waggoner (10), the policy raises both pros and cons for his ACT testing experience. On the one hand, his own holistic score would most likely increase, but on the other hand, “the average [ACT] score will definitely raise, especially at this school, where I assume that even if people get close to perfect scores they’ll still retake it to get that perfect score,” Waggoner said.

Although Kareena Gupta (11) has already taken the ACT, she believes that the ACT retake policy will disadvantage those taking the SAT, which does not allow partial retakes yet is a similarly-structured test.

Because of the new policy, when most students are choosing which test they are going to take, their diagnostic scores from the practice SAT and ACT

that the school offers in June might not be the only factor in their decision, she said.

Since the standardized testing process is already so stressful, the new ACT policy will alleviate the concerns of students who messed up on just one section, Gupta said.

Last spring, the SAT announced the implementation of an “adversity score,” which issues test takers a score ranging from one to 100 that accounts for a test taker’s socioeconomic status, neighborhood, family stability, and other external factors, in addition to the regular SAT score, according to the New York Times. Since both of the changes to the ACT and SAT occurred in the same year, New York Times writer Anemona Hartocollis thinks that the ACT’s new policy could have been in retaliation to the SAT’s attempt to attract less socially and financially stable students, whose scores are put into context with their background with the adversity score, she wrote in an article.

Muhaiminul Ashraf ‘19 was “all for” the SAT adversity score, since it put into context how much harder it is for students from lower income neighborhoods with fewer test prep resources to do well on standardized tests, he said.

Ashraf, who took the ACT twice, has always believed that money is directly correlated to success in standardized testing, much to the detriment of less wealthy students, he said. “[The retake policy] just introduces another payroll into the ACT testing system,” he said. “The kids who are at a financial disadvantage will always be at a financial disadvantage, and now they’ll be at an academic disadvantage as well.”

Yet English Department Chair and SAT test center supervisor Vernon Wilson has some reservations about the advisersity score, which he believes “tags” certain groups of students, (perhaps) unintentionally categorizing their identities into generalizations. “[The adversity score] somehow signals, ‘Hey, this test taker comes from this kind of school, this kind of background, et cetera.’ I think [the score] could just be misconstrued so

easily.”

Even though the SAT adversity score more overtly addresses inequities students may face because of their social class, both the ACT retake policy and the adversity score were both created to attract more test-takers, Abigail Morse (11) said.

Although Morse was planning on taking the SAT, the new ACT policy is making her rethink that decision, she said.

Similarly, Wilson thinks that the creation of the ACT retake policy is an attempt to reinforce the ACT’s role as the “torch bearer” for standardized testing as opposed to the SAT, he said. According to Wilson, the ACT has only risen in popularity relatively recently.

“When I was in high school in the nineties, the ACT was very regional; it was really in the south and the midwest where a lot of kids took the ACT instead of the SAT,” Wilson said.

However, Head of the Library Department Caroline Bartels believes that the policy exposes a fault in the current teenagers generation’s mindset, citing a recent drive to achieve perfection in every aspect of education, including standardized tests. “There’s something wrong that we [did] to make you guys think that everything has a do-over,” Bartels said.

“The fact that the College Board is feeding right into that by even making retakes possible is gross.”

Wilson, too, said he feels a shift in attitudes regarding standardized testing with the ACT retake policy. “It’s much more tailored to a mindset that I think is prevalent in our culture of kind of having it your way; [the policy] makes it seem like the test is tailored to your strengths and needs,” he said.

Regardless, since most colleges are starting to move away from standardized testing entirely, Gupta believes that the policy won’t have a significant effect on the college admissions process in the future.

Even if the ACT policy had been in place during Ashraf ’s junior year, he would not have chosen to retake specific sections in an attempt to boost his score, he said. “What’s done is done.”

Are you planning on taking the SAT? No

No (ACT)

Yes

Out of 69 student responses

If you answered yes or undecided to the previous question, does the new policy make you consider the ACT?

No Yes

Annabelle Chan/Art Director

CAC hosts Pink Week for Breast Cancer Awareness Month Abby Beckler Staff Writer In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is October, the Cancer Awareness Club (CAC) has organized Pink Week in order to support those affected by cancer. Unlike previous years, this year’s Pink Week is more focused on involving the whole school in the fight for the cure.

“Our goal for Pink Week is, to put it directly, to shove pink in everybody’s faces,” Luke Weber (12), co-President of the CAC, said. “We want everybody to know what’s going on; we want everybody to be looking at the posters that we have everywhere.”

Throughout the entire week, the CAC has held an extensive array of events, ranging from bandana decorating to donuts with pink frosting in the morning to hot chocolate with pink marshmallows during break. There were also pink tattoos and bracelets with the breast cancer ribbon logo available in Katz Library all week long.

“We always like Pink Week to be more about celebration and supporting people who have fought breast cancer, and we like it to be a celebration of school spirit rather than a fundraiser like Relay for Life,” Weber said.

For the duration of the week, the leaders of the CAC have worn blinged-out pink cowboy hats in order to promote the message behind Pink Week: spreading awareness and providing plenty of opportunities for the community to donate to research for breast cancer, Kareena Gupta (11), a committee coordinator for the CAC, said.

“The CAC has taken on a larger role in the

Upper Division in general and will have a much more notable presence this year,” Amiya Mehrotra, co-Vice President of the CAC, said.

