The Deerfield Scroll: March 9, 2016

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Vol. XC, No. 7

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Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA

9 March 2016

WHERE WILL YOUR VOTE GO? DEERFIELD STUDENTS DEBATE PRESIDENCY Hillary Clinton

//ORLEE MARINI-RAPPOPORT I want a president who will protect my two-mom family and the rights of all LGBT people. I want a president who fights for my right and the rights of all women to make decisions about their own bodies. I want a president who believes in science and who supports the 98% of scientists who know that climate change is real and man-made and that we need to do something about it. I want a president who understands that this country was founded by immigrants and that closing the borders to one particular race or religion is hateful. I want a president who understands that there is a difference between an 18th-century definition of the “right to bear arms” and a 21st-century “right” to bear semi-automatic weapons.

I want a president who will close the wage gap, so I don’t earn 79 cents to

every man’s dollar. I want a president who believes in accessible, affordable healthcare as a basic human right. And most of all, I want a president who has the experience — as Senator, First Lady, and Secretary of State — to fight for all of this and more.

Hillary Clinton stands with minorities, with women, and with immigrants. She’s with us, and that’s why I’m with her.

Tia Jonsson

Bernie Sanders

Marco Rubio

John Kasich

Donald Trump

Bernie Sanders has been on the forefront of the fight for issues of social justice for his entire political career. He is vehemently opposed to the enormous influence of money in legislating and exemplifies issue-oriented politics. He has consistently fought against a criminal justice system that disproportionately affects communities of color. It is ridiculous that a black boy born today will have a one-in-four chance of being incarcerated.

I support Bernie Sanders, because he is fighting for a $15 minimum wage. People who work 40 hours a week should not need food stamps to feed their families.

I support Bernie Sanders, because he thinks that health care is a right for every human being. It is outrageous that 18,000 Americans die every year, because they cannot pay for the health care.

While Chairman of the Veteran’s Affairs Committee, he introduced what would have been the single biggest benefits programs for veterans ever.

I support Bernie Sanders, because we need a political revolution to radically change the government so that it works for everyone, especially the poor.

Marco Rubio is the best candidate for the White House in 2016. He is a young, experienced Congressman who has proven in the madness of Super-Tuesday that many Americans hold him in high regard.

While Ted Cruz has large support, he is far too extreme to win a general election.

Donald Trump is the Republican frontrunner, but I honestly believe that America would be better run and safer with Marco Rubio in charge. He has a clear vision for America, and is a young and appealing candidate. I believe that he is best suited to turn America in the right direction.

As with every candidate, there are flaws.

Bernie Sanders is a socialist, Hillary Clinton is widely viewed as untrustworthy, Cruz is too extreme, and Donald Trump excites some of his followers into a mindless, mobdriven frenzy. Rubio’s biggest drawback?

From my point of view, his youth and accompanying level of experience are his only faults. However, we must remember that Rubio’s weakness does not damage his leadership potential. He is a trustworthy, thoughtful, and patriotic man who wants to put America back on track. Rubio is without a doubt the best candidate for the White House.

This election year has given us pretty much everything we expected: lots of social media attention, Republican candidates being racist, and an overall feeling of disappointment in our political system.

However, despite the despair one feels while watching a Republican debate, one candidate, John Kasich, seems to have risen above the name-calling and Donald Trump pouty-face-inducing rhetoric that we see so often on Fox News. Kasich is about as moderate as a modern day Republican comes. He cut taxes by 5 billion dollars in his native state of Ohio, created 400,000 jobs, and balanced the state budget. These conservative economics appease many desires of the Republican Party as a whole: more economic growth, less government regulation, and less taxes for all. Despite this economic one-sidedness, Kasich has shown blue flashes throughout his career as Ohio governor, expanding Medicaid in his state in the summer of 2015. Kasich’s willingness to compromise is encouraging.

Kasich may be slightly boring, and he is certainly not a magnet of media attention, but he is an underrated candidate that seems to have been overshadowed by the sideshow that is Trump, Cruz and the rest of the Republicans.

First, I would like to start off by saying that I am not personally fully a Trump supporter.

Nevertheless, I—or rather he—can point out some reasons for why his presidency could be beneficial for the United States.

In the Republican race for the nomination, Trump is by far the best candidate. He has said, “Look at the way [Cruz] dealt with the Senate, where he goes in there like a—you know, frankly like a little bit of a maniac.

You’re never going to get things done that way.” In contrast he described Marco Rubio as “overly ambitious, too young” and added, “...And I have better hair than he does, right?”

On the other side of the aisle, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are in a tight race for the Democratic nomination. “Unlike me,” Trump has said, “Hillary Clinton isn’t rich enough to be incorruptible.” He’s also described Bernie Sanders as “a total whack job.”

There you have it—the alternatives to Donald Trump are, in his own words, maniacs and whack jobs. He is the clearest choice for president of the United States. Trump has a proven track record of financial success and is actually one of the more socially moderate Republican candidates on issues like gay marriage and abortion.

//LOGAN KNIGHT

//BALLARD BROWN

//GAVIN KENNEDY

//TEDDY DONNELLEY

#MakeAmericaGreatAgain.

DEERFIELD BEGINS TRANSGENDER DISCUSSION //SARAH JANE O’CONNOR Staff Writer Starting with the Martin Luther King Day celebration in January, DA students were asked to think about inclusion on campus.

This theme was discussed in mandatory workshops on MLK Day, and further efforts have promoted inclusion across campus ever since. Kayla Corcoran, a teaching fellow, Inclusion Plan Coordinator, and Deerfield alumna, described the process by which these inclusion efforts were developed, stating that last spring, “The Board of Trustees passed a resolution to eliminate all forms of discrimination from our community.”

Deerfield is creating a Strategic Plan of Inclusion On Thursday, February 25th, DA hosted an extended school meeting with the goal of furthering the inclusion of transgender people within the community. Perry Cohen ’94, a transgender Deerfield alumnus and founder of The Venture Out Project, and Meg Bolger, founder of Pride for All and co-creator of the Safe Zone Project, led the meeting. Cohen and Bolger, who also hosted a workshop on MLK Day called “Building Your Transgender Toolkit,” gave DA students and faculty guidance on how to be supportive allies of trans people through describing proper pronoun usage and answering any questions that the community had about gender, sex,

identity, and more. Cohen and Bolger also provided a basic vocabulary regarding trans issues, introducing the audience to terms such as “cisgender” and “genderqueer” to help them understand transgender identities.

Before the event, Head of School Margarita Curtis sent an email to the student body, informing them that the workshop aimed to “help [the students] understand and respect differences in gender identity” and ensure “that everyone at Deerfield feels included, respected, and affirmed.”

Before Cohen and Bolger began their workshop, a Deerfield faculty member came out to the school as a transgender woman. Math Teacher Alice Grimm stated her preferred name and pronouns to the audience, spurring a standing ovation. A firstyear teacher at DA, Ms. Grimm later explained her decision to come out. “I looked at the cost that being closeted was imposing on me and I considered whether I felt ready to be me in a public way.” She added, “While I am excited about the ways that Deerfield can grow, I have already cried tears of joy at the extraordinary support I have received from all parts of our community—parents, students, staff, and fellow faculty members.”

As was the case with Cohen, it is very possible that some students at Deerfield may be questioning their gender identity. Ms. Grimm, after experiencing the difficulties that can come with transitioning, has important advice for any students who may be

transitioning, or who want to be supportive allies. On the issue of misgendering, which means using the wrong pronouns, when addressing an individual, Ms. Grimm stated, “Try to get the name and pronouns right.

