Inklings September 2016 Issue by Inklings

INKLINGS INKLINGS

May 6, 20162 Vol. 87, Issue

September 30, 2016

INSIDE page 9

Summer Take Me Back

page 12

Fazia Art Exhibit

Jesse Levinson '17 writes an ode to the Fazia Qureshi's '17 art exhibit will be summer season about how much he hosted at the third annual Earthplace misses it and wants it back. Festival.

1 7 11 17 21

News Opinions Features Arts Sports Graphic by Channing Smith'17

Conservative underrepresentation persists as 2016 political dialogue intensifies Zach Horowitz ’19 & Fritz Schemel ’17

s the 2016 election barrels towards the finish line, political dialogue surrounding it has grown increasingly tense. Out of 200 Staples students surveyed, just 17 percent of liberal students felt their views were underrepresented, compared to 88 percent of conservatives who felt their views were underrepresented at Staples. The poll did not include an option for Independents. Christine Taylor ’18, who considers herself conservative, said that this underrepresentation can have an effect in the classroom. “Sometimes, like in class, most people will be supporting one side and since my views are different, I think I can’t contribute,” Taylor said. “If I say something, I’m like, OK, well the majority of the class agrees on this one point, and I’m kind of...out. I don’t know who else agrees with me.” Nonetheless, Drew Coyne, a social studies teacher, said that all teachers attempt to create a fair playing field in their classes. “I think it’s about creating an equal platform for all kids to hear [different views], because some kids may be feeling quiet,” he said. “They may be feeling uncomfortable whether they’re conservative or liberal. It depends on the classroom, but it’s about me creating a community where ideas are welcome.” Despite the effort of teachers to maintain an unbiased position in the classroom, many teacher unions, including the American Federation of Teachers,

have endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for President, and have supported Democratic candidates for many years. Some students believe that national endorsements by teacher unions indicate bias. “I have had certain teachers that teach with a liberal bias,” James Allott ’17, a Libertarian, said. “I believe a teacher would challenge [a liberal] kid less than they would a conservative kid who openly voiced their views.” Some conservatives, instead of remaining quiet, speak out but are met with a response many fear. At the end of the 2015-16 school year, Allott shared a pro-gun rights message on Facebook by posting a link to an article *There was no option written by the Huffington Post and expressing his for indpendents opposition to it. “I was sworn at, called his views in his social studies class, he names,” Allott said. “I definitely faced would be shut down almost immediately,” harsh and critical backlash from the Baildon said. student body. With that being said, there Ultimately, the students feeling were definitely people who supported and underrepresentated feel unheard. agreed with that view.” “People hear what we’re saying,” Noah Moreover, liberal students are aware Lomnitz ’17, a conservative, said, “but of the possible underrepresentation of they’re not really listening.” conservative students at school. Maddie While conservatives felt more judged, Baildon ’19 is a student with liberal views 36 percent of liberals believed they were who notices the same treatment as most of judged too, to just the 17 percent of liberal the conservative students. students who felt underrepresented. “One of the kids in my pottery class “I feel judged about issues that last year is a Republican, and he talked are highly controversial such as guns, about [how] whenever he tried to talk about healthcare and abortions,” Emily Porter

Infographic by Channing Smith'17

’17, a liberal student, said. “I think that conservative students must feel the same way about extremely stubborn liberal students.” This hostile political climate can have a negative consequence for all students when they leave Staples and Westport, A.P. Government and Politics teacher Robert Shamberg says. “You’re not just going to stay here your entire lives,” Shamberg said. “I don’t believe your mind is made up yet as 16, 17, 18-year-old kids. And if it is, you haven’t done enough thinking about the issues. I’ve met very few people, adults or children,

Sex-education curriculum under speculation Connecticut appeals education system revisions Claire Dinshaw '17 & Becky Hoving '17 President Obama is attempting to cut all federal funding for abstinence-only sex education by removing a $10 million per year grant that supports these programs in his 2017 proposed federal budget. “Congress has already spent over $2 billion in taxpayer money on ineffective, abstinence-only sex education,” Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said in

an email interview. “I think that’s wrong.” In Westport, sex education is not taught using the abstinence-only approach, but the K-12 director for health and physical education, David Gusitch, said that abstinence is still covered in the curriculum. “We certainly believe that the only way to stay 100 percent safe is abstinence,” Gusitch said. “We don’t waiver from that. That is the message that is clear and consistent.” Continued on page 5

Tia Pogue ’17 & Channing Smith’17

Connecticut declared on Sept. 15 that it would appeal the Sept. 7 ruling of an educational funding case by the State Superior Court. The case attempted to reexamine the school system of a state that harbors the highest education gap in the nation. Having had experience teaching at both Staples and Central High in Bridgeport, Sarah Krikorian voices her

STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL| 70 North Ave., Westport, Connecticut

excitement that this issue has finally been acknowledged. “The people need to know how hard some of these teachers and students work to show the world what they can do,” Krikorian said. The original ruling ordered the state to overhaul its current school system— which Judge Moukawsher, who read the over-90 page ruling, claims “has left rich school districts to flourish and poor school districts to flounder.” Continued on page 2

inklingsnews.com

News | September 30, 2016

Education Overhaul Connecticut calls for reevaluation of state education system and funding Tia Pogue '17 & Channing Smith '17 Continued from page 1

t also ordered the state to provide plans to improve areas ranging from teacher accountability measures to school funding—but with a strict deadline of 180 days. The decision to appeal marks the continuation of an 11-year battle between the state and the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Educational Funding. The battle began when the nonprofit filed a lawsuit against the then-governor, Jodi Rell, claiming that Connecticut schools’ budget distribution formula is unconstitutional and underfunded. The coalition cites that Connecticut’s heavy reliance on the district property taxes for school funding puts lower income school districts at an automatic disadvantage, leading to inequities in the quality of education throughout the state. Christie Barcelona '10 who now teaches in Bridgeport, believes this practice of allocating funds derived primarily from property taxes is unfair and makes kids “a product of their environment.” “This tax-based education system is not working for everybody,” Barcelona said. “I don’t feel that it is fair for my students to not have the same opportunities as the students 15 minutes down the road.” However, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepson criticized the ruling for “wresting educational policy from the representative branches of state government[...]and entrusting those matters to the discretion of a single, unelected judge.” Others, such as President Sheila Cohen of the Connecticut Education Association, an organization that represents 43,000 teachers, criticized the ruling as being too “broad and overreaching.” The ruling has been further criticized for requiring such immense planning and changes within such a short time period. One of the biggest controversies is that

Graphic by Channing Smith '17

the ruling does not directly require the state to provide more school funding, what Cohen considers “the heart of the CCJEF v. Rell lawsuit.” The state funding formula was underfunded by $738 million in 2015. However, the Westport public schools superintendent, Colleen Palmer, explains that while the state is trying to fund its schools, “it has anticipated next year for a deficit of over a billion dollars. So, we don’t have piles of cash sitting around.” While the focus of the original

lawsuit may have been school funding, one common point of agreement is that more money will not solve every problem. Jeffrey Villar, executive director of the Connecticut Council for Education Reform, points out that revamping Connecticut’s school system stretches far beyond rationalizing the distribution of funding—it also requires a revamping of the attitudes in and towards lower income schools. “All [students are] innately capable-

but we send messages to some children saying, ‘We don’t expect much from you,’ then we say to other children, ‘You could be the next supreme court justice,’” Villar says. Krikorian echoes this belief of equalizing not only funding, but expectations. “In each district, in different ways, students needed to know they mattered,” Krikorian says of her experience both in Westport and Bridgeport.

What are your opinions on the decision to overhaul the Connecticut education system? "Hearing a decision made like this is pleasant yet startling. I think it is morally correct to refinance school budgets. How Westport will be affected will be different than how Bridgeport will be affected." -Christopher Morales '16

"I think it's difficult because obviouly schools in less priviledged communities will benefit but Staples is thriving so I don't think that should be taken away." -Benji Malowitz '18 Contributed photos from Christopher Morales '16, Benji Malowitz '18 and Emily Schussheim '17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

I honestly think the system's been due for major changes for a while. The disparity is actually ridiculous, and unjust state funding wasn't doing anything to help that...we have kayaks and Harding doesn't even have buses." -Emily Schussheim '17

News | September 30, 2016

Oct. 2

LOCAL BRIEFS Anna Rhoads ’19

WestportWRITES: Planning Your Novel

Photo via Wikipedia under the creative commons license

Sept. 9-Oct. 29

MORE Than Words

he Westport Art Center’s anti-bullying exhibition, which opened on Sept. 9, will end on Oct. 29. The exhibit addresses courage, resilience and empowerment exhibited by individuals who have been bullied. They will also have an exhibition of juried art made by people within the community that goes along with the message that MORE Than Words is trying to convey. Entry submissions for the competition are due Oct. 7.

Oct. 1 SAT Exam

The SAT exam will take place on Saturday Oct. 1 for all juniors and seniors. Although Westport does not have a testing site, Trumbull, Weston and Wilton do. This will be the only day to take the SAT exam in October.

At the Westport Library from 2 to 4 p.m. Stephanie Lehmann, author of multiple novels including “Astor Place Vintage,” will present her 8-step process to planning a novel. The program is designed to help writers submit entries to Nation Novel Writing Month in November.

Oct. 2-Oct. 4 Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins on the evening of Oct. 2 and ends the evening of Oct. 4. During the holiday some traditions include sounding the shofar, an instrument made from a ram’s horn for religious purposes, or eating foods like honey-dipped apples and bread. To honor the holiday, there will be no school on Monday Oct. 3.

Oct. 9 Taste of Fairfield

Taste of Fairfield will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. at Southport’s Delamar Hotel and will showcase cuisine in the Fairfield area. Some of the restaurants being featured in the event are Brick + Wood, Mecha Noodle Bar and the Cake Box. There will also be live music and entertainment. Tickets range from $50-$100, but but people under fifteen are $20.

AD inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

News | Semptember 30, 2016

New equipment propels P.E. department different curriculum 17

Ashton Dedona '17 & Kaya Leitner '19

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he physical education department has made changes to its curriculum this year but not to the state of its boys’ locker room. Some students questioned why the 2013 Pep Grant, provided by the U.S. Department of Education for Nutrition and Physical Education, was not applied to renovating the boys’ locker room-a space that some boys find to be unusable. “I don’t even go in there,” Caleb Lipton ’19 said. “It’s really dirty.” “We've [instead] been fortunate to make some equipment changes and facility upgrades. Specifically the fitness center, the traverse wall and some of the other equipment we’ve been using in the program," David Gusitsch, the physical education director, said. "These are all things that had to do with the Pep Grant it had nothing to do with our district budget,” Gustich said. The department planned to renovate the locker room this past summer but came across issues securing a contractor and ended up not having enough time to change it before school started. Gusitsch hopes to finish it next fall. In the meantime, changes have been made to the physical education curriculum. In previous years, swimming was a part of both the freshmen and sophomore curriculums. The physical education department, however, has implemented recent changes which remove aquatic activities all together for the sophomore curriculum and extends swimming for freshmen to a full quarter.

“A part of this [decision] is that we're listening to the student’s feedback,” Gusitsch said. The changes were made after the department recognized a drop off in participation from sophomores during the swimming unit. To replace the gap in the sophomore curriculum, they have combined health and exercise science into a one-quarter-long wellness course in order to increase the physical activity time for students rather than classroom time. Lifetime and team activity courses have also been added as a gateway into junior physical education courses. Physical education teacher CJ Shamas agreed with Gusitsch, explaining that students’ end-ofthe-year course evaluations were seriously considered. “Every year when we come back [to school], it's like, ‘wow, look at those changes,’” Shamas said. Physical education classes will also have access to the traverse wall, a sideways climbing wall, another addition to the course. Teachers hope to use it to enhance activity, communication skills and cooperative skills. “There is a lot of creative skills that have [sic] to go into it,” Shamas said. “It's not just hopping on and climbing left to right.” Gusitsch and other department teachers hope that the curriculum adjustments will have a positive outcome for all students and look forward to seeing a renovated boys locker room in the near future.

