Inklings January 2024 Issue

CONT ENTS

Opinions

6 Anti-semitism

Rachel Olefson ’25 discusses the struggles and fears of anti-semitism on college campuses.

Arts

10-11 Art Show

The annual art show allows students to admire art pieces created in the irst semester.

News

4 New lunch codes

Student lunch codes have changed to random 5 digit numbers due to security concerns.

Features

8-9 Staples Eagle scout earns high honor

Jackson Cregan ’24 receives an Eagle Scout badge that only three people have won in 108 years.

Sports

12-13 Phelps tells her cheer story

Katherine Phelps ’25 recounts her experience being kicked off the cheer team because of her mental health.

Front and back cover 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 Directors

Alex Gaines, Shivali Kanthan

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

Sophia Reeves, Samantha Sandrew

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

Sophie Smith, Matthew Stashower, Sage Cohen, Madison Mayr

Web News Editors

Ella Harrington, Rachel Olefson

Web Opinions Editors

Liora Perkins, Jack Robinson

Web Features Editor

Andi Jacobs, Ayaan Olasewere

Web Arts Editor

Alice Frascella, Olivia Saw

Web Sports Editors

Tristan Gonzalez, William Murray

Web Photostory Editor

Audrey Curtis Advisers

Joseph Delgobbo, Mary Elizabeth Fulco

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 will not be edited prior to publication.

Advertisements

Inklings News reserves the right to not publish advertisements that promote products that could be harmful to student health.

Membership

Inklings News is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association and supports the Student Press Law Center.

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

New 5-digit lunch codes prove to only be temporary solution

One day after school your parents confront you, asking why you purchased $100 worth of mozzarella sticks for school lunch. You’re confused — you don’t even eat mozzarella sticks. You briefly wonder if someone was stealing off of your MySchoolBucks account, but how could that be? Everyone has their own code to buy school lunch, and your photo is revealed each time your code is entered, so there is no way somebody could have used your account, right? You think the only explanation is that it is some kind of glitch.

But, no.

The school has recognized that the use of a student’s school ID, which is also their school email, is not secure enough to prevent students from using other people’s accounts. Because of this, Staples has recently implemented a new five-digit code system for students to use when buying lunch. There are now two safety measures, the first being the

photo to verify who is making the purchase, and the second being the new codes that are distinct from a student’s email.

The Editorial Board appreciates the administration’s acknowledgment of the security issue that comes with buying school lunches, and we applaud the speed to act when this issue escalated.

While we appreciate the five-digit codes, we also recognize that it is only treating a symptom and not the real problem

So, while we appreciate the five-digit codes, we also recognize that it is only treating a symptom and not the real problem. The method used for purchasing lunch should be difficult to memorize and difficult to steal.

The use of a card system would secure the safety of our MySchoolBucks accounts. If lost, the missing card can be quickly reported and replaced. Unlike a code, which, if it is memorized and fraudulently used, can only be detected by careful, time consuming evaluations of receipts.

However, many Board members feel that the five-digit code is only a temporary solution. Someone could still easily watch as we type in a five-digit code and memorize it or type in a random combination of numbers and rush out of the cafeteria. As for the picture safety check, the pictures are outdated and only cover a small portion of the screen, proving to not be very useful.

As a permanent solution, the Editorial Board proposes for a card system that can be optionally uploaded to Apple Pay and have the 5-digit code act as only a backup system. This would be similar to the process used during the pandemic, where each student had their own card to scan when buying school lunch. But the option to upload to Apple Pay would make buying lunch even easier since students would not have to carry — and potentially lose — a card.

The Board acknowledges that many students may not have an iPhone or they might forget their card one day. Thus, as a last resort, the pin pads could still be available for students to enter their new five-digit codes.

All in all, the Editorial Board appreciates the administration’s effort to prevent MySchoolBucks lunch account fraud. However, as proposed by the Board, a more permanent solution is achievable through the establishment of lunch cards that have the option of being accessed through Apple Pay.

The Editorial Board voted unanimously in favor of this opinion.

New 5-digit codes attempt to strengthen cafeteria security

Mia Bomback ’25 Features Editor

Students will use unique five-digit codes to purchase items from the cafeteria starting Friday, Jan. 12, according to an email from Chief Financial Officer of Westport Public Schools Elio Longo. These codes will replace student ID numbers, in an effort to streamline the cafeteria sale process and increase the system’s security.

