The Panel (Vol. 71 Iss. 1)

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Volume 71, Issue 1

May 5 , 2022

A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School

DRUCKER ELECTED PRESIDENT Daniel Drucker Voted President of Centennial Class of 2023

By Executive Staff Panel Staff Leading the school during Belmont Hill’s Centennial year will be recently elected president Daniel Drucker ’23. With so much experience in leading and serving others throughout his time at Belmont Hill, Daniel is well prepared to lead the entire study body in this historic year.

Since the First Form, Drucker has been one of his class’s most distinguished leaders. Striving to make Belmont Hill an ever better school, Daniel has undertaken many initiatives to serve the community.

When asked about his leadership and service experience at Belmont Hill, Daniel categorized them into four roles. Prior to his election as school president, Daniel served as his class’s vice president, working extensively in the Senate. Drucker is also a peer leader, a position he regards as “very special as it enables me to work with young students in the community and make an impact on their lives early in their Belmont Hill careers.” Drucker has been at the heart of two of Belmont Hill’s most significant community service projects: the Dove drive and Party with a Purpose. Daniel initiated the Dove drive in 2020-21 and led Party with a Purpose this year.

Daniel attributes his passion for service to his family, noting that “my passion for community service stems from how I was raised and who my family is. I have grown up very fortunate, and it is my duty to give back to my community and make

Rashes

Wins

By Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff This year’s group of Woodbury semi finalists and finalists delivered powerful, moving, and entertaining speeches that continued the contest’s tradition of excellence. The semi-final round gave the judges an especially hard decision to make, with great speeches from all of the semi-finalists.

Senior Kailen Richards had the entire chapel laughing with his speech littered with double entendres. Junior Sam Atalla also gave a thoughtful speech about his family and a certain tradition he still shares with his brother. Junior Dan Moran also gave a thought-provoking speech about perspective which had almost everyone in the audience questioning the veracity of his story-telling. While all three of these speeches were exceptional, it was Bobby Cooper ‘23, Daniel Rashes ‘22, and Ethan Sidman ‘24 who would go on to the final round.

Daniel Drucker ’23 it a better place than I found it.” He recalls that, growing up, his parents encouraged and inspired him to take part in community service. Daniel fondly remembers the great impact and the joy he brought by delivering meals with his dad at the Hebrew Senior Center during the Jewish holidays at a young age. He also credits his grandmother as a big inspiration for his passion for community service. Drucker’s grandmother was an educator for her whole life and taught

On Friday, April 29th the school gathered in the Hamilton Chapel to hear the speeches from the three finalists. First, Ethan Sidman ‘24 gave a great speech about the nature of a handshake and how it was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Second, Bobby Cooper ‘23 delivered an insightful message about his complex relationship with his father and the various struggles both he and his father have had to face throughout his life. By being vulnerable and giving a clear message, Bobby showed a side of him that very few of his classmates had ever seen – including me. Lastly, having been sidelined due to a positive COVID test and delivering his speech via zoom, Daniel Rashes ‘22 gave an inspiring, entertaining, and well-crafted message about his career at Belmont Hill. He spoke about his athletic career at Belmont Hill , specificallty the merits of playing on the 3B soccer team.

His speech resonated with the whole community, leading to thunderous applause. ☐

By Lev Tolkoff ’24 Panel Staff With the return of sit down lunch, the coveted panini machines, salad bar, and hot bar have reappeared. While these commodities coming back have been a blessing, nothing compares to the feeling of having a great lunch at your family-style tables without waiting in line. The dining hall has introduced several new main lunches in addition to previous favorites.

Mac and cheese remains a favorite, while additions such as jerk chicken have been very well received. However, the question remains, what is the best lunch at school?

If that question was asked three years ago the most common answer would be General Tso chicken. However, this year, we have had a multitude of General Tso level meals. In the most recent Food Committee survey, this very same question was asked.

Unprecedentedly, answers varied widely.

Opinions 9 Debate of the Issue: Walkthrough or Sit-Down Lunch?

News 2 Party with a Purpose Returns

Lev Tolkoff ’24 and Luke Trevisan ’24 take on this tough question.

Andrew Bittner ’24 and Tommy Folan ’25 detail this Belmont Hill’s tradition welcome return after a two year absence.

Cooper Nelson ’23 details this year’s Poetry Month and Poetry Fest

oping his leadership skills—“From academics to football to just being a good person, each one of these figures has helped make me who I am today.” He concludes, “overall, Belmont Hill has provided me with all the necessary resources to make our community a better place and develop my skills as a leader which have ultimately helped me get to school president.”

Continued on Page 4.

Woodburys Belmont Hill’s Favorite Food?

Look Inside The Panel

News 4 Poetry Month!

students with learning disabilities. She was a “dedicated and loving figure who wanted to leave the world a better place than she found it.” Drucker also found inspiration within Belmont Hill. The past student government presidents with whom Daniel worked in the Senate inspired him to“continue the strong tradition that school presidents carry.” He also thanks people like Mr. Bradley, Mrs. Hamilton, Mr. Butler, and Mr. Phinney for their lasting impacts on devel-

Alex Lo ’23

Arts 5 Artist of the Issue: Howard Huang ’22

Brian Lee ’24 writes about Howard’s impressive musical achievements at Belmont Hill as a violinist in the school’s orchestra.

Out of 147 responses around thirty said that either chicken fingers or orange chicken was their favorite, which is hard to argue with. Roughly fifteen said that mac and cheese or buffalo chicken mac and cheese was their favorite. Around ten said that tacos were by far their favorite. Around ten said that jerk chicken was their favorite. Some other lunches that often showed up were little tony’s pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, and quesadillas.

However, with 41% of the students eating the meat 1-2 times a week and 10% never eating the meat, it seems as though students are generally dissuaded from meals unless it is one of their favorite lunches.

Students were also asked which meals they did not prefer which was overwhelming the pork dishes. However, overall, the students were happy with the lunches this year . The past few weeks have been extraordinarily better, and we are all excited for the next favorite lunch to come! ☐

Sports 10 March Madness Review Matthew Flaherty ’24 gives a thorough breakdown of this year’s memorable tournament.

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Party with a Purpose Returns with Great Success

By Andrew Bitter ’24 and Tommy Folan ’25 Panel Staff After two years of anticipation, Party with a Purpose has finally returned.

The fundraiser, which had met in some capacity every year since 2017, was canceled in the spring of 2020 due to Covid concerns; however, it met with resounding success on April 9th with over 800 participants from a wide array of schools, including Belmont Hill, Winsor, Dana Hall, Rivers, and NCDS. Collectively, the event raised over $36,000, one of the largest PWAP events since its creation. Daniel Drucker, Quinn Healey, Leo Montoya, and Dietrich Jacobs helped organize this year’s amazing event with the help of faculty members Mr. George and Mrs. David.

This year’s event boasted a variety of activities for participants to enjoy, including cornhole, karaoke, and a dunk tank where students repeatedly dunked faculty members, including Mr. Bradley, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Sweeney, Ms. Ruys, Mr. LaLiberte, and Mr. Leonardis.

While the activities of the event were certainly memorable, anyone present at the event noted that the real highlight of PWAP is always seeing the smiles on the faces of the kids whom the event benefits. Upon their arrival, the kids, who are currently being treated or have been treated at Boston Children’s Hospital, first receive a VIP tour of the Jordan to decide where they want to spend their time. Then, after taking some time to relax and enjoy the activities, the kids head into a basketball gym for the opening ceremony, where they meet a congregation of people there to celebrate the kids’ bravery

This year’s Party with A Purpose marked a return from a two year absence

and strength in the face of adversity. Daniel Drucker, one of the organizers of the event, described the opening ceremony as his favorite part of the event: “This is the part of the event where I get chills and butterflies every time as these kids who battle every day are the stars of the night and feel on top of the world. One special thing about this year was that Isaac, Ms. Zener’s son, walked down the red carpet for the first time this year and he was so excited to do so!”

