The Howler May 2023

A Chat with the Lunch Staff

Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER OF THE AC COMMUNITY?

Laura: 26 years

Patty: 20 years

Rachel: 1 year

Kristie: 3 years

FOODIE FAVORITES

As students of AC, we are all very unique people. We have different opinions, interests, and plans for our future, which is a wonderful thing. However, despite these differences in our activities and schedules, we all sit down, every Monday through Friday at 12:40, for a great meal by the outstanding AC lunch team. As many of these lunches have become “famous” over the years, The Howler sought to find which classic AC meals have risen to the top in terms of popularity among Upper School students. After distributing a survey to all Upper School students, we collected the following data from 61 responses. Each chart displays the proportion of students who voted for that particular lunch as either their first, second, or third favorite lunch of the options provided.

1st choice

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AC LUNCH?

Laura: Marinated chicken w/couscous

Patty: Pizza

Rachel: Garlic pizza

Kristie: Curried chicken salad

Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN FOOD SERVICES?

Laura: over 30 years

Patty: 45 years

Rachel: 12 years

Kristie: 14 years

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING IN THE AC COMMUNITY?

Laura: I love seeing students grow during their time here, especially when they come back and visit as alumni or return as parents or employees! I also really appreciate being able to do projects and be involved with

Continued to page 2

2nd choice

3rd choice

Based on the results from this survey, it appears as though the Upper School students get most excited about pizza day, chicken finger day, and panini day, with chicken and rice and mac and cheese lunches earning honorable mentions.

OLIVIA FRIES

OLIVIA FRIES

student learning outside of the lunch program. I also really love spending the day with my team.

Patty: Co-workers and little kids

Rachel: The relationship with my co-workers and seeing the kindergarten hallway displays.

Kristie: My co-workers and when people get excited by my culinary creations on the salad bar.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT?

Laura and Patty: Being featured on the front page of the Democrat and Chronicle and our Golden Carrot Award

Rachel: Part-time associate of the year at the YMCA

Kristie: A company I worked for used me in a billboard ad at the airport

Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE OF AC?

Laura: Go to concerts and shows!

Patty: fishing and spending time with family

Rachel: hanging out with my family

Kristie: spending time with family and bike riding

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT?

Laura: Being a Godmother to Patty’s

Granddaughter

Patty: Raising my family with my husband

Kristie: painting, arts and crafts

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

Laura: 80’s and 90’s alternative

Patty: 60’s

Rachel: country

Kristie: dance

Q. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE would you go?

Laura: Netherlands

Patty: Ireland

Rachel: I don’t like to travel

Kristie: Japan

Q. FUN FACT ABOUT YOURSELF?

Laura: I was a theater major my first year in college and wanted to be a director

Patty: majored in metal shop and was the only female in my class

Rachel: she declined to answer, but the rest of us think she knows everything and we ask her advice constantly, usually saying, “Rachel, Rachel, Rachel”

Kristie: I like to do out of the ordinary things

Nourishing Diversity: Allergy-Friendly lunches at AC

As someone living with Celiac Disease (an autoimmune disease which requires a strict gluten-free diet), it is not always easy to find safe food outside of my house. When I first came to Allendale Columbia in the fall of 2020, I was worried about a variety of issues navigating a new school, and due to my dietary restriction, figuring out lunchtime was one of those issues. I knew that packing my own lunch was not as socially acceptable at AC as it was at my previous school, and I wanted to partake in this “familystyle” tradition that I had been told so much about.

Luckily, before the first day of school even arrived, I had already been put to ease by Reynolds-Gorsuch’s welcome email, which detailed the allergy menu for the week and explained the gluten-free substitutes her team could provide. For many people, this simple act does not seem very special, but for those of us with severe allergies, it feels incredible to be listened to and cared for in this way. Things only got better from there. I quickly learned that the AC chicken nuggets - a food item rarely enjoyed by celiacs - were gluten free! In fact, everything that the fantastic AC chefs whip up (whether it be pizza, paninis, tacos, brownies, corn bread, the soup of the day, etc.) are all either naturally gluten free or can be made gluten free with allergy precautions (ie. new gloves and saran wrapped food).

While I do not know the exact number of gluten free students and faculty at AC, I cannot imagine it is an extremely large number of people considering the small size of the school population as a whole. Thus, for the AC lunch ladies to go out of their way to make something special each day for the few of us that do have this struggle, it is truly amazing. The lunch staff go even further than just knowing your dietary restrictions, though. Just the other day during the senior celebration lunch, a kind member of the AC alumni committee went to grab my gluten free food from

the dining commons. The lunch was turkey and cheese subs that day and Ms. Reynolds-Gorsuch knew that while I am not vegetarian, I am not a fan of sandwich meat. When the alum returned with the food, she told me that she was going to get the regular gluten free sandwich for me, but Miss. Reynolds-Gorsuch told her that I prefer the one without the turkey. I smiled because even though I wasn’t there, Miss. Reynolds-Gorsuch knew that random preference and was looking out for me.

After spending three years at AC the lunch staff has felt like family to me. They genuinely care about the AC community and work tirelessly to make each student feel safe and special. As a result of all of this hard work, the AC lunch team has earned a variety of well-deserved awards and recognitions such as the 2020 Golden Carrot Award for healthy lunches and outstanding health initiatives.

If you have had similar experiences as me with the wonderful AC lunch staff, Laura Reynolds-Gorsuch, Patricia Babcock, Kristie Clark, and Rachel Loveless, do not hesitate to share your stories and appreciation with The Howler or the staff directly.

OLIVIA FRIES

TELL ME HOW 2 SLAY

JAMES THORNBURG

DEAR TELL ME HOW 2 SLAY,

I’M A 10TH GRADER AND I’M STARTING TO THINK ABOUT COLLEGE. I KNOW YOU’RE AN 11TH GRADER, HOW DID YOU NARROW DOWN YOUR OPTIONS? WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A COLLEGE?

