The
Whittier Miscellany MARCH 2018 • WILMINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
WFS sends two teams to the National History Bowl
On Saturday January 6th, fifty WFS students participated in the Regional History Bowl tournament. This competition is designed to test the breadth of their historical knowledge in small teams of four to six. During the day, teams compete against other students from the Mid-Atlantic region and try to accumulate the most points and wins to carry them to the national tournament. This year two teams made it to nationals: Team A, which consisted of Alex Patterson ’18, Cecilia Ergueta ’18, Lucy Knudsen ’19, and Jake Morris ’18, as well as Team B, which consisted of Mike Coons ’18, Jack Coons ’18, Robert Baldwin, and Dalton Ramsey ’18. Participants can be asked any range of questions from ancient history to recent history, in the several rounds that compose an average History Bowl match. There are four rounds to the competition. In the first round, whichever team answers first gets the points. The second is the same as the first, but there is an option to get a bonus question if the team gets the answer right. The third round is the lightning round and each team has to answer ten questions in under a minute. Finally, the fourth round has a descending point system whereas the question is read, the number of points possible decreases until the question is done be read out loud. The variation of the different rounds leads to different strategies and excitement as students get to test their knowledge and skills in different formats. The National History Bowl organization was founded in 2011 by history buff and entrepreneur, David Madden. Madden was familiar with Quizbowl-style tournament play and sought to create a similar opportunity to compete based on historical questions. Javier Ergueta, WFS history teacher, has been involved since the beginning. Ergueta commented, “I read about it and at that point I took a team of students to the only regional tournament there was at the time and we had to travel two hours to go to central Pennsylvania. We enjoyed it and continued to do it for several years.” Ergueta remarked that there were two factors that contributed to his continued involvement with the organization: he thought it was a great opportunity for students at the school and his kids, Cecilia Ergueta ’18
and Emilio Ergueta ’16, were interested in it from a young age. Ergueta commented that he and his teams would usually end up going to the national tournament, and it was during one of these years that Madden approached Ergueta and asked if he would be interested in hosting a tournament at WFS. This initiative was proposed to the school and the history department, who saw it as a way of lowering the economic barrier to kids due to cost of admission because they could
quite unusual in terms of the ratio of women to men which compete. He estimates that at the National History Bowl tournament about 80% of participants are men, but here at WFS our teams are very much fifty-fifty men and women. Even though WFS teams have done well regionally, and have gotten to nationals, a WFS team has never won the national tournament. The answer to this can be found in the context of our WFS history curriculum. History Bowl is about having a wide breadth of knowledge that includes specifics such as dates, names, and events. At WFS, history classes tend to go more in depth by following civilizations through the centuries and making connections between their development. Ergueta remarked, “The ideal grounding in school that a kid who is successful in history bowl would have, would be to have history taught in every grade. Early exposure to the history of many societies. Continuity of attention payed to history so that it is communicated to kids that history is central, in both the school and in the home. We tend to the cover history in terms of depth in the HL program. It mirrors the AP versus IB approach in many ways.” However, many students defend that the possibility of a national win is not what keeps them involved, instead they are drawn to the fun atmosphere of the tournament and getting to compete with friends. Lucy Knudsen, Cecilia Ergueta, and Jake Morris (missing is Alex Patterson) will represent WFS at nationals. Alex Patterson ’18, one of the students who made it to the national tournament, commented that he keeps send 15-25 kids for free and an easy way to get more participating because “history tells the most interestpeople interested. Instead of driving several hours to ing stories. I wanted to participate in history bowl bethe closest regional tournament, interested WFS stu- cause it is fun to see what you know and what others dents would just have to drive the distance they come know. You can put together a great team of friends to school every day. and have a good time.” In the past, teams have made The department’s goal of lowering costs and rais- t-shirts and cookies for the competition day to make ing interests was met with success. In recent years as the most of the experience. many as 10 teams have participated and this year, as The history department plans to continue encourthe Wilmington Friends Facebook page posted, “WFS aging students of all grades to participate. They believe fielded over 50 students and 12 teams, a school record.” this truly is a great opportunity to have fun and exThis demonstrates how participation has been steadi- ercise students’ history knowledge in a friendly envily climbing in recent years, and Ergueta hopes that it ronment. This tournament is certainly not limited to will continue to do so. He attributes the success of the “history buffs” or experts, but instead open to anyone program to the efforts of the history department, he who has an interest and wants to see what they know. commented, “The history department has been very As the two teams continue on to nationals, WFS wishactive in this program. This is why so many kids are es them luck and that they make the most of the exshowing up.” Ergueta also remarked that our school is perience. Photo by Jake Morris
leah Johnson ’18 News Editor
COMMUNITY
