The Green and Gray, February 15, 2019

Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

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FUTURE SCIENTISTS AT BERKSHIRE Avalon Lebenthal ’19 and Daniel Tian ’19 Named Semi-Finalists in Regeneron Science Talent Search Competition Gohta Aihara/THE GREEN AND GRAY

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NEWS PRO VITA Student Leaders Interview NEW! AI Program for Berkshire 2019 Current Events Global Overview SPORTS AI Meets Hockey Nick Matthew’s Five Essentials ARTS Behind the Scenes with High School Musical Cast OPINION Gender Inequality in Berkshire Athletics Senior Bucket List Environmental Stewardship at Berkshire

PRO VITA 2019—

STUDENT INITIATIVE SHINES

Michelle Wang/THE GREEN AND GRAY Above: A photo by trip-leader Michelle Wang of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the largest in Africa and the fifth-largest in the world.

by Darran Shen ’20 As the sporadic yet brutal winter season gradually ebbs away, students have begun looking towards spring, and more specifically, Pro Vita. A week packed with distinctive classes and new adventures, Pro Vita is a chance for Berkshire students to explore new horizons.

Following a successful 10th anniversary of Pro Vita last year, Mr. Anselmi, the man overseeing this ambitious endeavor, is back and promises a more expansive experience than ever: “I hope that all students push themselves to understand their passions, their undiscovered interests, and their roles in our ever-changing global environment. I’m excited about our classes and know that they will be inspiring and high energy.”

This year, students have much to look forward to, from classes that will embark on a Vietnamese culinary adventure to trips that will document the refugee crisis in Greece. On campus, Berkshire will host ever-popular events like A Cappella Palooza, where multiple collegiate a cappella teams come

February 16, 2019

to perform and compete on the Allen Theater stage.

A few students, however, will have the distinct pleasure of teaching their own classes or leading their own trips.

The Green and Gray sat down with two such members of the Berkshire community, Michelle Wang ’20 and Caroline Hogan ’19, to learn more about what they have to offer come spring.

Michelle Wang ’20 is coordinating a trip to Morocco where students will travel to a Berber village in the Atlas Mountains to work alongside villagers on community service initiatives.

Furthermore, they will spend time in the historic city of Marrakech to explore Morocco’s rich religious, cultural, and artistic legacy.

Caroline Hogan ’19 will be on campus this year teaching a class titled Meet the Beetles.

As a lifelong and avid fan of the band, Caroline will explain the history of the group and the significance behind their songs.

As a final project to wrap up the class, students will go on WBSL radio to share what they have learned with the Berkshire community.

Continued on page 4.

by Gohta Aihara ’19

prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors.

It is often referred to as junior Nobel Prize, as many alumni have significantly contributed to the next generation of science in a variety of ways, like establishing top scientific companies, developing revolutionary drugs, and, of course, winning Nobel Prizes for their work.

Along with Tian and Lebenthal, a total of 300 semi-finalists were chosen from an extremely competitive applicant pool of about 2,000 students. These top young scientists in the na-

On January 9th, Avalon Lebenthal ’19 and Daniel Tian ’19 were named semi-finalists in Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) Competition 2019. They now join a prestigious roster of nine other Regeneron STS semifinalists to have come out of the Berkshire School AMSR (Advanced Math and Science Research) program in the past ten years.

Sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Society for Science & the Public, Regeneron STS is the United States’ oldest and the most

tion and their affiliated schools were given $2,000 each for their splendid work.

“I was very excited and shocked at the same time. Daniel and I started dancing,” said Avalon, describing the moment she found out that she was chosen as a semi-finalist.

Dr. Burch, the director of the AMSR program, also shared excitement upon Lebenthal and Tian’s recognition as Regeneron semi-finalists. “I couldn’t believe that we had two students who were chosen because Regeneron is extremely competitive. I was elated,” she said. In addition to Lebenthal

and Tian, she also praised the other members of the AMSR program who applied to the competition. “I am constantly in awe of the amount [of] work that goes into Regeneron. It is something way beyond an extracurricular activity.”

Said Dr. Burch, “This year’s Regeneron participants reflected the wide interests of the students. It is simply amazing to see how everybody is doing a different topic because it shows the extensive capacity of the program.”

club was to attend the women’s march and the feeling of actually going and participating was so eye-openingly beautiful.

Thousands of like-minded people gathering for something so important really hits you hard.

I think it was a life changing experience being able to be an activist and help those around realize that they can be activists too no matter how old you are.”

Students who attended the march were able to hear from disability rights activists, gun law advocates, and even feminist poets. “I attended the women’s march because I believe that until all women and all people have equal rights, it is important to speak out and march for a better future,”said Grace Woodhull ’21.

Berkshire can sometimes be a bubble of safety and isolation, which is why many of the students and faculty who attended consider this opportunity to engage with current events so critical. To Callie Carew-Miller, a faculty-advisor of the Every Voice Counts Club, this event allowed her to interact first-hand with the community at large: “We do our best to discuss the news within our community, but videos and articles are no match for going into the world and making your voice heard.”

Looking towards the future, students are hopeful that there will be more opportunities for them to express their opinions and learn to advocate for their beliefs.

Continued on page 2.

BEARS MARCH ON BERKSHIRE STUDENTS STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT

by Gillian Maher ’21

year, about 30 students went to Pittsfield, Massachusetts to attend the March for Our Lives. This year, the female-led initiative at Hartford hosted about 1,500 participants and a collection of speakers from a variety of backgrounds.

The Every Voice Counts club, led by Emma Dreher ’19 and Elsie Harrington ’19, initiated the trip. Said Harrington ’19: “One of our goals from the very beginning of making the

On January 19th, 2019, about 20 Berkshire Students made a trip to Hartford, Connecticut to participate in the 2019 Women’s March. With a mission to harness the power of a diverse group of women, the march was one of hundreds of planned sister marches around the globe.

For many bears, this event protested for their beliefs; last

Gillian Maher/THE GREEN AND GRAY

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Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

February 16, 2019

A LOOK

RECAP: WeWeek

by Chris Branch ’20

by Tyler Swirbul ’19

from animals and landscapes.

We started by hiking up the mountain and sketching plants in extreme detail.”

By the end of the Pro Vita week, her class had crafted woodblocks with carving tools similar in nature to Emery’s, which are currently exhibited in the Warren Family Gallery.

Emery uses art as a tool to engage her students in their landscape, but her lessons delve further than that. Emery herself had no art education growing up. What she had was a passion for wandering into the mountains, where she could be

As Berkshire anticipates its most creative week of learning, Pro Vita, the school will welcome back the artist and naturalist Claire Emery. Claire will not be a new face to all, having taught during previous Pro Vita sessions.

Last year, Emery taught a woodblock class at Berkshire, inspired by Berkshire’s picturesque landscape. Says Jackson Chapin ’20, “When I took her woodblock class last year, it was clear on the first day that Emery gathers all her inspiration

inspired by the world if it was left as it was made. Her work proves that an undeveloped passion can become one’s life work.

This same model is at the heart of Pro Vita; exploring seemingly insignificant interests which could become our future. “Taking her class has guided me to a passion for art,” says Jackson. “I now plan to pursue a creative education and career.”

Not all of us intend to pursue a creative career, but neither did Emery, and now she is living out her passion.

Emery’s artwork features delicate lines, intricate patterns, and various colors that highlight the beauty of nature.

With woodblock, she recreates her direct encounters with wild and beautiful moments in life.

swift justice against his opposition. He enjoys the support of much of the military, which will be crucial in determining the outcome.

Among both the military and Venezuelan citizens, there exists a large faction which is simultaneously opposed to Maduro’s regime, which they blame for economic disaster, hyperinflation and governmental oppression, and Guaidó’s bid for power; nonetheless, due to Maduro’s current position and Guaidó’s foreign support, it seems as though the struggle for power will either end with one of them on top. Many hope for a new election; however, the legitimacy of such an election would undoubtedly be questioned. Others consider the possibility of a civil war.

AFGHANISTAN - Peace talks continue in Afghanistan among the Taliban and the United States as Trump announced his intentions to withdraw troops and reduce the American presence in the nation. The seventeen year long war has been devastating, but many claim that this is the closest it has come to ending. Discussions are in progress on how to establish a lasting peace and prevent the resurgence or emergence of any terror groups. Afghan government officials, however, have tried to downplay any progress, fearing a withdrawal of United States support and a weaker bargaining position for itself.

ZIMBABWE - A teacher’s strike faced with intimidation efforts went underway. Turnout was lower than expected due to threats by the government for reprisals and the deployment of riot police.