“The goal of the CAC is really to get people involved in the fight against cancer, such as participating in efforts that will contribute to cancer research,” Rebecca Rosenzweig (11), coVice President of the CAC, said.

Both teachers and students on campus have agreed to show their continued support for the cause by wearing pink and encouraging others to participate in the activities and fundraisers hosted by the CAC. “We’re trying to make sure that the entire school is participating and wearing pink so that we can raise as much awareness as possible,” Rosenzweig said.

The events of this week will end with an all-out Pink Day this Friday.

“Friday is the official Pink Day, so that’s when everybody should come to school decked out in pink,” Rosenzweig said. “There’s going to be cookie decorating in the library with pink frosting and a bake sale.” Proceeds from the bake sale will be donated to both the American Cancer Society and Memorial Sloan Kettering, as well as to some smaller organizations specifically dedicated to fighting breast cancer.

“This year, the CAC started planning for the events that it hosts much earlier in the year, rather than starting mid-December,” Gupta said. “Because we started planning earlier, it has allowed us to focus our attention not only on the culminating event, Relay for Life, at the end of the year, but also the smaller but crucial events that happen in the months prior.”

One crucial change from this year’s Pink

Week was the transfer of leadership from the co-Presidents running the week to the co-Vice Presidents. “This year, we’re putting on a lot more events, so in order to give us the time to work on our other events, specifically our Cycle for Survival event which will take place in February, we started a new tradition where Pink Week will be run by the Vice Presidents,” Weber said.

Another change this year is the introduction of Cycle for Survival as a focus for the CAC. “We plan on emphasizing the awareness part of our name and focusing on multiple school-wide events as opposed to solely emphasizing Relay for Life,” Mehrotra said. In past years, the CAC has hosted only Pink Week and the Relay for Life Event.

“Through the CAC, students can gain insight to the American Cancer Society, Cycle for Survival, and Relay for Life, the latter two being events that happen to raise money for cancer research,” Gupta said.

“I believe the mission of this club is not only to raise funds to support cancer patient programs and research, but also to spread awareness about cancer itself and speak about it on a broader scale,” Mehrotra said. “I want to contribute in whatever way I can.”

Despite Pink Week coming to a close, cancer awareness within the community continues to grow.

“Our goal is for the Horace Mann community to not think of this as just another themed week or another bake sale for a club,” Rosenzweig said.

“We want this community to realize that the donations they make this week are going to a really important cause that affects everyone.”

Gabby Fischberg/Art Director

Jackson Feigin/Staff Photographer

Jackson Feigin/Staff Photographer

Ahaan Palla/Photo Director

PINK POWER CAC paints the school in pink.

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THE RECORD FEATURES OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

Natalie Sweet and Yesh Nikam Staff Writers

Teachers’ Decisions in Assigning Textbooks From choosing online textbooks, to textbooks with skyrocketing prices, to none at all, the way teachers decide which textbooks to use is multifaceted.

One consideration that goes into the decision making process for each department is how accessible textbooks are to the students, physics teacher Dr. Jane Wesely said. This year, she and some of her colleagues are choosing to use electronic textbooks instead of physical ones, she said.

The physical textbook is way more expensive than the electronic one, which is one reason Wesely chose to use online textbooks for her class, she said. She also uses online textbooks for the physical convenience of her students. “I don’t want a student walking back and forth all around campus with a very heavy backpack,” she said.

“That’s just painful!”

Teachers also consider the quality of the material in the textbook, Dean of Faculty and biology teacher Dr. Matthew Wallenfang said. Wallenfang doesn’t expect his students to sit down with a dense science textbook and read for 45 minutes.

He prefers textbooks that contain more engaging elements, he said.

“What I typically look for in a textbook is one that has really good art program,” Wallenfang said. “This means that the diagram and pictures do a really good job of explaining concepts to the students; Since I’m not an artist, I want students to have a good sense of that.”

Another important aspect of textbook content for Wallenfang is high quality supporting materials, like good chapter end summaries and questions at the end of the book, he said. “These materials will help students digest the information they’re getting in class, which is incredibly important for learning,” he said.

On the contrary , the English department has an open curriculum, which means that teachers have the liberty to craft their own syllabus, English Department Chair Vernon Wilson said.

The English teachers are in constant conversation with each other about the books they assign, and at the end of the year, they reconvene to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of them, he said.

English teachers assign five to six books throughout the year, which include books with voices of various genders, socioeconomic levels, ethnicities, and races.

Unfortunately, as Wilson acknowledged, English classes are often unable to start or completely finish the last book on the syllabus.

“That never feels good for a teacher; it’s always unfortunate,” he said. Wilson hopes that if students have at least partially read a text, they can have stimulating conversations, and maybe they will come back to it later, he said.

School providing textbooks While many students spend the last few weeks of summer navigating MBS Direct to find their class materials, the school provides textbooks for certain departments and classes.

While the school does not provide the Spanish textbook, it lasts for two years. However, when a Spanish textbook switch does occur, most teachers try to help the students out, World Language Teacher Diego Argibay said. “In the past, if we switched the book and the students still had the previous book, the department would provide the book for them because the idea of the old book was that they could use it

for a couple years.”

When a department cannot provide textbooks to students, some teachers go the extra step to remove the burden on students to buy their own books. Argibay is one of these teachers: in his Advanced Placement Spanish class, he has removed the grammar book as a requisite.

