Inklings April 2024 Issue

CONT ENTS

News

5 New Anthropology Course

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, Staples is offering Anthropology as an Early College Experience (ECE) course.

Opinions

8 Westport Driving Mania

Ava Coyle ’25 and Ava Chun ’25, newly licensed drivers, humorously explore Westport’s best and worst parking lots.

Arts

12-13 Alum Masters Charcuterie

Gilli Rozynek ’16 founded Kured, a customizable charcuterie restaurant, drawing inspiration from her time studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.

Features

10-11 Builders Beyond Borders

High school students from Builders Beyond Borders dedicate their spring break to community service in the Dominican Republic.

Front and back photos contributed by Amy Schroeder-Riggio Cover design by Alex Gaines ’25

Inklings Staff

Editors-In-Chief

Genevieve Frucht, Paige Tighe Paper Managing Editors

Ruby Kantor, Talia Varsano Web Managing Editors

Jolie Gefen, Talia Moskowitz

Associate Managing Editors

Ava Cordella, Paige Miller

Associate Web Managing Editor

Samantha Sandrew Creative Director

Alex Gaines

Assistant Creative Directors

Avery Michalowski, Olivia Signorile Business Manager

Mia Kirkorsky

Assistant Business Managers

Charlotte Berner, Rylie Cordella, Caroline Zajac Communications Coordinator

Caitlin Jacob Social Media Managers

Ava Coyle, Poppy Harrington Broadcast Directors

Zoe Alpert, Zoe Boxenbaum

Executive TV Show Producers

Nina Bowens, Ben Buchalter News Editors

Caitlin Jacob, Sophia Reeves, Samantha Sandrew

Sports

16-17 Boys’ Volleyball Dominates

The boys’ volleyball team focuses on improved captain collaboration, skill development and team cohesion.

Opinions Editors

Angelina Matra, Katherine Phelps, Lily Rimm, Demi Sasson Features Editors

Mia Bomback, Zara Saliba, Lily Hultgren, Anna Kercher Arts Editors

Addison Coughlin, Ava Chun, Siena Petrosinelli Sports Editors

Sage Cohen, Madison Mayr, Sophie Smith, Matthew Stashower Web News Editors

Ella Harrington, Rachel Olefson Web Opinions Editors

More About Us

Inklings News is uncensored, unedited by administration, an does not allow for prior review. Opinions

The Editorial Board determines editorial opinions that are authored by the Editors-in-Chief. Inklings News serves as an open forum for the public and welcomes letters to the editor and other submissions. Send signed letters to inklingsnews@westportps.org. Submissions

Inklings News Online

Audrey Curtis Advisers

Joseph Delgobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

The decisions of Inklings News 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.

EDITORIAL

WPS makes effort to combat racism through DEIB website, requires revisions

In response to accusations of racism within Westport Public Schools (WPS), the district launched a website called Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). The goal of the website (westportdeib.org) is to boost inclusivity in WPS.

The website is a work in progress, but presently includes various resources and documentation of the steps WPS has already taken to limit racist and prejudiced beliefs.

WPS posting the website is a clear sign that the school system is putting effort into increasing inclusivity; however, the Board believes there is more that can be done right now that will benefit the community even faster. The most important change that should be addressed as soon as possible is the Code of Conduct.

Over 30 Westport parents signed a memorandum that they submitted to Superintendent Thomas Scarice

suggesting short-term, medium-term and long-term policies that could be implemented in Westport Public Schools to more adequately punish students for their harmful acts.

In the memorandum, one suggestion was to block the offending student from participating in extracurricular activities and leadership positions.

There is more that can be done right now that will benefit the community even faster.

Extracurriculars are activities students do for enjoyment but ultimately are a privilege to students. As a result, removing offenders from those environments is an effective punishment for students who commit harmful offenses.

Additionally, the memorandum proposed mandatory volunteering, preferably outside of

Westport, and mandatory bias training for all students. Though getting all students to volunteer in another town could be difficult, the Board believes that requirements like these could be helpful in creating awareness for the differences in the world and our community. That being said, treating service work as if it is a punishment is not always productive and arguably is deepening the divide between Westport and our neighboring towns.

