The Horace Mann Record, Issue 20 by The Horace Mann Record

The Horace Mann Record Wellness WEEK

MARCH 9TH, 2018 || VOLUME 115, ISSUE 20

HORACE MANN’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1903

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In this week’s issue, read about managing stress, using art as catharsis, personal wellness, mental health experiences, and more.

Sadie Schwartz & Nishtha Sharma Staff Writers

Through daily workshops, an assembly featuring a prominent sleep doctor, and students, teachers, and staff members sharing their experiences with the school community, Wellness Week explored its theme, Mind and Body, and opened a dialogue surrounding issues of mental health. “I was inspired by own experiences, in that I had had experiences with mental health issues that really were healed by the ability to speak up, have a kind of have a dialogue and use my resources,” Chloe Bown (12), President of the Wellness Initiative Club (WIC), said. “The idea was that, if this was successful and healing for me, then why not spread this positivity and make this impact [on] the whole school?” The guidance office and members of WIC spent a tremendous amount of time and resources planning Wellness Week because it is important that the week is inclusive and reaches as many members of the community as possible, school Psychologist Dr. Liz Westphal said. To plan for the assembly, the Office of Counseling and Guidance distributed “Wellness is…” prompts to all advisories. From the hundreds of the responses that the Office of Counseling and Guidance received, they tried to choose a representative sample and find community members who were willing and brave enough to share what they had written in the assembly, school Psychologist Dr. Ian Pervil said. Some of the responses included Parul Sharma (12), who was stressed at the end of her junior year, but by taking a step back to “reflect and collect” herself, realized that it’s more important to take care of her mental health, she said. Ricardo Pinnock (12) shared that telling himself that he’s “amazing, talented, and cool” contributes to his self esteem, he said.

PUPPY PALS Students play with dogs in Tillinghast classroom to de-stress. English teacher Rebecca Bahr shared her meditation strategies, which included side stretches and focusing on the in and out of her breath, she said. Bown thought about how she could build upon last year’s Wellness Week success and broaden everyone’s perspective on wellness. “I think we were able to do that by having an assembly that was similar in structure to last year’s but that presented a lot of new perspectives and had a lot of valuable information,” she said. “We’re so happy to see the increase in student involvement this year, and are especially excited to see how that takes off in the future, since Wellness Week has grown so much from last year,” Billy Lehrman (12) said. During the assembly, a group of students and faculty members performed “You Will be Found,” from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, students gave testimonials of their own experiences with wellness, and students read anonymous answers to the “Wellness is…” prompt. Sleep disorder specialist Dr. Michael Breus spoke about “Sleep

Strategies for Really Busy High School Students.” The assembly concluded with Mahika Hari (12) and Ruthie Yankwitt (12) conversing with Breus about their sleep troubles. Breus described the five stages of sleep and informed the audience that a sleep cycle takes 90 minutes to complete. He explained that stages three and four are physically restorative, while REM sleep is mentally restorative, and has vital effects such as moving information from short-term to long-term memory. “Overall, I really enjoyed that it wasn’t a sleep assembly with him telling us that we all need nine hours of sleep, [and] I’m really happy that he acknowledged that nine hours of sleep isn’t realistic,” Liz Fortunato (11) said. “I do appreciate that he acknowledged our situation but he was giving us advice on how to work with the situation we have.” Since sleep is divided into 90 minute cycles, Breus said that it is better to sleep for seven-and-a-half hours than for eight hours since it’s hard to wake up between sleep cycles.

inside

SLEEP DOCTOR Ruthie Yankwitt (12) and Mahika Hari (12) discuss their sleep issues with Dr. Michael Breus and Dr. Daniel Rothstein.

Movie night

Black Parents Union organizes Black Panther showing.

A quiz, but fun!

Take a quiz to find out what kind of learner you are.

He also advised students to pick a bedtime, avoid contact with blue light before going to sleep, make up sleep on the weekends, use earplugs, and not to use the snooze button. He praised napping, but stressed that students can only nap for less than 25-minute or 90-minute increments. Yankwitt described her sleep predicament to Breus: It takes her about two hours to fall asleep, and she simply lays in bed staring at the ceiling but not feeling tired, especially if she goes to bed around 10 p.m. Breus advised Yankwitt to get into bed at the usual, late hour she’s accustomed to since, if she gets into bed earlier, she won’t fall asleep anyway because her body’s circadian rhythm is accustomed to sleeping later. “Initially, I was nervous to share my experience with sleep, but afterwards, I felt that I had learned a lot from Dr. Breus, especially because his advice was very realistic and practical for HM students,” Yankwitt said. Workshops included guest speakers, drumming circles, knitting, therapy dogs, and more. Holocaust survivor and clinical psychologist Dr. Edith Eger visited the school Thursday C and D periods with her daughter, also a psychologist, to discuss her book, The Choice, and hold a Q & A. Dr. Eger discussed her own life story and how she remains positive and enjoys life despite her traumatic past. “Don’t let anyone define who you are. You’re beautiful because God doesn’t make junk,” Eger said. “I thought Dr. Eger’s genuineness and positivity was really contagious,” Hannah Long (11) said. Long said that Dr. Eger motivated her to view her life through a “positive lens” and caused her to “step back and reflect” on her life thus far. Accompanist Dr. Amir Khosrowpour and music teacher Alan Bates led a drumming circle outside of the cafeteria to “give students an

Sharing our stories

Abigail Salzhauer (10) shares her experience with anxiety.

opportunity to play for a few minutes, and drum their worries away,” they said. Laura Bae (10), who attended the workshop felt that it alleviated a lot of her internal stress. “I think drumming was a great way in which I could relieve my worries in a healthy manner,” she said. “In the moment, it was a nice way to relax and let go of some of the stress we face during the school day,” Katie Fine (11) said. “It definitely made me feel happy for a few moments.” The knitting workshop “definitely made me feel an increase in relaxation...because it’s not usually something you get to do in school,” Kyra Hill (12) said. It was nice to focus on a task that really allowed her to clear her mind, Zoe Mavrides (12) said. It was a calming reminder of switching gears and taking a step back from all of the busy activities she has throughout the day, she said. Kate Bown (9) led the stress ballcreating workshop. “It didn’t turn out exactly as we planned because the material wasn’t perfect, but people were just doing things for fun,” Bown said. “People tend to really like fidgety stuff if they’re nervous or in class, so I think it’s good to have something to play with and get your mind and anger out from it.” Olivia Klein (11), President of the Animal Awareness Society, knows that students have been stressed lately, and she knows the effect that dogs can have on people. She wanted them to make people cheer up and bring light to their week, she said. “I hoped that people would feel less stressed and people realize how something so simple like a dog can affect your day so much.” Klein hopes to bring therapy dogs again for testing week because “it was such a huge success,” she said.