The pros and cons of greek life in college distraction from my schoolwork and I was worried [forcing] meat down a vegetarian’s throat.” It could about hazing”. Although this is many people’s first im- also be one of the many stories in which hazing literpression of Greek life, there’s a lot more to it– Pittenger ally becomes deadly, as has been the case every single then said “I year since 1970. This only changed my covers initiation. Throughmind when I out the rest of the year, men saw my frawho join fraternities are three ternity at the times more likely to rape, i nvolve me nt while women in sororities are fair… I went to 74% more likely to experience the house for rape than their non-Greek an event and peers. Clearly these abuses emma landis ’19 saw that it was are not single-instance cases, entertainment writer really just a but systematic. But after each This is a poll conducted by Cecilia Ergueta and Emma Landis about bunch of good new incident explodes across Greek life is one of the most criticised parts of many friends hangWFS students who intend to participate in college Greek Life. the media, Greek life retains colleges. While many people hold reservations about ing out. Some its grip. How? National Greek greek life, it also brings many advantages and can of the other organizations have devised a heighten any person’s college experience. Sure, it’s not guys rushing legal and financial framework for everyone, but there are many common misconcep- turned out to be some of my best friends, and it turns that allows them to blame the recurring problems on tions surrounding Greek life. out Greek life isn’t as scary as I thought it would be”. a few “bad apples”, who are expelled, and sometimes Nearly ⅓ of Wilmington Friends’ current student Pittenger clearly loves being involved in Greek life at go to jail, while the national organization simply body answered a survey saying they were planning on Penn State, and believes that it can be for many types starts a new chapter and everything continues as participating in Greek life once at college. However, of different people. before. The Greek system condones and perpetuates these test results must be taken with a grain of salt. While Pittenger enjoys his frat, he is also aware of an often criminally dangerous mentality. Drew Pittenger ‘16, who attends Penn State and is in the toxic parts. He explained his experience like this: “Pledging means joining lifelong friendships.” ‘Triangle’ fraternity, commented on frat life, saying “I “There’s some chapters at every school that are full of Let’s define that “friendship.” “Rushing,” the period in never thought it was for me, I thought it would be a people who exclusively party and haze, and they’re which fraternities and sororities select who will join definitely a big problem… The media their houses, often consists of a scrutinizing selection likes to grab onto the bad parts of Greek of “pledges” based on how much money they’ll be life– which are rare– and it gives every- expected to give the house, their attractiveness, and one a bad impression of Greek life as a their compatibility with existing members. The end whole. Most of the time it’s a group of result is frequently a house exerting crippling social friends who enjoy spending time with conformity on its members: to dress the same, look each other and helping each other out”. the same, act the same. Katy Shannon ’17, current Pittenger seems to have a good grasp on freshman at College of William and Mary, attests to the common ideas of Greek life, and is a the emphasis on appearances in “rushing”: “All of the fan. Moreover, often times fraterni- girls I know who rushed spent a full hour before leavAbby Kleman ’18 big ties and sororities are the biggest fund ing getting dressed up in full faces of makeup, elegant ASSISTANT EDITOR: Mike Coons ’18 raisers for causes that their school is hair (not an easy feat in the humidity of the swamp) NEWS EDITOR: Leah Johnson ’18 involved with. While Greek life can be and beautiful expensive dresses, every single day.” exclusive at times, many schools have a Unsurprisingly, sorority girls are more likely to suffer SPORTS EDITOR: Alice Irwin ’18 wide range of groups in which everyone from body image issues and dysfunctional eating ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Matt Byer ’18 behaviors than peers. Some critics, like Mary Agne can find their ‘people’. FEATURES EDITOR: Connor Miller ’19 ’18, reject Greek life on the basis that “it’s basically PHOTO EDITOR: Evie Kortanek ’18 paying for your friends.” Beyond the substantially higher lodging fees, the deeper cost may be in your COPY EDITOR: Evie Kortanek ’18 self-esteem and individuality. WEB EDITOR: John Blackwell ’18 “Greek connections will be the most important FACULTY ADVISOR: Daniel Scott ones for your future career.” The networking benefits cecilia ergueta ’18 are undeniable. Already half of the top 10 Fortune ENTERTAINMENT columnist STAFF Emma Landis ’19 500 CEOs are fraternity men; brothers/ sisters are NEWS Honor Dearlove ’19 To the one-third of WFS students scattered among all rungs of the professional ladder Ellie Bradley ’19 Lucy Knudsen ’19 who “maybe” want to engage in Greek to lend a helping hand. But let’s return for a moment Nick Urick ’20 life in college: Don’t! Before you roll to the Greek recruitment process, which selects its SPORTS Carlin Beskrone ’19 your eyes, listen why some of the apmembers based on “compatibility” with the house. Dylan Roskovensky ’19 parent reasons to go Greek lead to good How do you detect “compatibility”? One way is by Jack Coons ’18 reasons not to. FEATURES the designer labels on a pledge’s clothes, suggesting Elise Johnson ’21 “Going Greek is all about charity a fat bank account. Or by his family name, which COLUMNISTS Jimmy Butterfield ’20 and service” True; each year, fraterbespeaks power and influence. Or it could be by his Cecilia Ergueta ’18 nities and sororities raise millions of Marley Morton ’18 religion, or the color of her skin. One white sorority Olivia O’Donnell ‘18 dollars for worthy causes. At the same at the University of Alabama has only ever knowingly time, they perpetrate crimes against pledged a single black student. “I see Greek life as a The Whittier Miscellany is published six times during the school year their own members. From the beginway for those with the time, money, and dedication by the upper school journalism staff of Wilmington Friends School, ning, many Greek initiation rituals to have access to a unique college opportunity, that 101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803. To access the Whittier center around “hazing”, or activities not everyone wants or can join despite what some Miscellany online, go to www.wfswhittier.com. expected of new members which are people may say,” shared Shannon ’17.“Generally it’s degrading, abusive, humiliating, or rich and white people who end up sticking with it.” Check Whittier Miscellany online for Weekly Updates! endangering. This could be seniors Powerful Greek connections can help young gradu“punching and kicking juniors and ates rise professionally, but at the cost of perpetuatThe Whittier Miscellany welcomes responses in the form of letters covering them in urine, feces, pig ing socio-economic divides. To the undecided 33%: to the articles, editorials, and features of this paper. intestines, fish guts, coffee grounds… many of you could profit from this system. But do Contact: wfswhittiermiscellany@gmail.com [shooting] juniors with paint balls and you really want to? ‘Like’ Whittier on Facebook at ‘WFS Whittier’! Ergueta and Landis
Do WFS students intend to participate in Greek life in college? The results from a school poll are in: a nearly exact three-way tie between “yes,” “no,” and “maybe.” Read Columnist Cecilia Ergueta’s and Entertainment Writer Emma Landis’ cases for why students should-- or should not-- consider going Greek.