Therefore, it might be even better if the school and Westport community advocated more for all students to volunteer in some of our neighboring communities. By doing so, people might come to be more

accepting of others as they will have more interactions and experiences with people who live outside the Westport bubble.

Finally, in order to create change and prevent racist beliefs from arising in the first place, the board believes it is imperative for the DEIB website to provide parents with more resources to educate their children on the home front. After all, racist beliefs are not taught in school.

The Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this opinion.

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Scan this and submit your work!

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Westport Youth Commission finalizes new Staples Job Bank

Ayaan Olasewere ’25 Web Features Editor

The Westport Youth Commission plans to launch a new job bank to Staples High School in early April through Quad Jobs, an online job forum/ third party organization.

Some students state that the current job bank, run by the College and Career Center, is not efficient because of its location on a Google spreadsheet limits its exposure to potential employers and makes running it more labor intensive.

“Jobs are a very wanted thing throughout Staples,” Job Bank Committee Head Jake Shufro ’26 said. “It’s good to make money. It’s a good experience. It’s good on your resume, and we want Staples to have the best job bank possible.”

An efficient job bank can aid students in finding employment during the school year and summer.

“Last summer, I worked my first job as a lifeguard, and I kind of had no insight into the process,” Nolan Francis ’26 said. “So I think having an institutionalized job bank, and a way that you have support through that process, could set students up for success in the future.”

The Westport Youth Commission, inspired by Greenwich High School’s job bank and their use of a third party site called Quad Jobs, decided to follow suit.

Quad Jobs is an online job bank organization that has various postings throughout the community. It’s going to be available to all high school students in Westport, whether they go to Staples or not.

Currently, Greenwich and Staples are its only high schools.

“We believe switching to Quad Jobs—which is a more robust app that can fea ture an unlimited number of jobs—and having the Youth Commission be in control of advertising it to students and job owners in Westport is a better system,” Shufro said.

This updated job bank will have a lot more household jobs, like babysitting. The Job Bank will be located on the Westport Youth Commis sion website, the PTA page and the westport.gov website.

The Westport Youth Com mission believes that this is the best option for students, parents and business owners because of its security and its community involvement. The platform will also give a portion of the money they earn to support the local community.

“A job bank will help where there are businesses in town that aren’t as well known that need more applicants.”

“Quad job vets both students and employers, it’s more organized and structured, requiring specific information to make postings,” Shufro said. “It encourages a diverse range of students to sign up for job opportunities.”

The Westport Youth Commission aims to spread student awareness through announcements, flyers and media. They are also going to meet with top merchants, the downtown association and Westport moms. Overall, the commission believes in the necessity for high schools to have a strong job bank for students.

“I think the big takeaway is by putting effort into improving the community, you can accomplish big things,” Shufro said. “And by putting effort and really investigating, you can really make a difference.”

“I have so many friends that are looking for work right now and its really difficult. If a new job bank program was implemented it would be really helpful.”

“I think it would totally help, especially if it is for local jobs”

Photo contributed by Lucas Baer ’25

Photos by Sophia Reeves ’25

Rachel Olefson ’25 Web News Editor

Anthropology, a preexisting class at Staples focussing on the “major theories about the development of man, culture and civilization,” according to the Program of Studies, has just been approved to be taken as an Early College Experience (ECE) course. Although Anthro

ples, the new version of the course will allow students to earn college credit from the University of Connecticut that is transferable to 87% of universities.

According to an email from SHS Counseling sent to students and parents on Feb. 15, “Enrolling in ECE is optional, and students who choose not to take this course for college credit may still take the Staples course. However, we encourage enrolling in ECE, as it

allows students the advantages of previewing college-level work, furthering college readiness, and earning college cred-

- Sydney Feldman ’24 “

It’s good that they are offering it next year and [it’s] definitely something I would’ve taken”

its at a fraction of the cost.”