- CONFUSED ABOUT COLLEGE

Dear Confused about college,

Making a list of colleges is hard. There are so many options and so many ways to look at colleges. For me, the first thing I did was narrow by size. I knew I wanted a small college and one that was focused on undergraduates where I wouldn’t have to compete with the people pursuing Master’s Degrees. I also knew I wanted a school with lots of different opportunities for research or travel. On top of all that I wanted to be somewhere cold. So three of my college choices ended up being in Maine.

Think about what you want out of school. Do you want research opportunities? Is there a specific major you want to pursue that you can only do at a couple of schools? Is there a certain size you want? Do you want to go to college in a city, a town, or the countryside? The easiest way to narrow down your college list is to visit those schools whether that be virtually or in person.

A quick note: Mrs. Nevinger’s office is always open for those who want to talk about college. She is a wonderful resource and I encourage you to reach out with any specific questions about college.

Sincerely and sympathetically, Tell Me How 2 Slay

DEAR TELL ME HOW 2 SLAY,

I HAVE FOUR AP EXAMS- AP CHEMISTRY, ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION, AP STATISTICS, AND AP UNITED STATES HISTORYAND WHILE MOST OF THESE EXAMS ARE SEPARATED BY A COUPLE OF DAYS, I HAVE BEEN STRESSED OUT AND STRUGGLING. HOW DO YOU STUDY FOR YOUR AP EXAMS?

- TOO MANY APS

Dear Too Many APs,

I study for APs in a variety of ways depending on the subject. English APs, I study very little because those APs are based more on learned skills than memorization. But for Science or Math AP usually, I start by reviewing the notes from the year and then move into doing problems for each unit if applicable.

A great resource for studying for APs is AP Classroom. There are tons of resources on there and review for every unit. Youtube has a great number of videos on AP topics, and often one can find review videos for every unit. While recently Quizlet made it so you have to pay for certain features, the flashcards are still free and are a great way to study if you have a list of terms (history lends itself to this).

Sending calming vibes, Tell Me How 2 Slay

DEAR TELL ME HOW 2 SLAY,

ALL MY FRIENDS ARE LEAVING NEXT YEAR TO GO TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OR COLLEGES. I’M SUPER SAD ABOUT IT AND DON’T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO WITH MYSELF. WHO WILL I EAT LUNCH WITH ON FREE SEATING FRIDAYS? I AM GONNA MISS THEM SO MUCH. I NEED HELP MAKING NEW FRIENDS.

- TEARFUL ABOUT MY BESTIES TAKING FLIGHT

Dear Tearful about my besties taking flight,

I’m in the same boat. I have many friends in 12th grade who are moving to college this year and I too am full of woe.

First off I’d like to say that even if your friend is leaving you can still be friends with them. They might visit you during break or you can chat online. Additionally next year you have tons of time to make new friends. People who have similar interests to you and new people who will become close to you.

I’ll end with my favorite quote about friendship “Sometimes special people come into our lives, stay for a bit, and then they have to go... But the bit where they were here was happy, wasn’t it” - Chili Heeler (a cartoon dog from Bluey).

Sending love, Tell Me How 2 Slay

SWR SUPER STARS

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS: CHANGING TOMATOES, CHANGING THE WORLD?

“I learned that hydroponic systems are a great way to grow plants, but as of right now, I would not recommend using organic fertilizers with them.” - Olivia Fries

THE JUDSON POND PROJECT

“The Judson’s Pond, located in Victor, NY, was constructed in the 1980’s and has been a beloved spot for recreation for generations. In the spring and summer of 2020, the Judson’s Pond experienced a considerable dieoff of the fish population. The scientific community of Allendale Columbia carried out tests on the pond to determine the cause. In the summer of 2022, we looked to collect a consistent set of data to determine pond health. We tested nitrate, Secchi disk, phosphate, DO, and temperature to determine pond health; additionally, we analyzed zooplankton and phytoplankton populations. We found that the pond met 4/5 of our criteria (using averages) and showed substantial improvement from prior years when using the median, all five of our criteria were met.”

TLDR: “Ponds are cool.”- Thomas Riveros

FACE IT, YOU HAVE BIAS: DISCRIMINATION BIAS IN HUMANS

“I learned that the Other-Race effect is a lot more complicated than just not being able to tell faces apart.” - Harmony Palmer

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER

“I learned that this is a much more complex project than I thought.”Nolan Redhead

COVID-19 AND HEARING LOSS

“There is no evidence that Covid-19 infections cause hearing loss in teenagers according to my study’s findings.” - Tommy Duver

OLIVIA FRIES

The Play That Goes Wrong Review

GRACE VAN BORTEL

The Play That Goes Wrong cleverly began engaging the unknowing audience days before the opening night. Posters on campus, as well as social media posts, mentioned a search for a missing dog named Winston and a missing set of sentimental Taylor Swift CDs. Was it more than a coincidence that as the audience began to arrive, the actors called out for Winston and the stage director announced that the Taylor Swift CD collection was still missing? During the play, Taylor Swift’s songs played at the most random times. Since Winston was “missing” the actors worked with an invisible dog. At some point during the play, all the details come together. The play went wrong in more ways than you could count, from switching actors to falling sets. It was extremely clever with so many small details, for example when the spotlight was placed incorrectly to the wrong drink being pulled. Everyone in the audience was engaged and laughing. The play was exciting and different from most plays and musicals because the ideal of perfection shifted so that making mistakes was entertaining. The Play That Went Wrong was successful and enjoyable for everyone.

10 questions with REINHARDT

EVELYN KACPRYZNSKI

Q. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

A. When I ran an Ironman. It was not something anyone ever expected me to do, I was not a runner. I am very proud of having done that even though it was not characteristic of me.

Q. WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AS A TEENAGER?

A. I was a drama kid of sorts as I did a lot of musicals and theater clubs. I was not in too many clicks, was fairly quiet, and kept to myself. I got along well with most others.

Q. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT?

