Inklings january 9th

Inklings January 9, 2015 Issue 6 Founded in 1933 inklingsnews.com

Town of Westport experiences multitude of heavy renovations Katelyn DeAgro ’17 & Anders Hovstadius ’17

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onstruction in Westport, centered in the downtown area and on Post Road, has been increased due to a delay in schedule that originated from several years back.

The renovation of the roads started a number of years ago when Westport Town Public Works proposed to redo town roads. However, given the economic circumstance at the time, “the budget for road repairs was substantially cut. Tom Lasersohn, Board of

the long run it’ll benefit me as a driver,” Katherine Coogan ’17 said.

Students are also having trouble with the parking lot behind the YMCA. “I think it is extremely annoying.” Ronan May ’15 said, “I was ready to get back to the gym and workout at the Y, but when I went to find a parking space, there was a huge chain fence around half the lot for no reason,” The school historian, Dan Woog, mentioned in his blog 06880, that the major construction project on the Minuteman statue is starting to affect town spirit. “On

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“For me it’s really scary because that means I have to be extra cautious, but I think that some of it is for repaving and making better roads, so in

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Halloween, no one turned him [the Minuteman Statue] into a ghost or pirate.

It’s Christmas time — but no Santa hat. Easter is far off, but already we’re worrying the Minuteman won’t wear his traditional rabbit ears,” Woog wrote.

Although it has taken a rather long time to finish, Westport residents are happy about the renovation since the statue is one of Westport’s most iconic features.

Stephen Edwards, head of Westport Public Works Department, was unable to be reached for comment.

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created mixed opinions a m o n g teachers and students.

Some students are trying to staying positive about gaining experience while others are not so forgiving.

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Finance (BOF) member, said And as a result we fell behind in our maintenance of the roads.”

Many Westport residents have noticed an abnormal amount of construction centered in the downtown and Post-Road area. The Compo shopping center, in particular, has undergone major renovation; the hill in the back has been flattened to become a much larger than already existing parking lot, as well as the front of some of the buildings are being redone.

Additionally, there has been road work outside of Staples in the afternoon. The road work has

Students play large role in policy

Kit Epstein ’17 & Rebecca Rawiszer ’17 Student Assembly and Collaborative Team carry a lot of weight in the decision making process of Staples High School. Not only do the jobs of the two groups overlap, but the members as well. Members of Student Assembly are selected to be on Collaborative Team and they both work to provide students with an opportunity to make school-wide changes. However, despite the importance of these two groups, there are still many students who claim not to know much about Student Assembly and Collaborative Team.

Student Assembly acts as a line of direct communication between the students and the administration and staff.

“We are here to facilitate the desires and needs of the students, in an organized and diplomatic manner,” President Jennie Blumenfeld ’15 said.

Three students from the Assembly are selected to the executive board, which currently consists of Blumenfeld, and her vice presidents, Sam Kratky ’15 and Colby Kranz ’15. Besides the executive board members, Student Assembly has many other important positions.

For example, Noelle Adler is secretary, Rebecca Zlatkin ’15 is events coordinator and Chase Gornbein ’16 and Grayson Levenson ’16 are Public Relations representatives.

Continued on page 4

University of Virginia rape story sparks Staples conversation Caroline Cohen ’15 & Andrea Frost ’15 When searching for the perfect college, there is something rarely addressed in the information sessions, searched on the websites, or talked about by the student tour guides: rape culture.

Recently, Rolling Stone Magazine published an article centered around a rape incident at the University of Virginia; however, the article was retracted due to the incredibility of a source. Regardless of its unreliability, the article brought the topic of sexual assault at colleges to light and became a

Inside Opinions Features A&E Sports

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topic of conversation for high school seniors who are about to step foot on college greens next fall.

Statistics reveal that in one year, 300,000 college women, over 5 percent of women enrolled in colleges and universities, experience rape.

More specifically, women in sororities are 74 percent more likely to experience rape than other college women.

“This article provoked a lot of conversation that should have been happening a long time ago,” Camille Shuken ’15, a senior applying to UVA, said. “I knew about [rape on campuses], but I think the recent UVA story

has created a conversation that reveals how serious and common [sexual assault] actually is.”

The fact of the matter is that sexual assault is common and occurs for a variety of reasons. A senior boy, who asked to remain anonymous, feels that drinking often instigates rape.

“Often in college scenes, and even in this school, girls go to parties, get too drunk and provoke guys and, after, regret decisions they make,” he said.

Whatever might lead up to the incident, organizations like Culture of Respect have been aware of this issue for a long Continued on page 2

Recreational basketball season begins

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25%

of college women will be the victim of sexual assault

GRAPHIC BY SOPHIA HAMPTON ’15

INSIDE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF MR. PAPP Page 11

STUDENTS REMINISCE ON MODELING DAYS Page 18

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | News

Junior State of America marches into an exciting new year Andrew Vester ’17 unior State of America, better known around Staples as JSA, kicked off its year with an impressive showing at the Fall State convention on the weekend of Nov. 22 in Boston, Massachusettes.

JSA, with the Staples chapter containing around 40 students, provides members with an opportunity to experience democracy firsthand as they debate realworld issues.

“The main mission of JSA is to prepare students for life-long civic involvement,” Kayla Gitlin ’15, the Conference Coordinator for the Empire Constitution Region, said. “And for responsible leadership in a democratic society.”

School chapters affiliated with the New England region of JSA attended the conference to discuss and debate a wide variety of topics.

In total, Staples students took home 11

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best-speaker awards, with Vice-President Cole Bruno ’16 and member Evan Horowitz ’15 each winning three gavels.

Also among the winners for best speaker awards from Staples were William Vester ’15, Quinn Hughes ’16 and Alex Uman ’16.

“The entire Staples chapter absolutely swept the convention,” Horowitz said. “But I think it’s imperative we recognize Andrew Dobrich ’15 and Cadence Neenan ’15 for their diligent and outstanding work in making sure the convention got off without a hitch.”

This convention was the first of the year for JSA, with the next large conference being

Winter Congress. This will be held in Washington D.C. from Feb. 6-8 of 2015.

Winter Congress mimics the legislative system of the United States, with students creating several pieces of legislations and debating over their value.

In addition to this, the Staples chapter of JSA will be hosting and participating in a series of miniconferences.

These single-day conventions will take place at various schools around the New England region.

“My expectations are high for the rest of the year,” Staples chapter President Andrew Dobrich ’15 said. “I expect a lot more best-speaker awards in addition to a fantastic chapter conference.”

Many students

who participate in JSA also find it to be a fun due to what and how topics are discussed. JSA is a club where students who are interested in both politics and debating can mix these interests together.

“I love JSA because it provides an opportunity for high school students to get more involved in politics and debating,” Bruno said.

Although JSA had only one conference this year, members are confident that another positive year lays ahead for the chapter.

The Staples chapter of JSA won the Chapter-of-the-Year award last year. This is a national award, with chapters from all parts of the nation competing.

“We won the Chapter-of-the-Year award last year,” Dobrich said. “And although a lot of members graduated, I don’t see a reason why we can’t win it again this year..”

GRAPHIC BY JULIA SCHORR ’16

UVA rape incident incites student reflections towards future INFOGRAPHIC BY SOPHIA HAMPTON ’15 DATA FROM CULTUREOFRESPECT.COM

Continued from page 1

time and have taken measures in the effort to prevent sexual abuse and assault specifically on college campuses. Founding board member, Anne Hardy, explained that Culture of Respect is a non-profit organization centered around harnessing the power of students creating and demanding change via schoolwide mobilization regarding sexual assault.

“We believe colleges have an obligation to teach students, administrators, faculty, parents, coaches and health professionals to move beyond a ‘band-aid fix’ to campus sexual assault and focus on the humanity in all of us,” Hardy said. “This demands every constituent’s voice and a multi-pronged approach to eradicating rape culture on college campuses.

Culture of Respect works to raise awareness on the issue that has seemed to go unnoticed by both prospective and current students and their families and faculty. Ellis Laifer ’15 and Gabi Titlebaum ’15 both said that the safety precautions of a school were not determining factors, placing academics, community and location higher, in their decisions regarding college choices.

“I now realize many campuses are not as safe as they may seem,” Titlebaum said. “And awful things happen at even the most prestigious universities.”

Current sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, Julia Sharkey ’13 agrees, and wishes that the safety on campus was more of an extensive topic of discussion.

At University of Wisconsin and many other colleges such as Cornell University and University of Connecticut, the blue light system is implemented

CAMPUS RAPE BY THE NUMBERS

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people report their rape at college throughout campus which consists of set emergency alarm stations strategically located throughout campuses that can provide assistance to anyone in distress. When an individual presses the alarm button, within 30 to 90 seconds, an officer associated directly with the Department of Public Safety will respond.

“There are blue lights located on certain paths that many students run on, however not many students are wandering these paths late at night, so it doesn’t help that much,” Sharkey said.

Many believe that awareness and conversation will bring change and protection just as much as any safety precaution.

of rapists are men

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experience rape or attempted rape “Research shows that one of the most powerful tools that can create change on the issue of campus sexual assault is the power of the bystander,” Hardy said. “Every student at Staples has the ability to ‘disrupt’ rape culture on campus and ensure that all are safe to pursue their dream of a college education.”

The majority of Staples

students will be obtaining a college education after they graduate high school, and thus many will be placed in situation where sexual assault can happen.

“It makes me nervous to be a freshman next year,” Shuken said. “But I feel that being aware of the problem will make many more students way more cautious.”

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | News

Student workers chime in on increase of minimum wage

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Margaux MacColl ’16

n 1938, the first minimum wage was 25 cents an hour.

It has increased substantially since then and, in Connecticut, it’s about to increase again.

As of Jan. 1 the minimum wage will jump from $8.70 an hour to $9.15, the first of three increases supposedly leading to the new $10.10 minimum wage in 2017.

Governor Dan Malloy signed legislation approving the wages on March 27, saying it will help working families and improve the economy, according to USA Today.

All states must meet the federal baseline $7.25, but this can be increased by individual states. With this new increase, Connecticut will have one of the highest minimum wages in the country. However, it will be significantly behind Washington, which will hold the highest minimum wage of $15 by 2017.

This increase is sure to impact the Staples community since many working students are paid minimum wage.

Claire Grosgogeat ’16, who works at the clothing store Oddz

PHOTO BY REBECCA RAWISZER ’17

HARD AT WORK Claire Grosgogeat ’16 writes out reciepts at her job at Oddz clothing store.

and gets paid minimum wage, said she is “obviously pretty excited.”

In addition to her excitement, she added that the increase is very important “because right now it is difficult to live off a minimum wage salary.”

Several other students echoed Grosgogeat’s positive sentiment.

While Erin Munley ’16, who works at clothing store Jack Wills, gets paid more than minimum wage herself, she sees the upsides in its increase.

“Employees take time out of their lives to devote hard work to these companies and should be rewarded the best way they can be,” Munley said.

Despite minimum wage insuring a higher salary for employees, some students have cited negative aspects.

Grosgogeat, despite supporting the wage, sees the downsides as well.

“It will not be good for small businesses,” Grosgogeat said, “I sympathize for the owners.”

Jonathan Shepro, an economics teacher, said that since many small businesses pay more than minimum wage, it may actually affect large businesses

that tend to default to minimum wage more.

While the minimum wage is increased in increments in order to let businesses, both large and small, phase in the additional costs, businesses could still struggle with having to pay increased salaries.

“If you’re required to pay an unskilled worker more, then you might be less inclined to hire others or give more hours,” Cole Moyer ’16 said, pointing out that this could lead to budget cuts and loss of jobs.

Trevor Harker ’15 shares Moyer’s perspective, describing the increase as “absolutely preposterous.”

“Connecticut legislature is making a despicable decision to raise the minimum wage, basing their position on short-term goals and gratifying and placating the workers that are being paid minimum wage,” Harker said.

Despite the controversy, President Obama has been encouraging Congress to increase the federal minimum to $10.10, meaning every state could soon potentially be confronted with the benefits and drawbacks Connecticut will soon face.

Staples partakes in social studies competition for first time applied to real life and teaches students about the world around them,” Sam Gasway ’17, a member of the Young Republicans Club, said in regards to why he enjoys A.P. Government.

The “We-the-People” class is similar to regular A.P. Gov except the students also prepare for the competition in December and another national competition this April.

In class, students are separated into six groups of three to four members and answered a question from one of six units regarding philosophical and historical foundations of the American political system, how framers created the Constitution, how the Constitution has been changed to better align with ideals in the Declaration

of Independence, how Constitutional principles have shaped American institutions and practices, what the Bill of Rights protects and, finally, the challenges the American Constitutional Democracy might face in the 21st century.

Within each of these units, there are three questions that contain many subparts. “In class we mostly worked on our prepared statements,” Sofia Vega ’16 said, “my partners and I would create drafts of the three required questions and conference with each other and many teachers who came in as volunteers.”

Suzanne Kammerman, who teaches the “We-the-People” branch of A.P. Gov, has been preparing the class for this competition since the first day of school.

“My focus is on ensuring that the students have a strong understanding of the concepts,” Kammerman said.

In addition to getting first-hand information from the time period, Kammerman invites parents, teachers and administrators to assist the students. Special guests include Dr. Leslie Levin, a professor at UConn, history teachers Eric Mongirdas, Carol Avery and Jeanne Stevens, English teacher Rebecca Marsick (who assists the students in writing their speeches) and Assistant Principal James Farnen.

MEET AND GREET Nicole Mathias ’16 shakes the hand of one of the judges for a competition.

Farnen calls working with students the highlight of his week.

“The students demonstrated wonderful historical knowledge of the Constitution, and I was most impressed with their ability to make some great contemporary connections to the comprehensive analysis they provided,” Farnen said.

Going into the competition, students like Justin Cheng ’16 were “apprehensive just because we’re the first class from staples to compete.” The competition is especially intense with Wilton, Weston and other nearby towns also competing.

“Knowing that I had been prepping for this the entire year, I knew I was ready,” Carolynn van Arsdale ’16 said about her experience presenting in front of

the judges. “I was constantly on my toes, and I was so worried I was going to make a mistake.

My group members really helped me though, and I felt much more confident with them jumping into this competition with me.”

For Kammerman, this competition holds sentimental value. “A major part of the reason why I decided to enroll a team in the ‘We-the-People’ competition was because I participated in the competition when I was a junior at Shelton High School,” Kammerman said.

“We won at the state level and competed in the national finals in Washington, D.C. It was one of the more memorable experiences of my high school career and I was excited to bring it here to Staples.”

