The Horace Mann Record HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903
APRIL 6TH, 2018 || VOLUME 115, ISSUE 22
RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG
Latin students go to Italy over spring break
Abigail Salzhauer Staff Writer
READING STATION Emily St. John Mandel speaks at assembly with panel of students and a teacher.
Abi Kraus/Photo Editor
Book Day author presents at assembly Megha Nelivigi Staff Writer
Author Emily St. John Mandel spoke at this week’s assembly about her writing process and background, in advance of next Thursday’s Book Day, which will feature her awardwinning novel Station Eleven. Mandel was unavailable to visit on Book Day, but Upper Division Librarian Caroline Bartels felt that it would still be important for Mandel to visit, Bartels said. “What’s kind of nice with her coming ahead of Book Day is that she can talk about things and bring up stuff that people may have been thinking of about the book,” Bartels said. “What kids and teachers can come away with is new things to think about before Book Day, and if kids haven’t quite finished the book, it can spur them to read or finish the book.” Each year’s Book Day book is completely different from any other year, Bartels said, and “Station Eleven” is no exception. “People always say, ‘choose a book for Book Day that could cover all of the departments,’” she said. “Emily St. John Mandel covered just about all of them.” The assembly took place in an interview format, with Dean of the Class of 2021 Dr. Susan Groppi moderating and three students asking questions, with other students given the opportunity to ask questions later on in the assembly. Mandel covered a variety of topics, answering questions regarding the
novel’s plot, the writing process, character development, the path that led her to become a writer, her writing style, and more. Mandel’s explanation on character development and how she viewed her main characters added to Claire Yoo’s (11) understanding of the novel, she said. Other members of the community had mixed reactions. Josh Benson (11) felt that the assembly would have been more effective had Mandel came in on the actual day of Book Day. Because the book “doesn’t immediately lead into wider issues,” Benson said, he believes Mandel’s visit may have made more sense “after people had done various workshops, and were conditioned to understand the book better.” “I thought the assembly was good, but I don’t think enough people actually read the book to have a thoughtful assembly, especially with Book Day being next week,” Menon said. On the other hand, David Shen (11) felt that Mandel was an “interesting speaker with an interesting life story.” Hearing about Mandel and her own experiences gave Shen insight on the characters within Station Eleven; for instance, hearing about Mandel’s writing process connected with the way Miranda, a character in the novel, writes her own book, Shen said. However, Shen felt that the assembly “would not have made any sense if you didn’t read the book.” Groppi, who had originally suggested the novel as a Book Day
book for 2017, felt that the assembly went well. “I didn’t know much, if anything, about her background, and I liked hearing how she got into writing and how it fits into her life,” she said. Even though it is her first Book Day book, Jordan Ferdman (9) felt that Station 11 was not all that accessible to the student body, because “science fiction in general caters to a very specific group of people.” One of the reasons Groppi suggested the book is because “we’ve had a lot of books with this huge social impact, but this is a book that I wanted to celebrate just as a book,” she said. Apart from her writing, Yoo was intrigued by Mandel’s life story. Homeschooled until 10th grade and intensely focused on dance, Mandel graduated without a high school diploma and ultimately realized that writing was her passion, she said in the assembly. “It was surprising that she was homeschooled and went to a dance conservatory instead of getting a traditional education, and yet still found her passion,” Yoo said. Emma Jones (12) enjoyed hearing Mandel speak as well. “She was really articulate-- she answered all the questions asked in really specific ways, and talked about her writing in a very clear way, which is a skill not everyone has,” Jones said. “Station Eleven is such an abstract book, so it was helpful to hear the author talk about it.”
march in DC because he was curious to see what would be different when the march happened in the city where the country’s decisions are made, he said. Arya Patel (9) also went to the DC march. Patel wanted to go because she thought it was important that “we take things into our hands,” she said. She thought that there were a lot of people speaking about the issue but it didn’t feel like anything was really being done, she said. Bartels thought that it was amazing to see that the demonstration was organized by teenagers, she said. “I went with my friends, and they were all surprised to see the energy of these young people,” she said. “As a librarian here, I have this energy around me all the time, which is
amazing.” Maya Dubno (11), who also attended the New York march, was impressed by the young people involved, particularly those who spoke at the beginning “very eloquently,” she said. Beckman felt that it was important because this was an event organized by students for students, and he wanted to be a part of the first movement that’s intrinsically tied to our generation, he said. Dubno attended the march because she felt that gun violence was an issue that she simply “couldn’t not care about,” she said. For Dubno, as a teenager, she could imagine gun violence happening to her, which made the issue more real, she said. Silvia Wang (11) interviewed
Students visited various Roman landmarks and explored cultural artifacts in Italy over spring break to immerse themselves in Roman culture and bring context to Latin texts they studied in class. “The trip created a dimension of understanding that is impossible to achieve without being in the geographic location,” Foreign Languages Department Chair Susan Carnochan said. While Latin is a dead language, the trip provided cultural context to class lessons, as the students needed to travel to Italy to experience the ancient world, Spanish teacher and trip chaperone Pilar Valencia said. The students translated relevant passages as they toured historical sites. “The intent is to go over and read Latin passages at the various monuments about which they are talking about or which they represent. We try to do the Latin ‘in situ,’ in the geographical place where it belongs,” Latin Teacher James McCaw said. Reading texts where the events originally took place helped conceptualize what happened during that time, Josh Doolan (12) said. The group read specific poems and epigraphs that described some of the sites they saw, Doolan said. “I learned so much about Roman history and Latin and also a lot about
the Roman architecture and their different ways for constructing a lot of the different buildings that they had,” Doolan said. “People question why to take Latin because it’s a dead language, but being at the location of historical sites really puts things in perspective because we were actually living Latin,” Nina Gaither (9) said. The trip began at the Bay of Naples, where the group visited an amphitheater and then visited a cave referenced in the Aeneid. They continued to Pompeii and then spent the rest of the time in Rome, visiting cultural landmarks including San Clemente, the Catacombs on the Via Appia, the Vatican museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Tivoli. In addition to learning more about the language’s history and cultural roots, the trip offered a chance for students to form close knit bonds, Doolan said. “It was a very personalized experience with just 11 students, [and] it was really special to make all of these connections across different grades and students with a wide array of different interests.” “On our trip we had freshmen through seniors, so the Latin experience is different for every single student. I wasn’t catering the class literature to the trip because that would exclude some kids,” McCaw said.
