Whittier Fall 2022

Whittier Miscellany

October 2022 • Wilmington Friends School’s Community Newspaper • Wilmington, DE

Guiliana DiPrinzio ‘25 Sports Writer

Spirits are up and energy is high for the upcoming Homecoming games on Friday, October 14th, and Saturday, October 15th. Girl’s volleyball looks to take on a tough opponent on Friday, while field hockey, football, and soccer will look to get a win on Saturday.

Quaker Volleyball led by team Captain Jocelyn Nathan ‘23 is looking forward to facing Saint Andrews at 5:30 p.m. in the West Gym. Homecoming has brought the volleyball team many great memories. “We have historically won our homecoming games,” says Nathan ‘23. Quaker Volleyball is looking to keep up this tradition and get a win on the 14th.

The Quaker Field Hockey team is looking forward to taking on Saint Andrews at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning. After defeating Saint Andrews for homecoming last year (1-0) Quaker Field Hockey will look to get the job done for the second year in a row.

Senior and Captain Sophie Brennan ‘23 has many memories from past homecoming games, “I remember watching the field hockey game when I was in 4th or 5th grade and someone on the team got thrown out in a quarter and everyone on the sideline got super excited.”

Quaker Football is hyped up for their homecoming game. Originally the Quakers were going to be facing A.I. Dupont, but their season was cut short due to a lack of players, so WFS will take on Mt. Zion Preparatory Academy (MD) at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 15th. This game will be located on Tattersall Field. Robby Tattersall ‘23

shares his favorite homecoming memory, “Last year my brother Ryan threw a touchdown pass, so that was probably my favorite moment.”

Homecoming Athletics 2022 Green Schools Energy Audit

The team currently has a 6-0 record, as they aim to possess another win. Boy’s Soccer is excited for their homecoming game on Saturday, October 15th at 1:00 p.m. against Tatnall. Senior and Captain Alessio Cristanetti-Walker ‘23 shares his favorite memory from a past homecoming game. “Last year, my junior year, we played Conrad and we won 4-0, and I scored a hattrick.” (Cristanetti-Walker ‘23) Quaker soccer looks to go out strong and take home another

makes the homecoming experience more real because you get to be a part of the big celebration. You have the dance where everyone goes, but being an athlete you have your own event” says Nathan ‘23. A big part of the homecoming experience is attending all of the games. “The importance of attending the football game is that these games bring out the hard work everyone puts in. The football team only plays one game a week, so it can be tough to make it to the games. I am a quaker sports advocate, so I try to go to as many games as possible and I think it is important for everyone to support each other” says Tattersall ‘23. Students believe that the Homecoming games are the most important games all season. “It is important to provide as much support as possible. Homecoming comes around once a year, so it’s important to get as many people to all the games to create that special atmosphere,” Cristanetti-Walker ‘23 explains.

The solar panels on our gymnasium’s roof are the ultimate testament to WFS’s commitment to our planet. We have natural meadows, a geo-thermal wing, and screens throughout the school to highlight our school’s dedication to our environment. In many ways, WFS represents a beacon of stewardship, the last letter in our SPICES acronym. But besides looks, how do we confirm this? A conclusive environmental audit would absolutely confirm what our school is doing well, backed by concrete data, completed by professionals. An audit would also allow us to address additional environmental issues our school faces, ones which could remain hidden for years without thorough examination. Green Building’s United, an organization committed to sustainability on the eastern seaboard, provides a perfect opportunity. Each year, GBU provides a free auditing service and additional programs, which would be invaluable to our school’s sustainable practices and student clubs.

win on Saturday the 15th.

Being an athlete changes the entire homecoming experience. “As the field hockey team we have to get up early and go to the game but it makes us bond and we are up and at ‘em for the rest of the homecoming day,” Brennan ‘23 explains. Something about being on the field helps you experience homecoming to the fullest.

Homecoming is a meaningful event for many, but especially for the seniors who are experiencing their last homecoming game at their high school. “It’s going to be a little bittersweet, having been at Friends since first grade I have been to a lot of homecomings and the fact that this is going to be my last one is bittersweet,” says Tattersall ‘23. “I enjoy the homecoming game because everybody comes out hard to play and ready to win and we have a tremendous amount of success on that day because of the spirit of the school,” says head Field Hockey coach Scott Clothier. Homecoming is more than just sports games and a dance. Homecoming brings together the community.

Firstly, it’s important to understand exactly what this program could do. Our faculty’s Stewardship Committee has been eyeing GBU’s Green Schools program for years, but this year there is an even stronger possibility of moving the program forward at our school. In order to be eligible for these grants, a school must first apply for an environmental audit, which GBU completes themselves. The goal is to “Find ways to save energy and reduce energy costs while maintaining comfort”, by looking at old utility bills, a site visit, and finally a project report and debriefing session. For students interested in sustainability, the auditing process could serve as an invaluable “field trip”, allowing students the opportunity to investigate our school’s internal systems through a hands-on approach. By allowing students and professionals to thoroughly investigate, our school could reveal glaring issues left unseen. Our student-led Eco-Team was able to calculate how much food waste our cafeteria generates, and used the results to implement a robust composting system. If a student team can address such large issues themselves, think of what a professional organization could help us do.

“Being an athlete

Pablo Charriez ‘24 Columnist

100 Years of Women’s athletics

Gianna Cottone ‘26 Sports Writer

This year is different from any other year at Wilmington Friends. The school is celebrating 100 years of Women’s Athletics. This is a huge accomplishment in the WFS community. Current student female athletes should walk onto every court and field feeling proud of what others before them have done. These brave women have paved a clear road for other female athletes.

There have been many successful young female athletes who have graduated from Wilmington Friends. Margo Gramiak ‘22 is a great recent example. She is extremely accomplished as both an outstanding student and athlete. Gramiak came to Friends in kindergarten. She grew up in WFS’s community with the Quaker S.P.I.C.E.S.

