Volume 120, Issue 18

Princeton choir director Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin visits Concert Glee Club for Gospel music masterclass

Sta Writer

Princeton University’s choir director Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin visited the Concert Glee Club for a masterclass in gospel music this Wednesday. Music Department Chair

Timothy Ho and music teacher Carmen Keels invited Robinson-Martin to share her expertise with the choir for a gospel piece they are working on, titled “Made Up Mind.”

Robinson-Martin teaches in Princeton’s jazz department and has expertise in gospel, soul, and jazz music. At the workshop, she led the students through movement-based exercises that taught them to move single fluidly and feel the energy of the piece.

Ho is thrilled that Concert Glee Club can

Along with technical expertise, Robinson-Martin discussed how the students should feel while singing gospel, stressing the importance of connecting with the audience.

“You as a singer are testifying to yourself and the listener. It’s a mutual agreement and a you’re good enough,” enjoyed the workshop son-Martin’s excitewhile teaching the most exciting, most utes I’ve ever had at Dai said. “It was as if on a college course.” appreciated the tional approach Robtook to helping the choir

their arms to feel the beat of the music, she said. “It was definitely a little awkward at first to make eye contact with a random person who was sitting behind you, but it was good,” they said. “She made sure we knew how important it was that everyone was synced up with the music and feeling it in the same way rather than being exactly accurate.”

The workshop helped the choir embrace the feeling of the piece, Dai said. “It feels much more alive and vibrant, like something enabled [Concert Glee] to let go of the way we were trained to approach pieces that we’ve sung [in the past].”

finally perform this has wanted to bring it since he first heard it had the right choir to genre is somewhat expertise,” he said. “I need somebody who to the level that knew any specialized proposed Rob Keels was in graduate school at Teachers Col lege at Columbia University, Robinson-Mar tin was one of her teachers and mentors.“The first person that came to mind was Dr. T,” Keels said.

Robinson-Martin elevated Concert Glee’s skills and reframed their ap proach for the gospel piece by introduc ing the students to new techniques and styles, Ho said. “[Dr. Robinson-Martin’s resume] is extensive in terms of her understanding and training — not only in music education and vocal pedagogy, but specifically in Af rican-based folk music styles, primarily jazz and gospel.”

connect to the music, he said. “Getting into the energy, and the mood, and the vibes seems way harder than it actually is, but it’s just that combination of simple exercises and knowing how to mentally give yourself permission, as she told us — to feel joy and feel that power,” he said. “That’s what turns it into a great piece.”

Athena Spencer (12) found that many of the exercises forced the students out of their comfort zones and allowed them to approach the song from a different angle, she said. “It was a very interesting take because she didn’t really give us that many specific vocal directions. It was more about the importance of understanding the message of the music.”

Like Spencer, Isa Melián (11) appreciated how Robinson-Martin focused on the text and its meaning. “She made me think more about the significance behind each word of the piece,” Melián said. “Robinson-Martin taught us how to be as emotive as a church choir would be.”

Spencer especially liked when Robinson-Martin had the singers face each other and sing while making circular gestures with

Volume 120 Editorial Board

Head of Design

Avani Khorana

Features

Vidhatrie Keetha

Ayesha Sen

A&E

Hannah Katzke

Allison Markman

Art Directors

Amira Dossani

Vivian Coraci

Sophia Liu

Editor in Chief

Emily Sun

Managing Editor

Emily Salzhauer

Melián enjoyed how Robinson-Martin stressed the importance of full- body engagement both while singing and learning, she said. “She made us open up and not be scared to dance or shout out the words,” Melián said. “She

Both Ho and Keels are thrilled about the techniquesion Robinson-Martin brought to the choir. “The Concert Glee Club has really taken to the song very well, and I’ve taken itously,” Ho said. “Now is the time to trust them to transform it from something

opened up our voices through some very sim ple exercises.”

Bailey Hecht (12) enjoyed how the class was full of movement and energy, she said. “We bounced around a little, which is very new for us. [Robinson-Martin] just brought overall good vibes to the room, which then al lowed us to be happier and more energized throughout the song.”

Staff

longer technical into something that is heartfelt and genuine.”

Editorial Policy

News

Zachary Kurtz Opinions

Middle Division

Celine Kiriscioglu

Rachel Baez

Design Editors

Arin Rosen

Alara Yilmaz

Sophie Pietrzak

Audrey Carbonell

Sean Lee

Lions’ Den

Max Chasin

Photo Directors

Sam Siegel

Ben Rafal

Aryan Palla

Jorge Orvañanos

Staff Writers Ariella Frommer, Ava Lipsky, Clara Stevanovic, Erica Jiang, Harper Rosenberg, Isabella Ciriello, Jorge Orvañanos, Joshua Shuster, Kate Beckler, Lucy Peck, Maeve Godlman, Naomi Yaeger, Neeva Patel, Samantha Matays, Sofa Kim, Sophie Rukin, Audrey O’Mary, Blake Bennett, Brody Grossman, Emily Wang, Gillian Ho, Hannah Becker, Jacqueline Shih, James Zaidman, Julia Bouchut, Malachai Abbott, Nikita Pande, Oliver Konopko, Nora Wildman, Rena Salsberg, Diya Chawla, Zach Hornfeld, Julia Lourenco, Lily Sussman, Charles Ampah

Staff Photographers Nicole Au, Jorge Orvañanos, Trish Tran, Aanya Gupta, Jiwan Kim, Ryan Nikitiatis, James Zaidman, Emily Wang, David Aaron, Harper Rosenberg, Evan Contant

About Founded in 1903, The Record is Horace Mann School’s award-winning weekly student newspaper. We publish approximately 30 times during the academic year, offering news, features, opinions, arts, Middle Division and sports coverage relevant to the school community. The Record serves as a public forum to provide the community with information, entertainment, and an outlet for various viewpoints. 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. Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and contents of The Record and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

Editorials All editorial decisions regarding content, grammar, and layout are made by the senior editorial board. The unsigned editorial represents the opinion of the majority of the board.

Opinions Opinion columns represent the viewpoint of the author and not of The Record or the school. We encourage students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents to submit opinions by emailing record@horacemann.org.

Letters Letters to the editor often respond to editorials, articles, and opinions pieces, allowing The Record to uphold its commitment to open discourse within the school community. They too represent the opinion of the author and not of The Record or the school. To be considered for publication in the next issue, letters should be submitted by mail (The Record, 231 West 246th Street, Bronx, NY 10471) or email (record@horacemann.org) before 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening. All submissions must be signed.

Online Editor Emily Grant Faculty Adviser

Staff Artists Sam Stern, Dylan Leftt, Aydan Ergin, Kristy Xie, Addy Steinberg, Ishaan Iyengar, Sophie Li, Serena Bai, Kayden Hansong, Aashna Hari, Karla Moreira, Isabelle Kim, Christain Connor, Sam Gordon, Dani Brooks, Aimee Yang, Sarah Aaron

David Berenson

Contact For all tips, comments, queries, story suggestions, complaints and corrections, please contact us by email at record@horacemann.org.

Isabella Ciriello

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Robinson-Martin to Concert Glee.

Courtesy of Timothy Ho

“It was the most exciting, most energetic 45 minutes I’ve ever had at Horace Mann. It was as if I was sitting in on a college course.”

- Je rey Dai (11)

“You as a singer are testifying to yourself and the listener. It’s a mutual agreement and a decision to realize you’re good enough.”

- Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin

Scenes and sounds from Music Week

Chinese Opera Society

Chinese teacher Frances Fu and the Chinese Opera Society’s Zexin Li performed a traditional peking Chinese opera piece and taught students about the history and costumes associated with the art form. Peking opera has existed for over 200 years, characterized by fast and high-pitched singing with a detailed plotline. Fu wore a face of pale makeup with pink accents and a blue robe with traditional Chinese opera water sleeves, red pants, and a at black hat. e most important aspect of her costume was a Yak’s tail beard that comes in three colors and portrays older male characters, speci cally generals. It can represent di erent emotions and thought, especially when you run your hand through the beard and look le and right.

- Rena Salsberg

Chou ‘05 rocked Olshan Lobby with her chamber ensemble that weaves traditional Chinese instruments with modern tunes. Accompanied by Andy Lin on the viola and violin, Matt Arono on the bass, and Lenny Wolfesen on percussion, the band also incorporates the two-stringed erhu in their instrumentation. “ at led me to include my heritage, drawing from songs that I grew up with and stories I had heard about,” Lin said. One such song in their performance: “Kangding Love Song,” a tale of horse racing and teenage courtship in the Sichuan province.

- Charles Ampah

“

Raphael Silverman Trio

e magic of playing jazz music is being able to play with people you’ve just met or may not even speak the same language as you,” Raphael Silverman ‘19 said. Case in point: he met bandmate Clovis Nicolas on the bass for the rst time at this performance, accompanied by Curtis Nowosad on the drums. Silverman’s passion for jazz blossomed at the school when he met music teacher Michael Bomwell and spent hours chatting about music. Since he started playing live, playing in private feels pointless, he said. “Performing is about sharing the love and joy I have for music. My best playing happens when my thoughts are out of the way.”

- Anya Mirza

Miyabi Koto Shamisen Ensemble

Headed by Masayo Ishiguire, the Miyabi Koto Shamisen Ensemble performed four pieces of Japanese music using the koto, the shamisen, and the fue — traditional Japanese instruments. e performance was relaxing, nostalgic and whimsical, with the instruments creating a tapestry of sound. “I hope to spread unpopular traditional Japanese culture to the younger generation,” Ishiguire said.

- Jacqueline Shih

Isabella Ciriello

Ciriello (11) performed Beethoven’s First Sonata, a series of consolations composed by Franz Liszt, and Debussy’s “Dr Gradus ad Parnassum” — three classical pieces, each from a di erent era, both up-beat and melancholy. e last piece was cheerful because she wanted the performance to end on a positive note, she said. She didn’t have much experience performing piano in front of a large audience since she only has taken private lessons. “When I practiced right before the performance, I was very nervous and kept messing up the notes,” she said. “But in the moment when I was performing, I felt calm — if I messed up, I would just wing it.”

- Diya Chawla

Krakauer &

Tagg

Clarinetist David Krakauer and pianist Kathleen Tagg performed “November 2022” by Syrian composer Kinan Azmeh. “ e piece describes that feeling of wondering if you’ve lost a part of yourself in feeling really at home in a new place,” Tagg said. It started o slow, gradually increased in tempo, and culminated in a show-stealing clarinet chorus. Next up was a piece by John Zorn that represents a biblical angel, beginning with a light, whimsical piano that built up to a loud and dramatic chorus and ended on a so and solemn note. Tagg found performing at the school to be a nice change of pace from larger concert halls. “It was nice to see all the youngsters here.”

- Lucy Peck

Zocalo Brass

A 40-student audience sang along to quintet Zocalo Brass’s songs like “Saint Mark,” “Poker Face,” and “I Got a Feeling.” ey chose music that people can connect to for the performance, band member Hugo Morena said. Morena has played in Broadway orchestras and done freelance work, but playing at the school was an exceptional experience because of how attentive the audience was. He hopes the music brought them joy, he said. “I want my music to help those who listen, even if it helps their mood just 1%.”

- Oliver Konopko

Stephanie Chou

All photos courtesy of Barry Mason

e importance of compromise, from Congress to the classroom

loans and a worldwide recession.

Despite these stakes, Congress and the President have been unable to agree on a solution. Biden and his top advisors have refused to engage in any negotiations with the Republican party to reduce government spending, instead pushing for an increase in the debt limit. At the same time, some Republicans, such as Representative Tim Burchett from Tennessee, have vowed not to raise the debt ceiling under any circumstances. is reluctance to compromise is not only foolish and childish, but inconsiderate, as every decision that the government makes has implications for millions of people.

By February 1 of this year, Congress had reached its debt limit. Put in place by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the debt limit, also known as the debt ceiling, is the amount of money that the government is allowed to borrow to pay for its existing obligations. If Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling by June, our country will be forced to default on its debts. is unprecedented act in American history could lead to much higher interest rates for all types of

Here at Horace Mann, students also struggle to compromise on political issues. If one student holds a controversial opinion, instead of reaching out to that student with compassion and the desire to reach an understanding, they are alienated from their peers. When more conservative students speak in a history class, their peers tend to shrug o their points, claiming, “well, they are just a Republican, so they must be wrong.”

Due to this refusal to listen to stu-

dents with di erent perspectives, everyone becomes more close-minded. Instead of engaging in thoughtful debate on complex issues — debates with no “right” and “wrong” answer — liberal students assert they must be correct because their answer is morally right, and anyone that disagrees with them is not only wrong politically, but also a horrible person. Conservative students, on the other hand, o en end up believing that their peers will always see them as the “bad guy” in political conversations, making them more defensive.

Discussions about foreign policy, economic decisions, and education in history and English classes should be chances for students to think, talk, and grow. However, due to this tense political culture, those conversations sometimes erupt into tense exchanges that a well-meaning teacher has to shut down to keep the classroom productive. For example, last year, one of my teachers had to end a conversation about transgender athletes because it became “too heated.” e topic is a di cult one to talk about, and it’s not surprising that tempers can are. A callous opponent to transgender participation in sports

could dri into o ensive or even dehumanizing language about transgender people. At the same time, the issue is important to discuss. If teachers do not trust that students will have these discussions respectfully, it is impossible for this discourse to even begin.

Horace Mann does not exist in a vacuum, and I am not so naive as to believe that this inability to listen to one another is a problem unique to our school. On the contrary, this phenomenon is mirrored in almost every part of American life, all the way up to the government. For example, the inability of our Congress to compromise is why the U.S. government shut down for 35 days at the end of 2018, the longest government shutdown in American history, which stopped millions of Americans from getting their paychecks for over a month.

While the stakes in classrooms are much lower than they are nationally, once students grow up and become leading thinkers, politicians, and advocates, as I am sure many will, compromise becomes essential. At that point, an inability to compromise means having little regard for someone else’s life.

UD students raise $1,680 and supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria

KEVIN CHENG AND AHAAN CHABBA Contributing Writers

A bake sale run by Mikail Akbar (12), Celine Kiriscioglu (12), and Melissa Kiriscioglu (10) raised $1,680 for the earthquake in Turkey-Syria. This bakesale occurred in conjunction with an ongoing drive to collect clothing and blankets.

The bake sale alone raised $840.12; Head of School Dr. Tom Kelly then matched that amount and Kiriscioglu family plans to match the overall amount. “When Celine and Melissa explained their desire and drive to organize a fundraiser at the school, I was inspired to take part in contributing much-needed aid to the chosen organization,” said Adnan Kiriscioglu P’23 P’25.

The money and items will go to Save the Children, an organization that provides basic necessities to people affected by the earthquake on February 6 that claimed over 41,000 lives.

They organized the drive and bake sale to raise awareness about the earthquake, as the event was not receiving the recognition it deserved, Akbar said. They wanted to make sure those in-need received recognition and help from the school.