This is about affirming that someone is who they say they are. Even cis people get misgendered, calling a woman with a short haircut “sir” for example...I understand that it is often an unpleasant experience for them as well. Intentionally misgendering someone can be profoundly hurtful.”

Ms. Grimm said she hopes to reassure individuals, who may be confused or anxious about their uncertainty with their identity. She encourages them to consider experimenting with which identities “fit” them the best, saying, “Trust your self-knowledge. There is no such thing as not being “trans enough” to deserve transition…Try changing how you think of yourself, how you form your appearance, maybe playing a character of a different gender. Even just reading books with a variety of authors and characters to try on different ways of thinking of yourself. I didn’t really feel settled in my identity until after I read S/He (autobiography by Minnie Bruce Pratt) and I kept saying ‘that’s so me! I feel that so hard!’” Ms. Grimm also offered herself as a resource: “I am super happy to have a conversation about gender identity with interested students.”

Though many members of the community feel that Deerfield has made progress

regarding inclusion, some believe Deerfield still has a ways to go. Valentina Connell ’16, leader of Deerfield’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, said, “I think [Deerfield] still can be a stifling place for students who don’t conform to the ‘norm’ of gender and sexuality. It can be very hard to express yourself at Deerfield, since it is a school very rooted in tradition and therefore follows many heteronormative/ cisnormative conventions.”

Mr. Charley Sullivan, who works in Deerfield’s Office of Inclusion and Community Life, believes that the key to preserving both DA traditions and a strong, inclusive community is to ask of traditions, “Does this nurture us as a community? Does it strengthen us and help us grow? Is it available to all? If a tradition does that, it is worthy of our heritage. If on the other hand it creates division, or excludes, if it tears down rather than build our community, we should look carefully at whether it should continue, or how it should be adjusted to be worthy of our heritage.”

With the formation of the Inclusion Plan, the Deerfield community has begun to prioritize inclusion in all aspects of community life. Mr. Sullivan added, “The work of inclusion is multifaceted, complex, and involves all of us. Given our rapidly changing demographics, no one gets to stand on the sideline because they feel that this has nothing to do with them. The individual and collective work of building an inclusive community is critical and benefits us all.”

Vol. XC, No. 7

OPINION

9 March 2016

editor-in-chief BELLA HUTCHINS online editor managing editor WILLIAM UGHETTA BROOKE HOROWITCH front page editor JOSH TEBEAU

online associate editor FREDDIE JOHNSON

opinion & editorial editor CAROLINE FETT

online content editor VIRGINIA MURPHY

features editor JULIA DIXON

layout associate editor ALEX GUO

arts & entertainment editor MAGGIE YIN

photography associate editor VALERIE MA

sports editor DAVID DARLING spread editor DANE SCOTT layout editor ASHLEY WANG photography editor GWYNETH HOCHHAUSLER graphics editor RACHEL YAO distribution manager JUSTIN HSU video editor EMILY YUE

graphics associate editor TIA JONSSON social media editor ELIZABETH TIEMANN associate editors CAMILLE MOECKEL RICHARD PARK ETHAN THAYUMANAVAN NIA GOODRIDGE LIAM JEON PERRY HAMM KAREN TAI

senior writers KATHERINE HEANEY MADDIE MOON FELIX SCHLIEMANN YASMINE DESWANDHY

advisors JULIANNE SCHLOAT, CARRIE BROWN, AND JOHN GREGORY BROWN

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Reader, I can’t believe I’m writing these words...but this is it! Throughout my time leading The Scroll this past year, I’ve learned an unbelievable amount about myself and the students and adults on this campus. When I became Editor-In-Chief, I made it my goal to be real with the school—to avoid stories that merely rested on the surface. I’m proud of myself and the 2014-2015 editorial board for our relentless drive to publish stories that either sparked conversation on campus or provided new perspectives. I absolutely could not have accomplished what I did without Managing Editor Brooke Horowitch with whom I was blessed to work this year.

Her passion for The Scroll paired with her attention to detail made her my perfect partner in crime. I’d also like to thank the other page editors for their undying hard work and dedication to making our paper the best it can be. To the Advisors, Ms. Schloat, Ms. Brown, and Mr. Brown, thank you for being the best supporters

//SHANE BEARD Contributing Writer

Academy. The Scroll encourages informed discussion of pertinent issues that concern the Academy and the world. Signed letters to the editor that express legitimate opinions are welcomed. We hold Opinion articles with contributors’ names attached represent the views of the respective writers. Opinion articles without names represent the consensus views of the editorial staff.

HELP US GET OFF CAMPUS Deerfield students are stuck. We spend all week studying in the Pocumtuck Valley and have little opportunity to travel off campus each weekend. Yes, the administration provides shuttles to Greenfield on Friday evenings, but the scheduling forces students to either speed-eat dinners or spend hours at a local restaurant. Yes, students have the option to call local cab companies, but these cabs are often unreliable.

Dean of Students Ms. Amie Creagh recently acknowledged this in a Daily Bulletin post: “Students are encountering problems with the taxi service in and out of Greenfield. Security will not be able to offer rides, so please schedule your trip into town for another time.” Students should not be afraid to get stranded, so we need a better system.

Perhaps the Student Planning Committee could coordinate more frequent bus trips or organize teacher driving volunteers. Also, reforming the no-car policy would allow students to go off campus and visit more than just Richardson’s or the Deerfield Inn. The Scroll believes that day students should be allowed to drive boarding students of any age at any point in the year, like Brooks Academy students can. The fact that only senior day students can drive senior boarders for the final three months of the school year is unreasonable. If a new or improved system were put in place, students could visit local attractions and delicious restaurants in towns like Northampton and Amherst without paying $70 to an undependable taxi company. If the Deerfield administration trusts its students and wants them to explore areas outside of a colonial village, they should consider amending the Academy’s off campus policies and systems.

already has grown immensely, in terms of school spirit, inclusion, and more.

Regarding inclusion, I, along with The Scroll Board, would like to recognize and thank the school for its demonstration of support for the transgender community.

We are so pleased to know that we live in a community that encourages everyone to be as open as they want to be in our community.

To my fellow seniors: we’re heading into senior spring. Our days of glory draw closer and closer to an end each day, so make every moment count. I consider myself so lucky to have been a part of a class that made such a visible impact on campus and on the community in just one year. So keep your heads up, love each other, and make a memory out of every day you have left. We’re almost there!

Much love to you, DA! Cheers, Bella Hutchins Editor-In-Chief

WHAT WE DO IN THE DARK: PORN AT DEERFIELD

The Deerfield Scroll, established in 1925, is the official student newspaper of Deerfield

the right to edit for brevity. The Scroll is published eight times yearly and is uncensored.

I could ask for—we were so grateful for you every step of the way.

I’m so pleased to announce that the new Editor-In-Chief, who will step into her role next month, is Perry Hamm. I know that Perry has a strong vision for the direction in which she wants to take this paper, and I’m confident that she and the rest of her staff will work to do whatever they can to accomplish that vision. I’m excited for her to begin the experience that I am now ending, and I know she will undergo an unbelievably rewarding amount of character growth in the coming year.

