The Deerfield Scroll: November 15, 2017

Vol. XCII, No. 5

Deerfield, Massachusetts

November 15, 2017

Students Discuss Racism

Orlee Marini-Rapoport Associate Editor

On October 24, a recent Deerfield alumna posted an open letter to Facebook that addressed race and racism within the Deerfield community, sparking a discussion for students on campus both through the comment feature online and through an open forum that took place in the Main School

Building on October 26. So many students and faculty members attended the forum that it was moved from the Caswell into the lobby, and a seemingly endless list of comments emerged on Facebook in the days following the publication of the open letter.

The Deerfield community is making an effort to define racism and address its presence on campus. English Teaching Fellow Ms. Anna Gonzales ’12 sees racism “not as a series of isolated incidents or thing that a person does or is to someone else, but as an outgrowth of official and unofficial policies that make it socially acceptable for people to do or say racist things. … The more frequently we discuss

racism, the more effective we’ll be at recognizing more forms of it.”

With respect to recent events on campus such as the open forum, Ms. Gonzales said, “[the conversation is] a sign that hopefully people are listening to their peers’ experiences and are trying to learn from them … criticizing a community is a sign that you care.”

Fernanda Ponce ’19 thought that the open letter accomplished “what can be too taboo at Deerfield, which is being honest about what we (minority groups) experience on this campus.”

Many comments on the Facebook thread concerned whether institutionalized racism was present at Deerfield, and who should make that determination.

Nafi Sall ’20 said, “You cannot denounce [the 2016 Deerfield alum’s experience] because you never went through what she had to go through. Everyone at Deerfield has their own experience, so let’s not try to doubt and argue against someone else’s.”

Sam Laur ’20 agreed that it’s important to hear what others are saying and to trust members of the community who speak out about racism. He responded to comments on Facebook that were critical of the original post by saying, “Dear white men, … when so many women and people of different races in our community are saying that they have experienced this discrimination first hand, let’s believe them. Let us use our empathy and seek to understand instead of shutting them out because they have experienced things we have not.”

New trustees from left to right: Elizabeth Weymouth, Rudi Wachsman, and Stephen Quazzo

Deerfield Welcomes Three New Trustees Nadia Jo

Associate Editor During the last weekend of October, three new members of the Deerfield Academy Board of Trustees arrived on campus for their first meeting. Stephen Quazzo ’78, P’08, Rudi Wachsman ’53, and Elizabeth Weymouth P’18, P’20 will each serve two five-year terms on the Board, taking part in their first meetings during the first of three Trustee Weekends during the 201718 school year.

A Nominating and Governance Committee, led by President of the Board of Trustees, H. Rodgin Cohen ’61, identifies candidates for the Board. “We look for a variety of qualifications; by far the most important is the commitment to Deerfield and a sense of community, which we hope will be the hallmark of Deerfield,” explained Mr. Cohen.

He cited “individual expertise and experience” as additional criteria that are considered in the selection process.

Head of School Margarita Curtis

Staff Writer

Continued on News, p. 4

Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of Miramax Films and director of movies such as Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Pulp Fiction (1994), was publicly accused of sexually harassing over 100 women in early October. The scale of the subsequent investigations has shed light on the widespread presence of sexual assault in Hollywood and in society, leading the Deerfield community to reflect on these issues on campus.

“He was too powerful for anyone to say anything about it, and that’s what’s scary,” said Alexis Levit ’18, one of three Feminism Club leaders. “[Sexual assault] is obviously rampant in the movie industry, which makes me think that it’s rampant in every industry.”

Lily Louis ’18, another club leader, explained that the response to this scandal “is indicative that times are changing, and that it is already a big step forward that he is being condemned, and he is being

demonized, which is something that hasn’t happened in the past.”

Louis added, “[This] is a big moment, especially in the feminist movement, because women aren’t being [blamed] ... because he is the perpetrator and that is very important.”

Levit additionally mentioned that Weinstein’s exposure has catalyzed increased awareness of sexual assault, stating, “Now that it’s all come out, now there’s a huge campaign, the ‘Me Too’ campaign, for people who have been sexually harassed or assaulted in any industry.”

Relating to the Weinstein case, Deerfield’s administration has taken noticeable steps in recent years to protect its students from sexual misconduct. Amie Creagh, Assistant Head of School for Student Life, listed a series of initiatives designed to promote a safe and positive attitude towards relationships on campus: Continued on News, p. 4

Hannah Kang

Orlee Marini-Rapoport Associate Editor

Over 100 and counting. That’s the current number of women who have come forward to accuse film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault and rape. Sadly, as we all know, this isn’t the first famous man to be accused of sexual harassment or sexual assault. Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly recently confronted sexual harassment and assault charges. Then there’s Andy Signore, John Besh, Chris Savino, Robert Scoble, and Roy Price, just to name a few. And let’s not forget the tape where Donald Trump admits to grabbing women “by the pussy.”

So we can ask ourselves: Is this simply an epidemic among powerful men in our country, or is this a systemic and pervasive problem in our culture where male

privilege perpetuates entitlement to whatever, whomever, whenever?

But let’s back up a little: to most women, it isn’t a surprise that so many victims have come forward or that so many victims waited to come forward for decades because they feared reprisal. It takes courage to speak up knowing that you’ll be accused of spreading financially motivated lies. A Huffington Post article, addressing actor Casey Affleck’s Oscar win and the sexual harassment allegations against him, speaks to this very issue.

The article reads, “Being white and male can be a powerful shield against failure, even in the face of evidence that perhaps a given honor is not deserved. And as actress Constance Wu pointed out in January after calling Affleck out, it is often those who speak out about alleged abusers that face a fear of

What’s Inside Opinion and Editorial, p. 2

Let’s Talk About Productive Dialogue Opinion and Editorial, p. 3

Empathy Transcends “Isms”

News, p. 4

Fighting Substance Use On Campus Buzz, p. 5

Swinging into Semi

Continued on News, p. 4

Opinion: 100 and Counting

Healthy Relationships: Deerfield and Beyond Emma Earls

described the Board of Trustees as “financial and cultural stewards of the institution.” An important task of the Board is to appoint the Head of School who then selects other members of the administration.

Dr. Curtis also noted that the administration is the body overseeing and managing Deerfield, whereas the main job of the Trustees is to “act as advisors and listeners who provide great insight” to the administration in making important

Features, p. 6

Peter Nilsson Wins Wolfram Innovator Award Features, p. 6

Debate Dominates as Top U.S. Team

repercussions as a result.”

These harassment and assault stories, however, are not isolated incidents and they don’t concern just a few famous men. As Wu points out, we live in a culture of “not believing” women, especially when they tell their stories about rape, assault, harassment, discrimination, or sexism. And it doesn’t just happen to women: it starts when a little girl is born — sugar and spice and everything nice. In our culture, “not believing” begins right away.

Consider these examples: a four-year-old girl (my sister) in preschool is terrified to go to school.

Why? Because a preschool-aged boy is continuously poking her with thumbtacks. When teachers are asked to address the incident, it is dismissed, considered “harmless” because the boy was motivated by the fact that he “liked” the little girl.

It starts in small moments, like in elementary school, where my sisters’ voices weren’t heard, their needs not valued, when they went to the school administration asking for a change in playground space, as the boys had “claimed” every inch of the available blacktop. It starts when a boy told my sister that he was going to kill her and that she was ugly and fat before she was even old enough to explain the situation to the adults around her. Once again, teachers explained to my parents that this boy “liked” my sister.

This culture continues in high school, where a girl writes an opinion piece about the inauguration, which I did last year for the Scroll.

While I believe in the importance of engaging in discussion with individuals who hold opposing opinions, the reactions to my article were not about creating a Continued on Opinion, p. 3

#SocialMedia Arts and Entertainment, p.7

Fall Play, You Can’t Take It with You, Enjoys Success

deerfieldscroll.com

Sports, p. 8

@DeerfieldScroll

Mr. Howe’s New Blog

/DeerfieldScroll

@DeerfieldScroll

2 ⋅ Wednesday, November 15th, 2017

The Deerfield Scroll

Opinion and Editorial

Letter From the Editors Dear Reader,

Vol. XCII, No. 5 Editors-in-Chief Jillian Carroll and Kevin Chen Opinion & Editorial Editor Kiana Rawji

Online Editor Simon Lam

News Editor Sarah Jane O’Connor

Distribution Manager Sean Yu

Buzz Editor Uwa Ede-Osifo

Associate Online Editor John Chung

Features Editor Maya Hart

Associate Photography Editor Britney Cheung

Arts & Entertainment Editor Doris Zhang

Associate Graphics Editor Hannah Kang

Sports Editor Alli Norris

Associate Editors Julia Angkeow Peter Everett Joshua Fang Adeliza Grace Yingtong Guo Nadia Jo Orlee Marini-Rapoport Fatima Rashid Thomas Song

Photography Editor Roopa Venkatraman Graphics Editor Claire Zhang Layout Editor Ines Bu

Advisors Julianne Schloat and Anna Gonzales The Deerfield Scroll, established in 1925, is the official student newspaper of Deerfield Academy. The Scroll encourages informed discussion of pertinent issues that concern the Academy and the world. Signed letters to the editor that express legitimate opinions are welcomed. We hold the right to edit for brevity. The Scroll is published eight times yearly.