After the intense series of earthquakes, the focus is shifting to providing essential support for survivors who have lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones, said Celine. “Although it’s impossible to imagine how long a proper recovery process will take, support through organizations like Save the Children are sure to have a profound impact on providing aid to those who have lost everything.”

The recovery efforts to this crisis are very complicated, Celine said. “Not only is

this crisis worsened by unfavorable weather conditions, before the earthquake, there were already several million refugees and people who were fully dependent on humanitarian aid.”

This particular cause is very close to Melissa Kiriscioglu’s heart as she has family members in Turkey, she said. “My sister and I believe that it is necessary to dedicate our time and efforts to raising awareness in our community about this tragedy.” The rescue efforts are still ongoing in northwestern Syria and the 10 impacted provinces in Turkey, and the timeline of clearing and reconstructing is uncertain, she said. “It’s imperative that the recovery process is well supported and addresses the needs for essential items.”

These efforts speak to the value of service beyond oneself, Head of School Tom Kelly wrote.

“It underscores the importance of supporting an increasing ly diverse stu dent body and their families.

I’m proud of the steps our com munity is tak ing to support those affected by the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.” Beyond donating to the drive, those look ing to take more action should vis it the Red Cross’ website for infor mation about the

ongoing relief effort, Kelly wrote. Sharing information about the crisis can be very impactful, Akbar said. “Just spreading news about this on the internet or on social media would be a good thing so that more people know what’s going on and more people can find a way to help.”

“Organizing this fundraiser with peers who are passionate in raising awareness about this tragedy and providing aid to effective organizations like Save the Children has given me hope,” Celine said.

To lead our country better than the politicians currently sitting in Congress, we have to start learning to compromise now, in school, when we still have teachers to guide us and friends by our sides. If we all jumped at this opportunity and used our years in school to become more kind, open-minded, and willing to listen to others and change our minds, we would leave Horace Mann ready to make the world a better place.

Instead of creating divisions, I urge the student body to come together and work to compromise. Instead of jumping to conclusions about someone else during a class discussion, we should all do our best to give them the bene t of the doubt and listen to their ideas without immediately resorting to judgment. In casual conversations, when a friend, intentionally or unintentionally, reinforces the “us versus them” narrative by labeling a classmate as a typical liberal or conservative, we can remind them that the world is not that simple, and people do not t into nice little boxes. It is only once we realize that we need each other that we can move forward.

Do you have HM Rizz?

When they buy you food in the caf a er 2:25

When they use the lab to get your number

When they UberEats you Starbucks

When they o er to drive you to and from school

When they o er to be your personal tutor

When they walk with you from your class on the 3rd oor of Lutnick to the 3rd oor Tillinghast

When they dra you for Trashketball

When they promptly respond to your quote checks/ school wide survey

When they help you program the quadratic formula into your calculator

When they have a pencil ready for you every time you ask

When they know your sandwich order

When they o er to share their book with you when you forget it

When they back you up when you get attacked by your class

When they can recite your schedule by heart

When they give you their ID card to check out something from the library

When they go down the hill with you when it’s 20˚

Naomi Yaeger

Ryan Nikitiatis/Sta Photographer

Unhinged on Hinge: UD students’ take on dating apps

NEEVA PATEL Sta Writer

“I met up to get coffee with a person I met on a dating app,” Juniper* (12) said, who is anonymous because her parents don’t know she uses the app. “We went on a walk in Central Park and ended up talking for two hours.”

Since Tinder’s release in 2012, online dating apps have found an audience with 30% of US adults, most of whom are between 18 and 29 years old, according to The Atlantic. With 957,000 monthly downloads, Tinder is the most popular dating app in the US, followed by Bumble, Hinge, Paired, and then Plenty of Fish. Apps that cater to specific demographics, such as JSwipe for Jewish people, Muzz for Muslims, and Grindr for gay men, are also popular. Users can get advice from a halal dating coach on Muzz, scroll through the “most liked” users on JSwipe, and see which users are at locations near them at any given time on Grindr.

In an anonymous Record poll to upperclassmen, only two out of 81 respondents have a profile on a dating app, although interviews suggest the real number is higher. Because users must be 18 to make a profile, underage students falsify their age in order to use the apps. The two students in the Upper Division (UD) reported downloading dating apps “for fun” and because they “wanted to find people to meet up with.” Motiva tions to use online dat ing apps differ based on the individual — while some students download these apps as a joke, others are legitimately looking for potential partners.

anonymous because she is underage, first down loaded Hinge as a joke with her friends, she said. She was curious to see what profiles other people on the app created for themselves since the profiles she saw on TikTok were funny. “I was with a group of people over the summer, and we wanted to see what it would be like to have a profile, but it was never anything serious.”

lot of thought into presenting the most authentic version of herself on her dating profile, she said. “I feel no need to appear a certain way for people since I want to have genuine conversations, so I in cluded what best encompasses my personality,” she said. She included a long and detailed description of herself and her hobbies, what she is looking for in a partner, and some photos of herself.

Dante* made a profile for his friend on Wizz with his real name and photo, though the description was made up and exaggerated because his friend had no intention of actually finding a partner. Because Wizz is open to users aged 13 and up, Dante did not have to lie about his friend’s age.

They used Wizz because it is a lesser-known dating app and they wanted to avoid people they knew in real life. He does not know of anyone in his grade who is on an app, though upperclassmen might be, he said. “We technically didn’t download a dating app, but the fact that my friend had a profile on Wizz could mean that nobody he knew wanted to date him, which is pretty pathetic,” he said.

Juniper observes that apps like Bumble, which are curated for a younger audience, are more popular amongst teenagers in comparison to apps like Tinder or Hinge. Although she tried Tinder in the past, it felt too mainstream, whereas apps like Bumble allowed her to chat with high school or college students, she said.

Juniper first downloaded Bumble a week after she turned 18. Although she considered downloading the app for several months leading up to her birthday, Juniper wanted to wait so she wouldn’t

omy in getting to know people in public situations,” she said. Although she was 16 when she downloaded the app, Colette entered her age as 18 due to the app’s age restriction. On her profile, she included her real name and three photos of herself — close-ups where her face was clearly pictured and mirror selfies. “I didn’t include any description or anything personal because I wasn’t actually trying to match with people, it was just to see what having the app is like,” Colette said. Colette matched with several people on Hinge, from teenagers to people in their thirties, she said. She never clicked on any of their profiles because she was not interested in dating anyone she met on an app.

The apps’ age restrictions are in place because falsifying one’s age creates major risks, UD Director of Counseling and Guidance Dr. Daniel Rothstein said. “Most teenagers are nervous when it comes to entering the dating world, so I can understand the allure of curating a profile and to see how others might respond, but it is important to wait until students are the appropriate age,” he said. Psychologist Ian Pervil compared students putting themselves on dating apps to learning how to drive. Just because someone is eligible to take their driving test doesn’t mean they know all the rules of the road, he said. “All relationships and connections rely on trust, and it takes a certain leap of trust when you put yourself on a date which could potentially be dangerous,” Pervil said. “There’s a lot more to this than merely meeting the criteria for being a participant and I would caution people to be very thoughtful and reflective about all of the responsibility

RED FLAGS

teenagers.”

Rothstein worries students will get catfished and manipu lated by a person behind a fake profile, he said. “There have been many cases of teenagers being convinced to send ex plicit pictures and then black mailed, or feeling traumatized by intimate conversations or exchanges that were from some one completely different from the posted profile,” he said. The two students from the Record poll who are on dating apps reported they have interacted with over five other users.

