Signpost October 2019

SIGNPOST Hutchison School Student News Magazine October 2019 Volume 19, Issue 6

RIDDLE ME THIS:

How Mrs. Riddle is transforming our farm, planet, and learning experience page 5

Fearing the “feminist” pg 9 // Playing through the pain pg 19 // Sidekicks pg 21

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS page 2

Q AND A WITH EMMA ROBINSON page 3

RIDDLE ME THIS page 5

FEARING THE “FEMINIST” page 9

The Signpost staff strives to practive ethical journalism and promote integrity in its publications. We welcome submissions from faculty, students, and alums, but we do not guaruntee publication of every article and retain the right to edit contributions for clarity and length. Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, faculty, students, or administration. Signpost is made possible in part through the generosity of the classmates and friends of Molly McConnell ‘59, who support student journalism at Hutchison in her memory.

Please email all submissions to signpost@hutchisonschool.org.

CRISIS IN THE AMAZON page 7

VAPING CRISIS FAST FACTS page 14

FALL BREAK READS page 15

LOOKS FOR LESS page 17

MOVING A HOLIDAY page 18

ROGERS SCHOLARS page 21

STAFF 2019-2020 Abby Hays ‘20: Editor-in-Chief Callie Oehlmer ‘20: Digital Content Editor Ava Dickson ‘22: Columnist Kennedy Bell ‘23: Staff Writer Emma Couch ‘23: Staff Writer Estelle Turner ‘23: Staff Writer Lacy Williams: ‘23: Staff Writer

PLAYING THEOUGH THE PAIN page 19

SIDEKICKS page 23

RADIO REBEL page 25

BEST OF FIENDS page 26

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eaders, earlier this year, someone asked me about what makes Signpost different than any other student news source? What is its purpose, its mission? These questions prompted me to reflect on my past 3 years in the class and consider what I want for the newspaper this year as editor.

After pondering the topic for a little while, I decided to divide my answer into two categories: design and content.

Design is a critical element to any publication, whether that is a newspaper or novel. Making an issue aesthetically pleasing will draw readers in and increase their chances of returning to look at another issue in the future. This is why we are rebranding as a news magazine rather than a newspaper; it allows for much more freedom in photography and the layout, and it sets our publication apart from others.

However, an even more imperative aspect of a publication is the content. It needs to be consistent, well-written, and welledited. A strong publication contains articles that are relevant to its audience and challenges them with wider implications beyond simply entertainment, although there is a time and place for mind-numbing personality quizzes about to which type of chicken nugget you are most similar. In light of these ideas, the print version of Signpost this year will contain mostly feature stories that point towards greater themes such as social issues or other current events. We seek to inform and guide readers so that they may decide for themselves what they believe about the topic.

Additionally, one of the major goals of the Digital Media class this year is to create an online presence to store digital content such as videos from convocation, student films, photography, and time-sensitive articles. Callie Oehmler, our Digital Content Editor, is achieving this by building a Signpost website. If you ever want to read the works of the Scholastic award winners or watch our interview with Gloria Steinem, there is now a home for all of this content. No longer will all of the digital works of Hutchison students descend into a mysterious black hole, never to resurface again. We will keep you updated, but make sure to check out hutchisonsignpost. com in the coming weeks!

Knowing all this, I returned to the original question: what is the mission of our news magazine? Signpost strives to practice ethical journalism, inform peers, and guide them to think for themselves about current events, social issues, and controversies through publication of articles about feature stories that are relevant to the Hutchison community.

Throughout our school year, the Signpost staff and I plan to fulfill this objective by writing strong articles that not only inform our audience, but look beautiful to attract more readers.

Thank you for picking up this issue of our news magazine; please keep reading, and do not forget to check out our online content soon at hutchisonsignpost.com Abby Hays Editor-in-Chief

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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Q and A with Emma Robinson

by Kennedy Bell

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Emma Robinson is joining the Hutchison comuntiy this year as a member of the senior class; she is our foreign exhange student from England. As she gets to know all of us and experiences what it is like to live in the United States, we are grateful to have the opportunity to hear from her about life in the United Kingdom and how it compares to life in the U.S.A. Emma, we are so glad you are here, and thank you for answering our questions!

Kennedy Bell: Where is your hometown?

Emma Robinson: I live in a town called Northwich in the county of Cheshire. I live about 30 minutes from Manchester and 20 minutes from Liverpool.

KB: What’s your favorite color?

ER: Green KB: Do you have any siblings?

ER: Yes! I have one younger sister called Jess who is 16, which means that she is in her final year of British high school. I am definitely missing her a lot!

KB: What’s your favorite movie?

ER: Too difficult to choose just one!

