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Walt Whitman High School
7100 Whittier Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20817
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Volume 56, Issue 7
New principal Robert Dodd to carry on Goodwin’s legacy of empathy by MEERA DAHIYA and KATIE HANSON Principal Alan Goodwin left a lasting impression on the Whitman community, putting students first, going the extra mile for staff members and even handing out the occasional Chipotle gift card. Many people were concerned his replacement would deviate too far from his administrative style. But new principal Robert Dodd said he plans to continue addressing student concerns when he takes over July 1, adding that he wants to maintain Goodwin’s open-door policy and organize student focus groups. “I was incredibly thrilled and really awed at the idea of being the principal of Whitman,” Dodd said. “It left me speechless.” “I’d really like to do some student focus groups right out of the gate,” Dodd said. “I’d like to hear from kids about what they love about Whitman, what they want to keep the same and anything that they’d like to change or improve.” Dodd, who has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in educational leadership, has worked in MCPS for almost 25 years, beginning in 1993 as a paraeducator. He served as principal of Strathmore Elementary School from 2005 to 2009 and Argyle Middle School, a magnet school for digital design and development, from 2009 to 2015. Since 2015, he’s worked as a lead consulting principal, mentoring new administrators. In 2014, Dodd received The Washington Post’s Distinguished Educational Leadership Award. The Post recognized him for promoting a supportive learning environment at Argyle, a school of predominantly low-income students. To ease Dodd’s transition, Goodwin has met with him several times over the past few weeks, advising him on how to be a good listener and respond to community concerns. Goodwin is confident Dodd will be successful in his new role, he said. “I think that he’s very personable and friendly,” Goodwin said. “He’s very anxious to do well in his new role, and I’m optimistic that he’s going to be a good fit for Whitman.” Principal Alan Goodwin gives a speech at a May 15 pep rally honoring retiring staff members. Whitmaniacs hosted the pep rally, which included speeches from students, a student duet and a performance from Drumline. The retiring staff members have worked at Whitman for a combined 213 years. Photos by LUKAS GATES.
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Community members say goodbye to retiring administrators Goodwin, Easton, McHale plan leisure, family time in retirement by ANNA YUAN Principal Alan Goodwin and two of Whitman’s four assistant principals—Jerome Easton and Kathy McHale—will retire at the end of this school year. This year marks Goodwin’s 19th year at Whitman, McHale’s 34th and Easton’s 8th. Originally, Goodwin was the only administrator set to retire at the end of the year, and Easton and McHale planned on staying for one more year to help incoming principal Robert Dodd transition to Whitman, McHale said. But two weeks after Goodwin’s announcement, Easton decided to retire as well. He announced his decision in a May 4 email to the community. Easton said he wants to retire while he’s still healthy. “It’s just time. Every now and then, the right things just happen and you just feel that it’s the right time to do this,” Easton said. “I’m still young and still healthy. I still
want to be able to play golf, run, swim and do all those healthy things.” Four days after Easton’s announcement, McHale also shared her decision to retire in an email to the community, citing health concerns as a motivating factor. “I had hip surgery in the fall, and, four weeks after the hip surgery, I fell and fractured my femur,” McHale said. “When you have a bad accident like that, it just gives you a whole new perspective. I want to spend more time with family and friends.”
Easton: Whitman’s ‘biggest cheerleader’
Before becoming an administrator, Easton worked as a guidance counselor from 1984 to 2000 at several MCPS schools. Easton’s background in counseling allowed him to support students and staff during difficult times, assistant principal Kristin Cody said. “Mr. Easton is one of Whit-
man’s biggest cheerleaders in times of celebration and a tremendous source of support during difficult times,” Cody said. “He understands that there isn’t a cookie-cutter answer to every situation and works tirelessly to offer support.” Easton supervises several departments, including the security operations and social studies department and is tasked with evaluating staff members and dealing with student discipline, security guard Neal Owens said. Earlier this year, when Drumline was temporarily banned from performing at football games after miscommunication among members of the group, security and administrators, Easton stepped in to resolve the issue, junior Rob Lloyd said. “He definitely kept everyone’s different interests at heart, which was very important because he was really able to allow everyone to find common ground and reach a compromise,” Lloyd said.
As a supervisor of various departments, Easton has hired many teachers and helped them transition to Whitman, and many teachers say they’re grateful for Easton’s support. “It was Mr. Easton that was the one who gave me my job offer,” social studies teacher Katherine Young said. “So I’ll never forget that. He’s really been a mentor to me since day one of being here.” McHale especially values Easton’s ability to work well with others. “Mr. Easton has a calming presence in the building,” McHale said. “We work really well together because I can get real wound up, and he’s very calm and can bring things back down to earth. We all work as a really good team together.”
McHale: students recall caring nature
McHale has worked in MCPS for 40 years, 34 of which she spent
at Whitman. She taught health and physical education for several years at schools around the county before becoming an administrator 11 years ago. She oversees several departments, including special education, art and music. As supervisor of the special education department, McHale created and taught the adaptive PE class for students in the Learning for Independence and School Community-Based program. The class gives students with special needs a chance to participate in PE class and to socialize with their peers, PE teacher Nancy Kull said. Kull took over the program when McHale became an administrator, but McHale still works closely with the department. “Mrs. McHale is an incredibly positive person,” Kull said. “Her energy, excitement, sense of humor, flexibility and her ability to fit in really well with everybody just makes it great working with her.”
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Teachers to receive raises this summer by LUKAS TROOST Eligible MCPS teachers will move up a step in the county’s pay scale, and non-eligible teachers will receive a $900 bonus starting July 1, following an April decision by the Board of Education. Administrators and support staff will also receive a separate raise as part of an agreement that will cost the county a total of $130.3 million, Felicia Yorro, a manager for MCPS’ public information department, said. To be eligible for the raise, teachers must have worked for the county for a minimum of six months. Eligible teachers will also receive a one percent cost of living adjustment in July 2019. Three unions representing MCPS staffers—the Montgomery County Education Association, the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, and the Service Employees International Union Local 500—negotiated the raise. “MCEA and MCPS have a shared interest in providing pay that enables us to attract and retain the best,” MCEA vice president Jennifer Martin said in an email. The BOE also decided that teachers who were union members in 2011 will recover the reduced step caused by the 2011 financial recession. They will receive this increase in January 2019. The increases will especially benefit teachers who are newer to the county, Whitman’s MCEA representative Danielle Fus, who supports the contracts, said. “For people who are young, buying their first house, starting a family, this is going to be really meaningful,” she said.
Administrators to name library in honor of Goodwin by BLAKE LAYMAN The school library will be named after principal Alan Goodwin to honor his time as a teacher and administrator. Assistant principal Kristin Cody came up with the idea to name the library after him, and PTSA members announced the plan in a May 16 email. Goodwin taught English for 24 years as part of his 43 years in MCPS, so it’s fitting to name the library after him, PTSA president Lisa Sanfuentes said. “Dr. Goodwin is an avid reader and lover of books,” she said. “I think it’s a fabulous way to honor a man who has devoted his career to learning and helping others learn.” Administrators can’t submit the proposal until Goodwin retires, due to a county rule, but once incoming principal Robert Dodd replaces him administrators will submit the proposal to the Board of Education. The BOE will then review the request and decide whether or not to approve it. Students and staff members are supportive of the plan. “It’s a great idea,” English teacher Elizabeth Keating said. “I think it’s a great way to honor him.” Goodwin is grateful for the gesture, he said. “I’m very honored by it and a bit taken back,” he said. “It’s a very special thing to do.”
Groundbreaking ceremony begins turf field construction
Late school start divides community Tourism increases, county officials annoyed by ZARA ALI For the first time in 15 years, students began classes after Labor Day weekend, following Governor Larry Hogan’s August 2016 executive order. Hogan issued the order, hoping to attract more tourists and increase revenue for Maryland businesses. The decision was unpopular among many teachers because it largely reduced planning and instruction time. Despite concerns from teachers, the state barred MCPS from waiving the mandate. In a March 2017 letter to the Board of Education, Hogan said that educators should focus on issues like school safety, rather than protesting the order. “Considering the series of recent troubling incidents reported in Montgomery County schools, I suggest you and your colleagues consider shifting your focus from arguing over which 180 days class is in session to ensuring that students are safe in your schools,” he said in the letter. The order had consequences for Ocean City businesses, educators and students. Businesses experienced a spike in tourism, the later start date forced educators to change their approach to the year and student athletes had an even shorter vacation than their peers compared to past years.
Businesses benefit
The extra week of summer caused a five percent increase in Ocean City’s September sales tax revenue, according to a 2018 tax report from the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. “In the long run, it recreates the tradition of school starting after Labor Day, allows families to have additional time together and creates economic benefits,” Ocean City mayor Richard Meehan said in a phone interview. “From an economic standpoint, it does benefit Ocean City, Worcester County and other areas where people choose to vacation.” It also affects students who work in Ocean City for the summer season, since they can now work for longer. Local businesses like the K-Coast Surf Shop and Jolly Rogers’ Amusement Park felt the difference. “People definitely extended vacation and took extra time down here,” Surf Shop owner Chris Shanahan said. “When people have more time to vacation, sales go up based off the number of people in town. Not only that, it helps local people as a lot of the staff were able to continue their jobs without having to go back to school before Labor Day.” Families took advantage of the extra week of no school, Jolly Rogers’ Dean Langrall said. “We certainly saw more attendance from families that week leading up to Labor Day and even on the weekend,” Langrall said. “You could safely say we saw a 15-20 percent lift [in revenue] over what it was a year ago.”
by JOSÉ WRAY Community members gathered on the football field May 19 as principal Alan Goodwin, athletic director Andy Wetzel and county athletic director Jeff Sullivan kicked off construction of the new turf field in a groundbreaking ceremony. Sunny Acres Landscaping is installing the turf, and the new field will be completed Aug. 1. The field and the track are closed for the duration of construction. The Board of Education approved the new field April 24 after a three-year process. MCPS held community meetings throughout the process to hear concerns from all stakeholders, turf committee co-chair Andrew Hosker said. Some community members are upset that the turf infill, ZeoFill, has never been used before for an MCPS field. Community members have expressed concern about ZeoFill’s safety, board member Jill Ortman Fouse said. Still, parents and booster club members are excited the Board finally approved the field. “Almost all of our coaches are 100 percent on board,” athletic director Andy Wetzel said. “We have a lot of support.” in the community for it.”
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
5% $
increase in sales
tax revenue
Teachers frustrated
The shortened calendar made it difficult for teachers to fit in all their lessons.
“If we’re going to continue with the religious holidays, teachers having work days and the other state-mandated holidays, there isn’t enough time in the calendar,” Board of Education president Michael Durso said. Teachers complained there wasn’t enough time for grading because there were only half days between quarters and one professional day between semesters. Previously, educators had one full professional day between each quarter. “The change is yet another gesture from people not involved in teaching,” English teacher Matthew Bruneel said. “We can do everything we do as teachers, like prepare great lessons, create authentic assessments and give rich feedback to the students in less time than before, with less time to prepare and still get everything done. But it’s like trying to pull blood from a stone.” To compensate for the fewer
Tryouts and Preseason week longer
one
Athletes’ vacations cut short
Student athletes missed out on the extra week of summer vacation. Fall sports tryouts still began on the Monday of the first full week in August, but school officially starts on the first Tuesday of September, so athletes have tryouts and practices for four weeks before school starts.
While the proposal might have been good for Ocean City, it was ill-conceived and inappropriate for most of the rest of the state. - Maryland state senator Cheryl Kagan professional planning days throughout the year, teachers were required to come to school eight days early to plan for the year. However, for some teachers, these days were counterproductive.
Teacher Planning 2016 - 2017 School Year
1
Full Day Between Quarters
2017 - 2018 School Year
1/2 Day
Between Quarters
Senior Zara Memon found the extended preseason made field hockey season more time consuming. “It’s horrible. Athletic wise it’s really good, because you get more time to train before the start of the season,” Memon said. “But it also sucks for vacations.” Girls soccer coach Greg Herbert sees both benefits and risks of a longer preseason. “It’s good in that it gives more time for the girls to bond and train and work together but bad in that it increases the chance for injury,” Herbert said. “Practicing hard every single day for three hours could possibly lead to an injury issue.”
