Campus, p. 4
Christian Dialogue on Sex and Gender, Hope on Accessibility, Fall Fest
News, p. 7-8
Hurricanes and Sustainable Development,The history of the Isreal Palenstine Conflict
Arts, p. 10-11
The World of Wicked, Hope College Orchestra
Features, p. 12
Exploring Herculaneum Papyri, The HWPEP Initiative
Opinion, p. 14
A Love Letter to Even Year Pull, Odd Year An Honor, A Legacy, A Family
Claudia
Now that we are past fall break and midterm grades are published, I hope that life has slowed down a little bit for everyone. The fall season has fully set in, and it would truly be a shame for all of us to go through this beautiful season without having the time to look up from our textbooks and computers to enjoy the autumn colors and the freshly fallen leaves. While getting out of my warm bed is a little more difficult every day, I’m enjoying the brisk air that fills my lungs on my walks to and from classes.
Despite my academics slowing down, however, my life has recently been ramping up! As of writing this, the Department of Theatre has just opened our production of “The Hijabis” by Rohina Malik this Friday, so the actors, crew, directors, and designers have all been very busy with something the theatre world calls Tech Week. While rehearsals are for the actors to “get their act together”, pun intended, Tech Week is when the technological and design elements for a show all get thrown into the mix. For us, that means that, in addition to an extended rehearsal time (6 pm-11 pm, rather than 7 pm10 pm), we are now rehearsing with costumes, lighting changes, sound effects, and our full set. While I can’t speak for the designers and run crew, I can say that as an actor, this is simultaneously one of my favorite times in the rehearsal/production process and one of the hardest.
Because of the extended rehearsal times, we are all given two hours less time to be able to accomplish everything else we have to do. With readings, papers, and other assorted assignments to complete each night, sleep becomes a commodity that we sacrifice more and more. And yet, sleep is also something that becomes more and more necessary as we continue to rehearse. Rehearsals consist of quick changes (some under 30 seconds in length), sprints from one side of the backstage area to another, and numerous heavy pieces of furniture that need to be moved on and offstage every two to seven minutes. All of those things require that we be energized and at the top of our game. Otherwise, accidents start occurring, and people get hurt. Despite all of that stress, though, Tech Week is when all of
our work throughout the semester comes to fruition. For “The Hijabis”, our actors have been in rehearsals for six weeks before Tech, and now we get to see the characters that we’ve worked to develop come to life. We get to celebrate each other more and more as we bond onstage, backstage, and in the dressing rooms. Anyone who has participated in theatre knows the intensity of Tech Week, and they also know the importance of the memories formed there. Those memories last a lifetime, and they have truly shaped me as a person.
Even if you missed seeing “The Hijabis”, I would urge you to find some way to attend a live theatrical performance this fall. There’s nothing quite like the experience of having a story come to life right in front of you. Here at Hope, tickets to our theatrical productions are free for all students. “Much Ado About Nothing” will be opening in mid-November, so keep your eyes peeled and your schedules clear! We hope to see you in our audience. For now, though. I hope that your semester has been full of new memories for you and your friends, and as the leaves continue falling from the trees, I hope that you continue to behold the wonder and beauty of the world around us.
“I won!” I declared while lunging through the front door with my penny loafer shoes and knee high socks crossing the threshold between the front porch and foyer – my triumphant finish line. Seconds later, my brother breathlessly plunged through the entrance causing my backpack to glide across my back like a protective shell. As my brother tried to negotiate a rematch, I grew distracted by a familiar warmth in the air. The words “You had a false start” became lost in the rich aroma of basil, oregano, and garlic. Turning the corner, the scent intensified with the detection of roasting meat and onion. As I entered the kitchen, my Mom greeted me with a hug as warm as the kitchen’s air, and I helped her pour the noodles into the boiling water. Like the bubbling pot popping with shouts of enthusiasm, my excitement rose as I realized it was pasta night – a seemingly uncoincidental prize that both my brother and I could enjoy. Since growing up, my Mom’s pasta dinner has always been my favorite
meal, with me requesting the dish every birthday despite eating the meal weekly on Mondays. While my Mom is not Italian, her magic mix of Prego sauce simmering in the crock pot with ground beef, spices, and herbs to me rivaled that of any Nonna’s heirloom recipe.
Given the recent holiday of National Pasta Day, I thought it was the perfect excuse to make pasta. However, walking slowly through aisle B13, section 22 of Meijer while observing my options of sauces and noodles, I realized that I adore my Mom’s meal for much more than its flavors. For me, her pasta reflects the beauty of tradition and family. While other meals seemed to change throughout the week, my Mom’s Monday night pasta remained constant. Gathering around the table, my family and I described the moments of our days and our goals for the week in between slurps of sauce. From fighting foot wars underneath the table with my brother to cracking puns with my Dad to learning about Socrates with my sister, my moments at dinner surrounded by the warmth of both pasta and family extended far beyond the table. As I now gaze at the grocery store’s various noodle options with labels of penne, rigatoni, and farfalle filling the shelves, I
reflect on how each member of my family helped shape who I am.
Similarly, here at the Anchor, we seek to capture the beauty of what shapes Hope College. Extending from our newsroom table, our articles breathe nostalgic warmth into the crisp October air. With a team of writers, editors, photographers, and advisors, we are proud to carry on the over 135 year tradition of the Anchor. Thank you for your loyal readership as we share the rich flavors of Hope College and its community!
Madi Barrett
Tacy Kratt
Sadie Quakenbush Mia Schmidt
Ava Seuffert
Carmen Thomas
Kelsey VanLangevelde
Michael Schanhals staff writEr staff writEr staff writEr
serves the right to edit due to space constraints, personal attacks or other editorial considerations. A representative sample will be taken. No anonymous letters will be printed unless discussed with Editor-in-Chief. Please limit letters to 500 words.
Mail letters to The Anchor c/o Hope College, drop them off at the Anchor office (located in the Martha Miller Center 151) or e-mail us at anchor@hope.edu by Monday at 5 p.m. to appear in Wednesday’s issue.
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Contact Information: To submit an ad or a classified, or to request a brochure or other information, contact our Ads Representative at anchorads@ hope.edu. To contact our office, email us at anchor@hope.edu.