IN COMPETITION (from top) Nick Massoud ’15 eagerly awaits to present in the competition. Emma Finn ’16, So�ia Vega ’16 and Jacob Of�ir ’16 listen intently to classmate’s presentation.

PHOTOS BY JANE LEVY ’16

Jackie Sussman ’17 For the first time in Staples history, the A.P. Government and Politics “We-the-People” class participated in the “We -the-People” competition in New Britain, Connecticut, on Dec. 15, 2014.

The Staples team finished third in the state of Connecticut, and the Unit Five team tied with Trumbull High School’s team for first place for Unit Five teams.

Trumbull High School won first in the state and will advance to the national competition in April.

The A.P. Government and Politics course has been known to further students’ interests in politics and inspire them to pursue these interests in their extracurriculars. “[This] information can be

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | News

Student assembly and collaborative team help change midterm date

World Briefs Amina Abdul-Kareem ’15

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Cuba

Eric Garner

Staple s

After the failure to indict s of Dec. 17, Obama plans to restore full relations two white police officers who with Cuba, opening an some believe are responsible for embassy in the capital Havana for killing two black men, protests have been raging across the the first time in half a century.

In the early 1960s, the U.S world.

More than 160 people were broke off diplomatic relations and trade after Cuba’s revolution that arrested two weeks after Michael led to a communis. According Brown’s death in August, New York times, Obama hopes according to NPR. However, to begin a new chapter among the after the death of Eric Garner nation, by normalizing diplomatic and the Grand Jury’s decision and economic relations between not to indict the officer that killed him, there has been a new wave the two countries.

While many Republicans of protests.

Thousands of people oppose restoring ties with a communist country, potential gathered from New York City to 2016 Democratic candidate London to protest against police Hillary Clinton supports Obama brutality, justice for these men restoring ties that will help and an end racial discrimination. increase support from Latino On Dec. 13, a few thousand voters, especially the younger demonstrators marched to the ones in the state of Florida who New York Police Department, are more likely to oppose the participating in an event called Cuban government. Clinton’s “Millions March NYC.” support will also appeal to voters Protests have also spread in farm states like worldwide to Japan, where Iowa, eager to people have joined the gh Schoo movement by holding do business i l H photos of Michael Brown in Havana. and signs reading “Tokyo stands with Ferguson” and “America, the world is watching.”

These activists demand consequences for the officers and civil rights for African Americans.

Taliban On the morning of Dec. 12, two American soldiers and about 19 Afghans were killed as a result of a bomb explosion that hit NATO-led International Security Assistance Force troops. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The attacks have sparked new security concerns and have put foreigners in danger, considering most U.S. and international troops prepare to leave in less than three weeks.

Shortly after, the militants of Pakistani Taliban launched their deadliest attack yet. On Dec. 16 ,they killed 141 people, 132 of them children at an army-run school in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Army commandos arrived at the scene immediately and started firing back at the gunmen. Seven of Taliban’s members were killed.

The Taliban’s attack resulted from Pakistani officials vow that the country wouldn’t stop its war against the terrorist group.

Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani also stated that they sought vengeance so the government could feel pain after they had targeted their families.

President Barack Obama said terrorists had “once again shown their depravity” while U.N. Secretary General added that it was an act of horror and rank cowardice” BBC news reported.

Continued from page 1 example, was the main influence

Student Assembly meets Tuesday nights during the school year and consists of a group of 45 committed students. There are 10 student representatives from each grade who work together to organize various events, approve new additions to course selection, discuss issues raised by the student body and attempt to fi nd solutions.

Kevin Watt ’15 explained that Student Assembly is always busy. “We organize the talent show, donate to Staples Tuition Grants and, this year, with the help of Mr. Farnen, we will be organizing an event for seniors on the last day of school,” Watt explained. “In addition, we provide the most direct link between students and the administration that the school offers.”

Student Assembly acts as voice of the students at Staples.

They allow students to have a say in decisions and changes.

In fact, they even bring propositions and issues discussed by the assembly to the Collaborative Team, which consists of administrators such as Principal John Dodig, parents, teachers from all departments and executive board members of Student Assembly. The team meets frequently to discuss important topics that affect students’ lives, such as changes in vacation dates.

Collaborative Team, for

behind getting midterm testing pushed back by a whole week.

On Nov. 5, the Collaborative Team voted to push back midterms to the week following the return from winter break.

Midterm exams were previously scheduled to begin on Thursday, Jan. 8 but were moved to start on Monday, Jan. 12.

History teacher Daniel Heaphy, a member of Collaborative Team, explained the reason for moving midterms.

“One of the teachers on Collaborative Team brought up the idea that if we wanted to make Thanksgiving a nohomework break, why would we do the opposite over an almost two week break during which kids and staff will really have time to see family?” Heaphy said. “It was pointed out that three days back and heading right into the exams would be a great stressor.”

“It’s so exciting being able to get so up-close and personal with everything going on in school,” Blumenfeld said in regards to why she enjoys being a part of the Assembly. “Being in Student Assembly and now being president has provided me with four years of behindthe-scenes footage that very few other students get to see.”

“I think it’s pretty cool that there’s a group especially made to be the voice of the students,” Emily Eldh ’16 said. “And that it has the possibility of making a change in the school.”

Cases of police brutality provoke mixed reactions from students Larissa Leiberson ’15 & Justine Seligson ’15

police got into a verbal conflict, which led to officer David Pantaleo putting Garner in a chokehold, a police tactic banned by the NYPD in 1993, which ultimately killed him.

The officers responsible for each man’s death were not indicted in their respective accusations, causing public outrage all over the country.

Within the past couple months, there have been at least two separate cases of police violence against civilians in America. The events following each of these incidents have been met with massive public outrage about the role of law enforcement in this nation.

“I think these events have the potential to hurt the relations around the country between the police and communities, if not handled correctly,” Chris Lemone, Westport Student Outreach Counselor, said.

According to CNN, this summer, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old in Ferguson, Missouri, was caught on a convenience store security camera stealing a box of cigarettes.

Shortly after, police officer Darren Wilson drove up to Brown who was walking on the sidewalk. The . two engaged in a dispute until Wilson shot his gun multiple times in Brown’s INFOGRAPHIC PHOTOS UNDER THE direction, with the eighth CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE bullet proving fatal.

This same summer, Eric Garner, a 43-year-old man, Much of the public concern has was allegedly selling loose been due to the fact that both cigarettes on a Staten Island men killed were black and said to sidewalk. Multiple officers be unarmed, and the belief that approached him. Garner and the police overused physical force.

“The fact that the officers were not indicted is frightening,” Cole Bruno ’16, Vice President of Junior Statesmen of America, said. “The officers need to be punished and made an example of, so that nothing like this would ever happen again.”

Many students agree with Bruno.

“I guess if violence is

Protests around the world

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necessary in a police job, then yes. But I don’t think it was necessary in these particular cases.” Donovan Ross ’18, said.

“I think the police were racially

stereotyping.”

Yet some take a more neutral stance.

“The viewpoints of the two sides are coming from such radically different perspectives it becomes hard to understand either side,” Trevor Penwell ’15 said.

However, not only are the Supreme Court’s actions causing

incite emotion and drive their ratings up, putting the lives of citizens and police officers at risk,” Penwell said.

Ultimately, only those present know the true extent of the story.

“I think it’s really important for people to put themselves in the involved cop’s shoes,” Olivia Barden, a sophomore at New Canaan High School who was involved in the student-organized protest there recently, said in a Facebook interview. “There are definitely two sides to every situation, and both need to be given respect.”

Teachers encourage students to pay attention to the world around them and learn from these events.

“It’s clear that most of the public is ready for change,” Rob Rogers, a social studies teacher who has discussed the . cases in his classes, said.

“However, that will only happen if the average citizen makes INFOGRAPHIC BY MEGAN ROOT ’15 their voice known instead of just watching this public response but also the other people standing up for coverage of the incidents. what they believe on the news.”

“I think the news did an The Westport Police atrocious job of coverage as I Department declined to be feel the media uses bad news to interviewed.

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | News

GRAPHIC BY CLAUDIA LANDOWNE ’15

In Brief

SWCT Weather now charges for premium service Jenna McNicholas ’15

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nce a simple Staples student with an interest in weather, Jacob Meisel ’13, a Staples alum who now attends Harvard University, has gained immense popularity in the weather world. His Twitter now has 7,800 followers, and his website received 300,000 hits this past winter.

This increase in popularity has caused Meisel to start charging viewers for his weather predictions.

“I always used to check Jacob’s predictions. Now I just check Wild About Weather

because there’s no way I pay to see predictions,” Jamie Swotes ’15 said.

This decision to charge money for his highly-esteemed predictions was fueled by the time investment it takes to produce the insight and detailed analysis Meisel wanted to provide.

“Last year I held two jobs on campus that were really cutting into my forecasting time,” Meisel said.

“After partnering with a local investment group, Bespoke Investment Group, they gave me funding to start up a more advanced service

where I could have subscribers pay,” Meisel said.

This opportunity provided an income that allowed Meisel to quit both of his jobs on campus and devote more time to his endeavours regarding meteorology.

The most time-consuming aspects of Meisel’s services are the school impacts, which is among the most popular service he offers.

“Every night before it’s supposed to snow, I’m checking what the Staples’ percentage of closing is every five minutes,” Matty Fair ’17 said.

The school impact section

of Meisel’s predictions are now a part of the premium service, because of the amount of time it takes Meisel to formulate.

“I have increasingly had schools and campus operators signing onto my services, so I needed an advanced service that could offer them constant updates to stay ahead of any storms,” Meisel said.

These predictions can be accessed via Meisel’s twitter, @swctweather, or his website swctweather.com.

“The result is that the content, both free and premium, will be more accurate,” Meisel said.

Staples begins new principal acquisition process for next year Jessica Gross ’15 The process of becoming principal is, according to Staples High School Principal John Dodig, very extensive.

While the new principal will likely not be announced until May, the decision process will begin much earlier in the year.

Ads are already being placed in the New York Times and Education Week this month.

Dodig was interviewed by six or eight different committees, made up of Westport citizens, parents and students. The final interview was by the entire Board of Education. There will likely be a similar process for the next principal as well.

Applications first became available on the Westport Public School District’s website Dec. 14, and the closing date is Jan. 31.

The online application states Staples is seeking “an exceptional educational leader” with a wide range of qualities, skills and abilities, which, according to students, can be found in Dodig.

“Even though I didn’t have a personal connection to him, I felt like he connected to the school as a whole really well,” said Harrison Ames ’16. “I think he’s leaving behind some really big shoes to fill.”

D o d i g ’ s high regard for individuals, GRAPHIC BY RACHEL MORRISON ’16

from freshmen to his fellow administrators, is evident in his everyday behavior. He spends every school morning and passing time greeting students in the main entrance.

“I think it’s nice that Principal Dodig is in the hallways every morning,” said Nicole Mathias ’16. “It’s definitely something I’ll miss.”

Dodig sets his iPhone alarm to sound two minutes before the end of each period so he can get into the hall and say hello to as many students as possible.

“All of this stuff here on my desk… if that ties you up in your office all day long so you never go out and see the kids, that would be awful,” said Dodig, “The number one quality is, I hope, that the person sees students as the most important element of the school and has, as a priority, to enhance the environment that we have at Staples, where the kids are happy and comfortable. And I hope that the person comes in with another set of skills that I don’t have. Everybody brings something new to the position.”

Dodig will remain in his position as principal for the remainder of the year.

He is going to attempt to make the transition to the next principal as smooth as possible for Staples.

In fact, he even said that the Staples community should not worry, as they should still expect to see him around. “I’m going to sneak in – I think I’ll probably get a parking ticket- and see the juniors graduate. I’ll see some Players shows, some games. I won’t disappear.”

Staples

Midterms

Jan. 12-15 Tests will start at 8 a.m.

Monday morning and go until 12:30 p.m/ Thursday. Tests will last two hours each with a 30 minute break in between the two scheduled for each day.

The schedule by day and period is as follows: Monday, 1 and 4, Tuesday, 2 and 3, Wednesday, 6 and 7, and Thursday, 5 and 8.

Midterm Break

Jan. 16-21 Students will enjoy an extended five-day weekend after the crazy midterm schedule. Friday, Jan. 16 will be a makeup day for students who missed a scheduled test.

The following Monday, Jan. 19 is Martin Luther King Day, and Tuesday Jan. 20 will be a staff development day.

End of Second Marking Period

Jan. 21 The second marking period comes to an end on Jan. 21. This will mark the end of the semester. Students should make sure to get all of their assignments in before the end of the quarter.

Standardized Tests

Jan. 24 The SAT is the only standardized test held in the month of January. On Jan. 24 the SAT and SAT subject tests will be offered at Weston High School, Wilton High School, Darien High School, Trumbull High School, Stamford High School and Greenwich High School.

One Act Play Auditions

Feb. 2-3 The Staples Players will hold auditions for their One Act plays after school in the Blackbox Theater. Callbacks will be Feb. 9-10. Visit staplesplayers.com for more information about One Acts and news regarding “Sweeny Todd” their spring musical.

For continual updates, check www.inklingsnews.com

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January 9, 2015

Teachers soar above and beyond Y ou’re up past midnight, gulping down your third can of Red Bull, sick of studying derivatives of inverse functions and the law of diminishing marginal returns.

Inklings EDITORIAL

You walk into class later that day, exhausted, wearing your favorite sweatshirt, and you slump down in a chair to determine 10 percent of your final grade.

It’s time for midterms, and the tension is high.

While midterms are a

Inklings

form of evaluation, students are more than the grades they receive.

As grades are just a part – a sometimes flawed part – of the equation, it’s sometimes difficult to quantify a student’s worth.

Similarly, a teacher’s worth can’t be quantified; doing so would require answers to subjective questions, such as whether it’s more important to be passionate about a subject or to relate and connect to students.

But there’s much more to it than that. And sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the pressure of school and even easier to forget about the important lessons that

can’t be evaluated.

Think about the teacher who pushed you so hard that, in the moment, you couldn’t stand him. But you later looked back and realized that his high standards helped you grow as a student, that his confidence in you sparked a desire to improve.

Then there’s the teacher who taught you just as much about life as she did about calculus. She told you stories about teaching in a different country and opened up your eyes to the different cultures. Or maybe she shared her high school experiences with you so you could gain insight into her experiences.