This will forever be a part of who Margo is, on and off the court. In a couple of weeks, she will be starting her first season playing basketball at Vasser University. “I am super excited to experience a college game atmosphere. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to be playing with so many talented basketball players” Gramiak ‘22 explains. Even though Margo enjoyed her years of playing for Wilmington Friends, she expresses how different college is from high school. She also explains that high school athletes should not take their experience for granted. Margo received many awards in high school, one of them being Honorable Mention All-State. Gramiak has been a role model for many female athletes below her! Even after she graduated from WFS, she is still leaving an impact on the community. Our school’s opportunities for

female athletes have come a long way, but like many other things, it can still improve. A current student brought up the lack of support at female sports games. Giuliana DiPrinzio ‘25 made a valid point that seeing more students at the games would encourage the players. “Whenever I am playing, I look over to the sidelines. All I see are parents.” DiPrinzio ‘25 says. She expresses how disappointing it can be to have an almost empty set of bleachers. DiPrinzio and her teammates have worked so hard so far this season and it is paying off with their 7-2 record!

Finally, Scott Clothier expresses his opinions on this season. Clothier is a teacher at Wilmington Friends as well as a coach for the girl’s soccer and field hockey teams. Last year, Clothier led both girls’ teams to the state playoffs. When asked if this season is different than the

High school Football Shootings

Cora Lohkamp ‘26 Sports Writer

Attending a football game and supporting high school sports should be a universal experience. However, recently, at many different schools, there have been shootings, fights, rumors spreading, and police officers everywhere. The place people once went to have fun, is now unsafe. Football games have spectator limits and are being postponed. This is happening across the country, however many schools in Delaware have had traumatic experiences.

All around Wilmington and the surrounding area there has been footage of crowds rushing out of stadiums, even going onto the field just to get out of the stands. At most of these games, there are already police there, but they don’t know what is happening because they can’t see through all the people. Gianna Cottone 26’ says, “It’s disappointing that no one is safe even at a high school football game.” At the Howard vs. DMA game at Abessinio Stadium on September 2nd, a fight between two people broke out. There were police on the scene and they said no shots were fired. People were running out of the stands and it was so hectic that officials had to postpone the game.

Coach Tattersall, the football coach at friends, was at

The Whittier Miscellany

Editors-in-Chief: Lily Rashkind, Sameer Vidwans

Junior Editors: Tess Wolf, Ava Steinberger

News Editor: Kai Heister

Arts & Culture Editor: Zac Antao

Features Editor: Emma Larsen

Science & Technology Editor: Kendall Law Sports Editor: Molly Lavelle Faculty Advisor: Daniel Scott

Staff Reporters: Anya Agarwal, , Tauson Biggs, Mitchell Brenner, Mikey Bohner, Katie Bryan, Lucy Cericola, Pablo Charriez, Gianna Cottone, Giuliana DiPrinzio, Jack Hebert, Emma Lavelle, Sarah Levenson, Cora Lohkamp, Temi Lufadeju, Ava Miller, Jemima Smith, Noah Twilley, John Ursomarso, Ethan Weiner,

The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school year, and welcomes responses in the form of letters to the articles, editorials, and features of this paper.

Contact: dscott@wilmingtonfriends.org.

To access the Whittier Online: www.wfswhittier.net

the Howard vs. DMA game. Tattersall says, “It was just a mass panic. Kids ran left, then they ran right, then they ran across the field. There were no gunshots fired but it was literally a panic.” He described how there were police escorting girls out who snuck in and everyone had their phones out, recording when a fight broke out in the crowd. After that, a separate fight in the men’s bathroom spilled out, and soon everyone was running, even the DMA players. On top of this, Tattersall explained that the kids were smoking Marijuana, and when the police dogs came out, everything got even crazier. Most of the kids at this game starting this madness aren’t students from either of the schools playing in the game. Tattersall describes the situation as a “Complete overreaction, complete misunderstanding, and a complete panic on everybody’s part.”

WFS plays at Abessinio Stadium on October 21st against Howard High School. The game has already been moved from 7:00 to 5:00 PM as a precaution. Tattersall plans to, “Let the county do their job, and we’ll do our job.” In case of emergency, Abessinio Stadium does have a place for the players to exit quickly and stay safe. Coach Tattersall says, “I am not overly concerned, one, because I know the people at Howard really well and they are taking the measures into their own hands, the county is going to take measures into their own hands.” Something to be expected is a limit on the number of people allowed into the stadium who have nothing to do with either of the schools.

Another game that involves shootings and fights is the Appoquinimick vs. Middletown game at Middletown. This game was on September 23 and this time there was actually a shooting. Police say that one adult and one juvenile were shot. Luckily, the shots did not kill anyone and the 2 people shot suffered from non-life-threatening injuries. The next day, the Archmere vs. Howard game at Abessinio Stadium had limited spectators out of caution. This was supposed to be an important game, but only 2 spectators per player/cheerleader were allowed. This was disappointing news to many people who planned on attending.

On September 23, 2022, there were 5 bullets found outside of a game in Philadelphia. Lincoln High School played West Philadelphia, and luckily no one was found injured. This was the same night that there was a shooting in Middletown. In New Jersey, the Collingswood vs. Mastery game ended early, although no one knows why. Most of these shootings are happening all around Wilmington. They might not be in WFS’s conference, but it is still very close by.

rest, Clothier explains, “I don’t know if I find it more significant, I find that it’s an opportunity to celebrate the fact that we’ve had women playing sports for 100 years at the school and it’s an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we’ve come but how far we need to go.”

This is such an important year for all of the athletes at Wilmington Friends. Each athlete, both boys, and girls should be proud of what the women before them were able to accomplish. It is an honor to be able to celebrate 100 years of women’s sports. Homecoming is coming up and every athlete is looking to get a win and celebrate with their team. As they step out on the field for that highly anticipated game, they should remember the women who worked hard to get the school to where they are today.

All of these events happening can be scary because it is so real. Is it safe to be going to football games? How can this be prevented? Why now? Tattersall says, “Now you have kids that are gathering, really in masses for the first time in 3 years…and I think a lot of it has to do with teenage kids who don’t know how to act in public.” This is something they will learn and will hopefully end soon. More supervision could help prevent teenagers from doing this. What spectators can do is stay calm at games and be aware not everything on the internet is true. Most people are trying to watch the game without any violence so this is a time to stick together. In case anything ever does happen, Tattersall says, “I didn’t hear any gunshots but if I do, this is what I am doing. And I was up near the back and I was like, I’m jumping in the press box.” Having a good plan for escape, like in an airplane, is something that could benefit everyone in case of emergency.

