The Howler February 2023

THE

HOWLER

15 FEBRUARY 2023

THEHOWLER@ALLENDALECOLUMBIA.ORG

Why bring back the howler?

The Howler is an important piece of school history, and reviving it is a way to honor that history. Many great students before us have stood in the duality of student and reporter, making the hard choices about reporting the truth and keeping the peace. It is time for us to do the same.

BY OLIVIA FRIES, EVELYN KACPRZYNSKI, NOLAN REDHEAD, JAMES THORNBURG, GRACE VAN BORTEL

• Entertain • Inform AC students about upcoming events • Increase engagement in our community • Represent all sides of issues within the school • Highlight great accomplishments

Quite simply, we have revived The Howler in We believe the purpose of this newspaper order to unify the AC community, and to give is to... students a voice. •

Why speak up? A STUDENT ALLENDALE COLUMBIA’S STUDENT-LED FORUM

BY EVELYN KACPRZYNSKI

On February 16th, Allendale Columbia will have its very first studentled forum. The event will encourage student discussions around belonging, community, equity, and overall feedback on our school culture. The forum, Mr. Schwartz explains, is structured around the climate survey that was sent out to students. The climate survey collected student responses on questions related to relationships, connections, equity, diversity, representation, and trust.

The purpose of the forum, Mr. Schwartz elaborates, is to expand on the concepts that were presented in the climate survey data, giving students an opportunity to, “share helpful feedback, engage in discussion, and [provide students] with a space to expand on their thinking.”

Students will lead the forum which will “improve group dynamics, [foster] leadership, and lead to impactful conversations” - Mr. Knapp “Students seek feedback from each other…discussions led by adults or [those in authoritative positions] can [cause students] to feel uncomfortable; this was one big reason we decided to make the ‘Speak Up Forum’ a student-led event,” Dr. Luce shares. continued on page 2

PERSPECTIVE

ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE UPCOMING RESTORATIVE PRACTICE TRAINING

BY JAMES THORNBURG

According to the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), restorative practices are a “social science that studies how to strengthen relationships between individuals and within communities.”

Restorative practices offer schools a unique way to format their justice system. Restorative justice focuses on resolving conflict, repairing harm, and healing relationships unlike the punitive system, used by most schools, which focuses on pushing the offending party. While punitive justice is usually handled between the offender and the legal system in which they reside, restorative justice brings the offender and the victim together in order to discuss the matter and work through it together.

On the 16th of February, Allendale Columbia is holding an introductory workshop on restorative practices led by Kyle Skovira, an Equity Education Specialist from BOCES. Kyle has worked in restorative practices for several years, is an interdisciplinary artist, and appears to continued on page 2

EDITION FEB 23

THE HOWLER

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WHY SPEAK UP? continued from page 1

A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE continued from page 1

A variety of different sessions will structure the day. AC Summer Leap Director, Indy Maring, will speak on finding one’s voice, and how and when to use it. Following their segment, students will break off into ten groups, each with one student leader, and “discussions will be held based upon guided questions.”

Questions can take the form such as: “What happens when you are engaged in learning?

What actions can faculty take?

And what actions can students take?” Towards the end of the discussion, student leaders will, “provide space for open conversation in relation to ideas and thoughts around the issues present within our community,” Dr. Luce tells The Howler.

have an interest in meditation. This event will not be Kyle’s first time partnering with AC. Back in 2019, Kyle worked alongside students from both School #17 and Allendale Columbia to create a TEDTalk on implicit bias.

The remaining half of the day will be restorative practice training: how we want it to look, how it can be implemented, and MAYA SCHWARTZ how to move forward. I have overheard many students describe our current system as unstructured and unorganized. I asked Dr. Luce to share her thoughts on our justice system. In response, she explained that the ‘Speak Up Forum’ will be a place to discuss the issues surrounding our system so we can develop one that is well organized. “I feel as of right now that we do not have a [restorative justice] system, but we want to build that system, so it’s currently a work in progress,” she describes.