While the bulk of the event occurs on April 9th, PWAP also contributes to Boston Children’s Hospital through the sale of PWAP merchandise. PWAP hoodies, shirts, beanies, and other clothing were sold in early March so that they could be shipped and arrive in time for students to sport their PWAP attire for the event.

Even beyond the event, however, students were able to display their continued

support for the PWAP cause by wearing PWAP hoodies in lieu of blazers and ties for two weeks in April following the event.

PWAP 2022 has been an enormous success, contributing tens of thousands of dollars to helping Boston Children’s Hospital and giving numerous guests the time in the spotlight they deserve. As a final note, Daniel Drucker wanted to thank Mr. George and Mrs. David, a leader since the start of PWAP, for their dedication to the event. There is no doubt that PWAP will only continue to grow within Belmont Hill and other schools. While the community itself had incredibly positive experiences during the PWAP event, the view of countless students going through their days in PWAP hoodies that one might have seen in the weeks after PWAP is a touching reminder of the powerful effect that PWAP has had, and will continue to have on Belmont

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Stephen Kinzer Speaks about his Book Overthrow

By Luke Guleserian ’24 and Duncan Kilbride ’24 Panel Staff

On March 28th, the acclaimed journalist Stephen Kinzer spoke at the Chapel.

Kinzer was a longtime foreign correspondent for New York Times and has written many books. He served as a wartime correspondent reporting on various Central American conflicts. He has served in over 50 countries and has been a vital part of the American media. After retiring, he wrote even more books, taught classes at Northwestern, and became a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University.

One of his many books is Overthrow, which outlines America’s role in the subversion of foreign governments for its own gain.

U.S. foreign policy goals, was fascinating to students. When talking about the increased polarization in the American electorate, Mr. Kinzer postulated that the attachment of individuals to mainstream media outlets is one of the main culprits in preventing true, open political discourse in America today.

Thus, he encouraged Belmont Hill students to think for themselves and not rely on a single news source to guide their outlook on domestic and foreign politics. He also advocated for absorbing news from many different viewpoints, whether they be on the right or the left, or even down the middle, so that Americans can reconcile some of Mr. Kinzer with Sam Atalla ’23 and Mr. Harvey BH Communications their political differences with others and understand why one may choose to supThis award-winning novel was added to the with the history department chair, Mr. Har- port particular policies. Belmont Hill greatAP US History summer reading list, and vey. His focus on certain ‘taboo’ topics in ly appreciates Mr. Kinzer’s visit and hope Belmont Hill’s own Sam Atalla ’23 reached U.S. history, including launching coups to have him come back to speak again. ☐ out to Mr. Kinzer and put him in contact against potential leaders that could threaten

Students Compete in the Makerspace Competition

By Aaron Stanger ’24 Panel Staff On Monday, April 4, the Maker Prize final pitch presentations were held in the Chapel. Inspired to make a “hackathon” style event, Mr. Ziff, Director of the Bolles Makerspace, created the competition as a way for students to propose a comprehensive solution to a problem at Belmont Hill.

While a traditional hackathon lasts 24-36 hours of intense design and coding, Mr. Ziff modified the program to work with the boy’s busy schedules and allowed each group to create a more in-depth proposal. The school-wide competition started with boys from all forms split into seven teams of 2-3 and commenced at the start of the third quarter. During this time, the students wrote a proposal, created a prototype of their solution, and a short presentation. The two teams that made it to the finals presented in front of the school.

To solve the school’s problem of excess recyclables and a need for cheap plastic for the Makerspace’s 3d printers, Connor Emmert, Dietrich Jacobs, Ezra Lee, and Aaron Green proposed a new recycling system. The group saw that Belmont Hill has an overflow of recyclable plastics which could be utilized on-site. PETs (Polyethylene terephthalate) from plastic bottles and food containers would be recycled on campus and transformed into plastic spools. The system would be almost fully automated and fuel Makerspace 3rd printing eliminating extra plastic purchase.

Max Wagner and Alex Lo presented a new scanner sign-in system. Signing in is a hassle, especially when boys show up minutes before their first class and do not have time to get across campus to check in at their homeroom. To fix this problem, Alex and Max proposed installing several scanners placed around the school’s entrances, which utilized the barcode on IDs to check kids in automatically. Mr. Ziff

Alex Lo ’23 and Max Wagner ’23 present their project agreed with the majority of the student body: “It was a great idea. It was definitely the winning idea. In this case, I would love to see it implemented and I know the boys have a little work to do to figure out the logistics, but I think they’re very close to being ready if they want to proceed.” Having clearly impressed the student body, Max and Alex won the prize and will be presenting in front of the board later this month.

Mr. Ziff reflected that “the timing

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wasn’t as ideal as I would have liked, but I thought it worked out fine for the first year and will probably adjust the timing for next year to give students more time where they have less responsibilities.” Next year he plans to start the competition before winter break and hopefully expand participation to more teams. As Mr. Ziff continues to promote the new maker space, this competition will surely continue to be a spring highlight in the coming years. ☐

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Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Yamanaka Speaks at the Chapel

By Daniel Cho ’23 Panel Staff On March 31, Belmont Hill invited Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, as a guest speaker in the Kageyama-Hunt Lecture Series. The global citizenship speaker program was established in 2012 by Belmont Hill parents, Bill Hunt and Yuko Kageyama-Hunt P ‘11, ‘18, to inspire Belmont Hill students to face the challenges of the modern world.

Jonathan Kraft ‘82, P ‘15 started the program by introducing both Dr. Yamanaka and the moderator for the event, Dean of Harvard Medical School George Q. Daley P ‘17, ‘19. Mr. Kraft reminisced about his days as a Belmont Hill student and said that although those years were the best of his life, he had one deep regret – not engaging in enough scientific rigor.

As a student, he was intimated by the topics. He had little background in the sciences; however, by meeting the best scientists and visiting the finest hospitals in his professional career, Mr. Kraft realized that he has a passion for science and also the ability to learn it. To those students who are similarly intimated by the science classes, Mr. Kraft hoped that listening to Dr. Daley and Dr. Yamanaka would open their minds.

Especially in the context of the pandemic, the role of science is vital to society. He wishes that scientists, whose work “touches everybody in the world… and can improve their lives,” can inspire students like great athletes, artists, and business people.

Dr. Shinya Yamanaka’s Nobel Prize-winning technology, as Dr. Daley recalled, was “earth-shattering” when he first observed a talk Dr. Yamanaka gave in 2006.

At the time, the scientific community was developing a promising procedure that had the potential to cure an array of diseases and disabilities, from Parkinson’s Disease to diabetes to spinal cord injuries; however, the process was highly controversial. Scientists

utilized the pluripotent nature of embryonic stem cells to manufacture any desired cell type. But many considered the embryonic stem cells obtained from fertilization clinics to be a nascent form of human life. Dr. Yamanaka bypassed this ethical dilemma by creating a process that would not use embryonic stem cells: his technology could convert human skin and blood cells back to stem cells, hence the name induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells. His discovery opened a free path for further stem cell research, which could further vital applications like regener-

time was unknown and incurable. As his dad became weaker and weaker in his high school days, Dr. Yamanaka became interested in medicine. With the encouragement of his dad, he became a doctor. At 57 years old, his father was still very sick. Dr. Yamanaka performed a minor procedure on his father, who was delighted with his son’s help; however, he passed away a year later. The helplessness Dr. Yamanaka felt convinced him to change his career to become a scientist to help patients around the world, like his father, who had intractable diseases. He went

Dr. Shinya Yamanaka at the Chapel over Zoom ative medicine and drug development. The impact of his discovery has been very broad; other conditions that iPS cells can treat are eye diseases, heart diseases, cancer, and type 1 diabetes. Dr. Yamanaka also founded the Center for iPS Cell Research and Applications (CiRA) in 2008. The institution focuses on critical applications of iPS cells.

