The Horace Mann Record, Issue 12

The Horace Mann Record

DECEMBER 22ND, 2017 || VOLUME 115, ISSUE 12

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

RECORD.HORACEMANN.ORG

Students make treats for school baking competition

Abigail Goldberg Contributing Writer

SLEARNING Sasha Snyder (9) plays with children at a wcommunity center on Service Learning Day.

Freshmen experience service opportunities at fourth annual Service Learning day Jude Herwitz Staff Writer

younger children and senior citizens, worked within the communities through painting and building, and experienced new environments.

The day allows ninth graders to experience a number of events with the CCVA partnerships that many of the school’s students are already connected to, Associate Director of the Center for Community Values & Action Kim Joyce-Bernard said.

Many of the ninth graders finished the events with a newfound interest in different types of service.

“I know that I can connect with

Kimberly Dutta (9) said.

Lucas Raskin (9), who went to the Riverdale Senior Center, would like The ninth graders gained their to explore other peoples’ lifestyles first look into the service program through service in the next few years during the school’s fourth annual of high school. “It sort of bridged Service Learning Day by visiting and a generational gap between senior helping out at sites in the Bronx. citizens and ourselves as we got The event started when the school to do the same sort of activities, changed the service requirement we worked out together, ate lunch from an hours requirement to a together, drew cats together, and service learning based requirement. whatnot,” he said.

This is the first year where all four Other students are still unsure grades are in the program, Director about the service learning projects of the Center for Community Values in the high school. & Action (CCVA) Dr. Jeremy Leeds “For ninth grade, we said. don’t have to choose The goal of the day is to “I know that I can connect with little kids and anything, and I haven’t introduce the freshman I never thought I could do it before. I’d like to focused on the new class to the service projects,” Helena Yang (9) interact with kids more in the future.” learning program, having said. them do activities at each Every year the school Ermeen Choudhury (9) site for the day. The hope uses the same core is for the ninth graders to partners and activities, come away with the idea that service little kids and I never thought I could but changes the day a bit each year, is something exciting and something do it before. I’d like to interact with Leeds said. “This year for the first they would want to continue for the kids more in the future”, Ermeen time a group of students went to one rest of their high school careers, Choudhury (9) said after going to of our partners called ‘The Point’, Leeds said.

Kingsbridge Heights Community which is in the Hunt’s Point section The students explored sites with Center. of the Bronx and had an amazing their Horace Mann Orientation Some weren’t sure of exactly learning experience and activity (HMO) groups last Thursday, such as what they wanted to do for service there,” he said. the Riverdale Neighborhood Home, learning, but wish to continue trying For Choudhury, the service The Point, an after school activities different kinds of service learning. learning day was “eye opening” center where students painted a “I may like to join the Service because before, service had been blackbox and organized books, Learning Team or something similar mainly in the form of donations, Kingsbridge Heights Community to continue this type of work. I’m but this experience allowed people Center, and the Riverdale Senior not sure about my project yet, since I to interact with others, Choudhury Center. Throughout the day, the would like to explore other options,” said. ninth graders interacted with

Students from the upper division gathered in the cafeteria to present their finest homemade goods, ranging from banana bread to cookie dough, in a baking competition organized by the Community Council.

In this past Monday’s I period competition, named The Great Baking Challenge, students had to prepare the desserts over the weekend and then present them in front of a panel of judges.

This panel consisted of four faculty members: Jessica Emory, Dr. Daniel Link, Matthew Russo, and Oleg Zvezdin. These judges evaluated the baked goods on design, taste, and creativity. The winner, Elizabeth Fortunato (11), who brought in an almond tart and homemade whipped cream, was awarded a free lunch at the cafeteria.

There were a few specific qualities Emory looked for in the baked goods, she said.

“It needs to appeal to the eye,” Emory said “I would like to see some portrayal of personality in the baked item and see how the chefs bring themselves to the table.

The most important quality to me, though, is that it has to taste good, absolutely.”

A lot of preparation went into making sure this event was enjoyable and successful, competition organizer Janvi Kukreja (11) said.

“I sent out the email to students to have them sign up for the contest in addition to reaching out to certain faculty who I knew were interested in food. I also created

a judging sheet, bakers’ hats for the judges, and a certificate for the winner signed by Dr. Kelly and Ms. Cohn,” Kukreja said.

Kukreja she was most excited for the bake off because of the wide variety of desserts that people brought including tarts, pies, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and other creative desserts, she said. Livy Steinberg (9) and Sophia Brothers (9), for example, brought in cookie dough presented in chocolate chip cookie dough cups.

“It is a tradition between us to make cookie dough and we thought that the cookie cup would be a cool addition instead of a normal cup,” Brothers said.

Fortunato expressed how competing in the bake off allowed her to test out something that she had been working on for a couple of months.

“My tart turned out really well and it was really fun and easy to make which will be great for the holidays,” Fortunato said.

The overall goal of the bake off was to serve as a fun activity that could bring students from different grades together, Kukreja said.

“I think especially now since it is the week before winter break and a lot of students are really stressed, a fun event like this would be a great way to distress students and unite the community,” she said.

Overall the event was a success, Jackson Roberts (11) said.

“The bake off was a fun event and it was exciting to see all of the different desserts that my classmates created. I hope the CC will host something like this in the future,” Roberts said.

Abigail Kraus/ Photo Editor

inside

EASY BAKE Students present their home baked goods to the faculty panel.

Hit the books

4

39 percent of students haven’t read a book for pleasure this school year. Find out more.

From the gallery

6

Six art students share more about their work in the current Fisher Hall Gallery.

Have an amazing and restful vacation!

- Record Volume 115

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

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THE RECORD OPINIONS DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

Reading for pleasure: an escape from school’s stress

Ella Feiner As an elementary schooler, I was friendless. At my sporty suburban public school, social hierarchies were defined by athletic talent, of which I had none. From kindergarten on, I filled the hole in my social life with books. I read at recess, during naptime, and covertly underneath my desk during math lessons. I had to be explicitly instructed not to read while walking through parking lots, not to read at the dinner table, and not to read after my 8 p.m. bedtime.

When I came to Horace Mann in sixth grade, I found my first friends through Reader’s Forum, a literary discussion group for middle schoolers. I spent many cherished D periods in the library laughing, arguing, and reveling in my newfound independence.