“I have five to six copies in my office [for] reference; if you need a copy, you can borrow a copy,” he said.

Though purchasing classroom sets for each textbook is possible, students prefer to annotate their books, something that cannot be done without personal textbooks, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said.

For the majority of classes, textbooks are not given to students by the school. Helena Yang (11) believes that the school should provide more textbooks to students. “It’s pretty common at other high schools,” she said. “Many of my friends have books handed out by the teacher, even English books.”

Students buying their own textbooks As the price of textbooks rises, students are developing their own unique hacks to help save money.

Mia Calzolaio (10) does not buy her textbooks from MBS, the website that the school suggests for textbook purchases. Instead, she prefers buying them from Amazon.

There, her textbooks are delivered faster.

Similarly, Hunter Willoughby-Spera (11) also prefers to buy his textbooks from sites other than MBS, but at times, he cannot find the textbook elsewhere.

“I’ve tried to buy some of my textbooks on Amazon to save money, but they are just not available on the site,” he said.

MBS does have several advantages, despite longer delivery time.

Registrar Chris Garrison ’04 feels that one advantage of buying textbooks

through MBS is that it gives students an alternative method to buy their materials. “It’s a pretty good system in my mind because it does give families the opportunities to find other ways to get their books,” he said.

Another reason why the school uses MBS to buy textbooks is to give more options to families. Before the school switched to MBS, students would pick up their textbooks from the cafeteria a week before school started. However, this system eventually became logistically challenging, so the school decided to make the switch to purchasing online, Garrison said.

Alternatives to buying through MBS are not popular among every student though. Elijah Shaham (11) always buys textbooks through MBS Direct to ensure that he receives the right book.

“Different versions of books have different orientation of pages, especially in English, and having the wrong version of a book can make class really tough to follow,” he said.

Another way students attempt to save money on textbooks is not immediately buying them once they receive their schedule. Willoughby-Spera waits until after the first day of school to buy textwbooks just in case teachers change their list on the first day of classes.

Aidan Res-

nick (11), however, buys textbooks as soon as he receives his schedule. “If I wait until the first day of school to buy my books, chances are I’m going to be behind in my schoolwork since teachers assign homework [from textbooks] immediately,” he said.

On a national scale, buying used textbooks is a common way students purchase their class materials. According to an infographic from the Applied Educational System in 2017, 67% of students bought used textbooks. However, used textbooks seem to be less popular at the school.

Yang says that the difference in cost between the used and new version is often small, and, Shaham feels that the difference in quality between the versions is not worth the tiny price difference.

On MBS Direct, the difference between the used and new copy of the textbook that Geometry students are required to buy is twenty seven dollars. The textbook that all Precalculus BC Honors students buy has a difference of thirty one dollars between the used and new versions.

Calzolaio was also provided with a chemistry textbook, but she still had tobuy books for her

HORACE MANN FEATURES OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

Cost:

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The cost of textbooks depends on multiple factors, and students are beginning to observe trends based on subject, grade, and class level.

Yang noticed that overall, math and physics require only one book for each class, but this book is over $100. The high prices do not necessarily translate to frequent use. While Resnick uses his math textbook frequently for homework problems, he relies on his physics notes much more than his physics textbook.

English books are comparatively less expensive than other subjects, but the class requires so many books that it evens out, Shaham said. On the other hand, Devin Allard Neptune (10) and Calzolaio both felt that they ultimately spent the most amount of money on their United States history class this year.

Other students also felt that as they got older, they began spending more money on textbooks.

Willoughby-Spera noted that as he began taking elective classes, he began spending more. The new version of the textbook that his Latin American history class requires is 200 dollars. Yang also noted a similar phenomenon - she spent around 100 to 200 dollars her freshman and sophomore years

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As the price of textbooks has increased 88% from 2006 to 2016, the College Board expects high school students to set aside $1,200 for textbooks. This can prove to be a major burden for some families, which the school’s financial aid program attempts to mitigate.

Families with financial aid are directly contacted by the financial aid office the week students buy their textbooks, Garrison said.

“For Upper Division students, all Financial Aid recipients receive a book allowance of some amount,” Director of Institutional Research & Enrollment Management Lise Moreira said.

The amount varies based upon the level of Financial Aid the family receives and is issued as a voucher from MBS. If the book allowance is less than the total cost for the books, the parent/ guardian pays the remainder, she said..

The assignment of text-

dents, and it’s ultimately going to come out to a lot of money.”

On the other hand, Calzolaio and Yang both believe the school should be able to cover the cost of textbooks for students. Calzolaio is especially critical of the school’s ability to spend money elsewhere but cannot lend out copies of the textbooks to students.

ell e

Financial Aid

books is primarily decided by each academic department, and the Department Chair communicates the textbook information directly to MBS, Garrison said.

While the Spanish department’s primary concern is not the cost of textbooks, Argibay is proud of the school’s financial aid services. “The school does aid students with their supplies,” he said. “That’s the great thing I know about Horace Mann.”

This issue regarding the price of textbooks is very personal for Argibay. Coming from a humble background, he understands the circumstances that families face. “I remember my first year [in college], I had to spend hundreds of dollars on textbooks. It was a shock,” he said.

The administration’s decision to not provide textbooks for the upper division is also controversial among students.