Opinion articles with contributors’ names attached represent only the views of the respective writers. Opinion articles without names represent the consensus views of the editorial board.

Let’s Talk About Productive Dialogue Board Editorial Several weeks ago, a Deerfield alumna published an open letter on Facebook addressed directly to the school community.

She expressed concerns about prevalent issues of prejudice on campus, namely sexism and racism, and called for readers to respond and share their experiences. In a matter of hours, the thread was filled with debate and discussion, with Deerfield students and alumni alike posting comments to Hannnah Kang share their opinions.

While some commenters did offer respectful statements that provided their perspectives and acknowledged those of others, the comment thread was largely filled with heated, back-and-forth debate, in which many openly condemned others’ perspectives as invalid or even resorted to personal attacks and insults.

We know that racism and sexism are issues that many people feel strongly about, or that touch many people at a personal level. No matter what we believe, it can be upsetting and frustrating when others do not share our beliefs or see our points of view. But attacking others’ opinions will only alienate them and lead to more defensiveness, animosity, and narrow-mindedness. This type of discussion is far from productive. At Deerfield, we learn how to have respectful discussions with our peers every day in our classes, especially at the seminar table. So why can’t we do it on Facebook?

While public social media platforms allow for widespread and efficient dissemination of information, they can also invite people to communicate with each other more aggressively and more disrespectfully than they might dare to do in person. It is often easier to dehumanize others online, when we can’t physically see them.

Much of the healthy discussion that we practice every day at Deerfield stems from the notion of the Socratic seminar, an approach to discussion based off of the beliefs of the philosopher Socrates. “I know that I know nothing” is an idea underlying Socrates’ philosophy. The goal of a Socratic seminar is not for any one faction to “win” the argument. Instead, participants are encouraged to think critically about the issues at hand and work together to construct meaning and draw conclusions.

With the rise of debate surrounding pertinent issues in our community, it is now especially important that we focus on having candid but productive and respectful discussions. As the “Cross the Valley” posters around campus have reminded us, we must accept others’ experiences and perspectives as true to them. Other posters have also urged us to listen to understand, instead of listening to respond. It is important to take these cultural competency skills to heart, as they can go a long way in promoting healthier dialogue in our lives.

Whether online or in person, we must resist the urge to attack and devalue others’ opinions, no matter how different they are from our own, and instead, work towards empathy and understanding and ultimately, cooperation in order to find solutions to any challenges we face as a community. Only by engaging open-mindedly and respectfully with one another can we bridge our differences and work towards progress.

With the ongoing discussions on campus regarding how we can make our school a more inclusive place, we feel compelled to address the allegation that those of us who have been pointing out ways we can improve as a school somehow dislike Deerfield.

Speaking for ourselves, of course we love Deerfield, and of course we recognize that it is a privilege to attend.

That said, we do acknowledge that op-eds tend to be more critical than complimentary, because people who choose to spend the time to write an op-ed about an issue are likely compelled by a desire to see some kind of change.

Yet, we think we speak for most, if not all, of our writers when we say that we immensely love Deerfield overall.

In fact, we would even argue that pointing out ways we can improve is a sign that we love our school. To illustrate this point, when parents criticize their children for wrongdoings, it is not because they dislike their children,

but instead because they love them and wish them to improve.

Similarly, we point out ways Deerfield could improve because we wish it to become the best it can be; if we did not care about Deerfield, then we would not put in the effort to improve it.

We think we can all agree that nobody is perfect. Accordingly, none of our institutions is perfect either. We would only delude ourselves in insisting that Deerfield, or any other school, is perfect.

Furthermore, insisting that it is disloyal to criticize our school is eerily reminiscent of the mindset of many totalitarian regimes, the antithesis of our democracy that we so cherish. Then, why do we accuse each other of disliking our school for admitting its imperfections?

The crux of this conflict, we believe, is a dilemma that everyone wrestles with in life: the question of how to be satisfied in how far one has come, while simultaneously acknowledging that there is still room for improvement and always striving to become even better.

We would like to celebrate that Deerfield has come a long way in terms of diversity and inclusion.

The Deerfield of the past, with its homogeneous student body of rich white males, contrasts sharply with the Deerfield of today, a school with a student body that is diverse in so many respects: gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, geographic and socioeconomic background, religion, and beliefs.

And yet, as long as even one person feels discriminated against on our campus, that means that we can try harder to make our community a more inclusive place.

Instead of accusing each other of being ungrateful for talking about Deerfield’s flaws, let’s tell each other our stories and simply listen to one another, without judgment and without defensiveness. Let’s make sure that the wonder that so many of us see in our school is truly shared by all in our community.

All the best, Kevin and Jillian

Immigrant to Immigrant Fatima Zahoor

Contributing Writer “Welcome to America! I just want you to know that not everyone is against you, and that there’s many like me who are on your side! I support you!”

The Polish immigrant’s smile was endless while he talked affectionately to my mother and me. Feelings of déjà vu swept over me as I remembered three-yearold Fatima at an international arrival terminal at JFK. What he didn’t realize is that we received our American welcome over a decade ago. As the years went by, my other three siblings changed the immigrant to nonimmigrant ratio in our family to fifty-fifty.

But, if your mother wears hijab people can assume anything.

The phrase that stands out the most to me is “on your side.”

Why should I be on a different side than him, or Christians, or Jews, or anybody? It’s wrong that Muslims are viewed as terrorists who follow a “violent” religion.

Ironic, since the definition of the Amelia Chen word “Islam,” is “World of Peace.” Unfortunately, this knowledge reaches those who choose to be exposed to it, but the problem is — why do people have to put in an effort to know? Just as everyone has heard the negative stereotypes associated with my religion, why haven’t they heard about the fundamental values and truths about it? Why are 1.6 billion Muslims becoming victims for the actions of a few?

Answer: Five-letter word.

Media.

Media is the only way people get their news, and often people are swayed without understanding both sides of the story. For at least three days on national television, you’ll hear about the Arab-Muslim-Man-With-ABeard who is a suspect. But only for a day on national television, you’ll hear about the White-NonMuslim-Man-Without-A-Beard who set an Ohio mosque on fire

because he was “mentally ill.”

When the White-Non-MuslimMan-Without-A-Beard was asked whether he knew any Muslims or what Islam is, he replied, “No, I only know what I hear on Fox News and what I hear on radio.”

The President publicly expressed lamentation for the Paris attack performed by the Arab-MuslimMan-With-A-Beard, but the President never did the same for the Muslims in Quebec who lost their lives due to the White-NonMuslim-Man-Without-A-Beard.

Despite that, the epitome of media bias is when the media chose

to highlight the Muslim suicide bomber in Stade de France but not the Muslim security officer who blocked the bomber from entering the stadium. The Muslim security officer became a hero when he lost his life, for the sake of saving hundreds of others, but he wasn’t the Muslim the media wanted.

This is a problem.

In the beginning of my middle school chorus concerts, my classmates and I sang lines about younger America: “land of the free, and the home of the brave.”

The structural values of liberty, equality and unity that were implemented at America’s birth now seem paradoxical. Building a wall, banning a religion, discriminating against genders and cultures are not what the Founding Fathers of this country would have liked to see. The people who will have to suffer from unconstitutional orders

aren’t “free,” and segregation isn’t “brave;” if anything, it’s cowardly.

Why must people resort to discrimination, hate, or violence to solve problems instead of unity, logic, and ethics? The saddening options that are used today violate the definition of being American.

We claim to be the best nation in the world, so let’s prove that through every action.

But just as racial discrimination is spreading, so is racial progress.

We all have been taught to not believe everything we hear and to educate ourselves before drawing a conclusion. People that researched Islam only found room for love and empathy in my religion, which is the opposite of what most media outlets portray.

People are beginning to question the media and realize that Islamophobia is actually just a phobia about understanding the truth.

Once someone learns the facts, they’ll get over his/ her fear of a certain race.

When Muslims banned from travel were praying in airports, their fellow non-Muslims citizens protected them. This is the definition of hope. We are all human beings first, then religion plays a part of how one defines him or herself; but a religion doesn’t define the person nor does a person define the religion. Every cloud has a silver lining and this cloud that is storming and fogging up America right now is the same one that is uniting millions of diverse people together.

Knowing that my brother won’t be segregated because his name is Muhammad, or my mother because she wears hijab is a dream I believe to see in my lifetime because I have hope in my fellow immigrants, just like my Polish Friend, who built this nation.

With more unity and support not only between every immigrant to immigrant, but between every person to every person, we will show this teenage America what it means to be American.

Let’s make empathy great again.

Opinion and Editorial

The Deerfield Scroll

Institutionalized Racism and DA: Empathy Transcends “Isms” Niyafa Boucher

Contributing Writer Institutionalized racism has been a hot button topic at Deerfield in the past weeks. By definition, institutionalized racism refers to “a pattern of social institutions giving negative treatment to a group of people based on their race” (Chegg Study). These social institutions can include government organizations, schools, banks and courts of law. At its root the term is most clearly applicable to slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration.