Teachers claim that they are not being paid livable wages in the unstable economy which is currently undergoing a period of heavy inflation. The government claims that the teachers cannot be paid anymore. The Zimbabwean strike coincides with many similar movements across the United States, Belgium, India, and elsewhere.

BRITAIN - Prime Minister Theresa May, after having her Brexit plan soundly defeated on the floor of parliament by one of the largest margins in British history, seeks to renegotiate with Brussels for an alternate withdrawal agreement that will garner enough support before the rapidly approaching March deadline; however, Brussels has repeatedly refused to cede to May’s demands. Opposition members call for a second referendum or the resignation of PM May. As Britain fails to make any substantial progress in Brexit negotiations, both the nation and its economy are experiencing instability, and a no-deal Brexit seems more and more likely.

John Cameron/Unsplash

CANADA - Gas pipeline projects in British Columbia are facing heavy resistance. One prominent pipeline in particular was brought to national attention after protestors from the Wet’suwet’en nation were arrested earlier in January. The pipeline is planned to cross land that was never ceded to Canada by any treaty and thus still belongs to the Wet’suwet’en nation; however, the pipeline company only received authorization to build the pipeline from the Canadian government; they never negotiated with the Wet’suwet’en nation for permission to cross their land. Protestors and police have reached a temporary truce; nevertheless, this one instance of resistance raises the larger question of territorial sovereignty in British Columbia.

Swaths of land remain unceded, and despite international support for the First Nations, the Canadian government and the corporations behind these pipelines still seek to go forward across the unceded land. As interests clash, tensions rise in British Columbia.

RUSSIA - After Donald Trump’s withdrawal from a Soviet-Era nuclear arms treaty, Russian president Vladimir Putin promised to increase production of nuclear weapons, including weapons previously prohibited by the now defunct arms treaty. Both sides accuse the other of hypocrisy and cheating. More importantly, many in the Pentagon see this as an opportunity to address growing threats from the Chinese, who are unconstrained by the treaty. Critics warn that the breakdown of this treaty could lead to a renewed nuclear arms race.

VENEZUELA - Self-proclaimed president Juan Guaidó has gained the support of multiple foreign nations, including the United States, in contesting Nicolas Maduro’s presidency. Guaidó and his backers claim that the elections of 2018, which resulted in Maduro’s sixth consecutive nomination were undemocratic, whereas the claimant’s critics argue that Guaidó is attempting to seize power in an American backed coup based in oil interests. Maduro, on the other hand, has condemned such uprisings and has promised

by Jackson Chapion ’20

Above: Brexit protesters standing outside the Palace of Westminster in January, 2019

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Claire Emergy/EMERY ART

Stephanie Leblanc/Unsplash

GLOBAL NEWS BRIEFS

Student Experience of Claire Emery’s Woodblock Class

Koshu Kunii/Unsplash

Although WeWeek has ended, the community here at Berkshire is still conversing about the informative experience that it was and will continue to be. WeWeek at Berkshire school is a week long event that emphasizes diversity and inclusion by allowing students to experience speakers from all different backgrounds, discussing issues facing our community and generally celebrating our incredibly diverse community and working to improve it.

The week began with our Monday assembly in which Taylor Sharp, a film student at University of North Carolina, exhibited a film as a part of his “Ubuntu” tour entitled Hoops Africa. His film explored the effect of basketball, specifically an organization called “Hoops 4 Hope” which helps recruit and teach youth in Africa about basketball and how they can pursue it.

It brought up themes of humanity, togetherness, and passion through an African phrase “Ubuntu,” meaning humanity. Berkshire students were quick to adopt this lingo into their daily lexicon and learned a lot through Taylor Sharp’s film.

The next activity on the WeWeek docket was a Tuesday discussion in individual advisee groups on campus about how we can encourage inclusion at Berkshire. The discussions were an excellent debrief for the content we had experienced thus far, and assisted in priming us for the activities to come.

Wednesday, instead of holding classes, the student body and faculty members attended what might have been the highlight of WeWeek: Cometry’s “E.M.O.J.I” presentation on mental health. Cometry is a delightful touring organization of comics and slam poets that travel the country and educate highschool and college students on the importance of mental health.

For that presentation, we

had the privilege of welcoming comedian Esteban Gast and slam poets Andre Bradford and Iggy Mwela into Allen theater to offer their perspective on dealing with mental health and give us the tools to combat the issue. Although long, the presentation was quite engaging and offered a well-appreciated look into the world of mental health.

Mental health persisted as an important theme during WeWeek, as the next activity was a series of Thursday Assembly lectures by two individual speakers who struggled with mental disorders. These talks opened up a window into the world of OCD, Anxiety Disorder, and Depression. The moving series of speeches caught many off-guard, which only amplified their effect, spurring a conversation about mental health that is still humming all over campus.

After these activities, the Berkshire community was in need of some time to reflect, so the last activity of WeWeek was held during Monday’s morning meeting block. Fittingly, WeWeek ended with a rousing, powerful address regarding the value of forgiveness, acceptance, and compassion by Reverend Sharon Risher.

As the daughter of a woman who died during the shooting at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, she provided a unique perspective on forgiveness and faith in the face of adversity. Her speech left an outstanding impact on the student body as a whole, evidenced by the standing ovation which was unequivocally provided by the crowd after her speech. WeWeek was an unarguable success this year at Berkshire.

Our community explored topics that were altogether unfamiliar and extremely important. To thank for WeWeek’s success we have LeRhonda Greats, who organized the entire experience with grace and cognizance.

Above: An army tank and guards stationed on December 8 ahead of a planned yellow march protest

FRANCE - Large scale protests in the popular “Yellow Vests” movement continue for the twelfth week in a row, targeting widespread economic inequality and the disproportionate burden of climate change on lower classes. On Tuesday, February 5, tens of thousands of yellow vest protestors participated in a large scale union march over taxes and buying power, taking the movement in a new direction. President Emmanuel Macron, whose popularity has plummeted to record lows after his perceived mishandling of both a proposed fuel tax and the country-wide protests, is considering an unprecedented referendum covering both economic and social concerns with the goal of ending the protests. Whether or not such a referendum would be supported by the French people remains to be seen.

ISRAEL - Early elections are set to be held in Israel on April 9, 2019. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing dissent among both his ruling coalition and his own party. The PM seeks to gain a firm position from which to lead Israel and to root out dissent; however, he will face some difficulties. After his own parties primaries, Netanyahu’s position seems to be at risk, as his rival, Gideon Sa’ar made gains despite efforts to oust him. The development of the Israeli elections will have a significant impact on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Gaza crisis, and the state of affairs in the Middle East as a whole.

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VOL CVIII, No. 1

INTO PRO VITA

—Two Student Leaders Sit Down with the G&G to talk about the week ahead (continued from page 1)

—Both of you have fabulous plans for your students. If you were to boil that experience down to just three words, what would you choose?

Michelle Wang ’20: I’d have to go with exotic, global, and compassionate. After all, this is a service trip with Moroccan citizens in mind.

Caroline Hogan ’19: This one’s easy. Beatlemania for Bears.

—Both of these sound very enticing. What inspired you to create those classes and trips in the first place?

CH: I am a huge Beatles nerd and wanted to have an opportunity to share my knowledge with Berkshire. What better way is there to share the endless amounts of random facts I know about the Beatles?

—That leads me to my next question. Of all you have planned, what experiences or lessons do you hope your students bring back?

CH: I had the opportunity to take a class on the Beatles a few years ago, and it had a profound impact on me. Going into the course, I hated the Beatles, but in the end, I came out with a better understanding of myself. I hope students can reflect on the importance of music in our personal lives and its impact on our culture. Hopefully, a few students may become Beatlemaniacs.

—That’s amazing. Next, let’s shift to your own experience—what are you most excited for?

MW: Ahh there are so many things I’m excited for! Like riding a camel, or staying in a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard), or taking the calligraphy class. But I think I’m most excited for the three day stay in the Atlas Mountains with the Berbers. I think getting to understand a culture that is vastly different from your own is nerve-racking but also electrifying.

CH: I’m most excited to hear from students about why music is important to them. Everyone has different experiences, especially when it comes to the Beatles, and I love hearing about them.

—Here’s a question I think that many students are interested in knowing. After all you have planned – what do you wish you could have covered but weren’t able to?

CH: Honestly, covering over a decade of history in a week is nearly impossible. The phenomenon of the Beatles is such a vast concept and requires more time to understand. I wish we had more time.

MW: I really wanted to include a trip to the Sahara Desert, but unfortunately that would’ve taken two days of traveling time. That would have been breathtaking.

—That sounds really tempting. Perhaps next year. I want to end with some advice for any students who are new to Pro Vita.