Shaham understands the logistical challenges behind having the school provide textbooks for all students. “I understand the plight of students that can’t afford textbooks,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s reasonable for the school to pay for the textbooks of all these kids. There are a lot of stu-

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English, history, and Latin classes. “The prices add up,” she said.

5 but 300 dollars this year as a junior.

Spending money on textbooks has become a normality for Willoughby-Spera, who said he hasn’t received textbooks from school on a regular basis since middle school.

While many factors contribute to which textbooks teachers choose, for the Spanish department, the cost of materials is not a main priority, Spanish teacher Diego Argibay said.

“The cost is not one of the first things we think about, unfortunately, and we should,” Argibay said. “Language only needs one textbook, but textbooks are incredibly expensive, easily over 100 dollars.”

In contrast to the costly price many students pay for textbooks, not all classes require a textbook. For example, Spanish Seminar does not have a textbook. Instead, the class studies a compilation of articles, Argibay said.

At times in the past, the Spanish department would provide students with certain books like La Hija Del Sastre, a book that all Spanish 3 students are required to buy, but that has stopped now, Argibay said. While the Spanish department rarely provides textbooks for their students, Argibay does think doing that is feasible. “It’s definitely a possibility and something we should look into,” he said.

Other Schools and the Future While most high schoolers have gotten used to buying textbooks for most of their classes, the Middle Division (MD) runs a different system for buying textbooks.

All of the textbooks that are required for MD history are provided by the school, MD History Department Chair John McNally said. This is true for all departments in the MD , as the students are given the books for the year and their parents are given a distributed fee, Kelly said.

The reason for doing this is part of a larger goal that the department and division has in becoming more equitable, McNally said. The department budget can handle the cost of textbooks, many of which are under $20, so there’s no reason for the students to buy them.

“We only use one formal textbook in 6th grade that is over $100 and we have students turn them back at the end of the year to reuse for the next year. It makes things more fair for the students since all MD students take the same three history course,” he said.

There are a series of reasons why the Middle Division system differs from the Upper Division’s. The textbooks in the MD do not turn over with the frequency they do in the Upper Division, Kelly said. Also, the MD courses are standardized, so the textbooks are standardized as well, he said.

However, the Middle Division is not the only place where students don’t have to buy textbooks.

The majority of public schools in the country provide textbooks for their students and even Poly Prep, another New York City private high school, has the price of textbooks included in their tuition.

The administration is mindful about the cost of textbooks in the Upper Division, but is not sure how the school would be able to absorb the cost of textbooks without increasing the tuition, Kelly said.

Despite the varying opinions amongst the students regarding the book-buying process, Kelly is satisfied with the current system in place, and doesn’t see the need to change it unless a reason arises. “While it’s not perfect, it gets the job done,” he said.

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THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

Swingin’ to salsa and other Latin dances

Yin Fei Staff Writer As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, dance workshops offered students the chance to release stress and swing to colorful and vivacious Latin music. The workshops offered a mixture of styles, ranging from different types of salsa to bachata to merengue, throughout the past four weeks led by Associate Director of College Counseling Ashley Taylor.

“The idea for the dance workshops was brought up by the students who wanted a balance between educational, academic, informal,

ease into the festivities, Alvarez wrote in a school-wide email.

While many students are familiar with Latin dance, they have never been able to properly engage themselves within it, Alvarez said. The workshops gave them an opportunity to learn about the history of a particular dance before partaking in it in a meaningful way.

Taylor led the workshops, making use of her extensive, near-professional background in dancing.

“My mom taught me the basic steps of salsa,

Courtesty of Jayla Thomas

MOVE THOSE FEET! Students and teachers learn to salsa. and fun programming,” Upper Division history teacher Ricardo Alvarez said.

Alvarez is the faculty advisor for the Latinx Influencers of Tomorrow (L.I.T.), a recently-formed club dedicated to creating a visible space for Latinx culture all around the school. The student organization kicked off this school year with several Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations around campus, including food, music, movie screenings, open classrooms, and dance workshops to

merengue, and cumbia growing up, and I started taking formal classes in Rueda de Casino, a Cuban salsa style right after high school. In college, I joined the Latin dance group on campus,” Taylor said. “After college, I learned New York style salsa from a number of really talented instructors and eventually joined a dance company in North Carolina, performing regionally.”

Each week, the workshops began with some background information about each of the musi-

cal styles before learning the steps and technique. After the students began to get the hang of the technique, the lesson ended with s o m e social dancing to practice their new skills.

Taylor said she appreciates being in a community where she can both share her hobby and honor Hispanic Heritage Month, she said. She is constantly reminded that dance is influenced by the musical and historical traditions of Latin America’s complex past. The music and styles each have roots in indigenous, African, and European influences. “Many Afro-Cuban movements mimic cutting sugar cane or wading through water, representing stories of slavery. Capoeira is self-defense in dance form, deriving from slaves learning to fight covertly while working on Brazilian coffee plantations,” Taylor said.

“Merengue, specifically, is native to the Dominican Republic, which is where my family is from, so I had already had previous experience from family parties,” co-president of L.I.T. Adriana Hernandez (12) said.

Even though Hernandez already knew how to perform merengue, she was still able to have an enjoyable experience watching classmates of all ethnicities attempting a new form of dance, she said.

English teacher Rebbeca Bahr, who was inspired by her advisee Jayla Thomas’s (12) email announcement of the workshops, surprised her D period English class by taking them to a session.