Not only was I able to access an entire world of books beyond what my elementary school classroom offered, I could also drink soda without my parents finding out!

By the end of sixth grade, however, I realized that to keep up with my increasing workload, I would have to spend less time reading and more time doing schoolwork. After failing my first math test, I decided to really buckle down: I wasn’t in elementary school anymore.

This mentality worked for me, at least for a little while. Soon, however, I noticed myself falling into a rut. I wasn’t sleeping well at night, I was stressed often, and

I was less efficient in getting my work done. To solve the problem, I started reading again, carving out fifteen or twenty minutes before bed to spend with a non-school related book.

Reading is more than just a way to pass time. It’s an emotional escape from my everyday worries.

If I’m sad, I can grab a funny novel for a quick read, or alternatively, choose the most depressing book on my shelf and ugly cry until I feel better.

At Horace Mann, however, even the word “reading” connotes stress.

Even I have spent countless frees complaining about my lengthy history readings, procrastinating my English assignments, and ultimately eschewing these productive activities in favor of watching Netflix in the StuPub. Assigned pages and the words “close reading” strike fear into the heart of any student, myself included. Meticulously combing

through pages to find evidence for an essay is sheer agony.

But when you get rid of the assignments, due dates, and papers, reading takes on a new form. It’s a chance to go hang out in the library and chat with Bartels about what she’s been reading lately. It’s an opportunity to talk to friends about their favorite books and argue about them after reading. It’s a way to relax at night when you’ve been studying physics

Reading is more than just a way to pass time. It’s an emotional escape from my everyday worries. for the last five hours and feel like your brain is going to explode. It’s a way to make conversation with almost anyone.

It’s hard to make time to read, but the fifteen minutes I spend reading can make a huge difference in the way I sleep, feel, and act. As a senior, this past trimester was challenging for me, and I often forgot to make time to read. Many nights, I fell asleep in the middle of writing an email, supplement, or homework assignment with my face on my computer. In the name of “saving time,” I pushed myself to work more and stay up later. In the end, this just ended up making me feel worse.

Taking a few minutes for myself before bed to decompress, turn off my laptop and phone, and silence the voice in my head that’s nagging me about my to-do list for tomorrow has vastly improved my sleep schedule. Even if you’re truly traumatized by Jane Eyre and can’t bear the thought of picking up another book ever again, take a few minutes each day to find a good book to reduce your stress.

Getaway in NYC: Lutie Brown’s (12) staycation Lutie Brown Columnist

I often hear my peers mention their winter break plans of traveling abroad or going skiing out west. As an underclassman, I would feel embarrassed when telling my plans to stay home all break. However, as I advanced further through high school, I began to cherish this extended time with my family.

I consider our seasonal breaks to be retreats, as I can slow-down, recharge, reflect, and rest. I spend my days however I like and revel in that freedom. I love exploring random neighborhoods of the city with friends, browsing small bookstores, and having time to sit down and immerse myself in books.

I would never trade anything for this time I have with my family, as I not only rest and connect with them, but also explore and appreciate the city around me. I’m never bored on my staycations, and instead I feel invigorated by my sense of freedom to structure my days as I please and always feel rejuvenated after each extended period of time off.

Ariella Greenberg/Art Director

Editorial Examining Our Classroom Culture Around Vacation Plans Every year, in the few days before and after winter and spring break, some teachers ask their classes to describe their vacations. This question, while simple and seemingly harmless, can make students very uncomfortable. Because not everyone can afford to go on vacation, it can be difficult to hear other students talk about their trips. After a string of students describe their trips to foreign countries, it can feel isolating to answer that you are staying home.

While we do recognize sharing vacation plans is a great way to get students excited for break, we encourage teachers to broaden the question. Instead, ask students what they look forward to watching, eating, or reading.

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

9:00 a.m. Wake up to “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen and go about my morning routine while singing along to Christmas carols.

9:15 a.m. Whip up pancakes and eggs, while leeching off Dad’s coffee pot.

9:45 a.m. Family breakfast in the pinesmelling dining room!

10:30 a.m. Family trip to the New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show!

1:00 p.m. Delicious ramen lunch at home as we sit in my parents’ bedroom and watch Forrest Gump.

3:30 p.m. Parents take an afternoon siesta while I anxiously look over a few college supplements.

4:00 p.m. I bake a batch of sugar cookies and brownies as a way to de-stress and distance myself from the college process.

After the goodies are in the oven, I turn on the outdoor and indoor Christmas lights!

Staff Writers Malhaar Agrawal, Betsey Bennett, Peri Brooks, Amelia Feiner, Elizabeth Fortunato, Leonora Gogos, Caroline Goldenberg, Katie Goldenberg, Surya Gowda, Will Han, Jude Herwitz, Edwin Jin, Solomon Katz, Janvi Kukreja, Madison Li, Connor Morris, Megha Nelivigi, Noah Phillips, Eliza Poster, Julia Robbins, Abigail Salzhauer, Nishtha Sharma, Sadie Schwartz, Tenzin Sherpa, Sandhya, Shyam, Becca Siegel, Charlie Silberstein, Lynne Sipprelle, Griffin Smith, Georgi Verdelis, Ben Wang, Jeren Wei, Robbie Werdiger, Simon Yang 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

5:00 p.m. Family trip to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn to check out the spectacular exhibit of lights in a neighborhood where families compete each year to display uplifting magical lights and holiday decor!

6:30 p.m. Family dinner as we plan the next day; we’re probably going to try to buy $40 Broadway rush tickets to either Miss Saigon or Book of Mormon in the morning, check out the Bryant Park Winter Village and go window shopping in the middle of the day, and head to our evening show! If we can’t pick up great show tickets, we’ll head to a movie theater to check out The Greatest Showman!

7:30 p.m. Family Netflix time; we’ll start off with the taped Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular, and then watch a few episodes of The Office while snacking on the baked goodies from earlier.

10:30 p.m. Off to bed for a restful night’s sleep!

Editorial Policy

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

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

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

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

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

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HORACE MANN NEWS DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

Holiday Assembly prefaces winter break with student performances Jude Herwitz Staff Writer

Johnson (9), speaking of Nwankpa’s reflection. He said he enjoyed all the performances during The annual Holiday Assembly the assembly, but the reflection showcased student talents ranging stood out to him as particularly from Spectrum’s cover of The meaningful.