What are some tips you would give for a fulfilling Pro Vita?

CH: Putting yourself out there is the key to having a unique Pro Vita experience. Making the most of every opportunity, even if it isn’t something you would typically do, is crucial.

MW: I couldn’t have put it any better.

—And lastly, for those who want to follow in your footsteps.

What advice would you give for those who want to lead their own class or trip next year?

MW: Organizing a trip is a lot of work so learn to ask for help when you need it. Also, if you really want an activity or event to be included in the trip, don’t be afraid to negotiate with Mr. Anselmi.

He’s a great guy and will work to make sure that everyone has a great experience.

CH: Have a clear idea in your mind about why you want students at Berkshire to take your class. Knowing why your class is important makes it much easier to plan the steps that lead to that goal.

—Thank you both so much for taking the time. You both have amazing courses planned, and I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say. Good luck!

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Federico Gutierrez/Unsplash

—I didn’t know you were such a fan! Michelle?

MW: Honestly, I’ve always been enamored by pictures of Morocco on Instagram. I’ve also been curious about Moroccan culture for some time. Last summer, I had the opportunity to visit Morocco with my family, and I was just blown away by the unique arts, the exotic food, and overall culture. I wanted to bring that experience to Berkshire students and explore Morocco from a different perspective!

MW: I really hope that students will find meaning in the community service we do and the amazing culture we uncover. Moreover, I want students to come back and take initiatives to bridge the gap between cultures and raise awareness about cultural diversity among our community.

February 16, 2019

—I actually have a follow-up question, Michelle. Pro Vita is boundless, and I’m sure Morocco wasn’t the only place you considered visiting. If you had to choose one other trip to lead, where would you go?

MW: Shanghai! Hands down, I would want to focus on the art of making soup dumplings.

Above: Interior of traditional riad in Marrakech, Morocco

REGENERON SEMI-FINALISTS

Potential Cure to Acne and The Limits of Object Detection

Titled “Propionibacterium acnes biofilm: The Effect of Peptide 1018 on Bacterial Production,” her project involves a bacteria, P. acne, that is known to be the main cause of acne.

Lebenthal decided to conduct a study on P. acne due to her eagerness to improve society.

“Acne affects so many people in the world, especially teenagers.

I just thought that I would be able to affect a large number of people by studying the mechanism behind it,” she said.

Through extensive research on the bacteria and its characteristics, Lebenthal learned

that the bacteria produces a protective layer called biofilm around its surface, which allows it to defend itself from anti-acne products. In order to increase the efficiency of anti-acne treatment that exists today, Lebenthal set on a journey to test peptide 1018: a molecule that is known to disrupt similar biofilm on other bacterium.

Overcoming the challenges of designing a reliable and effective experiment through trial and error, Lebenthal finally discovered that peptide 1018 also breaks down the biofilm of P. acne.

While Regeneron may represent the pinnacle of other students’ high school careers,

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network, Tian concluded that “an AI-powered object detection may not be as robust as we credit it to be.”

After presenting his project at last year’s British Machine Vision Conference, he truly believes that his discovery may inspire more scientists to investigate weaknesses in one of the most advanced technologies, as

well as ways to fix them.

This semester, Tian has continued to pursue his passion towards AI and will contribute to the community in a different way: AI-based sleeping mask.

He said that this mask will “improve student mental health and productivity by helping them get better sleep.”

Photo/Daniel Tian

Gohta Aihara/THE GREEN AND GRAY

(continued from page 1)

sophomore year. He noticed that subtle artificial noises or fluctuations in image samples can potentially confuse the neural networks and therefore lead to a mistake. During the interview, he explained how he was baffled by this peculiar phenomenon. “I began to question the ability of neural networks.

How could an algorithm that is benchmarked to be ‘superhuman’ be deceived so easily?” he said.

When the first fatal accident happened due to one of Uber’s self-driving cars in March, 2018, he realized the urgency to deepen the understandings of AI’s inner mechanisms. For his project, Tian used a neural network called Region Proposal Network (RPN), which allows a computer to locate different objects in an image. For example, if you feed an image of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, RPN would recognize twelve men in the painting. In order to evaluate the Achilles’ heel of object detection algorithms, he intentionally included artificial noises into the RPN system. As a result, RPN was no longer able to locate objects correctly. Instead of twelve men, it classifies random spaces as another unrelated objects. As his method efficiently revealed a crucial weakness in neural

Lebenthal’s work with P. acne has only begun. Currently, she is analyzing how peptide 1018 affects the growth pattern of the bacteria in addition to its biofilm. Her future goal is to develop an anti-acne drug using peptide 1018.

“I truly believe that peptide 1018 can be a practical medicine for treating acnes,” she said. “It can be used as a pre-treatment to break down the biofilm before the traditional anti-acne treatments, such as copper manuka blue light therapy, are used to kill the bacteria itself.” Spurred by the recognition from this competition, she is also planning to continue her project with more advanced technologies in universities and beyond.

Tian took a completely different approach to solve a problem and improve the world. “Although the title, ‘Robust Adversarial Perturbation on Deep Proposal-based Models,’ seems complicated with computer science jargon, I basically discovered a weakness in object detection algorithms that are used in self-driving cars and medical imaging,” said Tian.

His interests in artificial intelligence (AI) and the neural networks used to create this technology began during his

Above: Daniel at the British Machine Vision Conference in Newcastle, one of the highest ranked conferences in its field.

VOL CVIII, No. 1

WINTER CARNIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

—The Year of the Underdog

by Jeff McKee ’19 Fierce rivalries, amusing costumes, athletic competitions—these are just some of the elements that make Winter Carnival one of the most highly anticipated events of the year.

This is the weekend where each dorm gets to show what they are made of.

As with every other year, a lot of preparation went into the weekend spectacular. Dorms spent hours rehearsing their songs and dances, making them just perfect. Especially in dorms like Mac, where the girls spent an outrageous amount of time on their skits. Some dorms took slightly more unanticipated approaches. These renegades were able to challenge the standard customs of the Winter Carnival.

It was refreshing to see many students find a different take on the old tradition.

Stanley’s unexpected win is only one of the major upsets that occurred—2019 was truly the year for the underdog. In years past, larger dorms like DeWindt and Godman reigned supreme. But for the first time in many years, Stanley and Mac emerged on top. Mac’s strengths were the parody skits produced by Elizabeth Nutting ’19, Ruby Merritt ’19, and Nenyasha Shoko ’19, as well as their incredibly well-organized skits. While Stanley and Mac won the weekend, it was a great

February 16, 2019

Sheffield, Massachusetts

effort by all of the dorms— Spurr was only 50 points behind Mac, with Spurr prefects Mads McDonough ’19 and Kate Whitman ’19 really pulling off the punk rock theme.

Even t-shirt design became an unofficial competition. When the time arrived, CGR was decked to the nines with record labels and bands in homage to their theme of “classic rock”.

You could say they really rocked the house.

The weekend ended with the much-anticipated Trivia Night, an event often regarded as the most contentious night of the year. Dorms hunker down, determined to answer each incoming question. In fact, excitement and competitive energy ran so high this year that Daniel Akomolafe ’19, a Stanley prefect, broke his wrist during Pathfinder, a more physically intensive portion of Trivia Night.

His dorm commended him for his heroic efforts.

Aside from passion and wits, Stanley also had a secret edge… having a real radio gave them a 30-second advantage over the other dorms. Maybe this hack was what helped Stanley emerge as a victor in this year’s Winter Carnival.

All in all, it was a weekend to remember. It was fun for all who took an active part.

Though I will not be here for next year’s Winter Carnival, I am excited for the Berkshire

An Unprecedented 35 Days:

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

by Tyler Swirbul ’19

budget that does not include funding for a border wall before the February 15th deadline.

Trump’s critics in Washington, who generally support strict border control, oppose the wall on its supposed impracticality, ineffectiveness, cost, and racism. Some have gone so far as to call it a monument to white supremacy.

Despite Trump’s claims thathe border wall are a waste of time, bipartisan negotiations are currently underway in Washington. Democrats remain firmly against allocating government funds for the wall, some claiming that ceding to Trump’s demands would legitimize holding employees’ wages hostage as a political tactic; nevertheless, they still hope to achieve a passable deal before the reinitiation of the shutdown. But how did we get here in the first place?

And why does it matter?

With 2018 drawing to a close, debates over the federal budget remained unresolved.

President Trump desired a budget with sufficient funding for a border wall, one of his signature campaign promises and a longtime goal of his administration; however, many legislators in the

On January 25th the longest government shutdown in United States history came to an end—at least for now. After 35 days of gridlock and contention, Donald Trump signed a budget plan that would temporarily hold the shutdown for three weeks in order to facilitate negotiations on an appropriations bill for the funding of a border wall.