What about the teacher who inspires, whose energy and love of teaching helps you find what you’re passionate about, whether it’s pediatrics, politics or psychology? That teacher who loves teaching so much that you can’t help but love learning, no matter if it’s your favorite or least favorite subject.

Teachers are supposed to be at school for 7.5 hours each day, but there are some who sacrifice their time and come long before or stay way after school to meet with students on projects, tests and papers.

And there are teachers who make commendable efforts to get to know their

Editors-in-Chief Zoe Brown Bailey Ethier

Photo Coordinator Justine Seligson

Web News Editors Kaila Finn Daniela Karpenos

Crown Finalist for Inklingsnews.com from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2015

Managing Editors Alexandra Benjamin Caroline Cohen

Silver Crown Award for Newspaper Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2014

Web Managing Editors Nicole DeBlasi Cadence Neenan

Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013

Breaking News Managing Editors Andrea Frost Taylor Harrington

All the opinions, news and features in this paper are those of Staples High School students. Inklings, a curricular and extracurricular publication, has a circulation of 1,800 and is uncensored. All letters to the editor must be signed. The editorial board reserves the right not to publish letters and to edit all submissions as it sees fit. The editorial board determines all editorial opinions, which are authored faithfully by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health. The paper is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.

Directors of Social Media Mat Jacowleff Larissa Lieberson Associate Managing Editors Gabrielle Feinsmith Claire Lewin Creative Directors Claudia Landowne Katie Settos Graphics Editor Olivia Crosby

News Editors Greta Bjornson Sophia Hampton Quinn Hughes Megan Root Opinions Editors Emma Berry Cooper Boardman Emma Lederer Izzy Ullmann Features Editors Claudia Chen Jackie Cope Jane Levy Margaux MacColl A&E Editors Jessica Gross Sarah Sommer Renee Weisz Emily Wolfe Sports Editors Claire Dinshaw Dylan Donahue Adam Kaplan Fritz Schemel

Web Opinions Editors Julie Bender Michael Mathis Web Features Editors Jane Schutte Rachel Treisman Web A&E Editors Zach McCarthy Blake Rubin Web Sports Editors Talia Hendel Jimmy Ray Stagg Web Multimedia Editor Adam Kaufman Business Manager Kacey Hertan Assistant Business Managers Katelyn DeAgro Ben Foster Chase Gornbein Jacquelyn Sussman Francesca Truitt

students. You’ll see them cheering at your sports games or even hear them genuinely asking how your week is going or if you had a good vacation.

All of this isn’t in their job description. Teachers go above and beyond, not because they seek to be rewarded for their efforts but because they care about us; they want to see us succeed and grow.

They don’t ask for anything in return for their efforts.

Heading into the new year and midterms, keep in mind that teachers do what they do for you. And be open to learning more than what’s on your tests.

Advisors Mary Elizabeth Fulco Rebecca Marsick Cody Thomas 70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Phone: (203) 341–1994 Inklingsweb@gmail.com Decisions of Inklings and Westport Public Schools are made without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other discriminating basis prohibited by local, state or federal law.

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | Opinions

Netflix craze ruins satisfaction of television Justine Seligson ’15

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GRAPHIC BY SALLY PARK ’15

oes anyone want to join me for the early bird special tonight?

They have some great selections at IHOP. Afterwards we can go to Bingo at Millie’s house.

I can argue that I am a 70year old stuck in a 17 year-olds body. Well, not really because I have never actually played Bingo by choice.

It’s more the fact that I am the only person on earth born in the second half of the 20th century that doesn’t have a Netflix account.

Even my own mother (don’t worry mom, I won’t tell people your age) spends many of her evenings relaxed in front of her laptop, tuned into “Orange is the New Black.”

When I ask her why she does this, she explains how she likes that she could watch a bunch of episodes without having to wait for them to run on syndication on TV. Um, I beg to differ. That’s where my elderly qualities come in.

The idea of having a series marathon where you stay up until ungodly hours in the morning watching episode after episode just doesn’t appeal to me.

Instead, I prefer to turn on the TV in my living room, scroll through the channels and find

That’s why I have never met a Netflix viewer who is not also a Netflix junkie. one or two episodes of a show that appeals to me. Afterwards, I do something else with my precious free time. Maybe I spend time with friends (gasp) or read a book for fun (further gasp).

You may argue you can do pretty much the same thing with Netflix, and add that Netflix is even better because it has more options. Well that’s what kills it for me. By having so many

choices for a show as you do with Netflix, you can’t resist the temptation to keep watching episode after episode after episode.

That’s why I have never met a Netflix viewer who is not also a Netflix junkie. You know who you are.

Along with that, if you constantly watch episodes over and over simply because you can, the pleasure of that particular episode dries out.

I came to this realization watching the same episodes running multiple times on syndication—I lost my original enjoyment in them. The more is not merrier.

With this all being said, I have come to realize that I enjoy an episode much more when I haven’t seen it in a long time.

It’s like reuniting with your love after many months apart.

Therefore, I am willing to wait out for a particular episode to run on TV. Even though I admit that occasionally I’ll scan the Internet to find illegal viewings of shows, me being Netflix-less is, for the most part, pretty nice.

Holiday depression is a slippery slope Michael Mathis ’15 There are two types of winters. There’s the scientific winter, which is instigated by the solstice on Dec. 21 and ends with the Spring equinox on March 20.

These months include the brutal cold fronts, runny noses, and Scott Pecoriello ’15 getting talked to more often.

And then here’s the second type of winter: warm fireplace, candy and hot chocolate, and iceskating with all the prance and dance of Prancer and Dancer.

This begins with the ceremonial trampling of a

shopper on Black Friday and ends when the janitors start sweeping confetti from the streets of Times Square.

And then what are you left with? Midterms, boarded-up Dairy Queens and sadness.

Maybe this is why, according to Psych Central, nearly 25 percent of Americans suffer from “low grade to fullblown depression after the holidays.”

Now, I’m not trying to scare the holiday spirit out of you. I don’t have green fur, I don’t live alone on a mountain and I won’t stop

December

you or your friends from singing “Dahoo Dores” in the middle of town square Christmas morning.

Actually, quite the opposite.

Holiday spirit is what helps us through arguably the toughest season of them all.

However, instead of reserving all of our kindness, warmth and optimism for the only month where presents are given out, why not extend these customs once the winter really takes its toll?

Keep the customs going.

I’m not just talking about the bright-colored sweaters or

the secret-gift-giving. These are scientifically-positive customs.

But don’t be afraid to make hotchocolate a regular thing.

In fact, a recent study from Medical News Today reported that one of the main instigators of Seasonal Affective Disorder is a deficiency of Vitamin D, found most commonly in dairy.

So, don’t be afraid to add a little jolt of cow juice into those warm cocoa drinks.

After all, if holiday spirit could carry Buddy the Elf and Ed Asner from Central Park to the North Pole, it can do anything.

January GRAPHIC BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15

Icy roads don’t drive me crazy

Rachel Treisman ’15

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | Opinions

inter is synonymous with comfort. Case in point, rich hot chocolate, thick sweaters, toasty fireplaces and fuzzy socks.

However, there’s one aspect of winter that forces many teens out of their comfort zones: driving in bad conditions.

Slippery roads and icy windshields are enough to strike fear into the hearts of many.

Freezing brakes and snowcovered highways are enough to push some over the edge.

But not me.

Last winter, my parents decided my endless hours spent in driver’s ed just weren’t enough, and they signed me up for the Skip Barber Racing School teentraining program in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad had done one of their racing programs when he was younger, and he knew I would be in good hands.

This was especially important, as I spent hours practicing acceleration and deceleration, swerving around cones at high speeds and, my personal favorite, letting my car spin out of control on a skid pad.

After spinning and sliding in dizzying circles and eventually learning how to self-correct, I feel pretty confident in my ability to handle icy roads.

I know that if a car starts to slide, the best thing to do is to steer into the skid. It sounds

counterintuitive, but turning the car in the direction it’s spinning is the safest way to make it stop.

I also know that it’s always better to accelerate coming out of a turn rather than going into it. This is the pro tip for gaining speed without risking an accident on an icy road.

Being behind the wheel in the winter is not necessarily a walk, or, should I say, a drive, in the park. I won’t lie; there are plenty of January days when driving down North Avenue requires more deliberation and concentration than taking an AP test.

Last year, the wintertime commute to Staples gained a reputation of danger, with several accidents occurring on several different days. According to SafeWinterRoads.org, 24 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes annually occur on snowy, slushy or icy roads.

There’s no doubt that driving in the winter requires a lot more patience and a lot less speed than it does during the rest of the year, but it’s totally manageable if you know what you’re doing.

Just remember: take it slow, steer into the skid and leave a lot of distance between you and the car in front of you.

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

But I’m usually more nervous about backing into my garage on icy winter days than driving down the Post Road in the snow.

SafeRides provides security

Lulu Stracher ’17 Picture this: you’re stranded at the bitter end of a party, your designated driver bailed on you and you have no cash handy for a cab.

You wonder if you are going to be trapped here all night.

Before 2012, when SafeRides was founded, this could have been the case. SafeRides provides a “free, confidential ride home to any current high school student who lives in Westport on most Saturday nights from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.,” according to the SafeRides website.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), over 300,000 people drive drunk every single day. Some students at Staples believe that programs like SafeRides condone teen drinking and illegal behavior.

However, SafeRides critics should note that drinking and drug use would still occur with or without SafeRides.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol use remains extremely widespread among today’s teenagers, despite significant efforts to decrease it in recent years.

Nearly three quarters of students (72 percent) have consumed alcohol by the end of high school, and more

than a third (37 percent) have done so by eighth grade. It is inevitable, or at least highly unlikely, that teenagers will stop experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I did take SafeRides once, the drivers were super respectful and non-judgmental, and they took me straight home with no questions asked.

I had no money for a cab, and SafeRides seemed like a much better solution than bothering my parents while they were at dinner on the other side of town, or worse, getting a ride from someone I didn’t trust enough to take me safely home.

I wasn’t drinking, but SafeRides was the only option for a safe ride.

SafeRides policy prevents the driver from taking you anywhere except back to your house.

This significantly decreases the amount of kids abusing SafeRides because they cannot ask them to be taken to another party, a friends house or anywhere else that jeopardizes them from getting a safe ride home.

The percentage of teens in high school who drink and drive has decreased by more than half since 1991. But with SafeRides working most Saturdays, this statistic will hopefully decrease.

Winter Driving Statistics Icy roads account for...

Snow/sleet accounted for 17 percent of weather related crashes.

GRAPHIC BY COOPER BOARDMAN ’17 , CREATED ON PIKTOCHART.COM INFORMATION FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

GRAPHIC BY OLIVIA CROSBY ’15

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | Opinions

Deck the halls without the homework

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Ivy Prince ’17

very Sunday, I wake up at 10:00 a.m. and prepare myself for the long day ahead of me, filled with procrastinated homework assignments, papers and projects.

It’s not that I mean to procrastinate; I’ve just always felt that it’s best to use your days

off doing activities you enjoy rather than doing schoolwork.

So for me, when it comes to holiday breaks, I like to pretend that school doesn’t even exist and just disregard any math formula, English vocab term or chemistry equation.

After all, holiday breaks are meant to give kids a break – a break from school, homework

and studying.

Breaks are supposed to take kids’ minds off of school and just let them have fun and relax on the days off.

Now, it’s turned into “read pages 1-250”, and “complete the midterm study packet.” This so-called “break” was really just a week-long study session, preparing for midterms or

just working on the busywork homework sheets – my favorite.

Instead of enjoying the extremely rare time off we had, we sat piled next to endless sheets of homework and study packets.

But this year, thanks to the new no homework over break policy, many students, like me, had a chance to enjoy a work-free

break once again. I spent time with family and friends instead of reviewing the Pythagorean Theorem, and really enjoyed spending close to two full weeks carefree.

So, I hope you are feeling fully recharged and relaxed. But now it’s time to crack open these books once more. Midterms are just one weekend away.

GRAPHIC BY ALE BENJAMIN ’15 AND SALLY PARK ’15

True fans are forever loyal to the losing team Adam Kaufman ’15 I was nine years-old when Carlos Beltran took an Adam Wainwright curveball right down the middle to end the New York Mets’ magical postseason run. I was in tears that night knowing we had been one game away from the World Series.

But alas, not only did that 2006 Mets team not make it to the World Series, but they

haven’t even come close to the playoffs since. From that point on, the Mets have had a win-loss record of 630-666. A couple of late-season collapses followed by six years of losing records have left me emotionally bruised but not quite broken.

Year after year, when the snow melts in February and a new season is mere weeks away, I still feel an odd sense of optimism for some reason. It may be that on Opening Day, the New York

Mets are still undefeated. But, really, my optimism stems from more than just the numbers.

I was raised in a household that bleeds blue and orange, so much so that I use the term “we” when I refer to the Mets. I can’t bear but feel a twinge of optimism when the season begins because even though we always play second fiddle to the evil team in pinstripes from the Bronx, well, in the words of former Mets lefty pitcher Tug McGraw, “Ya gotta

believe!”

And this year of all years, I not only believe, but I’m confident.

With only some bias, I think we’ve got a chance to get out of the cellar of the MLB like so many years past. With All-Star pitcher Matt Harvey returning from elbow reconstruction surgery to join a formidable rotation, I have hope that the 2015 New York Mets might actually resemble a respectable

professional baseball team.

Now with our luck, it wouldn’t surprise me to hear tomorrow that third baseman David Wright blew out his knee, or that we’ve decided to trade away all of our players for “cash considerations.” But it’s with my fingers crossed and my royal blue Mets cap snugly on my head that I sit through the blizzards of winter, eagerly waiting for Opening Day and the ensuing success of my New York Mets.

The Mets have not made the playoffs since 2006 (eight seasons).

In 2007 the team was in first place with 17 games to go in the season but lost 12 of them and missed the postseason.

The Mets have not won a World Series since 1986 (28 seasons).

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY ADAM KAUFMAN ’15 AND MAX BIBICOFF ’16

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PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16

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NURSING WITH A SMILE Christine Cook is known around school for her friendly demeanor. Many visit her for the nurse’s superior water �ilter but stay to chat with the outgoing secretary.

Bella Gollomp ’15 here are many reasons why students visit the nurse’s office, and it’s not always because they’re ill or looking for quality filtered water. Rather, people come to see the one special person who contributes to making Staples a warm environment.

“Goofball,” “sweetheart” and “hidden gem” are only a few of the words that Staples students use when asked to describe her.

Who is this friendly face behind the nurse’s desk?