A. Everything. It is always good to learn more things, everything is interesting.

Q. IF YOU HAD THE WHOLE WORLD LISTENING, WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?

A. People are often too certain. Be less certain and more kind. Human scientific history shows, despite our confidence, we are usually wrong. Let’s try to be a little less wrong, but not be overconfident. Doubt and skepticism can be virtues and reasonable people can disagree.

Q. IF YOUR PERSONALITY WAS A COLOR, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?

A. Blue. I always wore blue clothes growing up! Blue is a calm color and that quality has always been an aspiration.

Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT TEACHING?

A. Teaching is always very motivating. On good days it is great, on bad days it is still motivating and important. There are people there who need your help and you have a chance to make an impact on someone’s life everyday.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT AROUND HERE?

A. NormalBBQ - Lima, NY, and Tandoor of IndiaHenrietta, NY.

Q. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO WORK HARD?

A. Sometimes I get excited because something is fun, but not every time. A big motivator is when people are counting on you and you don’t want to let anyone down, you want to do your best.

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

A. I babysat starting in 7th grade, then sold knives for a summer (it was a job advertised in the paper, and one of my classmates was a worker too).

Q. IF YOU COULD RELIVE ANY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT DAY WOULD YOU RELIVE AND WHY?

A. I have great memories of my family renting a cabin during winter break and skiing in Whistler, British Columbia. My parents would say they have “aged out” of skiing, so it would be fun to go back and have those experiences with them again.

CURRENT EVENTS

Past Events: Creativity

Makers Market hosted a record number of artists on Friday, May 12th. Sellers shared their creations, everything from cupcakes, to spraypainted galaxy scenes, stickers, earrings, posters, cutting boards and more. This was one of the biggest Makers Markets yet and this year we shared the event with four local makers, the Yards, WAYO radio, Rathaus Press, and Kristy Guenther.

Interview with a French Student, Emma Negre

GRACE VAN BORTEL

Allendale Columbia hosted 20 French students from Montauban, France. It was very exciting for the students to meet their families at the airport at 1:00 am on Saturday morning! For two weeks, the French students and their host families enjoyed a wonderful time connecting and learning about the area.

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TRIP?

AC STUDENTS IN FRANCE

Portfolio and Honors Exhibition opening was held Friday, May 19th at the Yards Art Collective at the Rochester Public Market. Students spent the year developing work through a variety of conceptual and open ended assignments. This exhibition features their very best work!

A. My favorite memory was meeting my host family on the first night at the airport. I was very excited. I also enjoyed visiting Montreal, Canada.

Q. WHAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT AMERICA?

A. The school was very different. The AC classes were small and the number of students at the school was much smaller than at my school. Also, the school days are much longer in France, although we have more vacations.

Q. DID YOU LEARN OR TRY ANYTHING NEW?

Evening of the Arts and Empty Bowls was held on Monday, May 22nd this year. We shared artwork from our littlest artists in the Little School all the way up to our oldest students in Upper School. Bowls were made by a variety of community members. Empty Bowls raised funds this year for AC Summer LEAP lunches. Our fundraiser earned over $600 to help cover the costs of fresh and healthy food for our AC Summer LEAP students!

A. I tried several new things. I flew in a small airplane which was very exciting. I also went ice skating.

Q. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES YOU NOTICED BETWEEN NEW YORK AND FRANCE?

A. The school is very different. The food is very different. The food in America has very large portions and very little flavor. In France, the food has a lot of flavor, especially the cheese.

Q. HOW WAS THE TRIP DIFFERENT FROM EXPECTED, OR WAS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?

A. It was different because I got to experience a new lifestyle, new culture, and different people

BAM!

EDUCATED

TARA WESTOVER

GENRE: MEMOIR

RATING: 9/10

RATING: 16+, THIS BOOK HAS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE.

Uneducated is raw, vulnerable, and honest. Tara Westover shares her story of triumph over the trauma and abuse of growing up isolated and alone in the mountains of Idaho in a family of extremists and survivalists. Despite the challenges of her circumstances, she finds the will and a way to rise above and triumph. Despite never having a formal education, Tara teaches herself and eventually studies at Bringham Young University, Harvard, and Cambridge. Not for the faint of heart, Educated is a brave memoir that focuses on hope, resilience, and determination.

REVIEW BY ANN MARIE LUCE

SEX EDUCATION

NETFLIX

GENRE: DRAMEDY

RATING: 8.5/10

TV-MA 17+, CONTAINS SEXUAL CONTENT AND DISCUSSIONS OF SEX RELATED TOPICS

In the third season of Sex Education, viewers are asked to consider the concept of trust through the experiences of teenagers in a British secondary school. However, as the show’s tagline states, “Experience is overrated.”

Sex Education (Netflix) was created by Laurie Nunn and is meant to be an homage to 80’s John Hughes films. Although it is set in England, the show’s creators intentionally use American high school imagery such as lockers and letterman jackets to engage international audiences and evoke films such as The Breakfast Club.

Each episode of the show starts with a scene that is intimate or relationship oriented. Netflix recently followed HBO’s lead and hired an intimacy coordinator to make sure all actors felt safe and comfortable while rehearsing and filming intimate scenes. This was a significant way to set the stage for the character’s experiences with trust this season. For example, there are myriad ways that trust can break down in relationships and these are portrayed in

School House Rock! Rocks

VARIOUS ARTISTS

GENRE: RANGE

RATING: 10/10

I loved listening to this album. All the songs were based on School House Rock! Songs. My favorite track of course was “I’m Just a Bill” by Deluxx Folk Implosion, a band that I had never heard of but I might check out later thanks to this album.

This album spans several different genres from rap to electronic making it an eclectic album. The artists featured in this album include: Better Than Ezra, Bix Markie, Blind Melon, Buffalo Tom, Chavez, Daniel Johnston, Goodness, Man Or Astro-Man?, Moby, Pavement, Skee-Lo, The Lemonheads, and Ween.

While not all the tracks are on Spotify you can track most of them down on Youtube or Sound Cloud. “Tale of Mr. Morton” by Skee-Lo is a bop that I will add to my homework playlist.