My time as Editor-In-Chief has brought with it elation, frustration, passion, and empathy. Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this endeavour—it was an absolutely surreal experience. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to lead The Scroll, and I’m so thankful to the school for supporting the paper and seeing it as an opportunity to help our community grow together. In the past year, our school

Relationships and sexuality have been part of an ongoing conversation at Deerfield for the last several years, and the administration has made strides to encourage healthier relationships in the form of date nights and more open conversations about parietals policies. However, it seems to me that an important component of this conversation—how pornography affects the relationships between genders at Deerfield—has been ignored.

Like race, sex and porn aren’t exactly topics most students are comfortable talking about.

While the subject of pornography occasionally popped up as a topic during late night weekend talks in boys’ dorms, regular discussions about it were non-existent until the arrival of Dr. Gina Barreca this fall, during which she lamented how the prevalence and extreme nature of internet pornography has changed the way young adults view sex and relationships.

While a large percentage of the boys in the community shrugged off the notion, I don’t think Dr. Barreca is that far off. Much has been said about Deerfield’s gender divide and unnatural hookup culture, but it seems to me that we’ve been addressing the symptoms instead of

the root causes of these problems.

Porn is an undeniable presence on campus, and it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Porn perpetuates sexist and racist stereotypes (submissive Asian women, muscular and well-hung black men forcefully dominating women), and exposes its primary demographic—young men—to a version of sex that throws sincere connection and passion out the window. Internet porn is all about dominance and male pleasure; the female is there to please the male.

Much like the fast food industry, it’s cheap and might not be all real, but it’s fast and near instantaneous in its ability to satisfy one’s cravings.

Herein lies the problem: porn conditions its consumers to want more ways to satisfy themselves, and it starts to affect societal expectations for sex and relationships. Deerfield’s hookup culture is perfect evidence of this, with its focus on getting what you want from someone and having minimal relations beyond that. Relationships have been commoditized, stripped of the “hard parts” (getting to know someone, sharing mutual interests) and prioritizing physical attraction above all else. While this can sometimes lead to long term, healthy relationships, hookups often burn out after a certain point, if not immediately after the initial event.

The worst part of the

commoditization of relationships is the implicit commoditization of women on campus. Women in porn often have bodies that are hyper sexualized and “perfect,” with improbable figures designed for the male gaze. Due to porn’s pervasiveness on the Internet, this false ideal gets carried over to expectations for real women, as well. While talking about girls in guys’ dorms has been around as long as the equivalent in girls’ dorms, it strikes me that the conversations in guys’ dorms tend to be much more graphic. While my female friends have described how nice a guy might be, or how he has an attractive face or personality, many guys I know on campus tend to focus on girls’ bodies, as opposed to their personality or interests.

This false expectation for women to have bodies like pornstars, paired with other negative perceptions of women such as slut-shaming and the like, ultimately create a situation where everyone loses, but especially the girls and women of the school.

The media we partake in does have an effect on how we think, and in order to have better conversations about the place of gender and sexuality at Deerfield, we need to acknowledge that it’s on us, the boys and men of the Academy, to seriously think about how we value the girls and women we share this place with.

WHY THESE STUDENTS THINK RACE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE ON CAMPUS

This opinion section is composed of responses to the question: if you had to prioritize one area of social tension on which the DA community should focus its attention, what would you choose and why? This question was posted in the Deerfield Student Forum, and, of the responses received, the majority pertained to race. As a result, all articles included under this heading are about race. In the future, we hope to gather a greater variety of responses.

RAMONA DAVIS ’17:

I am a student of color, but I had never before been so aware of my race before coming to Deerfield. In contrast, the majority of my peers—who are not students of color—do not have any significant awareness of their own race. I think people gravitate toward places of comfort. And because we often classify conversations about race as too “uncomfortable” and choose to sidestep around this and other “uncomfortable” topics, we never dive beyond their surface. For example, the Deerfield MLK Day celebration was met with disinterest by some. Some members of the community disregard issues and current events that impact minority students. At Deerfield, the difference between the minority and majority is that the majority has the option to not care about the issues that affect the daily lives of many minority students. For the people who have this option, you should choose to care.

2

ANNIE ROBERTS ’17:

Deerfield is an incredibly diverse place, one of the most diverse places I have ever been. We have kids from all around the world who come from unique backgrounds, and yet while at Deerfield I have never been more aware of my race. At home, being black felt like just another part of me; here at Deerfield, it sometimes feels like a burden. This mostly happens when I feel like I’m fighting to get my peers to understand the importance of DBSA or the relevance of The Black Lives Matters Movement. At Deerfield, in such a tight community, we should not have to beg our peers to be open-minded or to try to understand new ideas. I believe that at Deerfield our differences should not become burdens, but should be celebrated.

NIA GOODRIDGE ’17:

People of shades of brown, yellow, and white populate Deerfield’s campus, yet during free time, these various shades form a color gradient across campus— from the Dining Hall to the Greer. It is a social divide that is visible yet intangible.

Though we aim to create an inclusive community, the racial divide on campus is usually ignored by the unaware or invalidated by the aware. As a student of color at Deerfield, I believe issues surrounding race need to be addressed more on campus. Too often, we gravitate to those who look like us. On multiple occasions, I myself have chosen the table of color at a walk-through meal over a table of white peers because of this implicit bias. Being high school students in search of companionship, we assume that someone of the same skin tone will have more in common with us than someone who does not. By doing this we are not only increasing divisions in the student body, but also overlooking the beautiful connection we all share: being human.

ETHAN THAYUMANAVAN ’17:

Race. It’s one of the first things you see when you look at a person. Don’t tell me you’re “color-blind,” because you’re not. My race is part of my identity, so don’t tell me you refuse to acknowledge it.

And no matter how open-minded you think you are, you make subconscious judgments based on what you see. On campus, being white can be equated with being normal. People of color often feel marginalized. The origins of this “white is right” attitude can be traced back through history.

Just look at the Trail of Tears, the Jim Crow laws, the Chinese Exclusion Act. And today, the media reinforces this attitude further. Countless movies like 12 Years a Slave, The Blind Side, Lawrence of Arabia, and every Indiana Jones movie tell stories of a white protagonist saving minority men and women who need the white person’s help. The media’s white savior complex reinforces the idea of white racial superiority. Everyone on campus, white and non-white, has the responsibility to move past this attitude. We must first acknowledge that race is part of an individual’s unique identity and then accept that while it makes people different, it does not make them unequal. I take pride in my race – I don’t need saving.

The Deerfield Scroll

9 March 2015

BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE: KING’S AND DEERFIELD

We asked a student from King’s Academy and a student from Deerfield Academy what the most frustrating part of going to boarding school is. The following are the responses we received:

//DINA KUTTAB

Contributing Writer from King’s Academy If there is one word to describe boarding life universally, it is consuming. This is not necessarily negative; in fact, the consuming nature of boarding life is often what makes it so successful. Living with the people you go to school with fosters stronger relationships.

Seeing your teachers during meal times makes communication easier.

Being around a community of people engaged in various activities, with concerts and games and performances happening constantly, makes it difficult not to find yourself involved in such activities.

But engagement in boarding life can come at a cost. Having strong relationships with boarding school friends makes it harder to maintain relationships with people outside of school.

Being engrossed in studies and activities is beneficial, but it leaves little time to go out with friends, hang out in your room, or just waste time. Being far from one’s family may teach independence, but it also leads to missing out on quality time.