pros of greek life
The
Whittier
Miscellany EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
cons of greek life
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MARCH issue 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
news
Friends Pauses for a moment of science Friends students prepare for and compete every year in the Science Olympiad competition in March. Before the competition takes place, students build projects and study in preparation. At the competition, students work with partners in different events that they are interested in. The Science Olympiad club is important to the Friends community because it provides a space for students who are interested in STEM to learn more, bond with like-minded students, and test their knowledge. James Tallman ‘19, member of the club, remarked on why he joined the club in the first place: “I joined Freshman year because I did Science Olympiad in Middle School, but Science Olympiad seemed like a great place to explore things I had no idea about and to learn more about science”. Tallman also commented on what happens during the actual competition: “In the competition, everyone gets to take part in different events that they are interested in. The events are either build events, where you prepare and build something for the competition, or test events, were you study for the event and take a test at the competition, which is held at Delaware State University in the beginning of March. Last year I did ecology, astronomy, material science and Wright stuff. Daniel Adebi and I got second place in astronomy. That was exciting”. For Tallman and his partner, the competition was an opportunity to dive deeper into topics of interest and show off their knowledge and hard work. Tallman spoke to what goes on during the club meetings: “In the club meetings, we generally check in with the team on how far we are in preparing for our event. We also communicate with our partners, discussing what we want each person to study, prepare, or build. Most of the studying and building happens outside of the club meetings.” Seeing Friends school students develop their academic interests and apply then in inter-
esting new ways speaks to the school’s values and the students’ dedication. Hailey DiCindio ‘18, who is one of the clerks of Science Olympiad, commented further on the preparation for the competition: “In Science Olympiad we do our best to give people the events they request at the beginning of the year”. DiCindio also mentioned how the team bonds and works together: “Once in a while we’ll try to organize a weekend gathering for the team so that we have each other to motivate us, and there’s lots of brainpower to help other duos out. The team plays jokes on each other and laughs a lot, so overall it’s a really fun time with people that love
done well in the past (placing close to the bottom), although Donovan Aldridge ’18, Daniel Adebi ’18, and James Tallman ’19 have received medals”. It is impressive that several students from Friends have done well in the competition, and hopefully the whole team will place high this year! Matt Cauchy, faculty advisor for Science Olympiad remarked on some of the specifics of the competition: “Each school-based team is allowed to bring 15 students who test their knowledge and engineering skills against 60 other teams in the Delaware state tournament on March 3rd. Students take tests, do practical hand-on science activities and test the performance of their engineering projects. There are 23 subjects areas that include biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, physics and others, such as forensics”. There are plenty of interesting topics for students to learn more about. Cauchy also provided a few examples of things that participants would be asked to do during the competition: “Examples of the practical skills tested are performing a chemistry lab or measuring the properties of an electrical circuit. A couple examples of this year’s engineering projects are building a hovercrafts and a mousetrap vehicle. Students work on the projects on their own time and during Day 5 lunch”. Students take on projects that are interesting to them, but also pertain to the competition. Friends is lucky to have several students competing in Science Olympiad this year, because these students are dedicated to applying and studying STEM topics. The club and competition provide an opportunity to learn not only about what students are already interested in, but also topics that they know nothing about. Furthermore, it provides a sense of community for students who are interested in science and technology. It is exciting to see Friends students inventing and building complicated projects that are interesting to them. To the students competing- best of luck in the Science Olympiad competition! Photo by Evie Kortanek
Lucy knudsen ’19 News Writer
Science transpiring in the WFS Design Lab.
STEM topics. And in addition to getting to know some awesome people that compose our team, we have the opportunity to do research on and learn about specific areas in the sciences that interest us”. It is important for students who are interested in similar topics to bond and share ideas. Students from Friends have been doing Science Olympiad for several years now. DiCindio mentioned how the team has been involved in the past years: “We haven’t typically
Friends’ Debut at the MOdel UN Competition Ellie Bradley ’19 News writer Recently, from January 25th to January 28th, a small group of students from grades ten to twelve attended the Ivy League Model United Nations conference in Philadelphia. Model UN is a very popular club at high schools across the world, but it is new here at WFS. Junior Connor Miller came up with the idea, seeing it as a way to enrich our community and strengthen students’ skills of debate, public speaking, and conflict resolution. In any model UN, each school attending acts as representatives from a country who in actuality, is a member of the United Nations. Before the conference, each person must write a “position paper” on a topic that will then be discussed in their individual committees. The students are split up into these smaller committees where they discuss possible resolutions to the conflicts they were given. Each school’s goal is to make the best proposals possible in their committees in order to have these accepted and passed. To make the simulation realistic, each school does their best to act in the interests of their country Though this all is just a “model” of what the real UN does, the problems being discussed are relevant and real world issues. On Thursday, the 15 students went into Philly by train and signed into the conference center, followed
by the opening ceremonies, and then the first committee session. The next three days consisted of committee sessions, in which students discussed resolutions and debated with other delegates; this year the team represented Italy. Special events were also offered throughout, such as the delegate dance, summer and opportunities fair, and delegate fest. Delegates stayed in the Marriott Downtown hotel together for the three nights, and Sunday afternoon our students returned to Wilmington. WFS students were accompanied by Ms. Gutstein and Betsy, and have been supported throughout the process with Mr. Ergueta as a faculty advisor to the club. Connor Miller ‘19, founder and clerk of the club, feels very strongly about the ethics and enrichment behind the event. “Model United Nation rewards all attendees by giving an advanced simulation of how real-world politics works. It not only has available sections for legitimate debate and discussion, but it also has sections for networking and lobbying, which are equally important as the formal debate. Attendees go through an intensive four days of solving real diplomatic issues, while increasing public speaking skills, and meeting other students from across the globe.” Grant Sheppard ‘19, is also a clerk, along with Carlin Beskrone ‘19, and like Miller, is passionate about the importance of the conference for the stu-
March ISSUE 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
dents attending. “We are very excited to go to ILMUNC (Ivy League Model United Nations Conference). It has been taking place at UPenn since 1984, but it will be Wilmington Friends School’s first time appearance. Friends students will be representing a large part of the delegation of Italy. It has been awesome organizing this with Connor Miller, who found this and came up with the idea. On behalf of the entire club, I’d like to thank all of the faculty and administration who stepped up with the short notice to make sure we could go. We are looking forward to a fun and intellectual experience in the coming days.” Both Miller and Shepherd summed it up pretty well, and it is fair to say that the weekend was one in which everyone involved got a lot out of the program, expanding and enriching their academic skills. Following the conference, students felt very fulfilled and like they had a great experience, though they were all very tired after such a rigorous weekend. The 15 took part in many committee meetings, and during their limited free time had the chance to explore the city surrounding the conference center, bonding and making friends outside of Wilmington Friends School. Overall, the weekend was one of fun and intellectual fulfillment, and all members greatly enjoyed their time at ILMUNC.
