350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478
Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage Permit #58555 Boston, MA PAID
Volu m e 6 8 , Issu e 2
Ju ne 3 , 2 0 1 9
A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School
Mr. Greer and Mr. Wood ‘71 Retire
Mr. Greer By Jackson Riffe ‘20 Panel Staff After teaching at Belmont Hill for a staggering 41 years, Mr. Greer, a treasured member of the English department, is retiring. Growing up nearby in Dedham, Massachusetts, Mr. Greer attended high school at Roxbury Latin. After attending the University of Virginia, where he majored in English and pitched for the baseball team, Mr. Greer served six-months active duty as a medic. Mr. Greer stepped onto Belmont Hill’s campus during the late 1970s in hopes of finding an available
Mr. Wood
teaching position. He was leaving behind his “ideal beginning” at Woodstock Academy, a small co-educational private school in Woodstock, Connecticut, where he taught five classes and coached Varsity basketball and JV baseball. While teaching at Woodstock, he married his wife, Dee, and together, they decided they wanted to move back closer to their hometown. Although there were no positions initially available, Mr. Greer left a resumé after a successful interview, and two weeks before the first day of classes in 1978, he received a call and was offered a job teaching English. cont. on p. 2
Baseball Wins ISL By James Markis ‘20 Panel Staff
The Varsity Baseball team completed an outstanding season finishing with an ISL record of 12-2. The team won the ISL championship outright after beating BB&N to secure its first league title since 2014. They had finished second the past four years, and with a senior-filled team, they took advantage of their experience and leadership. Led by Captains Evan Sleight, Jaylen Bailey, and Jake McOsker, the team’s biggest victory came in April with a victory over St. Sebastian’s. Captain Evan Sleight said about their championship, “There is no better feeling than winning an ISL Championship with teammates cont. on p. 9
Look Inside The Panel
By Sreetej Digumarthi ‘21 and Tyler Forg ‘21 Panel Staff Mr. Wood, a cherished faculty member at Belmont Hill, is retiring this year after 36 years of teaching and coaching for the school. Mr. Wood and his twin brother Ned graduated from Belmont Hill in the class of 1971. As a student, Mr. Wood played football, hockey, and baseball; however, reflecting on his high school athletic career, he said he was not “a very good baseball player, I wasn’t playing very much and didn’t deserve to play very much.” Eventu-
ally, the crew coach at the time, Kim Bassett, realized it would be a better fit for him to row crew rather than play baseball. In the Third Form, he joined the crew team and never looked back. “I grew a lot that summer … and I kind of looked like an oarsman in my ninth grade year, so sure enough I went down and started rowing,” Mr. Wood explained. After graduating from Belmont Hill, Mr. Wood was recruited by Yale for rowing, and, after finishing his time at Yale, he held a teaching job in Los Angeles yet decided to return to Belmont Hill as an English and history teacher and rowing coach. cont. on p. 2
Crew Team Regains NEIRA Title By Jack Weldon ‘20 Panel Staff This crew season served as a benchmark of the hard work, determination, camaraderie, and grit that future crews should aspire towards. Led by captains Jackson Stone, John High, and Teddy Danziger, the team enjoyed a dominant season over other New England crews, with the 7v4, 3v8, 4v4, 3v4, and 2v4 finishing their runs undefeated and the 1v4 only losing once outside of regattas. Undeterred by an unfortunate boat malfunction at the Founders’ Day Regatta, the crew set their eyes on winning the New England Championship and defeating longtime rival Deerfield.
The team met countless hours on the water, late practices, yoga sessions, an ergometer marathon, and several erg tests with dogged resolve, and their hard work this season finally came to fruition this past weekend. cont. on p. 8
Page 5
TRACK Wins NEPSTA
Page 2-5
DEPARTING FACULTY & STAFF
Center Spread
PRIZE DAY AWARD WINNERS
Back Page
CLASS OF 2019 MATRICULATION
Page 8-9
Tennis, Golf, & Lacrosse Finish Strong
Page 10-11 A CHORUS LINE
Vol. 6 8 , Issu e 2
belmont hill news
Pa g e 2
Tim Wood ‘71 Retires: 36 Years and Countless Students Inspired
Latin. As a history teacher, he created a few new courses which he really enjoyed teaching, yet, unfortunately, these courses are no longer taught at the school. Although he would only occasionally teach a Latin section or two, he soon became a full-time Latin teacher. Mr. Wood loved Latin. Having enjoyed the challenge that
Latin presented, Mr. Wood found his the final, and both times they were really niche in the subject. One of his recent good, really tight races, so it was a realstudents, Jackson Kendall, says that “his ly neat rivalry between the two schools” influence has played a key role in making Mr. Wood recalled. The crew also had Latin my favorite to make the difsubject at school.” ficult and timeOver his decades consuming tranat Belmont Hill, sition into eights Mr. Wood has after rowing their regular season changed the lives in fours. Memoof thousands of rable events ocstudents and has curred over the prepared many year including alumni for life af“one time I came ter Belmont Hill. down to pracDuring his years tice and half the at Belmont Hill, dock was missMr. Wood also ing, and it had coached the kind of floated crew team. He downstream, and admits that “the so I had to find it first year, I reand bring it back ally had no idea upstream and tie what I was doit back together ing as a coach.” again.” Many Mr. Wood’s crew alumni rowmade it to the Cherished faculty member, Mr. Wood retires after 36 ers have pleasfinals at Henley years of teaching and coaching ant memories of two years and won in the latter of the two finals in 1987. rowing with Coach Wood, and even now, The Henley Royal Regatta is one of the acknowledging his remarkable ability to most celebrated rowing regattas in the connect with rowers. Current rowers know world, and the Princess Elizabeth Chal- him for instilling discipline and requirlenge Cup is the most prestigious race ing hard work both on and off the water. for a school crew. “Both years we raced Furthermore, Mr. Wood reflected on the them [the Hampton School Boat Club] in changes at Belmont Hill from when he
was a student to now. The pace in both academics and athletics has certainly become faster with classes getting more and more vigorous and students beginning to participate not only on school teams but also in club sports outside of school. “Part of that is the result of what would seem to be a really positive part of the changes to the school and that’s the increased opportunities that are offered to the students,” Mr. Wood explained. When he was a student, there were only around seven to eight clubs in the school compared to the dozens available now; furthermore, the clubs have become more time-consuming. “Society has also changed; students now participate in club sports more in the afternoons.” Mr. Wood also noticed the increased diversity in the school with more women on the faculty and more students from different backgrounds. Of all the things that he will miss when he leaves Belmont Hill, Mr. Wood knows that he will miss the people the most because he has enjoyed working with them over the years. When he retires, he looks forward to sleeping in every morning and not having to worry about grading assessments every night. Although he is ending his tenure as a teacher, Mr. Wood may choose to continue coaching crew for either the Middle School crew team or for another club or school. The Belmont Hill community bids Mr. Wood farewell and thanks him for the influential impact he has had on countless students and the school as a whole. ☐
Continued from Front Page Throughout his 41 year-long career, Mr. Greer has been involved in every area of Belmont Hill. He has enthusiastically taught English 4, American Literature, and The Hero In Literature to upper schoolers, and has coached football, basketball, and baseball at various levels. On the academic side of campus, Mr. Greer has cherished classroom autonomy. He appreciates the opportunity to implement the “Profile assignment” in English 4, and the freedom to design and discuss new courses. He recalls, “Periodically parents have questioned our reading lists, but I think our defense was always a solid one: We picked books which our students would enjoy to read and write about.” Over the years, Mr. Greer has succeeded in making the content of his courses relatable and engaging to all his students. He appreciates when students genuinely care about the material and actively participate in Belmont Hill’s hallmark Harkness Table discussions. In recognition of his service and leadership, Mr. Greer was awarded the Burns Chair in the Humanities. He claims that this “is the single greatest honor I can cite. I was totally surprised and honored to receive the endowed chair.” On the athletic side of campus, Mr. Greer easily recalls various memorable moments. He fondly recalls the memories of coaching 8th-grade football with Mr. Brodie and Mr. Martin for seven consecutive undefeated seasons. While describing the streak, he laughs, “That ain’t bad.” His
years of coaching Varsity baseball during diately responded, “The community.” He the mid to late-90s yield two especially added that he will miss the “unique comcherished memories: working with for- bination of the people I teach with and the mer Red Sox catcher, Rich Gedman (now students I teach.” He believes that English the hitting coach for the Pawtucket Red is one of the most demanding subjects to Sox) and winning the ISL Championship teach and “if it weren’t for grading 3-4 page in 1997. That essays, I might season, Belbe able to stick mont Hill held around a little first place golonger.” Upon ing into the filearning of Mr. nal game of the Greer’s retireseason against ment plans last rival BB&N, spring, Mr. who happened Armstrong to be one game complimented behind in sechis colleague’s ond place. “Mr. teaching prowGoodband’s oldess, with an est son, Cliffy, apt baseball pitched that metaphor: “the game. He threw good news is, a no-hitter, and you haven’t lost we won 10-0 to your fastball.” win the league.” Although he Mr. Greer also admits to betruly enjoyed coming a softer this past winter grader over the Mr. Greer retires after 41 years at the school season coaching years, Mr. Greer 7th-grade basketball with Mr. Martellini. feels this compliment is generally accurate, He adds, “Before this year, I would’ve had and he appreciates the opportunity to rea hard time picking out my favorite bas- tire from Belmont Hill on his own terms. ketball season. But I had more fun coachWhile Mr. Greer has not yet ening the 7th-grade team this year with Mr. tirely determined what he will be doMartellini than I’ve had in a long time.” ing in retirement, he certainly knows When asked ‘What will you miss most that he and his wife will be spendabout Belmont Hill?’, Mr. Greer imme- ing more time with their children and
grandchildren. “My oldest [grandchild] is 11, and they’re all getting more involved in sports and other activities, so we just want to be able to support them. Additionally, Mr. Greer looks forward to some travel. This upcoming autumn will be the first fall he has ever had off in his adult life. Despite being offered four sabbaticals, he took time off just once in the spring. He hopes to take many day trips around New England during the scenic fall. That said, he leaves open the option of tutoring or substituting at Belmont Hill or another school. Alas, he will not continue coaching on the Hill in retirement due to bad traffic during the late-afternoon commute home. Nevertheless, he has not ruled out the idea of returning to coaching in some form. A former student of his is the head of school at Catholic Memorial, a private school in West Roxbury, so coaching at a school closer to home remains a possibility. Additionally, Mr. Greer is exploring the opportunity of receiving a board certification to referee middle school basketball games at various other local schools. Mr. Greer will be greatly missed by everyone in the Belmont Hill community. Students will miss the daily competition to answer extra credit questions posted on the whiteboard in his classroom, and athletes will miss his presence on the field or on the court. Mr. Greer has truly contributed to every aspect of the Belmont Hill community; we wish him the very best as he begins his retirement. ☐
Continued from Front Page At the time he started coaching crew, Mr. Wood was the only faculty member who coached crew, meaning part-time coaches had to be hired. Essentially, Mr. Wood had to manage both the Middle School and varsity crew teams and deal with logistics for shell transportation using time which he would normally devote to teaching. At the time, a lot of Mr. Wood’s former teachers were still teaching at the school, and he remembers getting positive and helpful support from his colleagues. At first, Mr. Wood taught English and only a couple of sections of history, but soon he transitioned to teaching history primarily while picking up a bit of
“One of the things about teaching is that I learned a lot more as a teacher than I ever did as a student because we were always exploring different places to go and different things to do with your classes and different ways of presenting the material.”
Prized English Teacher and Accomplished Coach, Mr. Greer, Waves Goodbye
Phenom on the Pitch & in Classroom: Mr. Khan Says Goodbye By Jake Pappo ‘20 Panel Staff In his one year at Belmont Hill, Mr. Aziz Khan has made many contributions to the community, both in the classroom, as a First Form science teacher, and on the playing field, where he served as assistant varsity soccer coach. A stellar soccer player, Mr. Khan attended Lawrence Academy, twice winning the ISL Championships and achieving All-League recognition. He played soccer at Amherst Col-
lege for a full four years, won the school’s first national championship in 2015, and went on to captain the team. He spent summers training with a semi-pro soccer team, the Reds of Providence, Rhode Island and continued playing with them throughout this year on weekends and evenings. Mr. Khan leaves Belmont Hill to pursue soccer at the professional level, either in France or in West Africa. Wherever he lands, we wish him the best of luck and thank him for his meaningful year in our community. ☐
BELMONT HILL NEWS
Pa g e 3
Ju ne 3 , 2 0 1 9
Exceptionally Talented Dr. Buckley Departs to Accomplish Much Out West By Chetan Shukla ‘20 Panel Staff Sadly, Dr. Buckley will be leaving Belmont Hill at the conclusion of this academic year. Even prior to her arrival on the Hill, Dr. Buckley had already accomplished so much. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, where she concentrated in International Relations, she traveled across the country to Stanford. There, she earned her Ph.D. in Political Science, focusing on American History. While in graduate school, Dr. Buckley taught at both Harvard and Stanford. Apart from academia, Dr. Buckley also spent her summers as a Whitewater River Guide in Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. After acquiring her doctorate, Dr. Buckley worked as a professor at Middlebury College in Vermont. Following this, she published academic papers and co-authored a textbook. In 2009, Dr. Buckley decided to veer her career towards the molding of young minds and, accordingly, accepted a job at Belmont Hill. Across her ten-year tenure at Belmont Hill, Dr. Buckley had a profound impact on numerous aspects of the school. Head of the History department for three years, she helped shape our history curriculum and design new courses. In April of 2018, Dr. Buckley was honored as the first recipient of the Centennial Chair in History. Dr. Buckley taught a plethora of courses in her tenure; although on paper her teaching impact is palpable, her influence on these courses is much more. For US History, she
transformed the curriculum from one of rogue memorization to inquiry-based, enhancing the intrigue of the course immensely. For each of the senior electives which she taught, Dr. Buckley crafted the curriculum herself, which took many hours and much trial and error. Dr. Buckley also switched up the Dr. Buckley departs after 10 Years at the School syllabi every year to keep the courses interesting for herself! State Representative Linsky in State House Speaking on Dr. Buckley’s effect, cur- offices or in US Congress District Offices rent Senior Thomas McEvoy states, “Dr. for Representative Kennedy or Clark, aidBuckley was instrumental in helping me to ing a campaign or consulting politically. discover my passion for American history These opportunities are one of a kind and and political science. I’m forever grateful for not offered in many other places. Without the time and energy she invested in me as a Dr. Buckley, this program would never student. Her classes were among the most have come into existence. Asked for her engaging and rewarding I’ve ever taken, and favorite memory on campus, Dr. Buckley I’ll miss that same lively yet focused atmo- was unable to choose one as all her mosphere!” Profoundly influencing the school’s ments on campus were so special to her. impact on the world outside of campus and As she departs the Hill, Dr. Buckopportunities for students, Dr. Buckley es- ley will start a new and interesting chapter tablished the Politics Internship Program for in her life. Familiar with designing proseniors. In this program, students spend one grams, Dr. Buckley will create and lead a day per week working on the frontlines of policy institute situated out west in Crested electoral or policy process. These internships Butte, Colorado. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, can include working for Governor Baker or she will work on non-partisan policy so-
lutions to controversial issues that plague the American West. Merging two distinct worlds, the Crested Butte Institute will bring together an interest of the energy industry with interests of land users and conservationists. The energy industry consists of oil, gas, coal, and renewables, such as wind and solar. The people who use the land include ranchers, farmers, indoor and outdoor ski industry, environmentalists, and homeowners. Having always been interested in “depoliticizing issues to focus on interest-based solutions,” Dr. Buckley crafted the Crested Butte Institute in order to accomplish this goal. Finding common ground between the multiple parties with distinct interests, the institute aims to build policies from the ground up, in a bipartisan manner. When not building and leading this institute, Dr. Buckley plans to traverse the Great Outdoors. Some activities she looks forward to include fly fishing, mountain biking, skiing, and a return to her beloved whitewater rafting. Overall, while it is sad to see her go, we all wish Dr. Buckley the best of luck in her future endeavors and thank her for her tremendous impact on the school. ☐
Cherished History Teacher and Revered Coach, Mr. O’Leary Disembarks By Charlie Donahue ‘20 Panel Staff At the conclusion of this year Belmont Hill is saying goodbye to a treasured member of our history department, Mr. O’Leary, as he packs his bags and heads for the West Coast. Six years ago he joined the faculty, coming to us from the Harvard Westlake School in Los Angeles, coincidentally where he will be teaching again next fall. Mr. O’Leary’s time on the Hill has been marked by good humor, scintillating class discussions, and his versatility as a member of the faculty. Simply, he has been involved in the entire gamut of student life. He has taught courses in grades eight through twelve, a wider spread, he notes, than any of his colleagues in the department. Many of his eighth grade U.S. Government students have gone on to take his Facing History elective as ninth graders. Additionally, he has taught World Issues as the curriculum has evolved from South Africa, India, and China, to India and China, and finally to Middle East and China. Many Upper Schoolers have benefitted from his strong commitment to teaching in his modern European History and U.S. History courses. Additionally, Coach O’Leary has been instrumental on the athletic fields here at Belmont Hill. For three years he served as assistant coach of 8th grade football before finally taking over as head coach in 2016. In the spring he has coached varsity
baseball for all of his time here. “I will parMr. O’Leary has also been willing to ticularly remember all of the times we beat give up the final weeks of his summer for Sebs or my alma mater, RL, in football and many years and run the “Head Start” probaseball. Those were always special days.” gram for incoming seventh graders. In Additionthis role he has been ally, Mr. O’Leary has able to help students immersed himself acclimatize to the in other areas of stuschool and settle dent life. For a few their anxiety in prepyears now he has been aration for starting tasked with heading their journey here. the ninth grade inThis speaks to his terdisciplinary day, generosity and care which many students of students’ well-befondly remember. ing; he truly enjoys Additionally, he has educating the “whole been a faculty leader boy.” Last summer, of many courses, inMr. O’Leary served cluding U.S. History, as a faculty chaperCrescent and Dragon, one of the Kenney and American GovLegacy Trip. “That ernment. He has was probably the read countless admismost memorable sion files over his six experience I have Mr. O’Leary leaves the Hill after 6 Years years, and has loved had here, especially watching applicants he vouched for make when we visited Normandy,” he explained. outstanding contributions as Belmont Hill When asked what would miss the most students. He has spent many afternoons about the Hill, Mr. O’Leary answered, “The advising the Middle School Senate, and as thing I will miss the most is the coaching head advisor of the Second Form, he has aspect because I’m not going to coach in led many Washington D.C. trips, which he California. For me it’s one of the best parts remembers as a highlight of his time. “It about Belmont Hill. You get to live a simiwas pretty special meeting General Milley, lar schedule to the students. You appreciate Mitt Romney, and Ed Markey on this year’s what a student goes through and their deD.C. trip; I’ll never forget that,” he notes. mands and you go through the daily sched-
ule, sit with them at lunch, and then you go home and do work at home, definitely not as much as the kids do, but you appreciate what students go through.” All of this is not to say he is not looking forward to life on the West
“Belmont Hill has been a good school because I feel like I’ve worked alongside a lot of different faculty as a coach or doing a special project with someone. At other schools sometimes you don’t know other people in other departments, which really differentiates this place.” Coast. Firstly, the move offers an amazing opportunity for his family. His wife, a recent recipient of a doctorate in psychology, will begin in the fall as a clinical psychologist at UCLA in the psychiatric equivalent of a medical residency. Additionally, the “quality of life is somewhat better. The mexican food is better, and I’ll spend more time outside,” While he will miss the interactions with his students and the Belmont Hill model, he will “take the aspects of Belmont Hill that are really great to [his] next job.” Additionally, he is excited to teach ancient and medieval history, which he taught before coming here. Overall, while we are sad to lose him and will miss him next year, we are excited for Mr. O’Leary and his family and thank him for his amazing work at Belmont Hill. ☐
After an Influential Year: Ms. Lyman Departs By Charlie Wells ‘21 Panel Staff After one year in the English department, Ms. Daphne Lyman’s time on the Belmont Hill campus is coming to a close. In her first year teaching, Belmont Hill offered her the chance to “get my feet wet and figure it out.” This past year she taught two sections of English I. In the fall she co-chaperoned the Model
UN outing at the Brown University conference. In the winter she could be found on the alpine ski slopes alongside Mr. Trautz and Mr. Feldman. This spring she was the head coach of the sailing team, leading them to a 6-3 record. When asked about her experience at Belmont Hill, Ms. Lyman said “it’s truly a great community, especially because everyone is so smart, and hard-working -dedicated to their jobs, including academ-
ics, sports, whatever it may be….Everyone here just cares a lot about this community, and that’s an awesome thing to be a part of.” Ms. Lyman said that she currently has a couple of options lined up, “a few irons in the fire,” among which are teaching a few more years elsewhere, or going to graduate school. She certainly had a positive impact on the lives of many this year, and will definitely be missed around campus next year! ☐
Ms. Lyman says goodbye after one year
Vol. 6 8 , Issu e 2
belmont hill news
Pa g e 4
Ms. Robison Moves on, Leaving a Legacy in Theater and English By Streetej Digumarthi ‘21 Panel Staff After working in the English and Theater Departments for five years, Ms. Robison will be departing from Belmont Hill. In her five years at Belmont Hill, she made significant contributions to both departments. Ms. Robison innovated the Theater program as the Director for four years, introducing stage fight choreographers for plays with fighting scenes, microphones for actors in the musicals, a new light board, and the performing arts banquet. In these four years, she directed twelve different plays, including One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Antigone, A Rai-
Ms. Robison
sin in the Sun, Guys and Dolls, and two Shakespeare plays. In the English department, Ms. Robison strived to reach every type of learner in her English II and III classes, drawing upon a wide range of teaching techniques (such as Socratic circles, visuals, acting scenes, and presentations), inspired by Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. She coordinated field trips for English students to see professional Shakespeare productions in Boston and brought theater groups to perform at Belmont Hill. As an advisor to Form II students, she accompanied them on service trips and, on two occasions, served as a chaperone on the form Washington D.C. trip. Next year, Ms. Robison plans to continue teach-
ing and is considering a return to public education. Having previously taught and directed at public schools, Ms. Robison appreciates the differences between public and private schools, noting that public schools tend towards larger Theater programs. Reflecting on her time at Belmont Hill, Ms. Robison said that she will miss the camaraderie and fun in the classroom and that she is very grateful for her opportunities in these past five years. ☐
Goodbye to Mr. Moronta: A History of Seven Years of Excellence By Andrew Lee ‘20 Panel Staff After 7 years of excellence as a teacher, coach, and admissions officer, cherished faculty member Mr. Moronta leaves Belmont Hill School to take the helm as Associate Director of Admissions and the Director of Squash at Tabor Academy, his alma mater. Playing on various varsity sports including squash and baseball at Tabor, Mr. Moronta pursued this passion and love for these games at Belmont Hill School, as head coach of the JV squash for three years and 8thgrade baseball head coach for four years. Serving as a director of the Belmont Hill dorms for five years, Mr. Moronta oversaw the many boarders throughout the years and formed personal connections with many students. Fifth former Luca Foschi Walko commented, “Mr. Moronta has been a great person not only to talk to,
Mr. Moronta with his dog, Tess
but also helped me adjust myself into the Belmont Hill community during my first year here at this school.” In addition, Mr. Moronta taught Algebra 1 and Spanish 1 throughout his years on the Hill. Known for his exemplary service on the field, the courts, in the dorms and in the classroom, Mr. Moronta nevertheless devoted most of his time to his primary job in the admissions office. Mr. Moronta’s wide-ranging talents, congeniality, and commitment to excellence, exemplify the qualities that Belmont Hill strives for in our faculty. Although his departure will be hard-felt, Mr. Moronta heads to a position that offers him further opportunities to grow as a coach and that is far closer to his family, enabling him to return home to his young family every school night, instead of only on the weekends. Though seven years of work-week separation from his wife and daughters has been difficult, Mr. Moronta has no regrets about the time he spent here at Belmont Hill School.
Close matches at High School Nationals for the Squash Varsity team, interaction with a diverse range of colleagues and students, including boys from varied racial and ethnic backgrounds and differing interests in athletics. When asked about his time here at this school, Mr. Moronta remarks, “As soon as I walked on campus, I wanted to teach here. I fell in love with the faculty and the community. It was a moment of pride when given the opportunity to be a part of the Belmont Hill Community. My time here was an honor.” Mr. Moronta will be remembered as a passionate member of the Belmont Hill community by every student and faculty member. Through his presence on the squash courts, on the field, in the classroom, and in our hearts, we wish Mr. Moronta all the best on his new adventures at Tabor and at home. ☐
The Belmont Hill Community Bids Farewell to Mr. Young By Charlie Donahue ‘20 Panel Staff Two and a half decades ago, Mr. Young came to Belmont Hill temporarily amidst a career change. He had been working for a masonry company in Boston, and planned on staying here while he charted a new course. However, he realized this was a great place to work and temporarily turned into 25 years. In his time here, Mr. Young has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to beautify this campus and make it the best possible place to learn. Although he would never admit it, Belmont Hill would not run without Mr. Young. Perhaps no one is as familiar with the intricacies of each nook and cranny of this campus as he is, and his departure will be a huge loss for Bel-
Mr. Young in front of the Chapel
mont Hill. This summer, he will start a new job with the facilities department at Newton Country Day School. While he is sad to leave, it offers a great opportunity and the time is right for him and his family. “My two daughters are over there. Because of the hours here [at Belmont Hill] you tend to miss a lot at home. Being at NCDS I’ll be involved in their day-to-day a little more. It’ll also be a nice opportunity to start over. Developmentally, NCDS is behind where we are and I’ll have a chance to do many of the projects I did here over again,” he explained. He also thinks that “the time is right. The new headmaster is in and settled. There’s a point in everyone’s career and life where change is good and this seemed right.” Looking back, he remembers the construction of the Melvoin Academic Center as the largest project he worked
on, as well as the most difficult. In addition, he has been a part of many other endeavors including the additions to Morse and Science, the construction of the Music Building, and the upcoming Chapel renovation. He also remembers the particularly challenging winter of 2015, where it snowed non-stop. “ That was something I will always remember. It was like we lived here. The difficulty of getting campus open was monumental. Whenever we have challenges, we always seem to come back to that,” he explains. He also says the thing he will miss the most is “The community. Everyone who I have worked with for years. The way everyone pitches in around here. It’s a great place to work.” On behalf of everyone here, we thank Mr. Young for his years of dedication and wish him well in all his future endeavors. ☐
A New Take on Senior Prank Day: Going Green in 2019 to take slight detours just to make their way around the bikes. That was not all though, as hordes of seniors flocked out of the Science and Melvoin buildings, eager to take their new rides for a glory lap around the Jordan track. While this was all good and fun, it was nothing though compared to the trouble it would cause at cookies and milk. Much to students’ surprise, two heavily armed patrol cars pulled up right next to where cookies were being served and took the infamous Andy “Lockbreaker” Hart into custody. As many students gawked in awe, and Mr. Grant vainly attempted
By Charlie Mullaney ‘20 Panel Staff May 2nd was a chilly morning and just another day of school for most. But when students began to shuffle in, they noticed something different about the campus that day; it was bright green. No, the grass had not bloomed overnight, it was, in fact, the 65+ Lyme bikes seniors had “borrowed” from the towns of Belmont, Watertown, and Arlington. This creative and witty prank had even some of the toughest teachers laughing while walking to class, as many had Lime Bikes in the academic quad
to control the scene, Hart was violent shoved into a patrol car and taken away...but not before a “FREE HART” chant rose from the crowd. As it dawned on the crowd that this was a masterful hoax, students asked class president Shane Rocket how they managed to pull this off. He enigmatically replied, “A good magician never reveals his tricks” before vanishing into a cloud of mist. While nobody really knows how the seniors got this incredible stunt off, it’s easily one of the best pranks the senior class has ever engineered. Or... was it a prank at all? ☐
BELMONT HILL NEWS
Pa g e 5
Ju ne 3 , 2 0 1 9
As the Class of 2019 Embarks on a New Journey, We Reflect on Their Legacy remarked, “ASR was an amazing opportunity - it was really special to participate in real laboratory research, take a deep dive into a June 3rd marks the end of the Class topic, and constantly learn new things. I’m of 2019’s time at Belmont Hill. Their comextremely grateful to Mr. Courtney and the mencement is bittersweet; while teachers, school for the program; it’s not something peers, and friends celebrate their accomthat many high schoolers get the chance to plishments and their transition to the world do.” The class was also distinguished by its beyond, their joyous presence here will be high levels of achievement in mathematics, characterized especially by Matthew Smith. missed and their academic, athletic, and Two grades ahead of his peers in math, in arts contributions will leave an enduring 2017 Smith was awarded the Mathematilegacy. “The class invigorated Belmont Hill cal Association of America Award, given with their camaraderie and spirit; the class to the highest individual scorer on MAA has always been tight-knit and it continues contests; Smith also received the Rensselaer to be so,” remarked President Shane Rockett. Medal Award from Belmont Hill in 2018 In a successful athletic year, the senior for his outstanding work in mathematics. class led Belmont Hill sports teams to chamIn the physical arts, the class of 2019 pionships across the board. Varsity football, made its mark with talented woodworkers under senior captains Shane Rockett, Jaysuch as Liam Durbin, Colin Vallis, and Jake len Bailey, and Justin O’Neil-Riley, defeated McOsker. “My experience in the woodshop Suffield Academy in the Dave Coratti Bowl, has been a fundamental portion of my Belcapping off their season with an ISL title and mont Hill career,” stated Durbin, a celebrata New England championship. “Winning ed artist. “Having a place to go on campus league championships has become the stanwhere I can immerse myself in hands-on, dard at Belmont Hill, so I think we did our rewarding work was and continues to be an job,” observed captain Rockett. During the integral relief from the work and pressures winter season, wrestling likewise achieved Nick Daley was a Regeneron STS Scholar of a traditional classroom setting.” In the historic victories, with captains Luca Pontone, Colin Vallis, and Matt Smith leading every person on the team got us to where we performing arts, musicians such as Andrew the team to an ISL and New England victory. are now.” Stone, High, Danziger, and Robert Herrera, Kerby Louis-Roberson, and AnPontone, who placed third at the National Paré, eagerly anticipate competing in the 1v4 toine DeRosa have left their mark. Herrera, Championship Tournament for his second event at Youth Nationals in the coming weeks. who played the saxophone and led the jazz ensemble, fondly looked back on his time as a musician at Belmont Hill: “The music program provided 45 minutes of relief and relaxation each day for me. Coming back from a test or a very intense class, I would head towards the music building knowing I am going to enjoy playing music with a group of guys who look forward to the same thing. It has been a wonderful experience, playing and being able to watch all the families enjoy the music their sons are playing.” Louis-Roberson, a talented violinist, has played in ensembles such as the local Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Rennes Orchestra Symphonic in his year abroad in France. He also worked with STEP, a program that helps to introduce people of color to the classical music industry. DeRosa’s artistry extends from creative writing to Woodbury speeches, to top-notch singing performances at Coffee House and the James Eysenbach skiing at the Lakes Region Championships Senior Talent Show. The artists of the Class consecutive year, and Vallis were hallmarks Academically, the school says goodbye of 2019 were invaluable to Belmont Hill and of the program; the team will miss their to Nick Daley, who reached the Semi-finalist have left a remarkable legacy behind them. T h e leadership and talent. James Eysenbach and Class of 2019 Nick Daley led the Varsity Cross Country greatly imSkiing team to their first-ever Lakes Repacted the gion Championship. In the spring, senior Belmont Hill captains Matt Goguen, Matt Smith, Isaiah community Gomes, and Gabe Peterkin ran the varsity in extracurtrack team, which captured yet another ISL riculars with title and New England Championships. On their sound the baseball diamond, Evan Sleight, Jake and passionMcOsker, and Jaylen Bailey led the team to ate leadership. an ISL championship with a victory over The SustainBB&N. The sailing team, helmed by seniors ability Club, Peter Wade, Michael Wade, Ned Whelan, led by Colin and Ben Awtrey, attained victory at the MasBraun and sachusetts State High School Championship. Josh FairJackson Stone, John High, and Teddy Danman, reached ziger captained the crew team, which earlier The Belmont Hill 1v4 at the NEIRA grand finals new heights this season broke the all-time school record this year. “I for the fastest crew on the ergometers, and won the New England Championship over stage of the prestigious Regeneron Science learned a lot not only about how much poprominent rivals such as Deerfield and No- Talent Search. Reflecting on his two years of tential this school has in becoming a more work on DNA folding and expression, Daley sustainable campus, but also about the inBy Jack Weldon ‘20 Panel Staff
bles. “From months before the season even started, our goal was to win the team trophy at NEIRAs,” reflected captain Stone. “The competition in our league has really grown over the past few years, so this was quite a lofty goal, but we knew that it would be possible if everyone on the team pulled through like we knew we could. And pull through we did. I couldn’t be more proud of everyone on the team. Whether they raced at NEIRAs or not,
tricacies of pushing initiatives through the layers of administration at the school. With the help of Mr. McAlpin, my co-heads, and the regulars in the club, we were able to incorporate composting into our waste management on campus as well as create a pilot program for electric maintenance equipment,” Braun stated, discussing the club’s efforts to support composting. In terms of his workload with the club, he added that “It’s easy to become overwhelmed with how much work there is to be done in order to make campus as sustainable as possible, and because of this I think a part of me will always wish I could have done more during my time here, but I have faith that the future leaders of Sustainability on campus will continue the progress we have begun to make.”
The 2019 PWAP team SAFE, led by Julian Wambach and Justin O’Neil Riley, led a successful Diversity Day and attended SDLC, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Party with a Purpose, the wildly successful dance marathon that partners with Boston Children’s Miracle Network every year to raise money for children in need, is another product of this class. Thomas Ryan, Collin Vallis, and Lawson Morris helped to found and lead this event for several years, and it will continue after they have graduated. Finally, Model United Nations ended a successful year, with several award-winning delegates in the program. Matt Smith, Rishi Banerjee, John Gaudian, and Matt Goguen led the club and helped secure its strength and performance for the future. The class also contained a significant number of global travelers. During their junior years, Kerby Louis-Roberson and Alex Manioudakis spent a year abroad in France, Brian Gleason and Ned Whelan spent a semester in China, and James Eysenbach spent a semester at the Alzar Mountain School in Idaho. In their sophomore years, Colin Braun spent a semester at the Island School in the Bahamas and Ben Awtrey spent a semester at The School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, DC. These travelers represent the outward-looking spirit of the Class of 2019, and their global interest bodes well for their futures beyond the Hill. Athletically, academically, artistically, and beyond, the Class of 2019 has stamped a lasting legacy upon Belmont Hill. The brief summary of accomplishments listed here could never seize the full scope of this their impact. The class made the 2018-2019 school term a hallmark year of league championships, contest victories, improvements in sustainability, music performances, and an incredible cap on their careers at the school. ☐
Prize Day 2019
Pa g e 6
Th e Pan el
Extracurriculars & Arts B Flats Music Awards
Rishi Banerjee, Michael Glauninger, Kevin O’Neill, Luca Pontone, Julian Wambach
Choral & Vocal Prize
Kevin O’Neill
Instrumental Music Prize
Andrew Herrera. Charles Stevenson
Ensemble Award
Devon Anderson, Andrew Herrera, Kerby-Louis Roberson
Diversity Leadership Award
Charles Booth, Justin O’Neil-Riley, Hamza Shemsu, Julian Wambach
Woodbury Public Speaking Prize
Charles Booth (Fall), Matthew Travaglini (Spring)
Hayden Gaylord Coon Drama Prize
Ryan Cannistraro (Acting), Renny Gong (Acting), John Henehan (Technical), Brian Wilkins (Technical)
The Paul J. Zofnass ‘65 Environmental Award
James Eysenbach
Hampers Lyceum Award
John Hadley, Lawson Morris, Gabriel Peckler
Luke Carroll, Owen Gerah, Lawson Morris, Brodie Rayment, Thomas Ryan,
Edward M. Burt Community Service Award
Jackson Stone, Jack Tahan, Colin Vallis
Warburg Community Service Award
Lawson Morris, Thomas Ryan, Colin Vallis
Angelo Togneri Art Prize
Liam Durbin
Thomas Photography Prize
Jack Theberge, Alexander Sousa
Global Citizenship Award
Shane Rockett
Panel Carving Prize
Colin Braun
Babe Ruth Sportsmanship Award
Athletics
Robert Radochia, Evan Sleight
Red and Blue Key Society
Rishi Banerjee, Maxwell Barton, David Bergantino, Nicholas Castellucci, Douglas Conigliaro, Daniel Drucker, Michael Dutile, John Gaudian, Matthew Goguen, Lawson Morris, Henry Moses, Kevin Michael O’Boy, Michael O’Brien, Justin O’Neil Riley, Stephen Pelligrino Jr., Archibald Perry, Gabriel Peterkin, Payton Privitera, David Reyes, Thomas Ryan, Justin Santana, Bennett Teceno, Mitchell Tor, Colin Vallis, Jonah Wyett
Darren D. Gallup Three Sport Athlete Award
Colin Braun, Nicholas Daley, James Eysenbach, Matthew Goguen, Andrew Herrera,John High, Justin O’Neil Riley, Gabriel Peterkin, Michael Piazza, Payton Privitera, Shane Rockett, Matthew Smith
Charles F. Kenney ‘06 Prize
Shane Rockett
The Independent School League Award of Excellence
Jaylen Bailey, Matthew Smith
Classics Maureen O’Donnell Book Prize
William LaFarge, Andrew Jonghyun Lee, Chetan Shukla
Jared Waterbury Scudder Latin Prize
John Weldon
Modern Language Spanish Prize
Thomas McEvoy, Michael Montonaro
French Prize
Rhocar Constant
Raymund A. Kathe Prize
Brain Gleason, Edmund Whelan IV, Liam Peterson
Prize Day 2019
Jun e 3 , 2 0 1 9
Pa g e 7
Middle School Middle School Public Speaking Prize
Jack Abbrecht (Fall), Will Smith (Spring)
Middle School Drama Award
Jeremy R. Eaton (Acting), Benjamin Guenther (Acting), Daniel Rashes (Acting), Sean Egan (Technical), Jackson Pagan (Technical)
Prospector Award
Thomas Madden, Braden Reilly
Bell Prize
Ryan Griffin, Luke Hogan, Howard Huang, Kevin Jiang
Newell Howes Morton Award
Jaden Hill
Middle School Award of Merit - Form I
Alexander Behn, Ian Hendrix, Brian Lee, Declan Reilly, Gabriel Simmons, Alexandre White
Middle School Award of Merit - Form II
Jason Cannistraro, Peter Fiumara, John Goguen, Thomas Mackey, Leonardo Montoya
Middle School Award of Merit - Form III
Daniel Crowley, Jacob Czarnecki, Ryan Griffin, Daniel Rashes, Alexander Sousa, Benjamin Trotsky
Gregg Citizenship Award
Luke Travaglini
Helena Weiser Funk Award
Luke Carroll
Mathematics
Mathematical Association (AMC) of America Award
Renny X. Gong (Grade 12), Howard Huang (Grade 10), Brian Lee (Grade 8)
N.E. Mathematics League Award (NEML)
Howard Huang, Lawrence Tang, Brennan Barlage, Brian Lee
Rensselaer Mathematics & Science Medal
John Weldon
Maxwell Mathematics Prize
Andrew Herrera
Thomas G. Walters Mathematics Achievement Prize
Matthew Smith
Science Henry S. Robinson Physics Prize
Matthew Smith
Frederick C. Richardson Chemistry Prize
Tor Hillstrom, John Weldon
Clifford Goodband Biology Prize
Sreetej Digumarthi, Charles Wells
Staehle-Downes Geology Prize
Isaiah Gomes, Evan Sleight
English Willey Sextant Prize for Creative Writing
Andrew Jinhee Lee, John Weldon
Brown Book Award
Jackson Riffe, Jeffrey Segel
Henry S. Robinson English Prize
William LaFarge, Thomas McEvoy
History Monaco American History Prize
Jake Pappo
Downes History Prize
Shane Rockett
Book Prizes
Form V Awards
Charles Booth (Yale), Emmett Greenwood (Yale), John McHugh (Yale), Elias Hyde (Williams), John Weldon (Harvard)
Belmont Hill Sp orts
Pa g e 8
Th e Pan el
Sprinting to the Finish: Belmont Hill Track By Liam Peterson ‘20 Panel Staff Belmont Hill track and field has once again proved themselves to be an unstoppable force, claiming their sixth consecutive victory at New England’s. According to Captain Isaiah Gomes, the team had high expectations, and they were not disappointed. Many of the competitors performed above and beyond; , junior Greg Desrosiers even won Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet. While there were several amazing
individual performances, Captain Matt Goguen had this to say about the team
“ Junior Greg Desrosiers even won Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet . ”
as a whole: “Everyone stepped up and scored points, points that we needed if we were gonna catch that dub!” Congratulations to all of the members of the track team for such a successful season. ☐
Junior Greg Desrosiers competing in the hurdles
Cont’d: Stroking to the Finish: Belmont Hill Crew By Jack Weldon ‘20 Panel Staff
The crew team celebrating their NEIRA championship
The Belmont Hill crew team capped off their tremendous season at NEIRAs (New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships) with a team win over fast crews such as Deerfield and Nobles. The 4v4, 3v4, and 2v4 all defeated their opponents in hard fought races that came down to the second in margins, while the 1v4 avenged a defeat by Nobles earlier in the season with a strong second place finish, qualifying for Youth Nationals. The rowers were ecstatic with their results, satisfied that their time-consuming training had paid off. Ever since the beginning of the season with their record-breaking erg scores, coaches
Richards, George, Stone, Parejo, and Plaut knew that they had something special in the 2019 team, and the New England Championship simply confirmed their hopes. As the 7v4, 3v8, 4v4, 3v4, and 2v4 retire for a wellearned summer break, the 1v4 looks ahead to a nationals rematch with the Deerfield 1v4 in in Sarasota, Florida, on June 6-9th. ☐
“ The Belmont Hill crew team capped off their tremendous season at NEIRAs (New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships) with a team win over fast crews such as Deerfield and Nobles . ”
Belmont Hill Golf Team Captures Their 9th ISL Kingman Cup Championship By Jackson Riffe ‘20 Panel Staff This spring season, the Belmont Hill Varsity Golf Team had a remarkably successful season. The team finished with an overall record of 20-2. The team won the Kingman Cup, the ISL golf tournament, for the ninth time in the program’s history. With a score of 292 (top four scores count toward the team total), Belmont Hill defeated 14 other teams and secured the victory by 10 strokes. Bobby Manion (‘20), with a score of 68, earned the Patty Whitney Award for the lowest individual score in the tournament. Additionally, Bobby Manion (‘20), Connor
Willet (‘21) and John Broderick (‘22) also earned All-League mentions with respective scores of 68, 74, and 75. This tournament victory capped off a stellar season. Next spring, with Senior Jared Ravech departing, the golf team hopes to find other competitive members for the team. Congratulations to Mr. Doar and everyone on the team for an amazing season! ☐
“ Bobby Manion (‘20), with a score of 68, earned the Patty Whitney Award for the lowest individual score in the tournament. . ”
The golf team celebrating their Kingman Cup championship
The Brotherhood of Belmont Hill Lacrosse By James Markis ‘20 Panel Staff The Lacrosse team finished the season with a record of 14-2. Led by Captains Joe Goguen and Brodie Rayment, the team was attempting to recapture the ISL Championship after a second place finish last year. The team had huge wins against Avon, with a score of 9-8, and Governor’s, 9-3. The team also beat Nobles, and Rivers to position themselves to capture
“ Of the last four years on the varsity lacrosse Senior Brodie Rayment attacking the goal against rival St. Sebs
team, no one group of guys have ever felt more like a family than this one.”
the league title. A late season loss to Groton ended their chances of winning the league, but a second place finish is extremely impressive for the team. Captain Brodie Rayment said about his last year, “Of the last four years on the varsity lacrosse team, no one group of guys have ever felt more like a family than this one. The teams success over the years is due to the closeness of the brotherhood.” This brotherhood will continue next year with the rising seniors and juniors leading the team. They will look to win the league next year with that dominant core and with the leadership of juniors Quinn Richards and Cam Rubin. ☐
Belmont Hill Sp orts
Jun e 3 , 2 0 1 9
Pa g e 9
A Successful Season for Belmont Hill Sailing est improvement in the eyes of their coach, and the 6 Middle Schoolers on the sailing team also exhibited great promise for the future of this BelCoach Lyman and the Varsity Sailing mont Hill Varsity Team. Coach Lyman remarked Team accomplished an exceptional spring season. Led by Captain Francis Selldorf, “ The members of the sailing team, comthis team achieved a record of 10 wins and peting against 18 other teams, won the 4 losses. Recovering from a disappointprestigious Downeast Fleet Race at Maine ing loss to BC High towards the beginning Maritime. of the season, the Varsity Sailing Team improved tremendously with a great win over Cheverus School. At New England qualifiers, the team took 4th place, barely missing the on her time instructing this team, “I’ve really apqualification to contend at New England’s. preciated, as a new coach, the whole team’s enthuNevertheless, the members of the sailing siasm through the harsh weather. The environment team, competing against 18 other teams, of the members made my time as a coach a very won the prestigious Downeast Fleet Race fun and positive experience.” Congratulations at Maine Maritime. Following suit to the to Coach Lyman and the Varsity Sailing Team team’s trend, Ned Whelan showed the great- for their impressive performance this year. ☐ By Andrew Jinhee Lee ‘20 Panel Staff
The Sailing Team celebrating winning the Massachusetts State High School Championship
Belmont Hill Tennis Team Aces The Competition By Chetan Shukla ‘20 Panel Staff
The Tennis Team huddles up at a match
Over the course of two and half months, the tennis team has developed into a great team. While it took a bit of time to adjust to the new scoring format and a new coach, the team persevered and achieved an incredible league record of 12 wins and 3 losses. The three losses came at the hands of very strong teams.. The Middlesex match, which ended in a 3-4 loss, lasted over four hours as each team strived to win. The Varsity Tennis team finished 4th in the ISL. In the New England’s tournament, the squad defeated Green Farms Academy in the first round, but lost to Roxbury Latin in the second. However, while the scoreline of the Roxbury Latin match looks quite devastating, the squad improved much since their first encounter, making it a close
fight. Over the course of the season, the team developed double’s play especially, thanks to the aid of Coach Nick Cary. Departing from the squad next season, the team waves goodbye to three seniors: Co-captain Tommy Smith, Will Lafarge, and Thomas McEvoy. Speaking of his time on the Belmont Hill Varsity Tennis team this season, Tommy Smith states, “Over my time at Belmont Hill, I have been a member of many great teams, but the grit and determination of the varsity tennis team this year was beyond compare. I was very proud to be a member of the team and will miss it dearly.” ☐
“ Over my time at Belmont Hill, I have
been a member of many great teams, but the grit and determination of the varsity tennis team this year was beyond compare. I was very proud to be a member of the team and will miss it dearly.”
Cont’d: Belmont Hill Baseball Captures Their First ISL Championship Since 2014 By James Markis ‘20 Panel Staff ...who we have been playing with for years, and coaches who are equally motivated to succeed. As the season came to an end, every person played a keystone role leading to us coming out on top.” With a 1-0 victory, the team put themselves in position to secure the title. The team finished the season with a seven game win streak, behind dominant pitching from Ben Reyes (‘20) and Jake McOsker (‘19). The lineup also produced at the plate, averaging 8 runs per game over that stretch, with an excellent second half of the season by Evan Sleight (‘19). Coach Grant reflected on their first championship since 2014: “Over the past three years we have come within a single inning of capturing the ISL title, and for this group of boys, who have played together for years to accomplish the feat is amazing. From practicing in 30°F weather, to dealing with my yelling and screaming, it is a great culmination of hardwork and dedication.” Despite the loss of 11 seniors, the team will look to repeat as ISL Champions, with juniors Ben Reyes and Richie McNamara leading the way. ☐
Captain Evan Sleight preparing for an at bat
Belmont Hill Sp orts
Pa g e 1 0
Th e Pan el
Athlete of The Issue: Tennis Captain & MVP Tommy Smith ‘19 By Andrew Jonghyun Lee ‘20 Panel Staff A bona fide leader and skilled tennis player, Tommy Smith has led the varsity tennis team to yet another successful season with a record of 11 wins and two losses. Reflecting on his tennis origins, Tommy remembers playing tennis in the summers of his middle school years at his community house in Maine. As Tommy developed a stronger interest for the sport, however, he began to play more competitively, achieving varsity status in 10th grade. Since then, Tommy has continued to grow into a remarkable player: in his Junior year, he was awarded the Most Improved Player Award, crediting his dramatic improvements over each season. This 2019 season is Tommy’s third on the team. As captain of the team, Tommy has had to adjust to a new leadership role. He states, “One of the great things is that we’ve had a lot of great leaders before. This year, building off their examples, I am trying to step into a bigger role and help the team in any way possible.” Individually, playing number four singles and number two doubles for the team, Tommy has dominated at his position, compiling one of the league’s best records. In his time at Belmont Hill, Tommy has truly grown to become one of the most dominant players in the ISL, amassing one clutch victory after another. One match, in particular, highlighted Tommy’s “veteran” leadership and mental toughness: when
the Varsity tennis team was struggling to defeat Milton, one of the top teams in the ISL this season, Tommy clutched up in both his doubles and singles matches to secure two of the four points need to clinch the match. In doubles, with the overall doubles scores split one and one, Tommy and his doubles partner, Bobby Cooper ‘23, defeated their opponents 8-7 in a tiebreak to win the doubles point. In singles, Tommy pulled out his match 10-8 in a third set tiebreak to clinch yet another doubles point for the team. Ultimately, Belmont Hill defeated Milton Academy 5-2 thanks to the efforts of senior captain Tommy Smith. On the team, Tommy is known as “Big Al”, after Al Horford on the Boston Celtics, for his impactful veteran locker room presence and clutch performance on the court. Reflecting on his last tennis season at Belmont Hill, Tommy asserted, “It has been a really great year overall. Although earlier in the season, I expected the team to struggle with a new system, young team, and new first-year coach Nick Cary, everyone has adjusted really well and gave their best efforts. I am proud of how we have played and what we have achieved, and look forward to closing out the season on a positive note.” The varsity tennis team will truly miss Tommy’s presence both on and off the court, and we wish him the best as he continues his journey at Davidson next year. ☐
Executive Editor Chetan Shukla ‘20
Arts Editor Andrew Jin Lee ‘20 Sports Editor Jackson Riffe ‘20 Photo Editor Jalen Walker ‘21
Back Page Editors Charlie Mullaney ‘20 Liam Peterson ‘20
Editors-in-Chief Jack Weldon ‘20 Charlie Donahue ‘20
Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener
Copy Editor Charles Booth ‘20
News Editor Andrew Jo Lee ‘20
Assistant Editors James Markis ‘20 Tyler Forg ‘21
Sreetej Digumarthi ‘21
Howard Huang ‘21 Renny Gong ‘20 Charlie Wells ‘21
Opinion Editor Jake Pappo ‘20 Online Editor Abe Tolkoff ‘21 Graphics Editor Elias Hyde ‘20
The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of either school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright 2013 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.
Belmont Hill Arts
Jun e 3 , 2 0 1 9
Pa g e 1 1
Belmont Hill Performs in the Chorus Line: A Dazzling Night
Adam Richin’s Photo of the Final Scene from the Chorus Line Portraying Actors from Dana Hall and Belmont Hill
By Renny Gong ‘20 Panel Staff Performing at Bardwell Theater on Friday, April 17th and Saturday, April 18th this spring, members of the Dana Hall and Belmont Hill Theatre departments put together the musical entitled “A Chorus Line.” Belmont Hill students Matt Travaglini ‘21, Julian Wambach ‘19, Renny Gong ‘20, and Ryan Cannistraro ‘21 performed in the production while Griffin Hamilton ‘20 and Brian Wilkins ‘20 managed tech. The show opens in the
middle of an audition for an upcoming Broadway production, with every dancer desperate for work in the opening number, “I Hope I Get It.” 17 dancers remain after cuts, and the musical progresses, with each dancer revealing stories about their past. For instance, Greg (Ryan Cannistraro ‘21) speaks of his discovery of his homosexuality and Don (Renny Gong’ 20) remembers his first job at a nightclub. Many dancers reflect on the unhappiness of their childhood and family life and Bobby (Julian Wambach ‘19) tries to hide this unhappi-
ness by making jokes. When Zach calls a reluctant Paul (Matt Travaglini ‘21) to share, he emotionally relives his childhood and high school experience, coming to terms with his manhood and his homosexuality and his parents’ ultimate reaction to finding out about his lifestyle. At the peak of the musical, during a tap sequence, Paul falls and injures his knee. After Paul is carried off to the hospital, the dancers realize that their careers can also end in an instant. In “What I Did for Love,” the dancers respond to Zach asking the dancers what they will do when they can no longer dance. The
number is beautifully sad, yet hopeful, as the dancers reply that, whatever happens, they will be free of regret. In “One” (Finale/Bows), the assortment of audition clothing is replaced with glorious gold costumes. All the dancers and auditionees make the stage, living the fantasy where all of them get chosen to be a part of the chorus. Ironically, each character who, as the musical progressed became individualized, now is an anonymous part of an unbroken ensemble. ☐
Jazz Night: A Resounding Performance By Charles Stevenson ‘20 Panel Staff The annual Belmont Hill Jazz Night took place on Friday, May 10. Although usually held at the Ryles Jazz Club, the event took place in the Belmont Hill Jazz club this year (aka Wadsworth). Both the Upper School and Middle School jazz bands were featured, with each band playing a collection of music they had worked
on all year. The show opened up with the US jazz band playing some iconic tunes, such as” Hang Up Your Hang Ups” by Herbie Hancock and “So What” by Miles Davis. The show featured many soloists, with every member of the US jazz band taking at least one solo. The first set culminated with a surprise performance by Mr. Schneider. After playing many jazz songs, “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison offered a nice balance of styles. Following the first set of US
jazz band came the MS band, bringing some serious energy and creativity with their full big band arrangement.
“The future of Belmont Hill musc seems promising, as the numbers are growing and the potential of performing is high” Daniel Bittner, David Carter, and TJ Cannistraro all showed off improv
and solo skills over the song “Sidewinder.” The already great night was closed by a rendition of “Don’t you worry bout a thing” by Stevie Wonder. Thank you to all that helped this wonderfully musical night happen. Special thanks to Mr. Fiori for putting a considerable amount of time and effort into the music selection, arrangements, and band development. The future of Belmont Hill music seems promising, as numbers are growing and potential of performing is high.
Pa g e 1 2
Belmont Hill Sp orts
Th e Pan el