As a weekday boarder (I go home almost every weekend), I have no excuse not to be engaged in the outside world. I can easily plan to go out with friends outside of school on the weekends or spend more time with my family. But because of the consuming nature of boarding life, I often don’t. It’s much easier to simply hang out with the people that you see five days a week than to make an effort and reconnect with old friends. It’s more tempting to stay at home and finish the pile of work you have than to go to a family gathering or birthday party.

I’m especially sensitive to this problem, because Jordanian culture is rooted in familial relationships.

It’s odd to most people that I only

see my extended family once or twice a month, or that most of my neighbors don’t know me. It’s hard for me, too, when I see family and friends checking up on each other, when I know little about their lives.

This problem certainly does not apply to everyone—I know many people who manage to maintain relationships and stay close to family e v e n

Valerie Ma

while boarding—and it also isn’t a boarding school’s fault.

Nevertheless, it seems that, especially in my school, there is little effort to keep students engaged with the outside world. Simply going to the nearest town requires a set of permissions, and boarders have a limited number of times when they can leave campus during the week (and even on weekends for full boarders). Students have little interaction with other schools, and when there is, be it a basketball game or a debate competition, it happens at a time when other activities are also running.

Boarding life is almost always engaging, but more effort needs to be put in to prevent that engagement from turning into isolation.

//SERENA AINSLIE Contributing Writer

The most frustrating aspect of life at Deerfield is the lack of free time. This is one of the most clichéd critiques of the school, but I’m addressing this complaint with a potential solution. I don’t think we need more free time because we need more time to sleep, or to socialize, or to finish our homework.

My problem with the lack of free time at Deerfield is the effect it has on our development outside what Deerfield decides is important.

High school is a time during which teenagers try to figure out who they are, what they’re passionate about, and the work or causes to which they want to dedicate their lives. The Deerfield schedule doesn’t facilitate fostering hobbies or interests that fall outside of an academic or cocurricular commitment. For example, I’ve wanted to take AP photography since sophomore year, but my academic schedule made this impossible, predominantly because I had to keep college in mind. Bella Hutchins, Katherine Goguen, and I hoped to pursue an alternate study this spring during which we would make a documentary about plant based eating, but our proposal was turned down. There are logistics behind our packed schedules that cannot be changed.

Deerfield is one of the top high schools in the country because of our dedication to academics, and proposing that teachers give less homework or expect less from students is not in line with Deerfield’s goal as an institution. We strive to be the best in everything that we do, so cutting down athletic practices or dance, choral, or orchestra rehearsals wouldn’t help us grow as a school, either.

Deerfield’s commitment to the community is also an integral part of the school, so eliminating sit-down meals from our schedules isn’t the answer. If all of these aspects are so crucial to our identity as a school, where is there room to improve?

This question has traditionally been approached from the angle of how we can change Deerfield.

My proposition assumes that Deerfield’s schedule is immutable, which I believe it is, and puts the responsibility of finding time to explore our passions on us, the students. A recent experience has exposed a major culprit of wasted time: technology and social media.

Adults love to lecture teenagers on how much time we waste staring aimlessly at screens and mindlessly scrolling through newsfeeds out of habit. Until recently, I found this advice repetitive and u n i n s p i r i n g . Social media _is a defining characteristic of our world today, and we should not be shamed for participating. However, I reevaluated my opinion on social media and technology after Dr. Cullinane’s advisory challenged the school to 24 phone-free hours.

I decided to participate, because my advisor joked that none of us would last a day without our phones, and I, of course, wanted to prove him wrong. In the first few hours, I found myself reaching into my pocket searching for my phone many times. It was strange not to have something that I use so frequently with me. It wasn’t until the end of the day that I realized the presence that technology plays in my life. During study hall, I found myself wanting an Instagram break about every 25 minutes. While hanging out with friends in the dorm, I noticed frequent periods of silence during which the five or so girls in my room would just stare at their phones. Before bed, I realized I wouldn’t be able to text my friends from home and see how their days were.

With all of these moments of realization came a bigger one.

Without my phone serving as a

readily accessible distraction, I was more efficient in completing the things I needed to do, and I had more time to do the things I wanted to do. I finished my homework faster than I had all year and had time to read for leisure. I went to bed earlier, because I couldn’t watch everyone’s SnapChat story before turning out my light. I was less tired the next day, leading to even more productivity.

When I got my phone back the next day at lunch, I noticed myself returning to all of my old habits. I didn’t have time to read my book anymore, and I found less time to hang out with my friends.

I know that technology is an inextricable part of our lives. I know we can’t all throw away our phones and expect life to get better. But I also know that time is valuable.

The crowded Deerfield schedule is a systemic problem that I don’t believe will ever change if Deerfield wants to maintain its impressive reputation and high expectations for its students. This fact is frustrating but trying to change it is futile.

What we can change is how we choose to approach our obligations.

Instead of prolonging the time we spend on things we have to do by burying our faces in our screens, we can dedicate ourselves to efficiency and eliminate distractions, leaving us with more time to pursue our passions.

There is a time for social media, but that time is not all of the time.

Don’t scroll through the same Instagram pictures that you’ve seen six times today, just because you don’t want to do your math homework. Don’t click on people’s SnapChat stories without even watching them just to give your hands something to do. Don’t give up social media completely, but don’t pervert its purpose. Use it to be social, to stay in touch with friends and family, but don’t let it become a distraction. There may be other ways to solve the problem of time at Deerfield, but for me, reducing the use of social media is the place to start.

STUDENTS CRITICIZE OUR DISCIPINARY PROCESS

//NATE CHONG

Contributing Writer DCs are very much like 800-pound grizzly bears. You know they exist, maybe you’ve heard stories, but you sure as hell hope that you’ll never come face to face with one.

From personal experience, and judging by the general sentiment of those who have sat before the Disciplinary Committee, the fearfactor lies not with the matter of facing consequences, but rather with the amount of ambiguity and suspense that surrounds the punishment. I have faith that, as a cohort of mature young adults, the Deerfield community understands the need for repercussions and consequences.

It is when these consequences are not clearly prescribed to corresponding infractions that we wonder and postulate on the extent of our punishment. The lack of information available for students regarding the specifics of disciplinary responses leads to a guessing game that borders on neurosis. Such speculations only worsen the mental stress that is placed on the student.

Another aspect of DCs that is surrounded with contention is the amount of time that elapses between being informed of a hearing, the actual hearing itself, and the release of the verdict reached by the committee.

Expecting a student to continue life at The Academy under the pretense that nothing has happened, when

they have a DC scheduled in two to three days time is unfair. The amount of mental and emotional tax that such suspense places on a student is detrimental, and it is unrealistic to expect them to perform at regular standards while facing such circumstances.

At the same time, no one wants to ask a teacher for an extension because of being “stressed about their DC.” Clearly, this would be uncomfortable for both parties.

That is why I feel that DCs should be processed as quickly as possible.

The emotional stress placed upon students between the time they find out about their DC and the delivered response should not be treated as part of the punishment, and thus should be as minimized as possible.

Disciplinary responses to infractions of the rulebook are something that any established institution needs to uphold in order to respect the values and standards to which we set ourselves.

However, let us remember that, like any aspect of Deerfield l i f e , the disciplinary process retains “education” as its end goal.

Let us strive to keep it that way.