Eagles’ “Please Come Home for Daanyal Agboatwalla (9) Christmas” to a senior reflection repeated DeGraft-Johnson’s

by Chidi Nwankpa (12). sentiment, saying that “it was a The assembly gave students a really personal story and it was venue where they could show their good that he was able to talk about different abilities, Chair of Library it so openly.”

Department Caroline Bartels said.

Bartels said for this assembly, the “Kids have mentioned that they logistical planning differed even like to see other kids on stage, from those earlier this school year. so we’re just trying to get more “We’ve discovered that we just performances,” she said. “The can’t go back and forth between the whole idea is to let people who’ve two spaces, it’s just not working,” just had a steel drum or band she said, “so we decided to do concert, for example, highlight a chunk of the assembly in the what they’ve been Recital Hall, come over to Gross, doing.” and end in Gross.”

This year’s “Body image is such a big thing especially Rhea Sanger (10) said assembly differed among teenagers, so it was good to get she did not like how so as they included much of the assembly that out in the open,” a performance by was in the Recital Hall, Spectrum, Bartels - Michael DeGraft-Johnson(9) saying that “its much said. more enjoyable having Eunice Bae (11), common app essay but thankfully the bands right in front of you.” lead singer of Spectrum, also sang when I scrapped it my college Bartels, together with stage as part of the class Concert Glee, counselor said I should keep it for manager Dr. Amir Khosrowpour, which performed “Magnificat” by something later,” Nwankpa said. ran the mechanics of the assembly, John Tavener and Thomas Tallis.

He decided to present a senior she said.

“We had to make sure to tell reflection to share a part of himself “The curtains need to come the Assembly Committee what most don’t know, he said. in and out, and we have to do all [Spectrum’s] entire performance “Body image is such a big thing the tech stuff like setting up the was going to be a few weeks before especially among teenagers, so microphones; it’s exciting,” Bartels for them to screen it,” she said, “but it was good to get that out in the said. it wasn’t a big deal, because Ms. open,” said Michael DeGraftBartels knew the song already.”

“

Bartels said of the Assembly Committee’s role that they “did not play a massive part in planning it,” but they did screen all the performances, including two production class shorts that were shown.

Bae found the Holiday Assembly to be particularly special due to the student performances, she said.

“They showcase student talent in other assemblies, but here it will be a high concentration, which I’m really excited about,” Bae said.

Nwankpa, who recounted his struggles with dieting and body issues in his senior reflection, worked closely with English teacher Dr. Adam Casdin in finishing his piece, he said.

“I originally wrote it as my

Faculty participate in SEED, a program to improve conversations in the classroom Megha Nelivigi Staff Writer

Each month, HM SEED provides an opportunity for the school’s faculty and staff to engage in conversations about identity, power, and other issues that may be barriers within the classroom, Co-Director of the Office for Identity, Culture, and Institutional Equity (ICIE) John Gentile said.

SEED, which stands for Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity, is a professional development opportunity designed to teach faculty and staff how to engage with questions related to a variety of topics, ranging from sexism, racism, classism, and more, Gentile said. It was brought to the school by Zuroski in 2011 .

During a typical training session, faculty members participate in exercises that they can later bring into their own classrooms, Upper Division History Teacher Dr. Kalil Oldham, who has participated in the program three times, said. Some of these exercises include short written reflections, pair sharing, and “chalk

talks”, which are silent discussions, Oldham said.

The idea of silent communication is emphasized during SEED sessions, Zuroski said. One example is putting up multiple pieces of chart paper with questions on them, and allowing students to express themselves in writing, Zuroski said.

“This method allows all voices to be heard in the moment,” she said.

Even though the group does not explicitly discuss how SEED members can become better teachers, the program gives teachers language and tools they can use in their own classrooms, which makes them better teachers, Gentile said.

The structure of the meetings themselves is unique, Upper Division Dean of Faculty Dr. Matthew Wallenfang said, as they are led by faculty members who have gone through a week-long summer SEED training at Wellesley College, and come back to lead sessions at the school. This year, there are six facilitators, Zuroski said.

Apart from the facilitators, 38 faculty and staff members from

Ariella Greenberg/ Art Director

every division are participants of the program this year, Gentile said.

“The topics discussed are both very intellectual and academic, and at the same time very personal,” Wallenfang said.

One discussion the group had was about the politics of location, Wallenfang said. “One of the interesting things about this discussion was actually grappling with what we mean by this term ‘politics of location.’ It is wrapped around who you are in a particular moment, in a particular place and what you bring with you as an individual. Intersectionality, for example, would be one aspect of this.”

The seminars are structured so that there is time for teachers to share what they already know but also an opportunity for them to gain newfound ideas, Zuroski said.

Upper Division Science Teacher Dr. Lisa Rosenblum, who participated in the program in 2016, said that after being a part of SEED, she felt much more confident in the techniques she uses as a teacher.

“In my biotech class I am much more aware of the different voices in the room and trying to make sure each can bring their own perspective to discussion,” she said.

Furthermore, the program is welcome to not only teachers, but to any faculty or staff member in the school community, Zuroski said.

“I liked being able to interact with colleagues from different divisions,” Rosenblum said. “We don’t often have a space to talk with other colleagues in a common setting, so that was really great.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Courtsey of Teddy Keegan

UNITED STATESMEN OF AMERICA Keegan (12) particpates in Northeast Fall State Conference.

JSA attend first large conference of season

Seventeen members of Junior Statesmen of America (JSA) attended their first large conference of the year, the Northeast Fall State Conference, where Louis Toberisky (12) received a best speaker gavel.

At the tournament, which took place in Boston on December 9 – 10, Toberisky moderated a debate over the morality of elementary-aged tackle football and debated the removal of confederate monuments from public spaces, a round for which he received his best speaker gavel.

Toberisky attributes his success to the thoughtful solutions he offered to the issues he debated. For example, he argued not only for the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces, but suggested they be placed in museums and used as a learning tool rather than being destroyed altogether.

JSA conferences are unique as they consist of a series of individual debates on a variety of subjects, and participants are allowed to debate whichever topics interest them and choose which side they debate on, Toberisky said.

Rather than placing a strong focus on winning, losing, or keeping score, JSA conferences are meant to provide a forum in which participants can be engaged in debates about anything that they find interesting and improve their public speaking and communication skills, club leader Teddy Keegan (12) said. Participants can choose to watch, moderate, or participate in any debate they choose, Keegan said.

