Passports not needed School unites at One School One World
Leah Cooper & Gabe Cooper
Contributing Writer & Editor-in-Chief
Colorful flags from around the world filled the Nicholas Athletic Center on April 26. Fresh foods and
‘Grow On,
cultural ornaments lined the tables of the countries represented. African drumming and Argentine violin performances took center stage in front of over 350 attendees. Students and parents represented their nationali-
Flow
ties by serving local dishes and explaining significant aspects of their cultures at the biennial One School One World, organized by the Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Global Education.
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On’ Street artist Rob Gibbs shares work, inspires students
When driving through Boston, you may notice graffiti murals on the sides of buildings, walls and tunnels. Many of these vibrantlycolored pieces can be traced back to one artist: Visiting Innovator Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs. Along with visiting the Lower and Middle Schools, Mr. Gibbs gave a presentation to the Upper School (US) during an assembly Feb. 10, describing the thought process and attention he put into each of his murals.
“That was eight years’ worth of a time put into that 20-25 minute presentation, and I wanted people to understand that the story I shared with them took time to build,” Mr. Gibbs said. “That’s only a piece — a small part that’s the surface to something that goes way deeper into my practice.”
Suspended! AI users face consequences
Upper School (US) students caught illicitly using AI now face an extended stay in the Quiet Room, or, as the Disciplinary Committee (DC) calls it, an in-school suspension. These students are not allowed to go to class unless their teachers specifically require them, and they complete their classwork asynchronously.
Adjusting to the increased availability of generative AI, US faculty are deciding how to balance transparency with protecting student privacy. Recently, students have received inschool suspensions for AI use.
A sophomore, who requested anonymity to protect his privacy, received an in-school suspension after his English teacher noticed copy-andpastes in his document.
“It was just for a mini deadline, which was like two body paragraphs,” he said. “At the time, I had one-anda-half body paragraphs, and I just wanted to get up to that two, so I used AI to fill the blank, basically, and I was planning on deleting it later.”
The student experienced three days of an in-school suspension.
“There’s nothing wrong with a message looking well and having all the technical aspects locked down so that you can feel proud about what you gave a presentation on,” Mr. Gibbs said.
Besides being an artist, Mr. Gibbs is a father and serves on an advisory board at his old Roxbury high school, Madison Park. His work conveys a message while being eye-catching, he said.
Through the Visiting Innovator Program, Mr. Gibbs visited all three campuses to speak about his work as a form of self-expression. The program was a gift from the Class of 2023 – each year, outside educators bring specific talents and passions to the school.
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“Honestly, I think for a punishment, it’s not really a punishment,” he said. “You essentially have a study hall for three days straight, where you’re able to meet with teachers as well, and if teachers ask for you to be present in a class, you’re required to go to class again.”
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Rachel Goldberg Contributing Writer
Staff Photo by Olivia Richter
Lauyanne Kouame and Isabel Doricent (both ’26) dance to African drumming during One School One World.
Mimi Shaywitz On Campus Editor
Photo Courtesy of BB&N Instagram
Students creating art of their own spurred by Mr. Gibbs’ presentation
On Campus
ECO BASH
Eco Bash returned this year packed with over 45 student-run workshops, ranging from tree climbing and embroidery to bike riding and bird-watching. TThe April 16 programming began with a guest speaker, climate activist Eben Bein (See Page 2: “The Bein of Eco Bash”), which was followed by workshops centered around sustainability, climate awareness and innovative problem-solving.
Advanced Tree Climbing
Students traded desks for treetops by participating in the Advanced Tree Climbing experience during Eco Bash. The main goal of the workshop was “to create an opportunity for students to decompress and spend time outside,” Upper School English Teacher Dave Scrivner said. The climbing experience combined outdoor adventure with learning a new skill.
“We could pick any tree we wanted in a selected area to climb,” Gabriel De Oliveira ’28 said. “I have always loved to climb trees back in my home country, so I wanted to bring back the memories that I had.”