Tacy Kratt Staff Writer
On Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, Hope College hosted attorney John Bursch and Dr. Megan DeFranza for a civil discussion about sex and gender. The Saint Benedict Institute (SBI) co-sponsored the event along with the Provost’s Office, the Dean for Arts & Humanities, the Pre-Law Society and the Department of Philosophy.
During the introduction, Dr. Jared Ortiz, a religion professor at Hope and the moderator of the event, stated that “questions around sex and gender are some of the most contentious today.” He pointed out that these are fundamental questions that “touch on what it means to be human” and “who God is.”
The purpose of the event was to demonstrate respectful dialogue between Christians with different opinions on issues related to the
Bible’s teachings on sex and gender, intersex people, transgenderism and more regarding gender identity. Bursch is the author of the recently published book “Loving God’s Children: The Church and Gender Ideology,” while Dr. Megan DeFranza is the author of “Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God” and the director of a documentary titled “Stories of Intersex and Faith.”
The speakers held different perspectives, including interpretations of Genesis and how this impacts intersex people. Defending the view of sex as a spectrum, Dr. DeFranza pointed out that “Genesis is meant to teach us about the relationship between God and creation—it is not an inventory of all that is good.” While affirming this point, Bursch emphasized the differences between men and
women, stating that, “our body is not just a construct; our bodies and souls are inextricably linked.”
While diverging in ideology, there were points of convergence between the speakers. Both DeFranza and Bursch expressed that more caution is needed in regard to gender reassignment surgeries for children. DeFranza stated that “Our society is toxic; it just is. There’s so much in our society that makes raising children difficult.”
Both agreed that conforming to Christ’s image is more important than conforming to gender ideals. The night ended with students submitting questions for the guest speakers, providing an intentional space for further discussion and discovery. Overall, the conversation successfully demonstrated how to civilly engage with opposing ideas—a skill that is urgently needed in today’s society.
“Hope is an educational community whose mission is vitally informed by the historic Christian faith, and in which all individuals are, as a matter of deeply held principle, treated with the respect due them as God’s creatures” (Hope College Virtues of Public Discourse).
Ava Seuffert Staff Writer
This week, the Director of the Disability and Accessibility Resources (DAR) at Hope College, Dr. Carrie Dattels, delivered a presentation entitled “Moving Hope Forward: Disability Inclusion by Design.” She invited the audience to think about how disabilities can change lives and how the community needs to reshape its thinking about disabilities for continual improvement at Hope. The ultimate success is when a student can meet their accessibility needs without requiring a trip to DAR, as students do not usually need DAR unless they have encountered a barrier.
Dattels began the lecture by saying that she had previously believed a traumatic head injury during her teen years qualified her for the job, but changed her thinking once she became the parent of a child with chronic medical needs. Dattels continued to share the history regarding the passing of disabilities acts, the first of which was the disability civil rights law entitled The Rehabilitation Act that was passed in 1973. This act allowed more disabled students to attend schools and gain a higher education. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed with the motive of providing all
students the same opportunitieswith or without disabilities. Finally, in 2008, the ADA Amendments Act was passed, aiming to broaden the definition of disabilities and place the responsibility of accommodation on the institution, rather than the individual. Dattels discussed how Hope has fallen behind, responding to the acts and amendments rather than taking preemptive action. When acts were passed in the 1970s, the school would respond in the 1980s - leaving Hope ten years behind both the laws and other colleges.
She quotes Dr. Margaret Price, a faculty member at Ohio State University, who said, “A powerful feat of imagination is required to go beyond ‘welcoming’ disability and instead actively expecting it.” Price’s quote and the passage of the 2008 ADA Amendments Act pushed Hope toward proactivity and accessibility, and away from solely making retroactive accommodations.
Despite this push, Dattels claims that Hope College still operates within the retroactive model - especially for academic programs. Dattels calls Hope’s approach “backwards” as it is largely individual, not collective.
She believes that we, as a community, need to reassess how we define accessibility, inclusion and commitment in order to see an active change within our
community. According to her, we need to foster our community values. “Without grace, students do not experience understanding or belonging. Without grace, we cannot demonstrate Hope College’s core values like being a caring community. Grace is a practice of accessibility.”
As Hope aspires to be welcoming, professors may unintentionally add to the stigma surrounding disabilities, aiding the idea that students with disabilities need easier material or extra help, when, in reality, they may just need the same treatment and the chance to prove they are equally as capable.
Specific groups on Hope’s campus have worked to be more accessible. One of which includes the Department of Theatre. This department has recently implemented their “Sensoryfriendly Saturdays” with the opening of “The Hijabis” on the 18th. This specific showing kept the colorful stage lights dimmed, muffled or removed certain sound effects and offered accessible
seating and a live audio description for those who requested it.
Residential Life has also been working to improve accessibility by adding air conditioning units within cottages, offering more single rooms and creating ADA compliant bathrooms and barrier-free entrances on lower-level duplexes. Though certain departments and groups here are working to be more proactively accessible, Dr. Dattel’s message challenges colleges to hold everyone in their communities accountable. Change should be continuous and unending. Speaking with Dattels after the lecture she explained that she was, “grateful for the opportunity to speak.” Information can be learned from anywhere, and Dattels conveyed how a lot of information, particularly about the books she referenced, was gained through email correspondences. Dattels wants the Hope community to create a narrative re-emphasizing the idea that this should be “the beginning of a conversation, not the end.”
Ava Seuffert Staff Writer
To kick off the fall season, Hope College’s Student Activities Committee (SAC) hosted their annual Fall Fest at the Post Family Farm on Sep. 20, 2024. Students who attended had the opportunity to paint pumpkins, enjoy apple cider and donuts, make s’mores, take a hayride, go through a corn maze, learn line dancing and explore the farm!
SAC Director of Logistics, Emma Raybould (’25), commented, “Fall Fest is one of my favorite SAC events! There was a lot of planning that went into it, but we have a great team that invested so much time and energy into creating a fun event for the campus community. It is so rewarding to see students enjoy all of our hard work!” Students were definitely appreciative of all of these efforts, as there were more than two full buses headed to the farm. Hope is blessed to have so many students who want to get involved by creating new connections and continuing beloved traditions both within the school’s community and Holland.
When first walking off the bus, students were greeted by MJ Howes (’26) and Sophia Elsie (’27), two core members of SAC, who were full of the fall spirit. They were quick to send people to get their apple cider and donuts at the table behind them - run by Nicky Brunink (’26), one of the Co-Directors of Events for SAC, and Sydney LaMotte (’26), another core member of SAC. When asked, students said, “The
donuts and cider were to die for!” and “Apple cider is a staple of fall! I’m glad they didn’t run out.”