“Current [security measures allow] the lunch staff [to] view school photos to verify who is making a purchase,” Natalie Carrignan, Director of Technology for Staples High School, said. “The school lunch ID will

add a second level of individual security to each purchase.”

This change follows a multitude of student reports that their Student IDs were being used by somebody else. Alex Gaines ’25 experienced such identity theft in October 2022. Every day for a month, a Staples student used her account, without her knowledge or permission, to purchase mozzarella sticks from the cafeteria, costing her upwards of $105. Gaines, who doesn’t eat

“ The school lunch ID will add a second level of individual security to each purchase.”

mozzarella sticks, discovered these charges when her mother went to load more money into her account. She speculates that had her mother not questioned her about the suspicious behavior, it would have continued.

- Natalie Carrignan, Director of Technology

“I was surprised at how easy it was for someone to use my number, especially because I didn’t understand how they got it,” Gaines said. “It was honestly just a little creepy.”

Benjamin Leahey, Director of Dining Services, recognizes

that the adjustment may cause a delay in the lunch lines initially, but hopes that these new five-digit codes will ultimately help the lines move much more swiftly than they currently do.

“It will take some time to learn new numbers and a new system, but I think this will be a great change for the district, and I am here to help where I can in the transition process,” he said.

Ultimately, the success of this system requires that students do not share this unique number with anyone, Carrigan explained.

“If a student believes that purchases are being made in error on their account,” she said, “they should contact the Director of Dining Services right away.”

Eliza Walmark ’25

“We’ve had these codes since kindergarten so there’s really no point in changing them.”

Sarah Marron ’24

“Even though it’s another code to memorize, I think it’s helpful in order to maintain security.”

Eitan Eiger ’24

“It will take a while to get used to, but I don’t see it hindering anyone too much.”

Photo dramatization by Caitlin Jacob ’24

Photos by Caitlin Jacob ’24 & Samantha Sandrew ’25

Budget cuts on furniture leaves workplace uncomfortable for some

Sage Cohen ’25 Sports Editor

The district cut the budget for all building furniture leaving some faculty reporting a lack of functional office chairs.

“There is a shortage of good chairs as the furniture accounts which used to exist across school budgets were removed/ cut 3 or 4 years ago,” Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. wrote.

English teacher Nancy Malafronte is new to the district this year and was given an office chair.

“I ended up with this large red chair that was old, stained and in the arm there was a piece missing,” Malafronte said. “I have to sit in my chair a lot and I just didn’t feel com fortable

Not only was the chair aesthetically poor, but it was also broken. One day, Malafronte noticed a screw had fallen out of the chair and onto the floor.

“

When she flipped the chair over to try to repair it, she found other screws had also fallen out.

ers have also been frustrated with the office chairs provided.

Now I am not only sitting on this nasty chair but... its turned into a safety issue.”

- Nancy Malafronte, English teacher

“So now I am not only sitting on this nasty chair, but three out of the four screws that

“My chair in my office doesn’t move and everytime I stand up my back al ways hurts due to its bad position ing,” math teacher Cathy Hall said.

Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. is aware of the furniture budget issue and is looking into possible solutions.

“The District is looking to begin a furniture needs assessment moving forward which could allow for money to be

the shortage of good chairs.”

Teachers hope that the district will step up and provide what is needed to complete a productive workspace.

“I would hope that there are continuances available for situations that arise throughout the year to replace damaged or broken furniture,” an anonymous source said. “A chair for any office is needed.”

DAMAGE Furniture, broken from prolonged use, remains across teacher spaces as the budget for replacements was cut.

Jewish students navigate college campus safety concerns

Rachel Olefson ’25

Web News Editor

Oneweek after I put together the rough draft of my college list, the presidents of three major universities—Harvard, UPenn and MIT— suspiciously dodged questions about whether they could have done more to protect Jewish students in times of harrowing antisemitism on their campuses.

As I began to make edits to my original list of top college choices, I realized that beyond the considerations of colleges’ undergrad sizes, location, cost and

ACT score averages, I now had to research each school’s treatment of their Jewish students and their reactions to antisemitism on college campuses.