Valerie Ma

//NHYIRA ASANTE

Contributing Writer

I am, unfortunately, personally acquainted with the disciplinary process here at Deerfield. My sophomore fall, I, along with another female student, was DCed for violating Deerfield’s open flame policy. After the incident, I met with a member of the administration who was quick to assure me that I would not be meeting in front of the Disciplinary Committee, despite rumors flying around that indicated the exact opposite. I chose to believe the representative of the administration, trusting that person to have a better understanding of my disciplinary status than my peers did.

Soon after, however, I received an email with the details of the time and place of my hearing, and I was forced to accept that the rumors I had heard were more accurate than the information coming from the administration: I was being DCed. I don’t know why the representative misled me; maybe it was to get me to tell the truth, maybe the person was unfamiliar with the process, or maybe the p e r s o n genuinely d i d n ’ t know that I would be getting DCed, but that untruth ultimately

destroyed any confidence I had previously had in the Deerfield disciplinary system. I wasn’t really upset because of the DC itself, having accepted it as a consequence of violating the rules, but I was upset because I had been led to believe something that wasn’t true. At the time, it felt like a callous manipulation, the sort of manipulation used on criminals who commit serious crimes—and I knew that whatever I was, I was definitely not a criminal.

I have heard this critique of the disciplinary system time and time again: reports of students being deliberately misled, or being made to feel like criminals instead of members of the Deerfield community, when they simply made a mistake. To err is human, and sometimes the disciplinary process seems to punish students simply for being human. I am not excusing my own actions, nor am I excusing the actions of those members of the community who have violated the rules, but I am criticizing the culture around disciplinary hearings—the culture that often results in rumours and distrust and that diminishes the communal harmony of our campus.

This culture is further reinforced when the administration DCs students based on the word of other students. A lot of the resentment relating to the disciplinary process stems from the perception that the administration DCs students based on malicious reports from other students, otherwise known as narcing. This perception creates an environment of wariness and

discomfort within the student body, and also leads to certain students being ostracised in the wake of disciplinary hearings, neither of which are good for the cohesiveness of our community. To help with this, a fellow Deerfield student has suggested that student reports should be placed under the category of “community concern,” rather than that of a formal DC; this way, students who are genuinely concerned about their peers would be more comfortable sharing their concerns with adults in the community, and those students who “narc” on other students in order to hurt them rather than help them would be unsuccessful.

I genuinely believe that this is one way in which the administration could promote both inter-student and student-administration trust.

In my four years here, I have seen an erosion of the trust between the administration and the students— students don’t trust that the deans have their best interests at heart, and the administration doesn’t trust the students to follow the rules. Both this erosion of trust and the punitive rather than restorative nature of our disciplinary process run contrary to the values we strive to espouse here at Deerfield: our values of respect, honesty and concern for others. Any society that does not reexamine itself is a society not worth living in, and we would be doing a disservice to the Deerfield community if we do not take a good, hard look at the way we treat students who make mistakes.

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The Deerfield Scroll

9 March 2015

WINTER DAYS

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Photo credits to: Sophia Do, Nicky Conzelman, Claire Koeppel, Lauren Sullivan, Sophia Do, Nicky Conzelman, Katherine Heaney, Nina McGowan, Maya Hart, Chris Doherty, Maddie Blake,

The Deerfield Scroll

9 March 2015

OF GLORY

Carly Tominovich, Ellie Koschik, Humans Of Deerfield (Maddie Moon), Annie Blasberg, Natalia Briones, Caitlin Sugita, Helen Hicks, Mary Edmonds, and Margaret Williams

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The Deerfield Scroll

9 March 2016

FEATURES

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON ELECTIONS IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD //ETHAN THAYUMANAVAN Associate Editor

The Deerfield community represents 37 different countries, and international students have various opinions about the presidential elections in the United States and their degrees of efficiency.

The 2016 U.S. electoral process started on February 1 with the Iowa caucuses and will continue until November 8, when the general election will be held to ultimately decide the President and Vice President for the next four years.

In the U.S., the presidential election consists of primary elections, where registered Republicans vote for a Republican presidential candidate, and registered Democrats vote for a Democratic presidential candidate. Some independents or members of smaller parties may also join the race.

Once the general election candidates are finalized, citizens do not directly elect the President or Vice President. Instead, voters from each state directly elect intermediaries called “electors,” who represent their state in the U.S. Electoral College.

Each state has a different number of electoral votes based on their population. These electors almost always pledge to vote for a specific presidential and vice-presidential candidate, but they ultimately decide who the next president will be.

Jamaica

In Jamaica, the next election will take place at the end of this year.

Sydney Williams ’17, from Jamaica,

said, “U.S. elections are a long process, but I think it’s worth it…

In the U.S., it’s almost two years of polls,...primaries, and then the big Election Day, whereas Jamaica only has a general election.”

Jamaica, which gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1962, is a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy. Parliament makes up the legislative branch and is composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The Prime Minister and his or her Cabinet make up the executive branch. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the Head of State, and she appoints a Governor-General, who has a largely ceremonial role, as her representative in Jamaica.

Two parties, the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP), dominate the Jamaican government. Williams stated that the U.S. system is safer “because in Jamaica during rallies, there is violence” and there are “frequently deaths.” Sometimes you can’t even wear green or orange, because green is for JLP and orange is for PNP.” However, Williams also noted that the U.S. election brings its own fears.

She said, “It scares me that Donald Trump, who reflects frightening ideas for minorities about what America should be, is getting votes. It reflects what people have been thinking for generations.”

Kenya

Robert Muni ’16 also expressed uneasiness about some of the ideas that have been raised so far in this year’s U.S. electoral campaign, especially Republican positions on

MORE THAN JUST A FACE:

MEET THE STAFF WHO MAKE DA GREAT //ORLEE MARINI-RAPOPORT Staff Writer

Roopa Venkatraman

Matt Coombs, a member of the Dining Hall Prep Crew, has participated in semiprofessional theater outside of work, and has spent more than two years living in China.

Joanne Kuzmeskus, has worked at Deerfield for over 18 years as the Mather Housekeeper.

She said that she has “always been a people person” and loves “being in the dorm with students.”

Phillip Snow, Assistant Director of Safety and Security, has worked with federal law enforcement for the National Park Service.

Outside of DA, Mr. Snow enjoys gardening and kayaking.

Check out the full story online!

Valerie Ma

immigration. He said, “You can’t discriminate against people just because you’re in power…part of democracy [is] that everyone has his or her own rights. Immigrants are still human beings.”

Muni’s home country, Kenya, is composed of 47 counties, each with semi-autonomous governments. The national government is made up of a legislative branch, with a Senate and a Parliament, an executive branch, with the President and his or her Cabinet, and a judiciary branch. Kenya is due to elect its new president in 2017.

Muni shared that corruption is prevalent in Kenya, which he attributed to its relative youth as an independent nation. Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963, and its most recent Constitution was approved in 2010.

Muni added, “It took us a long time to recover from the effects of colonization.”

Yet, Muni believes the U.S. political system has its own challenges. “I feel like you can bend the law so much in the U.S., and take advantage of loopholes,” Muni said, “Which brings up the question of transparency. Do we [in the U.S.] trust our own government?”

South Korea

Hannah Kim ’19, from South Korea, believes that another problem with the U.S. elections is that “the U.S. [electoral] system limits everyone’s choice.” She explained that “so many candidates are eliminated during primaries,” which she feels “limits the ability of

winning candidate may not receive a majority of the vote, so it is possible that a candidate may win, even when a majority of the country does not want that candidate in power.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica also has a multiparty system.