Happy mood movie: Love, Rosie Serious mood movie: The Shawshank Redemption Sad mood movie: The Pursuit of Happiness KB: What’s your favorite food?

ER: My Gran’s homemade roasted potatoes KB: Have you ever broken a bone or had surgery?

ER: I underwent major spinal fusion surgery when I was 14 years old which consisted of 2 metal rods, 16 screws and three broken ribs!

It took a while to recover and I had to learn to walk again; however, I am now healed and can partake in all sports and physical activity.

KB: Do you prefer Tennessee weather or Britain’s weather?

ER: I am loving the sun here, but sometimes it can be a little too hot for me. Overall, I would say I prefer the weather here; however, there are some days when I miss the rain!

KB: Favorite and least favorite subject in school?

ER: Biology was definitely my favourite alongside maths in my highschool at home. I never really enjoyed computer science lessons.

KB: What do you want to major in in college?

ER: My degree will be in Anatomical Sciences at the University of Manchester. In the UK, we don’t have the option to minor in subjects, so we have to just pick one specific subject area from the day we apply!

KB: Do you find school in America or Britain harder?

ER: This one is difficult for me to assess as I can only truly compare science subjects as that is what I studied at home. Although I think that the content is more difficult in the British system, I believe that the American system is harder in the sense that you have to be a well-

rounded student.

In the UK, after finishing high school at 16, you chose 3 A Level subjects to study for the next two years. This means that you can chose the subjects you feel strongest in.

You then take the exams at the end of the two years, meaning that there is no retaking the exams. This makes the British system more difficult as you could be achieving As throughout the two years and then have a bad day for the exam and get a C, which is the only grade that counts. I like how the American system takes homework, participation and tests throughout the year into consideration instead of one big exam at the end of 2 years! Though, in some ways, the American system is more difficult as you can’t just be good in one subject area, it has to be in everything, and you have to be consistent throughout the year.

From attending college counselling sessions, I think the American application process is a lot harder than the British process and sounds a lot more timeconsuming!

KB: What are some typical British slang terms?

ER: Scran: food, snacks Chav: usually a teenager wearing trakkies (tracksuit bottoms/rugging joggers), a gold chain, and a baseball cap who hangs outside McDonald’s shouting (found in cities) Chuffed: very happy or pleased

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Riddle me this

by Lacy Williams

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“Students should always feel welcome at the farm — whether it’s for little breaks between classes or for Y blocks...

It should be a tool used to help further students’ understanding” 5

ary Riddle: the woman behind the many farm renovations that have been happening since the summer, and the reason why Hutchison is being more environmentally friendly. She is constantly doing many tasks for the school, both on and off campus, but she is not wellknown among the student body. She is much more than “the farm lady”, but what exactly does she do? Who is Mrs. Riddle?

Mary Riddle is the farm coordinator here at Hutchison. Although people tend to believe that she initiated the farm program at school, she only started working here four years ago while the farm has existed much longer. During those four years, she changed the farm from “just a couple of raised beds” to a learning space with solar panel structures, robots to help root and uproot plants, and various farming techniques. She went about changing the farm for the better by working with donors and architects and making what she envisioned a reality.

She does more than just plant crops all day. She teaches different science topics using the farm for different experiments.

Mrs. Riddle is a teacher with one of the biggest classrooms on campus. She explained, “I taught Pre-Kindergarten the scientific method using carrots. I gave them seeds and we used the scientific method to see what color carrots would grow.” She will even begin teaching her own Honors Environmental Science Class next year.

There may be a few students who may not see farming as an ideal job, but that was not true for Riddle. When asked how she developed her passion for farming and being out in nature, she exclaimed, “It all started in high school when I got to go to work on an actual farm in Kansas.”

Even though she realizes that everyone may not share her deep love for farming, she hopes that everyone shares a deep connection with the planet. One of her main goals at the school is to make students more focused on the environment and how to fix global issues such as climate change.

For example, she has currently teamed up with a company called Indigo Ag and design students from school to start tackling climate change. She has also installed energy gauges in the upper school building with the hope that girls recognize and reduce the amount of energy they use. These projects may seem a bit small now, but they will have a lasting affect not only on campus, but on the rest of the world.

Mary Riddle has had a positive effect on students. Students who have worked with her in the past have called her a blast, and the students who she has taught are always amazed by her immense knowledge of the Earth. She wishes more people would view both herself and the farm as something to embrace just like any other part of the school. She left a message for students

photos by Callie Oehmler

“One of her main goals at our school is to make students more focused on the environment and how to fix global issues” saying, “Students should always feel welcome at the farm; whether it’s for little breaks between classes or for Y blocks, and teachers shouldn’t feel forced to add the farm into their curriculum. Instead, it should be a tool used to help further students’ understanding.” Mrs. Riddle highly encourages everyone to come out and utilize the farm, so go introduce yourself and learn a little more about the Earth.