“Even though I used to get notifications when people liked me on the app, their profiles aren’t revealed unless you click the ‘x’ or ‘heart,’” Colette said. She received around 50 likes on her profile overall, but those numbers mean nothing to her because they are only based on her appearance, since that is all she included in her profile, she said. Eventually, she made her profile private because another student at the school found it, and she didn’t want people at the school to make fun of her.

In contrast, Juniper downloaded Bumble to meet new people and get a sense of the dating pool — not because she had limited options in person, but rather because she had no interest in dating the people she knew already, she said.

When they say they failed but they got an A-

When they brag about how long/ little they slept

When they go to bed early and nish all of their work ahead of time

When they say “to play devil’s advocate” in English/history

When they think their best friend is a teacher

When they claims to be a “gym bro” or a “gym rat”

When they say they’re socially liberal, but scally conservative

When they irt with you solely through snap

When they are caught lurking in the Lutnick basement too o en

When they try too hard in P.E. volleyball

When it takes 30 minutes to tap through their Instagram story

When they know your horoscope

Dossani/Art Director

Pretending to be at the age of legal consent is illegal and should not be encouraged, Mavis* (12), who is anonymous because she doesn’t want to be associated with dating apps, even though she does not use one, said. It also violates the online conduct rules in the student handbook. While Mavis understands making a dating profile can be entertaining, she does not think that it is worth it to release personal information unless someone actually wants to have a relationship. “You risk exposure of your digital footprint and people at the school could find your account,” she said. “A potential risk could be that random adults are hiding behind fake profiles and preying on gullible

Juniper has also tested out dating apps meant specifically for the queer community, such as HER and LEX, she said. Adults who identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community are twice as likely to download a dating app than straight individuals, according to Pew Research Center. As a queer person, Juniper finds dating apps meant for the LGBTQ+ individuals especially useful because instead of speculating about a person’s sexual orientation, she can see a person’s profile and immediately know.

Although she enjoyed meeting and speaking with one person, Juniper is not looking for anything serious and feels that that is something that will happen in college. “This was honestly just something I wanted to do to see what kind of conversations I could have with people, and it’s been pretty successful so far,” she said.

Ultimately, Pervil recognizes advantages and disadvantages of online dating platforms, he said. While certain features of these apps can provide comfort and connections, they can cause feelings of isolation, Pervil said. “I could never have imagined a phenomenon that does a better job of both bringing people together and keeping us apart.”

When they don’t believe in “when the grades aren’t touching, you shouldn’t touch.”

When they order from Dunkin every day

When they say that Broadway Joes is actually good

When they wear the HM P.E. uniform when they are not in P.E.

When they write on the whiteboard outside the Math o ce

When they actually do the history readings

When they have to get “extra help” zoom sessions with their teachers

When they sign up for clubs just because they want leadership (Commonapp only lets you list 10 kids)

When they actually understand what’s going on in their classes

When they don’t read the Record.

Amira

Sophia Liu/Art Director

Q&A with UD couples

Nate: Really any opportunity I have to see Naomi, like today [Sunday] we’re going to dinner and I couldn’t be more excited. And when ever I’m around her, I like being able to hear her voice, and there’s this intensi feeling whenever I’m in the same room as her. I don’t even have to be looking at her, but I like just knowing that she’s near me.

How did you rst meet?

Nate: My rst memory of me and Naomi would have to date back to the h grade Philadelphia trip in Ms. Wall’s group. We called ourselves the Wall owers. It was my rst introduction to Naomi. en going into sixth grade, we were in Latin class together. And that was just such a wild class because I had no interest in learning Latin and she had every interest, so having a kid like me right next to her, just making the class 10 times harder was the best. I did everything I could to get her to stop focusing on Latin. And she’s the best audience because she literally laughs at everything.

Naomi: I think the rst time I ever saw him was in h grade, but not on the Philly trip. I remember seeing him, he used to wear these like little rectangular glasses and he had a long haircut. I remember he asked me if I was new. I was like, no. I also remember Nate making me laugh when we visited an aquarium in Philly.

How did you get together?

Nate Naomi Lawson Coco

How did you rst meet?

Coco: We rst met from an out-ofschool history program in junior year: I signed up when I saw Lawson sent out an email recruiting people for it.

Lawson: We didn’t really know each other until then. We had never had a class together but met through that program. From there, we hit it o !

Nate: Our freshman year, we really started to connect in Health class. During online classes, any time we got paired in a breakout room together, we just couldn’t hold our laughter in. Having her as a friend was the best feeling ever. She instantly became one of my best friends. And we would talk every night and we started playing video games together. I liked to tease her because her reaction was kind of adorable. But at this point, we were on the down low and no one really knew about our relationship.

Naomi: Back when we were friends, there was a day when Nate was like, what are you doing over the summer? And I said I didn’t know yet. But I know my friends are going to Oxford. And Nate thought it was so cool. And then he literally signed up and I got lowkey jealous because I also wanted to do it. I ended up signing up as well. We actually started dating when we got back from Oxford when I asked Nate what I should call him. And he told me to call him my boyfriend.

What’s your favorite thing to do to gether?

Naomi: Honestly, my favorite thing to do together is laugh together. He just makes me laugh. Even just his laugh makes me laugh. You know when you’re with your friends and you start making jokes and it just keeps going? at’s what it’s felt like the past two years.

What’s your favorite memory together?

Nate: Every happy memory I have is attributed to Naomi. She genuinely changed my life. But my mind instantly goes to the night we went to the Met. It was so nice just walking around with her and at this time, like we weren’t dating, we both liked each other but we were unsure where it would go. But all I saw was happiness in my fu ture with her.

Naomi: e night at the Met was also one of my favorites. He gave me his sweater and I draped it over my shoulders. en, I just started walking around and pulling on the sleeves since I was nervous. I felt bad because I lowkey messed up his sweater.

What advice would you give others for starting a relationship?

passing between classes. If one of us is having a rough day, we can always be there for each other.

Coco: It’s nice always having someone by your side. Even if you don’t have classes together, just knowing you can see them during break or free periods is amazing.

What are your thoughts on PDA?

Lawson: As long as it’s not excessive and it’s school appropriate. For example, we like holding hands.

SOFIA KIM Sta Writer

Nate: I would say to build a foundation and genuinely get to know the other person. Someone asked me if having a girlfriend is hard, but the answer is no. If it’s the right person, you’ll be begging to spend every second with them.

Naomi: In terms of high school relationships, everyone’s always so stressed out, especially at HM. So it’s easy to take your stress out on people that are close to you, but you have to remember that these people actually care about you. So instead of taking it out on them, use them as someone who supports you. Like all this stu is supposed to be for fun, you know? And usually the best relationships and the ones that last are ones that started with a friendship.

Are you thinking of continuing your relationship a er high school?

Nate: We’re at a stage in our lives right now when we’re making decisions on where we’re gonna go a er high school. We think it’s bene cial for both of us if we focus on our lives. Right now we should just focus on where we want to go - I’m not gonna restrict myself based on Naomi’s wishes.

Naomi: I said from the beginning that I’m not planning my life around a relationship. I value our relationship so much, but I just don’t wanna think too far into the future because we’re still in high school right now. So why worry? Like I want to focus on what my life is and we’ll get there when we get there.

Five tips to help you get over a rejection

Lessons we learned the hard way...

Who asked out who?

Coco: It was pretty mutual. We both knew we liked each other and wanted to be more than friends. ere was never an o cial “will you go out with me?” type of thing

What is it like having a relationship in school?

Lawson: I like that I get to see her every day, even if it is just when we are

Coco: As long as it’s genuine, to show that you care about that person. You don’t want to do it with bad inten tions.

What is your favorite thing to do to gether?

Lawson: We like to watch movies and TV shows — I even got her into watching Suits!

