Westminster School Simsbury, CT 06070 www.westminster-school.org
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Vol. 107 No. 2
Late Fall 2017
Ilaria Quentin ‘18
Our Midsummer Night’s Dream Production
Harvard-MIT Math Tournament
BY I S A B E L O ’C O N N E L L ‘2 0
BY Y U N A L E E '19
Contributor
Assistant Layout
INSIDE
On the 9th, 10th, and 11th of November, Dramat presented A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Thoug h Sha kespea re is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, the show turned out to be very entertaining and full of heart and laughter. For that, we can thank the hard work of everyone involved—the lovely and talented cast, the impossibly small tech crew who managed to pull together such an amazing set, the dedicated stage managers, Celenah Watson ‘19 and Jordan Clapprood ‘18, and, of course, the all-knowing director Mr. Rasheed. With physical comedy such as chases in the woods involving the lovers Curtis Brockelman ‘19, Julia Krys ‘19, Kaitlyn Eddy ‘19, and Vlad Ivanchuk ‘19, and the ridiculousness of the Mechanicals’ play-within-a-play—featuring a
cross-dressing Mike Riberdy ‘18, a flirtatious wall played by Natalie Fay ‘19, the mentally unstable moon Hannah Kaye ‘19, and the hilariously distressed director Dylan Foster ‘20—it was difficult at times to hear over the audience’s laughter. I asked several cast members what they thought the most memorable part of the play was. Some pointed out the sexual tension between Mike Riberdy ‘18 and Eugene Kim ’19 as Pyramus and Thisbe, or Julia Krys and Kaitlyn Eddy’s dramatic catfight. Many also enjoyed the fairies, beautifully led by their arguing king and queen, Fiona Fan ’18 and Jack Detwiler ’19, which added a fun and magical element to the production. Curtis Brockelman said his favorite part was “probably when [Eugene Kim] comes
Catalonia Crisis Page 3 Books to Read for the Holidays Page 4 College Application Season Page 9 An Historic World Series Page 10
on with the donkey head in the woods. I couldn’t stop laughing when I first saw him.” Ever yone seemed to have similar feelings regarding the outcome of the show. Jack Detwiler, who portrayed both the roles of Oberon and Theseus, said that his “favorite part of the production process was definitely getting to know the rest of the cast better and the amount of chemistry we ended up having on stage.” And Maddie Vanech ’19, who played Puck, Oberon’s michavious assistant, thought that we “worked exceptionally hard and delivered a polished, artistic, and exuberant show that was as exciting for the audience to see as it was for us to perform.” The cast truly became a team and through every missed line, injury, and lost shoe, had each other’s backs.
O n N o v e m b e r 11, We s t m i n s t e r t r a v e l e d t o Harvard for the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament. Albert Gao ‘18, Leona Zhang ‘18, Mary Su ‘18, Yuna Lee ‘19, Vincent Wang ‘19, and Memo Tejapaibul ‘20 represented the Westminster Black team, while Nick Wee ‘18, Katie Neilsen ‘18, James Chun ‘19, Kevin Kuang ‘19, Boyan Alipiev ‘19, and Liam Seeley ‘20 represented the Westminster Gold team. The tournament consisted of three events: the individual round, the team round, and the guts round. Each participant individually worked on ten general math problems and ten themed math problems for the first two hours. In the team round, all teammates collaboratively solved ten problems for an hour. The
guts round took place in the last 90 minutes, in which one of the teammates ran up to a station to bring back a sheet of paper each with three problems. Along with 142 teams and 797 individuals, Westminster students worked on challenging math problems at their own pace. The Westminster Black team ranked 40th on the team round and 92nd on the guts round, while the Gold team ranked 134th on the guts round.
Ask a senior: Mike Fiorini!
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
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THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Opinion President Trump Drastically Reduces Area of Utah National Monuments
Michael Flynn’s Guilty Plea BY S O F I A K U U S I S T O ‘19 Contributor
BY S E A N R Y A N '18 Science Editor
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Pictured Above: Michael Flynn.
The Trump administration decreased the size of protected national monuments in Utah on December 4th. On Mond ay, De c emb er 4th, the Trump administration decreased the size of protected national monuments in Utah, areas deemed of historic and scientif ic importance by previous administrations. Bear Ears National Monument was cut by roughly 85%, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante was reduced to half of its original size. These landmarks, designated by President Obama in 2016 and President Clinton in 1996, respectively, will lose a significant amount of their federal protection, and about two million acres will now be available for resource extraction and development. Pre sident Tr u mp, in a n effort to reduce restrictions and increase development, claims that this move will “usher in a bright new future of wonder and wealth”. Environmentalists have since challenged his statement, arguing that hundreds of thousands of important archaeological sites, not to mention the rich local culture and heritage, may succumb to mining and fossil fuel industries. However, this move is being hailed as a much-needed response to years of sluggish economic growth in local communities, a problem arguably caused by federal overreach in the state, two
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thirds of which is under federal control. Local citizens have polarized, and equally intense, views on Trump’s recent decision. Many Utah residents have applauded him for listening to the locals who disagreed with the restrictions on the land, whereas the Navajo Nation, among other local tribes, have identified this action as yet another instance of the United States government infringing on Native American land of significant historical and cultural value. T h i s a n n o u n c e m e nt i s expected to ignite intense legal b at t le s s u r rou nd i n g publ ic lands, especially in the Western United States: the home of iconic locations such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon, in addition to ma ny monuments and other protected lands. Presidents such as Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt have reduced the size of monuments before, but the legality of these changes has yet to be challenged.