For example, James Baumann (12) debated whether or not the United States should attack North Korean nuclear missile silos.

Baumann was pleased with his ability to answer tough questions and enjoyed being able to debate topics he was interested in, he said.

According to both Baumann and Toberisky, the conference was a rewarding experience and both enjoyed debating topics they were passionate about while spending time with friends on the team.

- Natasha Stange, Contributing Writer

Students place at Debate quarterfinals in tournament

Six pairs from the school’s Debate team attended the Blake School’s 55th Annual John Edie Holiday Debate Tournament, where Ethan Kim (11) and Sajan Mehrotra (11) advanced to quarterfinals.

Alexa Mark (10) and Shay Soodak (10) reached triple-octofinals, and Nader Granmayeh (11) and Aaron Snyder (11) reached double-octofinals at the tournament, which took place in Minneapolis last weekend.

A total of six pairs from the School’s Debate team attended the tournament, and the topic they debated was whether or not Spain should grant independence to Catalonia, Soodak said.

Mehrotra ranked as the 8th best speaker, and Kim the 11th out of over 300 debaters from over 127 different schools from across the country.

The pair was pleased with their efficiency in thoroughly researching their topic in the short amount of time they had to prepare for the tournament, Kim said.

Additional preparations that led to the pair’s success included practice rounds held by the club beforehand, Mehrotra said Other members of the team attributed their success to the thoroughness of Kim, Mehrotra, and Richard He (12)’s research, which they shared with the entire team, Soodak said.

The entire team watched Kim and Mehrotra debate in the quarterfinals round, which Soodak said was her favorite part of the tournament.

All debates up until quarterfinals were held inside rooms at a hotel, which made for unusual layouts of debates and was strange at times as teams might have their backs turned to everyone else, depending on the setup, Mehrotra said.

- Natasha Stange, Contributing Writer

DEBAES Ethan Kim (11) and Sajan Mehrotra (11) debate at John Edie Holiday Debate Tournament last weekend.

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THE RECORD FEATURES DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

low student interest in reading for pleasure Noah Phillips Staff Writer Reading for pleasure seems at odds with the immense and time-consuming amount of schoolwork, Panagiotis Persianis (11) said. While valuable, reading without the immediacy of a deadline is impractical, he said.

“I try to read two or three books per month,” Srijani Shreya (9) said. “Reading helps a lot with comprehension and is just fun in general.” However, Shreya feels that finding time to read for pleasure is difficult to do on a regular basis, she said.

Charles Simmons (10) chooses when to read for pleasure based on his mood rather than any specific schedule, he said. Simmons likes the readings in his English class because they are often accompanied by some form of in-class dialogue to supplement and further his understanding of the reading, he said.

“I think that dialogue can be even more important than the actual reading at times, and a balance between the two struck in English class is important,” Simmons said.

Eli Laufer (11) sees reading for pleasure as a nice activity, but not one that directly correlates to benefits in school such as increased vocabulary, he said. “I almost never read for pleasure.

If I had more time, I feel that I would,” Laufer said.

Laufer makes little effort during the academic year to read beyond his English class, as he prefers to read when he has more free time over breaks and summer vacation, he said.

“I read every night. I make time by staying up later after my schoolwork

Jackson Roberts/Staff Artist

Book Recs

Reporting done by contributing writers Natasha Stange and Abigail Goldberg.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult “The author made me really fall in love with the characters and had an ending that I never would have expected.

The book is very powerful and changed the way I look at racism and compassion.

- Sabrina Freidus (9)

Abigail Kraus/Staff Photographer

to read,” Jude Herwitz (10) said. The value of reading outside of a classroom and the knowledge gained is well worth staying up late, he said.

“I tend to use more expansive vocabulary from the books that I read,” Kush Malhotra (9) said.

Oliver Steinman (9) also values reading for pleasure as a way to build on and expand his vocabulary. Steinman attempts to read a half hour daily, he said.

“If I don’t have much homework or any obligations outside of school, I’ll use that time to read,” Steinman said.

James Chang (12) reads a variety of literature forms, ranging from TIME Magazine to fiction novels. He sets aside 30 minutes nightly to read, especially on the topic of politics and policy, he said.

Sophia Zelizer (10) prefers to read news articles on a regular basis because she has little time to devote to reading longer books, she said. The articles, while short, provide her with knowledge on a variety of topics and greatly expand her world view, she said.

“I feel that it is important to stay wellread outside of the classroom because you are able to find things that you are interested in yourself, rather than assigned,” Adriana Hernandez (10) said. “I think that reading has opened up my mind to different things that I didn’t realize I was interested in, but now I do,” she said.

“Reading outside of the classroom is essential because life extends beyond

English class,” Lily Seckendorf (10) said.

Reading for pleasure provides many benefits in the classroom for students, Foreign Language Department Chair Susan Carnochan said. Reading for pleasure allows students to be more discerning readers and to improve their global citizenship, she said.

“What do you really get from playing games on your phone? If you become a reader early on, it’s something that you will do your whole life,” Library Department Chair Caroline Bartels said.

Not only does reading expand your vocabulary, but it makes you a better writer, Bartels said. “It’s good for your soul.”

“A lot of the books that I read don’t necessarily provide information on stuff, but I think that they widen my world view and give you more perspective on things,” Isabelle Banin (11) said. “If I didn’t read I would watch a lot of television. I feel like reading books is more active and interesting because you have to be engaged always,” she said.

“Reading is an escape. It serves as a relief for many of my stresses. It’s somebody else’s imagination and you can take a look into that imagination,” Simmons said.

“Finding that time to sit and read with a book is a magical gift that you give yourself,” Bartels said.

How many books have you read outside of school this school year so far?

The Martian by Andy Weir “The story is perfectly told and fast-paced. It was fascinating how it focused a lot on the science behind how space ships operate and outer space, which was an interesting connection that had many similarities to what we are currently learning in physics.”

- Morgan Joseph (11)

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi “This book was a very well written personal narrative about a neurosurgeon who tries to live a normal life and refuses to give in to his late-stage lung cancer.

While devastating and heartbreaking, it was an inspiring and real read that gave an honest account of what it’s like to battle a terminal disease.”

- Caroline Scherr (10)

The Sellout by Paul Beatty “This book was a satire on race and political dynamics in the United States that was both an engaging and provocative read.”