While Dr. Shinya Yamanaka provided insight into his discovery of iPS stem cells, he gave an entertaining presentation focused on his journey through the scientific world. Dr. Yamanaka’s inspiration was his father. When Dr. Yamanaka was around fifteen years old, his father was injured at work. He needed a blood transfusion, but in the process, he got hepatitis which at the

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to the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, gaining valuable experience and adopting a life motto – VW. Not the car his mentor Bob Mahley owned; instead, the secret to success in science and life is vision and hard work.

Dr. Yamanaka is especially fond of vision because it is often overlooked: hard work compliments vision. Throughout his career, Dr. Yamanaka’s vision has been to overcome diseases with science. Through hard work, he has discovered a technology that has the power to save many lives around the world.

Through his discussion with Dr. George Daley and the Q&A session, Dr. Yamanaka shared his passion for science and humble insights into the field. He provided an amusing story of the moment he

was chosen to be the Nobel Prize winner.

As he was fixing the washing machine, per his wife’s request, he received a phone call while on the floor that he had won the award. Although he failed to fix the machine, the government gifted him a new washing machine. He also recalled his first experiment in which he found a very unexpected result. It excited him so much that he wanted to continue being a scientist.

Throughout the entire program, Dr. Yamanaka provided the critical trait of a scientist: patience. “Science is a streamline of scientists’ works”, a process of hard work and perseverance. He did not discover iPS cells in one moment. Instead, he built off the results of other scientists. Specifically, he learned from the cloning of Dolly the sheep that completely differentiated cells can create new life by cloning. And the conversion of cell fate by one transcription factor, like skin cells to muscle cells or fly antenna cells to legs. Through those previous findings, Dr. Yamanaka hypothesized that it was possible to convert adult skin cells to embryonic stem cells by a small number of factor combinations. As Dr. Daley added, “even though we like to have a mythology that science happens through these brilliant surges of ideas and all of a sudden, in fact, it’s a slow and steady process.” Dr. Yamanaka’s father passed away in 1998; a year later, the virus he was infected with, hepatitis c, was discovered. In 2014, scientists found a cure and produced an easily available drug, Harvoni, which can cure it through the daily consumption of it. Although the drug was not created in time for Dr. Yamanaka’s father, it now can cure a once intractable disease. Through patience, researchers can work out the rules and powers of science in a meaningful way.

As Jonathan Kraft had hoped, Belmont Hill students witnessed an engaging program that enlightened them with the potential and exhilaration of science through the glimpse of scientific discovery and the passion of world-class scientists. ☐

Spring Break Chico Trip The History of The Bench

By Alex Laidlaw ’25 Panel Staff Among the various trips over spring break was the annual community service trip. This year, the group, led by Mrs. David, went to Chico, Paradise, and Oroville, California, to help the area recover from devastating fires in recent years. Initially planned for the spring break of 2020, the trip was postponed due to COVID-19, but after years of anticipation, the trip finally came to fruition this year. After landing in San Francisco and eating lunch at Pier 39, the group walked across the Golden Gate Bridge before making the three-hour drive to the Best Western Heritage Hotel in Chico, California.

Throughout the week, the team heard different accounts of the fires. On Sunday, the group listened to two members of the Jubilee Church tell their stories about being in Paradise on the day of the fire. Later in the week, the mayor of Paradise, Steve Crowder, came to the hotel to elaborate on the clean-up process and the work that still must be done in the area. The group also talked to firefighters who were on duty in Paradise on the day of the fire and listened to a powerful speech by a pastor who lived in the town. These vivid recounts made the work far more meaningful and helped illustrate how important the group’s help was.

The group worked on numerous projects throughout the week. Some projects aimed at helping the large homeless population in Oroville and Paradise as a result

By David Cho ’23 Panel Staff

Group painting houses Alex Laidlaw ’25 of the fires. These projects included building and painting small houses that were to be distributed to the homeless, helping out at the Hope Center, and working on the shower truck. Other projects helped manage the environmental ramifications of the disasters. One issue the area faces is invasive species that have thrived in the region since the fires. To combat this, small groups went onto the trails surrounding Paradise Lake, and pulled invasive plants out of the ground. They also helped out at local churches and a local school, doing yard work and removing debris from the fires.

Overall, the trip was a powerful experience. Driving through Paradise, one could see the empty lots where houses and shops once stood. Fences block off empty areas of land, and signs for real estate companies willing to buy empty land are abundant around town. To hear the stories, and to see the effects climate change is having on the world, was truly moving, and it motivated Belmont Hill students to take action. ☐

former presence in that space on campus.”

Complemented by a reflection garden, the granite bench is inscribed with a message from Task Force member and MAP Director Greg Paul ‘09: This bench represents our clear intention to engage with ideas and symbols from our past and establish a future that reflects inclusivity and a sense of belonging for all boys at Belmont Hill. The inscription is a “powerful statement about our intentions to make sure all boys at Belmont Hill feel a true sense of belonging.” Mr. Schneider believes that “the presence of the Bench will remind us that we always have work to do in creating the culture of authentic belonging that we want on our campus. Hopefully, it is an expression of commitment by Belmont Hill to always trying to improve as a community.”

As Belmont Hill approaches its Centennial, the Bench signifies the school’s effort to critically analyze its past and its commitment to move forward in the next hundred years. ☐

The official event of the Bench will happen on Tuesday, May 10. In the summer of 2020, Belmont Hill formed a School History & Symbols Task Force along with the creation of the school’s Diversity Action Plan. In its mission to foster an inclusive environment for everyone, the group evaluated Belmont Hill’s history and campus. In the process of addressing the school’s history and campus, the Task Force identified the bell in the former location of the Bench.

The bell, which had been given to Belmont Hill in 1925, was used on a Cuban sugar plantation to manage the work of enslaved people. Though the history of the bell had circulated through the student body, it was only in the late 2010s when an Advanced History Seminar led by Ms. Zener and Mr. Hegarty shed light on the history of the bell on a broader scale, prompting responses such as the middle school’s newspaper changing its name from The Bell to The Hill in 2020. In the same year, the Task Force decided to remove the bell and incorporate it into the Robbins House Museum in Concord, Massachusetts.

With the bell’s removal came the question of what would be installed in place of the bell. When asked about the process of planning the Bench, Mr. Schneider remarked that “our goal was to create something reflective and purposeful, and we wanted to be sure that we were always aware of the bell’s The Bench

Alex Laidlaw ’25

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Poetry Fest Caps off Poetry Month Revisit

By Cooper nelson ’23 Panel Staff April was Poetry month at Belmont Hill, which involved students exploring, performing, and writing poetry. Dr. Tift continued the tradition of sending a student-written poem out to the school community each morning of the month. These poems, some of which are anonymous, provide the school with a glimpse into what BH’s students are creating. There was great variation in the style and subject matter of these poems, with a mixture of Haikus and free-flowing poems, as well as joyful and sad poems.

Secondly, Dr. Tift hosted an upper school Poetry Open-Mic event in the Chapel on the 26th, giving juniors

and seniors the opportunity to present their own work to their classmates.