At the end of the workshop, all the participants climbed the same tree for a group photo.
“Due to having a lot of people for one tree, we had to work together … to find the best spot for each one person to be at for everyone to be able to be in the picture,” Gabriel said.
The workshop gave students an outlet to learn to tree climb or rekindle a love for the activity, Dr. Scrivner said.
Decorating Tote Bags
“I hope students got to relax during the workshop and built a tighter community when they were working together,” Sydney Xu ’28 said, reflecting on the Tote Bag Decorating workshop she led during Eco Bash with Hailey Zhao, Sabrine Said, and Audrey Buller (all ’28).
A long-term passion for the environment inspired the workshop, Sydney said.
“Ever since I was young, I have wanted to do something to spread awareness about climate change. When Hailey got the idea, I was really excited to contribute to the fight against global warming.”
Sydney recommends that other students lead Eco Bash workshops.
“Students should go for this opportunity because it’s really fun to be a leader. They should always take risks and put themselves out there in a leadership role.”
The workshop educated participants about sustainability, Tia Reddy ’26 said.
“I think the environmental lesson from this workshop is the ability to use the tote bags instead of plastic bags or single use bags.”
Verity Guo ’28 left the workshop with takeaways.
“I learned that there are lots of environmentally safe activities you can do while having fun with your friends.”
Building a Business with Values
“I created my business to help people eat healthier, local food,” Laurel Valchuis ’02 said, explaining the idea behind “Building a Business with Values,” the Eco Bash workshop she led. In the session, Ms. Valchuis shared the story behind founding her company, al FreshCo, which creates meal kits from local food.
“People care about their community, and we make it easier to eat food grown in their community,” Ms. Valchuis said. Students learned about the company’s core values and its mission to provide clean and healthy food.
Alex Tsay ’27, who attended the workshop, learned about the ethics of running a business.
“Ms. Valchuis talked about day-to-day business operations and also asked us intriguing moral questions, such as the competition between corporations versus small businesses and the control that large corporations have over many markets, like Apple in technology.”
Ms. Valchuis then shifted the conversation toward how these dynamics impact competition and accessibility for smaller businesses like al FreshCo, Alex said.
“She also shared her inspiration for starting the business, encouraged us to follow our passions, and to pursue what we enjoy for our future careers.”
—Maggie Whitney ’28
Colonizing Mars: Ethics of Eco Bash
Of the 29 workshops led during Eco Bash, Salar Sekhavat’s ‘26 workshop, “Colonizing Mars: The Ethics of Geoengineering,” was the best, Alec Bailey ’26 said.
“The workshop was amazing. It was very informative, and I felt that I gained a lot from it.”
Students learned about the ethics and process of terraforming, or transforming a planet so it can support human life.
“The topics of discussion were three moral dilemmas based around terraforming,” Alec said. “The dilemma discussions were really insightful. … My biggest takeaway is that it’s always good to have discussions about moral issues like these ones.”
Salar took inspiration for his workshop from his favorite book series, “The Mars Trilogy” by Kim Stanley Robinson.
“The books changed my outlook on the colonization of Mars so much that I really wanted to share that with others and discuss the ethical and cultural concerns,” he said.
Salar ran the workshop last year and hopes to lead it again next year. Interactive workshops enable students to share their opinions and feel engaged, he said.
“The best way people learn is by doing.”
‘Otra! Otra!’ Spanish V Honors classes perform dramas
“A prom and then a reunion: a murder mystery,” Aparajita Srivastava ’25 said, explaining the overarching theme of Upper School (US) Spanish Teacher Rosario Sánchez Gómez’s Spanish V Honors play.
Performed on March 13 in the Lindberg-Serries Theater, the play was a culmination of preparation that began in early February. The Spanish V Honors students told the story of a student who was mistakenly framed for murder after his secret admirer killed his prom date out of jealousy. The plot was a fusion of creative class-wide ideas, Aparajita said.