REVIEW BY JAMES THORNBURG

obvious and subtle ways. The usual examples of cheating abound: Otis breaks Ola’s by kissing Maeve, Isaac breaks Maeve’s trust by deleting the voicemail message in which Otis professes his love, Otis’ mother Jean breaks her boyfriend Jakob’s trust with a tryst with her ex-husband, Eric breaks Adam’s trust by cheating with a random dude in a Nigerian dance club.

A less obvious example of the importance of trust is what happens now that the school has shut down Otis and Maeve’s sex education clinic. Previously, his clients trusted Otis’ discretion when they came to him for relationship and sex advice, which is why they felt safe and comfortable seeking education. However, when Jean was the educator, she wrote notes in her journal, which were then stolen and copies plastered around the school. This is a good example of the showrunners created understanding of their audience. The model that Otis and Maeve had worked for their clients in their community. Adults judged that model, but it backfired, a strong reminder that the reason Maeve and Otis’ advice was helpful to clients was primarily that it met clients where they were - literally and figuratively.

Another complex but well-executed storyline

plays out as Maeve is forced to break her mother’s trust by reporting her to child protection services because her mother has relapsed. Later, her mother shows that she trusts Maeve more than herself when she hands her child over to her for the child’s own safety. Similarly, Maureen trusts herself and her new identity when she turns down her estranged husband’s pleas to get back together.

All in all, this was a thoughtful and wellconceived season for Sex Education that raises many important issues.

REVIEW BY MAYA CRSOBY

Explore

your

interests

Get a diploma

THE DISCONNECTION BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

JAMES THORNBURG

I have two diplomas I’m currently working on, an entrepreneurship diploma and a global diploma. I started my global diploma in 9th grade but didn’t have the chance to start an entrepreneurship diploma until 10th grade.

I intend to finish my global diploma this year with an international trip to Norway. But I didn’t finish these overnight and I didn’t just decide to start working on these diplomas on a whim, so why did I decide to pursue these diplomas and why should you pursue one?

FALLING OUTSIDE OF THE CURRICULUM

No school can teach all the classes that students are interested in, there simply aren’t enough teachers or time during the school day to accomplish that. Diploma work allows you to pursue classes and interests that may fall outside of the curriculum and still get credit for them.

For instance, this school has no ASL or Norwegian classes, or languages that I am interested in, so I have been taking classes and teaching myself Norwegian. I took one year of ASL from a deaf teacher on an online platform. Using my entrepreneurship diploma I can get credit for both my ASL and Norwegian study.

COMMUNITY WORK

Diploma work allows you to connect with more people. I have connected with many people through Best Buddies, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without the flexibility of an entrepreneurship diploma. I have also been able to volunteer due to my entrepreneurship diploma.

In 10th grade, I volunteered with Luv Micheal. Luv Micheal is an autism acceptance organization run out of New York that provides paying jobs for autistic people. These Jobs allow them to preserve social relationships, afford to pay for basic needs, and preserve their sense of purpose. I volunteered about 10 hours for one week and during that time helped to fundraise for the organization.

I talked to many people in an attempt to fundraise and found that they had connections to this kind of organization that I had never heard of before. Doing volunteer work allowed me to connect with my community.

CHRIS SMOKER

WHAT IS GOING ON?

I am a senior at Allendale Columbia, as well as the oldest member of the current student body. I take great pride in the communication skills I have built with faculty, and my peers. I have seen people come and go, through thick and thin. I have observed that there are less respectful conversations, and a lack of opportunity for students to speak freely against a mainstream idea, even in a structured environment with a teacher. After attending Mr. Hunt’s Democracy and Discourse class, I can say that it is crucial to any form of discussion that there must be risk, and significance. Without trust between teachers and students, the political climate at AC has become terrifying. I have personally played “devil’s advocate” dozens of times when I felt that I had been in a constructive rather than a constraining environment. I have grown into an informed, respectful, and politically rounded individual because of the trust given to me. Unfortunately, the lack of trust between students and teachers has caused both parties to spread offensive comments, to be disrespectful, and display passive aggressiveness, things that hinder civil discourse and trust within the community.

I believe we should not sacrifice one party over the other. Everybody’s feelings are of equal value, regardless of their position of power, their race, or their political affiliation. There have been many notable cases of teachers publicly shaming students or outright accusing them of being this or that, always in front of other students. I believe opinions belong in schools, but only if they are shared respectfully, which applies not only to students but teachers as well. Occurrences have been reported that a select few teachers call or insinuate a student an offensive title such as, racist, homophobic, or bigoted simply from a miscommunication, or due to a personal stance on an issue. Conducting conversations like that completely shut down the opportunities to learn and grow, something I believe we all value in the community. After speaking to many students, it has been reported that public shaming is the most common form of discipline by teachers when “controversial” topics are mentioned. Perhaps there needs to be some form of evaluation on what types of conversations that students and teachers can handle in the classroom. In addition to students fearing repercussions, many teachers are unprofessional, bad

mouthing each other in front of students even. How can students feel safe if faculty are insulting their coworkers and ignoring how students may feel hearing this? Hearing negative comments about the school and why they want to leave is certainly not encouraging for students to hear.

The topics discussed at school can vary, as the news always has an effect in and out of the classroom. After interviewing and discussing this issue with every class, I can firmly say that student-teacher relationships as a whole have deteriorated, especially if a student is not left leaning. Silencing a small group of individuals because of their political affiliation should not be welcomed in the AC community. For example, silencing Asian/Asian-American students just for being Asian is inappropriate and sounds ridiculous. I believe that minority students have the right to not feel marginalized, and everyone else has the right to not feel oppressed for not being a minority. Everyone is equal; nobody’s feelings should be cared about more than others, as we are all students and members of the AC community. We cannot prioritize one group of people over another; that is favoritism, and is unfair to everyone. Either we protect everyone or no one, because unintentional resentment begins to grow from unheard voices. A select few teachers this year have commonly directed negative feelings towards students, such as raising their voice, demanding respect without returning it, and provoking uncivil discourse. I love this school and community, but sometimes the relationship between students and teachers become too comfortable and unprofessional with students. We as students love to get to know our teachers, but students should not have to endure negative comments, public shaming, or passive aggressive behavior simply for wanting to learn and grow as a community. It is frustrating to see potential in our halls going to waste because of students’ unwillingness to give teachers another chance, and teachers’ inability to be open minded and respectful.