- Honor McCarthy (12)

American Pastoral by Philip Roth “The book was interesting because it provided different perceptions of American history, more specifically, the 1960s, and contrasting opinions on the “American Dream.” It made me reexamine how I think about history and aspects of my life that I don’t frequently think about. It was very well written with a compelling plot and complex characters.”

- Charlie Hayman (12)

The Push by Tommy Caldwell “Caldwell is one of my climbing heroes and he weaves together his own personal climbing history with stories of adventure and personal evolution. It’s a great read for anyone interested in the outdoors.”

- Dr. Kalil Oldham

Based on 318 anonymous survey responses

Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff

Number of books read

“I like [this book] because it is a really interesting mix of realistic fiction with fantasy and mythology elements. It’s also just really cleverly done in a really unique way with all the characters being really well developed. It’s the perfect book to just read over and over again and you can find different things to pick out each time.”

- Hillary Matlin

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HORACE MANN MIDDLE DIVISION DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

Students perform in annual concert and assembly Julia Robbins Staff Writer Last Wednesday, Chamber Orchestra, HM Strings, Horizons Ensemble, Concert Band, and MD Chorus performed in the Holiday Concert.

About 180 students performed during the hour-long concert, Music Department Chair Timothy Ho said.

All of the songs in the concert were either specifically Christmas themed, or holiday themed in general, Dalia Pustilnik (8) said.

“Singing holiday songs captures the holiday spirit in a way that nothing else can,” Avery Lin (8) said.

“The raw form of singing holiday songs: there’s something so joyful about that,” she said.

Ho starts preparations for the Chorus performance at the beginning of the year, he said. “I always have what the end result sound is going to be like, and it’s a matter of just making sure that [all the class sections of chorus are] always working towards that end,” Ho said.

Pustilnik’s favorite song that

chorus sang this year was “Carol of the Bells” because she likes the way everyone’s voices come together during the song, she said.

As in years past, the eighth graders were performed a signature piece, which was Carol of the Bells this year, Ho said. “In an effort to celebrate the fact that they are getting through so much stuff, I will often give them a feature at these concerts,” he said.

There is “always a sense of responsibility when you’re in eighth grade,” Lin said. Eighth graders are encouraged to sit in on younger students’ choral classes and be mentors for younger students, she said.

“It’s really neat to see a sixth grader for example, that’s new to my class at the beginning of the year, who can barely sit still, go on stage and seamlessly blend into a choir of 86 people,” Ho said.

When Lin was in the Lower Division, it was “awe-inspiring” for her to watch the MD Chorus perform and it is exciting for her to now be in the ensemble that she once watched with awe, she said.

Listening to the chorus sing was Addy Steinberg’s (6) favorite part of the assembly, she said.

Liliana Greyf (8) is a clarinetist in Concert Band. The ensemble performed “Winter Winds,” “Flurry of Wind,” and Bosnian folk songs, she said.

“It’s fun to show our parents what we’ve been working towards,” Greyf said.

“I think all of the concert groups had a great performance,” Jacob Shaw (8) said.

“My personal favorite part of the concert was during our first piece, when a few measures in, the entire band all played a hit at once, Shaw (8) said. “It really felt powerful that after all of these hours of practice, we could come together and fill Gross Theatre with our music,” he said.

James Grant (8), who plays the violin for HM Strings, the advanced orchestra, looked forward to showing the audience all of the hard work that led up to the performance, he said.

HM Strings played a piece called Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, Santiago Espejel

(8) said.

HM Strings has “concert masters” which are the heads of each of the sections in the Orchestra, Grant said.

For the performance, the ‘concert masters” held more responsibility than in years past, he said.

This year, Alejandro Espejel (8) was the concertmaster which meant that he was the first violin player in addition to helping lead the rest of HM Strings, he said. The stand-in conductor, Max Jacobs, “stepped up and led us in a better concert than anyone expected,” Espejel said.

In addition to the concert on Wednesday, students showcased their talents once again in the Holiday Assembly, C period on Thursday.

During the assembly, the Horizons Band, Concert Band, and Chorus each performed a song from the Holiday Assembly, Ms. Kolinski said. Additionally, the UD dance group performed the dance they had performed in the UD Holiday Assembly, Kolinski said.

The orchestras did not perform in the assembly because their director, Mr. Nathan Hetherington is out of

school, Kolinski said.

“To piece [the performances] together, I thought that it would be fun to talk about the holidays that are celebrated in December, which are Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the winter solstice, and Christmas,” Kolinski said.

Kolinski found four students to give a short speech describing each holiday, and four other students to talk about a tradition of theirs that went along with each holiday, she said. After the description and tradition from each holiday was told, a music or dance performance was performed.

Miller Harris (7) thought that learning about different holiday traditions was the best part of the assembly, he said.

MD students “got a kick out of seeing their friends” on stage, Kolinski said. The students were interested and engaged with the assembly, she said.

REVIEW: 13, an awkward but relatable success

Solomon Katz Staff Writer

Anyone who thought their awkward days at middle school were behind them was proven wrong in the premiere of the Middle Division production of the musical 13, a frighteningly accurate throwback that tugged at the audience’s heartstrings with powerful nostalgia.

Matthew Aponte (8) starred as Evan Goldman, a 12-year old preparing for his bar mitzvah. He won over the audience in the first musical number, not only with his slick dance moves, but with his voice radiating far beyond his body.

Evan moves from the Big Apple to Appleton, Indiana, where the only store in sight is a Dairy Queen. In his new school, bar mitzvahs are uncommon, the only trait in the play that a Horace Mann student would not be able to find relatable.

Uprooted from his life, he is comforted by his next door neighbor Patrice, played by Sarah Angevine (6).

Patrice sings “The Lamest Place in the World,” revealing that she thinks Evan has made her town so much better. Angevine’s voice was pure and sweet and she displayed her impressive range with ease.

Angevine used the perfect amount of subtlety when depicting her crush with body language such as not facing directly at Evan when singing about him.

Evan also befriends Archie, played

by Peter Wang (7), a boy with a degenerative illness. However, more than sympathy, Archie received waves of roaring laughter. He uses his illness to manipulate those around him, and in using his illness to his own benefit, the tension in the audience eased.