Sydney Feldman ’24 took Anthropology in the first semester of this school year and reflected on the upcoming availability to earn col-

lege credit for the course.

“I think it’s good that they are offering it next year, and [it’s] definitely something I would’ve taken,” Feldman said.

In order to participate in the ECE track of Anthropology, students will need to pay a fee of $50 per credit. In this case, the course will allow students to earn three credits, and will therefore cost $150 if students wish to receive college credit for it.

The only prerequisite for the course is taking U.S. History, a course required for all sophomores, making Anthropology available for juniors and seniors.

Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity, with the goal of understanding our evolutionary origins, our distinctiveness as a species, and the great diversity in our forms of social existence across the world and through time.

Graphics by Alex Gaines ’25

Find objects that exemplify benefits in taking the

Taxes,

pranks sustainability & are what make April great

Henry Watson ‘25 Staff Writer

T1

here are few willing to declare April as their favorite month—or at least rank it in the top 12. The individuals I know claim their favorite month is often one with a major holiday or set during the summer. Then again, I don’t know many people.

However, I would like to present the case for why April should be at the top of one’s favorite months. But first, let me brag about the intensity and focus with which I wrote this argument. I treated it like I would a serious English paper. That’s why, five hours before this magazine was set to be distributed—at around 2:30 a.m. and after countless hours of TikTok—I finally got to work. So please excose amy typos and grammatical errurs that I may have accidentally maid.

In April, the event that everybody knows and loves takes place: Earth Day. It provides the opportunity for Staples students to pad their college resumés—whether it’s by cleaning up garbage or finally composting in the climate club’s cafeteria bins.

(Quick note to the colleges I am applying to: I really care about the environment. In fact, one time I worked so hard for sustainability by cleaning Compo Beach that afterward I needed to crank up the air conditioner in my car. Admittedly I just picked up and threw out, [I mean, “recycled”] one random water bottle, but I am not very fit, so it was a great achievement for me.)

2

TAX

Additionally, this month I look forward to tax season. And while that statement may sound odd, my gambling practices (I call it on my resumé ”aggressive investing”) have unexpectedly led to gains large enough to potentially bump my household into the next, much more painful, tax bracket.

While this may seem like bad news, it is actually a great challenge because it presses me to become more creative on ways to save cash. Legally, perhaps I will cut back on food and cancel my Netflix subscription. Unofficially, if anyone knows any Swiss bankers, please reach out.

3

Lastly, April is fantastic because it features April Fools. This holiday has no limits to what you can do; the more elaborate, time-consuming and well-thought out prank, the better.

Personally, my favorite pranks are based on deception, like getting someone to believe something that is just not true. This includes writing an article and advancing an argument that you don’t believe in at all. Perhaps, maybe even deceiving people about what your favorite month really is. All to waste a few minutes of someone’s day. Happy April Fools.

Photo by Lily Rimm ’25

Graphic by Siena Petrosinelli ’ 25

Graphic by Alexis Jacobs ’ 26

Graphic by Nash Teran ’ 25

Despite AI programs, being a good writer still matters

Olivia Saw ‘26 Web Arts Editor

Artificial intelligence has proved itself to be extremely useful in our daily lives and has seen immense commercial success. From being used in healthcare all the way to customer service, the capabilities of AI seem to be never-ending; with its extraordinary abilities, students have begun to turn to the OpenAI program, ChatGPT,

But this poses a question: if human beings are so unable to differentiate between AI-generated versus student-written content that they must rely on computer software programs to help them, does developing good writing skills even matter in the age of AI?

grammar and punctuation than some students may possess, they still lack the complex understanding, emotional intelligence and creativity that humans have, leading to a less authentic and more monotonous piece of writing.

You must learn

to confront and refine your own thoughts.

Can students just last their whole lifetime, writing primarily with ChatGPT?

My answer to this is no.

According to Forbes, AI tools possess neither the ability to utilize a specific tone nor generate creative content, so a human must still be heavily revising and editing AI-gener

consideration that ChatGPT is still a computer program; it is continuing to learn and improve its abilities, and lacking the experience that humans have, it may ultimately never be as authentic as a human being.

