New teachers get schooled US introduces 2 Penn teaching fellows
Scarlett Hawkins Features Editor
After a decade of the Middle School’s involvement in the Lesley University postgraduate teacher program, the Upper School (US) partnered with the University of Pennsylvania through the Penn Fellows Independent School Teaching Residency. Twenty-one other in-
dependent schools are involved in the two-year program that brings teachers-in-training from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education to gain experience in the classroom.
Teacher Training Institute & Educator Development Director Elaine McNeil-Girmai introduced the Penn Fellowship program to the US.
Sundays, stats and social circles
“BB&N is committed to being a private institution with a public purpose,” she said. “Joining the Penn Fellowship supports this effort by allowing us to train educators through our teacher training and preparation programs here at BB&N that will go out into the larger world.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
US students weigh in on highs, hazards of fantasy football
Ethan Moran Sports Editor
Scroll through TikTok toward the end of football season, and you may see a group of friends dumping condiments on someone in a cage. At first glance, this might seem like bullying and something that should be reported, but the video’s caption clearly says, “Don’t lose fantasy football.”
Fantasy football is an online game where fans serve as team managers, drafting real NFL players to create a virtual lineup. Each week during the NFL season, players score points based on their performances, including yards gained, touchdowns scored and field goals made.
Upper School (US) Math Teacher Joe Cyr said playing fantasy football can get students engaged with data analysis.
Is minimum wage worth it? US students enter working world
Rima Demir Contributing Writer
Between juggling schoolwork, social life and sports, some Upper School (US) students also have to manage work shifts and collect paychecks. From retail workers to soccer refs, these students get an early glimpse into the working world.
US College Counselor Hermance Septembre said students are constantly searching for résumé-building extracurriculars, including jobs.
“These jobs do not have to be linked to the major that the student is interested in on a college campus, nor does one type of job stand out over others. Getting a job is more about skill building and connecting with the world around you.”
Students should consider their schedules when applying for jobs.
“In the eyes of the colleges, community service opportunities can also substitute for a student’s ability to maintain a job,” Ms. Septembre said.
Within a group’s fantasy foot -
“Any time you get kids interested in working with data and increasing data literacy, that’s a good thing. You need to understand people’s previous stats and what affects them. But there’s definitely a lot of luck involved, as well, because a player could tear their ACL and be out for the season.”
ball league, typically consisting of eight to 14 people, managers compete head-to-head every week, making decisions about who to start in their lineups, bench or trade.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
Mirabel Ge ’27 has worked at a grocery store since this summer. She works for six hours a week through one weekday and one weekend shift. “When you go to a grocery store, people don’t usually think about what the workers do there, so you truly learn what goes on behind the scenes,” she said. “Seeing that definitely taught me how hard jobs are and to have empathy with workers because you never know when someone is having a bad day.”
Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School,
Staff Photo by Katy Varadi
Ms. Heinsen teaches two sections of Precalculus Advanced, one of which she co-teaches with Dr. Cyr.
Staff Photo by Katy Varadi
During the fall, fantasy football often dominates conversations between US students.
Editorials
Don’t let division define us
We here at The Vanguard believe violence isn’t the solution to quarrels. As witnessed in recent events, some people in our world might disagree with this.
In an increasingly polarized society, it has become common to let one’s beliefs constitute whether or not they are a “good” person, whatever that meaning might be for each of us. And upon hearing those opposing opinions, the given individual might decide that whoever holds the contrasting view is a “bad” person. In extreme cases, some may choose to resort to verbal or physical harm.
American instances of political violence date back centuries. Within the last hundred years, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and former President John F. Kennedy are notable. Take a look at the evolution of our presidential debates, too; the candidates used to acknowledge each other in a positive light, and now the candidates rarely shake hands. And, more re -
cently, the assassination of Charlie Kirk has brought political violence to a potential boiling point. So, as the political landscape that surrounds us continues to escalate, The Vanguard has just one thing to say.
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School 80 Gerry’s Landing Road Cambridge, MA 02138 vanguard@bbns.org, vanguard.bbns.org (617) 547-6100
Volume 54, Issue 4
Editor-in-Chief Gabe Cooper Managing Editor Yancheng Zhao
Faculty Advisor Kim Whitney Asst. Photo Editor Katy Varadi
The Vanguard’s mission is to examine and engage the school community by providing news and information about events affecting it and by featuring the diverse range of people and perspectives that comprise it. We strive for fairness and accuracy in our content, and we strive to present that content with integrity and respect.
The Vanguard is the official student newspaper of the Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School, which has 545 students, 96 faculty members, and 64 staff members. Affiliated with the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the paper is a forum for differing views and welcomes comments from its readers in the form of Letters to the Editor. No anonymous letters will be printed. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit all letters for length. The Vanguard publishes eight issues per annual volume and prints between 500 and 800 copies of each issue. About 200 of those are mailed out; the rest are distributed around campus.
Hailey Jiang, David Xiong, Lucy Song, Annie Zhu, Finn Konary, Aggie Grant, Olivia Bell, Sydney Xu, Leah Cooper, Maggie Whitney, David Zhou
Staff Photographers: Ash Surati, Caroline Dudzinski, Ryan Figlioli, Danny West, Shirley Zhu, Hailey Jiang, Yancheng Zhao, Gabe Cooper
Staff Artists: Isabel Doricent, Alice Wang, Lauren Li, Sydney Ruiz, Sydney Xu, Rachel Goldberg, Christine Tao, Marin MacDonald
To our school, please don’t lose sight of the values for which we stand: inquiry, integrity, belonging and kindness. Regarding integrity and belonging, let’s remain honest and foster a community in which we feel comfortable sharing our own opinions without fear of facing hatred. Regarding inquiry and kindness, let’s try our best to remain curious. If someone says something with which you disagree, ask them about their standing. Work to understand where they are coming from.
Let’s put our differences aside and practice listening and engaging in those healthy conversations the school encourages. Don’t be quick to judge each other. Don’t shut people out. And, most of all, let’s continue to be respectful of — and look out for — one another.
The Vanguard Student Board
Letter to the Editor: Summer reading choices are expansive
Dear The Vanguard,
We in the English Department read the recent Vanguard editorial “Read at your own risk” with some amount of confusion.
To start, two of the three books that the editorial mentioned in its critique (“The Mayor of Casterbridge” and “Sacred Hunger”) are not on the BB&N summer reading list. We are curious whether the writers had an outdated list?
Our goal with the English summer reading list is to present a wide variety of works that we believe will engage and excite students – and also stretch them as learners and readers. We take issue with the idea that these are mutually exclusive goals or that certain books that deal with “heavy” topics should be struck from the list. To take just one example, the third book mentioned by the editorial – “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” – tells the semi-autobiographical story of the author’s struggle with schizophrenia, ultimately ending on a note of persistence and resilience. We believe this book could serve as an affirmation for someone who has struggled with their own mental health – or as an eye-opening window into this experience for someone who hasn’t.
Over the past two years, the English Department has worked to revamp our summer reading list to include a greater diversity of authors, genres and time periods and to make it more searchable with a list of tags and themes. While it is a continually updating work in progress, we believe that there is now a wealth of engaging and challenging works that can serve as powerful windows into new worlds and mirrors of students’ own. While we aren’t interested in striking books from the list that we feel could be productively challenging, we would welcome student input on additional books or authors that could merit inclusion. We also welcome the writers’ questions about how best to make use of the summer reading once students are back at school. Our doors are always open in our offices.
Sincerely, Mr. Crihfield
On Campus
Co-presidents like it’s
1999?
Recent US election raises questions about leadership balance
Christine Tao Arts Editor
For the first time since 1999, both Upper School (US) student body co-presidents are boys — due to a change in the election process. Historically, there were three spots available in the primary elections for boys and three spots for girls. From those primaries, one boy and one girl were elected co-presidents.
Now, the junior class puts forward four students, regardless of gender identity, for the role of copresidents.
Last year, four boys ran for the position. Salar Sekhavat and Jonathan Andreoli (both ’26) were elected as the US student body co-presidents in April.
US Junior Grade Dean Beth McNamara said the goal is competent leaders.
“We want good student leaders just as much as the students do,” Ms. Mac said. “I don’t think there’s a particular reason it went specifically to two boys. Interest from girls in running for copresident varies a little bit year to year, but generally, it’s something I would be worried about if girls stopped running, and I’m always encouraged when we do have female leadership.”
Elizabeth Velander ’26 said Salar and Jonathan were elected as the co-presidents for a reason.
“I think there is a balance of leadership between boys and
Rack and roll
girls. I felt pretty confident in the co-presidents. I didn’t really see it as ‘girls can’t run.’ It was more of who was interested in the position. Last year, we had a female co-president, and both Salar and Jonathan have experience in leadership roles. Everyone knew that they would be good leaders.”
While two boys are co-presidents this year, female leadership thrives outside of the student government.
“I have seen girls taking initiative in other ways,” Elizabeth said. “For example, I’m the captain of the crew team, and it’s a good example of leadership for girls sports. I’m also a student senior prefect, where we have 10 of us, and eight are girls. Even though the student council has boy presidents, girls are definitely leading in other fields.”