With our dutiful obligation to be respectfully politically correct, watching the casual reparté between Evan and Archie, two middle schoolers too young to be sensitive about their social misgivings, felt like both a breath of fresh air and a hilarious satire.

Soon, the three teenagers form a trio that is made of up the classic archetypes of a middle school experience. The kid forced into a new environment because of his parents’ divorce, the kid with an unrequited crush, and the kid whose appearance stops them from fitting in band together to form a group of misfits.

However, the middle school setting would not be complete without the token antagonists. Brett, the most popular football player in school, Kendra, the most popular cheerleader in school, and Lucy her jealous friend.

Brett has an enormous crush on Kendra, revealed by his friends in the entertaining number “Hey, Kendra,” where they sway to slow, intentionally overly romantic music.

The stage lit with the perfect shade of red to set the mood for both romance and, for any guy who’s done

something regretful for a crush, embarrassment.

Brett’s friends sang with extremely unsteady voices intentionally full of voice cracks, but their awkward singing perfectly met the demands of the awkward situation.

The main focus for Evan becomes helping Brett go on a group date with Kendra so that popular kids will come to his bar mitzvah in exchange, but Brett says that he won’t go if Patrice goes.

Evan tears up Patrice’s invitation, and Patrice’s pain reverberated through the audience, crying with realistic sobs.

The hope was that Evan would stand by Patrice, but it was a much more accurate portrayal of a middle schooler to have him choose the route of a social climber instead.

Because Evan is the protagonist, it made the play feel more real to have him make a moral slip.

In real life, bad social choices don’t always lead to equally bad consequences, so it was karmically satisfying to watch his plan unravel in the play.

Both Brett and Archie go into the group movie date trying to give Kendra “the tongue.” Their confusion as to what a kiss is was an ongoing joke throughout the play that never lost its humor.

Everyone in the audience could laugh with a feeling of superiority regardless of that fact that we have all been there at some point.

All photos courtesy of Jonathan Nye

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THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

From the Gallery...

Highlights from this year’s student show in Fisher

Surya Gowda (11) I found a picture I took at my grandparent’s house in India over the summer of one of the women who works at the house.

Her name is Kamalamma and she has taken care of all the children and the grandchildren in the household, almost like a second grandmother. Even though she is basically a part of the family, she does not get the same attention the rest of us do, so I wanted to paint her in a sort of thanks for all that she has done for us in her years of employment. There are no pictures of her in the house and sometimes I feel she that she has no permanent marker there. I made the backdrop gold to encapsulate her pricelessness to me and to my family.

Rivers Liu (12) This piece is called Burger King Sunset. I remembered that I saw a really beautiful sunset down the hill from school one day on Broadway just across the street from the subway station, and so I decided to paint that picture. I watered down the paint a lot so that’s why it’s so drippy and opaque. It turned out much better than I expected. I think it really captures that nostalgic happy feeling I was having when I saw that scene in real life.

Jaden Katz (11)

My portraits of a young man and woman resemble classical mosaics, but I’ve transformed them into gum which is the ultimate post-modern object. Gum is something that is chewed up and then thrown away, an act of temporary consumption. At the same time, I repurposed found objects which ties into the idea that identity in the 21st century is fluid and has no fixed meaning.

Zoo animals (like the elephant) and wild animals (like the sea lion) are completely different. The elephant didn’t care that I was there, it was focused on doing its own thing. I had to be really careful with the sea lion because it was much shyer.

Ruthie Yankwitt (12)

Kyra Kwok (11) Naomi Cebula (12) Since saggar (a type of firing technique) pieces aren’t utilitarian- they’re not food or water safethe project left me with the opportunity to explore the visual aspect of ceramics more. As a result of this, I chose to make all of my pieces small and I collared the mouths of the pieces- this is something you wouldn’t normally do with utilitarian pieces because it makes them difficult to clean. What I love about these pieces is that the saggar firing results in a really interesting dark, mottled exterior that resembles a dark, stormy sky. It’s like the fire paints your pieces.

This painting, titled Artifice, aims to tie together themes of humanity and technology.

Whether the relationship is positive or negative is up to each viewer to decide.

HORACE MANN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

Music ensembles prepare for and perform at holiday concerts Caroline Goldenberg Staff Writer

Notes played by the orchestra and sung by Glee Club, Treble Choir, and Concert Glee Club echoed throughout Gross Theatre at the annual Upper Division (UD) Holiday Concert, held last Tuesday evening.

This year, the band, steel drums, jazz bands, and flute choir had their concert the previous Tuesday, as they typically perform on a separate date than the voice choirs and string ensembles.

Working on Bob Margolis’ “Color” helped the ensemble develop tone, music teacher and director of Wind Ensemble Michael Bomwell said.

Tuesday night’s concert was Treble Choir’s second concert as an ensemble. They worked on

transitioning between different music genres to achieve stronger technique, Music Department Chair Timothy Ho said.

Treble Choir felt more confident heading into this performance, as the preparation was less rushed compared to that for the Advanced Ensembles Concert, choir member Isabella Zhang (10) said.

The Concert Glee Club “had a slow start, but we pulled it together,” Concert Glee Club member Allen Park (11) said.

The Glee Club’s repertoire also required them to transition between different styles, Ho said.

Sinfonietta performed conductorless while the orchestra was conducted by the recently-hired Ken Yanagisawa ’11, as music teacher and director of the orchestra Nathan

Hetherington has been absent due to a back injury.

During class periods, orchestra members held sectionals to rehearse in small groups and worked with substitute conductors, such as Amir Khosrowpour, orchestra member Laura Bae (10) said.

When Ho learned Hetherington would be unable to conduct, he reached out to Yanagisawa, who attended New England Conservatory, received a BFA in conducting at Yale, and is now studying at the Manhattan School of Music as a graduate student.

“Considering that we were in such flux that Mr. Hetherington was out, I’m really proud of the fact that we worked as a team,” orchestra and Wind Ensemble member Cindy Kaiser (11) said.