In Costa Rica, a President and his cabinet wield executive power,

and a legislative assembly holds legislative power. Currently, nine political parties are represented in the legislative assembly. Isabel Gilmore ’18, from Costa Rica, stated, “I think it’s weird how a country as big as the U.S .can divide into two sides, when everyone has so many different views. There are some things I agree with from both [U.S. parties].”

Gilmore added, “In Costa Rica, people are more open about who they support, because you can support different parties and still have similar views.”

She also explained that the Costa Rican government has very different focuses than the U.S. government.

“We’re such a small country, so our money goes towards things like education and tourism, instead of things like the military.”

However, Gilmore noted one problem with the Costa Rican government is that there is a lack of separation between church and state. She stated, “In Costa Rica, there is a lot of religion involved in politics, and I don’t think the two should be mixed.”

Lynnette Jiang

THE REAL MEANING BEHIND DAPP

//KIANA RAWJI Staff Writer

For one academic term, during a free period once a week, every sophomore at Deerfield participates in the Deerfield Academy Perspectives Program (DAPP). Students are assigned to departments such as ITS, Admissions, and Shipping and Receiving to help staff complete their daily tasks.

However, a survey conducted on 25 random members of the current sophomore class revealed that only about 30% of students understand the acronym “DAPP” and the purpose of the program.

According to Science Teacher and former Dean of Students Mr. Toby Emerson, who is in charge of the the program, DAPP started seven years ago with the intention of showing students “that there are people on campus other than their teachers who are responsible for their wellbeing…[and] that there are tasks to be accomplished every day…the carrots don’t get cut themselves… and packages don’t get delivered without people doing those jobs.”

Assistant Director of Food Services Mr. Brad Woodward believes that the program is also meant to “create a sense of empathy” among students.

The program shows students “what we do during our day to help you,” added ITS Help Desk Coordinator Ms.

TIA JONSSON AND KATE PALMER’S SHUM 3 DOUBLE

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people to choose the candidate who they actually agree with.” She added, “I feel like this is less democratic.”

Korea has a multiparty system, which provides the opportunity for presidential candidates outside the two dominant parties to run.

Kim explained, “In Korea, there is only a general election, so you have the option to vote for any of the candidates that initially run.”

Korea’s government has a legislative branch composed of a National Assembly, an executive branch led by the President, and a judicial branch. It will elect its next president in 2017.

Kim pointed out a flaw in the South Korean system, explaining that a

Jodi Walsh.

Among students, there are mixed perceptions regarding the effectiveness of DAPP. Nailah Barnes ’18 believes DAPP is a great way for students “to understand and appreciate all of the work that goes into making Deerfield the amazing school we call home.”

However, Connor Finemore ’18 said there are “more people skipping DAPP or complaining their way through it than gaining anything,” and added, “[It is] just an excuse for students to not wear class dress.”

Amanda Cui ’18 emphasized the importance of the program but noted that “[it] isn’t taken seriously at Deerfield, and most students regard it as a burden.”

Nonetheless, as Lynette Jiang ’18 explained, “Deerfield is a really big place, and it requires a lot of people to keep it running… it is really important to be grateful for that.”

Perhaps due to a lack of understanding or lack of incentive, some students’ DAPP attendance rates are low. As Ms. Walsh mentioned, “I’ve had some students that really love to come…and I’ve had some students where I’ve had hard times just getting them here. I feel like a lot of times it’s not taken very seriously, and it should be.”

Mr. Woodward noted that most DAPP participants are respectful but

not necessarily eager. Mr. Emerson added that reports on students’ behavior range from “incredibly polite, kind, [and] courteous...to entitled [and] arrogant.”

Mr. Emerson believes that “you get out of it what you put into it…[if you] skip and avoid it and not engage, well then you lose out, and that’s a part of the Deerfield experience that you’ll never have.”

Additionally, Mr. Emerson feels that whether or not students show up for their DAPP is not about getting APs but is, instead, a “question of respect, courtesy and…commitment.”

Mr. Emerson mentioned that there are students who have established “incredibly strong, meaningful relationships” with staff members from DAPP . For example, according to Shipping and Receiving Clerk Tim Wondoloski, Shipping and Receiving is “the frontrunner of ‘most sought after DAPP assignment,’” as students typically enjoy getting to know the staff there.

Ms. Walsh believes that, for the staff, DAPP is “more about just getting to know the students.” Ultimately, DAPP encourages students to understand the work behind the scenes at DA and to build meaningful relationships with members of the community they don’t typically acquaint themselves with and, sometimes, even take for granted.

The Deerfield Scroll

9 March 2016

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT GAO’S BAND, EVELINE, MAKES DEBUT //MADDIE MOON Senior Writer

and without him, the band would never be where it is right now.”

Although Gao has been devoting much of his time to his band, he still continues pursuing his passion Deerfield alumnus Zibo for classical music. Currently, he is Gao ’15 recently introduced his part of Columbia’s orchestra and band, EVELINE, by way of social plays in a Rachmaninoff Piano media. Earlier this month, the Trio. Gao explained, “Although I do five-member band released their prefer playing in the band, because first two songs titled “Sail On” it has more liberty and interaction and “Those Shoes” on YouTube. within the team, the complexity During his time at Deerfield, Gao and depth that classical music was well known for his musicality, has is incredible.” especially on the Gao’s piano trio violin. A prominent plans to perform member of the at Carnegie chamber orchestra Hall, one of the and music program most prestigious at Deerfield, he performing had been studying arts centers, classical violin on April 16th. since he was five.

Gao stated that In an earlier issue “messing around in of The Scroll, he [Deerfield’s] music stated that to him, studio” helped music is a form of him not only connection: “I can with songwriting feel the music really but also with well. I can tell what producing his own the music wants to songs. Gao hopes say to the audience.”

Deerfield A freshman Provided by Zibo Gao that students take at Columbia Gao, a freshman at Columbia University, poses with his new band, EVELINE. advantage of the University, Gao met his band members, Sias Merkling Additionally, Gao said, “Columbia facilities and opportunities at DA: “Deerfield provides you with (guitarist), Bruce Young (guitarist), didn’t have a practice room or even Nick Greene (bassist), and Marco a drum set. Most of the time, we everything you need before Starger (drummer), through just practiced in our dorm rooms.” you come out to the real world The most important asset that and experience real problems,” a common interest in music.

Gao had always hoped to start has helped the band’s vision come he explained, “So make sure a band in college. When he found true is their secret sixth member, you make the best of it.”

EVELINE is currently working on out that Starger was a drummer, Paul Chang. Chang, who is in the two of them decided to have Gao’s Music Humanity class, is the an EP album, which will be released a “jam session” together with producer of the band. “One day, I in early April, and recently won another mutual friend. “Although found out that Paul was actually Columbia’s “Battle of the Bands” our first jam session didn’t go a professional producer back in competition, which means they well,” Zibo shared, “We decided Korea,” Gao explained. The band will be performing at at one of to keep looking for guitarists recorded their songs in Chang’s Columbia’s biggest spring concerts, and bassists.” After reaching out dorm room, which is designed like Bacchanal, where artists such as to Columbia’s community, they a mini studio. They used a program Macklemore and The Chainsmokers have performed in the past. were able to finalize the group. called Logic Pro to edit the tracks.

Gao concluded, “I’m excited “[Chang] is no doubt the most Both “Sail On” and “Those Shoes” have been receiving positive talented musician I’ve ever met, to see how the band will mature.” feedback, with over a thousand views for each song. “It was surprising to see equal amounts of likes for both songs,” Gao reflected.