The reopening of the government came shortly after unpaid workers and air traffic controllers shut down LaGuardia Airport and threatened to go on a full-scale strike. Coupled with the heavily anti-shutdown public opinion across the nation, this strike brought about the end of the political deadlock in Washington.

According to Trump, the continued operation of the government is conditional, and if the wall is not funded the nation could face the very real threat of another shutdown.

Top Democrats beg to differ.

House and Senate Democrats have criticized Trump’s willingness to re-initiate the shutdown, and have promised to pass a

Republican controlled Senate refused to set aside the 5.7 billion dollars requested, opting instead to spend $1.6 billion any deals that do not include ton what the senators deemed to be more efficient methods of border control.

As negotiations seemed to reach a stalemate, Donald Trump declared that he would be willing to initiate a partial government shutdown. Later, Trump backed down from his claim, blaming the Democrats for the shutdown despite national consensus against the president. After multiple attempts to compromise or temporarily extend funding to allow for further negotiations, the December 22nd deadline arrived with no valid appropriations bill, and thus began the government shutdown.

As the shutdown wore on and the bitter stalemate was sustained, the impact of the shutdown grew in scale and prevalence. An estimated 380,000 federal employees were furloughed with another 420,000 made to work without pay for over a month. Workers expected to continue putting in full time without pay generally

held crucial positions, and the shutdown reduced attendance rates at these highly important positions.

The 800,000 employees affected by this shutdown worked across a broad span of the federal government, including but not limited to the FDA, Coast Guard, TSA, Border Patrol, Federal Aviation Administration, and National Park Services. The shutdown also resulted in the trashing of National Parks, nationwide closures of federal buildings and services, delays in judicial cases, inhibition of border operations, decreased airport security, the inability to fulfill multiple treaties, economic downturn, and an estimated cost of 11 billion dollars.

The wages of the furloughed employees have been retroactively paid; however, their struggle has not been erased. Large portions of the damage caused will never be repaired, and there is still the danger of another shutdown on the horizon if a new appropriations bill is not passed by February 15th. The stakes are high.

A New Era of Science at Berkshire

Bears who will continue to take part in this lively weekend.

by Elias Sienkiewicz ’19 Photo/BERKSHIRE SCHOOL

This Pro Vita week marks the soft launch of a new lecture series, which, paired with a fortification of the Advanced Math/ Science Research (AMSR) program, will usher in a new era of science at Berkshire.

Titled the Tian Family Endowed Lecture Series for AMSR and AI, the endowment was established to provide funds to cover travel and honoraria for researchers and industry leaders who will visit campus to share their expertise with students and the wider community.

The Pro Vita lecture, titled “Sports Analytics and the Power of AI,” is a continuation of a collaboration Berkshire has with sports analytics and artificial intelligence company ICEBERG. Berkshire has engaged ICEBERG to deliver a sophisticated presentation on ice hockey analytics using AI, to take place over Pro Vita week on Wednesday, February 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Allen Theater.

The presentation will include analysis of hours of game film recorded by ICEBERG’s equipment at Boys and Girls Varsity Hockey home games throughout our winter season, and promises to make sense of the largest and most reliable data set in hockey, including stats for individual players such as speed, expected goals, successful entries, failed passes, and more (for more information on our collaboration with ICEBERG, see “Bears Meet AI” by Gohta Aihara ’19).

“We are so excited to welcome AI to Berkshire as an emerging discipline that is relevant, accessible, and for

Front: Peter Quilty addresses the student body at the kick-off of Winter Carnival 2019.

Behind: The Prefects of each dorm.

Photo/BERKSHIRE SCHOOL

Above: Matthew McGlinsky ‘20 prepares to lead Stanley’s tug-of-war team against DeWindt.

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ward-thinking. We are deeply indebted to the Tian family for their leadership and generosity in establishing this endowment.

I expect this to only further differentiate our academic program and the opportunities for our students here,” shared Pieter Mulder, Head of School.

In an interview, Katie Kutney, the Associate Director of Advancement at Berkshire and an instrumental figure in helping the Tian Family realize this vision, explained that one of the goals of using Berkshire hockey as a medium was to answer the central question of “how does AI relate to us?” The hope is that the lecture will answer that and more, but most importantly, that it will spark conversations and interest around a realm of science previously untapped in our community.

The endowed lecture series, however, is only the first step Berkshire is taking to prepare students for the future of AI. The most significant impact of the AI initiative is on the school as an institution. Dean of Academics Clay Splawn announced at a recent All School Meeting that beginning with the 2019-20 school year, Computer Science and AI will be offered as a Science Elective in the Berkshire curriculum. April Burch, Director of Advanced Math/Science Research and an Advisor at Berkshire, will be helping to implement AI as a facet of a new and augmented AMSR curriculum. Dr. Burch sees this initiative as “a tremendous opportunity to create an innovative, first-in-class artificial intelligence program at Berkshire.”

The future is much more than the strengthening of an ex

isting program, however.

With the support of generous Berkshire families, alumni, and friends of the school, the Advancement Office is working to finalize the Berkshire School Endowment for AMSR and AI, an initiative that will create Faculty Chairs that provide salary and benefits for dedicated AMSR and AI faculty; support the development and implementation of an AMSR and AI curriculum, built on the current science infrastructure and emanating out across disciplines; fund the engagement and leverage of an external advisor network; and provide for the recognition of students demonstrating outstanding work in AMSR and AI. “Artificial Intelligence is the electricity of the future,” asserts the Tian Family P’19, the driving forces behind this new science initiative. “With the AI and AMSR endowment fund, we envision an accessible AI education for high school students that will prepare and empower them to be at the forefront of innovation.”

Dr. Burch is right to herald this as “a pivotal moment for Berkshire;” there is much to look forward to in the coming months and years, especially for those with a love of science.

But first, look out for the “Sports Analytics and the Power of AI” lecture during Pro Vita week, with the potential for another at the student exhibition “ARISE” later this spring. Finally, course selections are in progress as we speak, and with the impending changes to our curriculum, there may just be a new class to ask your advisor about.

Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

SPORTS Gohta Aihara/THE GREEN AND GRAY

BEARS MEET AI—Newly

February 16, 2019

Introduced ICEBERG System Aims to Improve Berkshire School Hockey Team Through the Power of Artificial Intelligence

by Gohta Aihara ’19 The next time you go to a hockey game at Berkshire School, you might find three cameras and a computer set up beside the rink. These devices are from a company called ICEBERG Sports Analytics, and they record the entire game for it to be analyzed.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning algorithms, the ICEBERG system tracks each player to give extremely advanced level statisti-

cs, statistics once only accessible to professional teams. “There [is] so much information that these cameras can give to our hockey players…even more than what a coach would notice,” said Dr. Burch as she shared her excitement for this partnership.

In fact, the ICEBERG system not only analyzes basic data, such as the number of goals, shots on goal, penalties, and ice time, but also allows the team to access much more extensive measurements, including passing efficiency,

acceleration with or without the puck, and weak spots in a goalkeeper’s defense.

“The ICEBERG Sports Analytics is an incredible program that our whole team is eager to work with,” said Jack Whitney ’20, a member of Boys Varsity Hockey team. “The fact that this AI can follow and breakdown our games is truly amazing, and I’m really excited to be able to benefit from it.

Like most teams, we watch our game film, but with these added statistics and analytics our Gohta Aihara/THE GREEN AND GRAY

coaches will be able to develop our players even further.”

Berkshire plans to use the ICEBERG system to analyze eight games for both Boys and Girls Varsity Hockey teams.

Additionally, ICEBERG Sports Analytics is visiting Berkshire School during Pro Vita week to present the effectiveness of AI and statistically show how each team improved throughout the season.

Although Berkshire School signed a contract with ICEBERG Sport Analytics for

FACULTY ATHLETES Photo/BERKSHIRE SCHOOL

by Peggy Stansbery ’20 Cori Chambers

Recently, The Green and Gray interviewed squash ambassador to Berkshire School, Nick Matthew, to find out the five things that the former world number one squash player can’t live without.

When we first scheduled the meeting, I didn’t know what to expect. I walked into the squash courts at around 2:00 pm and saw Nick dressed in squash gear. We had training in a little over an hour, so I was not worried about running out of time. He greeted me warmly, and I thanked him for agreeing to the interview. I did notice that Nick clearly didn’t have his five things with him, so I wondered if he had prepared at all for the interview. Fortunately, I was wrong, as Nick talked for almost twenty minutes about five things he can’t live without.