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NEW GYM CHANGES (Clockwise from top) The swimming pool will go unused by sophomore swimming classes this year. Despite many changes, the boys locker room remains unrenovated. Dayna Hornung '18 enjoys the new traverse wall. The lockers in the boys locker room remain in bad condition for another year.

Staples embraces emotional intelligence the school put in place. Instead, he sees it as something that Staples must embed in its daily routine. Thus, the district’s guiding principles say that the Westport Public School’s taples’ staff and faculty attended community aspires to be “emotionally a presentation by Director of Yale aware, kind with sincerity, principled in Center of Emotional Intelligence, Dr. thought and action and learning always,” Marc Brackett, in preparation for the 2016- D’Amico said. According to D’Amico, 2017 academic year. Staples wants to be defined by these four Brackett taught the Staples faculty that principles and the district and he will work emotional intelligence-the ability to define together over the next many years to make one’s own emotions and the emotions that happen. of others, according to In order “Psychology Today”—is to follow these "...we have a real challenge new social a valuable skill, central to learning and can and emotional in not only teaching be taught. According standards, to Principal James teachers have content but emotional D’Amico, emotional adjusted their awareness and empathy intelligence is, in fact, curriculum. the most important For ge t t e to each student who is thing a school can teach. introduced Staples math emotional going through their own teacher, Anthony i nt e l l i g e n c e hidden struggles.” Forgette found the during the presentation especially e x t e n d ed -Anthony Forgette, applicable to Staples. periods of “The presentation his classes, Math Teacher got me thinking about when he gave how emotions hide students the beneath the surface,” Forgette said. “As opportunity to write down everything teachers with 25-30 students in each they felt: free of censorship and judgement. class, we have a real challenge in not only “Students poured their hearts out teaching content but emotional awareness onto lined paper, and I actually joined and empathy to each student who is going them,” Forgette said. Afterwards, he through their own hidden struggles.” shared what he wrote, and some students D’Amico sees emotional intelligence joined him and said their thoughts. “I was as more than just a policy or banner that very surprised since the social stigma is to

Rebecca Rawiszer '17 & Frenchy Truitt '17

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

hide your fears, concerns and anxiety to avoid feeling vulnerable or embarrassed, so I felt very honored that students felt safe to do so in my classroom,” he said. Students, like Lydia Shaw ’17, have responded well to the emotional intelligence practices. “When teachers stand out of my class and greet me, it makes me feel like they

really care,” Shaw said. “It shows they are willing to engage in a more friendly way and also can make them feel more approachable.” The administration plans to directly introduce emotional intelligence to the student body in the future, however, according to D’Amico, there are no firm plans yet. Photo dramatization by Leya Lou ’18

News | Setember 30, 2016 Graphic by Melanie Lust '18

Claire Dinshaw '17 & Becky Hoving '17 Continued from page 1

taples health teacher Kelly Shamas emphasized that, while abstinence is the “safest” and most “ageappropriate,” method of avoiding STIs and pregnancy, the health curriculum takes an “all-encompassing approach” by covering abstinence, sexually transmitted infections, sexual harassment, sexual consent, gender and sexuality. Despite this, some students claim there are still serious errors in Staples’ sex education curriculum. “Sex-Ed always ended with ‘but remember, abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy and STIs, which always bothered me and seemed unnecessary,” Katherine Weinschenk ’17 said. “It seemed

almost robotic.” I n s t e a d , Al Venacchio, Vernacchio chooses “Sex-Ed always ended sex-positive to see human with ‘but remember, advocate and sexsexuality as a “gift,” educator, takes issue and he incorporates abstinence is the with this automatic this viewpoint into response. his teaching. He only way to prevent “Being sexteaches students pregnancy and STIs positive means “how to enjoy, seeing human and value which always bothered respect sexuality as a force their bodies, for good in the their minds, their me and seemed world,” Vernacchio, emotions and their unnecessary. It seemed relationships” and who authored “For Goodness Sex: accepts sex as a almost robotic.” Changing the Way natural human We Talk to Teens tendency, so -Katherine About Sexuality, long as it is safe Weinschenk ’17 Values, and Health,” and explicitly said. “Too often consensual. people consider sexuality to be an evil or However, not everyone agrees with dangerous force—one that needs to be this approach. vigorously controlled or else it will result “This sex positive way is encouraging in disastrous consequences.” sex more, which is not necessarily what

you want to be doing with high school students,” Natalie Chun ’17 said. Chun does not see Staples’ current style of sex education as necessarily linked to forms of negativity. “It’s not shaming, it’s just accepting that it is there and helping with it,” Chun said. “Like when they talk about drinking—they are not shaming you for drinking; they are telling you how to drink safely.” However, Elizabeth Meadows, the cochair of the sex education advisory board for Mount Pleasant Schools in Michigan, believes focusing too much on the risks associated with sex can be detrimental. “If they're learning that, sure, people do have sex, and not just when they're married, and you don't have to, but you might want to[...], they're much more empowered,” Meadows said, “and a lot less likely to act impulsively, or to act in riskier ways, or to feel ashamed and awful about themselves.”

WORLD BRIEFS

Photos via Wikipedia under the creative commons license

Lulu Stracher ’17

Museum of African American Failed cease-fire deal in Syria leads History opens in D.C.

to more violence

he Syrian and Russian governments are mobilizing together to take control of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city which has been divided into rebel groups and refugees since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011. The strategy of the Syrian government and their Russian allies is to wipe out the civilian populations that surround the rebel-held areas. The two nations seem to be applying a “kill-allwho-resist strategy,” according to The New York Times. The United Nations special envoy for Syria said this strategy would mean “a slow, grinding, street-by-street fight which would last months, if not years.” The Syrian civil war has killed over 400,000 people in less than six years and is predicted to get more violent.

More nationwide protests over police brutality The Charlotte, North Carolina chief of police released the video of the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a black resident of Charlotte, after pressure from protesters and politicians. The police department released a statement that claimed Scott was rolling a marijuana cigarette in his car and was believed to be in possession of a gun. Additionally, a black man, Terence Crutchers, was fatally shot on Sept. 16 by Betty Jo Shelby, a white police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shelby was placed on paid administrative leave. The shooting, and the protests that followed, mark another milestone in the discussion of race relations and police brutality in the United States.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Sept. 24, making it the first museum in the nation that is “exclusively focused on African American life, history and culture”, according to CNN. President Obama spoke at the opening ceremony, saying that the museum can “help a white visitor understand the pain and anger of demonstrations in places like Ferguson and Charlotte,” referring to protests over police violence directed at African Americans. The ceremony was attended by politicians such as Representative John Lewis, President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton and Chief Justice John Roberts.

First presidential debate Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off for the first time on Monday, Sept. 25 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The topics of the debate, which was moderated by NBC’s Lester Holt, were “America’s direction,” “securing America” and “achieving prosperity.”

Fatal shooting in Seattle A shooting at a mall outside of Seattle killed five people on Saturday, Sept. 24. The suspect, 20 year old Arcan Cetin of Oak Harbor, Washington, was taken into custody on Saturday night. The shooting killed four women at a Macy’s department store and critically injured one man, who later died at the hospital. It was at least the fifth shooting in the state in 2016 that killed more than three people. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

News | September 30, 2016

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inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Opinions | Septmenber 30, 2016

7 opinions opinions

Inklings Editors-in-Chief

Claire Dinshaw & Fritz Schemel

Creative Chief

Channing Smith

Managing Editors

Becky Hoving & Izzy Ullmann

Whips

Jackie Sussman & Andrew Vester

Web Managing Editors Cooper Boardman & Molly Liebergall

Breaking News Managing Editors Kit Epstein & Renee Weisz

Public Relations Directors

Becca Rawiszer & Lauren Stack

Creative Director Eliza Goldberg

Assistant Creative Directors Ellie Kravetz & Melanie Lust

Business Manager Katelyn DeAgro

Assistant Business Managers Brett Franklin & Josiah Tarrant & Kayla Sirlin

News Editors Max Appell & Alice Hickson Lulu Stracher & Frenchy Truitt

Opinions Editors

Emma Greenberg & Anay Simunovic Sophie Driscoll & Colette Lippman

Features Editors

Margot Mather & Alex Spadacenta Amelia Brown & Julia Rosier

Arts Editors

Ian Bernstein & Bailey Blaikie Ashton Dedona & Alex Reiner

Sports Editors

Jack Beck & Sydney Kaplan Izzy Blansfield & Jonathan Kaner

Web News Editors

Olivia Foster

Web Opinions Editors Megan Doyle & Jesse Levinson

Web Features Editors

Charlie Colasurdo & Tori Lubin

Web Arts Editors Ivy Prince & Christoph Russi

Web Sports Editors

Brendan Massoud & Alexa Moro

Advisors

Mary Elizabeth Fulco, Joseph DelGobbo, Matthew Bohn & Brian Solomon Crown Finalist for Inklingsnews.com from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2015 Silver Crown Award for Newspaper from Columbia Scholastic Press Association 2014 Pacemaker from National Scholastic Press Association 2013 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 70 North Ave. Westport, CT 06880 Phone: (203) 341-1994 Inklingsweb@gmail.com

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

Prejudice is not partisan

acism. Sexism. Dishonesty. These labels are un-American, inhumane and un-presidential. When these words are commonly associated with one of our major presidential candidates, we have a serious problem.

Inklings

EDITORIAL In our last editorial we preached respect of political viewpoints. We are not abandoning this principle, but after three months of sexist, racist and dishonest comments made during the campaign, our board, consisting of both conservatives and liberals, came to a bipartisan agreement that the ideas and traits displayed during the race have stepped beyond the line of political rhetoric. Although both candidates have violated the trust of many Millennials, only Clinton has faced recourse as a result of her missteps. Clinton has been confronted by Congressional hearings regarding the

Benghazi controversy and a complete FBI report regarding her use of a private email server. She was also held accountable for her actions in the polls, facing a 1.5 percent drop in her lead the week after FBI director James Comey testified about her use of a private email server, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling model. While some say she was not punished enough for her actions, she at least faced some recourse. Trump has not faced these same consequences. According to HuffPost Pollster, Trump, on the other hand, jumped 8 percent in the polls during the month of August 2015 despite saying Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her wherever” after the first Republican primary debate. He eventually rose to a primary victory despite supporting a temporary ban of all Muslims and commenting that a judge of Mexican descent couldn’t preside fairly over the Trump University case. When asked why the judge would not be able to do his job, Trump said, “This judge is of Mexican heritage. I’m building a wall.” The judge was actually born in Indiana. Trump’s comments neither reflect the beliefs of all his supporters

nor all Republicans. In fact, his comment about the Indiana judge was called the “textbook definition of a racist comment,” by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. However, these comments do reflect the temperament, beliefs and values of Donald Trump himself. While these comments are protected by the First Amendment, they should be disavowed when coming from the potential leader of the free world. Our president represents the golden standard of what we strive to be as Americans. Trump’s comments are un-American and go against both conservative and liberal values. Because Trump has not faced official consequences for his rhetoric, it is our responsibility to make clear that demeaning, hateful statements such as these do not fall under the realm of politics and should not be tolerated under the guise of respecting other people’s viewpoints. Racism, sexism and xenophobia are not ideological cores of Republicanism. They are not conservative and not liberal. They transcend political rhetoric. They are issues that violate basic human decency.

Political cartoon of the month

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.

Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Opinions | September 30, 2016

University of Chicago’s letter

Free speech should not be censored Hate speech is not a political viewpoint Kit Epstein ’17

hen I was four years old, my parents taught me how to swim by tossing me into the pool in our backyard (with floaties on, of course), then watching me struggle to stay afloat. I had no other option than to flail my arms around in the water and kick my feet until I started to get the hang of it. It was a sinkor-swim situation. I chose to swim. This is how I imagine college will be. You get thrown into a new environment, this time without floaties, and are forced to grow up. So, when the University of Chicago sent their incoming freshmen class a letter stating that the college doesn’t condone “trigger warnings” or the cancellation of “provocative speakers just because their topics might prove controversial”, I was intrigued. After a year of politically correct B.S. flooding America’s university system, UChicago’s letter is a breath of fresh air. The letter states that “members of our community are encouraged to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn, without fear of censorship.” You’d think that at an institution of higher education, these rights would be a given. They are not. Just last year, former Yale professors, Dr. Erika Christakis and Dr. Nicholas Christakis were verbally assaulted and resigned after Mrs. Christakis sent out an email suggesting that students should not take high offense to obnoxious or potentially disrespectful Halloween costumes. In a video posted to Youtube of a following confrontation, Mr. Christakis was told that he should “not be able to sleep at night,” called a “horrible person” and repeatedly had profanities screamed in his face. Once again, extreme punishment due to an unpopular opinion. Where will this end? What most people don’t seem to understand is the extreme hypocrisy

that comes with political correctness, especially on college campuses. According to the Brown Daily Herald, transgender activist and native Hawaiian campus speaker, Janet Mock, was forced to cancel her discussion at Brown University last March due to an online petition accusing her of attempting to “improve Israel’s image”—just because the event was partially sponsored by Brown Hillel, a Jewish organization. H e r d i s c u s sio n had nothing to do with Israel, but hey, it’s only fair for liberals to unjustly c e n s o r L G B T Q + community represent atives, r

For example, last year Williams College was forced to cancel invited campus speakers due to student protests, effectively cutting off open dialogue and intellectual conversation at the source. Why is it that the same schools who aim for open discourse and acceptance are the schools cancelling campus speakers because a group of students disagree with their opinion? Case in point: hypocrisy. I refuse to allow my future college experience to be censored. I believe in open discourse, difficult topics and learning from my peers. So, I applaud you, University of Chicago. Thank you for creating an environment in which students are able to speak freely without fear of unfair backlash. That’s what learning is all about.

Jackie Sussman ’17

Freedom does not exist. Period. It is the set of behavior that is acceptable in contrast to behavior that is not. The same applies to free speech. Free speech is only considered “free” in contrast t o ,

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le g a l l y, fighting words and words that present a clear and present

danger. John Ellison, the dean of students of the college of University of Chicago, wrote that the university would not recognize “safe spaces” or “trigger warnings” because, in essence, of free speech. He implies in his letter, rightly so, that a college campus is the ideal melting pot, a pinnacle of diversity in backgrounds and viewpoints, and that students should immerse themselves in such diversity to broaden their own perspectives and develop a globalized viewpoint. No one, I hope, disagrees with that perspective. I of all people, a right-

wing libertarian objectivist, would be disadvantaged the most from a college campus that equates “fighting words” with different perspectives. I am not going to deny that the events at Mizzou and Yale proved that some student cultures do perceive different viewpoints as a danger to their own. Yet, there seems to be a misunderstanding about what a safe space means. The term, which originated in the 1960s to help members of the LGBTQ community cope with homophobia, according to the Safe Space Network, is not the antipathy of free speech nor the manifestation of ultra-left intolerance. Rather, it is a place where students can temporarily assemble and feel comfortable with their own identities and backgrounds. Why is that any different than a Jewish person attending a Hillel? That is what is going to be unrecognized by a university— not just any university, but the University of Chicago, an institution for the academic elite. Moreover, there is a second confusion, which is perhaps what makes the letter disparaging safe spaces and trigger warnings more erroneous. Many of these students that need safe spaces have experienced some sort of adversity due to factors out of their control. In not allowing them to have these safe spaces, these same students are forced to confront hateful viewpoints in an academic setting. Yet, isn’t confronting hateful viewpoints—hate speech even—in an academic setting a form of legitimization? That, because these viewpoints are not restricted, we should just automatically ponder them as political opinions to the same extent as liberalism, conservatism, utilitarianism, libertarianism and more? It must be remembered that a university is not real life, but rather an elitist “shining city upon a hill” of intellectual giantess. In an attempt to create a tolerant, magnanimous environment where all viewpoints could be freely expressed, this letter to college students will create an academic climate antipathetic to this goal.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Opinions | September 30, 2016

Here’s to Harambe: the gorilla, the myth, the legend, the god *A satire

Jason Streiter ’17

recognized and took the necessary steps to ensure that his great intelligence, beauty and sexual appeal would live on t’s been five months, two days, 12 forever. hours, 3 minutes and 2.5 seconds since And the world has embraced him, as Harambe the gorilla was murdered in is seen when you attend a Staples home cold blood at the Cincinnati Zoo. When football game. And so my true purpose a three-year-old child passed over three in life was realized. different fences and fell into Harambe’s While in the middle of the student habitat, Harambe’s imbecilic handlers section in the stands, I pull the gorilla decided that a seventeen year- mask over my face to complete my old lowland gorilla The “The crowd picks up on costume. would go berserk if brown fur of the he were tranquilized. my chant. The volume body-suit hugs So, they killed him. me skin-tight, builds and builds until Morons. keeping me warm, Hara mbe’s as if the spirit it reverberates through unjust and ill-timed of my hero were death brought about the crowd. “HARAMBE! present. a wave of protest. costume HARAMBE!” All students, is a My That shot was heard silent tribute around the universe. the fallen saint. from freshman to seniors, to In fact, it was louder Then, all of a than the bullet that and from nerds to jocks, sudden, I softly killed Abraham murmur the chant it.” Lincoln or that chant, ”Dicks out killed J.F.K. for Harambe.” People created memes and chants so One by one, the crowd picks up that he would never be forgotten. Never. on my chant. The volume builds and Total Frat Move and Barstool Sports builds until it reverberates through the broadcasted the message over Instagram crowd. “HARAMBE! HARAMBE!” All and Snapchat, reaching three million students, from freshman to seniors, and plus subscribers in under a day. from nerds to jocks, chant it. The crowd That sparked the formation of a goes crazy, and it is only due to the movement that garnered more followers mercy of our mighty god, Harambe, that than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump the stands do not come crashing down. combined (most likely due to the fact I smile from behind my mask: my that Harambe had a higher intelligence mission is complete. In the sky, I can see than both of them put together). the spirit of the fallen saint, the martyr This movement made our hero of the Millennials: Harambe, the hero.

Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

Summer, please take me back Jesse Levinson ’17 A month has passed since I last basked in your warm embrace. My skin, once a nearly bronze complexion, now engulfs my body in a pale crust. My days, once consisting of pickup basketball, tanning and swimming, now revolve around my grueling battle against homework and sleep. Every night is the same. I try to set my mind on school, but I end up sprawled on my bed, awake and thinking of the two months we had together and the foreboding ten months that now lie ahead of me. My eyes wander as though they have a mind of their own. I know where they’re headed; I try to seal them shut, but I can’t. Eventually, I give up. They lead me to that stockpile of pain and despair—the designated corner of my room for all our pictures together. A tear running down my cheek, I stare at what was always my favorite picture: our first selfie together. In it, your sun— gleaming as always—sits directly over my shoulder, unimpeded by the gray masses. I ask myself, “Why did you have to leave me so suddenly?” What I would do for just one more week together, free of early morning alarm clocks and stale cafeteria muffins.

Summer, I know it has only been a month since you decided to take some time away from me, but I miss you now more than ever. Please, take me back.

I know I was demanding of you, especially when it came to your temperature. I wanted

you hot but not too hot, and I wanted to embrace the delicate touch of your cool — not cold — breeze. Now, I spend my days longing for a blanket. I cower at my desk, shivering and wondering what I have done to deserve the punishment of the school’s excessive air conditioning. I want you to know, Summer, that I haven’t taken any other lovers. Of course, I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t at all tempted by Autumn’s crisp air and earthly beauty, and it would be inhumane of me to suggest that I’m not excited for the year’s first snowfall. Still, no season compares to you and your whole-hearted warmth, and that is why I will be counting down the days until we meet again, Summer.

am ah

’19

Gr at C by hc ap

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Opinions | September 30, 2016

Epipen prices force users to risk their lives

Melanie Lust ’19

very three minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room, as reported by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. When I was eight years old, I contributed to that statistic; I unknowingly ingested food that had been cooked in peanut oil. My family and I had known about my allergy to peanuts long before then, but I had never had an accidental reaction until that day. If not for my Epipen, a device that instantly treats allergic reactions to food, I might not be alive today. Epipens are filled with a life-saving chemical called epinephrine that instantly treats anaphylaxis, the reaction that causes fatalities in those with food allergies. As stated in an article by the LA Times, “the Epipen allows patients or aid givers with little-to-no training to quickly inject epinephrine[...]boosting low blood pressure and opening restricted airways.” The pens have prevented countless deaths since their invention. According to NBC News, Epipen prices have gone up 400 percent to nearly $650 since the Mylan company first acquired the brand. Epipens have become so expensive that people cannot afford to spend money on a device that could save their lives. Therefore, people must decide: have

ensured safety or be cost effective. Some have been forced to rely on alternative methods that are much less effective. In an article about Epipen alternatives, PBS News describes how “many emergency medical responders— and some regular families—are turning to manual syringes as a cheaper alternative.” But the thing is, it is much more difficult to get the correct dose and to safely administer a syringe. Families of those suffering with allergies are turning to Mylan’s CEO, Heather Bresch, to take the blame. Although she made the choice to increase prices, the institution that should be held most responsible is not the company, but instead the U.S. government. The government has allowed all demand to concentrate solely on the Epipen, says the Washington Post Business. With essentially no competition for Mylan, they’ve monopolized the industry of allergic reaction treatment. Unless a really viable alternative comes around, they will continue to hold that monopoly and continue to manipulate prices as they wish. It’s just sad at this point to have such an invaluable product completely at the mercy and management of one of the most powerful institutions in the world. And what other choice do families like mine have but the now overpriced Epipen? The center for Food Allergy Research

Do you know anyone for whom the EpiPen price increase has been an inconvenience?

Infographic By Eliza Goldberg ’17

and Education states that over 15 million Americans currently suffer from a food allergy. Until a viable alternative comes

along, if it comes at all, those people will be forced to make the choice between their wallets and their own safety.

Brock Turner symbolizes the fault in our justice system Colette Lippman ’17 & Megan Brown ’17

Brock Turner: the astoundingly talented Stanford freshman swimmer and now infamous rapist (well, according to Judge Aaron Persky, it was only sexual assault). Despite clear evidence proving him guilty of rape, Turner was released from prison three months early from his six-month sentence, already an extremely short sentence for a rape case. And it’s no coincidence that Turner’s short sentence is a result of his white privilege and social status. In the American justice system, it’s evident that race and social status undoubtedly affect a criminal’s sentence. In fact, according to the NAACP website, “African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites.” Someone who’s part of that statistic is the then sixteen-year-old Brian Banks, who was accused of raping a fellow classmate in a high school stairwell. Banks was an African-American former linebacker on his high school football team who also had a promising future with the NFL. Here’s the difference: sixteen-yearold Brian Banks was tried as an adult and sentenced to prison for five years under an accusation of rape and is now a registered sex offender, while eighteen-year-old Turner only faced a six-month sentence for the charge of rape, and was released halfway through on good behavior. Another important distinction is that Banks was eventually found to be innocent, and all charges against him were dropped, while Turner is known to be, without any margin of doubt, guilty. When Banks was given the opportunity to speak his mind on Turner’s case, he said, “I would say it’s a case of privilege. It seems like the judge based his decision on lifestyle.”