Although AI programs are capable of writing your college application or completing your essay assigned by your English teacher, that does not mean they should. You are better off relying on yourself, as the experiences you use to complete your assignments will be ten times more impact

Photo dramatization by Lily Rimm ’25

Parking perspectives:

The good, the bad, the ugly in Westport

Ava Chun ‘25 Arts Editor

Ava Coyle ‘25 Social Media Manager

As newly licensed drivers, we spend every second we can in the car, and so we are no strangers to Westports pothole-filled parking lots. Therefore, we decided to investigate the “vibe” of the most popular parking lots and rank them.

Best overall:

As we turned into the library parking lot, we felt a relief of freedom. There were no honking cars, no potholes and ample parking space. It is, quite simply, the quiet joy of this magnificent parking lot that earns it our top pick.

Worst vibes:

CVS parking lot… we have gone on too many late night trips there and seen too many unwanted faces. This is the parking lot version of the Westport McDonald’s on a Saturday: not the place you want to be. Along with the creepy overhead lights, seeing the person we sat across from in freshman biology in my fuzzy Cookie Monster pajamas is not a goal.

Worst foot-traffic:

If there is any parking lot we will avoid, it’s the downtown parking lot. There is no place where more potential casualties have taken place. After dodging three moms in their Range Rovers going 45mph in this 25mph-zone, averting the gaze of a boy in my PE class and escaping the jaws of a misbehaved dog, we have had enough

this parking lot.

of

Photo by Ava Chun ’ 25

Photo by Ava Coyle ’ 25

Photo by Ava Chun ’25

Graphic by Olivia Signorile ’25

FEATURES

Seniors dive into meaningful internships

Sports Editor

The time of empty parking spots and a little more peace and quiet at school is rolling around. Soon seniors will be gone for good as they attend their senior internships. The in ternships offer useful experiences that students can benefit from for the rest of their lives.

Tyler Rockwell

Tyler Rockwell ’24 wants to major in film and television, but decided to steer away from that for his internship. He will be interning at the human service counsel in Norwalk, where he will help plan the cocktail party, the SoNo Stroll.

“I have to help secure auction items and organize [the] transfer of guest[s] to and from the events to various restaurants afterwards,” Rockwell said.

Patrick Coleman ’24 will be interning at the Scott Springer Architect PLLC, an architecture, interior design and historic preservation firm.

“I am really excited to meet some people around the firm and get experience in the field,” Coleman said. “Although it is not what I am planning on doing as my career, I think I am going to get [a] minor in architecture and engineering.”

Rachel Poly ’24 will be going back to Kings Highway Elementary School to assist the gym teacher she had when she was younger. Although Poly won’t be pursuing education in college, she thinks this internship will be both fun and beneficial.

“I thought it would be full circle to go back to my old elementary school before I graduate,” Poly said.

Daisy Fording ’24 will be working for a financial planner for women with disabilities at Black Rock Advisor center. She is looking forward to learning from someone who does a lot of pro bono work.

“I think it is very important to give back to people who are less fortunate,” Fording said, “and are in that position where they can’t get access to those opportunities.”

Photos by Anna Kercher ’25

Patrick Coleman Rachel Poly Daisy Fording

Graphic by Danisha Nasution’ 25

Photo by Anna Kercher ’ 25

Photo by Lily Hultgren’ 25

Photo contributed by Kari Pesavento

Sage Cohen ’25

Builders Beyond Borders

empowers and strengthens local, global communities

DOMINICAN

REPUBLIC This February, the B3 Odyssey team visited the Dominican Republic to work on building a school. On B3 trip worksites, there are leadership opportunities such as being a safety captain, being in charge of sunscreen and hydration or being an “advisor for the day.”

B3 LOCAL There are various other local ways to get involved with B3. Student advisors Izzy Rivel ’24 and Katherine Frank ’24 lead B3 local, a pen pal program that exchanges letters with the communities B3 will visit that year.