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

THE RECORD NEWS MARCH 9TH, 2018

Union organizes school walkout next week to protest gun violence Lynne Sipprelle Staff Writer On March 14th at 10:00 a.m., the school will hold a 17 minute walkout to protest gun violence. The #Enough: National School Walkout is organized by the national Women’s March Youth Empower group, which includes coPresident of the Union Zarina Iman (12). 2,024 other schools nationwide will participate in walkouts that same day. When Iman learned about the walkout, she sent an email to the Union faculty advisors and board asking if the school could hold one. The Union then suggested the walkout to Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly and Head of the Upper Division Dr. Jessica Levenstein, who supported the idea, Dean of Students Dr. Susan Delanty said. “I think it’s important for the students to feel that their voices are heard,” Delanty said. She added the walkout to the week’s scheduling email to spread the word, she said. Co-President of the Union Yasmin McLamb (11) hopes that after the walkout, students will recognize the Parkland survivors as teenagers they can relate to, McLamb said. “People should be united in times of crisis,” she said. The walkout will take place on March 14th

Spyri Potamopoulou/ Staff Artist

because it is the one-month anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. The 17 minutes are in honor of the 17 lives lost in the shooting, the #Enough website says. Tiger Moreno (10) plans to participate in the walkout. “I’m privileged to go to a school where I’m safe, and there’s not a high risk of me being in danger,” Moreno said. “So, I feel like I have to stand up not just for myself, but for my generation and people my age. During the walkout, the Union will read a list of the Parkland victims, have a moment of reflection, and then share student poetry or opinions relating to gun control, McLamb said. Iman said the walkout also will include a “die-in,” where students lie down to create a visual representation of the impacts of gun violence. Additionally, the Union will run voter registration and letter writing to representatives in Olshan Lobby all day, she said. “You’re never too young to engage in social activism,” Iman said. “If you’re growing up in a world and you see that something’s wrong, it’s your world too.” While Moreno thinks the walkout is a good idea, she doesn’t agree with the use of the term “walkout,” she said. Moreno thinks the walkout should take place off campus, she said. “I feel like it would be more visual and more powerful,” Moreno said. However, Iman said that the walkout will be powerful even on campus. “It’s both about people who are walking out seeing how many people are walking out with them, and people who are not walking out seeing how many people are left with them,” she said. “Even though you’re not literally leaving campus, you’re exiting your academic mindset,” McLamb said. Jude Herwitz (10) plans to participate, but also disagrees with the term “walkout” as he believes the point of a walkout is to disrupt the day, he said. Herwitz thinks the walkout should be more political and clearly focused on protesting for gun control, he said. “I think that expressing support for the families, while it’s a nice sentiment and certainly an important sentiment, and something that everyone can agree with, it’s not advancing the ball down the road,” Herwitz said. Students are organizing to take part in an all-day walkout that will occur on April 20th, Iman said.

Dr. Kelly signs anti-gun violence letter published, in New York Times Caroline Goldenberg Staff Writer A full page petition printed in The New York Times signed by over 150 school head from across New York, including Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly, urged President Trump to bring an end to gun violence. The advertisement, which ran on February 25, explained the headmasters’ support of survivors of the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as well as their encouragement of the growing “Never Again” movement initiated by the community in Parkland. Heads of schools from all over the New York City metropolitan area and New York state signed the petition, with Kelly’s name and those of headmasters from Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Trinity School, and Riverdale Country Day School among them. Robert Siebert, former Head of the Churchill School in New York, NY, created a similar published letter originally, and David O’Halloran, headmaster of Saint David’s School in New York, NY, organized the more recent version of the petition that was published on the 25th. “Every once in a while, there’s a clarity and call for educators to take a stand, and this was one of those times,” Kelly said. “As an educator, I felt compelled to stand up for what is right,” Head of the Green Vale School Jesse Dougherty, who signed the petition, said. The Green Vale School is a private school for grades pre-nursery through eighth grade in Glen Head, NY. The petition was not about a “political leaning as much as a fundamental right towards safety in school,” Dougherty said. The statement did not direct politicians to act in a specific way, but it did urge the government to take action to change the current situation of gun violence in the nation and mitigate the chance of another armed attack in an American school, Rabbi Avi Levitt, who is the principal of Magen David Yeshivah – Joe & Celia Esses High School, a private institution based in tradition of Sephardic Judaism in Brooklyn, NY, said. The heads of schools in New York, who have a close network, reached out to each other and all “quickly agreed on the importance” of the petition’s signing, Dougherty said.

Courtesy of the Riverdale Press

PETITION Heads of schools sign petition protesting gun violence in NYT.

Already, the petition “has captured the attention of many” and has been “at the center of several conversations,” Kelly said. Dougherty hopes that the petition can help to “inspire our political leaders to talk and our students to see that they can have a voiwce,” he said. Levitt believes actions like the petition are important because newspapers show that movements from the people are forceful in such change, he said. Students should “keep these issues alive in the face of a fast-paced news cycle that buries key items three days after tragedy strikes,” Levitt said. “Students taking a stand is the first step,” Kelly said. Further steps include next week’s Upper Division walk-out in support of the community in Parkland and the movement for gun control.