Why was Turner released so early? The answer is affluenza. Affluenza is often used as a means of lessening charges for crimes committed by privileged white people because they “didn’t know any better.” According to CNN, “The term highlights the issue of parents, particularly upper-middle-class ones, who not only refuse to discipline their children but may protest the efforts of others—school officials, law enforcement and the courts —who attempt to do so,” Suniya Luthar, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University said. Again, this isn’t to bash white males or white people in general, it’s

just outrageous that affluenza can be used to lessen charges of rape. A Change.org petetion that removed Judge Aaron Persky, the deciding factor in Turner’s sentence, said, “Judge Persky failed to see that the fact that Brock Turner is a white male star athlete at a prestigious university does not entitle him to leniency.” Somehow, Turner’s father successfully convinced the judge that Turner’s punishment was irrational and that probation would be a better punishment, because the event occurred as a result of binge drinking. “That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his

20 plus years of life.” This, among other groundless statements, proved to lighten Turner’s consequence. Situations like the Brock Turner case must be prevented in the future, and this is only possible if the justice system alters the way it treats rape cases in terms of race. The response of this case has been degrading to not only victims everywhere, but comparatively to the African American community. Brock Turner is free after three months with a clean record, while Brian Banks, now 31, will carry the label of a sex offender for a false accusation for the rest of his life. Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Features | September 30, 2016

Jonathan Kaner ’18 & Julia Rosier ’18

er fingers delicately strung together the last bead, and she gleamed with a familiar zeal. Julie Kaplan ’17 was armed and ready for her newest Instagram post to promote her new entrepreneurial business, Jewels by Jules. Instagram—an app that has 500 million users—has transformed a social media platform into advertising for businesses, according to Statista, a statistics website. For a few Staples students, Instagram provides a platform for marketing and selling products such as trendy jewelry or the newest fashion styles. According to Social Media Examiner, a social media marketing website, because of this sudden popularity in advertising through Instagram, the app now has an option to create a business-specific account where the owner can be contacted and his or her website can be accessed online. After all her friends admired her custom-made bracelet, Kaplan knew there was a terrific opportunity here in the bead making business. With the use of beads, wires, clasps and crimps, Kaplan’s products sell almost instantly off her Instagram page and are constantly worn by students. Alex Orseck ’17, a loyal customer of Kaplan, praised that the jewelry’s “good quality” and that her pieces have lasted for the past two months she has had them. “It’s really rewarding to see how going out of the box pays off,” Kaplan said. Fellow senior Marta Clanton ’17 also has a business of her own, crocheting bralettes, or bras without wires or molded cups. Clanton launched her

features

Student businesses soar with Instagram

bralette business in late August after she of my business is making new things presented her bralettes to friends, who with new materials and cool, abstract expressed interest in purchasing one. beads,” Kaplan said, “and then having “I think what makes my business someone buy it as soon as I post it.” unique is that I provide a very high level of care and attention to each bralette, and I hope that the people that buy from me feel the same way,” Clanton said. Each bralette takes Clanton at least two hours to create. Before she makes the bralette, Clanton has a one-on-one conversation with the customer to ensure that product is made perfectly. Clanton Photos contributed by Julie Kaplan ’17 hopes her business’s future will be LAYERED LOOK This sample of chockers successful as a result of her strong passion. made by Kaplan showcases her signature Not only are seniors making money style of choker necklaces. These range in off of their passions but juniors are, too. price from $11-$15. Emerson Kobak ’18, began a clothing business. She uses Instagram as her main method of advertising her clothes and choker necklaces as of May 2016. Kobak’s passion for fashion comes from her love for design and her desire to share it with other people. “My favorite part about being a fashion designer is seeing people wear my clothing,” Kobak said. “It feels amazing when someone is interested in something that you made and created.” Of course, none of this would have been possible without her Instagram page. Kobak’s success on Instagram has helped her business flourish. Since her first design post, she has created custom orders for customers as well as sold many Photo by Margot Mather ’17 of her creations to the new boutique, CROCHETING AWAY Clanton puts the ALL AROUND THE WORLD Former West, located in downtown Westport. finishing touches on one of her bralettes Staples student Richa Shankar ’19 Whether it’s stringing bead or for a cutomer. All of her pieces cost $20. sports her Jewels by Jules at her sewing thread, these young women have new school in India. Kaplan ships found a way to incorporate a passion nationwide. into an occupation. “My favorite part

Nature sprouts through Qureshi’s art exhibit Olivia Foster ’18

how to live freely and share positivity. “A common topic is change and how we have to live with it,” Qureshi Finding beauty in nature may be said. She admits that although she does not write regularly, “It’s something easy for most people, but turning I’m trying to build and it’s that beauty into an artform more like a creative flow, takes talent. For Faiza so whenever the wave Qureshi ’17, nature comes, I just take it.” stirs her creativity Q u re sh i ’s and inspires her exhibit will be art. Qureshi’s displayed along passion for the walking trails art flourished at Earthplace. during the She also s u m m e r a nt ic ip at e s of 2013, h a v i n g when she a small spent time workshop outdoors for younger reading and kids in which making art from they can make recycled mason wood art with jars. Her love of pressed flowers. both the environment A lt hough and art has Qureshi is grown to the SERENE SCENERY This wood photo transfer is one organizing the point where she example of the art Querishi will present. exhibit, along is now organizing with Programs an interactive art exhibit at the third annual Director, Becky Newman, her artwork Earthplace Festival on Oct. 2 and 3. will not be the sole feature of the gallery. “Art has had the ability to change Qureshi recruited friends and scoured me, because I see everything much Instagram for willing artists to share their more clearly, and I begin to notice artwork in the exhibit. Such artists will details. I’m able to see bigger pictures include Staples students Imogen Barnes as well,” Qureshi said with a smile. ’20, Alexandra McMahon ’17, Meredith While Qureshi enjoys all art Bonington ’17 and Sebastian Avila ’17. forms, she focuses on photography “It’s all about perspective when it comes and wood art where she carves designs to art and getting a lot of interpretations into blocks of wood. “I follow a instead of just one,” Qureshi said. With a petite figure but lively fashion blog that makes wood art with Qureshi’s curating watercolor designs. It’s a really zen personality, atmosphere when I do it,” Qureshi said. exploration will not stop at this upcoming Qureshi not only draws inspiration festival. She is already working on getting from her friends who she says are “the a grant for a much larger exhibit at best artists to be surrounded by,” but Earthplace in May. A future career in the also from various art blogs. For the arts is not set in stone; however, her passion past three years, Qureshi’s written her is one that will last a lifetime. “I hope that own blog, Thought Dweller, about how it follows me,” Qureshi said, “in a way that she perceives the universe as well as keeps me with the beauty in the universe.”

Photo by Alexandra McMahon ’17 Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

OUT OF THE BOX Faiza Quereshi ’17 will have her original art such as pressed leaves, acrylics and wood photo transfer featured in the third annual Earthplace festival.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Features | September 30, 2016

West inspires East Coast fashion

Nicole Shapiro ’18

idden between all the chain stores in downtown Westport, the new boutique, West, maintains its originality by bringing West Coast aesthetic to the East. On Monday Aug. 15, Laura Maged opened up West, which Photos and graphics by Eliz a Goldberg ’17

is located where Alex and Ani used to be in downtown We s t p o r t . Since Maged and her family own a house in California, she would shop on the West Coast, and she was inspired by the styles. “I decided what was missing in Westport, as far as retail stores, was a lot of California brands and a West Coast aesthetic, and I am also doing Australian brands because they have a similar feel,” Maged said. “I thought it would be fun for people to go into stores and see things you just don’t see anywhere else around here.” Among all the casual and laid-

back-style clothing at West, Staples student Emerson Kobak ’18 is selling a few pieces from her own clothing line. “I’ve gotten much more serious about fashion and designing, and I’ve done so much more for it,” Kobak said. “I just think once I have more stuff in, it will be really cool. If I see someone walking and wearing something that I have made, I think that is just so crazy.” Maged attended Emerson’s fashion show earlier this year and was interested in selling items from her line. “It’s great for everybody. It’s great for me [because] I love the local element and I love that she’s learning about how to price her stuff on the wholesale end,” Maged said. Jacob Maged ’18, Laura Maged’s son, has his own business remodeling and customizing shoes. He is really proud of his mom for following her passion and accomplishing what she loves, and he hopes one day he can work alongside her. “I think someday my mom and I could work really well together and learn off of each other,” Jacob Maged ’18 said. In addition to selling clothes, West also sells art. “ All of my art is very affordable,” Laura Maged

said. “If you can afford a pair of leather pants, you can afford a piece of art, and I want it to be that place,” Maged added. In fact, according to Maged, West will have a new art opening every three to four mont hs featuring a new artist. TO THE EAST Wanting to bring West Coast style to the east, Maged’s main goal is to create a friendly local store where fashion frenzies can discover new styles.

While Maged admits that the prices are higher than teens might find at an Urban Outfitters, she said West aims to be a clothing store for everyone. “I really hope that it’s a place that teenagers can come,” Laura Maged said. “I want it to be a fun, festive atmosphere that people can come, not only for the fashion, but for the art as well.”

UP AND RUNNING West opened on Aug. 15, giving Maged just enough time to prepare for their fall styles.

English teacher prompts resilience and creativity from the Bronx to Westport in Becky Hoving ’17 & Kayla Sirlin ’19

also was inspired by their strength. “I learned that humans are resilient from my work in the Bronx. Those students had nothing. No two-parent families. They came from all over the world. Some barely spoke English,” she said. “But yet they came to school and did their work. They worked and wanted to be somewhere different from where they were then.” Neary has brought this resilience into the classroom at Staples, where her A.P. Literature students are encouraged to take risks in discussion and in their writing. “Her teaching style is to be open

to a variety of ideas, sort of like a nowrong-answers approach,” James O’Brien ’17, a student in her class, said. But beyond the classroom, Neary embodies such an approach in her freespirited nature, vowing that she would learn a new sport with each of her six children. Now a certified belayer in rock climbing, scubadiver, swimmer and horseback rider, she finds great joy in pushing her limits and learning new things. She justified these extracurricular endeavors, saying, “You can’t expand your world if you are afraid to try.”

Photo by Eliza Goldberg ’17

really cares about each and every one of her students and wants to make her classroom an inquisitive environment that [provokes] While some A.P. Literature classes our deepest thinking,” Abigail Lamb ’18, a begin by paging through annotated copies student in her A.P. Liturature class said. A self-described “life-long learner,” of “Jane Eyre” or “Hamlet,” English teacher Ann Neary passes out fortune teller Neary joined Staples’ English department fish and kaleidoscopes as the bell rings. this fall after working at DeWitt Clinton “I tend to like a class that is really High School in the Bronx for 11 years. The Bronx high school has a interactive and has a lot going on,” Neary said about her teaching style. long history of “low graduation rates, Her students would agree. “Ms. Neary plummeting enrollment and a climate that made many students feel unsafe,” according to The New York Times. However, none of this seemed to phase Neary, who previously worked in the fashion industry as a buyer for Lord and Taylor for 8 years. After 9/11, Neary volunteered at St. Paul’s Chapel near where the Twin Towers stood and said her nights spent there from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. made her reconsider her career path. “The overnight work made you really have time to think about what’s important in the world,” Neary said, noting that after 9/11, she went back to get her master’s in teaching at Manhattanville College. “Fashion is really fun, and it’s interesting to travel the world, but it doesn’t really make a difference in the long run. It makes a huge difference what children think.” At Dewitt Clinton, Neary felt as though she could make that difference. The students, as she would later describe, faced all sorts of issues. A third of them slept in shelters at night and lacked basic human needs, like safety, both inside and outside of school. HORSE WHISPERER Neary poses with her And though Neary spent much horse, Finbar in 2014. She has rescued three horses: Simon, Tillie and Finbar and keeps them of her time while at Dewitt Clinton worrying about her students, she at Silver Lining Stables in Monroe. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Photo by Alexa Moro ’18

KEEPING IT REAL New English teacher Ann Neary shows off her juggling balls, saying that “teaching is like juggling sometimes.”