LOCAL SERVICE Each B3 member volunteers independently and participates in local beach clean ups or with organizations like Filling in the Blanks, Star, and Person to Person. Every fall, the entire B3 organization also gathers at Earthplace for a community build.

GET INVOLVED B3 is hosting an open house for anyone interested in the organziation on May 15 at the B3 Office located at 66 Fort Point Street, Norwalk from 6-7:30 p.m.

Scan here to register for the open house.

Talia Varsano ’24

Twenty-eight students crowd around a motor coach on April 13 and snag one last hug from their families. In the next few minutes, they’ll board the bus and leave their phones behind as they get ready to dedicate spring break to working hard and with compassion for a community far away.

Founded in 1993, the 502C3 Builders Beyond Borders (B3) brings teenagers together to collaborate on local and global community service. Every February, March and April, B3 takes a group of high school students to communities in Latin America to build structures like schools and homes. This year they are visiting the Dominican Republic to build a school cafeteria.

classroom is going to make such a big impact on them.”

B3’s Executive Director Amy Schroeder-Riggio, described how a typical day on a volunteer trip consists of 6:30 a.m. wake ups, hours of work and an ability to embrace dusty clothes.

“They work hard all day,” Schroeder-Riggio said, “but they make it fun and just embrace every moment.”

Colin Caricato ’24 is attending the trip in April. He described how B3 is a goal greater than building structures.

“

B3 is a family to me.”

“B3 is a family to me,” four-year returning member Izzy Rivel ’24 said. “We go to these work sites without phones, [and] we’re all relatively the same age, going through similar stages in life. [...] All working towards a common goal brings people together like nothing I’ve ever been a part of.”

Sadie Vincini ’25 has been a part of B3 for three years and was a team advisor on the February trip. She explained that in a lot of the communities B3 visits, the resources are minimal, yet the community’s appreciation is contagious.

“I just feel really good helping them because you can see how when you meet them how little they have, but how much heart they have,” Vincini said. “Being able to help them have a physical little thing like a cafeteria so that they don’t have to eat in their

“We work to form authentic connections with all of the children and everyone around us,” Caricato said. “You realize that they are equally as human as us, so we try our best to help them, to be their friends and mentors.”

B3 often works with indigenous communities. This gives members on the trip the opportunity to learn how to communicate in a new language and connect with locals through shared hobbies.

“Every night we spent time with a group of seven or eight girls our age,” Vincini said. “We played dominoes and volleyball with them, and they all taught us how they dance and braid hair.”

Schroeder-Riggio explained that the program’s motto is “to take every opportunity […] to build a better world,” which is not possible without welcoming new students annually.

“We want someone who has an openness to trying new things and has lots of energy,” Schroeder-Riggio said. “You don’t have [to have] anything like construction skills or language skills; you just have to want to be a good person.”

Photos contributed by Sadie Vincini ’

& Amy Schroeder-Riggio

- Izzy Rivel '24

Reinventing Charcuterie:

Staples alum curates brand

Angelina Matra ‘25

Opinions Editor

Sophia Reeves ‘25 News Editor

Manchego. Gouda. Parmesan. Brie.

Walking down the counter at Kured, a Boston-based, make-your-own charcuterie restaurant, the customer gets to choose from widely sourced assortments of cheese, cured meats, fruits and other ingredients to create a custom charcuterie board.

Gilli Rozynek ’16 created the customizable charcuterie brand, Kured, through an entrepreneurship program at Boston College.

“The fun is when people

come into the shop. They can pick the amazing cheeses they want and come down the line ‘Chipotle-style,’” Kured founder and Staples graduate Rozynek said. “The format is highly customizable and is done in real time versus [being] premade.”

Drawing ideas from culture

Rozynek has always had a passion for cooking, but first took an interest in charcuterie when she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain.

“I learned a lot about the charcuterie product, which is important to European culture—people sitting around the table, having a glass of wine and chatting with their friends while eating charcuterie,” Rozyneck said.