On Friday November 30th, General Michael Flynn, Trump’s one-time national security advisor and close advisor during his campaign, plead guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador, Sergey I. Kislyak, this past December. This plea has made him the first senior White House official to cut a cooperation deal in the special counsel’s examination regarding election interference, and could potentially bring the probe into the inner circle of the Trump administration. Flynn was offered the role of national security officer by Trump in November 2016, and on December 22, 2016, asked the Russian Ambassador to help block the Obama Administration’s decision to allow the United Nations Security Council vote condemning Israel for building settlements on Palestinian territory. Thus, Flynn’s discussions with Kislyak played a role in the effort by Trump’s aides to create foreign policy before they were put in power, undermining existing policy put in place by the thencurrent administration. Moreover, discussions regarding sanctions were held between Flynn and Kislyak on December 29, 2016, a day after Obama imposed sanctions on Russia for meddling in the U.S. election, causing Flynn to urge Russian officials not to escalate the situation. W hite House officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, denied that
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sanctions had been deliberated over, contending that the interaction was purely coincidental. It has not been disclosed whether Trump possessed knowledge about Flynn’s discussions; however, according to prosecutors, Flynn was advised by a senior member of the Trump transition team to discuss a United Nations resolution, with evidence suggesting that this member was Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor. In addition, documents indicate that Flynn was directed by various members of Trump’s advisors who had knowledge about sanctions. On January 25, 2017, Flynn was interviewed by FBI agents and denied speaking to the Russian Ambassador about sanctions, as well as asking for help to undercut the UN vote regarding Israel. Upon conducting this interview, the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn had not been candid about his conversations with Kislyak and might be vulnerable to blackmail as a result. Flynn presented his resignation this past February, and has since plead guilty to lying to the FBI about such interactions. This plea indicates that prosecutors now have access to a source of information who was within the White House in the first few weeks of the Trump administration. Flynn has promised to provide prosecutors with information on “any and all matters,” which could be helpful in guid-
ing former Director of the FBI and head of the Special Counsel investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, Robert Mueller III’s, understanding of the campaign’s contacts with Russia. The plea agreement requires Flynn’s full cooperation; he has agreed to take a polygraph and participate in covert law enforcement activities. Prosecutors said they would delay the sentencing of Flynn, suggesting that their investigation will continue and Flynn’s cooperation has not been depleted. Lying to the F.B.I. can result in up to five years in prison; however, Flynn will most likely face zero to six months due to his cooperation and promise to provide additional information. Moreover, upon leaving the White House, Flynn revealed that he had been paid more than half a million dollars by the Turkish government to represent its interests in a dispute with the U.S. While prosecutors did not charge Flynn with crimes related to his work with Turkey, they made it clear that they have evidence that Mr. Flynn “made materially false statements and omissions” in his federal filings about that lobbying work. Flynn’s son, Michael Flynn Jr. was also involved with his father’s undisclosed lobbying efforts, and despite not being charged, his possible legal exposure could have had put some pressure on his father to plead guilty. Since Flynn’s plea, President Trump has spoken little on the matter, contending that Flynn was a good person who had been mistreated by “the fake media”, also t weeting that there was nothing to hide and that Flynn’s actions during the transition were perfectly lawful. Moreover, when asked by reporters, Trump said that he is not worried about what Flynn might say, and repeated that, “what has been shown is no collusion…”. At this point in time, it is difficult to determine what exactly Flynn’s plea means for the Trump Administration; however, this appears to be a politically hazardous development for the president and his aides.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Global News Catalonia Crisis BY V I N C E N T WA N G '19 Staff Writer
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The constitutional court of Spain suspended the ballot regarding independence for Catalonia. Debate over the independence of Catalonia, an autonomous community of Spain, has been at the center of international attention. With a distinct history stretching back to the early middle ages, the culture and language helped shape a unique sense of identity among Catalans, seeing themselves as citizens of a separate nation. I n l a t e Ju n e , C a t a l a n president Carles Puigdemont
announced a new independence referendum, stating that a new republic will be proclaimed if a “yes vote” wins, regardless of the turnout. However, the constitutional court of Spain immediately suspended the ballot after instruction from the central government in Madrid. Conf licts between the police and Catalan officials arose as independence referendum polling locations were attacked by police forces. In just
a few hours, Puigdemont threatened to declare independence. Consequently, Spanish Prime Minister Rajoy decided to to replace the Catalonia government by organizing a new election. In defiance of Madrid’s efforts, the regional government issued a formal declaration which led to the firing of Catalonia’s regional government and parliament. Accused of rebellion and sedition, the ousted leader of Catalonia has fled to Belgium. Despite the act of escape, Spanish judges issued an international arrest warrant for Puigdemont and simultaneously jailed former officials who participated in the separatist government. A decision is still to be made on whether Puigdemont and other leaders will be extradited back to their home country. This crisis has the potential to damage Spain’s economy as a whole. According to relevant statistics, Catalonia’s industries account for 25.6% of Spain’s exports and 19% of Spain’s GDP, an indication that secession will, arguably, bring instability to the euro zone. Moreover, independence supporters organized protests in order to demand the release of imprisoned separatist leaders; this resulted in violent behaviours, including serious confrontations between civilians and police forces. Although the possibility of a civil war is slim, tensions are rising. The simmering issue of nationalism and a desire for independence has reached a boiling point such that many hotspots have taken down the Spanish flag. With the two opposite sides on equal grounds, it is uncertain whether Spain will gain complete control of the region or if Catalonia will achieve its goal of independence. No matter how the event turns out, the constantly changing news of Catalonia is surely worthy of attention.
