The Lion's Roar 42-1

By Hana Futai & Ellie Shim

Graphic by Clare Cho

March in Review

I [show art] at my home, where it’s more informal, and people can sit around and talk for a while and ask questions.

Nancy Alimansky Open Studios Artist

People don’t know that there are so many artists in Newton …maybe there are some nearby who you haven’t met yet, and you can go and look at their work.

Elizabeth Carter Open Studios Artist

By Abby Miller & Sanjana Tewari

Latin Students travel to Italy

From Feb. 13 to 21, 25 Latin students from South and North came together to take a trip to Rome and Sicily. The trip has taken place every other year for almost a decade. Students enjoyed Roman culture, architecture and local food. Most days were spent wandering around the city, visiting both ancient and modern sights. Students left the hotel in the morning and usually did not return until the evening, spending packed days in the city.

Artists hold city-wide exhibit

On April 5 and 6, Newton artists displayed their work at the 29th annual Newton Open Studios, a city-wide exhibition dedicated to the promotion of local art. Exhibits featured approximately 130 artists, with mediums varying from canvas to ceramics. The exhibits were held at Newton City Hall as well as studios and artists’ homes. The funding for the exhibits came mainly from donations and artists’ registration fees.

Historic artifacts on display

On March 18, The Commonwealth Museum, located in Boston, began displaying artifacts from the Revolutionary War to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Artifacts will be on display until June 17, featuring signatures from George Washington and John Hancock along with historic colonial currency. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking and admission to the museum are free.

I absolutely recommend it, because it brings to life a lot of what we've been studying in the course.

Matthew Williams Latin Teacher

I got to bond with a lot of people who I wouldn't usually talk with and made more friends from another school.

Kenton Leacock Class of '26

[The exhibit] is a call to continue the effort to promote democracy. It's not just the battles and what happened and how it happened. It's really why.

Bill Galvin

Secretary of the Commonwealth, via CBS News

There was an appreciation, an understanding, a necessity of preserving the public record.

Michael Comeau

Executive Director of the Massachusetts State Archives, via NBC

graphics by Emily Cheng

Fuller Proposes Plaza in Newton Centre

Sam Cohen-Weinberg, Leah Fiadjoe & Chloe Lee News Contributors

On Jan. 16, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller proposed a project to turn part of the Newton Centre parking lot into a new community plaza.

City Hall held an open meeting on March 13 and 14, inviting residents and business owners to share their opinions regarding the plans for the plaza. e plaza is slated to include an activity space, a performance stage and seating for outdoor dining.

The proposed plaza would be approximately 7,000 feet and would eliminate 24 parking spaces within the lot. In response to concerns about reduced parking space, City Hall plans to turn 14 parking spaces within the lot — previously reserved for employees, Zipcar and BlueBike — into public parking. As a result, there will be a net loss of 8 spaces. Additionally, the City will add 60 new spaces within a quarter of a mile of the lot.

Nora Massler, the senior planner working on the plaza, said that the purpose of the plaza is to create a community space for families and students to foster community connections.

“I'm excited to go and spend time there and see amazing things and all the di erent o erings,” she said. “I see myself taking my partner there because we can get take out and eat together [at the plaza].”

Sophomore and Newton Centre resident Ava Tartiko said that the plaza has the potential to be a bene"cial community space for everyone, especially students.

“It will be a nice place for people to go

and hang out, where more adults can chill in a grassy area with kids swinging beside them. It can be a good base where parents could meet their children,” she said.

Newton Centre resident Joel Reider said that while he is excited about the plans for the plaza, he would like City Hall to ensure that there will be no net loss of parking space.

“It would be great if [City Hall] could make more green space and the plaza for community gathering without losing any parking

in the lot just because you have to pay," he said. “[ e city] has to keep adding spaces outside of the lot.”

Tartikoff said that she thinks that eliminating parking spaces will not have serious repercussions.

“ e parking spot is never full. I can always "nd a spot. I think it won't really change anything, because most people will just "nd free parking anyway,” she said.

Sophomore and Newton Centre resident

space, whether that means putting parking underground or building a park up over the parking,” he said.

Eric Rusty, an employee at Good Dog Records & Books in Newton Centre, said that the City should focus on adding more accessible parking outside of the lot.

"I know a lot of people who don’t park

Atlas Benedict said that she does not have major concerns about the loss of parking, as many of its visitors live nearby, and other transportation options are available.

“I don't really use the parking space because I live close, and there’s also a train and a bus, which is helpful,” she said.

Reider said that local businesses are an

integral part of the village center, so he worries that a lack of parking space could pose a serious problem for their operations.

“I like having all those restaurants down [in Newton Centre]. It's one of the things I like about living here, and I hope the initiative won't a ect them negatively to the point that they disappear,” he said.

However, Massler said that the plaza could help businesses.

e opening of the plaza can draw in even more visitors and that would ultimately bring in more customers for the businesses and boost the overall vibrancy of the area,” she said.

Senior and employee at Newton Centre bakery Tous Les Jours Nain Kim said that while she understands that businesses might be concerned about a lack of parking space, she is hopeful that the new plaza will boost foot tra$c.

“I personally feel the plaza will bring a new kind of light to our store by bringing in more visitors to check out our drinks or grab a bite to go,” she said.

Massler said that the plaza will open up new opportunities for residents.

“We can have students sign up for volunteering, and have them help us clean and supervise the plaza during summer,” she said.

Rusty said that even though the decrease in parking space has the potential to harm business, the added value the plaza would bring is most important.

“Businesses might struggle on the bottom because of limiting parking space, but the space should be used for community space,” he said. “ e plaza would be lovely and great for the community.”

Piedalue wins Ward 7 School Committee race

On March 18, the City of Newton held a special election to elect a new Ward 7 School Committee representative. Alicia Piedalue, the only candidate running, won the seat.

e previous Ward 7 School Committee Representative, Amy Davenport, stepped down after moving away from Newton, leaving Ward 7 without a School Committee member for almost seven months.

Piedalue, who is a close friend of Davenport and has worked on multiple school governance boards, said that she is experienced when it comes to managing school budgets.

“I have experience evaluating the leader of the school budgeting curriculum,” she said. “It’s a very tightly collaborative community.”

Piedalue aims to increase the quality of education in the Newton Public Schools (NPS) by prioritizing what she believes is best for students.

As a mother of four children, one of whom has multiple disabilities, Piedalue found Newton’s inclusive special education programs especially enticing. Piedalue said that she intends to build upon Newton’s reputation for inclusivity and diversity by increasing the quality of NPS’ special education programs.

“To simply have more high quality special educators in our classrooms is one way that Newton needs to look at keeping pace with the inclusive best practices in special education,” she said.

School Committee member Paul Levy said that he and Piedalue are both looking to support each individual student.

“It is possible to create an environment in the classrooms so that if a child is falling

behind — or on the other end, if a child is zooming ahead — that you can intervene by o ering some additional help or additional enrichment. Understanding that a teacher with 25-30 kids in the class can’t do that for the entire class [is important],” he said. “Alicia and I would totally agree on that.”

Even though only one candidate appeared on the March 18 ballot, Newton spent roughly $183,000 on election-related costs.

History and psychology teacher Lily Eng Shine said that the money allo cated for the election was re served speci that purpose and could not be used elsewhere.

"Bud gets are sep arate and if there's money set aside for elections, [Newton] can't just take it and put it towards the schools," she said.

Newton Elections Supervisor John Doyle said that crucial components of the election required a signi"cant investment.

mail ballots to everyone who applied. We sent out about 13,000,” he said.

Doyle said that all elections held in Newton — including this one — require paid sta .

“Postage costs more than I would have thought, because we had to send out vote-by-

“We have to also sta the election as we would with any other election that we do the city,” he said. “So paying the election workers certainly is a good chunk of change that eats into the budget. And then there's printing and advertising.”

In a March ter ton

partnerships and communication between educators, students and teachers.

“Ever since the strike, there's been a reset — and it's a welcomed reset,” he said.

“I feel that we are slowly but surely all working on the same team to the same purpose, and if our elected o$cials are willing to support the things that we do best and to remedy the things that we need work on, I am very hopeful that Newton will thrive.”

Piedalue said that while she will inevitably have to make di$cult decisions while serving on the School Committee, she will tackle the issues the same way she does as a parent.

“As a parent, you do this all the time — you're constantly making those trade-o s, and at the end of the day, you're doing that trade-o and that prioritizing with love,” she said.

Piedalue said that she can’t wait to get started as a member of the School Committee.

“I'm excited to do the work where we're at — actually talking about schools every day and focusing on what we can do to make them the best they can be,” she said.

or Fuller

said that state laws required Newton hold the $ce is considering other options in case a similar situation arises in the future.

“I am exploring whether it would make sense to ask the State Legislature for us to not hold a special election if there is only one candidate but rather allow that candidate to simply serve,” she said.

Benjamin Youngman, a longtime South music educator, said that he hopes the new School Committee will work to foster strong

I'm excited to do the work where we're at — actually talking about schools every day and focusing on what we can do to make them the best they can be.

Alicia Piedalue Ward 7 School Committee Member

photo courtesy of Fig City News

A proposed layout for what the parking lot will look like when the construction is nished.

Jerry Gong, Javi Nashat & Bomi Woo News Contributors

Global Justice holds bake sale for fire relief

di"erent ways to raise money.

Between Jan. 7 and Jan. 31, wild res in the Los Angeles area forced over 200,000 residents to evacuate and burned over 23,000 acres of land.

In response, on March 11, the Junior Global Justice program — a course that focuses on community building and interconnecting English and history classes — hosted a bake sale in the eld house lobby to raise money for wild re victims. Junior and Los Angeles native Jacob Sakayeda started the initiative by creating a website to raise money for relief e"orts before turning to the Global community.

Sakayeda said that after hearing about the res’ devastation, he wanted to nd a way to help out.

“A lot of people I knew were a"ected,” he said. “I really wanted to do something, and I didn't want to just sit all the way on the East Coast and watch it happen.”

Junior Anika omas said that she was inspired to help because of her family ties to Los Angeles.

“I have a lot of family [in Los Angeles], and when I went there last year, it was so beautiful … the idea of it burning down is really sad,” she said.

After deciding that he wanted to organize an initiative to help people a"ected by the wild res, Sakayeda shared the idea with his Global classmates. Once on board, they broke into smaller groups to explore

Junior and Global student Jiayi Duan said that the process was slowed down by several factors.

“Our entire class has been helping to prepare for this bake sale since a week after the California wild res,” she said. “ e reason [the planning] process took so long was [because] our class was split into two, and we could only meet together on Tuesdays.”

Junior omas Connolly played a large part in planning the bake sale. He said that he

istration] doesn’t email you beforehand, but I'd assume that they would. So it was the day before in the afternoon when I gured out [we got permission].”

Junior Global history teacher Andrew ompson said that despite the confusion caused by the last-minute approval, the group did well.

“ e students actually realized it was approved the night before,” he said. “ ere was a lot of scrambling on omas’s part [and] all things considered, they did a great job.”

As soon as Connolly realized that the bake sale was set for the next day, he reached out to his classmates for help.

Connolly said that he was surprised by the last-minute willingness to contribute from his peers.

"I emailed a bunch of people saying,‘Hey, I'm sorry for the short notice,’” he said. “But a bunch of our classmates actually emailed back.” As a result of the students’ e"orts, the program ended up raising around $200. is was not the rst time Global Justice has helped those a"ected by natural disasters. Last year, students successfully collaborated with Stone L’Oven, a restaurant in Waban Center, to raise money for the victims of the Puerto Allegra $oods in southern Brazil.

Sophomore Global English teacher Jasmine Lellock said that bake sales like this one are an integral part of the Global experience.

“Almost every year that we’ve had Global, we’ve had a student-led movement like this,” she said.

Sakayeda said that he was interested in taking the e"ort beyond his Global class.

“Going forward, I'm working with other clubs, too, to do more bake sales, more events, and I'm trying to build a team to go outside of school and raise awareness about this issue,” he said.

ompson said that he was proud of his students for the scope of the project.