High school football is something that everyone should be able to enjoy. The community needs to work together to make sure it stays that way. Right now, spectators can still attend and have fun, but cautiously. Hopefully, these issues end soon and our community can get back to normal. In the meantime, stay safe and go Quakers!

Why was Homecoming so early this year?

Emma Lavelle 26’ Community Writer

October 15, 2022. That was the date of this year’s homecoming. Why the change you might ask? Wilmington Friend’s Homecoming has been the last week of October for the last 12 years. But this year, the plans changed. Fifteen days early, the community celebrated homecoming here at WFS. Nonetheless, the community was thrilled, and we celebrated this year in many ways. Everything you can think of, from pep rallies to sports games, happened the weekend of October 15. Some people were happy, and some were disappointed about the date change for this year’s homecoming.

Homecoming is a wonderful bonding experience for people in the Wilmington Friends Community. Many students were excited to socialize with their friends and cheer on their favorite sports teams. Aubrey Ashman 26’ says, “I’m so excited to spend time with my friends at a big event like this and to have this memory for lifetimes to come.” Aubrey is a freshman here at Wilmington friends,

and along with all the other freshmen this year, they experienced homecoming for the first time. In the weeks leading up to homecoming, many alumni were celebrated for their outstanding achievements and service to the school community. Two of these alumni include Hannah Beswick 05’ and Robert Hoopes 85’. You can read more about them on the @Wilmington_Friends instagram. Students also looked forward to helping prepare for the homecoming dance with the spirit committee. This year 106 high school students worked together to create the most fantastic experience for us to enjoy. The committee made posters, set up the gym for the homecoming dance, and were excited to put on another fabulous homecoming week.

And with the excitement comes disappointment. A crucial part of any homecoming dance is picking a fancy dress to impress everybody. A lot of students felt stressed finding a dress because they now had half the amount of time. Many stores, like Lucy in the Sky, take up to 6 weeks for the package to arrive, and if it arrives, the dresses might not fit or look good, so the students need more time to find another dress. Some students were

confused or disappointed that the dance was in the lower school’s gym because last year the event is held in the US gym. Many kids don’t know where the gym and lower school are, which adds extra stress. The spirit committee only started meeting about a week before homecoming week, and some students didn’t think that was enough time. October 15 is also the day of at least three other school’s homecoming dances, which causes people to choose between WFS and their significant others’ school dances.

So why was homecoming so early this year? According to Rebecca Zug, it all had to do with the Upper School football team’s games. She says, “This year, it changed because we felt it was important to have a home football game for our homecoming,” Ultimately, the team’s game the last week of October is an away game against Brandywine Highschool. The school tried to switch it around, but it didn’t work. When asked if homecoming will return to normal next year, Zug said, “I want to say that next year is already planned for the last week in October.”

The

Bright side

Anya Agarwal 25’ Sci & Tech writer

You’ve probably heard all about how social media is bad for you and read articles about the negatives of social media. Everyone knows that social media is here to stay and its advancement is inevitable. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others have become the most popular forms of media in the world today. There are people all around the world utilizing social media like their lives depend on it.

One of the many benefits of social media is the ability to stay connected with family and friends. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram give people a chance to stay connected. According to DataReportal, 48.6% of global internet users say that staying in touch with family and friends is the top reason people use social media.

During the height of the COVID pandemic, people were connecting with family, friends, and loved ones more than ever. In addition to being able to view different posts, post status updates, and send messages, social media websites today offer other ways to stay connected in real-time, like messaging within the app, as well as video chats. You can even have a group video chat with more than 2 people on most of the social media platforms out there - all with the click of a button.

“Social media brings people geographically closer together, even when they are states apart. Social media is amazing because, in a very positive way, it can build community. You can get a hold of people who you haven’t talked to in a long time and just ask a quick ‘How are you doing’,” says Sage Miller, ‘25. This pandemic has taught people to value relationships, and social media

of Social Media

has had a huge role to play in enabling that.

If used wisely, social media can be a powerful tool to stay up to date on current events and enhance our understanding of the world we live in. For example, people can follow a few credible news outlets on Twitter to get breaking news around the world. According to Pew Research Center, about two thirds of U.S. adults get news at least sometimes from news websites or apps (68%), or search engines like Google (65%). About half (53%) get news from social media, and a much smaller portion get news at least sometimes from podcasts (22%). “Social media gives me a way to see what people around me are doing and also what is going on in the world - it keeps me updated,” says Steven Kozikowski ‘25. Social media makes it easy for news to move quickly around the world, keeping us well informed of significant happenings. Social media is now among the most common ways for young adults to get their political news. The internet and social media have transformed from a place where users are mere consumers of content to creators of content. Examples include both Tik Tok and Youtube. Tik Tok and Youtube users can use these apps for almost everything. Do you need help furnishing your dining table? Look it up on Youtube! Don’t know what to wear to school and need outfit inspo? Look no further; Tik Tok has you covered. Want to try new recipes to cook for your family? You can use either app for that!

Both Tik Tok and Youtube also provide educational content. Youtube is a great place to go to find educational videos about any subject in school. For example, if you are struggling with a subject in math, you can find great Khan Academy math tutoring videos to help you understand the subject. “Youtube is a great

resource for studying and understanding concepts that you didn’t already know. It helps with reinforcing the imnormation

study resources, and more. Teachers are creating Pinterest boards for each of their classes and saving pins that are relevant to lessons.

Students are pinning websites, books, and videos so that they can refer back to them as reference materials.

and providing a better explanation,” says Lauren Toner, ‘25.

You can also find short educational videos on Tik Tok to help you with short, neat tricks to help you in different subjects. For example, you could stumble upon a Tik Tok which talks about different websites you could use to study better or different tricks you could use to solve a math problem faster.

In addition to this, other social media apps are also used creatively in the school system these days. For example, Facebook pages regularly broadcast key school updates and alerts. Students join a Facebook class page either during school or during breaks where announcements, class updates, etc. are posted. Sometimes, Facebook groups stream live lectures and host class discus

sions. Twitter acts as a class message board, or a reminder for due dates, and may also include helpful links for work,

Technologies like these have played a huge role in current learning and educational processes . using social networking technologies; 75% of 7th through 12th graders have at least one social media profile; and 59% of students who use social networking talk about education topics online. 50% of those who talk about educational topics online talk specifically about schoolwork, and 35% of schools have student and/or instructor-run blogs. 59% of schools say their students use social networking for educational purposes and 27% of schools have an online community for teachers and administrators.