North Korea’s Advancing Missile Technology BY S C O T T L E E ' 2 0 Staff Writer
After a ten week break since the last launch, North Korea launched yet another missile as part of its ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) program on November 28th, 2017. Launched at approximately 3:00 a.m. local time, the missile allegedly reached a peak altitude of 4,475 km during its 53 minute f light before plunging into the Sea of Japan. The launch follows North Korea’s relisting on the list of state sponsors of terrorism on November 21st. This missile f lew higher and longer than those in previous tests, causing experts to believe that North Korean technology may have advanced to the point of reaching any part of the continental United States. The missile triggered immediate responses from all parties, causing an emergency U.N. security council meeting and sparking condemnations from South Korea, Japan, Russia, the United States, and “grave concern” and “opposition” from China. President Trump has carefully reacted,
stating that, “It is a situation we would handle”; but it is unclear exactly what further action will take place. This launch of yet another missi le f rom t he Hermit Kingdom, despite the constant threats of sanctions and condemnations that follow every one, marks escalating tension in East Asia that refuses to be tamed. Due to North Korea’s politically enlightened position as China and Russia’s necessary buffer zone and trump card against the United States, most parties appear to, and most probably would, take the same course of action as before: discussing, condemning, and threatening, but yielding results close to nothing while the situation worsens with North Korean missile technology advancing. The uncomfortable part for many is the prospect of North Korean missiles aimed at the U.S. and its allies, but the most concerning part should be the fact that nothing is really being done about this situation.
Editorial Board
Politics
Co-Editors-in-Chief Ryan Lee '18 & Teagan Stedman '18 Connor Seely '18 Jeevan Palani '19
Donatella Mancinone '18
Community
Albert Gao '18 Abigayle Hovey '18
Boys’ Sports Josh Cosentino '18 Matt Consentino '18 Vincent Wang '19
Arts
Girls’ Sports Justin Parsons '20 Annabel Bradley '19
Science
Sean Ryan '18 Mike Riberdy '18
Photo
Assistant Layout Yuna Lee '19 Hannah Kaye '19
SK Lee '18 Ilaria Quentin '18 Katie Kosior '18
Fiona Fan '18
Faculty Advisor Lawrence Court
Nick Wee '18
Layout
Student Life
Geena Kim '20 Vernita Zhai '20
Staff Writers Vincent Wang ‘19
Scott Lee ‘20
Kyani Jemmotte ‘20
Contributors Isabel O’Connell ‘20 Sofia Kuusisto ‘19 Shui Se Phoe ‘21
New York TImes
North Korea launched another missile as part of its ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) program on November 28th, 2017.
The Westminster News prints between 250 to 500 copies, issued four times per school year. The News is offered for free to students (65 Third Formers, 110 Fourth Formers, 110 Fifth Formers, and 110 Sixth Formers), faculty and staff (150), and is also available online. The opinions expressed represent those of the authors, not necessarily those of The Westminster News or Westminster School. We invite all members of the community to share their opinions in these pages. Articles
Chloe Ferro ‘20 Kieran Haug ‘21 Demitri George ‘18 are published at the discretion of The News which reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity, or factual accuracy. Anyone interested in contributing to The Westminster News should contact Ryan Lee '18 or Teagan Stedman '18, or any member of the Editorial Board for information on how to submit writing, photographs, etc. The Westminster News is associated with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
Contact Us: The Westminster News © 2017 Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 06070-1880
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Community News Books to Read for the Holidays Recommendations from Your Teachers!
BY K Y A N I J E M M O T T E ' 2 0
BY S H U I S E PH O E ' 21
Staff Writer
Contributor
Mr. Michael Cervas How would you describe your experience with reading? Reading is my life, my vocation and my avocation. I’ve been a reader ever since I was a little boy. When Mrs. Cervas and I go out on a date, we always take books with us. Often we end up in a cafe sitting side by side and reading. Although I am old school and prefer real books, I also read on my nook. Just as they did/do for Emily Dickinson and Annie Dillard, books carry me away. What are some of your favorite books to read? I have eclectic tastes in reading. During longer vacations, I usually make sure to read from different genres like history, science, and philosophy. In terms of literature, I love reading poetry and personal essays, but I also love reading short and long fiction and various kinds of nonfiction. When I was an adolescent, I fell in love with science fiction and I still read sci-fi and fantasy books. If I had to make a desert island list, I’d include Homer’s T he Ody sse y, Sha ke spea re’s plays, Emily Dickinson’s poems, Thoreau’s Walden, books of essays by Loren Eiseley, Annie Dillard, and Scott Russell Sanders, and ever y thing Bria n Doyle a nd Anthony Doerr have written. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? One magical book to read over the winter vacation period is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.