Right off the bat, Nick stated that he obviously couldn’t live without his squash racket. Nick has been playing squash for thirty years and played professionally for twenty years, so it was imperative that he found a racket that he could work well with. “Anyone who has played any racket sport before knows that [their racket] is like their weapon, so once you find something you like, to change is a bigger deal than what it might seem on the outside.” Nick has stuck with the brand Dunlop for most of his career, as this brand has not only sponsored

him since he was eighteen, but he also feels that he plays his best with their rackets. Even while Nick is coaching our own Berkshire squash team, whenever he needs to do an on-court demo and borrows someone’s racket, it never feels the same as his own.

The second item that Nick cannot live without is his passport. As stated earlier, Nick played on the PSA (Professional Squash Association) World Tour for twenty years, and in doing this visited many countries. When Nick applied for his passport, he needed to apply for a larger one in order to fit his many travel visas. He said whenever he travels with his wife, it is easy to tell which passport belongs to him because of how big and beat up it is: “Hers looks pristine and brand new, and mine looks like the dog ate it. You know when you say to a teacher, the dog ate my homework, well that applies to my passport.”

The third thing on his list was a water bottle. As any athlete knows, hydration is most important when playing a sport. This does not just apply to training days or game/match days, but every day. Anyone who knows him well will know that Nick can almost always be seen with some form of water in every part of the day. Says Nick, “I think I read a quote when I was younger that if your 2% dehydrated you lose 20% in your performance…and that really stuck with me even though there was probably no science behind that claim.”

Nick’s fourth item was one

that he seemed rather ashamed to admit, his cell phone. To Nick, his phone is not just the device that he uses for calling, but a device that he uses for virtually everything. This is true with many people around the world, that our phones have become an increasingly important part of our daily lives and culture, and it turns out that “The Wolf” is no exception. “I feel like I should be able to live without it…but nowadays you can do everything on it, right, it’s got all your social media and your contacts, and actually picking up the phone and using it to make a phone call is less common these days,” he said as he fumbled around with it.

Nick says that given how much he travels, he needs his phone to stay in touch with his family, but he also says that he’s guilty of using it as his “all-around device.”

The final item that Nick Matthew claimed that he couldn’t live without was his mother’s cooking. As boarding school students, we can all especially relate to this one, as there is nothing like eating homemade comfort food. In Nick’s case, he said that his mothers homemade Yorkshire pudding was something that he especially liked. This is a dish that normally is done on the side, but in the Matthew household this is done as a main course, and whenever Nick comes to England for the tour, he always makes a detour to his parent’s house to enjoy his family comfort food.

5

bers: “Go to a school where you can pursue a helpful degree, as well as play your sport”.

Charlie Bour Charlie Bour is the head coach of the Boys Varsity Soccer team and teaches Spanish at Berkshire. As a former Division III soccer player at St Lawrence University, Bour has always been attracted to the game for reasons beyond his genuine love for the sport; to him, soccer has served as a physical and mental outlet to his active and social personality.

In college, however, soccer took on an entirely new mean ing. Perhaps most importantly,

collegiate soccer added an element of global awareness and diversity to his life: his teammates were from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Moreover, soccer brought routine and discipline to his university experience, which allowed him to expand his horizons and create a more fulfilling experience.

From his days as a player to the much-loved teacher he is now, Bour has retained one crucial lesson he learned from the field: that life is not fair, and one must accept that in order to thrive. Taking that to heart, he prides himself on working hard, taking responsibility for his actions, and taking control of his life instead of complaining.

And as for the current soccer players under his wing? Bour notes that collegiate sports are going to be challenging but fulfilling. For those students who are stressed, he recommends that you take a break, and understand that life is full of highs and lows. Bour says, “try your best regardless of what other people say. Take control of your destiny, and try to shake off the rest!”

Gohta Aihara/THE GREEN AND GRAY

Cori Chambers is the head coach of the Girls Varsity Basketball team at Berkshire School and works in the admissions office. She played D1 Basketball at the University of Georgia, and then went on to play in the WNBA for the Connecticut Sun. For Chambers, playing basketball in college and beyond wasn’t always on her radar. It wasn’t until Chambers was being recruited by major Division 1 schools in her sophomore and junior year of high school at AAU tournaments, that she realized that she had the potential to play in college.

As a college athlete, Chambers’ schedule was extremely busy. Playing basketball at a top Division 1 school took up a lot of her time; it was a year-long commitment that involved hours of daily practice and traveling all over the country for games.

For her, and similar athletes, finding a healthy balance between academics and basketball was a challenge. In order to stay ahead, she took part in summer school and was actually able to graduate in three years.

Looking back, Chambers recounts the many life lessons she learned as a college and professional athlete, from the value of hard work and accountability to growing as a teammate and an independent person. Chambers expresses that, “At any level of basketball the lessons of accountability and hard work can be learned”.

As for prospective college athletes here on campus, Chambers recommends that students do thorough research on the school environment beyond the coaches and teams. Says Cham-

Five Things Nick Matthew Can’t Live Without byTad Koenigsbauer ’20

For next year, Berkshire School is officially going to launch its AI program, which would enable students to take computer science courses at the school and expand the spectrum of the school’s Advanced Math and Science Research program. These are just a tip of an iceberg of the benefits that Berkshire students would receive from this program. When bears meet AI, limits can only be further challenged.

only a single year, the school’s progressive approach to involve AI into its curriculum has only just begun. With a newly endowed AI program, Dr. Burch is looking to introduce this technology in a way that would appeal to both scholars and athletes. “Helping our hockey teams with the ICEBERG system shows our community that AI can solve problems that they never thought before. It will definitely raise the awareness of the power of AI,” Dr. Burch said.

Above: Coach Bour (Center) lifts the 2018 NEPSAC Class A Champion’s cup.

Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

February 16, 2019

ARTS “We’re all in this together!”

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL BREAKDOWN THE

Berkshire’s production of High School Musical is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year.

An energetic blend of singing, dancing, and early 2000s flashbacks, it is not to be missed. I sat down with the High School Musical cast to discuss the making of a musical.

The musical is a very arduous experience. What has been the most challenging moment so far?

Harley Frechette ’19 (Sharpay Evans): For me, the challenging part has been dancing. While I’ve always been an athlete, I’ve never been a dancer, and I’m a very self-conscious person when dancing. So that’s very challenging.

Martin Dimo ’19 (Troy Bolton): For me, I only have one other musical to compare it to, and last year it was not nearly as much singing for me. Having almost twice the amount of songs and having them be extremely high in my voice register has made it particularly hard this year. I’ve had to put a lot more work in with Giang in doing our duets, and it’s something that I feel is a lot to ask for. I’m working as hard as I can, but it’s something that my voice isn’t naturally used to, so that’s been very tough for me.

Who is your favorite character? Doesn’t have to be your own.

Everyone: Sharpay.

LR: I have favorite moments with characters. Not just one character.

LN: Let me add – Sharpay and Darbus.

HF: I like the Sharpay and Ryan dynamic. Luke and I have literally started to act like them.

MD: I don’t like one character more than any other, but the Ryan and Sharpay dynamic is so funny.

If you could play any other character in the show, who would it be?

MD: I would’ve loved to do Ryan. Not gonna lie, I would’ve enjoyed being Ryan.

LN: Zeke! I want to try Zeke. That’s an interesting character.

Giang Le ’20 (Gabriella Montez): I would’ve wanted Kelsi.

LR: Wait a minute. I would want to play Darbus. Boom, didn’t see that coming!

In less than a month, this will all be over. What are you going to miss most about the musical?

MD: The stress. I’m someone who enjoys stress and having something to do. I remember from last year, you get this void in you, physically and mentally, where everything you’ve worked so hard on for three months, you never use it again. It’s ridiculous, and it’s so bizarre, and it’s sad. You learn all this information, you use it for three nights, it makes you feel like the most amazing person ever, and then it’s over. That stark change, it’s something hard.

LR: I kind of think of it as a mandala. Do you all know what that is? I think it’s a Buddhist tradition. They will spend about three months painstakingly making this ornate picture out of sand, and then like ten minutes after it’s done, they put it all into this urn and wash it away. It’s supposed to symbolize how it’s not the finished product that really matters, it’s the work, it’s the grind, it’s the dayto-day.

LN: During the musical, I see so many inspiring people. I learned a lot from each and every one of the cast members. You see them during practice every day, and then suddenly you don’t see them anymore, and those special moments you share with them become rarer. Last year, when the cast of Hairspray met once again, was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.

Don’t let the name fool you—Jazz Cafe was, in the words of Clive Davis, a faculty member of the music program, created not only to “showcase our [jazz] ensemble, but also to become something more.”