“ e bake sale was just one small part of what [the students] were doing,” he said. “I was really proud that Jacob had created an amazing website, that he brought to us the idea of doing it and that he and omas and other students really took on initiative trying to make things

Newton Food Pantry plans for new space

new building will be approximately 5,000 square feet.

After over 40 years of operation, the Newton Food Pantry will begin construction on its own building in Auburndale this spring to better meet the needs of Newton’s community.

e new building, which will take about a year to construct, will increase the pantry’s storage capacity and allow for more clients to be served e ciently.

Since the pantry’s opening in 1983, the organization has operated out of several locations: a West Newton church, the Waban Library and for the last eight years, City Hall’s basement.

The space that the City allows the Newton Food Pantry to use for free is about 1,300 square feet. e Newton Food Pantry’s

Newton Food Pantry Executive Director Je" Lemberg said that the organization needs more space to meet Newton’s growing demand for supplemental food assistance.

“We do not have the space where we are right now in Newton City Hall to [properly meet the needs of the community],” he said.

“We have long known that we needed bigger, more $exible space, so that's what led to the pursuit of this opportunity.”

Newton Food Pantry volunteer Sue Lilly said that the organization having its own building will raise awareness about its existence and help the pantry gain new volunteers.

“People often assume that this particular pantry is associated with Newton City Hall, but it's a completely volunteer, fundraiser and

donation-based organization,” she said.

“Having our own unique space will keep people feeling that [the Newton Food Pantry] is a unique organization where people are volunteering their time and their wallets to make it happen.”

Susan Lee, a Newton Food Pantry client, said that she hopes the organization's new building will improve its e ciency.

“I remember the pantry being a bit disorganized because of the limited area while serving many clients,” she said. “Having their own building is a great decision to stabilize their work.”

Sindy Wayne, the president of the Newton Food Pantry’s board of directors, said that increasing client numbers has led to a need for increased space for food storage and longer hours of operation.

“We need to be open for more hours throughout the week, and here in City Hall, there are some limitations about what we can accomplish in this space,” she said.

For many clients, extended operating hours will make a big di"erence.

Teresa Chae, a Newton Food Pantry client, said that the pantry’s current hours can make it di cult for clients to get the food that they need.

e pantry's opening hours are so limited that they don't t my schedule, so it's sometimes inconvenient,” she said.

Lemberg said that the organization hopes to use the new space to hold nancial literacy or personal budgeting classes, conduct wellness screenings and provide nutrition education programming.

“Space a"ords opportunity, so we're working through a strategic plan around how we want to utilize our space over the next three to ve years to try and meet the full need of

food insecurity in Newton,” he said.

Wayne said that she recognizes both the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with being in charge of a building.

“It's going to give us the opportunity to do much more, and serve more people than we currently do. With that comes the responsibility of running our own building, and we're already beginning to plan for the increase in operational responsibilities that we'll have as building owners,” she said.

Sophomore Lukas Shrestha said that he has high hopes for the Newton Food Pantry’s new building.

“ e food pantry is a great resource for the people of Newton, and I'm excited to see how they’ll grow in their new location,” he said.

Lemberg said that he thinks the pantry is successful now and will be in the future because the Newton community has no shortage of people willing to lend a hand.

“One of the great things about Newton is that it's a big city, and there's a lot of people who want to get involved and help support their neighbors in need,” he said.

One of the great things about Newton is that it's a big city, and there's a lot of people who want to get involved and help support their neighbors in need.

Jeff Lemberg Director of Newton Food Pantry

graphics by Seyoon Byun & Sophiya Jacobs

photo courtesy of Fig City News

Initial digital rendering of the the new pantry's design, to be located in Auburndale.

Anastasia Karpova & Amalie Martin News Contributors

Seyoon Byun & James Garrett News Editors

NPS Budget Deficit

The Newton Public Schools face potential financial challenges, prompting concerns about staff reductions, larger class sizes and the quality of education.

By Sanjana Tewari

Over a series of Newton Public Schools (NPS) School Committee meetings in March and April, Superintendent Anna Nolin, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and School Committee members discussed signi cant nancial challenges regarding the district’s budget.

Fuller has increased NPS funding by 3.65 percent for the 2025-2026 school year, but Nolin has requested additional funds.

Nolin’s original proposed budget would have required a 6.1 percent or a $6.8 million, increase in funding.

Since then, thanks to cuts by Nolin and an additional allocation of funding by Fuller, the de cit is now $2.2 million.

Newton educators and elected o have raised concerns about the de on students, teachers and the overall qual ity of education.

School Committee member Paul Levy said that balancing the budget while maintaining sta will be ex tremely di"cult.

“About 90 percent of the budget is personnel costs,” he said.“It's impossible to nd $4 or 5 million in savings from other line items.”

Levy said that the School Committee has many aspects to consider while deliberating on the budget issues.

“Human impact on teachers combined with the educational impact on students is what makes this whole process so di"cult,” he said.

Newton Teachers Association (NTA) Legislative Committee chair and South math teacher Ryan Normandin said that potential budget cuts would have various e ferent parts of the district.

"$e middle and elementary schools are going to be taking more substantial cuts this time around, and the high schools will also be taking cuts," he said. "It's the pension funding deadline in 2032 that is eating enormous portions of our budget, and that's only going up every year."

Normandin said that he thinks the citizens of Newton should take a stand for what he thinks is right.

the needs of students have gone up signi cantly, and that South needs resources to support the growing needs of the student population.

"Our kids are losing out on those different experiences that they could have so that they leave South a better-rounded person than they are right now,” she said. "We're functioning to stay alive. We're not functioning to thrive."

Henderson said that Newton's Education Stabilization fund – a NPS account set up by the City with additional funds to be used as needed –has $22 million in it, and that the missing $6.4 million should be able to come from there.

“What is that money for? It’s always saving for a rainy day, when in fact, it’s currently

"If you want to stop being in this perpetual, manufactured crisis that Fuller does every year, we need to change the leadership in the city, the School Committee," he said. “We need a School Committee who's going to use their soft power with the public, raise public awareness, organize the public and put pressure on the mayor.”

South Principal Tamii Stras said that

school sta and parents to not lose hope and continue to ght for what they believe in.

"$e best way to improve a kid's education is to lower class sizes. And one of the risks we're running right now is going up to 25 kids in some of the lower grades," she said. "We just have to stay active and stay engaged all the time…we only have as much power as we choose to create."

somebody doesn’t have the adult that they trust in the building," she said.

Histoy teacher Jamie Rinaldi, said that the reason for the budget de cit does not lie in the contract that was negotiated during last year’s strike.

"To argue that teachers make too much, that our salaries are a drain on public nances, is in itself a grander statement on a political

Our kids are losing out on those di erent experiences that they could have so that they leave South a betterrounded person than they are right now.

Tamii Stras Principal

view of how society should be organized,and I reject that," he said.

Rinaldi said that year after year, the district is told that there isn’t enough money to ful ll all of their requests, but that the money always seems to appear after the year is over.

"$e School Committee has the right, and I believe the obligation, to ask for more money if they think that's what's necessary to ful ll the mission," he said.

Ward 11 state representative Amy Sangiolo said that cutting programs and teachers is extremely taxing for the community.

“It's going to have a tremendous, dramatic e ect on our students and their ability to learn and grow," she said. In a March newsletter to the Newton Community, Mayor Fuller said that the City does not have enough money to increase NPS funding, as overdependence on one-time sources of funding would be nancially irresponsible.

“As Mayor, I see a path forward to continue to provide an excellent education within the limitations of our budget, but I cannot see a nancially responsible or sustainable plan for the aspirational budget with the nancial resources currently available to the City,” she said.

“We do have some limited opportunities for NPS with our limited amount of one-time funding.”

In the weeks to come, various Newton administrative groups will meet to discuss and nalize the 2025-2026 budgeting process.

Newton Programs & Services and Finance Committees will meet regarding the School Department budget on April 17, and Newton City Council will meet about the City budget itself on May 15 and 19, and, potentially, May 21.

graphic by Clare Cho

Fuller, fully fund the Newton Public Schools

On Feb. 26, 2025, Newton Public Schools (NPS) superintendent Anna Nolin unveiled her vision for the future of the district to the School Committee, including Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.

Nolin and her team, tasked with drawing up a budget for the 2025-2026 school year, arrived at their initial proposal through a zero-based budgeting process, starting entirely from scratch.

After reviewing NPS spending history and speaking with administrators — including all of the district’s principals and department heads — the superintendent came up with what she called a “thrive” budget, which would require a $17 million increase in funding but set the standard for a school district that truly embodied excellence.

However, Nolin knew that the Mayor would not allocate funding to support such a budget.

Her official recommendation was therefore for a budget that she called “Level Service+” — maintaining level service from the 2024-2025 school year while targeting “strategic investments,” including the addition of full-day kindergarten aides, which the School Committee is contractually obligated to include in the budget.

e original Level Service+ budget required a 6.1 percent ($6.8 million) increase

in funding; Fuller increased the NPS budget by a margin of 3.65 percent.

What she fails to recognize is that a budgetary increase by such a slim margin would amount to cuts when it comes to allocating funding for district services.

NPS is facing rising costs for a variety of essential items and services, including transportation, contracts and administrative expenses; as a result, the district requires a greater funding increase than 3.65 percent if it wants to avoid cutting essential services and teaching positions.

Nolin has been more than exible. Since she $rst unveiled her budget proposal, she and her team have cut millions in expenses from the original Level Service+ budget.

ere is nothing left to cut but teaching positions, and Nolin is correct in her assessment that doing so would have measurable — and detrimental — consequences for the student body.

e City already has more than enough money to close the remaining budget de$cit. Fuller’s choice not to do so is deliberate and speaks volumes about her priorities as a leader.

e City has a vast supply of what is called “Free Cash” — an unrestricted fund balance that comes from the previous year, which the City can choose to allocate as it wishes. By June 30, the City is expected to have a Free

Editorial Policy

e Lion’s Roar, founded in 1984, is the student newspaper of Newton South High School, acting as a public forum for student views and attitudes.

e Lion’s Roar’s right to freedom of expression is protected by the Massachusetts Student Free Expression Law (Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 71, Section 82). All content decisions are made by student editors, and the content of e Lion’s Roar in no way re ects the o cial policy of Newton South, its faculty, or its administration.

Editorials are the o cial opinion of e Lion’s Roar, while opinions and letters are the personal viewpoints of the writers and do not necessarily re ect the opinion of e Lion’s Roar e Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submitted content, to reject advertising copy for resubmission of new copy that is deemed acceptable by student editors, and to make decisions regarding the submission of letters to the editors, which are welcomed.

e Lion’s Roar is printed by Seacoast Newspapers and published every four weeks by Newton South students. All funding comes from advertisers and subscriptions. In-school distribution of e Lion’s Roar is free, but each copy of the paper shall cost one dollar for each copy more than ten (10) that is taken by any individual or by many individuals on behalf of a single individual. Violation of this policy shall constitute theft.

Cash balance of $31-32 million.

e 2025-2026 budget de$cit is undoubtedly a problem.

But it’s a symptom of a larger issue: a $nancial philosophy on the part of the Mayor that doesn’t add up.

e money does exist, but the Mayor is actively choosing not to spend it.

roughout the budgeting process, Fuller has made clear her belief that it is $nancially irresponsible to use one-time funding sources like Free Cash to cover recurring expenses in the NPS budget.

But the true $nancially irresponsible decision-making is a chronic under-budgeting of City operations on the part of the Mayor. For instance, for the 2024 $scal year, the City’s projected revenues were $20.8 million below actual revenues. By contrast, NPS’s projected revenues were $0.8 million below actual revenues.

Complicating the situation further, the Newton School Committee held a meeting on April 2, during which Fuller announced that she would allocate an additional $4.97 million in Free Cash to the district.

However, Fuller is only permitting $1.17 million of the total additional allocation to be used to cover the de$cit. With the $1.17 million from the mayor and the superintendent’s aforementioned cuts, a de$cit of $2.2 million

still remains.

So what happened to the other $3.8 million?