Black Parents Union shows “Black Panther” at annual movie screening Sandhya Shyam Staff Writer For the sixth year in a row, The Black Parents Union (BPU) and the ICIE hosted a trip to a movie screening for members of the community, this year viewing Black Panther. The trip featured its biggest turnout this year with about 300 people in attendance, Director of the ICIE Patricia Zuroski said. The event, which took place on Sunday, February 25 at an AMC movie theatre in Harlem, had a discussion directly following the movie. “It’s just a really nice way for members of the community to come out and share a common experience,” Zuroski said. Yasmin Mclamb (11) attended the event alone, though she noticed that there were many family units there as well, which was nice to see, she said. Jayla Thomas (10) went to the screening because she “thought it would be a good day to get in touch with the other African American people in my community and get to enjoy the experience together,” she said. While the BPU has been around for quite a long time, this particular event only started six years by Sharon Joseph P’19, the BPU head at the time, Zuroski said. Joseph, who owned a business in Harlem, had connections with the theatre and

was therefore able to organize the screening, Zuroski said. The event typically takes place in January or February in order to acknowledge Martin Luther King Day or Black History Month, and the movies that are chosen portray black history, BPU leader Jennifer Hippolyte-Thomas P’20 said. In past years, movies such as Selma and 42 have been shown. The majority of the movie’s cast was black, which was important for students of color, especially in the Lower Division, who were watching the movie and seeing themselves represented in positions of power, Thomas said. Zuroski thought that the movie felt more like a celebration of black culture rather than simply a history of it, she said. “This movie has generated an important cultural moment,” History teacher Dr. Elisa Milkes, who attended the screening, said. “Superheroes play an important role in American culture. The movie featured so many African American actors in leading roles, playing interesting and complex characters.” Eric Ohakam (11), who also went, thought that the movie showed that superheroes come in all shapes and colors, he said. After the movie, Vinson Cunningham ’02, a staff writer for the New Yorker, moderated a Q &

A and discussion for the community to reflect on what they had just seen. Thomas thought Cunningham was a good choice for the speaker because as an alumnus, “he came from a very similar background as a student of color at the school,” she said.

“This was my third time at a BPU movie event, and the discussion afterwards is always a highlight and this year was no exception,” Milkes said. “It gave me something to reflect on well after the movie had ended.”

Courtesy of Jessica Thomas

WAKANDA FOREVER Parents and students watch “Black Panther” screening organized by BPU.

HORACE MANN NEWS MARCH 9TH, 2018

Parents Association creates initiatives to improve school Megha Nelivigi & Bradley Bennet

Staff Writer & Contributing Writer The Parents Association (PA) is an organization composed of parent volunteers focused on building community and fundraising through events like the Book Fair and New Family Check Ins, Parents Association President Grace Peak said. “The main priority of the Parents Association is to build community,” Peak said. “As a commuter school with over 1100 parents from the tri-state area, we need the PA to support the school, plan initiatives and events, and to engage and inform our large parent body.” The PA plays a large role in the school community, Head of School m n Tom Kelly said, as it “is just like another division, with the exception that it works across all divisions and focuses on how best to mobilize the school’s parent body in support of the educational experience at HM.” Apart from fostering community within the parent body, the Parents Association plays an active role in raising money for the school, said Peak. Their largest fundraising event is the HMPA All-School Benefit, which will take place this Friday at Cipriani, Peak said. The main goal of the benefit is to raise money for the school and contribute to the financial aid fund, and the entire parent body is invited, she said. This year, more than 700 parents and alumni plan on attending, Second Vice President of the Parents Association Andrea Madaio said. The PA is organized into a number of committees, some as a part of each school division and others that are allschool committees. Each division is “composed of parent volunteers from the nursery division all the way up to the Upper Division,” Peak said. The school’s administration keeps close contact with the Parents Association, Kelly said. “At all levels, the Head’s office and each Division Head, including the Business and Development offices are invited in

not only the decision making progress but the planning and implementation phases of PA activities and event,” he said in an email. Kelly hears from Peak on “almost a weekly basis,” but hears from PA officers from other divisions when needed as well, he said. As soon as a student joins the HM community, their parents become automatically involved in the PA, Peak said, but parents can choose the level of involvement they would like to have. “We encourage you to donate an hour of your time, or a week of your time, or as long as you possibly can,” Peak said. “We welcome any participation on any level.” For PA representative Terry Gushner Laufer, her role as an 11th grade parent representative and the head of the book club is not extremely time consuming, she said. The book club is open to the entire school community, alumni included, and the group reads around five books each year, she said. The book club is “a way for parents to get together, and obviously we discuss the book, but it is also another way for parents to feel like they’re included and get to know other people in the parent body,” Gushner Laufer said. Being a parent rep, she said, is “just another way to create inclusion within the community. We provide different opportunities for parents to connect and socialize, so that the parent body feels like they can reach out to someone and know someone in the grade and throughout the school.” Some of the initiatives the Upper Division has include the running Book Fair and International Food Festival, organizing Parents in Action Meetings, UD concerts bake sales, helping with Homecoming, running an athletics committee, and overseeing grade representatives, Co-Chair of the Upper Division PA Cecile Caer said. During the International Food Festival, “parents bring in a variety of foods from many different cultures,” Josh Underberg (9) said. “It is a very unique event.”

Courtesy of HM Flickr

HELPING OUT The PA works to help lead school events such as (clockwise from top left) LD Caring in Action Day, MD International Food Day, and the LD Book Fair.

Some of the other initiatives the PA runs include the New Family Welcome Check-In, the Lower Division Teacher Appreciation Initiatives and separate initiatives within each division, Peak said. During the Book Fair, the PA is charge of organizing books and other items as well as volunteering for the fair, Madaio said. “Without the PA we wouldn’t have the book fair, which is such community event,” Middle & Upper Divisions Chair of the Library Department Caroline Bartels said. “We would not be able to have those three days and see all those people gathering together, buying books, and being a community.”

Parent volunteers organize books that are picked up into different genres, while others visit people’s homes to pick up books, Bartels said. Leading up to the fair, volunteers spend the entire day setting up, she said. Another significant initiative is the New Family Welcome Check-In, Peak said. This year, the school hosted a welcome dinner for over 200 new families, she said. “What we were really, really proud of is that the families that came in, walked away with a name and a phone number of another new family,” Peak said. “These parents are able to meet some of the current PA volunteers and are welcomed by some of the administrators.”

