The
Whittier Miscellany January 2018 • WILMINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
Ethics Debate Team Discusses the hard questions Ellie Bradley ’19 News Writer
tough cases up until the day of the competition. The team started when she went to a conference held by a professor at Penn, and learned that other educators were trying to spread these types of ethical debates from the college level down to high schools. Inspired, she started the club with a small group of students and their first competition was held at Morristown Friends
Ellen Johnson
classes that have very limited numbers compared to the whole student body. Upon being asked why she enjoys ethics debates, Johnson’s face lit up into a huge smile. It was clear how The Ethics Debate Team became a new club at passionate she was about these ideas and this club. “I Wilmington Friends five years ago, and since then, just really like the idea that you’re in a conversation, has not received its fair share of attention in the school not an argument”, she said, as well as noting that “it’s community. The club not just someone’s participates in yearly opinion…. the comcompetitions against lopetitions are a concal schools in an all-day tinuous dialogue, and event. This year’s comnot an aggressive one”. petition took place on In fact, students gain November 18th at Villapoints from demonnova University. Students strating good listenchallenge each other ing. The way that by bringing forth their a winner is chosen ideas for what is morally through conversaand logically correct in tion without aggresa given situation. These sion is very different could be anything, from from competitions whether students should like Mock Trial, or have their acceptance to even a classical style Harvard revoked because debate. The “peaceof offensive online comful” means of this ments, to whether drivcompetition reflect erless cars should protect Wilmington Friends the person within them School’s Quaker valor the person they’re hitues, among them ting in the case of an acthe themes of peace, cident. Most of the descommunity, and ignated cases are based equality. Ms. Johnin reality, though this is son also mentioned not a requirement. The how through the fifteen scenarios, which Ethics Debate Team, are all the same and given students “learn how to every group, are conto grow a conversaEthics Debate Team gathers for a picture in front of Villanova University, the location of the competition. sidered and processed tion”. This is no doubt before the competition School. Today, the club has eleven people, which John- an important skill, and one that can be seen in many in club meetings. On the day of the competition, par- son affirmed was a good number. However, she men- classrooms around school on any given day. The club ticipants come prepared to discuss six of these fifteen tioned that the club has not gained much attention is constantly honing these skills and expanding stupossible topics. and lacks support. While organizing auditions is out dents’ thought processes when it comes to difficult Ellen Johnson has worked with the Ethics Debate of the question, as it might intimidate some students situations. In future years, hopefully the club will congroup since its start, and her love for the subject was too much, Johnson wishes that there were a class to tinue to grow and to fuel new members’ excitement very apparent in conversation with her. Also teaching teach potential club members about philosophy. Of for ethical questions and debating. Make sure to cona MSON course that relates to ethics, she is the perfect course there are classes offered, like Theory of Knowl- gratulate this year’s team on their hard work and acteacher to guide students and help them work through edge and her own MSON course, but these are both complishments!
COMMUNITY Election Day Offers Solidarity Amidst a Fractured country and North Carolina; transgender candidates won in Virginia, Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania; in Virginia, Latin-American and Asian-American deleWith the rise of Trump came the dismantling of gates were visibly effusive in their responses to their the democratic safeguards and the victories. shattering of established norms. More specifically, the race for the The expectations of a political seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates figure to be poised, trustworthy, proved to be a triumph for the LGBTQ and civically aware crumbled, recommunity, as the first openly transplaced by an exasperatingly low gender state lawmaker Danica Roem confidence in the U.S. president won against the 13-term incumbent to declare something of substance Delegate Robert G. Marshall, Virgininstead of the usual, distasteful ia’s self-proclaimed “chief homophobe” rhetoric. These defenses, to name who proposed a bill that prevented a few, broke one after another as transgender individuals from using Trump took a stand on the nathe bathroom that conformed to their tional stage, transparent about identity. Roem, in her victory speech, his character and inexperience championed inclusion, “I want to make with the Constitution and globa point here that no matter what you al leadership. The unraveling of look like, where you come from, how these guardrails, as outlined by you worship, who you love, how you Donald Trump won the presidential election on November 9th, 2016. People had conflicting The Atlantic’s David Frum, paved identify, and yeah, how you run, that views about his victory. the path of destruction not only if you have good public policy ideas, if for the country but for those living within its borders. cynicism have been running rampant. With Trump you are well qualified for office, bring those ideas to The deep division between party lines and the intol- foregoing intellect--and the Republican party publicly the table, because this is your America, too. This is our erance for people of differing ethnicities, sexes, and accepting this ignorance--many began to lose hope in commonwealth of Virginia, too.” creeds bled into the everyday maltreatment of others. the country and its ideals. Yet the results of this year’s In Helena, Montana, voters elected Wilmot Collins, The president’s clear displays of moral absence sent Election Day serve as the reminder to remain vigilant a refugee who escaped Liberia and the debilitating effects of its civil war. Collins accepted the victory with and passionate about the future. November 7th was anything but or- poise after having defeated the incumbent mayor who dinary. It marked a day of historical had held office for 16 years. In New Jersey, lawyer and firsts, showing that people still care. civil rights activist Ravinder Bhalla accepted his win, In a digitalized and impersonal world marking the first Sikh mayor in New Jersey’s history. where discrimination is all too com- These are just a few examples of the wonderfully-dimon, there still remains an unbridled verse candidates that celebrated their feats in their reconsciousness. Election Day served as spective communities. The significance of these victories should not be a rallying cry, a symbolic protest of the current presidential administration’s overlooked: the identities of the aforementioned Abby Kleman ’18 values; from coast to coast, female, non- candidates, despite being a typical target of Trump’s white, and LGBTQ candidates learned unfounded prejudice, serve as a testament to the enASSISTANT EDITOR: Mike Coons ’18 that they had been the first to win in during resilience in the face of hatred. The ballots repNEWS EDITOR: Leah Johnson ’18 elections usually dominated by white resent the voice of the American people, and should SPORTS EDITOR: Alice Irwin ’18 heterosexual men. According to Vox, be the driving force of solidarity in our country. ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Matt Byer ’18 black mayors were elected for the first FEATURES EDITOR: Connor Miller ’19 time in cities in Minnesota, Montana, PHOTO EDITOR: Evie Kortanek ’18 COPY EDITOR: Evie Kortanek ’18 WEB EDITOR: John Blackwell ’18 FACULTY ADVISOR: Daniel Scott the message that the hollowing disrespect will be tolerated; if the president--a supposed role model--can do it, then so can the 323.1 million people that he serves. Thus, it is no surprise that demoralization and
CNBC.com
olivia o’donnell ’18 columnist
The
Whittier
Miscellany EDITOR IN CHIEF:
STAFF
NEWS Ellie Bradley ’19 Lucy Knudsen ’19 Nick Urick ’20
ENTERTAINMENT Emma Landis ’19 Honor Dearlove ’19
Interview with state champion, connor nisbet jack coons ’18 sports writer
SPORTS Carlin Beskrone ’19 Dylan Roskovensky ’19 Jack Coons ’18
Wilmington Friends School has a proud history of successful boys cross FEATURES country runners, with multiple former Elise Johnson ’21 Quakers competing at the division one COLUMNISTS Jimmy Butterfield ’20 level. The next one of these legends of Cecilia Ergueta ’18 Marley Morton ’18 the fall, is Connor Nisbet ‘19, a junior Olivia O’Donnell ‘18 who has already emerged as one of the The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school year fastest runners in Delaware state histoby the upper school journalism staff of Wilmington Friends School, ry. I took the time at the cross country 101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. To access the Whittier end of year party to interview Connor to catch up with him. Miscellany online, go to www.wfswhittier.com. (Me): Recently you won your second Check Whittier Miscellany online for Weekly Updates! county championship and your second The Whittier Miscellany welcomes responses in the form of letters state championship in a row; is there any source of inspiration or motivation that to the articles, editorials, and features of this paper. has helped you achieve this success?” Contact: wfswhittiermiscellany@gmail.com ‘Like’ Whittier on Facebook at ‘WFS Whittier’!