Accommodating changes
“The idea that I could get any second semester prep done is silly, because I don’t know who my students are, so I really needed that time in the middle of the year,” Bruneel said. Other teachers, like social studies teacher Suzanne Johnson, said the late start date wasn’t a problem. “Honestly, I haven’t noticed that much of a difference,” Johnson said. “The AP government team specifically made the calendar in the beginning of the year so we were able to fit everything in. It was nice to have the extra time with eight days, but it might have gone a little too long.” Students in AP courses had less time to prepare for the May exams. History teacher Wendy Eagan had to condense material to ensure her students were prepared for AP World exam. “You have to get through the content so that you have two weeks for review,” Eagan said. “You combine that with delayed openings, snow day, and all the assemblies, and all of that cuts into your teaching time on top of the governors forcing Montgomery County to abide by his schedule.”
Although many people oppose the mandate, it’s unlikely Hogan’s executive order will be overturned, Durso said. “As long as Hogan is governor, we’re probably going to keep it,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s a lot of momentum to overturn the order, but it would have to come from the state legislature. It isn’t a county by county decision, and many of us feel that it should be a local decision.” Since it’s difficult for counties to get their waivers granted, the Maryland Senate passed a bill in early April allowing counties to extend their school years by up to five days after June 15. Montgomery County couldn’t take advantage of this opportunity because officials could only allocate extra days if there were numerous bad weather days during the school year. “The bottom line is that the governor’s executive order made our 24 school systems fit into a one-sizefits all mold, and while the proposal might have been good for Ocean City, it was ill conceived and inappropriate for most of the state,” Maryland state senator Cheryl Kagan said. “This was a political ploy to try to win votes in a way that doesn’t prioritize educational policy and what was best for our students.”
Graphics by ZOE CHYATTE and JOEY SOLA-SOLE Icons courtesy The Noun Project
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
Dodd looks forward to challenge, opportunity Continued from Page 1 Dodd graduated from Paint Branch High School; he’s married to Jenny Smith, also a Paint Branch graduate. They have two children: Johnny, an eighth grader, and Nora, a fourth grader. His favorite pastimes are fly-fishing for trout and spending time with his kids, he said. Dodd’s father, who was also an MCPS principal, supervised Whitman as an associate superintendent, so Dodd always held the school in high regard. “I saw the differences my parents made in the lives of students, and I wanted to do that,” Dodd said. As a lead consulting principal, Dodd mentored Eastern Middle School principal Matt Johnson. Johnson said he’s grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dodd. “I’ve relied on Dr. Dodd to provide insight into a wide range of issues that have surfaced this year,” Johnson said, calling Dodd “an effective listener” who “always considers the impact of the situation on students.” Jeffrey Martinez, a consulting principal who works with Dodd,
thinks Dodd’s ability to encourage those around him makes him a good fit for the position. “Dr. Dodd has many, many fine qualities,” Martinez said. “One of them is that he really understands instruction. He understands how to motivate people and how to help them to be the best they can.” Dodd got the job offer following a two-month-long selection process. Jennifer Webster, of the Office of School Support and Improvement, held three meetings April 9 with different community groups and created an online survey to learn what qualities the community wanted for a new principal. She then chose four candidates to appear before a panel of MCPS and Whitman staff, students and parents. The final two candidates interviewed with the superintendent and two other MCPS officials. Panelists’ positive responses to his student-centered policies helped Dodd get the job. “He seemed like he was pretty open to ideas, and he wants to really listen to the students,” said a sophomore who was on the panel. “But at the same time, he wants to keep that balance between making
Incoming principal Robert Dodd hopes to follow in principal Alan Goodwin’s footsteps by listening to student concerns. Dodd, who is working as a principal mentor, got the job after a two-month-long selection process that included a meeting with a panel of community members. Photo by KATHERINE LUO.
the staff happy and making the students happy.” Dodd realizes the community has high standards as Goodwin’s 14-year tenure comes to a close,
New MD law funds scholarships for community college students by MEERA DAHIYA Governor Larry Hogan signed House Bill 16 into law June 4, making Maryland’s 16 community colleges more affordable and, in some cases, free for qualified students. Delegate Frank Turner (D-13) sponsored the bill, which requires Hogan to appropriate $15 million toward a scholarship program for lowerand middle-income students by 2019. Average tuition for a Maryland community college is $4,324, according to the Maryland Association of Community Colleges. The program will provide eligible students with a $5,000 scholarship or a full ride if tuition is under $5,000. To be eligible for the program, students must have an unweighted GPA of 2.3 or higher, as well as a household income of either $150,000 or lower for a twoparent family or $100,000 or lower for a single-parent family.
tively few low-income students, guidance counselor Bill Toth said. According to CNN, Bethesda’s 2011 median household income was $184,606, well above the qualifying maximum. “There may be a handful of students here that it could really impact and help their families out but not a great deal across the board,” Toth said. Still, the program will give students in other MCPS schools access to a college education. The United States Census Bureau reported that in 2017, Montgomery County’s median household income was $100,352, about $50,000 below the qualifying maximum for a two-parent family. Springbrook High School guidance counselor Burke Oleszewski expects the new program to benefit Springbrook students. Springbrook is in a low-income area of Montgomery County, so many students will qualify for the
excited,” Dodd said. “It’s that kind of nervousness where I wake up in the morning now, and I think, ‘I’m the next principal of Walt Whitman High School!’”
retiring staff Members by ADITI GUJARAN and MIN YEUNG Ten staff members will retire at the end of the school year, with a combined 213 years at Whitman. These staff members have sponsored clubs, coached
jean diamond art
sports teams and left a lasting impact on their students and the community. Listed below are their names, their departments and the number of years they’ve worked at Whitman.
Wendy kleiner art
1926 32 4132 26 41 17 1120 12 2712 9 2027 11 19 17 20 9 20 32 41 26 32 41 2 32 41 26 1 12 27 11 12 27 19 1712 27 11 32 41 26 32 41 26
It’s a win-win for the state of Maryland because you’re giving more students the opportunity for education and more students the opportunity to get into the workforce. -Marcus Rosano, Montgomery College “It’s a win-win for the state of Maryland because you're giving more students the opportunity for education and more students the opportunity to get into the workforce,” Marcus Rosano, the Montgomery College media relations director, said. In addition to providing scholarships, the law caps community college tuitions at their current rates until 2021. After 2021, tuition will be adjusted for inflation. Colleges that violate the tuition cap will be removed from the program. A college education is becoming increasingly important in today’s job market. Sixty nine percent of Maryland jobs will require a college education by 2020, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. “It’s a lot easier to get jobs if you have a college education,” state delegate Marc Korman (D-16) said. “That’s why we’re trying to focus on community college access.” Most Whitman students won’t benefit from the program because the area has rela-
but he’s looking forward to the opportunity. “I’m completely nervous but nervous in a way that I know I have a lot to learn. But I’m also really
program, he said. “I know that with our student population here, money can be tight at times,” Oleszewski said. “A lot of kids go off to community college. They do that because their family lacks the funds to send them off to a four year school.” Montgomery College expects only a small increase in student enrollment because of the law’s GPA and need-based tuition requirements. Montgomery College staff is also excited to provide a quality education to a more socioeconomically diverse group of students, Rosano said. Senior Skye Hamilton, who will attend Montgomery College in the fall, is grateful for the law’s emphasis on increased accessibility to higher education. “I think that education should be more accessible in general, not just in community college, and the bill is a great step towards that,” Hamilton said. “Education is so important, especially in young students and our generation.”
years
years
Laurie safran
Susan Olden-Stahl
Special education years
Melanie hudock science years
Nancy kull
HISTORY years
russ rushton math
years
karen phillips
Physical education
cafeteria manager
years
years
20 9 20 12 27 11 12 27 11 robert dwyer Paraeducator years
julie deranek Paraeducator years
To read a full story on retiring staff members, visit www.theblackandwhite.net Graphic by JULIA RUBIN
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Westbard church fights for cemetery recognition by KATIE HANSON Members of the Macedonia Baptist Church, Westbard community members and local political candidates requested that the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission recognize the existence of the Moses African Cemetery in a public meeting with the Commission May 6. The cemetery supposedly lies under the Westwood Tower Apartment parking lot. The meeting is the latest attempt by the Church and other advocates to encourage the Commission to give them rights to the land or sponsor an archaeological investigation of the area. The Commission is concerned about the status of the low-income housing on the site. There’s a long history of African-American cemeteries not being preserved, historian David Rotenstein said. Rotenstein is the former chairman of the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission. “Disproportionately throughout the United States, you find African-American cemeteries being destroyed and not respectfully preserved, when, in comparison, white cemeteries typically find a better outcome,” Rotenstein said. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, director of the social justice ministry for the Macedonia Baptist Church, believes the disregard for Moses Cemetery’s represents a larger underlying issue. “In order for people to believe this myth of white supremacy, they constantly have to make sure
Macedonia Baptist Church members march in the Westbard neighborhood in Feb. 2017. The Church hopes to prevent development on the site by encouraging the HOC to hand the rights to the land. Photo by LAUREL HOA.
that the histories of other people aren’t accurately and adequately told,” Coleman-Adebayo said. “The Bethesda African Cemetery situation represents another example of that.” While historians haven’t discovered physical evidence of the cemetery, historical records indicate that, until the mid-1930s, a local African-American fraternal organization used the land as a cemetery, Rotenstein said. Controversy first arose last year after developers announced plans to build an aboveground parking lot on the site and construct a self-storage building on
a neighboring area of the land. Members of the predominantly African-American church want the Commission, which hopes to maintain the affordable Westwood development, to acknowledge the cemetery’s existence and preserve black history in Bethesda. Advocates also want to build a museum or memorial on the plot of land and have led three marches this year to raise awareness for the movement. The Church has garnered support from community members, politicians and other religious leaders to encourage the Commission to fight for this cause, Westmoreland
Congregational Church’s Reverend Tim Tutt said. “It’s really nice to see people coming together,” Tutt said. Mediation sessions between the Church and the Commission have been postponed in the past, but Commission members said they will consider Church members’ perspectives by encouraging them to participate in monthly Commission-organized public forums. The Commission also planned private meetings with Church members and descendants of those buried in the cemetery. Shauna Sorrells, The Commis-
sion’s Chief Operating Officer, said the group is open to conducting an archaeological study of the cemetery, but members want to coordinate the investigation with the other land owners. The Commission also wants to maintain the affordable housing on the lot so that the over 200 low-income families living in in the Westwood Tower Apartments don’t lose their homes, Sorrells said. “Some of the things that are being requested are outside of HOC’s mission,” Sorrells said. “We will continue to serve our mission, and we will do it in a way that hopefully supports the overall community needs.” Brandy Brooks, a candidate for Montgomery County Council at large, testified before the Commission May 6. Brooks believes the Commission hasn’t been responsive to advocates of the Church. “The Commission has given lip service about ‘yes, we recognize there’s a community concern here,’ but with no willingness to take concrete action to right the wrongs,” Brooks said. “I think there’s been a lot of stonewalling.” Reverend Segun Adebayo of the Macedonia Baptist Church is hopeful that the Church and the Commission will eventually reach an agreement, he said. “We’re hoping that they will listen to their conscience,” Adebayo said. “We will keep on writing, marching, lobbying and educating members of their community to change their minds and to give the land to the Church.”
Montgomery County funds legal representation for undocumented immigrants by JOSEPH FERRARI
Assistant principals Jerome Easton and Kathy McHale have left a lasting impression on students and staff. Both will retire at the end of the school year. Photos by KATHERINE LUO.
Asst. principal to be hired this summer Dodd, Goodwin will interview applicants Continued from Page 1 Special education coordinator Diane Long appreciates McHale’s humor and ongoing support for the program. “Her sense of humor got the department through difficult situations,” Long said. “She’s always encouraged the staff and been there for the students.” For senior Morgan Burdick, McHale is a source of comfort on stressful days, she said. “If I was ever having a bad day or anything, I would just go sit in her office instead of my counselor’s,” Burdick said. “She would always email my teachers if anything was going on, like if I was in a stressful time or anything. She kind of became my second grandma.”