VENI, VIDI, VICI Latin students tour the ruins of ancient Rome.
Courtesy of Josh Doolan
Students and teachers attend March for Our Lives Sandhya Shyam Staff Writer
inside
Members of the school community chose to participate in the March for Our Lives demonstration that took place over break on March 24th. The event was a student-led protest sparked by the recent mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Schooling. The main march occurred in Washington DC, but over 800 marches took place across the world, including one in New York City. Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels attended the march in New York with her friends and decided to go because it was an important issue to her. Jake Beckman (12) attended the
ACTvantage
4
Investigating the prevalent role of tutoring.
Swish, swish, miss
6
Trashketball teams compete in the finals next Monday! Read about the Final Four now.
various participants in the March for her history research project that examined the effect of new technologies on protest movements. Wang found that social media played a large role as most of the people she interviewed learned about the event through social media. “With the newer generations having grown around technology all their lives, social media is the most used and accessible platform for people to get involved in the political process,” Wang said. Beckman wouldn’t have found out about the March without the help of social media, he said. “Modern technology has made it really easy to have access to a ton of information and other people’s opinions, and I think that it
Spring athletics
8
Varsity spring teams gear up for a great season.
broadens our perspectives and helps us have a discussion,” Beckman said. “However, the same technology means our generation will have way more exposure to biased and fake information.” Another aspect of the march that was memorable for Dubno was that she went with her mother because of the fact that many parents who lost their children to gun violence were an integral part of it. “There was a moment where we just hugged each other and that was really important to me, to be able to be there with your parent or child,” she said. “I think the march opened people’s eyes to how mass shootings happen all the time,” Bartels said. “Change needs to happen.”
@hm.record @thehoracemannrecord Horace Mann School 231 W 246th St, Bronx, NY 10471
2
THE RECORD OPINIONS APRIL 6TH, 2018
Learning a language, connecting to my roots
Katie Goldenberg It’s a chilly day in February, and wind bites at my neck as I hurry along the street, my hands stuffed in my pockets. My destination, a small bookstore stocked with gently used novels, is within my sights, and relief fills my body as I open the front door to warm air and the tingling of bells overhead. As I catch my breath, I hear the man behind the counter speaking on the phone in another language. Within a few moments, I decipher the quick, sharp syllables as Russian, so when he hangs up, I approach him with a smile and greet him in the language. The corners of his face immediately light up, and he comes over to shake my hand, asking if I speak Russian. Да, I tell him, немного. He beams, asking me why I started studying and where my family is from. He tells me about the small town in Russia he immigrated from, detailing everything from the houses to the people. He then leads me over to a nearby shelf and launches into a passionate description of the richness of Russian literature, pulling out texts he thinks I’d enjoy. I began to study the language because I wanted to connect to my family’s slavic roots; my father’s
side of the family is from Belarus, and mother’s is from Slovakia. Learning the language served as a means of becoming more familiar with my heritage, so in the summer of my sophomore year, I enrolled in a language program for Russian and spent four weeks learning to read, write, and speak without prior knowledge. The experience was extremely humbling. I was stunned when I stepped off the bus and was greeted by a stream of Russian questions to which I had no answers. But I started to catch on to the language, and once I began to understand, I began to connect. My teachers, most of whom only spoke Russian, were ecstatic to hear my clumsy attempts to ask them questions, and they opened their hearts, providing me with everything from songs to stories about their hometowns. The culture arrived hand in hand; they bombarded me with dances and songs and literature that I still remember and consume. I decided to dedicate time to retaining what I had learned. It wasn’t hard to find ways to do so; everyone I contacted was extremely open when I told them I was learning Russian and wanted to help me along my path. I now study with a teacher twice a week, and I volunteer outside of school at the Russian American Cultural Heritage Center, a non-profit organization that works to bring together the Russian American community and preserve Russian history and traditions. Over the course of April, the center will organize events to celebrate Russian-American History Month, from concerts to forums, and I am excited to contribute and continue to absorb the language
and culture. These experiences, although individual, have convinced me of the beauty of language. Employing Russian in conversation is continually terrifying, but it’s a step I try to take to extend myself outward. Speaking any foreign language is more than stumbling to land on your feet; it’s traveling on someone else’s terrain to make them feel more comfortable. It’s offering an olive branch
Critical Language Scholarship Program. Such languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, and Turkish, are less commonly taught in the American schooling system but are nonetheless crucial and should be offered as options in our the school’s language department. The school works to create global citizens, or individuals whose awareness and flexible
Surya Gowda/Staff Artist
fashioned from words. Russian is one of over 60 critical languages listed by the National Security Education Program (NSEP); a critical language is defined as a foreign language that contributes to national security and prosperity, according to the
perspectives allow them to successfully engage with other communities or cultures. The study of critical languages contributes to this goal. Not only does the study of a foreign language allow students to interact with other speakers on a