Ms. Kathleen Devaney How would you describe your experience with reading? I love reading. I look forward to the time when I can sit by myself and read. I read every night before falling asleep, and I have a very difficult time falling asleep if I don’t read. I try to be sure that I have a book with me wherever I go so I can sneak in a few pages if I have to wait for someone or if I am early for an appointment. Books are good company and windows to so much. What are some of your favorite books to read? I like most genres, but I gravitate to fiction, biographies and some non-fiction from Pride and Prejudice to In the Garden of Beasts; Alchemy of Air to Where Did You Go, Bernadette? and A Million in One Boy; from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to Wild Bill Donovan and The Honk and Holler Open Soon. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? One very short book I would recommend is Star Mother’s Youngest Child. It is a heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship.
Mr. Greg Marco How would you describe your experience with reading? Reading is one of my very favorite activities and will occupy much of my time during the upcoming vacations. I find this activity to be both relaxing and intellectually stimulating. What are some of your favorite books to read? I read lots of different types of books (fiction, history, science, religion, sports, etc.), and each of them brings me joy in different ways. Currently, I am reading Home by Marilynne Robinson
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil Degrasse Tyson. These are t wo ver y different books, but they are both absolutely wonderful. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? If you are up for a serious read (not exactly a fun topic), read the book Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. This book addresses the dilemma of how families and doctors deal with the process of death and dying. Although this is a difficult topic, I would say that this is one of the most powerful and important books that I have ever read.
Mr. Lee Zalinger How would you describe your experience with reading? I have always read a lot. What are some of your favorite books to read? I like historical fiction like James Clavell’s Shogun or the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. I also like non-fiction works like Sebastian Junger’s Perfect Storm. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? A short read for the Holidays would be Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time; and if you have more time, Walter Isaacson’s Einstein. I would recommend these two because no one else will recommend reading about science.
John Hay
The Hispanic Heritage Month celebration was a great environment for people of different backgrounds to come together.
This October 7th, the co-leaders of both the Hispanic or Latino Affinity (HOLA) and the Multicultural Student Union sponsored a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Kelter House. Mrs. McGrath and Mrs. Palala contributed greatly to the overall success of the event. The feeling when one walked in was very happy and welcoming. We listened to popular and authentic Hispanic music, snacked on some delicious food, and were moved by the powerful words of multiple Hispanic and Latino poets. However, the highlight of the celebration was the spontaneous dancing led by Julia Krys ‘19! It was a great environment for people of many different backgrounds to come together and appreciate the important contributions made by many Hispanic and Latino Americans. Overall, I highly recommend everyone check out the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration next year!
Candles for a Cure BY T E AG A N S T E D M A N '18 Teagan Stedman ‘18
Westminster Community
The community is looking forward to a graceful night to send off students and faculty for winter break.
For this year’s Candlelight Services, the John Hay Society is inaugurally kicking off an annual Candles for A Cure initiative, honoring and remembering those affected by cancer and raising funds toward research at Dana Farber Cancer Center. The entire Sixth Form Lawn and path between Armour Academic Center and Andrews Chapel are to be lined with luminarias – white, artfully cut paper bags containing candles. In Armour, “memory cards” will bear the names of those honored. Since Thanksgiving break, John Hay collected donations online through GoFundMe, which will go to Dana Farber Cancer Center. Each donation could be given in name of someone affected by cancer, or someone whose memory could be honored on the night of Candlelight. So far, the Westminster community, and beyond, has raised over $2,000, well beyond initial goals! The community is looking forward to a graceful night to send off students and faculty for winter break; it promises to be filled with solidarity and a peace amidst the bustle of the last few days of school; a place where our thoughts and efforts can be extended to those battling and who are no longer with us. Thank you to all who contributed to Candles for a Cure.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Community News Late Fall 2017
Westminster Community
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Community News The Halloween Dance BY D O N AT E L L A M A N C I N O N E ‘18 Student Life Editor
Westminster Community
Students had a memorable evening this past fall as the student body got together and put on their costumes for our annual Halloween Dance raising money for our Serving Our Neighbors program at school. We raised a total of $350 for Hope on the Hill, which will occur this Spring. Students participated in a costume contest where Riley Larsen ‘18 and Peter Hall ‘18 took first place, as they both impeccably resembled the outfits from the television show Reno 911. The details on the short-shorts will be spared, but it was no surprise that they swiped first place. As Peter Hall wisely stated, “I really think the shorts won us the competition; it took a lot of mental fortitude to wear them, but it paid off in the end.” Meanwhile, Larsen did not have the same mentality as Hall, but this did not mean they were not up for the challenge as they won a duds day for their entire advisory. Our other costume winners were the duo of Blake Cote ‘19 and Susie Renehan ‘19, and Simonne Ponce ‘21. In addition to a costume contest, students participated in other contests: congratulations to AJ Paladino for winning the Bobbing for Apples Challenge and to Simonne Ponce for winning the Donut Eating Contest. Overall, the Halloween dance was quite memorable, and students cannot wait for the rest of our charitable dances throughout the year.
Fall to Winter Transformation
Students Doing Puzzles Not so Puzzling
BY M IC H A E L R I B E R DY ‘18
BY C H L O E F E R RO ‘ 2 0
Science Editor
Contributor
The transformation from the fall to the winter trimester at Westy is pretty drastic. The days are shorter, and the academics tend to speed up a little; but the real change occurs in the afternoon programs. The indoor field is turned into an ice rink, and almost a third of Westy’s students’ mindsets alter completely. Anyone who has heard about Westminster has heard about its students’ fanaticism for hockey. The stands are packed as the fans remain on their feet for the entire duration of the game. There are posters made, hot chocolate given out, chants being screamed; anything to keep a maximum amount of students present for these games. When the talk of the winter is
not hockey, it is nice to support the musical. The talented Dramat kids devote hours of their time every day for months just to put on three shows. Though working so hard on the musical must be quite a challenge, with Mr. Rasheed ’s amazing directing, and with help from the exceptionally talented musicality of Mr. Chrzanowski, the musical has never failed to be a huge hit. Later in the winter trimester, in January, comes the big Westy vs Avon basketball game. Last year the majority of the school took multiple fan buses to Avon to watch the much anticipated game. Thankfully, Westy brought home a big win and is reportedly out to make it happen again!