This ‘something more’ is an informal venue for a wide array of students and faculty to showcase their musical talents.

As Giang Le ’20, a three-time Jazz Café performer puts it, “[Jazz Café] is a more intimate set up—you’re up close and personal with the audience, versus when you’re on stage.”

She describes the experience as “nerve-wracking”, but credits it for making her more confident in her musical performances.

Energy is always high for these special nights. Students surge into the atrium, crowding onto the balconies to hear the performers. That is no surprise.

After all, every Jazz Café prom-

High School Musical will be performed in Allen Theater February 14th–16th.

Editor’s Note: The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

—ft. tireless hours, endless practices, and food Ensemble, Chorus, Orchestra, and Concert band.

The festival is a concert performed by more than 150 musicians from over 40 different schools in Western Massachusetts. Beyond the incredible quality of music and professionalism, the most significant aspect of the festival is that every player and singer is a

On January 12th, through the mighty winter of Massachusetts, musicians of Berkshire traveled to UMass Amherst for two long but exciting Saturdays of music. They attended as singers and instrumentalists in the MMEA Western District Senior Festival, featuring the Jazz

ises an exciting lineup.

Attendees of this year’s Jazz Cafe were treated to heartfelt original pieces composed by talented freshmen, a rousing rendition of “Tequila”, a bluesy faculty performance of “Hit the Road Jack”, and an autobiographical country song recounting the life and times of Angela Ansah ’21, among other standouts.

Later, when I asked Dr. Davis about the purpose behind creating Jazz Café, he replied: “Our goal was always, ‘how do we modernize the music program?’ And ‘how can we give voice to different kinds of music at Berkshire?’”

Ultimately, he said, the music program hopes to create a culture where music is created not for the sake of an assignment, but for the joyful moment itself. Jazz Café, and its role as a venue featuring all performers and genres, was a turning point in creating that culture.

Photo/BERKSHIRE SCHOOL

by Emily Liu ’20

I’d like to wrap up the interview with some fun questions. Who in the show is most like their character?

Everyone: DENG. LR: Deng is basically Zeke in real life. He’s a PG, but he’s branching out, he’s not sticking to the status quo, he’s doing the musical! And he’s just the nicest person.

LR: Deng is basically Zeke in real life. He’s a PG, but he’s branching out, he’s not sticking to the status quo, he’s doing the musical! And he’s just the nicest person.

The MMEA Music Festival Experience

by Kevin Rhee ’21

Bears Got Talent!

Student Creativity Bursts at Jazz Cafe

What would you say to someone thinking about doing the musical next year?

Everyone: DO IT. LR: If you’re a senior, to not do at least one theater production would be a crime.

Alanna Smith ’19 (Taylor McKessie): Amen. At the end of the day—even if you can’t do the winter musical—do some sort of theater production, do something. It is an experience that I am so grateful for, and it is a choice that I will never regret. And I haven’t even done the actual show yet.

MD: Every single senior, past senior, who has done this musical, will agree a hundred percent with everything Alanna just said.

Nhu Nguyen ’19 (stage manager): There are so many more roles in the musical that you can be a part of, rather than just being on stage.

Eleanor Ahn/THE GREEN AND GRAY

On the flipside, what have you loved most about doing the musical?

HF: The friendships that I’ve made so far. I’m not proud of this, but I haven’t really spoken to a lot of the cast in my three years here.

So I think it’s been a humbling experience to make new friends and to see the different perspectives of Berkshire, and the kids that it attracts.

Luke Nguyen ’21 (Ryan Evans): Personally, I love being in the musical, because there’s a great feeling when everyone starts singing and dancing. It’s really hard to describe, but you feel proud of yourself, proud of being part of this wonderful production, and I guess pride from being able to sing and dance with everybody. It’s something I can’t find anywhere else.

Logan Renneker ’20 (Chad Danforth): Just to piggyback off of the friendship point, I definitely got to know people a lot better. Shoutout to Alanna, what up Taytay! Yeah, I really have enjoyed getting to know everyone a lot better. Close friends, friends that I haven’t made friends with yet, but will! It’s a group experience. And the play is directly affected by the group dynamic. So it’s important to make a good group dynamic.

Everyone snaps.

Eleanor Ahn/THE GREEN AND GRAY

Cast of High School Musical Interview by Eleanor Ahn ’22

high school student. These high school musicians go through a rigorous audition process that assesses their prepared piece, sight-reading, and scales according to their respective instruments or vocal ranges.

The rehearsal process is a fulfilling journey unto itself. From the first day of rehearsals, where students sit amongst strangers in assigned seats, to the final performance with newly-made friends, the music festival represents something more than the notes emanating from the magnificent concert hall of Amherst. At the close, students leave with smiles on their faces from the fond memories and anticipation for more to come.

Six musicians from Berkshire attended the festival: Elizabeth Nutting (’19, Violin), Christina Tao (’21, Violin), Kevin Rhee (’21, Cello), Angela Ansah (’21, Flute), Giang Le (’19, Vocal) and Maia Tolentino (’21, Vocal). Only after hours and hours of practice were those musicians qualified for the program and When he sees someone playing a guitar in Buck Valley, or hears spontaneous snippets of song as students walk to class, he thinks back on the hand Jazz Café played in making those moments possible.

6

could perform their pieces successfully. The crowning event for Berkshire’s musicians was, of course, donuts at a local store and a filling meal at a renowned Japanese restaurant. After a long day of rehearsals and performance, the bears enjoyed their treats and returned home.

Rehearsals were not easy for the students; two (three including audition day) entire Saturdays were dedicated from early morning to late at night, and many more hours daily for practice and preparation.

The valuable lessons and fond memories they took away from the experience, however, were entirely worth devoting their time and effort.

Says Giang Le ’20, “It was such an amazing experience! I had never performed with such a large group of people before, and I got the chance to do so with other high school students who were all incredibly passionate about music.”

With congratulations to the musicians who made it, the music department welcomes and encourages everyone next year to take their own music experience a step further, and have fun along the way!

As for where Dr. Davis sees the music program in the future, the newly introduced Songwriting Contest may play an equally influential role in celebrating music under the mountain.

Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

Senior Bucket List with Devon Thompson

by Devon Thompson ’19 At Berkshire we have amazing academic, athletics, and resources at our disposal, but to get the true Berkshire experience one will have to step out of the classroom and take advantage of what is around them. Below are what I consider the unique challenges that will help truly shape the most incredible Berkshire experience. This list is a culmination of my personal Berkshire Bucket list along with contri-butions from my fellow bears;in fact, one of my personal Berkshire Bucket List Items was to write for the Green & Gray Newspaper, and it has been a very eye opening experience. I welcome everyone to take on these challenges and feel free to come and share your experiences with me.

Berkshire Bucket List • Climb to the top of Mount Everett, South Pinnacle, and Black Rock • Sleep on the mountain • Bike to Marketplace • Watch the sunrise from the JV Girls Soccer field • Jump in Guilder Pond • Hike and jump into the reservoir in the Winter • Take a picture of the view from the top of Mt. Everett • Make it onto the Berkshire School Instagram • Participate in a 1907 Phonathon • Have zero food waste for a week • Go on a town trip • Attempt the Mountain Day Sub 40 challenge • Check a book out of the library • Mountain bike with Andrew Buckley • Stargaze in Buck valley • Wake up at 8 and make it to breakfast then to class on time at 8:15 • Enter Berkshire Hall through the art wing to avoid seeing a teacher you didn’t do the homework for • Make and eat a waffle every morning for a week straight • Use the electron microscope in the AMSR lab • Make a panini and get it featured on Jay Shoudel’s panini Instagram account • Be first in line for a Sunday Brunch Omelet • Try every flavor of ice cream from SoCo • Spot a Bear • Hunt for Morel mushrooms • Run Giberson • Bike to Bistro Box, eat a Box Burger, fries, and a milkshake, and then bike back • Talk at All School Meeting • 3D print your own design in the Engineering Lab • Challenge Mr. Mulder to a chess match • Write for the Green & Gray Newspaper

Devon Thompson/THE GREEN AND GRAY

Racism and Natural Instinct: A Persuasive Essay

by Aimi Sekiguchi ’20 Racism has taken a major role in human history as one of the many methods with which humans claim the superiority of a specific population. Despite progressive efforts, racism remains a pivotal reason for inequality across the world today. It has prevailed in multiple continents across time, so much that it may almost seem natural that people use racist arguments to their benefit.

However, as Toni Morrison states, racism is a scholarly affair: it is subtly ingrained through our education, justified academically by society for specific benefits, and skews the natural bias we hold as animals into a superiority complex.