For the FemCo Co-President
Quinn Reynolds ’27, leadership balance extends beyond gender to include race and culture.
“A balanced leadership culture is not only gender, but race, culture and socioeconomic backgrounds. BB&N does lots of DEIG work, and we could see more events directed to girls in leadership.”
US Science Teacher, Freshman Class Dean and Girls Advancing in STEM (GAINS) Faculty Advisor Jenn Gatti said clubs like GAINS and FemCo aim to foster leadership and community for female-identifying students.
Junior Class President Diya Gandhi ’27 uses her leadership platform intentionally, she said.
“I encourage younger students to run for a position because, if you lose, no one really cares, and there will be so many other leadership opportunities, so there’s very little downside.” School leaders should have a diversity of perspectives and experiences, Diya said.
“A balanced leadership culture will have many opportunities for leadership roles, so a diverse group of people who want these positions can get them, and many different viewpoints can be represented.”
Before Diya was the junior class president, Jack Reinfeld ’27 held the role. Caroline Killory ’27 said leadership at the school fluctuates between boys and girls.
“There is a balance of leadership between boys and girls for class presidents. I thought having two boy co-presidents was fine. It would have been nice if there was a girl, but there’s always next year.”
“There are a lot of leadership opportunities for all students across campus, both male-identifying and female-identifying,” she said. “I hope girls will feel empowered to run for important roles. A lot of clubs across campus support and develop future leaders, not only FemCo and GAINS. Many of the affinity groups have female-identifying leaders this year along with many other clubs, so there are many femaleidentifying students across campus that have run for and gotten leadership roles. Female faculty leaders also serve as key role models for students.”
New covered bike shed attracts students, faculty
Many students around the Upper School (US) may have already noticed the new structure outside of the wood shop. Complete with a roof and three wooden walls for easy access, this is the new US bike shed.
Funded by an Innovation Grant and built in collaboration with the facilities team, this project is a culmination of three years of work by US Science Teacher Jay Shah and US Library Co-Director Shawnee Sloop. The bike shed is close to complete, with electricity to be installed in late September.
Dr. Shah said there were previously not enough structures and storage spaces to support cyclists at the school.
“The actual infrastructure at the school was quite limited. There weren’t a lot of robust locking options for bikes. In a way, that set forth some messaging of what is the expectation of how you arrive to school: Drive to school, and park in the parking lot.”
The main goal of the bike shed was to promote alternative transportation.
“I’m not saying that everyone has to bike,” Dr. Shah said. “But if those who can do, then it supports others in the community that can’t. So, it’s more of a community-mind-
ed outlook on transportation. How what you do can affect others in a positive way.”
Ms. Sloop said the project also frees up parking spots for students and faculty who need to drive.
“We really wanted to increase biking and try and change biking culture in and around BB&N. We know that one of the biggest struggles is parking and getting here for faculty, staff and students. So, we were hoping that by promoting biking … by having a bike shed that has lighting and a roof and is more secure, we can promote more people wanting to bike to campus.”
Ms. Sloop and Dr. Shah collaborated with the facilities and operations team in determining the architecture and construction of the bike shed.
“We’ve been working with Der-
ek Bross, who’s the head of the facilities and operations team,” she said. “We went back and forth, and ultimately, the shed doesn’t have doors. Then, we got into the struggle of people needing a certain key or ID card to access it. It just felt easier to have three sides and a roof, so it is still protected, and it is more protected than the previous bike rack.”
Previously, bikers had been able to store their bikes at various bike racks around campus, but they were not weather-proofed.
Troy Song ’26, who bikes to school, said the new shed has succeeded in attracting more bikers.
“It opens up a lot more accessibility to students who want to bike because I’ve definitely noticed the area around there being a lot more full than it was before we had the bike shed,” he said. “The weather proofing is the biggest part: You
can feel safe. Before, a lot of people would push their bikes underneath the stairwell in the English wing, but now the bike shed exists.”
Troy said the only problem with the bike shed could be its size.
“When I looked at it today, it was already full. It might need to be bigger if the demand is high enough.” US English Teacher Sam Crihfield started biking to school this year.
“I hope the bike shed encourages more people to bike to school,” he said. “I actually started biking because of the encouragement of Dr. Shah and Ms. Sloop and their enthusiasm, so I hope that more people are inspired like I was.”
Even if the bike shed is full, there are other spots on campus where people can store their bikes.
“There’s a spot inside the stairwell,” Mr. Crihfield said. There’s also the bike railings, so I’m happy because the more places the better, and people can find it out. Maybe someday, we’ll have another one. We’ll see.”
From Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, Ms. Sloop and Dr. Shah are bringing back their Bike Week challenge from last year (See Vol. 53, Issue 5: “Pedaling for Prizes”) to encourage more biking to school.
Drawing by Christine Tao
Viola Shephard Contributing Writer
Drawing by Alice Wang
Staff Photo by Olivia Richter
The new bike shed is located behind the US near the wood shop.
Fall Drinks
Locking in US to introduce student ID incentives
Lucia Longstreet-Lipson Off Campus Editor
Each morning, Upper School (US) students squeeze through the front doors in hordes, holding them open so others can slip by without scanning their student IDs. And, while it may feel convenient, it also poses a significant security risk, Director of Safety, Security and Transportation Kathleen Murphy said.
In September, 45 sophomores, juniors and seniors reported their student IDs missing or lost. With US students relying on others to open the doors for them, school administrators have decided it’s time for a change.
Chief Operating and Financial Officer Tara Gohlmann said the school’s security team has been brainstorming ways to incentivize students to keep track of their IDs. The security team is considering plans to introduce a new student ID policy aimed at improving safety and increasing the convenience of IDs, possibly at the beginning of next year.
According to the All-School Student and Family Handbook, which was last updated prior to the 202526 academic year, “The school is currently exploring using these cards for access to photocopiers on campus, as a card for minor purchases, a library card, among other potential uses. This reinforces the importance of these cards to stay within students’ custody at all times.”
Dr. Gohlmann is leading this change.
“The primary goal of the new policy focuses on safety and ensuring that
we can keep the doors locked during the school day,” she said. “We always say one of the hardest things is we’re all so kind. We want to help other people when they’re waiting outside. However, it’s for everyone’s security in our school buildings. It’s important that nobody enters the school unless they have property identification.”
Student IDs were implemented before the COVID-19 pandemic as a security measure.
“For a number of years, we were hand-unlocking the doors, and students did not have access to the buildings unless doors were unlocked,” Dr. Gohlmann said. “However, the reality is we’re in a very urban location, and people can walk in off the street, which we don’t want to happen.”
Currently, many students forget their ID cards and rely on friends, siblings or other students to unlock the
Changing course? Not so fast
doors for them. Student IDs automatically deactivate if unused for three consecutive months. As noted in the Handbook, students will be charged to replace lost IDs, Dr. Gohlmann said.
It’s critical students carry their IDs with them, Ms. Murphy said. “Kids are carrying credit cards and their license, and I’m sure they’re not losing those as much as they are losing their student IDs … It’s important that students know where their ID is in case of a time when they don’t get let in by another student.”
US Library Co-Director Shawnee Sloop said increasing the functions of student IDs will affect the library.
Normally, the librarians use students’ first and last names to look students up in the system. However, with the new policy, students would be identifiable with their ID cards.
Some US students switching classes face schedule, approval obstacles
Maggie Whitney Staff Writer
In the first weeks of the school year, Upper School (US) students begin to settle into their routines, adjusting to new teachers and courses.
Though most students had a say in their class selections last spring, not every placement ends up being the right fit, and for some, that means seeking a schedule change.
Students in grades 10-12 have until Oct. 24 to request changes. Differences of opinions between students and teachers over what counts as a valid reason for switching classes often occur, and factors such as timing and level placement can make it more complicated.
One main reason students switch classes is teacher compatibility.
“Last year, I had this teacher for math, and I did not resonate with their teaching style,” a student said.
The student attempted to switch into another teacher’s class, and her parents supported her decision.
“My parents were always on board with this idea because they think that I should set myself up for success and get a teacher who works better for me.”
However, when she talked to her advisor, her request was declined.
“My advisor said that I would not be allowed to switch classes because that is not a reason why they typically switch students,” she said.
The student reflected back on the year and wished her initial request to switch had been granted.
“I did not fully grasp the topic the
way they were teaching it, even after meeting with them throughout the year.”
Verity Guo ’28 also wanted to change classes but for a different reason.
“I wanted to switch from photography to intermediate ceramics because I really enjoyed ceramics last year,” Verity said.
Many US students run into a similar problem when being assigned to art classes. Going into freshman and sophomore years, students are able to rank their choices, but to avoid scheduling conflicts and uneven distribution, they don’t always get assigned their top pick.
“Because both my art classes are intro-level courses, I ended up being placed with mostly freshmen, and un-
fortunately, none of my friends,” Verity said. “That made me feel pretty disconnected.”
Verity learned to make the best of her schedule.
“At first, it led me to consider dropping an art class altogether and possibly taking one during my senior year instead,” she said. “However, after thinking more about it, I realized that photography actually seems pretty interesting. Even though it’s not what I initially planned, I’m starting to see it as a good opportunity to explore something new.”
