The
Whittier Miscellany ESTABLISHED 1884 • WILMINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • WILMINGTON, DELAWARE
A Look at the year ahead a freely obtained firearm. Similarly, when Jodi Lessner reported back after the 2015 Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism ConferEach summer we come back to school a little differ- ence, she shared that the national delegates had attendent, externally a bit older and tanner with new hair or ed a private taping of Meet the Press, during which host new clothes, internally with three more months of life Chuck Todd and presidential candidate Mike Huckaunder our belts. It always strikes me that, after those bee discussed the issue of gun violence in the wake of three months, we go back to a place where people re- the mass shooting in Charlestown, South Carolina. It member us exactly how we were before the summer seems more than a sad coincidence that a year later, my started. We struggle not to revert to the freeze-dried Free Spirit class sat in the exact same room and listened versions of ourselves but to incorporate our new life to Chuck Todd discuss gun violence in the wake of the experience into our school identities and to evolve mass shooting in Orlando, which had happened just a from there. This school year, many of us are feeling week before our conference. While I don’t have an anthe challenge more acutely, as the summer of 2016 swer, I am also dumfounded that change has not come included tragedies like the mass shooting in Orlando, about sooner. At seventeen years old, I don’t want to be the bombing in Nice, the slaughter of police officers used to school shootings. I don’t want to be unaffectin Dallas, ongoing violence across the globe, and a ed when a suicide bomber detonates in a café or when US presidential election that has elicited more vio- a runner is raped and killed in a park or when racial lence, hatred, and divisiveness than many of us have tensions claim yet another victim. It begins to feel imwitnessed in our lives. We simply couldn’t remain un- possible, however, to imagine a solution in the midst of changed, nor, I would argue, can we afford to be. so much violence. In addressing the Free Spirit Class of Winston Churchill once said, “Never let a good 2016, author Charles C. Haynes cautioned the margincrisis go to waste”, and the horrors of the summer of alization of single shooters or dramatic acts of violence. 2016 provide enormous opportunity to confront the Instead, he encouraged us to view tiny acts of prejudifficult societal issues that have been exposed. Rather dice, any off-handed and self-justified hate speech, and than surrender commonplace to the opindemonstrations ion-fueled and of superiority adversarial disand “otherness” course, Whitas threats to our tier 2016-17 shared peace, challenges our stating, “It’s not community to one crazy person. do better - to It’s a culture. It’s a use this forum climate.” to educate, to As uncomfortinform, to dig able as it may be, deeper. To step we cannot lament away from the global violence notion of sides without taking and to spotresponsibility for light our colthe presence of lective quest its vestiges in our for peace. own homes and An informed school. While peace - one many people that bravereading this are ly substitutes fortunate enough Students from all over the country gathered in Washington D.C. this summer for perspective for to live in comthe Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. opinion, one munities that enthat supports our shared pursuit of bold, reasoned courage free speech and integration of ideas and peosolutions. ple, we still see glimpses of every day in the cafeteria Internally, the writers and editors of Whittier will and on Twitter and even in the classroom. Every time challenge ourselves to delve deeper into complicated we hear, “of course you’d say that, you’re *this race, issues through research, community polling, and ex- that religion, this social class, that gender* we are witpert interviews. In addition, we encourage students nessing the climate to which Mr. Haynes referred - the and faculty of Wilmington Friends to become involved climate that defines enemies, the climate that makes with our exploration, as we endeavor to draw upon the people feel “other.” Importantly, our divisiveness belies richness of our diverse life experiences to broaden our deep fear and a disregard for the opportunities affordpresentation of today’s news. ed by our shared humanity. It is the us and them menThe urgency cannot be overstated. As tempted as tality that has put our world into chaos. we might be to hide behind the beautiful walls of our Returning to Friends for the 2016-17 school year, school, we learned this summer that no one is immune my co-editor and I decided that Whittier itself could from the violence borne of our nation’s unresolved cri- be a vehicle for the type of change we seek. Of course ses. I will admit to feeling terrified last July when I took we will still feature all the exciting sports, entertainmy seat at the United Nations Foundation’s annual Gir- ment, and community updates we have all grown to lUp summit, recognizing that its purpose of securing love, but we hope you will also join us in celebrating basic freedoms for girls, like the right to a birth certif- and creating the type of discourse necessary to move icate or education, might inspire the rage of someone beyond the violence to which we choose not to become emboldened by misogynistic diatribes and armed with accustomed. http://www.k12academics.com
Sadie Proud ’17 CO-Editor-in-chief
WFS SUMMER CAMPS ARE FUN FOR ALL LINDSAY WEBER ’17 FEATURES EDITOR As Wilmington Friends School commences another exciting year, many of us may be reflecting on an exciting and leisurely summer. Many students and faculty spent time away; whether they travelled, enrolled in a camp or program, or made many trips down to the beach. But much of our community chose to spend their summers right here on campus, as they worked or enrolled as a camper in one of the four summer day camp programs at WFS. The 4 programs Friends has to offer are: the ‘mighty munchkins’ (pre-K), ‘eager eagles’ (grades K-1), ‘big kids’ (grades 2-5), and middle school (grades 5-9). However, the camps are not limited to those age groups as those in grades 1012 and even alums can apply to be CITs or camp counsellors. Each of the camps has its own unique themes and activities that cater to its respective age group, ensuring a specialised and fun-filled experience for all campers. Margaret Sullivan ’17, worked as a camp counselor this past summer at the Middle School camp, which takes place on the main Upper/Middle School campus. She said of the experience: “It’s a lot of fun with a mix of high school students and alumni working as counsellors.” Sullivan explained that the average day generally began with games outside, and dodgeball was a popular indoor activity. “We turned the cafeteria into our own ‘homebase,’ where we set up ping pong tables and other activities,” she added. Overall, Sullivan emphasized that a lot of the daily activities are left up to the campers: they have the chance to vote everyday on what they’d like to do, and the counselors comply. The middle school campers have a great sense of freedom that comes from choosing their own pastimes. Additionally, many meaningful relationships spark between campers and counsellors alike, forming the foundation of the camp experience. Alyssa Nathan ’17 spent her summer as a camp counsellor at the Lower School camp, which takes place on the Lower School campus grounds. “The camp typically runs from either 8-4 or 9-5,” Nathan explained, “and starts out with games outside on all days except for Wednesday, where we bowl in the morning. At 9am, the campers split up into groups.” Several activities are offered for campers, such as PE, art, and even cooking. “There’s really something for everyone,” Nathan added. After lunch, most campers hit the pool, but on occasions, campers make an afternoon trip to the ice rink for skating. On Fridays there is usually some sort of special activity: according to Nathan, “one time there was a slip n slide!” Just like at middle school camp, many of the fondest camp memories came from bond formed between campers and counsellors. Overall, counsellors at WFS summer programs work hard to ensure that each camper has a special experience. Why not spend your summers at WFS? There are four different camps to choose from, and campers and counsellors alike agree that Friends camp is a great way to fill their summer days.