First, biases in education nurture many racist opinions.

Schools in America today can be unconsciously racist, and

racists often receive the first inputs of their beliefs within these academic environments.

The textbook company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt was sued for an inaccurate portrayal of history which undermined segregation and oppression, such as the slave experience and the exploitation of indigenous lands. This accusation was, as expected, made by a parent of color.

Children are “protected,” growing up believing that a subverted history is the truth.

Portrayals of the success of a certain race without an explanation of the major disadvantages that other races suffered can lead to a damaging misunderstanding. Through these misunderstandings, materials used in education can subliminally teach racism.

Even outside the classroom, society can ingrain racism for

February 16, 2019

OPINION

Book Review: The Devil in the White City

SEASONAL MUSIC SELECTION

White City and its effects.

Instead, the book is spent, in fascinating detail, documenting the Fair’s engineering marvels, power struggles, and Holmes’ brick by brick ascent to power.

We learn in detail of Holmes’ new kiln, Buffalo Bill’s legendary show, and construction struggles. When Larson does delve into more complex issues, they prove satisfyingly relatable: the workaholic organizers promise to spend more time at home once the fair is over.

Frederick Law Olmsted, the celebrated designer responsible for the fair’s landscape, frets over the impossibility of achieving perfection and sinks into depression. Workers at the fair campaign for fair wages and working hours.

At times, The Devil in the White City risks devolving into a free-for-all narrative; the entire dual narrative itself rests on risky territory. They are only related chronologically, and one event did not weigh heavily on the other (Holmes would have killed without the Fair and indeed continued to kill after it).

Regardless, the book is given shape by Larson’s sharp storytelling and literary instincts. By leaving just enough narrative tension to prod the both the plot and reader along, he adds further intrigue through his addition of gentle humor (Fair records indicate ‘’1 case of extreme flatulence’’ and ‘’169 involving teeth that hurt like hell’’) and historical digressions, like the origins of Disney, Oz, and the Ferris Wheel.

In the end, it is novelistic history that wins out, and not the investigative seriousness of it. The Devil in the White City functions marvelously as a nonfiction narrative of the 1893 World’s Fair as well as a comprehensive crime story that will surely leave the reader in a sense of awe, but beyond so should be taken with a grain of salt. With announced intentions but no follow-through, Larson gets lost juxtaposing his star characters and loses the opportunity for more impactful societal analysis.

by Jackson Chapin ‘20

In a story as dramatic and riveting as its title might suggest, Erik Larson, in The Devil in the White City, embarks on a literary quest of bridging the gap between two concurring events in American history, one a pinnacle of human ingenuity and innovation, while the other of human depravity and savagery.

Larson dips back and forth across narratives to achieve this effect, while treating the reader to an endless stream of anecdotes and name-drops (so perhaps not so much a treat as a torrent), from the introduction of the zipper to visits from Edison, Buffalo Bill and Susan B. Anthony (of course, as Larson suggests, such an event as the World’s Fair is bound to attract anyone who is anyone).

Throughout this, Larson promises to divine the social and cultural conditions that lead to such success on one end and tragedy on the other. Ultimately however, Larson falls short of his ambitions, and ends up with not analysis but rather a combination of two gripping stories. Make no mistake, Larson is a gifted narrator, and while doesn’t fulfill his historical framework with effective argument (if at all), The Devil in the White City is well worth the read for plot alone.

Larson leads readers along his storyline, with a sort of journalistic attention to detail and imagery while still employing novelistic elements that string each episodic chapter towards a final crescendo. At least, that is what one would expect from a typical serial killer thriller.

And yet, the book veers away from such tropes, by not only dropping not-so-subtle hints about what is to come, but more importantly revealing to the if-still-oblivious reader at the very start that the World’s Fair will defy all expectations and succeed, and that H.H. Holmes will commit several reprehensible acts of killing to the extent of which is still unknown.

At first glance, this move seems like an ill-fated clash between the journalist’s way of ‘telling-it-as-it-is’ and the author’s need for building suspense, but by doing so, Larson

by-and-large manages to remove the fame and glory associated with the Fair, and likewise the gore and moral turpitude associated with Holmes. Instead, the reader is encouraged to see the house of cards that the fair is built on, the struggle of having a fair at all.

Forget the purity of white that is the Court of Honor; focus on the cracking staff coating that provides structure and the quicksand that serves as foundation. In the same way, by taking away the blood that would otherwise distract, Larson is able to portray Holmes from a morally impartial view where violence doesn’t define the story; the intrinsic link between violence and character is thus broken.

Read with the end in mind, glory becomes vulnerability and gore simply a result.

Larson characterizes his book as a historical inquiry into “the great dynamic that characterized the rush of America toward the twentieth century”, and it is here where his argument, having ingeniously been set up, begins to fall more towards story than analysis.

In fact, this dynamic is never explicitly mentioned again, nor are the elements. In fact, in his notes, Larson admits that “exactly what motivated Holmes may never be known”.

That is not to say that Larson doesn’t try to set up a dynamic; Larson employs juxtaposition and dichotomy liberally – like that of the Fair’s beauty and immortal legacy compared to the reality of whitewashed staff and a temporary imitation of civic progress and grandeur.

And of course, the ever present “White” and “Black” City and their representative opposites, Holmes and Burnham.

No doubt, this neat analytical framework allows Larson to better weave the narratives together but ends up sacrificing analysis for story. By directing attention to this artificial relationship, Larson largely ignores opportunities for closer examination of the two men, their projects, and the society that made it all possible.

In fact, the book shies away from more concrete analysis on a whole, leaving the pages strangely lacking in explanations relating to the cultural and social significance of the

the advantages it brings. A great example is the “celebration” of Columbus’s discovery of the Americas. It is much more comfortable and easy to address the invasion of indigenous lands as a breakthrough rather than a massacre.

However, treating the exploitation as a trivial fact cultivates ignorant patriotism and a sense of superiority against the Native population.

Another example is Social Darwinism. This application of evolution to human society claims that people become successful because they are innately better. The concept justified glorification of success as “talented, hardworking, deserving,” and resent towards the unsuccessful as “lazy burdens of society.”

This theory doesn’t take into account the unequal opportunities; when applied to the late 1800s, the many freedmen who struggled to succeed despite systematic oppressions, such as the Jim Crow Laws and the Black Codes, were generalized as “innately inferior.”

Social Darwinism was another origin of racist generalizations. Racism is taught through the exploiters of society because of its benefits, such as avoiding uncomfortable conversation and justifying superiority.

Despite the examples in education, some may claim racism as an inherent human trait.

However, it is crucial to recon sider the differences between bias and racism. Indeed, the instinct of self-protection makes animals favor populations that

hold a similar appearance.

Studies show that babies prefer people who look like their mother: natural instinct generalizes that these people are not their enemy. However, this is bias, not racism. While people may be inclined to favor their own race, it does not justify the hatred, segregation, exploitation, and oppression of other races.

Unconscious bias can account for preference, but the intentional degrading of other races, such as anti semitism, the apartheid, and slavery in the United States, can not be dismissed as “animal instinct.”

Racism is taught both in and outside the classroom because it is beneficial, not because it’s natural.

People are greedy. With

racism comes not only a way to take advantage of other populations but a way to justify it by distorting history, manipulating social expectations, and attributing this behavior to evolution. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations in classrooms has been accepted as the social norm to “protect” the students, but these ignorant children grow up to assert colorblind policies that do not account for the disadvantages minorities suffer.

This systematic oppression is intentional, calculative manipulation, and should not be simply disregarded as animalistic behavior. Racism is an extreme human development of bias, and is prevalent in the classroom and in society for because of its convenience.

by Darran Shen ‘20

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As a music enthusiast, I associate certain songs with a memory or a place. In the case of this playlist, I grouped songs that have a seasonal connection.

The following, spanning alternative, pop, rock, and indie, all promote inspiring artists whose songs have a wintry sound or subject matter.

1. “come out and play” Billie Eilish The beauty of the lyrics gives me chills. A quiet, yet hugely inspirational song, it convinces us to be vulnerable rather than staying safe at home. To enjoy a video featuring the song, watch Apple’s short animated film for “come out and play”. In it, a girl struggles to let her creativity out: “It’s colder here in silence, you don’t have to keep it quiet.”

2. “Last Snowstorm of the Year” - Hippo Campus This cover encompasses the nostalgia of the last snow before spring. Hippo Campus adeptly made this song their own, continuing to attract listeners with their indie rock brand.

3. “Winter bird” - AURORA AURORA paints a beautiful winter image when she sings; “My tears are always frozen, I can see the air I breathe.” The stoic production backs up the poetic lyrics.