While there is a ton of research happening and new tools in development to mitigate the negative effects of social media, social media has been a blessing to mankind. Student collaboration has improved in both quality and quantity because of social media. Students can also help maintain their mental health by finding a safe space to be themselves on social media. “It has given me a place to relate to other people with the same insecurities and differences as me,” says Layla Baynes ‘25.

CORN KID: THE SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION

By Tauson Biggs ‘24

Whether you’ve heard the song or seen the video on social media, chances are you’ve heard of Corn Kid.

Tariq, lovingly known as Corn Kid all over the internet gained fame after a video of him expressing his love of corn went viral. The video was part of a web series called Recess Therapy. Recess Therapy is a web series and Instagram account co-created by the digital-media company Doing Things Media, in which host Julian Shapiro-Barnum interviews children in New York between the ages of two and nine. The interviews are then shared on YouTube and Instagram.

Tariq’s Journey to stardom began one hot July day, in a Brooklyn park, when he was approached by Barnum, who had taken interest in Tariq’s corn on the cob. Barnum had no idea how much Tariq would have to say on the topic of corn.

In the Video, Barnum starts with a simple question. “What do you like about corn?” he asks. “Ever since I was told that corn was real, it tasted good,” Tariq responds. As the interview progresses, Tariq rattles on about his love of the tasty yellow vegetable. “I mean look at this thing, I can’t imagine a more beautiful thing!” he exclaimed.

About a month after the original video was released, The Gregory Brothers, an American Musical quartet, put out a song made up of the audio

The Man Behind the Screen

By Temilola Lufadeju ‘25

Who even is John Mcafee? John Mcafee is the man inside your computer. In the 80s, Mcafee created one of the worlds famous antivirus softwares. An antivirus program is designed to protect your private information. Any antivirus software can be put in your computer, and even your cellular device. McAfee ranks No. 3 in Pcmag of Best Antivirus Software of 2022. Mcafee was raised in Salem, Virginia by his British mother and American father. Mcafee’ father was an abusive alcoholic who eventually killed himself when Mcafee was 15 years old. Mcafee grew up to be a businessman and tech entrepreneur. John Mcafee was a successful and smart man.

Mcafee still be telling news reporters that it is not a joy to own things if the recession never happened? If the recession never happened would Mcafee not be living in his beachfront property in Hawaii or his Colorado mansion in the shadow of Pike's Peak?

The question that has yet to be answered is what made John Mcafe go mad? What made him go from AntiVirus genius

an issue with Mcafee's “violent dogs”. Greg had supposedly witnessed them attack a tourist. This caused tension between the two as well as some threats made.

all of the original video. The song also blew up on social media, being used for millions of Tik-Tok’s and Instagram reels and ultimately re-igniting the hype around corn kid.

With 720,000 hours of video being shared every day, how is it that Tariq’s minute-and-a-half interview managed to take the internet by storm? To find out, I turned to Wilmington Friends school students, some of whom had never seen the video for themselves. For these students, I pulled up the video and posed the question, “what were your initial thoughts?” “It was outstanding! He’s got some hot takes and I respect it,” said Devin Wallace ‘24. Evan Jones ‘24, who had heard a bit about Corn Kid replied, “The kid was very well-spoken. He even understood how puns worked to a greater degree than most adults.”

For those who had seen the video or heard the song I asked, “Why do you think corn kid went viral?” “There’s something about making music out of things that aren’t music that people really like. It’s just a video that makes you feel good,” said Jones. “Since catchy music songs have been getting more popular nowadays, the video was bound to become popular very quickly,” said Brian Gainer ‘23. Esther Adebi ‘24, who is somewhat of an internet scholar, had a lot to say on this particular question. “I thought it initially went viral because of how cute it was, but I think that it has a second wave of virality from the Gregory Brothers making a song out of it before the meme could fizzle out of the public consciousness. They were already on everyone’s radar for making “Chrissy Wake Up” which took over the internet for months, so their decision to tap into the trend of reposting the corn kid really boosted the meme a great deal. Especially because songs are extremely shareable on sites like Tiktok and Instagram that prioritize watchtower and viewer engagement.”

Going back to Adebi’s initial point, people were obviously captivated by Tariq’s cuteness and infectious energy, but might there be a deeper meaning within his words? I’ll leave you with what Gainer took away from Tariq’s words. “I think his message for people is to try things they might not like, even if you have to put butter on it.” With that being said, I hope you have a corntastic day!

At the prime of his wealth, Mcafee was reported to have a net worth of $100 million ; This fortune was raised when Mcafee sold his stake in the software business. In 1994, Mcafee resigned from his company, just 7 years after it was founded. After Mcafee’ resignation, Mcafee explored his other “desires”. This exploration led Mcafee towards a road filled with fanciful conflicts. Due to the 2008 global recession, Mcafee was hit especially hard due to the fact that most of his fortune was on luxury homes. Mcafee was forced to sell his real estate property; Mcafee sold a 25 million home for just $5.7 million. Mcafee's net worth had decreased over time; Mcafee’s net worth went from $100 million to less than $10 million. Mcafee told ABC News "I feel a sense of freedom. People think that it's a joy to own things. But it really isn't”. Mcafee was like no other he imagined; He wanted to be different and to be different he would have to do the unmanageable. People do not just lose over $90 million without feeling some sort of emotional loss. Would

to mad man on the run?

For starters, what makes one person go mad?

Coach Sue Kampert says “I would say losing their sense of purpose in life and not having something or someone to guide them forward”

There are many traits that make him different from your regular computer programmer. In reality, it was hard not to notice him. Mcafee loved the attention. Mcafee even ran to be the President of the United States in 2016 and 2020. Cooper Jones, class of 2025 is aware of Mcafee and his “social behavior”. Jones said “He was the guy who made the antivirus right. And then he killed his neighbor”. How did Mcafee go from running for president to potentially killing his neighbor? “I don't think he did, ''said Jones.