Humans of Staples

Features | September 30, 2016

Troy scores lacrosse future Photo by Ellie Kravetz ’18

Photo Contributed by Mary Albl

PUPPY LOVE Olivia Troy ’17 cuddles her dog Kemba which she recently got in August.

Tori Lubin ’18

FAST AND FURIOUS Staples’ Troy moves the ball down the field against the Darien defense at the Ginny Parker field at Staples.

She played basketball at her previous private school and also participated in soccer as a goalie. As a freshman, Troy explored lacrosse on the Staples team. Currently, she is the captain of both the lacrosse and basketball team. But lacrosse holds a special place in Troy’s heart. This past summer, she participated in Under-Armor’s All-American tournament where she represented Team New England against lacrosse teams from different regions. She is also a part of an outside club lacrosse team, CT Grizzlies. “The thing is with girls’ lacrosse, it’s such a tight knit thing,” Troy said. “You are literally spending everyday with these people, and you get yelled at with these same people and everybody

is complaining about the same thing.” Playing on her club team aided her in cementing a position on the UConn women’s lacrosse team. Despite the fact that she was initially told that the recruiting class was full, Troy’s coach discovered that there were, in fact, spaces available. “I got an offer from UConn on Halloween,” Troy said, smiling. “They said to take a couple days to think about it. Two hours later, I called them back and said, ‘This isn’t a couple of days, but I want to take the offer you gave me and play for UConn.’” Troy’s decision to continue her vigorous sports agenda in college is a confident one. “I’ve always known I wanted to play sports in college,” Troy said. “I would be unhappy not having sports in

my life just because you gain so many friends from sports, and you have things to do when you have nothing to do.” Although Troy is excited for college life, she reveals that there are aspects of Staples she will miss. “I have a really nice group of friends,” Troy said. “It is going to be so upsetting to not have them anymore, because you see each other every day—you hang out after school everyday together.” Claudia Lagnese ’17, a friend and teammate of Troy’s, shared a similar sentiment. “Our friendship consists of a lot of laughs and good times,” Lagnese said. “She’s always there for me and she knows I’m always there for her. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

informational reporting and performance side of media production, working for ABC News and the Associated A national media powerhouse. Press and dabbling in the commercial New England schools’ top source for voice recording industry. Music guru Heiter earned a degree in films and broadcasts. A force composition from the to be reckoned with at Berklee College the most elite media of Music, later competitions in the teaching music country. That’s in Newtown what new video Middle School, production performing teacher, Justin in his own Nadal, will instrumental propel the g roups , Staples’ media and helping depar tment produce a t o w a r d s youth radio achieving in the platform in next five years, C on n e c t i c u t along with his t h a t partner, Geno “a mpl i f [ie d] Heiter, who oversees y o u n g the audio-radio voices,” he said. side of production. “A lot of my “When I first started backg rou nd this journey, I knew in terms of what I wanted to “I knew what I wanted to ac- t e a c h i n g accomplish, the music has tools that I wanted complish, the tools I wanted to do with to have and the kind xpressing of environment that to have, and the kind of en- emyself,” Heiter I needed to create vironment that I needed to continued. “So an absolute empire,” express Nadal said. “This create an absolute empire.” let’s a great story, place has every single it’s -Justin Nadal cause one of those things.” all about Both teachers the story.” have experienced Through their work experience, their fair share of behind-the-scenes media positions giving them insight both teachers have learned that the most into resources and operation styles valuable resource for building their that will fuel the Staples program Staples media kingdom isn’t the most towards their ambitious goals. advanced technology, but raw ideas. “Let’s get some more ideas; let’s not Nadal has explored the more

worry about the technology. Let’s do something with what we have,” Heiter said. The camera’s aleady rolling, as they are already putting their own spin on changes to the media program, and students have reacted with enthusiasm. So far, classes have focused on the live elements of media, championed through the radio and morning news shows. “I think Mr. Nadal does a great job of incorporating the fast-paced New York media scene into his classes,” Jack Caldwell ’18, director of the WWPT radio station, said. “We’re doing shows live, on-location, five days a week. It will be demanding, but also realistic and will prepare us for what the real world of tv production is like.” In an effort to avoid the contrived nature of prerecorded shows, Nadal and Heiter teach students to broadcast with s p o n t a n e i t y, making their live shows genuine and entertaining. “People want to see something t live,” Nadal said. oph Russi ’17 “The excitement, the nerves, the energy — sometimes things can happen that are even funnier when they’re live.” Students like Gavin Berger ’17 admire the commitment to detail and passion within Nadal and Heiter’s teaching styles. “Their goal is to build a stronger foundation in media, whether that be taking a longer time to teach

newbies how to edit a movie, or teach the art of storytelling before jumping into filming a movie,” Berger said. They also plan to develop regular podcasts and collaborate across departments to feature a diverse array of classwork and stories on the morning show, radio and media lab website. Though the beloved former media production teachers, Mike Zito and Jim Honeycutt, have left deeply entrenched tracks on the Staples media department, Nadal and Heiter don’t feel pressure to fill their shoes. Instead, they hope to carry on the energy and legacy of their program while adding their own unique touch. “The way I want to make it my own is make it what the students want to do,” Heiter said of his own personal approach. A year of hard work and media e x p a n s i on lies ahead but everyone is confident Nadal and Heiter have the chops to end their first year with a bang. Both have proven to “bring something new to the table,” Michelle Lopez ’17, veteran WWPT member and TV production student said. “That would not only make both Zito and Honeycutt proud but also prove to benefit Staples’ community as a whole.”

livia Troy ’17 sits casually by the window seats at 7 a.m on a Monday. Her poise lends itself to that of an ambitious athlete who is ready for competition, a description fitting of a lacrosse player as serious as Troy. “My favorite part about lacrosse is playing in games,” Troy said. She enjoys “the pressure but also the excitement of scoring a goal.” As of next fall, Troy will continue playing lacrosse at University of Connecticut, where she will be playing for UConn’s Division I team. In addition to lacrosse, Troy demonstrates athleticism in other sports.

New media production teachers aim to make Staples a television and radio empire Renee Weisz ’17 & Adam Wenkoff ’18

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inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Xana

Features | September 30, 2016

Permeate

Molly Liebergall ’17 *Names have been changed arah* hesitated before accepting the white tablet offered to her. Standing there in a friend’s apartment, with Kygo playing in the background and crowd chatter fading to white noise, she broke off one quarter of a two milligram bar of Xanax and palmed the small, “X”-labeled drug, pausing before swallowing it like a pill and chasing with Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey -- straight from the bottle. “Yeah, I don’t remember that night,” Sarah said. She furrowed her eyebrows and turned to her friend, Emma*, seeking restoration of the memories that had escaped her. “What am I usually like?” she asked. “Am I happy?” Emma looked up and contemplated Xanax, the drug responsible for the numerous nights that Sarah has “blacked out” or not remembered. “I don’t think anyone I’ve ever watched take it has been in a good place,” she said. “Your worst nights have been when you combine Xanax and alcohol.” Because of the increasing popularity of this drug, Sarah is not alone in her experience. In a recent anonymous survey sent to the entire student body, almost 10 percent of 312 respondents

reported taking Xanax recreationally, while 40 percent know someone who does. Xanax, an antianxiety, is the brand name of alprazolam, a benzodiazepine belonging to a group of medicines known as central nervous system (CNS) depressants. When used properly, it can help those suffering from anxiety with their symptoms. When used improperly, however, the repercussions can range anywhere from drug-induced stupor to death. “You can have respiratory depression and die,” Village Pediatrics physician, Dr. Carol Nicole Gorman, said. “You are so numb that you don’t even realize that your respiratory rate is going down.” The numbness Gorman refers to is a perversion of Xanax’s intended effect, which is to relieve the user of the symptoms of anxiety disorder: shakiness, accelerated heart rate and fatigue, to name a few. However, when non-prescribed users ingest the drug in a social setting, devoid of precautions and guidelines, Xanax transforms from a “life changing” medication, as described by Thomas*, a prescribed user, into a life-threatening narcotic. “You’re completely depressing your central nervous system, so you’re slowing down your breathing,” health

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teacher Nicole Comerford said. “Your blood flow is going to slow down; everything could potentially stop.” Despite the fact that Thomas’ severe anxiety has legally obtained him a prescription for Xanax, many of his other interactions with drugs are illicit. Before seeing a doctor, he selfdiagnosed and self-medicated with his dad’s and grandparents’ Xanax “scripts” that otherwise went mostly unused. But stealing Xanax that is prescribed to a family member is not an uncommon offense. Colonial Druggist & Surgical Supplies pharmacist Russell Levine has privately owned his store, located on a main stretch of the Post Road, since Sept.

“I

15, 1968, and has witnessed countless drug trends throughout the years, including the abuse of pills like Xanax. At the pharmacy, 250 to 300 prescriptions are filled every day and 10 to 15 of those prescriptions are often Xanax intended for adults, according to Levine. Considering the facts that Xanax is most often prescribed to adults and Xanax abuse has increased in teens led Levine to conclude that teens are stealing the drugs from their families. “The prescription is made out to one of the parents or someone in the family, and if it’s in the medicine cabinet, it’s not locked up,” Levine said. “If someone wants to experiment, it’s available.”

don’t think anyone I’ve ever watched take it has been in a good place. Your worst nights have been when you combine Xanax and alcohol.”

- Sarah

Features | September 30, 2016

Graphics by Channing Smith ’17

es through Staples Out of 312 Staples students surveyed

As a prescribed user and someone who has received specific pharmaceutical instruction from a medical professional, Thomas is aware of the health risks accompanying recreational Xanax use. However, as a self-proclaimed drug dealer motivated by money, Thomas still sold customers the drug. Among his variety of narcotics, both prescription and otherwise, Thomas used to sell some of his “stockpile” of nearly 100 alprazolam pills for five dollars per milligram. However, after one of his previous customers was hospitalized for combining Xanax and alcohol, Thomas admits to only selling rarely now. “I realized people could die from what I’m selling, and I can’t control how they’re gonna use it,” Thomas said. Nevertheless, between 2002 and 2016, the number of Xanax prescriptions written per year jumped by almost 10 million in the United States, a trend Comerford believes is “unfortunately” responsible for more “readily available” prescriptions to abuse. “It’s going to be whatever’s out there, whatever’s in people’s medicine cabinets that they can easily get,” she said. And even if Xanax is not accessible at home, Sarah and Emma acknowledged that the drug is effortlessly attainable in

the Staples social scene. Several months ago, for example, the friends attended a party where a miscommunication resulted in dozens of people unknowingly ingesting jungle juice—mixes of different alcohol and chasers like Gatorade—spiked with Xanax. “I walked into the kitchen and they were crushing up [pills] and putting it in the cooler,” Sarah recalled. Although the orange Gatorade jug being filled was supposed to remain upstairs and away from the party, one attendee mistook the contents for regular alcohol and toted it to the center of the festivities. “I remember suddenly looking around and I was like, ‘Why is that here? Why is everyone drinking that?” Sarah said. “I remember freaking out,” Emma added. “Jungle juice in general is something to be wary of, but once you start mixing drugs [...] if you get that much put in your drink you can blackout.” For Levine, after almost 50 years in the pharmaceutical industry, Xanax abuse is another dangerous tendency in a long line of dangerous tendencies. “I’ve been in this business a long time, and you see different trends of drug experimentation,” he said. “Drugs are a problem, it’s as simple as that. If they’re used correctly, it’s fine, but if they’re not used correctly, then we have an issue. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Features | September 30, 2016