Despite the hot weather, students got cozy by the fireside to make some s’mores. Whether their preference was lightly toasted or completely burnt marshmallows, students had the option to pair them with Reese’s peanut butter cups or Hershey’s chocolate, and there was hot cocoa available on the side.
After getting snacks, the fun didn’t end! Students could take a hayride to the corn maze at the back of the farm. For most students, the sun had set before they could explore the maze, leading to a spooky atmosphere and spinetingling adventure as they twisted and turned through the corn.
The fun continued throughout the night! Students had the
opportunity to learn some line dances in the upper level of the barn. Whether stomping, clapping or dosey-doeing, students got to meet some new faces and create connections through partner dances. Student Esther Varnel, when asked about her favorite part of the event said, “Line dancing was my favorite part. It was a lot of fun dancing with my friends,” Another student enjoyed the pumpkin painting event, saying, “I loved chatting and painting pumpkins with my friends.” The event kindly provided both smalland medium-sized pumpkins for students to decorate. There were many Halloween figures found on the pumpkins such as ghosts, cats and Frankenstein faces! Other designs included flowers, hearts and even a few Hope anchors!
“Hope is blessed to have so many students who want to get involved by creating new connections and continuing beloved traditions...”
SAC’s student staff worked hard to pull off this Fall Fest. Students were constantly refilling drinks and donut trays, restocking the logs in the fire pits and keeping students informed of the events available. Make sure you thank them for their hard work by following @hopecollegesac on Instagram and Tik Tok to stay updated on all of the upcoming events!
The Islamic Resistance Movement, internationally known as HAMAS, is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni-Islamist political organization that was officially designated as a terrorist group by the United States in 1997. HAMAS has had control over the Israeli occupied part of Palestine known as the Gaza-Strip since 2007. On Oct. 7, 2023, HAMAS and several other Palestinian armed groups led an attack against Israel, continuing a long history of conflict between the parties involved.
Palestinian and Jewish claims on the land date back thousands of years, but the main conflict began in 1916. The Arab Revolt was an uprising of Arab nationalists against the Ottoman Empire in the Middle Eastern Front of World War I. During that time, much of the Middle East (including modern-day Israel and Palestine) was part of the Ottoman Empire. At the start of the war, the United Kingdom promised the Arabs that, if they revolted against the Ottomans, the British would support Arab independence, to which the Arabs agreed. However, in 1916, the British, French, Russians and Italians created the Sykes–Picot Agreement which defined their post WWI spheres of influence in the possibility of defeating the Ottoman Empire. This included dividing the Arab state that the British had promised independence, placing Palestine under British, French and Russian “protection.”
Even though the Arabs still continued to believe that they would be given independence after the war ended, the British government released the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which
was headed by Zionist politicians. This was a public statement announcing British support of establishing a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, which was a result of British and wider European antisemitism and Zionism. After the war ended, the British created Mandatory Palestine, which was the British-ruled state of Palestine. In 1922, the Mandate for Palestine was issued to Britain by the League of Nations, requiring the Balfour Declaration to be put into place and, thus, sectioning off part of Palestine for the aforementioned “national home for the Jewish people.” This ended up dividing the territory into two national groups: the Palestinian Arabs and the Jewish.
Tensions continued to rise as more and more Jewish immigrants poured into Palestine from Europe with cultural differences only worsening the gap. Christian and Muslim Palestinians were at the forefront of this opposition as they made up almost 90% of the Palestinian population. The main issue was that most Palestinians felt that the entirety of Palestine was being turned into a Jewish state as the borders of the territories were not clearly drawn. The Palestinians took offense to Jewish immigrants calling their homeland and their ancestors’ homeland the rightful Jewish home, especially since it was the Arabs that fought for Palestine and the other Middle Eastern states against the Ottoman Empire. They also saw the entire development as a betrayal by the British, a decision made without any regard for the desires of the inhabitants of the state. Thus, it was the anger for the European power that now resided over Palestine and supported the development of Zionism within Palestine that fueled the anger of the Palestinians and created Palestinian nationalism. The Balfour Declaration also did not outline the political rights of the non-Jewish citizens of Palestine, giving them less recognition in the eyes of the British and allowing for the displacement and marginalization of the Palestinian Arabs. These tensions continued to get worse over the years until they culminated to a boiling point in 1936, this boiling point is known as the Great Palestinian Revolt. This was an upris-
ing of the Palestinian Arabs against the British government, with the end goal of seeking independence from the British and to end the British authorities’ support for Zionism. However, the Palestinian revolt ultimately failed after three years of fighting and only worsened Palestinian treatment and strengthened Zionism support.
However, with antisemitism rising in Europe as World War II approached, the influx of Jewish immigrants grew and violence between the Palestinian Arabs and the Jewish population became worse and more frequent. In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly presented the 1947 UN Partition Plan, which aimed to end the internal conflict between the Arabs and Jews of Palestine by splitting the state into three territories. The issue was that, while the Jewish community made up 32% of the population, the plan gave them 56% of the territory. While Jewish leadership accepted the plan, Arab leadership rejected the United Nation’s authority, and any form of partition, and demanded that the state of Palestine be given wholly to the Palestinian Arabs, resulting in the Civil War of Mandatory Palestine, which lasted from 1947 to 1948. This conflict primarily took place between the Palestinian Arabs and Jews with little interference from the British. This first part of the conflict resulted in the termination of British rule over Palestine and the creation of the State of Israel, leading to a time of forced displacement known as Nakba. The goal of Nakba was to remove the Palestinians to the State of Israel.
An estimated 750,000 Plalestinians were forcibly removed from their homes, over 500 Palestinian villages were destroyed and an estimated 15,000 Plaestinians were killed. This also led to the start of the second part of the civil war: the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Support from other countries, including Egypt, Iraq and Syria, invaded the new state, fighting against the new Jewish State of Israel alongside the Palestinian Arabs. The UN put multiple truces into effect throughout the year of war, even proposing a new partition plan which was rejected by both sides. In 1949, the war ended with Israel signing individual armistices with the nations that supported the Arabs, resulting in Israel holding about 78% of what used to be Mandatory Palestine, leaving the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the hands of the Arabs.
continued on pg. 8
continued from pg. 7
This leads us to the point in history in which we currently reside, the Palestinians wishing and fighting for their homeland and the State of Israel declaring the land to be the nation of Jewish origin and their holy place. The United States government has continuously denied issuing a ceasefire as well as standing firm with their long time allies: Israel. These decisions have sparked outrage within American citizens, especially college students, who have conducted many protests on their campuses. American citizens have organized funding and aid to be sent to Gaza, boycotted institutions that support Israel and spoken out in mass against the brutality happening in this conflict.