HOW DO WE FIX THIS?

The issue we as a community are facing is a disconnect between students and teachers, which includes a lack of respect, and not giving the benefit of the doubt to either party. I believe we as a community can become more open minded by holding students and teachers accountable when opinions are shared in the classroom, regardless if it is an elective or a part of the core curriculum. I absolutely believe teachers should have the ability to stop a conversation if the teacher is uncomfortable leading or guiding the discussion in the classroom. That also means teachers must do so fairly; for example if a student mentions a mainstream viewpoint

of a topic, the teacher should allow the other perspective to be submitted civilly and respectfully. If a student begins a conversation that may be politically charged, regardless which side of the political spectrum it is, teachers should have the right to prohibit conversations if they do not feel comfortable leading the conversation. The students I have talked to agree that teachers should not be forced to moderate and guide a potentially controversial conversation, but as I stated before, that means the teacher must close off both sides of the debate, not just one. Conversations will happen regardless of whether or not it is in the classroom. This is a concept that does not need to become an issue, but instead an opportunity for learning in a safe area.

I believe that students and teachers must be held accountable, especially in the classroom, where the most incidents of public shaming are occuring. Let’s say a teacher does want to get involved; should they be able to share an opinion/standpoint to help students engage in discourse? Absolutely! If done respectfully, teachers should not be forced to be silent, but that also means that teachers must realize that shutting down a student or making critical comments is utterly inappropriate and unprofessional. Teachers may need more specialized training on how to handle tough and controversial conversations in the classroom, regardless of whether or not they expect to have them. Unfortunately there are few administrators, who will take student concerns seriously, and will follow up with a sufficient outcome.

In addition we should have a mandatory class that revolves around teaching civil discourse, political diversity, and being respectful during a disagreement. If students start out being open minded at a young age, and are continuously challenged through constructive and safe environments, those efforts will certainly pay off. I have only attended one debate class, and it significantly helped me form stronger evidence for my own perspectives, and allowed me to hear real reasons for why students hold their beliefs.

Through risk, trust, and perseverance can we move forward stronger and more informed. The teachers at AC are magnificent and truly want students to succeed, so therefore there must be a greater effort to be more open minded, and understanding of students’ perspectives that may differ. Students want to have the hard conversations, but for those to occur, we as members of the student body must back up our statements, holding ourselves and others accountable for hateful, not just opposing, beliefs and working on civilly and respectfully presenting a perspective, regardless of whether it is mainstream or not.

JAMES THORNBURG

tinyurl.com/teenagesummer

MAYA SCHWARTZ

THE COLLEGE BOARD FAILED AMERICA

Last fall I sat down to take the SAT. Surrounding me were students from my elite private school, students who had the money to afford the countless prep books, tutors, and programs to gain the best score. Exhausted and catatonic, we sat absorbed by the test after months of studying in preparation for the be-all-end-all college entrance exam, reducing us to numbers instead of our names. I wondered, how can a test predicated on income, neglecting any means of originality, drive our future? The College Board, arguably one of the most influential monopolies in America, is filtering out the potential of our generations, robbing millions of opportunities.

The College Board reports that over two million students took the SAT exam in 2020, playing a vital role in college admissions. Although the pandemic has prompted many universities to adopt test-optional approaches, there is little evidence to support the permanency of this change, and a negative implication remains if one does not submit their score.

In Tyranny of The Merit, philosopher Micheal J. Sandel speaks on the correlation between income and SAT scores. Students from high-income families ($200,000 and over) had a one in five chance of getting 1400 on the SAT, while those from low-income families ($20,000 and under) had a one in fifty chance. Undoubtedly, teens who come from wealthy families have increased access to preparatory resources, a significant advantage for achieving a strong score. As Alfie Kohn states, “The SAT is more a measure of resources than reasoning”, a monstrous gatekeeper of potential. The College Board, although a non-profit, relies on revenue to sustain itself. Consequently, the SAT was designed to be more than just a mere test, but a financial loop. Public education is a fundamental right, therefore any assessment of education should be equally accessible to all.

In the late 1990s, the College Board removed the “A” in SAT that symbolized “Aptitude”, substituting it with “Assessment.” Today literally, and perhaps figuratively, the SAT does not stand for anything. New York Times journalist Jennifer Finney opined, “The College Board can change the test all it likes, but no single exam, given on a single day, should determine anyone’s fate.” The SAT attempts to mold children into a 1600-point scale, failing to represent the creative and visionary thinking skills necessary for real-world success-skills that are not quantifiable.

If we want to drive progress and confront the significant social, political, and environmental challenges ahead of us, we need to move beyond a test that perpetuates the status quo. It is time the SAT is replaced with a holistic model that encapsulates our full hearts and minds.

AP CLASSES studying them is ‘AP’-solutely necessary!”

This question is asked all around the world, especially in schools: ‘Do we really need AP or honors classes?’ and I am here to answer that question. Personally, I believe that these classes are meant for students seeking a challenge. Those who choose to take these classes should be aware of the increased workload. AP and honors classes often have a more rigorous curriculum, requiring extra time and effort outside of regular class hours. This can result in a heavier workload and higher stress levels for students.

I have heard many teachers’ sides to why we do and do not need these classes. Mx. Oliveri says that “The AP art class we had a few years ago caused the students a lot of stress because of the volume of pieces they had to make during the year.” They thought that the students were not producing their best work because of those requirements made by the college board.