Yoyo Zou ’27 switched from Honors Chemistry to AP Chemistry.
“I’m still adjusting to the class, and I would say it’s definitely a hard switch,
The expanded printer access would also be convenient.
“It does get pretty crowded during certain assignment deadlines, ... so having access with the IDs for other printers around the building sounds like a really good pro.”
The new policy reinforces student expectations, Ms. Sloop said.
“I don’t see this as an additional ask. I see this as a responsibility to make sure that we have our IDs with us.”
Myriam Lai ’27 said she lost her ID card. Last spring, she said she gave hers to a friend to unlock the NAC doors, and she never got it back.
“We were all sharing and using each other’s IDs, but nobody could find mine. After that, I never really felt like I needed to replace it.”
Myriam has figured out ways to get around scanning IDs.
“Right now, I’m kind of set,” Myriam said. “I either use my friend’s ID, or I’ll trail in with other people. With the new policies, though, I would probably need to get a new ID because it would impact my student life more. I would need it to print things for my classes.”
Nick Narasimhan ’26 carries his ID with him during the school year.
“I keep my student ID in my phone case, so I always have it with me,” he said. “The new policy would be helpful in the library when keeping track of books and with the printer to allow for easier access. BB&N is making the right steps forward to place more emphasis on our student IDs.”
The first chill of fall has arrived, meaning it’s time for sweaters, football and, most importantly, festive fall drinks! With Harvard Square a brisk 15-minute walk away, there are many drinks to try. To discover which fall treats are worth the trip, The Vanguard voyaged to Harvard Square to taste-test seasonal drinks at L.A. Burdick, Bluestone Lane and Tatte. —Mimi Shaywitz, Katy Varadi and Lucia Longstreet-Lipson (all ’27)
L.A. Burdick’s dark drinking chocolate
Mimi: You can definitely taste the pure dark chocolate tones. It’s not your average Starbucks hot chocolate.
Katy: The richness makes even a small portion feel big. It’s less of an everyday drink and more of an event.
Lucia: It’s not as sweet as I expected, and the texture is much thicker compared to other hot chocolates.
Conclusion: On first impressions, this hot chocolate was presented beautifully. Thankfully, it tasted as good as it looked. It had a really strong cocoa smell, similar to hot chocolate served in France. It was not extremely sweet, which allowed the dark cocoa flavor to come through. The atmosphere of the café itself is cozy. L.A. Burdick sells pastries, an array of other fall-inspired drinks and an assortment of chocolates.
Wait time: 2 minutes
Atmosphere: 10/10
Price: $8.75
Score: 8.8/10
but I also think it’s a learning process and will benefit me in the end.”
Many students seek more academic challenges.
“It makes me nervous for the work that comes with the class, but I’m also feeling prepared for it,” she said.
Regardless of the workload and preparation, Yoyo’s transition was quick and smooth.
“My advisor supported me and approved me for the subject, and my past teacher was also very supportive throughout the process,” Yoyo said.
Teachers emphasize the importance of expediency.
“If the change of classes happens early in the year, things are easier,” US Spanish Teacher Gabriela Gonzenbach said.
Changing classes potentially leads to incomplete work, but teachers try to ease the transition by meeting with the student to review the missed information.
“Usually, the teachers from the new classes help them to catch up,” Profe Gonzenbach said. “The student meets with teachers during office hours. It all depends on the student’s situation.”
The person who really faces a tough September is US Scheduler Mary Scott.
“After school began last year, I made about 40 changes in math, 25 changes in languages and many fewer in history and science,” Ms. Scott said.
Many of the switches are to move up to a harder class.
“About 40 of the changes are due to summer study to go up a level.”
Bluestone Lane’s hot chai latte
Mimi: Some of the foam seems to be masking the chai. It kind of tastes like spiced milk.
Katy: It’s very foamy and milky. At first, it was hard to tell where the chai ended and the foam began.
Lucia: The flavor is underwhelming. You can taste foam and spices, but the actual chai isn’t very strong.
Conclusion: Though this hot chai latte gave full marks across the board for presentation, its taste was lacking. The major problem this drink faced was the proportion of milk to chai. The milk foam took up three-quarters of the drink, inhibiting the flavor of the chai. The café had a modern feel with a variety of large plants and bright white lights. Though Bluestone Lane advertises several fall-themed drinks, it also has a lunch and dinner menu. This drink was slightly disappointing, but we recognize that maybe our palates weren’t advanced enough to taste the chai flavors.
Wait time: 8 minutes
Atmosphere: 9/10
Price: $5.20
Tatte’s tahini pumpkin oat milk latte
Mimi: The tahini is super overpowering. I wish there was more pumpkin.
Katy: Underneath the tahini, there’s a really good latte, but they don’t really know how to balance it.
Lucia: At first, it tasted like a regular pumpkin latte, but then, the tahini aftertaste hit me. It was very umami and caught me off guard.
Conclusion: After a 15-minute wait (our longest yet), we were expecting a delicious and unique drink. Instead, we got something indescribably odd with an aftertaste that had us questioning if someone had made our drink wrong. Without the tahini, the latte has the potential to be okay. That being said, we have heard a lot of hype about this drink, so it could be worth trying if you’re brave enough. Tatte was crowded, as usual, so we ended up finding a spot outside in the warm fall weather. While we waited for our drink, a man had a one-sided conversation with us. Though slightly peeved, we cannot take points off from Tatte because of that experience.
Wait time: 15 minutes
Atmosphere: 6/10
Price: $6.35
Score: 4/10
Overall, the fall drink that won our hearts was the dark drinking chocolate from L.A. Burdick. If you’re looking for a drink to warm you up on a frigid morning, this hot chocolate is definitely up your alley. The atmosphere of the café is classy and inviting; it’s
US students often forget to bring their IDs — which unlock US doors — to school. Staff Photo by Olivia Richter
On Campus
Meet the newest clubs
Global games
Maps, continents, countries, capitals and flags are the focus of a new club at the Upper School (US).
Debuting on Sept. 24 during the annual club fair, the Geography Club enables US students to test and improve upon their knowledge of global trivia.
“We wanted to increase people’s geographic literacy in our community,” Geography Club Co-President Conrad Straight Nissen ’28 said. “We found that in America, specifi-
cally, people struggle to name countries like Pakistan on the map, and we wanted to change that. We aim to make young Americans much more knowledgeable about the world around them.”
The club plans to host weekly geography-themed games, including geography Jeopardy, GeoGuessr , Seterra and custom-made Geography trivia, Geography Club CoPresident Lucas Ho ’28 said.
“On a broader scale, we want to
host a school-wide geography competition with prizes. We plan to have multiple guest speakers who have PhDs in geography or are experienced in the field.”
Lucas said the Geography Club plans to meet each Wednesday CAB.
“We encourage people who have an interest in geography or those who want a relaxing space to learn more about different parts of the world at our club.”
Styles with spirit
School spirit is more than just wearing blue and gold at the new Upper School Spiritwear Club.
Members of the new club can contribute ideas for the school’s spiritwear designs.
“Students have incredible ideas for styles and designs, but they often aren’t heard,” Spiritwear Club CoPresident Anaïs Kahvejian ’26 said.
“My goals are to make spiritwear something students are genuinely excited to wear and connect it to
Club graveyard
moments that matter, like ‘psychs,’ rivalry games and school events.”
The club seeks student opinions on school merchandise designs.
“We’re aiming to launch at least two surveys to hear directly from students, design one limited-edition item that celebrates a group on campus and tie new promotions into big school events like Homecoming.
We’ll also partner with the Parent Association and other clubs to expand both creativity and visibility.”
Spiritwear Club members will meet twice a month to brainstorm designs and plan sales.
“Anyone who cares about design, fashion or school pride will find this fun, but it’s also great for students who like marketing, leadership or just want to make their voice heard in what we wear. It’s a mix of creative and practical work, so there’s something for everyone.”
—David Zhou ’28
US students faced countless options as they browsed the Club Fair, but not all clubs will survive the year. Below is a list of clubs from the 2024-25 school year that no longer exist.
Day in the life of a junior guide
7:00 - Walk to Lake JGs are expected to swim in the lake like the campers and serve as role models.
8:30 - Breakfast with squad
JGs head down to an assigned squad every morning to eat break- fast.
New kids on the teaching block Penn fellows partner with teachers, bring fresh ideas
“This year, two Penn fellows are working at the school. US MathTeacher Joe Cyr is mentoring Virginia Heinsen, and US History
Teacher Susan Glazer is partnering with Emma Grayeb. The Penn fellows applied to the US like any teacher – through interviews and by teaching a practice class – but they also had to apply for the Penn Fellowship to secure the position.
Ms. Grayeb is teaching Global History I.
“I love history, and I love sharing that passion with other people,” she said. “I’m really excited to see how the BB&N students engage with the course. I also hope to learn from brilliant teachers, learn to become a better educator and form meaningful relationships with all the students I have.”
This year, Ms. Heinsen teaches Precalculus Advanced.