“But at the beginning, people are mainly curious and compliment the effort, so we’ll see how professionals evaluate those songs.”

The process of releasing their songs was not an easy one. The members had different visions for their songs and often had arguments due to their different personalities.

ARTIST OF THE ISSUE: JUAN CABRERA //NADIA JO Staff Writer Juan Cabrera ’16 began singing in fifth grade, and music became a significant part of his life by the time he was a freshman at Eaglebrook. “I feel like it’s been a passion of mine ever since I was little. That’s really all I’ve ever been interested in,” Cabrera said.

When Cabrera came to Deerfield as a sophomore, he became a member of the chorus and the MellowDs. His involvement in the music program increased in the 2014-15 school year, when he took on the vocal ensemble, the Honors Vocal Quintet, and travelled to Korea and Hong Kong for the first ever Deerfield music tour. Most recently, Cabrera has been leading the Mellow-Ds as a co-captain and singing in the cast of Cabaret, the winter musical.

Visual and Performing Arts teacher John Van Eps described Cabrera, saying, “Juan feels music on a very deep level; it influences everything he does. He loves all genres and has a great appreciation for history and the singers and music that came before him.”

One of the unique challenges Cabrera has faced at Deerfield has

DEERFIELD DANCE TAKES JAMAICA //LILY ROBINSON Staff Writer During the first week of Spring Break, Deerfield’s Advanced Dance Ensemble will journey to Jamaica. The trip will begin in Kingston, where the group will spend the majority of its time, and will culminate in Ochos Rios.

Visual and Performing Arts Chair Ms. Jennifer Whitcomb said that Advanced Dance Ensemble member Taro Jones ’17, who is from Jamaica, “comes from a school there with a really vibrant dance program,” called Campion College, explained Ms. Whitcomb.

Campion College is an academically successful, p a r o c h i a l institution, and Ms. Whitcomb cited Taro’s connection with the school as the reason for the ensemble’s trip. Ms. Whitcomb has maintained contact with the school for the past two years, in hopes of collaborating with them.

While in Kingston, the Advanced Dance Ensemble will perform at a children’s hospital, will take master classes with prominent Jamaican dance teachers, and will also commission a piece from a famous choreographer, Marlon Simms, the creator of Jones’s piece in the Winter Dance Concert.

“It’s going to be very danceintensive,” Ms. Whitcomb said.

When asked what aspect of

the trip he most looks forward to, Jones said, “I’m interested to see how these two groups interact, because I heard that we will be doing a collaboration…

I think it’s going to be fun.”

Advanced Dance Ensemble member Amelia Evans ’18 said, “I’m excited to be more cultured in the way I dance and the different styles I’ve been taught, and to work with a new choreographer.”

Claire Zhang Lynnette Jiang Claire Zhang Lynette Jiang

Throughout the trip, the group will be immersed in a style of dance that developed through the convergence of European and African cultures. “Jamaica has an incredible dance scene that is not only contemporary, modern, North-American, but also AfroCaribbean,” Ms. Whitcomb said.

Jones concluded, “Different styles of music and dance have developed along with folk dance, and I think that experience with different styles of dance can help the dance ensemble be well rounded, and can give some ideas for future dances.”

THE INSTAGRAM WINNER IS:

and a drive for excellence.”

Although preparing for frequent solos and group performances takes up most of his time, Cabrera also engages in other activities as creative outlets. He explained, “I really like painting. It’s a lot of fun.

Poetry’s really cool, too. I’m in Mr. Stallings’ class, and it’s something that I also love doing a lot, which I only really found out this year.”

Music, however, is undoubtedly what Cabrera loves most. “Singing is literally everything to me. I feel as though if I didn’t have my music and my singing, I wouldn’t be in the same place that I am today. It’s helped me through a lot because I’ve had something to turn to no matter what and I know that it will always be there for me,” he said.

Cabrera hopes to pursue a career as a singer after leaving Deerfield. “I feel like with music, it’s always something I have to myself and it’s something I love with all of my heart. Being able to do that as a job and as a career, in my head, would be phenomenal.”

The past three years at Sophia Do Deerfield have proved to be Cabrera gets ready for the winter musical, Cabaret. a time of immense growth musical clarity, he can be quite for Cabrera as a singer. He said, expressive,” said Director of “Now, I look at myself, and I’m Music Daniel Jackson. He praised actually pretty happy about Cabrera as a “well-rounded where I am, and I feel like there’s individual with a hunger, passion only room for improvement.” been working with three different music directors in the last three years. Each director led the choral program in a different way, which required students to adapt to various types of music, such as traditional, classical, and pop. “I feel like being able to be versatile has helped me grow a lot as an artist,” said Cabrera.

“When [Juan] sings with transparency of spirit and

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9 March 2016

The Deerfield Scroll

SPORTS

DA WELCOMES NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR //NINA MCGOWAN Senior Writer After 12 years as Deerfield Academy’s Athletic Director, Mr. Charles “Chip” Davis has decided to step down at the end of this school year but will continue teaching History and Economics. Several months ago, the Academy released an ambitious job description to find a replacement for Mr. Davis and over 300 candidates responded.

In order to take on the task of sifting through such a vast pool of candidates, a committee was formed to conduct a series of application readings and interviews. The committee was comprised of teachers and faculty members including Mr. Conrad Pitcher, Ms. Genevieve Pitt, Mr. Michael Schloat, Ms. Jess Lapachinski, as well as several members of the administration.

After narrowing down the pool of 300, the committee conducted phone interviews with 12 potential candidates. From there, four finalists were invited to campus to meet with the committee as well as several studentathletes including Annie Blasberg ’16, Zeke Emerson ’16, Jan Menafee ’16, and Meghan Halloran ’17.

Mr. Davis commended the committee’s work in selecting candidates with a wide age range, a gender split, and different backgrounds. Among the final four were two men and two women, and while two hail from other prep schools, two work at NESCACs (New England Small College Athletic Conference).

Blasberg, a tri-varsity athlete, was grateful for her role in the process: “It was a cool experience to be able to talk with each of the four candidates, all of whom were extremely qualified. We were really given a voice throughout the whole process.”

Emerson, a tri-varsity athlete, stated, “It was great meeting the candidates and getting

to hear their ideas. We also were very eager to share our ideas, concerns, and what we want to see stay the same about Deerfield athletics.”

Mr. Bob Howe, the current Athletic Director at The Loomis Chaffee School, will be joining the Big Green next fall in Mr. Davis’ place as Athletic Director. He commented, “Coming to Deerfield is so exciting for me in so many ways! [It’s] a great school with a great reputation and I, along with many coaches and administrators, have been given an opportunity to make the school even better!”

Having graduated from Loomis Chaffee himself, Howe is well acquainted with boarding school culture and athletics. “I leave Loomis not because I’m disappointed with the school in any way. I grew up here as a faculty kid and graduated from the school. I then left for 25 years and came back to campus in my current role as Athletic Director. Much of my life has been in one place and sometimes it’s just natural to look for new challenges and opportunities. When I read the job description put forward by the Board of Trustees and the senior administrative team at Deerfield I knew right away this was an opportunity I couldn’t look past,” stated Howe.

Howe plans to arrive on campus this summer, and Mr. Davis is optimistic that he will transition easily into the Deerfield community.

Howe remarked, “Chip Davis’ leadership and direction of the program has always produced competitive teams and good sportsmanship.

