Volume 120, Issue 27

The Record

Horace Mann’s Weekly Newspaper Since 1903

Lions ROAR into the playoffs

Softball Boys Volleyball

Diya Chawla Staff Writer

Despite having some difficulties at the beginning of the season, the Boys Volleyball team hit their stride during the middle of the season, Zach Goodman (12) said. They ended up finishing their season with a bang, winning nine games and losing four. On Saturday, they will compete in the NYSAIS championships against St.Ann’s where they are seeded second out of eight teams.

Although the team recently lost the NYCAL finals, they persevered through all of their games no matter the score, Goodman said. “I’m most proud of the fight that the team has,” he said. “There have been many moments where we could have given up, but we were able to keep fighting through tough games.”

Goodman believes that Boys Varsity Volleyball Coach Jason Torres played an important role in the team’s success, helping a lot with their growth, he said. “His drills in practice have really helped us go on the run this season, and he was a big part of our team’s wins.”

Team member Gabe Jaffe (11) is also proud of the team’s ability to make a comeback. They were able to win some games when they were two sets down which showed their determination, Jaffe said. Based on the team’s ability to get

Boys Golf

Eliana Son and Evie Steinman ContributingWriters

After winning six of their nine games this season, the Boys’ Varsity Golf team will move on to the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) tournament on May 24. The team has worked hard to prepare for their season, Head Coach Tim Sullivan said. For many players, training began before the season even started. “[Players] do a lot of hard work in the offseason preparing,” Sullivan said. Because golf is an individualized sport, players can spend time practicing solo, which in turn benefits the team. The golf team also traveled to Florida during spring break, where they played 36 holes a day. “For some players, it’s hard to play off the winter. So it was a good opportunity to shake the rust off a little bit and to prepare for the full swing of the season,” Jack Beard (9) said. During the trip, team members identified both their strengths and weaknesses which they continued to work on throughout the season.

The team believes their performance this season has been strong, and takes particular pride in their first game against Collegiate, despite their loss. “Both teams played incredibly well, and showed great sportsmanship,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan is confident that the team will succeed during the NYSAIS tournament, he said. “For NYSAIS, everyone really has to have a great day,

through very difficult matches and improve very quickly throughout games and the team’s second place victory last season, David Aaron (11) is optimistic that they’ll be able to come out strong with a win, he said. “It’s extraordinary that our team has been able to adapt so quickly in games, and we’re all hoping to bring it home this year,” he said.

From the beginning of the season, Torres has seen incredible improvement amongst each player, he said. “There are years when teams don’t improve, but this year, the team has gradually gotten better from day one.”

Dylan Montbach (10) is looking forward to playing at the state championships and show everything that they’ve learned throughout the sea-

Julia Lourenco Staff Writer

“The best part of our team is that we celebrate our victories, small or large, and we’re always there for each other,” team member Mara Silverstein (9) said. After a strong season against Fieldston, Loyola, Trinity, Riverdale, and Spence, Varsity Softball is looking to win the NYSAIS finals on May 24th. With the help of the Spring Training trip to Florida and practices throughout the season, the team has worked together to score huge wins this year, including a 15-5 win against Spence on Alumni Field. The team ended the season 7-7, but they were able to develop some great skills during games.

“Having a smaller team size with only our 13 girls helps keep the team connected and together in practice, which made us successful this year,” Varsity Softball Coach Ray Barile said.

Coach Barile’s teaching philosophy is to have every practice be as intense as an important game, and keep training consistent, he said.

“With my coaching, the way I keep the team together is that we don’t let any one person take the blame, and I tell them when I do something wrong, and I think they appreciate that,” Barile said.

For players, one highlight of the season was their home game against Spence on April 20. “Playing Spence was very fun, because we played very, very well as a team, and we saw

Boys Lacrosse

which is hard to do, but I believe we do have a chance to win.”

Beard also has high hopes for the tournament, since team members have done a lot of preparation. “We played and practiced the course twice, so we know the holes,” he said. “We’ve done this amount of preparation, and that’ll help us succeed in that tournament.”

Overall, the Boys’ Varsity Golf team’s season has had much success. They rank fourth out of the seven teams in the Ivy League. “All the guys really care about the team’s suc all care about each other,” said.

While Sullivan is disap pointed that the senior team members are graduating, he anticipates a great season next year. “I know all of our return ing players are going to work really hard and they’re going to make us a great team next year,” he said.