Additionally, the entire school participated in Poetry Fest. Every student, regardless of grade level, chose a poem to memorize and perform in front of their English class. The best performers advanced to the semi-finals. After another round of recitations, twelve finalists were chosen to perform their poems to the entire school in Chapel on April 15th. The performers represented all grade levels, and their poems also varied in format and topic. After the meaningful performances, four students were recognized by the judges for Distinctive Recitations: Daniel Bittner ’22, Bobby Cooper ’23, Julian Boutin ’24, and Will Achtmeyer ’26. Their performances represented the culmination of weeks of

work memorizing and practicing, and their achievements certainly merit celebration.

Most notably, this year’s Poetry Fest marked the sixth time that senior Daniel Bittner made an appearance in the finals.

He has progressed to the finals every year that he has attended Belmont Hill, from his first form year in 2017 to the present (including a remote video performance in 2020). Additionally, he was recognized for distinctive recitations multiple times throughout this span. His passion for the art of poetry sets him apart from his classmates, and his relentless devotion to the craft has enlightened everyone who was lucky enough to watch him perform.

While it will be sad to see him depart, the Panel is sure that he will bring his talents with him wherever his endeavors lead. ☐

The Poetry Fest Finalists with Mr. Conway and Dr. Tift

Day

By Mac Bobo ’23 Panel Staff After an arduous, year-long, stress-inducing admissions process, admitted students were invited back to campus for the full experience – a day in the life of a Belmont Hill student. This year’s Revisit Day, however, was especially exciting for the community because it was the first “real” Revisit Day since the start of the pandemic.

Admitted students were able to meet other maskless students, participate in normal non-socially distanced class discussions, and come face to face with the most unique of Belmont Hill’s long list of traditions: Milk and Cookies. Everyone at Belmont Hill, save the seventh and eighth graders, remembers their Revisit Day and how instrumental it was to their decision to attend, so it was encouraging to see so many future Belmont Hill students on campus.☐

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The Russo-Ukrainian War Continues With Devastation

By Aidan lee ’24 Panel Staff On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, the Ukrainians have lived in continuous fear and terror as Russian soldiers attack civilians and Ukrainian cities mercilessly. Additionally, more than five million people have fled from Ukraine, seeking refuge in neighboring countries, under the protection of NATO and its forces. The US has not been directly involved militarily against Russia, since it does not want to escalate this into a war of major powers. Instead it has implemented sanctions on Russia’s economy. The US hopes that through these sanctions, it can force Damaged vehicles and buildings in Kharkiv city centre

Cont.

Drucker

Daniel has big visions for the rising senior class and the entire school. Looking to make the senior Commons and senior experience the best it can be, Drucker wants “our class’s senior year to be filled with life-lasting memories.” Daniel also hopes to continue the form’s effort in community service. He envisions a leadership day, during which “the school could partake in workshops and listening to speakers on how to be a good and lasting leader.” He also wishes to improve the food and create more opportunities for younger students to interact with older students. In his efforts to lead the school, Drucker hopes to “listen to everyone’s thoughts to make the school the best place it can be.”

Next school year will be a momentous year for Belmont Hill as the school will be celebrating its Centennial. When asked about the historic year, Daniel replied, “when someone talks to me about the Centennial at Belmont Hill, I instantly get chills.” Belmont Hill has always been integral to Drucker’s life—he remembers being on campus from a very young age (his dad graduated in 1990). He looks forward to celebrating Belmont Hill’s Centennial: “Thinking about our school’s rich and diverse history is like no other, and I cannot wait for all the celebrations that we have next year. Next year as the Centennial class, I hope our class

Russia to back down on its invasion of Ukraine and hopefully stop it completely.

In addition to the sanctions, the US has sent money, weapons, and ammunition to Ukraine to support them in this war. So far, the US has sent several billion dollars in aid to Ukraine; however, still many people are suffering and are in dire need of necessities. This war is alarming for the Ukrainian people and for the political world moving forward. The Russo-Ukrainian war has escalated the already high tensions between America and Russia. Furthermore, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may make those countries surrounding Ukraine, such as Poland, a member of NATO, feel insecure, forcing them to tighten their border controls and Aljazeera raise their military in fear of Russia. ☐

Elected

only builds more history and contributes in a positive manner towards Belmont Hill.”

The school will be in good hands under the Centennial leadership of Daniel Drucker. The Panel congratulates Daniel for his recent election as school president and looks forward to the many great things he will accomplish next year! ☐

Online Editor Kevin Weldon ’24

Digital Media Editor Andrew Bittner ’24

Arts Editor Brian Lee ’24

Sports Editor Noah Farb ’24

Graphics Editor Luke Trevisan ’24 Daniel Xie ’24

Daniel Drucker ’23 BH Communications

Editors-In-Chief Mac Bobo ’23 David Cho ’23

Executive Editor

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Juliette Zener

Alex Lo ’23 Cooper Nelson ’23

News Editor

Assistant Editors

Opinion Editor

Tommy Folan ’25 Ben Hack ’24 Duncan Kilbride ’24 Alex Laidlaw ’25 Aaron Stanger ’24 Lev Tolkoff ’24

Daniel Cho ’23 Aidan Lee ’24

Article Support Editor

Luke Guleserian ’24

Back Page Editors Jason Cannistraro ’23 Trey Penna ’23 Turner Rayment ’23

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill School. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of the school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2022 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editors-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

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BH Spring Coffee House BH Admissions Concert to Belmont Hill’s musical talent. Cameron and Will, who both gave fantastic performances earlier in the program, joined together to cap off an excellent coffeeOn Friday, April 8th, Belmont Hill house with “Free Fallin” by John Mayer. had its Spring Coffee House, one of the musical highlights of the year where various students come together to showcase their musical artistries. To kick off the Spring Coffee House, the Middle School Jazz Band delivered an upbeat rendition of “Cissy Strut,” which immediately established a relaxing and laid back atmosphere. Next, Cameron Connell ’23 and Leo Montoya ’23 on guitar and vocals respectively, gave an exciting performance of “Why Georgia” by John Mayer as well as “Feathered Indians” by Tyler Childers. They were followed by Will Kelly ’23, who beautifully sang “Best Friend” by Rex Orange County, while simultaneously playing the piano.

Other noteworthy solo performances included Sam Atalla ’23 on the guitar singing Blackbird by The Beatles and TJ Cannistraro’s ’24 “Two Ghosts by Harry Styles.”

Head of School Mr. Schneider was part of the program as well, and his performance was one of the highlights of the night.

In addition to these amazing solo BH Communications deliveries, there were several duets as Coffee House well, including Cameron Connell and David Carter’s ’22 unique rendition of “Girl The Spring Coffee House was once From Ipanema” on trumpet and piano. again a huge success, thanks to all the Moreover, the Upper School Rock Band gifted musicians of Belmont Hill. We and the B-Flats performed “Just What I are excited to see what more these musiNeeded” and “I Can See Clearly Now” re- cians have to offer in the future, particuspectively, both of which were a testament larly in the upcoming Spring Concert! ☐

On March 31, the Upper School Jazz Band and B-Flats performed in the Chapel together for newly accepted students in an admissions concert; a performance which marked the first joint in-person performance between the two groups since the onset of the pandemic. The two groups performed an arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s “Tuesday Heartbreak,” featuring an engaging trumpet solo by David Carter ’22.

In preparation for the performance, the performers rehearsed their parts individually over spring break, only meeting to rehearse in the days leading up to the concert. After a number of small adjustments, the group was ready to perform on Thursday night with only a couple days of rehearsals.

Despite the pressure of performing in front of prospective students and potentially influencing their decision to attend the school, the performers felt relaxed and comfortable on the stage. As a member of the Jazz Band put it, “being up on the stage with so many of my friends from the B-flats and the Band really allowed us to just have fun and enjoy the moment.”