CRAFTING CREATIVE CUISINE Gilli Rozynek ’16 founded Kured, a make-your-own charcuterie restaurant, which was recently featured on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” The business since has accumulated many followers, surpassing 40,000 on Instagram @kured.co.

Photos contributed by Gilli Rozynek ’16 and @kured.co on Instagram

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Crafting charcuterie

When the pandemic hit, Rozyneck pitched her idea of a customizable charcuterie store, and launched it as a delivery business through her school’s, Boston College’s, remote entrepreneurship program. Eventually, Rozyneck raised enough money through Kured’s delivery business and her college program to open brick-and-mortar stores. She opened her first location in Boston in 2020 and later expanded to New York.

“For now, since we are in such a learning stage, we will keep it local to Boston and New

York,” Rozyneck said. “But the ultimate dream would be to expand to multiple locations across the country some day.”

Featured by Kelly Clarkson

Following its successful launch in two locations, Kured gained the attention of “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Rozyneck’s charcuterie creations were featured in the show’s segment called “What I’m Liking.”

“It was probably some of the best marketing we’ve ever gotten,” Rozyneck said. “As a super young company that’s still learning every day, it was a great exposure experience for us.”

Scan for more information on Kured!

Infographic by Siena Petrosinelli ’25

Spring Into Style:

Katherine Phelps ’25 Opinions Editor

discover this season’s blooming new trends &Comfy Cute &Simple Stylish

As temperatures hit the 60s and flowers bloom, it can be exhilarating to think about the warmer days ahead. However, warmer weather brings new clothes and trends! But don’t fear! With the help of some of Westport’s most recognizable stores, you’ll be ready for days at the beach or dinner with friends.

There is nothing like denim shorts and a white top to keep you comfy. This simple outfit is a classic. To add a pop of color, Loci sneakers can create the perfect laid back summer look.

Brandy Melville tshirt- $20

Gorjana necklace- $75

One of the biggest trends in fashion this year has been cargo pants. With these breathable jogger-style cargos, you can be fashionable and comfortable.

GAP linen top- $34

Unsubscribed Levi’s jean shorts- $69.95

$88

GAP cargo pants$59.95

Photos by Katherine Phelps ’25

Emergency responders carry out successful water rescue

Hultgren’25

Twenty-seven student rowers and two adult coaches were rescued after their boats capsized on the Long Island Sound on March 20. Two of those rowers received treatment from Norwalk Hospital for hypothermia.

That afternoon, three race boats containing nine rowers each, and one chase boat (the boat the coach occupies to follow the rowers) departed from the Saugatuck Rowing Club towards the Cockenoe Island area. The weather abruptly changed and as the boats attempted to head back to the club, two capsized. The 18 rowers from those two boats swam and held onto the chase boat. However, this led to the chase boat capsizing as well. While 19 individuals were in the water, which was estimated to be around 44 degrees, a total of nine rowers and one coach were able to stay on their boats.

“When our boat was first sinking, all I could [think] about was the fact that we were going to lose two boats,” Charley*, one of the rowers said. “I didn’t even realize the severity of the situation until I realized we couldn’t all fit on our coach’s launch, and that our

coach’s boat was also sinking.”

A different chase boat from the rowing club assisted in transporting individuals to Compo Beach Marina. Additionally, the Westport Police Department, Westport Fire Department and Westport EMS arrived at Compo Beach and worked to coordinate the rescue of all individuals.

Emergency services provided blankets, towels and headwraps to prevent hypothermia. After the police conducted a headcount, the boys were taken to the rowing club where they were dismissed into parental custody.

“I would say [the process] was very organized, considering the number of people who were there,” Alex*, a parent of one of the rowers, said. “I mean, there were parents arriving directly from the train. Some parents weren’t there. But the police made sure every kid had a ride home, [...] and I think they did a pretty good job handling it.”

-Charley “

When our boat was first sinking, all I could [think] about was the fact that we were going to lose two boats”

Westport Emergency Services held a Press Conference after everyone was safe with their families. There, Westport Police explained how they are conducting an investigation to prevent future incidents.