deeper level, but it simultaneously provides a more concrete understanding of that culture. For languages that are less commonly studied, these benefits are amplified. Learners are gifted with not only the beauty of cultural connection but a skill that is less popular but in high demand, whether a result of diplomatic and economic relations or utility on a professional level. Knowledge of critical languages allows students to contribute to a more globalized workforce, serve as ambassadors for the United States, and build long-lasting relationships in other countries. In preparing students for their futures, the school should consider these long-term advantages. I know interest exists, because in sharing my own studies with my peers I’ve heard students exclaim that they wish not only Russian but a range of other languages were offered. If such choices were offered earlier in a student’s career - perhaps in middle school - in addition to the standard options of Spanish and French, students would not face the concern of having to switch their language and gain earlier exposure and experience. Although it is impossible to offer everything, the school should further investigate the interests of the student body and examine the professional and personal benefits increased language options would bring. As Nelson Mandela once said, “If you speak to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, it goes to his heart.” Over the past year, I’ve personally experienced the truth in that statement.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Editorial
PMULS*: REVERSING THE SENIOR SLUMP Come April, seniors often care less about their grades and school work. While Horace Mann seniors coast through what remains of their last year until graduation, students at other schools spend their last eight weeks in high school working at internships and out-of-school projects with the help of their teachers. While we appreciate being able to spend the rest of the year on campus and enjoying each other’s company, the opportunity to engage with our passions first hand or have professional work experience has the potential to shape who we are as we leave high school and start the next chapter of our lives. We could model our program after those that exist at peer-institutions around the tri-state area. For example, the Trevor Day school “senior study program” serves as a culmination of everything students have learned in high school. Past student projects range from interning in the Department of Anesthesiology at St. Luke’sRoosevelt Hospital to helping to rebuild the Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy. Next year’s switch from trimesters to semesters, as well as the gradual phasing out of AP courses, could allow for the implementation of a senior project program. Projects could begin in the last quarter of school and without AP’s, seniors will not be required to finish learning material in preparation for a cumulative exam. With the independent study and senior initiative project programs already in place, policies and interested advisors exist for these types of projects. Instead of ending our Horace Mann careers in a slump, we think it would be preferable to explore interesting projects.
To the Editor: I would like to bring your attention to the Middle Division’s Walkout and recognize the hard work of its organizers, Louise Kim ‘23 and Nitika Subramaniam ‘23, and the approximately 200 students who participated. Two hundred and fifteen letters to Congress were written in the 17 minutes we gathered on Fisher Patio. I hope that in the future the Middle Division students will be included in the school newspaper’s coverage of these multidivisional events. Sincerely, Caitlin Hickerson Middle Division History Teacher, Service Learning Coordinator, and Student Activities Coordinater This letter is in reference to the article on the student walkout in Issue 21.
*This poor headline was brought to you by the senior slump.
Volume 115 Editorial Board Managing Editor Eve Kazarian
Editor in Chief Gustie Owens
Issues Editor Mahika Hari
Features Tiffany Liu Natasha Poster
News Sam Heller Yeeqin New
Opinions Seiji Murakami Rebecca Salzhauer
A&E Jonathan Katz Joanne Wang
Lions’ Den Peter Borini Ricardo Pinnock
Photography Amrita Acharya Freya Lindvall Abigail Kraus
Middle Division Ella Feiner Sarah Shin
Design Editors Evan Megibow Nikki Sheybani Lisa Shi
Art Director Ariella Greenberg
Faculty Adviser David Berenson
Columnists Lutie Brown Amir Moazami
Online Editor Michael Truell
Staff Writers Abigail Salzhauer, Betsey Bennett, Caroline Goldenberg, Charlie Silberstein,Connor Morris, Edwin Jin, Jeren Wei, Katie Goldenberg, Lynne Sipprelle, Megha Nelivigi, Noah Phillips, Sadie Schwartz, Sandhya Shyam, Solomon Katz, Surya Gowda, Tenzin Sherpa, Amelia Feiner, Jude Herwitz, Julia Robbins, Becca Siegel, Eliza Poster, Leonora Gogos, William Han, Benjamin Wang, Peri Brooks, Nishtha Sharma, Sam Keimweiss, Victor Dimitrov, Madison Li, Malhaar Agrawal, Robbie Werdiger, Simon Yang, Nelson Gaillard, Abigail Goldberg, Georgi Verdelis, Griffin Smith, Gabby Kepnes, Abigail Goldberg, Kiara Royer, Mayanka Dhingra, Spencer Kahn, Isabella Zhang, Natasha Stange, Brody McGuinn Staff Photographers Iliana Dezelic, Eva Fortunato, Miyu Imai, Abigail Kraus, Daniel Lee, Mimi Morris, Benjamin Parker, Tatiana Pavletich Staff Artists Elizabeth Fortunato, Sofia Gonzalez, Surya Gowda, Damali O’Keefe, Spyridoula Potamopoulou, Jackson Roberts, Zoe Vogelsang
Editorial Policy ABOUT The Record is published weekly by the students of Horace Mann School to provide the community with information and entertainment, as well as various viewpoints in the forms of editorials and opinion columns. All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar and layout are made by the editorial board. The Record maintains membership in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association. EDITORIALS & OPINIONS Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the senior editorial board. Opinion columns are the sole opinion of the author and not of The Record or the editorial board. NOTE As a student publication, the contents of The Record are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. The Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and content of The Record, and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein. LETTERS To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters to the editor should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or e-mail (record@horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed and should refer to a Record article. Letters may be edited for grammar, style, length and clarity. CONTACT For all comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints or corrections, or for information about subscribing, please contact us by email at record@horacemann.org.