However, when used to define Deerfield Academy, it becomes an issue of controversy. I can agree that Deerfield doesn’t explicitly treat students of color negatively because of their race; however, bringing institutionalized racism into today’s conversation begs us to examine the patterns of other social institutions that undeniably impact the Deerfield campus.

Take our sport teams: as you descend the roster from varsity to thirds, there is more racial and ethnic diversity. Even further, there are some sports that lack diversity all together. This isn’t because Deerfield has a pattern of dividing sports teams by race, but rather because of the greater correlation between race, socioeconomic status and access.

Before coming to Deerfield I’d never heard of field hockey or played a team sport. My freshman year I played on 3rds, where I was the goalie. I borrowed all my equipment from the school, and I fell in love with the game. I have played every year since. As a senior, who went from never having played before to starting on JV, I recognize that this wouldn’t have been possible without Deerfield loaning me equipment every season. Some of my best Deerfield moments have occurred on the field, and I have met some of my best friends there as well.

Although the bonding between teammates is genuine, my point is these connections are impacted by systems outside of Deerfield’s campus.

Every time I use this example to describe exclusion at Deerfield, I am met with a surprised response. Most often I hear, “I never thought about it like that before.” This response always troubles me because as an academic institution, Deerfield’s

job is to help students think about their lives in the context of this campus and the world around them. As a leader of the Deerfield Black Student Alliance, and a student coordinator for our Office of Diversity and Inclusion, I am constantly asked for an answer to one question: “How do we get white students to care about issues of race, diversity and inclusion?”

All too often I have been told that people don’t care about issues that don’t pertain to them. However, I’d like to challenge the idea that race does not pertain to all students at Deerfield. Deerfield prides itself on being “a vibrant, ethical community that embraces diversity.” Our mission statement further asserts, “the Academy prepares students for leadership in a rapidly changing world that requires global understanding...”

The question I would pose instead is: “Why don’t white students see race as something that pertains

and build understanding. What is Deerfield if not a place where we can challenge each other respectfully and have open and honest dialogue?

In my ideal vision of the Deerfield community, we focus less on the words and more on the people who say them. I’m not writing this article to settle the debate about whether or not Deerfield is institutionally racist.

I am writing this article because although racism is an important issue, I don’t believe it speaks to the depth of the problem that Deerfield really struggles with.

Deerfield students struggle to have empathy for members of the community that they don’t know personally. We allow fear, uncertainty, and comfort to hinder our interactions. At the end of the day, we are all teenagers in high school working hard to get through life. Because I started at Deerfield when I was only 13, I understand

Although racism is an important issue, I don’t believe it speaks to the depth of the problem that Deerfield really struggles with. Deerfield students struggle to have empathy for members of the community that they don’t know personally. to them?” The answer is simple: “isms” are inherently divisive.

When we start a conversation about racism or sexism, in our minds, we have already created two opposing sides. In my Facebook post, I urged students to get off their laptops and phones and engage with this community in person — community is defined as our shared identity as Deerfield students. We solve issues of race at Deerfield when we, as students, seek to interact with all members of this community and form genuine care for each other. When a student posts on Facebook that Deerfield has failed them or makes the statement that white students’ opinions don’t matter, it is our job as community members to reach out and ask them what in their life has led them to make that statement. I can admit that it is scary to walk up to people I don’t know and start a conversation; however, if that became the norm, we could connect with students on this campus on a deeper level. It is our responsibility as members of this community to care about each other enough to ask questions

that it is hard to be vulnerable in high school and put yourself out there. We owe it to ourselves, then, to take advantage of Deerfield’s diverse community. By learning someone’s story, you gain a depth of perspective that you may not have otherwise had.

For all the students who asked for examples of institutionalized racism or who have questions that you are too afraid to ask, I challenge you to go to an alliance meeting or ask these questions to someone you have never spoken to before. Show genuine interest and be curious and you may be surprised by what you find. “Isms” thrive when we allow them to influence our actions. They thrive when we don’t push ourselves to ask the hard questions, and most of all they thrive when we hurt each other. Hurt people hurt people and, as a woman of color, I will be the first to admit that I struggle everyday to remember that Deerfield is my school just as much as anyone else’s. Let’s all take that first step and help build a stronger Deerfield community.

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 ⋅ 3

Feminism: Jump on Board!

Lily Louis

women not be able to vote or drive? Why should women’s Contributing Writer bodies be controlled by men (or governments)? Why should “I’m a feminist. I’ve been a women and girls be forced to female for a long time now. It’d be marry against their will (as 28 stupid not to be on my own side.”­­ girls per minute are worldwide)? ­— Maya Angelou Why should girls not have We all struggle with the access to education as their male polarizing nature of the word counterparts do (as 62 million girls “feminism.” The long-standing do not worldwide?) Why should pop culture myth of the mana girl be shot in the head merely hating, bra-burning, masculine, for trying to get an education, as disillusioned harridan needs to be Malala was? Why should women retired. only hold 4.8 percent of the CEO We, the perceptive, assume positions in S&P 500 companies that equality has already been when they constitute 46.1% achieved, regardless of what percent of the workforce? the United Nations High And so it follows, if feminism Commissioner for Human Rights is about equality of the sexes, for says. We assume that the modern those of you who do not consider woman can be or do anything. Yet, yourselves feminists, I would we too easily forget that she like to ask you to try and cannot be a Pope, a Catholic justify your position to priest, or a Navy Seal...We your sisters and mothers assume that the civilized (and one day to your world has long since own daughters). surmounted the issue Yes, we have of equal pay and gender made great strides in bias in the workplace. Yet, recent years. The trend is we ignore the pay gap and the 18 nations where women Claire Zhang encouraging. The progress that has been made would can’t get jobs without their be inconceivable to women husband’s consent. born 100 years ago. It is a dream Feminism is the radical come true. But there are still notion that women are people, inequalities and there is still work that men and women are equal, to be done. and that they should have the Let’s all band together. same opportunities. Feminism We need to do better to is about empowerment. And in understand one another. Talk much of the world, women need to a feminist. Ask them why to be empowered to fulfill their they identify as one, and what potential. Ultimately, the world feminism means to them. We needs catalysts for change. All cannot let feminism be hijacked humans have equal brain power by the misandrists. and intellectual potential to create I’m a feminist. I have been for that change. Think about it: the a long time now. No, I don’t hate brain is an organ. It does not men. No, I don’t hate shaving. have a sex. It is pure potential.

No, I don’t reject male chivalry; Why should the worth of men’s by all means, hold the door open and women’s brains be valued for me! No, I don’t think women differently just because of the are superior to men. No, I am not body in which they are housed? angry. No, I do not wish to topple All have equal power to change the the patriarchy. And no, I do not world. burn my bras.

And so, feminism is also about You see, I am a feminine, manequality. Why should women loving, bra-wearing, enlightened, earn 20 percent less than their FEMINIST. Jump on board! male counterparts? Why should

How to Be Respectful Audience Members Peter Nilsson

Contributing Writer

Sugar and Spice But Nothing is Nice Orlee Marini-Rapoport Associate Editor

Continued from Front article were not about creating a meaningful dialogue. Instead, I was criticized for speaking out. The boys who approached me accused me of being too “charged.” Two emails in particular, sent to me by uperclassmen boys after my article was published, suggested that I was being disloyal to Deerfield.

The goal was to intimidate me — after all, a sophomore girl couldn’t possibly have valid experiences and ideas of her own, so she needed to be taught a lesson. One email claimed that someone who held the views I held was “unAmerican” — simply because I, a girl, exercised a First Amendment right and suggested the possibility that misogyny could have played some role in the outcome of the election.

And, as is typical in situations where girls and women speak out, I was told by one of the emailers to “get over” it. More alarming was the response by the senior boy who warned me that “the world isn’t a

‘safe space,’” nor is it “always a pleasant place.” (A lesson that all female-identified individuals in this country already know all too well, thank you very much!)

However, I was lucky. There were adults around me at Deerfield that stepped in to help me navigate the situation. They didn’t sweep it under the rug or suggest that I had asked for trouble by writing a passionate opinion piece. And thank god they didn’t suggest that maybe the boys just “liked” me!

But I think about women in the workplace who do not have a single ally. These women face levels of sexual harassment and assault that I can’t even begin to imagine.

So with all the news circulating about sexual harassment and assault, I am forced to wonder what it must feel like to be a boy with privilege. Boys very rarely have to worry about their bodies being violated. They can walk through the world without fear of being catcalled or touched inappropriately. Most boys don’t know what it’s like to feel a man slip his hand onto your thigh on a subway in New York City. Most

boys don’t know what it’s like to cross the street at night quickly because a man is walking too close for comfort. Boys are rarely told “the world isn’t a ‘safe space.’”

More importantly, when they do speak out, they are often believed.

As more and more women come forward, we must ask ourselves how we can change our culture, our society. What can we do? This issue is not simply a “women’s issue.” Since the 1700s, our country has been carefully designed to keep women down and suppress their voices (just read the letter John Adams sent to Abigail Adams while formulating America’s government: “We know better than to repeal our Masculine systems.”) While it’s a true act of bravery for women to share personal experiences of harassment or assault or sexism, we need to do more. This can’t be said enough: we all know women coming forward with stories, and that means we also know the many men who are responsible for them.

It is now time for accountability. It is now time for the presumption of “truth” and “believability” to be afforded to everyone.