“I suggested that if we were doing couples, we should do tropes: ‘The couple that’s obsessed with each other,’ ‘the couple that’s kind of toxic and hates each other,’ and ‘the cousins who can’t find dates.’”
With her Ph.D. dissertation done on Spanish theater staging in the 20th century, Dr. Sánchez Gómez launched the first annual Spanish V Honors
A live dating show for high school students? Not quite. The dating show was part of “Tú, Otra Vez” (“You, Again”), a play performed by Upper School (US) Spanish Teacher Ana María Valle’s Spanish V Honors class. Niyam Badani ’25, clad in a wig and dress, began the play as Antonella, the hostess of a dating show with eight contestants. The script’s several plot twists led to laughter from the audience.
Although Profe Valle was away during the performance, she observed that her students enjoyed putting together the play, she said.
“The objective of us as teachers was to provide this environment for them to conclude their journey, and this was accomplished,” she said. “Each performer develops their own personality traits and particular interests in the play.”
Profe. Valle emphasized the value of stu -
plays in 2013 to keep students engaged during the second trimester and prevent “senioritis.” For the third time in 13 years, Dr. Sánchez Gómez stepped
dents attending the play and appreciating Hispanic culture, she said.
“Even if they don’t understand every word, they can still enjoy the music, danc -
“The goal of learning Spanish is truly to be able to use it in the real world. The more you practice conversational speaking, the further you will get in your mastery of the language.”
— Niyam Badani ’25
es and overall performance of their schoolmates.”
In an ending full of surprises, Niyam revealed that he was not actually Antonella but
‘The world should be a playground’ One School One World attendees reflect on event CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“One School One World teaches us to share our cultures, and it also teaches a lot about empathy and educates people on how to step outside their worldview and learn something from someone else. … And I definitely liked the drumming. One thing about One School One World is that I love the performances, and I think that’s a very special and unique part of the event.”
Sydney Francis ’26
“I’m seeing students and kids getting passports, getting into that habit of having this access to the world. So, the passport blew my mind, seeing everybody getting stamps and just knowing that that’s a ticket to venture to the rest of the world. The world should be a playground for a lot of young folks coming up.”
Visiting Innovator Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs
into the spotlight alongside her students and played the character Romina, the prom date killed at the beginning of the murder mystery.
“They needed me because it was couples and they were lacking a girl,” she said. “I didn’t want to be in the whole play because it’s not for me to perform, but they needed a girl, and somebody had to be killed, so it was an easy way to do it.”
While the process of creating an entire play and having to rehearse as a group can be stressful for students, watching everything come together on the final afternoon is the most rewarding part of the project, Dr. Sánchez Gómez said.
“It’s the perfect ending to Spanish V Honors in March before Senior Spring Projects.”
—Matthew Walsh ’26
Antonio, a man whom all the contestants knew and were madly in love with. Urged by the contestants to choose a partner, Niyam presented flowers to audience member Hale McGivern ’25.
Niyam derived inspiration from past Spanish V Honors plays.
“I remember being a freshman in there, watching and thinking, ‘That’s what I can do when I’m older. That’s the level of Spanish I could speak at,” he said. “The goal of learning Spanish is truly to be able to use it in the real world. The more you practice conversational speaking, the further you will get in your mastery of the language.”
—Vartan Arakelian ’26
“It’s really interesting to see everyone’s different cultures and how that connects with their food. I’m a huge coffee person, so I went to the Ethiopian table, and they had really strong coffee. When I had their milk, it had spices in it, which was really cool because we don’t normally have that here … It is really cool being able to experience everyone’s culture in a way we don’t normally do.”
Katja Rankel ’28
“This year, it feels particularly important that we’re still leaning into something that defines us, that we’re proud of, that makes this place different from a lot of other places … It’s not about political statements. It’s not about making some grand gesture. It’s about knowing each other and really supporting, connecting and being, and I feel like today is that.”
Head of School Jennifer Price
“Everybody gets to represent a bit about their culture. You don’t get that many opportunities to talk about this kind of stuff. … Being able to see how diverse the school is and how everybody has a different identity is a really good way to build community and make everyone feel welcome.”