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FEATURES
WFS supporting the anthony penna foundation On October 3rd, 2017, Anthony Penna, a junior at Archmere Academy, passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on September 29. In honor of Anthony, the Penna family created a charity to support many of the programs that Anthony had enjoyed. Schools around the state have joined together to show support, and now, members of our school community have formed a club to raise awareness of this new local charity. One goal of the Anthony Penna Foundation is to support music and theatre arts in the local community. The charity began this task by supporting Archmere and Saint Edmund’s Academy, although more schools will be included as the Foundation’s influence increases. The foundation is in honor of Anthony Penna, an avid musician and singer, who sang in Archmere’s Mastersingers, was a member of his church’s choir, and an inspiration to many of those around him. This charity has slowly gained traction within Wilmington, with many local school clubs, sports teams, and choirs supporting the Penna Foundation and the Penna family in their own small ways. Recently, the #PennaStrong club was formed by Sean Brady ’20. The goal of this group is mainly to show their support for the up and coming charity, on behalf of our school and our Friends community. This club involves planning and organizing fund raisers to aid the Penna Foundation. It’s a challenge to organize and prioritize the club, but for Brady, “I found it really important for somebody to take this on and really help the [Anthony Penna Foundation] on behalf of the Friends School.” He
hopes that the advent of this club will spread awareness for the new foundation, and encourage others to get more involved as well. Many other students and staff have given support to this club and foundation. Susan Kampert, the faculty sponsor of the club, has shown her appreciation for what this club is doing for the grieving but resolute
The Anthony Penna Foundation logo.
family; “When a family loses a child, I think there’s a point where people remember that person but then lives get busy and move on,” she says. “I think that, by the Penna family establishing this foundation, and trying to make just the community better as a result of losing their son … shows tremendous support, and I think by our school getting involved will show
them how much we care.” Una Winn ’19 also joined the club, with a similar reason; “I think it’s important to support our community right now. [The Penna’s] are all going through something so hard that I think we could imagine how we would feel in that situation, and we would want others to come forward to help us and support us.” The dedication of members like these helps the club and organization get up on their feet. Recently, on February 2nd, PennaStrong held their first fund raiser for the organization. Students could, for just two dollars, buy a Penna foundation laptop sticker, a bumper sticker, and a Penna Foundation bracelet that signifies a dress down day on a to-be-determined date. The fund raiser was a big success; due to the enthusiastic response of the student body, almost 100 bracelets were sold and almost $200 were raised. It was successful enough to continue the fund raiser into Monday. The members are hopeful that the club and its message are now on students’ radars. This is the first in a number of fund raisers for the Penna Foundation. Although the Anthony Penna Foundation is still growing, its inspiration and objectives towards aiding local music and theatre arts programs are universal and quite heartening. Support from the PennaStrong Club at WFS, along with other schools and groups will strengthen and entrench the newfound charity into the Delaware community. facebook.com
Henry Wieman ’21 features writer
Half the sky working towards equality Elise Johnson ’21 Features writer Half the Sky is the gender equality club at Wilmington Friends School. According to Half the Sky clerk Bella Stuccio ’19, “It (Half the Sky) is about bringing all genders to a stance of justice.” The young women and men in this club typically discuss current events involving gender equality, and while these topics typically revolve around women, many relate to men as well. Half the Sky was founded by Jodi Lessner ’16 during her sophomore year at Friends. In 2015, Lessner did a TEDx talk on feminism where she talked about the stigma around the word feminist. During the video, she argued that “to identify as a feminist simply means to identify as someone who believes in equality between the genders.” She also talked about the sexualization of women in the media and the negative effects it has on young girls, the stereotyping of women, and the lack of women in high positions in the government. Lessner finished by chal-
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lenging the audience to fight gender inequality in their everyday lives. The club is currently sponsored by Kathryn Kenney, WFS English teacher, and is run by students, Stuccio and Mary Agne ’18. The student clerks bring articles, stories, videos or other “artifacts,” as Kenney refers to them, to discuss with the group. These artifacts may come from American culture or other cultures from around the world. The discussion is open to everyone, but it is led by the clerks who ask the questions and add their own input as well. Half the Sky is engaged in a variety of different activities. During their first meeting after the winter break, Half the Sky watched Oprah Winfrey’s speech from Golden Globe Awards and discussed the Time’s Up movement; during another meeting they wrote letters to local politicians to remind them of their responsibility to the people. While this club is mostly discussion based, it also works closely with an organization called Beads for Life. This foundation provides opportunities for Ugandan women living in poverty to sell paper beads and to learn about business so that they will be able
to support themselves in the long term. The Beads for Life sale took place during the Winter Concert in the Java Nook last December, and as of now they do not plan on having another event for Beads for Life. All of the money from the event is sent to Beads for Life women. It is important to note that Half the Sky welcomes all genders, not just girls. James Tallman ’19 stated that “Feminism is about equality, not about one side being better than the other. It is good to have the male perspective presented because these are issues that affect us all.” The best way to gain equality between the genders is by having representatives from all of the various gender types working together towards a common goal. When asked why this club is relevant to Wilmington Friends School and in general, Kenney responded, “It is a very relevant topic. It’s something that is changing traditions that are a millennium old. It is difficult, but also making changes that will promote equality in the future.” Half the Sky is working to break down gender stereotypes, bring women to a position of power, and provide equal opportunities for all.