For the last few months, students have been spending increasing amounts of time completing 1,000 piece puzzles in the library. In a puzzling new t wist, a new form of entertainment is sweeping the student body at the academy. For the last few months, st udent s — includ ing Se a n Ryan ‘18, Daniel Pinckney ‘20, Albert Gao ‘18, Hayden Cathcart ‘18, Kaitlyn Eddy ‘19, Emmett de Kanter ‘19, and many more — have been spending increasing amounts of time completing 1,000–piece puzzles in the library. Once a puzzle is completed, a new one is placed on the desk by the librarians, and students rush to complete it anew. When students have high
amounts of schoolwork to complete, sports games to play, club meetings to attend, and weekend activities to be involved in, how do they have time for puzzles? Westminster News got the inside scoop for you first, folks. W. News: “What’s so appealing to you about doing puzzles in the library?” Gao: “It’s all about hanging out with people.” Cathcart: “It’s a good way to exercise the mind and fit pieces together.” Ryan: “It’s quite relaxing. It helps me decompress. It can be a
bit of a challenge, but that’s just another reason to like it.” W. News: “W hy do you choose to work on a puzzle even though you have to keep up with such a busy schedule?” Gao: “Sometimes you just need to rest — you know, do something else. When you do work you’ll be more effective.” Cathcart: “It’s a nice way to relax during my free time.” Ryan: “It’s necessary to take a break from school every once in a while.” Pinckney: “It lets me take a moment to relax.” Doing puzzles is a clearly-set challenge that allows students’ minds to wander while they recuperate. While setting longterm goals and working towards them is an important part of a happy lifestyle, setting short-term, easily-completed goals is equally as important for one’s sanity. Hopefully, students will continue indulging in this stimulating activity.
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Community News Late Fall 2017
Westminster Community
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Community News Books to Read for the Holidays Recommendations from Your Students! BY S H U I S E PH O E ' 21 Simonne Ponce ‘21 How would you describe your experience with reading? I think that reading is an adventure. When you delve into a book, it’s like you’re going into a new world, and you get to take a look at the author’s imagination. I think that reading is really fun. What are some of your favorite books to read? I love dystopian novels. I love the Divergent and Hunger Game series. I also really liked Safekeeping, Fahrenheit 451, and Variant. That’s pretty much it. These books are my life. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? I would suggest Variant by Robison Wells because it’s a great novel. I read it in my seventh grade year, and I just couldn’t get it out of my head. There is a lot of action and suspense. The characters are really well developed, and there are just these amazing and unexpected plot twists!
Alex Ellis ‘20 How would you describe your experience with reading? I’ve been reading almost as long as I can remember. Even before I could really read, my mother would read me a book a few times and I would be reciting the words as she read them. Since then, my love of reading grew as I began to choose my own books, reading full chapter books at five or six years old. My love of reading has always been something I’ve held close to me, even to this day, though my time frame to read has grown much smaller. Nonetheless, the pastime of reading is something I can always count on to help me to truly enjoy myself. What are some of your favorite books to read? W hile fantasy was something I had always enjoyed as a younger reader, I feel that as of now I find more solace in science fiction. For me, a story that has a distinct possibility of coming to pass in the future brings in a new level of thought and desire for understanding. Isaac Asimov has written hundreds upon hun-
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dreds of books concerning robots, the future, space colonization, and so on, and is considered to be one of the best science fiction writers who ever lived. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? There are at least two books I’d like to recommend. The first is Zeroes, a modern-day superhero book in which the teenage heroes band together under their leader Bellwether, mainly for the purpose of controlling their powers. Not only is the book captivating, the issues that are solved show multiple sides to the characters, rather than making them superheroes in shining armor that can do no wrong. It’s a series, each one with books about 500 pages long, so they’ll keep you going for quite a while.
Indira Marzbani ‘18 How would you describe your experience with reading? I love reading good and well written books. I read my first book at six years old: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. What are some of your favorite books to read? My all-time favorite book is A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas because it’s a classic. It also sends a lovely message to the grinches out there. Christmas is not about the gifts: it’s about love and Christmas. It’s not about material things. Allison Masthay ‘21 How would you describe your experience with reading? It’s taught me a lot. It’s helped my imagination and creativity. I have been exposed to a lot of different stories and cultures and just new information through reading. What are some of your favorite books to read? I love basically any science fiction books. I enjoyed the Harry Potter series, the Percy Jackson
How to Make Running more Watchable BY K I E R A N H AU G ' 21
series, and the Lunar Chronicles. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? I would recommend C o u nt i n g b y 7s b y Ho l l y Goldberg Sloan. It’s a very moving story, and it teaches the reader a lot about the importance of family and how to deal with tragic events.