Within the Lower Division, there exists a Teacher Appreciation Committee, Peak said. This began with each lower division student bringing in an apple for their teacher, but the PA also organizes other initiatives including teacher breakfasts during parent-teacher conferences. The PA also works to raise money for causes outside of the school community, Peak said. For instance, each division participating in raising money for natural disasters, Peak said. The nursery division was heavily involved; students created artwork that was then sold to the parent body to raise money for the victims, and items were collected and shipped to affected nations.

Mock Trial has perfect score in first trial

Courtesy of Maggie Brill

TRIAL, NO ERROR The current mock trial team, which won their first trial, poses for a photo.

Betsey Bennett Staff Writer The defense side of Mock Trial earned a perfect score of 65 points in the first round of the annual New York State Mock Trial Tournament, becoming the first team in recent history of New York to achieve the feat, Leonora Gogos (10) said. This round, held on Tuesday, February 27th, was one of two preliminary rounds of a multiphase tournament that culminates at States in Albany, co-President Radhika Mehta (12) said. While the preliminary round focused on the

defense side of the case, the next preliminary round, held on Monday, will focus on the prosecution side, Mehta said. This year’s case is a criminal case about a 19-year-old accused of engaging in disorderly conduct in his high school, co-President Maggie Brill (12) said. All of the trials follow the same format: there are three lawyers and three witnesses on each side, who move through opening statements, direct examination and cross examination of witnesses, and closing statements. According to Adam Frommer (9), one of the witnesses, the trial was a success.

“I think that the team was very relaxed, and we did a really good job of staying in character and being really calm in trial,” Frommer said. “Getting to watch everyone and see a lot of the practice and the work that we put into it come to fruition was really great, and I was proud of everyone on the team,” Brill said. “We had a lot of new students and underclassmen, and I think everyone was really poised and handled any unexpected situations very well.” According to Brill, each element of the trial receives a score between one and five. For example, a lawyer is scored on his or her direct examination of the witness, while the witness is scored on his or her preparation and credibility. Each side also receives a score for the quality of their opening and closing statements, and each team can score up to 10 points for professionalism, Brill said. “Radhika and I were both ecstatic about receiving a perfect score, and we were both very proud of our team’s performance,” Brill said. Unlike other debate clubs, Mock Trial competes in one tournament each year, but this tournament has multiple rounds and spans from February to May, Brill said. Preparation for this year’s tournament began in late December, when New York State Mock Trial released the case for the year, Brill said. Since then, Mock Trial has held meetings on Mondays and Thursdays until 6 pm, Frommer

said. According to Mehta, the team has improved significantly since last year. “Last year, we started preparation really late into the season and thus entered our first trial rather unprepared, but this year, we started our timeline much earlier and have found that that has really helped us,” Mehta said. “Also, we’ve worked a lot more closely with the other members of the team in order to make sure that everyone’s ideas are heard.” While in previous years, the team was not able to start preparing until well into January, this year, Brill and Mehta received all applications and conducted all interviews for new team members immediately after winter break. However, Brill believes that the team still has areas where it can improve. “We are trying as a whole this year to be able to think a little more on our feet and improvise more, because I think that’s a huge part of Mock Trial,” Brill said. “Yes, we spend a lot of time preparing and writing out all of our material, but I think everyone on the team, including myself, can work on being able to be responsive to what’s happening in the courtroom and less stuck onto your written material.” The team is hoping to make it at least into the top eight schools in the state as it did two years ago, Brill said.

THE RECORD FEATURES MARCH 9TH, 2018

Managing different forms of stress

Madison Li & Kiara Royer Staff Writers A recent article published by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that during the school year, students frequently report stress levels higher than are healthy. In order to tackle this issue for high schoolers, it is important to first understand the various forms in which stress manifests. There are three general categories of stress: acute, episodic acute, and chronic state. Acute stress is the most common, with episode acute being a frequent form of acute stress. Chronic stress is also a prevalent form and have dire consequences, such as heart disease, depression, and obesity. Acute stress is a sharp, new feeling, whereas chronic stress can be grown accustomed to, according to the APA. While stress for an exam can be good, as it can enhance one’s performance, chronic stress is problematic because it’s ongoing

day after day and thus harmful to one’s health, psychology teacher Kristen Zatarski said. Although there hasn’t been one specific academic year that particularly stands out as extremely stressful, working to manage periods of stress seems to be something that occurs periodically throughout her time at the school, Emma Kelly (12) said. Stress affected Marli Katz’s (10)

over the course of a lifetime,” Upper Division Director of Counseling and Guidance Dr. Ian Pervil said. There are many different strategies to cope with stress, but they are different depending on the type of stress one is experiencing, he said. The wide range of coping mechanisms includes progressive muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and self-reflection on one’s life.

“It’s easier to plow through the stress because a lot of coping methods for me distract me from the work I actually have to do, so it’s easier to just get it done.” - Ashley Dai (10)

everyday life because even when she didn’t have work, she felt the urge to work in order to be productive, she said. There also exists a culture of stress at the school, so it feels likeone needs to always be stresseing about something, Ashley Dai (10) said. “Coping with stress requires both a great sense of self-awareness and maturity that continue to develop

Every person has their own way of relaxing, whether listening to music, reading, exercising, or something else, but everyone should reserve time for doing what they enjoy, Zatarski said. “It’s easier to plow through the stress because a lot of coping methods for me distract me from the work I actually have to do, so it’s easier to just get it done,” Dai said.

The connection between service and wellness Katie Goldenberg Staff Writer During a day off from school in December, Chloe Bown (12) was invited by one of her friends to volunteer at the New York Common Pantry. “I was hearing back from college that day, so I was a ball of nerves, and I thought it could be exactly what I needed,” she said. Bown spent the day at the pantry packing groceries for visitors. She returned from the experience feeling calmer, she said. “On a really stressful day, I was able to push [the nerves] away, and my whole mood changed through service,” Bown said. Bown, who is also a member of the Service Learning Team, is one of many students at the school who experiences the connection between service and wellness, a topic she and CCVA Fellow Helen Feldman ’10 brought to Wellness Week through a workshop entitled “Service & Self.” Feldman’s desire to create the workshop stemmed from her

interest in service, which she developed during her gap year and her travels to poverty-stricken communities in Bolivia and Peru, she said. “It wasn’t really until I was faced with seeing how hard people’s lives are that I realized I wasn’t even thinking about myself anymore,” she said, referring to the disconnect from herself that she faced during high school. “Work that’s in devotion to helping others has done unbelievable things for my well-being and my sense of who I am.” Feldman’s workshop aimed to give students space to share their own experiences with the connection between service and wellness, she said. The period began with four students sharing stories of the impact service had on them along with a discussion of the psychology of service and well-being. Afterwards, participants split into smaller groups to discuss their own projects and any improvements to their wellness that they have experienced.