Wanting to hear from this perspective, I sat down for an interview with a senior Hope College student of communications and global health. This student, who wishes to remain anonymous, recalls the few times that they have witnessed peaceful student protests against Israel on Hope’s campus, stating that they believe that peaceful protests are a great way to be seen and heard. Upon asking why
they believe that college students should care about issues such as Israel and Palestine, they stated that “getting involved [as a college student] is a great way to start the journey of learning why you believe in what you believe in, which helps you become a better citizen of the U.S. and growing your values and beliefs.” I then asked specifically about Hope students and
“getting involved [as a college student] is a great way to start the journey of learning why you believe in what you believe in which helps you become a better citizen of the U.S. and growing your values and beliefs.”
how our college supports learning about these issues and the development of beliefs within its students. They stated that “as a Hope College student, in an education where we are pushed to think critically and be bold in what we believe in, I think it’s important for Hope students to learn
about these issues.” Some of the ways that they think Hope College encourages this is through special events such as the Critical Issues Symposium, films at the Knickerbocker and many other guest speakers and
“as a Hope College student in an education where we are pushed to think critically and be bold in what we believe in, I think it’s important for Hope students to learn about these issues.”
events. They also said that they appreciate all of the activism-based and academic department student organiza-
tions and resources offered at Hope, as well as the student development offices and resources.
No matter your opinion on this topic or others like it, it is important to seek out the truth and critically think about what you learn, which includes learning the history of how the issue and those involved got to where they are. As a history major, my goal with this article was to help people, especially college students, understand that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict didn’t suddenly begin with a HAMAS attack on Israel in 2023. This string of attacks on both sides is simply the most recent conflict within a generations-long war. There is no perfect answer, after all that has happened, but if we are unable to stop the purposeless and horrific murder of innocent civilians, it will continue on for generations more.
Mia Schmidt Staff Writer
Two hurricanes just hit Florida: hurricanes Milton and Helene. Milton was devastating, affecting millions of people and causing $34 billion in loss and damages, not including the effects of the tornados and deaths. Additionally, hurricane Helene cost almost $47 billion in damages. These hurricanes have been devastating and many scientists and officials are worried about the strength of future hurricanes.
Beth Zimmerman, a senior executive adviser with Innovative Emergency Management, an emergency management consultant firm, says, “Everybody needs to be looking not to what they experienced in the past, but what is happening now in terms of hurricanes and extreme weather.”
This is in response to how Hurricane Helene did not die at the coast, but instead moved all the way to North Carolina.
Climate change has always been occurring, however, in the last decade, humans have caused it to in-
“Everybody needs to be looking not to what they experienced in the past, but what is happening now in terms of hurricanes and extreme weather.”
crease at dangerous levels, creating unstable environments. The planet is being warmed by the things we find the most helpful and efficient in our lives: food, gas and heat… all things we need, but at what cost? We find these resources necessary, but ultimately they could lead to a total lack of resources. Power outages, a lack of food, insatiable weather and dry mines are all possibilities we will most likely face soon, if not now. Humans take and take for our gain now but for our ultimate and greater loss later. And that “later” is here, “later” is happening. Hurricanes are becoming more intense; in the last decades we have seen an increase in hurricanes, and at the same time we have seen an increase in the heat of our oceans and our air. According to the National Ocean Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the warming waters in the ocean lead to larger hurricanes due to heightened moisture, creating more rainfall. These recent hurricanes are
said to be some of the deadliest hurricanes in over two decades. NASA says that although “the global frequency of storms may decrease or remain unchanged[…]hurricanes that form are more likely to become intense.”
The hurricanes that occurred these past couple of weeks point toward this reality. Damage to livelihood, houses, power and families are leaving us in the wake of billions of dollars.
How do we stop this? Hurricanes will happen for the rest of time, but how do we create a sustainable future for our families, for the world and for
a future that will cost us less. There is always hope for a better future! Recently, a hurricane resilient town was built in Florida, and it has withheld the tests. Babock Ranch was opened in 2018 in the hopes of creating a safe haven for climate-driven storms. During these past storms, the town never lost power due to its sustainable and reliable power sources of solar farms and an underground transmission system. Florida is attempting to make waves in sustainable homes. Instead of rebuilding over and over again, there are hopes
towards resilient homes with large one-time costs, helping reduce continuous rebuilding costs. Though these homes are not cheap, and not everyone can have a brand new
“the global frequency of storms may decrease or remain unchanged... hurricanes that form are more likely to become intense.”
home, Floridian sustainable development personnel are working hard to give access to sustainable futures. This task is not easy, and won’t be for a long time, but it’s a step. Amy Kowel said, “We look for any opportunities we have to build resilience, we have to reduce risk now.”
This is just one example of a way we could move towards a sustainable future. However, the diversities of development, economics and socioeconomic classes can cause a lot of different needs and different approaches. So that leads to the question, what approaches do we need to take first to combat these issues and create a better future for all?
Madison Barrett Staff Writer
The musical “Wicked” is reaching a new level of “popular” in 2024 with the anticipation for the new two-part adaptation of the musical, with the first part coming to theaters in Nov. “Wicked” first debuted on Broadway on June 10, 2003. The plot of the musical is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, “Wicked”, which is based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The musical follows the story of two witches, Elphaba and Glinda, during their adolescent friendship. The story leads up to how Elphaba became the infamous “Wicked Witch” and Glinda as the “Good Witch.” This “Wizard of Oz” prequel has been loved by fans for over twenty years, and the excitement for the musical on the big screen is only growing as the release date gets closer.