Curtis Brockelman ‘19 How would you describe your experience with reading? I love to read. It’s a good pastime. I think books are a great way to inspire creativity and imagination. What are some of your favorite books to read? I li ke a ny of t he Perc y Jackson books. I also like some old stuff. Crime and Punishment is one of my personal favorites. Power of One is also a really good book. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? I wou ld recommend t he Hea r t a nd t he Fist by Eric Greitens because it was a really interesting read. It was about a guy who was a Navy seal but also a scholar, and it showed his different approaches to different situations. I enjoyed hearing stories of how he interacted with and how he formed relationships with people based on the side he chose to present. It was heartwarming. Abigayle Hovey ‘18 How would you describe your experience with reading? I am a super avid reader. I am a Super Nerd, with a capital S and N. What are some of your favorite books to read? I really enjoyed reading Les Misérables and Freakonomics. For the winter holidays, what is one book that you would recommend? Why would you recommend this book? I would recommend Holiday on Ice by David Sedaris. It is hilarious. I think it’s a really good mood lifter when you’re sad.
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There have been many different ideas to make professional running more enjoyable for the watcher. Track and field, and running in general, has been losing its popularity since the 70’s and 80’s. Many runners around the world have been asking for a reform in the track and field world. There have been many different ideas to make the sport more enjoyable for the watcher and to gain viewership. In a standard track race, no matter the distance, people run around an oval and compete for the fastest time possible. Most people, even non-runners, do enjoy watching Usain Bolt dominate in the 100 and 200-meter dash. The plea for reform has been more directed to the 5k and 10k. Yes, even I, someone who enjoys watching running, will admit that watching skinny men run around a red oval for 25 minutes is boring. Here are some ideas, some mine, some of others, to make the sport more captivating: Instead of leaving track events as races from point A to point B, it may be interesting to eliminate the last person in each lap until only three people remain for the inevitable, final all-out sprint. In this setup, it might be best to keep a pacer on a bike at
the front of the race to prevent anyone from dominating from the start to the finish. The track causes little if any excitement in the race. An idea to change this leaves the runners go through the water pit that was there for steeplechase racers. My final idea gets a little more confusing, but it might offer a great way to make the track more exciting. Every professional runner has a personal best in their event, and though normally the fastest runner wins, sometimes they do not. A lot of the time, a race is very conservative for the first 90%, and then at the end the race speeds up and the person with the fastest “kick” or speed at the end wins. My idea would eliminate the slow, boring portion and make the race much faster from the start. The winner would be decided by the person who drops the most time on their personal best. Runners and viewers of the sport are calling for a reform in the sport at the pro level. Those were some ideas from pro runners and other running enthusiasts around the world.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Community News Westy Sage
College Application Season
BY H A N N A H K AY E ‘19
BY F I O N A FA N '18
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Student Life Editor
We are beginning winter here at Westy, so this issue I’ll be discussing the do’s and don’t’s of the school season. I’d like to mention that I was born in a tropical monsoon climate and I’ve grown up in a subtropical climate and I still have survived two New England winters so far. Here are my two cents: First: Always layer. On top of your school clothes, wear at least one extra sweater before your overcoat. It’s also a great idea to keep something soft and/or warm in your backpack, like a cardigan to either wear under a blazer or over another cardigan. Second: Be conscious of the soles of your shoes. More than once in my Westy career I’ve slipped on unseen ice and fallen because I was careless and I wore shoes with flat, untextured soles. Bean Boots and even rain boots are preferable, due to the fact that they are made of heavy-duty rubber and have very textured soles suitable for ice-traction. Sometimes it will snow one day and then rain overnight, so ice is always a danger. Even if it doesn’t look like there’s ice in your path, expect it. Third: It will get dark earlier, so get stuff done earlier. I’m still working on this one, but for the freshmen, it is paramount that you work on developing this skill ASAP. When it gets dark out, you get tired. It’s that simple. That’s why we have school during the daytime and sleep during the nighttime. With your limited afterschool time before sports and darkness set in, start trying to complete assignments and tasks. Any amount of work you do before the sun sets is surprisingly helpful after you get back from afternoon program. Set small goals, complete quick assignments, clean your room.
It’ll make the nighttime and study hall all the more easier. Fourth: Do something on the weekends, especially Sunday. Saturdays have all sorts of SAC offerings, like cookie-decoration and gingerbread-house-making. I seriously recommend maximising your winter-forced indoor time by spending time with people and staying out of bed. The winter blues can hit people hard, with the temperature and light changes, so have fun and sit by a fire. Sundays more than any day in the week can pass in a haze, so go to the mall or any winter van offerings. Even if you don’t need to buy anything, get a group of friends together and go to the mall and eat lots of food. Five: Get creative! Winter is fun at first, but it gets old fast. A fter the f irst snow, slush is omnipresent. I recommend taking some trashbags and sledding down the overlook hill once the snow gets thick enough. I tried it one Sunday last winter to see if it would work, and it did. Besides, the overlook hill may be the only hill that hasn’t been banned for sledding. It’s super dangerous to sled down hockey hill. There are cars and it’s slushy and if that doesn’t spell disaster for you then try it. You’ll probably lose control of speed and crash into a tree or slide into the ditches on the side. If you make it down hockey hill without doing any of these things, you’ll hit the speed bump and get launched in the air. DO NOT GO SLEDDING DOWN HOCKEY HILL.