Courtesy of Jasmin Ortiz

SWELL Service learning programs show a correlation between service and wellness

Many service initiatives directly foster the connection between service and wellness. Emily Bleiberg (12), Haylen Rosberger (12), and Jason Oh (12) run an HM 246 workshop that completes ceramics projects with middle school students from the local community. Volunteers teach students how to work with clay and help them to complete final projects, a process that can greatly improve their wellness, Bleiberg said. “We want to convey how art can serve as a creative outlet in so many ways, and how cathartic that can be from a wellness standpoint in terms of being able to express yourself in the meditative process of working with clay,” she said. “It’s a space for the kids to relax and take a breath after their day.” Other students on the Service Learning Team describe a similar connection between service and wellness through their own experiences within the program. “That’s really one of the most important goals of the program – to think about what makes a fulfilling life and how connecting to others and to a bigger purpose is really an indispensable aspect of this,” Director of the Center for Community Values & Action Dr. Jeremy Leeds said. “Every single week I looking forward to Service Learning, because it always makes me feel good coming back from working with the kids,” Tyler Jonas (11), the team’s Literacy Coordinator, said. “Going to my Service Learning site, Kingsbridge, always makes me happier and a lot less stressed,” Jenna Freidus (12), one of the team’s Music Coordinators, said. “Even if I’m tired and have a million things to do, I always come back relaxed and positive.”

The important thing is recognizing when you are stressed and you can go to a support system, which can be talking to your friends or family or teachers, Zatarski said. The Counseling and Guidance office can provide students with one-on-one meetings to help them identify their stress and think about the best techniques to help them with it, Pervil said. At a bigger level, “we can work with classes and grades to give them tips; however, with larger groups, the tips become less personal, and therefore less useful to some people,” he said. Nevertheless, we still hope that a few people are able to learn meaningful and useful strategies,” he said. According to the APA, school is the top source of stress for teens, while getting into a good college or deciding what to do after high school is the second-biggest source of tension. For Dai, her elective courses at school and extracurriculars cause her the most stress, she said. “Although I love managing the musical, it’s a lot of responsibility

because I feel more obligated to put in more effort as it’s something I chose to do,” she said. One non-academic stress for Vivien Sweet (9) is not getting enough sleep, she said. “I try to get as much as possible, because if I don’t sleep at around 11:30 PM, [the lack of sleep] will negatively affect my extracurriculars, sports, grades, and studying,” she said. Likewise, Kelly recognizes that there are times when she just has to sleep and put everything else aside, she said. Kelly enjoys talking to her friends and parents, as well as going on a run, to relieve temporary stress, she said. “I find doing things that I really enjoy and love to pursue removes stress factors in my life,” Joshua Doolan (12) said. For Doolan, being a part of the Boys Cross Country and Boys Track and Field Team, the Student Ambassador Program, Model UN and other activities that he genuinely loves and reflect his passions helps to remove both academic and nonacademic stress, he said.

HOW TO FIND GRATITUDE Exercise courtesy of Guidance. It’s easy to get used to the good things we have in our lives, but happiness isn’t always found in things. Research suggests that it’s gratitude for what we have that creates happiness. Studies have shown that writing down the things we are grateful for has benefits including better sleep, fewer symptoms of illness, and greater happiness.

HERE’S HOW TO DO THAT

1. Find a place to write or share your thoughts. A journal, a piece of paper, even just speaking with your family members! Translating thoughts into language, through saying them out loud or writing them down, makes us more aware of them and makes them “real.” 2. Find a regular time and space to write. You don’t have to do it every day to reap the benefits. In fact, don’t overdo it. Studies show that occasionally (once or twice a week) is more beneficial than daily journaling. 3. Write briefly! This could be a short paragraph, a sentence or two, or even a list of three things.

HORACE MANN FEATURES MARCH 9TH, 2018

ABSENCES AND EXTENSIONS:

balancing school work and mental health Surya Gowda Staff Writer

This Wellness Week, students considered the topic of Mind and Body, including whether they prioritize their school work and grades over their health. Some students feel they need to attend school and complete assignments when they are feeling unwell, rather than ask for extensions. Eli Laufer (11), who personally does not take sick days, believes that the “way that Horace Mann works makes it hard for you to miss days of school. If you fall behind because you’re sick, it’s harder to succeed,” he said. “I feel like a lot of people have this inner voice in their head saying that you need to finish your work before you sleep. I personally can’t go to sleep without finishing my work,” Claire Yoo (11) said. For Becca Siegel (11), making up classes after missing school is difficult because if she misses the teacher’s explanation, she will not understand the information as well, Siegel said. This problem makes learning what she missed even harder, she said. “I can’t afford to be behind because it would mess me up for the rest of the school year. The pace of HM doesn’t allow students to take days off or miss class. Sitting in class with a

migraine is better than missing class for me,” Siegel said. Aman Sanger (12) prioritized his school work over his health during the college process because he was trying to get into college and do well academically, he said. On the other hand, there are students who believe that taking days off for their health is rewarding in the end. Honor McCarthy (12) takes mental health days every once in a while, she said. “I’ve made the call when my exhaustion makes sitting in class counterproductive. I do it sparingly and try to do them after assessments or a rough few days.” “Intellectual pursuits flourish when students are healthy,” McCarthy said. Sanger thinks that teachers could be more relaxed and understanding about extensions when students really need them, he said. Siegel has had some of her requests for extensions turned down by her teachers, she said. “My teacher said that taking the tests with the class would be better, without explaining why, and said that my reasons of not having time during the weekend was because of social commitments. For one of those first times I had a horrible migraine and couldn’t read,”

GROUNDING EXERCISE Exercise courtesy of Guidance. Grounding helps you locate yourself in the world around you. It allows you to press the pause button on your life, so you can get a little perspective and free up your mind a little when it is racing. The great thing about this exercise is that you can do this anywhere - even in the middle of a class! You do it in your mind, and it works from 5-4-3-2-1.