$1.3 million is being used to cover rising health insurance costs — and the remaining $2.5 million is going to facility improvements.

Whether or not the budget gap is resolved could be the di erence between whether or not a teacher is $red. As students, we can say with con$dence that our teachers have been some of the most in uential $gures in our development.

e $2.5 million needs to be used to cover the de$cit, not facility improvements. is is not a hard decision to make. If the $2.5 million were used to cover the de$cit, the budget crisis for the 2025-2026 school year would be resolved.

Mayor Fuller, you need to decide which is more important to you: giving students the barebone services that they need or upholding your ideology when it comes to the preservation of Free Cash.

e future of the Newton Public Schools is at stake.

You have already allocated $1.3 million in Free Cash to close the de$cit.

All the School Committee — and NPS students — are asking is that the remaining $2.5 million in funding you have given us be used in the appropriate way.

Volume XLII

Newton South High School’s Student Newspaper

Editors-in-Chief

Andrew Feinberg

eo Younkin

Managing Editors

Ava Ransbotham Sarah Schwartz

News

Seyoon Byun

James Garrett

Abby Miller

Sanjana Tewari

Opinions

Angela Tao

Emily Wang

Grace Yang

Photo Managers

ayer Bialek

Lev Navisky

Centerfold

Hana Futai

Ellie Shim

Social Media Manager

Aleeza Amitan

Business Manager

Adam Ransbotham

Faculty Advisor

Ashley Chapman

Features

Laura Feng

Andrew Petrilla

Allison

Sam

Bethesda Yeh

Sports

Clara Borus

Owen Halberstadt

Mitchell Lookner

Graphics Managers

Clare Cho

Ellen Wu

from the EDITORS

Swapping Styles

The Roar's Editors-in-Chief reflect on exchanging their wardrobes for

Andrew Feinberg Editor-in-Chief

Stepping into eo’s shoes (both literally and guratively) gave me a newfound respect for wearing business casual clothing to school on a daily basis.

Not only did I not have to worry about my pant leg getting stuck in my sock as I was getting dressed in the morning — which is a daily occurrence with my normal attire — but after school when I attended a semi-formal event, I didn’t have to change my clothes, a major convenience.

As the day progressed, however, comments like “looking sharp” and “what’s the occasion?” made me come to realize that our clothing styles are much more than just a fashion statement.

I suddenly felt myself sitting up straight in class, walking more con dently in the hallway and even speaking more clearly. All very helpful as a student.

Unfortunately, though, no amount of formal clothing could have helped with our end-of-day math quiz.

Nonetheless, I may just have to surprise everyone and try it again because who doesn’t want to dress more like eo?

Theo Younkin Editor-in-Chief

Swapping styles was undoubtedly an interesting exercise — it was, quite literally, the experience of being in someone else's shoes for the day (although in this case, it took the form of Andrew’s iconic navy blue Nike hoodie).

e hoodie and sweatpants took the place of my typical button-down, quarter zip and khakis, and, to be honest, the idea felt a little bit daunting at rst.

Our styles are more than just clothes — they're an extension of our identity, a way of expressing ourselves. I wasn't sure how I felt about giving all that up, even for such a short period of time.

As I settled into my temporary wardrobe, though, I started to appreciate the opportunity to take a break from my daily routine more and more — and, yes, it was just a little bit more comfortable.

It may not have had Earth-shattering results or changed my approach to our end-of-day math quiz, but it did provide a valuable change of pace.

Sometimes, a little change can serve as an opportunity to take a moment to reset.

a day.

photos by Sarah Schwartz

OPINIONS

On The

Pouch

The Yondr Pouch now holds the phones of all Newton middle school students. Should this program also be implemented at South, or is it an overreach?

By Kashvi Shah

In late 2024, Newton middle schools introduced the Yondr pouch program.

Unlike South’s current system, under which students place their phones in classroom holders but can retrieve them between class periods, the Yondr pouch program has students place their phones in locked pouches for the entirety of the school day.

!e emergence of this strict phone policy raises serious questions about whether the approach is truly bene boundaries related to student autonomy, privacy and even property.

!e primary justi ing Yondr pouches is that they eliminate distrac tions and improve focus — and to an extent, it is true that phones can interfere with learning.

A 2023 study pub lished in the academic journal "Comput ers in Human Behavior" examined the e ects of mobile phone use on classroom learning and retention, finding that students who used their phones dur ing lectures retained less information compared with those who did not.

However, South already has a system in place to limit distractions without the need for Yondr pouches: requiring students place their phones in designated phone holders during class e ectively reduces phone usage and maintains focus.

Yondr pouches are not only unnecessary; they can put students’ safety at risk by stripping them of access to their own devices. Need to check a message from a parent or call for help? Too bad. Supporters of the program argue that classroom landlines are su cient; however, in a crisis, seconds matter.

use their phones to access educational apps, take notes or check schedules. With the Yondr program’s restrictions, students lose the ability to use their devices for legitimate academic purposes.

While the system of phone holders

Beyond the issue of restriction, the Yondr pouch program fails to address the root cause of students’ struggle to concentrate: overwhelming academic pressure.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 22.7% of high

beyond their limits. In fact, for many students, phones are an essential tool for well-being.

!e National Alliance on Mental Illness found that nearly 40% of high school students experience anxiety or depression linked to academic stress. In such a high-pressure environment, phones often serve as a coping

time in their lives when they should be learning responsibility, yet this policy treats them like they're incapable of self-regulation.

Additionally, in some cases, phones can be valuable academic tools. Many students

Instead of helping students "gure out how to balance technology, the policy imposes rigid control that strips away their autonomy and shows a serious lack of trust.

are assigned hours of homework each night, forced to meet tight deadlines and constantly pressured to perform at a high level.

Taking phones away during the school day will not change the fact that students are exhausted from workloads that push them

Whether students are checking in with friends, listening to music to de-stress or even accessing mental health resources, phones can

Complete phone restriction could sigcantly increase feelings of isolation, making it harder for students to reach out for support

If the goal is to help students succeed, the administration should focus on the root source of student exhaustion.

Instead of imposing strict phone control through Yondr pouches, teachers could o er exibility with deadlines, guidance counselors could work with students to manage stress and the school could implement mental health days to help prevent

Ultimately, the problem at South isn’t just phones — it’s an academic system overwhelming students. The Yondr pouch program may seem like a solution, but it only shifts blame from the real issue. If the administration wants to truly support students, it needs to create

Students deserve a school experience that doesn’t leave them feeling like zombies fueled by iced co ee and last-minute cramming. If this burnout continues to be normalized, South's real problem won’t be phones. It’ll be the students falling asleep in the library.

The College Board conundrum

By Linnea Astala & Aria Chitty

!e College Board, which administers the SAT, PSAT and AP exams, was established in 1900 to set a uniform curriculum for New England boarding schools. !e "rst SAT was administered in 1926, and only 15 percent of American universities considered the test in their admissions process.

Since then, the College Board’s in uence has dramatically expanded across the country; almost two million students took the SAT in 2024, and 23,000 out of almost 27,000 high schools in the U.S. o er AP courses.

!ere is no doubt that the College Board plays a uniquely prevalent role in high schoolers’ futures, with students endlessly studying for their upcoming SAT or AP exam — but should it?

!e College Board’s omnipresence does provide some bene"ts, but mostly for the sake of uniformity. Just as it established coordinated curricula in 1900, the Board’s tests today are supposed to provide all students with a single set of quali"cations they must meet to apply to colleges.

!is standardization is crucial for high school students navigating an already complex college admissions process. Streamlining the test-based part of the process allows students to spend more time exploring their options –and even apply to more schools.

!ese tests also allow admissions o%ces to set an objective standard of academic ability. However, serious problems arise from such a strictly standardized approach to evaluating academic competency, especially as elite col-

leges begin to reinstate standardized testing requirements.

Over the years, the SAT has become a useful tool for applicants looking for a way to stand out amidst grade in weighted GPAs.

dents commonly encounter di erent educators who are teaching the same course, but the ways they grade and weight assignments in their class vary.

cause a student's SAT score cannot be inflated or ad justed, it becomes a secure way for an appli cant to represent their academic abilities on an application and combat the differ ences between teachers’ approaches to grading.

of merit.

Like an IQ test, the SAT was initially intended to be a measure of pure

scores can contribute to student anxiety. A student may easily assume they are academically inferior if they score poorly on a College Board test.

But no test can ever be a perfect measure

reading that are required to perform well on a standardized test; it consists of not only the conventionally logical kind, but of creativity, innovation, empathy, leadership, and so much more.

Our brightest thoughts and ideas are not often formed in the tiny, constricting skill set that is required for standardized testing, so why should it be assumed that how we perform inside the lines is representative of how we will perform outside of them?

A particularly important aspect of the College Board’s tests is that they are all timed, which can create a gender gap in scores.

A Stanford study revealed that girls exhibit higher levels of testing anxiety than boys, putting them at a disadvantage for highstakes exams.

As students at South understand, the stress one feels before an exam can greatly inhibit one’s ability to think clearly and a ect how one approaches the test.

On such a high-stakes test, when possible, disadvantages should be eliminated, especially when said disadvantage is something that can very easily be modi"ed in the test’s design. is disparity is not to say the College Board is inherently sexist; it has somewhat improved the time issue with the introduction of the digital SAT (the new test allocates slightly more time to answer questions). !e gender gap is simply another of these standardized aws, and another reason as to why they should not have as much prevalence as they do today.

At South, we are constantly reminded that one bad grade does not determine our intelligence or academic capability — so why should the PSAT, SAT or an AP exam be treated any di erently?

Brewed for success, yet bound for burnout

By Sophie Lu

Walking through South’s library, it’s impossible to avoid spotting a cup of Dunkin’, every New Englander’s pride and joy. Ice cubes click and clack as they churn in the silky, aromatic pool of co ee. !en, somebody takes a sip and gasps, “Ahh, how refreshing …”

Ca eine is undoubtedly an omnipresent part of South culture. In fact, as I write this article, an iced Americano is by my side. But why do we consume so much ca eine — for better or for worse — and how is it impacting our bodies?

Ca eine is a nervous system stimulant that alleviates drowsiness. Most commonly consumed in the form of co ee, tea or as an additive to energy drinks, it eliminates feelings of fatigue by temporarily blocking sleep-promoting receptors in the brain.

When students are worn out and battling lethargy, many turn to a cup of co ee for energy and motivation. !ese struggles occur far too often; a 2021 study by the CDC found that almost 80 percent of high schoolers in Massachusetts are sleep-deprived. What’s the culprit? !e mountainous workload students are carrying.

From grades to hobbies, students are acutely aware that almost everything they do in their four years of high school will be assessed by college admissions o%cers. As a result, competition and pressure compound, and the bar of conventional student success endlessly rises.

Juggling all the extracurriculars, leadership positions or personal projects students

are expected to take on is challenging; there are simply not enough hours in a day to get everything done. Pulling all-nighters to prepare for tournaments, write essays or cram study is not uncommon. In fact, getting little sleep has become something many boast about.

However, as students continue to be driven by a looming fear of needing to outcompete their peers for increasingly limited resources, unhealthy competition can take over

but its detrimental and even dangerous long term e ects often go ignored.

It should be noted that ca eine consumption isn’t necessarily problematic by de"nition. In fact, some studies even suggest that in moderation, it can even have health bene"ts. !e American Cancer Society, for instance, found that ca eine consumption can guard against cancers, such as head and neck cancer.

However, these health bene"ts are only

intake. For teenagers, the recommended daily amount of ca eine is around 100 milligrams, or roughly one cup of co ee.

Overconsumption of ca eine can have harmful e ects on consumers’ health. As a stimulant, it disrupts the natural circadian rhythm, often resulting in lower-quality sleep. In the short term, it can cause headaches and anxiety. In the long term, it results in side effects like dehydration, digestive problems and heart issues.

Even worse, ca eine is addictive. !e more experience a person has with ca eine, the more tolerance they develop — in other words, they require increasingly higher doses to reach the same level of alertness.

!e body can easily become overdependent on ca eine; when one relies on ca eine to feel awake, one starts neglecting the root cause of one's fatigue: a lack of quality sleep.