HORACE MANN NEWS APRIL 6TH, 2018
“Call Me by Your Name” author visits school; discusses novel and film adaptation Bradley Bennett & Noah Phillips Contributing & Staff Writers
COCO-CATION Juniors tour various college on spring break with the CoCo, ignoring the harsh weather.
Juniors visit colleges on annual tour Caroline Goldberg & Vivien Sweet Staff Writers Over six days of spring break, 51 juniors visited 11 colleges on the Junior College Tour, which the school put together with help from The College Authority, an educational consulting firm. The juniors departed on March 18th and flew to Charlotte, North Carolina. From there, they made their way back to New York, visiting universities on the way. Typically, EF Educational Tours helps the school organize the tour, but this year, The College Authority assisted college counselors in planning. The college counseling office planned the trip by “creating a list of colleges that would showcase various characteristics such as large vs. small, public vs. private, research university vs. liberal arts college, highly selective vs. moderately selective, and urban vs. rural vs. suburban,” Canh Oxelson, Executive Director of College Counseling, said. “Even if you’re not planning on applying to every single school on the list, or you’ve never heard of them, it’s still really valuable to see all those different types of schools,” Hannah Long (11), who went on the trip, said. For Long, exposure to different schools helped her realize what kinds of things she values in a college, she said. Additionally, the college counseling office worked with a tour organizer to set up campus tours, college information sessions, museum visits, meetings with college deans of admission, and some activities, Oxelson said. The itinerary of the trip was similar to last year’s, Oxelson said. However, this year’s group, at
51 juniors, was larger than last year’s 38, he said. The juniors began by visiting Davidson College, Wake Forest University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Duke University. They spoke to recent graduates from the school who currently attend each university and, at certain colleges, also attended information sessions. Leonard Song (11) enjoyed the trip but thought that not attending both an information session and campus tour “does not give a full sense of every college,” he said. For Elizabeth Chung (11), it was the most helpful to talk to HM alumni at the colleges, because it provides a new perspective even “if a tour sucks, or the weather’s bad, or your tour guide’s not that great,” which might otherwise deter a student from a university, she said. Snowy weather ended up preventing the juniors from attending sessions at University of Virginia and Georgetown University. Following Duke, the juniors saw University of Richmond, George Washington University, and Johns Hopkins University. Getting to know the college counselors was very helpful, Long said. For Song, this was an advantage of going on the junior trip rather than touring with his family, he said. Juniors also participated in “debrief sessions” throughout the week held by the college counselors, where they talked with groups of students about what they were experiencing, Oxelson said. After Johns Hopkins, the juniors saw Gettysburg College, Lehigh University, University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University.
André Aciman, author of the novel “Call Me By Your Name,” spoke to English teacher Dr. Deborah Kassel’s “Literature and Film” senior elective class and other members of the school community, an exciting culmination to the class’ study of Aciman, according to Kassel. An award-winning writer and professor of literary theory at New York University, Aciman has published dozens of books, including his bestseller, “Out of Egypt.” “Call Me By Your Name” follows a 17-yearold American-Italian Jewish boy and an American-Jewish graduate student visiting his home for a summer research project. The novel depicts their unlikely love affair, as well as the ensuing 20 years. Aciman published “Call Me By Your Name” in 2007, and the book has since won numerous awards, including the award for Gay Fiction at the 20th Lambda Literary Awards. Kassel, who knows Aciman personally, invited him to speak at the school because of her fascination with the style of the book, and the level of currency it brings to her class. “I really want to learn where Professor Aciman gets his inspiration for his writing and if he ever gets writer’s block, how he pushes past that,” Arriana Serrano (12) said. Aciman’s book “breaks stereotypes and shows the impact of words,”
3
Kassel said. “It really captures interior thinking and how the mind works.” With her Literature and Film students, Kassel hopes that her students will enjoy “having the writer in the room and being able to ask him about his thought process, writing process, and the relationship between fiction and experience.” “I think it’s amazing that our school is giving us the opportunity to have a conversation with the author of such a fantastic book,” Ruby Wertheimer (12) said. Wertheimer was curious about Aciman’s role in developing the script in addition to the distinctions between the book and acclaimed film, she said. Jackson Feigin (9) enjoyed Aciman’s visit because he was “funny, creative, and open about the book,” Feigin said. Aciman wasn’t afraid to answer questions about the book and was open to talking about the relationships between the characters, he said. Feigin also thought Aciman’s discussion on the making of the movie was interesting because he was accepting of the changes the director made, Feigin said. For the larger school community, Kassel hopes the students who haven’t read the book can still enjoy and learn from the experience of hearing Professor Aciman. “The goal is to create a situation where it’s not reliant on knowing the book or movie,” said Kassel, “but the book lends itself to that kind of immediate reception without having to get past the scaffolding of not knowing the plot.”
Courtsey of Dr. Deborah Kassel
LEARNING TOGETHER AGAIN Dr. Deborah Kassel (right) posing with André Aciman (left), who directed her doctoral dissertation.