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GLEE CLUB (Amir Khosrowpour, piano; Timothy Ho, director)

I Heard the Bells - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow & J. Baptiste Calkin (arr. S. Kupferschmid) Walkin’ Down That Glory Road - Mark Hayes

SINFONIETTA (Nathan Hetherington, director)

Intermezzo, Op. 8 - Franz Schreker Divertimento No. 1 Op. 20 - Leo Weiner

TREBLE CHOIR (*Grace Cloutier, harp; **Rebecca Salzhauer & Sofia Gonzalez, soloists; Amir Khosrowpour, piano; Timothy Ho, director) Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day* - Traditional English Carol (arr. J. Rutter) Schlof Main Kind** - Allen E. Naplan The Man with the Bag and Santa Baby - Harold Stanley, Irving Taylor, Dudley Brooks, Joan Javits, Phil Springer & Tony Springer (arr. P. Langford)

CONCERT GLEE (Binah Schatsky, soloist; Timothy Ho, director)

Magnificat - Richard Nance

HM ORCHESTRA

(Ken Yanagisawa ‘11, guest conductor;

Nathan Hetherington, director)

Overture to The Barber of Seville - Gioachino Rossini Symphony in B Minor, “Unfinished,” Allegro - Franz Schubert Toy Symphony - Berhnard Romberg (ed. N. Hetherington)

GLEE CLUB & HM ORCHESTRA (Ken Yanagisawa ‘11, guest conductor; Timothy Ho & Nathan Hetherington, directors) Meeresstile und Glückliche Fahrt, Op. 112 - Ludwig van Beethoven Hallelujah Chorus - George Frideric Handel Courtesy of Evie Klein

TRA-LA-LA Chorus and band join together for the final performance of the year.

Annual Red Wheelbarrow Day honors Williams Carlos Williams ‘03 Sadie Schwartz Staff Writer Last Friday, students decorated Olshan Lobby with various poems written by William Carlos Williams (class of 1903), mini red wheelbarrows filled with studentwritten poems, and a refrigerator packed with plums and other fruit.

Manuscript -- the school’s poetry, creative writing, and arts publication, -- has honored Williams for the past three years as a respected alumni who shaped 20th-century American poetry. He wrote poems focused on everyday events. One of his most famous poems, “This is Just to Say,” describes the experience of eating a plum and has inspired students to eat plums and write poems on Red Wheelbarrow Day. Having a day devoted to his charming, accessible, and easy-tomimic writing is meant to provide a chance for people to stop their day and “really engage” in something, co-editor-in-chief of Manuscript Beatrix Bondor (12) said.

It is important to recognize

someone who attended the same school and became a famous and honored poet, co-editor-in-chief Rachel Okin (12) said. “Even if people don’t know who he is or don’t like his poetry, maybe it will be a day for people to start reading poetry and see the power of it.”

Manuscript will choose three to five of the submitted poems to include in their next issue, helping expand the range of students voices heard, Okin said.

“Just flipping through the different handwriting and the different topics [of the poems written] is a beautiful thing,” Bondor said. “It’s a mini manuscript on its own.”

“A lot of times people just do poetry for the English requirement, but it’s fun when there’s no pressure that comes with it,” Manuscript Events Editor Ben Hu (11) said.

Julian Rabkin (10) enjoyed the ability to express himself, he said. “My poem is inspired by William Carlos Williams’ literary techniques,” Rabkin said. “He’s able to rearrange the words to have some type of rhythm and flow.”

Eva Fortunato/Staff Photographer

THIS IS JUST TO SAY... Students write poems during Red Wheelbarrow Day.

RAISE YOUR GLASS Rebecca Salzhauer (12) stars in “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

Courtesy of Stacey Natal

Salzhauer and Schorsh rock Riverdale Rising Stars Production “The Drowsy Chaperone” Betsey Bennett Staff Writer Playing a drunken diva, Rebecca Salzhauer (12) filled the stage of the Riverdale Y with her exaggerated movements and comedic presence, while Jacob Schorsch (9) stood out as an energetic member of the ensemble.

Both students acted in the teenager performing arts program Riverdale Rising Stars’ (RRS) production of “The Drowsy Chaperone,” which ran from Dec. 2 to Dec. 17. It was Salzhauer’s sixth and Schorsch’s 14th show with RRS. Written by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and composed by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, the musical is a parody of 1920s American comedy. The show centers around a disgruntled middle-aged man who listens to the record of the fictitious musical “The Drowsy

Chaperone” to lift his spirits. As he guides the audience with his interpretations of it, the play comes to life, Salzhauer said.

Salzhauer played the lead role as the drowsy chaperone, a constantly drunk maid of honor to the bride.

According to Upper Division mathematics teacher Richard Somma, Salzhauer had remarkable stage presence.

“She has charisma, and that’s not something you can teach someone,” Theatre, Dance & Film Studies Department Chair Alison Kolinski, who also attended the play, said.

Schorsch was a member of the ensemble and the superintendent, he said.

Schorsch stood out in the cast of 32 members, as “he was energetic, committed, and a great dancer and showman,” Kolinski said.

According to Schorsch, the most exciting part of the play was the dance numbers because the whole

cast came together in a burst of energy.

According to Salzhauer and Schorsh, they both auditioned in September and practiced three times per week leading up to the performance dates.

Salzhauer prepared for her role by studying the original “Drowsy Chaperone,” she said. Schorsch spent time getting into character by watching past performances of the show, he said.

Salzhauer “was able to take a lot of strides with [her] character once [she] made it less intellectual and more focused on fun,” she said.

On stage, Salzhauer uses her friendships with her fellow actors to keep her grounded.

“Whenever I feel like I’m slipping away from the action of the show or the moment, I think about my relationships with the other people on stage with me,” Salzhauer said.

Lions’ Den Record Sports

8

DECEMBER 22ND, 2017

Varsity Wrestling shows promise

Advances record to 3-3 after good performance at most recent meets Nistha Sharma & Brody McGuinn Staff & Contributing Writers As the winter season progresses, the Varsity Wrestling team continues to train for its meets and tournaments. The Lions’ preparation has paid off, as they have a record of three wins and three losses, including a recent weekend tournament in Mamaroneck, where they competed against multiple schools from the Tri-State Area.

In Mamaroneck, Georgi Verdelis (11) and Jamie Berg (11) advanced to the finals. In Berg’s match, he went toe-to-toe with the New York State Public School champion.

Additionally, Davis Parzick (11) came in fourth place among his weight class, and Bernard von Simson (10), Michael Ortiz (11) and Liam Futterman (9) won fifth in their respective weight classes.

Simson was excited to win a match by shooting his opponent’s leg and pinning him down, a move he learned and improved in practice, he said. “Overall, it was a

Abigail Kraus/Photo Editor

NO PAIN, NO GAIN Liam Futterman (9) takes down opponent.

very good day for our team,” Jacob Schorsch (9) said.