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Crisis in the Amazon

by Mille Menke, Environmental Club President

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Trees burn in the Vila Nova Samuel region of Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest. photo courtesy of Eraldo Peres from AP Images

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eforestation is a word many of us are sadly all-too familiar with. Caused by human activities such as agricultural expansion, livestock ranching, logging, mining, and urban development, deforestation around the world has been increasing at an alarming rate.

According to the World Bank, the world lost 502,000 square miles of forest between 1990 and 2016. Not only are we destroying wildlife habitats and disrupting nature, but we also cutting down the oxygen source that we need for survival and to absorb the greenhouse gases we produce.

If you have been paying attention to the news recently, you have probably heard about the Amazon Rainforest.

About half the size of the United States, the Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, estimated to occupy 2.124 million square miles, and about 60% of the forest is within Brazil’s borders. Because of its sheer size and unique habitats for a thriving biodiversity, it plays a crucial role in the global climate system. The forest also acts as a huge carbon sink, storing an estimated 100 billion tons of carbon. This means that when the trees are burned, they are releasing enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.

Although the Amazon is an incredibly valuable asset to our environment on a global scale, that has not stopped the Brazilian government from allowing trees to be slashed

and burned in order to clear land for agricultural use and cattle ranching. In fact, the cattle sector of the Brazilian Amazon has been responsible for about 80% of the deforestation in the region, and about 14% of the world’s total annual deforestation rates. This makes it the world’s single largest cause of deforestation. Though the deteriorating state of the Amazon Rainforest has only recently been covered on many major news outlets due to the increase of human-caused fires this year — National Geographic claims over 93,000 fires— this crisis of deforestation has been ongoing for decades.

“And once the rainforest does start moving towards a dieback scenario, the situation will be almost irreversible.“

The leaders at a climate meeting at the G7 Summit, hosted in August by France’s president Emmanuel Macron, agreed to provide $20 million of financial aid to Brazil’s government in order to help fight the recent outbreak of fires; however, Brazil’s rightwing president Jair Bolsonaro angrily refused the offer, taking

offense to the proposal and claiming that the leaders were trying to save the Amazon “as if we were a colony or no man’s land.” Many have been blaming Bolsonaro and his anti-environmental rhetoric for the sharp increase in deforestation and slash and burn farming practices in the Amazon. According to Brian Mier, a citizen of North São Paulo, “President Bolsonaro has gutted all federal environmental protection agencies and the bureau of indigenous affairs and has given clear signals out to the loggers, miners and ranchers who provide raw materials to northern markets that he will not punish them for environmental crimes, even those committed in nature reserves and on indigenous reservations.” In addition, according to the U.S. News, “Just weeks ago, he fired the head of the agency after a report found an increase of 88% in deforestation of the Amazon in June compared to the previous year.”

The most terrifying outcome of this rainforest destruction is the possibility of the Amazon moving toward an eventual “dieback scenario.” To explain, the continued effects of climate change on the health of the trees will eventually cause the rainforest to become too dry and stop cycling rainfall through its climate, which will result in even more fires.

Eventually, widespread death of plants will occur until the Amazon becomes a sparse savanna. This climate could

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end up emitting more carbon dioxide, therefore increasing the rate of global warming — the opposite of its effect before. Of course, this is a worst-case scenario, but many scientists claim that the forest is closer to the tipping point than we may think. And once the rainforest does start moving toward a dieback scenario, the situation will be almost irreversible.

What can we do as students to help minimize the destruction of the Amazon? First, as consumers, we can cut back on our consumption of paper and wood products by printing doublesided and also recycling paper whenever possible. Reducing our consumption of meat, especially beef, reduces demand for the U.S. beef imports, therefore lessening the pressure for countries to clear more forests for cattle.

Support and donate to certain organizations that are currently working on projects to protect the Amazon.

“Change starts individually, and changing our individual habits of consumption is the first step.”

One of these organizations is the World Wide Fund for Nature. An environmental conservation

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“...the Amazon is an incredibly valuable asset to our environment on a h global scale” Not only do they advocate for environmental action in the Amazon Rainforest, but they also have organizations based in 17 different ecosystems. If you visit their website you can learn all about the ways in which they’re helping protect our environment all over the globe, and you can also find out how to donate or even adopt a wild, endangered animal. If you are still looking for ways to protect the Amazon, do some research! It seems easy to think that you, one single person, cannot make a difference on an issue as huge as climate change, but that just is not the case. Change starts individually, and changing our individual habits of consumption is the first step to an international movement to save our Earth.