4. “End” - Jeremy Zucker Zucker, a young genre-breaking artist with a frosty electronic sound, is worth a deep listen.

“End” is a melancholy song about endings. In an interview, he recounts the day he wrote “End”. “It was unusually overcast, and I had spent most of the morning in bed.”

Rounding out the playlist are: 5. “Wasted Roses” - JT Roach, 6. “Iceberg” - Borns, 7.

“Out of the Dark” - Young Lions, 8. “Darkest Hour” - Lyves Editor’s Note: The Winter Jams playlist can be found on Spotify by searching “Green and Gray Jams.” Song number 4 contains explicit lyrics, and may not be suitable for all audiences.

Sheffield, Massachusetts

VOL CVIII, No. 1

GREEN AND GRAY COMIC

Why Berkshire’s Diversity Initiative Should Include Environmental Stewardship

by Harrison Chapin ’20 and Devon Thompson ’19

Illustrated by Ivanna Lagur '21 | Written by Harrison Chapin '20

Gender Inequality in Berkshire Sports

by Megan Mokriski ’21 Gender equality at Berkshire isn’t a coincidence—it’s a choice. While Berkshire has many successful sports teams, the boys’ soccer program is the obvious standout: winning five out of the last seven Class A titles, a 19-0-0 record this season, and a player who was recently drafted to play professionally.

They have taken preseason trips all over the world, including England, Germany, South Africa, Spain, and Costa Rica.

Over 100 students tried out for the team this year, and Coach Bour ended up with around 23 of the best players.

The girls’ soccer team is a completely different story. The program has not been thriving.

For the third year in a row, they finished the season with only one win to their name. There hasn’t been a preseason for two years, and only 45 girls play soccer across both teams. The varsity team consisted of only 16 players. Over the summer, a wedding was held on the field, leaving a corner devoid of grass that eventually turned into a mud pit. They were forced to relocate to the turf field at the last minute before a couple of games because the conditions made their own field truly impossible to play on.

It makes sense why the boys have the better field. People want to come to their games because they win. There is no shame in wanting to watch their games rather than the girls’, but this contributes to a cycle that needs to be broken. Coming to practice every day on a muddy field and having loss after loss is difficult, and players begin to lose morale quickly.

At some point, you have to take a step back and look at

what is really going on. The boys’ soccer team does not sustain itself on its own; this past season, there were multiple new recruits, five post-graduates, and more funds for the program. The girls’ program lacks much of this and part of the blame lands on the school.

Nevertheless, there is a lot of hope for the future. “We want to improve our teams and be successful, but we also feel it’s equally as important to do it the right way. So sometimes that takes time, but I think that the foundation that our girls have built will ensure future success down the road,” explains Dan Driscoll, the Director of Athletics at Berkshire. I sat down with new head coach Mark Gillon to discuss this hope. The team is young; there are seven sophomores on the team and four freshmen, many of whom were recruited for sports, if not soccer specifically. This year, they got three new coaches, including Gillon, whose job, in his eyes, is “not only coaching the team and improving the players, but also raising the general profile of female athletics [at Berkshire].”

To this end, Gillon has been working with other coaches and the admissions department at Berkshire to meet this goal and present a “united front” on recruiting. Last spring, Gillion also created the first girls’ soccer team for the club Black Rock, which gives players the opportunity to play year round.

Lastly, he is working to include the girls on a preseason trip to Bermuda and training at Berkshire Soccer Academy next year.

I believe that with these coming changes, the girls’ soccer team will finally start winning more games. As Gillon said, everyone at Berkshire is “invested in the

February 16, 2019

non-electric SUV’s. We were a 2013 Green Ribbon School recipient, but chose not to make the Soffer Athletic Center LEED certified before it opened in 2016.

We should be inclined to maintain the natural beauty that makes our campus so attractive to diverse prospective students in the first place. Imagine the admissions brochure you saw when initially applying to Berkshire. On the front cover sat Berkshire Hall, with the pristine Buck Valley lawn in the foreground, and Black Rock in the background. Thus, the question we should ask is “How could the school’s environmental decisions influence neighboring private boarding schools for the better, as they too seek diversity?”

There is no shortage of acceptance towards diversity among our private school cohorts; it is innate. In fact, the concept of “diversity” is mentioned in some capacity in the mission statements of Milton, Hotchkiss, Andover, Exeter, Williston, Suffield, Thayer, Lawrenceville, among many others. However, there is little mention of sustainability in the missions of the aforementioned slew of schools. This uniformity of callings among schools provides Berkshire with a tantalizing opportunity: we can be trendsetters in a new endeavor, trendsetters for environmental justice.

It is understandable that these goals are both challenging and controversial, but the truth is that planet Earth is set on a catastrophic course. The intent of this article comes from a genuine passion to create an

On Thursday, January 24th during all school meeting, Berkshire’s diversity committee, including faculty members Michael Bjurlin, LeRhonda Greats, and Trustee Angel Perez presented to the school community a developing plan to create a more racially, culturally, and ideologically diverse faculty and student body.

As the assembly wound down, Ms. Greats reminded us that, although the presentation was concluding, the conversation was not ending there in that room, but would be part of an ongoing feedback loop. In keeping with this powerful message, the following is feedback that we believe to be of critical importance in accordance with what Berkshire represents.

When categorizing increased diversity as a step forward for the school, we must make sure it is not at the expense of more carbon emissions and pollutants, lest we aim to hypocritically ignore the tenet of environmental stewardship that adorns our history and mission statement. Our mission statement reads: “Rooted in an inspiring natural setting, Berkshire School instills the highest standards...Our community fosters diversity, a dedication to environmental stewardship....”

Given the themes touched upon in our mission statement, will the diversity plan uphold all of these values? We should not simply begin to sleepwalk after our goal, but first take a step back, ensure that global recruitment searches are being conducted with sustainability in mind, and then seek diversity.

Berkshire is the poster child for sustainability in the realm of New England prep schools. Unfortunately, in the last few years, we have become satisfied with past successes. We are proud of our eight-acre solar field, but not many know that all its energy is consumed by the Jack’s hockey rinks in the winter, an amount that would otherwise cover 40% of the schools energy needs. We are proud of our electric car charging station, but we recently bought three

exceptional Berkshire, where we educate and take action. In the diversity presentation, it was discovered that Berkshire’s ions, our objective is to become

CROSSWORD

Down: 1. Iceberg Sports Analytics CEO 2. Type of compound with anti-acne properties 3. Winner of the Taylor Award in 2016 4. Meal ______ 6. Average class size 7. Jacob Shaffelburg’s team 9. Month of Reunion Weekend 10. 1916 basketball coach 12. Boys Soccer Cup 15. “To ____ is to conquer our fate” – Thomas Campbell 16. Ms. Chambers’ WNBA team 19. Number of Wetherill Trophy winners in 2005 Across: 5. Faculty who holds Mt. Everett challenge title 8. Number of students (Class of ’18) who matriculated to Dickinson 10. Parker McKee ’06 College 11. Kathryn Driscoll in the Jack 13. Percentage of international students 14. 91.7 17. Seaver Buck graduated from 18. Jersey number of Matt Sewell ’09

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITORS CHIEF LAYOUT EDITOR FACULTY ADVISORS

greater good.” Berkshire has finally begun to put time and energy into their girls’ soccer program, and the team will keep growing and improving. I hope that Berkshire continues to invest effort into expanding their girls’ soccer program in addition to the boys’ to give both genders a competitive program that the whole school supporting.

more genuine as a community.

We ask the community to consider a responsibly diverse and environmentally sustainable Berkshire.

STAFF WRITERS

STAFF CARTOONIST

Elias Sienkiewicz ’19 Darran Shen ’20 and Emily Liu ’20 Aimi Sekiguchi ’20 Peter Giordano and Sarah Pitcher-Hoffman Eleanor Ahn’22, Gotha Aihara ’19, Chris Branch ’20 Harrison Chapin ’20, Jackson Chapin ’20, Tad Koenigsbauer ’20, Gillian Maher ’21, Jeffrey McKee ’19, Megan Mokriski ’21, Kevin Rhee ’21, Peggy Stansbery ’20, Tyler Swirbul ’19, and Devon Thompson ’19 Ivanna Lagur ’21

School Population: Students, 400; Faculty, 103. Distribution: 200 papers are printed. Free papers are distributed around campus, and can be found in most academic buildings as well as the Student Center, Mail Room, and Admissions Office.

Editor’s Notes: Megan Mokriski ’21 is a two-year member of the Girls Varsity Soccer team.

This article and its interviews were edited for length and clarity.

245 North Undermountain Road, Sheffield, MA, 01257

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