March ISSUE 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
FEATURES
Water we waiting for? New water for students The quality of water fountains in the Wilmington Friends School community has been a flowing topic of conversation for years. Students find themselves wondering, where can we best quench our thirst? What is the best water fountain? What is the worst? This article will provide a full comprehensive review of all of the major water fountains in the school based on the following criteria: taste, temperature, stream size, and stream pressure. In recent years, major work has been done to enhance some water fountains, and the student body greatly appreciates these efforts. For instance, the school recently installed two new water fountains, one in the middle school, the other outside of the library, which have revolutionized water drinking methods. In addition to the normal drinking nozzle, there is a water bottle filler which counts how many bottles have been filled. With over ten thousand water bottles filled so far, this new addition is not only practical, but also has a positive environmental impact by reducing the amount of new bottles used. Students who have attended Friends for multiple years may remember the poor stream quality from the water fountains outside of the auditorium, but this too has changed. Drew Pittenger ’16 recognized the problem and decided to take action and get this issue solved. In 2014, Pittenger presented the problem to the agenda committee that the water fountain had been broken since he came to the school as a Kindergärtner and he was now a sophomore. After about a month, the problem was resolved and the fountain was fixed. Water enthusiast James Tallman ’19 offered these comments about the water, “I believe that the water fountains in this school have such huge differences. It is all about finding the one that suits what you like and what you need. I prefer the water fountain outside of the physics room, but many people have their own
tastes.” Tallman concluded that the water fountains need to be more studied in the hopes that each water fountain that was previously deemed the best will get less traffic. One relatively unknown secret is that the faculty have their own water dispenser(different than a fountain) in the faculty lounge where staff use cups and can fill their own water bottles. Since a report was being conducted on the schools water fountains, it was imperative that testing this new source of water was added on the list. This source blew all other samples out of the water! Tallman was fortunate enough to also sample this treasured water and commented this:
worst water is from the old water fountain located just outside Mrs. Johnson’s room. Perhaps this special fountain is one of the perks of being a WFS faculty member. Drink on! Data from the water fountain tests: Outside of library: Taste: 9 Temperature: 8 Stream size: 8 Stream pressure: 8 Evie Kortanek
Connor Miller ’19 Features Editor
Art room: Taste: 6 Temperature: 10 Stream size: 8 Stream pressure: 7 Outside of the physics room: Taste: 9 Temperature: 10 Stream size: 9 Stream pressure: 8 Auditorium: Taste: 8 Temperature: 7 Stream size: 7 Stream pressure: 7 Middle school: Taste: 10 Temperature: 9 Stream size: 8 Stream pressure: 8
Jay Handwerk ’18 drinks out of a school water fountain.
Cafeteria: Taste: 8 Temperature: 10 Stream size: 10 Stream pressure: 9
“I have tasted the faculty water and it tastes like cool liquid gold.” Chemistry teacher and head of science department, Mark Schmittle, concurs and adds, “I’ve tasted a lot of the water from fountains in the school and I feel that the Quench water dispenser in the downstairs faculty workroom is the best tasting water, and far better than the water that gets dispensed from the new bottle dispensers at the water fountains. The
Athletic hallway: Taste: 6 Temperature: 6 Stream size: 6 Stream pressure: 5
is expected to come out of these workshops.” Morton additionally commented on past activities regarding MLK Day, saying how “before the workshops were introduced, the school had an entirely different model that was associated with celebrating a day of service.” In the lower school, there are many service-related activities that take place on MLK Day. Chris Loeffler ’00 collected responses from faculty around the lower school about the community’s involvement in MLK Day related activities: “since MLK Day is recognized as a day of service, all of the lower school students engage in service work to help our local community. Each grade level determines what they would like to do. We begin our MLK Day with a Peace March led by the kindergarten students. They carry posters they create to convey messages such as peace, community, equality, etc. All other grade levels follow and we proceed to the meeting room for meeting for worship.” After their meeting for worship, each grade level in the lower school participated in their own service. Service included making love letters, blankets, scarves, food, and emergency kits, which were donated to those in
need. The responses also reflected on the expected outcome of MLK Day activities: “We want students to have an understanding of the importance of helping others and to work collaboratively with others. Students’ knowledge of Dr. King should reveal that his life was dedicated to serving others and that he was an example of being a light in the world. Friends wants its students to understand that everyone can each do something regardless of age or background to be of service to others. One way, for example, is by helping others.” In the upper school, the workshops, in which, this year, eleventh and twelfth-grade students had partaken in, cover a diverse range of current and relevant issues. Max Pickles ’18 commented on the effects of the workshops, saying: “Honestly, I think the workshops were great and I got a lot out of them personally, but I don’t think it had a lasting effect on the student body.” Pickles went on to mention, “I think we should have more workshops like this. Having one day a year to reflect on service isn’t enough to instill important values in the student body.”
Faculty Lounge water: Taste: 10 Temperature: 10
Martin luther king Jr. day at friends James butterfield ’17 features writer Every year around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, there are multiple events that take place at Wilmington Friends School. In the upper school, there are multiple workshops run by students, for students, revolving around inclusion, service, and diversity. At the end of the day, all students gathered in the theatre to hear from some guest speakers who spoke about peace and service. Additionally, there are multiple events and activities that occur in the lower and middle school around MLK Day. After asking history teacher Donald Morton ’94 about the MLK Day student-led workshops, he commented, “the initial purpose(s) of the workshops were to celebrate the tradition of “teach-ins,” which were a phenomenon of the 1960’s, where students and faculty members would “take over” a campus for a day to teach themes and subjects that their respective institutions might not have offered at the time.” When asked, Morton also said how “an alternative learning experience for students here at WFS is what
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March ISSUE 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
Sports
Staying Active DePaulo scores her 1000th point Carlin Beskrone ’19 her vocational life,” observed Jeffrey Ransom, Athletic at THE wfs Sports Writer Director. Ransom highlighted not only her ability to work hard and be devoted, but also her ability to face lower School The 2016-17 WFS women’s basketball season was adversity.
Photo from the WFS facebook.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence is important for promoting lifelong health and well-being and preventing various health conditions.” It is well known that children ages 6-17 should exercise at least an hour day. Unfortunately, only about 21.6% of kids ages 6-17 spend an hour participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity during at least 5 days a week. However, many kids within the Wilmington Friends lower school community and in sixth grade that do not play organized sports have luckily been able to find other creative ways to exercise.
A few Lower School students play on a slide during recess.
In the lower school there are many ways to exercise; recess and snack breaks are when many lower schoolers find time to run around and get some exercise. At the lower school, there is are three playgrounds, a turf field, and two gyms. Although playing sports on the turf field and in the gym are popular, many other kids also have fun playing the typical recess games such as tag or hide-and-goseek with their friends as well. Also, there are some ways that people can exercise without even realizing that it can be considered as such. Some examples of this include walking, dancing, cleaning, and even playing an instrument. Outside of school there are other ways for the children of the lower school and sixth graders to get out and exercise. One example is Girls on the Run: girls in the lower school, grades 3-5, are able to meet every Wednesday throughout the fall and spring to run for an hour, culminating with participation in the organization’s annual 5K event. In the Middle School, sixth graders find recess as their main outlet as a good way to exercise. “Everybody is different on what they enjoy. Any activity that gets you moving and elevates your heart rate, all the way from gardening, marathons, and pick-up basketball can help - it depends on what your body responds well to,” observed Mike McKenzie, lower school P.E. teacher. “It is essential for establishing a healthy and active lifestyle as it helps them to gain knowledge how their body works. In some ways it prepares them for life; managing stress levels and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are important to your mind and how to grow as a person.” There are countless ways to exercise and Wilmington Friends School has clearly succeeded in informing children on the importance of exercise and all of the ways they can reflect a healthy lifestyle. Although there are statistics showing why exercise is important and how only a low percentage of kids are fulfilling this necessity, the WFS lower school and sixth grade community has managed to remain healthy, in shape, and exercising.