The performance lasted roughly three minutes, with the B-flats singing the upbeat but somber lyrics of Wonder’s “Tuesday Heartbreak,” with a solo from David Carter in the middle. Another member of the Jazz band commented on the success of the performance: “I think

fifth grade, his work ethic and determined practicing has helped him develop into one of Belmont Hill’s best violinists. Howard’s passion for music is apparent in every rehearsal, helping younger musicians and offering technical advice whenever he can. One of his favorite musical memories during his time at Belmont Hill was playing in a Coffee House, in which he played Viva La Vida on an electric violin. Howard is not only a fantastic violinist, but an excellent pianist as well, which he has been

playing since he was six years old. He has performed in countless school concerts and Coffee Houses at Belmont Hill on both the violin and piano, a clear testament to his musical versatility and talent. Although it’s unlikely that Howard will pursue a musical career in college, he definitely wants to continue his musical journey on the violin and piano. The Panel wishes Howard the best of luck as he heads on to Harvard College next year, and congratulates him for his numerous musical endeavors. ☐

By Brian Lee ’24 Panel Staff

By Andrew Bittner ’24 Panel Staff

B-Flats perform

BH Communications

we did much better in the actual performance than in any of our rehearsals. We all came off the stage smiling, and I think the incoming students enjoyed it as well.”

Looking to the future, both the Jazz Band and the B-Flats are eager for another joint performance. The experience of working together to fuse vocal and instrumental parts was a unique experience which broadened the scope of the groups’ musical understanding. Hopefully, Belmont Hill will see another Jazz-Band-BFlat performance in the near future. ☐

Artist of the Issue: Howard Huang ’22 BH Radio Play

By Brian Lee ’24 Panel Staff Howard Huang ’22 has been an integral member of the Belmont Hill Chamber Orchestra since he joined the ensemble in Form II; as the President of the school orchestra, Howard’s prowess on the violin and natural leadership has elevated the standards of the orchestra in the past few years.

Ever since he learned to play the violin in

Howard Huang, top left, leads the school orchestra as concert master

The

64th

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Panel Staff The Grammys are an annual celebration of the year in music, where the biggest artists in the United States gather for a three and a half hour long awards show, filled with performances by the most popular artists of the year.

This year, the state of the Grammys appeared to be in peril as health and safety concerns caused the event to be postponed during the height

Annual of

Grammy

the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

However, as cases fell, the event was rescheduled for April 3rd, 2022. On that Sunday evening, celebrities filed into the building in eager anticipation.

Hosted by Trevor Noah for the second year in a row, the main event of the Grammys began with a performance by the duo Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, who performed two songs before the awards began. Other performances were done by Olivia Rodrigo, who performed “Driver’s License,” Lil Nas X performing a medley, Nas, Chris Sta-

By Tommy Folan ’25 Panel Staff In the previous winter season, Belmont Hill and Winsor were supposed to put on a whole school production of It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Play. Unfortunately due to another Covid 19 surge Mr. Conway and the theater team were forced to make a difficult decision on what to do.

The theater team came up with the idea to actually make it a radio play instead of an in-house radio play. Although this was not what the cast signed up for they were all understanding and happy that they would be able to still produce a version of It’s a Wonderful Life. The radio play was released on March 28th in an email addressed to both Winsor and Belmont Hill. ☐

BH Communications

Illustration by Luke Trevisan ’24

Awards

pleton and more. Tributes included a performance by Lady Gaga for Tony Bennett, where she sang “Love foro Sale,” which they wrote together, and “Do I Love You,” then a tribute by John Legend, Lyuba Yakim and more where they performed “Free,” in light of the recent Russian invasion.

John Batiste finished the night with the most awards, winning 5 Grammys including Album of the Year and more off the back of his 11 nominations.

Silk Sonic won Song of the Year with their hit “Leave the Door Open,” a song which itself won four awards. The

Ceremony

final overall award, Best New Artist of the Year, was won by Olivia Rodrigo.

All in all, the event was largely successful and represented a great and successful year of music, and The Grammys continue to be a stellar celebration and performance every year. ☐

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A L o ok into th e arc hiv es

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B elmont Hill Arts

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B elmont HIll Opinions

May 5 , 2 0 2 2

Did

Will

By Luke Guleserian ’24 Panel Staff

The most well-known event in pop culture in 2022 was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, the premier film award show. Smith became infuriated when Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith, Smith’s wife, specifically about her apparent baldness, due to a condition called alopecia.

To quote Rock, he said, “Jada, I love ya, G.I. Jane 2, I can’t wait to see it!”. She immediately frowned, which most likely led Smith to believe that he needed to stand up for his wife, which ended with him slapping Rock straight across the face and then proceeding to shout at Rock with expletives to get him to move onto another section of the show.

Rock handled the situation very maturely,

Smith

Overextend

instead of complaining to producers about what just occurred, he remained on stage, continuing the event. He chose not to speak to the press and let the incident settle by itself.

Days after the event concluded, the Academy issued a ten-year ban from the event to Smith. In hindsight, this is a very timely event that sparks an important discussion on comedy and where the line between what is funny and what is offensive truly lies. Some believe that a joke cannot truly be funny if it offends someone, while others may agree that a joke can never be truly funny if it is not a little cold-hearted. This has created a difficult atmosphere for comedians to work in in recent years, in order for them to make money, they must be funny, but at the risk of offending someone and having their shows boycotted or canceled.

at

In my personal opinion, I see nothing wrong with comedians trying to stretch the line, as long as it is somewhat reasonable based on current societal norms.

While the push to encourage greater compassion and empathy for others has improved the world significantly, it has also significantly curbed the freedom that comedy used to have. By acting on these impulses, we risk the world of comedy becoming less funny, which would be terrible for the welfare of society as a whole.

In the case of Chris Rock and Will Smith, I think it was a gross overreaction on Will Smith’s part, the joke was not very intense, it simply compared her lack of hair to that of G.I. Jane, and instead of slapping a man across the face on international television, he could have perhaps issued a state-

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the

Oscars?

ment following the show or even personally talked to Rock. While the escalation itself may not deter comedians from making such jokes, the backlash from the media may make them reconsider their routine and exclude certain jokes. As a rule, creative constraints are never productive for creativity; as more broadcast TV and internet platforms censor “bad” words or ideas, these restrictions may hinder comedy in coming years.

In conclusion, Will Smith had every right to defend his wife, just as she has every right to defend herself. As she is a grown woman who is used to being under the public spotlight, she should be able to resolve the issue by herself. Unfortunately, her husband acted very rashly and chose to harm the environment for comedy, at the very least, over the next couple of years. ☐

Debate of the Issue: Walkthrough or Sitdown Lunch?

By Luke Trevisan ’24 and Lev Tolkoff’24 Panel Staff For Walk-through (Luke): What is worse than coming into the lunch room after a nice weekend and having to look for your seating assignment. Everyone is crowding around the single board with 450 tiny names telling each person where to go. Once you finally shove your way through the crowd five minutes later, the dreaded W appears next to your name. You shuffle into the kitchen and pick up a tray to start the worst few weeks of your life.

This is the fiasco of sit-down lunch. Of course people might argue that it’s “rooted in tradition” but is there anyone around who still has coat tails or rides horses to school?

Some things need to be left in the past, including seating assignments.

Walk-through lunch however, is societies’ greatest achievement. Rather than be crammed next to a bunch of people who they don’t know, lunch enthusiasts get to choose who they sit with, allowing for variation every day.

To be frank, the task of a waiter is equivalent to the highest form of punishment possible to mankind. After waiting for the food in the kitchen, they have to bring it to the table and immediately lose any hope of a panini.

They then must sit down at the end of the table since everyone took the good seats and watch as the food is passed down right before their eyes. Once they get the food, they can enjoy it for a nice and pleasant five minutes before they have to get up again to clean up

everyone else’s dirty dishes and shuttle them over to the dish counter. Why bother with this when students can get their own food and clean up after themselves in a fraction of the time?