Christine Cook, of course.

Cook joined the Staples

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staff four years ago and, since then, has gained local fame in the Staples community. She claims it all started with the water filter located in the nurses’ office.

“Once the word got around about our great-tasting water, kids ditched the water fountains and piled in,” Cook said. “It’s funny because I’m normally a shy person, but since so many kids would come in and out of the office daily, I was forced to make conversation.”

Whether students come in to see the nurses, fill up water bottles or to chat about life, Cook is always open to greeting new faces.

Because she came to Staples four years ago, she has a special bond with the senior class.

Isaac Paparo ’15 is a frequent visitor to Cook’s office. He says that over the years she has been there for him with anything and everything. He even refers to her as having become “one of the boys.”

“Ms. Cook is the best. There is no other way to put it,” Paparo said. “I visit her everyday, about two or three times. She’s honestly one of the nicest people in school and practically knows everybody.”

Cook knows a lot of students by name, but she didn’t learn

them by reading the yearbook or making flash cards.

Instead, she was inspired to learn names by yet another well-known figure at Staples: Principal John Dodig.

When Cook joined the school, she took notice of Dodig greeting students in the morning when they arrived. She also noted when he went to lunch waves or helped board the buses at dismissal.

“I’d listen to him talk to kids, and he always seemed to know something specific about each person,” she said. “I figured if he can do it, so can I.” Cook has also made a

Pop

After Tay l e i g h t - a n d - or H a-half hours of arrin sleep, math teacher gton Robert Papp hops out of ’15 bed just before the blare of his 5:00 a.m. alarm. Ready to start the day and see his students again, he’s one of the few genuinely excited on Monday mornings.

For many, the idea that teachers have lives outside of Staples is a foreign concept. But Papp was more than willing to spill the secrets of his daily routine to Inklings.

While his fiancé, Daphne, is still asleep, Papp tiptoes out of his room to meditate for 20 minutes.

Inspired by the Providence Zen Center he’s visited, Papp channels his inner spirituality and then transitions to 40 minutes of yoga.

At 6:00 a.m., he quickly sips a fruit smoothie filled with protein powder and a scoop of almond butter before retreating back to his room to wake his fiancé with a cup of hot coffee.

Then the two part ways; she catches a train into Manhattan, while he makes his way to Staples, tuning into NPR or humming to Sirius XM Radio’s ‘90s Alternative and Grunge Rock station.

After listening to songs from his high-school years and getting out of his warm car, Papp hikes up to the third floor to greet his officemates.

He places his labeled

lasting impression on Griffi n Thrush ’15.

“I’ve gone to see Ms. Cook during my lunch periods and even frees just because she is a great [person],” Thrush said.

“She’s become one of my best friends to the extent where she is even mentioned in my senior write up.”

Cook will continue to put smiles upon the faces of the Staples community even after her beloved class of 2015 is gone.

“I’m inspired everyday by you guys,” Cook said. “Each of you are just so with it and driven individuals. I honestly love you all.”

PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16

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manila folders on top of the corresponding shelves and thumbs through the day’s handouts to make sure everything goes smoothly. He’s ready for his day to begin.

Papp said his classes aren’t just filled with equations and derivatives; they include class conversations.

“I think that my job goes beyond just delivering math to students,” Papp said. He’s a strong believer in putting his desks in pods so that his students can converse and learn from each other.

Most of the time, these conversations are linked to math. “If there’s something in the lesson... that makes me think of a life anecdote that I think will shed some light on a situation... I will share it with my students,” Papp said. In fact, Papp has become known for telling students tidbits of inspiration and stories about his life right up until the last minute of the day.

However, when the final bell rings at 2:15, Papp is not ready to leave. He sticks around Staples for a few more hours.

“I’ve got this little end-of-day thing I do,” Papp said, pointing to his handy dandy to-do list posted next to his computer. It has five friendly reminders, including “Update Schoology” and “Enter class participation.”

For the next couple hours until

CLAPS FOR PAPP Kraft mac-n-cheese lover and meditation enthusiast Robert Papp is known for making math class a little more fun.

Pap p

about 5 : 0 0 p.m., Papp cranks out any work he has to do for the rest of the week, whether it’s making a test or correcting one from that day.

“I never do any homework at home,” Papp smiled. “When I leave here every day at 5:00 p.m., I have the whole next day set to go.”

This way, he’s able to enjoy his evening, whether it’s catching up with old friends over Facebook or diving into a new show on Netflix.

Now that he and his fiancé have finished their favorite show, “House of Cards,” they’re struggling to find something to top it.

With full stomachs from a dinner Papp whipped up, he and his fiancé submerse themselves in whatever book they’re currently reading together. Right now, it’s “The Corrections” by Jonathan Franzen.

“We’ll either read together,” Papp said, explaining how the two of them will take turns reading aloud in bed, “or we’ll just read on our own.”

But at 8:30, the lights are switched off until his day begins again with a smile and an hour of relaxation.

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cover history of Westp n u s t n e ort Stud

GRAPHIC VIA PPTBACKGROUNDS UNDER THE CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

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Emma Lederer ’16

t’s not any kind of falsity or exaggeration to say that Westport teenagers expressoccasional hatred for the town they live in.

“I really, really do not like Westport for the most part,” Jessy Nelson ’16 said bluntly.

As with any suburban town, it’s easy to see the downsides to living in a place that can be (as compared to big cities) culturally limited. However, Westport is ripe with history and culture that many people may not appreciate – mostly because they are unaware of it.

Since before the Common Era, Westport has been filled with scavengers and entrepreneurs. According to “Westport, Connecticut: The Story of a New England Town’s Rise to Prominence” by resident author Woody Klein, campsites over 4,000 years old have been discovered in Westport.

Brynn Schumacher ’17 said that she had no idea that Westport was discovered so long ago. “Honestly, I thought the first settlers came here around, like, 1940,” she said.

However, even though people inhabited Westport so many thousands of years ago, it was not until the fall of 1648 that the seeds of modern-day Westport were planted.

Klein explains the significance of the Bankside Farmers, the very first white settlers in Westport. Even though the Bankside farmers were largely responsible for creating this town, many people are unaware of who they even were. “I have no idea what that is,” Schumacher said, when asked about the Bankside farmers.

Klein explained that these men were “[...] five farmers from Fairfield ‘with Yankee knack for a good bargain.’ [They] acquired a strip of land along the coast from the home of the Indians of Machamux.”

This area, which was named after the tribe,

soon became extremely successful and even caught the eye of Fairfield’s town fathers.

The location they chose was stunning, with open fields that were sometimes interrupted by glittering ponds and streams, as well as tidal salt meadows full of wild grain and shellfish. More and more people were attracted to Marchamux over time, and other farmers from Fairfield wanted to join the Bankside farmers in the area that would later become Westport.

Machamux marked the beginning of an era of growth of Westport – growth that would also be contributed to by the church.

According to “Westport, Connecticut: The Making of a Yankee Township by Edward Coley Bridge, “The backbone of all American settlement at the beginning was the church [...] The Greens Farms church [served as] local self government.”

However, the growth of the town as a result of the flourishing local economy and government was interrupted by the Revolutionary War. As a result, Westport did not become a town until almost two hundred years after the first white settlers arrived. As Klein says, “On May 1835, the State of Connecticut granted the petition to incorporate Westport as a town […]”

Since this monumental moment in which Westport became a town, countless other monumental moments have made it into a very special town, as the book “Stories from Westport’s Past” by Joanna Foster details.

Foster describes the battle for Compo Beach, the overabundance of onion that was once grown by local farmers, the little stories behind road names in Westport and the story of Samuel Burr Sherwood (one of Westport’s first lawyers) serving in Congress.

Even with all of these stories, there are many untold and unheard ones that contribute to the history and charm of the little town that we call home – hopefully, no longer reluctantly.

January 9, 2015 | Features

Relive the not-so-fresh moments of freshman year Francesca Truitt ’17 Ah, freshman year. The year all students would like to expunge from existence. But, for seniors, the time has come to look these memories straight in the eye, to stop feeling embarrassed about them and to let out a hearty, relieved laugh that you are no longer a freshman.

Let’s face it – you were the runt of the school. You were smaller, weaker, less socially experienced than the towering varsity football players.

“I was walking through the cafeteria and I stepped on a backpack and slipped, then fell in front of a bunch of senior guys,” Erica Hefnawy ’15 said. “And that also happened to me my senior year, so I guess I came and left the same way.”

And whether you like to admit it or not, you’ve gotten lost one, two, maybe ten times.

“I walked into the the wrong classroom once, not to mention it was full of seniors,” Jake Berman ’15 said. “They all just laughed at me. That was pretty embarrassing, to say the least.”

Some have even been caught using the bathroom, except not in the correct bathroom.

“I was peeing somewhere I was not supposed to be peeing,” Luis Cruz ’15 said.

“And two girls caught me. I was like: ‘Oh.’” It’s almost impossible to forget some of the pretty horrendous fashion choices, too.

Feather extensions, anyone? Sure, they were trendy back then, but now? No, just no.

“Everyone started doing dip dye and putting feathers in their hair,” Caroline Accardi ’15 said. “I was like, this is ridiculous.

You look like birds.”

And then there was the Ugg trend. Uggs!

Really?

“Let’s just say they’re called Uggs for a reason, if you catch my drift,” Campbell Marsh ’16 said.

“I mean you’re practically wearing fur, but you know [...] you do what you gotta do to stay warm,” Hefnawy said.

Sure, your freshman year was pretty cringe-worthy. And in a year or two, you get to experience it all over again in college.

Lucky you.

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | Features

One of Staples’ finest principal leaves lasting legacy

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Ben Foster ’16

leven years ago, Principal John Dodig decided to come out of retirement to take a temporary position as the principal of Staples High School. But now, in his 11th and final year at Staples, his impact on the school has proven to be anything but temporary. Here are the 11 things Dodig has added to his legacy over his 11-year tenure.

Passion for Education It didn’t take long for Staples students and staff to realize what a perfect fit he was for the job, as he transformed the school through his wise words, passion for education and enthusiastic personality.

Positive and Supportive Environment Bridget van Dorsten ’15, working through her fourth year at Staples, has certainly gotten to know Dodig as a principal. “He’s always given a positive and supportive outlook for the student body at Staples,” van Dorsten said. “He’s someone who I’ve always felt I can go to if I was worried about something.”

Recognition of Good Deeds Dodig does a great job of creating a comfortable environment and is always willing to help his students. His best method for creating this environment, is recognizing the simple good deeds of individuals within the student body.

Personalized Recognition Alumnus Peter Elkind ’14 was recognized for something unlike anything else during his days at Staples. “He brought me into his office and told me he wanted to thank me for my kindness towards a disabled friend of mine and offered me a pair of movie tickets,” Elkind said. Dodig brings a more offbeat way of acknowledging his students, which makes him different from any other principal.

Morning Announcements Every Tuesday, during extended period two, Dodig’s voice comes over the P.A. system. He never fails to lead the entire school in a symbol of patriotism, and often afterwards he mentions a current event, such as events in Pakistan or the riots in Ferguson. He keeps students involved, and reminds them of all they have to be grateful for.

Endorsing Athletics

GRAPHIC BY JACKIE COPE ’15

Dodig is present at every possible game, cheering louder than anyone else in the stands. He often shows his support by performing in the pep rally with the Staples cheerleaders. At the Pink Out game, Dodig even repped a pink wig in solidarity with his students.

Appreciation for the School Community “[Dodig] always made sure to show his appreciation towards the school by making it such a friendly environment,” Elkind added. “Dodig over the years has turned those random acts of kindness into legitimate awards that help recognize the ordinary.”

Recognition of Students Who Shine in Different Ways The roots behind Dodig’s goals and achievements at Staples have been partly because of the way he grew up in high school. He was never someone who stood out. “The star athlete, the lead in the play – they all get into the newspaper. The world is run by ordinary people, and I’ve been an ordinary guy my whole life,” Dodig said.

15 Minutes of Fame In 2004, Dodig started the “15 Minutes of Fame” segment. The first one focused on a shy student who commuted to Norwalk every day to practice cabinet making in a woodshop. After the segment aired, his mother expressed her sincere gratitude. “She was weeping on the phone, and she said, ‘My son is 17 years old, and he’s never been recognized for anything.

He walks with his head held high,’ and I had tears in my eyes,” Dodig said.

Student of the Month In addition to the segment, Dodig instituted Student of the Month to recognize the students with some hidden talent or other aspect that makes them stand out.

School Spirit One of current Staples students’ fondest high school memories may likely be seeing Dodig at the apex of a cheerleader pyramid at this year’s fall pep rally. While that might have been the peak of his school spirit, he made an attempt to be at as many extracurricular activities as possible over his career. He frequently shared glowing reviews of Players’ shows and rooted for the girls’ soccer team at their FCIAC bid this year .

Uman of Staples That’s not a typo – it’s his last name Adam Kaplan ’16 Some students are athletes, some students are musicians.

However, only one student is Alex Uman ’16.

In some senses, Uman is a cult sensation. You’ve probably seen the 6’4” gentle giant lumbering around the halls wearing oneof-a-kind shirts featuring weird monograms, including his shirt of a single piece of bread.

At first encounter, one would assume Uman was eccentric; his loud, boisterous persona leads people to assume that he lives a lavish lifestyle. However, Uman is a man of simple pleasures.

“I would have to say my happiest moment was this summer, sitting at the beach, looking at the ocean, eating pizza from Jordans,” he said.

However, the sight of the ocean is much more appealing to Uman than actually swimming in it. “I’m quite afraid of the ocean,” Uman admitted. “You just don’t know what’s underneath you when you’re swimming.”

When asked what ocean creature he was most afraid of, without hesitation, a straightfaced Uman said, “Kraken.”

“The reason I love Compo Beach so much is that at its deepest portions, it is only a few hundred feet deep and only a baby Kraken could survive, so I’m not too worried,” Uman inquisitively said.

Uman has aspirations for himself before he leaves for college. He aspires to “get swole” in the gym, he said. While most people would use their fit physique to play a sport, Uman has other plans. “If I got that swole I would probably never wear a shirt,” he said. “I think people would respect that.”

Uman admitted the biggest impact he will probably leave on the Staples community is the popularization of referring to everyone as “Dad.” “Last year, it grew to this whole big ol’ thing – freshmen were saying it, juniors were saying it and, pretty soon,

everyone just started calling me Dad,” Uman said.

Uman’s “Dad” legacy is not only prominent of Staples.