According to the ADL, “Since Oct. 7, students who have felt comfortable with others knowing they’re Jewish decreased significantly. 63.7% of Jewish students pre-Oct. 7 felt “very” or “extremely” comfortable but now only 38.6% feel the same.”

When asked in front of Congress if calling for the genocide of Jews constitutes bullying and harassment, ex-president of Upenn Elizabeth Magill said,

Information from NBCNews

“[This] is a context-dependent decision.”

I don’t think that context is related to the fact that Jewish students are currently in the face of danger without any responsible

adults there to protect their rights to a safe college experience. Just because speech is free doesn’t mean that actions should go without consequences.

One study done by Sage Journals found that of postsecondary institutions in the United States, only about a quarter have Jewish student groups. This is a personal requirement for selecting a college; as a result, my potential shortlist seems to

be shrinking by the hour. College is supposed to bridge the gap between our childhood bubble and the seemingly cruel world of adulthood. However, paying an astronomical amount in tuition to be in a space full of hate speech that lacks protection from adults seems to be quite the opposite. Instead of being led across the metaphorical bridge over four years, students are instead being shoved off a cliff into the deep, dark ocean of adulthood.

Scan here to read the rest of the article on Inklingsnews.com

Photo by Angelina Matra ’25

Graphics by Olivia Signorile ’25

Photos by Katherine Phelps ’25

Graphic by Alex Gaines ’25

Streaming services cut cable TV’s community cord

Paige Tighe ’24 Editor-in-Chief

Inan age dominated by digital content consumption, Netflix has undeniably secured its place as the go-to platform for television and movie enthusiasts. The seamless access, ad-free experience and diverse content has propelled streaming services to unprecedented popularity. However, the transition from conventional cable TV to streaming services comes burdened with adverse repercussions. The days of coming home after school, sitting down on the couch with your friends or family to turn on the television, are long gone. Growing up, cable TV was a source of shared joy and occasional sibling squabbles. Our good-natured disputes over who gets the remote control, whether choosing between Disney Channel and Nickelodeon or an “On-Demand” movie, added a playful dynamic to our TV time. These moments of shared decision-making and friendly rivalry formed many of my family memories, and serve as a nostalgic reminder of the unique charm of cable TV that I now miss

in the age of streaming. Television now is an isolating activity. I can simply access the streaming platforms through my phone or computer, pulling up a specific episode from a series within seconds. Considering the easy accessibility to this entertainment, I don’t need to have a social interaction with my family to watch a show with them. Additionally, with streaming services, entire seasons of TV shows are released all at the same time. This empowers the viewer to binge watch the show. They can finish an entire season of a show within only a couple of days. Some seasons of shows that only have eight to 12 episodes can be completed within the span of one day. When entertainment is constant, you are more likely to continue watching. However, with ca -

inklinations

lorBrunetti ’ 25

“I feel like Netflix is just so much easier because I know I’ll find exactly what I want to watch.”

“I think they [cable and Netflix] both suck equally. I prefer Hulu.”

ble TV, when the episodes of a show are released sporadically, excitement and conversation sparks among viewers. Everyone tunes in on Thursdays at 8 p.m. to watch the newest episode of “The Golden Bachelor.”

Besides bringing back viewers every week, this encourages next-day excitement and conversation about the show— debriefing the drama of the

most recent episode and making predictions for the season finale. This is lost with streaming services like Netflix. I am not bashing Netflix. I love Netflix. It is undeniable that I, along with the majority of my generation, prefer watching TV shows and movies through a streaming service over cable. But that doesn’t mean, on occasion, I still prefer cable. Streaming services have completely transformed the way in which we consume entertainment and media. However, it is important to acknowledge its flaws. So, before you open Netflix on your phone or computer, alone in your room, consider inviting someone in to watch with you, or venture out into the living room for some quality family time and entertainment instead.

Eagle Scout Jackson Cregan soars to success with badge completion

Nina Bowens ’25

Executive On The Wreckord Producer

Years of research, planning, and planting led to this moment. This particular senior Eagle Scout had finalized not one, but two environmental conservation projects to protect the beaches and parks at Sherwood Island, a crucial and demanding task, with the Connecticut coastline eroding two feet per year.