“Wicked” was composed by Stephen Schwartz, an American musical theater composer and lyricist. Schwartz has composed other hit musicals like “Pippin” and “Godspell.” Schwartz was a lyricist for several successful films such as “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Prince of Egypt” and “Enchanted.” He has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, four Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards and has been nominated for six Tony Awards. He has received the 2015 Isabelle Stevenson Award, which is a special Tony Award for his commitment to serving artists and fostering new talent. Schwartz confirmed in 2022 that new songs would be featured in the movie, and that he felt the two-part release was necessary. The Act One closer, “Defying Gravity,” played a big part in that decision. Schwartz stated to a fan publication, “That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic.” Winnie Holzman, an American playwright, screenwriter, actor and producer, is the playwright for “Wicked.” Holzman also wrote the screenplays for the upcoming twopart movie versions of “Wicked.”
The director of the movie, “Wicked (part 1),” is Jon M. Chu, an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for directing “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018. In an interview with “Seen
on the Screen,” Chu reveals the magic behind his vision for the film. He opened up about his connection to the cultural phenomenon that is “Wicked,” and shared insights into his process and the collaboration between the cast and crew to bring the film to the big screens. Chu stated, “What you have to say is unique and is valuable and that’s what you should be chasing, the things that scare you the most - and ‘Wicked’ scared me.” Chu raved about how his collaboration with stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and the rest of the cast’s talented crew, resulted in show-stopping musical numbers, stunning sets and meticulously crafted details that will enchant audiences worldwide.
The cast of “Wicked” is what the majority of fans are most excited about. The actress playing Elphaba, Cynthia Erivo, is an English actress, singer and songwriter. Erivo is the recipient of a Daytime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award and a Tony Award in addition to a nominee for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of “The Color Purple” from 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo is incredibly thankful for the opportunity to portray a role as complicated and unique as Elphaba in the cinemas. She recently spoke out about the controversy surrounding the fan edits being
made of the “Wicked” poster. In these edits, fans are making the new poster created for the movie look more like the Broadway poster by covering up Erivo’s face. In response to these edits, she stated, “I am a real-life human being, who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer . . . because without words we communicate with our eyes. Our poster is a homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.” Erivo felt called upon to speak up about the rudeness of these edits, especially since no edits were made to her co-star, Ariana Grande, on the poster.
Ariana Grande, a music artist, actress and composer, is taking on the role of Glinda. Grande starred in the musical “13” in 2008 before becoming a household name from her roles on Nickelodeon. In 2013, her music career took off when she released her first studio album, “Yours Truly,” which entered atop the US Billboard 200. Grande has stated in multiple interviews that Glinda is her dream role, and she told the director of “Wicked” when she was cast that she’ll “take such good care of her” referring to the character Glinda. Since the trailer was released, there has been some backlash against Grande for the way she talks in character. Grande spoke up to Vanity Fair about her voice in the movie, “It’s something that I’m just really proud of.”
She stated, “Part of why I did want to engage [on TikTok] is because I am really proud of my hard work and of the fact that I did give 100% of myself, including my physicality, to this role. I am proud of that, so I wanted to protect it.” She then added, “When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed. There are definitely jokes that are made as well, but it’s always after being led with praise: ‘Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.’ And that’s just a part of the job, really. Tale as old as time being a woman in this industry. You are treated differently, and you are under a microscope in a way that some people aren’t.”
If you are one of the many fans of the musical excited to view the movie, tickets are now officially on sale! The movie premieres on Nov. 22, so you can enjoy it over the holidays. Make sure to check out part two of “Wicked” when it comes out on Nov. 21, 2025, just a year after part one. Look out for other wellknown actors in the cast, and listen to the original Broadway recording of the soundtrack to get into the “Wicked” spirit while you wait!
Evelyn Austin Staff Writer
At the beginning of last school year, Hope College’s Symphony Orchestra found itself face to face with the man who would spend the next twelve months revolutionizing it. Samuel Pang, conductor, violist and theologian, has brought the dedication and energy that the orchestra needed to create some incredible progress.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Samuel Pang first came to the States to study viola performance, before returning home to teach music at a high school. However, he was soon discouraged by the idea that he had learned all he ever would. A desire to expand his education took him back to America, where he got a degree in conducting from Eastman School of Music. Pang then returned to teaching, where he remained until an opportunity arose for his wife to complete her PhD, taking the pair to Vancouver. It was in Vancouver where he developed an interest in theology. This became his new pursuit, but was quickly followed by questions about where he could put both callings to work. Pang describes “a fight with God” concerning his future. Yet, despite this struggle, he soon realized the power of God’s providence in his life after receiving an invitation from Hope College’s Dr. Hornbach, offering him a position as Orchestra Director.
The Hope College Orchestra, with its unique merging of music and religion, promised to be a good match for Pang’s combination of skills. It also provided him with a challenge. He recalls the orchestra he first encountered was eager, but had lacked understanding of how an orchestra should operate. The biggest leap they’ve taken over the course of last year, he says, is how they now work together. Since getting to know each other better, both musically and personally, they’ve had many moments that Pang considers to make them “indistinguishable from a professional orchestra.”
From reteaching bowholds to learning to breathe together, a lot of work on the fundamentals has gone into making the orchestra
what it is today. But it wasn’t all work on Pang’s end. Equally as invaluable has been the work of individual students and the work of one of the orchestra’s most distinctive institutions: the Orchestra Board, a student leadership body formed by elected representatives from each section of the orchestra. These elected leaders act as advocates for the students and executors of the orchestra’s plans and visions. They meet with Professor Pang every week to discourse, allowing the students in the orchestra an active role in their future.
That future is shaping up to be bright, as they are currently raising funds to take the orchestra to Carnegie Hall in April where they will perform as an exhibi-
tion ensemble with other bands, orchestras and symphonies from as far away as the Netherlands. Connecting the Hope and Holland community began last year with their Hymn Sing Concert in November. Pang believes the orchestra can be powerful in bringing people together through music, and Carnegie Hall is the next step on that journey. As a cosmopolitan musical epicenter, Carnegie Hall in New York City brings people to the orchestra, allowing them to start interacting with audiences and other ensembles from around the world. “I want people to feel like the Hope College Orchestra belongs to them,” says Pang. Professor Pang believes in this orchestra. He describes their prog-
ress as quickly moving forward, and the bond as very united: “I see people taking care of each other.” Unfortunately, funding still stands in the way of their aspirations. They are determined that money should not be a limiting or divisive factor, but as it stands, they cannot afford to take every musician to New York. The Hope College Orchestra needs the help of the community to take this “smoking hot” potential from the Jack Miller Auditorium to a world stage. If you would like to be a part of this world takeover, visit the Hope College Music Department website under “Tours” to learn more!