“Everyone at Amity High School calls each other ‘Mom and Dad,’ and that’s because at J.S.A., I started calling people ‘Dad,’ Uman said proudly. “They spread it to their school, and, since then, it’s spread like wildfire.”

While “Dad” got Uman recognized, it also got him a few enemies, as he now has a “beef” with Staples Players, according to Uman. “The Players think that they started it, and that’s just not true. I started saying it to the bassists I play with who are in Staples’ tech, and they spread it to all of Players. However they don’t know where it rightfully comes from. Honestly, it’s no biggy,” Uman joked.

Eccentric, controversial and larger than life are all ways to describe this one-of-a-kind student. “I’m not a Human of Staples,” he said. “I’m the Uman of Staples.”

PHOTO BY ADAM KAPLAN ’16

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your

?

Likes, subscribers, followers and everything in between

Freshmen have a falling out with Facebook Jen Gouchoe ’16

M

any Staples students – and probably a good amount of teachers, too – have scrolled through their Facebook newsfeeds until there’s nothing left to see, stalked people they don’t even remotely know and spent hours on Facebook messenger keeping up with annoying group chats.

The addictiveness of Facebook resonates with most of us, but it may have lost its appeal with the younger generation.

Most upperclassmen have Facebooks for the sheer social aspect, but Facebook has also helped students in contacting their fellow peers for help with school. However, many freshmen are not using Facebook for the same reasons.

“I chose to get a Facebook because of pressure from my older sister,” Samantha Smith ’18 said. “My sister

thought that I would use it to communicate with other people in my classes if I needed help with homework, but I don’t know many people in my grade that do that.”

She explained how she uses Facebook mostly for her extracurriculars. “I do Yearbook, and I conduct most of the interviews through the messager thing on Facebook,” Smith said.

Amelia Brown ’18 has had similar experiences to Smith. She got Facebook to communicate with her field hockey team. However, she noted that she prefers Instagram over Facebook.

“I use it way more than Facebook because it’s less confusing,” Brown said.

“With Facebook, everything you do, other people can see, which I don’t like.”

Instagram, with its array of filters for photographs that make people appear to be “artsy,” is all the rage with the

underclassmen.

“My younger brother, an eighth grader, uses Instagram like crazy,” Jenna Patterson ’16 said. “For them, it’s all about picking a good photo to Instagram, editing it, picking a good caption and getting likes.”

Although it seems like Facebook started the social media craze, other social media outlets like Instagram and Snapchat may be pioneering a whole new social media trend. The real question is, will Facebook just become dust in the wind and end up like MySpace?

Patterson, acknowledging that “in some ways Facebook is becoming the next MySpace,” still has hope for Facebook.

“I think, by the time the younger generations get older, they will appreciate all the benefits of Facebook, like I mentioned; getting useful information from activities or classes you participate in.”

84 percent 1-in-5 of freshmen have a Facebook account

freshmen use Snapchat more than any other social media

Instagram

is the most popular social media amongst freshmen This poll surveyed 132 Staples High School freshman and was distributed through Survey Monkey.

INFOGRAPHIC BY JANE LEVY ’16 AND JACKIE COPE ’15

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Vine

Wunderlist

s a teenager, it’s a constant struggle to be organized; but with Wunderlist, students can organize, prioritize and accomplish with ease. The app allows users to create and share lists that enable them to collaborate with everyone in their lives. Users create lists of homework assignments or to-do lists for group projects and can share them with fellow students.

Users can also start conversations about their todos and browse thousands of public lists.

The phrase “do it for the Vine” has filled Staples’ halls, as users will go to extremes to perfect their Vine profiles. Students can see, create and share six-second video snippets of their lives instantaneously. When users scroll down their feed, there is endless entertainment from looping videos of friends and hilarious famous viners. A user can “say something nice” on a person’s Vines or throw them a like, amounting to never-ending homework distractions. Kaela O’Kelly ’15 (@kaelaokelly on Vine) describes Vine as “a great way to procrastinate” and said, “It’s addictive because there’s always new jokes and trends that are absolutely hilarious.”

Emily Olrik ’16

GroupMe

Waze

When students hit the streets, Waze is the app that steers them. This navigation app connects its 50 million members as they drive, with users in their location, showing real-time traffic reports and road information. The app grants users a heads up before they approach a traffic jam or a cluster of police officers. If users experience car troubles or get lost, their fellow Waze users are there to lend a hand.

GroupMe is an organized home for all of the groups in a person’s life, where users can direct message anyone, anywhere. If someone sends a hilarious message, a user can tap a heart to “like it.” If a user is too tired to scroll up to see an old picture, they can tap the gallery for easy access to all sent pictures. Plus, if unwanted messages (emoji spam) keeps flooding in, users can “mute” a group, and even leave or end a group. Maialie Fitzpatrick ’16 raves about its best feature. “My favorite part is being able to search and send Gifs,” she said.

GRAPHIC BY JULIA SCHORR ’16

A word from our Staples viners Kaela Ben Margaux MacColl ’16

Ben Schwaeber ’16 isn’t modest in the slightest when it comes to his Vines.

“They are simply art,” he said of his six-second creations.

Vine is a relatively new art, as it was released in 2013.

Schwaeber’s favorite Vine of his begins with his friend Drew O’Brien ’16 walking through the Sherwood Diner parking lot.

O’Brien is mid-sentence when Riley Petta ’16 comes barreling out of no where, tackling O’Brien

from the side, orchestrating a chorus of laughs and hollers from all spectators.

Schwaeber describes the moment as “simply spontaneous,” saying that creating it “was a magical feeling.”

O’Brien survived the tackle, and all parties involved lived to Vine another day.

“In just six seconds, Vine can capture some of the funniest moments in your life,” Schwaeber said.

Kaela O’Kelly ’15 joined Vine two years ago when she first saw Vines on her Twitter feed.

Since then, she has amassed 310 followers, and even had a Vine that got 1651 likes.

One of her most popular Vines took inspiration from an famous scene in the movie “The Fault in Our Stars.” The scene shows Hazel Grace, the main character, asking her love interest, Augustus, why he is staring at her. He responds

romantically, “Because you are beautiful.”

O’Kelly’s vine is almost the same scene with her playing Hazel Grace, except when she asks him why he’s staring, the camera pans up and reveals that “Communism” is written in big letters on her forehead.

“I usually get inspired by dumb things,” she said of her eccentric Vine style. “I like being able to be creative and crazy and make something that I enjoy.

Bloggers tumble their way toward self-expression Eliza Goldberg ’17 It’s a way to express yourself.

It’s a way to cater to different audiences. It’s a hobby that has been taken up by millions across the globe.

In recent years, blogs have illuminated more and more computer screens, in part due to the creation of Tumblr, a site that David Karp founded in 2007. According to the website, “Tumblr is 214 million different blogs, filled with literally whatever.”

With Tumblr, users can post their own photos or text, or they can “reblog” other bloggers’ content, along with fully customizing their own blog appearance.

Tumblr user Hallie Spear ’18 can’t get enough of the site. “[Tumblr] speaks my mood, and my blog is covered with stuff I like. It’s like being able to make a web page that is personalized

to me.”

However, creativity isn’t Tumblr’s only appeal.

Ashton Dedona ’17, a long time Tumblr user, said, “I love Tumblr because I love looking at all the pictures. They give me cool ideas [specifically] of pictures to take, like scenery of beachy kinds of things.”

Not only can a Tumblr user develop new ideas from other users, but there is also an aspect of self expression that isn’t always available on other forms of social media. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, Tumblr bloggers frequently have a wider range of audiences than just people they know personally. In fact, many people even choose to keep their blog private from their friends. Users can portray their thoughts and

feelings through pictures and words without the pressure of having to share it with anyone they know.

Frequently, Tumblr users also choose to have themes to their blog content. In her Tumblr

relaxing and has a lot of funny content, [including] Bill Nye [jokes which are] everywhere on Tumblr.”

However, the room for self expression can end up being more or less a double-edge sword. Nick Ribolla ’16 is unsure how he feels about Tumblr.

“On one hand,

“I like Tumblr because it speaks my mood, and my blog is covered with stuff I like. It’s like being able to make a web page that is personalized to me.”

- Hallie Spear ’18 blog, Jodie Baris ’16 expresses her passion for science. “My blog is mostly about cool science facts and science-related humor” Baris said. “I like Tumblr because it’s

it’s great that so m a n y people can express their opinions in a way that isn’t monitored or censored at all,” Ribolla admitted.

“On the other hand, people take blogs as if they were news sources sometimes, which

they’re not.”

When reading and blogging, users need to remember that content is frequently someone’s opinion, and not always factual news. Blogging is great exposure to other people’s thoughts, but that doesn’t mean you have to agree with them.

In the words of Ribolla, “Just because someone on the internet says something, it does not mean it’s true, or that anyone is obligated to live by an arbit rar y set of rules by someone sitting in their bedroom on a Macbook.”

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Zoe Brown ’15 Smith’s, though; some choose to celebrate their birthday in he lights more intimate ways. were Sophie Betar ’18 likes low but to celebrate her birthday by the spirits were high. doing the latter. This year, There was sushi and Betar plans on taking her pizza and macaroons and friends to dinner and then Pinkberry frozen yogurt. hosting a sleepover.

There were a hundred kids “Most of my friends do dancing and eating and the same thing as I do,” Betar chatting under the dim blue said. glow of the lights. There were Birthday party dynamics bright white flashes from cell seem to have changed phone cameras, and there were substantially since childhood. kids posing in the photo booth. Kyle Baer ’15 believes this There was even a lounge area is “probably because parents and a nonalcoholic bar. stop planning them and kids “It was meant to be a are lazy.” clubby kind of atmosphere,” For his 18th birthday, Liv Smith ’16 said of her Baer brought some friends Sweet-Sixteen birthday party. into the city and had dinner at Smith decided to have a a steakhouse. festive birthday party like “I didn’t think it was a this because it had been big deal and was too lazy to a while since she had organize something proper,” thrown a big one.

Baer laughed.

Some kids Jack Norman ’17 also don’t throw thinks that the definition of b i r t h d a y “birthday party” matured parties as come high school. big as “When I was younger, I guess I put way more thought into the party like what we’re going to do, where we’re going to do

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it, when we’re going to do it,” Norman said.

Last year, Norman brought his friends to Six Flags to celebrate. But this year, he plans to go a bit smaller.

Baer also notes that high school changes the meaning of the term “party.”

“Parties usually refer to drinking in high school, while in elementary school, a party was basically any large gathering of friends, usually doing an activity,” he said.

Aside from growing up, added peer pressure is also a major reason that alcohol is often a component of a high-school birthday party, according to Teen Awareness Group Co-President Isabel Perry ’15.

“I think when you’re younger, your parents plan the party and people don’t want to disrespect parents to their faces, but teenagers think that it’s easier to get away with drinking at parties because the parents play less of a role,” Perry said. “And then it’s a circle because peer pressure leads high schoolers to believe that you

need t o h a v e drinking at a birthday party to be cool,” she added.

The one thing that remains constant about birthday parties throughout the years, though, is that the birthday boy or girl is surrounded by friends and family and loved ones.

“As I’ve gotten older, it’s become way more ‘throw a bunch of people I want to spend time with in the same room and we’ll have a ton of fun,’” Norman said.

, p u w rties gro

o o t

Make every day a holiday, not just Christmas Alexia Vickers ’16 Happy Humiliation Day? Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter and Memorial Day are major holidays.

They are celebrated every year and all over the country.

Halloween even gets rescheduled if weather interferes.

They all have a well-known background and story behind them. But what about the holidays with little to no explanation?

Jan. 3: Humiliation Day A cynical person might think to assume that the day is devoted to embarrassing people. However, Humiliation Day is, in fact, to recognize that humiliating someone isn’t right.

“I’m not down with people putting each other down. It’s just not cool,” said Halley Jonas ’16.

Jan. 10: Peculiar Person Day Jan. 10 is the perfect day to celebrate all who are uniquely different. It’s the day to appreciate the people who stick out like a diamond on a pile of dirt. Making conversation with the kid no one really talks to because he dances down the hallways would be a good way to start. It’s the day show people it is okay to be different.

Silverstein’s day, along with many others who feel the same desire to give someone a compliment that could make their whole day.

This was also one holiday that had just a small amount of background to it. It was created in 1998 by Kathy Chamberlin of Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and Debby Hoffman of Conord, New Hampshire.

Jan. 24: Compliment Day If you are thinking positive and uplifting thoughts about a particular person, this is the day to tell them. Don’t hold back from giving a good compliment.

“I always feel like complimenting strangers, but I never do because I don’t want to come off as weird if they don’t know me,” Lauren Silverstein ’16 said.

This is going to be

Feb. 4: Create a Vacuum Day It’s a speculated holiday, meaning no one really knows where it came from or what it’s really for. It’s been rumored there was a scientist who created the holiday to celebrate the creation of the vacuum, but it’s also been interpreted as a day where people try to make vacuous innovations.

Making a vacuum that can move large objects and clean on

it’s own could be spectacular contribution to this holiday.

Thomas and Ruth Roy of Well-cat Holidays and Herbs

Feb. 13: Get a Different Name Day If people like the names given to them by their parents, then this isn’t the day for them.

Get a Different Name Day is a time for people to not only change their names for the day but possibly for the rest of their lives. So if you want to change your name to Mango then, hey, let the wind take her away.

“My name’s Emily, and I feel like everyone has the name Emily. If I could change it, I’d make it Kendall,” Emily Duranko ’16 said.

Feb. 13 is the day for those children who disagree with their parents’ decision to give themselves a name that fits.

This small holiday is founded and copyrighted by

Feb. 20: Hoodie-Hoo Day A somewhat odd holiday, Hoodie-Hoo Day is when people go out at noon and throw their hands up to the sky and chant “Hoodie-Hoo.” It’s the celebration of having longer days of sun after being stuck in the house all winter.

This is around the time when the weather starts to warm up and the days become longer. It’s the realization that the temperature is going to rise, giving people the opportunity to go out with friends during the daylight.

These are only a few of the lesser-known holidays, but every day has at least one holiday to celebrate. Every individual can find one that suits them to share with their friends and family.

January 9, 2015 | Advertisement

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January 9, 2015 GRAPHIC BY ANNIE HAROUN ’16

Child models pose for more than just picture day Katie Settos ’15 etween bibs and binkies, naptime and nose-picking, life is pretty simple for the average toddler. Yet for a select sophisticated few, like Angelina Jolie, Brooke Shields and Emma Tangel ’16, dress-up was taken to the next level.