“I always think that getting up and moving is really critical since usually we are sitting down,” Bahr said. “The students were very stiff and nervous at first, but once they started getting into it, they began to loosen up.”

“When Ms. Bahr told us we were going to the workshop, I was super excited to be learning something new that I might not have learned otherwise,” Emily Salzhauer (9) said.

“It was very inclusive since you had to be active while at the workshop. I have been to other workshops before and it’s just listening to other

class.

people talk which tends to get boring,” said Zach Goodman (9), who also went with the

Courtesty of Jayla Thomas

ONE-TWO STEP Teachers dance to the beat.

The instructors didn’t expect participants to be able to do the dance right away, and slowed the pace down so that even if it was one’s first time dancing, an attendee could learn how to do it quickly, Goodman said.

Planning the workshops was no easy feat for Thomas, who was behind getting the time and space for people to come in and she even went as far as to bring in her own family members to the school and teach one of the workshops, Hernandez said.

“Since we are a relatively new club, we don’t really have a budget which is why I decided to reach out to my aunt and uncle, who I know dance a lot outside of school and even met through dancing,” Thomas said. “They were really happy to be invited and they taught a salsa workshop D and F period on Monday, which I heard got great reviews.”

L.I.T.’s efforts seem to have paid off, as many students walked away saying that they either wanted to go to the next workshop, practice at home, or even listen to the songs that were played in class, Hernandez said. “It really left an impression on them, which I thought was so cool.”

Thomas said that it was crucial to take advantage of Hispanic Heritage Month to showcase dance, a central component of Hispanic and Latinx culture. “We are here, and we are present,” she said.

Muhaiminul on the mic: Ashraf ‘19 drops beats Abby Beckler Staff Writer Working in the library during his gap year, Muhaiminul Ashraf ’19 can often be found roaming the school as he was known to throughout his high school career: wearing headphones.

Ashraf is an avid music fan and producer, and despite graduating last year, he still frequents the HM Music Studio to make original songs and help other musical students.

“Regardless of if he made the beat or if his vocals are on it, [Ashraf] has some sort of hand in every release that you hear coming out of the Horace Mann studio,” said Rish Sinha (12), another regular visitor to the music studio who raps under the stage name Del-N’quent. “He’ll give some advice, or do some tweaks on it. He always is helping someone out.”

Prior to going to the recording studio during his freshman year, Ashraf had very little background with music.

“My parents, due to restrictions by religion, always hated music so I didn’t listen to music on my own until the fourth grade,” he said. “I think the first song I heard was ‘I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas.’”

Ashraf quickly started experimenting on garageBand, playing with the pre-recorded loops the application offered. However, he didn’t like that he was “just recycling someone else’s works,” so he began making his own chords, melodies, and drum patterns, he said.

Ashraf’s music is a mixture of funk, R&B, and hip hop with occasional bits of pop. “He puts an electronic spin on R&B and hip hop,” Sinha said.

A wide variety of genres influence Ashraf’s music; some of his greatest inspirations include Jon Bellion, Stevie Wonder, UMI, BROCKHAMPTON, Dominic Fike, Aries, 99 Neighbors, and Kanye West.

“Tyler, the Creator is probably one of my biggest influences.” Ashraf said. “What struck me about the album is how frankly he speaks about feelings of loneliness and alienation. The instruAillil Walsh/ Staff Photographer

SICK BEATS Ashraf lays down a beat. mentals on ‘Flower Boy’ introduced me to neosoul and jazz and I’ve never thought about music the same.”

Other important musical influences in

Ashraf’s work are the rappers Saba, Smino, and Noname, the three of whom often collaborate.

Ashraf said he was especially influenced by the way Smino adds soul to his songs, Noname uses her songs as vehicles to express her fears of globalization, and Saba deals with loss and trauma through his songs.

“The common thread between all three of those artists is they all have heavy gospel as well as neo-soul and jazz influences which is what I want to make,” he said.

During his time at the school, Ashraf found a mentor in Music Department Chair Doug Epstein. “Epstein was always supporting me throughout my music journey,” Ashraf said.

“Anytime I had an issue with the track, or I got stuck at some point, he would offer his help and some words of wisdom from his time working in the recording business.”

“We had a mentor/mentee relationship while he was a student. He is really curious and really interested and he tries to take everything I say to heart,” Epstein said. “From music theory to ‘what does this button do’ to ‘what is compression,’ I tried to give him ideas to break out of his boxes.”

The recording studio functioned as a safe haven for Ashraf where he would come to manage his workload and express his creativity through song, he said.

“I use the studio to play around with melodies and see what chords and drum patterns fit the vibe I’m going for,” he said. “The studio in high school was my own little corner of the world where I always felt at home. Whenever I had a bad day, I’d retreat there and feel a little more

at home.”

“Muhaiminul is earnestly curious, and he really wants to know more and more. He’s never really satisfied with his own work,” Epstein said.

“He’s always looking for something that will meet his own standards which are pretty high.”

“Muhaiminul is truly an inspiration to me,” Christian Jones (12) said. “I’ve watched him in the studio and his music is inspiring. Listening to his music made other people want to make music.”

Ashraf has not released anything recently, but has many projects which may be released soon.

“I Annabelle Chan/ Art Editor am sitting on a lot of u n f i n i she d and unreleased projects right now, but if I were to release something, it would be through a music distributor that would upload it directly to whatever streaming services I want,” he said.