Beard also expects great things for the team next year. “I think our team as a whole has a lot of depth; every player individually is very strong in their own position,” he said. “Everyone is improving, so hopefully, we can have an even bet ter season next year.”

Ava Lipsky Staff Writer

The Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team ended their season on a high note with a 5-7 record, bringing them to the NYSAIS playoffs taking place this Saturday at Hackley.

The team’s success this season can be attributed to the hard work put in on their spring training trip, Captain Wyatt Silverman (11) said. On the trip, the team scrim maged against The Aspen School and prepared for their future competition. “Upsetting Aspen in a scrimmage really got our confidence going,” Silverman

Many players prepared for the season by prac ticing wall ball in their free time, Cam eron Sipp (11) Some team members also play lacrosse

Their prac games, Coach Gregg Quilty said. “We had two lopsided victories against Dalton,” he said.

The lions also swept Fieldston and beat Trinity

success in the score, which motivated us to keep going,” Weidman said.

The team had a challenging loss to Poly Prep on Monday, but the team members were still focused on fighting for their victory. “We came the closest out of the other teams in the league to beating them this season, and that’s something [the team] is proud of,” Julia Cassino (12) said.

Although they lost 12-0 on Monday, there was some great pitching and fielding from the school’s players, Barile said. “The game on Monday was a teaching moment for me because I was able that I had in having the which helped strategize on how to prove.”

Next sea will be retiring, legacy contin underclass this year,

for the first time in about seven years, Baron said. “My favorite thing about the team is our grit. We came back against Fieldston down 9-5 in the last five minutes to win the game in overtime.”

This year, the team has many talented freshman players, Quilty said. Dylan Porges (9) is the best face off player and Will Chasin (9) has done a great job as starting attackman. “Baron is the most outstanding performer on the team and the best goalie in the Ivy League,” he said. Another key player is the team’s leading scorer

The team’s success allowed them to make the NYSAIS tournament this year. “I’m hoping next year we can build upon our success and climb up the standings. We’ll have some good young players and upperclassmen leaders to contribute to the success,” Silverman said.

The best aspect of the team is the energy the players bring, Silverman said. “Even though we’re pretty rag-tag and not many people actually have a lacrosse background, we all love to compete and

Next year, the team hopes to im prove their discipline, Baron said. “It is important to have fundamental

both defense and offense,” he said.

Courtesy of Zach Goodman

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Students face off in History Bowl finals

you only hear the question once,” Zaidman said. “It’s a lot of pressure to be processing what you’re hearing, trying to figure out the answer, and doing it faster than someone else.”

After each question, the participants were either frustrated when they missed questions or celebrated after a right answer. For example, after each question Steve Yang answered correctly, he would yell, “Siuuuuu!” a habit he picked up as he became a soccer fan, he said.

The “Model Minority” myth is harmful to Asian Americans

times the national average of 11.6%.

Two teams of students competed in the History Bowl finals this Monday, racing to answer questions on topics ranging from ancient Rome to constitutional amendments. The Bowl began on April 13th, and after several rounds, only two of the original 11 teams remained this week.

The members of Team 4 were Avi Rao (12), Ayaan de Silva (12), Steve Yang (12), and Aidan Shah (12). They faced Team 7 with James Zaidman (10), Aaron Yang (10), Emma Chang (10), Abigael Singer (10), and Michael Ji (9).

Going into the finals, Zaidman knew the competition wasn’t going

to be easy. “Everyone on the other team is known for being very intelligent, and they’ve taken four years of history at HM, so we knew this was going to be an uphill battle,” Zaidman said.

Although Team 4 was more experienced, they still approached the competition with all efforts, Steve Yang said. “In my Cold War class, we always talk before we get started, so I’d heard they were a really strong team and that they were going to be a challenge.”

To prepare, Zaidman played Protobowl, an online quiz bowl site. However, Protobowl is not a perfect study method. “On the website, you can reread the question over and over again, but during the competition,

In the end, Team 4 won by 40 points, or four questions. “I went in not expecting to win, so I was pleasantly surprised by how we did,” Chang said. “But I was upset because there were six 50/50 questions, and we got almost all of them wrong.”

Lawson Wright (12) created the History Bowl as a way for students to enjoy history as a subject without the pressure of the class. “I think this competition epitomizes my goal very well, and I’m really happy that people not only signed up and participated but had a fun time doing so,” Wright said. “I hope the competition will continue next year, and more people will continue to participate.”