Coco: We love to go out to eat. Sera na, the restaurant that we had our

rst date at, is our favorite. We try to go back there on major anniversaries!

What is your favorite memory together?

Coco: Probably the rst time we said “I love you.” Or when we had our rst date and he brought me to meet his parents and family.

Lawson: I agree, the day we said we loved each other was my favorite. Coco had a rough day the day before, so I got her a stu ed panda to cheer her up. A er school, we hung out in the park which was very special.

Are you thinking of continuing the relationship in college?

Coco: De nitely. It depends on the location of where we end up, but unless there’s a large geographical di erence, I don’t see us breaking up.

ANTI

AND NEGATIVE RIZZ Sta Rejectees

*to become a Sta Rejectee, you must have been rejected at least 3 times

1. Go to the gym. e more you go to the gym, the healthier, stronger, and happy you will be. e gym is a beautiful place to clear your head. Building strength is hard. You won’t see gains right away. ere will be days when you do not want to go to the gym, but you’ve got to stay disciplined.

2. Move on. Stay strong. Don’t cave. Forget about them. Focus on yourself. Also, stop with the sad music. Why marinate in melancholy when you could be marveling in merriment? Do something fun! Listen to empowering music, go out with real friends, watch a movie, anything! Put your mind o rejection and keep doing the things you love.

3. Never fear rejection. People are always insecure and worried about the ‘what-ifs’ in asking a girl out. If she rejects you, you simply have to move on with your life as though nothing happened, because really, nothing happened.

4. BE CONFIDENT! e amount of respect everybody else gives you is based on the amount of respect you give yourself. If you’re walking around miserable, everyone will see your poor self-esteem, and will pity you. Put your head high and in front of your shoulders, and your con dence will project onto others. However, it also takes a lot of prudence to know the di erence between being con dent, and being a narcissist.

5. Don’t intentionally change yourself for others. While working on yourself physically, it’s important to remember that you are unique. You don’t have to change your personality to “ t in” or seem cool. If somebody tries to call you out for being di erent, don’t take any of it.

Yours, in solidarity. Don’t forget, the heart is a muscle. Stay strong kids.

Rejection and Redirection: Students cope with unrequited love

ARIELLA FROMMER Sta Writer

*Students granted anonmity due to discomfort talking about anonymity publicly.

UD students date each other for three reasons: romance, physi cal attractiveness, and popularity, Chad* (9) said. Popularity is one of the strongest driving factors in someone’s decision when they get asked out. “If you do not have a higher social status than the person, it is ten times more likely to be a rejection.”

Abraham* (11) waited until the summer to ask out girls, he said. “I’d already predicted a loss ahead of time, so I could avoid awkward circumstances at school if I got it done at the end of the year.” He asked out three girls and was re jected three times, he said. “ most recent time hurt the most be cause it was more unforeseen and we hung out every day that sum mer.”

When, Joseph* (11) asked his crush out in December, she danced around the word, ‘no,’ he said. “I did not feel upset, because I kind of expected that,” he said. “Hon estly, it felt kind of great a erward because there was a pressure li of my back.”

Chad got a similar reaction when he asked someone out in seventh grade, he said. “She said ‘It’s not the

right time and I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.’”

On the rejector side, Courtney* (11) rejects guys with white lies so they feel less bad, she said. “I sometimes say, ‘oh, I’m not ready for a relationship right now.’”

Courtney changed her mind a er a guy continued to ask her, she said.

haven’t actually tried to make anything happen yet because I’m not sure if he likes me.”

Jason* (11) decided to face his rejection fears, he said. “When you do it enough times, you break out of that anxiety.”

Unlike Joseph, Abraham’s experiences with rejection have damp-

Take it from T-Swi

possession,” he said. When he got rejected, he knew his self-worth and was not discouraged by it. To lower the chance of rejection, rst gure out if your crush likes you back by looking at trends, like if they make eye contact with you, Joseph said. “ en, strike while the iron is hot, instead of laying in hot

Sometimes people misinterpret being friendly as romantically liking someone, Valerie* (9) she said. er a person in her Latin class asked for her number to do homework together, he wanted to ask her out. “When I said no, he said ‘I thought you liked me. Why else would you give me your number?’”

Abraham’s advice would also be to ask the person out, he said. “If it is a no, you have some great gym motivation. If it’s a yes, you succeeded. So, I see this as a win-win e stigma around rejection at the school is harmful, Chad said. “If you’re caught being rejected, the news goes around really fast, and it’s really hard to stop that rumor.” Asking someone out if you like them should be more normalized, without the fear of gossip about rejection, Chad said. “We just created a culture where no one is allowed to express their feelings dent and very sure of yourself, which is

CLIO RAO Swi ie Extrodinaire

Love Songs:

Director

Roses in Rose Hall: Dating culture in the MD

AVA LIPSKY Sta Writer

*All interviewees requested anonymity because they were embarrassed and didn’t want to expose themselves or their friends.

They might not know about trigonometry or “The Odyssey’s” “wine-dark sea,” but Middle Division (MD) students are already living the dating experience. “There are about five or six couples in my grade,” Timothee* (6) said. These “couples” have been spotted holding hands, waiting outside each other’s classes, and occasionally hanging out after school, he said.

There are too many couples to count, Jerrald* (6) said. “Who can keep track of that?” Jerrald planned to ask a girl out on Valentine’s Day and was feeling confident. “She will say yes.”

Jerrald ended up breaking up with his girlfriend a day after asking her out, he said. “I am a free man.”

Most couples ask each other out via apps like iMessage or Snapchat, Minkus* (8) said. Middle schoolers fear getting rejected in-person because it is embarrassing, and therefore make their moves virtually, he said. “It’s better through the phone because then, if you get rejected, at least it’s over text and not in front of a bunch of people.”

Usually, sixth graders do not discuss dating until the end of the year when there may be a few couples, Health Teacher Amy Mojica said. “They’re just putting their foot in the water. But I would say the seventh and eighth graders talk about the experience of dating.”

By the time students reach eighth grade, “hook-up culture” becomes common, Simone* (8) said. “There are a lot of couples in my grade, but everyone goes to somebody’s house to hook-up with each other.”

Other middle schoolers said they don’t have the time to keep up with the dating drama. “I don’t even know my own sexuality,” Mavin* (7) said.

Only some couples are serious enough to go on dates, and most do not last very long, Minkus said. “One person was dating the other and then the next second they were dating someone else.”

Through the MD health curriculum, students learn about healthy relationships, Mojica said. It covers both friendships and partnerships because some students are not at a place where they’re interested in dating, while others have romances going on, she said. “We talk about care for the other person, respect, boundaries, and consent.” For example, students watch clips from Disney movies and decide whether or not they display examples of consensual relationships. “They also watch Amaze.org vid-

eos about navigating the first kiss with consent and care as well as have discussions about different scenarios,” Mojica said. However, the Health curriculum does not cover how to handle Valentine’s Day. Many couples are struggling with what to gift their partner for Valentine’s Day. “I’m not sure what to get my girlfriend,” Gonzo* (8) said. “I wanted to buy her a necklace, but I would rather spend that on a new dog tag. Most likely, I’ll just pick her up a chocolate bar or something.”

For the single middle schoolers, Valentine’s Day was more like a second Halloween. “I don’t have a girlfriend so I will not do anything,” Stuart* (6) said. “I will be eating candy.”

Minkus looked forward to getting chocolate from his mom since he does not have a girlfriend, he said. “I will be sitting at home alone because I have negative rizz.”

“Sparks Fly”

My personal favorite of her songs, Swi captures raw passion and loses herself in the happiness that somebody gives her as the two pine a er each other.