Hannah Kang

While watching a performance at a recent school meeting, I was distracted by people talking. At previous school meetings, I’ve been distracted by glowing screens. This happens during student readings of Deerfield stories, during music and dance performances, and while guest speakers are sharing their experiences.

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity,” wrote philosopher Simone Weil in a letter to a friend. Sharing our attention is at the heart of what it means to value face-to-face interactions and to value respect, honesty, and concern for others. In a community like ours, attention to our peers, to other community members, and to our guests is a basic expectation.

Still, we all live different lives, and sometimes we are preoccupied, or we are tired, or we simply aren’t interested in a presentation or performance.

This is ok. In these moments, we should refrain from distracting others. Offer eye contact. Do our best. Refraining from whispering or messaging makes other people’s

experiences better.

In fact, recent research suggests that multitasking, like checking your phone or talking with others, might not only hinder your own learning, but also the learning of people around you. There a science behind this that involves how the brain switches between tasks: breaking the attention of others disrupts working memory and inhibits the brain’s ability to construct new knowledge and memories. In short, being disruptive at meetings — by talking, looking at your phone, etc. — makes other people’s experiences worse.

We are lucky to meet regularly in a space as beautiful as our auditorium. Its beauty is not only visual, though. The acoustics are sensitive; the sight lines, diverse.

As a result of this sound and shape, we hear each other and see each other more clearly than in other spaces. This is a gift to us all, but also sometimes a challenge.

Since most students reading this are caring audience members, to you I ask: please tell the people around you to be respectful, to not distract others by talking or looking at their phones during speeches or performances. And to those with your phones on your lap or who whisper to your neighbor: be generous. Give your attention to others, and especially to those who have the courage and generosity to stand before you and give their attention to you.

4 ⋅ Wednesday, November 15th, 2017

The Deerfield Scroll

News

Healthy Relationships: Deerfield Welcomes New Trustees: Deerfield and Beyond Weymouth, Wachsman, and Quazzo Emma Earls Staff Writer

Continued from Front “Health class in sophomore year covers healthy relationships; the Transition to College Program for seniors includes a showing of The Hunting Ground followed by breakout discussion groups; Date Night, an initiative specific to Deerfield, is designed to help promote healthy relationships; last year’s Gender Symposium comprised ten different events focused on healthy relationships and gender; we also have Open Dorms and open common rooms, both of which are in place to ensure that Deerfield students can spend time with one another as friends,” she explained.

Dorms were reconfigured in the fall of 2015 to address gender relations on campus. Ms. Creagh specified, “We aimed for mirrored dorms for boys and girls with a shared quad in the middle. Mather and Scaife are a perfect example.”

Deerfield instituted several rules to ensure safety during private coed visitations. “When students do get visitations, they’re supervised, they check in, the faculty resident gets a visual from the kids and says, ‘Yes, you can have visitations,’ and … when the student is checking out, there’s a clear sense that ‘Yes, we’re all good,’” explained Ms. Creagh.

Levit mentioned that the healthy balance of safety and privacy during visitations demonstrate a significant effort to prevent sexual assault on campus, specifying, “Parietals are

supposed to be Deerfield checking on [students]... and to prevent people from being pressured into doing things they don’t want to do,” attests Levit.

While visitations may have the most obvious results, each of the administration’s initiatives strive to ensure students’ safety. Helen Hicks ’18 said, “The Deans are very aware of what’s going on… and if something seems out of the ordinary, they’re not afraid to step in.”

However, the most distinct influence on Deerfield’s culture regarding sexism may be the community as a whole. One Love Club Officer Kevin Hendrick ’18 reflects, “Even though there’s some unfortunate sense of masculine superiority that everyone’s trying to deal with, I think that’s a lot different than a rape culture.”

Additionally, Deerfield’s Head of School and Student Body President are women, and the Feminism Club is an active campus organization that takes a vocal role in political discussion and holds regular student meetings.

Hendrick said, “Faculty can say a lot, and you can have Ms. Creagh or Dr. Curtis stand on a stage and tell you to do this or do that, but if your friends and your peers are willing to say what’s really right for you, I think that’s where you make the most impact.”

Ms. Creagh added, “Sexual assault, sexual misconduct, sexual mistreatment work is never done.

[Our job] is to ensure that we are steadily maintaining sexual assault prevention as a priority at school.”

“Just Be Kind”: Racism at Deerfield Orlee Marini-Rapoport Associate Editor

Continued from Front Assistant Head for Student Life Amie Creagh said she found the open letter “eye-opening, discouraging, [and] inspiring.”

She is glad that it turned into faceto-face discussions, as “it is very difficult to have your mind changed on Facebook.”

Many students think that a deeper understanding of the problem would serve Deerfield students in trying to find a solution.

Nathan Hu ’19 commented during the open forum, “The first step to solving the problem is educating people about the problem.”

Similarly, Joni Otto-Bernstein said, “If we’re to change how we act here on campus, … we have to know where to attack these inequalities.”

Ms. Creagh emphasized that “it should not be just our kids of color who are forced to address inappropriate, offensive, hurtful comments.”

Andrew Peck ’18 felt that at the open forum, “We turned the conversation into a game, with two teams, and it was about winning

and losing. In reality, there should have been one team, as I hope and believe everybody was there for one same reason, striving for progress.”

Ponce noted at the forum that “hopefully in the future more people will go to alliance and inclusion discussions.” Ponce is “beyond grateful Dr. Curtis attended the forum,” regardless of her prior commitment with the Board of Trustees.

Ponce remarked, “I recognize our administration and the Inclusion Office have done a lot in trying to diversify our student body and bring awareness about different issues to campus. I am beyond grateful for their work, but I think at some point it falls to us as students to be responsible for trying to make our campus a better place, a place that everyone can call home.”

Ms. Creagh echoed Ponce, commenting, “It’s our job as adults to ensure we’re providing the skills, opportunities for conversation, … but we’re secondary. … I believe that more impact can come from peers than from adults.” She said, “Being kind is so simple. … I don’t understand intentionally being mean to somebody. … Just be kind.”

Nadia Jo

Partners, a real estate investment firm in Chicago. He is also the Chairman of the Urban Land Institute Foundation. Mr. Quazzo stated, “Serving on the Board of Trustees is an opportunity to give back [to] a school I’ve seen evolve and improve over time. I would like to do my small part [in] maintaining the unique spirit, character, and culture that differentiates Deerfield [from other secondary schools].”

With a self-described occupation of “world traveler,” Mr. Wachsman has enjoyed a career working with a Mexican communications conglomerate, a paper company, and banking. He has also taught international affairs at the graduate level. Although his home is Mexico, he draws on his international perspective from years of traveling to contribute to the Board. “There are few institutions around the world like Deerfield that produce strong students who [demonstrate] leadership and the roundness of character and interests,” he commented.

Mr. Wachsman expressed that contributing to the

Associate Editor Continued from Front decisions for the school.

The Board is continuing progress on the Campus Master Plan, which recently included renovations of the Hess Center for the Arts and the Boyden Library. The ambitious Athletic Complex is currently in construction, and next on the list is a Wellness Center whose design has already been approved by the Board. Its construction schedule is in its beginning stages.

Other interests of the trustees include allocating enough financial aid to “bring the best possible kids from the world,” as Dr. Curtis articulated. They are also seeking to bring the “best possible faculty” and retain them at Deerfield as well as to upgrade the academic curriculum continuously.

Mr. Quazzo brings expertise in buildings and property as CoFounder and Managing Director and CEO of Pearlmark Real Estate

advancement of Deerfield is “time well spent.”

Ms. Weymouth is a partner of Riverstone Holdings, a $34 billion private investment firm concentrating in growth capital investments in the energy and power industry. She brings to Deerfield 25 years of experience in private equity, finance, and investment. Earlier this year, Ms. Weymouth became the first woman in the history of the University of Virginia Darden School of Business to be named Chair of the Board of Trustees. “Education has probably been the most important focus for our family. My interest is in making sure that women at Deerfield are advancing in the same way as men and achieving their full potential,” said Ms. Weymouth.

Mr. Cohen remarked, “The three new trustees are truly citizens of the world. There is no place they have not been, nothing they have not done. They are extraordinary individuals.”

Fighting Substance Use on Campus Sarah Jung and Annie Kane Staff Writers

In October, Ms. Creagh, Assistant Head for Student Life, and Dr. Relin, Director of Counseling, shared results from a psychology survey conducted on students in February 2017. The primary objective of the survey was to investigate the challenges and stresses that Deerfield students experience due to the high standards students are asked to meet. While students have found ways to help each other by way of Peer Counselors and the Wellness Club, the administration maintains that current mental health initiatives must improve.

Deerfield Academy is not able to release specific data results because the data collected by Dr. Luthar was all conducted anonymously both internally and externally. Mrs. Creagh and Dr. Relin were given just one time slot during school meeting to present data to students, because they felt that the student body deserved to know the results after dedicating time to the survey.

Deerfield students fell above average in their affirmative response to the question of whether they had had a drink in the past 30 days. The percentage of girls who replied with “yes” was also higher

than the percentage of boys. Ms Creagh said that immediately after learning about the survey results, several girls came up to her and said, “Ms. Creagh, it’s obvious more girls responded yes because the girls were just more honest.”