Additionally, under a walkthrough system, students can come and go as they please. While of course it is nice to sit down for a meal with friends, this isn’t always feasible. Students every day are getting busier and busier with extra help, time consuming sports and extracurricular activities. To fit this into a schedule would be a breeze if they didn’t have to sit down and waste time sitting around, rather than grabbing a quick bite to eat. This also means less congestion in the lunchroom and an easier time for the lunch staff.

With fewer students and formalities, less waste is collected. Each table would usually have three big bowls and three tongs/spoons. Now multiply that by 23 and that’s 138 more significantly larger items to wash. In addition, the waiters converge on the one dish counter to deposit their dishes all at once in the waning minutes of the lunch period. Why bother with the messy shoving when the used dishware can trickle in throughout lunch and make it a much easier job for the lunch staff ? In the end, the switch is clear, walk-through is better than sit-down.

For Sitdown Lunch (Lev): Since the school was founded in 1923, Belmont Hill has built its core principles of character, integrity, and tradition.

A key part of our tradition is family-style, sit-down lunches, and waitering. Every Belmont Hill seventh grader has gone through the woes of being a new waiter, not knowing what to do, when to do it, and how to

do it. However, it is through these tribulations that vital skills are developed; asking for help, logical thinking, and compassion.

Each one of us knows how annoying it can be to clean up a messy plate from an ignorant student who clearly has never waitered before. However, it is from these experiences that we become more considerate and tidy during lunch, not wanting to burden the waiter anymore than he already is.

Waitering also makes it easier on the dining staff who wash our dishes; the waiters stand in a line and take turns, rather than kids randomly throwing dishes and expecting them to be taken instantaneously. Waitering also allows for a traditional family-style meal; without waiters, kids get up every five minutes, interrupting conversation and rushing others.

Aside from the act of waitering, assigned seating allows for students to meet other students from their own and different forms. Many of the older students that I knew well originally sat at my lunch table.

Assigned seating also forces students to meet new teachers. These teachers may one day teach the students and, already having a relationship with your teacher before the first day of class can be a huge advantage.

I do recognize that the task of waitering can be daunting, especially when it’s your first time. However, most students waiter just once in a whole school year, and having your plate, glass, and silverware cleaned for you everyday is not so bad for the price of waitering once.

Some may claim that walk-thru produces less waste, however this is simply not true. In Food Committee meetings, Ms. Wu has said on multiple occasions that walk-thru creates far more waste than regular sit-down lunches. This is because waitered meals are more orderly and or-

Sitdown Lunch

BH Communications

ganized, so that the teacher at the table can advise kids to finish food on their plates or to only get a partial food refill.

Last, there simply would not be enough space to clear everything if we were to have a daily walk-thru system. If you have ever waitered before, you know that you can wait anywhere 1-5 minutes to clear your tray at the window. Now, multiply that by 100; there would be an enormous bottleneck at the dish service window. Proctors would have to monitor when kids could clear their plates, slowing down the speed of lunch.

In the end, while Wednesdays and Fridays offer nice breaks from the regular lunch, chaos would ensue if walk-thru lunch were a daily practice. And so I rest my case: family-style lunches and waitering is here to stay. ☐

On Banning Books: We All Lose When it Happens

By Jake Kornmehl ’24 Panel Staff The people of the United States justifiably take pride in their constitution, particularly free speech. The recent rash of book banning, especially those whose content concerns marginalized communities, threatens our democracy and harms both the reader and the banner. Books discussing gender identity, sexual orientation, slavery, and the Holocaust are being scrapped from school courses or removed entirely from town libraries.

Maus, an award-winning tale describing a family’s experience during the Holocaust, was banned in McMinn County, Tennessee. The author depicts the horrors families had to endure by using cartoons of cats and mice representing Nazis and Jews.

Those who banned the book due to “inappropriate graphics” are fostering a less empathic and more ignorant community. Tennessee’s banning of Maus recalls the in Nazi Germany that burned books by luminaries like Einstein, Hemingway, and Dos Passos.

Not only are books vital to prevent future repetition of tragedies, but they also inform the reader that there are others beyond their community who may be suffering hardships similar to their own. Books also provide a window into experiencing how one lives even if their situation is dramatically different.

Within several small counties in Texas, there have been multiple bans on books discussing gender, sexuality, and the African American struggle. The hope that history can be erased and feelings of guilt prevented fuels the prohibition of these works. It is crucial that students be

shown that we as a society acknowledge the horrible mistakes of the past, and that we will move forward to form a more unified community. Not teaching these issues will appear as foolhardy to future generations as the Catholic Church preventing Galileo’s teaching of the solar system and the discoveries of Copernicus seems to us.

Throughout history, book-banning has foreshadowed the later deterioration of the nations in which corruption takes root. By withdrawing these books from libraries, and disallowing discussions of these books in the classroom, the state and local legislatures are preventing students from having important conversations that will expand their worldview.

Whether it be Imperialist China, or the Age of Slavery in the deep south, book banning has been a destructive policy

that has not worked anywhere it has been attempted. In 259-210 BCE Shih Huang Ti buried all the books in his kingdom except for one copy of each hoping it would appear history began with him. These efforts failed.

The growing movement to ban books can be considered the tip of a greater iceberg that limits free speech. As I and the rest of my generation tackle issues of vital importance such as racism, LGBT rights and economic disparities, it is mandatory that we can use lessons derived from history and consider different perspectives. Therefore, all books must be accessible in order to create an informed society that will participate in energetic, productive debate and enable citizens to feel connected to their local communities and their country. ☐ *Disclaimer: All articles in the opinions sections are the opinions of writers and do no reflect the beliefs of the Panel or the Panel staff.

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2022 March Madness Review: One for the Ages

By Matthew Flaherty ’24 panel staff March Madness 2022 fit the classic mold that its title portrays; it had the classic cinderella, the overlooked run-of-the-mill middle-tier seeds, and the quintessential one seeds that ended up finishing worse than anticipated. Day one of March Madness is usually underwhelming as the opening slate is chock full of 16-1 and 15-2 seed matchups that always end up wiffth a lopsided result.

However, this year, this precedent was proven untrue. With one of the biggest shocks in recent March Madness history, the number 15-seed Saint Peter’s Peacocks knocked off the number two seed Kentucky Wildcats, many of whom picked them as their national champions. After this program-altering victory for the number 15-seeded Cinderella, many thought their magic run would end against the 7-seeded Murray State Racers, who finished 18-0 in conference play during the regular season and 31-3 overall. However, the Peacocks’ destiny did not end there as they came out on top with a final score of 70-60; Saint Peter’s was onto the Sweet 16.

When it came to the other significant round of 32 games, numerous other plots continued to blossom. The 11-seeded Iowa State Cyclones, who finished 0-18 in conference play and 2-22 overall the previous year in 2021, managed to knock off the 3-seeded Wisconsin Badgers led by sophomore

shooting guard Johnny Davis. However, the madness does not end there. The number 2-seeded Auburn Tigers, led by the consensus number-one overall pick for the 2022 NBA Draft, forward Jabari Smith, and arguably one of college basketball’s best coaches, Bruce Pearl, had their season ended earlier than expected. They lost in the round of 32 to the number 10-seeded Miami Hurricanes. While the 2021-2022 Hurricanes were a solid group, led by veteran guards Kameron McGusty and Charlie Moore, many-picked them to be a first-round exit against the 7-seeded USC Trojans. Nevertheless, Miami exceeded the expectations of many, but, in the following round, the Sweet 16, the Hurricanes came up short in a blowout loss to the 1-seeded Kansas Jayhawks out of the midwest region. In another notable fashion, the 8-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels, led by forwards Brady Manek and Armando Bacot and guards Caleb Love and R.J. Davis, knocked off the defending National Champion Baylor Bears. The latter of which many picked to win their second straight national championship.