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(Connor) “I really just enjoy competing
and setting new goals for myself. More than anything else, cross country races are about trusting the process, trusting that the miles and hard workouts that I have done throughout the entire season will pay off. On top of this, the team has been great both supporting me, and making cross country fun. Though we may not be as fast as Sallies or Tatnall, I couldn’t ask for a more supportive team”. (Me) There is some recent controversy surrounding your state championship, with allegations that you lost to both Jack Taylor, and Wyatt Nelson. What are your thoughts?” (Connor) “the rumors are true, Wyatt Nelson and Jack Taylor are clearly superior runners. I can only hope to one day ascend to their greatness”. Ross Clark ‘19, a junior new to the sport in 2017 couldn’t hide his praise whilst at the party. (continued on page 7)
holiday issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
news
Friends Race to the finish in the Sm5K Earlier this fall, the Wilmington Friends School held their 22nd Annual Smith McMillan 5K run - a 3.2 mile run that takes place in the neighborhood of Alapocas. The run honors the memory of Wendy Smith McMillan ‘77, and Jonathan Bacon Smith ‘83, and benefits the financial aid endowment for WFS. Not only does the race consist of a run for teenagers and adults, it also includes a Free Kids Fun Run prior to the race. Every year, members from the Wilmington Friends Community and beyond come to the school to race the Smith McMillan, and this year was no different. One of the things that makes the Smith McMillan run more fun and enriching is its inclusion of activities in addition to running. Those who register for the Smith McMillan receive a tee shirt, as well as the enjoyment of refreshments and live music. The race has integrated chip timing, which provides accurate times and offers prizes for the overall male and female runners from a variety of age groups. The race is also sponsored by well known companies and organizations throughout Delaware, such as The Delaware Orthopedics Specialists, Brew HaHa, Jamba Juice, PNC Bank, and Massage Envy. During a conversation about homecoming with Hannah Blackwell ‘20, a varsity cross country runner at Wilmington Friends,
she commented that “I really enjoyed the Smith McMillan this year. It was a great race, and a really fun way to bring together the community before homecoming. Also, I really enjoyed the after race refreshments. They had free Jamba Juice and Manhattan
commented that “I always really enjoyed the Smith McMillan. I feel like it’s a great way to make sure everyone gets involved in homecoming, because often those whose sports lack a special homecoming game feel less included on homecoming. I also feel like the Smith McMillan is a great way to change up the group of people you run with, because so many faculty, parents, and non-cross country runners participate in the race.” Clearly, Rios found great value in the race in the years she participated in the race. Evidently, the cross country teams enjoy the race as a fun opportunity to run with friends without the stressful competition of a normal cross country race. The Smith McMillan is also a great way to get faculty involved in homecoming events. Sue Kampert, Upper School Human Dynamics and Health Teacher, commented, “I was a little nervous because I hadn’t run the race before, but I felt a lot of camaraderie among the runners. Everyone else was really supportive of everyone and I loved how inclusive it was. There was families, students, athletes, and faculty.” Clearly, the race proved to be a fun and inclusive experiences for all members involved. Overall, The Smith McMillan Race has proven to be a vital part of the WFS Homecoming activities. It’s a great way to get a varying group of the community together through exercise and fun. This year was the 22nd annual race, and hopefully the tradition will continue. Susan Finizio
Nick Urick ’20 News Writer
Children preparing for the Smith McMillan 5K.
Bagels, which was a really nice way to refuel after the run.” Clearly, Blackwell enjoyed the race and all of the fun activities it provided. Every year, both the middle school and upper school Wilmington Friends Cross Country teams have consistently participated in the Smith McMillan as a type of homecoming race for the teams. Izze Rios ‘17, a former member of the cross country team
Student Run Production returns to WFS The Student Run Production is a fairly new custom at Friends. Although several Friends students can still remember the first production, the tradition has become one that the community looks forward to every year. It is a great opportunity for students to apply what they have learned in past faculty-run productions into their own show in order to pursue their own vision. Hannah Blackwell ’20 acted in last year’s production of Making a Manhorse. She played the role of Sally, the love interest of Wiley. She commented about the experience, “The Student Run Production last year was really fun. It was cool to see my peers’ visions come to life. It was definitely a different and enjoyable experience”. It was her first time doing the Student Run Production and looks forward to seeing the tradition continued throughout her years at Friends. Hannah believes that the Student Run Production is not only important, but fun! Sarah Gooderham ’17 was also in last year’s production. She had a great time playing one of the townspeople. Gooderham remarked: “I joined the Student Run Production because I had never been in a non-musical theatre production, and I wanted to try it out without the stress and pressure of being in the play. Also, the low time commitment was a big factor in my decision to join.” Sarah realized the massive amount of work required in the production of a full length play, such as the an-
nual Upper School Drama, especially with the added pressure of high school. This is one of the reasons why the Student Run Production is so special. Sarah continued, “One thing about the Student Run Production that was different than a musical was that everyone in the cast was also stage crew and also responsible for makeup and costumes (not to say the amazing director, Leah Johnson, was not primarily responsible for
Todd Tyler has been the faculty advisor of the Student Run Production since it re-commenced with Wyatt Thompson’s production of Three on a Bench. He remarked on how the tradition began: “It started because someone wanted to do it. I had offered it in the past, but a few years ago a student stepped up. Students often asked for another outlet to perform, and the Student Run Production provided that”. Mr. Tyler sees that the production as a great way for students to practice and develop their acting and directing skills. Furthermore, Mr. Tyler spoke on how the tradition is handed down: “It started off small. The first play had only four students, but it has grown since then. The first year, it was Wyatt. His assistant director was Joslyn. Joslyn directed it the next year with Emily as her assistant. Leah is directing it now. So you can see that it really has been passed down from student to student.” This shows that the Student Run Production is something that the participants take pride in, and teach/learn from each other. The Student Run Production is an important part of the Friends community for several reasons. It is fun to act in and practical for busy students. More importantly, it is a great way for students to hone their skills, and make a production their own. This combination of fun and responsibility is what causes the students to take such pride in the production they put on, and it really shows. If this year’s production of An Artful Theft is anything like the past productions, it will be a massive success! Leah Johnson
Lucy Knudsen ’19 News Editor
Cast of the 2016 Student Run Production.
all that). With the Student Run Production, it’s just the cast and director(s), so everything is up to the students.” She points out how this production is different from the other plays at Friends, and offers more opportunities for students to take leadership roles.
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FEATURES
Friends school to become more Eco-friendly On November 15, in upper school business meeting, students discussed how to become a more Eco-friendly school. Austin Sarker-Young ’22 proposed that the school become an Eco-School. The proposal involves building a committee of student and faculty members from lower, middle, and upper school that would be dedicated to implementing Eco-friendly projects at Friends. Head of middle school, Jonathan Huxtable, commented, “We’re going to need to identify a project that we can undertake here on the grounds that would help further our sustainability efforts”. Wilmington Friends already exhibits significant efforts in cultivating an environmentallyfriendly school community. The school has a rain garden by the west gym, solar panels, a green roof, and an organic garden. Huxtable also noted, “The fact that we are constantly thinking about sustainability is probably the most important thing we do.” The school works with parents, students, and faculty to inform them about clean energy, sustainability, and how every individual can help. While it is important to recognize the school’s successful efforts, there is still much the community can improve upon with regards to sustainability. In addition to his proposal to become an Eco-friendly school, Sarker-Young also suggested that the school builds a second rain garden by
the main entrance to school. He elaborated that “[The rain garden] would help clear up the waterlogging in the front of the building.” However, that particular project is still under consideration. If approved, adding a rain garden is just a small way in which Friends could further help the environment, while also solving a problem on school grounds. As this Eco-committee develops, the Friends community looks forward to its
Data from the energy collected from the school solar panels.