Tangel was only four years old when she landed a surprise position at Wilhelmina Models after her mother’s friend had sent in photos of her to the agency without her family’s knowledge.

Shortly after, she was signed, snagging jobs for Marc Jacobs, Juicy Couture, H&M and Crayola.

While starring in your own advertisement may sound like every little girl’s dream, Tangel initially “hated” modeling, recalling a photo shoot for Juicy Couture that was an absolute disaster.

B

“As a child, I was particularly shy and didn’t like having the attention directed towards me, a quality that most people avoid while being in the business,” Tangel said. “It’s funny looking back on the photos from the [Juicy Couture] shoot because in each one I have a huge pout on my face.”

Though Tangel is all smiles now, working the camera as a teenage model, she explained that the industry isn’t always so glamorous, as models are often swamped with tedious gosees (auditions) and tiresome commutes. For those very reasons, math teacher Margaret Gomez is hesitant to let her twin kindergarteners, Liliana and Lucas, model.

“It just sounds like it’s not letting kids be kids,” Gomez said.

“I want my kids to be able to play with Legos and Play-Doh and not be rushed to a shoot after school

with a moment’s notice.”

As child models earn roughly $500-$1,000 per job, with larger companies paying around $3,000, Gomez notes that a modeling gig may be helpful for funding her children’s college tuition, however she remains skeptical of its worthwhileness.

Julia Ethier ’17, who modeled for Target, Baby Gap and Sak’s Fifth Avenue as an infant, had her career cut short after a move from New York to Texas, her mother sharing Gomez’s concerns.

“My mom didn’t really like me doing it,” Ethier said. “It was time consuming, and she just felt that she didn’t really want me on display.” Yet flipping through old shots of herself sporting a powder pink dress coat and matching bonnet, Ethier wishes she had stuck with modeling.

Sydney Sussman ’15 never became a model, but like Ethier, she is curious as to where a

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY THE ETHIER, TANGEL, AND BENE FAMILIES

potential career may have led her in life. When Sussman was three years old, her parents reached out to an agency in New York City, where photographers examined her facial structure and body type. Though Sussman didn’t get the job, the agency requested her parents call them back once she grew a few inches taller.

“After time had passed, I just wasn’t growing quickly enough and it became unimportant to my parents to try to make it work,” Sussman said. “It would have been pretty cool to tell people I was a kid model, but I just didn’t fit the standards.”

However, 15 years later, children who are small for their age are actually more desirable in the industry, accord i ng to Debra Somerville, a scout for Click Model Management in New York City and a freelance photographer based in Westport.

“They can play younger but have the maturity of an older child and can take directions well,” Somerville said.

While modeling agencies used to exclusively seek out “pretty kids,” according to DWF Child magazine, the natural look has become much more popular in recent years.

“Agents typically look for kids that are nice looking but really just like normal kids,” Somerville said. “[Also], as we are becoming more and more global, clients prefer kids that are ethnically neutral. In other words, kids that you can't really define what race or nationality they are.”

In addition to a natural and globalized look, an outgoing personality is the key to getting hired. Children who feel comfortable around strangers and are not afraid to be away from mom and dad are usually the ones who score the jobs, Somerville explained. When dealing with babies or infants, who can be difficult to work with at times, clients or casting directors hire “wranglers,” professionals trained to get a particular reaction from a child during a shoot.

Across the globe, Anna Bene ’16 kicked off her modeling career at the age of six when she was living in Japan. Signing

a contract was no problem for her, as her blonde hair and blue eyes were what every Japanese agency sought after at the time, according to Bene. Shooting ads for Universal Studios and various magazines, Bene was amazed to see her advertisements plastered across the walls of subway stations.

“When you saw the finished product the whole thing would be so surreal….I just went crazy,” Bene said.

“I took a picture in front of [the adver t ise m e n t s ] and made everyone who walked by see it was me.”

After returning to the states at the age of 11 and taking some time to adjust to life in America, B e n e ’ s career was put to rest until last year, when she scored a modeling job for Bianca Boutique in Westport. Bitten again by the modeling bug, Bene is currently taking runway classes to prepare for the Emerging Model Competition in New York City on Jan.3, in which she will be judged by a panel of designers.

However, as Bene has grown older, she has found the modeling industry to be much more competitive and serious than she remembers.

“When I was younger ever y t h i ng was a lot more innocent and mostly conservative.

I felt like a superstar. I got all the attention and everyone just wanted to make me pretty,” Bene said. “Now I’m just one in 100.”

While Bene views her short stature as a major disadvantage for her potential runway career, she is determined to establish herself as a star.

To Bene, modeling means more than just looks--it’s about celebrating designer’s talents and passions.

“Someone makes something that they are passionate about and then they give it to models to show it off. I like being chosen by those people because when they pick you it means that they want you show off their passion,” Bene said. “I feel really special [that I get to do that].”

MODEL MANIA (top left) Julia Ethier ’17 poses on the streets of New York City for Vogue Bambini Magazine at age two and a half. (bottom left) Anna Bene ’16 poses for Hiroko Koshino’s spring catalogue. She spent (top right) Emma Tangel ’16 sits inside of a picture frame custom gilded by her grandfather. (middle right) Julia Either smirks in a studio while posing for Sax Fifth Avenue. (bottom right) Tangel ’16 brandishes a sword for Mccall’s Patterns, a Halloween Costume company. (columns) Tangel poses in her �irst shoot at age four.

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GRAPHICS BY JULIA SCHORR ’16

Bow to the Queen of Crime Even the classic And Then There Were None can feel new

Beaches and black diamonds beckon vacationers The pros and cons of ski vacations versus beach vacations Alice Hickson ’17 The air becomes chillier; student’s breath becomes ghostly wisps as they walk outside. As snow blankets the town, students take two drastically different routes.

Some students hurry to pull on their gloves and trudge through flurries of snow, all the while heaving skis by their side.

However,

every moment of struggle is rewarded as they hop off the ski lift and soar over snow-blazed trails.

Skiers live for this thrill and use every possible moment of winter to escape the stress of school and take a well-deserved ski-cation.

Dylan Diamond ’17 is one of these ski-enthusiasts and, for most of the winter season, packs up his skis and drives up to his house in Stratton, Vermont.

“Skiing is just a really fun and exciting sport,” Diamond said.

In fact, Diamond would rather be speeding down snowy mountains than tanning on the sand, describing the beach as “boring.”

As well as the adrenaline rush, skiers value the ephemeral quality of their sport, knowing that, as soon as the spring arrives, their adventures dwindle to an

end.

Since skiing is a seasonal sport, Shmaruk, along with the rest of the ski team, eagerly hurries to places like Okemo and Mount Snow to get in as much ski time as possible.

“You can go to the beach anytime, but you can only ski during the winter,” Ben Shmaruk ’17, a member of the Staples ski team, said.

However, some students prefer to flee the cold as quickly as possible, jumping on a plane and touching down in paradise.

There the sun melts ice from their skin as they lounge on silky sands.

“When I’m at the beach I feel like I’m in paradise because I have escaped from the cold temperatures,” Christina Dear ’17 said. “When I’m skiing, I just feel rushed.”

While skiers may find themselves racing through

blizzard flurries, elsewhere students are wading through turquoise waters.

“There is nothing better than warm weather and swimming. It’s more exotic and something to look forward to,” Lexy Iannacone ’15 said.

Though Iannacone would rather be on a beach, she sees the value in cozying up by the fire after a long day in the snow.

“I also enjoy ski trips because of the weather and just hanging out on the slopes, but also sitting next to a nice warm fire in the lodge,” Iannacone added.

Zoe Mesoff ’17 enjoys both, describing the beach as “super relaxing” and skiing as “really fun.”

Regardless of whether students prefer sandy shores or snowy skies, both vacations provide a much needed reprieve from school.

Megan Root ’15 Tea. Sarcasm. Downtown Abbey. Benedict Cumberbatch.

Harry Potter. The accents.

That’s only the beginning of my list of everything I love about the British. It’s a long list.

At the top of that list is a book from 1939 called “And Then There Were None,” by Agatha Christie. As any Sherlock fan will tell you, the British know how to write a good mystery.

“And Then There Were None” is her masterpiece, the best-selling mystery of all time. So while it is an oldie, it is definitely a goodie, and a book that I recommend-for when a book is old enough, there is a whole new generation that will find the story quite new.

Here’s the premise. Ten people arrive at an isolated island, all lured there under false pretenses and all with secrets to hide. One by one, they are murdered, until the island is left empty. Given the fact every possible suspect is dead, there’s a twist on the classic question, “Who did it?”

Christie isn’t the most stylistically impressive author I’ve ever read, but she is diabolical with her plot. Before “Inception” or “The Matrix,” there was this book.

Given every possible suspect is dead, there’s a new twist on the classic question, “Who did it?”

Christie shifts between perspectives, and the constantly changing dynamic keeps the suspense and tension high.

The creepiness factor is also exponentially increased because the murders follow the pattern of a morbid nursery rhyme, “Ten Little Indians.” Every time someone dies, a little wooden Indian figure disappears from the dinner table.

Unlike some modern-day crime shows, this is not a book where you can guess the killer’s identity fifteen minutes in.

Every time I thought I knew who it was, that character died, and was proved innocent too late. In retrospect, I realize that Christie drops enough clues to give the attentive reader a fighting chance at solving the mystery. To be honest, I took the other option and just waited for the epilogue to explain it.

So anyone with an appreciation for the British or plot twists or suspense (i.e. anyone with a soul) should go read this book.

And if you want the full British experience, I recommend reading it in rainy weather, with a strong cup of tea and a good scone.

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Kempner keeps music in the loop ulia Kempner ’16 is not the typical singer. In fact, she isn’t typical at all. Arriving at the interview, arms full with colorful origami butterflies, Kempner said one thing before getting down to business; “Take East Asian [studies] next year.”

Besides her love for Spongebob episodes, though “only the old ones;” feminism and 78-degree weather because “it’s the perfect temperature,” there is one more thing that differentiates Kempner from the average musician; looping.

“The Complete Guide to Remixing” describes a loop as “a sample of a performance that has been edited to repeat seamlessly when the audio file is played end to end.”

As soon as Kempner heard this style, she was hooked. Soon after, she purchased a looping machine and began working on arrangements for hits like “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé to upload to YouTube.

“The looping machine itself is simple to use,” Kempner explained. “You just hook it up to an amp and a microphone, and you’re good to go.” By recording different phrases, Kempner is then able to layer them on top of one another.

“That way, it sounds like many people singing, when it’s really only my voice.”

Originally interested in looping because of the incredible sounds a looping machine can produce, Kempner also found it to be an alternative way to accompany her songs. “I realized that it was a unique way for me tosing without learning to play guitar or piano,” Kempner said.

“And with all this new world technology, there is just so much you can do with vocals.”

While looping may be entirely new for Kempner, music is not. In fact, her sister Ellen Kempner ’12 has her own indierock band, Palehound. “It’s actually pretty popular in the indie-rock world, but, you know, it’s indie-rock,” Kempner said with a laugh.

One would think that because of Kempner’s family background in music, performing would be something that she had been doing forever. This isn’t the case.

“I actually have never had a singing lesson,” Kempner said.

“Growing up, I was always more like a visual-art kind of person, and I was always kind of scared to get into music because my sister was so good at it,” she recalled.

“But then, gradually, I started singing in the shower, and then family gatherings, and people told me, like, ‘Wow, we didn’t know you could sing,’ and I would say, ‘Well, neither did I,’” Kempner said. “Then I started performing in front of more people, and they

seemed interested, so I wanted to do something even more interesting.”

Close friend Greg Von Der Ahe ‘16 was at a loss for words when he first heard Kempner looping. “I didn’t really know what to expect,” Von Der Ahe ’16 said. “And when she did sing, I was blown away at how a tiny machine and the amps and her

voice could make such a distinct and cool sound.”

Looking ahead, Kempner’s creativity and talent suggest a career in the music industry.

However, Kempner would prefer not to go that route.

“Music, to me, is a hobby.

Going into the workforce would add an entirely new element to music for me,” Kempner said.

“There’s a lot of competition out there, and I don’t want to make it competitive,” she revealed. “I understand why people would want to play college or pro sports, because you only have a certain amount of time to do that,” Kempner continued.

“But music, I’ll be able to have forever, so that’s why there is no rush for me.”

GRAPHICS BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16

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Rebecca Hoving ’17

JULIA KEMPNER: STAPLES MUSICIAN

A LOVE FOR LOOPING Julia Kempner ’16 records YouTube videos in her home studio using her looping machine; her most popular video was her arrangement of Beyonce’s “Pretty Hurts,” which got 603 views since its posting on Aug. 25, 2014.

Students visit the ghosts of television’s past Max Bibicoff ’16

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- Claire Tiefenthaler ’17

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that since he did not necessarily click with the shows from his parents’ generation, he can’t expect Staples students to always appreciate the shows from his generation.

After all, as Perez Elorza said, “[My childhood shows] represent who I am.”

GA NR OO 5 T ’1

“I go out of my way [to watch this show] because [it’s] really funny. In addition, I think that these shows were such a big part of my childhood that I watch them over and over again,” Perez Elorza added.

People certainly have their own opinions about the qualifications for a classic TV show.

“I still watch ‘The Simpsons,’ though the older ones, seasons five to 15, are Golden Era,” English teacher Jesse Bauks said. “Occasionally I’ll watch an episode of ‘Friends,’ ‘Cheers’ or ‘Seinfeld,’ [which were] about as ubiquitous in my college dorm as [90s rock band] Pearl Jam, back in the day.”

Alluding to the generation gap that exists between students and teachers, Bauks continued, “I have no idea what classic shows kids watch. I’m not sure if classics are from their childhood or [their] parents.”

Despite Bauks’ strong recommendation, he admitted

Classic TV shows have a sense of familiarity [that make them] more enjoyable to watch.

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atching classic or throwback TV shows is an intriguing alternative for many students who aren’t satisfied with today’s biggest titles. Those who look to Netflix as their source of TV can often feel trapped between mainstream shows such as “Breaking Bad,” “House of Cards” and “The Walking Dead.” However, with recent news that the beloved 90s sitcom “Friends” is headed to Netflix, TV fans seeking new options can be optimistic about the near future.

“Classic TV shows have a sense of familiarity [that make them] more enjoyable to watch,” Claire Tiefenthaler ’17, who is an avid fan of “That 70s Show” and “Full House,” said.