Anna Palmquist Section Editor
Earlier this month, anyone interested in classical studies was granted the unique opportunity to delve into the latest developments in research on the Herculaneum papyri. Dr. Michael McOsker, a distinguished scholar with a PhD from the University of Michigan led this lecture. Dr. McOsker also has experience as a Researcher at the University College of London and remains a member of Hexameters Beyond the Canon, a group that is working towards transcribing and editing the Oxyrhynchus collection of papyri from Egypt. Finally, Dr. McOsker is also the distinguished author of “The Good Poem According to Philodemus,” which serves as the first comprehensive monograph on Philodemus in over 60 years. With all of his hands-on experience at the archeological sites and his time uncovering the carbonized papyri’s secrets, his talk balanced both a riveting historical narrative as well as an inner look at these ancient scrolls and the massive undertaking of uncovering their secrets.
For reference, the Herculaneum papyri were burned during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and subsequently discovered in the 18th century at the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum. Herculaneum, located just a short distance from Pompeii, was profoundly impacted by Vesuvius’s eruption, which unleashed a torrent of superheated mud that buried the town approximately 10 meters underground. This natural disaster preserved an extraordinary cache of artifacts, including the carbonized papyrus scrolls that are the focus of Dr. McOsker’s research. The Villa of the Papyri itself is notable for being the largest known private residence from the ancient world, serving as a model for the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, pictured at the top right.
The Herculaneum papyri represent an extraordinary glimpse into ancient literature and philosophy. The scrolls were composed of papyrus, a writing material derived from the reed that grows in the Nile Delta. In the ancient world, papyrus was the standard medium for creating scrolls and books. It is estimated that the villa housed between 400 to 800 papyrus scrolls, with many housed in Room 5, as outlined in Karl Weber’s plan from 1758. Weber’s meticulous
excavation work is commendable, given that the layout remains accurate to within 15 centimeters of the actual building.
Among the most notable individuals involved in the early study of these scrolls was Fr. Antonio Piaggio, a Vatican librarian and the inventor of the “macchina,” a device designed to assist in the unrolling of the fragile documents. His collaboration with Camillo Paderni, an excavator, was crucial in cutting up the scrolls for further examination. These scrolls were loaded onto a stand that rested on a mechanism using gut strings to increase tension while releasing water to aid in unrolling the delicate material—a technological breakthrough for the time period. Furthermore, as the pieces were unrolled, they were glued to the material behind for the purpose of durability, and to make the writings more legible.
A significant portion of the Herculaneum collection consists of Epicurean philosophy, predominantly the writings of Philodemus of Gadara, a philosopher who lived between 10-40 BCE. Philodemus was known to be a contemporary of Cicero and served as the private philosopher to Julius Caesar’s father-in-law. More than 50% of the scrolls are attributed to Philodemus, with additional works by Epicurus and a Stoic philosopher. Among the prominent texts is “On Slander,” dedicated to notable figures such as Vergil and Quintilius. Research techniques have evolved dramatically since the scrolls’ discovery, with advances like micro-CT scanning helping scholars analyze the text without damaging the fragile material. However, even X-ray imaging has encountered challenges, as the ink used does not show up against the carbonized papyrus. To overcome this, innovative projects like the Vesuvius Challenge have emerged. Notably, the first “first ink” submission was made by Casey Handmer. This was informally known as “the crackle,” which was followed by Luke Farritor’s initial submission of letters from the scrolls. A significant achievement occurred when 16 half-columns from the end of one entire roll won the grand prize of this ‘Vesuvius Challenge.’ Despite these advances, around 640 fragments remain unrolled and unread, and roughly 118 author names are clearly legible, highlighting the rich intellectual
heritage preserved in these ancient documents.
The Herculaneum papyri stand as a testament to ancient literary culture, and Dr. McOsker’s presentation has undoubtedly illuminated the
ongoing efforts to unravel their mysteries. As scholars like him continue to uncover the scrolls’ secrets, the legacy of these texts will continue to influence our understanding of classical thought and literature today.
Sadie Quackenbush Staff Writer
Imagine waking up and being handed a detailed itinerary that plans out your day. In the morning you go to the chow hall for breakfast, then you can go to the school building. After that you might visit the chow hall again, go to the study hall, your room or the day room. Sometimes, there is yard time– a two-hour block permitted for recreational activities outside. In-between these times, you must be in your room for count, which happens six times a day. You must wake up at a certain time and go to sleep at a certain time– everything is highly regimented. There is little to no technology permitted, and autonomy is very, very limited. This is what a day looks like in prison.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 70% of US prisoners are rearrested within five years of being released. The Hope-Western Prison Education Program aims to change this. “When they are offered a bachelor’s degree, that number significantly drops,” David Stubbs, a co-director and professor who teaches at Muskegon Correctional Facility, noted. The program began in 2021. At the Muskegon Correctional Facility, professors from Hope College and Western Seminary teach a variety of classes, aiming to equip incarcerated individuals for lives of leadership and service. In a series of interviews, The Anchor spoke with the Co-Directors of HWPEP, Kary Bosma and Stubbs. Through our conversation, Bosma and Stubbs discussed the program’s holistic approach, its transformative impact on the prisoners themselves and its effect on prisons overall.
First, The Anchor asked Bosma about the specifics of the program goals, and she described the wellrounded approach the program takes to education. “We hope to transform individual students and provide them with a sense of hope and purpose,” she said. “We’re concerned about the formation of the entire student, so that their spiritual, emotional and intellectual growth happens both in and out of the classroom.” Not only does the emphasis on student development separate HWPEP from other prison education programs, but the program also focuses on providing opportunities for inmates who are not guaranteed a recent release. “About half the student population is serving long or indeterminate sentences,” Bosma emphasized. “That’s important because almost all of the
Students and Faculty
other prison education programs in Michigan [...] are solely focused on employment upon reentry. Our program is also useful to those who are not getting out.” For those who are serving longer and/or indeterminate sentences, the program provides opportunities for students to work inside the prison, taking on roles such as tutors, peer supporters or religious leaders. “We want students to use whatever influence
“We hope to transform individual students and provide them with a sense of hope and purpose.”
they have and the skills they’ve been given to be problem solvers in the prison context” Bosma concluded. Seeing the students cultivate these skills and renew their sense of self is important and impactful, especially from a professor’s point of view.