To cap off the second round, the veteran Drew Timme and rookie Chet Holmgren-led Gonzaga Bulldogs, America’s number-one overall seed and favorite to win the whole tournament, shocked the world and lost a close battle against the 4-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks with the score being 74-68, ushered by coach Eric Musselman, a coach who prides himself on the betterment of his players. In the next round, the Sweet

16, the 15-seeded Saint Peter’s Peacocks continued their incredible run, guided by fan-favorite Doug Edert and sensational coach Shaheen Holloway, defeating the number 3-seeded Purdue Boilermakers. The Boilermakers arguably had one of the best players in the NCAA Tournament in guard Jaden Ivey, who is likely to be a top 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The Tar Heels and the Hurricanes continued their storied

Kansas Star Ochai Agbaji

Google Images

runs, advancing onto the Elite 8, one step closer to the ultimate stage in New Orleans.

However, in the Elite 8, these storied runs for the Peacocks and the Hurricanes ended as the UNC Tarheels and Kansas Jayhawks moved onto the Final Four. Duke, led by arguably one of the greatest coaches in the history of college basketball, Mike Krzyze-

wski, led the Blue Devils to the Final Four in his final season at the helm, led by freshman forward Paolo Banchero, who is likely to be one of the top picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. The 2-seeded Villanova Wildcats, led by their coach, Jay Wright, and their veteran leaders, guard Collin Gillespie and Jaylen Samuels. The Wildcats snuck out of the Elite 8; however, coming with a sacrifice: they lost one of their best players all season in Justin Moore, who averaged 14.8 points per game in the regular season. Moore, injured in the matchup against Houston, was sidelined for the rest of the tournament. The stage was set in New Orleans: the Kansas Jayhawks, the Duke Blue Devils, the Villanova Wildcats, and the North Carolina Tar Heels. In a storied matchup between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels, meeting for their first-ever time in the history of March Madness, the underdog Tar Heels came out as the victor and spoiled Coach K’s fairytale ending. The Justin Moore-less Villanova Wildcats came up short against the Bill Self commandeered Kansas Jayhawks in the other Final Four matchup. The Jayhawks dominated inside the paint all game and had no trouble from three-point range, led by guard Ochai Agbaji and center David McCormack. In the National Championship of the 2022 Men’s College Basketball Season, the number-one seeded and midwest region champion Kansas Jayhawks were the ones who ended up cutting down the nets, aided by the help of role players Christian Braun and Remy Martin, along with their usual stars. ☐

Golf Update Athlete of the Issue: Jarrett Chen ‘22

By Noah Farb ’24 panel staff

By Aidan Lee ‘24 panel staff

The Belmont Hill varsity golf team has had an excellent start to the 2022 season. The team is undefeated through its first ten matches with big wins against St. George’s and Milton Academy. Coaches Doar and Duarte are at the helm of an impressive squad that looks to achieve their full potential. A highlight from the season is CJ Winchenbaugh ‘24 getting a hole-inone on a par three one day during practice. Led by captain John Broderick ‘22, the team hopes to compete for the ISL title.

Following the Varsity Tennis team’s incredible 9-1 start, while being undefeated in ISL play, defeating their rival Roxbury Latin, it seems appropriate that The Panel should celebrate Jarrett Chen ‘22 as the Athlete of the Issue. Jarret Chen has been on the team since Form I and has proven himself to be one of the hardest working members. Although Jarrett has not achieved his goal of winning the ISL yet, he is aiming further this year, stating, “My goal is to win ISLs; however, I believe we can win New Englands on top of that.”

After a disappointing Covid-19 season, Jarrett showed his leadership, raising team morale both on and off the

The team has upcoming matches against Tabor (5/6), Governors (5/10), and St. Sebs (5/11). ☐

“My goal is to win ISLs; however, I believe we can win New Englands on top of that.”

Jarrett Chen ’22

Jarrett Chen ’22

court, bringing Belmont Hill’s tennis team back to the winning standard with which we are familiar. Jarrett looks to continue bringing positive energy every day to the court, stating that “I really like the team, and I wouldn’t want to spend my senior season with anyone else. Ultimately, I think we are favorites to win.”

Although there are many more matches left in the season, Jarrett and the rest of the Belmont Hill community are happy to see the tennis team continue to succeed and are hopeful for an ISL championship or more this year. ☐

Varsity Lacrosse Update: A Standard of Success By luke trevisan ’24 panel staff After winning the ISL title last season, Belmont Hill Varsity Lacrosse is back in full swing. Along with many other Belmont Hill teams, they are off to a great start. Head Coach Tim Sullivan expects the team to “lean heavily on our senior class for leadership” and has “been very impressed with this group and [is] excited for how they will perform this season.” The team is led by Senior captains Charlie Cave ‘22 and Tom Goguen ‘22.

Preseason started before March break, with players from all grades, including freshmen. During the second week of March vacation, players returned for the school’s version of Hell Week, showing up every day for 9-4 practices and meetings.

Coach Sullivan sees the week as a necessary means to start the season and looks to not only “install systems, practice and prepare, but for team bonding as well.” It is a first for many, as due to Covid restric-

tions last year and the cancellation of the spring season the year before, only the captains had been on the team to experience it.

The team then jumped into their season with three non-ISL games. Deerfield and Avon Old Farms were tough losses, yet Belmont Hill stayed in the game. Despite the two losses, Belmont hill has remained at the top of its game. In their second game, Belmont Hill held on to a nail-biting lead in a 9-8 win against the Hill School. The team has only improved, winning close games against ISL opponents Thayer, 117, Nobles, 14-11, and Tabor, 12-10, an impressive line-up. Blowouts are bound to happen with such an all-star team, and the team walloped Lawrence Academy, 20-9, and St. Marks, 17-2. In the St. Mark’s game, Liam Horkan ‘22, Ben DiBattista ‘24, and Ethan O’Neill’22 had at least three goals.

Although the season is about halfway through, there is still a lot of competition to get excited about. New this year is the 8-team ISL playoff system. Hopefully, this will entail an exciting end to the season

as eventful as the recent hockey and basketball seasons. Coach Sullivan encourages the work ethic to be kept up and wants the team “to work hard every day, compete in practice and of course enjoy the season.” Currently, the team is 7-2 and ranked first in the ISL and third in Massachusetts.

The team had a massive comeback win against St. Sebastians, at Regis Col-

Belmont Hill Varsity Lacrosse

lege on April 29th, winning 12-11 in overtime behind the amazing performances of goalie Matt Torrey ‘23 and attackmen Ethan O’neill. The varsity lacrosse team is trying to repeat as ISL Champions, a goal that is defintely within reach.

The next home games for the lacrosse team are against Roxbury Latin on May 7 and May 14 against Milton Academy. ☐

@BelmontHillLax Twitter

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World

Cup

By NOAH Farb ’24 panel staff The 2022 World Cup is taking place this year in Qatar with the group stages scheduled to start on November 21st. It ends with the championship match in Doha on December 18th. While not every participating country has officially been chosen, all 32 “spots” have been drawn using FIFA’s regional competition system and the confederation’s rating system to create a field that comprises the top national teams globally and gives representation to all regions.

The 32 teams are broken into eight groups, each of four sections. Two teams will advance each from these groups to form the round of 16, which operates as an elimination-style bracket. As there tends to be

Preview Red

when groups are drawn randomly, some groups are more challenging than others.