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Corning Community College
The college application process can be gruesome and virulent. *Disclaimer: Despite the heavily satirical attitude of this article, I would genuinely like to thank and acknowledge the College Counseling Office on behalf of all sixth formers for the substantial guidance they’ve offered us throughout the past year. Stress, fatigue, all-nighters, death — a few words seniors from all over the world swear by during the cruel fall and winter months preceding the looming Regular Decision college application deadlines. Aside from the talented athletes who have been “committed” to a school since the third grade, the majority of sixth formers at Westminster crave empty Assignment Center displays on OnCampus so they will have ample time to begin and perfect their 45 unfinished supplemental essays within a month. Though they are counting down the days until their struggle comes to an end; they are yearning for more time to spare. The college application process can be gruesome and virulent, so as a way of supporting the endeavours of those who wish to attend a prestigious four-year institution of higher education, I have assembled a few pointers that accurately reflect what top schools look for in a prospective student. Maintain an unweighted grade point average of 100 starting freshman year. Schools like to
see improvement, so figure out a way to attain progressively higher grades of above 100 until senior year to become Valedictorian. Take every SAT subject test available and score 800 on each one. Although these tests are usually optional, with even the most selective schools requiring one or two, colleges want well-rounded students who are proficient in every language and have successfully mastered all the various fields of education. Maintain a perfect attendance record. The difficulty of breathing owing to your pneumonic infections, the threat of a natural disaster to your home, a nd your great-gra ndfather’s funeral can wait. One missed Algebra class could dictate the downfall of your entire future. Neglect your socia l life. Having friends is an overrated and utter waste of time. You should be completely focused on improving yourself, not listening to music with Susan or comforting her through a breakup. And do not even think about romantic relationships. Join every club offered on campus, even if you may not meet the criteria for some. Being the only boy in Belles, Westminster’s all-girl acapella group, will surely make you stand out amongst the applicant pool. Engage in an abundance of community service. Build a school in an underdeveloped country, develop an entire public
water system for a large rural village, and launch a sanctuary for Bornean orangutans. These are what colleges are expecting to see, so any less would put you at a disadvantage. Discover a cure for a catastrophic illness by conducting research with a distinguished microbiologist and earn a Nobel Prize. Colleges value what you do outside the classroom, and this will demonstrate both your dedication to hard work and your drive to improve humanity. Many colleges care about demonstrated interest, so bombard admissions officers with emails containing insightful questions about their faculty-to-student ratio and camp outside their offices for a week or so. Obtain glowing teacher recommendations. Colleges stress that the teachers you ask should know you on a personal level, so make sure to pay your English teacher frequent visits to his doorstep and invite him to movie nights so he can get to know ‘The Real You’. Show that you are quirky and have a sense of humour by purposely misspelling the names of schools and mocking their mascots or mottos. Doing so will show that you exude confidence and have the ability to think outside the box, both of which are qualities colleges admire. Hopefully after reading these pieces of advice, a weight will have been lifted off your shoulders. As long as you thoroughly put in the hours to accentuate your strengths in your supplemental essays, you can rest assured that admissions officers will be able to wholly grasp who you are as a person through the 8.3 seconds that they spend reading them. Though the college application process can be an extremely onerous one, it is a valuable means for constructive ref lection — a mechanism through which you can boast your past achievements and truly discover your identity. Above all, don’t forget to relax: college is only the most important phase of your life.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
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Sports An Historic World Series
Peek Inside the Start of the 2017-2018 NHL Hockey Season
BY M AT T C O S E N T I N O ‘18 Sports Editor
BY DE M I T R I G E O RG E ‘18 Contributor
ESPN
Most games in the World Series were decided by one or two runs and had several lead changes.
In the seven game World Series bet ween the Houston Astros (101-61 in the regular season) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (104-58 in the regular season), most games (other than game seven) were decided by one or two runs and had several lead changes. This World Series also had more home runs (15) than any other World Series. This was due to both the offensive firepower of both teams and the trend in baseball for more home runs. This time, it is not steroid use that is causing more home runs, but an increasing focus on swinging with a bigger uppercut (increasing the so called “launch angle” of batted balls). Because both teams were scoring so many runs, few starting pitchers lasted more than five innings into the games. If there was one game that summed up the 2017 World Series, it wa s ga me f ive in Houston. After scoring three runs in the top of the first, the Dodgers kept their 3-0 lead for three full innings and added another run in the top of the 4th to give themselves a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the 4th, Houston rallied for four runs, with three of them coming from a Carlos Correa three-run home run. The Dodgers quickly regained their lead when Cody Bellinger hit a line-drive, three-run home run to give them a 7-4 lead in the top of the 5th. In the bottom of the 5th, Jose Altuve blasted a three-run homerun to center field, tying the game up once again. After Astros
center fielder George Springer misplayed a line drive that led to a Dodgers run, he quickly tied the score at eight in the bottom of the 7th after hitting an absolute rocket on the first pitch he saw. In addition, the Astros would tack on three more runs in the 7th, thanks to an RBI double by Jose Altuve (who recently won the MVP award for the American League) and a two-run home run by Carlos Correa (his second of the game). After a Brian Mccann home run gave the Astros a 12-9 lead going into the top of the 9th, it looked liked the game was over, but for the third time in one game, a lead of three runs or more had disappeared after a Chris Taylor RBI single gave the Dodgers their third run of the 9th inning and tied the game at 12th. The Astros finally came away with a 13-12 win in the bottom of the 10th after Alex Bregman hit a walk-off single to center field. Houston would go on to win the World Series after defeating the Dodgers 5-1 in game seven. The M V P of the World Series was Houston’s George Springer, who finished the series with a .379 batting average, five home runs, and seven R BIs. Springer grew up in New Britain, Connecticut, spent four years at Avon Old Farms and then attended UCONN. This was a great win for the city of Houston after all of the damage that was caused by Hurricane Harvey.