new project ideas. According to Sarker-Young, “The idea of creating more ways for the school to be more environmentally friendly is part of a larger plan to get a national certification, which is given by the National Wildlife Federation.” For the school to be certified, it must work
through a series of seven steps, which would include forming the Eco-action team that Sarker-Young is currently building, conducting an environmental audit, and creating a plan to monitor goals and improvements. This certification, which has been earned by St. Andrews and Ursuline, would likely increase interest in Wilmington Friends School. Considering all the work the school has already accomplished to be environmentally-conscious, there is little doubt that it will earn this certification if desired. There already has been student interest and support for the project. Of the committee and its objectives, Madeline Messer ’21 said, “[The committee] sounds like a great idea; the school could use more Eco-friendly projects.” If students are interested in becoming more active in this area, there are a few ways to get involved. For the most part, this committee will not affect the typical student’s daily schedule. If the proposal is approved, Sarker-Young says that there may be a kind of service day to help, but not much else. The club is only looking for several students from lower, middle, and upper school. If time doesn’t permit you to join the committee, feel free to make suggestions. Speak to Huxtable or Sarker-Young if interested in joining the committee, or if you would like to propose an idea. Being environmentally friendly is very important to Wilmington Friends, and it is clear that the school actively seeks ways to enhance its efforts for sustainability. The Wilmington Friends School community is excited for the future and looks forward to seeing the progression of this Eco-committee! http://www.k12academics.com
Henry Wieman ’21 Features Writer
Service opportunities during the holidays James Butterfield ’20 Features writer
Service is a very important part of Wilmington Friends School and its students. There are plenty of service opportunities for students to participate in throughout the entire year. There are certain clubs and committees around the school that revolve around service. The clubs and committees directory says how: “Through membership in clubs and committees, students pursue goals that range from personal recreation, stimulation and growth to provision of governance and service within our community and implementation of positive change in the world beyond our walls.” Some students participate in community service out of integrity and stewardship, completing service beyond the required graduation limit. The Random Acts of Kindness club (RAK for short) is an excellent representation of the quaker spices. When talking to Olivia Finizio, student clerk, she said how the club came to be: “In eighth grade, me and two of my friends, Bianca and Allie were just hanging out one day and decided to write letters to everyone in our grade just to be nice and it
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got a nice positive response and last year we turned that idea into a club.” The club focuses on making a positive presence and impact throughout the school community by organizing small events to brighten peoples days. Every month, the club picks thirty-six people at random to surprise them with treats by the library. They also organize other events around holidays, such as school-wide secret snowflake which they organized last year and this year as well. Finizio said how the clubs presence in the school community has “really made an impact on people and it’s made a difference to these people and they are trying to get involved, too.” The club also dictates and organizes other events around other holidays. Recently, a new club has emerged called Unified Sports. In October, three sophomores went to a sports leadership conference in Dover in order to form this club. The club works with the Special Olympics participants to form unified sports teams with students that participate with other teams from across the state. Sue Kampert, new Human Dynamics & Development teacher and club supervisor, said how “it’s nice to bring Special Olympics participants and high school to form teams and play sports together.” There are multiple events that provide service opportunities for partici-
pating students. Events incorporate service days that include days of play with unified teams. The club plans to establish unified teams for the remainder of the school year and the following years to come. There are many other clubs that involve service. Service Committee and Quaker Care are two clubs that revolve almost entirely around service. Some past service opportunities that students from the class of 2018 have participated in include working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, Faithful Friends among many more. In addition to this, there is Quaker Care. Students involved in Quaker Care and Service Committee go to A.I. duPont Children’s Hospital at points throughout the year to spend time with the children there. During the first week of winter break, some students from the club will be wrapping presents for the hospital. There are also other service involving activities and drives that are organized around the school, such as Stuff the Bus for the Food Bank of Delaware. These clubs really reflect well on the Friends community and while service is hard work, it is incredibly rewarding, so everyone is welcome to contact these clerks to find out about further service opportunities!
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FEATURES
Portfolios: Filing Middle school under success For the past three years, Head of Middle School Jonathan Huxtable and the middle school staff have been working to develop the process by which students reflect upon their progress and growth. In the past, students were simply given an evaluation by their teachers on their report cards. However, through the portfolio process, students are able to be more involved in assessing their own development. Throughout the year they collect work that supports their self-evaluation, which they present to their parents and advisors at the end of each semester first in person, then through writing in the second semester. During their mid-year portfolio conference, they talk about both their achievements and the areas where they can improve. They also create two to three goals which they agree to work on throughout the second semester. These goals are then brought back at the end of the year and the students evaluate their progress. In addition to this, the students write a reflection which is put at the end of their final report cards. The current eighth grade class will be concluding their three year journey with a new, challenging assignment called the “Capstone Investigation.” This is similar to the Senior Exploration for the Upper School and the 5th grade Genius Hour. They will be given from December to June to do research into any topic that they desire. They will use the skills that they have learned in Middle School to create a tri-fold poster which will be publicly displayed outside the theatre at the end of the year. On this poster, they will provide an explanation of how they used the eight outcome objectives to learn about the topic they chose. The eight outcome skill objectives are: Inquire & Engage, Collaborate, Manage Time & Organize, Be Mindful, Create, Live Responsibly, Grow & Develop Resilience, and Communicate. These objectives are
meant to guide the students as they develop their presentations. Throughout the process, the students are asked to stem their presentations off these topics and to think of how they can improve in one of these areas. When asked how he thinks the portfolios will benefit the students, Huxtable answered, “Ultimately, I think it helps remind students that they are the ones truly in control of their learning. They are truly responsible for their own growth. This is a way to illustrate and help recognize what hard work they can do. My hope for everyone in this progress is to grow and change
through their hard work.” This process enables students to become more involved in their own development and helps them to visually see their growth throughout the year. Though the process is meant to help the students, it is generally not well received. One anonymous eighth grader said, “They are very time consuming. I get why we do them, but it’s kind of a waste of time.” To many of the current middle school students, the portfolios take up time that could be better spent doing homework or speaking to teachers. Students argue that they
could use this time to actually improve their grades instead of gathering materials to understand why they need to do better. Starting this year, the high school students are following the middle school’s example by leading parent teacher conferences themselves. When asked about her opinions on the portfolios and her current student teacher conferences, Estelle Hegenbarth ‘21 said, “We already have enough homework and work to do and making people do more work to show your parents is counter-intuitive because you are saying you want to try harder, but writing takes more time that you could be doing homework. I think that what we are doing, writing about it once, is good.” The middle school students put in weeks of preparation whereas the high school students are only asked to spend one long advisory period to answer questions before going into the conference. Though this process is not universally accepted by the students, many of the parents greeted this innovation with positive comments according to a survey taken after the conference. When asked what the strongest, most important, or memorable part of the conference was, one parent said that the way that their son “directly tied his study habits to his test scores” demonstrated that their son would be able to solve a problem once he understood its cause. Parents don’t often get a chance to see their children in a school environment, so many parents were pleasantly surprised by, as one parent explained, “watching the maturity in my child and having him notice and take responsibility for his success and areas of improvement.” Almost all of the parents who took the survey agreed that they enjoyed seeing their children take responsibility for their actions and presenting their work in a thoughtful and mature way. Through this three year process, students are able to be more involved in their student development. The goal is for students to develop a better understanding of themselves and develop their self confidence and speaking skills.
their first official debate and they were both nervous. Harron mentioned, “I think the debate went well, going in I felt a little nervous but that went away quickly once it started, thankfully. I thought it was a close debate and that both Una and I did a good job.” As Javier Ergueta, World Affairs faculty advisor and upper school history and TOK teacher put it, “Today, it’s uncommon to see debates of central interests in our society debated on the basis of logic, evidence, and mutual respect. What Liam and Una offered to this school beyond educating us about progress of women is a model of how such debates should happen, if our democracy is to survive.” Winn had a tough time debating as she did not agree with the position she was given. Winn elaborated, “It was really interesting to put together the debate. I learned a lot about a position that I don’t necessarily believe in through my research. I also furthered my knowledge of how women have progressed as well while looking to make counter arguments to Liam.”
Winn added, “This helped me to understand this controversial topic in a very scientific way which was really a unique experience. Although putting together the debate was a learning experience, it was very nerve-racking.” Harron argued that women have made progress because even though Hillary Clinton did not win the election, she still made history by being the first woman nominated for a major party. Harron also focused on women’s increasing roles in government and in the workforce, how women are attaining more education and graduate degrees, and how women are increasingly more comfortable reporting sexual assault. On the contrary, Winn argued women have not progressed in the ways that are most crucial in the last 17 years (2000-2017), such as not earning as much as men and fewer opportunities for the highest level positions in business and government. Both agreed that debating is a great way to explore all sides of a controversial issue. Come to the next debate after the winter break!
Evie Kortanek
Elise johnson ’21 Features writer
Middle school students working in an ‘ice-cube’.