Fearing the “feminist” ByCallie Oehmler

asked one of my friends recently if she considered herself a feminist. She told me that she agrees with everything that feminism stands for, but she does not consider herself “a feminist.” This confused me. I asked her why she wouldn’t identify as being a feminist if she believed in all of the principles.

She replied with, “It’s not really my thing.”

I considered her response. The way she referred to feminism made it sound like there was a certain kind of lifestyle in being called a feminist, a certain kind of reputation. For the most part, I assume that many believe that this “reputation” goes hand in hand with

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organization based in the United Kingdom, the WWF has different teams working in the Amazon to offer medical support, firefighter training, and security to indigenous communities under threat.

The teams also monitor wildlife and operate rescue and recovery care projects for many of the animals in the Amazon.

hating men, frowning upon stay-at-home moms, despising chivalry, complaining just to complain, and, God forbid, taking your husband’s last name. I also assume that many who believe this would not consider feminism their “thing.” I wouldn’t blame them. I, too, would not want feminism to be my “thing” if this were the case, but thankfully for us women, it is not.

Let’s break this down, shall we? The MerriamWebster dictionary defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes.” To put that in its most basic terms, it is simply the belief that men and women should be equal in

all aspects of life. That is all. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well, you would be surprised by how many people take this a different way.

Let’s forget about the word feminism for a minute. Let’s forget about it completely, and let’s just ask the question, do you believe that men and women should have equal rights? In my opinion, I believe that they should; however, because I am one person of many in our high school community, I wanted to hear your opinions as well.

In September, a survey was sent out to the Hutchison upper school student body asking two questions: do you believe that men and women should be equal and do you consider yourself a feminist.

“the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” Of the 198 responses received, about 88% responded yes to men and women being equal, however, only about 45% said that they considered themselves feminists. After doing more research on the topic, I found out that this trend was not specific to Hutchison. This is a worldwide phenomenon An article from HuffingtonPost published in 2017 stated that, in a similar poll, about 82% of Americans voted that men and women should be equal whereas only about 20% voted that they would call themselves feminists (“Poll: Few Identify As Feminists, But Most Believe In Equality Of Sexes”). From evidence given in both the survey and worldwide statistics, the majority of us would advocate for equal rights; however, immediately when we throw the word “feminist” into the mix, people’s opinions started to change. Why is this?

Why do we fear the word feminism?

Unfortunately, I believe the answer to this question lies in the negative connotation so closely associated with the word “feminism” today. Nowadays, feminism is connected with emotions or beliefs that completely derail it from its original purpose which deters people from the

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cause and makes them hesitant to participate in matters of equality. However, too many people today misunderstand or misinterpret the word “feminism.” Fairly often, people will hear the word “equal” in the definition and compute it as “better,” but here’s the thing: feminism has nothing to do with becoming the superior gender or hating men for existing. The two are not connected in any way. It is about knowing that men are very capable of doing many jobs and knowing and acknowledging that women are equally as capable at doing those same jobs.

It is about seeking out the equal opportunities to pursue those jobs. Some people might also take its meaning as condescending towards women who do not want the same jobs as men. That, again, is not anywhere near what feminism means. Feminism has nothing to do with hating other women for not taking paying jobs or working outside of the house.

“When we throw the word ‘feminism’ into the mix, people’s opinions start to change. Why is this?”

While some may feel that feminists are asking women to “be better,” no actual feminists feel this way. No one is asking women to be better. No one thinks women aren’t doing enough. We are simply asking for equal recognition in everything that we are doing. Feminism is about ensuring that women are able to reach their full potential in whatever they choose to pursue and get paid equally. It is about wanting to have the choice to successfully work either inside or outside the home, and choosing what is best for you. It is about equality and fairness for all people.

Another issue in addressing this debate is that fact that sometimes people are very educated on the topic of feminism, yet they are still reluctant to label themselves as such because they know about the implications of the word. This makes

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it even harder to help the cause because it feeds into the idea that feminism is bad.

“about ensuring women are able to reach their full potential in whatever they choose to pursue” If enough people submit to not being a feminist only because they are associated with these false ideas, then where will that get us? When people don’t consider themselves feminists because of these reasons, then of course people are going to assume that those reasons are true. I’d like you to think about your political party for a minute.

I am almost positive that there are some people you’d rather not be associated with who identify as being in the same political party as you, yet this does not discourage you from voting as either a democrat, republican, or independent.

In my survey, I noticed that the majority of students who did not consider themselves feminists explained that it was because they did not want to be connected to the more extreme beliefs. My take on this is that it is just like any other organization. There will be those who are more extreme and there will be those who are more neutral, but no one is chastising anyone for having different opinions. At least, they should not be. For those of you who would like to call yourselves feminists but are afraid you do not fit into the “typical mold” of a feminist, then here me now: there is no “typical mold” of a feminist.