All of the faculty that are teaching in the program are doing it over and above their teaching on the main campus,” Bosma said. “They’re doing this as a kind of overtime [...] it is really out of generosity and commitment to the program’s mission.”
The Anchor asked Stubbs about his experience as an educator in the program, whereupon he commented on the changes that he has seen. “I think a big thing that happens for them is that they relearn that they have dignity,” he said. “They’re able to see themselves in a different way, and see that they could be a change agent for the good [...] for their families, and in the larger society.” In his presentation at the Critical Issues Symposium, professor Fred Johnson referred to this change as a “resurrection.” “What they did is not who they are now,” he asserted. Through-
out his interview, Stubbs furthered this point by articulating how, for some, finding God is an integral part of this transformation. “Getting in touch with their own sense of who God is [...] gives their lives purpose and meaning.” It is evident from professors’ testimonies that the students really value this educational opportunity. Stubbs reiterates to The Anchor. “They put in their time, and they really want to make the world a better place.”
In addition, it costs nothing for the students in the program. “Students participating in the Hope-Western prison program are not responsible for covering the cost of their education. To date, the entire cost of the program has been covered by donor funds,” Bosma explained. “We want to invite as many people as possible to support the program.” For Hope students who want to get involved, both Bosma and Stubbs agree that contributing financially is meaningful. “It’s a program that will continue to need a lot of outside funding in order to exist,” Stubbs remarked. Donating is not the only way Hope students can get involved, however. Bosma recommends simply having conversations. “So few people are aware of what’s happening in a prison context,” she added. Hope Advocates for Prison Education (HAPE) hosts events regarding the program and fosters conversation around the subject. Stubbs suggests community growth: “Learning how to be a community that can welcome them is an important issue in our whole society.”
Both Bosma and Stubbs agree that a societal shift is necessary. “I see the entire prison system as kind of a broken system that has the potential to harm everyone involved in it,” Stubbs said. Bosma concurred: “The culture that has been developed is
one of dehumanization [...] which then breeds a variety of antisocial behaviors.” However, prison education seems to be a step in the right direction. “Violence in prisons with prison programs goes down.” Stubbs reiterated. Johnson described education as “the door” to fix the various issues within prison in the United States.
The Hope-Western Prison Education Program exemplifies the transformative power of education, offering incarcerated individuals the opportunity to not only find career opportunities after their release, but also inside the prison itself. By fostering personal growth, dignity and a renewed sense of purpose, this program not only equips students with valuable skills, but also challenges the broader narrative of dehumanization within the prison system. “What we need is a societal shift in our understanding of what we want prison to accomplish,” Bosma stated.
“What we need is a societal shift in our understanding of what we want prison to accomplish.”
To get involved, consider attending a HAPE event, or following them on Instagram @hape_hwpep. Bosma wants to emphasize that there is an unseen connection between the students at Hope and the students in the program. She concluded by saying, “It’s important for students to know that even if they’ll never see the inside of Muskegon Correctional Facility, you have peers there. You matter to them, and I hope that they matter to you.”
Chloe Meengs Guest Writer
I competed in The Pull for the first time as a sophomore in 2021. I was a loud and proud morale for the 2-4 Pull Team. Since then, just over three years have passed, and my love for the tradition is somehow still growing exponentially. The lessons I learned through my involvement in The Pull - first alongside my team, then alongside my fellow coaches, then alongside generations of Pull alumni with and before me - have truly enriched my life. I owe some of the most exciting and satisfying moments of my college career to the friends I made during those long nights prepping for the big day. As sappy and mushy as that all sounds, some of my favorite aspects of The Pull are anything but that. Exhausting practices, extensive strategy planning and more hours of work per week than a full-time job are what have ultimately granted Even Year four straight wins as of the 2024 Pull - a rare and exciting accomplishment. Winning The Pull requires near-superhuman strength and fortitude, both mentally and physically, but the reward is the ability to stand with the teams of previous years and have your name written next to theirs in history. These four most recent victories have been particularly noteworthy for several reasons. In 2021, for example, the 2-4 sophomores ended a four-year winning streak for Odd Year following the cancellation of the 2020 Pull due to COVID-19. In 2023, the 2-6 team won their second Pull in a row, meaning that the 2-6 coaches had won every single Pull they had been eligible to participate in (first on a team in 2021, then as coaches in 2022 and 2023). This is a feat that only two other classes in the last century have been able to achieve. Most recently, on Sep. 28, 2024, Even Year’s current winning streak was lengthened from three years to four years (congratulations, 2-8)! From my brief time being involved in the tradition, as well as learning about The Pull’s history, I think what makes a winning team on either side of the river can be boiled down to a few key things: connection, care and community. The importance of connection in The Pull feels sort of self-explanatory. Why put yourself through the agony of tearing your body apart on a rope for three hours if not for the friends in front of and behind you?
On the heels of connection comes the opportunity to care. Through the bonds created during the season, small opportunities arise to show empathy for teammates: a coach pulling a team member aside to check how they’re doing; a morale working late into the night on a puller’s vest, even though it’s not their responsibility; a puller yelling chants and encouragements at their friend on the rope with them. These small acts of kindness snowball into a much larger community - not only community within the team but a community with Pull alumni that you gain access to for life once you’re a part of the Pull family. Winning this insane event takes a village. It can’t be done without the support of countless people donating their time and energy to the war effort. There are too many details to pay attention to; there is too much wisdom and knowledge to gain from previous pullers and morales to leave them out of the process. I truly believe that this is the main reason Even Year is experiencing not only a surge in success but also a rise in popularity: everything always comes back to the broader community. They recognize the value that everyone has to offer, and they capitalize on that. They even manage to have fun with it!
My experience as a morale on the 2-4 Pull Team was full of joy and character-building. I think the most important lessons I learned during that time were about humility and selflessness - how to give help without knowing if there will be recognition
or thanks in return. Moraling requires you to put your own needs aside completely to care for someone else’s in a way I haven’t experienced before or since. Honestly, it impacted the way I view my relationship with Jesus. It gave me a new context to view “...the most important lessons I learned during that time were about humility and selflessness...”
radical generosity and humbleness. Additionally, I made several of my best friends during those weeks. What we went through together, and our love for those shared memories, bonded us for life. After my time with 2-4, I was chosen to be a coach for the 2-6 team. Those subsequent two seasons were some of the most fun, exhausting and rewarding weeks of my life. I made even more great friends, found new ways to bring my faith into The Pull and worked with some very passionate people who taught me how to lead in love. This year, for the first time, I was able to experience the joy and excitement of The Pull as an alum. I got to watch as my old 2-4 teammates and I shook hands and shared stories with 2-8 freshmen whom we never would have had the chance to meet otherwise.