Ashraf is not sure whether he will pursue music as a career, but he is certain that he will continue to write and produce songs throughout his life because it helps him forge connections with people and provides him with an emotional outlet, he said.

Additional reporting by Emily Shi

HORACE MANN MIDDLE DIVISION OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

GSA looks to extend their LGBTQ+ safe space Emily Shi Staff Writer

After launching their first meeting of the year, the Middle Division (MD) Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Club hopes to broaden students’ perspectives and expand their organization through discussion, communication, and fun opportunities.

The organization began in the fall of 2016, when a group of MD students sought to create a space for members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, MD English teacher and faculty advisor James Brink said. “UD [Upper Division] students told us that they really wanted support when they were middle schoolers,” he said. “We wanted to take their feedback into consideration and build something similar for today’s middle schoolers.”

Originally called “Rainbows and Friends,” the organization shifted to the name “GSA” i n order to “clarify the purpose for building a support network,” psychologist and faculty advisor Dr. Christina Nichols said.

Since then, the club developed a routine of meeting every Thursday during I period to talk about common interests, issues in the LGBTQ+ community, and current events, Elise Kang (8), member of the club, said.

Generally, the environment is relaxed and laid back. “It feels just like talking to your friends after school,” Camila Florencio (8), another club member, said.

Both Florencio and Kang joined the GSA due to a friend’s encouragement. “At first, I was kind of nervous about what it would be like because it’s a new space, but after I came here it was pretty cool so I thought I’d stay,” Kang said.

“Just coming to GSA has helped me grow as

an ally because it reminds and emphasizes the importance of being aware of people’s identities, including, but not be limited to using the proper pronouns and being respectful of their space,” Kang said. “The things we do at GSA, they help me grasp a better idea of what kinds of experiences members of the LGBTQ+ community are going through every day.”

Florencio was able to make friends with people outside of her friend group, because of this “open environment,” she said. “It helped me understand that everyone’s experiences are different, whether as a member or an ally.”

“It is helping me figure out who I am, and hopefully helps others figure out who they are as well ,” Finn*, an anonymous student and another student in the group, said.

Sometimes, Brink said, students would come in with a topic or a news article in order to have the group focus in on a specific subject manner.

“Middle schoolers have lots of questions and ideas, specifically regarding topics like how gender, sexual orientation, and identity are showing up in our larger world,” Co-Director of the Office for Identity, Culture, and Institutional Equity (ICIE) John Gentile said.

Since middle schoolers are engaged with the LGBTQ+ community through the media, “having a space where they can process and engage in the critical analysis of that in developmentally and age appropriate ways is essential,” Gentile said.

Last year, the group had a several key opportunities to increase visibility and bond with each other.

One of the biggest group activities that the group participated in was seeing “Be More Chill,” a Broadway musical that features LGBTQ+ characters and themes. According to an article about the event in Volume 116 of The Record, the group chose the play not only due to its LGBTQ+ themes, but also the greater idea

7

Courtacy of Emily Shi

CLUB LEADERS Faculty members help create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and allies. of marginalization, inclusion, and acceptance.

The group also tried to raise awareness last year by organizing a karaoke event and sponsoring a showing of the movie “Love, Simon” with cookies for attendees, Brink said.

This year, the organization will make announcements at assemblies and posted it on the student life website, Nichols said.

Though the group has been growing gradually over time, one of the biggest goals for the club in the upcoming year is to increase outreach to gain more members, Brink said. The club is aiming to have around six to twelve students at the average meeting.

Kang said that she hopes to see new members join in order to grow the club.

“A lot of these members have been there since the beginning, and I haven’t seen anyone new join this club so far,” she said.

This year, Brink said that the club is planning to spread awareness and “have a presence at MD events” by sponsoring more activities within the MD, such as another karaoke event or collaboration with HM Lead.

Within the club, the advisors hope to bring in more specific discussion topics or current events for participants to dig deeper into LGBTQ+ issues, Brink said.

In addition, the group plans to continue “community building” activities such as potentially doing another theater trip.

Kang said at the first meeting the group discussed watching a new show in New Jersey. “If it works out, I really want to go, since I was invited to Be More Chill last year, but I had a conflict.”

In terms of discussion, the group is hoping to “go more in depth about issues concerning the LGBTQ+ community around the country and the world by focusing more on actual issues that we can talk about,” Finn* said.

“With more visibility and more information on these identities in the world, there’s more questions and opportunities for young people to stand more authentically in their truth and so we’re recreating space for them to feel safe and good to be able to do that,” Gentile said.

‘Spelling Bee’ the play creates buzz Hanna Hornfeld Staff Writer While spelling bees are generally fairly mundane, this year’s Middle Division musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” has been nothing short of hilarious and exciting for its cast members.

Throughout this production about a middle school spelling bee, characters come up to the stage and spell words, occasionally going off on musical tangents that segue into backstories.

Dance teacher Denise Direnzo, the production’s director, chose the musical because of its positive energy and the characters’ individual personalities. “I saw the Broadway production about 12 years ago and thought it

was delightful,” she said. “Later, I saw a scaled down version of the musical at a community theatre outside of NYC and was once again taken by the music and lyrics, the quirky characters, and the way each person’s story was woven throughout the show.”