Allendale Columbia is partnering with the Common Ground Collaborative (GCG), a non-profit organization working with schools to create a safe learning environment. Kevin Bartlett from the CGC will be working with Allendale Columbia school to “develop a shared definition of learning at AC, support curriculum alignment and assessment, identify how our values align with our definition of learning and teaching practices, and discuss specific teaching practices that focus on inquiry and culturally responsive pedagogy.” I think we can all agree with Dr. Luce’s wise words, “the majority of our community is students, so it is important their voices are heard.” •

When I spoke to Mr. Schwartz, head of Upper School, about the upcoming restorative practice training, he said that the training is aimed at helping students understand the process of restorative justice and how it can help better the school. His hope for this workshop is to increase student engagement in restorative practices. Coach Lewis, a Student Support Team member, hopes that this training will “give students the tools to solve problems on their own.” Schwartz told me that he understands that the student impression on restorative justice is very negative.

UNSPLASH IMAGE: JOHN PRICE

Schwartz is not far off as the current opinion of restorative practice in the student body is abysmal. When I asked students what their opinion on our current justice system was, most of them scoffed or laughed at me followed by the question “what justice system?” One 11th grade student went as far as to say that restorative justice is, “no justice at all.”

In addition, two 12th grade students I interviewed were of the opinion that, “it [restorative justice] does nothing about problems,” and that ACs use of restorative justice is “performative.”

While AC’s use of restorative justice may have been unsuccessful in the past, this workshop could be a step in the right direction. Perhaps AC can repair student opinions of restorative justice with this training and solidify the justice system for the future. •

THE HOWLER

EDITION FEB 23

10 Questions With

GODKIN

BY EVELYN KACPRYZINSKI

Q. FUNNY SCIENCE JOKE? “An atom walks into a bar and says: I lost my electron, and the bartender says: Are you positive?”

Q. IF YOU COULD BE ANY ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?

“New Zealand.”

OLIVIA FRIES

Q. WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR 2022?

“I went kayaking and camping over the summer with my family.”

“Taurus.”

“Dog person, cats don’t like people.”

Q. WHERE DID YOU GO TO COLLEGE?

Q. WHY DO YOU LIKE TEACHING? “I like trying to get people to be interested and appreciate biology and chemistry and how it affects their lives and see why it’s important.”

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE PROJECT? I was inspired by my family and Oscar Ukonu, a hyperrealistic artist who uses blue ballpoint pens.

Q. WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU ENCOUNTERED WHILE WORKING ON THE PROJECT? 2023

Q. WHAT IS YOUR ASTROLOGICAL SIGN? Q. ARE YOU A CAT OR A DOG PERSON?

OLIVIA FRIES

LILAH COSTANZO

Lilah Costanzo is one of the most prolific artists in the Honors class. When she started planning this project for Notions of Home I just knew it was going to be a huge undertaking. She decided to draw a portrait of each of her family members in ball point pen. Lilah thoughtfully took her reference photos, composed the piece, and executed the illustrations starting in September and finishing in December. She chipped away at the portraits, starting at the top and working her way down. Lilah’s work is on display until March 5th at Nazareth College Art Center.

“I mostly listen to rock-type music, a lot of music from when I was in high school. Imagine Dragons, 80s and 90s, Mumford & Sons, Pearl Jam, or Sound Garden.”

Q. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD YOU LIVE?

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

BY AMY OLIVERI

Q. WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?

“I would be an eagle. It would be cool to be able to fly, and plus, I would be at the top of the food chain.”

PAGE NUMBER 3

“Allegheny, UNH, and Oregon State.”

The Nazareth College Art and Design Department presents

Shared Spaces 2023: The High School Art Teacher and Student Show

February 10 – March 5

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Opening Reception:

February 10, 5 - 7 PM

Q. IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, WOULD YOU TAKE IT? “No, because you might learn something bad that you can’t control.” •

The biggest challenge was learning how to get the ink on the paper in a consistent, controlled fashion.

Q. HOW DOES THIS PROJECT TIE TOGETHER PREVIOUS EXERCISES AND CONCEPTS YOU HAVE LEARNED? This project really tested everything I’ve learned and practiced involving photoreallistic art. I practiced patience and consistency throughout the entire piece.