“I have learned how much planning and effort goes into being a teacher that often goes unnoticed,” she said. “There are a lot of things we teachers are doing, like trying to
make things clear and straightforward.”
Ms. Heinsen previously worked at a New Haven public school for a six-week summer program.
“Some public schools can be overwhelming because there are fewer resources, but working with BB&N has been amazing with the opportunities and resources, and working with Dr. Cyr has been excellent for focusing on honing my teacher skills in a private high school before potentially switching back to public school.”
The Penn fellows bring new teaching strategies to the US, Dr. Glazer said. In September, Dr. Glazer introduced one of Ms. Grayeb’s ideas to her class.
“A benefit is having teachers who are very young and motivated, engaged people. The fellows bring a lot of new pedagogies and techniques to BB&N, and I have already seen that in place. Ms. Grayeb gave me an idea for a hands-on activity on Monday for something that I implemented on Tuesday, and that was really fun and exciting.”
Dr. Glazer sees several lessons she can pass on to Ms. Grayeb.
“It’s important to teach the art of balancing your schedule and being there for yourself and others –something that teachers normally struggle with,” she said. I also hope I can help her find her voice as a teacher and her style. My personality and interests have definitely shaped who I am as a teacher, and I hope she can find out who she is, as well.”
Dr. Cyr is also learning through his partnership with Ms. Heinsen.
“I am really excited to be a mentor because it requires me to look introspectively about my own teaching and think deeply about the things I do. It’s not just beneficial for Ms. Heinsen, but also is very beneficial for me. I hope that I can help Ms. Heinsen develop her own self as a teacher to find her own strengths and ways of teaching that suit her and also help her students.”
Liam Cunnigham ’27 is in Ms. Heinsen’s precalculus class.
“It’s interesting because Ms. Heinsen is the youngest teacher I’ve ever had, and I feel that helps to create a better student-teacher connection,” he said. “I enjoy her teaching style. She is very approachable and organized. She always has sheets of homework planned out, fun activities and is available for extra help.”
The school plans to continue the program, Ms. McNeil-Girmai said. Ms. Grayeb said she hopes to teach at a private school after her fellowship, while Ms. Heinsen may return to public school teaching.
Courses
JGs help lead the five courses: Biology, Orientation, Mountain, Ropes and Maps and Compass
12:00 - Lunch
Every day, a JG is assigned to scullery duty along with two adult guides, and they are responsible for making lunch for all the staff that day. JGs have full access to the Guides’ Kitchen and its snacks throughout the day.
6:00 - Dinner with squad
JGs also head down to a different squad for dinner.
1:00 - Inspection
On days with inspections, JGs not out on trips help guides inspect squads, making sure they are in good shape.
8:00 - Evening assembly
One of the responsibili- ties of JGs is to announce the mail and sing with those who received a package or more than three letters.
5:15 - Guides’ meeting
A daily meeting for all guides that JGs also at- tend. Along with lunch, the scullery crew also prepares an afternoon snack for the guides’ meeting.
9:00 - Go down with your squad(s)
JGs and guides go down to say good night to their squad(s).
10:00 - Wind down
After returning from their squad(s), JGs can use the time to wind down and start preparing for bed. JGs call the library home, and they are able to do schoolwork and use their devices inside.
Julia Wang ’26
Favorite part about being a JG?
I really love spending time outside, so being out in the woods and not using your phone or any device all day, it’s really nice. I love building fires, like helping Mr. Means with the firebuilding.
Elsbeth Kasparian ’27
How was your Bivouac experience?
Andrew Johnson ’27
What was something unexpected about being a JG?
I was warned about this, but the lack of time to do work was unexpected. It was quite a busy week, the week after, catching up. I also didn’t get as much instruction as I thought I would, but that was good because I developed the skill of knowing what I should be doing in the moment to be most helpful.
My Biv experience was a little difficult. The first week was pretty challenging for me because I’d never done an awayfrom-home type thing. I’ve never done a sleepaway camp, so I struggled my first week. I got into it by the second week, so I wanted to share that experience as a JG.
Every year, around 24 Junior Guides (JGs), evenly split across the two weeks, return to Camp Marienfeld to help out at Bivouac, the school’s freshman orientation program. Each JG is responsible for one to two squads and serves as an upperclassman resource for the freshmen. JGs assist the adult guides and run special activities, like Bivouac Day or trivia night.
—Yancheng Zhao ’26
Staff Photos by Yancheng Zhao
—David Zhou ’28 Staff Photo by Katy Varadi US students stop by the Geography Club at the club fair.
‘He just inspired us to be better’ US community reflects on Mr. Moccia’s unexpected departure
Mimi Shaywitz On Campus Editor
When he wasn’t in the classroom, former Upper School (US) Science Teacher, Freshman Class Co-Dean and Boys’ Varsity Hockey (BVH) Coach Anthony Moccia ’10 could be seen leading his advisory, skating across the ice at the NAC, or hiking up Mount Monadnock during Bivouac. He left the school in August to take the position of principal at St. Raphael Parish School in Medford. Mr. Moccia coached BVH for seven years and previously played for the team as a US student.
BVH Co-Captain Ben Romer ’26 remembers the values Mr. Moccia instilled in the team.
“He was a guy that wanted to inspire you and push you to be not just a better player but a better person,” he said. “He wanted us to be great role models when we grow up and be great parents. He just inspired us to be better, in general.”
Last season, Mr. Moccia encouraged Ben to step up as one of BVH’s leaders.
“He took me aside to talk about the possibility of being a captain, and he let me know how much my leadership meant to him,” Ben said. “He let me know that I meant a lot to him, and what I can do is valuable, and just hearing that helped me so much.”
BVH players were surprised by Mr. Moccia’s sudden departure, Ben said.
“There were a lot of texts and calls, but people didn’t hate him for it, and nobody knocked him for it. We all respected his decision and knew what was needed for him and his career. We just
wish him the best and hope to continue what he started.”
Athletic Director Jaye Locke said Mr. Moccia connected with his BVH players.
“Once you’re a part of this community and a part of a team, you always are,” she said. “His care factor for the students and seeing them as a whole, a student and kid, not just who they were on the ice and how they’re shooting a puck or how they are skating, but how they’re carrying themselves, how they’re working in the classroom, how they’re treating each other.”
Mr. Moccia’s attitude contributed to BVH’s work ethic, Coach Locke said.
“They would always go hard out there on the ice, and a lot of that is because of Coach Moccia’s
positive mindset of getting players to believe in themselves and build up their confidence.”
This season, former BVH Assistant Coach Cason Hohmann will serve as the interim head coach, and Director of Ice Hockey Ed Bourget will serve as the assistant coach.
“Coach Hohmann is going to step in for this year, and then, once the school year gets going, we’ll settle, and we’ll have to take the next steps on finding a longterm solution,” Coach Locke said.
The Science Department learned of Mr. Moccia’s departure over the summer, US Science Department Head Stephanie Guilmet said. Currently, US Science Teacher and Dean of Teaching and Learning Michael Chapman and long-term substitute teacher Glen
Cashing in between classes US students gain skills juggling shifts, schoolwork
Being a cashier can be monotonous, Mirabel said.
“It’s hard to talk to people and have the same conversations over and over again. When I’m cashiering, I say the same thing to every customer for hours, so it gets tiring and repetitive, which makes it hard to keep being enthusiastic.”
Mirabel connects with her coworkers at the grocery store.
“I meet a lot of new people, and I love my coworkers because we’re close in age, and they’re super fun to be around.”
Sari Goldberg ’27’s time at Abbott’s Frozen Custard has given her a sense of independence.
“Instead of being treated as a student or kid, you’re treated as an employee and as an adult,” she said. “It’s refreshing to be treated as your own person, rather than being an extension of your family and friends because regular customers know me without knowing the other parts of my life, which is definitely rare in other places.”
Sari’s perspective on earning money has also changed.
“I gained a lot of respect for money when I started making my own because, after hours of work-
ing, the money I made still wasn’t a lot,” she said. “I started comparing prices of things I wanted to buy to the amount of shifts I would have to
‘It’s
Cherry are teaching Mr. Moccia’s Scientific Ethics class. Mr. Cherry is also leading Mr. Moccia’s two biology sections.
“While we are always sad to see a friend and colleague depart the group, we wish him all of the best in his future endeavors,” Ms. Guilmet said. “In the meantime, as we normally would for any faculty departure, we have coverage in place for his responsibilities.”
Ms. Guilmet said Mr. Moccia’s compassion stood out at the US.
“Mr. Moccia has a genuine care for his students both in and out of the classroom and enjoyed being involved in the community in as many ways as possible, including academics, athletics and student life. He enjoyed helping students relate their class content to their everyday life and getting them to apply their knowledge in new and creative ways each day.”
Marwa Benyounes ’28 took Mr. Moccia’s biology class last year.
“He had a way of explaining things that was really helpful and made it easier to understand the curriculum,” she said. “If I was going to meet with him for some reason, he didn’t make it hard to reach out to him, and that was really special because it allowed me to better understand biology.”
Marwa didn’t know of Mr. Moccia’s departure until school started.