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successful - they ended with a 12-8 record and fought DePaulo began her varsity career in 8th grade and hard against Archmere in the first round of the state has been consistently growing and polishing her game tournament. That year, the team graduated three senior ever since. While she has improved her technical basstarters: Meggie Flanagan ’17, Jayna Jones ’17, and Mar- ketball skills, she has also worked to improve as a leader garet Sullivan ’17. This left a hole in the team’s leader- and a teammate: “Natalie has an extremely strong work ship, and there was no question about who would take ethic, and she has always been a team leader by giving their place. One of the four senior captains, Natalie De- advice to other teammates and by bringing the team toPaulo ’18, through her scoring ability, defensive inten- gether with her strong sense of humor. Her passion for sity, and overall leadership mentality, led her team to basketball can be felt throughout the entire team, and a season that our school that is why getting 1,000 will remember. points is so exciting - we This year, DePauall know how important lo reached a milestone this is to her, and that’s that few in Wilmington why we were all so exFriends history have accited,” explained Hailey complished. On JanuDiCindio ’18, another ary 27th, 2018 DePaulo girls basketball captain. scored her 1000th point This year DePaulo was for the Quakers in an left with big shoes to fill away game against Tower in terms of being a leader Hill. “It was funny beon the team, but she has cause I was taking a foul done an incredible job of The WFS Varsity women’s basketball team gathers around shot and I knew that I stepping up to fill those Natalie DePaulo (center) to celebrate her 1000th point. was right there and could shoes and guiding her do it right then, but I just had to tell myself to focus on team. making that basket and focus on getting the win rather Depaulo was actually expected to get her 1000th than my 1000th point because that was what was im- point the game before she actually did, against Wilmportant,” commented DePaulo. DePaulo consistently ington Christian on January 25th. However, DePaulo puts emphasis on the success of the team being more selflessly committed the last foul she had to give in orimportant than the success of one person. der to stop the clock; she fouled out of the game with This feat did not come about without countless 999 points. This is a perfect example of her selfless playhours of hard work behind the scenes. DePaulo is ing style. Throughout her five years on varsity, DePaulo known for her strong work ethic and commitment to has, without fail, put the success of her team over her the game of basketball: “Natalie DePaulo is one of the own. Grant Sheppard ’19 echoed the sentiment of the hardest working athletes I have ever been around. She rest of the Wilmington Friends School community: “I is very diligent. She works very hard. She has a ‘stick- really respect Natalie’s grind, and I’m so glad it’s paid to-itive’ attitude. I can’t wait to see how this transfers to off for her.” Photography by Elisa Morris.
Dylan Roskovensky ’20 sPORTS wRITER
WFS sENIORS pLAYING AT THE NEXT LEVEL Jack Coons ’18 Sports Writer Year in and year out, all Quaker sports teams are built around great leadership, hard work, and talent. These characteristics are culminate and are clearly demonstrated through the handful of student-athletes at Wilmington Friends who will become student-athletes at their respective colleges next year including Max Pickles ’18, Sloan Maas ’18, Aaron Brick ’18, Davis MacKelcan ’18, Eric Pincus ’18, John Blackwell ’18, Nate Ruhl ’18, and River Harper ’18. Pickles, one of the captains of the men’s soccer team, will be attending Bard College this upcoming fall. “I am excited to be apart of rebuilding Bard’s soccer team. Their situation is similar to our school’s my freshmen year - the team had a sub .500 record, but a lot of young potential. With a new coach and a great group of players in my class, I am optimistic to have the same end of career success at Bard that we had here,” commented Pickles. Maas is a five year varsity player and was one of the captains as a junior for the women’s soccer team. Her time playing for WFS and Delaware Rush has paid off as she will continue her career at Dickinson College. “I am excited to continue a sport that I have been playing nearly my entire life and that I love, but now at a more intense and more competitive level,” stated Maas. Brick will be accompanying Maas at Dickinson
College to become apart of the school’s track and field team. Brick has served as a strong asset to the WFS indoor track and track and field teams - he has been on varsity all four years for both of these teams and has competed in impressive events at the Penn Relays as well as the state tournaments. Outside of WFS, Brick is a member of the Delaware Elite Track Club and, through this, has competed in the 2016 AAU Junior Olympic Games. MacKelcan will be attending Bucknell University and will row for their DI men’s crew team. MacKelcan has rowed for the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association throughout high school and has competed at the national level with his team there. Pincus, all-American, first team all-state, and over 100 point goal scorer, will be attending Denison University to play for their D-III lacrosse team. “I am extremely excited to start the next chapter of my athletic career, as well as establish new relationships along the way,” commented Pincus about his hopes for the upcoming year. Pincus is not the only student from the WFS men’s lacrosse team that will continue their career at the collegiate level. John Blackwell will be playing at Connecticut College, Nate Ruhl will be playing at Haverford College, and River Harper is undecided but has high hopes for his future academic and athletic career. The WFS community celebrates the accomplishments of these outstanding student-athletes and wishes them the best of luck with their college futures.