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS ASSIGNMENT? My favorite part of this assignment was being able to sit down for long periods of time and become fully absorbed in creating the piece. It was almost like a meditative process at some points. •

THE HOWLER

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HOWLARIOUS Valentines fun facts: + Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges. + We give out valentines because chocolate is said to contain substances that inflame desire and make the beloved one more open to romance. + Cupid has his roots in Greek mythology. Cupid’s real name is Eros, and he is part of a group called the Erotes. The Erotes are a group of winged gods associated with love which included Anteros, Hedylogos, Hermaphroditus, Himeros, Hymenaios, and Pothos. + The rose was sacred to a number of goddesses including Isis of Egypt mythology, Aphrodite of Greek mythology and Venus of Roman mythology. •

MAYA SCHWARTZ

TEACHER TRIAT: A LOGIC PUZZLE

Teacher Mr. Neeley Coach Lewis Ms. Colson Señior Kasongo

birthday month

favorite color

JAMES THORNBURG

favorite food

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HOWLARIOUS Across

1. “Ideas Worth Spreading” series (hint: Tepedino) (two words) 6. The Fault in Our Stars 7. Brother of Wednesday Adams 9. First country to give women the right to vote 12. A species at risk of extinction is known as 13. Prominent talk show host in American television 14. Last name of the 1994 biologist who coined the term: alpha wolf 17. Prominent trilogy developed as fanfiction of the Twilight series 19. Number of Scream films 20. Arc of a _____ series (hint: death wields this weapon) 21. Beverage mixed with tapioca pearls 22. It’s about drive, it’s about power (two words) 25. Computer-animated cartoon series directed and written by John A. Davis 26. Last name of the writer of Gravity Falls who also wrote Owl House 28. Device used by the French (last used in 1977) 29. Popular video sharing platform that launched in 2005 32. Controversial song on Swift’s latest album 33. Spanish article 34. Where you at, ______ Pack?

35. Nickname of panda in Kung Fu panda movies

Down

JAMES THORNBURG

2. Cash strapped gamblers accept an invitation to a death game 3. Loch ______ 4. Before 5. A photo of yourself 8. Past tense of “go” 10. Last name of the author of A People’s History of the United States 11. The act of throwing someone out of a window 15. Known for their moonwalk (two words)

16. Moves like a dog’s tail 18. Hideout 23. An animal that eats meat 24. Name of the red-haired boy in Assassination Classroom 26. I’ll see you in the ______ river 27. Ctrl-V 30. Short-form video app (hint: its name sounds like the crocodile from Peter Pan) 31. First Black, plus-sized woman to appear on cover of Vogue (she’s also a singer)

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B A M !

B O O K

A L B U M

M O V I E

MARCH TRILOGY

SELF TITLED

13TH

REVIEW BY JAMES THORNBURG

REVIEW BY MAYA SCHWARTZ

REVIEW BY JAMES THORNBURG

The March book trilogy is a fantastic series about the civil rights movement. The book covers trailblazing civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X and John Lewis, as well as notable civil rights protests. The artwork in the March graphic novel book trilogy is beautifully done, even though it is only black and white (which I see as a rhetorical choice on the author’s part). The March Trilogy follows a young John Lewis and his journey into the Civil Rights movement. The books cover Lewis’s journey to becoming the leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, how he becomes one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement, and his journey to becoming a member of the House of Representatives.

In honor of Black History Month, I would like to talk about the debut album of the

The movie, 13th, is a well done documentary about the exception in the 13th amendment. The ammendment states:

JOHN LEWIS, ANDREW AYDIN GENRE: GRAPHIC NOVEL TRILOGY RATING: 9/10

Overall, this book is amazing and thorough. I would recommend this book to anyone - with a warning for intense violence.

BAD BRAINS GENRE: HARDCORE PUNK RATING: 8/10

AVA DUVERNAY GENRE: DOCUMENTARY RATING: 8/10

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convincted.”

quintessential Black punk band, Bad Brains.

The album is quite interesting. Most of the tracks are hardcore punk rock, but a select few of the tracks, such as “I Love I Jah” and “Leaving Babylon,” are reggae.

Standout Tracks: Sailin’ On Banned In D.C. Big Take Over

DuVernay incorporates text and visuals in a way that keeps the audience engaged.

Additionally, DuVernay manages to incorporate Black music into the film as a primary source of the Black experience during different parts of history. The 13th makes a convincing argument as a documentary piece.