Looking ahead
At the time of publication, administrators selected Michelle Lipson, currently the county’s Student Online Learning Supervisor, as one new assistant principal. Now, Goodwin and Dodd are currently in the pro-
cess of selecting the second. They will set up interviews with applicants shortly after the school year ends. Applicants are placed into a pool, where they can then apply for vacancies and interview with a school’s principal. Deputy superintendent Kimberly Statham then approves the final candidate. Despite Goodwin’s retirement, Dodd plans to involve Goodwin in the selection process, he said. “These positions are obviously critical to the success of Whitman students and staff,” Dodd said. “It’s critical that we have Dr. Goodwin’s input and we collaborate with one another in the process.” As students and staff say goodbye to Whitman’s three retiring administrators, some community members worry that the upcoming transition will be difficult. “I think, going forward, it’s going to be a rough couple years,” math teacher Michelle Holloway said. “We just need to find somebody who works, and it’s going to be hard. I think we need to understand that we’ll need to allow for that learning curve for the successors.”
Low-income Montgomery County immigrants facing deportation proceedings will now be able to receive more extensive legal protection. The County Council voted unanimously May 22 to allocate $370,000 of the county budget to organizations that provide legal representation to undocumented immigrants. The resolution will go into effect July 1. Under the resolution, organizations like the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and the Court Appointed Special Advocates can apply for funding to represent immigrants facing deportation proceedings. Immigrants who earn an income at or below the federal poverty level are eligible to receive representation. Originally, the council proposed a $374,000 grant to CAIR to aid undocumented residents in ICE custody. However, CAIR withdrew from the proposal after the State’s Attorney for the county expanded the list of convictions that would disqualify immigrants from receiving aid. CAIR claimed that the updated list would disqualify 70 percent of the county’s undocumented immigrants. “CAIR insisted that they had to provide legal representation to people with criminal records, and the State’s Attorney indicated real concern that this might mean an effort to overturn prior convictions, and that it might lead to some individuals who are a danger to the community remaining in the community,” council member George Leventhal said during a phone interview. Melissa Romero, a junior whose parents are immigrants, said the resolution is a necessary service for immigrants who can’t afford legal representation. “They’re also human. They definitely don’t deserve to become oppressed and
treated as less, when they just want a better opportunity,” Romero said. “My mom works as a translator, and I’ve heard stories where they just don’t have enough money to afford a lawyer. They’re so easily deported when they were so close to having a better future.” Prince George’s County partnered with CAIR for a similar program in 2017, and the city of Baltimore did the same with the Vera Institute of Justice, another immigrant aid
We cannot stand by and watch families being torn apart due to lack of legal representation. - Sanctuary DMV representative Lori Severens organization, in March. Once CAIR withdrew from the proposal, the council began drafting the new resolution, which applies to all immigrants, not just those under Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Lori Severens of the DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network is glad that the county is taking action.
“We cannot stand by and watch families being torn apart due to lack of legal representation,” Severens was quoted saying in a May 21 CASA press release. “We fought for the special appropriation alongside many others because it offered immigrant families a chance to be treated fairly and stay together.”
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the
Opinion
The Black & White is an open forum for student views from Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd., Bethesda, MD, 20817. The Black & White’s website is www.theblackandwhite.net. The newspaper is published five times a year, and the B&W magazine is published biannually. Signed opinion pieces reflect the positions of the individual staff and not necessarily the opinion of Walt Whitman High School or Montgomery County Public Schools. Unsigned editorial pieces reflect the opinion of the newspaper. All content in the paper is reviewed to ensure that it meets the highest level of legal and ethical standards with respect to the material as libelous, obscene or invasive of privacy. All corrections are posted on the website. Recent awards include the 2018 and 2017 CSPA Hybrid Silver Crowns, 2013 CSPA Gold Medallion and 2012 NSPA Online Pacemaker. The Black & White encourages readers to submit opinions on relevant topics in the form of letters to the editor, which must be signed to be printed. Anonymity can be granted on request. The Black & White reserves the right to edit letters for content and space. Letters to the editor may be emailed to theblackandwhitevol56@gmail.com. Annual mail subscriptions cost $35 ($120 for four-year subscription) and can be purchased through the online school store. Print Editor-in-Chief Eva Herscowitz Print Managing Editors Jessica Buxbaum Eric Neugeboren Online Editor-in-Chief Thomas Mande Online Managing Editors Hannah Feuer Rebecca Hirsh Print Copy Editors Mira Dwyer Matthew van Bastelaer Online Copy Editors Jessie Solomon Ivy Xun News Editors Zoë Kaufmann Sydney Miller Matthew Proestel Feature and Arts & Entertainment Editors Camerynn Hawke Julia McGowan Yiyang Zhang Opinion Editors Ella Atsavapranee Katherine Sylvester Sports Editors Chris Atkinson Max Gersch Elyse Lowet Multimedia Editors Anjali Jha Maeve Trainor Multimedia Team Luka Byrne Arthur Varner Sam White Print Production Head Julia Rubin Online Production Head Selina Ding Print Production Managers Sophie deBettencourt Jana Warner Graphics Manager Landon Hatcher Production Assistants Zoe Chyatte Noah Grill Alex Silber Joey Sola-Sole Business Managers Matthew Boyer Azraf Khan Buisiness Assistant Khanya Dalton Photo Director Lukas Gates Photo Assistant Annabel Redisch Communications Director Cami Corcoran Social Media Director Naren Roy Head Webmasters Anthony Breder Caleb Hering Columnist Editors Maddy Frank Jenny Lu Senior Columnists Shehrez Chaudhri Ariana Faghani Brooke McLeod Rebecca Mills Elyssa Seltzer Jeremy Wenick News Writers Zara Ali Lily Cork Meera Dahiya Joseph Ferrari Katie Hanson Blake Layman Max London Lukas Troost Anna Yuan Feature and Arts & Entertainment Writers Danny Donoso Lily Goldberger Jack Gonzalez Aditi Gujaran Isabel Hoffman Clara Koritz Hawkes Anna Labarca Jack Middleton Alex Robinson Emma Shaffer Opinion Writers Alex Brodie Will Brown Dana Herrnstadt Emma Iturregui Calli Lipping Ted Rock Hirari Sato David Villani Sports Writers Sara Azimi Julia Forlini Mateo Gutierrez Ally Navarrete Bennett Solomon Isabel van Nieuwkoop José Wray Puzzles Editors Cam Jones Eva Liles Adviser Louise Reynolds
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
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Undocumented immigrants deserve lawyers Undocumented immigrants often live in constant fear of deportation and losing the lives they’ve built in the U.S., and these fears have only escalated in the past year. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has decreased funding for programs like DACA and Court Appointed Special Advocates that provide legal consultations for immigrants and help them apply for green cards. Without financial support for these programs, it’s harder for immigrants to become permanent residents. To safeguard immigrants’ rights, the Montgomery County Council approved a proposal May 22, allocating $374,000 tax dollars to fund legal representation for undocumented immigrants. The approval was controversial among both legal immigrants and immigration advocacy groups who initially supported the proposal. Legal immigrants believe the proposal, which provides undocumented immigrants with free legal services, encourages these immigrants to ignore immigration laws. Immigrant rights organizations argue that the county State’s Attorney’s updates to the list of criminal convictions, which disqualify 70 percent of undocumented immigrants from receiving aid, gutted the proposal. Maryland has generally supported undocumented immigrants. The General Assembly passed a law May 26 allowing undocumented immigrant students who graduated from Maryland high schools to pay in-state tuition for Maryland colleges. The bill also reduces restrictions placed on immigrant students who want to transfer to four-year colleges. The recent developments in our county and state should be commended. Immigrants are an essential part of our community, and the government should protect families from separation. The presence of immigrants benefits our communities. They have jobs that play an essential role in our commu-
Staff Editorial
nities and the economy, pay taxes, work in local businesses and even start their own. Immigrants increase the number of workers in the labor force and expand workforce productivity. Immigrant-owned businesses generated more than $776 billion in 2012, the Fiscal Policy Institute found. Similar programs that connect immigrants to lawyers have also reunited many families. Since New York imple-
The Trump administration has continued to promote stricter immigration policies. Now, more than ever, we need to value the immigrants in our communities. mented its Immigration Family Unity Project in 2017, 750 parents who were previously detained and separated from their kids have been reunited with their children within three years, reported the Vera Institute of Justice. Although the Council only recently approved Montgomery County’s proposal, it has the potential to keep many immigrant families together. The Trump administration has continued to promote stricter immigration policies. Now more than ever, we need to value the immigrants in our communities, and the county’s recent proposal does just that. The efforts on the part of Montgomery County and the state of Maryland are important first steps towards creating a more inclusive community.
Ban tackle football before age 12
Maryland legislators should reintroduce bill
by WILL BROWN In 2012, Jovan Belcher, a 25-yearold linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, murdered his girlfriend before driving to the team’s practice facility, where he committed suicide in front of his head coach. After his death, doctors determined that he had suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disease caused by minor, repeated head trauma. Belcher’s diagnosis is a microcosm of a much larger issue among football players. A 2017 Boston University study found that 110 out of 111 former NFL athletes examined posthumously had CTE. Also, a 2018 Annals of Neurology study found that athletes who started playing football before the age of 12 developed CTE symptoms an average of 13 years earlier than athletes who started playing after the age of 12. However, little progress has been made in the Maryland state legislature to protect young athletes. In March, the Ways and Means Committee shot down a bill introduced by Delegate Terri Hill (D-12) that would have banned the organized play of tackle football for children under the age of 12. The Maryland state legislature should reintroduce the bill. If passed, it could prevent children from developing CTE later in life and protect their neurological development. CTE can dramatically weaken cognitive function, impair judgement and alter mood and behavior. Individuals with the disease often become increasingly depressed, paranoid or aggressive. After retiring from the league in 2009, former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau suffered from mood swings, depression and forgetfulness, before committing suicide in 2012. Brain trauma can impede neurological development, even in players who don’t develop CTE, according to a 2017 study from the Journal of Translational Psychiatry. James Ransom of Ladera Ranch, California started play-
ing tackle football when he was nine. After taking many hits, including one that drew blood, he began to suffer from memory loss, mood swings and erratic behavior, before commiting suicide when he was only 13. Admittedly, there has been some reform in youth football. Coaches are limiting contact in practices and trying to minimize the amount of dangerous in-game hits. In fact, these reform efforts are why Hill said she wouldn’t reintroduce the football ban bill. However, in football, taking hits to the head is inevitable due to the nature of the game.
Safety is only possible with a total ban. When children’s futures are at stake, it’s up to lawmakers to act. Nearly 53 percent of Americans believe that tackle football before high school is an unsafe activity, a poll from The Washington Post found. Repeated head impacts can give an athlete lifelong neurological disorders and permanently stunt the brain’s development. Maryland lawmakers have a duty to protect the health of our children, and banning youth tackle football would do just that.
53% Of Americans think
playing tackle football before high school is dangerous
Graphic by JOEY SOLA-SOLE Statistic courtesy The Washington Post
Opinion
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
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Zoning board: increase affordable housing Bethesda developments displace low-income residents by TED ROCK Downtown Bethesda has seen a lot of changes in the past few years. New restaurants, shops and apartment complexes have popped up rapidly. But these changes have been accompanied by another more dangerous one: gentrification. Through gentrification, young professionals move into middle and working class neighborhoods, raising the rent prices and pushing out former residents and small businesses. The effects of this practice are striking. As a result of of gentrification, over 60 percent more low-income families county-wide have moved away than projected, according to a five-year analysis by Trulia Real Estate that ended in 2014. Forty four years ago, to address the consequences of gentrification, the Montgomery County Council created a zoning program requiring developers to build Moderately Priced Dwelling Units, a type of affordable housing only available to low-income residents. The program required 15 percent of all buildings to be MPDUs. But today, 15 per-
cent isn’t enough. To combat the rapid growth of luxury developments in Montgomery County, the zoning board should increase the MPDU minimum, making housing more affordable and reducing the effects of gentrification. The MPDU program prevents the eviction and displacement of low-income families. Without zoning regulations, builders act based on self-interest, often asking for the highest rent possible. This increases the number of prospective wealthy residents and leaves lower-income citizens vulnerable to eviction. In fact, a Homelessness Monitor study found that about 30 percent of homeless people are likely victims of gentrification. Gentrification also disrupts local culture and drives out local businesses. People are attracted to neighborhood mom-and-pop shops when they move in, but the practice replaces thrift shops and family owned restaurants with department stores and newer, trendier restaurants. We’ve all seen this in Bethesda. Fourstory apartment buildings have been replaced
benefits of culture lunches Native speakers teach students their language Students learn cultural etiquette Exposure to other Points of view
Graphic by JANA WARNER and icons courtesy THE NOUN PROJECT
by luxury high-rises, and hip restaurants are replacing mom-and-pop ones like Matuba or Kabob Bazaar. Increasing MPDU requirements would preserve Bethesda’s community by allowing long-standing business owners to remain in their neighborhoods.