Community Council elections to be decided today

Naomi Yaeger

Writer

This weekend, the 49 ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students running for positions on the Com munity Council (CC) will find out if they have won their cam paigns. There are currently 20 spots available to all candidates, eight for the rising se nior class and six for each of the oth er grades. The final six spots, open to the rising ninth graders, will be filled in late September, Dean of Students Michael Dalo said. “Polls will

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close at the end of the school day on Friday, and announcements will go out on Friday, early evening,” he said.

Candidates had a week to craft page-long platform statements, where they explained why they want to serve the school community and what initiatives they want to pass, Nicole Au (10), who is running for the first time this year, said.

“I definite -

Sophia Liu/Art Director

Editor in Chief Emily Sun

ly want to vouch for a ‘Bring Your Pet to School’ day,” she said.

Although students advertise their platforms in statements published online, the school asks students to avoid hanging or distributing posters that advertise their candidacy, Dalo said. “[In past years] we had students who were able to have posters done professionally, because they had the economic means to do a bigger publicity blitz,” he said. Eliminating posters from the school ensures that all students have an equal opportunity to win their grade’s vote, Dalo said.

Having an influence in the community that he has been a part of for years is what pushed

see CC on pg. 3

Staff

The term model minority: is it one of praise and encouragement or one of division and oppression?

When I first heard the term, I immediately felt a sense of pride, coming from a hard working, intelligent, and strong family of Asian individuals who have taught me to be dedicated to my education, embrace curiosity, and never settle for mediocrity. But soon after, I began to examine and unpack the term, which led me to realize that this so-called “compliment” — labeling Asian Americans as the most successful minority group, rooted in strong familial structure and hard work — was really a disguise for a divisive and dangerous generalization.

Labeling Asian Americans as the model minority undermines the unique and authentic experiences of each and every member of our diverse community. The concept of the model minority assumes that all Asians are economically successful. In America, there are over 20 million residents of Asian descent, each with their own personal stories. In New York, one in four Asians live in poverty. By feeding into the model minority myth and failing to recognize that Asian people also have struggles, we remain ignorant to poverty, food insecurity, and healthcare problems the Asian community faces, leaving these issues unsolved. While Indians have the highest median household income in the United States and a poverty rate of only 6% according to the US Census Bureau, 33.3% of Bhutanese Americans live under the poverty line, almost three

The assumption that all Asian Americans are well-off leads to passivity from lawmakers and politicians when formulating health and education bills, underrepresenting Asians in both health research and school curricula. The idea that all Asian Americans fit into the concept of being a model minority erases differences between different Asian people, allows us to fall complacent to Asian struggles, and fails to recognize that we are not all the same.

In fact, the model minority places an entire diaspora into a small box, and if you don’t fit into the confines of it, it is difficult to find a place at all. The model minority myth is rooted in stereotypes that infiltrate the media and our education system. These stereotypes are that all Asians are geniuses or musical prodigies that abide by the American system and succeed. When I was younger, I began to feel the pressures of these stereotypes on television. When I watched my favorite shows, like Jessie and Phinneas and Ferb, I longed for a South Asian character that would push beyond the stereotypical nerdy, unpopular kid with a thick and unauthentic accent. It was challenging and upsetting to see only one version of a character who looked like me. I wish that younger me could have had South Asian role models to look up to on television. Representation in the media is so important; we cannot solely stick to a niche stereotype.

While there are many incredible, smart, and successful Asians working in high-earning fields like technology and medicine, the model minority myth discounts Asian trailblazers of other industries. Especially during the month of May, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month, we must recognize the contributions of all Asians, whether in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, or beyond. Asians can succeed in any field, and it is harmful to believe there is only one path for us to take.

The pressure to be intelligent and succeed is also harmful for Asian stu-

see Model minority on pg. 3

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About Founded in 1903, The Record is Horace Mann School’s award-winning weekly student newspaper. We publish approximately 30 times during the academic year, offering news, features, opinions, arts, Middle Division and sports coverage relevant to the school community. The Record serves as a public forum to provide the community with information, entertainment, and an outlet for various viewpoints. As a student publication, the contents of The Record are the views and work of the students and do not necessarily represent those of the faculty or administration of the Horace Mann School. Horace Mann School is not responsible for the accuracy and contents of The Record and is not liable for any claims based on the contents or views expressed therein.