The power of words: hurtful language marginalizes students Amelia Brown ’18 & Sophie Driscoll ’19 *Names

have

been

changed

s Susan Smith* hurriedly grabbed her homework off the library printer, she noticed she had misspelled a word in her first sentence. Rushing back to the computer to fix the typo and reprint the paper before class, she mumbled an expression commonly used by high schoolers. “Ugh, that was so retarded,” Smith said. While students pride themselves on contributing to an accepting, positive school climate, students have reported the use of offensive, hurtful language. The r-word is just one example of language that marginalizes people. “I’ve heard homophobic slurs from idiot guys who think it’s funny and think it’s cool,” Caroline Gray ’17 said. “It’s usually used in a scenario where it’s a negative thing. ‘That’s so gay,’ is [used as] a negative thing, even though [being gay] is not negative.” According to a recent Inklings poll, four out of five students believe Staples is an accepting community, yet approximately 80 percent report having seen or heard some kind of marginalizing word at least on a weekly basis. Students report that they have heard their peers use language that marginalizes the LGBT+ community, people of color and others. Staples administrators admit this marginalized language is used but state that it is not prevalent at Staples and is merely a reflection of a student’s youth and immaturity. “I think you’re going to hear slurs of any kind anywhere you go, in any school system. I don’t know if it’s necessarily

prevalent [at Staples],” Patrick Micinilio, 12th grade assistant principal, said Richard Franzis, 11th grade assistant principal, agreed with Micinilio, and said Staples is a more tolerant place than most. “I don’t know of a high school that is more tolerant of differences in kids than it is here. That being said, kids are still kids,” Franzis said. “They sometimes use language they shouldn’t use, and that’s a part of, I think, growing up and developing what you should and shouldn’t do and how you should interact with others.” According to Dr. Alycia Dadd, school psychologist, learning how to interact appropriately with others is crucial, especially since marginalizing language is a widespread problem with a long and troubling history that should not be forgotten or ignored. “Even though [marginalized language has] become commonplace, it doesn’t mean that we forget about who it was said about and how it was said or the context,” Dadd said. Dadd added that students use this marginalizing insensitive and can be injurious. “A lot language “without understanding” it, of time we hear kids say that it was just a rather than with malicious intentions, joke,” Dadd said, “but that kind of numbs and that they often do not understand you to using language that otherwise the serious implications of their words. you wouldn’t use.” According to Dadd, Case in point, when questioned about dismissing the use of marginalizing her use of the r-word, Smith admitted language as a joke is a “slippery slope.” that she had no Looking to malicious intent. “I stop the slipping, “I know it’s not a Lily Dane ’17 is know it’s not a good word to use,” Smith president of good word to use, vice admitted, “but my Best Buddies. She brothers said it all but my brothers said spends time after the time, so now school hanging it all the time so out with the club’s it’s just a habit.” Ne ver t he le s s , (students now it’s just a habit.” Buddies the lack of with cognitive or understanding - Susan Smith physical handicaps). and thought is “I feel like

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Graphic by Melanie Lust ’19

a lot of kids at Staples might not have the experience of working with another student or peer who has disabilities,” she said. “When someone says [the r-word]...” Dane said, pausing contemplatively, before putting her hand on her heart, “it kind of hurts me a little bit because I know the Buddies, and they work so hard to accomplish just what seems simple to us.” Whether students’ intentions in using marginalized language is to be funny or hurtful, Chris Fray, advisor of GSA, believes it shows an ignorance that must be addressed in order to promote change. “Everybody is ignorant about something. We can’t bash people for being ignorant,” Fray said. “If we want to change a climate or change a behavior, it’s up to [us] to educate those people.”

INKLINGS | September 30, 2016

f you are planning on going to the Meadows Music and Arts Festival this October, pay close attention. The Meadows is a two-day music festival at Citi Field in New York City starting on Oct. 1 and ending on Oct. 2. Here is a guide on how to go about what may be one of the most enjoyable and distinctive experiences of the season.

WHO TO SEE

Chance the Rapper: The Staples High favorite! “I’m most excited to see Chance The Rapper for sure,” Jamie Santarella ’17 said. Chance is definitely the most anticipated artist according to Staples students. He is known to put on a lively, fun show. The 1975: The 1975 is a band a little less talked about, but their performance is one that should not be missed. Their colorful backdrop and energetic dancing is just the icing on the cake to their

Many Staples students plan on attending the event in its entirety because of the extremely popular lineup, featuring Kanye West, Chance the Rapper and The Weeknd. Kanye West: A must see show. His stage presence and the dynamic, unique setup for his recent Saint Pablo Tour, where he was floating above the audience on a moving platform, was unlike any other. “I am most excited to see Kanye,” Sophie Epstein ’17 said. “I’ve been to concerts before, but not one like his.” As the headliner of this festival, and from his reputation as an outstanding performer, it is right to assume that he will certainly not disappoint.

Parker Mansion boasts fine river dining Kaya Leitner ’19 & Megan Doyle ’18 Parker Mansion claims its dishes “are known to impress and inspire” and that the restaurant serves some of the “finest food in town, in a luxurious setting, for the best possible experience.” Without question, the food lives up to the hype. With a simplistic and rustic atmosphere, the restaurant feels casual yet sophisticated. Although a guest can indeed wear ripped jeans and casual attire, the quality of food is exceptional. Located in the Saugatuck area, Parker Mansion has a friendly and welcoming vibe immediately felt upon arrival. A f t e r skimming the menu and a few questions directed towards the waiter, we decided to order the crab cakes and the “Parker burger” with a handful of truffle fries on the side. According to our waiter, these were a few of the most popular dishes. At first, we were underwhelmed by the appetizer. Before being presented with our main courses, the waiter brought a steel bucket to the table containing three thin slices of gently toasted bread, accompanied by a dipping sauce. We

both found the bread and dip mediocre and tastelessness. It was no better than anything we could have prepared in our own kitchens. However, hopes quickly lifted once our main dishes arrived. The crab cakes were a delicious blend of decadent crab and al dente vegetables. The original thought was that the two cakes, approximately the size of a person’s palm, wouldn’t be enough for our grumbling stomachs, but we were proven wrong. The crab cakes were filling and beautifully presented with a bit of lemon and spinach. The Parker mansion speciality, “The Parker Burger,” certainly lived up to expectations. The patty, grilled to perfection, was amongst the best we have ever eaten. Served on a sourdough bun with tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese and a mayo mixture, the patty is large enough to feed two. Although, for those with bigger appetites, it is certainly manageable to finish alone. Arguably the best part of the meal: the french fries. Drenched in truffle oil and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, the crispy fries were the perfect side. Even after being full from finishing our main course, we couldn’t help but take one more fry. (And maybe another.)

more warmth. Also, absolutely do not forget to accessorize. Boho jewelry and hats can make a plain outfit much more fitted for a festival. For footwear, dress comfortably as there is a lot of walking at festivals. WHAT TO WEAR For boys, the best plan is to wear For girls, remember that it’s October. graphic t-shirts or button-down shortUsual festival attire consists of crop tops and sleeved shirts with some cool patterns. flowy shorts and skirts. In early October, TIPS TO REMEMBER this may not be the best idea. Try similar style clothing with more skin coverage, One: hydrate. Even though it is like overalls, jeans or flowy pants and long a fall festival, overheating is a serious bell sleeve shirts. If wearing shorts and skirts is a must, try wearing tights, socks problem. Everyone is very sweaty and very active, so staying hydrated or high boots for slightly is important. “Since it is an all-day festival, just make sure to drink lots of water,” Benji Malowitz ’18, a knowledgeable festival attendee, said. Two: Plan Ahead. Time management is another useful tactic that Staples students will need in deciding which artists they want to see. Jack Dorsey ’19 will plan out his strategy when the performance schedule is released. “I think planning out your time could be pretty useful, especially at a festival like the Meadows,” Dorsey said. “But no matter what, I know it’s going to be Graphic by Channing Smith ’17 awesome.”

lyrically brilliant music. Also, since they aren’t as widely known, the crowd at this show may be a little more laid back and easier to manage as a concert-goer.

Photos by Alex Spadacenta ’17 & Megan Doyle ’18

Madison Sell ’18 & Thomas Nealon ’17

arts Arts

Preparing for Meadows: Your No. 1 Guide

With a simplistic and rustic atmosphere, the restaurant feels casual yet sophisticated.

RIVER DINNER Parker Mansion is situated on the Saugatuck river and provides its customers with a nautical food experience, featuring the most decadent crab cakes in

Westport. inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Arts | September 30, 2016

Fall welcomes warmer trends T Channing Smith ’17

he hearts of students everywhere break as the leaves change and temperatures cool, causing them to shed their denim shorts, tank tops and other summer fashions. However, the fall season offers new opportunities for layering, boots and so much more. Get a head start with these top four fall trends.

The cold shoulder Though this trend might fade as the weather cools down, enjoy it while you can. In a time where trends are overwhelmingly grunge—including distressed denim, flannels, and chokers—off the shoulder tops are refreshingly classic and graceful. The style offers a more feminine look, channeling a Bohemian feel, inspired by sixties styles.

Patched up Any item can be made completely your own when decorated with colorful pins and patches. Add a pop of color to your denim jacket, or make a statement on your backpack. These accessories can demonstrate political interest, a favorite band or just a fun, animated design. The best pins and patches are not found in big name-brand stores; instead, look for unique and vintage ones in small boutiques or stands.

The early ’00s style is back and revamped. Offering a soft vintage look, a jean skirt is easily paired with your favorite t-shirt, but gives off the vibe that you got it all together. This item can be dressed up for an interview, or dressed down for school.

They’ve been worn by soldiers on the frontline, but now it’s your turn. Popular denim brands are rolling out new versions of the cargo pant—a comfortable alternative to jeans that gives off an authentic, rustic feel. Coming in shades ranging from deep army green, to classic khaki, to muted grays and navy, the colors and relaxed style of the pant are perfect for fall.

Graphics by Channing Smith ’17

Reporting for duty

Denim dream

Emily Ritter ’17

“Stranger Things”was the show of the summer

Graphics by Cat Graham ’19

Olivia Ronca ’18 & Christoph Russi ’17 The first season of “Stranger Things” premiered on Netflix as a Netflix original series this past summer on July 12, 2016. In addition to its recent debut, “Stranger Things” is currently one of the most discussed television shows across the internet, according to the New York Times. “I liked it a lot. It was something new. Something cool. I liked the movie ‘Super Eight’ and it was a lot like that,” Casey Cohen ’19 said. This eight-episode series, set in Hawkins, Indiana in 1983, deals with missing children, supernatural experiences and a young girl with telekinetic abilities. The show has received tons of raves for its creepy and suspenseful episodes that hook viewers.

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This horror/sci-fi show follows the search for 12-year-old Will Byers. With the whole town paranoid of Byers’ whereabouts, there are few people who notice the strange and unexplained occurrences taking place throughout town. Izzy Baildon ’17 has positive views on the show. “They never made it cheesy, and it was tastefully done. I also like the effects they used,” Baildon said. Written and produced by Matt and Ross Duffer, known better as the Duffer

brothers, the show has attracted over 44 million viewers since its initial release. As a result of the show’s overwhelming success, the New York Times called it “the show of the summer.” Cece Marino ’19 recommends the show for “anyone who enjoys watching mysteries and anything scary that has to do with anything supernatural.” Season two for “Stranger Things” is said to hit Netflix in early 2017. “I just hope season two is as good as season one,” Cohen said.