The team had a 42-30 win against Martin Luther, and had two close victories against Trinity and Baruch. Given the challenges they face by being a small team, the wrestlers are proud of their improving record this season and their early wins, Parzick said.

“Our biggest issue right now is the size of our team,” Simson said. “Although we usually end up winning the majority of our matches, because we have a limited amount of players, and we may not have someone for each weight class, we have to forfeit a lot of them in the dual meets.”

One of the team’s losses came by six points to Rye Country Day, but they are especially proud of the six pins they scored in that dual meet, Head Coach Gregg Quilty said.

“Right from the start of the season, we began intense training that was geared towards conditioning,” Schorsch said.

Later, they began focusing on technique and drills. “They are getting great workouts in practice and acquiring new technique,” Quilty said.

Coach Peter Doyle, the assistant coach, helps the team in practices with his experience and “extensive knowledge of the sport,” Simson

said. Doyle, who joined the school after coaching at Riverdale, “has a great spirit and makes us all improve as a team.”

Though the team has a lot of rookies, that is not a setback because they are well ahead of schedule and learning at a fast pace, Quilty said.

Futterman has “stepped into a tough weight class and is dealing with it pretty well,” Parzick said.

“I’m proud of him and all the freshmen.”

Parzick and the other two captains, Berg and Verdelis, “have acted as solid leaders for our underclassmen,” Quilty said. They push all of us to be better wrestlers and know good techniques, which us underclassmen can learn from,” Simson said.

Additionally, five of the team’s wrestlers attended a two-week intense training camp at Oklahoma State University this past July, which Quilty believes added to the team’s success overall.

Quilty hopes to continue focusing on technique as the season reaches the midpoint and beyond, as he believes the team is quick in acquiring new techniques, and the freshmen in particular have been adapting well to the high-commitment sport.

Fencing teams dominate at multiple meets Leonora Gogos & Jackson Feigin Staff & Contributing Writers

This past week, the Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Fencing teams had meets at Rye Country Day and Avenues. The girls’ team had an additional meet at Marymount.

During the meet at Rye Country Day, the teams won their bouts in all weapons besides men’s foil, bringing the final score to 8-1. At Marymount, foil, sabre, and epee won. At Avenues, every weapon but women’s epee won.

During the tournament at Rye country day Girls’ Varsity Fencing Captain Emma Jones (12) won all three of her bouts, 5-0, 5-0, and 5-1.

Jones said she was proud of how she fenced. “I fenced a girl on Rye Country Day that I was absolutely terrified of last year, and I was the last person fencing so my team had already won, so I sort of went into it thinking I’m going to lose to her, it’s ok, just learn from it,” she said.

Jones ended up winning her bout 5-0.

In addition to Jones, Tasfiah Tabassum (12) said Samantha Tsai (9) fenced very well during the meet at Rye. Jones said the team prepares through conditioning and strength

training, and then fencing one another and doing drills based on bouting situations or just for fun.

One of the struggles the fencing team has faced this year during practice is the familiarity of one another’s fencing techniques.

“Most of us know each other well enough that we can pretty much predict how the other person fences,” Jones said.

Jones and Ben Jacobs (12) are both upperclassmen on the team.

Daniel Lee (10) said that Jacobs fenced quite well at Rye. “Ben Jacobs, on men’s foil, won all three of his bouts,” Lee said. “It was exciting to watch him win.” Phillip Chien (10) also fenced well as underclassmen on the varsity team, Lee said.

Lee, who is on men’s foil, said that he personally did not fence his best at the tournament but knew he could do better in future tournaments.

Lee intends to improve over the season and overall become a better fencer, and he enjoys being on the team. “It’s not too strict,” he said, “It’s pretty chill compared to other sports, and it’s pretty fun.”

Tabassum said the team’s biggest goal is to bond more. “Fencing is a very individual sport, but to us, being a unified team is such an important part of who we are,” she said. “You can feel the unity

Andrew Cassino/Contributing Photographer

STICKING IT Boys Varsity competing against Hackley on December 21st.

as soon as you walk into the gym, and that sort of feeling is absolutely irreplaceable.”

The underclassmen face the added pressure of fencing on a varsity level, Jones said. Despite this, Jones said, “Erin Zhao (9), on women’s epee, has been performing great. She’s a joy to watch fencing and a really competent, willing learner, and I’m really happy to have her on the team with me.”

The teams have another meet

next week and will return from winter break prepared for the bulk of their season. Tabassum said the goal is to keep winning as a team at away tournaments, and ultimately win the Independent School Fencing League Team Tournament on February 24th.

“Our biggest competition is typically the Masters School, so we look forward to fencing them this year and showing off what we’ve got,” Tabassum said.

Freya Lindvall/Photo Editor

Varsity Track: Strong season so far despite lack of facilities Amelia Feiner Staff Writer Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Indoor Track have only had two meets so far, but the teams’ seasons are off to a strong start Dana Jacoby (11) said. The girls’ team this year is small, with only eight athletes, but the team performed well at its first two meets and is hoping to continue its strong performances throughout the season.

With practices in Van Cortlandt Park, the Park Avenue Armory, Four Acres, and on the indoor track, the teams practice wherever they can during the construction of the gym.

“It’s always such an issue practicing because the indoor track is so small, which means there isn’t really enough room for boys and girls,” Jacoby said.

“I don’t think that the new gym is going to actually make much of a difference because I don’t think they’re really prioritizing track,” she said. According to Jacoby, the team has been struggling to find space for years.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the team goes to the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan where there is a large indoor track. “The practices at the Armory are a lot more intensive because that’s a bigger space, and there are more schools there,” Charles Simmons (10) said.

For Simmons, this season is about improving his times from freshman year. “Last meet, I set my personal best for the 200 and the 300 meter,” he said. “In the sophomore season, you’ve already set your markers, and now its about doing better than you did last year,” he said.

The boys team consists of 15 boys: seven sprinters, 7 distance runners, and one thrower. The girls team is about half the size, consisting of eight girls: one distance runner, three sprinters, and four shot-putters, Jacoby said.

Because there are so few girls, Jacoby says the team members are all very close.

Simmons also commented on the team dynamic, “The indoor track team is a family. We’re always supportive, and we all love each other. It’s a great experience,” he said.