As someone who has been drinking coffee since "fth grade, I can con"dently say that such tolerance and reliance are only too real.

After I got used to a morning refresher, a second cup came in at lunch. At one point, I brought instant co ee powder to school for re"lls.

Gradually, co ee replaced water for me. Knowing that I had co ee as a safety net to keep me alert, I neglected sleep, exacerbating the root cause of my drowsiness.

Ultimately, ca eine is only a bandage to cover up fatigue, not an antidote. Although it's easier said than done, the true cure is balancing out workload and sleeping.

graphic by Simona Wang

Alan Reinstein

English Teacher Circle Up

A Vision for Growing a Restorative School

On Tuesday March 25, during the sophomores’ rst day of the ELA MCAS, South hosted a professional development training, paid for by a grant from the Newton Schools Foundation, for teachers interested in learning more about restorative practices, which means using the circle process to build community in a classroom — by discussing course-related topics and/or sharing personal stories — and asking speci c types of questions to solve problems.

You may know about circles, and I hope that many of you — both students or sta — have participated in at least one circle by now. Ten teachers from South and nine from North participated in the training, which was led by instructors from Pathways to Restorative Communities, an organization that works with schools and other groups to support the growth of restorative practices.

In addition to learning about facilitating circles — being circle keepers — participants learned about the core restorative questions that are used to help resolve con icts or problems. !ere are ve of them, and they can be used with larger groups like classes or smaller ones like two or three people: (1) What happened? (2) What were you thinking about? (3) What are you thinking about now? (4) Who was most impacted by what happened — and in what way? And (5) What needs to happen to make things as right as possible?

I’ll use an acronym I learned to express the heart of these questions: WOMP. What happened? Ownership, EMpathy, and Plan for moving forward. If you’ve caused harm, be clear about what happened, take responsibility for it, understand the pain you’ve caused, and work to make things better. If you’ve been hurt, be open to the possibility that the route to repair may include an authentic understanding and accountability from the person or people who injured you.

!ere is no directive from the superintendent’s or the principal’s o ce to have teachers use circles in classes or deal with problems with restorative questions. What we have is permission to try them. Go ahead, the higher-ups are saying, give it a go. In addition, there’s no groundswell of enthusiasm from the faculty to use restorative practices, even as many educators in our buildings may be thinking restoratively without really knowing it. !ey see building community, developing relationships, listening with empathy, taking quick ownership and responsibility when people are hurt and making plans to repair harm all as natural elements of good teaching.

At the moment there is a group of people who have been moved by the power of both the circle process and the use of restorative questions and want to grow as educators and people through learning about them. We are called the early adopters. We are a small club of folks who think that a restorative school, where circles are a normal and regular part of the classroom experience and where asking pointed questions that invite honesty, accountability, and empathy without judgment, is worth envisioning.

Getting a driver's license is the pinnacle of the high school experience — but it brings with it the inevitable hippie teachers and backseat driver parents.

Spiritual Driver's Ed A Family Experience

By Forest Lanciloti

When you get into the car and feel scared, that’s the devil coming through you,” she explains. Looking back, she uncaps the green EXPO marker she’s been waving around for the past 20 minutes and scribbles “F.E.A.R.” on the whiteboard behind her. Her gold bangles clink together. “!at’s fear: False Evidence Appearing Real,” she says, surprisingly, with a straight face.

No, this isn’t therapy (or Sunday school, if you really took that devil reference to heart). It’s driving school with a doublecerti ed life coach.

Let me take you back to August 2023. Approximately two weeks after my 15-years-and-nine-month birthday, I had the Massachusetts coming-of-age ceremony of classroom driver’s ed. You know, the totally reasonable 30 hours you have to spend on Zoom or behind a desk listening to someone tell you how to drive (despite you never having been behind the wheel before)? A fan blows next to me, and an iced co ee sits on a coaster adjacent to my computer, from which the voice of the instructor blares.

Trying my best to beat the heat and stay awake as I rot inside for the next six hours, I sit in front of an open face the same fate as sister). She returns her eyes to the camera and points at us as if the spirit of Uncle Sam had taken hold of her.

By Kiril Zhdanov

Learning to drive is an overwhelming process each high schooler must go through — a painstaking labor burning a hole of misery in your pocket and a burden you must carry alone.

So, as a person who has clocked exactly zero lessons and driven a total of one and a half hours in the parking lot next to RSM, I am con dent that I am quali ed to say that I know the ins and outs of Massachusetts driving.

When it comes to driving, no one is as well-equipped to teach you the trade as your parents, who must, unfortunately, supervise you as you learn. Each has their own loving way of passing on their years of knowledge to their children, but this training mostly just comes out as panicked yelling.

“When you get in the car” — or maybe it would be more accurate to transcribe it as “cah” with her heavy Boston accent — “on test day, your examiner will be looking for the three Cs: calm, con dent and in control. !at’s how I passed my test on the rst try, and that’s how you will, too.”

I have to admit, she wasn’t wrong. Despite the unique delivery, that advice was ringing in my head each time I sat behind the wheel for my lessons, and it probably did help me pass the rst time around.

Well, lucky me — that success gave me the pleasure of being my friends’ personal Uber driver for the next year until they get their licenses.

!ere are those parents who seem to magically summon three seat belts when they sit down — and God forbid you drive ve miles per hour (“ARE YOU CRAZY?!?”). But even though they might be a little over-cautious, that doesn't stop them from setting a great example, especially when they exemplify such values of wariness by cutting or speeding down the world’s narrowest street. Who reads signs these days, anyway? It’s okay; nitely know what they’re doing. en, of course, there are those parents who express their fear of imminent curb crashing through harsh reprimanding. To them, this ce parking lot abandoned for the weekend; this is a sprawling mine eld, and you, soldier, have just tripped all of the land mines

It’s not your fault you mixed up the turn signals! But you did just run over a leaf, who — your parent will surely tell you — was living paycheck to paycheck to provide for their loving family.

graphic by Ellen Wu

Every pothole poorly navigated, every tra c cone nearly avoided, every erroneous use of the backup camera is a constant reminder that you are no match for the road-rage- lled streets of the greater Boston area.

However, parents are just one part of the bigger picture. Driving is a unique experience that can make up some of any high schooler's core memories, so saddle up your Toyota Camry, drag your mom or dad kicking and screaming to your garage and go take on the sprawling suburbs.

Are Boycotts E ective?

In the wake of recent DEI rollbacks, consumer activists planned an "economic blackout" to hit industry giants where it hurts—their sales.

Boycotts are e!ective in the broader theme of activism.

On Feb. 28, 2025, in response to Target and other corporations eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a small group of activists called on consumers across the United States to not spend any money for 24 hours and illustrate their economic power.

Although the Feb. 28 economic boycotts didn’t receive much media attention, they were e!ective at creating necessary conversations, including those on the subject of what makes protests e!ective.

It's true that the numbers seem to show the protest wasn’t that fruitful. Some reports reveal that web tra"c was down by an uninspiring 1%. Costco’s web tra"c even rose 8%, demonstrating the lack of economic impact.

e implementation of DEI was controversial. Its controversy doesn’t automatically make it wrong; however, if you’re trying to plan a protest requiring people to go out of their way to avoid purchasing, it’s vital to plan it around a mission more people can align with. As a result, audiences are more likely to catch on and spread your message.

Protests have to make people care. When you’re asking ordinary people to avoid shopping for 24 hours simply to make a point, it’s no surprise that few are willing to inconvenience themselves.

But that doesn’t mean that the protest was pointless altogether. Rather, groups that are looking for more than a 1% drop in web tra"c simply need to rethink their strategy.

Regardless, boycotts’ most prominent e!ects occur following the actual event. In bigger and far more well-known boycotts, such as the historic 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott, those outcomes often included the creation of a new law or bill.

Yet in less prominent protests, there tends to be a smaller-scale but equally important result: conversations.

e other day, I was speaking with a friend about the February protest, and they mentioned that while the impact wasn’t huge, the protest still had some positive

YES

By Boston Bulis NO

outcomes.

For one, it demonstrated that young activists are willing to take a stand and organize around issues they care about, which is no small feat. Mobilizing even a fraction of the population, especially on a national scale, takes e!ort, coordination and passion.

ily spends. Be it from Amazon, the grocery store or café,

In the days leading up to Feb. 28, social media users alerted one another of an anti-big business “Economic Blackout” planned for the last day of the month. eir instructions were simple: don’t spend a single dollar for 24 hours. e movement was spearheaded by e People’s Union USA, which had been established earlier that month Schwarz, a new -

By eo Younkin

friends’

families purchase a lot of items! If we are aware of our purchasing power, we can use it more wisely to create changes we want to see.

And in that sense, the February boycotts still mattered.

While they did little to harm the wallets of massive corporations, they sparked dialogue and illustrated that young activists are willing to take risks and able to mobilize around causes they care about, and that sometimes they don't have to gain national attention to have an e!ect.

comer to the activist scene. While the group does not publicly a"liate with any major political party, it declares its main objectives to be the promotion of “fairness, economic justice and real systemic change” in the face of corporate greed.

On the day of the blackout, shoppers posted videos of chain stores devoid of customers. Even the typically bustling Whole Foods parking lot in Newton Centre was eerily empty.

However, as reported by Momentum Commerce, a consulting group

specializing in e-commerce, Amazon sales not only remained relatively consistent with what they had been in the days leading up to the boycott, but they were up by 1%. Another rm, Similarweb, looked at data from the top 100 e-commerce sites and determined that, compared to the Friday before, web tra"c was only down 4%.

When it came to phyical stores, foot tra"c at Target and Walmart locations, for instance, was estimated to be just 10.7% and 4.1% less than the average foot tra"c from the previous ve Fridays, respectively. Schwarz’s efforts yielded what a Momentum analyst called a “mild impact” — not quite what one would call a blackout. e movement’s failure stems from two main problems. First, attempting to organize national movements against major corporations justi ed by vague and idealistic language is useless. It’s impossible to unify a nation of consumers around such a lofty goal: asking Americans to avoid spending money on chain brands is an unrealistic request for many, especially for those in areas with limited retail options.

Second, for any movement to have a meaningful e!ect on the economy, it should go without saying it needs to last for longer than a day. Schwarz would do better to organize future e!orts around objectives that are easier to sustain long-term, like making an e!ort to spend money at small businesses instead of large corporations. e People’s Union doesn’t seem to have learned its lesson, however. Its website lists dates for numerous future short-term economic boycotts, including a second Economic Blackout boycott set for April 18.

For the People’s Union to ful ll its self-declared objective of creating “systemic change,” it should take a more meaningful approach. Why not ask consumers to make a consistent e!ort to shop at their local grocery store instead of a Whole Foods location, for example?

Groups like Schwarz’s should promote accessible initiatives that make a tangible di!erence, not large-scale, short-term boycott movements.

an endangered education

BY HANA FUTAI AND ELLIE SHIM

EVALUATING THE FUTURE OF STUDENT EDUCATION RIGHTS UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION IN THE UNITED STATES

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the “Department of Education Organization Act,” establishing the U.S. Department of Education into law to expand equal education access for all. e department enforces civil rights laws in educational settings, regulates education research and administers federal funding to aid vulnerable student populations.

On March 20, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14242, “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States and Communities,” virtually dismantling the Department of Education.

Without congressional approval, Trump lacks authority to close the Department of Education; nevertheless, Trump ordered Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to close the department “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”

e order transfers the main powers of the Education Department to states, which the Trump Administration argues serves to provide “children and their families the opportunity to escape a system that is failing them.”

In signing the order, Trump has said that he hopes to address declining reading and math performances nationwide, which is part of the larger promise to reimagine public education he made during his campaign.

On March 28, the Department of

Education cut over $2 billion across 41 states, revoking $106 million in grant funding that addressed pandemic-related learning loss in Massachusetts. Massachusetts public schools depend on over $2 billion in federal funds annually, supplying approximately 10 percent of the state’s education budget.