Julia Bewkes ’18 said, “Some boys might have clicked through the survey as fast as possible, but I don’t think anyone was intentionally dishonest on the survey. Personally, I think the number of guys and girls who drink on campus is split pretty evenly.” Ms. Creagh further explained her concern: “More boys get in trouble. This seems unfair. If boys are facing disciplinary action, that must feel pretty bad.”

Students are also concerned that sharing the results with the entire student body normalizes substance use. Nikita Pelletier ’20 said, “Deerfield almost seems like it is embracing substance use by only telling students the results [instead of] taking immediate action.” Lily Berry ’21 agreed, “I was definitely intimidated by these results as a freshman, just because I’ve heard plenty of rumors of things that go on on campus. It was weird how everyone was cheering considering how high those percentages were.”

During the weekend of November 5, Deerfield students were found drinking and using drugs on campus, leading to a Disciplinary Committee hearing.

Head of School Dr. Curtis addressed these incidents in an email to Deerfield parents and faculty, stating, “Although this situation involves many factors, there is an issue I want to bring to your attention. Some of the students involved acknowledged using cocaine. We consider the presence of illegal drugs on campus to be a clear and exigent danger to the community, and we are addressing this development decisively.”

Considering the recent events on campus and the relationship between substance use and mental health, the administration has indicated that it will continue to develop and improve mental health initiatives, aiming to decrease the prevalence of student substance abuse on campus. Mr. Kelly was unable to give comments from a disciplinary perspective. However, Ms. Creagh stated that she can only hope that “we can be addressing this issue from a preventative standpoint, not a reaction[ary] one.”

“I have had alcohol to drink in the past 30 days.”

Deerfield Boys

Deerfield Girls Data from Dr. Cynthia Luthar’s Survey

The Deerfield Scroll

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 ⋅ 5

Buzz

Seth Thayumanavan Staff Writer

“They say it grows so cold up here in winter that a man’s laughter freezes in his throat and chokes him to death.” — George R.R. Martin. Perhaps Deerfield weather is not as dreary as it is in Game of Thrones, but laughter and happiness seems to be less present during the winter term.

Admittedly, it is not easy being cooped up inside all day waiting for the weather to warm up enough to step outside without shivering.

But, it isn’t all bad. In fact, some of the best things come out of the winter. So without further ado, my declassified guide to doing winter right.

First of all, try to get out of your room more. Nothing is worse than spending the winter alone within the same four walls. There’s actually quite a bit to do. “I think that some of my best memories from last year were from winter term,” says Caio Paiva-Oliveira

’20. “I know the barn is gone now, but going to basketball and hockey games were so much fun last year.”

From cheering on the basketball

Amanda Brooks

team to getting pizza at half-time to rushing the court when the point guard hits a buzzer beater, if you want winter memories, the gym is great place to start.

But that was not all Oliveira had to say about the winter. “Go to all the weekend activities, especially semi,” he said, adding,

“There’s always a movie or a dance or a tournament to go to, and semi is the best dance all year.”

“Definitely ask someone to Semi,” Oliveira continued. “Don’t be shy; they will probably say yes.” Ask a friend. Ask someone special. Ask someone you wish was someone special. It doesn’t matter.

But there’s more to winter than meets the eye. After all, there is snow everywhere! If you’re not used to the cold weather, it can really suck trying to get through the winter. David Chen ’20, a returning sophomore from Perth, Australia, had been stunned by the cold last year and is now an expert at staying warm.

“Move your bed right next to a heater if you have one,” Chen said.

“And unless your heater is right next to the window, keep your bed as far away from the window as possible. Also, don’t bundle up too early. Wear shorts for as long as possible so you can get used to the cold.” Remembering these little things about the winter is the key

to not freezing this year.

However, the cold weather can be enjoyable. Adrian Yao ’20 loves the snow: “Go play in the snow. Get in a snowball fight, go sledding. It’s so much fun.” The snow certainly is one of the perks of the winter. Who doesn’t love the look of snow falling on a Sunday morning?

Last but not least, we can’t forget that winter term means winter dress code, which means rocking a new look. Guys can exchange a blazer for a sweater or a shirt and a tie for a turtle neck.

All of us can also look forward to dress down Fridays (hopefully)!

It may be true that nothing burns like the cold, but that won’t stop us from looking forward to the great term ahead of us. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. So don’t let anyone tell you the winter is all misery and cold. If you put in a little effort, winter can be great.

Swinging into Semi Annie Ilsley

DON’T: Miss out even if you don’t have a date.

DO: Go with your friends!

Staff Writer

Fall term is officially coming to an end, but exams are not the only thing right around the corner.

December is approaching quickly, and we all know what that means: it’s Semi szn! Deerfield’s semiformal dance is a common favorite among students as it differs from your typical DA dance (i.e. no mosh pits or jerseys involved).

The dance is located in the dining hall with a live band, swing dancing, a photo booth, and most importantly, a chocolate fountain.

What’s not to love?

The most common answer to this question, and a downside many students see in Semi, is arguably the week before the dance as many students ask their dates during this time. Typically, chaos ensues.

The dance usually happens the first weekend back from November break, which is December 2 this year. So there is still time to ensure everything goes smoothly

Hannah Kang

when you return to campus. Here are some do’s and don’ts that will hopefully guide you through the semi-asking season.

DON’T: Think guys have to ask girls.

DO: Get creative.

DON’T: Have someone else ask for you.

DO: Ask whoever you’ll have fun with.

DON’T: Feel like you have to ask someone.

DO: Get to know someone before you ask.

DON’T: Wait until the last minute.

DO: Plan ahead.

Must-watch Movies for the Break

Ines Bu

Lily Robinson Staff Writer

Thanksgiving break is a great time to relax, and rewind. Fall exams have just finished, winter is quickly approaching, so what could be better than getting in bed, snuggling under cozy blankets, and turning on a great film? If this idea appeals to you, and you’re just struggling with which movies to pick from, take a look at this list, and get recommendations on why you should watch some of my alltime favorites!

1. Talladega Nights: It’s arguably, the best movie ever, and hands-down one of the funniest

movies ever made. Will Ferrell is a legend, and who can resist his overdone caricature of racecar drivers? The perfect movie to watch with family or friends, and guaranteed to elevate the mood of any Thanksgiving dinner gone wrong.

2. La La Land: A newer movie, the classic romance between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will pull at your heartstrings, and leave you laughing and crying.

3. Psycho: If family drama has you feeling a little bit darker, definitely go for Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock weaves a terrifying story around the enigmatic Andrew Bates that will haunt you for weeks.

4. Silence of the Lambs: This is the ultimate psychological, crime thriller, and will keep you on your toes until the very end. Hannibal Lecter is one of the most iconic, psychopathic characters known to date.

5. Anchorman: On a more light-hearted note, Anchorman is an absolute must-see. Its satirical depiction of the 1970s through the eyes of reporter Ron Burgundy

is flawless. Watch it with your siblings, parents, and even grandparents because no one can resist the comedic genius of Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner.

6. The Princess Bride: This movie is absolutely timeless.

The Princess Bride rises above the confines of all genres as it is simultaneously a comedy, romance, drama, and action film.

The heart-warming tale of Westley and Princess Buttercup, and their love that triumphs against all odds will have you in your ~feels~.

7. Superbad: Superbad is a classic high school movie, following the epic quest of two downtrodden seniors, Seth and Evan, to have an awesome graduation party. Michael Cera and Jonah Hill perfectly emulate the awkwardness of high school, and their college-related struggles will be especially relatable to seniors. This is a feel-good comedy that you will be McLovin.

Give this list a chance, enjoy your Thanksgiving break, and happy movie-watching, DA!

Finally, don’t stress out about Semi! You can ask anyone in whatever way feels most comfortable to you. There are a few tried-and-true methods of asking. Making a poster, showing a video in class, surprising them with food, or reading a funny poem at sit-down have all worked. You could also write a song or decorate someone’s room.

Despite the varying levels of effort people put into their Semi asks, the response is often a yes.

So if you do decide to ask someone and believe both of you would have fun going together, it doesn’t really matter whether you spell out “Semi?” in candles and red roses on the lower levels or simply ask “Will you go to Semi with me?”

Whichever way you decide to ask and either way they respond, there will still be people to dance with and plenty of chocolate in the dining hall.

Exam Week Playlist

from beginning to end

Hannah Kang

Claire Zhang

Winter is Coming: Get Prepared!

Dear Margo, Rita, and Curtis, It’s me again. I’m really nervous for this upcoming week. How can I survive exam week?

Thanks, Confused2021 --Dear Confused2021, Exam week may sound like most dreaded week of the term, but fear not, my friends: it is actually quite the opposite. Yes, it tests your time-management skills and stress capacity, but remember that you have around 630 people around you experiencing similar thoughts and feelings.

What are the best parts about exam week? We can begin by admiring the ample of amount of free time that there is. How, you may ask, can a Deerfield student somehow have all of this freetime?