Suicide Squad: New action movie dissatisfies audience

Ben Stein ’18 & Christoph Russi ’17

he movie “Suicide Squad” has generated controversy following its release, especially a lot of disappointment from loyal Detective Comics fans and the average movie-goer. Essentially, “Suicide Squad” was about a secret government agency that recruited incarcerated criminals to form a defensive task force. Originally there was a lot of hype because many people really enjoyed “Batman vs Superman” and wanted to see what was next. But for some, only dissapointment ensued. “I think the Joker should’ve gotten a little more screen time because he’s such an iconic character… they left a lot out,” Holly Shaum ’18 said. The feeling of the movie “having left a lot out” was pretty common. According to media teacher Geno Heiter, the budget was to blame for the sloppy editing.

Graphic by Cat Graham ’19

Arts | September 30, 2016

“Some students in my narrative film class felt that it was ‘slapped’ together as if budgets and deadlines could have possibly been the reason for what they all thought was an ‘okay’ movie,” Heiter said. The budget for the movie was $175 million. However, the majority of the complaints seemed to be more oriented towards the expectations and context of the movie, rather than the acting or writing itself. According to Anthony Lane of The New Yorker, “To say that the movie loses the plot would not be strictly accurate, for that would imply that there was a plot to lose.” This builds upon an interesting pattern that’s coming to light of movies produced by Warner Brothers: the studios have sacrificed plot for action. It’s unlikely that the issues of these films are the direct fault of the directors, cinematographers, writers or actors, but rather Warner Brothers re-cutting final products in attempts to “appeal” to a broader audience at the expense of corrupting the director’s vision.

“Some students [...] felt that it was ‘slapped’ together.” -Geno Heiter

Graphic by Channing Smith ’17

Low collegiate theater program acceptance rates plague Staples theater students Brendan Massoud ’17 The college process can be stressful; discussion of applications, essays and interviews buzzes through Staples High School every fall with an anxiety high enough to get to even the most levelheaded student. Yet, most students are unaware that for some people, this aspect is only about half of the difficulty of getting into college. If one is attempting to gain entry into an acting or theater school, the process itself becomes a whole lot more complicated. Each year, a number of Westport eighteen-year-olds attempt to crack into the nation’s most prestigious acting institutions. In addition to writing standard Common Application essays and supplements, most must perform live auditions, qualifying academically and Carnegie Mellon University, for example, accepts about 16 percent of applicants theatrically. For some students, such as Remy as a whole, according to its website. Laifer ’17, going to college for theater has However, its School of Drama accepts been a lifelong goal. “My dream in life is just three percent. Compare this with the to be able to make or act in a show that has acceptance rate at Stanford University, one some type of social meaning behind it. In of the nation’s most selective academic institutions, order to keep that dream, which takes about I want to study theater 4.7 percent of and acting at a higher “My dream in life is to be applicants. level,” Laifer said. David Roth, Despite enthusiasm able to make or act in a director of Staples about studying the arts in college, theatrically- show that has some type of Players, attributes the small number inclined students social meaning behind it.” of kids accepted are confronted with into schools of extraordinary low -Remy Laifer ’17 drama and acting acceptance rates. to the necessity

of having small class sizes and one-onone tutelage. Yet, through Staples Players, a program in which “expectations are rigorous” and “dance abilities are high,” Roth feels Staples alumni are ready to perform at the next level. Quite a few of Roth’s former actors and actresses have gone on to succeed past high school. Bailey Claffey ’15, for instance, is currently studying theater at Wagner College. “I wanted to gain as much knowledge as I could and master ‘the craft,’” Claffey said. However, Claffey’s pursuits did not come without hard work. “Most people I know actually hired some sort of audition coach to help organize the process and train for the auditions,” Claffey said.

Between the months of January and March, most people audition about once a week, often driving hours to visit and audition for each school. It was a process Claffey described as “stressful.” Although this is the path many people pursue if attempting to be a professional actor or actress, there are other options. Zoe Samuels ’17, for example, is not looking for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Instead, she will apply to more typical liberal arts colleges and potentially major in theater. “This way, if I choose to go into the world of theater and start auditioning for plays or T.V. after college, I have something to fall back on,” Samuels said. Ultimately, Staples theater students have shown their willingness to endure the difficulties of pursuing theater in order to achieve their goals. “Because it’s my dream,” Laifer said, “I’m going to fight as hard as I can to keep it alive.”

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

Arts | September 30, 2016 Photo By Ellie Kravetz ’18

Fall spices entice food palettes Cate Casparius ’19

pple picking at Silverman’s Farm in Easton, Connecticut has begun, which marks the unofficial start of the fall season. All of the favorite autumn foods are coming back, including specialty Starbucks drinks, menu changes at restaurants and seasonal vegetables. When people think of fall and Starbucks, they tend to think about what was called the “legitimate symbol of fall” by Cosmopolitan, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. This year, in an attempt to build upon their fall drink options, Starbucks recently released a new drink called the Chile Mocha. “It takes a serious drink to move in on PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) territory, and Starbucks believes that the new Chile Mocha is it,” explained Helin Jung, writer for Cosmopolitan.

Deliciously flavorful, the drink contains its own mixture of tastes: cocoa powder, milk steamed with cocoa and spice and whipped cream topped with chili pepper, sea salt, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne and sugar. The drink comes as a latte, frappuccino or iced. Just like Starbucks, Westport restaurants have been updating some of their foods to satisfy fall cravings. For

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

instance, Green and Tonic, “will be adding around 20 new items to the menu over the next few months and have already released a Pumpkin Chia Pudding,” Olivia Rubin ’17, one Green and Tonic employee, said. At Staples High School, when it starts to get colder out, the cafeteria sells apple cider and hot chocolate. “I can’t wait for the apple cider to be sold again,” Jacob Standford ’19 said. The cafeteria also

released seasonal veggies to their salad bar and will be serving seasonal soups, like butternut squash. Seasonal vegetables can also be incorporated into healthy home-cooked meals. Turn a colorless grilled cheese into something more by adding sweet potato and kale. Or create a gluten-free pizza by substituting butternut squash for traditional crust.

PHOTOS BY ELLIE KRAVETZ ’18

Izzy Blansfield ’18

he Staples girls’ varsity field hockey team, led by second year coach Ian Tapsall, will execute a new style of play this season. “Coach Tapsall has made a huge impact on the team. Last year, he came in and created a whole new system consisting of a different style of hockey, and this year as a team we plan to execute this style,” co-captain Christine Taylor ’18 said. Tapsall applies this new system by focusing on increasing the team’s speed, playing with a forward high on the field and improving on the basic fundamentals of the game. The team spent their summer working to apply this new system by training with the Athletic Performance Center and practicing fitness tests. The team also attended captains’ practices, private lessons and day and overnight camps. “We spend a lot of time practicing and learning a lot each day to implement this system. We do drills based on what went wrong in the previous game. But overall Ian has made a big difference in our team and helped us to not only improve our skills but expects a lot out of ourselves,” right forward Abby Najarian ’18 said. According to Tapsall, field hockey is a game of sprinting. “The games we didn’t do so well in last year were games we were outhustled to the ball,” Tapsall said. The team has been concentrating solely on sprinting mechanics and

conditioning by practicing the 300 meter fitness test. Every week the team is tested for speed so that proper conditioning can be maintained throughout the season. Because there is no offsides in field hockey, Tapsall has changed the positioning of the team, now playing with a high forward. “That’s how they play at college and the international level. I’m not saying our girls are at that level, but we should aspire to a system that works up there,” Tapsall said. “We have done a ton of work on basic fundamentals. The system he implements isn’t difficult as long as the passes are sharp and accurate and we stop the ball,” co-captain Colleen Bannon ’17 said. The team successfully applied these new skills, starting the season out on an undefeated streak going 4-0. The team defeated Joel Barlow 5-0, Greenwich 6-0, Ludlowe 8-0, Stamford 8-0 and Trumbull 5-0. “Although it was hard to adjust to it at the beginning of last season, we really do click as a team now and the changes he has implemented are clearly showing from our recent big wins,” center forward Gabriela Vega ’18 said. As the season progresses, the girls will continue to work hard towards their goal of winning both states and FCIAC’s. “With our team’s mentality, fitness and skills, I believe we can do it. We have a lot of strong players, and a lot of chemistry between each other that is being shown on the field,” left midfielder Meghan Johnson ’18 said.

SHUTTING OUT THE COMPETITION The Staples Wreckers field hockey team has been more than undefeated this season; their oppenents haven’t scored a single goal. (clockwise) Almost every game begins with warm ups consisting of running, stretching,and drills. Kyle Kirby ’19 goes past a defender to get to goal. The whole team huddles before the start of their Ludlowe win.

Fantasy football invokes intense competition among students Daniel Harrizman ’19 & Jesse Levinson ’17

Not long into class, he gives up trying to prevent his head from falling into the soft cushion of his forearm. Motionless, he lies sprawled on his desk; his textbook, practically glued shut, sits beneath him. Friends try to get his attention from the hallway; his teacher drones on about history, or is it calculus? This is how Cayne Mandell ’17 appears almost every school day, but today is no ordinary day. Hands at his side, his head raised high, Mandell now stares ahead with laser focus. To some, it would appear that he is paying close attention to his teacher’s lecture, but in reality, Mandell’s mind is far from class. Like countless others, he is counting down the hours to the kickoff of Thursday Night Football, the starting point of this weekend’s fantasy football matchups. A virtual game played all around the world, fantasy football combines the competitiveness of soccer and strategy of chess. It can, according

to Mandell, make for a “grueling but their hair white for an entire month. ultimately rewarding experience.” Not a blondish-white — a pure white. People participate in fantasy I’m talking Ryan Lochte level,” Remy football by joining leagues containing Laifer ’17, the dubbed commissioner of anywhere from four to 16 teams. Benjamin and Mandell’s league, said. They then take part in a draft and Another league comprised select National Football League of 12 sophomores has a similarly players of their choice who earn daunting last-place punishment. performance-based points each game. “The manager of the team with Though people often take part in the worst record at the end of the fantasy football leagues out of their season has to let the winner of the love for football, one of the biggest league shave his head in any way he incentives behind joining a chooses to do so,” league is the betting aspect. James Trinkle “The more that’s on ’19 explained. the line, the more fun Still, to some it is. Fantasy football is people, fantasy basically just a way to football offers compete with your friends, an opportunity -Nikki Benjamin ’17 and betting money makes to connect it all the more interesting,” and maintain Nikki Benjamin ’17 said. ongoing relationships with friends. In Benjamin’s league, “I’ve probably been doing fantasy comprised of 12 seniors, the football for 20 to 25 years,” said buy-in is $100, making the firstJonathan Shepro, a social studies place prize a whopping $1,200. teacher who has been playing in the However, to some members, same league for 15 years. “When we first the driving force behind their started playing, there was no internet, commitment to success is not so when you had to make your lineup potential monetary gains, but rather you literally called the commissioner the looming threat of a last-place finish. and told him what your lineup was.” “The loser of our league has to dye Though today’s method of

“The more that’s on the line, the more fun it is.”

playing fantasy football online negates the necessity for league members to constantly communicate with one another, the feeling of general camaraderie still remains. “I’ve been in the same league with friends of mine since sixth grade,” Noah Lomnitz ’17 said. “We for sure intend on continuing throughout college.” Of course, despite the everexpanding popularity of fantasy football, there remain football fans who choose to avoid participating. “Although I watch professional football, my passion is really around college football which, to me, is much more exciting,” Karen Thompson, a member of the science department, explained. Still, Thompson went on to stress that, despite the fact that she does not partake in a fantasy football league, she is as big, if not a bigger fan, than those who do. She even went so far as to state, “this time of the year is like Christmas to me.” Of course, this idea runs true to those who participate in fantasy football too, as they will look to be gifted with wins this upcoming weekend.

inklingsnews.com | STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL

sports

Varsity field hockey executes new style of play in hopes of achieving season goals

INKLINGS | September 30, 2016

Sports | September 30, 2016 Photo by Eliza Goldberg ’17

McGinley sisters and Burke row at the Junior World Championships Lili Romann ’19 & Seby Shuken ’18

taples students took their rowing skills to the next level at The Junior World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, a week-long competition in August. Harry Burke ’18 and Kelsey McGinley ’18 were both awarded bronze medals at the event, while Grace McGinley ’17 was awarded fifth place. The rowers described the race as very exciting yet a bit stressful, as Kelsey McGinley’s boat beat Great Britain by just four tenths of a second. The order of the girls’ finish was as follows: Germany, Italy, United States, Great Britain, China and New Zealand. The contestants described the experience as “extremely surreal.” “It didn’t really hit me until we were literally rowing, and I had team Romania sitting next to me,” Grace McGinley said. “It was just really mind blowing.” Burke had a similar experience at Worlds, as he said, “We crossed the finish line and I had a feeling that we edged Serbia out.” Soon after, it was confirmed that his boat won bronze by one tenth of a second. The selection process involved the contestants attending a tryout camp in March 2016. Then they were invited to a selective camp during the summer.