Best lyric: “Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain, kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain”

“Cruel Summer”

Another fan favorite with a killer bridge. Best lyric: “I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you” & “I screamed for whatever it’s worth, “I love you, “ ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”

“You Are in Love”

A truly perfect love song. e lyrics speak for themselves.

Best lyric: “You kiss on sidewalks, you ght and you talk” & “One night he wakes, strange look on his face, pauses, then says, you’re my best friend”

“ e Way I Loved You”

An iconic track from her second album, Swi looks back on a “one that got away” that she’ll always be drawn to.

Best lyric: “But I miss screaming and ghting and kissing in the rain, it’s 2 a.m. and I’m cursing your name”

Breakup songs:

“Illicit A airs”

Swi encapsulates the pain of hidden relationships, AKA the ones that don’t really make it to Valentine’s Day.

Best lyric: “You know damn well, for you, I would ruin myself, a million little times”

“ e Story of Us”

One of my favorite Taylor Swi songs, Swi describes the iconic moment when she unexpectedly saw her ex, John Mayer, at an award show.

Best lyric: “I’d tell you I miss you but I don’t know how, I’ve never heard silence quite this loud.”

“my tears ricochet”

is is arguably Taylor Swi ’s best song. Best lyric: “And I can go anywhere I want, just not home, and you can aim for my heart go for blood, but you would still miss me in your bones” & “you turned into your worst fears”

“All Too Well” (10 minute

If you’re going to listen to one breakup song, it should probably be this one.

Director

Best lyric: “And there we are again when nobody had to know, you kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath” & “cause there we are again when I loved you so, back before you lost the one real thing you’ve ever known.”

Amira Dossani/Art

Amira Dossani/Art

Star Crossed Crossword

By Melissa Migdon ACROSS

1) Consumer fee added to EU goods and services

4) Male sheep

7) Plastic wrap brand

9) (of a problem) trouble constantly

11) Last in Latin (feminine)

13) Valentine’s Day request

14) Primates that humans are closely related to

15) Online invitations website

17) Adventures of Huckleberry ___

19) London has a big one?

20) Sit-ups target

21) Pre

DOWN

1) ___ Day, holiday of love

2) Partner of cra s

3) Beloved Survivor Kaôh Rōng nalist

4) Ariana Grande’s makeup line

5) “Ugh! ____” Iconic Clueless line

6) 1997 blockbuster

7) Clark Kent

8) British music website

9) Barry B. Benson

10) Usually overcrowded, shared living quarters

12) Palindromic name

13) K-pop boy band

14) What you might need a er being sprayed by a skunk

16) American multinational technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York

18) ____ Jose

29) 2000 pounds

30) Score 100% on

32) Tree goo

33) Di erent way to write 8 in Roman numerals

35) Friend

36) When doubled, a tangy condiment

38) Fish eggs

39) Look

41) An Oculus, for one

for short

40) Taylor Swi song that matches this puzzle’s theme

42) Before in poetry

How to write a love letter (according to ChatGPT)

Option 1:

Dear [Crush’s name],

I hope this letter nds you well. I just wanted to take a moment to confess my [Adjective] feelings for you. Ever since I rst met you in [Subject in school], I have been [Adverb] in love with you. Your [Adjective] smile, your [Adjective] sense of humor, and your [Adjective] personality are what make my heart [Verb ending in -ing] every time I see you.

I know that I might seem [Adjective] and [Adjective] when I’m around you, but that’s just because I’m so [Adjective] nervous. You see, I’ve had a [Noun] on you for [Number] months now, and I just can’t keep it inside any longer. I want to [Verb] every moment I spend with you and make [Plural Noun] that you know how much you mean to me.

I hope that you feel the same way about me. I know that we’re still in high school and that things can be [Adjective], but I truly believe that we can make it work. I promise to always be there for you and to [Verb] you whenever you need it.

So, what do you say? Will you give me a chance to show you how [Adverb] I can love you?

Yours [Adverb],

[Your name]

Option 2 (more dramatic):

My dearest [Crush’s Name],

I have been hiding a burning passion in my heart for far too long, and I can no longer keep it a secret. My love for you is like a [Adjective] re, a ame that cannot be quenched or tamed. I dream of you every [Adverb] night and think of you every [Adverb] moment of the day.

Every time I see you, my heart beats like a [Verb]-ing drum and I feel as if I could [Verb] the world. You are my [Adjective] sunshine, the [Adjective] to my [Noun]. I know that my feelings may seem [Adjective] to you, but I cannot help the way I feel.

I want to be there for you, to [Verb] you in your time of need and to be the [Adjective] shoulder you can lean on. I promise to always be there for you, through thick and thin, through [noun] and [Noun].

So, I must ask, will you be mine? Will you [Verb]-ing be the missing puzzle piece in my life, completing me in every way? I await your [Adverb]-ly response with bated breath and a [Adjective] heart.

(Your name)

Amira Dossani/Art Director

Week 10: HM’s foulest start to moulder

TRASHKET-BALL

Maeve Goldman Sta Writer

Say goodbye to Superbowl Sunday. e biggest sporting event of the season is back as players in the least selective athletic league on campus bounce onto the court rejuvenated and ready to grace a crowd of rowdy spectators.

For the past nail-biting 10 weeks beginning in December, the annual Trashketball season has o ered a privileged few students the opportunity to showcase their athletic skills — or lack thereof. During I periods when nothing more important is happening in the gym, teams of stu-

SILKY SMOOTH...

bring out a puppy and then everyone just goes ‘awwwww’.”

As the game intensi ed, Slime’s ball repeatedly swished through the net to the sound of enraged Goober fans. “What was that? Was that a pass?” Eva Cambell (12) said. “Get him o the court!”

“OOOHHHH!” Jahsi Eyre (11) yelled from the bleachers when the Goobers, down three to zero, pulled o a dazzling surprise comeback and sunk their ball into their net. “It’s too hot, it’s too heated,” he said while the players scrambled for the ball and an aroma of expired Axe spray and sweat passed through the stands.

As half time hit, the Goobers huddled together, emerging with matching Cindy Loo ponytails as Casdin yelled “we are all in” from the sidelines. However, Goober’s triumph was short-lived. In a t of passion, Matteo Monti (11) scored two

LEAGUE RANKINGS (let the jeering begin)

FILTH CRUD

e win was especially sweet due to the previous hardships the BasketCases have su ered throughout the season, Mira Bansal (11) said. “Last game there were like ve people,” she said. “Mr. Boller, a guy who broke his arm, a girl who had to leave early, Larry, and Jake.” A er this comeback, Bansal is con dent about their championship chances. “I spent $120 on matching t-shirts so that means we have to win.”

While action was erupting on the court, non-playing Trashketball teams plotted tirelessly for the crown.

Clio Rao (12) is positive her team, Rira , ranked second in the Filth Leaguewith a record of 3 to 1, will clinch the championship. “A lot of people said that I dra ed a horrible

HUZZAH! could be better

meh

bleech

barf

ffffffttt! (fart noise)

Bad News Berensons 3-0

RiffRaff 3-1

Hoopin & Poopin’ 2-1

Basketcases 2-2

Vermin 0-3

Make a Swish 0-3

Waste 3-1

Dregs 2-1

Defenders of LibArts 2-1

Slime 2-1

Muckbuckets 1-3

Goobers 0-3

dents not on either varsity basketball team pounce onto the court and compete in four v. four intramural games. ey stumble, shove, and shoot in the hopes of winning the utmost glory: Trashketball Champion.