Seniors reflect on their high school experiences in panel Surya Gowda Staff Writer
Courtesy of Loren Pack
Head of Upper Division Dr. Jessica Levenstein led a panel of seven seniors from an array of backgrounds who discussed their positive and negative high school experiences for ninth, 10th and some 11th grade parents. The objective for the conversation, which took place this past Wednesday, was to give an opportunity for parents to ask seniors about their experience in the UD, Levenstein said. This is the second year the panel has occurred, starting last year after parent requests for a senior panel. Levenstein said that panel went well last year. “It was a no brainer to do it a second year,” she said. “I really hope that parents come to understand that there isn’t one path through school that can lead to student happiness and fulfillment,” Levenstein said. “The thing I feel most interested in counteracting is this IN DISCUSSION Seniors talk about their various high school experiences with Horace Mann parents. notion that you hear from entering families school, and on what they wished they had “[My advice would be] to always stay in the ninth grade about ‘getting high school done differently and what they would change. true to what you know that you are. A lot right’ and I really hope that by listening to Ben Parker (12) spoke about how he wished of times when work picks up in junior a nice diverse group of students with really he had branched out more across friend year people say ‘I have to be this different different interests and backgrounds that there groups once high school began, embraced the person because I need to focus and get into isn’t a single recipe for success.” opportunities at school, and had worried less college,’” Jahmire Cassanova (12) said. “I Levenstein began the conversation by about what he had to do for college, he said. think the only thing that works is being asking students to speak about a highlight After students finished answering comfortable and understanding that you are and a low point of their time at the school as Levenstein’s questions, the panel was open you and continuing to be you will help you well as any regrets they may have had. Many to parents, who asked about the seniors’ academically.” students commented on how their classes passions, past summer experiences, and Bliss Beyer (12) reassured parents that if and the resources at the school positively advice they would give to their younger selves. when their kids are seniors in third trimester impacted their time, their experiences in high
and still do not know what they are going to be, it will be okay because the school will help them get through it, she said. “I think [what stood out] was that with each one of [the students]...each one of them had a robust experience through high school and each one of them found complete fulfillment with what the school has to offer,” Shikha Kapoor P’14 P’19 said. Eram Syid P’21 P’23 believed that a panel similar to the senior panel would be very effective for incoming freshmen and took away that a student who feels as though they are not caving under parental pressure is a “happy kid”, she said. Levenstein also hopes that the conversations allowed the seniors participating to start reflecting on their time at the school, from the things they really enjoyed doing versus the things they wish they did not do or the things they wish they had tried, she said. Zarina Iman’s (12) goal in the conversation was to teach parents how to help their children “ease any of the tension that comes with being an underclassmen in high school or coming into high school” because she knows that it can be a stressful period for some people, she said.
4
THE RECORD FEATURES APRIL 6TH, 2018
REFLECTING ON EQUITY ISSUES WITHIN STANDARDIZED TESTING Surya Gowda & Lynne Sipprelle Staff Writers If applying to college wasn’t already stressful enough, pressure to use expensive tutors to prepare for standardized testing can add a new layer of anxiety for students. 60 percent of 342 high school students said they believe standardized test tutoring is an unfair advantage, but 50 percent have used a standardized test tutor anyway, according to an anonymous Record poll. The standardized testing system is a glaring inequity issue, ICIE Associate Sharina Gordon said. Dakota Stennett-Neris (11) believes that people of a lower socioeconomic status are often at a disadvantage when it comes to standardized testing, she said. Students who are less wealthy and cannot afford $300 tutors have to study out of books and teach themselves, Stennett-Neris said. “When you’re taking that test are you really showing your abilities and what you’ve been taught or the strategies you’ve been taught by someone because of your economic class and how well-off you are?” Stennett-Neris said. Of the 175 students polled by The Record who have used tutors to prepare for standardized tests, 61 said their tutor was paid $0100 per hour, 66 said $100-200, 18 said $200-300, 15 said $300400, and 15 said over $400. Advantage Testing, a popular tutoring company at the school, has private tutoring rates start at $275 per 50-minute session in New York City. Advantage also offer less costly small group options as well as extensive financial aid to families in need, Advantage Testing Director of Communications Charles Loxton said. “I think people that have the means to afford a tutor almost get looked down upon because it’s thought to be an unfair advantage, but I don’t think it’s unfair. If you have the means to further your knowledge you should,” Cameron Levy (12) said. In the past year, the school secured testing support for students over the summer, Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly said. “With Mr. Oxelson’s help, we were able to bring a practice SAT to HM, complete with personalized feedback, and with Ms. Bartels’ help, we saw one of the top SAT/ACT prep companies in the USA take over our summer test prep offering,” Kelly said. Students could sign up for a free SAT or ACT summer prep
course with Advantage Testing at the school that focused on test-taking strategy, Director of Summer School Caroline Bartels said. “It was really helpful,” Nader Granmayeh (11), who took the summer course, said. Students
test prep for standardized tests is rampant and actually makes a difference should call into question how these tests are being used across the board,” Kelly said. “I think there’s just something a little unsettling about a system, of which I’m part, that, when you reduce it, essentially rewards those who are able to pay the
“When you’re taking that test are you really showing your abilities and what you’ve been taught or the strategies you’ve been taught by someone because of your economic class and how well-off you are?” -Dakota Stennett-Neris (11) worked with a tutor from Advantage and completed many practice tests, he said. The school has also contracted with TestRocker, one of the top online providers of standardized tests, Oxelson said. “Even for students who aren’t receiving financial aid from HM but are looking for low cost, quality test prep, there are ways that we can help.” “We wanted to level the playing field and allow some people to take test prep who might not necessarily be able to afford it,” Bartels said. “My plan is that we’ll continue to offer this every summer.” “If test prep is going to remain a reality, the school will work to increase the number of low cost or no cost opportunities for its students,” Kelly said. Bartels and Kelly have discussed the possibility of offering standardized test prep courses during the school year as well as the summer, Bartels said. “While I’m happy to provide the opportunities, the fact that
most money for the best tutors,” Ben Metzner (11) said. Many standardized tests don’t test students’ knowledge, but rather their understanding of test questions and strategies, Cameron Chavers (12) said. “Test tutoring is a sort of payto-play scheme, and it’s unfair that the people who have the most money to burn on tutors will likely do better on a test that purports to fairly measure student aptitude on a level playing field,” Metzner said. “Tutoring can be very expensive and if you have access to the financial resources to afford it, you’re positioned to do better on these type of tests,” Gordon said. As SAT prep has become a big business, the performance of students on the test has changed, Director of ICIE Patricia Zuroski said. The gap has widened between students who may be smart and good test takers but don’t have access to individual tutoring, and students who do, she said.