“Someone told me that he became the principal of a Catholic school, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s really good for him,’ but I just wish I knew,” she said. “He taught physics, so I wanted to get him as a teacher, and then I found out he doesn’t teach here anymore.”
work, and this perspective gave money a much higher value in my eyes.”
Zaria Wellesley ’28 is a soccer referee for two to three games per week.
“It feels so rewarding to buy something with the money I make, and it’s helping me build my money management skills,” she said.
“Since my brother was also a soccer referee, I knew what the job was like.”
Zaria completed courses prior to her referee certification.
“It also taught me how to plan ahead of time and say no,” she said. “I’m not allowed to cancel games, so I have to be careful with scheduling and sometimes ask for less games so I can prioritize school and sleep over my job.”
Also a soccer referee, Noah Ditzion ’28 has developed leadership skills at his job.
“My boss is pretty flexible, but it’s important for me to stay professional and manage how I talk to people who have authority over me,” he said. “I think this job will stand out in college applications, but it will also be helpful if I apply to be a counselor since it shows that I have experience with kids.”
Off Campus
just a backbone of connection’ Fantasy football unites friend groups
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“I know groups of friends all over the country have played it and bonded over it,” Dr. Cyr said. “Certainly, it’s a great thing whenever kids socialize over common interests.”
Along with awards for winning fantasy leagues, punishments are frequently dealt out to losers at the end of the season.
“If it really is just something small and harmless, that can be part of the fun for some people,” Dr. Cyr said. “But it can easily turn into something more damaging.”
Some students bet on fantasy football, a more concerning trend.
“Any sort of sports gambling, such as in fantasy football, is troublesome, especially for minors,” Dr. Cyr said. “Sports gambling is an increasing issue at school and in this state. It’s really ballooning out of control. It can be addictive and can take over your life.”
Jack Reinfeld ’27 has played fantasy football with friends for nine years.
“It makes watching NFL games so much more interesting because you have someone to root for in every game,” he said. “It also brings you and your friends closer togeth-
er because you’re always having something to talk about, making trades and having friendly banter. With my friends from my town, we’ve grown up playing in a fantasy league together, and we’ll always go to this one guy’s house on Sunday and watch the games.”
According to a 2023 Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association
study, 65% of fantasy football players identified as male and 35% as female. Fantasy football manager Sarah Baker ’28 doesn’t have any female friends at school who play.
“Most leagues are formed between friends, and I just haven’t been able to find one with my own friends to join,” she said. “That’s why I’ve only ever joined ran-
Bricks down, detours up 2 construction projects delay Cambridge commuters
If you’ve been walking to Harvard Square from the Upper School (US) recently, you might have noticed new metal wires, neon orange fences and detour signs. Two major construction projects are ongoing near the US: Cambridge is demolishing the structurally-unsound Riverview Condominiums at 221 Mt. Auburn St., and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is preserving the Eliot Bridge across from the Upper School.
Riverview Condominiums
Built in 1963, the nine-story Riverview Condominiums housed 80 apartments near the Charles River. A 2023 roof repair alerted engineers to weaknesses in the building’s concrete slabs.
Cambridge Assistant Commissioner for Street Management/ Traffic Director Jeffrey Parenti said sections of Mt. Auburn and Sparks Streets are closed from July 19 until around Jan. 1, 2026.
“Riverview Condominiums is in very poor structural condition, and structural engineers have determined there’s a remote possibility the building may fail before we’re able to remove it in a controlled way,” Mr. Parenti said. “To be cautious, we’ve closed some of the roadways around the building.”
By the end of 2024, all Riverview residents had evacuated. The city and the Riverview Board of Trustees are working with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. to monitor the building’s cracks via biweekly drone footage.
In October, the construction
dom online ones. For boys, it feels like fantasy is just built into their friend groups. They’ll draft together, they’ll spend all season talking about it, and it’s just this core part of how they hang out. For girls, even if we like football, there really isn’t the same opportunity or incentive to play because you’re not automatically included in that social piece of it.”
For Nick Narasimhan ’26, playing fantasy football is ingrained in his friend group.
“For most girls, it’s just a way to spend time with friends or because their boyfriend is in the league,” he said. “With guys, it’s more intense and very competitive. Ninety percent of my friends play fantasy.” Fantasy football provides a common conversation topic.
“When my friends and I go to college and are scattered all over the country, fantasy will be something that keeps us connected,” he said. “It’s just a backbone of connection. We get together on Sundays, we do something fun for the draft and it’s just another way we can all hang out.”
team will share its demolition plans for the building for the deconstruction process that will begin in early November.
“It’s never happened before in my career where a building has to be evacuated for safety reasons, and it’s now a danger to the neighborhood. At this stage, we’re more concerned about the safe removal of the building than the delays to commuting.”
The city met with affected residents before the evacuations.
“When we met with the abutters and broke the news that this was coming up, we expected a lot of pushback, but what makes this unique is the tragic component to it and all the families who lost their homes almost overnight,” Mr. Parenti said. “They were thinking about it for quite a while, but they lost their home, they lost their investment, and that tempered the negative feelings about the detour.”
Lucy Song ’26 used to walk to
school past the Riverview Condominiums.
“Now that the road around the building’s closed, I have to cross to the river to the bike path,” she said.
“It was an adjustment because it adds an extra five minutes, which is one-fourth of my commute. I would love if they knocked down the building so we could reopen the path to school.”
Riverview residents learned they had to leave in November 2024, giving them one month’s notice to move.
“It’s a hard decision to make to tell everyone living there that they have to evacuate, especially because a lot of elderly people moved there after retirement,” Lucy said. “It is for everyone’s safety, so it’s a good thing that they got everyone out of the building.”
Eliot Bridge By the Charles River, MassDOT has been restoring the Eliot Bridge since the fall of 2024 and plans to
finish in the spring of 2026. Constructed in 1950, the Eliot Bridge has four travel lanes and two sidewalks for bikers and pedestrians to cross the river from Cambridge to Boston.
Alexis Higgins ’26 rowed under the Eliot Bridge during a Sept. 21 race.
“When I rowed by, it was more cramped than it usually is since the Cambridge shoreside arch was blocked,” she said. “During practices, we usually have to stop and redirect at the bridge. Over the summer, boats crashed into the BB&N dock because of the narrow turn.” MassDOT is leading the Eliot Bridge preservation.
“The project’s intent was to restore bridge elements to their original condition while making traffic safety improvements where possible,” MassDOT said in a statement. “Repairs include concrete patching, brickwork, granite finishing and structural repairs.” The construction is currently progressing as scheduled. Two lanes on each side of the bridge are open to passenger vehicles, and one sidewalk across the bridge is always kept open while the other is repaired and widened, MassDOT said.
Construction will be paused during the Oct. 17 to Oct. 19 Head of the Charles crew races underneath the Eliot Bridge. Two of the bridge’s three arches will be open to rowers. Both the Riverview demolition and Eliot Bridge preservation will continue affecting traffic and pedestrian routes near the US in the coming months.
Photo Courtesy of Anthony Moccia
Mr. Moccia left the US over the summer to become the principal at St. Raphael Parish School in Medford.
Staff Photo by Gabe Cooper
The fastest route to Harvard Square along Mt. Auburn Street is blocked off.
Gabe Cooper Editor-in-Chief
Photo Courtesy of Lukas Wellesley
Zaria Wellesley ’28 learned the ropes of soccer refereeing from her brother, Lukas Wellesley ’26.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 translated into brainrot
Original:
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.
Brainrot:
My girl is kind of chopped; Her lips are lowkey crusty;
She’s looking really pale, probably tanning in UV 2;
She needs a low taper fade, her hair is kind of musty;
She needs to looksmaxx, her cheeks have no aura;
No cap, lil bro’s breath stank; Her voice isn’t bussing, just put the fries in the bag;
She’s no rizzler, she’s just from Ohio;
I simp for her harder than these other guys, they’re capping, but she ain’t no Quandale Dingle.
FrFr
Gen-Z slang (as defined by Upper School English Teacher Wes Williams)
Rizz
Actual definition: Used to describe someone’s charm or flirting skills.
Mr. Williams’ definition: Short for charisma, and a rizzler is someone who has an abundance of charisma. Low rizz is someone who does not.
Touch grass
Actual definition: A way of telling someone to log off and go outside (usually when they’re being too online).
Mr. Williams’ definition: If it’s negative, it means you fell down, you’re touching grass. Touch grass could also be that you’re grounded in a good way or that you scored a touchdown or something.
Additional commentary: It breaks my heart that people need to be reminded of that. When I was a kid, it’s not like I was sitting in front of the TV for 14 hours watching cartoons after school.
NPC
Actual definition: Stands for “non-playable character,” used to describe someone acting robotic, basic, or unaware.
Mr. Williams’ definition: I’ve heard it before, but I was reminded of it in Ryan Reynolds’ “Free Guy,” so I’m assuming that NPC is the non-player character, and it means someone who’s not really important. If I’m feeling like an NPC, it means I’m not the protagonist.
Clock it
Actual definition: To notice, realize or recognize something, often something subtle or unexpected.
Mr. Williams’ definition: I have no idea how they’re using it. To me, that means to time it, to speed it, like how fast you’re going.