While I obviously can’t speak for Odd Year, I believe that they are just as motivated by learning discipline, cultivating confidence and forging lifelong friendships as Even Year is.
Their pullers, morales, coaches and alumni bleed maroon and gold just as me and mine bleed red and black. They’ve been formidable opponents not only for my generation but for more than a century of pullers and morales that have come before us. As ever, it’s still anyone’s Pull. In my opinion, this is the beauty of the whole tradition - every win and every loss is so significant for the people who contribute directly to them, and they will carry their experiences with them forever. Yet somehow, in the grand scheme of things, the outcome of any Pull just becomes another number to add to over one hundred years of other wins and losses. How beautiful that behind every Pull, behind every newspaper heading bearing the score of that year’s event, there are countless friendships formed, lessons learned and identities found. The things that truly stick with me - that stick with all of us - are the shared experiences of training together, eating together and growing together for the three short weeks of the season and beyond. These things never change, no matter what year you compete, whether you win or lose or what side you pull for. I will never stop singing my praises for this tradition and for Even Year Pull, which has given me all of this and more to be grateful for.
Sadee Zeller Guest Writer
We stood there in a circle, our 2-7 coaching staff, as the maroon and gold of our coaches whom we learned everything from and alumni from years past flooded the practice field. Holding hands, we prayed together, with the entire team of 2-7 surrounding us, knees and boots splotchy with mud, sweat making their faces glow, tears from exhaustion and hard work filling their eyes. This was the final prayer circle of the season, the final time I would be in this circle as an Odd Year coach. I thought back to the first time we prayed on this field. Our coach said, “Alright 2-5, I’m going to pray for us. Feel free to join or not, whatever you feel comfortable with.” I remembered the hands of my teammates extending toward mine as we recited the Lord’s Prayer. I closed my eyes while the voices of each individual harmonized with each other. It was so evident in this moment that God had brought every single person to this circle in His perfect timing. This was more than a tug-of-war competition; this was a community, a people, a family and a legacy being built and transformed.
Coming into my freshman year at Hope College, I had never been one to step outside of my comfort zone. I found safety in coming home every day to the same people, the same walls and the same living room I would watch “The Office” in after high school. There were many things I would never have dared to do, including asking a waiter to correct a wrong food order. Doing The Pull back then seemed as silly as a sloth entering a marathon.
As college approached, I received a FaceTime from my sister and her two friends. Their heads smooshed together on the screen, they looked at me through the phone and said bluntly, “Sadee. You should do The Pull.”
All three of them had graduated from Hope seven years prior, so I had gone to see The Pull over the Black River once before while visiting campus. I looked back at the screen with a “yeah right” expression on my face.
“That insane tug-of-war thing with the mohawks and eyeblack? Pfft, no way,” I told them. They convinced me to watch an old Odd Year rally video while on FaceTime with them, which only made my decision even clearer: there was no way I would ever do The Pull.
A few days later, I got a text that said a new group chat had been
created. The chat was titled, “Sadee: DO THE PULL.” But, the chat wasn’t left here. My sister’s friend Bri typed: If you do The pull, I’ll pay you $300. I remember my jaw dropping. Bri had always wanted to do The Pull, but never got around to it. She was trying to live vicariously through me, while my sister was trying to pop me out of my comfort bubble. This was a heck of a good bribe, yet freshman me still wasn’t on board.
A few weeks went on and the more I insisted I wouldn’t do it, the more the bribe amount grew, as they were sure I wouldn’t do it. A bunch of my sister’s college friends who knew me started pitching in. The final total came out to $500. The next thing I knew, I was at my first Pull practice.
That first day was interesting, to say the least. After leaving The Pull site, I kept telling myself I was not going back ever again. However, one of my best friends, who later became my puller for the next two years, convinced me to come back and try one more practice. After this “one more practice,” I never missed another day. I worked harder than I ever had in the three weeks leading up to the big event, finally realized my capability and found a love for Odd Year Pull.
This bet will always be funny and absolutely wild to me, but when I think of The Pull now, it is not this silly little bet that comes first to my mind. Instead, I think of my best friends, my coaches and the hard work and limits that were pushed through at each practice and on Pull Day itself. I think of a legacy and a team that is much greater than myself.
Every single person who joins The Pull is working through something different. Whether it is fueled by difficult circumstances in their personal life, a desire for better selfdiscipline, a drive to push themselves or the need to show themselves they are capable, I have witnessed a growth and work ethic like no other on each team during these years. I’ve seen people push through mental barriers to plank just a couple of seconds longer, or to stay on that rope hours longer, regardless of the amount of pain they were in. The Pull pushes you, breaks you and then rebuilds you.
In Odd Year Pull, the word honor is often brought up. I don’t think I fully understood the weight of this word and its relation to The Pull until my last season of coaching. There is something so raw and incredible about getting to represent and teach
the thing you love to people you love. Our coaching staff prayed over the 2-7 team so much. We prayed over their mental and physical health and strength, as well as for their courage and perseverance. Most importantly, we prayed that the team of 2-7 would be able to experience the same passion we did for The Pull. We prayed they would find a home and a family here. After seeing our team on Pull Day and when it ended, I feel honored to be able to pass this tradition down to them as they lead the 2-9 team. These past four years, I have experienced the rawness of joy and satisfaction, though not every moment always felt like this. Going into Pull Day, the words every team member prays to hear are “reel it in.”
Unfortunately, our three weeks of work and dedication do not always
end in this. These moments of The Pull feel sickening and sorrowful at first, but I believe there to be a lot of power in times like this. There is a quote of the wise words of Ted Lasso that goes, “I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that is being alone and sad. Ain’t no one in this room alone.” If anything depicts my time in The Pull, it is these words. In Odd Year Pull, a family and a legacy are found regardless of all else. We pull for the people in front of us, behind us, for the alumni who have come before us and for all future Odd Year pullers and morale. On the Odd Year Pull team, we win together, we lose together, we pray together, we love each other, we pull together, we pull together, we pull together. Nobody in this legacy will ever be alone while doing so.