Four-story apartment buildings have been replaced by luxury high-rises, and hip restaurants are replacing mom-andpop ones like Matuba or Kabob Bazaar. Opponents of zoning regulations often say that new construction helps the poor. They argue that new, wealthy residents improve low-income neighborhoods by encouraging the development of accessible public transportation, new businesses and job opportunities. But not enough poor people stay in the
by CALLI LIPPING On a Friday afternoon at Pyle Middle School, about 20 students gather in a room full of posters, streamers and foreign foods to learn all about a country and its culture. The meeting is a part of the school’s monthly culture lunches. Pyle students came up with the idea for the lunches, which are led by parents, to honor the school’s core value of diversity. The lunches expose students to the culture of the presented countries, promoting acceptance at Pyle. To showcase Whitman’s diversity, the International Club hosts International Night annually, and foreign language teachers incorporate cultural lessons into their curriculums. But these events and lessons are too infrequent to adequately educate students about their peers’ backgrounds, practices and traditions. To expose students to different countries around the world, the International Club should sponsor
Bill would protect marine life, ecosystems Americans use 500 million plastic straws every day, National Geographic found. That’s enough to wrap around the world twice. Plastic straws are the seventh most common plastic pollutant found in ocean cleanups, and many recycling programs often don’t accept the straws because the straws are made from polypropylene, a material more expensive than other plastic polymers. To curb the pollution, California and Hawaii have already passed legislation that either bans or limits plastic straw distribution. McDonald’s and Alaska Airlines have also implemented plastic straw bans. The Maryland General Assembly should follow suit and ban the distribution of plastic straws. Straws are small and seemingly harmless, but they have devastating environmental impacts. In the ocean, straws pose a serious threat to marine life. Plastic pollution kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine creatures each year because turtles and fish often mistake plastic waste for food, according to the Ocean Crusaders organization. Fish in the North Pacific digest up to 24,000
nesses are forced to close, a 2013 University of North Carolina study found. We need to protect middle and working class citizens from losing thier homes. Increasing the required number of MPDUs is the best way to reduce the harmful effects of gentrification in the metro area.
International club should sponsor culture lunches
Ban distribution of plastic straws by EMMA ITURREGUI
neighborhood to see these benefits. Since gentrification displaces so many residents, the rich primarily benefit from neighborhood revitalization. Admittedly, new shops and restaurants create jobs, but these jobs typically only replace those lost after local busi-
tons of plastic each year, the Center for Biological Diversity reported. This ecological disruption should be enough incentive for the General Assembly to regulate plastic straw distribution, but if legislators still aren’t convinced, plastic pollution also poses health risks to humans.
The microfibers can cause cancer and harm the digestive system. Banning straws wouldn’t inconvenience restaurants because restaurants can serve beverages to customers without straws or opt for reusable straws There are also accessible, eco-friendly alternatives to plastic straws, from bam-
Plastic pollution kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine creatures each year.
monthly culture lunches at Whitman. Parents native to the country can use their expertise to teach simple phrases in their native language. Since many students aren’t proficient in the language they have been studying for years, culture lunches would give these students an opportunity to practice conversational skills in a non-evaluative setting. Students would also have the opportunity to compare cultures with others and discuss new points of view. Many Pyle students enjoy attending these lunches and would like to see them in high school, sixth grader Gustavo Vives said. The parents who currently run the Pyle lunches said they’re willing to organize them at Whitman, so the lunches can be practically implemented. Whitman is host to students from different continents, countries and cultures from around the world. The International Club should continue celebrating our diversity by sponsoring culture lunches.
Issue 6 corrections: Senior destinations on pages 16 and 17 had the following errors: Emma Sorkin will attend Bowdoin College, not Bowdoin University. Charles Zhao will attend the University of Maryland - College Park. He will not take a gap year. Zion Raeburn was misstated as Zion Rayburn. Sarah Hirsh was left off of the list. She will attend Vanderbilt University. Jessica Chelst, Madeleine Russell, Andre Su and Robert (Max) Weinberg will all attend Miami University of Ohio. Freya Keto was misstated as Freya Kemper. Managing editor Sam Shiffman contributed to ‘Turf field’ on page 1.
-Ocean Crusaders organization When marine animals like fish digest plastic, harmful chemicals make their way onto our dinner plates. Twenty-five percent of fish at markets in California had plastic microfibers or other forms of plastic in their guts, a Center for Biological Diversity study found.
boo straws to kid-friendly silicone ones. Maryland legislators need to take initiative in combating the increasing amount of plastic waste in our oceans. Banning plastic straws may seem like a minor step, but it’s still a step closer to creating a safer, eco-friendly world.
Navid’s father has requested that students submit information about the night Navid passed away to www.saysomethingfornav.com. Students and community members can submit tips anonymously, and submissions will not be published.
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
In Memoriam
Remembered
Editor’s note: This year, the Whitman community was rocked by the tragic loss of three young lives: Alec Spear (‘15), senior Navid Sepehri and sophomore Jordana ‘Jojo’ Greenberg. Here, we honor their lives and profound impact on our school and community.
Alec Spear: a ‘one-of-a-kind friend’
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lec was a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was studying marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. He was also a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. His friends remember his selfless personality, empathetic nature and larger-than-life persona. “When I first met him, it wasn’t something I would have expected from him because he looked like a guy who would be a super tough,” John Spies, his fraternity brother, said. “But when you really got to know him, he had a much more personable,
caring side to him that a lot of people don’t really have. That was the Alec I knew: he was a really one-of-a-kind friend that you don’t really run across much.” At Whitman, Alec started on varsity football for three years. Coach Jim Kuhn remembers his funloving attitude and team leadership. “He brought a lot of energy to the field,” Kuhn said. “He picked everybody up.” During his summers, he swam for Carderock Swim and Tennis Club. Junior Natalie Goldstein, a family friend, recalls his active presence in the
swim team community. “Whenever there was a meet, even though it was eight in the morning and he was older than all of us, he just kind of set the bar really high for everyone,” Goldstein said. “After the races, he would be like, ‘how did you do?’ Even though he wasn’t a coach, he was still checking up on everyone.” One summer, he worked for College Works Painting, a business that hires college students to go door-to-door selling house painting supplies. He quickly became one of the company’s top sellers. “He absolutely crushed it, and I think that
just plays into his personality of being a really charismatic, likeable, talkative person,” Spies said. The summer after his freshman year at UMD, Alec decided to pursue modeling with the help of his friend Noah Fields. After working hard to get in shape, he signed to AIG Model and Talent Management. Kuhn will remember Alec for his “magnetic personality,” he said. “He was a kid with a bright future,” he said. “A very talented person both inside and outside the classroom that life cut too short.”
Navid Sepehri: the ‘lemonade out of lemons type’
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avid’s friends and teachers remember his genuine and caring heart, his humor and his cheerful demeanor. Navid’s close friends remember him always being up for anything, popping out of his door at a moment’s notice when they pulled up outside. Ben Marks recalled how Navid genuinely appreciated everyone. “Always nice, always did the right thing, always there. I don’t think he hated anyone,” Marks said. “Nav liked everyone.” Nathaniel Magnus said Navid was the happiest kid he knew. He was always content with being himself, Magnus said, and few things ever upset him. “He was the make lemonade out of lemons type,” Magnus said. Navid’s friends and
teachers remember his incredible sense of humor. His happiness was infectious, and he had a unique ability to cheer others up, Emma Forde said. “There was never a time when he didn’t have a smile on his face,” Forde said.
Sherri Gingrich his junior and senior years. Gingrich admired his compassion for other students; her fondest memory of Navid was when the they worked together to help another TA, who was struggling academically at the time, get back on track
There was never a time when he didn’t have a smile on his face. -senior Emma Forde
“Any time that people would be serious, or people would be upset, he would just throw in a one-liner completely straight faced, and it would just be hilarious. He always knew how to make people feel better.” Navid was a teacher’s assistant for science teacher
with his schoolwork. While Gingrich remembers Navid’s humor and dedication to his friends, she also got to see a different side of him, she said. “I saw that focused side, that getting ready for college side, that ‘I’ll do whatever I can to help,’” Gingrich said.
“I knew if I wasn’t going to be here that if I said ‘Navid, make sure that the lizard gets watered or the turtle gets watered,’ he would make sure that happened. I never had to worry about follow through—he always followed through for me.” After Navid passed away, his close friends gathered every night for two weeks to tell stories about him. Each night would end with everyone crying of laughter, Forde said. To Forde, Navid was the funniest and most genuine person, never doing anything because he cared what others thought of him, but only out of his goodness of character. “He was genuinely just the best friend,” Forde said. “He had the most amazing heart.”
Jojo Greenberg: ‘nothing but love’
J
ojo’s family, friends and teachers all remember her exuberant and bubbly personality, as well as her generous spirit. Despite transferring from The Academy of the Holy Cross at the end of her freshman year and attending Whitman for only three months, Jojo was a member of the Animal Society, volleyball team and cheerleading squad. Though she was only a member of the squad for just a few weeks before her passing, cheerleading coach Kristi McAleese recalls Jojo’s athleticism and motivation. “When she came to tryouts, she was instantly a standout athlete because she just had this smile on her face,” McAleese said. “When she made the team, all she wanted to do was get better, so her determination and her drive really stood out to me.” Many of Jojo’s peers remember her bringing her wireless speaker to school and
playing her music whenever she could, especially outside the gym at lunch time. “She didn’t care what anyone thought,” sophomore Drew Haas said. She carried this energy and individuality over to the classroom as well. English teacher Matthew Bruneel recounted
I was able to let her do that,” Bruneel said. Bruneel also noted Jojo’s genuine empathy for others and admired that she made time for personal conversations with both him and her friends, even amidst the busy school atmosphere. “She would always come
Everybody’s in their own little world, but she would take the time to think about mine. -English teacher Matthew Bruneel how Jojo never liked to sit in a desk, opting to sit on the stage in his classroom, go outside to work independently or sit in a chair with her feet on the desk. “As a teacher, I appreciated that sense of self that she knew what worked for her and she just did it unapologetically, and
in, and look me in the eye and say, ‘Hi Mr. Bruneel. How’s your baby doing?’’ Bruneel said. “This was so sweet because everybody’s in their own little world, but she would take the time to think about mine.” To Arabic teacher Farah Kinani, Jojo was a symbol of
happiness. Kinani remembers her passion and dedication for the language, and how she’d repeat words over and over after learning them. “That was so special about her, and she would never leave without making sure she told me ‘mah salaama,’ which is goodbye in Arabic,” Kinani said. “She was nothing but love.” Sophomore Quinn Okon especially admired Jojo’s willingness to be a friend to anyone in need. “I think she’ll live on to be a really good example of who someone should be,” Okon said. “She didn’t look at somebody and judge them, she looked at somebody and included them.” Photos courtesy SCOTT SPEAR (top); NASRIN SEPEHRI (middle); and XANDRA CHEN, ABBY GREEN and SONYA SPIELBERG (bottom).
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
In-De
Dr. G reflects on by MIRA DWYER and KATHERINE SYLVESTER Artwork by NOAH GRILL and JULIA RUBIN
After 19 years in the Whitman community and 14 as principal, Alan Goodwin will retire at the end of this year. Goodwin has done much to shape Whitman’s current environment, so the Black & White wanted to reflect on his time as principal and honor his dedication to the community. As staff and students shared their memories of Goodwin, we continued to hear similar reactions: they commended his compassion and accessibility, his profound care for each and every student and his deep respect for his staff members. Here, we hope to capture the immense love the community has for him.