“ I think the government staged him. I think he was framed.” John Mcafee himself believed he was framed by the authorities for the murder of Gregory Fall. Fall was Mcafee's neighbor who was found dead on November 11th, 2012 at his home in Belize. Fall and Mcafee were not the best of neighbors. Greg had begun having

John’s dogs were poisoned around November 8 or 9, of 2012. In the documentary “Running with the Devil”, John claimed that he had to shoot four of them to put them out of their misery. Greg was found dead a few days later, on the 11th. Before the line of questioning from the police, Mcafee went on the run for the first time with his 20-yearold girlfriend Samantha Venegas. In 2019, McAfee went on the run once again to avoid tax evasion charges. Jillian Farley ‘25 is not aware of John Mcafee. Although, Farley is not surprised a genius went crazy. Farley says “He was definitely a genius who went crazy”. Farley believes that a man still inside your computer is “fishy”. Farley says “It makes me question what I should be doing on my computer and I feel like I don't have privacy. It makes me feel violated”. Mcafee died at the age of 75 in his prison cell due to committing suicde. In the documentary “Running with the Devil, Mcafees ex ex-girlfriend, Samantha claims that John Mcafee has reached out to her after his apparent death. According to Samantha she got a call from Texas. Supposedly Mcafee said “'It's me, John. I paid off people to pretend that I am dead, but I am not dead. There are only three people in this world that know that I'm still alive”. Today the Mcafee virus remains one of the most popular antivirus programs. It is left a mystery whether Mcafee killed his neighbor or if he is still alive.

Divisive Decisions: The Rings Of Power Controversy

Jack Hebert ‘23 Arts & Culture writer

On September 2nd, 2022, Amazon Studios released Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video. This show would be the recent return to Middle Earth and be the first onscreen adaptation of the Second Age, over three thousand years before the events of the beloved Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Given the outstanding reputation of the franchise, and a studio willing to spend $60 million per episode, making it the most expensive TV show to date, you would expect the show to be a slam dunk for Amazon. Instead, The Rings of Power suffered a massive backlash, both from general audiences and hardcore Lord of the Rings fans. The backlash is en route to set Amazon back by the millions. But how did this happen?

The skepticism began when the showrunners were announced. Amazon entrusted the series to first-time showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Payne and McKay started with the production company Bad Robot, a company already maligned by many fandoms. This anger is due to one of its co-CEOs, J.J. Abrams. Abrams was at the helm for both the recent Star Trek film trilogy and most of the Star Wars sequel film trilogy, both of which set their massive fanbases in an

uproar, and are generally considered to be substandard films. Payne and McKay worked closely and appeared to be mentored by Abrams, which worried many Lord of the Rings fans regarding the quality of the upcoming show.

However, the controversy truly began when the teasers were released and the media circuit for the show started. When the first teaser trailer was released, it received a ratio of 131 thousand likes to 1.9 million dislikes. Angry fans quoted Tolkien’s “evil cannot create; it can only destroy” in the comment section. Many criticized the show for its poor look and score, and dislike of the show quickly grew. The public’s distaste soon exploded into malice when the cast and crew used fan-baiting in the media circuits.

Fan-baiting is a form of marketing used by studios with the intent of exciting artificial controversy, garnering publicity, and dismissing negative reviews of a new and often highly anticipated product. In The Rings of Power’s case, fan-baiting came in the form of the cast’s diversity. Some Tolkien fans pointed out that characters in the teaser trailer had been either race or gender swapped, which Amazon latched onto. Every media interview talked about how progressive the show is, how diverse the cast is, and how they deal with the backlash from racist fans. However, there was no evidence of racist backlash, and Amazon’s attempts to mute critics through

a diverse cast are, now, clear. Amazon’s troublesome attempt to mute critics led to an overall hatred of the show and resulted in the permanent departure of many fans from Rings of Power.

The final nail in the coffin came with the script’s leaking. Previous gripes and fears, such as the new showrunners, the fan-baiting, and the alienation of their core fans, would have been forgotten or even forgiven if the show was satisfactory and honored the legacy that J.R.R. Tolkien left. Sadly, the script confirmed that it would do neither. While a show’s quality is subjective, objective measurements exist, such as the amount of inconsistencies or plot holes within a script. In terms of objectivity, the script was shown to be very inadequate, riddled with inconsistent characters, bizarre story beats, and maligned tropes, such as the mystery box. In terms of it honoring Tolkien, the author of all things Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power merely had to follow the events of the second age, laid out by the professor. Tolkien famously hated others changing his works, and even vetoed a movie proposal before Peter Jackson’s trilogy on the basis that it changed too much of his stories. So, how did The Rings of Power stand? Half of the characters were entirely new to the plot, other characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil, and Isildur, were completely different from their Tolkien counterparts, and others still

were completely absent. Also, the narrative events differed wildly, outraging fans. If the leaked script had turned out to be false, fan anger would have greatly subsided. However, the release of The Rings of Power confirmed the accuracy of the leaks, and the world of Middle Earth was, indeed, not how Tolkien intended it to be. While the backlash is severe, why would anyone other than Amazon care?

This is significant as it represents something unprecedented. While many franchises have been sold, repurposed, and, in the eyes of their respective fandoms, ruined, there has never been a backlash this severe, this united, and this persistent. Amazon’s loss of hundreds of millions of dollars demonstrates a key fact that Hollywood has seemed to forget: you cannot buy the loyalty of fandom. The example The Rings of Power set shall be remembered for years to come as the day fandom fought back, and the day it won.

Be Real: The App That Took the Internet By Storm

Sarah Levenson ‘24 Arts & Culture writer

As a teenager in 2022, social media apps counteract our social life on an everyday basis. Instagram, Snapchat, and, especially, TikTok play a key role in society as well as in the impact of technology among teens. BeReal is a new fresh app that has, quickly, gotten many people hooked. On the app a timer goes off at a random time. At this time, you are “supposed” to take a picture of yourself and what you are doing. From the Fox News Digital website, CEO of Open Influence, Eric Dahan states “The feature is really designed to force authenticity from the user — not giving [people] the ability to create overly curated content. BeReal addresses the more authentic social needs of Gen Z, whereas millennials have valued a fuller experience of content curation and shareability.” Mr. Dahan’s social media expertise allows us to see a representation of the app’s use. More recently, trending apps like this(BeReal) are widely-known in the generation of teenagers currently in high school. BeReal is about now and

the moment. As shown in the app’s title, BeReal asks you to be your authentic self at any time. BeReal shows you for who you are. BeReal also offers a feature to react to your friend’s BeReals of the day. You can send a reaction in a tiny bubble and send it to their photo.