Due to the overwhelming talent on campus, Trashketball Commissioner (and co-captain of the Bad News Berensons; e Record’s faculty advisor; history teacher) David Berenson created two six team leagues to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to thrash about the court: Filth and Crud. Leading the Filth league undefeated with three wins is the Bad News Berensons (although we may suspect foul play) and dunking their team into the top spot of the Crud league with 3-1 record is Waste. ere’s a three way tie for most awful, with Goobers, Vermin and Make A Swish Foundation (maybe they should have wished harder) all sporting embarrassing 0-3 records.

Last Monday, featured four grim and graceless games. Goobers and Slime also battled it out to see who sink lower in the Crud League. Slime emerged victorious, drubbing Goobers 11-5.

e Goobers sauntered onto the court during warmup, intimidating team Slime with a air of mismatched athletic clothes. “We dazzle our opponents not just with our skill but with our dashing out ts,” UD English teacher and proud Goober, Dr. Adam Casdin said. “ It’s like when you

POETRY IN MOTION!

screamers from the twopoint-line and ended the game with a resounding victory for Slime. “ at boy’s a bucket,” Campbell said in awe from the bleachers.

“ e other teams are a lot better than we are — our dra sucks,” Slime co-captain Ava Gersten (12) said as her team retreated from the court, downtrodden. All hope is not lost, she said. “I’m feeling an underdog comeback though. Watch out.”

On the other side of the lower gym, BasketCases demolished Vermin 11-1, ranked fourth and h in Filth. “You put the trash in Trashketball,” rst overall dra pick Larry Tao (12) said, taunting Vermin between consecutive slam dunks.

In a Trashketball career high reminiscent of Tao’s namesake, former Celtics power forward Larry the Legend, Tao scored seven out of the 11 game points. he said. “No one in the league can guard me so it’s really nothing. It’s light work, to be honest.” Tao claims it has been impossible to have a minute alone without his phone blowing up from college scouts who have heard word about his Trashketball skills.

“I’m just too good.”

team and wasted my high dra picks, so it’s de nitely satisfying that my team has one of the best records in the league.”

Bad News Berensons Co-captain Ariela Shuchman (12) is honored whenever her teammates take the court. “It feels incredible to be entrusted as a leader by such a rag tag group of players,” she said. “One of my favorite moments was when Sari Sladkus [(12)] got absolutely bodied and fell completely at on the oor. It was not only hilarious, but inspiring to see her get back up and keep going.” at is the spirit of trash: no matter what, you have to ball.

“One of the funniest moments was when Mr. Berenson came up to me and apologized for destroying our team,” co-captain of team Ri ra Braden Queen (12) said. Look who’s laughing now, he said (still league leader, Mr. Berenson).

Trashketball will continue until the championship faceo in early March. “Now that Trashketball is back on, I can stop going to Varsity games,” said Christine Tao (11) “ is way, I can nally see a Horace Mann team coming out on top.”

VICTORIES & VERBIAGE

Bad News Berensons DESTROYS Vermin 11-4

Muckbuckets CRUSH Slime 11-6

Basketcases BESTS Make a Swish Foundation 11-7

Defenders of the Liberal Arts BEATS Goobers 12-7

RiffRaff WRECKS Basketcases 11-6

Waste EATS UP Goobers 11-6

Hoopin’ & Poopin’ CLOBBERS Make a Swish 11-4

Defenders of the Liberal Arts VANQUISH Dregs 11-9

RiffRaff STOMPS Vermin 11-5

Slime WASTES Waste 11-8

Dec 8

Dec 15

Jan 5

Bad News Berensons FLUSHES Hoopin’ & Poopin’ 11-7

Dregs DEMOLISHES Muckbuckets 11-6

Hoopin’ & Poopin’ POO-POOS Basketcases 11-5

Dregs SPITS OUT Goobers 11-4

Bad News Berensons ROUTS RiffRaff 11-9

Waste WALLOPS MuckBuckets 11-9

RiffRaff BEFUDDLES Make a Swish 11-6

Waste SCHOOLS Defenders of the Liberal Arts 11-4

Basketcases EMBARRASSES Vermin 11-1

Slime SNARFS UP Goobers 11-5

Jan 12

Feb 9

Feb 13

Photos courtesy of Barry Mason

gearing up for

Girls tip o @6:00pm

Boys tip o @8:00pm at Manhattan College’s Drady Gymnasium

Girls Varsity Basketball Starters

Girls look to continue Buzzell winning streak

Tonight, Girls Varsity Basketball (GVB) takes on the Riverdale Falcons at Buzzell at Manhattan College.

Although the team lost to Riverdale 40-22 on January 20, Blackman is optimistic about the game and confident that the team can take home a win, Alexa Blackman (9) said.

In preparation for the showdown, GVB Head Coach Ray Barile watched films of the Riverdale team on Hudl, Blackman said. “Barile decided what the team was going to play on offense, defense, and press breaks — so that’s what we’ve been practicing.”

The team’s loss against Riverdale wasn’t caused by a difference in skill sets between the two teams, Alara Yilmaz (11) said. “Skillwise, our team and Riverdale’s team are very similar. But Riverdale may have more mature and experienced players, as our team only has two players who were previously on Varsity.”

One of Riverdale’s strengths was that two players marked co-captain Ceci Coughlin (12). “They are not a super skillful team, but they did have some lucky shots,” Coughlin said. The game was not one of Coughlin’s best games — she only scored 12 points, her season low.

Both team captains, Audrey Goldberg (11) and Coughlin, are encouraging leaders, Anoushka Parakh (9) said. “If you make a mistake, they are always there to lift us up,” Parakh said. Additionally, one weakness that the team can improve on is to stop relying solely on Coughlin to take home the victory.

On Friday, the team will dress up in extravagant costumes for team spirit based on their grade, followed by a final practice to eat snacks and watch film of Riverdale playing other teams before the game starts, Blackman said. The team also plans to eat dinner together after the game to celebrate the end of the season.

“Whether we win or lose that night, I’ve

enjoyed coaching this group of girls tremendously,” Barile said.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT:

As the only senior on the team and one of two players who were on Varsity last year, Coughlin is especially invested in tonight’s game.

Being the only senior did not feel like a major adjustment, Coughlin said. Throughout her past four seasons on the team, she has always been the only one in her grade on the team. “This is a good learning experience for me on how to be a leader because I don’t think I’ve really been put in a kind of position like this before,” she said.

Barile has seen great improvement in Coughlin’s skills through his time coaching her, he said. “Ceci is the best player on the team, but she also has great respect for all the girls,” he said. “She is just a great person.”

“Coughlin is a team leader and is definitely the best on the team,” Blackman said. “You can always rely on her to help the team decide on plays and lead us to victory.”

Her growth as a basketball player in the past four years has shocked her, Coughlin said. She learned tremendously from Coach Barile, and her physical abilities grew, she said. “My mental mindset was so poor my freshman year, and I think my basketball IQ has grown a lot.”

Because Buzzell will be Coughlin’s last game unless the team makes the quarter-finals for the state championships, winning is very important to her.

Rena Salsberg

Sta Writer

ON THE MOVE Coughlin looks for the shot.

LOOK OUT Coughlin makes a break for the basket.

Audrey Goldberg (11) Ceci Coughlin (12)

Ava Parento (9)

Anoushka Parakh (9) Tyler Rosenberg (11)

AmiraDossani/ArtDirector

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason

for buzzell 2023

Boys look to even the score against the Falcons

A er losing to Riverdale 65-59 earlier this season, Boys Varsity Basketball (BVB) is looking to secure a win tonight against the Falcons at the 71st Annual Buzzell Game.