Goodwin’s narrative
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oodwin began working in education 43 years ago as an English teacher at various middle and high schools in the county, before moving to Rockville High School to serve as an English resource teacher for 12 years. He entered the Whitman community under principal Jerome Marco in 1999 as assistant principal, a position he stayed in for four years. He then became principal of Pyle Middle School for a year, returning to Whitman as principal in 2004 when Marco fell ill and retired. Goodwin began to consider teaching English after realizing his love of philanthropy and social work, he said. “Back when I was choosing majors, there was a huge push in our country to do social justice kinds of work, and I wasn’t quite sure where I would do that,” he said. “English teaching lent itself to that, because, in literature, you can have discussions about people’s lives.” While he loved teaching, Goodwin’s “affinity for management” prompted him to become an administrator, he said. His experiences in the classroom stuck with him and ultimately molded him as a principal. “Some of my decision making, some of my concerns about the students, some of my concerns about the curriculum—they were all shaped by me being an English teacher,” he said. While being a resource teacher gave him management preparation, Goodwin didn’t grasp the scale of the title “principal” until his first day at Pyle, when he saw a few empty Coke cans on the ground and realized he was responsible for everything—from trash all the way up to students and staff, he said. Goodwin is grateful for the year he was principal at Pyle because it gave him
2004
more confidence in his skills, he said. Still, his first year as Whitman’s principal took adjustment. “Coming back to the high school, I was just aware of the increased immensity of the job because you have an athletic program that’s very busy, and the academics count a lot more seriously than they do in middle school,” Goodwin said. “So I had to adjust to the magnitude of the job.” And he has definitely adjusted well, assistant principal Jerome Easton said. Easton also worked with Goodwin at Rockville High School as a guidance counselor. “He’s grown as a leader and grown to being a point of inspiration to not only students, but to teachers and staff in general,” Easton said. “I think he’s found a way to touch everyone, and I think a lot of that has to do with the old adage that if you’re doing something you really love and you have a lot of passion for it, you’re going to be great at it, because Dr. Goodwin has a lot of passion for what he does.” His investment in education also holds a “synergistic” relationship with his personal life, his wife, Eleanor Goodwin, said. Conversation among his friends and family often pertain to his job, “while the simple pleasures of family life have energized his dedication to Whitman students and their families,” she added. Each day as principal has brought new and unexpected challenges, Goodwin said. These experiences taught him to approach problems with patience, care and kindness, values he hopes students and staff will continue to demonstrate after he retires. “I try to exercise understanding and compassion for everyone,” he said. “That’s the legacy I hope will carry on. I know it’s not easy, but that’s what I would like.”
Supporting student advocacy
By the time Goodwin became principal of Whitman, he had learned an important lesson from Marco: the importance of advocating for students. Now, whenever students pitch ideas for new projects or assemblies, his reaction is almost always “sure, give it a try,” he says. “Either it would come to fruition—which is really neat, and students learn a lot about organizing, plus they have some fun, or they learn some meaningful stuff. But, if it doesn’t work out, they learn from that as well,” Goodwin said. “Because they find out the real world of bureaucracy and all the problems with making things happen.” As a result, student advocacy has flourished throughout his time as principal. Goodwin said one of his favorite memories was in 2009 when staff members and roughly 700 students staged a counter protest against the Westboro Baptist Church, which had come to protest the school’s namesake. “The thing that I remember most is that there was absolutely no hesitation from administration that this was happening and that we were going to put on a counter protest,” Allison Guarino (‘12) said. “It was something that he was so supportive of, and I think to have a principal and administration care so much about students and the LGBTQ+ community was really exciting.” This year, his support for student advocacy has been equally apparent. After girls were told in a P.A. announcement last year to “cover up your butt, cleavage and bra straps,” senior Rabhya Mehrotra sent Goodwin a letter, explaining why she felt the announcement was unfair to women. Goodwin offered to sit down with her to address the problem; as a result, Mehrotra led sexism presentations in all English classes in October. “He genuinely tried to come up with a solution, so we decided to have the [sexism] seminars. There was no limiting or censoring
2010
us at all,” Mehrotra said. “And I think that a principal being so willing to hear your criticism of his school is really nice.”
Looking forward
In the summer, Goodwin will keep busy. His older son’s wife is due to have a baby— Goodwin’s first grandchild—in mid-July, and his younger son is getting married in San Francisco later that month, but when he gets a chance, he plans to relax after the frenetic pace of working as a principal. “What I mostly look forward to doing is having what I call ‘zen moments’—which is where I’m just kind of staring off into the distance,” Goodwin said. “A painting, a piece of work, a tree, doesn’t really matter.” He also looks forward to spending more time with his recently retired wife, hiking or taking spontaneous trips. “This gives us more time to spend together. And we’ve known each other since high school—we were high school sweethearts. So we go back a long time,” Goodwin said. “I still have time to figure her out.” At the same time, Goodwin hopes the community will continue to address some growing challenges. The school has seen more students suffering from anxiety than ever before, he said, so it’s important that the counseling department and parents work together to alleviate the stresses students experience. While Goodwin won’t be involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, he and other staff members predict he will remain deeply involved in the community. Angie Cook, who has been Goodwin’s secretary throughout his tenure, said that it’s in his nature to be compassionate and helpful. “People look to him for his leadership outside of Whitman, constantly calling him for guidance. And I think that will continue. They will always know that they can call him, and he will help them,” Cook said. “Always.”
epth
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
legendary career GENUINE
FRIENDLY
AFFECTIONATE SUPPORTIVE
honest
TALL
KINDHEARTED
CARING
sympathetic
inspirational
OPEN-MINDED
gLASSES
CALM
DEDICATED
PASSIONATE
GREAT
Words collected in a May survey by the Black & White. Photos courtesy SAGA and WHITMANIACS.
2018
CONSIDERATE
HONORABLE cultured witty SINCERE LOVING LOYAL SENSIBLE ENCOURAGING SELFLESS ATTENTIVE
KIND
smart
Authentic
thoughtful
CHILL
COMPASSIONATE
FANTASTIC OPTIMISTIC
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
New spring albums receive mixed reviews ‘Cosmic’: Bazzi’s simple lyrics underwhelm listeners by ELYSSA SELTZER After gaining popularity on Vine and Youtube, pop singer Bazzi moved to the top of the Billboard charts with his debut album, “Cosmic,” April 12. The album includes 16 songs, ranging from slow R&B ballads to upbeat pop hits. In “Why,” a slower song, Bazzi plays off the track’s name as he asks questions throughout, like “Why do you still love me?” and “Why do you need me when you don’t need me?” Listeners can relate to these questions, making the song more personal. For this reason, many of his fans feel like they’re similar to him, creating a relationship between Bazzi and his audience, adding
another layer to his music. This enhances his music, but can also come off as corny. Bazzi does the same thing in many of songs, including his closer, “Somebody.” But he overuses this style, trying too hard to relate to his fans through broad questions and seemingly profound lyrics. Most of the albums’ tracks are about relatable themes like break-ups, love and sex. His simple lyrics resonate with younger crowds and are catchy and easy to sing along to. But, many of his lyrics are repetitive, making his songs seem inauthentic. Regardless, he’s taking all of these emotions on tour with him, and will perform at The Fillmore in Silver Spring July 26.
Artwork by NICK WALKER
Artwork by ATLANTIC RECORDS
‘Cosmic’
‘Die Lit’
‘Die Lit’: Playboi Carti’s debut album lacks depth, originality by SHEHREZ CHAUDHRI After accumulating massive success from his last mixtape “Playboi Carti,” the rapper of the same name dropped his new album, “Die Lit,” May 11. The album is filled with upbeat party songs, but they lack any deeper meaning. The hour-long album is uninspired and quickly becomes repetitive, disappointing those who hoped Carti’s “mumble rapping” style would evolve into more intricate lyricism. In many ways, Carti’s new album is similar to his previous projects, but “Die Lit” boasts more guest stars, including Lil Uzi Vert on “Shoota” and Nicki Minaj on “Poke it Out,” giving the album some vocal
variety. In “R.I.P.,” Carti raps, “Bought a crib for mama off that mumblin’ sh*t.” Carti’s self realization on this song is commendable. As the poster boy of “mumble rapping,” Carti acknowledges the success the style has brought him, while admitting that some listeners look down upon it. Perhaps his music would reach listeners if he found a middle ground between conventional rap and mumble rapping. Although Carti isn’t a standout star, his energy and producer Pierre Bourne’s skills make “Die Lit” a party-favorite. Carti’s songs have always been driven by the excitement, and, despite its repetitiveness, this album keeps people feeling lit.
‘KOD’: J. Cole connects with listeners, raps about social issues by SHEHREZ CHAUDHRI J. Cole’s highly anticipated album, “KOD,” is an insightful social commentary on 21st century issues. Its title has a few interpretations: Kids On Drugs, Kings Overdosed and Kill Our Demons, each an appropriate narration on the horrors of teenage addiction, both to drugs and to social media. Released April 20, the album broke Apple Music’s 24 hour streaming record. Cole’s 12 tracks tackle contemporary problems, giving the listener a window into growing up in 2018. In “Photograph,” Cole discusses social media obsessions and the toll they take on mental health. He raps, “love today’s gone digital, and it’s messing with my health.” In “Friends,” Cole repeatedly asks listeners to “Meditate, don’t medicate.” Songs like these
reinforce Cole’s unique style, a refreshing contrast to mumble rappers like Future and Bankroll Fresh. In “1985,” Cole directly addresses popular rappers like Lil’ Pump and Smokepurpp that promote drug use in their songs. Lyric by lyric, Cole accuses these rappers of misguiding their listeners to take drugs and waste money. The songs in “KOD” not only offer advice to the listener, but are also songs people can vibe to and enjoy. In “1985,” he raps, “One days those kids who’re listening are gonna grow up and get too old for the sh*t that made you blow up.” Like the majority of his album, this lyric forces his listeners, who are mainly teenagers, to think about their role in modern rap culture.
Artwork by KAMAU HAROON
‘KOD’
Artwork by TIM SACCENTI
‘beerbongs & bentleys’
‘beerbongs & bentleys’: Post Malone’s album breaks records by ELYSSA SELTZER Post Malone has done it again. His latest album, “beerbongs & bentleys,” reached the top of the charts. “Beerbongs,” released April 27, broke The Beatles’ 54-year record for the most simultaneous top 20 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with nine songs on the list. All 18 of the album’s tracks have also made it to the Hot 100, and rightly so. Many critics believed his debut album “Stoney” would be his 15 seconds of fame, but “beerbongs” proved them wrong. Malone’s artful mixture of rap and R&B, coupled with his low, powerful voice, combine to create unique music. The album features many famous artists, including Swae Lee, 21 Savage and Nicki Minaj. With his lyrics, Post makes it clear that
he resents his fame, wishing he could make music without the spotlight. In his opening track, “Paranoid,” he reveals how he thinks people are manipulating him. It’s typical to hear music about partying and money, but when Post raps about personal issues, his lyrics become more heartfelt and sincere. The album features fast tempo tracks like “Ball For Me” and “Spoil My Night.” In both songs, Post discusses his lavish lifestyle and details the excessiveness of his spending. Both the verses and the choruses have catchy rhythms and vocals that are easy to sing along to. Though the album has many impressive tracks, Post often stumbles over his words due to his strong voice and fast pace, making some songs harder to understand. Nevertheless, the album received well-deserved praise and exceeded listeners’ expectations.
Teachers band together for musical performances Group members balance playing music with teaching, parenting by ANNA LABARCA The lights come on as the final act takes the stage at Battle of the Bands. Audience members look up at the performers, who begin warming up. But this band isn’t composed of musically-talented students: it’s made up entirely of Whitman teachers. The teachers—Colin O’Brien, Meg Thatcher, Kathleen Bartels, Madeline Golding, Allison Rosenblatt and Donald De Member— formed the band in April, Thatcher said, practicing only a handful of times before putting on the performance at Battle of the Bands. The members are all experienced musicians who played music independently for several years before assembling as a group. For O’Brien, the band’s guitarist, rock and roll music has always been a part of his life. “My inspirations are big arena
rock bands from the 70s and 80s that put on a big show for tens of thousands of people,” O’Brien said. “The big shows, the big crowds. It’s just exciting.” O’Brien sings and has played guitar since he was 13. He wants to record an album in the future and hopes to spread his love for music to his kids. Bartels plays fiddle in the band. She prefers classical music and started playing piano when she was seven and picked up the violin soon after, she said. In college, she often performed at square dances. Despite playing fiddle from a young age, Bartels never considered becoming a musician. Still, she performs with her students, playing a duet with sophomore Andrew Caden, who also plays the fiddle, in her eighth period class. Despite her busy schedule, Bartels continues to play music, she said. “I’ve had to make really con-
certed efforts to do stuff, and I’ve tried to get more involved with Irish fiddling lately,” she said. “I occasionally take some fiddle lessons with various people in the area, so I try. I really try.” Thatcher sang alongside O’Brien and Bartels. She started playing piano when she was five and picked up the guitar and clarinet shortly after. She traveled with different choirs when she was younger, so she was excited to perform in the teacher band, she said. “Music is honestly as natural as breathing for me,” Thatcher said. “Battle of the Bands was quick but fun, and everybody had their own skill set that they brought to the table.” The band performed two songs at a June 4 dinner celebrating retiring teachers. English teacher Melissa Carr enjoyed the band’s performance, she said. “It was very good” Carr said.