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Oliver Konopko Staff Writer

HISTORY BUFFS Contestants battle it out in the arena (classroom).

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Sofia Sahai

Courtesy of Emily Sun

MD spring play revamps Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Harper Rosenberg Staff Writer

After re-reading Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing over the summer, theater teacher and production director Haila VanHentenryck decided to produce the play with a modern, Middle Division (MD) appropriate twist. The play perfectly coincides with the eighth grade’s recent reading of the play in English class. 36 MD students from the grade decided to come togeth er to recreate Shakespeare’s clas sic except with a twist—it would be taking place in the setting of a modern-day MD party.

Inspired by her experience at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) teacher professional de velopment program last summer, VanHentenryck decided to take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of theater.

The title Much Ado About Noth ing itself means ‘a lot of drama for no reason,’ which reminded Van Hentenyck of her own experience in middle school. During the play, the mischievous characters con spire against one another and seek revenge, she said.

The stage is set with a snack bar, beach balls, and hula hoops, all to reinforce the atmosphere of an MD party setting. “I think the set is very cool and it puts a spin on an otherwise overdone play,” Michael

Oyaniyi (8), who plays peace officer Dogberry said.

Certain other aspects of the play have been changed a bit to reflect this setting. Although the script itself has not changed much, the show is laced with modern pop culture references, such as the Subway Surfers and Avengers theme songs, Oyaniri said.

The rehearsal process was especially constructive since students were free to ask questions when they did not understand some

ter Balthazar into “Balthazaurus,” who always carries around a thesaurus. “I’m a very wordy person and it fed into the play very well,” she said.

Another unique aspect of the play is the setting production since it takes place outside in a tent. This was intended to mirror the long tradition dating back to Shakespeare’s time, when traveling theater troupes came into a town, set up a stage, and performed, VanHentenryck said. Students had to adapt their acting skills to fit this unique stage configuration, she said. On this type of stage, the actors must present themselves to the right, to the front, and the all audi -

This outdoor production was an entirely new experience since there hasn’t been one during VanHentenryck’s five years at the school.

more air out of their lungs to be loud enough; there are also distractions which make rehearsals more difficult. “You have to be laser focused because there’s a lot going on outside—you have to focus on your part and be aware at the same time,” she said.

This posed a bit of a challenge because there were many times when wind roared into the actors’ microphones, obscuring the actors’ voices, Wyatt Krueger (8), who plays Beatrice, said. Sound does not travel as much outside so the actors must speak louder, he said.

not particularly good at acting angry,” she said.

When watching, the audience should also look out for all of the really interesting background characters, Krueger said. “There are students doing things like dancing and talking to the bartender in the back, which give the show more personality,” he said.

Viewers should also look forward to the show’s snappy script. “I would rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me,” is one of VanHentenryck’s favorite lines in the show, she said.

people may think,” he said. Performers were given lots of creative freedom. Araxi Kuhn (6) has shifted her original charac-

Henry Stevanovic (9) to run, he said. If elected, Stevanovic hopes to implement changes in many different areas, from food access to student teacher relationships, he said. “I want to emphasize mental health and awareness during testing weeks,” he said. “Whether it’s with animals or revised testing schedules or horticulture on the HM campus.”

As he is running for reelection, Dylan Greenberg (11) points to successful initiatives he led this year in his current campaign, he said. “I helped make the ping pong tournament a reality,” he said. 20 students competed in the tournament, which was limited to the junior grade, Greenberg said. “For next year, we’re thinking about expanding it to the entire Upper Division.”

Students who did not previously serve on the CC, such as Aden Nathoo (9), also have the experience necessary to make them successful student leaders, he said. The former class president of his middle school, Nathoo aims to amplify student voices. “One thing I want to create is a system where two times every ten day cycle, students vote on lunch menu items,” he said.

The current CC voted on which two of the rising seniors should be named chair on Thursday, a shift from previous years, CC member JoJo Mignone (11) said. In previous years, the CC chairs were appointed by the new CC and could be anyone, as long as they were a rising senior, she said. “This year, you are only able to run for chair if you were on CC junior year,” Mignone said. There are four candidates running for the chair position: Mignone, Jorge Orvañanos (11), Erica Jiang (11), and Nate Chiang (11).