There are no co-curriculars, no classes, no sit-down meals, absolutely nothing. Your only job is to study! On top of all of your free time, you also get free food from these wonderful social constructs called “exam feeds.” An exam feed is exactly what it sounds like: a large feed in the dining hall with all of your favorite foods, including vegan brownies, ice cream, chicken tenders, pancakes, and much more. Lastly, remember that you are being tested on material that you have learned over the past 9 weeks; there’s nothing new. So, go into exam week with confidence and know that your teachers and friends are looking out for you!

My greatest tip for exam week is to not only work hard, but work smart. The best way to do this is to create schedule in which you write out the times about what you are going to do and when. For example, if you are going to study for your math exam, don’t simply write “study math.” Instead, write “study polynomials from chapter 4, section 3.” This way, you will know exactly what you have to do and will save time in the end.

Group study sessions and extra help sessions are very helpful — your teachers and peers are your resources and support systems, so don’t be afraid to reach out. In the end, you need to be able to recognize when you need time for yourself and to find quiet study spots around campus, whether it be in the library, classrooms, dorms, dining hall, or even the lower fields. Find your place.

Remember to create time to relax and spend time with your friends in your schedule. There’s a reason why there is so much free time during exam week. Teachers do not expect every student to study 12 hours the day before their exam. The extra time is for you to rewind, not stress out about the fact that you aren’t studying during those moments. It does not make you less studious to watch an episode of Stranger Things after your english exam.

Whether you want to or not, you are going to take your exams, so it’s better to simply go in with a positive mindset and allow yourself to enjoy the week before vacations. Good luck and see you at the exam feed!

Cheers, Margo, Rita, and Curtis

6 ⋅ Wednesday, November 15th, 2017

The Deerfield Scroll

Features

Peter Nilsson Wins Wolfram Innovator Award

Provided by Caroline Carpenter

Joshua Fang

Associate Editor Recently, Director of Research, Innovation & Outreach Mr. Peter Nilsson was recognized with a Wolfram Innovator Award for a course he pioneered last spring, dubbed “Distant Reading.” In the course, students performed computational analyses of texts in order to deepen skills

in question formulation, problem decomposition, and argumentation.

Mr. Nilsson first conceived the idea for the course at a conference over spring break when he saw a presentation about Wolfram Language. Wolfram Language is a high-level programming language that powers tools like Wolfram Mathematica, a prominent computational software used

in college math and physics classes, and Wolfram Alpha, a computational knowledge engine that underlies Apple’s intelligent voice assistant, Siri. “It’s pretty accessible to students who have never done programming before,” Mr. Nilsson explained.

At the conference, Mr. Nilsson realized that analytical tools like Wolfram Language have reached the point where students can utilize them to deconstruct and analyze texts without needing much programming experience.

He brought the idea back to Deerfield and discussed it with fellow faculty. Ultimately, he taught one section of the course with Computer Science Teaching Fellow Khizar Hussain, while English Teaching Fellow Anna Gonzales and Computer Science Teacher Ben Bakker taught another section. “The [Wolfram Innovator] award should be shared with Mr. Bakker, Ms. Gonzales, and Mr. Hussein,” Mr. Nilsson stated. “I might have been the person that brought the idea to campus, but all four of us worked together ... It was a lot of

Travel Abroad with Deerfield Staff Writer

This year, Deerfield’s Center for Service and Global Citizenship (CSGC) is offering nine different faculty-led trips to places all over the world including Panama, Oaxaca, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Tanzania, China, the United Kingdom, South Dakota, and Jordan.

Through these trips, the CSGC aims to prepare students to become leaders in a rapidly changing world, an important part of Deerfield’s mission statement.

“There are things that we can do abroad that we can’t do anywhere else,” said CSGC Director David Miller.

Assistant Director Heather Wakeman further emphasised the value of traveling abroad through Deerfield.

Specifically, she explained that going abroad with Deerfield sparks an enthusiasm to pursue continued action as in her experience, many students return asking, “What can I do now?”

Students’ collective enthusiasm about their experiences on these trips is evident and highly vocalized. For example, over the summer Molly Fischer ’20 traveled to Colombia. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I was able to learn about current events and issues in another country. It Lucy Blake

Lily Faucett

made me more aware of the need for nature to be protected, and it also made me more confident in my Spanish!”

Additional benefits of Deerfield trips are the connections made

with both Deerfield community members and the places visited.

Niyafa Boucher ’18 explained her experience on the Tanzania trip, stating that it birthed “connections with new people, both in the Deerfield community and abroad, while allowing me to explore my identity outside of the Deerfield bubble.” She explained that the trip most importantly pushed her out of her comfort zone and was an eye-opening experience in a community very different from her own. Continuing, she said, “I had an urban perspective on the world, and seeing a community that was striving to be selfsufficient reminded me that not all communities are like my own.”

Overall, the CSGC continues to offer the opportunity of experiencing important lessons in a real-world context, as opposed to reading about them in a textbook.

Mr. Miller concluded, “Service through CSGC faculty led trips is becoming a part of the culture here at Deerfield, and that is very exciting.”

Apps to Help the Community Staff Writer

Deerfield’s App Development Club is a student-run initiative that seeks to increase the community’s engagement with programming and app development. Neil Nie ’19, Valerie Hetherington ’19, and Shreyas Sinha ’19 founded the club last year, and work with a small group of additional students to develop basic programming skills. Stressing the value of app development, Hetherington explained, “[App development] is going to continue to be such a big part of our modern society, … We think it’s very important for people to learn these skills and learn this way of thinking.” By creating projects with the community and for the community, the club intends to promote the necessary role that programming will play not only for the future of Deerfield, but for the future of the world.

One of the club’s major projects has been the DA Bulletin App. According to Nie, the app “has a few hundred active users every

month.” The app’s developers highly value feedback on how the app can be improved.

This year, the club has expanded their outreach. Sinha ’19 said, “We have been able to work with kids on a much larger scale ... and a much more personal level.

Neil Nie

Aminata Ka

The premise of our club is to make apps that help our community and [teach] people how to do that.”

With one project under their belt, the club aims to take on more projects this year. However, their primary goal remains to educate the community.

To assist with teaching programming skills, the App Development club uses a website called “Code.org,” a non-profit organization that aims to promote computer science education around the world. In the future, according to Nie, the club’s leaders hope to bring “Code.org” and some rudimentary coding programs to local elementary schools, outside of the immediate Deerfield community. Nie said, “It is very empowering for young students, at the age of 10 or 11, to begin to understand the basics of coding.”

The leaders believe it is necessary that young students become engaged with app development given that these skills grow in importance, as shown by the increase in jobs involving computer programming. The club demonstrates a passion for the impact of app development on not only the Deerfield community but also how the field will continue to grow and affect the world as a career industry in the future.

collaborative work.”

The class’ ideas are based off of digital humanities, an innovative new field that has emerged in the last 15-20 years. Digital humanities revolves around the application of computing technologies to the disciplines of the humanities. “It had previously been high level work because it took a pretty strong background in computer science to run the kinds of analyses on texts. But logically, it’s not particularly complicated.

It’s just thinking about words through counting, through networks, through mapping,” Mr. Nilsson specified.

In class, students spend most of their time working on different projects with the guidance of their teachers. For the first project, students analyzed the text of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and compared it to their own writing throughout high school. Among the factors considered were sentence length, complexity of vocabulary, paragraph length, and sentence structure. The creativity continued as the term progressed, as students explored topics such

as social networks in the Bible or rhyming in rap lyrics.

“It was interesting to design this class where we did look at works of literature, but in terms of a project-based class like computer science,” Mr. Nilsson described.

“But occasionally we did come back together to present and discuss our works in a discussion-style format.”

Each section of the class was taught by one computer science teacher and one English teacher.

“They are really complementary skills for us as teachers. The English teachers will have more experience interrogating texts.

The computer science teachers will have more experience introducing students to a foreign language and shepherding them through a project in that format,” Mr. Nilsson stated.

Mr. Nilsson is planning to teach the course again this spring. “We learned a lot last year,” Nilsson noted. “We have already made revisions and will be revising further to make it an even better experience for students.”

Debate Dominates as Top U.S. Team Thomas Song

Associate Editor Provided by Deerfield Academy

On October 25th, Lilia Brooker ’19, Steven Li ’19, and Anna Mishchenko ’19 traveled to Balmoral Hall and Gray Academy in Winnipeg, Canada to represent Deerfield Academy at the International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition. The speakers won several awards, scoring as the best American school as a team.

In addition, Brooker won the Top U.S. Speaker and Top Persuasive Speaker awards, qualifying her for the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships, which will take place this coming April in Cape Town, South Africa.

Philosophy Teacher and Debate Coach Michael O’Donnell accompanied the speakers to the tournament in Canada. “The experience was fun but intense,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “The students were great, very respectful, and represented Deerfield well. There were very strong teams from other schools too, so I was very pleased with this year’s results.”

Mishchenko commented on the pressure of representing Deerfield in a high-stakes environment: “It was very daunting to be surrounded by people from all around the world who came to Canada just for public speaking.”

In addition, Mr. O’Donnell mentioned that preparation for the tournament begins in May with tryouts that are open to the whole school, and once the team is chosen, they practice right up until the competition. Clarifying, Mr. O’Donnell stated, “I helped the students brainstorm for persuasive speech topics, gave feedback on prepared speech drafts, and instructed them to read news through Canadian sources, since there sometimes is

a Canadian bias ... One thing we’ve learned is that serious preparation pays off.”