Math teacher Meg Thatcher, Spanish teacher Madeline Golding and special education teacher Allison Rosenblatt perform at Battle of the Bands. The band was a crowd-favorite. Photo by MAYA VALENCIA.
“All the members are extremely talented.” For the teachers in the band, music gives them a break from the
busy, stressful school week. “An escape,” O’Brien said. “An escape from the day to day. It just takes you to a different place.”
Feature
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
Apps help students, teachers manage mental health by CLARA KORITZ HAWKES “Now close your eyes, to turn your attention inwards.” A deep voice fills sophomore Anjeli Smith’s bedroom on a Thursday night. “Continue breathing deeply and scan your body, noticing any places of holding and tension,” Smith’s instructor gently suggests. “As you continue breathing deeply,
like Simple Habit and Headspace, offer free trials or subscription plans for users who want to use all of the apps’ features. Some apps offer meditation lessons that teach users mindfulness and how to keep different emotions in check. Simple Habit users can participate in sessions that focus on topics like relationships, concentration or stress. Other apps connect users with therapists or inlude journaling func-
I recommend using an app to anyone who’s going through a tough time or just wants to calm down and take a step back. It’s really peaceful. -Sophomore Anjeli Smith
you might notice tension spontaneously dissolving.” For Smith and many other students, apps like Simple Habit, Headspace and Calm are accessible and affordable resources to cope with anxiety and stress. Most,
tions so users can write down their thoughts. “The app really helps me destress” Smith said. “It gives me some time to sit and think and be alone with my thoughts. It forces me to take a step back.” Social studies teacher Katherine
Young uses Simple Habit every other day. “Sometimes I really struggle to fall asleep, because my mind really wanders,” Young said. “An app is so convenient on your phone, and you can access it at any time. I find it really helpful.” The apps can be a positive step in improving users’ long-term mental health but are designed to manage it, not treat it permanently, psychiatrist Erin Berman said. “I mostly recommend free apps to my clients so they can try them out and see what works for them,” Berman said. “It’s definitely a good adjunct to therapy. Whether they can be completely effective as stand-alone apps depends on the level of anxiety an individual struggles with.” In recent years, mental health apps have become a massively successful industry worth more than $1 billion. In 2017, Forbes magazine valued Headspace at over $250 million, and, in 2018, Google named Simple Habit the best well-being app of the year. Smith finds mental health apps very effective. “I recommend using an app to anyone who’s going through a tough time or just wants to calm down and take a step back,” Smith said. “It’s really peaceful.”
Students struggle with ideal summer body standards by ISABEL HOFFMAN Scroll through Instagram in late spring and the social media platform is flooded with photos of sun-kissed models in skimpy bikinis. Advertisements in downtown D.C. display skinny, perfectly airbrushed cover girls, and the latest cover of Women’s Health magazine reads “Bikini Body Now!” While the models in these photos appear happy, not everyone is in on the fun. The ideal “summer body” advertised over social media leaves many students, especially teenage girls, feeling insecure about themselves and their appearances, sophomore Jackie Aronie said. “In the winter, when you’re wearing sweaters and long pants, no one’s going to see you, so it doesn’t really matter,” Aronie said. “But as soon as it becomes summer and it’s bathing suit weather, everyone’s posting pictures of them in their small bathing suits. To some extent, everyone’s always trying to one up each other with their pictures, and when it comes to bathing suit pictures, it’s about who has a better body.” In preparation for spring events like Prom and Beach Week, many seniors start dieting or working out, senior Carter Witt said. This creates a competitive atmosphere. “I wish I could say there wasn’t, but there certainly is some pressure,” Witt said. “For Beach Week, everyone wanted to be toned and have abs. But some take these practices too far, counting calories and excessively exercising. “I hear a lot of people say things about trying to detox after Beach Week by not eating, which is scary and not necessary at all,” senior Jasmine Shakir said. “A lot of people also tend not to eat during the actual trip because they want to avoid feeling bloated.” The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 2.7
body image negatively affects 54.5% of students’ mental health
Graphic by JANA WARNER Stats from a 2018 Black & White survey
percent of teens ages 13-18 years old struggle with an eating disorder, which poses serious threats to teenagers’ health, health teacher Nikki Marafatsos said. “There’s a variety of different health issues that can occur from them, from cardiac issues to overall nutritional deficits that can affect every single body system,” she said. Like Aronie, junior Ava Parsa says her struggles stemmed mainly from idealized body types she saw on social media and television. She’s struggled with body dysmorphia from a young age and began dieting and exercising when she was nine. “Some of these girls with ‘perfect bodies’ will post photos on Instagram starving themselves. That not only damages their mental and physical health, but their followers’ as well,” Parsa said. “Teens and tweens are very susceptible to what
they see on social media and are going to think that they want to be just like these Instagram models.” Parsa’s experience isn’t uncommon. In a survey of 77 Whitman students across all grades, 42 said that body standards negatively affect their mental health. “If students perceive themselves in a negative way, it can, in turn, affect how they perceive their self-worth,” Marafatsos said. For Aronie, overcoming body image issues has been tough, but she says that selfacceptance is the path to achieving a positive body image. “You have to just realize that you’re the only one looking at yourself in a negative way,” Aronie said. “It’s hard, believe me, but when people accept themselves for who they are, it makes life better.”
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Feature
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
National Greek life incidents sway students’ college opinions by MIRA DWYER A college freshman at a top university sits in a fraternity house with the rest of his pledge class. Someone hands the group a case of beer and a full handle of vodka. “You have 10 minutes,” the pledge master announces. Compared to the hazing at fraternities across the country, this freshman considers his experience fairly mild. Last year alone, there were several reports of abuse and bullying and four fraternityrelated deaths, according to Time. Sexual assault allegations against fraternities have also increased, and many fraternities have been punished for sexual misconduct. As s tu d e n ts v isi t e d a nd commited to universities, Greek life influenced some seniors’ decisions. Many universities have suspended and banned various Greek organizations in response to incidents. At Penn State University, all fraternity social events were suspended after a student died at a party at Beta Theta Pi, which is now permanently banned. At the University of Michigan, all Greek social activities were suspended November 2017 by the Interfraternity Council, a governing group of representatives from various fraternities, in response to sexual misconduct, hazing and drug use. “I actually thought it reflected pretty well on the school, given that it wasn’t the administration that suspended fraternity activities but the students themselves,” said senior Emma Forde, who will attend the University of Michigan in the fall. “I thought it showed a lot of awareness by the students and makes me think that most people involved want to make the community safer
and better.” Universities are hesitant to completely eliminate Greek life because many of the people who sit on decision boards and donate money to schools are alumni of Greek organizations, said Jonathan Earle, dean Louisiana State University’s honors college. Greek houses also provide a lot of student housing that universities can’t provide. At Cornell University, fraternity Zeta Beta Tau recently made national news and was put on probation for two years for their supposed “pig roast,” a freshman initiation tradition. Pledges earned points for sleeping with girls—the heavier the girl, the more points eaned. Many fraternities have also received social prohibition—meaning they aren’t allowed to hold official events— in response to hazing reports. Incidents like these are common in fraternities across the country, Cornell freshman Robbie Kraff (’17) said. Kraff is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “The pig roast incident specifically may be pushing it a little bit, but applauding people for sexual conquest and hazing is kind of standard in a lot of fraternities,” Kraff said. One college freshman (’17) recounted his experience with hazing. In one incident, the pledge master gave him seven bandanas and told him to strip naked and cover himself. He then sprinted around the frat house while brothers threw mixtures of beer, milk and hot sauce at the pledges. While uncomfortable, he said he never felt unsafe during his hazing experience. “Really, there was nothing deadly, and they know who can handle it and who can’t,” he said. “And, in addition to the pledge master, they have the president of the frat at every event with hazing.
Before, he comes up to us and basically says, ‘If you don’t feel comfortable at any point, let me know. Let anyone know. You don’t have to participate.’ They do a really good job of telling us not to do anything we don’t want to do.” Senior Kathryn O’Halloran was visiting a sorority at the University of Florida, where she will be next fall, when news broke that sexual assault allegations were made against a University of Florida fraternity. But the benefits of joining Greek life were still apparent, she said. “In a way, it colored my view of the school, but not really. I think a lot of people assume that Greek life is a lot of partying and that bad things will happen with drugs and alcohol, which will lead to sexual assault,” O’Halloran said. “But being down there and seeing the sisterhood that they have together and the bond that they shared, I think it was easy to overcome those ideas.” Many believe that Greek life’s ability to help students form lifelong bonds and foster a sense of community outweigh the saftey risks. While the national incidents
negatively influenced some students’ opinions at first, exploring specific fraternities and sororities at various schools helped them see the benefits of Greek life. “When I visited the schools, a lot of them talked about their
also noticeably different, Earle said. At LSU, sororities can’t serve alcohol at parties, while fraternities can, and the average GPA of a sorority member is higher than that of a fraternity member. “Just ask around,” Earle said. “If
I think a lot of people assume that Greek life is a lot of partying and that bad things will happen with drugs and alcohol. -Senior Kathryn O’Halloran very academic or service-oriented fraternities,” senior Lucas Polack said. “So really they’re focused on building a community and supporting the local community. ” Sororities and fraternities are
you ever feel uncomfortable in one of these places, remember there’s no shame and no problem with turning around and walking out the door.”
73%
of students in social fraternities have experienced
hazing at least once
Graphic by JULIA RUBIN Statistic courtesy STOPHAZING.ORG
International students summer in home countries Students reunite with old friends, maintain their roots abroad by ADITI GUJARAN When sophomore Anna Bedratenko moved to the U.S. from Ukraine two years ago, she left behind her grandparents, childhood friends and sense of belonging. Every summer, she travels to Ukraine. But for her, the trip is much more than a destination vacation; it’s a chance to reconnect with the places she grew up in and the people she knew. Like Bedratenko, many international students stay connected to their home countries through annual summer trips. ESOL teacher Charles Wang believes these trips benefit students who hope to reconnect with their cultures. “A lot of people meet friends in elementary school and then get to enjoy high school,” Wang said. “But you got these kids giving up all their friends and coming to a country with people that they don’t know. Some of them do get homesick, so they want to get back and just be themselves with the people they grew up with.” Bedratenko travels to Ukraine to go to summer camp. She’s gone to the same summer camp every year since she was six, reuniting with childhood friends and making new ones, she said. “People in that camp know me really well, and I know them really well too. I just kind of feel nostalgic towards it,” Bedratenko said. “In summer camp, you spend time during the day
Anna Bedratenko (left center) sketches with friends from Ukraine. Bedratenko visits every summer to reconnect with friends and with her culture. Photo courtesy ANNA BEDRATENKO.
with them playing different games. I miss my friends so much. You can’t even imagine how strongly I miss them.” Sophomore Ananya Tiwary lived in India for the first 14 years of her life and will visit in July. Tiwary loves going back around the Indian holidays. She especially misses India’s people, activities and lively atmosphere, she said. “In India, whenever I went on my terrace, I would see so many people on the street, like
children playing and people playing cricket,” Tiwary said. “During Diwali, everything just became so much busier. You can see the traffic, people shopping and decorating their houses with candles. It’s so beautiful to see.” Junior Emilio Cano Renteria visits his home country, Colombia, every summer, where he watches and plays soccer. He loves how other fans and players are just as passionate for the sport as he is, he said.