March issue 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
Entertainment
black panther: a promotion of diversity in the U.S. February 16th, 2018 was dubbed by many as the ‘Blackest Day in History’. On this day in the middle of Black History Month, a movie was released that broke records and inspired millions of Americans. Black Panther is truly the first major feature film of its kind to be shown in American theaters. Black superheroes have appeared in vital films before, some including Blade and Hancock, starring Wesley Snipes and Will Smith. In these films the heroes’ race seems subsidiary, especially as they are surrounded by white casts. Where these films have made weak attempts at including African Americans into the role as heroes, Black Panther has blown the attempts out of the water. The use of an African-American superhero is not incidental in the film–– it is crucial. Surrounding the hero with a predominantly black cast, the film has does not merely acknowledge black heritage but instead embraces it as a central part of the movie. The movie’s debut has sparked viewer emotions throughout the world, and totes record debut numbers. The film has faced unique challenges and also inspires hope in the African-American community, particularly in the United States. The accessibility of opportunity in America has become a heated subject. Most of the arguments revolving around it focus in on education, or incarceration, but few gravitate towards the lack of representation in Hollywood. Seeing white superheroes and protagonists in theaters has been the norm for America since the inception of the film industry. White kids grow up constantly being reminded that they can do anything, being reinforced by the images of superheroes and protagonists that look like them. While White Americans are given this reinforcement of their opportunity, their African-American peers are never exposed to this idea. For many, Black Panther will just be another superhero movie; but for many more, it has much greater meaning. Rob Baldwin ‘18 felt that the movie held significance for America, saying, “The movie Black Panther was so important to black culture be-
cause it had an all black cast, a black director, black posts have circulated with false accusations following producers, black musicians, African empowerment, the film, and many even plotted to purposely tank black empowerment, and we [African Americans] the film’s ratings in an attempt to sabotage its success. were portrayed in a positive light even though to the The hateful sentiments of these saboteurs found little world we were a hidden gem. We as a people and a cul- ground, as detestable tweets were exposed for using old ture are always depicted as negative low lives, dumb attack pictures, and the film ratings shot through the athletes, or roof. While illiterate the hate was rappers, but largely overin reality whelmed we produce by the tides so much; of hope, it just like the does show Wakandan’s the continin the movued struggle ie, we have moving forso much ward for Afvalue that rican-Amerthe world ican culture is begging in America. for and The movie reneeds, and lease met no when we violent opstop being position, and A promotional image of Black Panther oppre s s e d while some or when the world is ready and we are ready we can recognize that as important progress, Americans can give to the world just like the Wakandans. That is why not settle for the repression of black art and pride. As the movie so important, on the surface its a superhero Americans of all backgrounds go out to watch the movie with political undertones but as a black person movie, they join in solidarity and support of the Afrithere is another message being presented almost like can-American community. the Indians that read “Midnight’s Children” there is a Moving forward, the full repercussions of the movie whole other story being given that can be identified on American society are still unknown. The film has even by the bougiest of African-Americans. Most found traction in an industry that has often shown Hollywood films centered around black culture focus inequality of representation, and has paved a way foron struggle, and on the Black America’s oppression in ward for other films of its kind. The movie provides a society. Movies that come to mind include The Help fictional world from which Americans can base furand The Blind Side. While in these award winning ther discussions surrounding opportunity. This platmovies we see pain and inequality, Black Panther pres- form arises at a time when racial conversations have ents viewers with inventors, the rulers of an advanced spread from debates to schools, and now to sports and society that Americans of every background can look movies. The film’s impact is tied with the American up to. identity. This growth of platform for African-AmerThe unprecedented success of the film has also been icans to express their pride and hope has inspired met with push back from many Americans. Twitter Americans of every generation, and has kick started a michtheatre.org
mike coons ’18 editor
NEWS FOR DUMMIES: 2018 Winter Olympics edition
CHLOE KIM CLAIMS GOLD Seventeen year-old from California, Chloe Kim won the US a gold medal in the snowboarding half pipe, with an exceptional final score of 98.35. The maximum score is a 100 and the next closes score was 89.75. Kim led the competition early on and by the time her final run came around her gold medal was secure. The final lap ended up being a victory run for Kim, who decided to make the most of it and attempted a trick that had eluded her in previous runs. The trick was back to back 1080s, which has only been successfully completed by a few number of snowboarders. According to NBC, which reported coverage of the event, Kim expressed that she was happy to win a medal for the US but was also happy to win it in her parents home country.
CURLING CONTROVERSY
Hidden in the success of the 2018 Olympics were a few unforgettable moments in some little-watched events. In the mixed doubles curling event, which follows
The official logo of the Olympics
MIRAI NAGASU MAKES HISTORY Mirai Nagasu, a figure skater for team USA, helped the US win bronze in the team event, as reported by NBC. She was bumped from the team for the Sochi Olympics and was looking forward to competing in PyeongChang. The most notable part of her performance in the team figure skating even was that she became the first US woman to land a triple axle in the Olympics.
it out themselves and surmount the language barrier that prevented them from easy communication. Eventually the Norwegian competitors turned to the crowds and asked their opinions. The crowd consensus was that the rock was in, therefore it was put back into play and the game commenced. PublicDomainPictures.net
Leah Johnson ’18 News editor
the rules of normal curling, but is played by a team of one man and one woman, there was some controversy over the movement of the rock. The Norwegian team claimed that the Chinese team illegally removed the rock from play and that it needed to remain in bounds. The Chinese team believed the rock slid out of play, and therefore needed to be removed. There are no refs in curling, therefore the teams had to figure
march issue 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY
KRUEGER COMEBACK
Another highlight from the Olympics was in the Men’s’ Skiathlon. For those unfamiliar with the sport, it follows a group of over 60 athletes skiing for 30 Km cross country. The track is not just flat or downhills though, it involves epic climbs up inclines all the while on skis. Norway is famous for their prowess in this event and were expected to take most, if not all, medals. However, there was an accident in the outset of the race, where Simen Hegstad Krueger, who had a good chance for a medal, fell over and had to wait for other skiers to pass him before he could continue. Ending in the back of the pack of over 60 skiers, many believed that Krueger’s chance at a medal was over. However, as the race progressed, he slowly worked his war forward to the front, scaling hills at incredible speeds and making the most of the down hills. As the race neared to a close, he made his way to the leader pack and eventually surpassed them to take gold.