Jackson Cregan ’24 recently became Connecticut’s third Eagle Scout in 108 years to be awarded the most prestigious Eagle Scouts Conservation Award after he successfully completed two arduous environmental projects at Sherwood Island last fall. Cregan completed his first project in April of 2022. He and his team planted 6000 square feet of American Beachgrass on the East Beach of Sherwood Island to protect the deteri-

orating dunes after they were bulldozed in 2000 to create a better view of the park. His second, removing invasive plants like Asian bittersweet, Artemisia and Phragmites and replacing them with pollen-encouraging plants such as Goldenrod seeds, on a 17,000 square foot section of the beach which is now called the “Pollinator Pathway,” was finished that December. Both work to encourage wildlife and protect the balance in which Sherwood Island visitors interact with the ecosystem.

Cregan noted that one of the best parts of both of the projects was the opportunity to bring various groups of people together to help the ecosystem. To advertise, he set up a SignUpGenius where friends and family could put their names down for a time slot to help the dunes. His Scout Advisor, Laura Bernaschina, was one of those volunteers.

“Troop 36 is a smaller troop, so sometimes it isn’t easy to get all the volunteers necessary,” Bernaschina said. “Jackson did a great job recruiting his volunteers. There were family members, scout families and players from his soccer team. It was amazing how much was cleared away that day.”

Alongside his Scout Advisor, Cregan had guidance from the Park and Recre-

ation Supervisor at Sherwood, John Guglielmoni.

“I would compliment Jackson on his perseverance,” Guglielmoni said. “There were times when volunteer forces to assist with the effort fell through, or weather did not cooperate, and he was always prepared with a compromise or resolution.”

Among the Eagle Scouts Conservation Award, Cregan has earned 46 other Scout merit badges in various areas.

Though all his accomplishments are stately, the Boy Scouts of America’s Distinguished Conservation Award proves extraordinary. Cregan’s ceremony was the first time that the Connecticut Yankee Council had ever given out the award.

“I felt pride in the work accomplished by myself and my volunteers,” Cregan said. “The process and the dedication required to earn this award make it even more meaningful. When they presented me with the award at the Eagle Scout Ceremony, it showed my hard work and commitment to the conservation efforts that I am a part of.”

Scan here to read the full article!

BADGE COLLECTOR Jackson Cregan ’24 has been a boy scout for 11 years, earning a total of 45 badges, in addition to the Eagle Scouts Conservation Award.

Cregan is the Third boy scout in GraphicbyAlexGaines’25

108 years to recieve the BSA Scouts conservation award in CONNECtICUT.

WHY BEACH GRASS? Cregan’s project included planting beach grass. This helps prevent erosion on the beach by blowing sand behind the beach grass to create dunes, which provides protection against storms and a habitat for animals.

Arts & Entertainment

UNVEILING CREATIVITY

Art show displays student pieces

Siena Petrosinelli ’25 Arts Editor

With a click of a camera, or molding clay, Staples students illustrate their creativity produced in their classes during the yearly annual art show. Students can mold, shape, draw or design new artwork to have it be featured in the show. Students choose the work they would like to be used in the show from their previous class assignments or projects. All creations are kept in the auditorium hallway for a week for all faculty, students

and visitors to view. Some of the classes featured include Pottery, Photography, Graphic Design, Drawing, Painting or the many other classes.

Maya Brody ’24 designed “One person; countless layers” in her Digital Design Honors class to be visible in the art show.

“Each layer represents a different part of what shapes my identity - the bottom layer is a collage of The New Yorker magazine covers because I used to live in New York City,” Brody said. “I think that having student art around the school is a great way to learn about others and it encourages enrollment in fun art courses.”

With the art show illuminating student’s artistic works, it is also a chance for new students to be inspired.

“We aim to provide a platform to showcase their talents and to inspire their peers and the community,”

Stephen Zimmerman, PreK12 Music & Visual Arts Co ordinator, said. “Ultimately, we hope the show fosters a deeper appreciation for the arts within our school and the broader community, high lighting the essential role that creativity plays in education and personal development.”

In Studio Art Founda tions, Phoebe Johnson ’27 drew for her assignment “Value, Scale, and Sphere.”

“I made a perspective drawing of a sphere,” Johnson said. “I’m proud of the detail and the shading I did that now gets to be displayed in the art show to the whole school.”