AP and honors classes can affect GPA. The grading scale for these classes may be more challenging, leading to lower grades compared to regular classes. This could be a concern for students aiming for high academic standing. Additionally, limited extracurricular involvement may occur. The demanding nature of AP and honors classes can restrict the time available for participating in extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, or part-time jobs.

Another aspect to consider is the increased competition. AP and honors classes tend to attract academically driven students, creating a more competitive classroom environment. This competitiveness can sometimes add pressure and diminish the collaborative and supportive aspects of learning. Finally, there is the potential for burnout. The combination of a demanding workload, higher expectations, and additional stressors can contribute to student burnout. It is essential for students to maintain a healthy balance between academic pursuits and self-care, including personal hygiene.

I don’t mean to discourage you, but these classes are not suitable for everyone as they require a significant amount of time and effort, which can lead to burnout. However, I encourage everyone to try at least one AP or honors class before deciding if it’s right for them. I believe these classes are necessary and should be offered to anyone. How can we enhance our learning if we do not provide these opportunities?

EVELYN KACPRZYNSKI

NOLAN REDHEAD

Mr. Godkin PRO RETAKES

Imagine you need a new hot water heater at your house, so a plumber is called in to install it. Unfortunately, they are having a bad day. Maybe they feel a little under the weather or maybe they needed to rush out of the house without eating breakfast. Who knows? The point is, they are off their game and they make a mistake in hooking up your hot water heater. Consequently, you go to shower that night and…ugh, no hot water! Do you just shrug and say, “Oh well, I guess that plumber didn’t really know what they were doing” and live with cold showers for the foreseeable future? Of course not, you call the plumber and have them come back out and do the job correctly! The plumber is expected to do the job to the best of their ability, so why wouldn’t we expect the same of our students?

Offering the chance to retake a similar but different version of the test benefits both the student and the teacher in a variety of ways. For one, students feel a sense of autonomy and empowerment around their education. If they have an off day like the plumber, they are given the power to fix their mistakes. Additionally, students are more likely to consider and act upon teacher feedback. I’m sure every student out there has put a graded paper right in the recycle bin after only looking at the grade. If

they are given the chance to improve their grade, though, they are far more likely to read the teacher’s comments or analyze their performance to look for opportunities to improve. Another reason I like to use retakes in my classroom is it helps students feel less anxiety about tests and grades. I’ve heard plenty of students say something like “Well, at least there are retakes” after finishing one of my exams. I know that this is usually a flippant comment meant to get a laugh, but there’s definitely some truth in there, too. They know that if they bomb a test, their grade isn’t destroyed. They have the chance to go back and do what needs to be done to learn the material well enough to get the grade they hope for. Many teachers claim that this just allows students to game the system to get more time to study for the test or that the best students will spend time trying to improve on a perfectly acceptable score. To which I say, so what? They are demonstrating their current and best level of learning. If adherence to the teacher’s calendarbased timeline isn’t a learning objective for that particular unit of study, it shouldn’t be a factor in that achievement grade. These behaviors can, and should, be assessed in the effort grade. Teachers benefit from offering retakes as well because they can more easily accommodate

students who learn at different paces. The majority of students may be ready for a test in accordance with your carefully laid plans, but some might not. By offering retakes, students are able to put in the extra time they may need to master the material without preventing the class from moving on. This becomes especially important if concepts in the class build sequentially. If my AP Chemistry students don’t understand chemical equilibrium from Unit Seven, they will struggle immensely to apply this knowledge to acids and bases in Unit Eight. This illustrates the single most important reason to offer students the chance to retake a test-- they have the opportunity to demonstrate improved understanding and progress towards mastery of the course content, which I think we would all agree is the primary goal of our time together in the classroom, is it not?

Don’t just take my word for it, here are some sources that discuss the idea of Mastery Learning, which is a concept that has been around since the late 1960s and typically incorporates test retakes:

Guskey, T. R. (2007). Closing achievement gaps: revisiting Benjamin S. Bloom’s “Learning for Mastery”. Journal of advanced academics, 19(1), 8-31.

Kulik, C. L. C., Kulik, J. A., & Bangert-Drowns, R. L. (1990). Effectiveness of mastery learning programs: A meta-analysis. Review of educational research, 60(2), 265-299.

Winget, M., & Persky, A. M. (2022). A practical review of mastery learning. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 86(10).

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strawberry Breakfast

Friday, May 26th at 8:30 a.m.

Spring has arrived, and with it comes preparations for AC’s annual Strawberry Breakfast event, which will take place on Friday, May 26th, at 8:30 a.m. This is a wonderful, school-wide AC tradition, and students will perform for their families and friends. Afterwards, everyone is invited to enjoy strawberries and donuts in the Dining Commons.

May TerM

May 30th - June 8th

May Term at Allendale Columbia School exists to provide educational opportunities outside the normal structure of the school year to support intellectual discovery, encourage collaboration, and foster community involvement. Embodying AC’s core values, May Term provides authentic learning experiences through both faculty-led sessions and student-led workshops.

MR. HUNT AGAINST RETAKES

There are a number of l reasons that I do not have a policy of allowing students to retake tests when they have not done well. I do understand that in an area of study in which essential skills are imparted, it might be difficult or impossible to move on to a higher level if one has not first mastered the skills at a lower level. However, history is primarily a content-based area of studyconveying an understanding of the significance of the Social Security Act, for instance, is not dependent upon having first mastered the significance of the Battle of Saratoga. The way that I set up my classes is another reason that I do not have a retest policy. All of the tests that I give

May TerM CONTINUED

are “open notebook,” so if there is a set of skills that is called upon, it is organizational skills. There is no reason that a student cannot organize themself for the first (and only) administration of the test. In the non-Honors classes, the material that comprises 70% of the tests is given out in advance, so there seems to be no reason that a student cannot be prepared for the test, unless there is a lack of motivation, which, I believe, will not be addressed by the opportunity to take the test a second time. Indeed, a retest policy might be a reason to not prepare for the original test. In a content-based area of study, the question would arise about what, specifically, the retest would look like. If a student knew that the retest would be exactly the same test as the original test, then the preparation could consist of simply writing review sheets for those questions that the student already knows will be on the retest. How will that reflect mastery of the content that was not on the original test? A completely