“If test preparations did not help students, a company like Bespoke would not exist,” founder of Bespoke Education Tim Levin ‘90 said. “Students have a lot of different ways to do it. Test prep is not necessarily one-one but could be done in group sessions or with friends,” Levin said. Bliss Beyer (12) does not know why she had a tutor for the ACT, she said. “I felt like everyone was doing it. I felt peer pressured into getting an ACT tutor,” she said. Jason Oh (12) initially attended an SAT class, but he found it unhelpful and switched to a tutor, which he found unhelpful as well, he said. “I don’t think SAT tutors are that effective because basically what you’re doing is taking a practice test at home and then going over the questions that you got wrong. You could do that by yourself. Spending an hour explaining why you got a question wrong is not worth the money you’re spending,” Oh said. Richard Hausman (11) believes that taking practice tests is the most effective way to prepare, he
test taker and wanted more individualized attention, she said. “For me, I’m someone who’s not great at test-taking, so I think it did give me an advantage over people of lower socioeconomic backgrounds,” Chavers said. “But I don’t know if it necessarily gave me the same advantages of some of my classmates, if that makes sense. I didn’t do it as much and I still don’t think I’m as good as they are.” According to Loxton, “colleges do moderate their expectations based on a student’s background and perceived opportunities. Students hailing from a privileged background with many outstanding educational opportunities available to them are indeed expected to perform exceptionally well on tests and in school. Meanwhile, colleges seem to be more flexible with students who have faced adversity, come from underresourced communities, and have had limited educational opportunities.” Executive Director of College Counseling Canh Oxelson
“Test tutoring is a sort of pay-to-play scheme, and it’s unfair that the people who have the most money to burn on tutors will likely do better on a test that purports to fairly measure student aptitude on a level playing field.” -Ben Metzner (11) said. However, a tutoring agency he used to prepare for the Biology and Chemistry SAT 2’s gave him an advantage by providing extra practice tests and diagnostic tools not normally available, he said. Chavers chose to receive individual tutoring outside of school because she is a slow
Jeren Wei/Staff Artist
cautioned against overestimating the importance of standardized tests. “My fear is that because students believe that testing is so important, families will do whatever they can to get the best possible test prep. I don’t think students and families know this until the end of the process, but standardized testing isn’t as important as people think it is,” Oxelson said. “If you know at the beginning of the process what you will know at the end, you probably wouldn’t stress about it so much and you might not even pay as much as people are willingly to pay,” Oxelson said. “As with any concern regarding anyone’s time at HM, if a student or student’s parent(s) believe additional support is necessary and are struggling to secure said support, they should reach out to either their child’s advisor or grade dean, and when in doubt, Dr. Levenstein and I are always happy to weigh in,” Kelly said.
HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 6TH, 2018
Pen to Paper: Potamopoulou creates graphic novel Samuel Keimweiss Staff Writer As part of her Independent Study, Spyri Potamopoulou (12) has been writing a graphic novel that grapples with social issues, acceptance, and artificial intelligence. Independent Study is a year-long seminar in which students design their own projects on a topic of their choice under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Potamopoulou is aided by her two advisors, Library teacher Rachael Ricker and Testing Center Coordinator Jesse Shaw. Ricker has provided the plot and style help while Shaw is a resource due to his “background as a fan and an artist,” Potamopoulou said. One motivation for writing the graphic novel was the underrepresentation of identifiable and relatable LGBTQ+ characters in media, Potamopoulou, who identifies as LGBTQ+, said. The novel follows the story of two LGBTQ+ siblings who are struggling with a homophobic brother, an absent father, and an unsympathetic mother. They meet two women who soon become mentor figures, and their relationship grows until one day the women disappear without any explanation. At some point, it becomes clear that the women were scientists who had created an artificial intelligence being (AI) that behaved like a human. The women hid their creation from the company they worked for in order to protect the AI, but they were forced to desert it once they fled. The story then follows the two siblings as they care for the abandoned AI. In addition, Potamopoulou chose to focus on creating a graphic novel because it represented an intersection of two things she loves: writing and drawing, she said. She wanted to share her opinions and felt that the graphic novel was the
SPYRI SKETCHES Spyri Potamopoulou (12) gives us a glimpse into her sketchbook.
best way to do so, she said. “I wanted to have the ability to impart emotion not just through writing but through facial expressions and plot points and characters,” she said. “One of Spyri’s greatest strengths
is her storytelling,” Ricker said. Potamopoulou’s graphic novel focuses on acceptance and humanity. She examines “the different ways you can be human” and hopes to further refine the message she is sending, she said.