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THE HOWLER

CURRENT E V E N T S

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STAR SENIORS: AWAK THONGJANG

BY OLIVIA FRIES

BY GRACE VAN BORTEL

UPCOMING EVENTS P A S T . E V E N T S THE SOPHOMORE FORUM

The Sophomore Forum topic this year is “Cancel Culture,” and will include the following speakers: Lizzie Bissonette, Oliver Riveros, Maddy Manske, Ella Herberger, and Shay Houser. The forum will take place on March 2nd, with students covering both sides of the topic from a professional point of view.

HUNT HOLLOW SKI EVENT

On Friday, January 20th, AC students had the day off from school, and had the opportunity to ski at the Hunt Hollow family skiing event.

Families and friends spent quality time together on the slopes, taking lessons and connecting with the community.

WILLY WONKA

UPPER SCHOOL SNOW BALL

See AC’s Middle School Musical of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka! AC Middle School students have been working on casting and preparing for their upcoming Performance on March 17th and 18th.

Order tickets at https://acstheatre.ludus.com

On Saturday, January 21st, AC hosted its annual HAC Snow Ball for the first time since the pandemic. Upper School students gathered in AC’s Ursula Burns Dining Commons for a night full of dancing, snacks, and photo opportunities. AC’s Gender Sexuality Alliance and the Black Student Union hosted a bake sale during the event. •

Quick stats

•H as been playing HAC basketball for 4 years (one year on modified, one on JV, and two on Varsity) • F irst became interested in basketball at 11 years old after playing with his friends and watching the NBA • I mprovement as a basketball player has been profound: from riding the bench, to being a key player in the rotation • P lans to attend a 4-year college for business administration and continue playing basketball at the intramural level Thongjang’s favorite memory from his senior basketball season was his first dunk. He says that he will try his best to dunk again at his upcoming senior night. Thongjang will miss his teammates the most as he has been playing with them forever. One piece of advice Thongjang would like to give to underclassmen on the basketball team is to “take practice seriously and show up. Treat practices like games and games like practices.” •

EDITION FEB 23

UPDATES ON the School Store?

BY NOLAN REDHEAD

With winter coming to an end, Allendale Columbia finally has a school store available for its students to buy snacks and drinks during their daily 15-minute breaks. Previous management hit many roadblocks, but now, the store is making strides with a new leader.

Official reports indicate that Chris Smoker ‘23 has stepped in, and will now be running the store.

Unfortunately, certain challenges with this operation remain. To many students’ dismay, the school store will no longer be able to sell carbonated or caffeinated beverages. Smoker hopes this setback does not stop the AC community from stopping by while he works towards a solution with school administration.

Smoker is confident that those who visit will find something they will like.

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Educational disparities in ROCHESTER

BY OLIVIA FRIES

It is 68 years after Brown v Board of Education, and the institution trusted to raise the next generation of Americans is stuck in its shameful past. Segregated schools are unfortunately commonplace in the United States, with Monroe County being one of its worst offenders. In fact, the divide between the City of Rochester and the suburban town of Penfield is ranked amongst the most economically segregated school district borders in the nation (1). While the practice of sending children to a zip code-determined school district may appear to be an adequate system, further investigation reveals the truth local leaders need to hear: separate but equal is not equal.

Disparities between district borders did not occur overnight, and considering Rochester’s long history of discrimination, these inequalities have been close to a century in the making. In 1934, the federal government introduced the racist practice of redlining to Rochester. In short, redlining denied much-needed mortgages to people of color in “hazardous” urban areas, and provided aid only to suburban neighborhoods which often barred people of color from owning property.

The effects of redlining are deeply ingrained in modern Rochester culture. The disinvestment in the city has caused a cycle of financial stagnancy and lack of community development compared to its flourishing suburbs. In addition, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) housing map has determined much of the race-distribution visible in the Greater Rochester Area today; people of color still dominate the heart of Rochester, while whites remain in the suburbs.

Comparing Rochester City School District (RCSD) and Penfield Central School District (PCSD) reveals that this county-wide segregation does translate into the classroom. In terms of race-distribution,

the RCSD population (2) is around 53% Black and 33% Latino; meanwhile, PCSD is 82% white.

The distribution of poverty between schools also contrasts as 85% of the RCSD student body qualifies for free or reduced cost lunch versus just 19% of PCSD students (3).