Art by Zelie Saounatsos ’25

ArtbySachaMaidique’24

“70’s Still Life ”

“Each layer represents a different part of what shapes my identity - the bottom layer is a collage of The New Yorker magazine covers because I used to live in New York City,” Maya Brody ’24 said.

“This 16” x 20” oil painting is from direct observation in my studio portfolio honors class,” Phoebe DeOreo ’24 said. “Although I struggled with this composition due to its complexity, the process of making it was valuable, and therefore this piece is one of my favorites.”

“One person; countless layers”

Art by Maya Brody ’24

Art by Phoebe DeOreo ’24

Phoebe DeOreo ’ 42

SPORTS

MY MENTAL HEALTH GOT ME

THE CHEER TEAM KICKED OFF

Katherine Phelps ’25 Opinions Editor

One of the things that I love most about Staples is how they prioritize mental health. Dogs are brought in to calm students’ nerves during stressful weeks, there are mental health awareness clubs and teachers understand the stress that is put on students. I wish I could say the same about the athletic department.

In my experience, my mental health was handled poorly by my cheerleading coaches and I found no support from the athletic department. If the school believes that it’s important for students to have a good mental well-being, the athletic department should too.

At the start of this school year, my cheerleading coaches implemented a rule stating: “If you quit the competition team, you’re kicked off the game-day team.” So, when I joined the competition team, I accepted this policy. However, in September, I quickly became overwhelmed with balancing cheer and my course load.

Going from game-day practice, which only met once a week for two hours, to competition team practice, which met for an additional six hours plus competitions, was quickly becoming too much for me to handle. And

Photos contributed by Katherine Phelps ’25 & Gabe Hellmann ’26

Photo by Gabe Hellman ’26

THE PAST Katherine Phelps ’25 began her career by tumbling, before transitioning to cheerleading her freshman year.

then, my mental health hit an all time low when my doctor diagnosed me with anxiety.

I knew I needed to put a pause on cheerleading to recharge in order to be at peak performance for my team. So, I reluctantly reached out to my cheerleading coaches, provided them with my doctor’s note, and asked if they’d grant me a two week leave of absence from cheerleading for a brief mental health break.

Asking them was scary, but I hoped they would see that I was not asking to quit the team and that they would ultimately support me in a time when I was struggling.

I was wrong. My coaches told me that, per the new rule, I could no longer be a Staples cheerleader at all.

To be honest, their decision came as a shock. The policy was supposed to pertain to cheerleaders asking to quit the competition team. I was merely asking for a pause. I wanted to return when my mental health was better.

When I was diagnosed with a concussion last year, my doctor’s note granted me a two-week pause from the competition team in order to recover from that injury. So why did my doctor’s note citing my need to recover from this anxious episode not grant me the same courtesy of treatment?

Prior to my departure from the team, I even reached out to my teammates explaining my situation. I was shown immense support. They understood I wasn’t abandoning them. I received numerous text messages of support and love from them. I became even closer to my teammates after this experience, and that is something I’m incredibly grateful for. My teenage teammates understood my feelings, so why couldn’t my adult coaches?

Not only that, but I truly love cheerleading. I’ve made great friends and memories through

Graphic by Shivali Kanthan ’24 Information from NBC

Sports, The Athletic & Yahoo Sports

cheer. I found something that I was passionate about. I knew when I made the competition team as the only freshman two years ago, that I found some thing that would have a positive impact on my life. My well-be ing soared during my freshman and sophomore year, but that just wasn’t the case my junior year.

Mental health is something that needs to be taken seriously. Although I’m an athlete, I’m also still a kid and a student. But even adults who are athletes need a break too. Olympic gold medalist Sim one Biles has struggled with her mental health. Biles with drew from the Olympic com petition team in 2021 when she developed “the twisties” —a mental block that causes gymnasts to lose track of their position midair. In this scenar io, she put her mental health

ahead of her medals. Her teammates supported her decision, her coaches supported her

ever, when it comes to mental health, exceptions to these rules should be prioritized.

When it comes to mental health, exceptions to these rules should be prioritized.

DROPPING HER POM POMS

Katherine Phelps ’25 will no longer perform back handsprings like this one.

Mon-Fri 9:30-6:00 p.m. ~ Sat 9:30-5:00 p.m. Sun 10:00-4:00 p.m The perfect Valentine’s Day gift for any nature lover. Bird Seed, Houses, Feeders and more!

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