You may not agree with every opinion common to feminism, but that does not make you any less of a feminist than others.

“feminism is connected to emotions or beliefs that completely derail it from its original purpose”

“I feel like there are so many different definitions of a feminist, and I don’t know what they mean exactly.”

“I consider myself a feminist because I am a woman who wants to be able to do anything I want without being judged because of my gender.”

“I do not like the connotation of [feminist]... but the dictionary definition of the word is good.”

“...want equality for all!”

YOUR RESPONSES:

“I’d like to clarify: feminism is not putting men down.

Feminism does not equal women above men. Some radical feminists have warped views such as these, but they are a small, small pool of them.”

Do you consider yourself a feminist?

“I believe that my views align with that of 1st and 2nd wave[s] feminism; however, I don’t think that the umbrella views of modern feminism represent my views.”

“Everyone is human”

“I would consider myself a feminist if the word wasn’t taken by people who think women are better than men”

“I do not always agree with the opinions on various social issues of the feminism movement as a whole, therefore removing myself from the common feminist”

“Women should have the same rights as men.”

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Now I know some of you might be thinking: I could honestly care less. I am a High School student just trying to pass my classes and get through the day. Whether I am a feminist or not is not exactly at the forefront of my mind.

I understand that. We are all very young. We are not expected to be at the frontlines of these heated debates. We have not necessarily faced discrimination in the workplace because of our age, either. We go to a school where our motto is “Anywhere she can imagine.” We are not exactly limited in our resources and our opportunities; however, whether you realize it or not, we face adversity every day because we are women.

While you may not feel it at school, I am willing to bet money that almost every Hutchison student has had an encounter with a private school boy in which they have been told that they go to an “easy school” or that her school is “a joke.” Why is that? Why do they believe that they have the right to tell us that we go to an easy school when we work just as hard and just as much as they do? I am also willing to bet that you’ve heard the nicknames and phrases associated with any private all-girls schools. This is absolutely unfair. It shows a complete lack of respect for our intelligence and our hard work.

It places us in a position lower than themselves.

Why do we let this stand? Why do we allow men to make us feel insecure about our own intellect?

Feminism fights to combat these opinions and prove the equal worth and recognition of every young woman receiving an education.

To me, feminism is about having a constant support system of women who will build you up instead of tear you down. It is about having a safe space to voice your opinions in a world where there are few. It is a place to feel accepted and to accept others, regardless of gender.

For those you who did not immediately roll your eyes and toss this article aside after reading the title, I thank you. I know that some of you may be tired of hearing about feminism. I know that some of you may completely disagree with everything I have said. I don’t mean to come across as angry or agitated with anyone; I just merely want to bring this issue to light. I realize that this article is not going to single handedly change how people perceive feminism, and I do not expect it to. However you identify yourself, whether it be a feminist or not a feminist, I am not here to make you feel bad one way or the other. I respect everyone’s right to their own beliefs and their own opinions. I just want everyone to be educated on the topic before they make a decision. While I do not expect much to change today, I feel like starting the conversation now is necessary. What I would like to see one day is for women to stop fearing feminism and start becoming fearless feminists.

“To me, feminism is about having a constant support system of women who will build you up instead of tear you down. It is about having a safe space to voice your opinions in a world where there are few. It is a place to feel accepted and to accept others, regardless of gender.”

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photo by Abby Hays

Fall break reads

By Carolyn Dellinger, Middle and Upper School Librarian

Everyone knows how to choose a good beach read – something light, maybe with a little romance and a fast-paced plot. But how do you know what makes a good Fall Break read? Some of you will be going down to Destin one last time before the warm weather ends, but others will be going on college trips out west, camping with family in the mountains, or becoming reacquainted with your favorite spot on the couch. Here are some book picks for just about any place you find yourself this Fall Break:

1. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus Imagine John Hughes’ Breakfast Club (1985) meets murder mystery. Five teens from different social spheres – you’ve got the usual “criminal,” “jock,” “princess,” and “brain” – are brought together in a detention that leaves one of them dead. Told in alternating perspectives, the four witnesses team together to find the killer and uncover some uncomfortable truths about each other and themselves in the process.

2. Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman It’s everyone’s guilty pleasure – you can’t help but tune in every week to watch all the tears, backstabbing, and downright cringeworthy moments in “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette”.

But have you ever wondered what is truly going on behind the scenes? Investigative journalist, Amy Kaufman, reveals shocking practices – like producers manipulating interviews to create a new story line to sequestering contestants in the mansion – in order to produce Stockholm syndrome toward the bachelor or bachelorette. “Bachelor” fans and critics alike are sure to tear through this eye-opening book.

2. Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi For fans of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone who are impatiently awaiting the muchanticipated sequel, Beasts Made of Night will quench your thirst for Afrofantasy. Set in a world where sins take the form of shadow beasts and ‘aki,’ or sin-eaters, consume the guilt of others, the aki, Taj, is called upon to eat the sins of the king. But when the king’s sins threaten to overwhelm Taj, he becomes embroiled in a revolution that will have him questioning a world in which sins are exorcised rather than faced.

4. A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai High-schooler Simran “Simi” Sangha comes from a long line of Indian matchmakers, but she never thought she would get in on the family business. When she and her best friend Noah decide they are tired of blending in, they create a dating app that matches people in their high school. A great idea, right? It is, until she sets up a shy girl with the most popular boy in school and turns her high school’s social order upside down. Check out this light-hearted book about following family traditions, overcoming high school stereotypes, and swiping right!

5. Odd One Out by Nic Stone This book is the love triangle to rule all love triangles! Coop has been in love with his best friend Jupiter for as long as he can remember. There is just one problem: Jupiter is only attracted to girls.

When new-girl Rae comes to town, she realizes she is attracted to both Coop and Jupiter. Told in three perspectives, Nic Stone (Dear Martin)’s new novel deals with all the heartbreak and confusion of loving someone who does not, or cannot, love you back.

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elebrating Halloween is a tradition dating back centuries, and it is not just for Americans. According to knowledge.com, at least 30 other countries around the world acknowledge the time in the liturgical calendar year dedicated to remembering the dead. They all have different views, but the one thing they all have in common is that Halloween falls on the same date on the calendar every year, October 31st. But those celebrations could become a little longer if one commercial trade group gets its way.

The Halloween and Costume Association is petitioning to add National Trick or Treat Day to the calendar on the last Saturday in October. The group first created a petition to completely change the calendar date of Halloween, but they have recently revised their request.

After gathering 120,000 signatures and receiving hundreds of emails, they decided to come up with a new plan. Just like Starbucks extended their “pumpkin spice season”, they want to see Halloween celebrations last a little longer. They want to add a holiday to the calendar on the last Saturday of October in addition to Halloween, and they are calling it National Trick or Treat Day. The petition says that the majority of people who are enthusiastic about the change are parents who are looking to give their children a “safer, longer, stress-free celebration.”

Many of the reasons for the change that were listed on the petition page had to do with safety. “63 percent of children don’t carry a flashlight while they are trick or treating,” according to the group. They also cite a warning from Safe Kids Worldwide that says “twice as many kids are

Moving a holiday

by Ava Dickson

killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.” The added Saturday would mean kids could trick or treat all day long if they want, in broad daylight. The extra day for Halloween celebrations would put an end to hurrying home from school or work to have only about two hours of daylight left for trick or treating.

Others are not nearly as enthusiastic. On Twitter, ‘Van Lighting’ sees a liberal conspiracy behind the proposed changes to Halloween, “Easier maybe but this is more than what it seems. It’s part of rewriting, erasing, cultural flip of western culture. Anything traditional will be either erased or changed.” Some say that Halloween is meant to be a day for children to be able to stay up late. Others argue the only acceptable date for Halloween is on October 31st.

Another comment, this one from Roomba (not the company) who Tweets: “If you sign this petition or support this nonsense, I will egg your house.”

Americans spend a frightening amount of money on Halloween.

According to CNN, “The National Retail Federation estimates consumers spent a record $9.1 billion on Halloween last year. But other sponsors are jumping on the bandwagon (or the hayride in this case) as Snickers Tweeted, “A Thursday Halloween? Not satisfying.

Halloween on the last Saturday of October? Satisfying. If the Fed Govt (sic) makes it official, we’ll offer 1 million free SNICKERS to America.

Join the petition!” Snickers even shared the link to help boost the signature count even though not everyone is buying it. One person identified as “Dragonkilz” worried about the logistics of the whole

thing, “I’d love to know how they came to the decision of 1M candy bars though when there are 327.2M people in America, 175M celebrate Halloween, and how would people get the free Snickers?” Retail chain store, Party City is also supporting the effort according to the website.

Party City carries a wide range of themed party supplies, including costume and party decorations.

Costume sales have grown over the past 3 years, up 8.3% since 2016.

With 175,000,000 people shopping for Halloween, that means that the average consumer is spending $86.13 per person, according to USA Today.