During May Term, Upper School students will experience eight days of in-depth, hands-on learning from May 30th through June 8th. May Term covers a range of topics and allows students to work in mixed-age groups on projects that impact the larger community, creating an enriching experience that delves deeply beyond the traditional curriculum and routine. Students will be placed in one to two teacher-led sessions and a variety of student-led workshops based on the areas of interest indicated on their registration while keeping their developmental needs in mind. For these eight days, school hours and expectations remain the same (8:10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m) with lunch served for those students on campus. In other sessions, students may be asked to bring a bag lunch. If a student has over 2 unexcused absences in the eight day period they will be asked to make up their absences over the summer. If you would like more information about May Term please reach out to Dr. Luce

Middle and Upper School Spring Concert

WEDNESDAY, May 31st, 7:00 p.m.

HAC Senior and Junior Prom

Saturday, June 3rd from 6:00-10:00 p.m.

Students in 11th and 12th grade from AC and Harley, as well as their guests, are invited to prom at the Penfield Country Club on June 3rd. Tickets will be $50 and available now.

different test, in addition to requiring teacher time to create, would not measure the mastery of the material that was on the original test. If a student is concerned about a low grade, there are ways in my classes to earn extra points, most notably- in the non-Honors classes- of extra blog posts that ask them to react to the material in the text.

My classes do have opportunities for students to revisit and modify their work, namely my policy of allowing rewrites of any and all essays. For me, the development of sound writing skills is of far greater importance than the mastery of any specific body of historical material. I am committed to examining and responding to all student papers, regardless of how many times they wish to submit a piece of work. With there being only so many hours in a day, I think that my time as a teacher is far better spent helping a student with their writing than repeatedly creating and evaluating tests.

Senior Luncheon

Friday, June 9th, 11:30 a.m.

Seniors and their parents/guardians and immediate family are invited to join us for a senior class luncheon at AC on Friday, June 9th at 11:30 a.m. Additional information will be shared closer to the event.

Upper School Convocation

Friday, June 9th, 1:30 p.m.

The Upper School Awards ceremony will be held on campus in the CPC on June 9th. This is a required event for all students. The event will also be live streamed via Zoom.

Commencement for the Class of 2023

Sunday, June 11th, 1:00 p.m.

Allendale Columbia’s graduation ceremony will be held on the grounds of AC on Sunday, June 11th. The ceremony will take place on the AC campus under a formal event tent behind the arts center. More details will be shared with families in the coming weeks. Separate communications will be sent to Seniors about end of year events celebrating their final weeks at AC.

Inside the Den

THE COOLEST SPORT: HOCKEY JULIETTE METHOT WINS STATES

Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING HOCKEY?

A. I’ve been playing hockey for about 8 or 9 years

Q. WHAT POSITION DO YOU PLAY?

A. Defense

Q. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN HOCKEY?

A. I got started in hockey because my dad played pro and when he retired, he started coaching, which is when I was about the age where I could start to play on a team. I guess it’s just always been a part of my family.

Q. DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS?

A. I run track for HAC in the spring

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR TEAM’S RECORD THIS YEAR?

A. For the 2022-2023 season we went 40-18-8 (wins, losses, ties)

Q. WE HEARD YOUR TEAM WON STATES - TELL US ABOUT THAT.

A. Winning states was really amazing. There was a point in the tournament that we thought we wouldn’t make it to finals, but when we did we were super excited. Then when we won, the whole team and all of our families were so excited- it was unreal, like the best feeling.

Q. WHAT’S THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED WITH YOUR TEAM ON AND OFF THE ICE?

A. The hockey season is so long, so many good things happen so it’s hard to pick a “best thing” that’s happened but if I had to pick I think I would say just seeing all of our hard work pay off, you know between all the late practices and early weekend mornings like it’s cool to see how dedicated everyone is and how our team bonded throughout the season both on and off the ice.

KICK IT! MAYA SCHWARTZ LEVELS UP IN KARATE

Q. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING KARATE?

A. I’ve been doing karate for about 14 years now. I originally started off in a style called Tang Soo Do, but when we moved here, I had to changed styles. I changed to a style called Isshin-ryu.

Q. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO STYLES?

A. Tang Soo Do is much more aggressive and much more about strength behind the moves and power. Ishin Ru has more of a flow to it. When we do the forms, called Katas, it has a certain flow to it that I like a lot.

Q. WHAT BELT ARE YOU?

A. I just got my second degree black belt. The next belt up is third degree black belt and I have to wait three years to move up to the next belt.

Q. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO TEST FOR YOUR 2ND DEGREE BLACK BELT?

A. Testing up for that was basically doing all of the things that I knew for the style. It was a challenge to start reviewing for everything. Testing was happening at the same time as the play. It was hard to split my time.

Q. WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE?

A. Last year, I officially became a sensei. I actively teach people. I teach a wide variety of classes from 4 year olds up to 60 year olds. The decision to make me a sensei came from the dojo and was a recognition of my dedication and hard work.

Q. WILL YOU CONTINUE IN COLLEGE?

A. I will absolutely continue next year at RIT. I will form a club or commute to my dojo on weekends.

AMY OLIVERI

Inside the Den

UPS AND DOWNS ON THE DIAMOND

NOLAN REDHEAD

The HAC Wolves baseball season has been a rollercoaster with big ups and downs. They have determination and great teamwork. From the first game of the season to the last home game, the Wolves showcased their unwavering passion for the sport. Led by their dedicated coach Aaron Wood and assistant coaches Joe Moschettieri and Sal Timpani, the team has countless hours of practice, honing their skills and strategies. Their offense was a force to be reckoned with, consistently delivering powerful hits and smart baserunning. On the defensive side, the Wolves displayed coordination and agility. Throughout the season, the team’s camaraderie and support for one another were evident, fostering an atmosphere of unity, encouragement, and “good culture” as coach Wood would put it.