Section 1. Title I & IDEA

Massachusetts K-12 schools rely on two federal funds: Title I, which provides assistance to schools with a certain population of low-income students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Federal Special Education Entitlement Grant, which provides funds for special needs student services.

In scal year 2025, Newton Public Schools (NPS) received $493,655 in Title I grants, nancing supplemental education programs for students struggling to meet the state’s educational benchmarks.

NPS Director of Special Initiatives and Programs Jennifer Shore, who oversees the allocation of Title I funding, said that transitioning power from the Education Department to states causes uncertainty for future federal funding.

The experiment o controlling American education trough Federal programs and dolars has plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families. - Executive Order 14242

“Depending on who's in charge and what their priorities are, it could bene t schools and students, or it could go the other way and really hurt schools and students if the leadership of that state decides other things are a priority,” she said.

“It's hard to predict.”

NPS received $3,495,423 in IDEA

grants for the scal year 2025. South behavior technician Wendy Armagost said South is fortunate to have an incredible special education program and student support system, which she hopes to protect.

“In this building, there's so much support for kids. It's a nice, warm, happy place. We value education, and we value everybody bringing something to the table, whether they have a disability or not,” she said.

Armagost said South’s current e orts to promote an inclusive learning environment have bene ted all students.

“Students can grow up in an environment where they can experience what education can look like for all these di erent people,” she said. “ ey're not shocked by somebody who has Down syndrome, they're not shocked by somebody who has autism. ey just see them as people that are maybe just a little di erent than them.”

President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association Max Page said that knowing how many families rely on special education programs gives him hope that people will stand up for their rights.

“It's such an important foundation of democracy, this public education system. 90 percent of students and 95 percent of students with special needs go to public schools all across this country. is is where our kids are educated and raised,” he said.

“ ere's a strong base of people who get the idea, and I think people are going to stand up for public education.”

Ultimately, Armagost said a risk to funding for special education programs jeopardizes critical resources for students in need.

“My greatest concern is for my students, [and] that they're not going to have things to help them grow and expand,” she said.

Section 2. Defending DEI

On Feb. 14, before Executive Order 14242 was signed, the Department of Education O$ce for Civil Rights issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to educational institutions nationwide, which typically express how to interpret and enforce laws within schools. e department urged institutions to eliminate all diversity, equity and inclu-

It can feel like all of the decades of work are being undone with the single stroke of a pen. So many things that people dedicated their lives to are just coming undone.

sion (DEI) programs or face restrictions on federal funding.

Additionally, Section 2b of Executive Order 14242 orders that “any program or activity receiving Federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label 'diversity, equity and inclusion' or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.”

Junior and Asian Student Organization (ASO) o$cer Jacob Sakayeda said that the Trump Administration’s promise to create excellent education opportunities while eliminating DEI programs is contradictory.

“It's disregarding the fact that certain people come from di erent backgrounds, di erent socio-economic backgrounds and di erent household troubles,” he said. “It's important to be able to ensure that people are getting the right amount of resources, care and attention that they need.”

In response to Trump’s orders and the “Dear Colleague” letter, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey advised State higher education and K-12 institutions to continue promoting DEI among student bodies.

At South, students and faculty annually lead Courageous Conversations on Identity and Courageous Conversations on Race (CCOR) in classroom sessions.

Faculty advisor for CCOR Lily Eng Shine said that facilitating conversations about race promotes meaningful dialogue and fosters understanding.

“You don't have to agree at the end of the day, [and] you and I can have very different opinions about things, but if we never talk about it or try to gure out where we have

Caspian Booke class of '26

graphic by Ellen Wu

$493,655 Title I Funding for low income

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

$3,495,423studentIDEA Grants Individuals wit Disabilities Education Act DEI Programs

Student Education Rights FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS

commonality, then we just go back,” she said.

Outside of conversational programs, South promotes DEI values through a variety of student-led a nity groups that celebrate the diverse cultures within the school’s community.

South Asian Student Association CoPresident and Newton Youth Cultural Development Subdivision Leader Sarina Chand said that federal involvement is important for minorities who are in communities that lack state or school emphasis on DEI values.

“At South, we're lucky to have such a diverse community, but if we were anywhere else, it would be complicated to have a nity groups as engaged and enriched as we have them right now,” she said.

Sakayeda said a nity groups are essential for creating smaller communities within the school where students can feel safe.

“Groups such as ASO are important speci cally for people who don't feel comfortable expressing themselves alone, and then need a community to be able to talk to and feel comfortable within their own skin, [and] within their own identity,” he said.

Eng Shine said that these programs prepare students to thrive in a diverse country and empower adolescents beyond school bounds.

“ e practices and the tools are part of education. It's not just about feeding you history and psychology,” she said. “It is about helping you be good people and helping you learn how to navigate the world.”

Section 3.

Reading the Rhetoric

Senior and president of High School Democrats of America Club omas Kinney said that it is vital to consider the e ects of Trump’s executive actions through a broader perspective.

“ e bigger thing about Trump is not about speci c policy, it's more about the culture shi that happens when he's in o ce, when it comes to DEI and education,” he said.

History teacher Jamie Rinaldi said that the Trump Administration’s actions mark a signi cant change in the global political landscape.

“His objectives and approaches are attributed to him being both inexperienced politically and also having a really outsized personality,” he said.

“I want students to understand that today, what's happening in the United States under Donald Trump is not solely attributed to his personality and his background.”

Page said that Trump’s executive orders directly target public education and threaten the quality of education students receive.

“ ey are starting with attacks on public education, pre-K through higher ed,

because they see that as part of their larger authoritarian push, which is to quell dissent [and] instill a more patriotic education in schools, which means undermining accurate, truthful history,” he said.

NPS Director of Business Operations Amy Mistrot said that any federal funding cuts will fundamentally alter students’ experience at schools.

“Most people are completely unaware of what the grants are and how we use them. If we lose them, they'll know a whole lot more about them than they did before,” she said. “ is is historic funding that we rely upon as part of our budget. It would have a dramatic impact if we were not to receive it.”

Armogost said that amidst the changes in the Department of Education, her primary concern is for districts without state support for su cient school funding.

“Pulling those supports away may a ect other states that don't put as high a value on education or special needs students, and by pulling the Department of Education away, there's nobody there holding them to [the standard of] what the students need,” she said.

Rinaldi said that after decades of strengthening programs to promote DEI within NPS and communities nationwide, Trump’s actions concerning public education systems are about more than funding.

“If someone attacks [DEI], to me that's an assault on something broader than the values of this NPS,” he said. “ at starts to be, in my mind, an assault on our American values.”

English teacher Jenny Robertson said that, while other branches of government may have the power to dismiss certain Trump Administration actions, the dangers of the executive administration’s rhetoric pose a threat.

Junior and president of South’s Gay Students Alliance (GSA) and Gender Equity Club Caspian Booke said that in a time of uncertainty, discouragement is inevitable.

“It can feel like all of the decades of work are being undone with the single stroke of a pen,” he said. “So many things that people dedicated their lives to are just coming undone.”

“ ey're dangerous because we've seen [Trump] ignore court orders, the Constitution and Congress, and so it seems that at the moment, he feels emboldened to continue to trample on precedent and democracy and all of the foundational elements that we've always relied on as a country,” she said.

Regardless, Booke said that students’ power grows if they support one another in a ght for safety.

“It makes me sad, but also impassioned to work with the people that I can in my communities at GSA and Gender Equity Club to make them feel safe despite this,” he said.

Page said that students allied with parents and educators will ght to protect equality in education.

“Our educators always go above and beyond, from buying school supplies to working longer hours than they are really paid for,” he said. “[ ey] are the most trusted people on public education issues, and so we're going to make sure our members are speaking out.”

Chand said that while students can actively engage in local politics, legislative action is critical for their advocacy success.

“Legislators have to step up and ensure that they're protecting the students, because as much as we can scream and shout and hold protests and signs, it's really up to them to ensure that all the e ort we're putting in has a result in the end,” she said.

Robertson said that above all, the future depends on individuals’ collective resilience and compassion for each other.

“We continue to keep ghting and ghting. Not only raising our voices, calling our representatives and being out on the street, but also through art, through literature; through every possible way,” she said. “I teach literature because I think it reminds us of our humanity, and we have to hold on to that through connections with each other. at is our power, and that is our strength and we have to commit to that.”

graphicbyClareCho

graphic by Ellen Wu

graphic by Ellie Shim

graphic by Ellen Wu

More Than Monuments

South students experience the nation's capital — up close!

By Laura Feng and Anika omas

There is no better place in the United States to learn about government and politics than the heart of Washington, D.C.

Nine South students had the privilege of taking a week-long trip to the nation’s capital from March 9–14 thanks to the Close Up Foundation, a 50-year-old nonpartisan nonpro"t organization that partners with schools to help young people understand the current political climate.

During the trip, students met with lawmakers’ sta members, engaged in conversations and visited important sites like the African American Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, the World War II Memorial and the Vietnam War Memorial.

Close Up CEO Eric Adydan, who has worked with the foundation for the last two decades, said that he has always prioritized educating students on the values that Close Up is built on.

“My job is to ensure that [Close Up] as an organization continues to evolve in the

sense that we are looking at issues of the day and making sure that we remain nonpartisan and multipartisan, while at the same time trying to allow students and teachers the opportunity to be more engaged as active, informed citizens,” he said.

On the trip, students participated in discussions with South peers as well as with other students from di erent parts of the country. Adydan said that his team tries to bring in diverse experiences to spark discussions.

“Instead of us really trying to be the expert on how …a certain policy is being viewed, we try to bring in people from di erent perspectives to discuss what those policies are, and then we allow students to discuss among themselves,” he said.

Sophomore Isa Folch said that the discussions she had with other students the current political cliwere meaningful and eye-

“Their opinions were so di erent from mine, but that doesn’t make them any less valid,” she said.

North junior Tomer Melamoud went on the Close Up trip with North a week prior to South’s trip.

Melamoud also said that he appreciated hearing varying viewpoints during the discussions.

“It was a good way to see all the di erent views, especially because in Massachusetts, a lot of people are Democratic, so it was nice to get a range,” he said.

Junior Akshay Sayana-Dudani said that the trip was a good opportunity to learn about the inner workings of policymaking.

“As someone who enjoys working in environmental science, the policy aspect of it is super important,” he said.“Understanding how things happen in government, how people can make change was a main aspect of the Close Up foundation.”

A typical day on the trip went from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Students’ schedules were "lled with plenty of activities, but they had free time at the end of the day, allowing them to relax with their peers and strengthen bonds outside of a learning environment.

Junior Melody Moktar said that the program’s e ort to be inclusive encouraged students with all degrees of political knowledge to learn about government.

“[Close Up] is not like one of those very rigorous types of programs,” she said.

“It's amazing to try to understand your government for a beginner that isn't really into politics, and for people that just want to be in that space.”

Folch said that the new connections she made with students from other parts of the country are important to her.

“Some of the most memorable things were the people I met,” she said. “I'm going to visit one of my friends in Minnesota.”

South history teacher and chaperone Zakarias Gomes said that his favorite experience was the two-and-

a-half hours that the group spent visiting the African American Museum.

“You might think that's too much time, but you could easily spend "ve hours with that museum,” he said.

Adydan said that the planned activities on the trip were chosen with the intention of maximizing the students’ learning experience.

“[Students] explore … [the] historical relevance of those memorials, but at the same time, they're there with their peers to just enjoy the monuments and take in that experience,” he said.

Along with the structured lessons, Gomes said that students also learned from interacting with Washington locals.

“It was good to see students look at the di erent exhibits as well as see them just walk around and experience D.C. and talk to people who are protesting on the street,” he said.

Folch said that overall, the trip exceeded her expectations.

“It was more than just a trip to D.C. to look at monuments, it was really shaped by people there,” she said. “It was very impactful.”

Close Up students visit the Supreme Court building on one of their group trips.

photos contributed by Melody Moktar

graphics by Clare Cho

Close Up students stand in front of the Capitol building.

CHATTER ROAR

The Lion's Roar asked past Roar Editors-in-Chief...

What are you up to now?