About 50 girls were invited to the selective camp and ultimately 20 were picked. The camp was described by Kelsey McGinley as an “emotional rollercoaster,” considering contestants were constantly being sent home throughout the camp. Burke started at a developmental camp and then was moved up to the selection camp for World Championships. “I didn’t think I was going to end up at Worlds,” he said. “Maybe I’d do the developmental camp this summer and do the selection camp next summer, but I never thought it would happen.” The rowers’ showed their commitment, with practices taking up 25 hours a week; they practiced seven days a week, along with two or three two-a-days, requiring them to wake up at 4:30 am. The McGinley sisters said balancing rowing and schoolwork was a bit of a struggle. “My only experience with Staples and the work is always having rowing,” Burke said. “There’s never been a time that I’ve had that extra three and a half hours to work, so I don’t know any better.” All three rowers are looking to continue their rowing careers in college,and possibly even taking it to the Olympic level. “It would take 9 years if I wanted to go to the Olympics. It would be so cool,” Grace McGinley said. “Although, I’m not sure yet. I’m going to take it one step at a time.” PHOTO BY ELIZA GOLDBERG ’17

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Photo by Ellie Kravetz ’18

Sports | September 30, 2016

Six freshmen make leap to varsity soccer Julia Rosier ’18 & Phoebe Mendelson ’17

taples Wreckers have taken on six new freshmen for this upcoming 2016 season: Ava Simunovic ’20, Julia Lombardo ’20, Kathryn Ialeggio ’20, Marlo Von Der Ahe ’20, Reese Sutter ‘20 and Mia Gonzalez ’20. “Tryouts were very nerve-racking,” Simunovic said. “Staples has great competition, and I was striving to make varsity, so I knew it would be difficult.” The tryouts for girls’ varsity soccer consisted of intense fitness training and running tests, such as timed 300-yard runs and the Manchester United fitness test, consisting of 100-yard sprints, as well as multiple scrimmages. “Tryouts were hard, lots of fitness and definitely challenging.

I was not expecting to make varsity, but I thought that I had a chance,” Gonzalez said. Last season there were four freshmen who played for varsity, which enhanced the team dynamic. Now, with six freshmen, the girls believe their team will thrive not only because of their skills but because of their relationships on and off the field. Co-captain Tia Zajec ’17 believes that having them on the team has furthered the competition and talent within the team. “I think a benefit of having so many freshman is that they are able to improve their skills and prepare for the next three years by training with older players. It also adds new talent to the team,” Zajec said. Coach Barry Beattie has seen a tremendous increase in terms of the confidence of the six freshmen. “I’d say the one thing they have all improved so far is their confidenceto know you can do something

HARD AT WORK Ava Simunovic ’20, a right defenseman who also plays on Connecticut Football Club (CFC ECNL) in the offseason, works on her skills.

is a great thing,” Beattie said. Julia Lombardo ’20 scored in their first game against Trinity Catholic on Saturday, Sept. 10. However, while all six players did make varsity, not all will see equal playing time. Co-captain Morgan McWhirter ’17 says that the competition among the six of them is only benefiting how hard they work. “There is still the competition factor, which they take seriously, because not all of them will play,” McWhirter said. “I think it’s a little hard for some of them seeing their friends get game time when they don’t, but that’s the same for every grade.” Through the strain of practice, and the demands of wealthy competition, the team has bonded. “The Staples team is like a family. I feel so happy and comfortable talking to any of the girls,” Simunovic said. “We have an awesome team and I’m so excited to spend the rest of the season with them.”

WORKING TOGETHER (from top right clockwise) Mia Gonzalez ’20, Julia Lombardo ’20, Katie Ialeggio ’20, Reese Sutter ’20, Ava Simunovic ’20, Marlo Von Der Ahe ’20

FRESHMAN GIRLS (Left to right) Ava Simunovic ’20, Julia Lombardo ’20, Mia Gonzalez ’20, Reese Sutter ’20, Marlo Von Der Ahe ’20 and Katie Ialeggio ’20.

PHOTOS BY ELLIE KRAVETZ’18

Climbing mountains, then boarding down them

Pro snowboarder Julia Marino travels the world shredding mountains Alexa Moro ’18 & Thomas Nealon ’17

Julia Marino is a Westport native, graduate of Bedford Middle School and 2018 Olympic hopeful. She was the first female to land a double cork in a slopestyle competition—a contest where the competitors are judged on their tricks and jumps. Marino first tried snowboarding when she was eight years old. “I only kind of stuck with it because my dad said to,” Marino said. “At 13, I kind of switched over, and that’s when I started getting coaching, doing training a lot and going up to the mountain more,” she said. Marino decided against going to Staples High School. “It was too big so

it would have been hard to have to deal Japan, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Traveling has meant being away from with my traveling for snowboarding,” she said. Instead, Marino spent her high home for months at a time. Despite this, school years studying at St. Joseph High her younger sister, Cece Marino ’19, says School in Trumbull and kept up with they’ve always been close and still are. “I don’t get to see her as classes online. much as I used to, but “It’s hard to that hasn’t changed discipline yourself and our relationship teach yourself school, very much,” she said. but it was definitely If anything, it cool because it gave has inspired Cece me the opportunity Marino. “When I see and the freedom to her doing all of these travel and see the amazing, dangerous world,” Marino said. things in front of For Marino, it -Julia Marnio so many people, it started with just going makes me want to to Stratton Mountain in Vermont. Then it was out west, to have her courage and bravery,” she said. Along with being courageous and places like Colorado. More recently, snowboarding has taken Marino all over brave, Marino describes herself as “laidthe world: China, South Korea, Germany, back.” She loves the attitude of the

“[Snowboarding] gave me the opportunity and the freedom to travel and see the world.”

snowboarding culture, and embraces that during contests. “I don’t base much of my snowboarding off of my contest results; I base it off what I feel like when I’m snowboarding,” Marino said. Snowboarders don’t usually compete past the age of 25-30, but Marino wants to stay involved with the sport. She hopes to work with a company, potentially her current sponsor Burton, and is open to other ideas, as long as she doesn’t have to travel in a direction away from snowboarding. Marino soon hopes to bring her passion of the sport to the Olympics. She will compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic snowboard team during the selection event taking place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2017 at Mammoth Mountain in California. Up to five athletes per gender may be chosen for the team, which competes in the Slopestyle and Big Air competitions.

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Sports | September 30, 2016

FALL SPORTS

YOU NEED TO KNOW... By Cooper Boardman ’17

Field hockey on fire

Perhaps the best story of this fall season has been the field hockey team. Entering its third week of play, Staples was 7-0 and had yet to allow a goal, outscoring opponents 50-0 in that span. The team’s dominance has been staggering, highlighted by 14-0 and 8-0 rompings of St. Joseph and Stamford respectively. And that 50 goal total is already eight more than last year’s squad scored in its entire season a year ago. While the team has faced the FCIAC’s bottomfeeders thus far, a six-game stretch against the league’s heavyweights—New Canaan, Wilton, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Darien and Warde—will determine if the Wreckers are truly title contenders.

Soccer struggles... or not?

QUICK HITS

The boys’ soccer team got off to a rough start in its 2016 campaign, opening 1-2-2 with losses to Stamford and Danbury. In Connecticut’s deepest soccer league, the Wreckers looked to be in challenging territory as it attempted to climb up the FCIAC standings. However the team responded with a strong performance, tying an undefeated Greenwich side. The win win was due in part to goalie Ziggy Hallgarten ’17 who dyed his hair bright blonde after the team’s slow start to the season. Hallgarten cited the fact “something needed to change.” The senior captain came up with a game-high six saves, preserving the shutout and keeping the Wreckers’ playoff hopes alive. On the girls’ side, Staples entered week three with a record of 4-1-1, but the team suffered a huge blow to its postseason hopes with the loss of captain and Yale commit Lydia Shaw ’17, who tore her ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, the Wreckers will still be a contender in the FCIAC with opportunities against the league’s best in Greenwich and St. Joseph still ahead, and will look for Fordham-bound Charlotte Rossi ’17 and Bucknell commit Tia Zajec ’17 to shoulder the load in Shaw’s absence.

Too early to tell

On the gridiron, the football team is off to a 3-0 start. The parallels to field hockey are evident— they have dominated opponents, outscoring Brien McMahon, Danbury and Wilton by a combined score of 116-26, but the toughest part of the schedule is ahead for the Wreckers. Two easier league games remain on the docket in Fairfield Warde and Stamford. But the team’s first true test comes on the road against Norwich Free Academy on Oct. 8. If the Wreckers can survive the hour-plus bus ride and state power and defeat Ridgefield two weeks later, they could conceivably be 7-0 entering week eight against an undefeated defending state champion in Darien. To be fair, it’s early on, and Staples still has to run the gauntlet with all of its next four games on the road, including a trip to a hostile environment at Tiger Hollow.

Other notes

A guide to the first three weeks of Staples fall athletics

Photos by Elllie Kravetz ’18

SNAPSHOTS (top) Meghan Johnson ’18 battles for a loose ball with a Fairfield Ludlowe defender in the Wreckers’ 8-0 victory over the Falcons on Sept. 13; (middle) Ryan Fitton ’17 leads Staples out of the locker room at the beginning of Sept. 23’s homecoming game, a 42-6 rout of Wilton; (bottom) Goalie Ziggy Hallgarten ’17 leaps to make an acrobatic save in a tie against Trumbull on Sept. 14.

Overall, it’s been a successful campaign thus far for Wrecker teams. Staples fall sports began the year a combined 16-3-2 over the first two weeks—a cumulative winning percentage of .809. Girls’ volleyball is back on the rise after a couple of tough seasons, including a 3-0 sweep of defending state champion Fairfield Ludlowe. The boys’ cross country team has continued its dominance on the course, winning the Stratton Brook invitational on Sept. 17, led by Zak Ahmad ’17’s performance.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING Head Football Coach Marce Petroccio following his 200th career victory on Sept. 9: “It means I’ve been around here a long time... it means I have been blessed with the opportunity to coach great kids, great players, on as well as off the field. They own every single win I’ve ever had here.” Field hockey Head Coach Ian Tapsall on his team’s 7-0 start: “We’ve broken records already in the first half of the season. That being said it was an easier half of the [league]; but I think the girls want to know exactly where they stand. I, for one, am desperate to see what we’ve done in training and if it’s come to the fore.” (Quote courtesy Ryan Lacey, Westport News)

INSIDE THE ISSUE

page 21 BLAZING START An inside look at field hockey’s dominance through seven games.

page 22 WORLD RENOWN Three students selected to row at World Rowing Championships.

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page 23 FRESHMEN PHENOMS Girls’ soccer features six rookie players on its 2016 roster.

page 23 JULIA MARINO Westporter travels world as professional snowboarder.