Debate: Have women made progress since 2000? Connor Miller ’19 Features Editor This year, the World Affairs club has reached new highs with an average attendance of over one hundred per debate. Much of this success can be attributed to the clerks for picking exciting and relevant topics, and also to the debaters for setting and maintaining a high standard for debates. The most recent debate, which took place mid-November, was a clash between juniors Liam Harron ’19 and Una Winn ’19 with the prompt, “2000-2017: Has there been real progress for women?”, with Harron arguing the pro side, and Winn the opposite. Both debaters introduced strong points including how 2016 was the first year that a women won the popular vote in a presidential election. Winn fought hard, but Harron ultimately won. Both Harron and Winn had participated in smaller, in-class debates in e-HEM, but November marked
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holiday ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
Sports
Equality within THE WFS gyms AJackLiving Legend Coons ’18
Coach T. celebrates his 50th season after the Homecoming game.
has been felt by all of the players that have had the chance to play for him. “Coach T. is a great guy. Not only does he coach us, but he acts as a mentor, shares great stories, and is a source of inspiration. He not only embodies what it means to be a football coach, but what it means to be a member of the Friends community,” stated Robert Baldwin ’18. “Coach T. is the greatest of all time. He inspires me to be a better player and a better person everyday,” agreed Quentin McAbee ’19. This high praise of Tattersall is not just echoed through the halls by students, but by numerous faculty and alumni as well. A remarkable testament to Tattersall’s love for the game and his players comes by way of how many former players are still on the sideline with him. Donnie Morton ’94, Chris Loeffler ’00, Bryan “Reds” Radacosky-Pentoney ’09, Mike Coleman ’88, and Billy Harmen ’69 are all former players of Tattersall that have returned to the sidelines on which they once stood in uniform. Though their role has changed, their love for the game has remained, owing in large part to Tattersall himself. Loeffler, a star quarterback who also played collegiately at Swarthmore, was reminded of his freshmen year when asked about Tattersall: “I barely weighed 100 pounds, but T. convinced me that I could be successful, using his mantra ‘it might not always be fun, but it will be rewarding.’” Freshman year in all high school sports is typically hard, but football presents extra challenges. The team historically awards the fewest varsity letters compared to other sports. Therefore, the amount of players that stay with the sport all the way through their high school career is an incredible demonstration of the quality of the experience that Coach T. provides. Tattersall has made the Quakers a force to be reckoned with week in and week out. When other football teams face WFS, they know that they will not only be facing a talented group of players, but an equally talented coaching staff. Though high school sports are temporary, impressions last a lifetime. The impressions, lessons, and characteristics that Coach Tattersall has passed on to young men throughout his time at Wilmington Friends proves yet again that Coach T. is one of Delaware’s greatest and most treasured coaches.
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mented Natalie DePaulo ’18. DePaulo believes that this new change in attitude regarding these two gyms will also raise the level of respect for the Quaker girls In the 2017-18 school year, several changes were basketball team. made within the Wilmington Friends School AthletOn the other hand, a large part of the school beic Department. Prominent among these changes was lieves that this change will not have a large impact on the shift from “boys and girls gyms;” the west gym either the level of play or the atmosphere of play. “I do will now be known as the “game gym.” The girls team not think that this will have much of an effect. I don’t still practices in the east gym, but both boys and girls see many differences between the gyms. The floors basketball teams will now play all home games in the have the same amount of traction. The rims have the west gym. same amount of bounce. The courts themselves are The motivations about the same, so I behind this change in think the effect will be the Athletic Departminimal,” stated Timment’s philosophy bemer Farley ’19. gin with the fact that The faculty mainthe east gym only has tains a neutral standone scoreboard, which point on this subject. puts one team at a “I don’t think it changdisadvantage. Addies a lot about [the tionally, the bleachers guy’s] team, but it gives are about three rows the girls an opportunishorter in the east ty to play in front of a gym. Furthermore, larger crowd, which the east gym does not is a good experience. after winning their bracket in the 2016 Diamond State have a built in speak- The 2016-17 girls basketball team celebrates I hope [the change in Classic Tournament. er system, so pregame gyms] wouldn’t have music, announcements of starters before games, and too much of an impact on the atmosphere - I hope other miscellaneous announcements are unavailable WFS fans come to both of our games no matter what in this gym. gym a team is in,” added Chris Loeffler ’00, AssisIn addition to the physical advantages of the west tant Head of Lower School and head boy’s basketball gym, there is also a mental advantage according to coach. one of the girls players: “The west gym has always Beginning in the 2017-18 winter season, both girls been seen as the ‘good gym.’ Mentally, it’s much easier and boys basketball teams will play all games in the to play in the west gym - it’s the gym where the im- west gym. WFS Director Jeff Ransom summed up the portant games are played, the gym that has the sound community’s attitude toward this change: “I do not system, the gym that doesn’t have slippery floors, think of the gyms in terms of boys and girls gyms. I and the gym that doesn’t have dead spots, etc.,” com- think of them in terms of east and west gyms.” Carlin Beskrone ’19 Sports Writer
Photography by Bud Keegan
Photography by Susan Finizio
Sports Writer Over the last 50 years in the United States, a lot has changed. We have elected 10 presidents, have sent a man to the moon, have desegregated our schools, and have created the cell phone. One thing that remains the same, whether in 1967 or in 2017, is the man who calls the shots on Saturday afternoons in the fall at Wilmington Friends: Robert Tattersall. Coach Tattersall, or “Coach T.,” has been leading the Quaker football team for 50 seasons, resulting in over 309 wins (a state record), multiple DISC championships, and one DII state championship in 1984. Regardless of the season, Tattersall’s impact
Basketball for The Dream project Dylan Roskovensky ’20 Sports Writer To celebrate the completion midterms and to kick off winter break, on December 15th at 4pm there will be a three on three basketball tournament that will enable students, alumni, and faculty alike to raise money for The Dream Project. The Dream Project is an organization located in the Dominican Republic to provide quality education for youth. It is a three step program consisting of early childhood education, primary education, and holistic youth development that begins at age 2 and ends at age 25. Since 1955, the organization has helped over 7,000 children and young adults receive a better education. 75% of those students were hired or enrolled in college, and students have received 19 university scholarships as a result of The Dream Project. Joey Mullen ’19 and Ross Clark ’19 are the coordinators of this event. “It should be more of a fun charity event than a competitive basketball game. You don’t have to be good at basketball to come out and play. We don’t have an exact goal set, but $1,000 would be amazing,” commented Mullen. “The Dream Project has been crucial for the Dominican Republic community - even when we went just for one week it was very meaningful to their school and foundation. For the trip, we raised around $12,000, which was a big deal because $90 could send one child to the Dream Project’s sum-
mer program for one week. A lot of our students that went on this trip said that it greatly impacted their lives - WFS students’ Spanish improved and they had the chance to teach the students from the Dominican Republic some English. Overall, this trip was very significant since just helping for a week had helped them tremendously,” stated Helena Cochrane, Upper School Spanish teacher and chaperone of the Dominican Republic service trip. Between this past summer’s service trip and this upcoming event, the Wilmington Friends community has a unique opportunity to help provide quality education for Dominican youth. “We chose the Dream Project due to the special connection we made with the organization during our service trip to the Dominican Republic this past summer. We had the opportunity to really see what life is like for kids down there, and I think we all realized how lucky we are to have access to incredible facilities and academics at Wilmington Friends. As a result, the Dream Project was an easy choice due to the direct impact we knew the donations would have on helping the program and the kids,” added Clark. This tournament will be a fun way to support a great cause. The Dream Project has made significant changes to the school system in the Dominican Republic and has also influenced the students who went from Wilmington Friends. This tournament will be a great fundraiser for a great cause; come support the Dream Project on December 15th at 4pm!
HOLIDAY issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
community
Upper school drama a resounding success WFS students read this play in eighth grade as part of their English class curriculum, and many actors were therefore drawn to audition. Izze Rios ’18, who This November was an exciting month for WFS. played Abigail Williams, remarked, “I have been With winter sports starting, teams are gearing up for doing plays for a while now, I and wanted to try out exciting seasons. In the WFS theater community, par- a lead role before I leave the school. I really like the ticipants of the upper story and I knew what school drama, Arthur role I wanted when Miller’s The Crucible, I first heard about it. were particularly It’s a really interestexcited for their first ing story and I think performance of the we conveyed it well.” play for the school. Many in the commuGrades eight through nity agree with Rios’s twelve attended the statement. The play is show on November quite serious and has 10th, which was a very dark undertones, resounding success. which can be hard Students, teachto convey with the ers, actors, and crew solemnity it deserves. gathered to celeHowever, many who “The Crucible” Cast Seniors - (left to right): Leah Johnson ’18, Izze Rios ’18, Matt Byer ’18, Emma brate the hard work saw the show walked Lewis ’18, Ryan Wolynetz ’18, Jay Handwerk ’18, and Victoria Schroeder ’18 everyone put into out of the theater truly the show. Co-Director Lauren Gutstein commented moved. When asked about his opinion on the show, that she chose The Crucible because “it allows for a Alex Patterson ’18 responded, “My neighbor cried a lot of strong performances. I feel like it really is an couple of times. I was not moved to tears, but it was ensemble piece.” That was more than evident in the still an excellent performance by all cast members. performance due to the strong lead roles, but equally I thought that the courtroom scene was particularly compelling supporting roles. Both directors are powerful. The actors did a great job making their incredibly proud of the students’ work. characters compelling. I was legitimately frustrated The upper school drama always draws many with Samuel Parris, which is evidence of the skill of people to participate due to the close atmosphere the performance.” created by the cast. Tim Arnold ’18, who played the What makes this show so compelling? Lisa Osicky, part of Deputy Governor Danforth, described his Co-Director, emphasized, “It’s a historical event that experience, “The show is a good time. I enjoy being in the middle of the action in the courtroom.” From the tech crew perspective, Matthew Banschbach ’21 commented, “I keep coming back because of the atmosphere: it is friendly, lighthearted, and I really am learning.” However, The Crucible was hardly all fun and games. The actors as well remarked on the difficulty of the show and how faculty and students rose to the challenge. Jay Handwerk ’18, who played the role of Reverend Samuel Parris, commented, “I was initially nervous to do this show because of its length and complex dialogue. However, all actors put a tremenIzze Rios ’18 and Matt Byer ’18 were the lead roles in the “The Crucible” dous amount of work into making it as good as it could be and I’m very proud of this performance.” A has all the key elements of a drama or a tragedy. It common thread amongst WFS students surroundwas written because we didn’t learn the lessons of that ing the show is the amount of hard work put into historical event and it’s important to keep telling the rehearsals, which perhaps can be explained by many story.” With the expert combination of lights, sounds, people’s familiarity with the show. and acting, the story certainly gripped the audience’s Wilmington Friends School Facebook Page
Wilmington Friends School
leah johnson ’18 news editor
attention and steadfastly held it for the duration of the show.