Unsurprisingly, the schools serving majoritystudents of color are falling behind. PCSD has an attendance rate of 96%, and suspension rate of 1% (4), while RCSD has an 87% attendance rate and 8% suspension rate (5). In addition, Regents exam scores reveal that just over 20% of students in RCSD are proficient in reading and math (6), compared to 69% and 80% (respectively) of their PCSD counterparts (7). Future prospects in Rochester are also not superb, as only 59% of RCSD high school students leave with a diploma (6).

Thus, integrating Rochester schools, and breaking the oppressive cycle established by 1930’s discriminatory policy, must be a top priority to ensure a prosperous future for the entire Monroe County community. •

1. https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2016/08/24/ rochester-school-segregation-edbuild/89252112/ 2. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/new-york/districts/rochestercity-school-district-102155 3. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/new-york/ districts/penfield-central-school-district/penfield-senior-highschool-13965 4. https://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000034104 5. https://data.nysed.gov/studenteducator. php?year=2018&instid=800000050065 6. https://www.niche.com/k12/d/rochester-city-school-district-ny/ 7. https://www.niche.com/k12/d/penfield-central-school-district-ny/

THE HOWLER

EDITION FEB 23

PAGE NUMBER 9

Chatbots in the Classroom: The Rise of AI-Powered Learning THIS ARTICLE WAS GENERATED BY CHATGPT

In recent years, artificial intelligence has made significant strides in many fields, and education is no exception. Chatbots powered

by OpenAI’s GPT-3 technology, such as ChatGPT, are proving to be valuable tools for students and teachers alike.

One of the most appealing aspects of chatbots is their ability to provide 24/7 support. Students can access them at any time to ask questions and receive answers, which can be especially useful when teachers are unavailable. Chatbots can also provide personalized feedback and support, tailoring their responses to the individual needs of each student.

Another benefit of chatbots is their ability to save time for both students and teachers.

With a chatbot, students can quickly get the information they need without having to search through multiple sources or wait for a response from a teacher. Teachers, on the other hand, can spend less time answering repetitive questions and more time on higherlevel tasks, such as creating lesson plans and providing one-on-one support.

STAR SENIORS: OLIVIA STRADER

BY OLIVIA FRIES

Quick stats

• B een a part of HAC girls’ basketball since freshman year • S tarted playing basketball at a young age.

She became interested due to her overall love of sports, encouragement from Izzy Martino, and enjoyment from watching professional basketball

UNSPLASH ANNIE SPRATT

Moreover, chatbots can also help to improve engagement and motivation for students.

The conversational nature of chatbots makes them a more accessible and approachable form of technology compared to traditional educational tools, such as textbooks and lecture videos. As a result, students are more likely to stay engaged and motivated throughout their learning journey.

While there is still much to be done in terms of refining and improving chatbots in education, their potential is clear. As the technology continues to advance, it’s likely

that we will see an increased integration of chatbots in schools and classrooms around the world.

In conclusion, the rise of chatbots powered by GPT-3 technology is a welcome development in education. With the ability to provide 24/7 support, save time, and improve engagement and motivation, chatbots have the potential to revolutionize the way we learn and teach. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more and more chatbots in classrooms, helping students and teachers alike. •

• I mproved the most in the areas of lay-ups and shooting confidence. Her defensive and rebounding skills continue to amaze • P lans to play D2 soccer for Le Moyne College Strader’s favorite memory from her senior basketball season was listening to music on the bus with her teammates. She will miss the people on her team the most, telling The Howler, “We have a very young team this year, so I will miss all the freshmen and sophomores.

Many of them I have known from playing soccer in the past.” One piece of advice Strader would like to share with underclassmen on

the basketball team is to “Be confident in shooting, in dribbling, in anything.” A very wise athlete indeed. •

THE HOWLER

EDITION FEB 23

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The Subjective Nature of Folder Color

BY JAMES THORNBURG AND NOLAN REDHEAD

Ever since the first kids went off to high school in 1821, there has been one pressing issue: what color belongs to each folder?

Some students color-code subjects in order to stay organized, while others have colored folders simply because they were available at

JAMES

For me, math is blue, yellow is English, science is green, and red is history. Math is blue because math symbolizes objective fact, which blue represents to me. Science is green because one of the science classes I took was closely associated with nature, and green is a symbol of nature. History is red because history is often a contentious topic that can be interpreted in many different ways. Red is the color of anger and division; thus, history is red. English is one of the subjects I don’t really have an opinion on. Usually, I assign it to whatever color is left over. However, if I had to pick a color, I would choose yellow. Yellow is the color of old paper and books, and it is the color of words on the page. English deals with books and paper, so English is yellow.