Coach Wood said “The wolves are led by Seniors Salvatore Timpani, Thomas Riveros, and Nolan Redhead. As a team the wolves are putting up big numbers, scoring over 140 runs on 133 hits. Pitching is led by Salvatore Timpani who just set a program record with over 200 career strikeouts. Timpani also leads the team in hits and runs batted in. Nolan Redhead, Sean Thody, Oliver Riveros are right behind the pack with hot bats constantly rallying the offense. Ryan Curwin and Jaden Marrero have made big key plays on defense.”

TRACK STARS:

EVELYN KACPRZYNSKI

OLIVIA FRIES

Evelyn Kacprzynski ‘24 is a diehard runner; in fact, some say “she’s a runner, she’s a track star.” While Kacprzynski’s journey has been a long and difficult one, she is a fighter and continues to hold on to her dream of victory.

When Kacprzynski was in ninth grade, she earned third in the state for her 5k time in cross country. Along with this incredible feat, she was known across the community for her incredible speed and endurance as a truly outstanding runner. Unfortunately, in the midst of this success, Kacprzynski suffered a debilitating injury which directly impeded her ability to compete in track and cross country. Kacprzynski tells The Howler, “I felt like I lost a lot.”

This year however, Kacprzynski has her eyes on the steeplechase, an intense 2,000-meter event which includes a variety of obstacles such as water ditches and 18 fences. Kacprzynski explains that “even though I don’t have a lot of training in this event, I want to win sectionals. “Winning the Steeple would mean receiving recognition for my work.” Since the former peak of her career occurred during the outbreak of Covid-19 and was tainted with injuries, this year is key for her comeback, making all of her previous work worth it. Kacprzynski’s determination is certainly paying off as her current steeplechase time is an incredible 8:39, and competition is “just between [her] and one other girl right now.” The HAC community is rooting for you, Evelyn!

TRACK STARS: AIDAN BOGUE

OLIVIA FRIES

Aidan Bogue ‘23 first joined the track team his junior year for fun, and has found great success ever since. Bogue has risen to the top of the division with his PR of 16.20 seconds for the 110 hurdles. In addition, Bogue’s 4x4 relay team, with A. Bosa, V. Wainberg and C. Clarke, have an impressive record time of 03:45.1 as well, and are “all awesome.” Based on the current leaderboard, Bogue is expected to win the sectional competitions in both his main hurdles event and in the relay. The HAC community looks forward to Bogue’s continued success as the season comes to an end.

TRACK STARS: Jessica Chapados

Jessica Chapados is an outstanding athlete. As a freshmen indoor and outdoor track runner she is already high on the section 5 leaderboard for her accomplishments. Coach Deckman describes her as a “staple runner in the girls 4x4, 4x8” and recognizes her incredible time of 5:42 in the 1500. Jess loves the middle and distance fun practices, especially when the track team went to corbests glen. She loves to compete at the meets and her strategy is to “get good sleep and mentally prepare herself for the meet” Good luck Jess!

EVELYN KACPRZYNSKI

ARE WE FILMING TOO MUCH?

OWEN PALOMAKI

Growing up in contemporary society, people have gotten used to filming. Whether using a phone to record a moment with a friend, watching a funny video online, or using a camera to keep houses and valuables safe, filming has become a part of everyday life. However, using filming for remembrance, entertainment, and security has turned into traumatic nostalgia, schadenfreude, and encroachment. With this abuse of technology, we ask ourselves the question: are people filming too much?

According to Data Reportal, “more than twothirds of the world’s total population uses a mobile phone,” recording everyday events and posting them online. When some people need a laugh, they look up titles such as “epic fails” or “funny home videos.” The common recurrence of these events is that people instinctively film the disaster or injury rather than provide assistance or better yet, privacy. Imagine you were that person having the roughest day, and when you try looking for assistance, the people around you can’t help but film you struggling; laughing at your misfortunes and publicly posting them, getting the whole world to laugh at you too for their own personal entertainment.

Filming has not only been twisted into public humiliation for entertainment, but its use for protecting privacy has turned into invading it. Security camera systems survey and record everything, from inside and

outside houses and stores to hallways of school districts. In the New York Times article Are People Filming Too Much?, Shayla comments, “Security cameras are good for surveillance, but I do believe there are places that should be left private like bathrooms, for example… It just seems that privacy doesn’t even exist in this day and age.”

Shayla’s concern, corresponding with other commenters, emphasizes the need for boundaries in filming, especially in private locations such as bathrooms. Their concerns have been proven true: a year ago at a local high school, a physics teacher was arrested for possessing child pornography. Some of the videos recorded were from a hidden camera in the girl’s bathroom. Audacy 1010 Wins and other news channels reported that “he was in possession of 2,030 images and 21 videos of child pornography”. This teacher had abused their access and ability to film and in doing so, invaded the privacy of the students in that bathroom facility.

People have taken advantage of the easily accessible camera in our pockets and the security cameras observing our surroundings that have integrated into our daily lives. Whether intentionally by invading people’s privacy for a laugh, people have abused their ability to film and in doing so, are endangering others. How many times do you or others end up filming? Is your privacy being invaded? Are you filming too much?

MASTHEAD

COPYRIGHT MAY 25, 2023

PUBLISHER

ALLENDALE COLUMBIA SCHOOL

STAFF

Olivia Fries, Evelyn Kacprzynski, Nolan Redhead, James Thornburg, Grace Van Bortel

ILLUSTRATOR

Maya Schwartz

CONTRIBUTORS

Travis Godkin, Ted Hunt, Ann Marie Luce, Maya Crosby, Chris Smoker, Owen Palomaki

COPYEDITORS/ PROOFREADERS

Morgan Farrow, Maya Crosby

LAYOUT/DIRECTION

Amy Oliveri

EMAIL

thehowler@allendalecolumbia.org