Adding another holiday starts with a signature, or in this case, around 150,000. That is how many people will have to sign the petition if Americans want to see National Trick or Treat Day added to the calendar. At the time of publication, the group had 148,065 signatures on their petition and they are well on the way to reaching their goal of over 150,000 signatures. National Trick or Treat Day can’t automatically be added to the calendar once petitions are complete, but according to Change.org, since it has more than 100,000 signatures, it can be sent to the White House and if approved, National Trick or Treat Day will be on our official calendar. By the way, Change.org also says that everyone who signed the petition will get an email from the White House to let you know that the petition has been reviewed and decided.

The Halloween and Costume Association says, “National Trick or Treat Day will be a day where Americans can participate in community parades, throw neighborhood block parties and opt for daytime Trick or Treating.”

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Emily Fonville ‘20 plays soccer and serves as athletic council president despite health obstacles.

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Playing through the pain

by Emma Couch

As many of you know, Hutchison has a very successful athletic department that contains 12 sports teams. What many of you don’t know are the challenges certain athletes face on and off the field. These challenges are not just hard workouts and pain-staking practices, but medical conditions that make playing a sport even more difficult. Every sport challenges an athlete mentally and physically as they often push participants to the breaking point.

There are many different medical conditions that athletes have but three of the more common conditions within the Hutchison athletic community are scoliosis, asthma, and diabetes.

Varsity soccer player Emily Fonville’s ‘20 life was altered when she woke up from a coma diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease in which her body destroyed her insulin-producing beta cells that regulate blood sugar.

Fonville knows that having diabetes means “it takes extra work,” but she is determined to “not let diabetes get in the way of competing on a team.”

A normal blood sugar level is 100-120, and if it drops below that, you begin to feel the effects. Fonville relies on John Michael Leppert and Alex Price who are the sports trainers at Hutchison.

Emily has learned to “be grateful for the help others are willing to give.”

Scoliosis, which is a sideways curvature of the spine, can only be cured by a metal rod being inserted into a person’s spine; this makes playing volleyball particularly hard for Emery Brown ‘23. She says the hardest part about having scoliosis is “the strain it causes on her entire body.” Brown says having this

condition makes running especially difficult because it affects her back so much. She often fears that she is not doing her physical therapy correctly, which is why she often visits the volleyball trainer, Alex Price. “Having scoliosis has taught me the importance of having a strong work ethic and to never underestimate myself.”

Another common condition within the Hutchison community is asthma, which is a condition in which a person’s airway swells and begins to narrow. Many things can trigger an asthma attack, but one of the most common triggers is exercise. Alexandra Howser ‘23 has discovered that having asthma is often a setback when it comes to volleyball.

She explained, “In volleyball I am constantly moving, and I normally have an attack if I am moving at rapid pace, which is very scary for me.” Having an illness that is so unpredictable like asthma means that there is a constant fear in the back of Alexandra’s mind. Although she struggles with this condition, she knows that if she keeps a positive mindset, she can overcome all the challenges.

When you play a competitive sport in which your objective is to win and be your best, many outside factors can damage that goal. Every day these Hutchison athletes are faced with difficult circumstances but continue to try their best for self-improvement.

This shows how strong and powerful these athletes are; Fonville, Brown, and Howser show integrity and perseverance everyday on the field or the court, and they show that no setback is too great or too difficult to overcome.

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What is rogers scholars?

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by Caroline Couch

any people pose the question, what is Rogers Scholars?

Rogers is what you make of it.

To some, Rogers is the excursion club of Hutchison in which the administration releases a gaggle of upperclassmen upon the greater Memphis area once a month. To others, it is a place where conversation and debate come together to forge greater understanding about issues of the Midsouth Area. Rogers molds to every student to create a personalized individual experience.

Rogers is greater than merely an extra line on a resume.

This year, our guiding theme for Rogers Scholars is “Memphis Through Time: Understanding the issues of our past to create the solutions for our future.�

This theme is crafted to tour the sites of great change and development of our past in Memphis, but also the parts of our past that have led

to systematic injustice that still plagues us today. These points of the past will be coincided with the places of our future where we can see the progressive Memphis we know and love today striving to change this past. However, we can also identify the gaps in where we have failed to make solutions.

Rogers strives to create targeted problem solvers, aware of the great complex story that Memphis is.

Along with this, a new requirement for Rogers Scholars this year will be for each group to create a tangible project or presentation surrounding the site that we tour. This would not only be for the Rogers girls, but to share with the greater Hutchison community to share in the knowledge that we have gained.

Rogers is a place for problem solving, a place for engagement, and a place for change. Look out for updates in upcoming publications!

photo courtesy of Makayla Boswell

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Caroline Couch ‘20, Sarah Harris ‘20, Bella Snow ‘20, Maxine Engel ‘21 and Eliza Kamara ‘21 explore the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa on a Rogers Scholars field trip.