Indeed, the play is filled with unique and quirky characters that make it funny to watch and even more enjoyable to be a part of, actor Alex Felberbaum (6) said. “There are a bunch of kids with totally different personalities participating in the most odd spelling bee with a million things happening at once, and it’s just a crazy and fun experience.”

Felberbaum plays Chip Tolentino, an overconfident boy scout who won the previous year’s spelling bee. Felderbaum is extremely happy with his character, as he connects

with Chip’s emotions and high energy level, he said. “He is probably one of the most confident characters in any show I’ve ever seen, which makes him so much fun to play,” Felberbaum said.

Jeffrey Dai (8) also enjoys embodying his a unique character, he said. Dai plays the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch, the official word pronouncer of the bee. His role, pronouncing and defining words for characters, is especially entertaining because it allows him the freedom to use the words in humorous improvised sentences, he said.

“In some songs specifically there is a lot of humor surrounding the somewhat directed improv I have to do, as well as the anger management issues my character has,” Dai said.

“It’s a lot of fun to play around with that.”

This is Dai’s third consecutive year in MD productions and his second year playing a comedic character. He enjoys playing funny characters because they help him connect with the audience, especially its younger members, who may grow bored during more serious moments, he said.

Aashna Hari (7), who plays Ronalisa Perretti, took longer to connect with her character, because she originally found Ronalisa, a real estate agent who runs the spelling bee, annoying and auditioned for a different role, she said. However, upon reading the script more closely, Hari realized that her character was supportive and understanding, and grew to care for her, she said.

Julia Lourenco (6) is in the ensemble, but growing to love the characters was easy for her, she said. “They’re all crazy characters with really weird quirks, but at the end of the day, they’re a lot of fun,” she said.

Although Lourenco has participated in performances at a musical theater camp, this is her first time in a fully-f ledged production, she said. Lourenco and Hari auditioned because they are in MD chorus and enjoy per-

forming, they said. Dancing is also a way to simultaneously stay active and have a good time, Lourenco said.

Between last year’s play and this musical, performing in front of strangers has boosted Hari’s confidence and helped her step outside her comfort zone, she said.

Dai agrees that being in the productions has both improved his technical skills onstage and his life skills off-stage. “I voice my opinions more often now, instead of pushing things aside,” Dai said.

Felderbaum agrees, believing the musical taught him life skills as well, he said. “I auditioned for the musical expecting to be in the ensemble, but getting a lead role as a sixth grader has shown me that anything is possible, and never to underestimate yourself,” he said.

Felberbaum adores Broadway musicals, and being in this production has shaped the way he now views other shows. “I actually just saw a musical, Beetlejuice, and considering how much work we put into our own MD musical just amazes me when I think about what had to happen for such a big production as that to be put on,” he said.

“It’s an exciting show,” Felberbaum said, “and I think it’s going to go above and beyond.”

Gabby Fishberg/Art Director

Lions’ Den Record Sports

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OCTOBER 18TH, 2019

Aidan Aiskiks: shooting for the future

Joshua Underberg Staff Writer “We were representing our families, we were representing our countries, and we were representing where we came from,” Aidan Aisiks (12) said about his experience at the Maccabi Games.

While playing for the United States Men’s 17U Maccabi team in Israel, Aisiks competed against various countries including Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

“I learned that soccer can bring cultures together even if you can’t communicate with your opponents,” Aisiks said. “We all shared a common goal of winning.”

“Aidan has become a social diplomat and has honed his skills because he has learned to play with virtual strangers and work together for a common goal,” Aisik’s mother Margot Aisiks said.

Aisiks began playing soccer at the age of four and has been involved in the sport ever since then.

Growing up with an Argentinian father who played college soccer at the University of Southern California, “there was a lot of soccer culture in my family to begin with,” Aisiks said.

“I love watching soccer and I love the culture of the sport,” he said.

One contributing factor to Aisik’s continuation of playing soccer is the bonding aspect of the sport between players and the power that it has to create friendships, he said.

“When we were younger, a lot of kids from our school went and played as part of a program called Super Soccer Stars at All Souls Church and we got a lot closer,” Aisiks said.

“Soccer has changed Aidan in terms of how he relates to people off the field,” Aidan’s mother said. “He wants everyone to get along and play as if they’re on a team.”

At the age of eight, Aisiks began playing for a travel team and eventually an academy team.

“Academy teams are the highest level of play for an aspiring professional player,” Aisiks

said.

Currently, Aisiks–who plays the right back position–is a member of the Metropolitan Oval Developmental Academy team located in Queens, New York.

As a member of this team, Aisiks competes against other teams in the Academy League, which consists of MLS academies, Aisiks said.

While Aisiks’ team is not run by the same organization as any MLS team, his team is affiliated with NYCFC, which dramatically increases the chance of top players on Metropolitan Oval eventually playing for the American club.

Aisiks’ team holds intense practices four days per week, along with a game on Saturdays, and three major tournaments per year, he said.

Practices begin with technical training, which is followed by a half hour of tactical work, and finished with mental and physical recovery work, Aisiks said. Tactical work consists primarily of reviewing formations and movements on the field. Recovery is made up of injury prevention exercises, mental stamina exercises, and watching film, he said.

“The league sponsors our club, so they don’t allow us to play in high school with the expectation that there will be a high level of devotion to the league itself.”

As preparation for his senior year of soccer, Aisiks spent his junior year playing soccer at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

“I went there to gain soccer experience and more specifically to get more exposure to the daily life of an athlete,” Aisiks said.