Daniel Perez Elorza ’16 believes “Drake and Josh,” one of his favorite shows, would still be popular today if it returned to regular programming.

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January 9, 2015 | A&E

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Some find their spotlight outside of Staples Claudia Chen ’16 Fairfield College Preparatory School’s theater was pitch black. In the darkness, the audience members’ eyes sparkled with anticipation. Then, a spotlight flashed onto the stage or, more specifically, onto Hallie Lavin ’17.

She belted out a solo, as she finished her final performance of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”

As she exited the stage, there was a roar of applause ringing in her ears.

Performing with the Fairfield Prep Players gave Lavin an opportunity to play a large role in a production.

“Staples Players’ shows are always so amazing and professional, but I'm not able to dedicate myself to the organization as much as they deserve or require,” Deanna Hartog ’16 said.

Students like Hartog find that doing theater outside of school is the best fit for them when they cannot dedicate their school time to theater.

It is well known that Players has a demanding time commitment, both in and out of

school. Staples Players director David Roth said about 95 percent of the kids involved in the shows have taken theater classes for at least two years or are in the process of doing so.

Christian Melhuish ’16, who is a part of Players and has also done a show with Curtain Call, Inc., said that if students don’t take the classes, it can make it harder to get a role in a Players’ production, as well as to make it harder to get into a show outside of Staples. The classes teach a lot of skills and know-how that theatres expect students to know outside of Staples.

According to Curtain Call office manager Gail Yudain, auditions may consist of singing a 16-bar cut of a song, dancing or reading lines from a script.

Melhuish auditioned for “The Sound of Music” at Curtain Call two years ago. As he stood on the stage, he, at first, felt nervous, but then his butterflies flew away as he applied the strategies of preparation that he learned from acting classes.

“I was able to get every piece of information out of myself to the director. It was easy because

all I had to do was sing the song I prepared,” Melhuish said when describing his audition at Curtain Call.

Sophia Weinberg ’15 also had her doubts about being cast in Curtain Call’s production of “Rent.” However, her acting chops were enough to land her a role in her favorite musical.

“The second night of auditions, I got a call saying I got a callback – I still have the voicemail,” she said. “[When] I got the part, I don't think I had ever been that happy.”

Since it wasn’t a high school production, Weinberg shared the stage with people much older and more experienced than she, which, for her, “made the experience 10-times better” because she formed deep bonds and learned great lessons from the seasoned actors. “[The adults] made

me feel like family.

They ignored my age and focused on my personality,” Weinberg said. “It goes to show that age is just a number, and the thing that truly matters is how you conduct yourself.”

Kids Theater Director of the Darien Arts Center Maggie Pangrazio also observed the benefits that teens can gain from working with adults.

“Working with adults can create a professional environment that affords students the opportunity to rise to a new level in their understanding of theater and the theater business,” Pangrazio said. “It’s an invaluable experience.”

GRAPHIC BY SALLY PARK ’15

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Inklings

Counties fashion sends junior girls into a frenzy

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Caroline Lane ’16

irls elegantly walk through the door of the Stamford Marriott hotel with their hair pinned tight.

Eyes veer straight to the girl while many whisper under their breath, “Those dresses are so cute.” But, of course, how cute a dress is differs from year to year.

Here are some tips to picking the perfect dress for the perfect night.

BRING ON THE SPARKLE This year, the Counties dance has sparkles written all over it. Divya Dewan ’16 strongly supports the sparkle trend because, “It looks pretty and it adds detail to a plain dress”.

Sparkles are the perfect way to take an ordinary dress and turn it into something extraordinary.

They are just the right touch of fun without the dress becoming tacky.

SHOW SOME SKIN Another trend predicted for girls’ dresses this year are cutouts. Dresses with just a glimpse of skin showing are

going to be big this year. In the past years, they have made occasional appearances at dances, but this year, the Girls Class of 2016 group loves dresses that are missing pieces from their front, back and even sides.

While shopping for her own Counties dress, Erin Munley ’16 found that cutouts can be a great addition to a dress.

“A slight and subtle cutout can make a dress look cuter and more unique” Munley ’16 said.

However, she did warn that showing too much skin can come across as too much, but if done the right way, cutouts can be very tasteful.

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK Another trend to watch out for is dark colors. Dresses colored with hues of grey, black, navy and red will fill the ballroom. Jenny Vogel, an employee at Winged Monkey, noted that dresses this year have subtle, muted colors.

DON’T BE A COPY CAT Junior Girls, past and present, know the tale of constant

Facebook notifications prompting them to find a dress as fast as humanly possible.

This year is no different and junior girls’ phones are buzzing with posts that say, “this is mine, please don’t steal,” “ordered it today” or “this might be mine.”

Junior girls are constantly feeling the pressure to not wear the same dress as someone else and try to claim a dress they like instantaneously.

KEEP CALM AND LOVE YOUR DRESS Some fear that their dress ideas might be stolen, so they won’t partake in the high stress of the group.

Jenna Levantin ’16 is one of the select juniors who has chosen a relaxed approach to selecting a dress, just like the senior girls this year.

“I opted out of posting my dress because I don’t see the big deal in wearing the same dress as someone else,” Levantin said.

While Levantin may be a minority among junior girls, the entire senior class has opted out of posting dresses.

Many students agree that not having to deal with all the stress has been blissful. “It’s really nice”, Jess Shaw ’15 said. “I’m not getting nearly as many notifications and honestly it really doesn’t matter if someone is wearing the same dress.”

T h e differences between how juniors and seniors are dealing with dances are huge, but one thing that will remain the same is how breathtaking the girls will look on the dance floor.

Whether a dress has sparkles or slits up the side, Staples will be rocking the dance in style from head to toe.

GRAPHIC BY SARAH SOMMER ’16

Cafés offer caffeinated comfort for midterm studies Kaila Finn ’16 After sipping lots of lattes and munching on millions of muffins, the most important choice I will be making during midterms is where to get coffee. To find the best caffeine havens, I visted NEAT Espresso Bar, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Westport Library Café, Terrain and Steam Coffee Bar. The cafes listed below are the top three, as determined by a rating scale of one to five in four different categories: Quality, Caffeine Level/Buzz, Atmosphere, and Expense.

Steam Coffee Bar Quality:

5

Westport Library Café Quality:

Caffeine Level/Buzz:

4 Expense: $$$

3

Atmosphere:

3

Caffeine Level/Buzz:

5 Expense: $$

4

Atmosphere: Overall:

Overall: Most students probably haven’t heard of Steam Coffee Bar. Located inside the Westport Train Station, Steam is like that last sip of thick chocolate at the bottom of a Mocha; hidden, but when finally found, a beautiful moment in one’s coffeedrinking career.

This coffee shop is decorated with vintage accents, and almost all products are locally made or homemade in the shop.

My latte was smooth and rounded, with not even a hint of bitterness, which is a true fete for espresso considering usually it has such a sharp edge.

Even the foam was the perfect combination of airiness and silkiness.

Plus, I’ll admit, Steam’s Nutella Latte far surpasses Westport Library Café’s, and a little café change-up never hurt anybody.

Whether students are finishing calculus packets or just can’t review for an English midterm any more, the Café is a perfect break.

Claire Sampson ’15 is a student who uses the Café, saying that she “usually gets a latte because in general lattes are the best way to drink coffee.” However, Sampson also enjoys the Nutella Latte “if you want something sweeter.”

The Westport Public Library scored very high for atmosphere due to it’s convenience.

The library will be packed with students during midterms week, as having a place to caffeinate right where everyone is studying is invaluable.

Dunkin’ Donuts Quality:

2

Caffeine Level/Buzz: Atmosphere:

Expense:

$

1

5

Overall: Dunkin’ Donuts, or “Dunkin’ Danks,” as Alex Uman ’16 calls it, has only one redeeming quality: the caffeine buzz you undeniably get from a large iced caramel mocha latte. The combination of over-sugared and over-caffeinated components can give someone enough energy to run a marathon. “Their French Vanilla Latte will definitely get me through midterms,” Katie Lee Sullivan ’16 said.

Other than that, Dunkin’ Donuts’ characteristics are unimpressive: a disorganized staff, bad atmosphere and low quality coffee.

GRAPHIC BY SARAH SOMMER ’16

January 9, 2015 | Advertisement

Inklings

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SPORTS

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January 9, 2015

The rising cost of sports weighs heavy on student pockets Molly Liebergall ’17

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GRAPHICS BY MARGAUX MACCOLL ’16

lthough high school sports are typically played for fun, the Nike cleats and Adidas knee pads come with a price.

Over the past decade, the money spent by the American public on sports gear has increased by more than $10 billion, according to Statista Inc., and Staples athletes have felt the financial hit whenever they purchase equipment.

“At first I was shocked, like, ‘Wow, it’s so expensive,’ ” golfer Leah Patterson ’16 said. In fact, golf ranks as one of the most expensive sports, but Patterson believes she gets her money’s worth.

“The golf products last,” she said. “My mom bought shoes when she was 20, and they still work.”

High up on the pricey sports list is football, which requires a $100 to $200 helmet, a $15 mouth guard, $35 gloves, $130 cleats and padding costing as much as $200.

Luckily for the players, Staples provides most of the equipment. “Buying gear costs a lot of money, but we get it reconditioned so we don’t buy new gear every year,” football player Ryan Fitton ’17 said.

Although football reuses their equipment, the girls’ basketball team purchases new matching sneakers every year.

These shoes are optional, but most players buy them to show camaraderie on the court.

This year, the team shoes are blue and navy Hyperdunks, which Nike sells for $140, but are purchased by the team at a discount. Basketball player Amanda Troelstra ’18 is happy with the quality of her new kicks, but she finds the price unsettling.

“You wear them for the winter and then your feet grow,” Troelstra said. “It’s too expensive for a one-season sport.”

Aside from equipment, some players also need to pay for practice. The SoNo Ice House offers a youth fall and winter hockey league for $875 – gear not included.

Equipped head to toe with purchased hockey padding, a helmet, skates and a stick, hockey players cough up as much as $2000 for their sport.

As American consumer purchases of sporting goods is

pegged at roughly $63 billion, parents and atheletes continue to grapple with the rising cost for sporting equipment.

However, it is hard to put a price on safety.

“I’d rather pay and not get

a puck to the face every time,” hockey player Sebastien Zeman ’17 said, referring to the safety of his helmet. “You can’t play hockey without the pads.”

In fact, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers

Association’s (SGMA) Sports Marketing Surveys, higher-grade safety equipment should and will always overshadow price.

“It needs to be expensive so it can be safe,” Zeman said.

“Bottom line.”

Sports funding breakdown of head coaching stipends Bailey Ethier ’15

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January 9, 2015 | Sports

Susie Martin gets off to a running start PHOTO BY ALICE HICKSON ’17

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RACING TO THE FINISH Susie Martin ’17 runs a mile during a time trial on Friday, Dec. 12, in the �ieldhouse. She was a runner in the 4x800 meter relay, and her team quali�ied for State Opens, where the team ran 9:49.

Izzy Ullmann ’17

usie Martin ’17 holds the third best time for a Staples girls’ varsity track runner, and it’s her humble and diligent work ethic that takes her to the finish line.

The dividends of her hard work have definitely paid off. “Two of my proudest accomplishments were making the All-FCIAC team in cross country and qualifying for State Opens with the 4x800 team in track last spring,” Martin said.

Martin trains five to six days a week, varying from high-intensity long runs to more restful recovery days.

“Susie scores at every meet and has proven to be a very valuable component of this year’s successful cross country team,” Cari Moore, the girls’ track coach, said.

Martin’s best times include 2:25 for 800-meters, 15:14 for the 4K, and 20:10 for the 5K. Not only has Martin achieved impressive times in long distance, but she also has developed strong comraderies with her teammates. “Susie is such a talented runner and hard worker, but nobody would ever know because she’s so humble.

She has a very unique sense of humor and she never fails to entertain me,” fellow teammate, Hannah Debalsi ’16, said.

Another one of Martin’s teammates, captain Erica Hefnawy ’15, said, “Susie is incredibly quirky and adds such a fun dynamic to the team.”

Some of Martin’s goals by the end of high school include reaching 2:20 in the 800-meter race and qualifying for the States Open in track this year.

“It’s one of those sports that sticks with you and never gets old,” Martin said.

Dan Williams swims into a new season PHOTO BY AILEEN COYNE ’16

Dylan Donahue ’15 Dan Williams ’15 is nothing if not hardworking. Williams’ coaches and co-captains emphasized that his work ethic is an exemplar for Williams’ teammates “Swimmers are able to see Dan working hard and they try to do the same; making themselves better swimmers as a result,” cocaptain North Woods ’15 said.

Williams’ hard work over the last three years, such as consistently earning a spot on the All-FCIAC team, has pushed him towards his new role as one of the captains of the boys’ swim team.

He has also attended YMCA nationals with his club team, the Water Rats. At last year’s finals in one of his 1000-yard freestyle event, he placed 16 out of 42 swimmers.

Williams is an endurance swimmer for Staples, this means he swims longer events,

mainly the 500 freestyle and 200 Individual Medley (IM), which is a combination of butterfly, backstroke, breastroke and finally freestyle. During his 200 IM race during last year’s State Opens, Williams completed this race in a time of one minute and 56 seconds, placing him as the eleventh fastest swimmer in Connecticut.

“Dan is a good swimmer because he has incredible endurance. He can go on for days swimming,” co-captain Max Wimer ’15 said.

For the upcoming season, Dan would like to continue to improve his times, and hopefully make the All-State team, a feat that has eluded him for the last three years. Williams will also be continuing his swimming career at Bowdoin College next fall “The sky is the limit for Daniel,” coach Frisk Driscoll said. “I just have to make sure he TAKE THE PLUNGE Dan Williams ’15 practices with his team, the Water Rats, at the new YMCA in Westport on Dec. 30. continues the climb.”

Managers form unbreakable bond with teams Sarah Ellman ’15 Most of the time at Staples, being a part of a team feels like being a part of a family. Not only are these families made up of the athletes, but the coaches and managers, too.

“I was truly honored that they let me be a part of it even if it was for only one season,” Sydney Newman ’15, one of the varsity football managers for this past season, said.

Varsity soccer player, Addy Fowle ’15, appreciates the important role her team’s manager, Sam Kratky ’15, played and said that Kratky, “was our number one supporter and our good luck charm because we always won when she was there.”

In addition to being supportive of the team, Zach Feinstein ’15 said he is most greateful to the boys’ varsity basketball managers for providing water during timeouts.