Target. Regardless of why a student picked up colored folders, a task remains before them.

One must label these folders. But what color belongs to each subject? Is math blue, or is it red? Is science blue or green? English has to be warm colors, right? And where does history fall

into this mess? Today, we have two local high school students weighing in on the folder color debate, alongside their peers from the general AC student body. Take a look at the data below to find out what students of AC think. •

SCIENCE

MATH

ENGLISH

HISTORY

NOLAN

There are obvious answers to this question. I can agree with James that English is yellow, but we all know that History must be green because the Earth is green. Math is blue, but for other reasons. Blue is a color associated with a lack of emotion. Therefore, the subject should be represented as hard facts and logic without emotion. Science has to be the color red, the color associated with blood. In many of the science classes I have participated in, I have dealt with blood.

A WORD FROM COACH KNAPP

BY OLIVIA FRIES

Q. HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL SEASON IS GOING SO FAR? “Right now, there is a problem with injuries and sickness.

Guys are responding as best they can, but it is hard to form consistency. Hopefully we can get guys healthy for sectionals.” Injuries include a broken hand, shoulder sprain, and a knee/leg injury.

Q. HAVE YOU SEEN MUCH IMPROVEMENT AMONG YOUR PLAYERS? “Yes, but to varying degrees. The biggest difference I’ve noticed this year has been in footwork, ball handling, and decision making.”

Q. WHAT IS THE TEAM’S GREATEST STRENGTH? “We are just a great team to be around. We work well together and do not have to deal with a lot of nonbasketball issues.”

Q. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TEAM NEEDS TO WORK ON THE MOST? “We still need to work on team chemistry and how we gel together. Injuries are making this process very difficult due to roster shuffles and new people from JV coming up.” Mr. Knapp says the best way to mitigate this problem is to “hang out more” as a team.

Q. WHO IS HAC’S BIGGEST COMPETITION THIS SEASON? “Avoca were the state champs last year, and we will see them soon in sectionals. We expect them to be our toughest competitor.”

Q. HOW DO YOU THINK THE TEAM WILL DO IN THE UPCOMING SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT? “We have the pieces - we just have to make sure everything fits together.” •

EDITION FEB 23

THE HOWLER STAR.SENIORS

PAGE NUMBER 11

BY OLIVIA FRIES

TOMMY DUVER

Quick stats

• 2022-2023 season is his first season • Decided to try track instead of baseball this year, so he took up indoor track to prepare for the spring season • Progressed throughout the season by trying a variety of different events such as the shot put (his favorite), the weight throw, relays, the 600m, and the 1800m • P lans to run recreationally with his friend Thomas Riveros at Cornell University while majoring in applied economics Duver feels very lucky to be participating in indoor track his senior year, saying that it helps him be more active, relieve stress from the school day, and balance a rigorous work schedule. It is not always easy being a top athlete and top student, Duver shared.

Duver’s favorite memory from this season was learning how to weight throw as “[he likes to] try new things on the track team.” Reflecting back on this season, Duver tells The Howler he will miss being able to compete athletically: “I did not compete on sports teams before my junior year and I wish I had started earlier.

I have always been very academically focused, but joining a team has been a very positive experience.”

One piece of advice Duver would like to share with underclassmen on the track team is, “invest in a good pair of shoes.

The dollars per mile ratio is very important.” He also tells his younger teammates to see track as “​​something you get to do, an opportunity to make you a stronger person and build character.” •

LEIA SHEARER

Quick stats

• B een a part of HAC swimming since the 7th grade • B orn with a talent for swimming and was encouraged by her mother - a past varsity swimmer - to compete. Not a big fan of the other winter sport offerings.

• I mproved most dramatically from 8th grade to junior year, and continues to get better every day with impressive times such as 27high for her 50 free, and 102-high for her 100 free • P lans to attend a 4-year college for exercise science and swim at the intramural level

Shearer reflects very positively on her senior swimming season, telling The Howler, “I feel really lucky that I had this opportunity to play this amazing sport on this amazing team.”