man behind a movement: opinion piece on kaepernick mike coons ’18 assistant editor in chief Colin Kaepernick was a rising star in the NFL, leading his team to the Super Bowl in his first season as a starter. Known for his iconic end zone celebration and his jaw dropping athleticism, Kaepernick seemed ready to enter his prime after his initial seasons in the NFL. Then, he took a knee. It’s typical in football to take a knee when a player goes down with an injury, but Kaepernick decided to take a knee for the injuries of justice occurring in America. With this single, solo act of protest, Kaepernick forever changed his life. Not only would he receive public backlash, but he also found himself without a job. In the following months, many including myself thought that his actions of protest would end with regret and a plea for his old life. I was proven wrong by a picture published of Kaepernick. He was standing in a crowd of teenagers in Harlem, wearing a traditional African shirt with a face of stoic determination. This would become the picture of Kaepernick’s GQ Citizen of the Year award, which he received in November 2017. This accolade began a string of others, including the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award, the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, and a spot in final consideration for Time Man of the Year. Kaepernick went from winning the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY in 2013, to being recognized by the ACLU in 2017 for his social activism. With the awards came harsh criticism, and a nation divided on the subject. When GQ magazine covers circulated awarding Kaepernick, so did tweets in protest of his award. Americans were mad that J.J. Watt, a football player who raised over thirty million for hurricane relief, did not receive recognition from GQ. Usually criticism on social media can be easily ignored, but this received more than a hundred thousand retweets. (continued on page 9)
Blue Hen Photography
Interview with connor nisbet (continued) jack coons ’18 sports writer “Connor Nisbet is the greatest runner I have ever witnessed” he exclaimed. “The man is an absolute machine. Some days, I would be on my 7th or 8th lap, absolutely gassed, and Connor would sprint past me on his 15th lap” Clark then reflected on Nisbet’s dominance in Delaware, where he did not lose once. “Even after finishing a good minute before the rest of the competition during races, he seemed like he could run the race again. What an inspiration the man truly is”. The admiration for Nisbet and his talent is not just limited to the Wilmington Friends cross country team, but reaches every part of the state. Whether the race was being held at Killens Pond in Sussex, or at
Connor Nisbet gives it his all in his races.
Winterthur in Wilmington, people were awe struck when Connor would cross the line in another blazing
holiday ISSUE 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
time. With fall sports coming to a close for Wilmington Friends, Connor Nisbet is now shifting to the individual season. Connor is preparing for the Footlocker Regional race (held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx), where, by placing high enough, Connor would secure a spot at the National Championship race in San Diego California this December. Connor is one of only three runners from the state who competed in the event on November 25th, in which he placed 11th. Although he did not end up running at nationals. Connor had an extremely successful season and is a role model for younger athletes. In The Wilmington Friends School community is very proud of Connor and all of his accomplishments and wishes him luck in his individual season!
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Entertainment
Middle School Traditional Holiday Cuisine from around the World Messages open window, or in the refrigerator) until it’s chilled. Emma Landis ‘19 3. Just before serving, add the whipped cream and Entertainment Writer of Gratitude the almonds, stirring them in carefully. The whole al-
Honor Dearlove ‘19 Entertainment Writer
As we enter the holiday season, 7th graders here at Wilmington Friends are bringing holiday cheer to the hallways in a very interesting and inspiring way. In their art classes over the last few weeks, students have been making Power Point presentations of inspiring messages that will soon be projected in the art gallery near the lobby. This project ties into work that the 7th grade has been doing in their English classes, while allowing them to expand on the photo and text editing skills that they have been learning in art. While this is significantly different from typical ‘holiday’ art projects, it is doing a lot to bring themes of gratitude, happiness, and motivation to the halls of our school in the next few weeks leading up to holiday break. The messages displayed in this project cover many different themes, but all are meant to inspire fellow students and remind them of what is really important in life. Not only are these messages inspiring to all that read them, but they are also incredibly beautiful. Students edited the backgrounds and text of these messages in order to create a project that is artistic and thought-provoking. As these messages are displayed in the gallery, passing middle and high school students will be able to be motivated to push through these last weeks before winter break and support those around them, something that is extremely important to the overall feeling of community that we value so much here at Friends. Additionally, they remind students to stay thankful and cheerful, messages that are especially relevant as we enter the holiday season. These messages are not only inspiring to those who pass and read them in the hallways, but also had a large impact on the students who created them. Students raved about the positivity surrounding this project, as did middle school art teacher, Paulo Machado. Kira Agne ’23 states, “This project was really good for the school as a whole, because people will see our quotes and the pictures and they will be inspired for the rest of their day.” This really exemplifies some of the core values of our school, especially as high school students enter their midterm exams, because these messages are lifting up others in the community and bringing us all closer in the process. Lily Rashkind ’23 had similar thoughts say about the project, “I finished the project feeling inspired, and I think that the school will feel uplifted after seeing it as well.” The positive response from the students foreshadows the response that the school as a whole will have to this project as well. This art project might not feature reindeer, snowflakes, or other images typically associated with the holidays, but instead are brightening the halls with uplifting messages of gratitude, positivity, and love. These messages exemplify the true meaning of the holidays and truly are a clear portrayal of what this season is all about at WFS.
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Many people can agree that one of the best, least controversial parts of the holiday season is all the delicious food. Every religion and culture has their own delicacies and unique foods for the holidays. Something that many Americans may not realize is that each culture has its own special holidays and ways of celebrating. There are innumerable holidays worldwide, resulting in even more traditions and foods prepared. In order to be a globally conscious person, it is important to look past one’s ‘personal bubble’ and to see beyond the limited life many Americans live. One interesting way the Danish celebrate the holidays is with Risalamande: an almond-cherry rice pudding of sorts. The name comes from the French version, “French riz a l’amande” (which translates to “rice with almonds”). Risalamande was first made in Denmark in the late 19th century, when the Danish were looking for new ways to make the rice pudding made every Christmas Eve more exciting. However, it did not become popular until later. Risalamande is most commonly served on Christmas Eve, but also can be eaten all throughout December. It is also commonly made during new year’s festivities. Into each batch the host or hostess preparing the dish will stir one whole almond, then whoever receives the almond in their bowl receives a prize. One variation of Risalamande for the children includes a small toy or prize that is placed inside of the bowl on Christmas day, then given to the children to find in the pudding. Here’s how to make it: Ingredients: ½ cup (125 g) short grain rice 4 cups (1 l) milk A pinch of salt ⅔ cups (150-180 g) sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups (1/2 l) whipped cream 1 or 2 handful of almonds, blanched and chopped into slivers(except for one almond, which is added whole) Cherry sauce (optional, but highly recommended) 1 small present (optional, but highly recommended) Instructions: 1. Bring the milk to boiling carefully, in a thick-bottomed pot. Add the rice, and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring frequently to keep the porridge from burning. Add a pinch of salt. Note: If you stop at this point, you have risengrød (“rice porridge”), another Danish winter dish. You can serve this up sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, as is, or keep going to make ris à la mande. This, by the way, is also a typical German dish (Milchreis). Extra tip: first sprinkle sugar and cinnamon, then drizzle a tablespoon of hot, melted butter over the rice. Or serve with applesauce. 2. Stir in the sugar and the vanilla extract and set the finished rice pudding in a cool place (by an
mond should be carefully added, and its position randomized, to allow for fair play in the mandelgave ritual. 4. Serve chilled with warm cherry sauce. Some people prefer cold cherry sauce, though.