“By my apartment in Bogotá, we play pick up soccer games. We go to the park, play soccer and just have fun,” he said. “During soccer games, everyone is standing up and cheering, so it’s really a passionate environment. It makes me feel energetic. Everyone is there for the same reason.” But going back home can be nerve-racking because old friends may think that students are acting too American, Tiwary said. “I think I’ve changed a lot here,” Tiwary said. “When I was still in India, there were always one or two Indian people who came back from the U.S. and picked up the accent. Everyone thought, ‘Oh, they’re so fake. They’re trying to be American.’ That’s one thing I’m afraid will happen when I go back.” For junior Iñaki Navarro, who moved here in 2014, going back to Mexico opens his eyes to different points of view, he said. He says he often feels “like a tourist in his own country,” but spending time with his friends reminds him of his roots, he said. “My friends were my family. You get relationships with the guys that you don’t really build in the US,” Navarro said. “The best time when I go back is when my friends will pick me up from the airport, and we just go back to what we did years ago. We go to our beach house, and we just have a blast. It’s the best thing to do—to see your friends and see how they’re growing up.”
Crossword
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
13
W C R O S S R D The next step: off to college by CAM JONES and EVA LILES
Across:
1. Nname for grandma 6. 1950s South Korean currency 10. Popular Beyoncé song 14. New thoughts 15. Luke’s mentor in “The Empire Strikes Back” 16. Hold on, give me _ ___! 17. Pennsylvania college with mascot the Phoenixes 19. ½ a quart 20. The university the most 2018 seniors will attend 21. A long-stemmed woody vine 22. Common abbr. in an airport 23. Also, as well 25. Governing body of a nation, abbr. 26. A vampire’s alternative shape 29. Wyoming, Montana and Idaho National Park 32. Wind instrument invented in western Europe 34. _____ Abdullah, Detroit Lions running back 35. What you do to a banana 36. What most roads have 38. Feminine ‘other’ in Granada 42. “When I __ ___ and Gray” by the Candlepark Stars 44. Norse God of Thunder 45. City of the Golden Gophers 51. The worst is ___ to come 52. “Come As You ____” by Nirvana 53. These are worth six points in football, abbr. 54. Consume and digest
55. An indentation or incision on an edge or surface 57. Where the Wolverines reside 62. Archaic term for ‘to’ or ‘until’ 63. Steel City 65. Greek god Pan plays this type of pipe 66. Sherman ___ trust Act (1890) 67. Denis _____, Diego in Ice Age 68. First name of Curry, Arnold, Grant, Burback 69. Similar to turquoise 70. These in Caracas
Down:
1. Femi, commu, mecha, and totalitaria 2. Site of an 1896 battle in Ethiopia 3. Close to 4. Informal or dialect form of not 5. “Never Gonna Give You Up” singer, Rick _____ 6. Commonly found in a church 7. Knock on it to avoid a jinx 8. Measures competence in Counter-Strike 9. “No,” for William Wallace 10. Egyptian god responsible for the annual flooding of the Nile 11. Italian cow milk cheese 12. Singer shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in 1980 13. Eight notes on a piano 18. Strongly dislike 21. Fail to retain
23. Sao ____ and Principe 24. Is indebted to 26. Asian Grill, Bibi ___ 27. Current prime minister of Japan 28. Finger of the foot 30. Friend of Han 31. Between a walk and a canter 33. Energy and enthusiasm 36. Something carried 37. Mountain range containing Matterhorn, Mont Blanc 39. “Your,” in Elizabethan English 40. Fish eggs in sushi 41. One credit of this class type is needed to graduate 43. What Walter White cooks
45. Animal droppings used as fertilizer 46. Smoothed, as a shirt 47. Caught, while fishing 48. Bean, makes good soup 49. McKellen, Somerhalder, Kinsler 50. Building for livestock 56. Zack and ___ 57. ____ boy! 58. Regrets 59. Badly behaved child 60. Species of Shrek 61. Jonathan ____ Meyers, King Henry VIII in the Tudors 63. Firm tap 64. Word ending that can come immediately after M, P, F, or V to create words
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Sports
The Black & White|June 12, 2018
Dan Engelstad (‘03) named head basketball coach at Mount St. Mary’s by BENNETT SOLOMON Dan Engelstad (‘03), was named the head men’s basketball coach at Mount St. Mary’s University, an NCAA Division I program. As a standout athlete for the Vikings, Engelstad excelled at football, baseball and basketball and was a senior captain on all three teams. Engelstad was an assistant coach at Mount St. Mary’s from 2007 to 2010 and spent the past five seasons coaching at Southern Vermont College. During his time at SVC, the team had an overall record of 104–34. He also was named New England’s Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. After former Mount St. Mary’s head coach Jamion Christian was hired by the University of Sienna, the Mount needed to find a replacement who fit the program. Mount St. Mary’s athletic director Lynne Robinson knew Engelstad was perfect for the job.
“Dan embodies all of the qualities we were looking for in our next head coach,” Robinson said. “He’s a man of integrity and character, and he’s committed to the full development of young men academically, personally and athletically.” Engelstad has wanted to coach a Division I program his whole life, he said. “This has been a dream come true getting a chance to come back to a place where I started my coaching career as an assistant,” Engelstad said. “I’m looking forward to building relationships with the guys on the team and having the opportunities to be playing some of the best teams in the country.” At Whitman, Engelstad started at point guard for three years on varsity basketball, averaging 16 points and nine assists per game. As a senior captain, he won first team all-county, first team All-Met and the Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete award. He was also inducted into the Whitman Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
But Engelstad’s athletic success didn’t end at basketball: he started at center field and second base for the Vikings, hitting .300 at the plate. As a football player, he held Whitman’s all-time receiving record and was voted first team allcounty and second team all-state. “I was lucky to have great coaches in football, baseball and basketball,” Engelstad said. “Coach Kuhn especially allowed me to learn a lot during my time, and a lot of his life lessons have stuck with me.” Engelstad went on to play four years at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, serving as team captain from 2004 to 2007. He left as the school’s all-time assists leader with 419. Boys basketball coach Christopher Lun watched Engelstad coach Whitman’s summer league basketball team for two years and believes Engelstad will be a great coach for the Mount. “He cares about his players, and he cares about the game of bas-
Dan Engelstad speaks at a May 10 press conference in the Mount’s Cardinal Keeler Dining Room. Engelstad was named the Mount’s 22nd head basketball coach, and will bring his experience as Southern Vermont College’s coach to the Mount’s top program. Photo courtesy DAN ENGELSTAD.
ketball,” Lun said. “Dan is a tireless worker, a real players’ coach and a positive influence on the community.” Girls basketball coach Peter Kenah coached Engelstad’s younger sister and followed Engelstad’s success at the Mount and SVC. Kenah says the hiring is well-deserved. “When you saw the success he had at Southern Vermont, you had just hoped he’d get his shot,” Kenah said. “To jump from Division III to Division I is just awesome.” The Mount’s basketball pro-
gram previously made the 2017 NCAA Tournament, defeating the University of New Orleans in the first round. Engelstad hopes to continue the team’s success as a coach, he said. “They have had a great culture and program,” Engelstad said. “I look forward to continuing to do what allowed the Mount to be successful but also put my own stamp on it. That’s going to be a team that plays with energy and enthusiasm, that plays together and a team that plays with a fun, positive culture.”
Athletes take gap years to increase recruitment chances Alternative programs include junior leagues, boarding schools by MATEO GUTIERREZ While most of his friends and classmates spent their second semesters deciding where to go to college, senior Tiger Björnlund spent nearly every day on the phone with scouts and coaches, discussing which junior hockey team he would play for next year. Like Björnlund, some seniors, like lacrosse player Owen Roegge and water polo player Anna Bautista, chose to take gap years to play their sport, increasing their chances of getting recruited to college or professional teams. Björnlund is among many other talented hockey players ages 16-21 who compete in junior hockey leagues. The teams play
year-round, giving the players a chance to improve their skills. College hockey coaches rarely recruit high school athletes, but nearly half of all players in the North American Hockey League, a junior hockey league, will go on to play in Division I programs, according to executive director of College Hockey Inc. Mike Snee. “Hockey is what I really love to do,” Björnlund said. “Being able to play hockey full time is about as great of a year as I can imagine.” Although he won’t attend college next year, Björnlund will take academic courses either online or at a community college while he plays hockey. Whitman hockey coach Tom Sneddon thinks Björnlund’s decision
was the right one. “Taking a gap year to play junior hockey is a great choice for Tiger,” Sneddon said. “Some guys convince themselves they’re going to be pros because they play in juniors, and, when they fail, they’re lost. That won’t be Tiger. That young man will be successful at whatever he does.” For athletes in other sports, boarding schools can provide similar athletic opportunities. Bautista will play water polo at The Hill School in Pennsylvania next fall. “I’ll be taking normal classes like AP’s but mostly focusing on water polo,” Bautista said. “They have one of the best water polo programs on the east coast, so I’ll be playing on their
team in hopes of becoming a better athlete.” Bautista got into the school through an application similar to the Common Application. She wrote essays, submitted her transcript and met with the coach before she was accepted. Bautista will play on a club team after the school’s fall water polo season ends, and she hopes the gap year will propel her toward playing college water polo in California. “Giving myself an extra year will allow me to have more options when it comes to looking at schools for college and recruiting wise,” Bautista said. “It gives me another chance to be looked at and develop as a player.” Like Bautista, Roegge hopes his year at the Taft
school, a boarding school in Connecticut, will help him gain attention from college coaches. “I think it’ll be great for him to play at a very high level before entering college,” Whitman lacrosse coach Tommy Rothert said. “It will make his transition to college a lot smoother.” Few high school lacrosse players go on to play college lacrosse, but Roegge hopes to play for a Division I or III team after his year at Taft. Roegge will also be furthering his academics in Taft’s academically rigorous environment. Taft School lacrosse coach Nic Bell is looking forward to having Roegge at the school and on the team, he said. “My impressions of
Owen have all been very positive,” Bell said. “He seems like someone who will fit in well at Taft from an academic, athletic and social perspective. As an athlete, I think he has a lot to offer the school, but I am equally excited about his character and leadership off of the field.” Although sports-centered gap years are uncommon, Rothert believes they can be very useful for athletes. “For some kids, it’s what they need before college,” Rothert said. “When done in the right situation, I have seen it be very successful for the student athlete.”
Robbie Kraff (‘17) makes Cornell polo team by JULIA FORLINI
Robbie Kraff (left) stands with a Cornell polo teammate. Despite never having ridden a horse before college, Kraff made the team after trying out for fun. Photo courtesy ROBBIE KRAFF.
At Whitman, Robbie Kraff (‘17) focused primarily on academics and playing on the varsity baseball team. After graduating, he decided to quit baseball to concentrate on academics at Cornell University. But only a couple months after starting school, Kraff found a new passion: playing on the school’s Division I polo team. Kraff tried out for the team as a joke, but he ended up beating out three other students for spots. “I never guessed that I would be playing polo in college,” Kraff said. “I’d never even ridden a horse until tryouts, and my first time riding was crazy. You’re on a totally different being, and you have to manipulate it to do what you want.” Polo is played on horseback, and players drive a ball with mallets to score goals. Cornell is the only Ivy League school with a varsity polo team, and with a 15–4 record, they’re one of the top teams in the country. Kraff quickly picked up the sport
with the help of experienced players and coaches. His baseball skills helped him excel in shooting. “Soon enough, Robbie was one of the strongest shots on the team,” captain Alexis Knoebel said. “He was able to send the ball across the arena, which
“Robbie is fun, energetic, and always ready to learn more about polo,” Cole said. Polo isn’t as time-intensive as baseball, so Kraff has been able to join a fraternity and other clubs on campus. Still, polo fosters the same competitive
It was kind of a joke taken way too far. But I get to try something I never would have considered before college, and I guess that’s the point of college anyway. - Robbie Kraff many others couldn’t do.” Kraff has significantly improved his skills, making him a vital asset to the team. He brings energy and a positive attitude to practices, boosting team morale, teammate Samantha Cole said.
spirit as any other college sport, he said. “It was kind of a joke taken way too far,” Kraff said. “But I get to try something I never would have considered before college, and I guess that’s the point of college anyway.”