Group A, which includes host nation Qatar, also has the Netherlands, Ecuador, and Senegal might advance a sitting duck into the knockout stage. All three non-Qatari teams will likely beat the host nation, whose soccer team is not a World Cup caliber squad.

In contrast to Group C, this is dubbed the “Group of Death” by many. One of Argentina, Mexico, or Poland will be knocked out in the group stage, and that’s without even mentioning Saudi Arabia, who went 9-1 in the Asian qualifiers, losing only to Japan.

Regardless of whatever ends up happening, the worldwide tournament will be entertaining and refreshing to watch in November and December during the school day instead of focusing on class. ☐

Sox

Pa g e

Season

By Ben hack ’24 panel staff The Red Sox have started the season playing .500 baseball with a record of 7-7.

However, there has been an unfortunate Covid breakout among the team, as both catchers Kevin Plawecki and Christian Vazquez have tested positive, and manager Alex Cora has as well. The offense has not been to the standard most fans expected after the signing of Trevor Story. Stars such as Trevor Story, Kíke Hernandez, and J.D. Martinez will need to snap out of their slumps if the Red Sox are to score more in 2022.

Another struggle is the starting pitchers. Nick Pivetta and Rich Hill have both gotten beaten up by opposing offenses in

Varsity

Source: Google Images

Crew Update

such as Bobby Cooper ‘23, and Jackson Rich ‘25. The team has a well-rounded top three in Bobby, Jarrett, and Jackson to go along with depth from spots one through eleven. The team recently had one of it’s strongest showings of the season agaisnt a tough Milton Academy team and looks to keep the same level of intensity for the rest of the season. We hope to play as well as we have up to this point and to become ISL champions.

Sailing

By Duncan Kilbride ’24 panel staff

By alex lo ’23 panel staff

As the Belmont Hill academic school year quickly is coming to an end, the BH Varsity Crew Team is just beginning its competitive season. After the grueling hours invested and, thousands of strokes pulled down in Stetson, Florida, and four scrimmages against other top schools in the country, Belmont Hill contended in its first race against Pomfret on April 23.

The team consisted of six four-man boats.

With both teams racing equally hard, Belmont Hill departed triumphant. Captains Stephen Warming ’22, Howard Huang ’22, and Ben Trotsky ’22, are the leaders of this year’s impressive group under the stewardship of Coach Richards. While the season has only just started, it is already shaping up to be a good one. ☐

Varsity Sailing is off to a phenomenal start this year. The team is excited to return to regattas after many canceled events last year due to COVID-19. The first Regatta was at Marina Bay, where the team raced Milton Academy and Tabor. It was an interesting race with very little wind in the beginning and then very heavy wind at the end. Although Belmont Hill did not come out victorious, the team learned a lot facing two of the best teams in the country. When back at home, the team sails out of the Mystic Lake in Winchester. Coach Dennis Creedon has worked on developing boat handling skills as well as team racing skills. A typical practice will start with some tacks on the whistle and finish with team racing drills.

The sailors have focused on perfecting their

Varsity

Baseball

By nick andersen ’24 and Cam Carey ’23 Panel Staff The Belmont Hill baseball team is looking to bounce back this year after a rocky 2021 Covid-19 filled season.

The squad started with a 2-0 record to begin the 2022 ISL season but dropped its most recent game vs. Governors 4-3.

After struggling through the first few innings, the team fought back into the game showing their resilience. At one point Belmont Hill had the winning run on base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but unfortunately, they were unable to cash in. On the bright side, the team has looked like a real contender to win the ISL title as new additions have played very well to start the season and continue to build on getting better. Infielder Brennan Barlage ‘23 is excited about the rest of the year, saying, “I love this team and it is a great group of players. I am excited to continue to play with the guys hopefully and eventually

Jake Kornmehl ’24

Update Track Update

win an ISL championship.” Led by senior captains Jack Winnay ‘22 and Drew Blackwell ‘22, along with junior captain Anthony Pellagrini ‘22, the team is on a quest to win the title this year and complete a magical comeback season.

The team is looking forward to their upcoming games vs. Tabor, Cushing, Milton Academy, and Sebs. ☐

John Milewski ’23

Adam Richins Photography

Update

The 2022 Belmont Hill Varsity Tennis team has gotten off to a great start. The team is 9-0 in ISL play with its only loss against non-league opponent Phillips Andover. After defeating a gritty Roxbury Latin squad four to three on April 13th, Belmont Hill is a contender to win the ISL title and hopes to compete in the NEPSAC Class B tourThe team has upcoming matches vs. nament. Led by captains Chris Egan ‘22 and Jarrett Chen ‘22, the team has strong St. Georges (5/7), Nobles (5/11), and Rivers leadership along with younger players (5/14). ☐

Varsity

Varsity Sailing

Start

recent starts and have yet to make it more than a few innings into any of their outings on the mound. However, there have been a few pleasant surprises so far. Starting pitcher Michael Wacha has been dominant in his last two starts posting a 1.88 ERA with 12 strikeouts. He has been a solid free-agent addition and could be a factor in the starting rotation.

The bullpen has unexpectedly been dominant this season. Pitchers such as Garrett Whitlock, Jake Diekman, and Matt Strahm have performed above early expectations.

The Red Sox have a tough remaining schedule for April with exclusively road games left, so that it will be a difficult rest of the month. Hopefully, the bats can pick it up, and the Sox will be in a better spot in the standings by the end of the month. ☐

Tennis

By Ethan sidman ’24 panel staff

The Final World Cup Drawings

11

Update

roll tacks and skipper crew coordination.

Captains Wilton Lawton ’22 and Michael Salvatore ’22 have done a wonderful job leading the young team, mentoring and advising the younger sailors. In races and practice, skippers Quinn Healey ’23, Wilton Lawton ’22, and Michael Salvatore ’22 have worked on their coordination and communication, as well as team racing skills. Crews Trey Penna ’23, Alex Lo ’23, and Michael Furey ’25 have improved their boat mechanics and team racing skills.

Season highlights have included, but are not limited to: Quinn running aground on the first day and breaking the centerboard rope, Trey falling in the water when trying to jump onto the dock, a massive boat splitting crash during a race with Lincoln-Sudbury, and Alex’s leaking drysuit filling up with water like a balloon after he and Trey capsized. ☐

By Nate voss ’24 panel staff With the first rays of spring sun, Belmont Hill Track has come out to compete. The team had a couple of weeks to train and was improving every practice. A few weeks of training have led to results in the meets, with a early record of 1-1, with the loss largely due to fatigue after prom. While the season has just started, we have already had some standout performances by captains James Donahue ’22 in the 800m, 1500m, and 3k races), and David Carter ‘22 in the 300m and 110m hurdles. For the throwers, Mike Ahonen ‘22 has been dominating shot put, and Josiah Gomes ‘25 has made strides in shot put and discus. The track team looks primed for an amazing season in the following weeks. In future practices, the focus will be on trimming downtimes and staying healthy for ISL’s and Belmont Hill Track’s first ever D1 New England meet. ☐

James Hurd ’23

Miles Sandoski ’24

Back page

Page: The Back

The Panel

AP Chem Expectations:

Reality:

Belmont Hill's Suspected Communists Mr. Bradley: Referred to multiple students as "comrade"

Mr. Bounty: Suspected of embezzling school funds out of the food budget into an unidentified Russian organization

Mr. Hegarty (Real name Nikolai Brezhnev Grigory): Must be the Communist in him, censors the back page like the KGB

Belmont Hill's Confirmed Communists

Mr. Bracken: Expressed his political views

Look Alikes

Ms. Otley

Parent Trap Lindsay Lohan

Mr. Gregory Schneider

Shootah McGavin

- The entirety of Sustainability Club Demetri Ciano

Russell