Another food included in the holidays around the world with avgolemono soup, originating in Greece. Avgolemono is a lemon chicken soup served as the first course on Christmas day in Greek culture. “Avgolemono” means egg lemon in Greek, and the simple dish only has a few more ingredients. It is thought that avgolemono may have come about as a Jewish dish, but can often be recognized as the “national soup” of Greece in many cookbooks. This soup marks the holiday season for many Greeks, but is also gaining popularity in the U.S. Here’s how to make it: Ingredients: 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup chopped onion
5 cups chicken stock 1 cup water ½ cup orzo or rice 1 pound skinless chicken breast, diced Salt 3 Tbsp lemon juice 3 eggs Parsley (for garnish)
Instructions: 1. Sauté onions: Heat the olive oil in a medium pot and sauté the onions over medium-high heat until they are soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. 2. Cook orzo or rice: While the onions are cooking, bring another pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo or rice. 3. Add chicken stock to onions: When the onions are ready, add the chicken stock and water and bring to a bare simmer. 4. Drain orzo or rice, add to stock and onions: When the orzo or rice is nearly done — firm, but mostly cooked — drain the boiling water and add the pasta or rice to the chicken broth. 5. Add the diced chicken breast to the pot. Let this cook 5-8 minutes, then taste the soup for salt. 6. Temper eggs: Beat the eggs in a bowl. Whisking constantly, add the lemon juice to the eggs. You will need to temper the eggs before you add the egg-lemon mixture to the soup. It takes both hands to do this. With one hand, whisk the egg-lemon mixture vigorously. With the other, slowly pour in a ladle’s worth of hot broth. Do this at least twice, and you can add as many ladle’s worth of broth as you want to the mixture. 7. Whisk tempered eggs into soup and serve: Turn the heat off the soup. Whisk the soup with one hand while you pour the hot egg-lemon mixture in with the other.
Holiday issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
Entertainment Kaepernick (continued) The amount of support for Kaepernick’s criticism showed how divided public opinion is of the activist. Many see Kaepernick as a thug, an untrue judgment that he has had to deal with before. Even before the protests, Kaepernick was criticized for his tattoos when he was compared to a prisoner by David Whitley in an opinion column for Sporting News: “He is the CEO of a high-profile organization, and you don’t want your CEO to look like he just got paroled.” In reality, Kaepernick’s tattoos are all inspired by his faith and beliefs but critics don’t mind turning a blind eye to the details in order to get their point across. Americans have continued to turn a blind eye to Kaepernick’s efforts for good in their criticism of his protest. Many Americans feel personally disrespected when Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem. In a nation built on the sacrifice of veterans who built the flag, the anthem holds an almost spiritual position in the heart of many Americans. The relatives of fallen veterans can feel personally attacked by Kaepernick’s
protests, but a less known fact about the movement is that the kneeling was suggested by a former Green Beret. Kaepernick initially sat on the bench during the anthem, but the veteran suggested that he kneel instead. Kneeling still shows respect to the flag, similar to an injured player, but it is still a sign of solemn protest. Until the public learns about the extent of Kaepernick’s efforts, it is easy to write him off. Kaepernick did not kneel because he hates America, or our troops. Getting past this hurdle is essential in understanding Kaepernick’s protests. After reaching this understanding, one can begin to appreciate the work that Kaepernick is doing for the victims of injustice in America. Robert Baldwin ‘18 recognizes Kaepernick’s dedication to the improvement of America saying, “He deserves to win the awards because he’s done more than just take a knee. He’s used his platform to start a movement that goes beyond being unhappy with the state of our nation. He’s empowered black Americans everywhere through his work. He’s worked
a lot with inmates and kids in high risk areas, showing them that they matter.” Robert, the clerk of the school’s Affinity Club, admires Kaepernick’s courage and sacrifice for his country. At a time when our nation is full of hate and division, the fight against injustice has lacked a face for the movement.Kaepernick has taken on this role by opening dialogue among our nation’s leaders while empowering a population that has been attacked by the new presidential administration. Whether you believe that Kaepernick is worthy of these accolades or not, it is important to recognize all of his actions beyond his famous kneel. In 2016, he donated a million dollars, along with all jersey sales, to organizations dedicated to working in oppressed areas. Awards should not be given simply based off of monetary donations, the empowerment that Kaepernick has given to the black community is invaluable and justifies his recognition. While he inspires strong contrasting feelings, I hope that he continues to build a dialogue about racial injustice in America.
The Betrayal of Silence Guest columnist Ever since I laid eyes on the lovely Georgina Chapman, I was enthralled. She became a judge on my favorite show, Project Runway all stars, which aired for the first time in 2012. My mom and I, avid fans, have watched every episode since then, and with each of those subsequent episodes, came a comment along the lines of, “She is one of the best dressed, most classy women I have ever seen.” My mother, however, was less than impressed. My comment was often accompanied by one from my mother along the lines of, “Maybe, but her husband is such a misogynistic pig.” Her husband, of course, being Harvey Weinstein, a man whose named has been written so frequently in the media in the past couple of weeks one would be hard pressed not to recognize it. In spite of this, my 12-year-old self had never heard of Harvey Weinstein. My mother is an implausibly accurate judge of character (something I have learned not to take for granted), and the loathing in her voice when speaking of the lovely Georgina’s significant other was vigorous and adamant. I struggled to find a basis, some form of rational, as to how this captivating women, founder of her own successful company, could have been married to a man that my mom referred to as a “pig.” Living in the suburbs of the glamorous Wilmington, Delaware, one might find it hard to believe that my mom has actually never met Mr. Weinstein. 5 years ago, sitting on a leather coach in my living room, my mom spoke words mirroring what so many
in the industry are now just saying about Mr. Weinstein for the first time. When so many who knew him personally claim the allegations to be some kind of unexpected and horrifying revelation, it is in this silence that I find the most disheartening form of betrayal. To quote the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Unfortunately, for many in the entertainment industry that time is long overdue. The call to justice, can be a quieter one to make even the smallest of differences. For
every lewd comment Weinstein, would make about a female actor’s body, and you can bet there were many, rather than an uncomfortable laugh, or stammer, those in the industry needed to have reprimanded him for being misogynist, intolerant, and disrespectful. With each and every failure to do this, with each “silence” on behalf of Mr. Weinstein, is an unequivocal disservice to women everywhere. Actor Matt Damon on recent events has quoted, “We know this stuff goes on in the world. I did five or six movies with Har-
holiday issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
vey. I never saw this.” I question how miles away from Harvey Weinstein, my mom could sense the type of man he was, yet Damon, having done five or six movies with him was completely in the dark. I am not blaming Damon for failing to recognize the gravity of what a sexual predator Harvey Weinstein is, or to have knowledge of the way he took advantage of so many women, but I am holding him and so many other accountable for failing to acknowledge the quality of man that Weinstein is, and turning a blind eye to what is so obviously in front of them. In recent media, hundreds of women have come forward, accusing men of different positions of power of sexual harassment or assault of some sort. While it might seem far-fetched the sheer number of people that come forward, it is a sad reflection of the life of a women in workplace. While it is not the actual harassment that reaches every women, the fear that women feel everyday for the simplest of things creates a life of anxiety and discomfort. For every time a woman has had to look twice over their shoulder walking alone at night, or pretended to be on a call with someone, or felt uncomfortable in their clothing, reflects negativity on the culture that we have allowed to occur for far too long. So ultimately, if the Harvey Weinstein issue has taught me anything, it is that any little suspicion or inkling that you may have, could help spare a women from sexual harassment of some kind. It is no longer enough for people, especially celebrities, to drown in their own naivety, or be in denial.