One of the things I’m most excited about is coming to a place like Deerfield and having the support from the previous Athletic Director.

He has always been a class act to me and to our Loomis teams. Chip is a highly regarded Athletic Director among the prep school circuit and to have him close by will be a huge comfort to me.” With confidence in and deep reverence for Deerfield Athletics, Mr. Davis believes that “Deerfield is in good hands.”

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONS //JILLIAN CARROLL Staff Writer

Ms. Emma Caoffin

What is better than a back-to-back? A threepeat! On Wednesday, February 10, Deerfield’s boys varsity alpine ski team won The New England Prep School Class A Alpine Ski Championships for the third time in a row, and Deerfield’s girls team finished in a tie with Kimball Union Academy for ninth place.

“The coaches are extremely proud of the team’s effort, grit, and resilience,” said Coach Marc Dancer. He added that the juniors and seniors on the team are experiencing their third championship in a row, and the boys ski team overall is experiencing its fifth in six years.

Coach Dancer believes that the road to winning the New England Championship all started with the dry land training in December and the leadership of the senior captains Hunter Quigg ’16, Jean-Pierre Torras ’16, Nicole Piispanen ’16, and Mark DesLauriers ’16 that kept the team focused on capturing another New England title. The first race of the year was canceled, so the team only had three races to help them prepare for New England’s.

The boys started New England’s off on a positive note with a seven-point win in the morning Slalom Race. Jack Cobb ’19, the top Deerfield finisher, came in third place, and

Sevrin Sarachek ’17 and Griffin Sarachek ’17 finished close behind in eighth and 12th place respectively. In the afternoon, the boys battled to a third place finish in the Giant Slalom Race (GS), “The closest finish in recent memory,” Coach Dancer said. Coming in fourth place, Cobb was again the best Deerfield finisher, and Sevrin Sarachek and Garrett Alexander ’19 also earned points. After giving away only two points in the GS Race, the boys team won the overall crown by five points.

The girls earned ninth place at New England’s, with captain Nicole Piispanen ’16 finishing in 11th place in the Slalom Race, and Carolyn Melvin ’18 finishing in 24th in the GS Race.

Aside from the championship, both the boys and the girls have “grown as a team in general and have gotten a lot closer,” Melvin explained. Looking forward, the coaches are extremely optimistic, because many of the younger racers contributed the most points at the championships. The whole team is hoping to push this momentum of winning into the next ski season helping them to continue the boys’ winning streak and improve the girls’ record even further.

Provided by Melisa Gurkan

The girls varsity swim and dive team poses with their New England Championship first place trophy

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Elizabeth Swindell

SULLIVAN BROTHERS TAKE THE FIELD //ALLI NORRIS Staff Writer

The Sullivan brothers, Chris ’16 and Teddy ’17, have been taking the lacrosse field by storm together since elementary school. After playing on the same teams in middle school and now in high school, their time on the field together will continue into college.

In the fall of 2014, when Chris was a senior and Teddy was a sophomore at Salpointe Catholic High School in Arizona, they both verbally committed to play lacrosse at the University of Denver. This past November, Chris officially signed his Letter of Intent.

When asked about what it’s like to play with his big brother, Teddy said, “Since Chris is a defenseman and I’m an offensive player, we like to go against each other. He always gives me tips to help me with my game.” In their last spring season playing for Salpointe, they helped bring their team to the State Semi-Finals. Before every game, the brothers look to one another for motivation and to get pumped up.

Despite having no prior knowledge of boarding schools or post-graduates, Chris decided to take a PG year to give him another season to prepare for the collegiate level.

He chose Deerfield, because it is known as a “lacrosse powerhouse.”

In the fall, Chris played linebacker for the boys varsity football team, which helped him

improve his “agility and explosiveness,” he said. For the winter, Chris received an athletic exemption to train for the upcoming lacrosse season.

Jordan Ginder ’18 described Chris as “the first one in the gym and the last one out.” “Because he puts everything—all of his strength and skill—into his game,” Coach Charles “Chip” Davis is excited to see him play defense for Deerfield this spring. “He has a hard hat mentality and enjoys the physical part of the game.” Chris said he is hoping to “help the team bounce back from last season” and prepare for his college athletic experience.

Teddy chose to transfer to Deerfield as a junior instead of switching to a high school in Florida, where his parents are moving. In the fall, Teddy played cornerback and safety for the boys varsity football team. During the winter term, he managed girls JV hockey and prepared for the spring season. Brian Davis ’17 commented, “Teddy never stops. Whether he’s lifting, playing wall ball, or running ladders by the pool, he’s always working hard.” Coach Davis described Teddy as “very skilled and sneaky strong. Lacrosse lets his personality out. He can score and he can help others score.”

“Deerfield has been very welcoming to my brother and me,” Teddy said. “All of the students are exceptional at something, whether it’s academics, sports, or arts. It’s a unique place.”

YOUNG TEAMS DISCUSS REBUILDING //DANI MICHELSON AND LIAM JEON Staff Writer and Associate Editor

As athletes come and go at Deerfield Academy, it is only natural for the performances of teams to fluctuate. Each sport has its highs and lows, and the graduating class often has a lot to do with each year’s success. The approach of new seasons signal a time to replenish the Academy’s athletic program, but two spring teams may struggle to replace the leadership of last year’s graduates.

For the past couple years, the girls varsity crew team stood rather uncontested, winning two consecutive National Championships, so this year, the girls have a lot to live up to.

All members of last year’s first boat are now alumnae, and now a less experienced group of athletes must compete in a challenging division. Deerfield has brought in Mr. Charley Sullivan to lead the girls as their new head coach. Coach Sullivan has directed men’s club rowing at the University of Michigan for the past 20 years; there, he led the team to win the last eight national club championships and has put three rowers on the U.S. Olympic Team.

Although the Deerfield squad is currently rebuilding, Coach Sullivan is optimistic: “Even championship teams, and perhaps particularly teams hoping to repeat as champions, have to [rebuild]. In my experience as well, the year after numbers of

extremely talented athletes leave, teams can often be quite fast, since talented athletes who have been in second and third boats are actually quite ready to step up and lead. This is the sense I have of this year’s group of girls.”

With the correct guidance, leadership, and hard work, the Deerfield girls rowing team aims to maintain the success and legacy left behind by the Academy’s crew veterans.

The boys varsity baseball team is in a similar situation. Many players graduated last year, few PGs will join the squad, and Head Coach Michael Silipo’s retirement looms.

Senior Captain Charlie Carpenter said, “This year, we are a young, talented team. We are looking for some of the younger guys to step up in important roles.”

However, they are not without experienced leadership. Carpenter added, “We also have returners, who will play a crucial role, including Dylan Presnal, Drew Rapoza, and Beau Dana. We are really looking forward to the season.”

As the winter term comes to an end, spring teams are already hosting practices.

Preseason will further bolster team chemistry.

Although the girls varsity crew and boys varsity baseball squads face a dreaded rebuilding year, both teams have new promise.

CONGRATULATIONS VARSITY SWIM AND DIVE!

Girls win New England Championship Ashley Chang ’18 breaks 100 yardbreast stroke record Rhyan Brode ’17, Bailey Smith ’18, Ashley Chang ’18, and Shenika Shi ’18 break 200 yard medley relay record Boys win silver medal Miles Smachlo ’16 wins Babcock Award and breaks 100 and 200 yard freestyle records