The Vanguard also sat down with Mr. Williams to hear his perspective on students’ use of slang on assignments and in class.
What are your thoughts on students’ use of slang language?
What are English skills if it’s not letting kids speak and use English, period. English is famous for being fluid. Part of the language’s strength and endurance is its flexibility and ability to weave in other languages that can make it stronger.
Does student slang ever show up in formal writing assignments or exams? If so, how do you handle that?
Oh, yes. Less slang than text abbreviations. We were laughing because someone was sharing an essay in which a kid had overdone that. It’s an in-class essay, and it’s a rough draft, but still write out the vowels. It’s okay.
When a kid is writing me an email, which is basically for them like getting out a quill and parchment, you want it to be a little more formal. Otherwise, in-class essays I do see because abbreviated as “bc,” but luckily it’s not a ton more than that. I haven’t gotten a lot of kids that do the “fr” or the “rly” or whatever, but we’ll wait and see.
Upper School English Teacher Allison Kornet shared her perspective on death and spirituality in a conversation with The Vanguard.
What are your personal thoughts or feelings when you reflect on death?
That it’s not the end. That it’s just a shedding. That your body has run its course and can no longer be of use to you. Have you ever experienced a fear of dying? If so, how have you dealt with or worked through that fear? I was 27 when I lost my sister in a hiking accident. She was 29. We were only a grade apart. It felt to me like life had just snapped in two: the part where we were both in it and the part where we weren’t. Her death brought all sorts of heartache and pain, but it also just obliterated any fear of death because I just don’t think she’s gone. I lost my dad two years ago; he was in hospice at the end, and there’s this metaphor that they circulate in hospice. The person departing is going off in a boat, and there’s a sail, and you’re seeing them off, and then they disappear, but on the other side of the horizon, someone is seeing them arrive and receiving them. The longer you live, the more souls you know on the other side. I don’t fear death. I see it as a broadening of consciousness, like being let in on some of the mysteries outside of the material world. In what ways has the awareness of mortality impacted how you choose to live your life? Sometimes, I think we’re all born with our own expiration dates that we know intuitively. My sister lived her life like someone who was only going to live 29 years. She just basically didn’t sleep. She was so go, go, go, go. Losing her didn’t change how I live my life. What it did do was make me very aware. I would walk down the street, and I would recognize other people who had lost people. It was like I was let into a grief club that I didn’t know was so omnipresent. It was like I had access to a frequency that was not available before. When you’ve been through it, you recognize when others have, and so even while you’re in the midst of so much loss, you’re ironically also aware of company because it’s a very human thing, to lose.
Do you consider yourself spiritual, and if so, how does your spirituality influence your understanding or acceptance of death?
Death is not at all as interesting to me as souls. But I would say that I’m just not one for organized religion. I like to be independent. I think it’s great for a lot of people, like my sister, who loved the ritual of it and the community. She was
What do you believe happens after you die?
In this Buddhist tradition, the body is placed on a mountaintop to be eaten by vultures. It symbolizes returning to nature and releasing attachment to the physical body.
or spiritual freedom.
If you have faced the loss of a loved one, how has it changed your perspective on death?
It has changed my perspective on life, not death. We live every day as if it is a right when actually it is a gift.
-Teacher, 54 years old
It made me really sad and scared to lose my parents the same way. -12th grader
What do you think is the meaning or purpose of life?
Do what you love and find your community. -11th grader
Enrich those around you with love and wisdom. If, for some reason, you feel as though you cannot, then lean on the people in your life who can help. Try to leave this world with a positive impact. -Teacher, 40 years old
How do you cope with thoughts about mortality, if you have them?
I try and think about how much of my life I have lived, all of the experiences and memories I’ve had and then think that even if I were to be 34, I would have done my life right now twice. -12th grader
Mortality can be scary to think about, but I believe deeply that it is just the closing of one consciousness and the opening of another. -Teacher, 35 years old
Anonymous Responses
When I’m unsure about the afterlife, I focus on controlling my life right now and making it the best it can be. -11th grader
Held in August, Obon is a time to honor ancestors’ spirits. Japanese families light lanterns, clean graves and perform traditional dances, such as Bon Odori. It’s a peaceful blend of remembrance and celebration.
Hindus cremate the body shortly after death, usually near a holy river. The ritual helps the soul, in Hindu tradition called the Atman, on its journey toward Moksha,
Sky Burial Hindu Cremation Rites
Mourning Traditions
Drawing by Alice Wang
My favorite crime
Crime. I like to focus on the scandalous, salacious, headline-grabbing ones — the crimes that rip apart families, destroy lives and keep you up at night. That’s what people want. Or, at least, that’s what I like writing about. The stories that are so wild you can’t imagine them happening in the real world. But crime is broad, any illegal activity. The word, even more abstract. Olivia Rodrigo’s Triple Platinum song “Favorite Crime” isn’t about a murder or a heist. Last I checked, calling someone “mine” isn’t punishable in a court of law. But, I can’t help but wonder (Carrie Bradshaw reference), what would be my favorite crime?
Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Andres Borregales!
Student Responses
“Looney Tunes.” Watching the Patriots this season has felt like watching a group of “Looney Tunes” characters run around for three hours every Sunday. After a rainy, mundane 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, it seems like the Patriots have decided to switch it up and incorporate some new comical theme each week to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
In Week 2, it was a special teams special! When my mom sat down to watch the game at the end of the first quarter, the first thing she asked was, “How the heck do the Patriots have 12 points?” Trying to figure out the math, she wondered if there had been four straight field goals or two field goals plus a touchdown without an extra point — because there was no way an NFL kicker missed two back-to-back extra point chip-shots, right? Wrong! Although the feat is so statistically improbable in the NFL (~0.4% chance), rookie Patriots kicker Andres Borregales got the job done!
Game on: Fall sports take the field
We all think about how we would pull off a murder even if we don’t have a preconceived victim. These days, though, in a world where technology can trace a drop of sweat back to you, and everyone is on camera, murder doesn’t seem very fun. Thank goodness for that; modern serial killers just aren’t what they used to be.
Recently, my dad hung a New Yorker cartoon on our fridge. It depicts a woman bored in front of the TV with the caption, “When are they going to come out with new murderers?” Her husband stands in the background, eyes wide, while she casually munches popcorn. Even Netflix is running out of material; they are now making documentaries about SEC football, Mormons and Piper Rockelle. Maybe I could take a hint from these “non-offenders.” Murder is just so last season. And usually pretty messy. I would settle for something more casual, less destructive.
“Murder is just so last season.”
Still, even if I played by those rules, the world wouldn’t stop watching for the ones who don’t. People still do terrible things, and police still chase them down. I learned that firsthand when a letter from the Boston Police Department showed up on my doorstep.
It was the end of a long school day. Not the kind with two free blocks and a math teacher who forgets it isn’t lunchtime but the draining kind where you just want to get home. I am the type of driver who believes in getting from point A to point B efficiently. This seems like a reasonable goal until someone is going 35 mph in the left lane on Storrow Drive, and I realize that not everyone has similar motives. But living in the city has trained me to be a coherent driver.
So, there I was, speeding up a narrow street lined with parked cars, when I heard a small thud. I didn’t think much of it. Beacon Hill is basically just a perpetual construction project; things thud all the time. Little did I know, someone was watching. A few days later, the letter arrived: Someone reported that a car with the same license plate as mine had taken off the mirror of a parked vehicle that Thursday afternoon. We sorted it out, but I couldn’t help wondering: Would that be my last run-in with the law? Hopefully. I have too much anxiety to spend my life looking over my shoulder, and I am terrible at keeping secrets.
I think I’ll leave the real crimes to other people. Olivia Rodrigo included. As for me, my favorite crime would probably involve money. Or maybe just a dropshipping scheme. Shop my Depop @lexieclar.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter, and the Patriots, up 23-20, decided to spice the game up with a little defensive special teams meltdown. Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington bobbled a punt from his own 26-yard line, evaded two tackles and ran 74 yards for a touchdown. Yet, when all hope seems to be lost, truly in “Looney Tunes” fashion, Patriots running back Antonio Gibson returned the ensuing kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown to take the lead back. The icing on the cake: Borregales, the man who couldn’t kick an extra point for the life of him, drilled a 53-yard field goal to put the Patriots up by a touchdown and ultimately won the game. Was it a sloppy game? Yes. Did Borregales’ playing make any sense? No! But the Patriots won, so I guess it was a successful Sunday.
“Stevenson stumbles toward the end zone, inches away from redeeming
his earlier fumble.”
It’s a BVS ‘tug of war’ Athletes feel tension between club, school teams
Then there’s Week 3 — triple the chaos. This week’s theme: “Give the ball to the other team!” After a solid Week 1, the nightmare of Rhamondre Stevenson’s seven-fumble 2024 season seemed to be a distant memory. However, just like a “Looney Tunes” character making a surprise reappearance, Stevenson decided to give fans a nice blast from the past by fumbling on the opening drive. But what’s better than one? Two! After a third-quarter Patriots defensive interception to put the ball on the Dolphins’ 11yard line, Stevenson took the handoff. All I could do was laugh. Watching the play back in slow motion, it seemed too dramatically perfect to be real — Stevenson stumbled toward the end zone, inches away from redeeming his earlier fumble, and right as his helmet crosses the goal line, the ball is punched away, again! Not wanting their teammate to be alone, however, Gibson and quarterback Drake Maye both contributed fumbles of their own (plus a Drake Maye interception) to help the team reach their first five-turnover game since 2008!