While BeReal has so many great features and effects, the app also comes with opinions and many problems. Just like many social media platforms, inappropriate photos appear on the app, making others feel uncomfortable.

Another extremely important issue to be aware of is that viewers of your BeReal post can see your location. Publicly shared location factors into larger problems involving safety. According to a youth advocate and internet safety adviser, Anne Collier, from Seventeen.com, “BeReal provides less social comparison, less performance fatigue and more fun. However, it’s not

perfect. BeReal’s safety level depends on how people use it. If someone decides to take a photo that’s somehow mean to someone, that can border on harassment or cyberbullying”. As Collier states, cyberbullying is a severe issue in society today. Kids, today, feel pressured to keep as up to date in the social media circle as their friends, and peer pressure can lead to anxiety disorders and stress levels to increase. Yes, these issues are a bit alarming, but BeReal does provide a little less temptation to scroll through feeds mindlessly. I find BeReal to be an exciting app, but be mindful of everything you post daily. As a student in the Wilmington Friends Community, I felt it was necessary to ask a member of the student body how they felt about BeReal. Joey Mayer ‘24, “ What are your opinions on the app? She responded “I don’t like Bereal, it feels pressured to post something that other people will react too, I feel like the target wasn’t hit and the app got old super fast”. Her response is

accurate for most teens today. The app’s popularity could be declining for some, but for many others it continues to grow.

Like other popular social media apps, BeReal has pros and cons. The goal is to post spontaneous, filter-free content without overanalyzing. But little do you know, most people are pretending. While it looks like others are making fun plans for the weekend, or in the park, or in an uber on their way to a date, some people could be hiding the fact that they are insecure. People overthink things easily, and if you see your friends post a quick BeReal without you, it can play with your mind. I, too, have found myself experiencing FOMO (fun of missing out). There are clear pros to the app, such as no specific emphasis on how many likes or comments you receive. As stated from a Vogue article titled: What I Learned Using BeReal For a Week, written by Christian Allaire, “Sure, the app brings spontaneity and authenticity back to social media—but wouldn’t the most authentic thing be to just not use social media? If you want to BeReal, I suggest you GoOutside, LeaveYourPhoneBehind, and TakeAWalk”.

Lessons and Leitmotifs: Why You Should Come See Into the Woods

Smith ‘24 & Ava Miller ‘25 Arts & Culture writers

The cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, the slipper as pure as gold…

WFS is switching it up this school year with an early Fall musical rather than one in the Spring. And this time, it’s a doozy. If you can, come see Into the Woods. You will definitely enjoy it!. Here’s some advice from Mrs. Butterfield, co-director of the musical: “Remember that fairy tales can have surprise endings.”

Into the Woods is Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s answer to the classic fairy tale: a young, attractive protagonist with one singular, desperate wish goes through trials and tribulations to achieve it, ending the story with a “happily ever after.” The reader presumes that from then on, the characters are content with their journey, destined to live out the rest of their days in bliss. Cinderella marries her prince, Jack returns from the beanstalk with bushels of gold, Rapunzel escapes her tower, and Little Red Riding Hood evades the stomach of the wolf. But Into the Woods takes these familiar stories and turns them all upside down, questioning the simplicity of classic fairytales and asking the essential question: who truly deserves to get their wish?

The musical follows Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and a Baker along with his Wife, who are guided as well as thwarted throughout the main story by an objective Narrator and an ‘evil’ Witch. Each has a wish, and is willing to do almost anything to get it. “It takes characters that we know and love and gives

them a little more depth and background, so we can get a better understanding of their actions and behaviors,” says Tommy Fisher-Klein, co-director. The musical examines the nature of being good versus being right, within the context of familiar tales that we’ve grown up with. This may not be the tame, fun re-imagining you’re expecting.

One of our musical’s cast members, Piper Roskovensky ‘26, gives a little insight into her character: “I play Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red is supposed to be young, naïve, energetic, and she puts herself out there.” Little Red at first seems innocent, but her journey into the woods conveys that she is growing up and has newfound responsibilities. The scary path she takes reveals the difficulty of her journey.

Lapine’s script effectively tells Into the Woods’ convoluted storyline, but the plot also shines in the score. The lyrics feature clever and humorous wordplay to watch out for. The score is chock-full of beautiful ballads and rap-like story-based songs that’ll make you think. “My favorite lyric is one that the Baker’s Wife sings-“if the end is right, it justifies the beans.” The wordplay in the show is just so clever. Sondheim’s thought processes were so complex and yet so simple,” says Mrs. Butterfield.

Harder to notice, but no less substantial, are the underlying musical themes. Sondheim’s signature use of leitmotifs-- recurring musical patterns associated with elements of the plot or themes within it-- subconsciously weaves the narrative within the music. This show is unique in that the moral of the show ties into the music itself.

Each character has a musical idea, beginning with the phrase “I wish” (a major 2nd interval), followed by their own theme explaining their wish. Wishing is an enormous element of the show: each character has something they want, like in any classic fairy tale. Into the Woods explores how deserving people are of their wish, and if they would truly be happy if they got it. Stephen Sondheim once explained that the main character of the show is the act of wishing itself. The different characters are secondary to the nature of their stories and their wishes. The show begins and ends with Cinderella singing those two notes: “I wish!” Everyone starts out being fundamentally selfish in their wishing; only by the end do the characters learn how their actions affect others. It’s all about storytelling; everything connects to everything else. That’s why it’s so brilliant to use traditional fairy tales here and look at them in the context of real actions and consequences.

Other musical themes are woven into the story, associated with certain ideas: objects, characteristics, and people. These themes stay the same musically, but, through multiple reprises and new lyrics, come back in new and interesting ways. The main melodic idea for the entire musical is usually described as the ‘bean theme’--5 notes (D flat, G flat, A flat, F, E flat) one for each of 5 magic beans-- that show up everywhere: underscore, songs, you name it. It’s different every time, but undeniably recognizable. The magic beans (yes, Jack and the Beanstalk’s magic beans) are the main source of conflict and the largest catalyst for change in the story. Everyone has been affected by the beans, so their theme shows up frequently.