Emma Zhang class of '24|Vol. 40 Freshman at Duke University

“[I am majoring in] statistics and I'm on the pre-med track, but my writing and journalism foundation has set me up for what I'm doing now. I'm part of the medical and science journals. It's the niche that I've always liked writing in.”

Ellyssa Jeong class of '22|Vol. 38 Junior at Harvard University

“I'm studying neuroscience, environmental science and public policy. I'm on a gap semester working for a senator on their energy and environment team. So a very different space than what I envisioned going into college.”

Bella Ishanyan class of '24|Vol. 40 Freshman at UMass Amherst

“As centerfold editor, that was when I found out that I really, really loved journalism. … I am a news reporter for our student newspaper, the Massachusetts Daily Collegian. I like that we can pitch our own stories.”

Eva Shimkus class of '23|Vol. 39 Sophomore at Amherst College

“I’m the secretary of a chapter of the American Association of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and I also work in a lab. [Roar] is not related to my major, but it was such a great experience and it taught me so much.”

Risha Sinha class of '25|Vol. 41 Harvard University commit

“My grades are better now that I have more time to focus on the actual ‘school’ part of school. I’ve got a lot of free time: chilling out, reading books instead of articles. Life is good. I miss [Roar] a little bit, but not too much.”

Emily Schwartz class of '23|Vol. 39 Sophomore at Harvard University

“I've still been doing newspaper stuff. It's a whole different kind of newspaper. It's very focused on investigative reporting, but I feel very supported and I actually see some former Roar people a lot.”

Grace Dempsey class of '25|Vol. 41 Boston University commit

“I’m definitely feeling the senior slump. I have to take a break and leave with my friends every single day. Whenever I have a lunch block or free period I always gather people to go on a little excursion.”

1 in 2000: Kelli Fitzgerald, "welcoming and open"

English teacher Kelli Fitzgerald is no stranger to juggling many roles as a mother of triplets. Known as Ms. Fitz to her students, she is the Class O ce co-coordinator and Class of 2028 co-advisor in addition to her teaching. In 2023, she won South’s Excellence in Teaching award in recognition of her outstanding teaching abilities.

Integrated in every aspect of her life, education played a signi"cant role in Fitzgerald’s childhood. She said that her mother, who was an educator, and her father, who was a school committee member, instilled the importance of education in her.

“Education in my family was always something that was highly respected and valued," she said.

Beyond that, Fitzgerald said that it was her teachers who had the biggest in uence on her decision to become a teacher, speci"cally her high school P.E. teacher, “Polch.”

“We weren't anything alike. She saw me. She respected me. She cared about me, and that just made all the di erence,” she said. “It was having an adult in my high school who just saw me for who I was.”

Although she started at South in 1995, Fitzgerald took a break from teaching to raise her children. Simultaneously, she took classes to keep her teaching certi"cation up to date until she returned in 2019. Having triplets was unexpected, but Fitzgerald said that the time spent with her children gave her a new perspective on teens’ lives.

“Having raised teenagers and having had kids, I have a better sense of what they are going through: what my students might have going

on outside of the classroom, how stressful and competitive and busy and booked you all are,” she said.“I have an awareness of what a general high schooler’s life looks like.”

Students repeatedly spoke of Fitzgerald's kindness and a ection, sharing heartwarming memories that spanned their time together.

Freshman vice president Gigi GomezReynoso said that she has a very warm relationship with Fitzgerald, who is both her English teacher and class o ce adviser.

She said that Fitzgerald embodies Miss Honey, the kind and nurturing teacher from Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

“I look at her as a friend, mostly a teacher, but she's someone I feel comfortable talking with and meeting with,” she said.“Miss Honey is such a sweet and loving person. So is Ms. Fitz.”

an English teacher, said that she would give Fitzgerald an award for “Best Attitude” if she had to pick a superlative.

“She's always smiling. She's always super nice, always loves what she does, and you can see it shine through. She’s someone who you want to be around,” she said. Moreover, Andrade said that Fitzgerald made a lasting mark on her by teaching beyond the curriculum.

“She always pushed me to work harder, to see things in maybe a different way or in a di erent light,” she said.

Sophomore Jiayi Cui said that Fitzgerald is one of her favorite teachers.

“She's super patient with kids and she never gets mad,” she said.

she said.“She takes time to make sure everyone understands. And she’s just good at making sure everyone's at the same level, so we can all progress together.”

Junior Ava Andrade, who had Fitzgerald as

Gomez-Reynoso said that Fitzgerald helped guide her class through the Shakespeare unit especially well.

“A lot of us struggle to understand what we’re reading,”

Wellness department chair and Class O ce co-coordinator Patrick Jordan-Quern said that Fitzgerald is approachable and always there for those who need her.

“For adults and students, she's very welcoming and open, which allows her to meet students and people where they are at,” he said. “She challenges you in a nice way to be better.”

In the broader South community, Jordan-Quern said that Fitzgerald plays a crucial role in fostering connections between faculty and the student body.

“Spreading connectedness, having that cross between students and teachers — that's why the role that she has as a co-coordinator and class advisor is a perfect "t,” he said.

Sophomore Aidan Volk, a former student of Fitzgerald’s, said that Fitzgerald is someone who reaches out to students and makes sure they have someone in the building who cares about them.

“She's made a place where I feel like I belong more, and made me have a teacher I can go talk to,” he said.

Drawing from her own student experiences with teachers like her high school history teacher, Ms. Brewer, and Polch, Fitzgerald said that she uses her relationships to guide her teaching style today.

“In very di erent ways, they challenged me to be better and to be myself academically and personally,” she said. “Knowing what that feels like, to be championed by someone and unequivocally accepted, is a feeling I remember to this day and try to pay forward to my own students.”

graphics by Kristine Lee & Ellen Wu

photo contributed by Kelli Fitzgerald

Ryana Nair Features Reporter

Jazz and band teacher Lisa Linde is creating a space for female and non-binary jazz musicians through the JazzHers program.

By Ana Ciric

Tuesday at 6 p.m. is always a groovy occasion in the Seasholes Auditorium: you’re sure to nd the JazzHers hard at work.

Founded by jazz and band teacher Lisa Linde, JazzHers is a 501(c)(3) nonpro t that promotes equity in the jazz community, providing a safe space for female and non-binary musicians to sharpen their skills and pursue their passion for jazz.

Linde said that she appreciates the freedom and creativity that jazz allows.

“If it wasn’t for jazz, I think I would have quit music,” she said. “I didn’t like to practice classical music. When I switched to trombone and joined a jazz band, I realized that music could be creative. To me, jazz is creativity, freedom and humanity.”

Giselle Nowselski, a freshman at Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School, said that JazzHers is a unique opportunity to connect with and support female jazz musicians like herself.

“I am the only girl in the jazz combo at my school, and it always felt like I had to prove that I was good enough to be there,” she said.

“Being in a group where I wasn’t in the minority was such an amazing experience and

I am extremely grateful for it.”

Despite her love for jazz, Linde noticed a problem with the genre, namely, a lack of gender diversity.

"is led her to create JazzHers, founded with the goal of empowering female and nonbinary students.

“As a woman, JazzHers is a way to nd a space where I feel not only tolerated, but embraced, accepted and celebrated,” she said.

JazzHers allows girls and non-binary people to experience this freedom and potentially discover a love for the genre.

East Bridgewater High School sophomore Nayara Miranda said that being a part of this community feels empowering and freeing.

“JazzHers means possibility,” she said.

“It means breaking barriers and proving that jazz belongs to everyone.”

Miranda said that while society has sometimes silenced the perspectives of women and non-binary people, Miranda said that she believes that jazz helps them to communicate their ideas.

“Jazz has always been my way of speaking when words fall short,” she said. “In JazzHers, there is a great emphasis on nding your voice and truly expressing yourself. "is is made even

better considering the supportive environment Ms. Linde has created at South.”

"is is not a unique sentiment among JazzHers members.

Sophomore Leila Mostaghimi said that groups like JazzHers are invaluable.

“JazzHers gives everyone access to a space where all voices are heard and everyone is welcome,” she said.

Sophomore Emily Han said that she feels less pressure when participating in JazzHers than in other school bands.

“JazzHers is a very welcoming environment to take risks in, since everybody is super friendly,“ she said.

Casey Salerno, a sophomore at Hingham High School, said that JazzHers’ positive environment is owed in large part to Linde’s teaching.

“Ms. Linde's methods of teaching are not like those in my traditional jazz band,” she said. “Every time I walk into a JazzHers jam, I'm so excited. I've never been in a room with more supportive, kind and loving people.”

Salerno said that she hopes that she can share her passion for music and help build others up.

“We need to pave the way for more leaders to step out and feel con dent in their abilities,” she said.

“Whether it be a happy smile after a solo you like or constructive criticism to your friend

willing to grow, we can stimulate change and help nd more leaders.”

Concord-Carlisle High School junior Meilynn Teng said that it is important to remember the African American roots of jazz because it is easy to see the genre as competitive or exclusive.

“When I walk into jazz environments, especially as a guitarist, I feel insecure because I'm surrounded by men who have had a lot more experience with jazz,” she said.

“Jazz is also one of those genres that tend to have a snobby or pretentious culture. People think jazz is a genre for ‘intellectuals,’ but it’s really for anybody.”

Teng said that she hopes jazz can evolve for everybody, especially underrepresented groups.

“I hope that jazz opens up more to people who aren't seen often in the jazz world, like women and other minorities,” she said. “I hope people can still honor the history of jazz. Since jazz is not as popular as pop or rap music, I hope for it to continue on and not die out.”

Miranda said that above all, JazzHers teaches students a language.

“JazzHers isn’t just a band; it’s a reminder that we deserve to be here, to play, to create, and to be celebrated for who we are,” she said. “It makes me proud, not just as a listener, but as someone who believes in the strong force of music to change the world we live in today.”

graphicbyEllenWu

Sophomore Noam Laviv plays the electric guitar up on stage at a JazzHers concert.

Charlotte Holmes (left) and Salerno (right) play the saxophone as Linde watches.

photos contributed by Lisa Linde

The Faculty Variety Show creates community

Kaylee Da & Anyssa Lin Features Contributor & Features Reporter

Ever seen your teacher show o on the guitar? Or play the strings of a traditional Chinese zither? At South’s annual Faculty Variety Show on March 15, teachers stepped out of their usual roles as educators and onto the stage as performers, "lling the night with music, comedy and unexpected talent.

Initiated in 2003 by since-retired history teacher Bob Parlin, the show has become a beloved tradition for the South community, o ering a glimpse of teachers beyond the classroom.

Parlin started the show after a group of seniors complained that senior traditions were frequently banned due to unruly behavior.

When he insisted they could start their own traditions, the seniors objected. Parlin said that this inspired him to prove them wrong. “ ey were testing me whether I could put my money

where my mouth was and actually live up to the challenge. It worked out,” he said.“[A tradition] has to have a starting point. Someone needs to be the one to start it.”

e show, which donates all proceeds to the Students-in-Need fund, is now organized by English teacher Alan Reinstein. Reinstein said that it is a way for teachers to have fun.

"It's not a talent show, and it's not about impressing,” he said. “[It’s] a celebration of our community.”

Physics teacher Sarah Maillet said that the show creates a supportive environment for teachers to express themselves.

THE

“When I'm up there by myself, me and my banjo, I get a little nervous. But it's worth it [because of] the support that you receive from the other people playing, and from the people in the audience,” she said.“Everyone's welcome, every type of act … ere's really something in it for everybody.”

History teacher Paul Estin performed a vocal and guitar piece. After the pandemic shut

down most performance venues, he entered a musical slump period. Estin said that performing at the show was a way out of that.

“When Mr. Reinstein asked about me, I said, ‘Yes, I need something as a goal to force me to pick up the guitar,’” he said.

“[My performance] was much better than I deserved given the lack of practice. So I was very happy, because [the music] really does come back.”

Since the show’s inception, a consistent performer has been the rock band Sleepyhead. History teacher and band member Rachael McNally said that the show’s success is a testament to the organizers’ persistence and diligence.

“Mr. Parlin de"nitely gets credit for meeting the challenge of his students and starting something really positive,” she said. “ en Mr.