Cavallo ’28
“It allows people to be open because it’s not easy to share your culture in your daily life.”
“It’s particularly important right now because we’re living in such a polarized and un-kind world. We often don’t realize how much we need each other, how much we need each other’s cultures, and how much we need to learn from one another; this is a super important way for us to try to bridge these gaps and lean in to kindness and to one another.”
Genieve Rankel P ’28
—Vivian Cain-Weingram ’28
—Christine Tao ’27
—Maggie Whitney ’28
—Vivian Cain-Weingram ’28
Photo Courtesy of Robbie Lally
Alice Van Gijsel Vermeersch ‘28 climbs a tree near the Charles River.
Staff Photo by Olivia Richter Working together, French exchange students decorate sustainable tote bags.
Staff Photo by Olivia Richter Students attend the Robotics and Environment workshop.
Students make rice and explore the environmental challenges of growing rice in the Rice is Life workshop.
Staff Photo by Olivia Richter
Staff Photo by Gabe Cooper Hale McGivern ’25 reveals herself as the murderer in a Spanish V Honors play.
Santi
Elnatan Tewodrose ’29
Murder on the dance floor
Love Island ‘en español’
STUDENT RESPONSES
Howdoyou knowyourdate?
PROMPOSAL TIPS & TRICKS
Hailey Jiang and Carl Chen
Ayana Karthik and Max Re
Charlotte Garrity and Ryan Clay Lucy Song and Lukas Wellesley
Opinions
Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ will break you
On a recent three-hour plane ride, I found myself restless with nothing to keep me busy. I had forgotten my aux cable to connect my headphones to the in-flight entertainment, and practically none of the 1,500 or so songs I had downloaded seemed to soothe me. I decided mindlessly shuffling my playlist would be useless, so I tried listening to an album, which led me to Frank Ocean’s 2016 album “Blonde.” To be clear, this was not even close to my first time listening to “Blonde”; I’d probably listened to it 1o or so times prior and had bought a bootleg white-pressed vinyl record of it a few years before. However, this experience made me appreciate the album on intricate levels I hadn’t reached before. The album starts with Frank Ocean’s distorted voice behind a woozy synth interrupted by nauseatingly reverberated hi-hats and bass drum on the track “Nikes.” Ocean’s dizzying production featuring echoey drums and cloudy synths is a common theme across the album. Listening to the wavy production with over-ear headphones on my unusually turbulent flight was ethereal, to say the least. As Ocean moved through the first half of the album, I noticed for the first time how the album’s first six tracks convey an immense amount of confidence — an emotion I had not associated with the record before — transmitted through major chords, positive messages and beats.
Track seven, “Self Control,” starts the same way: soft guitar with mostly major chords. However, on the plane, I discovered hints of despair and embarrassment. Ocean transitions into another part of the song with a sound so distorted you can’t tell if it’s a person singing, a guitar or a wolf in the distance, backed with a crescendoing string section that evokes pain and agony. Despite being settled into the album, Ocean slaps you with “Self Control”; one second, the album feels light and fun, and the next, you’re sitting in your seat with a tear rolling down your cheek.
Ocean plans “Blonde” like a haphazard coastline: At first, you’re wading in the shallows, splashing in the satisfying melodies of the early tracks. But, without warning, you hit a drop-off — a sudden ledge — and the ground disappears beneath you. You’re drawn into deeper waters, immersed in Ocean’s grief. His vulnerability pulls you further down with each note.
Succeeding “Self Control” is “Blonde’s” defining track, “Nights.” The song begins with an unassuming intro of lyrics using the motif of drugs to tie the lyrics together to the production: “Ooh, nani, nani, this feels like a Quaalude.” Around the 1:40 mark, the beat breaks down into another boxy, wavy synth accompanied by the same guitar riffs as the intro, which fade in and out of the track and make the listener feel like they’re in a light, drug-induced slumber with faint sounds swirling around them. Creating suspense, the beat breaks with that same synth crescendoing and a falsetto Ocean singing over high-pitched strings. Suddenly, a rough arpeggiating guitar swells and crescendoes, mimicking an alarm system. Releasing the tension, a beat begins that makes the listener feel like they’re floating in a sensory deprivation pod.