5. SEE. Name 5 things you see in the room 4. FEEL. Name 4 things you can feel (ex: my feet on the floor, the watch on my wrist) 3. HEAR. Name 3 things you can hear right now 2. SMELL. Name 2 things you can smell right now 1. GOOD THING ABOUT YOURSELF. Name 1 good thing about yourself

Siegel said. For McCarthy, teachers have always been very accommodating when she is honest about why she needs an extension and lets them know ahead of time, she said. “I think teachers should lay out clear guidelines at the beginning of the year: how far in advance you need to ask, how many you can take, that sort of thing. I recognize the importance of maintaining academic rigor and time management skills,” McCarthy said English teacher Chidi Asoluka prides himself for being a fair teacher and understands that his class is not the only class students are taking, he said. “When students ask me for extensions, I really try to audit their work habits to see if they have been responsible with their time. I try to see if they have hit a significant hurdle in the process [like] sickness, unplanned circumstance, etc, and if I feel that hurdle exists, I am incredibly happy to release some of that burden. I think it’s great that students feel empowered to ask for them. This kind of self-advocacy is incredibly important. I just don’t want students to abuse the system,” Asoluka said.

Origami Corner

Liu reflects on their mental health journey

Rivers Liu My high school life has been marred by discomfort with myself and a lot of emotional drama. I’ve always struggled to balance my emotional well-being with my schoolwork and only in senior year have I managed to figure it out.

“

Mental illness is a really real thing, and it gets in the way of important life events and important relationships with other people. Different things work for different people, so some people find mental health professionals useful and others do not. For a multitude of reasons, I felt it was really down to me to get myself up and out of the dark hole I was in. It’s incredibly difficult to do, so I don’t want to frighten anyone by saying this. This is simply my side of the story. I’ve tried so hard to change myself in the last year, and it’s been really working. It’s all about selfawareness. For the first time in my life, I feel happy deep down and stable. Of course I still feel stressed

“For the first time in my life, I feel happy deep down and stable.”

What I’ve learned, though, is that it isn’t uncommon at all, and if you persist, you’ll get through it. I used to hate school and the society of Horace Mann because I was so entangled in my own disillusionment and debilitating unwillingness to improve my mental condition. I’ve gone through working with around ten different psychiatrists and therapists. I have made several trips to the hospital at this point. I am left with physical scars on my arms that people ask me about all the time and I am ashamed of.

out and sad and angry from time to time, but never as bad as I did before. And now that it is the third trimester of my senior year with college on the horizon, I have realized that I’m actually not ready to leave. I love all of my friends so much and really appreciate all of the teachers and experiences I have had here, no matter how dark of a shadow my mind may cast over my memories of the past. The most important lesson I’ve learned while here is that no matter how many people around you want to help you get better, you won’t start to until you help yourself.

Seiji Murakami (12) mapped out how to make an Origami dog and crane. Making Origami can be a nice way to take a break, distract yourself, and make a really fun animal.

THE RECORD FEATURES MARCH 9TH, 2018

Wellness

CONFESSIONS

CATHERINE ZHANG (9)

SABRINA FREIDUS (9)

BEN POSNER (DRAMA DEPARTMENT.)

SAM HARRIS (12)

I get distracted while trying to do work and sometimes watch TV instead.

Some school nights I watch TV in bed which I’m not supposed to do, and I get less sleep as a result.

I prefer to fall asleep in front of the TV on the coach.

I go on my phone a lot before bed.

LOUIS TOBERISKY (12)

HALLEY ROBBINS (10)

I ate a bag of Tostitos Hint of Lime every night during the college process.

GLENN SMITH (SECURITY)

When I get home from sports, I don’t take out my contacts for a few hours, and my eyes get dry.

NELSON GAILLARD (10)

I drink too much coffee.

I don’t do work during my frees, so I have more work later in the day.

TAKE OUR

LEARNING STYLE

Question 1 When you study for a test, would you rather a) read notes, read headings in a book, and look at diagrams and illustrations. b) have someone ask you questions, or repeat facts silently to yourself. c) write things out on index cards and make models or diagrams. Question 2 Which of these do you do when you listen to music? a) daydream (see things that go with music) b) hum along c) move with the music, tap your foot, etc. Question 3 When you read for fun, do you prefer a) a travel book with a lot of pictures in it b) a mystery book with a lot of conversation in it c) a book where you answer questions and solve problems Question 4 To learn how a computer works, would you rather a) watch a movie about it b) listen to someone explain it c) take the computer apart and try to figure it out for yourself Question 5 What kind of restaurant would you rather not go to? a) one with lights too bright b) one with the music too loud c) one with uncomfortable chairs Question 6 Would you rather go to a) an art class b) a music class c) an exercise class Question 7 Which are you most likely to do when you are happy? a) grin b) shout with joy c) jump for joy

LAUREN PORT (11)

I tend to stay up until about 2am even when I don’t need to during testing week or other stressful weeks because I just can’t shut my mind off.

HANNAH LONG (11)

I never drink enough water and I am in a permanent state of dehydration.

MORGAN JOSEPH (11) As soon as I lie down in bed, I start to worry about all the things I have to do and immediately jump out of bed to study or work out, which pushes my bedtime back even further.

Quiz

Question 8 When you see the word “d-o-g”, what do you do first? a) think of a picture of a particular dog b) say the word “dog” to yourself silently c) sense the feeling of being with a dog (petting it, running with it, etc.) Question 9 When you tell a story, would you rather a) write it b) tell it out loud c) act it out Question 10 What is most distracting for you when you are trying to concentrate? a) visual distractions b) noises c) other sensations like, hunger, tight shoes, or worry

CHECK YOUR RESULTS If you scored mostly a’s, you may have a visual learning style. You may... - take numerous detailed notes - tend to sit in the front - are usually neat and clean - like to see what you are learning to better understand it If you scored mostly b’s, you may have an auditory learning style. You... - sit where you hear but need not pay attention to what is happening in front - hum or talk to yourself or others when you are bored - acquire knowledge by reading aloud If you scored mostly c’s, you may have a kinesthetic learning style. You... - need to be active and take frequent breaks - speak with your hands and with gestures - find reasons to tinker or move when bored - rely on what you can directly experience or perform Adapted from What’s Your Learning Style (2009). Retrieved Nov 4, 2010, from http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-style/.