Industry Plant 101

Lucy Cericola ‘25 Arts & Culture writer

If you consider yourself a music and pop culture lover and happen to be chronically online, chances are you’ve heard the term “industry plant”.

First adapted throughout the internet on fan-focused websites such as Reddit and Twitter, the term “industry plant” rose to popularity in 2012 throughout the Rap community. Widely considered talented artists including, but not limited to, Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne were accused of being industry plants throughout their careers.

So what is an” industry plant”, and how do we spot one growing?

An “industry plant” is an artist whose fame and success can be directly attributed to the backing of a major record label. Often, “industry plant” is used in a broader sense, most commonly

to accuse a rapidly growing, young artist of being nothing more than an image the music industry creates for them.

American entertainment company Complex defines industry plants as “artists who are plucked out of obscurity and given a new sound and aesthetic at the direction of their record label, then jammed down the throats of consumers through avenues like playlists and radio”.

Ultimately, does being an industry plant really affect the quality and impact of your work?

The issue concerning industry plants stems from corporate greed. As the music industry grows wealthier by the day, we continue to hear recycled versions of the generic pop sound. For example, through apps like TikTok, we saw artists like Leah Kate, the singer of the pop song “10 Things I Hate About You,” rise to the

public eye while not gaining many true fans.

Despite fitting the “industry plant” persona, Kate’s connections to corporate labels have damaged any chances of a permanent residence within the music industry, due to her lack of creativity. Tiktok users have even gone as far as to record themselves playing “Subway Surfers’’ and watching Euphoria at her concerts as a running joke to her unoriginality and blandness.

Take Olivia Rodrigo as an opposing example. Former Disney kid actresses turned angsty pop star overnight. However, what sets Rodrigo apart from Leah Kate is her lively fan base. Despite some connections to fame, Rodrigo has grown through her talent, songwriting, and relatable teenage heartbreak lyrics.

“Honestly, I don’t see a big problem with industry plants to some extent. I

The bean theme culminates in No One is Alone, one of the last songs in the show. At face value, it’s a solemn tune inspiring confidence that ‘someone is on your side’. But in reality, the song has a much grimmer notion: every action has a reaction. No one acts alone, no one is free of fault. Morals are never black and white. The bean theme is slowed and inverted to evoke a resolution of the main plot. In ‘No One is Alone’, the characters step out of their stereotypical fairytale boundaries and recognize their need for decisiveness and responsibility in their own story. Throughout the plot up until then, the characters do not make responsible choices. They have desperate wishes and hope to get them, tiptoeing around any morally gray areas they can find. By the end of the show, they realize their responsibility to each other and learn to think through their actions. Here the bean theme is out of order; where the characters finally undo all the harm that’s been done. They finally learn a true lesson-- not a fairytale moral for kids, but they are undoubtedly changed by their collective trials and tribulations.

think there’s a fine line between an artist with genuine talent who has a connection to someone famous and an artist with no talent that’s branded to attract a crowd,” says Layla Baynes ‘25.

“Like, Taylor Swift’s from Pennsylvania. But her first album was a country album. So they advertised her as a young country star, made her use a fake southern accent and dressed her up like Dolly Parton. But she needed that to boost her career and then from there, she figured out what she wanted to truly make. That’s how the music industry works.” says Ellie Collins, Ursuline ‘23. What you deem as a successful industry plant is defined by your own musical taste. However, it’s important to recognize artists whose fame polluted the industry and took up recognition from artists with genuine passion, talent, and commitment. Yet overall, having musical ties barely affects a musician’s career once they’ve made their own, unique, artistic decisions.

Jemima

The Bat: The Panic, the Problem Solving, and the Perseverance

Katie Bryan Staff Writer ‘24

On the first day of school one always expects something to go wrong. Whether that be, forgetting something or not remembering people’s names. This year, it’s safe to say that no one could have predicted what actually happened: a bat.

Students were walking to and from their early-period classes when they were rerouted because of a commotion in the hall. Many people did not see it at first, for it was only a small black lump on the ceiling. But once adults such as Ryan Wood, the upper-school History teacher, Kathleen Martin, the College Guidance Counselor, and Bill Miller, the Superintendent of Grounds were alerted, things were under control. Wood recounted his first knowledge of the bat: “A sophomore came into my room, yelling that there was a bat on the ceiling. At first, I didn’t think she was serious. I thought she meant a baseball bat, which was also confusing.”

A popular question would be, how do you get a bat off of a ceiling? Well, these faculty members saved it with only three tools: A broom, a recycling can, and a cardboard box lid. This extraordinary team each fit into their roles respectively, Wood: The Muscles, Martin: The Supervi-

sor, and Miller: The Strategist. Wood held the recycling can up to the ceiling while Miller tried to guide the bat with the broom and the lid. They found the broom to be most helpful in getting the bat unstuck from the ceiling, and into the empty recycling bin. Then, once the bat was in the recycling bin the cardboard lid was used to contain it.

The crowd of kids and teachers erupted into a round of applause as Wood carried the bat from the hallway back into his classroom where he released the bat through the window and towards the woods. The bat flew gracefully away; a symbol of prosperity for the coming school year.

When asked about how he felt during this rollercoaster of a morning Wood said, “I was never scared. Doubtful, maybe, but never afraid. You know, I didn’t expect to walk into work and save a bat but I’m glad I did.”

When Martin was asked about the bat, the first words out of her mouth were, “It was very cute.” Martin had multiple roles in this endeavor, not only was she the supervisor during the actual rescue but while Wood went to get backup she stayed with the bat. When asked to describe her heroic deed she said “I stood in the hallway and kept the kids away from the bat and the bat away from the kids.”

New Beginnings!

Abigail Thurlow, Features Writer ‘26

So far in the 2022-2023 school year, eighteen new faculty members and twenty-one new students have been welcomed into the Wilmington Friends community. Three of the faculty members and four of the ninth-grade students were gracious enough to answer some questions about settling into their new environment.