In the days following the

incident, the Westport Police Department, in conjunction with Saugatuck Rowing Club, has taken great strides to help the rowers process the incident and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

“From now on, our club will not go past Compo Beach during practice time,” Charley said. “We also had a psychologist come in and talk about us as a group and individually about the event.”

Alex appreciates the efforts of everyone who worked to ensure that all rowers and coaches returned safely.

“I’m extremely grateful not only for police and fire and EMTs who showed up quickly, but for the coaches who had to make a decision in real time [about] how to get everyone to safety, which they did,” Alex said. “I know it couldn’t have been easy for them.”

SUDDEN SQUALL A swift change in weather brought heavy winds and choppy waves that caught the rowers off guard when they were out near Cockenoe Island.

SAFE Three boats capsized leaving 27 rowers and two coaches in need of rescue by the Westport Fire and Westport Police departments.

Photo by Larry Hoy, contributed by Dan Woog

Photo by Alli DiVincenzo, contributed by Dan Woog

*names have been changed to prevent anonymity.

Storey Ahl '25 Staff Writer

As the dawn of a new season approaches, sneakers squeak and spiked volleyballs thud against the polished gymnasium floor. In the midst of this unmistakable energy is the buzz of anticipation. The Staples boys’ volleyball team gears up for the start of a new season, and this year they’ve got something to prove.

After a disappointing 2023 season with a record of 3-15, team captain Sawyer Makl ’25 looks to make some changes.

“This year the captains are looking to be a lot more involved,” Makl said. “We’re constantly looking to push and support the team so we can reach new heights, and build a family people want to return to each year.”

The team has worked tirelessly throughout the year to collectively improve their skills and connection between individual players.

“Almost every weekend since the end of the last season we’ve been renting out volleyball courts and hav-

ing captains practice to prepare a lot of the guys who are newer to the game, and build some chemistry,” Makl said.

With practices already under way, head coach John Sedlock looks to bring intensity to each and every training session so the players can continue to improve their skills and their mentalities.

“As far as mindset goes,” Sedlock said, “making sure practice is impactful and every minute is used in a way to better the players.”

How to do a FLOAT SERVE

But, it’s not just about individual players.

“Each player has their own role,” Sedlock said. “Successful volleyball teams are the ones that play well together.”

Team captain Pierce Brown ’25 is optimistic about the team’s potential for the upcoming season.

“With a stronger squad this year and some influential players on other teams being graduated,” Brown said, “we should be able to put some better numbers up.”

1 1 2 volleyball Boys’ prepares for redemption season

First, center and prepare your body for the serve by holding the ball with your dominate hand out infront of you. This is used to calm and ready the body.

Next, step forward with your dominate foot, and toss the ball up with both hands.

Finish the stride with your non-dominate foot foward. Prepare to jump and hit the ball with a bow-and-arrow-like motion to exude maximum force on the ball.

Contact the ball in midair and, upon landing, prepare to immediately rush onto the court to finish the play. 4

TEAMWORK The team will be playing against New Canaan at 4 p.m. on April 17 for their second home game.

Photo by Demi Sasson ‘25

April Mini-Games

Contributed by PJ Loranger ‘24, Kai Seo ’24 and Ella Tobben ’24

ACROSS DOWN

1 April is national ____ month, or, music genre that influenced 8A

5 Suffix with switch

6 Often dropped or thrown, particularly in brief conversation

7 Request for help

8 Rock n’ ____

1 Jiggly gelatin dessert

2 Disney mermaid

3 Zonelike

4 Gamora actor, of Guardians of the Galaxy fame

6 Current mth. make?

Connections

Match the given words into four groups of four words. Each puzzle has exactly one solution. Watch out for words that seem to belong to multiple categories!

Word search, with a twist. Find words that follow a common theme. The theme is funny. Theme words fill the board entirely, and no theme words overlap! Strands

Scan the QR code above to check your answers to all the games!