“Ocean plans ‘Blonde’ like a haphazard coastline: At first, you’re wading in the shallows, splashing in the satisfying melodies of the early tracks. But, without warning, you hit a drop-off—a sudden ledge—and the ground disappears beneath you.”
Is Boston back?
Title town has returned. Well, probably.
Anyone from New England knows it’s been a rough stretch for Boston sports. While the big four—the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, and Bruins—have combined for a total of 40 championships all time, there’s been a drought in the City of Champions. Since the legendary 2018 double-up, when the Patriots and Red Sox won championships, Boston teams didn’t win another title until the Celtics finally got over the hump in the 2024 NBA Finals.
If you’ve tuned into 98.5 The Sports Hub during a commute home or had a conversation with your sports-obsessed uncle at a family gathering, you’ve probably heard the same self-diagnosed-sports-guru rambles over and over again: “The Patriots can’t draft for the life of them,” “The Red Sox won’t spend any money,” “The Bruins always choke.” To be honest, I don’t disagree with a lot of these takes. However, the future doesn’t look too shabby if you ask me.
For starters, the Celtics are on the cusp of another championship. Coming off a swift 16-3 championship run last year, the Celtics picked up where they left off and finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference. The key to Celtics success has been the team’s depth of talent. With starters like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis missing 20 and 40 games, respectively, the Celtics bench stepped up, and the team developed strong chemistry across all rotations. Ranking third in the league in bench net rating (points scored per 100 possessions minus points allowed per 100 possessions), the Celtics bench has been a cornerstone for the team.
“When asked what kind of tone he would set on the O-line, Campbell let it be known that he’ll do whatever it takes: ‘I’m gonna fight and die to protect [Maye] with everything I’ve got.’ It doesn’t get much grittier than that.”
Currently, the Celtics are up against the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. After an unexpected game three, where the Celtics narrowly lost 95-93 in a controversial ending, it doesn’t look like the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic are backing down. Regardless, since the Celtics aren’t currently suffering from any major injuries, and there’s little competition ahead of them in the East besides the Cleveland Cavaliers, banner 19 might not be too far away for the reigning champs.
Three miles down the street, there’s hope it’s finally that time again at Fenway Park. After trading and letting go of fan favorites Mookie Betts, JD Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Chris Sale, as well as missing the playoffs for five of the last six seasons, it seems like the Red Sox might have finally struck a chord. Giving way to fan frustration over the team’s stingy spending, John Henry and the Red Sox front office pulled out the checkbook this offseason to sign third baseman Alex Bregman (three years, $120 million) and pitcher Garrett Crochet (six years, $170 million). And, so far, it’s paid off. Leading the team in runs batted in (22), batting average (.324), on-base percentage (.402), and home runs (5), Bregman has started the season swinging. Likewise, Crochet has been dishing it out on the mound with an elite ERA of 1.95 (12th in the MLB).
‘Do-Re-Mi’ and you Community joins in to sing along to ‘Sound of Music’
As voices from the cast of “The Sound of Music” echoed in the Upper School’s (US) Lindberg-Serries Theater, the audience joined in for classic songs, such as “Edelweiss,” “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria” and “Do-Re-Mi,” in the US’s first musical sing-along performance.
The cast told the story of Maria, a postulant, or nun in training, who goes to live with Captain Von Trapp and his seven children before they escape Austria at the beginning of World War II. The cast performed four times. To involve the audience, the matinee on March 8 was a singalong, a first one in US history.
The audition process for “The Sound of Music” began just before Thanksgiving break and lasted until Winter Break. The cast began rehearsing in early January for two hours each school day and four hours every Saturday.
US Theater Director Ross MacDonald chose “The Sound of Music” as the winter musical because its focus on decision-making felt applicable to the audience.