“I get really thirsty, and it’s always nice to have them there,” Feinstein said.

Boys’ varsity soccer coach, Dan Woog also finds managers to be an integral part of a team.

“They help us out on game days. They are friends with our players, and it’s great to have them around,” he said.

With the managers constantly keeping score and taking stats, one might think it would be challenging to bond with the athletes. However, according to one of the girls’ varsity volleyball managers, Jonas Piekara ’16, becoming close with the players was easy.

“Since I play volleyball myself, it was pretty easy to relate to the team and, during the season, I definitely felt like I was a part of the squad,” Piekara said.

However, if managers do not play a sport, like Blair Gould ’15, they can still relate to the athletes. “Even though I don’t play a sport, I know what it’s like to be dedicated to something and to put your all into it,” Gould said.

When it comes to Staples sports, athletes, coaches and managers become more than just a team. According to Newman, through the wins, the losses, the triumphs and the failures, a family is created.

“If they play a bad game I feel sad with them, and if they play a great game I feel ecstatic with them,” Newman said.

GRAPHICS BY GRACE FOLEY ’18

Athletes ponder their favorite season for sports Will Dumke ’16 Whether it is the brisk, cool weather of fall, the frigid temperatures of winter, or the icy winds of spring, the Staples athletes have seen it all. But which season do the athletes like the most?

“The weather in the fall is

definitely the best to play a sport in because the temperature starts out warm and cools down as the season progresses,” Brylyn Marsh ’16 said. “It’s also the beginning of the school year and the first season for high school sports, which makes it, exciting with all of the other sports going on.”

While the track team competes year round, track athlete Ben Shmaruk ’17 also says that the fall is, overall, the best season to compete.

“Regarding track, I like the fall because everyone runs similar events, and the team is more unified,” Shmaruk said.

With the fall being the

first sports season of the year, the energy is electrifying and athletes are bonded.

However, girls’ track coach Cari Moore believes that, competition-wise, the spring season is the best. “We see better performances in the spring because most of our athletes participate in both indoor and

outdoor track and field,” Moore said. “By the time they reach the outdoor season they already have had a full season of training completed.”

Each season has its pros and cons. However, whether it is fall, winter or spring, there is a time for every athlete at Staples to shine.

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January 9, 2015 | Sports

Inklings

Brendan Massoud ’17

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here is only one sports team at Staples where every practice takes place on a mountain: the ski team.

The Staples ski team, composed of both boys and girls, travels to Southington Mountain in Plantsville, Connecticut once a week where they train for competitive races.

There they compete against other school teams such as New Canaan, Greenwich and Wilton along with schools outside of Fairfield County, like Farmington, Glastonbury and Southington, that also compete in the Connecticut Interscholastic Ski League. They start practicing in late December and compete all the way through the State Championship which takes place in March.

Arianna Brekke ’17 is entering her second season as a member of the ski team. Brekke has been skiing for 12 years, but last year was her first time skiing competitively. “The team is a lot of fun. It was a great way to meet other people who also love to ski and I can’t wait until this year,” Brekke said.

The schedule is very strenuous for these students given that, without traffic, the mountain is close to an hour away from Westport. The students get home late at night especially when they participated in a team trip to Okemo Mountain Resort located in Ludlow, Vermont on

Dec. 13.

Despite the commute, many members of the ski team still have a lot of fun competing and hanging out with other members of the team.

Rory Steele ’17 has been competing for the Mount Snow Race Team for over seven years.

“I had a great time competing last year,” Steele said. “The team exposed me to a bunch of great people and created so many great memories that I will remember forever.”

The team earns points, depending on how fast each student completes the course. The team that earns the most amount of points wins the competition.

“I am really excited for the start of this upcoming season, it will be great to be back on the snow. There is nothing like it.”

Steele said.

Steele and the other members of the boys’ ski team had a very successful season last year. The boys team won the Class L title but fell short in the State Opens where they finished second to Greenwich. Brekke and the girls’ team also had a successful season, placing second in the state to Fairfield co-op.

The boys’ coach, Courtney Ruggiero who has been coaching at Staples for the last four years, was very pleased with their performance last year.

“I thought we had a great season. Staples has the largest ski team in the state,” Ruggiero said, “and last year we were first in the state for large schools.”

This year, recreational basketball, better known as “rec,” has adopted a new policy in which each team can only have one coach. Prior to this year, teams could have both a head coach and an assistant.

Ultimately, ninth and tenth grade commissioner John McCarthy felt that having the second coach was unnecessary.

“With only one game a week and no practices, each team really only needs one coach.”

This rule change will expand the league to 24 teams, which will decrease the size of each team, and increase playing time for each player. Additionally, the rule will prevent what McCarthy referred to as “stacked teams,” which is when a certain team has an unusually large number of good players.

However, the change was not well received by all.

Cayne Mandell ’17 was one such player who disagreed

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with the new rule. “[The rule] makes it harder for friends to be together on the same team, which is the main reason why so many people play rec,” Mandell said.

In response, McCarthy said, “if two players want to play together, the coach will just have to draft that player in the first round.”

While being on a team with friends is a concern for many, others worry that the rule change will disrupt what once was a family activity.

Tripp Backus ’17 has been playing under his mother’s coaching for seven years, but with the one coach policy, his mother will no longer be able to coach.

PHOTOS BY QUINN HUGHES ’16

New season Rec basketball rule arrives for the change elicits a mixed reaction ski team

“She doesn’t have time to be the head coach, so being the assistant always worked,” Backus said. “I’m really disappointed that the league took away her ability to coach.”

Furthermore, Backus sees the assistant coach as a necessity in terms of strategy. “Some head coaches don’t really know what they are doing, so they need an assistant to help them out” Backus said.

However, for Josh Berman ’17 and Teddy Lawrence ’17, the rule will not affect their fathers’ abilities to coach together. The two have been coaching together since childhood, so when they found out about the rule, they simply found a loop hole. Lawrence’s father, though not an official assistant, “just comes to the games and helps,” Berman said.

Others around the league, however, will not particularly notice the difference in coaching.

“The amount of coaches doesn’t really matter for self-coached players like myself,” Reece Armstrong ’16 said.

RACING DOWN HILL (above) The ski team practices in Vermont at Okemo on the weekend of Dec. 13. (below) Timothy Chiang ’17 carves down the “Upper Chief” trail on Dec. 13.

PHOTOS BY COOPER BOARDMAN ’17

KEEPING A LEVEL HEAD (from top to bottom) Josh Berman ’17 warms up before his game on Dec. 16, the opening night of the rec basketball season. Teddy Lawrence ’17 goes to congratulate a teammate in a game in which his team, Syracuse, won. Chester Glenn ’18 attempts to go by his defender in one of the Dec.16 games. (right) Lucas Jackson ’15 attempts a free throw during the senior and junior games on Thursday, Dec. 18.

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Inklings

January 9, 2015 | Sports

Skiing

GETTING READY FOR A BLACK DIAMOND Emily Duranko ’16 skies one of Stratton Mountain’s 95 trails in Londonderry, Vermont, during Winter Break this December.

PHOTO BY DYLAN DONAHUE ’15

Golf SHOOTING BELOW PAR An eight iron, pictured above, is used in golf for hitting medium distance shots often after the �irst or second shot has already been taken.

PHOTO BY CLAIRE DINSHAW ’17

Biking

PEDALING AWAY McKenzie Healy ’17 takes a casual bike ride on Sylvan Road South, close to downtown Westport.

PHOTO BY CLAIRE DINSHAW ’17

Students turn to sports for entertainment Jesse Greenspun ’16

W

hile Staples is known for its competitive teams and Division-Icaliber athletes, it is also home to a plethora of students who excel at sports and activities simply for the love of the hobby and participate outside the realm of the Staples competitive sport community.

Charlotte Rossi ’17 is an example of one of these students and has been an avid biker since she was eight. Rossi got hooked on biking after going on a biking trip with her parents in Yellowstone National Park. Rossi has since completed various biking excursions, her most

impressive being a 1,000 mile trek from Seattle, Washington to San Francisco, California in just four weeks.

During her West Coast journey, she was able to view the world with a different perspective, one that she could not have gotten without her love for biking.

Rossi insists that biking is something that everyone should try and believes in the therapeutic effects of biking. “When I’m biking, I am able to get lost in my thoughts and see the world

from a different perspective,” Rossi said, and added “it’s great exercise, too!”

Andrew Van Riper ’16 is another student who finds value

“While it would be fun to play golf competitively, I prefer to just play for fun and use it as a chance to hang out with my friends and joke around for a few hours,” Van Riper said “It`s a game everybody should give a try.”

M a n y Staples students play sports as a hobby during the winter season. Skiing is a popular choice and there are many talented skiers who choose to not participate on the highly competitive ski team. Instead, they choose to ski just for fun.

“When I’m biking, I am able to get lost in my thoughts and see the world from a different perspective,” -Charlotte Rossi ’17 in playing sports in a noncompetitive setting. He has been hooked on golf since he started playing with his dad, and it is now a lifelong hobby.

Daniel Perez ’16 loves to ski with his family and has taken multiple trips to Europe to pursue his hobby. “Skiing should be more about enjoying yourself and the company that you are with rather than racing down the mountain, Perez said.

While students agree that there is value in being on a Staples team, the same can be said about playing outside of them. “Even though I play two Staples sports, some of my fondest memories of playing them were completely outside of those teams,” hockey and lacrosse player Billy Hutchison ’17 said. Hutchison added, “playing sports just for fun is something that, I think, is really important.”

SPORTS

Inside

Susie Martin flies under the radar Pg. 25

The Wreckers

SAVING THE SHOT Angus Fuori ’17, goalie for the boys’ varsity hockey team, stands guard at the net during the annual Showdown at the Shore game on Friday, Dec. 12.

PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16

Dan Williams dives into his last year of Staples swimming Pg. 25

InBrief Girls’ basketball After losing just three seniors, the Lady Wreckers hope to improve on their 2-4 record, as of Jan. 5, with an experienced squad. Led by quad captains Tessa Mall ’15, Madeline Schemel ’15, Maggie Fair ’15 and Abby Lustig ’15, the Wreckers will tip off against the Greenwich Cardinals in the Staples gym on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Boys’ basketball

Boys’ hockey starts new season at Longshore Jack Zeldes ’16

Girls’ hockey team skates towards success Katelyn DeAgro ’17

W

inter season is in full swing and the girls’ hockey team is back, ready to earn a winning record.

Last year was a rebuilding year for the team. But this year, it has strong leadership from captains Meg Fay ’15 and Cassie

to represent Staples at State Championships.

According to Emily Porter ’17, the team works well together and has a sense of camaraderie.

Erin McGroarty ’18 agrees.

“Everyone on the team is so nice and accepting.

“We are poised for a breakout season.”

-Claire Parry ’17 Miolene ’15. There are also several promising new players, among them Erin McGroarty ’18 and Steph Walsh ’18.

“This year we are poised for a breakout season,” goaltender Claire Parry ’17 said. For Parry this means she has a strong defensive unit giving the team a chance to win in every game. “It is going to be an exciting season,” Parry said.

The girls on the team, new and returning, are excited to be back on the ice and have hopes

I already feel like I have made some great friends,” McGroarty said. “Plus, it’s so fun so we always have a good time.”

So far the training has worked. With success in the early portion of the season, the team has big goals for the year.

“We have set big goals for this year: a winning record and qualifying for FCIAC and States,” Parry said.

Last year, Staples played a single game at Longshore rink against Norwalk in a preseason scrimmage. Now, in the 201415 season, they will increase to playing four games at the rink, an endeavor that has been 20 years in the making.

Going from one game to four games may not seem monumental, but it was only accomplished after two major renovations.

Three seasons ago, the Staples boys’ hockey team had to play games in rinks all across Fairfield County, from Bridgeport to Milford, since the Longshore rink did not have the bleachers necessary to accommodate fans.

However, with the help of parents, coaches, students, and even the rink staff, Longshore raised enough money to install bleachers so that the Staples hockey team could finally play at home.

The players made good use of their new rink, winning a 7-1 victory against Norwalk in that

momentous 2013 game.

Ian Offenberg credits their success to the fans.

“Having a huge crowd is incredible; it really keeps the blood pumping and we love having our community’s support,” captain Ian Offenberg ’16 said.

After the win, the team and fans wanted to play more games in the hometown rink, and rallied for regular season home games at Longshore.

But the rink did not meet the FCIAC size regulations, so Longshore underwent a second renovation last winter where they expanded the rink by 15 feet in order to meet FCIAC’s standards.

Now that all the renovations are finished, the rink is ready to host regular season games, and the hockey fans are ready to watch them.

“Being in the crowd is amazing. In the cold, with so many students, it’s a great time.

I can’t wait to go to games this year,” Harrison Ames ’16, a self-proclaimed Staples hockey superfan, said.

PHOTO BY CAROLINE O’KANE ’16

Coach Colin Devine and his 3-1 team, as of Jan. 5, look to bounce back from a 5-15 season as a legitimate FCIAC contender. With young talent in Ben Casparius ’15 and strong leadership from captains Nicolas Esposito ’15 and Jake Melnick ’15, the team has gained more balance in both offense and defense. The Wreckers look to take down a 1-4 Fairfield Warde, as of Jan. 5, tonight at 7 p.m in Fairfield.

Boys’ track and field After participating in the first FCIAC qualifier, the boys indoor track and field team raced to a strong start. The team looks to continue the legacy of Laddie Lawrence’s powerhouse squads with stars Oliver Hickson ’15, Luis Cruz ’16 and Jake Berman ’15.

The next FCIAC qualifier is tomorrow, Jan. 10 in the Staples Fieldhouse.

Gymnastics Coming off a fifth place finish at FCIACs last year, the gymnastics team seeks to improve that mark with the addition of new freshmen and sophomores.

Captained by Andrea Mahieu ’15, the team will compete against Trumbull and Wilton tomorrow, Jan. 10, at Next Dimension Gymnastics, 6 p.m. in Trumbull.

Cheerleading An exciting run to regionals last year sets a high bar for this year’s cheerleading squad. The team continues to cheer for boys basketball but will compete in late January. With captains Lindsey Gianetti ’15, Sarah Ellman ’15 and Kana Higuchi ’15, they hope to place well in FCIACs and ultimately return to regionals.

A BLOCK AT THE NET Angus Fuori ’17 gets set to defend Staples’ net in a game against the Norwalk-Brien McMahon co-op team at Longshore on Friday, Dec. 12.

For continual updates, check inklingsnews.com