These new staff members chose Wilmington Friends School for multiple reasons. Nicholas Childers was drawn to WFS “because of the community.” He moved back to the Philadelphia area from Colorado with his family, “I immediately felt at home.” Mr. Childers was also impressed by how engaged and interested students were during his demonstration lessons.

Maria Scott chose WFS because she was interested in helping “students learn in a small school environment” as a part-time teacher. Mrs. Scott’s last school was Cinco Ranch High School, located in Katy, Texas, where she had one hundred and twenty-five students in her Algebra II class. When she is not teaching, she volunteers as a Court Appointed Child Advocate for Delaware’s Office of the Child Advocate.

Candice Culmer-Smith, a new administrative assistant, “fell in love with the school and

The students were also part of the Liberation of the Bat. Many of them gathered on either side of the hallway to watch their role models heroically save the day. In anticipation of the rescue, a couple of students were talking about naming the bat, and they decided on the gender-neutral, “Bean”. Esther Adebi ‘24 described her first interaction with the bat to be joyful, she described her internal thoughts as, “Oh! It’s a bat. Look at its cute little eyes!” Confirmation that Martin had done her job correctly, Adebi said, “The people standing around were told not to be within 6 feet of the bat.”

It may seem a little strange that a bat was a good omen on the first day, but it was! Kids got a break in their schedule, teachers got to show off their problem-solving skills, and a bat got to get a taste of the magic of a Friend’s school first day. Martin said, “I think the moral of this story is that it’s not just humans on this big green and blue planet of ours. There are many different species that need a place to live as well.”

people” when she started bringing her son to preschool at WFS. Similarly to Mr. Childers, she also chose WFS for the community. Ms. Candice sees value in what it can do for her child’s education and the impact it has on her family.

When asked, all of the faculty agreed that WFS is different from their previous school because of the smaller class sizes. The new teachers think that the smaller class sizes help allow stronger connections and relationships between students and teachers. Mrs. Scott and Mr. Childers also commented on Meeting for Worship,. it is a change from former schools. However, they are growing very fond of it.

Mr. Childers’s goal this year is to keep students engaged “in the process of learning history.” His favorite things about WFS so far are the people, because students are eager to learn and colleagues are willing to help. Mrs. Scott’s goals are to “help students become stronger critical thinkers and gain confidence in their own “learning techniques.” Her favorite things about WFS are her colleagues, students, and Meeting for Worship.

Ms. Candice’s goal for this year is to “help things run smoothly, help things run as smoothly as possible and to add value where I can.” Her favorite thing about WFS so far is also the people. She finds herself laughing every day and eating lots of good pizza!

The new staff were asked to choose three words to describe their experiences with WFS so far. Their words were, challenging, engaging, and hopeful (Mrs. Scott), exciting, growth, and community (Mr. Childers), eventful, community, and appreciation (Ms. Candice).

Jov Levin 26’ and Jack McKelvey 26’

Sandra Iancic 26’ and Kenzie Wilson 26’

Rail Strikes Could Halt US Supply Chain

John Ursomarso ‘24, News Writer

On September 22 America’s largest rail unions announced that they would be prepared to go on strike if their demands for better working conditions were not met. The rail unions, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes union, or BMWE for short, The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAM, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, or BLET and SMART-Transportation Division represent a near majority of rail workers in America and a potential strike by these locomotive superpowers could turn out deadly for the average American citizen. The union’s proposed strike would halt America’s supply chain which is still partially crippled by the effects of the pandemic. America’s railway companies already announced that they would stop the transportation of hazardous materials in preparation for a potential strike. This announcement raised the alarm of experts who claimed that the halt of these materials could have catastrophic effects on the well-being of our country one such alarm came from The American Petroleum Institute, which said that the restrictions on hazardous materials that began this week “could have profound impacts on the ability of our industry to deliver critical energy supplies.” However our

nation’s power is not the only thing at risk; our water could also disappear. One material that is not being delivered due to the strike is chlorine. Chlorine is a chemical that is essential to the treatment of water and without a continuous suply of chlorine our nation’s water treatment plans become inoperational in less than a week. The White House released a statement regarding the strike saying that “We have made crystal clear to the interested parties the harm that American families, businesses, and communities would experience if they were not to reach a resolution.” The White House also announced that they would be dispatching Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to meet with union leaders. The unions themselves have proven to be disorganized and rampant infighting among themselves has raised questions of whether negotiations are even viable. The unions are however all striking over the proximity of the same issues. Union officials are demanding increased pay rates as well as a more complete insurance plan which would cover more fields such as hearing loss autism, mental health, and substance abuse. Union officials are also demanding more paid days off and compensation for travel. In the rail industry workers are often required to drive hundreds of

New Beginnings, Continued

For the students, their ultimate favorite thing has been their classmates. Kenzie Wilson enjoys the relaxed environment and friendliness of the WFS community. Sandra Iancic has been enjoying meeting new people and making new friends, and Jov Levin’s favorite thing has been the people he gets along with. Lastly, Jack McKelvey’s favorite thing has been “how classes are structured so that the students get to work together more.” The students are looking forward to participating in clubs, new experiences, and WFS traditions. Kenzie Wilson also talked about how she is very

excited about swim season and hopefully making it to the state tournament!

When the new students were asked how WFS is different from their previous schools, answers varied. Jack McKelvey said that WFS is not very different from his old school, “but people are more open here.” Sandra Iancic had fewer students in her class last year than this year. Jov Levin talked about how there is a smaller sports selection at WFS and more homework. Kenzie Wilson said WFS is a more “relaxed environment” than her old school.

miles using their own personal vehicles for work as well as find their own accommodation for sleeping while working. Under the union’s new terms rail companies would be required to provide lodging to workers while they are away from home and reimburse workers for every mile driven for work purposes at the standard IRS rate of 62.5 cents per mile as well as lodging reimbursement of up to $98 per night. On September 11th the unions announced that they would agree to a deal that would guarantee them a majority of their demands. Still, on October 10th the unions announced that they would not accept the deal reached by White House executives. It is yet to be seen if the strikes will cripple our country, who can say. Regardless of what happens, stay safe and stockpile chlorine.

Much like teachers, the hardest thing about their transitions has been learning people’s names, finding where classes are, and navigating through the website.

So far, it looks like the new members of our community are settling in nicely!