Shearer’s favorite memory from this season was her HAC invitational where she could interact with more people and have fun between each event, even making friends on opposing teams. When asked what she will miss most about her sport, Shearer emphasized the importance of her friendships developed both within her team and with other teams. Shearer states, “It is great. We are not competing against each other as people, we are just trying to beat each other’s times. We are all in this together.” One piece of advice Shearer would like to give underclassmen on the swim team is to support one another: “Yes, we compete individually, but at the end of the day we are still a team. Focus on fostering friendships and that will lead to success.” •

KAI POLOZIE

Quick stats

• Been a part of Pittsford Crew for 6 years, staring competitively in 8th grade • His dad - also a rower - encouraged him to try the sport after he stopped playing lacrosse • Became stronger and more efficient over the years, which helped land him a 3-seat • Recruited by coach James Lister to continue rowing for Hamilton College while majoring in Psychology

Polozie’s favorite memory from his senior rowing season was having the best placement for Pittsford Crew’s 8-boat in the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, the largest regatta in North America. Polozie came in 35th place overall out of over 1000 participating teams, an incredible feat. Polozie will miss the community and friends he’s made during these past 6 years in Pittsford Crew. He tells The Howler, “They have been a great support system outside of school. Kids on the rowing team are some of my best friends. Shout-out to Mason Laundry and Chandler Tan.” One piece of advice Polozie would like to leave underclassmen on the rowing team is, “you will never be able to outwork a bad diet, eat good food and get sleep!” He also stresses the importance of building a solid aerobic base, as it is much more important than having strong lifts. •

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Send a letter to the editors

thehowler@ allendalecolumbia. org

DANCERS FEBRUARY.BREAK PHOTO.CONTEST

February Break Photo Contest: Submit photos of anything fun you did over February Break

by TUESDAY 2/28/23.

The team will vote on our favorite photos and feature the top 5 in our next edition.

Casting call for dancers to be a part of a film called, The Cadenza.

Use the QR code or email

thecadenzafilm@ gmail.com

thehowler@ allendalecolumbia. org

Where you at, Wolf Pack?

BY OLIVIA FRIES

Going to HAC matches, meets, and games is always eventful. From the animated crowd, to the talented athletes, to the groovy tunes, one is guaranteed to be entertained. While watching winter sports is certainly popular, many people in the AC community are still wondering how to support their fellow athletes. So, to get a better look at the inner workings of the Wolves’ student section, I spoke to the head of HAC Wolf Pack media operations, Maddy Manske.

Manske tells The Howler that the Wolf Pack is designed to carry out “cool interviews” and inform the HAC community about recent and upcoming games. The Wolf

Pack belief system, according to Manske, is very simple: “Having a good student section makes you play better.” I can certainly attest to this statement myself. Across every sport and every level, I have seen the crowd energy impact teams for both the better and the worse. So, how is the energy at HAC games right now? Do we have a metaphorical “12th man”? Manske thinks that the Wolf Pack is headed in the right direction, but “we need more people to show up.” After all, missing out on one of these games could mean missing out on “[redacted] running across the court with no pants on,” Manske’s highlight of the girls’ basketball season, or even roaring chants from the boys’ basketball crowd demanding “We want Virgil.”

To keep up-to-date on all HAC sports happenings, be sure to follow @hacwolfpack on Instagram or go speak to Maddy Manske herself. •

New sport takes AC by Storm

BY OLIVIA FRIES

Unified Basketball is back! Last year the ACC Wolfdogs had an incredible undefeated season filled with dunks, buzzer-beaters, fadeaway 3-pointers, and even cheerleaders! The response from both the team and the crowd

ANSWER KEYS

was incredible, and we plan to bring that same energy again for our 2023 season.

All interested Upper Schoolers can sign up now - no basketball experience necessary! Use the QR code below Have any questions? Contact Olivia Fries or Mr. Hopkins

Q. WHAT IS IT? Unified Basketball joins people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.

Q. WHY SHOULD I JOIN? The connections made playing Unified Basketball are invaluable, and the memories will last a lifetime. The sense of community, camaraderie, and love for the game is truly profound. This experience will change your life - just ask anyone who participated last year.

Q. WHEN DOES IT RUN? Unified Basketball takes place during the spring sports season, from early April to midMay. •