Additionally, the speakers highlighted several lessons that defined the experience. For example, Li further reflected, “The tournament taught me a lot about thinking before I talk. Even though it may not appear that the best speakers do not have to think before speaking, they do — they just think really fast.”

Mishchenko referenced speaking styles in particular specifying, “I learned several new lessons ... such as the strategy of starting an impromptu with an anecdote and three examples.”

Li agreed and elaborated, “Walking into a room where you have six or seven competitors who can all speak eloquently absolutely made me more humble.”

Looking to the future, Mishchenko expressed her intentions to continue debate throughout the year, stating, “I’m doing a debate cocurricular exemption during winter term.

I will be doing a lot of research and debate … while learning how to teach other kids on the debate team and inspire them.”

Meanwhile, Brooker is currently researching to find a topic for a persuasive speech, focusing her efforts on preparing for the upcoming World Individual and Public Speaking Championships in South Africa.

Mr. O’Donnell expressed optimism for the future endeavors of students interested or involved in debate at Deerfield, saying, “This year, all juniors went to Canada, which means they can either go again, or help students next year. We now have a valuable resources where there are three public speakers on campus who know how the competition works.”

In spite of the high level of commitment that was necessary, the team as a whole agreed participating in the competition was worthwhile and impactful.

Brooker elaborated, “The talent around us was incredible. To meet kids from all over the world who have the same passion as you was inspiring.”

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 ⋅ 7

The Deerfield Scroll

Arts and Entertainment

Fall Play You Can’t Take It with You Enjoys Success

Provided by Deerfield Academy Flickr Amelia Evans ’18 and Oliver Diamond ’18 star as a love-striken couple in the fall theater production.

Katrina Csaky Staff Writer

Though it may appear to be a normal living room, the ominous cage of snakes on the table and the questionable decorations on the bookshelves push the audience to the edge of their seats.

The distinguishable sounds of a typewriter clacking lead into Mim Pomerantz ’18 entering the stage to begin the first scene of You Can’t Take It with You. From October 31 to November 4, Deerfield put on a 1930s comedy,

You Can’t Take It with You. Directed by Visual & Performing Arts Teacher Catriona Hynds, the cast consisted of 22 actors and 14 technical team members.

“Mrs. Hynds put a lot of work into directing a period piece and it’s extra work for the actors; they need to know how characters from that time stood and sat and talked,” noted Assistant Director Adaire Robinson. “For this piece we decided it had to be super realistic, naturalistic, in fact. Everything in the house is what would be found in a real house at that time, and

Artist of the Issue: Sofia Novak ’18 Thomas Song

Associate Editor Art has been influential presence in the life of Deerfield artist Sofia Novak ’18 since she could hold a paintbrush. Novak explained, “My family and I often joke that I held my first ‘exhibition’ when I was two and covered the wall of my house in paintings, forcing my parents to repaint the wall.” She continued to gain exposure to various forms of artistic expression through both travel and extracurricular activities. Novak added, “When I lived in Thailand especially, I traveled around the world and observed a wide variety of art, and it helped me understand cultures different from my own.” She pointed out that in addition to the visual arts, she also delved into theater, ballet, and even the violin throughout her childhood.

At Deerfield, Novak has generally focused on the visual arts, starting with AP Studio Art in tenth grade. She stated, “What I really like about the Deerfield art program and Mr. D. is that it allowed me to develop a strong skill base. Deerfield has given me a lot more confidence in areas ranging from traditional still lifes to skeletal abstract works.” Novak also mentioned that at Deerfield, she has gained insight into the thought process behind artistic work, noting, “I see the value in each type of art. Art is a problem solving process that teaches you discipline and focus. You have to see how objects truly are rather than how you perceive them at first in order to fully capture them on paper.”

Recently, Novak decided to use the artistic skillset that she has cultivated at Deerfield in order to further engage with the Slovak community in Atlanta, using a grant from the Center for Service and Global Citizenship (CSGC).

When she found a Czech and Slovak school near her home, she started a program that focused on Slovak themes such as traditional dress and ceramics. Novak clarified, “I thought that a oneweek art camp would be a great way for kids to meet each other and keep traditions alive.” Speaking

to what propelled her initiative, Novak described the loneliness she felt growing up in Atlanta due to the feeling of being separated from the Slovak community. Novak expressed her hope that the camp allowed for Slovak kids to share a fun educational experience in which they could also learn more about their heritage.

Encouraged by the success of her art camp, Novak has decided to collaborate with the CSGC in order to organize similar workshops at Deerfield and in the surrounding community. Additionally, she plans to continue her activities in the Slovak-American community, stating, “I’m working with the Slovak ambassador and embassy

Provided by Roopa Venkatraman

the audience will feel very much that they have stepped into their home.”

Acting in a black box theatre setting can be challenging. Due to the way the size of the theatre squeezes the audience into every corner of the box, not only do the actors have to be careful about turning their backs to any spectators, but they also have to be in character throughout the entire production. Ms. Robinson elaborated, “The audience is on the three sides of stage, which means the actors will be very close to the audience at all times.”

Attendees of You Can’t Take It with You, such as Sinclair Seeligson ’18, appreciated the proximity to the actors which the black box provides. “It was very clear that everyone studied every aspect of their respective characters, and that really showed even when their character wasn’t speaking. Every actor was acting to their best at all times, even if they were just in the background not doing anything,” Seeligson said.

Peter Everett ’19, who played the part of Martin “Grandpa” Vanderhof, said, “We started

rehearsing about 7 weeks ago, and once we learned our lines, we had to add the emotional texture, some movement, and some life to them.”

Everett added, “The performances were great. You definitely feel the presence [of the audience] the first few times… but once you get those first three lines out, you’re doing what you’ve been practicing for the past two months, and it’s really great just playing off of your fellow actors on stage.”

Behind the scenes, numerous other students worked to not only build the set, but also help with costumes and all aspects of backstage work. “[The tech team] talked a lot about design, light, and sound, and I felt like my input was needed and that I had something to do with this play even though I didn’t want to be an actor,” said Angela Osei-Ampadu ’21, a member of the tech team. She continued, “The set really did an amazing job of enhancing the story that was already being told and further giving the audience information about this family.”

Many adults worked alongside the students on set design,

costume design, and direction.

Ms. Hynds said, “I like to direct shows that offer opportunities for students at all different levels of experience. I need to meet the needs of my experienced actors and I need to meet the needs of all the students who have had the courage to audition.” She continued, “[You Can’t Take It With You] is something a little bit lighter and I just felt that we needed to kick the year off with something funnier.”

Commenting on her favorite part of the show, Ms. Hynds said, “There are several moments in the play where the majority of actors are sitting around a table — they’ve all got their arms linked over or they’re cuddling each other or sitting on each others laps and it’s really a warm, family feeling and that is absolutely real. Each of those kids in that scene cares deeply about each other. So my favorite part of this production is how close this company has become. There are 22 actors on stage, and they’re a really tight group and that was the most gratifying thing about this show.”

Deerfield Presents The Nutcracker

Claire Zhang

Claire Quan Staff Writer

The Deerfield dance program will present The Nutcracker, a world renowned ballet and cherished annual tradition at Deerfield, this coming December.

The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, a young girl who receives a nutcracker as a Christmas present. In a fantastical twist, the nutcracker is brought to life at the stroke of midnight. After Clara saves him in a fierce battle, he brings her through a series of wondrous realms — including, for example, the Land of the Sweets.

Here in Deerfield, Massachusetts, the collaboration between The Bement School and Deerfield Academy of The

Nutcracker first premiered in 2012. It has since grown to include two ensembles and two co-curricular groups as well as the middle school dancers from the Bement School. Ms. Jennifer Whitcomb, director of the Deerfield dance program, stated, “I think it’s a nod to the importance of ballet in our curriculum.

We’ve never had a performance dedicated solely to ballet, which is a shame considering how much classical training is integrated into our program.”

Ms. Carrie Towle, the Deerfield ballet director, and Ms. Julia Chen, her counterpart at Bement, have already begun working together to plan this year’s performance.

Ms. Towle described, “There’s a lot of planning that goes into the production, especially with the inclusion of the Bement kids. But, as a ballet specialist, this is one of my favorite shows in the entire year. It’s amazing to see everyone bond over such an amazing story and tradition.”

Megan Martino ’18, a member of the Advanced Dance Ensemble, recounted, “I’ve been in The Nutcracker since I was back at Bement for the first ever production. I still remember coming to Deerfield as a middle school student and seeing the

Deerfield dancers really inspired me to continue with my own training. I’ve loved seeing how it grows every year.” This year, Martino will be playing the role of the Snow Queen in The Nutcracker.

Quinn Soucy ’19, another member of the Advanced Dance Ensemble, added, “It’s amazing that we do it with the Bement children. Seeing them so happy is one of the best parts of the show.”

Moving forward, Ms. Whitcomb plans to include other performing arts, such as live music, in The Nutcracker as well. Mr. Thomas Bergeron, director of orchestra and chamber music, informed, “We are hoping to perform two movements, ‘Marzipan’ and ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ along with the dancers on Monday in connection with the ‘Revels and Carols’ event at the Hess Center.”