Reinstein deserves so much credit for keeping this alive after Mr. Parlin retired.”

Senior Kailey Deng, a "rst-time attendee, said that the show allowed her to see teachers’ passions beyond the classroom.

“I was very touched to "nd that South is such a close community,” she said. “We have so many talented teachers here that I wasn't really aware of.”

Ultimately, Parlin said that the community is the most rewarding part of the show.

“I loved the chance for people in the audience to see faculty in a di erent light … to have an event that brought the school together in a lighthearted, fun way that had no stress,” he said.

“[It’s] a way to create community on a weekend night. And have everyone leave feeling happy and entertained.”

APPLICATION

The Roar follows four seniors with different interests as they navigate the college application process. Their identities will be revealed as they make their decisions.

By Bethesda Yeh

Previously known as Clara*, Ella Hurwitz was accepted Early Decision II to Vanderbilt University, where she plans to major in political science.

Vanderbilt was a relatively late addition to Hurwitz’s school list. At the beginning of her senior year, she decided to attend a Vanderbilt information session at South. Hurwitz said that the school instantly checked o all her boxes in terms of academics, size, community and campus.

“For some reason, Vanderbilt wasn't a school that I had thought that much about. But the second I did, I realized it was exactly what I wanted,” she said. “I absolutely fell in love with everything I heard.”

Although Hurwitz had applied Regular Decision, she still had the option to switch to Early Decision II after submitting her application. She did so, she said, after realizing Vanderbilt was her top choice.

“ ere's nowhere else I would rather be,” she said. “All of the other schools I was considering just weren't exactly that.”

Hurwitz hopes to become a lawyer after college. She said that she plans to follow Vanderbilt’s pre-law track and is especially excited for their strong pre-law advising program.

“Getting into the school rea rmed that I know what I want, and I'm on the right track in my life,” she said. “It just felt like all the cards are coming into place.”

As a third-generation student at South, Hurwitz deeply cherishes always being surrounded by loved ones in Newton.

She said that moving to Nashville will be the beginning to a thrilling new chapter in her life.

“It feels insane to know that, in a few months, I'm going to completely leave everything I built my life around,” she said. “Starting fresh in this new place is so exciting, and I get to make my own future and make my own life there. I really can't wait.”

Anne* was accepted to Oberlin College, Tufts University, UMass Amherst, Case Western Reserve University, UVM and McGill University, among other schools.

With all of her decisions out, Anne said that she feels a weight lifted o her shoulders, although this "nal phase of the college application process comes with its own challenges.

“I'm a very indecisive person,” she said. “I like so many of my options, which is a good thing, but it also makes it hard to narrow it down.”

Anne was accepted to Oberlin as a soccer recruit and as a non-athlete to the remainder of her schools. While making her decision, Anne said that she must consider both her passion in soccer and aspiration for a career in medicine, which means weighing each college’s bene"ts and drawbacks.

“It's "guring out, what do you want to sacri"ce? Do I want to play [non-collegiate] club soccer at a school with a better pre-med program or a better connection with hospitals? [Or] do I want to play collegiate soccer in a location without as many hospitals?” she said. “I go back and forth on di erent days.”

Finances are another signi"cant factor for Anne. She said that each school’s "nal tuition number — which she has yet to hear back on — will strongly in uence her decision.

“ ere are some schools I would love to go [to], but I don't know if that would be a pos-

sibility because of the "nancial aspect,” she said.

Over April break, Anne plans to re-visit several schools on her list, as well as attend admitted students’ days to meet potential future teachers and classmates.

“I'm hoping that visiting some of those places again will help clarify things … just seeing what it would be like at those schools [and] where would I be the happiest,” she said.

photo contributed by Ella Hurwitz

Ani Somasundaram, Derek van Beever, Rachael McNally and Chris O'Rourke: members of rock band Sleepyhead, which has performed the show for over 20 years.

photo contributed by Rachael McNally

photo by Bethesda Yeh

Performers gather onstage during the show's nale to sing ""is Land Is Your Land."

*Name changed to protect student's identity

graphic by Emily Zhang

SPORTS

Veronica Burton's WNBA Journey

South alumna Veronica Burton has learned from all of her experiences during her career at Northwestern and her time in the WNBA.

What is something that you learned at South that you still take with you today?

I learned a lot of leadership qualities at South. I had Sam Doner as my coach freshman year and then Joe Rogers the following three years. I think they really instilled in me some leadership qualities that I was not aware of that I really brought in with me to Northwestern, and honestly, throughout my whole basketball career.

What did you learn the most in college both as a player and a person?

I think college was the biggest time for me to really take a step back and realize that I only get these moments once, and so it de nitely taught me to enjoy it as well, enjoy basketball, enjoy the people I get to do it with in the process, because once it becomes a job, it's just di erent. Another thing I learned is just humility and relationships. I was a starting point guard for all four years. I think it's really easy to get caught up in that and get caught up in accolades or whatever awards or championships we won, but I really think the biggest thing is to remain humble, because at any moment your situation can change. It's such a team sport that the person that plays the least amount of minutes is just as important as any starter or any leading scorer.

What was your experience like playing for the Dallas Wings?

With Dallas, I was so fortunate to be there playing alongside people that I idolized. It was such a unique opportunity, and I learned so much in my two years in Dallas. And then it's heartbreaking to get cut. I think

By Sarah Schwartz

it's every athlete's biggest fear, and then it happens and it's so weird. I tell people that it was honestly almost like a relief for me. I think it was just so consuming, the idea of it, that once it happened, I was like, I'm okay - I'm healthy, I have a family that loves and supports me, and now I just have to put my head down and keep working.

What was your experience like playing for the Connecticut Sun?

To get the opportunity in Connecticut, it's about opportunity and being ready when it's called. When I got the phone call, I had been training, getting in the gym every day with Joe [Rogers], which was super helpful and gave me a new level of preparation, so that when I stepped foot in Connecticut, I knew that I belonged, and I knew that I could bring something to the table. Competing on a contender with incredible vets, playing alongside DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa omas, was so cool for me. I de nitely think it was crucial for my career, and even just that short season de nitely helped me a lot.

What was your experience like playing overseas in Australia this past winter?

It was amazing, I loved it, and we ended up doing really well. We won the championship there, which was the cherry on top. But basketball aside, I think it's just so incredible to be able to travel the world doing something that you love. And you're so far from home, and I'm a very big homebody, so I think that can be challenging at times. But the more you dive into the culture that you're in and dive into the people that you're around, it just brings you a new level of joy.

What's your mindset going into your season with the Golden State Valkyries?

To get drafted to the expansion team at the Valkyries, it's just so cool to be a part of history. Just staying in the moment and appreciating that and being part of the rst [team] of a franchise is something that not many people can say. I'm de nitely grateful and excited to attack it.

What's it like being a pro female athlete in a time of such growth for the game?

It's really been neat to see the transition and the build up that's been happening over the course of the past few years. It's a testament to the incoming classes and rookies, and to the people that came before us and paved the way for us to be here. Obviously, now it's trending a little bit more, and it's cool to play in the WNBA, but there was a time when it wasn't - a time when women in sports all over, not just basketball, weren't respected. I think there's still a lot of growth to be made, but to see it on the rise is so exciting. I just hope to do my part to continue pushing it forward.

What di erences have you seen in access to resources during your career?

At least at Northwestern, our facilities were all brand new. We were taken care of at the highest level, and you had access to whatever you needed really quickly. And then it's the craziest idea that when you get drafted to the WNBA, those resources, for the most part, really do vanish. ey're way more limited, even in terms of meal prep, meal options. Even travel alone, we nally just got chartered

[planes] this past season. You go from having those consistently in college to not, so it takes a toll on your body, on recovery, all the travel and everything. So that's another reason I'm super excited to be joining the Valkyries. e investment there is incredible and the facilities that I saw and utilized already in the short time that I was there - you feel valued. You feel like you're deserving of it. And I'm grateful for that organization.

photos contributed by Veronica Burton

South alumna Veronica Burton scores.

Payday: Pro athlete deals break the bank

Tyler Germain & Bodhi Jathar Sports Reporter & Sports Contributor

In July 2020, news broke that shook the sports world. It was announced that Patrick Mahomes would be signing a new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs: a 10-year deal worth up to $450 million.

"is was not the rst mega contract in sports, and it certainly will not be the last, but it set o a wave of lucrative contracts across American sports leagues that would change the way we look at athletes’ contracts forever.

At the time, a contract of that scale was unheard of in the National Football League (NFL). "roughout his career, Tom Brady, widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time, earned roughly $300 million across 23 years, with an annual average of under one-third of Mahomes’ historic contract.

Fast forward to today, and a contract of this scale has become commonplace in the NFL; in fact, Mahomes’ contract doesn’t even crack the top ten NFL contracts in average annual value (AAV).

"is phenomenon has been visible across all major professional sports leagues over the past several years, and new record contracts are becoming almost daily o -season news.

"e National Basketball Association (NBA) has also experienced the phenomenon in recent years. "e league introduced a new type of contract known as the “supermax” in 2017, permitting much larger contracts for NBA veterans.

On the Boston Celtics, superstars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both received super-

max deals in 2023 and 2024, respectively, each with an AAV of over $60 million.

Contracts like these have pervaded the culture of other sports; high-value contracts in the NFL and Major League Baseball (MLB) are commonly referred to as “NBA money.”

"e MLB has also recently seen the birth of long-term, high-AAV contracts. In the o season leading up to the 2024 MLB season,

and 50 stolen bases in the same season, Ohtani is e ectively two players in one.

"e Dodgers have already seen success as a result of this contract, winning their eighth World Series title in 2024.

Additionally, all-star slugger Juan Soto signed a new 15-year deal this past o season with the New York Mets worth a whopping $765 million, with an AAV of $51 million.

Contracts like Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million deal are changing the

Shohei Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"is deal may seem expensive, but it’s important to note that Ohtani is a two-way player. As both a former Cy Young candidate and the only player to ever have 50 home runs

With this signing and a National League Championship Series appearance in 2024, the Mets look to be a top contender for a World Series title in 2025.

Similar high-value contracts are part of the soccer world, too. In 2023, Saudi soccer club

Al-Hilal o ered Kylian Mbappé an astonishing $776 million for a one-year contract.

Mbappé's signing with Real Madrid, nalized in the summer of 2024, has an AAV of 45 million euros, or approximately $49 million.

"e reason for the growth of such enormous contracts can largely be attributed to the massive economic growth of sports franchises as a whole. For example, Wyc Grousbeck bought the Celtics in 2002 for $360 million and he recently sold the team for $6.1 billion, an increase in value of almost 17 times over just a 23-year span.

Additionally, the salary caps in leagues have also seen a dramatic increase. In the NFL, the salary cap in 2021 was $183 million, but entering the 2025 season, it has increased to $279 million.

"e billions in revenue that American and international sports bring in each year mean that athletes are being o ered more and more. However, this begs an important question: why are professional athletes the people who get to make this type of money?

Doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers and law enforcement o cials are the backbone of our society, yet they get paid a fraction of what many professional athletes make. "ese people contribute to societal necessities, yet many athletes are making more money in a year than some of these people make in their entire lives. Due to these factors, the rise of more lucrative contracts has become a growing reality across all sports in recent years. "ese contracts are only expected to continue in their trajectory in future years, a trajectory that can sometimes feel a little too dizzying.

Unified Wellness: Expanding a community

Sports Contributors

Upon entering the Best Buddies club, resounding laughter, smiling friends and general excitement will meet you at the door. Similar scenes are visible all around South, whether at a Uni ed "eater rehearsal or a Uni ed sports practice.

Starting next school year, in an e ort to expand on these existing programs, the Wellness Department is introducing Uni ed Wellness, a class aimed to focus on inclusivity in tness.

Uni ed Wellness will have a similar structure to the Uni ed activities that are already in place at South; neurotypical students will be paired with neurodivergent ones, forming incredibly meaningful bonds.

South special educator Kellie Robinson said that these relationships make the Uni ed programs deeply signi cant for those who participate.