HORACE MANN OPINIONS MARCH 9TH

Taking control of my anxiety: the importance of opening up

Abigail Salzhauer From the first time I walked through the door of the Horace Mann Nursery Division, I have been the poster child for anxiety. Every day after my mom walked me up the stairs into my classroom, I would refuse to let go of her hand and let her leave so I could begin my day. Even before I started school I would refuse to let go of her when walking around. My mom, a social worker, diagnosed me with separation anxiety, and now while I use that as a joke, I realize that the anxiety I used to exhibit as a three year old has only progressed and evolved as I’ve grown older. In second grade I would call my mom every day as soon as I got off the bus and cry when she wouldn’t

answer her phone. I was scared that something horrible would happen to her on her walk just a few blocks from her office to our apartment. Flash forward seven years later to my freshman year of high school after living with similar anxieties I was finally pushed to a breaking point when my anxiety began to spiral out of control. I blamed it on my sister’s having an intense surgery. I convinced myself that it would go away once that surgery was over, yet in the back of my mind I knew that this was not the case. The surgery came and went, but the anxiety only grew and became worse than it had ever been before. Still, I told myself that I was fine or blamed it on an upcoming biology test. I could not accept the thought that I might have a real problem. This year, I was driving to school early with my mom after a long night of no sleep due to my mind’s refusing to stop racing with all my horrible thoughts. I started to get out of the car and then looked back and told her that I needed help because I just could not continue to live that way. She told me that she already had

the names of some psychologists for us to call because she was expecting that it might come to this. I wasn’t even intending on saying anything it just accidentally came out, and even though it wasn’t intentional, it was one of the most beneficial things I’ve ever done for myself. The three seconds of silence before she responded were absolutely terrifying because I was expecting her to be surprised, but she wasn’t. That was the first time I actually asked for the help that I had needed for a long time. After years of calling my anxiety other things or trying to repress it, I actually made it worse. The first time I told anyone that I was getting help was after clubs fair this year walking to the gym for practice with one of my best friends. I told him that my anxiety (which he already knew existed and could tell was getting worse) had progressed to become something I couldn’t handle anymore on my own and that I was getting help. He told me he was proud of me for telling him and he thought it was something I should have done a while ago. While I was initially scared to have this

Cutting out comparisons: creating a healthier classroom culture

Julia Robbins It’s time that we acknowledge that it is not the institution of our school that creates a stressful environment, but the students within it. I realize that it is often harder to reflect inward than it is to blame someone or something else for one’s own misfortune. Our school’s competitive environment is not just due to trimester testing or day-to-day assessments, but it is also founded on the ways we speak to one another and how we project stress outward. According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress creates a lasting impact on people’s health, and students at this school are complicit in creating this stressful environment. I recognize that assessments can fundamentally be stressful, but why add on to that by questioning peers about how they are doing in classes or feeling the need to talk about your grades out loud? Our school has a reputation for being “cut-throat” and competitive. When I was applying out of middle school to different high schools, I was

told that HM was the most intense school of them all. And I’m starting to see why we have that stereotype. People talk about our school as if the school is destined to foster a competitive environment; that it is not the individuals that make up the school that lead to its atmosphere, but that it is part of the fabric of the school that results in students’ high stress levels. In order to decrease the work related anxiety at our school, we first have to recognize the impact of our individual actions. I believe that a significant part of why students are stressed out so often is because we compare ourselves, not to what our individual potentials are, but to other students. When we compare ourselves to one another, we often hold ourselves to unrealistic standards. Hearing people discussing test results and talking about a high grade they received often impacts our self-confidence and esteem. In the moment of hearing people talking about their high grades, I can only think about how I did not do as well as someone else. I often fall into the habit of looking past how I can improve for the next test or that a particular subject comes easier for a peer of mine rather than it does for me. Comparisons don’t take into account the different strengths and weaknesses of different students, and only compound the pressure we put upon ourselves. If we want to benefit the learning environment at school, we should

compare our individual results to what we each believe we can achieve. The drive to push yourself to become your best and most productive self is what would create the most positive and productive learning environment. I realize that there are some people that push themselves to work harder if they compare themselves to someone with good grades and feed off of this kind of drive. And while I recognize that any strategy that people use to healthfully push themselves and set standards for themselves is legitimate, I think that the negative consequences of this strategy outweighs any positives it might have. Whenever I hear that somebody has studied more than I for a certain assessment, I spend more time obsessing over the fact that someone has studied more than I have rather than spending that time to study. I’m tired of accepting this atmosphere as the status quo for our school. In the spirit of wellness, I think we should start a conversation about how each individual here has the ability to change what we have come to accept as the way HM is. I understand that it is a difficult and intimidating task to change the culture of a school, but I believe that it is worth pushing ourselves to make small and gradual changes in order to start creating an environment that is more conducive to individual achievement.

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

conversation, I subconsciously knew that this would be his reaction after watching my behaviors change and my anxiety progress. A few weeks after that conversation, I went to see a psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. I left the first two sessions crying. After two sessions of sitting across the room from a stranger, asking me questions about my symptoms and issues, I realized that by suppressing my anxiety, by denying it and saying that other people are worse off than I am, that I was actually making it worse for myself. To the person who feels like something might be wrong, ask for help. It’s not going to be easy, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be clinical help, but talk to a friend. You shouldn’t have to struggle through it alone. You don’t have to pretend that you’re okay when you’re not. The reality is: you’re not always going to be okay, and that’s fine. As cliché as it may sound, talk to someone. Opening up to a parent, teacher, or friend helps more than words can describe. For me, the

worst part of anxiety was feeling like there was something radically wrong with me that I couldn’t talk about. Telling people who knew me well, and could relate to what I was going through made me feel so much less isolated and made each subsequent time I asked for help that much easier.