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Behind the scenes of Sidekicks, The Musical

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by Abby Hays

round three years ago, former head of Upper school Dr. Barry Gilmore and his daughters Katy ‘20 and Zoe’ 22 Gilmore, sat down to begin writing what would become one of the most meaningful productions ever to land the Hutchison stage: Sidekicks, The Musical. According to Katy Gilmore, her dad “finally suggested one night while parked in a Fresh Market parking lot that [they should] put [their] skills to the test and write [their] own play.” Following that first catalyst, the family wrote the first lines on scrap paper at Mosa Asian Bistro, agreeing that “two of [them] must always be present, so no writing happened alone.”

“will not only carry on his memory, but will reach several people’s lives and touch many hearts, just as he did during his lifetime “

Sidekicks, The Musical is uplifting and encouraging; according to Katy, “it follows a group of teenagers with different histories aiming to be sidekicks coming together to save the heroes of their world,” the musical encourages viewers to reevaluate the defining characteristics of something super. The play promotes the ideas that small can be super and being who you are is how you “learn how to soar.”

However, the musical is especially important given recent events. Unfortunately, Dr. Gilmore was diagnosed with incurable liver cancer during February of 2019 and passed away in his sleep on August 15th, 2019. During the precious time before his passing, Katy explains that her father “fostered the creation of the project and pushed [them] especially hard to finish it once he found out he was sick because

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he knew this would outlive him and connect Zoe and [her] to him after he’s gone.”

“a tale of second chances, reinvention, friendship and love “ Over the summer, the family worked with many people in the Hutchison community to finish the musical and record the songs so that the cast could learn the music. This musical will immortalize Dr. Gilmore, and his memory will live on through the production.

Currently, all the cast and crew members are hard at work, blocking out scenes and rehearsing for the productions in mid November.

Among the cast are many students from various schools around Memphis including Hutchison, Ridgeway, and Lausanne; even our technology director, Mr. Marques Brown, plays a superhero.

According to the director of the show, Mrs. Anne Marie Caskey, Sidekicks, The Musical is a “tale of second chances, reinvention, friendship and love.” She describes the production best by saying, “With a compelling story, clever lyrics filled with literary references, a moving score and characters fully developed, this new musical is unforgettable.”

Zoe Gilmore explained, “Even after we perform Sidekicks at Hutchison, there is still a future for the musical. My dad has created something that will not only carry on his memory, but will reach several people’s lives and touch many hearts, just as he did during his lifetime.”

You can watch the performance of Sidekicks, The Musical and support all the hard work of both the Gilmore family and cast and crew in the Wiener Theater from November 15th18th. The show begins at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and Monday, and it begins at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Lillie Hollabaugh ‘22, Whit Ford, and Emma Day ‘21 run through scenes at rehearsal. photo by Abby Hays

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Radio Rebel exclusive

he senior class has had an anonymous meme lord on their hands since August 19th, 2019. She posts on Instagram under the pseudonym of Radio Rebel, a reference to the iconic Disney Channel original movie, Radio Rebel, featuring Debby Ryan as a shy teenage girl who runs an anonymous radio show to inspire her peers to break the status quo and raise their voices. From the second week of the school year, Rebel has created clean, light-hearted memes about the experiences of the Hutchison student to lift the spirits of the class of 2020 and palliate senioritis through laughter and a positive class culture. Via direct message on Instagram, Rebel told me that she “... was inspired by memes [her] friends showed [her] about their schools,” and “thinks it’s fun to talk about inside jokes that the whole senior class can

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by Abby Hays

understand and laugh about.”

Additionally, if you ever need extra motivation to attend convocation, in a meme posted August 19th, Radio Rebel promised to reveal herself at the end of her senior speech; however, seniors Callie Oehmler and Claire Schneider have spearheaded the gradewide investigation to find Rebel, unwilling to wait an unspecified amount of time until her speech.

“...Radio Rebel promised to reveal herself at te ed of her senior speech.”

The day following Rebel’s first post, Oehmler and Schneider created a display board in the senior commons best described as an organized version of a famous scene from the TV

show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; the board features any facts or clues we have about her secret identity coupled with “evidence” supporting current suspects. In the words of Rebel, trying to figure out her true identity “seems to bring everyone together.”

When the seniors erupt into laughter and cheering at a reference to this Disney movie during a convocation this year, rather than possibly experiencing a mix of confusion and alarm, you can join in on the fun. And if you uncover any clues or a new suspect, do not hesitate to email signpost@ hutchisonschool.org or find a senior. Until then, enjoy this meme courtesy of Radio Rebel herself, and a list of the top suspects – the data come from a survey sent out to the class of 2020 on August 22nd, 2019.

Man’s Best Fiend: Chapter One

by Madison Morris

Check out signposthutchison.com in the coming weeks for the rest of chapter one.

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