“I believe that we always need to engage the audience,” he said. “I also think it’s important to find a show which students will enjoy exploring in the process. You have to do a show that will entertain and reflect what’s going on in our own society. I felt ‘The Sound of Music’ was the right show to think about the choices we make as a society and how we can be so quickly divided. The show is a classic, loved by generations, with a powerful message.”
Mr. MacDonald appreciated seeing the cast bond while creating the musical. The presence of laughter and joy enabled students to be creative, he said.
“There’s nearly 70 students involved. It’s a privilege to be part of that. It’s a joy and a privilege to be part of a process that has seen so much laughter. I’m really grateful
to the seniors for setting a really good example, and I’m really excited about the future.”
Sophia Stafford ’25, who played Maria, originally joined the musical because she enjoyed singing and was excited to spend time pursuing her passion. Sophia continued contributing because she loved the community, she said.
“I thought that we had a really special cast this year. I thought that they brought really positive energy.”
Sophia also loved the choice of “The Sound of Music” because the classic play and its message are familiar for much of the audience, she said.
“The Sound of Music represents acting with joy and optimism in the face of uncertainty. That’s what the characters are doing and it’s always an applicable lesson.”
The new sing-along helped engage younger children in the audience, Sophia said.
“‘The Sound of Music’ features characters who find joy in singing.
Having a cast that shares that love made playing them really special, but inviting the audience to sing along brought the experience full circle.”
Asher Esty ’25, who played Captain Von Trapp, acted in the musical for the past three years, participating in “Into the Woods,” “Chicago,” and “Annie.” To him, the musical community is an inclusive space.
“The musical is a community of people who really like to act and sing and hang out with people,” he said. “I think one of the best things is that I get to meet so many people from a bunch of different grades and get to interact with a bunch of different people.”
“The Sound of Music” was a fitting show to end Asher’s musical career since it created a strong sense of community within the cast, he said.
“Backstage, the show, the cast was a really close-knit community, which really, really helped everybody feel so good about what they were doing and feel great about the production.”
Alicia Jiang ’28, who participated in the costume crew, said a challenge was creating enough costumes for the large cast due to the number of students involved.
“There was definitely a lot more stuff that we had to make, especially since there’s obviously a larger cast. But I think we did pretty well.”
Alice Chung ’28, an audience member of the Thursday preview, liked the choice of musical, she said.
“It’s a classical musical, and it’s very well-known throughout musical history. Its songs are really popular, too.”
In the spring, Mr. MacDonald will direct “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.”
Then came Frank Ocean’s pièce de résistance, “White Ferrari.” Again, the song starts with a wavy synth in the background — Ocean’s use of similar synths might seem repetitive on paper, but he sets them apart by how they converse with other parts of each individual song. Out goes the synth, and Ocean says, “I care for you, still, and I will, forever.” Ocean’s more somber lyrics behind an acoustic guitar made me feel vulnerable, too, as if I had wronged someone and couldn’t fix it even though I was 35,000 feet in the air with no predicament of the sort.
My mid-flight conclusion: “Blonde” is a masterpiece that is yet to be bested by any other record I have listened to for a multitude of reasons. Ocean digs around your mind and heart for the deepest emotions and does so in every way possible. He captivates you with a production style that seems consistent across the record but introduces new iterations of the druggy style throughout every track. He drags emotions out of the listeners with each track without allowing for a comfortable break as they get pulled deeper and deeper into “Blonde’s” maze of messages. The way Ocean pulls emotions out of you is like turbulence on a plane — unpredictable, disorienting, and impossible to ignore.