In the post-game words of the Patriots player-turned-Head Coach Mike Vrabel, “There’s a lot to clean up.” Well, no kidding! Although I’ve focused on the laughable moments from the Patriots’ first few games in this column, a few underlying themes are emerging from the team. On a bright note, for the first time since the Tom Brady-Rob Gronkowski era, a New England quarterback in Drake Maye is finally using his tight ends, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, to march down the field (even if the drive ends in a fumble). On the other hand, the Patriots continue to lack Belichick-football discipline on both sides of the ball, starting the season with 9, 11 and 7 penalties in their first three games, respectively. Regardless, even if the Patriots keep up this “Looney Tunes” style of play with miraculous punt return touchdowns and goal-line fumbles, at least it’s entertaining, and hopefully the script writers have a few more successful episodes planned for the Patriots this season.
This fall, three Upper School (US) students are choosing to skip the US athletic team season to train with club teams. Some students aspiring to compete in college feel the need to choose between the visibility that club sports offer and the community of US sports teams. Other players balance playing for club and school teams at the same time.
Former Boys’ Varsity Soccer (BVS) goalie Jack Comes ’26 played with BVS during his sophomore and junior years.
“When I came here, I was originally recruited to play soccer. This past season, I was in the middle of recruiting. That was the biggest piece of it all for me. If I really want to play in college, I’m going to have to not play high school soccer.”
Jack plays with the Boston Bolts.
“With high school soccer, you don’t get to be seen as frequently,” he said. “A lot of coaches won’t go to a high school game to only see one player. The level of play is very different.”
Leaving his friends on BVS was a difficult decision.
“That was probably my favorite thing, being able to play with my friends,” Jack said. “Of course, my friends and high school coach were like, ‘We want you to play, it’ll be fun.’ I told them I’ll go to all the home games I can and be front row for Friday
Night Lights supporting them.”
Like Jack, former BVS winger Matteo Sestito ’27 saw the social benefits of playing on BVS.
“I played on the school team because it connected me with my friends. It was more of a social thing.”
This year, Matteo chose to only compete with his club team, the Intercontinental Football Academy of New England.
“For what my goals are and what I want to achieve in my soccer career, playing club is bringing me one step closer to actually achieving it.”
BVS midfielder Foster Larabee ’28 prefers playing for BVS over the club team he competes with in the offseason.
“The reason I play for high school is it’s just more fun for me. There’s more passion.”
The team, which has a win-
ning record, is tight-knit despite some departures.
“On the team, the spirit stays pretty high because we get another player that replaces the person who left. There is still support from the players that left because they want to see the team succeed. They’ll cheer us on from the sidelines.”
For BVS Head Coach Joseph Campbell, the conflict between playing for BVS and a club team is a growing challenge.
“There is a tug of war between the coaches, especially on the club side,” he said. “Yes, we have had some players choose other options, but the focus is on the players who decide to commit to BB&N soccer. I don’t think you’re going to have many opportunities to experience a high school environment and play sports. It’s a wonderful avenue for them to
play a sport that they love at a really high level at BB&N.”
Two BVS students from the class of 2025 are currently playing college soccer.
Coach Campbell said club soccer games differ in their importance.
“In high school, every single game you’re playing has a high meaning. In club soccer, 75% of your games don’t have the same high-level intensity that is created in the Independent School League.”
He expects his players to devote themselves to BVS.
“I am always looking for players who are 100% committed to BB&N and the soccer program. It’s a privilege to play soccer at BB&N and create some wonderful moments with your best friends.”
Athletic Director Jaye Locke encourages students to play for the school’s team. In accordance with Independent School League, students who choose to play club sports don’t receive athletic credit unless the school doesn’t offer the sport.
“The majority of us as coaches are trying to find that balance in making sure our student-athletes can pursue their dreams and support them and their goals. I believe in education-based athletics and the benefits of being on a school team. It’s special and unique and joyful.”
Photo Courtesy of Jack Comes Jack Comes ’26 plays goalkeeper for the Boston Bolts club team.
Leah Cooper Staff Writer
Photos Courtesy of Viena Desai, Vartan Arakelian and Gabe Cooper.
Louisa Kirk Kirk Off The Record
Matthew Walsh Matt’s Beantown Sports Beat
Drawing by Sydney Ruiz
Opinions
Where time stands still
My father, who has always loved metallica, has passed down such love to me. And I listen to Metallica every day, intent on combating internal agony with external agony. In terms of agony, the most painful is definitely the fourth track of the fourth album: “One,” from “…And Justice for All.” Something chills inside when listening to “One.” Time slows to a crawl, a halt, and stands still. An eternity passes even though “One” is a calculable number of minutes’ length.
“One” is inspired by the anti-war novel “Johnny Got His Gun,” which Metallica’s leaders, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, thought was powerful. Likewise, Metallica’s first-ever music video was for “One” and features clips from the 1971 film “Johnny.” And just like the song, the video and the novel, the film is one of the most chilling and awe-inducing I have ever seen.
“He had had no say in going to war, no true stake in the conflict, but there he is, reaping the consequences: alive and just as much a man as anyone, except trapped in soundless, scentless, tasteless, still, immovable, eternal blackness.”
Johnny tells the story of 20-year-old Joe Bonham from Colorado, who is drafted into World War I. Men spent the majority of the war in dirty trenches while bombs rained on their heads. And young and gentle Joe was drafted into this hell, hit by a shell and blown to smithereens. Yet, despite losing his legs, arms and face, he did not die. He had no say in going to war, no true stake in the conflict, but there he is, suffering the consequences: alive and just as much a man as anyone, except trapped in soundless, scentless, tasteless, still, immovable, eternal blackness.
Hazy scenes of ghostly doctors staring fixedly at Joe are seared into my mind. Joe’s vivacious life before is all presented in color. And life afterwards? Joe could have easily devolved into insanity, depression. No, Joe keeps himself together. He thinks. Vibrations of his bed springs tell him someone’s moving in his room. With the tiny slices of skin remaining on his forehead, he learns to keep track of the sun. He counts and calculates the number of times the nurses come to check upon him, and then time is his. He is certainly no victim. And he remembers. He remembers his father’s death, his lover Kareen and most of all, the little guy. Every young, impressionable, relatively unimportant boy out there, like Joe, who is at the whim of others. The words men used to sway legions of young guys to hack each other to pieces. The little guy who has no control over his own life, who is told to go and goes and is killed. For what, Joe wonders. Why? The little guy has never done anything wrong. The little guy just wants to live.
Historical works are incalculably significant, and “Johnny” is as much a tale of patriotism as it is anti-war. It is brutal. It is honest. And the stark truth at the end: No one can know of Joe Bonham. He wants to be free, but no little guys will go willingly to fight if the possibility of ending up like him enters their heads. Others shut him up. And without any hope, he loses track of the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years; he quits considering anything else. He is silent outside but screaming in agony inside. He is forever consigned to darkness, obscurity, oblivion and nothingness. Welcome to where life is a fate worse than death. What is worth a fair trade for our lives? Honestly, I don’t know. To each his own. Perhaps this is all to say you must be careful to never confuse others’ priorities as your own and always remember your life is your own. Otherwise, are you any more than a puppet at the master’s whims, a soldier at orders? If you are, then, welcome to where time stands still.
Go $PLTR!
Hey, seniors! Stressed about Common App essays and EA/ED deadlines? Finding yourself asking, “Why even go to college?” Well, if you think college is for opening doors to job opportunities afterward, you’re in luck! Ready up your SAT score, and apply for the Palantir Meritocracy Fellowship!
“Skip the debt. Skip the indoctrination,” Alex Karp, billionaire CEO of the Silicon Valley tech company that created the internship, says. Simply work hard, and you could have a permanent job at Palantir, one of the world’s 25 most valuable companies, while your high school classmates are taking their Biology 101 exams. Besides, as Karp tells us, “Everything you learned at your school and college about how the world works is intel lectually incorrect.”
On a serious note, please don’t. Two reasons. First, while you may be bored in U.S. History or a massive freshman calculus lecture after your time at the Upper School, you’re picking up valuable soft skills. How do you work effectively with peers? Teachers? Bosses? Besides, as Harvard econo mist David Deming P ’27 warns, “What’s good for the com pany isn’t always what’s best for employees.” Palantir’s game is one you’ll lose, which brings me to my second reason you shouldn’t even consider this internship: Who are you even working for?
A glance at Palantir’s website mentions “AI-powered automation for every decision.” Sounds a lot like every other AI data company out there. Most people know of their wildly successful stock, which grew by 340% in 2024. the age-old question remains: What does Palantir actually do?