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community
lgbtq+ representation in the media matt byer ’18 entertainment editor Everyone deserves a voice. In recent years, proper representation of the diverse population of the U.S. in the media is an issue that has been receiving an increased amount of attention from Hollywood and other entertainment outlets. Now, more than ever, previously marginalized groups are demanding (and in some cases, receiving) places in television, film, and other media. One such group is the LGBTQ+ community, and while significant steps have been taken to address this issue, is it enough? Strong voices in the WFS community share their thoughts. The members of the WFS student body, while acknowledging there has been progress, believe drastic improvement is still required. “I don’t think that there is enough LGBTQ+ representation in entertainment media,” says Hareena Houston ’18, “there is the token character in a few shows, but they are few and far between. A lot of the representation that LGBTQ+ have is very static, and tends to fit the character in one box.” Her thoughts were echoed by Tim Arnold ’18 when he was asked if there was enough representation of the LGBTQ+ community in entertainment media: “Overall, no. There needs to be more representation, and the way that community is represented needs to change. From what I see, all of the shows/characters are centered around their sexual/gender identity, not just who they are more generally. I think that by focusing on this, their image is skewed to one where they are either plot devices or political statements as opposed to people.”
Arnold stresses the impact of these current portrayals; it is not just enough to include a “token character,” as Houston mentioned, but portray them in a way that doesn’t perpetuate stereotypes. “If you’re going to represent a certain group of people, make sure it’s done realistically,” Jesse Parker ’19 agrees, “incorporate life as it is, focus on the main group of people before jumping into all the little petty subcategories. And remember that the [LGBTQ+] community is already a laughing stock. Don’t make it more of one. Please!” Sophia Marrone ’21 commented on the progress made for LGBTQ+ rights, while still noting the
vast room for development: “I think that there isn’t enough representation of LGBTQ+ in media. Sure, we have reached a time where people can get married to who they want, but we still haven’t gotten over representation in [movies and television]. Also, social media, like YouTube, still allows anyone to be entertainers, but for movies, TV, and music, people have to be approved. I think to help fix this problem, directors and music producers should be open to all people.” Voices of the WFS community not only criticize the
lack of representation, but emphasize the importance of this issue. “I think that we need to step outside of the box and find TV shows that allow for the growth of LGBTQ+ characters. We also need to bring awareness to the issue and facilitate discussions. It’s important because there are kids that grow up thinking that they are different or wrong because they don’t see anyone like them on TV,” said Houston, highlighting the cultural impacts of the problem. Marrone’s perspective overlaps: “this is all important to make sure that everyone is equal and more people can feel better about being LGBTQ+ and to have role models.” The lessons that underrepresentation indirectly promotes to America’s youth can be detrimental to their self-esteem and sexual/gender development. Aside from the damage that can be done by a lack of representation, it is also imperative to note the potential impact proper representation can have. “In my mind, the way to acceptance and celebration is by demonstrating how we, as humans, are similar to each other and how we go through similar struggles,” says Arnold, “familiarity with the unknown always makes us less afraid of what we don’t understand, and, now at least, the representation of that community makes it easy to deny them as being just like you and me and label them for something that is only a part of who they are.” The shared sentiment of the WFS community is not only that the LGBTQ+ community is underrepresented, but that it is the responsibility of entertainment providers to address this issue that can have potential impacts on American youth and culture. It’s about more than laughing at a sitcom or gasping at a drama; there is tremendous power in what we give our attention to, and it is crucial that we ensure it’s used properly.
Addressing Voter Ignorance: What Would a Mandatory Civic Literacy Test Look Like?
olivia o’donnell ’18 columnist It appears as though no stone has been left unturned in discerning Mr. Trump’s capacity to govern the United States of America as president: time and time again, he has shown himself to be an inept leader who incites his base with crude, racial rhetoric and reforms. And time, as if a great magnifying glass, sharpens the blurriness of cause and effect, illuminating motives and tactics that allowed the demagogue to ascend the presidential throne. Trump, although incompetent and civically unaware, cunningly played on a decades-long public mistrust of the media by stirring up a witch hunt aimed at its annihilation. With 46% of voters believing that the media fabricates stories about the president, disenchantment seems to be synonymous with popular news outlets. With an increasing divide between the public and credible news sources, where is information acquired? Relatives, Facebook friends, or is
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it completely disregarded--the truth ostracized as emotion takes its turn at bat? This wariness regarding reputable media organizations marks more than just a lingering suspicion: it indicates a growing disregard for truthful information, which therefore contributes to widespread voter ignorance. And if voters cannot discern between fact and fiction, how can they be trusted to vote for a candidate running to be the president of the U.S.? Ascertaining a solution to this dilemma of incompetence may potentially take its cue from a national education initiative, wherein every voter must participate in a mandatory civic literacy test before each local and national election. The result is as follows: only the civically competent voters would be able to cast their ballot while those who failed would be prohibited from having a say. The test, which would cover the fundamentals of civic education, ensures that voters are equipped to participate in electoral politics; undeniably, voter education allows for one to exercise his or her political will through the electoral process. Without a proper foundation, voters may face a lack of preparation or motivation to participate in the U.S.’s democratic system, allowing the threat of unqualified representation to settle in its wake. Unfortunately, while this approach might effectively contribute to an increased civic education, it is not without its flaws. Firstly, the purpose of this test would be to establish a firm foundation of civic awareness, which possibly entails time being spent studying in order to pass the test.
Those without access to the internet, books, or an adequate schooling would consistently face barriers that inhibit their educational experience, as opposed to those with access to the aforementioned resources. Also, introducing such a test might be seen as a roadblock; instead of locating the detour route, one might decide that the time and energy needed is outweighed by pre-existing commitments--and turn back towards home. Logistically, such a test would likely result in a diminished voter turnout with a myriad of factors preventing one from showing up at the ballot box, thus opting out of the voting process altogether. Hence, it is inherently anti-democratic as all eligible members of the population may not pass, or spend the time trying to pas, the test and as a result must refrain from the process of electing representatives. The circulation of a mandatory test could weed out the civically illiterate, but the result would compromise the nation’s democratic values. In assessing the country’s current need of civic education, it is clear that more citizens need to develop their understanding of the government and the electoral process. Yet, the voting process is just one of the means in which citizens may participate in the democracy. Voters and citizens should also be encouraged to engage in political processes routinely. If each person makes a concerted effort to advance his or her civic knowledge, then the problem of widespread civic illiteracy may no longer plague the nation.
March issue 2018 THE WHITTIER MISCELLANY