Mimi Morris/Staff Photographer
Although the decision to take the class was spur of the moment, the planning of the graphic novel was not, and she was motivated to write a graphic novel due to her love of storytelling, Potamopoulou said. “It went from a small idea that I
5
thought was captivating and that I thought would be a really good moment in the story to developing the characters, deciding what they looked like and then deciding what the main plot points would be,” she said. Potamopoulou started the undertaking in freshman year, when she began noting down her ideas, she said. By the time she started writing, she had over 900 notes on her computer, she said. During first trimester of her senior year, Potamopoulou focused on the differences between a graphic novel and a regular novel, she said. She plotted her story and figured out the details before diving into the actual writing in the second trimester. In December, the middle of her writing process, Potamopoulou presented to her Independent Study class about “the process of plotting and writing a story, not just a graphic novel but any written work,” she said. Since then, Potamopoulou has been working on her novel panel by panel, and wants to polish and finish the novel this trimester, she said. However, due to time constraints, Potamopoulou was forced to cut her story in half and aims to complete only the first volume, she said. “Spyri is one of the most motivated students I have ever worked with,” Ricker said. Potamopoulou drew inspiration from many sources, mostly from books she has read and stories she has heard; a major inspiration was a story of a woman who discovered a living doll in her house, she said. Moving forward, she plans to finish the story and then shift her attention to video games, which she feels are “one of the most interesting, one of the most innovative, and often one of the most versatile” mediums for sharing a story and a message, Potamopoulou said.
Playwriting and Production class will watch “Angels in America” Peri Brooks & Marina Kazarian Staff & Contributing Writers This Saturday, Playwriting and Production students will be seated in the dark of Neil Simon Theatre, awaiting the powerful message about the 1980’s AIDS crisis that contextualizes the homophobia in Toby Kushner’s “Angels in America,” a play they had studied in class. The seven and one-half hour play is comprised of two parts, “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika,” Eliza Bender (10), a student in the class, said. The long theatre experience and the class’ analysis of the play make the play especially interesting, she said. Theatre Arts Teacher Alexis Dahl will take her class to see the play partly because of its framework, Dahl said. The play emphasizes transitions and how the play itself should be set minimally, Bender said. “A lot of the dialogue is very heavy,” Charlotte Pinney (11), a student in the class, said. “There’s a lot packed into every scene and
every conversation.” However, the play was not very difficult to read because of how fascinating it was, she said. Additionally, the play dug into the impact that the AIDS crisis had on society, Dahl said. “I think it kind of exploded a world and brought that world to the attention of many people who might not have intimate contact with the topics and the kinds of characters being portrayed on stage,” she said. “There’s a lot of talk about what Americans do, American values, and power,” Pinney said. At the end of the play, one of the main characters sees an angel. The play “ends with a message of survival and defiance of society,” Pinney said. Playwriting and Production is currently writing one acts. Seeing other people’s plays that were written and portrayed on stage helps other playwrights write their own scripts, especially for the one acts the students are writing, Bender said. “I really enjoyed the play, and it’s super well-written,” Bender said. “Tony Kushner is a great playwright, so I’m excited to see it.”
Spyri Potamopoulou/Staff Artist
6
THE RECORD LIONS’ DEN APRIL 6TH, 2018
THE TRASH FINALS Flint Tropics
With their name deriving from the movie Semi Pro starring Will Ferrell, The Flint Tropics was bound to win the tournament from the beginning of the season, co-captain Teddy Keegan (12) said. Keegan who “would have been a varsity starter if he wasn’t so good” created the team with co-captain Isabela Watson (12) to demonstrate the true essence of “ball is life,” Keegan said. Watson even spent over thirteen hours handcrafting bandanas for the team to wear, she said. The combination of JSA and football team members on the team with Watson and Keegan’s dedication made for a cohesive and strong team, Watson said. The team’s motto, “everybody love everybody,” came from the team name’s Semi Pro origin, but came true through the dynamic of the team, Keegan said. A key member in facilitating this motto was Dylan Friedman (11), who “brought all of his heart out onto the court and would slide face first on the ground for the team,” Watson said. Watson and Keegan, who “feel deep-rooted motherly and fatherly love for Friedman,” believe that the team would not have been as great without Friedman’s under-the-net head shots. Another player that brought heart as well as success to the team was Marc Anthony Murphy III (12) because of his position as both a scorer and facilitator, Watson said. “He finds shots for other players,” Watson said. The co-captains also demonstrate their mantra of “ball Is life” with Watson having a “ninety percent field goal average,” and Keegan’s part-time occupation as a “bankshot specialist,” Keegan said. In the finals, The Flint Tropics will face Hot Shots, who they have been in an intense rivalry with since Jahmire Cassanova (12) asked to join their team but rescinded, Keegan said. The Flint Tropics believe that they are posed to win since they have an undefeated winning streak, whereas Hot Shots have lost one game during the season, Watson said. “You guys should all come and see the Flint Tropics destroy the Hot Shots and take the trash crown,” Keegan said.