“It’s a fun undertaking and something different,” she said. Outside shows are more challenging as one has to project more and push

If he is elected to the CC, Brian Puma (11) hopes to create more opportunities for students to show off their artistic creations, he said. “In the studio tech classes, we submitted music to be played at the collage concert, and I thought we could do something like that,” he said. Puma is interested in creating a few grade-wide events for the rising senior class where they could show off their work to their peers, he said.

The job of a CC representative is to both support their grade and to make the school more fun, first-time candidate Kofi Boadu (9) said. Already, Boadu has come up with ideas that he wants to implement, such as creating a field day event for his grade and providing sports equipment to his peers for everyday use, he said. More broadly, Boadu wants to make a lasting impact on the school, he said. “When I’m elected, I’m going to be for the people, of the people.”

Looking forward to next year, some of Mignone’s proposed policies focus around creating more school spirit, she said. “I don’t think people really rally around the idea of loving the school that we go to, and I think that there’s so much to appreciate that people look past,” she said. “One thing for me is that I want to make Horace Mann a place the people want to be and are proud to be at.”

Amidst all of the excitement, actors still have some concerns. Anusha Goel (7), who plays Claudio, is nervous for the wedding scene, in which a wedding goes horribly wrong and she must act angry.

“There’s a lot of screaming and I’m

dents, discouraging us from asking for help or pursuing our true passions. These stereotypes can contribute to high suicide rates among Asian teenagers and young adults, as suicide is the second leading cause of death for Asian Americans aged 15−34. Being pushed to fit into a mold where we don’t quite belong can cause depression and feelings of inadequacy. Coming from generations of business people and scientists has made me question my natural inclination and love of the humanities. Are Indians who go to Horace Mann supposed to be poets and songwriters? When Asians try to conform to fit the stereotype of what we are expected to be, it can lead to a loss of identity. The model minority stereotype is not a harmless complement or motivation to succeed. It disregards our complexity, achievements, and passions.

The model minority myth also creates divide among Asians and other minority groups by placing Asians at the top of a racial hierarchy and downplaying racism in the United States. Beginning in the 1960s, the term model minority has been used to drive a wedge between Asians and other minority groups, specifically Black people.

In 1966, William Peterson coined the term model minority in an article published in the New York Times. Peterson talked about the successes of Japanese Americans, disregarding a history of discrimination and racism against Japanese people, including Japanese internment camps during World War II.

These internment camps were established by Franklin D. Roosevelt out of paranoia, operating under the governmental policy that incarcerated people of Japanese descent, even if they were U.S. citizens, in internment camps during World War II in order to prevent potential spies for the

Axis powers. Peterson ignored this history, and went on to use Japanese success as an excuse to criticize other groups that he labeled “problem minorities.”

This idea has continued to develop, problematically insinuating that if other minorities were harder working, had two-parent households, and recovered from histories of oppression in the United States, they would succeed more. This way of thinking trivializes racism experienced by other minority groups, and claims that the successes of Asians discredit the link between poverty and struggles of other minorities in facing racism. The model minority myth perpetuates ideas of white supremacy and allows white people to turn a blind eye to the harms of racism, and deflects responsibility in the fight for racial equality. It also pits minority groups against each other through glorifying the Asian American experience and criticizing the experience of other minority groups. Placing Asians on a pedestal above other minority groups prevents us from uniting to combat racial injustice.

To begin to dismantle this myth, we must educate ourselves about the different histories and cultures of Asia. Power to effectuate change begins with knowledge, and we can no longer assume simplicity of a group made up of millions. We must study Asian leaders in all fields and recognize their contributions to our society, from Steve Chen’s founding of YouTube, to Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever, and Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart.

We can not ignore the struggles and histories of not only Asians, but all minority groups in the United States. Asia is the home of 49 countries, over 2,300 languages, 11 religions, and 53 currencies… how can we all be the same?

from Model minority on pg. 2

from CC on pg. 2

WHAT YOU ADO? MD students get into character.

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Lions’ Den Record Sports

Varsity Crew teams compete in regatta in Saratoga Springs

Hannah Becker Staff Writer

“We went into the regatta with a positive mentality, trying to win, to learn how to be better rowers, and to

have a good time,” Boys Varsity Crew member Charlie Davis (10) said. Last weekend, the Boys and Girls Varsity Crew teams traveled to Saratoga Springs, NY, for the annual New York State Scholastic Championship regat-

ta, their first competition of the season, where the boys eight boat placed 18th of 40 teams.