NHL
The newly added Las Vegas Golden Knights have been off to a kind of start no other expansion team has ever had before. It is that time of year again: with October wrapped up, hockey fans all over the world are coming out of their summer dullness, and of course, endless questions begin to arise. Except one thing is different: this year, it is amplified. Will the Pittsburgh Penguins three-peat on the Stanley Cup? Will Connor McDavid repeat as the league’s MVP after a stellar rookie season? How will the NHL’s newest expansion, the Las Vegas Golden Knights’, first impression on the league be? So far, it has been a shocking season all around. Most shockingly, the newly added Las Vegas Golden Knights have been off to a kind of start that no other expansion team has ever had before. The Golden Knights’ young existence already has included a five-game winning
streak as well as going 6-1-0 and averaging 4.29 goals per game from Oct. 10-27. Veteran forward James Neal is leading the young forward unit of the Golden Knights with eight goals on the season so far and tied for first on his team with twelve points. T-Mobile arena will be buzzing for the remainder of the season if the Golden Knights keep up the impressive play. The Pittsburgh Penguins have proved to be a top club in the National Hockey League the past couple seasons, both times claiming a cup. With returning veterans, Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel, the Penguins offensive unit should continue to be lethal as it has been in the past. If the Penguins do however pull off a 3peat, it will be the first
time since the New York Islanders pulled it off in the early 1980’s. Young talent has been emerging this season so far including Connor McDavid, who’s in his second year in the league, Auston Matthews of the Maple Leafs, and Clayton Keller of the Coyotes. Not only individuals have been impressed so far, but teams stacked with young talent have bewildered fans all across the country. Starting with the New Jersey Devils who began the season hot and have not cooled off yet, the young Devils have been among the top teams in the NHL in points, goals, and rookie scoring. Keep an eye out for this young Devils team making a large statement for the rest of this season.
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
11
Sports Westminster Swimming and Diving
Westminster Community
THE WESTMINSTER NEWS, Wednesday December 13, 2017
12
Features Thanksgiving Traditions Across Campus
Ask A Senior Mike Fiorini ‘18 BY R Y A N L E E ‘18
BY A N N A B E L B R A D L E Y ‘19
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Sports Editor
Mike Fiorini ‘18
One of Mike’s favorite hobbies is to spend time in nature.
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Each family has a traditional Thanksgiving tradition that makes Thanksgiving meaningful. Whether it is watching the parade, playing football, or cooking, every family has traditions on Thanksgiving that bring them closer together. These traditions are shared nationwide; however, I believe that those traditions that are unique to each family, can be even more meaningful. I enjoyed finding out what spin a few families put on Thanksgiving to make it their own. Mr. and Mrs. Philip, for instance, enjoy walking their dogs on a golf course in Vermont, where they enjoy spending time for the holidays, Tori Kline ‘19 goes hunting with her family every year, and Adena Ajike ‘19’s family plays rip-
stik soccer. Other families alter the traditional Thanksgiving menu to fit their culture and likes: Hanna h Carbone ‘19’s family, part Italian, eats their turkey and Thanksgiving meal with lasagna and meatballs; the Gasser family also serves mac and cheese for Sophia Gasser ’18, who strongly dislikes turkey; and McKenzie Roller ‘20’s family serves ice cream cake for dessert. Thanksgiving traditions celebrate the individuality of each family as well as the shared tradition of being thankful across our nation.
Mike Fiorini ‘18 is a boarding student from Montrea l, Quebec who lives in A lumni House. Mike is the Junior Prefect, and he is the captain of the Varsity Hockey team. What is your favorite part of living in Alumni House as a senior? My favorite part about living in Alumni House is being able to hang out with the younger guys. As a senior, I am able to become a mentor for the freshman boys look up to. It is also refreshing to live with freshman boys: it reminds me of myself when I was that age, being stress-free. I usually play NHL and talk about life in general with the boys. How is the Varsity Hockey team this year? I think Varsity Hockey is great this year. The expectation
for the team is to win all games and bring the “W”. Dynamics in the locker room have been the best ever. The Varsity Hockey team expects you to work hard, doing the little things better than anyone else. Is there anything you wish you had done in years past at Westy? I wish I would have applied to become a member of John Hay and the student council earlier. I also wish I would have taken a new foreign language such as Chinese instead of French. As a long-time speaker of French, I believe taking Chinese could have challenged me. I also wish I had played soccer as a midfielder in the fall term. What is your favorite pastime at Westy? My favorite pastime would be
playing NHL, cheering for hockey games, and watching military movies with Cam Scott ‘18 on Saturday nights. What are some recommendations you have for 5th formers? Even though they should always try their best, I think 5th formers should enjoy life at Westy before Senior fall. In my opinion, the workload for 5th formers is really not that bad. 5th formers should also try their best to apply for precious leadership positions given to rising Seniors. What are your family doing for Christmas? My family and I are going to rent a cabin at Mont Tremblant, QC for four days. I will probably skate, hike, and relax. I will also travel to Ottawa during New Year’s Eve for an outdoor country concert.