To prepare for Buzzell, the team watched lms and devised a strategy, Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach Tony Wright said. ey only had one dedicated practice to prepare for Buzzell since they also played Regis and Collegiate this week, losing 51-47 and winning 55-53.

Against Regis, the team started o strong and gained a 12-2 lead in the rst quarter, but struggled to maintain it. e win against Collegiate will give the team momentum for Buzzell, Daniel Cornstein (11) said. “It was really fun to get a win and it gave us momentum going into Friday night.”

e defeat by Riverdale was a very close game that was not decided up until the very end, Sasha Mermelstein (10) said. e Lions scored well, but struggled with late-game turnovers. is time around, the team will focus on their

defense with a full-court press to try and prevent a late-game comeback from Riverdale, Aden Soroca (12) said. “ ere’s only so much you can implement at this point in the season, so we want to make sure we are sharp.”

e plan is to dominate the paint on the o ensive and stop Riverdales’ shooters on the defensive, Wright said. Last time they played Riverdale, someone came o the bench and scored six three-pointers, which the team did not expect, he said. “For Friday, we need to guard everyone — we won’t be surprised by any of the guys coming o the bench.”

e team will also stop Riverdale’s primary ball handlers, Mermelstein said. “I want to play some tough full-court defense on their guards.”

In practice, they focused on defensive drills and perfecting their plays, Ryan Lutnick (11) said. “We’ve implemented new plays and strategies for Buzzell so that we can hopefully exploit their defense.”

Lutnick expects the game to be very competitive, but the Lions are prepared. e team has been working toward this nal game and have really come together as a unit, he said.

Since this is Mermelstein’s rst Buzzell, he’s extra excited to play in front of a big crowd, he said. It can be nerve-racking to play in front of so many people but it can also encourage the team. “I like the big crowd, I like when everyone’s screaming, it’s fun and energizing.”

e night before the game, the team always has a team dinner and tries to stay sharp mentally, Mermelstein said. en, in the hours before the game, they will go through their regular warmup, stretch, run lay-up lines, and prepare to dominate the opposition.

SENIORS SHOUTOUT:

is season, Soroca has noticed a change in his role on the team as a senior, he said. “Last year you felt like you had those older kids there for you. Now we have to be those older guys to support everyone — it’s a weird feeling.”

e ve seniors on the team — Soroca, Nate Wildman, Max Chasin, Eshan Mehere, and Mat-

thew Jacobson — have been playing basketball together for a long time and have been together at school even longer, Soroca said. By now, they have a lot of chemistry while playing and Soroca is happy to share the court with them.

Wildman is excited to close out his basketball career at the school with them, he said. For the past four years, basketball has been a pleasant distraction from day-to-day stress at HM, Wildman said.

One of Soroca’s favorite moments on the team is when they beat Fannie Lou Hamer High school this year, he said. “We went into that game and just played with no fear.”

Wright is proud of how the seniors have developed not just as players, but as people, he said. “ ey are all really good kids and hard workers. It’s been a pleasure coaching all ve of those guys.”

Boys Varsity Basketball Starters

Oliver Konopko Sta Writer

LION LOVE Boys Varsity Basketball seniors tower over Falcons.

Max Chasin (12) Danny Cornstein (11) Nate Wildman (12) Aden Soroca (12) Ryan Lutnick (11)

Courtesy of Max Chasin

HUDDLE UP Lions strategize druing timeout.

Courtesy of Barry Mason

LIONS’ DEN Record Sports

FEBRUARY 17TH, 2023

Sea Lions take on Ivy League Championships

Ava Lipsky Sta Writer

Girls and Boys Varsity Swim made a splash at the Ivy League Preliminaries and Finals this Monday through Wednesday. Both teams came in third place at their preliminaries and the Lions won third place overall at the finals, while Rose Korff (10) became the League Champion in the 100 butterfly and James Ho (11) broke the school record in the 100 breaststroke.

All the Ivy League schools competed in the tournament except Collegiate, including Trinity, Dalton, Poly Prep, Hackley, Dalton, Fieldston, and Riverdale. 35 students from HM competed in the tournament’s eight individual and three relay races: 100 meters in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly; 200 or 500 meters in freestyle; and 200-meter individual medley (IM), which is 50 meters of each stroke. The relays include the 200 meter medley, 200 free, and the 400 free. Each swimmer can swim two individuals and two relays, Varsity Swimming Coach Michael Duffy said. The team gets two points for every individual win, which are added to their total based on how they finish in the championship.

Girls Varsity Swim had multiple top 16 finishes. Team members either placed in the A or

B heat for at least one of their events so they were all able to swim the event at finals, Kyra Stinebaugh (10) said.

One standout moment was when Rose Korff (10) took first place in the 100 yard fly — that meant she would be seeded first for the finals, co-captain Emma Chan (12) said.

Chan placed eighth in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 100 backstroke. “While swimming, most of my thoughts are focused on how much my body hurts — and how the faster I swim, the sooner it will be over,” she said.

Jojo Mignone (11) qualified for the finals in 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, setting a new personal record during the 100 breaststroke. Breaststroke was the last event of the meet, so Mignone could hear and see everyone cheering for her. “It pushed me to go faster,” she said. “Whether or not people were happy with their results, everyone was cheering for each other and staying very present throughout the whole meet.”

The team has one cheer that they do before every meet, Isha Krishnamurthy (12) said. It starts with three loud arfs, then 13 claps. After, the team shouts “we are number one, we can’t be number two, so come on everybody do the HM bongolo.” The cheer ends with back and forth arfs and “go sea lions,” she said.

The team lost a lot of strong swimmers last

year which made them slightly unsure of how they would do this year, Krishnamurthy said. However, everyone on the team worked hard and swam well. “The team has been doing amazing and we have a great time together,” she said.

At the Boys Varsity Swim preliminaries, it was exciting to see James Ho (11) swim ahead of the pack, Aidan Frank (11) said. “It was also motivating to see Dylan Montbach going all out in his first event and leaving everything in the pool.”

Frank swam the 50 free and hoped to break his record and qualify for finals — he did qualify, but could not lower his time because a competitor in next lane hit him during his flip turn. “All that was going through my head was to beat the kid next to me and get sub 25 seconds,” Frank said.

The Wednesday finals included a ceremony for the seniors. “It’s my last meet because I’m a senior so I just want to do the best I can,” Ben Wu (12), who swam the 100 backstroke and 200 IM, said.

The swimmers train to race their fastest at the Ivys, Duffy said. “Team members swim a mile and a half to two miles every day of distance events, sprint events, and different strokes.” Practices taper down by the season’s end since it is hard on the swimmers’ muscles,

so they focus on sprints more.

Practice paid off in the Ivys — swimmers’ times reflected their hard work, Mignone said. “People will be even more motivated next year to train hard at practice and remember that what you put in is what you get out of the sport and the team.”

The Championship Meet is the highlight of the season, Aquatics Director and Girls Swim Team Coach Thatcher Woodley said. It’s both the culmination of the team’s training over the season and preparation for the final NYSAIS meet of the year.

“Especially for freshmen and people who weren’t on the swim team last year, Ivys helps you get familiar with the set-up of a big meet,” Chan said. During the regular season, the team usually only has dual meets with one heat per event. For NYSAIS and Ivys, there are more teams and more heats.

Ivys prepares swimmers for how to manage stress at more competitive meets, Stinebaugh said. “The tournament helps the team learn how to deal with the pre-race nerves and learn how they can be nervous, excited, scared, or whatever emotion they are feeling and still be confident in themselves and perform well.”

Ryan Nikitiatis/Sta Photographer

Courtesy of @hm.sealions on IG

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason