The Anchor: May 2023

May 2023

Campus, p. 4-6

Exodus 90 and Dance Marathon

THEANCHOR

Hope College Student Newspaper

Spera In Deo

News, p. 9

Both sides of climate crisis: Join campus efforts

Arts, p. 10-11

Behind the scenes look at “The Boy Who Hates Everything”

Features, p. 12

COVER STORY: Celebrating World Water Day

Opinion, p. 14

Reimagining generosity at Hope

CoverphotobyMadelineKenney

Meet Your Staff

Our Mission: The Anchor strives to communicate campus events throughout Hope College and the Holland community. We hope to amplify awareness and promote dialogue through fair, objective journalism and a vibrant Voices section.

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Owen Harries Campus Writer

Madeline Kennny Co-Editor-in-Chief

Aubrey Brolsma Campus Editor

Lindsey Muller, Media Manager

Sophia Vander Kooy Production Manager

Claire Dwyer Co-Editor-in-Chief

Jonah Whalen Copy Editor

Anna Snader News Editor

Natalie Glover News Writer

Maiya Santiago Features Editor

Claudia Hwang Production Manager

Kate Lawrence Arts Writer

Abby Doonan Arts Editor

Audrey Wells News Wrtier

Natalie Stringham Copy Editor

Anna Koenig Opinions Editor

Greta VanDenend Media Manager

Lily Shergill Features Writer

Letter from the Editors

Madeline

While the April snow falls down on the freshly planted tulip bulbs around campus, it feels as if it was just yesterday that I was writing my introduction in the semester’s first newsletter as I watched the January snow blanket the lawn outside of our Martha Miller newsroom. Though the weather feels strangely similar, I reflect with deep gratitude on the experiences this semester has offered me.

In doing so, I consider the cycles of time throughout the semester in which my perceptions have changed depending on each experience. Interestingly, this reminds me of my Cross Country races. Ever since high school, coaches have taught me to never look back at impeding opponents, as this slows down performance. Instead, runners must use other directional perceptions during their race to ensure success. For instance, within the first meters it is not advisable to look back during this period of high congestion as racers compete for the best positioning. Rather, I suggest looking steps ahead at where the most advantageous spot lies, setting up for later success. As the race continues, I stare intermittently at the ground for poking obstructions while also up toward my next destination as I ease into my positioning.

Nearing mile-marker two, it seems like there is still much of the race still yet to finish. Just when I start to doubt my capabilities, I turn to the left and right of me as I hear the shouts of familiar voices. Family members, friends, teammates and coaches exclaim encouraging messages throughout the formerly unbearable stretch. As the words “You can do it, Madeline!” reverberate across the chilled October air, I become propelled to surge ahead. Before I know it, I am approaching the last 400 meters. Increasingly, I build in my speed as I round the corner for the final 100 meters of the race. With every source of energy left in me, I charge toward the finish in a rhythmic motion as my eyes remain locked on the ‘FINISH’ banner seemingly

waving at me with cheerful encouragement. Alas, I cross the finish line and immediately flop on the ground in exhaustion. Upon receiving sustenance, I stand up while now gazing back on my previously trekked path. For this first time, I am able to look back and I reflect on my race with a sense of pride and gratitude.

Similarly for The Anchor, the initial start of this past semester required our planning steps ahead through setting goals to forming deadlines to finding stories and everything in between. Among phases of growth and development, The Anchor has successfully accelerated forward. With each weekly meeting, brainstorming session, writing workshop and publication, our team supported one another, even amid the seemingly ‘longest stretches.’ Crossing the finish line with our final edition of this semester, our team looks ahead with a surge of energizing excitement. As the publications run through the printers, I look back with deep admiration and gratitude for The Anchor’s compilation of work.

Claire

Our last time publishing this semester! What a whirlwind it has been! I am always amazed by how fast each semester seems to go by, each one faster than the last one. For The Anchor, it has been really incredible to look back at the awesome work our team has done. This semester marked a lot of exciting opportunities for our staff and for The Anchor, and I am so grateful I got to be a part of it.

As a junior, the semester ending is very bittersweet. While I’m excited for summer break to begin, I am not entirely ready to let this semester go. There are so many things I still hope to do before everyone scatters for the summer. On top of that, watching the seniors prepare to graduate seems so much more real than it did as a freshman. Seeing close friends begin their next chapters, moving away, getting new jobs and starting courses at their dream grad schools feels surreal. It’s also a

a strong reminder of the fact that the ‘first lasts’ of my college experience are just around the corner.

Growing up, reaching summer was the finish line, the end goal and the destination at the end of a long school year. In college, it seems flipped. Summer is the beginning, of new jobs, internships, research projects and even leases on that off-campus house with friends. It marks the beginning of a yearlong countdown to the next step in college journeys, and after graduation, careers. It is crazy that graduation is not too far off for the class of 2024, and it is a strong reminder that these four years

really fly by. This summer, I’m hoping to make the most of time with friends, as well as the new opportunities that life brings. I’m excited to begin the first of many lasts with wonderful friends by my side, and I can’t wait to make incredible memories this summer before senior year rolls around. I hope that this summer will be a great start to the first of many lasts.

This summer is just the beginning for everyone, and I hope we all have a strong start. Best of luck to all of you this summer, whether you are pursuing new summer jobs, activities, places to live or even a new start post graduation. The Anchor team is rooting for you!

Madeline Kenney

Madeline Kenney

Anchor staff members, Jonah Whalen (‘26), Anna Snader (‘26), Maiya Santiago (‘26), and Natalie Glover (‘25), distribute the semester’s first print edition as a part of “Breaking News at Daybreak.”

Anchor staff members, Natalie Glover (‘25), Claire Dwyer (‘24), and Madeline Kenney (’25) distribute the semester’s first print edition as a part of “Breaking News at Daybreak.”

Celebrating this year’s record-breaking Dance Marathon

Owen Harries Staff Writer

Last month, over eight -hundred students gathered in the Dow to take part in Dance Marathon, one of Hope College’s greatest traditions. Energy was high, bad dancing occurred and almost four hundred thousand dollars were raised in support of Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Along the way, Hope students got the life changing opportunity to bond with the children and families supported by their donations.

Dance Marathon has been a tradition for 24 years now, running without fail since its beginnings in 2000. Over its lifetime, Dance Marathon has raised 3.6 million dollars for charity, and this year was no exception to the generosity.

The premise is simple: stay active for twenty four hours straight while raising money for charity. There are plenty of other activities that students can participate in besides dancing, such as cornhole, nine square and even chess. Regardless of the activity, every dancer stays standing for the full twenty four hours, honoring the children in the hospital who may not be able to stand at all.

This year, there were 14 different roles that students could have, ranging from director to event management to morale squad. Every position had a specific color of t-shirt, so it was easy to decipher who was what role. The two most common colors were white, representing “dancers” who signed up for the full 24 hours, and yellow for “moralers” who took part in one of the three eight hour shifts. Both were supported by the indigo shirts of the morale squad, dancers especially committed to keeping the energy high, as well as a rainbow selection of other roles and their respective colors.

Dance Marathon 2023 kicked off at 5:15 p.m. in the Bultman Student Center with an informational meeting for dancers and moralers that covered the ground rules of Dance Marathon. Dancers sorted themselves into their teams, with groups representing Greek Life,

dorm halls, athletics teams and more. Teams competed over the course of the event to determine who could raise the most money.

Following the initial briefings, dancers and moralers moved to the BSC where the marathon started for real.

The morale squad took the stage first, performing the “morale dance”. Set to a medley of songs, the morale dance is a dance routine created by the morale squad each year specifically for Dance Marathon. After their initial routine, the morale squad went on to perform again almost every hour, each time teaching another portion of the dance to the rest of the students at the event.

After the morale squad dance came the first of the miracle family presentations. The term miracle family refers to any family with a miracle child receiving treatment at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The presentations consisted of a short speech by family members

followed by a video detailing the condition and inspirational journey of their child. There were multiple presentations throughout the evening and into the next morning, with each demonstrating a different story of resilience and hope.

“I like the videos a lot,” says first time dancer Fritz Duncan (‘25) “... those were really powerful, and you actually get to see the families and they get to talk about [their lives].”

Many of the families stayed for most of the event, giving their miracle kids an opportunity to interact with Hope students. Miracle children joined in the games, playing nine square and bouncing on the inflatables with the dancers. The children represent a huge variety of medical conditions, from heart issues to neurological disorders. However, the unifying feature amongst all the kids is an unbroken sense of excitement and joy.

There were a number of

planned events throughout the night to entertain both dancers and miracle children alike. These ranged from a professional magic show to Zumba to Great Scott, a live band who played covers of popular music. At 8 a.m., the miracle children were able to show off in a talent show. Hope students were able to contribute their gifts as well, with performances from both the chapel worship team and Hope’s a cappella group, Luminescence.

At 12 p.m. the lights were dimmed for the annual Dance Marathon rave, a favorite amongst returning moralers and dancers. The rave lasted for an hour, complete with a laser light show and DJ providing techno-music. Dance Marathon organizers distributed glow sticks to the whole crowd, which added an extra layer of neon to the party.

Another popular tradition that made its return for this year’s Continuetopg.5

Miracle families arriving at the annual Hope College Dance Marathon. This year, students helped raise $384,336.24 for these families and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Owen Harries

Continuedfrompg.4

Dance Marathon was the lip sync battle, in which dancers from each of Hope’s Greek organizations choreograph a dance to a snippet from a popular song.

Despite a tough contest against the Aletheans and Alpha Gams, the Sibs managed to take home a victory out of the sororities with a humorous performance of Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash”. The Arcadians pulled off a routine to Katy Perry’s “Firework” that involved one dancer standing on the shoulders of the other followed by a trust fall into the arms of his team, granting them a win within the fraternities. Both organizations each received one thousand dollar donations into their teams charity drives as a prize for first.

There were plenty of other opportunities throughout the night for dancers to earn money

for themselves. Teams could compete to raise funds within a set time during the multiple donation drives, with the winner receiving an additional bonus into their team fund. During one event, the entire marathon managed to raise twenty-five thousand dollars in only twenty minutes. “That’s just incredible to me, the power we all have when we’re all working towards something,” says Matt Czmer (‘24), a member of the Dance Marathon family relations committee.

Czmer acts as a link between one of the miracle families and the organization of Dance Marathon. He recounts that one of the hardest parts of working with his miracle child, Graham, is simply keeping up with him. Last year, Graham participated in a dance marathon despite having

his arm in a cast. He suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, which renders his bones significantly more brittle than normal. “[It’s cool to] see how tough he is,” says Czmer, “...he breaks all these bones, and then today he’s running around and keeps asking me to go on the bounce house… he just wants to be a normal kid, because he is a normal kid.”

The toughness and energy of the miracle children was sorely needed as the marathon neared its full 24 hours for the dancers and morale squad. After 20 hours standing, exhaustion begins to set in. Senior Cam Sejna describes “... the knowledge I [could] just sit at any time” as one of the toughest struggles, with Fritz Duncan (‘25) adding: “The constant music and [talking] is really hard on me. I am overstimulated all the time.”

All of the pain and hardship was proven worth it when Dance Marathon culminated in its closing ceremonies. The organizers of the event stood before the crowd, each holding a sheet of paper with a single digit on it. One by one they turned numbers, revealing a grand total of over $380,000. This is a new all time record for Hope College, and shatters last year’s record by a staggering thirty thousand dollars. Every single person in the building was cheering, especially the miracle families, who expressed utmost gratitude for the staggering amount of generosity.

“It’s such a great cause,” says Czmer, recounting his personal push for donations, “[You’re] counting on people. Your [community] is going to donate, you all donate to each other. It’s really great teamwork.”

The event may sound tiring, but students work together and sometimes work in shifts to keep the marathon going for all twenty four hours. Students spend weeks before hand collecting donations and pledges before entering the Dow Center gymnasium.

Owen Harries

Exodus 90 offers more than suffering and sacrifice

Owen Harries Staff Writer

No social media, no sweet food and cold showers every day for a whole semester may not sound like fun. However, for the 100+ men involved in Exodus 90, this lifestyle of sacrifice has become the norm.

Exodus 90 is a program run through the Saint Benedict Institute here at Hope College. Those enrolled in Exodus 90 are required to give up many comforts of the modern lifestyle, including social media, TV, sweet food and warm showers. Instead, members dedicate at least 20 minutes of their day to prayer, growing closer in their relationship with God.

Father Nick Monco, chaplain of the Saint Benedict institute, is responsible for introducing Exodus 90 to the Hope community. The concept of Exodus was originally developed by a priest in Lafayette, Indiana, but has since spread nationwide. Monco says that he began the program here to help people be more “uncomfortable” in their lives in the name of God.

“Life has never been more comfortable, and it’s not in comfort that we grow closer to God,” says Monco, “so now more than ever we have to be more intentional about choosing hardship.”

That’s not to say that Exodus 90 is all about suffering and

masochism. Hope follows a slightly modified version of the original program’s curriculum, with exceptions to certain sacrifices in socal settings. For instance, members are permitted to watch TV so long as it’s with others.

“[The original rules] seemed to be not helpful,” says Father Nick while speaking about the change, “it just made people antisocial. Their friends would go out to watch a movie, and they just couldn’t go.”

Even with the adjustments, Exodus 90 is a challenge of discipline and faith. Dan Campbell (‘24) has been a member of Exodus 90 for the three years that he’s been at Hope College. He describes how the daily sacrifices of it have made him a more disciplined person, recounting the negative habits he used to have like snacking on sweet food or wasting time on his phone. “Exodus 90 is deliberately and intentionally saying, ‘I’m not going to do these things for God’,” says Campbell, “and through that sacrifice [you] learn to love God more, and be more disciplined in faith.”

Campbell also points out the social aspect of Exodus 90 as one of the most enjoyable parts. Exodus participants meet in weekly small group meetings designed to foster a sense of Christian brotherhood. Jonothan Harlow (‘25) describes the social side of

Exodus as one of the best parts.

“My favorite part has been… the community of guys to open up to,” says Harlow, “just having a [group] and talking to them about life, and what’s hard.”

The meetings typically include prayer, brief updates from each member on how their Exodus has been going and a brief lesson of spiritual guidance from Fr. Monco. Meeting weekly helps members stay on track by creating a sense of community around a shared goal while also holding individuals accountable for staying on top of their sacrifices.

Campbell has led one of these groups the past two years, walking other members through their own Exodus journeys. He says that the responsibility of leadership has helped to focus him on his goals and faith. “As a freshman I felt like I could [mess up] without it really mattering,” says Campbell, “but now as a leader I’ve learned that if I can set a good example and be intentional with how I communicate and sacrifice, it can bring others to Christ.”

Above all else, the most important part of Exodus is its heavy focus on meaningful prayer and reflection with God. Members are required to pray for 20 minutes a day, something that many find hard to fit into their normal routine. On top of simply praying

more, participants discuss with their groups how to improve the quality of their prayer through guided meditation and reflection.

“I grew up reading the Bible, but not really praying,” says Harlow, “so [praying] and focusing more time on that has been eye opening.”

Things do, of course, get tough during Exodus 90. Certain sacrifices can be particularly tough, especially “cold showers on cold days” according to Monco. Other sacrifices can be difficult, such as avoiding snacking or unnecessary internet use. However, Monco adds that while we all fail sometimes, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Failure is simply a reminder that even the best of us need the grace of God.

Despite its challenges, Exodus 90 is a transformational experience for many. It helps participants to become more disciplined and focused in their lives while also developing a stronger connection to God. Though it may seem tough, Campbell urges anyone considering the program next year to simply reflect and pray about it.

“For people who are on the fence,” says Campbell, “just spend a lot of time in prayer about it, and be willing to be uncomfortable. When we’re in uncomfortable situations, that’s where the most growth happens, and [those are] the situations that God uses as a catalyst for faith.”

Jacob Roman

Students gather for Catholic mass in Winants Auditorium in celebration of Palm Sunday on April 2 as Fr. Nick Monco offers the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Nashville mourns: Impact of school shootings

Audrey Wells Staff Writer

On March 27, a shooting occurred at Covenant School in Nashville, TN, a private Christian school for preschool to sixth-grade students. Three staff members and three nine-year-old students were killed as a result of this attack.

The shooter, armed with three guns, entered the school by shooting through a glass door. People from both inside and outside of the school made 911 calls to the police starting at 10:13 a.m. Of these calls, 26 were released to the public. The Nashville police responded promptly, entered the school and killed the shooter at approximately 10:27 a.m. on the second floor of the school.

The shooter, a 28-year-old former student of Covenant messaged a former classmate at 9:57 am, a few minutes before the attack. According to the Washington Post, the

message was the shooter’s “last goodbye” and said, “something bad is about to happen.” Upon receiving these messages, the former classmate contacted a suicide-prevention hotline, the Sheriff’s Office and the Nashville police’s non-emergency number. During the time these calls were being made, the shooting began.

According to the Washington Post, the attacker left behind what Nashville police chief, John Drake, referred to as a “manifesto.” This document displayed a map and writing about the school, along with plans for shootings at other Nashville locations, possibly including a mall. The manifesto and other clues left behind by the shooter led police to believe that the shooting was not religiously motivated and was not targeted toward specific people at the school. However, it was intended to target Covenant

School and had been planned in advance. According to Nashville’s News Channel Five, the shooter left behind other writings that indicated their obsession with past shootings and shooters.

The staff at Covenant had recently been trained on how to respond to an active shooter, and this training certainly saved lives in the situation. Also, NBC references Nashville’s Mayor, John Cooper, who said that the quick response from police saved lives.

This incident of gun violence, sparked walkouts at schools across the nation on April 5. Additionally, a protest was held within the state capital, that went against legislative rules. Two Black male representatives and one white female representative participated in the demonstration. On April 6, the two Black representatives were expelled from their positions due to their participation. Despite

speculations, according to CBS “Republican leadership denied that race was a factor” in the votes deciding whether to expel each representative. Further, the Tennessee House Republicans stated on their Twitter on April 6 that this expulsion was “... the only path forward after [the individuals…] led disrespectful and deliberate efforts to disrupt the business of the House on March 30.” Opposingly, on April 7, Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Nashville and commended the three former representatives for their act of protest. Protests, debates, and legislation continue to be discussed as the nation mourns the loss of lives in Nashville’s recent shooting.

Nicole Hester, The Tennessean

Children after the Nashville Shooting

Following up: The indictment of a former president

Natalie Glover Staff Writer

The United States’ political climate has entered uncharted waters as Donald Trump becomes the first former president to face criminal charges. Trump has been convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. All of the charges relate to a $130,000 hush-money payment made by one of Trump’s lawyers and Trump’s subsequent actions. As the case continues to unroll, understanding the logistics of the proceedings will be important.

Legal terminology

In recent days, the legal terms “indictment” and “arraignment” have been dominating headlines. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, when a person is indicted, they are “...given formal notice that it is believed that they committed a crime.” The indictment informs the person of the charges against them. After someone is indicted, an arraignment occurs when the defendant is present at a formal reading of their criminal charges. Trump’s arraignment occurred on Tuesday, April 4 in New York City. He was read his charges and pleaded not guilty.

Trump’s criminal charges

Now you may be asking yourself: What are the charges that Trump is facing? Trump was formally charged with 34 counts of falsifying documents that covered up a hush-money payment made by lawyer Michael Cohen. The hushmoney payment itself was not a crime, but Trump was accused of falsifying documents in an attempt to cover up the payment – it was this that constituted the crime. During the lead-up to the 2016 election, Cohen gave hushmoney to adult film star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from speaking out about an alleged affair she had with Donald Trump in 2007. After becoming President, Trump allegedly began to make payments to Cohen that were labeled as “legal fees” but were actually reimbursements for the hush-money. Additionally, some argue that the hush-money and its subsequent cover-up should

be labeled criminal because it was money spent to aid a presidential campaign (by covering up an affair) but was not disclosed. If this were true, the actions would violate the federal campaign finance law. However, there has been some debate about whether this claim holds legal value, so it may or may not play a role in the case.

Following his arraignment, Trump returned to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and spoke out about the case. He claimed that there was “no case” against him and that he had done nothing wrong. Trump continued asserting that there were external political forces at play. Even with these claims, systems are in place to ensure that judicial proceedings and lawyers are not politically motivated or affected. Nonetheless, the circumstances certainly make for an unprecedented trial.

What happens next?

With so much information circulating about the case, many Americans are wondering what will be next. One thing is for certain – this case will not be a speedy process. The next court date for Trump is a pre-trial hearing set for Dec. 4, 2023. Between now and then, lawyers can file various motions relating to the case. People expect that Trump’s lawyers will argue that Trump will not receive a fair trial in New York due to bias, and argue for the trial to be moved.

If the case goes to trial, which is not certain yet, it will be occurring as Trump runs for president in 2024. Trump will still be able to run for president, even with

a pending criminal charge. As more developments occur in the case, it will be interesting to see how they affect Trump’s election campaign in the coming months.

Former President Trump at his arraignment on April 4 in New York City.

Both sides of climate crisis: Join campus efforts

Natalie Glover Staff Writer

It’s easy to see news headlines and assume the world is black and white. Events seem to be either good or bad, positive or negative, uplifting or devastating. There is no distinct in-between. However, life is never that clear. It takes further digging to discern the good from the bad. Climate change is a topic that stirs up many different emotions ranging from anger to helplessness to indifference. No matter how you see the issue, it is necessary to understand how multifaceted this concept truly is. The Montreal Protocol

In Jan. 2023, the UN published its quadrennial report on the Montreal Protocol, a procedure originally adopted in 1987 to ban almost 100 man-made chemicals that were classified as “ozone depleting substances.” The protocol was a rare example of a treaty that achieved universal ratification. According to the UN’s most recent report, the ozone layer, a vital layer of the atmosphere that protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of UV rays, has shown significant signs of improvement over the past few decades. Experts believe that if the improvement stays on its current track, the ozone layer could be back to its 1980-level quality by 2040. While the holes over Antarctica and the Arctic will take longer to heal, these goals could be achieved by 2066 and 2045, respectively. Of course, this trajectory assumes that the efforts toward aiding the climate crisis continue. Slowly but surely, the ozone layer is healing. Ice levels in Antarctica reach a new low

On the other hand, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that Antarctica’s ice levels fell to an all-time low on Feb. 13, 2023. The “sea ice extent” fell to 1.91 million square kilometers (737,000 square miles). This was the second consecutive year that the Antarctic extent dropped below 2 million square kilometers. Additionally, further declines are expected in the coming weeks and months. Leaders are once again turning their eyes towards safeguarding biodiversity. To address the rapid ice-melt, the UN resumed discussion of a new

ocean conservation treaty after efforts were halted last year due to financial disputes. This update on Antarctic ice levels displays the complexity of the climate crisis. Actions toward change Nations around the world are looking for ways to decrease their carbon dioxide emissions and use energy effectively. The World Economic forum reports that China’s solar power capabilities are expected to reach an all time high in 2023. Since China is home to sixteen of the twenty global regions that are most vulnerable to the climate crisis, leaders are looking for ways to decrease their greenhouse gas production. Additionally, according to Euro 7 standards, EU lawmakers have approved a law to “...effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the European Union.” starting in 2035. The goal of this action is to expedite the switch to electric cars, which do not produce the harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to the climate crisis.

Sustainability at Hope

Although this topic seems difficult to handle, even the smallest acts can make a difference. At Hope College, there are a few groups on

campus that work toward the protection of our planet. One such group is Green Hope. According to Molly Prom (’24), Green Hope’s co-president and an intern for Hope Advocates for Sustainability, “Green Hope is an environmental student organization that any student at Hope can join. Its purpose is to create a community of students passionate about environmental issues and to organize events that align with the passions of current leaders and members.” For students on Hope’s campus who are passionate about sustainability, Green Hope is an organization that will provide students opportunities to put their passion into practice. Prom wants students to know that, “Sustainable living doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can actually save you money as well as saving the planet.”

Prom gave examples of simple sustainability: eating less meat and animal products, only doing laundry when you have a full load, thrifting clothes and tak-

ing shorter showers. If you want to get involved in Green Hope, you can email them at greenhope@hope.edu.

There is nothing black and white about the issues facing our world today. Where one area improves, another struggles. Even with the ozone layer healing, improvement moves like a tortoise rather than a hare. However, there is hope, as leaders around the world continue to create policies geared toward restoring the health of our planet.

Molly Prom (‘24), Green Hope CoPresident and Hope Advocates for Sustainability Intern

Decrease in ice levels in Antarctica National Snow and Ice Data Center

Jon Dessen

“Sustainable living doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can actually save you money as well as saving the planet.” - Molly Prom (‘24)

A look at ‘The Boy Who Hates Everything’

Hailey Cote and Kate Lawrence Staff Writers

This spring, director Chris Garcia Peak was invited to come work with Hope Theatre students to create a fun and interesting devised work. Devised theatre is a Hope Theatre tradition that occurs every few years. During the fall, students were invited to attend a threeday workshop led by Garcia Peak. From there, the students worked with him to create a concept from the ground up. After the workshop, the framework of “The Boy Who Hates Everything” was created. From there, Garcia Peak cast nine actors to perform in the production and help him to further develop the play into what it is now. The cast includes Adam Chamness (‘23), Danai Mandebvu (‘25), Abigail Doonan (‘24), Alegría Guzmán (‘25), Sofia Wake (‘26), Claudia Hwang (‘26), Eden Comer (‘25), Kate Lawrence (‘26) and Ellie Cocking (‘26). Additionally, this production features songs written by a guest composer, Nathan Striefel, and coached by Sherri Pilon, a magical set designed by Sotirios Livaditis, bright 1960s French costumes by Michelle Bombe, puppets by Jesse Mooney-Bullock, lighting by Ken Chamberlain, and sound by Eric Van Tassell. Being such a technical heavy production, a lot of work had to go into all technical aspects in order for the production to feel as magical and otherworldly as it does. Chamness and Guzmán are two actors who also work behind the scenes in the scene shop and the costume shop to build the world physically as well as performatively.

Guzmán on acting and working in the costume shop

Guzmán plays the oldest sister Elisa, a librarian and voices the lioness, Choupette. She was last seen in the ensemble of “Bright Star” last year as well as “The Wolves” as #8. Working with puppets is completely new to her as is this style of play. On working with puppets, she said, “I do the voice and am one of the puppeteers for Choupette, which is the lion

puppet. She requires three people puppeteering her, which is a lot. We got her right after spring break, so it’s been about three weeks [of working with her]. It was tricky to get to know how it works but we had Jesse there, who designed and built the puppets, so it was really nice to learn from him.”

Guzmán also works in the costume shop so it was an interesting process for her this time around to create costumes for a show that she is in. She has been able to work on pieces of her own costume and watch as her castmates’ costumes develop.

“It was fun to see how as the devised piece was developing, the costumes were as well.” Guzmán thinks she will continue working in the costume shop throughout her remaining two years at Hope, and now costuming has become one of her options for jobs after college, since it could be a more stable job within theatre.

Chamness on acting and working in the scene shop

Chamness plays Desmond, a twenty-two-year-old “boy” who embarks upon this silly, meaningful and magical journey after getting separated from his family. Chamness is a theatre major and has been very involved in the Hope Theatre Department, working in the scene shop and acting on stage. He was last seen as King Leontes in “The Winter’s Tale” last semester, and voiced Thomas in “Pomegranates Underneath” this semester.

With “The Boy Who Hates Everything” being his final Hope production, Chamness said, “It’s sad, I’ve done a lot with this department. It’s no fun to think this is one of the last times I’ll be doing anything on this stage as a student. I don’t think I’m done with this theatre itself, but with the program certainly. But I’m happy that for my last show, I’m doing something new. I’ve never done a devised piece before and I’m working with a lot of people who I haven’t worked closely with before, or ever. And also I’m working with some very familiar faces who I’ve worked with before, so it’s an even mix.”

The process of being an actor in a devised play is not something that Chamness has done before, other than of course the makepretend devising done as a child.

Chamness admits, “I’ve kind of forgotten what collaborative storytelling really was. I’m part of the improv group [Vanderprov] but that’s as spontaneous as you can get. This is sort of middle ground. It’s not entirely spontaneous but it’s not, ‘here’s your script, learn your lines, perform a show’. It’s been a unique experience, I’ve enjoyed it. I think it’s something I might want to involve myself with more in the future, see if it’s really for me. I’ve enjoyed it enough, certainly to dip my toes in it again, see if devised work really is for me.”

On top of playing the lead role in the production, Chamness has also been working on its set. When it comes to working on a devised piece set over a typical play set, Chamness said that in the scene shop it’s been a little stressful. The spontaneity of a play that’s always changing and has a reduced time frame has made it difficult. The team just barely finished by opening night. About the director, Chris Garcia Peak

Garcia Peak is currently based out of Chicago, but is living in Holland for the time being to work on “The Boy Who Hates Everything.” One of his primary jobs in Chicago is working with his theatre company called Cock and Bull, which has a main focus on devised theatre. With this company, he is the founder and producing artistic director. Through creating his company Continuedonpg.11

Choupette puppeteers (Comer, Lawrence, and Guzmán) in a scene with Desmond and Amelie played by Chamness and Mandebvu respectively.

Sofia Wake

The cast performing “I Never Knew Reprise”

Erik Alberg

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and now working with college students, devised theatre certainly means a lot to Garcia Peak. He expanded on this love by saying, “It allows people to have a voice and tell a story in their own way. It also utilizes all of the theatrical training that someone has, in order to create something from scratch, and it allows me to incorporate things that I wouldn’t usually do; like puppets.” In “The Boy Who Hates Everything” there are two puppets– a dog named Ratatouille and a lion named Choupette.

Garcia Peak also discussed more on what his three-day workshop in the fall looked like. “I did a three day workshop that was open to all of the students who were interested. It was aimed to help students understand what it may be like to be a playwright. I brought in some ideas, paintings and inspiration starters to help initiate ideas with the students. From there I just pieced together many ideas to create a mini selection. [“The Boy Who Hates Everything”] is a fable about a lion’s whiskers and a boy who was arrested for not finishing his dinner. It’s all kind of by accident and it is all about a hero’s journey about his family and his arrest.”

Working with students and mature adults are bound to be different, due to the amount of free time, creativity and interest in the material. With this, he went on to discuss some of the differences between working with the two age groups. “What is really fun is that the students are always so willing to try anything and just jump right into it. Everyone here just acts on each other’s ideas, and are always so bold and committed. All of the students are always having fun. However, working with adults, you don’t do a lot of

Highlights from the Music Department

“I’ve kind of forgotten what collaborative storytelling really was. I’m part of the improv group [Vanderprov] but that’s as spontaneous as you can get. This is sort of middle ground. It’s not entirely spontaneous but it’s not, ‘here’s your script, learn your lines, perform a show’. -

teaching, and it is more straightforward. I really enjoy being able to teach the students new things.”

The entire creation process has been rewarding for Garcia Peak and he is excited for an audience.

Chamness’s message for readers about “The Boy Who Hates Everything” is that the “show has a bit of everything […] we’ve made something that says a lot. There’s more central messages of rediscovering motivation to enjoy things, ‘it’s the small things’, family, healing family dysfunction. There’s a lot of talk of grief […] the flawed nature familiar/ familial structures sometimes and how it can be approached.”

Guzmán added onto this saying, “It’s been such a process that we’ve all enjoyed [...] It’s like a fun, kind of silly play, but at the same time it has a lot of nuances that make it more serious. But all of it is treated in a very real but lighthearted way, which I appreciate a lot. And it’s really fun to play with. There’s a lot of surprises within the play [...] it’s pretty different from what we’ve done at Hope.”

“The Boy Who Hates Everything” ran the last couple weeks. If you missed the chance to see it, make sure you are looking out for the next academic year’s season announcement coming soon!

Stage Manager, Lydia Konings (middle) with Anna Stowe, Assistant Stage Managers Ava Bell, Natalie Stringham, and Devising Manager Audrey Kunce.

Claudia Hwang

Orchestra at the Musical Showcase in February. hopecollegeorchestra

Chapel Choir on tour in Colorado over spring break. sing.at.hope

The painted piano in the Jack H. Miller Center by Joel Schoon Tanis. hopecollegemusic

Adam Chamness (‘23)

Every drop counts: Celebrating World Water Day

Due to spring break, Hope College missed a very important celebration: World Water Day! On March 22, people around the world celebrated the beauty of water! Though many Hope students were off campus for break, we made it a priority to celebrate this day when students returned. Many people came together locally to raise awareness and take part in contributing to this day of appreciation. The Global Water Research Institute, Office of Sustainability, Green Hope, Green Team, Office of Possibilities, Center for Diversity and Inclusion and Hope Advocates for Sustainability spent weeks preparing this event for World Water Day. Students, staff and members of the community all filed into the Bultman Student Center to learn more about the importance of safe and sustainable water.

The event started with two students Anna Whittle (‘24) and

Lily Shergill (‘24) introducing the event and explaining what World Water Day is. This World Water Day event theme was “Accelerating Change” to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Whittle and Shergill spoke

about the motivation behind this theme being that water affects us all, and we need everyone to take action. That means you too!

You, your family, school and community can make a difference by changing the way you use, consume and manage water in your lives. Whittle and Shergill informed us that globally, we are not currently on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. However, the U.S. policy commitments will be added to the Water Action Agenda, to be launched at the UN 2023 Water Conference – the first event of its kind for nearly 50 years. Commitments such as saving water, limiting pollution, protecting nature and cleaning up our local environment make a significant impact globally.

The introduction was followed by two speakers: Dr. Kenneth Brown, Professor of Chemistry and Schaap Research Fellow, and Dr. Virginia Parish Beard, Associate Professor of Political Science. Dr. Brown introduced his research by stating the Hope College Global Water Research Institute vision: Hope College students, faculty, staff and alumni will positively impact local and global communities through an improved understanding of

water and be well-equipped to make data-driven decisions about the use of their water. Dr. Brown then went on to inform the audience on the Environmental Injustice in Northwestern Indiana: North Lake County Partnership of Community and Academic Leaders Seeking Environmental Justice. He started by clarifying environmental justice as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income concerning the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies”. This will not be achieved until all people have equal access to decision making for a healthy environment.

Dr. Brown continued to present his research on Superfund sites (‘polluted locations requiring a long-term response to the cleanup of hazardous material contamination’) in Indiana including cities such as Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. He discussed the environmental injustice in these cities as most of these Superfund sites are located in African American and Latino communities. As a result, the White communities are overall healthier and

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Lily Shergill Staff Writer

Left to Right: Dr. David Van Wylen, Dr. Kenneth Brown and Dr. Virginia Parish Beard Lily Shergill

Event flyer from @hopesustainability Instagram account

and

Continued from pg. 12

safer - a perfect example of environmental injustice. These cities include some of the world’s largest oil refineries and steel mills, that contain 423 hazardous waste sites and 460 underground storage tanks. Because of this, Dr. Brown and his team of other professors and students are consistently testing water in these cities. Dr. Brown believes in overcoming environmental injustice through community teamwork. This has involved doing research with Purdue University (Ellen Wells and Jodi Allen), University of Notre Dame (Graham Peaslee), Valparaiso University (Julie Peller and Chris Iceman) and Hope College (Ken Brown) and being in relationship with members of the community passionate about making the environment a safer and healthier place. This has involved social workers, teachers, radio hosts, lawyers, churches, members of Brown Faces-Green

Spaces and even some retired individuals. Change and justice come about when all people unite in the name of change.

This insightful presentation

degree. She has a heart for Kenya, as many of her friends live there, and she understands the culture and community more than many westerners. Dr. Beard recalls

politically-motivated water supply cut-off. Clean and accessible water is a personal cause for her because while it is crucial, it has been deemed as a privilege for many of her friends in Kenya; something that most of us at Hope would never comprehend. She spoke about her partnership with Bucket Ministries, which provides buckets with water testers to every household in parts of Kibera, Kenya to be able to detect which water sources are safest and healthiest, as well as why. This is a Christian organization that spreads the gospel while actively sustaining and aiding the community. This wonderful event was concluded with Dr. David Van Wylen, Principal in the Office of Possibilities, hosting a panel with Dr. Brown and Dr. Beard concluding the conversation on safe and accessible water and how to continue to advance this cause locally and globally throughout the next few years.

Imagining generosity as an everyday occurence

Cam Maloney Guest Writer

The Christian virtue of generosity has been emphasized at Hope College for a long time. This can be seen in the numerous student organizations that prioritize service, the generosity of time and giving (the generosity of resources.) With the ambition of Hope Forward, our campus seems to be orbiting and highlighting this generous lifestyle more and more. However, this virtue, as noted by Gandhi, seems to stress intentionality rather than quantity. Generosity is not simply giving many things away, or spending time doing things you’d rather not do; but rather, it’s the selflessness we show each day. It is more than an action, and rather the mindset that we must embody. How would the culture of our campus change if each student committed to this concept?

Imagine, if you will, a year where the Dow is overflowing with selfless

scholars during Dance Marathon. Imagine a year where Habitat for Humanity becomes overwhelmed by the multitude of young adults willing to give up their Saturday for others. Imagine a year where orange and blue speckle the earth as immersion trips provide aid during spring break. Imagine a year where Gateway Missions has more Hope College volunteers than those in need of its services. Imagine a year where “Day of Giving’’ and “Service Saturday” no longer exist since both have been ingrained in the cultural norm. Imagine a year where we no longer think of what we can gain, but of what we can give.

The Hope Community has much to offer the world. It would be wrong to confine these Godgiven talents to ourselves, or even to this campus. So step up, and give back. Sow the seeds of generosity, and watch the fruit that it produces. Infect this campus with selflessness,

and pray that it spreads. Invest in one another, but don’t stop there. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus commands us to give with the promise that we will receive. So donate that $10.10 that you made by working at the mailroom. Say yes to someone in need,

even though your Calc II exam is tomorrow. And expect the Lord to provide for your needs as well. Trust in the promise that is given. Generosity is more than an action. It is committing to a life dedicated to others, a life dedicated to Christ.

Hobbies? In adulthood?

Having hobbies in your 20s doesn’t have to be difficult.

Anna Koenig

Opinions Editor

Have you ever taken a look at yourself in the mirror and realized you need more hobbies? My reflection dropped that lovely truth bomb on me a couple of months ago and since then I have been on a self-motivated and difficult journey of finding out what it is I actually like to do.

As a growing child, you could often find me and my imagination running wild. I remember when my mom first bought her MacBook laptop. It dropped into your arms at a hefty six pounds, but for me and my sister it was exactly what we needed to spice up our imaginary classroom full of students in our garage. Drinking “coffee” (it was water) and making Powerpoints to

water) and making Powerpoints to present to the brick wall was how I spent much of my childhood.

As an adult in my early 20s who is finishing up my college degree and fighting the effects of burnout, it’s not as simple to walk outside and play with leaves or have an imaginary classroom like when I was young. But, maybe finding a hobby could be the simplicity that I desperately needed.

Back in January and February of 2023, I was fighting myself and the world in one of the hardest times of my life. My sister, a freshman in college, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on our first week back to classes. But I am a Generation Z

child who spent my college career affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way. In other words, I’m fantastic at turning bad situations into something I can laugh at. What I find more difficult to cope with is failure.

Around the same time, the initial “glow” of one of my

friendships was starting to wear off and I was coming to terms with the fact that I struggle very deeply with codependency and anxious attachment. I needed to be around her all the time; if she didn’t text me back within two minutes I thought she was mad at me. This was my line of thinking every day. Besides all my

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Hope College Dance Marathon.

“Generosity consists not the sum given, but the manner in which it is bestowed.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Koenig and her sister at Universal Studios. Anna Koenig

Hope College

Continued from pg. 14

thoughts, I had subconsciously adopted all of her interests. I was reading all the books she was reading, listening to all the same music, watching similar movies, etc. I gave her no space, and I didn’t let myself have any space either. Throwing myself into everything she liked made me forget everything that I liked.

Whether it was going to therapy, talking to my best friend, the sun coming out after two weeks of clouds or just a change in my neurochemistry (thanks medication), I decided to do something about this issue.

During a sporadic burst of motivation one day at my job at the on-campus coffee shop, I decided to open an Instagram account to promote my Spotify.

A lot of things have come and gone during my 4 years of college. The one thing that didn’t? My obsession with creating Spotify playlists. So I thought, ‘What better way to gain some traction with my playlists than to create an account and join the music community?’

So, my free version of Canva and I became best friends as I worked to come up with a profile picture and a first couple of posts. One of these was a spotlight on a pre-existing playlist called “TODAY” (it’s now called “current in carmel”). This was my way of introducing people to my Spotify account and giving them something to look for if interested.

Starting this account, I had zero expectations. I followed a lot of people who were doing similar things such as @playlistsbycampbell, @

daybydaybreak, and my inspiration behind this whole endeavor, @hahakcoolgtgbye. I was not expecting anyone to contact me, that’s for sure.

I was sitting in my local library at home on the Saturday before my sister was scheduled to have her surgery to remove her thyroid, and I got a message out of nowhere from @daybydaybreak.

“Hey I was wondering if you were ever interested in writing?”

I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. I had never heard of Daybreak Music before.

Alas, I asked a few questions and said, “that’s so cool I would love to do that!”

“Okay sweet! All I need you to do is send a writing submission,” the company said.

This was still too broad of an answer for me. As a product of the school system, I needed to know deadlines and general requirements to even get started.

However, being given the opportunity to write stress-free about music that I love gave me the creativity and freedom to explore what kinds of music I liked. Now, every time I open Spotify I find something new to listen to. Some newer artists that I’ve come to love in the last few months include: beabadoobee, Hazel English, Hazlett, Ruel, and The 1975.

Since I launched this account and began writing for Daybreak, I have found that music is what I have always loved. I never would have thought that it could turn into a journalistic opportunity.

Journalism is a tough field,

like any other. For women, it presents different challenges.

Kristin Gilger, a professor of Journalism at Arizona State University reports in an interview with USA Today that she thinks these challenges are two-fold. (1) They don’t have the support they need to maintain the vast demands of the field (i.e. when starting a family, flexible work hours, etc.). (2) Plus, they face unequal work experiences compared to their male counterparts (i.e. sexual harassment, the gender wage gap, being talked down to, etc.).

The number of women in a newsroom has grown in the last years, and the scales are starting to become more

balanced. But just because numbers are starting to even out doesn’t mean the issues go away.

Journalistic communities like Daybreak, made for and run by women, are great spaces to hone your writing skills while discussing topics of your choosing. Even though I only have one published article so far, I learned so much while crafting that piece. It was fun, and it was about one of my favorite songs that I got to explore the ins and outs of.

The heart of journalism is language and creativity. That was really what I was looking for in a hobby. Something to express myself.

Which at its core, is something really simple.

First playlist post on @theariaverse.

Anna Koenig

Conversation with founder of Daybreak.

Anna Koenig

Anna Koenig

Gender Breakdown of Editors Across 12 Markets.

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