“It was a very enlightening experience being able to interact with baseball players, football players, lacrosse players, and other athletes from all over the world,” he said. “I really felt like I belonged in that environment because everybody had a common goal of reaching the highest level of their respective sports,” Aisiks said.

Aisiks trained for five hours every day, with the exception of some Sundays when games took place.

Courtesy of Aidan Aisiks

JUMPING FOR JOY Aidan Asiks (right) celebrates a win with his USA teammates.

The training ranged from on-field training to drills in the pool, Aisiks said.

IMG solidified Aisiks’ goal of playing soccer at the college level. Currently, he is unsure whether he will be playing Division 1 or Division 3 soccer.

“Either way, I want to play four years of college soccer,” Aisiks said.

Aisiks is in no rush to go to college right away, he said, as he is interested in possibly spending next year playing for a professional club in either South America or Europe, he said.

“No matter what happens, soccer has taught me so much about myself, which is one reason I hope to continue playing,” Aisiks said.

Varsity Water Polo team ends Season with a splash: ivy league champions Talia Winiarsky Staff Writer Varsity Waterpolo won the Ivy Preparatory School League (ISPL) this season, becoming the only one of the school’s six teams to do so.

Prior to this year, water polo teams were not a part of the IPSL. This year, however, there are four teams that are a part of the league: Horace Mann, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Riverdale Country School, and Trinity. With five wins and one loss to Trinity, Horace Mann came in first place.

In order for a sport to compete in the IPSL, four out of eight schools in the league must have a team, Coach Michael Duffy said. When Riverdale started their team last year, the teams proposed that the league be official this season.

The implementation of water polo into the IPSL is a reflection of the larger trend of the rise of high school water polo. According to The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), from 2008-2009, boys’ participation in water polo increased 8.8%, and girls’ participation increased 18.0%.

Donny Howard (12), co-captain of the team, noticed an increase in Water Polo participation throughout his career at the school. “As I look back to the middle school team, there’s a lot of people compared to what there used to be. This year was the first year I’ve ever experienced where we wondered if there would be cuts.”

The recent increase of appeal in the team could be attributed to the new pool and facilities, and the Water Polo tournaments that the school hosts thrills the players and functions as an advertisement for spectators of the team, Howard said. In future years, the plaque hanging to commemorate of the team’s victory will inspire students to join.

The school has had a Varsity Water Polo team since 1977. “Future Water Polo teams may claim a better record, but without a doubt, no other team will ever know the feelings of those photographed below [the team], for they were pioneers” the captains wrote in the 1977 Mannikin.

42 years later, the players this season are also pioneers. While other teams at the school have been a part of the IPSL for many decades, this season’s team has set a precedent for future water polo teams as the team continues to participate in the IPSL. The league has given the team a championship to strive for, Gaither said. “There’s been a lot more fun pressure to win. It’s made the games more exciting and everyone’s more cohesive because there’s a definitive goal.”

Winning the Homecoming game against Fieldston 16-10 gave the team the title of IPSL champion, Ari Salsberg (11) said. “One of my favorite moments of the game [Homecoming] was watching Max Chasin (9), who’s a freshman. He had some crazy lob shot that was

placed perfectly.”

While some other schools have to rely on their best players in games, the school does not have to do that, Salsberg said. “Strong performances by our starting lineup against weaker teams allows for our bench and backups to get more playing time.”

The team faces a challenge when they play teams that aren’t part of the IPSL, such as St. Peter’s Preparatory School and Pingry, which are in New Jersey, and Staples High School in Connecticut, Salsberg said. The team has lost once to Pingry, twice to Staples High School, but beat St. Peter’s Prep in a close game of 1110.

Navigating the worlds above and below water while also managing the chaos of travelling between the two is one of the many skills that the Varsity Water Polo team uses, Nina Gaither (11) said.

Duffy is the main factor that the team was so successful this year, Howard said. They focused on improving the team as a whole, rather than focusing on the best players. “If I’m not available one day to be at a game, or Taimur, the other captain, isn’t, we are still going to play just as aggressively and just as strong.”

Additionally, a large portion of the team trains during the off-season to come back the next season with a higher level of skill, Howard said. He spends his free time in the spring honing his skills in the pool with his teammates,

and he and others attended water polo camps over the summer. “The effort that we put into our team is unparalleled,” he said.

The starting roster usually includes some of the team’s best players, including Howard, who plays starting goalie, Walker McCarthy (10), and Max Chasin, Salsberg said.

“What I like about Donny is that he knows he’s really good, and everyone else knows he’s really good, and he’s more than willing to talk to you about what you’re doing and how you should improve,” Gaither said.

Taimur Moolji (12) is Co-Captain with Howard, and he leads the team both in and out of the pool, and contributed to the team’s success with his leadership skills, McCarthy said.

“Taimur played a really big part in us getting to know each other better, and as a result, we were more comfortable with each other during games and we were able to work together as a team.”

In the coming weeks, the team will focus on preparing the underclassmen for next season, Salsberg said. “We’ll try to fill a lot of the holes that the seniors that are leaving, such as Donny, who’s crucial to the team.”

The team continues to grow closer together due to the time they have spent playing and the seniors’s efforts to increase teamwork, McCarthy said. “We’re all supportive of each other, whether we are winning or losing.”

Gabby Fischberg/Art Director