Surya Gowda/Staff Artist

Editorial

Reflecting on wellness week This week marked the school’s second Wellness Week, featuring many stress-relieving activities, in addition to mental, physical and emotional health-related workshops and lectures hosted by students, faculty members, and guests. In this week’s issue of The Record, we chose to delve further into some of these topics through in-depth articles by staff writers, as well as opinions pieces written by members of the student body. First, we value the opportunity to de-stress and discuss. We want to thank everyone who was brave in sharing their stories and experiences, knowing that their discomfort would lead to the comfort of their peers. While we do recognize that small workshops are not a quick fix to larger wellness issues, they can definitely help alleviate our stress and remind us to prioritize our health. The message of Wellness Week is not that knitting for a few minutes can cure all, but rather setting a few minutes aside to unwind can provide a pause in the middle of an overwhelming day. As many presenters emphasized, one does not need to make drastic life changes to increase wellness. Sometimes, reducing stress means going to bed 30 minutes earlier, petting a dog, going for a run, painting, or even having a nice breakfast (thank you FLIK!). These little efforts can greatly improve the quality of our days. We urge the community to consider making changes to their daily routines based on what they learned from Wellness Week. In the words of our Lions’ Den editor Ricky Pinnock, “Tell yourself that you are amazing! It really works!”

Corrections - issue 19 The writer for “Columbia professor leads microaggression workshop for teachers” was Staff Writer Abigail Salzhauer. Staff Writer Nishtha Sharma was mistakenly stated as the writer for the article. The Record regrets these errors. Please report any corrections to record@horacemann.org

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, Brody McGuinn, 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

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.

THE RECORD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MARCH 9TH

Art as catharsis, especially during times of stress Becca Siegel Staff Writer

Philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.” This Wellness Week, students and teachers have taken this philosophy figuratively by engaging their artistic imaginations to pursue happiness. During last year’s Wellness Week, UD English teacher Jennifer Little ran a workshop on knitting. “A lot of students, I find, are perfectionists, and knitting helps them learn to let go of this,” Little said. “You never get past the first row if you do not allow yourself to make mistakes, and I think this is relaxing and provides a very tangible lesson that reduces studentsí stress over their perfection.” Visual Arts Department Chair Kim Do uses paint and sculpture as catharsis, a habit he finds many artists do, he said. “Art is one of the ways that people can relax and re-center themselves,” Do said. “You get to be in charge of physical materials, and you can change them however you want. It is one of the primal things humans do.” Often in his classes, Do observes “a feeling of liberation because when [his students] are drawing or painting, they are in control, and there is no one forcing their hand to create as there is in many other aspects of their lives,” he said.

Gabby Fischberg (9) visits the art studio often to relieve her anxieties. Art allows her to focus on something that distracts her from the everyday qualms of life, she said. Fischberg is not enrolled in any of the Drawing and Painting classes, but still frequents the studio with her friend Sarah Sun (9) during frees, she said. Although Rivers Liu (12) often can be found in the art studio, they feel that art can also produce more stress, as the process of creating new pieces can be difficult, Liu said. Eliza Bender (10) listens to music to calm her anxiety, she said. “Whenever I feel anxious, calming music makes me feel more relaxed,” Bender said. “To me, anxiety feels like my head is getting smaller, closing in on itself, and when I hear songs like Helena Beat by Foster the People, I can feel my head and thoughts expand, and I feel much less stressed.” Bender listens to songs such as Nervous Young Inhumans by Car Seat Headrest during her most stressful weeks because she can relate and sometimes further understand her struggles when a collection of chords or lyrics sounds “just right,” she said. Priyanka Voruganti (10) uses writing and acting to improve her overall well-being, she said. “To me, acting helps you come to terms with the presence of the emotions [not only] that your characters experience, but in your own life,” she said. “It helps

you to understand the events that made you feel that way.” This Wellness Week, as during many other weeks during the school year, students and faculty alike will use art for cathartic purposes, whether through painting, drawing, acting, knitting, or listening to music. “Art gives you a place to pour your energy into something, and everyone should try it,” Do said. “You might have to do a lot of work to get good, but it is usually worth it.” Ariella Greenberg/Art Director

Spring MD/UD Concert provides space for music and reflection Amiya Mehrotra Staff Writer

The stage flooded with light, and the spotlight shined on music teacher Michael Bomwell, conductor of the various ensembles that performed in the Spring Band Concert this past Tuesday in Gross Theatre. This concert included groups from both the Middle (MD) and Upper Division (UD). Bomwell believes this configuration enables MD students see where their future musical careers lie in high school and allows UD students reflect on how far they have come.

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In previous years, Bomwell usually selected pieces that were contemporary and adventurous, Bomwell said. For this year, however, he chose a more conventional band piece for the Wind Ensemble: Suite in E flat by Holst. It is one suite with three different movements and is something that they will most likely play in the future if they continue playing in a band, he said. Khakee believes that because this year’s selected repertoire was three movements that are meant to be played together, band members worries less about the flow of the pieces and instead focused more on specific details, such as challenging

“Students see where their future musical careers lie... and... reflect on how far they have come.” -Michael Bomwell

BLOWING US AWAY (Above) Bomwell conducts. (Below) The MD Band plays their repertoire.

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Clarinet player Jivan Khakee (12) still remembers his eighth-grade performance in the MD/UD concert. “Seeing the high school Wind Ensemble perform, well, it was kind of intimidating but also inspiring,” he said. To iron out specific rhythms and passages within their own instrumental groups, the groups participated in sectionals for several classes, piccolo player Cindy Kaiser (11) said. According to flute player Rhys Shepherd (9), he also practiced his part by running through it in his weekly private lessons, he said.

rhythms and dynamics, he said. The various ensembles ran into some challenges when finding time to rehearse their parts individually, flute player Diane Kiam (8) said. “The rhythms were more complicated this time around, so putting the pieces together was a big effort,” Kim said. Similarly with the UD ensembles, one of the most significant challenges was finding enough rehearsal time between days off and holidays, and being able to hear everyone and assess where players were to help them get to where they needed to be, Kaiser said.