While Bregman and Crochet have gotten off to a strong start, the same can’t entirely be said for the rest of the team. After a shaky 1-4 start to the season, the Sox have somewhat pulled it together and currently rank second in the American League East with a record of 15-14. While their record looks good on paper, and fans longing for the 2018 glory days are more than ready to jump on the ’Sox bandwagon, there are dangerous holes in the team’s performance. Our three-time All-Star, designated hitter Rafael Devers, is currently tied for the second-most strikeouts in the MLB (36). So much for a designated hitter. Additionally, the Red Sox’s sloppy defense has earned the team a spot at the bottom of the league in team errors per game (1.00) and contributed to disturbing blowout losses to the Rays (16-1) and White Sox (11-1). Regardless, there certainly seems to be a new aura of confidence and hope surrounding the team.
Art in bloom
13
seniors showcase their work at Petropoulos
Show
As far as the Patriots go, after a failed trial last season with Head Coach Jerod Mayo, the team hired three-time Patriots Super Bowl Champion Mike Vrabel. Under Vrabel, the team has had a stellar offseason and a draft that several analysts are calling the best in recent history. After rookie quarterback Drake Maye got sacked 34 times last season, the Patriots selected offensive tackle Will Campbell with their first-round pick.
When asked what kind of tone he would set on the O-line, Campbell let it be known that he’ll do whatever it takes: “I’m gonna fight and die to protect [Maye] with everything I’ve got.” It doesn’t get much grittier than that. The Patriots also drafted running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Kyle Williams, who will undoubtedly elevate the Pats’ offense alongside the other newly signed veteran wide receivers — Super Bowl Champion Mack Hollins and four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs.
I won’t get started on the 33-39 Bruins … hopefully they figure it out, but at the end of the day, there’s still one question to answer: Is Boston back? Obviously, I can’t say for sure, but the odds look pretty god that a championship or two is coming home to Boston.
Robbie Lally Contributing Writer
A three-legged piano stand. A bowl handcrafted for guacamole. A record stand. Photos with contrasting colors. The Petropoulos Show, held in honor of former Ceramics Teacher John Petropoulos, showcased artwork from 13 seniors in the Upper School (US) Lower Art Gallery on April 15. Art teachers nominated the students to participate in the show.
US Woodworking and 3D Design Teacher Anna Van Voorhis nominated Wyatt Welu ’25. “I’ve fulfilled my art credit within first two years of being at BB&N, but I’ve loved Ms. V’s class that much, and I loved my progression through the woodworking program that I’ve wanted to stay with it, and to end off my career at BB&N in the woodshop as part of this event is pretty cool,” Wyatt said. “It’s really special to see how much we’ve grown. … Our various exhibits showcased that sort of progression to see where we’ve come as our respective artists.”
Wyatt prioritizes making func-
tional pieces. His final project was a record stand for his dad.
“My dad has no organization for his records, so I found this piece online and made some changes to the design,” Wyatt said. “I think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever made.”
Art has always been a staple in Wyatt’s life.
“Art has been in my family for a pretty long time.” he said. “I’ve always grown up loving art, seeing art and love it being a part of my life. When I came to BB&N, I was accustomed to painting and visual arts in that sense. So, when I had the opportunity to do woodworking here, it made me very excited and happy to be able to continue my art career but in a different medium.”
At the show, Quentin Higgins ’25 presented “Quiet Nights,” a set of photos focused on negative space. Imaginative thinking is a key part of creating art, Quentin said.
“If I’m driving around and I see something I want to take a photo or video of, then the process of bringing that vision to life is definitely satisfying.”
Wyatt and Quentin decided to continue taking art courses instead of having additional free blocks.
“A lot of people fall victim and take the extra free block, but I forced myself to give it a chance.” Quentin said. “I also knew the free time wouldn’t be as valuable as the class itself.”
George Miller ’28 attended the Petropoulos Show.
“Seeing this show was a new angle on art for me,” he said. “I wanted to get an angle on a different side of the arts that I’m not really involved in. … I was very impressed with the quality of work and also the growth people had experienced. … I think that left a profound impact on me.”
Staff Photo by Hailey Jiang Saho Reppucci ’25 showcases an architecture piece to event attendees.
Viola Shephard Contributing Writer
Photo Courtesy of Gabe Cooper
The Von Trapp family performs in a music competition.
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