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news
Turning the Tables: Students Lead COnferences and Lauren Gutstein, English teacher, commented, “I was happy to see students take ownership of the reflection process and I think it eased communication Students at WFS enjoyed taking advantage of the having us all three in one place. I enjoyed being able shortened school days due to the new parent-teachto see the students and parents together and commuer-student conferences that have just been implementnicating.” ed in the Upper School. Previously the conferences However, this creates more work on the part of the were separated into two parts, the student-teacher students because they have to be prepared to lead a ten component, which took place during an extended adminute discussion. This week in advisory students met visory period and the parent-teacher portion. While with their advisors to talk about what they needed to this system is meant to enable the parents to have an do to prepare and they were presented with questions opportunity to form a relationship with their stuto consider. These questions were aimed at encourdent’s teacher, and by extension aid in their child’s aging students to reflect on their performance in education, the reality is that it can create a disconschool and what they have learned. It also presents nect between the student, the teacher, and the paran opportunity for a difficult situation if the stuent. dent is not achieving the scores that perhaps their In a discussion with Mrs. Zug, Head of Upper parents would like. An education-centered website, School, about how this decision was made, she Edutopia.com commented, “Such conferences incommented, “Since I’ve been here, there have been crease student accountability. Students who struggle conversations among faculty about how it would be have a chance to explain why they are having diffimore meaningful to have the student voice in these culties, and they can talk about it in a positive enconferences. We’ve struggled with how to do it, and vironment that focuses on helping them improve.” recently we asked the Specials Schedules Committee When implemented well, the conference guides the to come up with some suggestions. We put together student towards reflection on their grades. Educathis idea of changing the schedule so that students tors around the world hope that this will provide would always be available during these conference Teacher, student, and parent gather for a student-led conference. students a place for exploring why they got the times. I really liked that we asked every grade team, grades they did and discussing what they take aways and this is the value of the quaker process. It wasn’t from that are. just a few people coming up with a plan. Every grade Parent-teacher conferences were a good idea in con- This new form of conference is an opportuniteam wrote questions they thought were appropriate cept but they reflect a tradition that is too centered on ty for students at Wilmington Friends School to have for the grade level. It’s valuable to have the student adults. Flipping these conferences to be student-led a voice in the discussion of their education. For many voice in the conferences; we just needed to figure out empowers the student and facilitates a partnership students their parents and teachers are the biggest how to do it. We need to collect feedback, but by and between the teacher and parents that is focused on authority figures in their life, and it can be intimidatlarge parents and teachers think it’s working, I hear supporting what the student identifies as her strengths ing to take ownership of one’s actions. However, the that students like the schedule and I think it’s been and challenges in learning, not what the teacher or challenge to the student inherent in this new format helpful for some students. Our students are so good a parent identifies for the student.” Teachers at WFS is what suggests that it is a promising step forward for reflection and public speaking - this is something our shared the goals expressed by The New York Times, each student’s growth.
students do very well. It works to our strengths.” What this new form of conference hopes to create is better communication between the student, teacher, and parent in order to facilitate reflection on the part of the student about their progress. It gives the student more control, and therefore responsibility, which has the intended effect of making them more invested in their work and their success. A New York Times opinion article by an author named Monica R Martinez described the conference as, “the student’s moment to take responsibility for their own learning.
Evie Kortanek
Leah Johnson ’18 news Editor
NEWS FOR DUMMIES: “around the world” edition 1. On Saturday the Senate passed the Republicans tax rewrite. The New York Times cited a tweet from the President which said that the “Biggest Tax Bill and Tax Cuts in history just passed in the Senate.” Democrats did not share in his enthusiasm and were staunchly opposed to this bill due to their conviction that it served to aid the rich by taking money from the poor and the middle class, according to the New York Times. However, this was not just a tax bill. What many may not know is that this bill, according to the NYT, also opens up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling. The bill’s passage marked a great defeat for both Democrats and environmental activists, who have already faced defeat in the battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline and the institution of Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. 2. Political turmoil in Honduras extends to controversy over a recent election. The incumbent, Juan Orlando Hernández faced opposition from Salvador Nasralla. According to the New York Times, both men agreed to accept the results of the election in an agreement that was moderated by the Organization of American States, which is an international governmental organization that operates in the Americas and seeks to promotes stability in the
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4. African migrants who are passing through Libya to eventually reach Europe are being sold in a Libya slave market. According to the New York Times, European countries and the European Union wanted an end to the constant in-pouring of migrants, which led to Italy making deals with Libyan authorities to keep the migrants there, despite the dangers they faced.
5. Brexit continues to make trouble, particularly in Ireland and Northern Ireland, as the deadline for their border agreement rapidly approaches. According to the Guardian, the Republic of Ireland seeks a written commitment that there will no longer be a hard border between them and Northern Ireland, but Northern Ireland has promised that if they are cdn.pixabay.com
Leah Johnson ’18 News editor
2. Continued region. When the election results came back, the NYT reported that Nasralla went back on his word and announced his contestation of the election after hearing of his defeat. There is evidence to support his claims, according to the NYT due to the strange behavior of the electoral commissions before the election.
5. Continued split from the UK in any way they will pull back support from the UK conservative party. The Guardian reports that the significance of this negotiation is that the European Union has decided to back Ireland, and if Ireland is not satisfied with the British deal, they can substantially set back Brexit negotiations. Leaders in the Ireland refused to be, as the deputy prime minister Simon Coveney stated, “steamrolled on this.
3. According to the Guardian, Israel has initiated a 50 million dollar project to construct an underground city for the dead. This resulted from an increasing shortage of places to bury their dead. The Guardian reports that their current plan is to build these catacombs underground instead of stacking them above ground.
holiday issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
Community
food of the future: how bugs may appear on your plate CECILIA ERGUETA ’18 columnist
with nasty bug guts. However, they turned out to be just very crunchy and dry. It was a little like eating a cracker,” testified Leah Johnson ’18. “I enjoyed them. They tasted like chicken,” agreed Ruhl ’18, who nonchalantly popped three in a row. The brave students who sampled the crickets, while lauding the environmental benefits, retained doubts: “I’m not sure I could eat an entire meal made out of bugs,” conceded Johnson ’18. Many other students remained strongly opposed: “I’d prefer to go vegan than just eat bugs,” countered Alex Patterson ’18, continuing: “I think
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Food. It’s more than a life-sustaining commodity; it’s a pervasive cultural element that shapes our day-to-day. In the early 20th century, speculators threw around wild ideas for what the future of food could look like: lab-grown meat, pill-sized meals, outer-space farms. Of these predictions, how many have come to fruition? And what else is looming on our culinary horizon? The next major food trend hopping onto our plates might very well be insects. With a significantly lower carbon footprint than other livestock, insects such as crickets, meal-worms, and beetles are a rising option for environmentally responsible eaters (crickets, for instance, can produce the same amount of protein as cattle with twelve times less feed). Recently the United Nations encouraged people to A plate full of delicious bugs supplement their diet with insects as a way to boost nutrition and reduce there are better ways I can help the environment than pollution, joining the over 2 billion people worldwide by eating bugs… for now, I don’t see why I would put who do so already. “Compared with traditional live- myself through that.” This disgust factor has been acstock, eating insects requires less land, is more envi- knowledged by insect-consumption proponents, who ronmentally friendly, is less expensive, and provides strive to normalize the practice by holding “bug bana healthy option for people with low income. It would quets” and exposing wary spectators to a controverreduce sickness linked to bad meat and hopefully put sial cuisine that ultimately, is just food. “I think eating this inhumane feedlot system out of business,” argued crickets/ insects is definitely a realistic future food Nate Ruhl ’18. Health benefits of insect consumption source; it’s just a matter of making it a more common include high protein, fat, and mineral content. practice,” agreed Grace Para ’18, who thought the bugs But is the disgust factor too much to overcome? tasted “not unlike any other snack you might eat, exStudents in Bradey Bulk’s French V class challenged cept this one had six legs.” themselves this year by mail-ordering a few packets Meanwhile, meat is being grown in labs, and we of flavored crickets for a dégustation, or taste test. The do have significantly condensed, if not pill-sized, meal results? “I had envisioned this gross, crunchy taste alternatives. While the most recently successful test
“cultured meat” hamburger cost about $330,000 to produce, the result made the case for further scientific experimentation. The goal of lab-grown meat is not to convert vegetarians, but to “let beef eaters eat beef in an environmentally friendly and ethical way.” Lucy Knudsen ’18, Clerk of the environmentalist club Charity Water & Ecology, agreed: “in general, I think finding meat alternatives is important because the meat industry is incredibly bad for the environment and often practices unethical methods.” The experiment also confirmed a prediction made by sci-fi writers and speculators over the past centuries. Pills replacing meals are still a work for future generations. However, that is not to say food-scientists have not yet created liquid meal-replacement drinks, such as Soylent, substitution food squares, or MealSquares. But the psychological aspect of food intake remains; while our bodies may consume the same amount of calories by eating a pill, our brains are not satisfied, causing cravings and depression. Another intriguing future food comes from the 3-D printers, where scientists and chefs are already collaborating. Printing food individually allows for identical servings to be created with personalized nutritional or flavor considerations. Some experts predict the future of food will be highly individualized. This could come from the food’s preparation, such as with 3-D printers. It could also take the form of companies such as “Habit,” which uses customers’ genetic tests to prescribe diets accommodating their unique needs and ideal intakes. This idea of personalized nutrition extends to supermarkets, where experts predict aisles to be tailored for every demographic: male, female, young, old. Food has always been more than a utilitarian activity. How and what we eat shapes an essential component of our lives on both a communal and individual level. Developments in the food industry give us a glimpse into the future: crickets as the key to reducing our environmental footprint, lab-grown meat as a sustainable meat alternative, 3-D printed food as an personalized meal provider. While these options are still gaining momentum, you are likely to find one of them on your plate during your lifetime. My suggestion? Be open, curious, and enjoy-- eating is an ever-evolving adventure. Bon appétit!