“It's the magic of the friendships that you see come out of it,” she said.

“Having students that maybe have never felt connected connect in di erent ways and form these friendships.”

Sophomore Pranav Raman said that he has met countless new friends through Uni ed Basketball, Best Buddies and Uni ed "eater.

“People always come to your games,” he said. “You get treated like a celebrity.”

Sophomore Hannah Evans said that friendships like these have served as valuable lessons in compassion.

“It has made me realize that we have to disregard what society thinks is normal, and we have to be empathetic and kind to everybody because that’s how you would want to be treated, that's how everyone deserves to be

treated,” she said.

Evans said that she loves seeing participants take new risks in the setting of Uni ed "eater.

“Watching people nally come out of their shell, some people are more reserved in rehearsal, but watching them go out there and actually do it is a really big thing,” she said.

For many participants, Uni ed programs

are nicer, including [their] cheering for me. People are more $exible about the way that I’m playing no matter how good my ability is,” he said.

Evans said that this sense of encouragement will be at the heart of the Uni ed Wellness program.

“A really important thing for Uni ed Wellness is that there are some people who

serve as a space where students don’t feel shame about making mistakes.

Sophomore Ethan Procaccia, who participates in Uni ed Track and Uni ed Basketball, said that the supportive community is important to him.

“My favorite memory is the way people

have di erent abilities or that are maybe not the strongest athletes who might feel safer to try di erent things and not be worried that people might be judging [them],” she said.

While the connections they foster are priceless, participating in Uni ed programs requires a signi cant time commitment. "e

addition of Uni ed Wellness o ers class time speci cally dedicated to participation in Uni ed programs, allowing even the busiest students to experience their bene ts.

Health and wellness teacher Kayla Zerva said that the process of making this change was fairly straightforward.

“It was de nitely an area of weakness that we saw and that there could be a lot more improvement, so we thought bringing that in could bring a lot more inclusivity to South,” she said.

“Everyone was very on board with the idea of Uni ed Wellness, and the next step was getting students to sign up.”

Similar programs, such as Adaptive P.E. and Peer Buddies, have been in place at Brown and Oak Hill Middle Schools for years. "ey take place during free periods and allow students to assist one another in playing sports and exercising.

Senior and co-president of Best Buddies Emma Canty said that when students who had participated in these programs at the middle school level arrived at South, they were surprised to nd that similar inclusive programming did not exist at the high school level.

“At Brown Middle School, we had Adaptive P.E., and that was just an awesome program," she said.

"I looked forward to going to that every day. I think that it’s kind of crazy that we don’t have it here at South.”

Sophomore Olivia Bianchi, who plans on taking Uni ed Wellness next year, hopes the course will build upon the community that has already been established.

“I was very excited when I saw it. I have such fond memories of Adaptive PE in middle school,” she said. “I just wanted to experience that again.”

photo contributed by Patricia Gonzalez

Uni ed Wellness will expand on programs already in place like Uni ed Basketball.

photo-graphic by Clare Cho

game.

Eve Kosto & Mariela Weiss

The Ultimate Advance The Ultimate Advance

The South athletics department recently added ultimate frisbee as an official sports team, and fencing club hopes for the same in coming years.

By Hannah Alexander, Idahlia Brown & Anya Nezafat

Wfootball and basketball, stu dents who participate in lesser-known sports are hoping to be part of a sports team altogether.

chance to wear a blue and orange uniform has finally arrived, as South athletics recently announced the addition of an ultimate frisbee team to the athletics pro gram. Other students are hoping the fencing club will be added in the coming years as well.

ics department sent out a Google Form survey in late November asking students what teams they would like to see added, many stu dents jumped at the chance to have their sport represented. Of the multitude of responses, the most sought-after sports were ultimate frisbee, with 66 student requests, and fencing, with 28 requests.

said that following the survey, the athletics department needed a feasible plan to support the new sports, and many factors had to be taken into account.

to pay for that program, salaries and transpor

Going into his "rst season, sophomore Liam Caldicott said that he looks forward to the bene"ts of frisbee being an o cial team.

“ ere'll be more competition, and we'll actually have a team and coaches,” he said. “I look forward to getting better and playing with my friends.”

Like Caldicott, Gao said that he can’t

I saw far more people than I expected to see, which is a statement to how much more leverage the team has now that it's a special team sport.

Zachary Gao class of '27

photo by ayer Bialek

Game-changers: the power of good coaches

Ishan Jathar Sports Reporter

Imagine playing the biggest game of your life, your coaches and teammates are relying on you — and you make a mistake.

Whether you drop a pass, miss a basket or let up a goal, you have a million voices inside and outside of your head reminding you that you just messed up.

None of those voices matter, though, except for that one coach — the coach who trusted you in that moment — who tells you to keep your head up and get back into the game. at one voice of a good coach can instill con dence and make all the di erence. While they are often overlooked, many coaches are the driving factor behind how well their team performs.

Both at the professional level and in youth sports, coaches play a vital role in facilitating a team culture.

Communicating with everyone, being a strong leader and fostering a positive environment are all traits a coach should possess to run a successful team. After all, players play best when they’re happy to be on the team.

Good coaches help their teams win games, but great coaches leave a positive lasting in uence on the character and growth of each player as well.

Phil Jackson, the former head coach for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA), was a prominent example of great coaching in professional sports. During his tenure with the NBA, Jackson won 1,155 games and the most NBA championships of

any coach in history: 11.

His unique coaching style mixed with his philosophical approach led many of his teams to success, as players often refer to Jackson as the “Zen Master.” Jackson emphasized teamwork and was known for his meditation before games.

“losers” and being ned by the National Football League (NFL) for making his players practice too much made headlines.

ese incidents put Meyer’s lack of NFL experience on full display and showed that being a good coach requires fostering a good

sies in Jacksonville. Stories of him kicking his kicker in practice, calling his assistant coaches

A key element of good coaching is understanding what situation you are in as a coach. Mistakes are bound to be made throughout the season, and in the game of baseball, nobody is perfect.

Frank made it clear that mistakes are okay, but only if they serve as a learning point. If a ball went under a elder's legs, he made sure to let them know to keep their glove down. He always reminded out elders to take their rst step back to prevent runners from being able to get an extra base.

Frank created an environment that allowed every athlete to enjoy themselves through the highs and lows of a season.

It’s understandable for every coach to be strict and get annoyed when their players fail to listen or work hard.

Frank called the team out several times for being lazy and careless, but he also understood what being a high school athlete was like, and he showed o that experience in the dugout and on the eld.

Countless times, Frank expressed the fact that he is not a “strict” coach, and that when it’s not your rep, or your time to perform, it’s okay to joke around or talk to your teammates. But when it is your turn, you must put in maximum e ort and dial in to the game.

Good coaching is a highly-debated topic in the sports world. Winning, fostering a healthy and fun environment and communicating are all qualities that the best coaches possess.

ate a positive environment rather than making the game feel like a chore.

Although talent is often perceived to be the driving factor behind team success, it is crucial to never overlook the incredible di erence that a good coach can make for their team.

graphic by Seyoon Byun

CROSS W ORD!

Happy spring break from the Lion's Roar!

18) Destination of the North and South Latin trip that wasn’t built in a day (pg. 2) Today's puzzle brought to you

ANSWERS:

ACROSS DOWN

3) Location of the new Newton Food Pantry building (pg. 3)

4) Newton money store that rhymes with “brie stash” (pg. 6)

6) Platform for an infamous group chat

7) April 5 nationwide “___ O ” protests

9) Wide receiver who signed a $69 million deal with the Patriots

12) Adjective for South’s newest disc-throwing sport (pg. 21)

13) Selena Gomez’s ancé; color en Español

15.) “____? I hardly know her!” (gambling joke)

17) Winner of the 2025 March Madness men’s tournament

1) Over ____; homophone of a phone pouch brand (pg. 8)

2) Targets of recent vandalism

5) Fold editor; dancer; most aura on sta

8) Source material for a recent block-buster starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa

10) NBC show that turned 50 this year

11) Ms. Fitz’s acrobatic skill, metaphorically (pg. 16)

14) Executive ___ 14242 regarding the Department of Education (pg. 12)

16) WNBA player and South alumna (pg. 19)

Today's Roaroscope

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take a break this week. Explore a hobby that’s gotten lost in all the test cramming and late night essay grinds.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): You don’t need to travel abroad to have an adventure. Pack a snack and hit the trails — or the mini golf course.

Aries (March 21-April 19): is spring break, live life like it’s a party bus — just remember to use your turn signal...

Gemini (May 21- June 20): Something unexpected will happen this break — but don’t freak out! e right mindset makes anything positive.

Cancer (June 21- July 22): Press pause on your movie marathon and go watch the real marathon. Maybe you’ll be inspired!

Leo (July 23- Aug. 22): A cruise is the perfect place for your impulsive side. You’ll never see them again — why not?

The Only .io Guide You'll Ever Need

Every single day I face di cult challenges. As Matty Ice, I am a person who others seek for reassurance or wisdom, hoping that I can enlighten them in some way. I guess you could call me a modern day Mahatma Gandhi or a Walmart version of Socrates.

When simple people ask me these pivotal questions in their lives I usually have a very quick response:“Matty Ice, should I marry this person?” No.“Matty Ice, should I move houses?” Yes. “Matty Ice, I’m torn, what should I do in this awful situation?” No.

However, the other day I was asked by far the toughest question I have faced in my many years. What is the best .io game?

For anyone who isn’t familiar with .io games, you should probably just stop reading because the rest of this column is going to go right over your head. For anyone who stuck around even after reading the last sentence, .io games are fun and simple PVP computer video games (usually 2D) that are super popular in middle and elementary schools, especially in 2016.

Instead of giving a clear cut answer, I am going to give a ranking of what I feel are the most iconic and popular .io games from WORST to BEST. Just for the hell of it, I am also going to do an NBA player comparison for every game.

WORST: Wings.io - Nick Young Wings.io is the pvp open map plane game. I’m not a huge fan of it because the sensitivity sucks and it's hard to stay alive for more than 5 seconds.

Diep.io - Al Horford

This game actually takes zero skill. Genuinely. It is one of those games where whoever has been actively playing the game in the session for the longest amount of time is going to be #1 on the leaderboard. Brain Rot. Hole.io - Rob Dillingham

Very satisfying and highly underrated. Amazing graphics.

Paper.io - Donovan Mitchell

Circling the entire map almost never works, but when it does it’s a grand old time. Solid game.

Deeeep.io - Chris Paul

Very simple to gure out and hard to reach the top, making it a high concentration game.

Libra (Sept. 23- Oct. 22): Family vacations can be tough. You always have appendicitis in your back pocket if it gets really bad.

Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 21): ere’s a ne line between tan and crispy. Remember your sunscreen when you’re lying on the beach.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21): Now’s the perfect time to try that recipe you saw on TikTok. It won’t look quite right, but it’ll taste good!

Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 19): Hate to break it to you, but all those things you planned to get done over break can’t t in 10 days. What about some me time? a b c d e f g h i j k l

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Don’t let a little bit of bad weather ruin your vacation. e week will be Instagram worthy no matter what.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sept. 22): Not to worry you, but something’s going to go wrong on your road trip… at least it’ll make a great story when you get home.

it’s your cosmic destiny!

Agar.io - James Harden

Classic, but in my opinion very boring and annoying.

Surviv.io (Survev.io) - Kevin Durant is game is so elite. is is my GOAT. Everything about it is so amazing.

Shellshock.io - Michael Jordan

Shellshock is just re. at’s all that needs to be said. e movement, the controls, the graphics, the eggs. 3D egg shooter = so much fun.

BEST: Slither.io - LeBron James Slither.io is the GOAT and we all know it. It’s a classic. I’m convinced that more than 85 percent of all people living in the United States have played this game at least once. If you don’t like Slither.io, you don’t like .io games. Period.

Yonder, Teslas, Auburndale, FreeCash, EllieShim,

Signal, Hands, Minecraft, Diggs, SNL, Juggling, Ultimate, Blanco, Order, Poker, Burton, Gators, Rome

— SPRING BREAK EDITION —