History, English Departments award prizes to seniors
History Prizes
Conceived in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, Palantir was created by Karp and Peter Thiel to provide national security and surveillance efforts with AI technology. The company deals primarily in government defense contracts and, to a lesser extent, commercial contracts, per The Wall Street Journal. For example, Palantir supplies advanced AI targeting technologies to the Israeli Defense Force for urban warfare planning.
“When it comes to working for Palantir as a bright, young 18-year-old, if your life goals are to make a positive change in the world, perhaps it’d be best to stay in school.”
Who are other such clients? There’s Walmart, Wendy’s and oh, ICE, as well. Palantir’s work with the latter on an “ImmigrationOS” surveillance platform promises the agency “near real-time visibility” of migrants moving around the country.
Domestically, the LAPD has also signed on with Palantir for the use of predictive policing and surveillance technologies. Watching a demo of a Palantir engineer searching for a hypothetical suspect who drove a black sedan, sociologist Sarah Brayne reports that during the narrowing-down process from 140 million records to 13 people, assumptions were made about the year the car was made and the suspect’s build. When asked about whether these leaps created potential for false positives, the Palantir employee purportedly responded, “I don’t know.”
The stakes are too high to “not know.” After all, each data point Palantir tracks and delivers to clients represents a real, living human being. A false positive on the part of Palantir’s surveillance tech could upend an innocent person’s life.
The pilot of the aforementioned fellowship has led to high school graduates forgoing or deferring admission to Stanford, Dartmouth, Columbia and Penn, per Business Insider. A head start in the Silicon Valley world is simply too much to turn down, despite any ethical quandaries. So, when it comes to working for Palantir as a bright, young 18-year-old, if your life goals are to make a positive change in the world, perhaps it’d be best to stay in school. No amount of money, stock options or prestige is worth creating a world that you don’t want to live in.
3rd david
Happiness Tips
1. Give someone a compliment every day
2. Watch an episode of your favorite TV show
3. Study with your friends at a café
4. Play with your furry friends
5. Drop down from your AP classes
English Prizes
‘Remember why you’re doing it’ Miley Chen ’25 reflects on acting career
Upper School (US) students who have attended plays and musicals at the US Lindberg-Serries Theater might remember Miley Chen ’25 from the plethora of performances she contributed to. Miley now attends the University of Southern California (USC), where she recently played Hamlet in “Fair Ophelia,” a student adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic. The Vanguard spoke with Miley about her experiences as an actress and her future ambitions. —Vartan Arakelian ’26
What first sparked your love for acting, and what continues to draw you to it?
My love for playing pretend, my love for stories … I’ve always been big into mythology and grand adventures, and I found acting was a way to bring myself into those stories and bring them to other people. It’s both a team and individual sport: You’re always working with a team to put anything on, but as an actor, you are in charge of your own growth, and you can push yourself to get better.
How does the theater scene at USC compare to BB&N?
There are more resources. There’s more money and more space, and that means there are more opportunities for students to get involved and put on their own shows. At USC, there are main stage productions directed by faculty and independent student productions, which are completely student run. At BB&N, the theater program is fantastic, but there aren’t quite as many people aiming to major in theater and pursue a career in theater. Meeting a lot more people that have similar aspirations was kind of surprising.
How does preparing for a role now compare to how you approached it at BB&N?
When I was at BB&N, I was able to enlist my parents in help with memorizing lines, which I can’t do as much anymore. From a more technical perspective, there’s a little less guidance. Mr. MacDonald is fantastic: His door is always open, and that’s a resource I don’t have anymore. A lot has changed, but I wouldn’t say anything is a strict upgrade or downgrade: It’s just different.
What’s one moment onstage that you’ll never forget?
The last time I died, in fall of my senior year. I was lucky enough to have the chance to play Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” In that production, we were all particularly close, and that was my last fall show. It was a very emotional moment: Lear’s dying, and he’s very sad, and it felt in some sense like the end of a chapter because I was never going to do another fall show at BB&N.
What are your goals for acting?
My goal is to be employed. Acting is something that I really love. I don’t need to be famous, but I want to be acting … For people who want to keep doing theater, I would advise them: Remember why you’re doing it. Theater is my passion, even though, to an outsider, I’m doing something totally financially stupid. Remember that this is what you love, and it will be worth it.
If you could play any character from a movie, play or TV show right now, who would it be?
I’ve been watching a lot of superhero movies lately, so maybe a superhero. I’d also love to play Viola from “Twelfth Night” someday.
Caroline Dudzinski
Caroline’s Classics
Drawing by Sydney Ruiz
Drawing by Sydney Xu
1st Caroline KovaCs
2nd lukas Wellesley
2nd ella Botein
Xiong
1st sarah hirsCh
2nd Ryan Clay hM you-yan Wang
hM sadie saarony
Photo Courtesy of Miley Chen Miley performed “Fair Ophelia” as her first play at USC.
2025 Dubai Conference
Round Square
SEPTEMBER 19 SEPTEMBER 25
NotaBle Quotables
“My heart is big, but it’s not that big.” —US English Teacher Beth MacNamara on chaperoning a Robotics trip
“I’m trying to explore new cultures. I can’t do that with school.” —Will Gohlmann ’26, justifying a day off for Rosh Hashanah
“Note to self: I’m not going to leave Weston Tregay ’26 in a room with a model kit again.” —US Science Department Head GuilmetStephanie
“Just choose C for every question, and you’ll get a 1500.” Brett Riley ’26 on the best way to prepare for the SAT
How NYC forged 2 immaculate records
Joey Bada$$ released his debut mixtape, “1999,” in 2012 when he was just 17 years old. “1999” addresses complex issues, such as police violence and drug abuse, beyond the typical grasp of a teenager. Written by one of New York City’s most revered artists, Nas’s 1994 record, “Illmatic,” illustrates several themes parallel to those on “1999.” Nas also produced “Illmatic” when he was young; some sources claim he started at 16.
What about New York produced the convoluted melodies and messages transmitted through these records, released almost two decades apart? What similarities can be tracked between New York’s climate in 1994 and 2012 that influenced these two masterpieces?
The New York socio-political contexts in those years were reciprocal of each other: The early 1990s were marked by under-policing and rampant crime while the early 2010s’ overbearing “broken windows” and “stop-and-frisk” policing approaches sowed distrust in the police. The two climates forged similar but distinct vendettas against New York society.
Nas was in a sea of young aspiring musicians and artists looking for an outlet in a decaying city. New York was feeling the consequences of the late ’80s to early ’90s crack cocaine era, when the use of the drug spiked and brought horrific consequences and increased crime, as Nas laments on “Life’s a Bitch”: “It’s real, grew up in trife life, did times or white lines / The high piped, murderous night times, the knife fights and blight crimes.”
“Similar to Nas wavering between angry messages and more hopeful ones, Joey flaunts his hardness and follows it with guilt about wanting to contribute to the violence that scares him in the first place.”
Murder rates hit an all-time high in 1990 at 2,245 annual deaths and stayed consistent through 1994. These grim circumstances permeate Nas’s lyrics throughout “Illmatic.” In “N.Y. State of Mind,” behind a grimy beat punctuated by muddied boom-bap drums, Nas mentions the unbridled violence teeming on New York’s streets: “And claim some corners, crews without guns are goners. In broad daylight, stick-up kids, they run up on us.”
Despite these dark verses, Nas flips the switch between the horrors he has experienced in New York and the opportunities the city offers. He jumps from nihilistic tracks that deal with the lack of motivation in such a cutthroat place, such as in “Life’s a Bitch” (“Life’s a bitch and then you die”), and the optimistic melodies in “The World is Yours.”
Through a similar lens, Bada$$’s “1999” feels like a direct derivative and remix of “Illmatic.” After becoming the New York police commissioner in 1994, Bill Bratton implemented a system of “broken windows” policing to crack down on any signs of social unrest, such as graffiti and broken windows. This controversial strategy led to biased over-policing, also visible in the “stop-andfrisk policing,” which enabled officers to search individuals with reasonable suspicion. In 2002, there were 97,926 of these incidents and over 500,000 in 2008.
This climate reset the table for another legendary “f— the world” tape to emerge from New York. Bada$$ and his label, PRO ERA, went 15/15 with beats on this tape, mixing in both irate messages, such as glorifying killing cops, to more somber fears of fearing senseless violence as a 17-year-old. On “Killuminati,” Bada$$ calls himself “the young cop killer,” and Capital Steez follows with, “Dirty cops still swervin’ on the block lookin’ for black kids.”
On the next track, “Hardknock,” Bada$$ laments over a tinny arpeggiating synthesizer behind a gritty drum pattern: “One day I’m tryna have a wife and kids so I can’t live my life like this. And I ain’t trying to learn what lifeless is.” Similar to Nas wavering between angry messages and more hopeful ones, Bada$$ flaunts his hardness and follows it with guilt about wanting to contribute to the violence that scares him in the first place.
“Illmatic” set the precedent for “1999” to follow, an album featuring technical excellence that brought to light the two sides — violence and opportunity — pulling at Bada$$ and Nas. Although written in distinct socio-political climates, they both do an exceptional job of conveying the pain they feel in their lives and the impacts of their New York backgrounds on their music.
Ryan clay ClayFM
Photos Courtesy of Charlotte Willett and Sydney Francis