The Boys Varsity Crew team competed on Saturday morning, making it to the petite final, a race for the teams that placed from 9th to 18th, while the Girls team did not place, Davis said. “We felt pretty good about our performance, given that most members are new to the team this year and do not have much rowing experience … I really enjoy being able to help out the freshmen and other novices with their techniques.”

Although the team was not accustomed to the intense race atmosphere, they were able to successfully navigate the course, Varsity Crew Coach Matthew Boller said. “We were rowing against some really competitive

and fast teams from across the state, and [we] still maintained a relatively straight path on the water despite the windy conditions and unfamiliar body of water.”

During the race, Boys Varsity Crew team member Noah Castillo (10) focused on staying in sync with the rower in front of him and getting his oar in and out of the water, he said. “Since it was my first time competing, I expected to feel super tired at the end, but it felt a lot quicker than it actually was and I really enjoyed it.”

Keeping the boat level when rowing is a big challenge for the team, Davis said. “It is difficult to figure out the correct height to keep your oar handle at, especially when you cannot see your partner clearly … if the handle is too low or too high, the boat can tip

Girls’ Varsity Rugby tackles season head-on

Matthew Brand Staff Writer

This Tuesday Girls Varsity Rugby (GVR) beat Harvey in two games on Four Acres. The first match was a 2515 win, and the second was a 30-5 blowout.

GVR had seven players on their roster, so they played “sevens rugby” the whole season. This means that seven players are on the field for each team, but they typically have substitutes. This was a challenge because all GVR players had to spend the entirety of both halves on the field, for two consecutive games. The team also played Tuesday’s match six-on-seven, because one lion was injured.

Rugby is a physically demanding sport, co-captain JoJo Mignone (11) said. “You’re running consistently and playing a very physically challenging game,” she said. As a result, fitness has

been a focal point for GVR in practices this season. “A lot of the practices and warmups integrate conditioning, but in fun and productive ways,” she said.

Isa Melián (11), who joined the team last year, felt that the supportive nature of the team helped her to grow accustomed to the game, she said.

This season was three of the seven players’ first time playing rugby. Naturally, Mignone and her co-captain Clementine Bondor (12) took on leadership roles. When Bondor first started playing rugby competitively with contact, she felt intimidated by the sport. Now as an upperclassman, Bondor kept an eye out for the new players. “I wanted to be the person to whom people could go when they felt intimidated,” she said.

GVR entered Tuesday’s match with more experience and determination. They practiced their possession game, working harder to gain the ball on de-

fense and turn it into offense, Robles said. The practices perfectly translated into the plays executed in matches, as they dominated on the scoresheet.

A standout moment from the match was seeing the new players score on their tries and plays, Bondor said. “It was so rewarding and fun to watch, seeing everyone cheering for them,” she said.

Melián also has a sense of pride seeing the new players succeed, she said. “I was in their shoes last year, so I’m proud of how far they’ve come,” Melián said.

Evie Steinman (9) was one of the new players on the team this season. In her first season playing rugby, it was the supportive nature of the team that led her to have fun with the sport, she said. “What makes a great team is the people, and everyone was super encouraging,” Steinman said.

Mignone sees a bright future for the

rugby program at the school, she said. She and her sister, Catherine Mignone ‘22 started the team in the Spring of 2019. Although it was initially difficult to rally up players and teachers to contribute to the program, the team will grow to at least 20 players next season, with a group of talented middle

towards one side, shifting the balance.”

Girls Varsity Crew team member Francesca Finzi (9) competed on the girls boat with four other members as the team’s coxswain, steering the boat and coordinating the rowers, she said.

“I am proud of myself and did everything I could to make sure my boat was functioning smoothly, but I think it was more of a team effort, and everyone performed really well.”

When the boys eight boat came off the water, they were really proud of their performance, Boller said. “The most satisfying thing a coach can have is when they see their athletes finish knowing they did their best, and are happy with themselves.”

schoolers on the rise. The team has formed a strong bond over the course of the season. From mentorship, to persistence, the players are passionate and dedicated, even giving up their lunch to assistant-coach the Middle Division team. “They’re just excited to play,” Robles said.

Lions leave The Den: Recruited athletes signing off

ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT Fiercely down the stream.

SEE YA! Jojo Mignone (11) flies past the defense.

Courtesy of Matthew Boller

Courtesy of Barry Mason

Courtesy of Sammi Strasser