Ms. Whitcomb confirmed, “We are excited to see where a merging of the performance arts can take us.”

Soucy elaborated on the importance and uniqueness of the The Nutcracker tradition at Deerfield, elucidating, “For me, the holiday period would not be the same without The Nutcracker.”

Kim Carlino Opens New Exhibition

Sofia Novak ‘18 imitates the pose of her creation in the Topics Tutorial art class.

in America to create a place where I could create a small exhibition of the kids’ works.” She will also continue her work at the Slovak school in Atlanta to create more educational workshops, including a Christmas-themed one this winter.

Finally, Novak encouraged those skeptical about pursuing art to try it out because of the positive impact it can have on their individual and cultural awareness.

She expressed, “I think art transcends language and cultural barriers and helps me understand how we’re all connected but also very different. Looking at a piece of art, I can sometimes imagine how life was in a different time period or country.”

Provided by Ines Bu The von Auersperg Art Gallery is showing “Visions of a Fragmented Landscape: Part II” by Kim Carlino from November 5 to December 15. This exhibition is the latter of a two-part exhibition, the first of which was shown in Amherst from August to September. Carlino is an artist based in Easthampton, MA, who combines drawing and painting in order to explore variations in “scale, opticality, illusion and disillusion of space, and a nonlinear construction of time.”

The Deerfield Scroll

Sports

Mr. Howe’s New Blog Provided by Jeffery So

Peter Everett

Athletic Director Mr. Bob Howe at his desk, working on his new blog, “Bob’s Blog.”

The Athletic Department is currently promoting an initiative to involve alumni more with athletics and to steadily improve the reputation of all of our teams in a sustainable way. “We’re trying to reach more alumni,” Mr. Howe

Part of the initiative here is bringing back people to campus, back to caring and wanting to be a part of the growth of our athletic program. explained. “Part of the initiative here is bringing people back to campus, back to... wanting to be a part of the growth of our athletic program.”

According to his blog, in terms of the department’s goal of increasing alumni engagement, Mr. Howe said Big Green has

Provided by Whitney Vogt Postgraduate student Marios Bourtzonis ’18 and Gozzy Nwogbo ’18 improve their basketball skills in the gym during their fall athletic concentrations.

Staff Writer

Athletic concentrations, otherwise known as “exemptions” among students, are a cocurricular option for juniors and seniors where athletes can use their afternoons to focus on a particular talent. In order to be eligible for this opportunity, students must participate in two interscholastic teams in the other seasons. While athletic concentrations are offered in all three seasons, concentrations in the fall are very desirable for junior and senior athletes who want to prepare for a winter or spring sport and raise their ability to another level.

However, referring to this cocurricular as an “exemption” is actually a misnomer. The term exemption implies that students are avoiding something. According to Athletic Director Mr. Bob Howe,

Provided by Erin Hudson

Staff Writer

been showing up more in contrast to last year: “This year we have scheduled many more games to be livestreamed, and already we see a much higher number of people signing on to the games from a year ago.”

Additionally, the Athletic Department’s on-field plan for team improvement is coming to fruition well this fall, as a number of teams head into the New England championships in better position than last season, headlined by the field hockey, cross country, and football teams.

More than anything, Mr. Howe wants to assure alumni that action is in place and is being carried out by the administration. “There is an athletic initiative,” Mr. Howe said, “The blog is really to get the message out that we’re working hard to make our programs better, and we’re doing it the right way.”

You can find Mr. Howe’s updates under “Bob’s Blog” on the Athletics page of Deerfield’s website.

Fall Athletic Concentrations

Arthur Yao

Athlete of the Issue: Erin Hudson Maggie Tydings

Associate Editor Director of Athletics Bob Howe prides himself on being multidimensional. In addition to earning captaincy for three sports for his final two years of college, Mr. Howe’s ability as a penman is on full display during every Athletic Awards meeting, where students can count on his poems that recap highlights from the past season. As it turns out, Mr. Howe’s ability as a poet translates well to more conventional writing.

Mr. Howe’s newest frontier is “Bob’s Blog,” a monthly opinion on a number of athletics-related topics with a focus on stirring up alumni interest. His first entry this year was an update on Deerfield athletics as a whole during Fall Family Weekend.

Writing is not a new interest to Deerfield’s athletic director: “I’m not particularly quick on my feet; I’m better with a pen,” he said.

Writing may even be a part of his future, as he explained, “I enjoy writing. Some day when I retire, I might do some more writing.

I’d love to write a book on my experiences as an athletic director for twenty-plus years at these schools. I have a lot of interesting stories.”

Mr. Howe has ambitions of expanding his new blog to more than just updates: “I hope the blog will have a message from me and a different part of life on campus, whether it’s the Choate Day experience through our student’s eyes, to specialization [of high level athletes] and how I feel about it, and how it affects how we work in admissions, to giving a temperature to what’s going on here for people who might not go to our website regularly.”

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 ⋅ 8

“This is not the way we want to portray this unique opportunity.

Instead, calling it an ‘Athletic Concentration’ would allow students to acknowledge that it is not exempting the students from something, but rather letting them concentrate on their priority sport.”

This past fall, 35 students participated in an athletic concentration.

Varsity swimmer and lacrosse player Young Hur ’18 acknowledges the importance of the freedom a concentration allows, noting, “Because I play lacrosse and swim about three to four times a week, I feel like I have the ability to choose which aspects of my game I want to improve upon, and then the next step from there is to just strengthen them in preparation for the season.”

Another student taking part in a fall concentration is tennis player

Alfi Auersperg ’19. Discussing how he uses his concentration, Auersperg commented, “During my time on court, a couple of other friends and I play practice sets to simulate certain pressure situations when we play against other schools in the spring. During the weekends, I also travel around the New England area to compete in USTA tournaments, and the school is really supportive of this.”

Ashley Manning ’19, captain of the varsity squash team, spends her concentration “practicing about six times a week, four times with a coach and the other two with kids on the squash team.”

She explained that taking part in a concentration was desirable for her because “it is hard to commit to a fall sport while playing squash at the same time, and apart from that, the workload would also be a problem. However, with a concentration it gives me the freedom to participate in tournaments on weekends and improve on my game.”

Katie Zaslaw ’19 prepares for the winter swim season by swimming every day and going to the gym about four times a week.

Zaslaw commented, “I’m really grateful for the opportunities Deerfield has provided me. Having a concentration as a co-curricular allows me to attend swim meets during the weekend, and apart from that, it also gives me time to travel to Amherst with some girls on the swim team to practice.”

The popularity of concentrations continues as 28 athletes will participate in one this winter.

As all of her teammates can attest, Erin Hudson ’18 is a talented runner and hard worker.

After picking up running just over one year ago, she has already earned a top spot on the varsity squad, contributing week after week to the team’s success.

Hudson has been running since she was younger, but had never competed until she came to Deerfield last fall as a new junior.

After playing soccer for most of her life, Hudson decided to switch because she “thought [she] might be good at running and it felt like it was time to try something new.”

Upon reflection, Hudson noted that “It was a great decision and even though it’s a really hard sport, it feels like I was meant to do it!”

Hudson had a stress reaction in her right tibia from serious shin splints the summer before her senior season. Not being able to run for nearly a month and a half, Hudson was not optimistic about the season. Thanks to the work of the athletic trainer’s office, Hudson was able to make a quick recovery and returned to racing after only missing one meet.

After returning to the course, Hudson exceeded her own expectations and quickly regained her number three spot on the team. She has seen great success since her return, leading the team to an unbelievable six-meet win streak.

Hudson attributes most of her success to her coach, Dr. Dennis Cullinane. “Dr. C cares so much about the team and it shows. He has so much knowledge about running because of his personal success in the sport. He was also very conscious and supportive of me throughout my injury.”

Teammate Nora Markey ’18 noted that, “Even though she is not a captain, she is an integral part of the team. She is a very hard worker and it is incredible how well she is

Erin Hudson ’18 running during one of her cross country meets this fall.

doing considering her injury.”

Another teammate, Victoria Patterson ’20, also acknowledged how impressive Erin’s success is, commenting that, “Even though she has only been running competitively for a little over a year, she is a national class runner and has a natural competitive drive.”

Hudson has developed into a vital leader for the team, providing guidance to runners new and old.

The team gained a number of talented freshmen this year, which Hudson said is “Super fun. We’ve had a lot of younger kids step up to the plate which is great to see.”

Now that the team has ended their regular season undefeated with nine wins, the girls are focused on the New England Interscholastic meet at Choate on November 11. “We really want to win New Englands. We snatched a tight win over Andover two weekends ago, but they will be our main competition as we head into Interscholastics,” Hudson noted.

A win at New Englands this year would be the team’s first since 2013.

Markey mentioned that, “A win at New England’s would be huge for the seniors this year. We are such a talented class, and it would be great to go out with a bang.”

Hudson, Markey, and the rest of the cross country team continue to train with Dr. Cullinane in hopes of taking away the first place position on Saturday.

New Athletic Center

Provided by Britney Cheung

The Athletic Center is on its way to completion. Athletes, such as Thomas Gale ’19 (pictured), have been using the gym for strength training, while eagerly awaiting to see the finished product!