Stephen Hawking on the future of Artificial Intelligence “AI could develop a will of its own, a will that is in conflict with ours and which could destroy us. In short, the rise of powerful AI will be either “Computers can, in theory, emulate human the best, or the worst thing ever to happen to intelligence, and exceed it.” Stephen Hawking humanity.” made this statement during his talk at the Web Hawking states that while AI and robots Summit technology conference based in Lisbon, are already threatening millions of jobs, they Portugal. The theoretical physicist went on to can be used for pro-social purposes at the say unless our society discovers a way to control same time. In order to make that happen, a development in most areas, artificial intellilot of work would need to be put in by both gence (AI) has the ability to become the “worst scientists and technologists. They have to event in the history of our civilization.” be willing and able to think outside the box. As one of the most respected minds in At the same time, Google, Amazon, Apple, science, Stephen Hawking touches on topics and Facebook are companies that view AI both in and out of his specific area in theoretleadership as critical in business success. To ical physics. The search for alien life, climate this Hawking suggests, ““Perhaps we should change, AI, and their relation to humanity are all stop for a moment and focus not only on just a few examples of the topics he discusses. making our AI better and more successful, Stephen Hawking’s physical disabilities do not limit his motivation In this case, he communicates his belief that AI but also on the benefit of humanity.” will end up becoming so advanced to the point Hawking believes that we do need to of outperforming humans and becoming a new move forward on artificial intelligence as form of life. He even went as far to say that AI could of our civilization, that brings dangers like powerful stated In an interview with Wired magazine. On the even “destroy” its human creators. This was just autonomous weapons or new ways for the few to other hand, we need to be mindful of the very real one out of the many thought-provoking statements oppress the many.” dangers that come with that development.
from the Cambridge professor. “AI could be the worst invention of the history
Evie Kortanek ’18
marley morton ’18 columnist
holiday issue 2017 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
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COMMUNITY
the gun debate in america: conflicting views on firearm restrictions and the right to own guns mike coons ‘18 assistant editor in chief The right of American citizens to bear arms has been a cornerstone of America since its founding. This right, given in the second amendment of the Constitution, allows American citizens to keep arms for purposes of self defense and defense from the government. America’s current political climate is one of heated division, with gun control right in the center of the storm. While emotion often clouds Americans opinions on this debate, it is necessary to look at this issue from a neutral perspective. With issues such as national security climbing, it is necessary to protect ourselves; many people actually feel safer owning a gun. The average time for a police officer to arrive on the scene after receiving a call is seven minutes. In the scenario of an armed robbery, many Americans feel safer taking matters into their own hands. When upstanding citizens that have been trained to use their firearms are in circumstances like this, they can save the lives of their family members and prevent crime. Suicides fill two thirds of gun deaths in America. Many citizens do not know this statistic, but it is very important to this debate. If the government successfully managed to take guns away from those likely to commit suicide, they would find another way to do it. While the homicide rate would almost certainly drop with tighter gun restrictions, America needs to do more for suicide prevention than just taking away one of the main tools used to commit it. Another common misunderstanding surrounding gun control is that we as a country have actually had a remarkable drop in violent crime since the early 1990’s. During this trend, gun ownership has increased by around 10 million firearms a year. While it isn’t safe to say that the increased number of guns has caused this drop in crime, it is clear that it hasn’t increased the violent crime rate. While the media has decided to present gun related crimes as one of the hottest problems in the country, the actual rates have been better than they’ve been for decades. The greatest misconception about gun control is that there is a simple solution, and that the right wing just isn’t willing to implement it. If there were an easy way to solve America’s gun problem, legislators would be more than willing to pursue it. In reality, the most effective way to drop the rates of violent gun crimes is to enforce the gun laws that are already in place. Many of the gun laws that have passed through bipartisan efforts are not strictly enforced, but if our country took further measures to enforce the rules in place, we could see a further drop in these crimes. In America, guns are more than a tool of self defense. Guns are an ingrained piece of American culture, and taking them away is like taking away a part of our national identity. Whether it is hunting or shooting clubs, guns bring Americans together in a way that few things can. From an outsider perspective, gun ownership might seem foolish and unnecessary. But it is not fair to judge gun owners without walking in their shoes. For many gun owners, firearms are a tradition that have persisted through their entire family history. I’ll always remember the pride my Uncle takes in having the gun that his great grandfather used while crossing the Western Frontier. For
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him the gun is more about preserving the legacy of his family than having the ability to fight a tyrannical government. The identity of gun owners in America can not be stereotyped as stubborn citizens eager for violence. In 2016 a mass public shooting was stopped in Chicago. While police were dispatched to stop an active shooter, an upstanding citizen took matters into his own hands. While police raced to the scene, an Über driver used his concealed carry firearm to compromise the shooter and save the lives of many around him. He was not only acting in self defense, but in the defense of the helpless bystanders around him. With increases in concealed carry training, even more Americans will be able to stop these violent outbursts. While gun crime is a problem in our country, tighter restrictions are not the solution. As a nation we need to address our lack of support for the mentally ill, and our nation’s rampant drug trade problems. By addressing the causes of gun violence, we can respect Americans’ Second Amendment rights while still lowering crime rates.
this day, people grieve the losses of their loved ones, as this was a tyrannical act that should never have occurred and could have been controlled with proper gun regulation. In 2016, there were 438 mass shootings, and there have now been 317 mass shootings in the United States this year alone. On October 1st, 2017, 58 people died and 546 were injured in the Las Vegas Shooting when perpetrator Stephen Paddock opened fire at a music festival and then proceeded to kill himself. While music should unify people and create an aura of love and compassion, hate and horror flooded the country on October 1st. The catastrophic Las Vegas Shooting is now considered the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Along with the Sandy Hook Massacre, the Las Vegas Shooting introduced the pressing issues of homicide and suicide alike. While homicide is currently one of, if not the most urgent issue in the United States today, suicide is also responsible for thousands of death in America per year. As mental instabilities can cause people to inflict harm upon themselves, gun control is now more relevant than ever. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, more than 60% of people who die from guns die by suicide. While this issue may be overlooked, mental illness is real, and those suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental disabilities should seek help immediately rather than hurt themselves. Inevitably, this is one of the most critical reasons the U.S. government needs to increase gun control; everyone deserves a chance to live fulfilling lives. While gun owners might argue that they need guns for self defense, statistics argue that gun ownership can actually lead to accidental fatalities. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, people that die from accidental shootings are more than three times as likely to have had a firearm in their home. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between the years 2005-2010, almost 3,800 people in the U.S. died from unintentional shootings. This problem could easily be solved with increased gun control--there is no need to bear arms, and doing so can tragically affect people’s lives. Gun control is now a crucial matter in the United States, as we have one of the highest amounts of gun violence in the world, the highest amount of gun ownership in the world, yet have a president who is anti-gun control. In order to reduce the amount of gun violence and suicide in the United States, we must take action and disallow people to own guns. Although we will arguably never have a perfectly gun-free society, gun control would inevitably create a safer country. There is no more need for guns--we must be role models for future generations, and we do not want our loved ones to be afraid anymore.
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Against restrictions
Americans march in the streets of DC to show their support for gun control.
in favor of restrictions abby kleman ‘18 editor in chief The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution allows people the privilege to keep and bear arms. While some people consider this a fundamental human right, others believe that gun possession leads to anarchy. I believe that the United States should increase gun control and altogether banish the Second Amendment so that we can ultimately reduce the unnecessary acts of violence in America. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a mass shooting is when “four or more individuals being shot or killed in the same general time and location.” When people think about a mass shooting, they might think of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, often referred to as the “Sandy Hook Massacre.” On December 14th, 2012, Adam Lanza shot and killed twenty children who were between the ages of six and seven, six staff members, his mother, and himself. This tragic incident was considered the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in United States history, as well as the fourth-deadliest mass shooting by a single person. To
DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS IN THESE ARTICLES MAY NOT MATCH THOSE OF THE AUTHORS. THIS PIECE IS DESIGNED TO EXAMINE OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS AND OPEN A PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE FOR THE WFS COMMUNITY.
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