Sports
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The Black & White | June 12, 2018
Athletes of the Month:
Freshmen Hilsenrath, Ryan dominate on varsity by JULIA FORLINI Lacrosse attacker Lucas Hilsenrath sprints down the field, defenders on his tail, preparing to take his shot. He leans back and snaps his stick, propelling the ball past the goalie and into the net, scoring an impressive goal for the Vikes. On the baseball field, shortstop Matt Ryan takes his stance at home plate. He balances his shoulders and tightly grips the bat. When the pitcher throws the ball, Ryan shifts his weight, swings and sends the ball sailing into the outfield.
of years, and Ryan is the fourth freshman to make varsity baseball in coach Joe Cassidy’s 11 seasons. This past season, Hilsenrath scored 49 goals, making him the squad’s leading scorer by 26 points. Hilsenrath is also ranked third in the county for assists, with a season total of 28. He led the boys lacrosse team to a 10–3 regular season record, with the team finishing second in their division. “The team this year has been great,” Hilsenrath said. “A lot of my success has been based off of other players on the team.” Hilsenrath’s ability to see the
Hilsenrath scored 49 goals, making him the squad’s leading scorer by 26 points. Ryan started in every game this season and played the most innings out of all players. Hilsenrath and Ryan, both high-scoring freshmen, exceeded expectations this season. Freshmen don’t usually make varsity. Hilsenrath, however, is one of the few starting freshman in a number
field clearly allows him to set up his teammates for scoring opportunities, midfielder Max Rothman said. “When Hils is playing well, our offense is playing well,” Roth-
man said. “He’s only a freshman, and he’s probably one of the top attackmen in the county.” Ryan is also a key contributor to his team. He started in every game this season and played the most innings out of all players. With a batting average of .339, he made big hits to advance the team’s record. He has also contributed to the defense with 46 fielding assists and 18 putouts. “Our team has shown a lot of fight throughout this season,” Ryan said. “As a freshman, I’ve had to work hard to prove I could handle the competition.” Ryan’s strong communication skills have helped other players improve, junior Justin Carboni said. “Nobody believes he is a ninth grader, the way he plays the game,” Cassidy said. “When he plays really well, he doesn’t get over his head, and when he makes a poor play, he quickly bounces back.” Hilsenrath and Ryan have both followed in their older brothers’ footsteps. Alex Hilsenrath (‘16) totaled 50 goals in the 2016 boys lacrosse regular season, carrying the Vikes to a 12–5 record. Junior Jack Ryan is the catcher on varsity baseball, with a batting average of .352 and 12 runs. Matt Ryan said that his brother’s attitude at practices and games
Attacker Lucas Hilsenrath faces off with a B-CC player. The Vikes beat the Barons 8-7. Shortstop Matt Ryan hits a baseball in a game against WJ. The boys won 19-16. Both freshmen dominated this season on varsity teams. Photos by KEITH GREENBERG and MELISSA CARBONI.
inspired him and helped him develop his skills. Although they can’t get recruited until junior year, both of the freshmen are hoping for opportunities to play in college.
“This season has been overall great. I have had so much fun this season on and off the field,” Hilsenrath said. “The young team has a very bright future, and I can’t wait for the next couple of seasons.”
Students splash into summer swimming by SARA AZIMI
Swimmers at Mohican Pool cheer on their teammates at a meet. Teams at neighborhood pools like Mohican have a number of cheers and traditions that build team spirit throughout the summer. Photos by ANNABEL REDISCH.
Decked out in team apparel, swimmers gather around the pool’s edge, cheering on their teammates. Excitement builds as swimmers rush toward the wall, until finally, one swimmer edges out another. The winning team erupts in excitement, belting out cheers that their team uses year-after-year. For students on summer swim teams, this is an average Saturday morning. Summer swim teams are known for their intense spirit, creative cheers and the camaraderie they foster. As the school year comes to a close, swimmers are transitioning from competitive year-round swim clubs to summer swim leagues, where athletes enjoy a more low-commitment, laid back and communal environment. Summer swim teams, like those at Merrimack, Mohican and Palisades pools, have flexible schedules. During the club season swimmers have to attend practice at least five times a week, as well as an occasional morning practice. Most summer teams hold optional hourlong practices twice a day. During these practices, coaches lead creative drills like relays, junior Owen Wassiliew said. “Summer practices are much less serious,” Wassiliew said. Wassiliew swims year round for All-Star Aquatics. “Practices are for an hour. It’s fun—you play games, you have a good time with your team.” Unlike club meets, summer meets are always won or lost as a team. Swimmers contribute points to the team but don’t win individual prizes. Teammates typically return year after year, so the team becomes close each summer. “I like how everyone’s a team,” freshman Anna Eagle said. “It makes it so when we’re swimming, it feels like
everyone’s included.” This communal atmosphere allows teams to maintain traditions like pep rallies, barbecues and theme days. “Everybody goes all out for the themes,” senior Elliot Kelly said. Kelly coaches younger Mohican swimmers. “Almost every day we have something unique or special to get the kids, and swimmers and coaches get excited about coming to practices and meets.” Mohican swimmers traditionally dress up as zombies for the division relay carnival, a meet where every team in the division competes. Coaches make fake blood out of chocolate, and swimmers paint their faces to look the part. The meet starts with a group of older kids who play the part of the “survivors,” parading around the pool deck until younger kids come out and attack them. Swimmers look forward to this tradition every year, senior Lena Redisch said. At Merrimack, their mascot—the Maniac—makes an appearance during halftime at every home A-level meet. An older swimmer dresses up in clothing from the lost-and-found and frantically runs onto the diving board. “When it comes out, everyone starts cheering at the top of their lungs,” Eagle said. “Everyone gets really into the cheer, and it makes us feel more like a family.” Summer swim traditions play a big role in fostering the unique environment that so many students look forward to each summer. These swimmers spend a large portion of their summer with the same teammates every year, creating a sense of community. “It’s more of a family since you grew up with the kids,” Wassiliew said. “It brings everyone together, and because you’ve been there for so long, it feels like home.”
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The Black & White|June 12, 2018
Seniors follow passions, will attend art schools by ALEX ROBINSON As an actress in Imagination Stage’s production of “Alice in Wonderland,” senior Sophie Isbell spent weeks adjusting the way she spoke, changing her mannerisms and developing an entirely different personality. When she stepped on stage, her new persona fully captured the quirky, imaginative Alice. Isbell has acted since she was a child and will follow her lifelong passion for acting at the Pace School of Performing Arts in New York this fall. At least nine other graduating seniors are going to art school, where they will major in fields like acting, film, singing and songwriting. “Art schools like Pace set you up more for after graduation,” Jessica Ryan, a Pace undergraduate admissions official, said. “They have the best connections, and students have the opportunity to learn from people within the industry.”
Sophie Isbell strives for BFA in theater
Isbell decided sophomore year that she wanted to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater. “Out of all the activities I do, it’s really what inspires me and is what I’m most engaged with,” Isbell said. “I decided that I wanted to study theater and acting because that’s really what I want to do with my life.” In addition to starring in “Alice in Wonderland,” she performed a lead role in Imagination Stage’s production of “Lord of the Flies” her sophomore year. She was also on the executive board of Tryka Film Coalition and acted in the Coalition’s local studentdirected films. The performing arts schools Isbell applied to are extremely selective. Some acting programs, like Pace’s, accepted fewer than 30 students per class this year. To make herself competitive, she devoted all her time to improving her acting skills, practicing every night she could. “What I would think to myself was ‘I won’t practice tonight,’ but then I thought,
‘somebody might, so I’m going to,’” Isbell said. “It sounds absolutely batty, but there are thousands of people out there who, this is their whole life, so if that’s what you want to do, you’ve got to devote all of your time to it.” The application process was rigorous, Isbell said. All performing arts programs require auditions, so she flew across the country almost every weekend for three months to perform scenes at eight different schools. “I’ve put so many hours in,” Isbell said. “At the time, I couldn’t justify them, but I can now.”
Ellie Trainor to take passion for music to NYU
Lyrics pop into senior Ellie Trainor’s head, and she quickly writes them down. She brainstorms melodies, playing chords on the piano, until the melody for her new song begins to form. The final result is unique, emotional and deeply personal. Trainor, a singer-songwriter, is going to New York University in the fall, where she will major in songwriting and music composition. At Whitman, Trainor sang in chorus for four years and was a music director of this year’s Talent Show. She regularly performed independent gigs at bars and coffeehouses and published her original music on Soundcloud, Spotify and iTunes. Choral director Jeffrey Davidson said Trainor has put tremendous effort into her music over the past four years. “Whether singing in all the various choruses, accompanying Chamber Choir and Freshman Chorus or songwriting, she’s a great example of what it takes to achieve excellence,” Davidson said. Working as a singer-songwriter was the only career she could see herself in for the rest of her life, she said. “It’s such a natural thing for me, a way of expressing emotion,” Trainor said. “It’s a unique means of communication, because you can tell someone so much and connect so much within a short period of time.”
Q&A
Ellie Trainor (top) performs John Mayer’s version of “I Don’t Need No Doctor” at this year’s Talent Show. Sophie Isbell (bottom) stars as Alice in Imagination Stage’s production of “Alice in Wonderland.” They’ll attend art schools in the fall. Photos by SEBASTIAN DURAN and JEREMY RUSNOCK.
Kevin Hatcher dives into film at SCAD
When senior Kevin Hatcher was younger, cinema fascinated him. He would watch and analyze movies, often viewing experts’ analyses to learn more about the film industry. Hatcher will attend Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall as a film major. At SCAD, he’ll study directing, producing, writing, editing and acting—skills he’s want-
ed to master since he decided to major in film in middle school. Hatcher hasn’t created a full-length film, and he believes aspiring filmmakers don’t need to be experienced to succeed. Despite the hard work art school will entail, Hatcher says he’s committed to doing what he loves. “Don’t be discouraged,” Hatcher said. “A lot of people go for it, and a lot of people have experience, but if you have a passion, it’s never too late to follow it and jump in.”
Estee Portnoy discusses her work representing Michael Jordan sure accurate coverage. Reporters used to be focused on getting the stories right, but now they’re more focused on getting them out first, which leads to a lot of inaccurate reporting. That definitely frustrates me.
by ALLY NAVARRETE
Estee Portnoy is the business manager and spokesperson for NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Portnoy graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and received an MBA in marketing from the University of Maryland. She currently lives in Bethesda. In addition to working with Jordan, who is the majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, Portnoy co-founded Kids Enjoy Exercise Now, an organization that allows children with disabilities to exercise in fun, noncompetitive environments. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. The Black & White: What does your day-to-day job working with Michael Jordan entail? Estee Portnoy: When I took the job over 21 years ago, I never would have thought I would be working for him so long, but the reason I continue to work for him is that there have been varying responsibilities each year with new projects. I mainly focus on working on his marketing with brands such as the Jordan brand, Gatorade, Hanes and others to provide approvals and input on how he’s marketed. I
B&W: What inspired you to pursue sports marketing? Portnoy: I grew up in a Jewish teen organization called BBYO, which really gave me the leadership and public speaking skills that got me interested in studying business. I went to the University of Michigan where I actually worked in the athletic department, which set my path into sports. I’m someone who has worked since I was 15, so I believe in a strong work ethic, doing well in school and being persistent. Those skills have really helped me in life. Portnoy has worked with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan for over 21 years. Portnoy enjoys interacting with the media and managing his philanthropic activities and business ventures. Photo courtesy ESTEE PORTNOY.
also interact with the media as his spokesperson, serve on the Executive Committee of the Charlotte Hornets and work with our team on his personal philanthropic giving and schedule. B&W: Since the beginning of your tenure with Jordan, what have been some highlights? Portnoy: I have had a lot of fun working with MJ on many
product launches. My first project was working on “Space Jam.” I love the work we do with the Jordan brand, and I was part of the team that launched it in 1998. It’s now a very large footwear and apparel company with global reach and huge popularity. Far and away my favorite thing that I do with MJ is working on the philanthropic side, where I get to work with some incredible charities
like the Make-A-Wish Foundation. B&W: Have there been any challenges you have faced while working for a professional athlete? Portnoy: The world has changed so much in the last 20 years. The internet has changed the way we consume media, so I would say some of the biggest challenges are working with the media to en-
B&W: Is there any advice you have for students who hope to enter the sports marketing field? Portnoy: It’s a hard field to break into. Many colleges have a sports marketing major, but I worry that the entry level jobs are hard to get. I recommend students figure out what type of skill or function they want to do—accounting, finance, marketing, PR, legal, analytics—and then focus on how to apply that to the sports world.