Scrambled Legs
Coming into the Trash season, Scrambled Legs had high hopes, Armand Dang (12) said. The team drafted William Han (11) as the first overall pick of the trash draft, who Dang believes is a “swoosh god” whose basketball skills helped the team immensely. Throughout the season, Scrambled Legs earned win after win, showing up undefeated to the semi-finals. In one of the team’s earlier games, Han was triple teamed, but continually scored three pointers, getting nine out of the team’s eleven points. However, when it came to the semifinal game, the team “had an off-day,” Dang said. Two of the team’s main point scorers, co-captain Jason Oh (12) and Arjun Swarup (12), were injured and resorted to “gassing up” their teammates from the sidelines for the semi-final game, which ruined the team’s chances, Dang said. Dang believes himself to be a “mid-range maestro” who could “knock down clutch jumpers” given the opportunity, had an off day during the game and said that if the circumstances had been different, Scrambled Legs could have won the conference. When asked about the prowess of his team, Dang said, “the key part of our team is that we didn’t fear anyone, we let them fear us, and that led us to an almost undefeated record,” Dang said.
Come watch the Flint Tropics take on the Hot Shots in Prettyman Gymnasium on Monday (4/9), I Period.
Photos courtesy of Mannikin
Senior Slump Shots
Led by co-captains Nicholas Rile (12) and Pippa Adelman (12), the Senior Slump Shots showed great promise from the beginning. They were the only trashketball team to be composed of all seniors, unlike the others, which included some juniors or teachers. “Being best friends already, our chemistry was through the roof,” Billy Lehrman (12) said. The team mascot could have been the laughing coyotes from The Lion King, Lehrman said. On the other hand, it could have been a senior sleeping in the study room, James Baumann (12) said. “My favorite moment was when we shut out the faculty team. That was fun,” Baumann said.
Reporting by Rebecca Siegel and Spencer Kahn Staff Writers
Hot Shots
Hot Shots, co-captained by Mahika Hari (12) and Ben Heller (12), originated from the breath of Jahmire Cassanova’s (12) pet dragon, Cassanova said. The team consists of Cassanova, who was the 2nd overall pick from the trashketball draft, active member of the Facebook group Ricardo Pinnock (12), Morgan “the sleeper” Joseph (11) who is known for her height and rebound talent, “Ray Barile’s lost Varsity player” Sophia Fikke (12), and Matthew Chung (11) as its key players, Cassanova said. When consulted about why he joined trash, Cassanova replied that his pet dragon forced him to do so. This coercion has led Hot Shots to the finals as Cassanova “score[s] at least five points in every game,” he said. The team has lost only one out of five games, but every single player loves the game of basketball, Cassanova said. This love has even translated into each player taking a “forty million dollar pay cut,” just to play for Hot Shots, Cassanova said. And, even though co-captain Hari was out for the season due to a concussion, she still demonstrated her love for the team as the mascot, spirit, soul, and also partly Cassanova’s pet dragon, Arjun Khorana (12) said. The team doesn’t care about its loss but only its W’s as they prepare to play the Flint Tropics in the finals, Khorana said. At the beginning of the season, the Flint Tropics’ players “tried to coerce” Cassanova into joining their team, but he gladly clung to the Hot Shots and will lead them to victory in Monday’s final, he said. “We are holding the Flint Tropics to under eight points, and everyone should come to the finals because this will be bigger than Buzzell,” Cassanova said.
A TRASH SEASON
7
HORACE MANN LIONS’ DEN APRIL 6TH, 2018
Captain of the Bad News Berensons chronicles his team’s 1-4 record through five emails to his hapless crew.
Spring Season Varsity Teams Boys’ Varsity Tennis
“Our goal is the same as last year: to win the Ivy League, qualify for Mayor’s Cup, and get another shot at winning that.” - Coach Patrick Westoo
Boys’ Varsity Crew
“The team is very excited to start practicing in their line-ups and strive to be faster on the water.” - Coach Chelsea Ernst
Boys’ Varsity Outdoor Track
“This season, I am really hoping for our senior captains to lead the team. They are the key to success hopefully leading by example. ” - Coach Meghan Marro
Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse
“Our goal this year is to compete hard and win some games. My personal goal this year is to defeat Trinity.” - Coach Keri Hall
Photos courtesy of James Baumann, HM Flickr, and Sam Heller
Lions’ Den Record Sports
APRIL 6TH, 2018
Spring Season Varsity Teams
8
Varsity Softball Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse
“During spring training, we improved a lot on our skills and knowledge in game situations. It was also just great to be outside and come together as a team.” - Coach Michelle Amilicia
“We don’t have a lot of guys on the team, so that may be tough. Everyone seems to be focused, and that’s the kind of attitude we’ll be needing for the season.” - Coach Scott Berniker
Boys’ Varsity Volleyball Varsity Ultimate
“Coming off a down year, the only way to go is up. A helpful aspect this year is that all the returning players have come back more experienced.” - Coach Jason Torres
“We have a good number of players representing each grade this year which is unique as usually we have a very senior heavy team.” - Coach Chris Nelson
Girls’ Varsity Crew Girls’ Varsity Outdoor Track
“We are looking forward to a strong season. There are a lot of talented athletes on our team and we are hoping it translates into a successful season.” - Coach Chelsea Ernst
Varsity Golf
“This season feels more like a re-building season. The roster of the team last year was comprised mostly of seniors, so the team looks very new this year.” - Coach Robert Annunziata
“Our strength is definitely our depth. We have quite a few strong runners in multiple distances and events.” - Coach Jon Eshoo
Varsity Baseball
All reporting on Varsity Season Previews by Simon Yang, Will Han, Edwin Jin, and Brody McGuinn. Photos courtesy of Robert Annunziata and HM Flickr.